by Liv Brywood
Akila sat on the edge of the bed. “Can I examine you to see how things are healing?”
Gwen nodded and lay back. Diana tried not to stare at the bite marks on the woman’s breast. She’d seen enough crime TV to know that the bites were human.
Ligature marks, evidence of torture, marked her wrists and ankles. The woman had been to hell and back but she lived through it.
Akila said, “Please turn over.”
Gwen complied and Akila peered at the deep scratches on the woman’s back. Akila crossed the room and pulled a small opaque jar off a shelf.
“I need to put more ointment on your back.”
Gwen put her face in her pillow. Akila scooped a thick glob of a yellowish cream out of the jar. She smoothed it over the slashes starting from her neck and worked her way down to her ankles.
A thick blanket of silence hung over in the room. Diana understood why Ryker had left her in the middle of their steamy tryst. Whoever did this to Gwen would feel the wrath of the entire pack. She hoped they’d find justice for the girl as quickly as possible.
***
Ryker paced the great room in the center of the den. Even though the sun hadn’t yet dropped behind the mountains, the other wolves were all awake and listening to Trent’s report.
The beta wolf continued, “…we got as far as the town limits before the scent blended in with the town filth.”
“So you don’t know who it was?” Ryker asked.
Trent’s chest puffed with pride. “We know. We traced the man to a bar on the outskirts of town. We couldn’t attack because there were too many other humans in the vicinity. The risk was too great. But now that we have his scent and know where to find him, we can attack tonight.”
“Great. After we drop Diana off, we’ll find this man and kill him.”
One of the young wolves yelled from the back of the room. “Are you talking about the human you brought back to the den?”
Several wolves gasped then started chattering amongst themselves.
Ryker held up his hand. “Silence.”
The wolves immediately complied.
Ryker addressed the crowd. “She’s was attacked by a man last night. If I hadn’t brought her here, she would have died. Now if any of you have a problem with this, come and talk to me when this meeting is adjourned.”
The same young wolf yelled. “You broke the number one rule by bringing her here. It was your rule. If one of us had broken it, you would have kicked us out of the den.”
Ryker clenched his teeth, then took a deep breath. “Yes, I did break the law. But I used my judgment and I stand by my decision. I haven’t brought a human to the den in almost five years and I won’t bring another one back. You have my word.”
The wolves seemed satisfied with his pronouncement so he decided to end the meeting. “We’re taking a pack of ten wolves plus me and Trent to hunt the man who hurt Gwen. If you want to join the group, please see Trent and he’ll give you details. We’ll meet at sundown.”
He stalked away from the group. Humans. Most of them weren’t worthy of living. All they seemed to bring was death. It was good that he was returning Diana to the town. As much as he wanted to spend more time with her, he knew it would never work. Humans and wolves couldn’t co-exist. History proved that fact.
He stopped at the central juncture. If he went down the right-hand path, he could go back to his room, but then she’d be there. He wasn’t convinced he could resist her tempting body, so he shifted and bounded out of the den and into the forest.
***
Shadows stretched across the floor of Gwen’s room. Diana knew it wouldn’t be long before Ryker came for her.
As if reading her thoughts, Akila stood. “We should get you back to Ryker’s room before he gets back. I don’t want him to have to go searching for you.”
“I can’t believe I’ll be leaving soon. I feel like I’m just getting to know everyone.”
Akila patted her hand. “It’s for the best. We have enough trouble keeping everyone in the pack safe from the humans who try to hunt us. There was a human woman here once. Gosh, it’s almost the five-year anniversary of her…well anyway, it’s not a good idea for humans and wolves to mix.”
Diana followed Akila back to Ryker’s room. Diana noticed a pile of clothes on the bed. Leah must have brought them while she was in Gwen’s room.
Akila hugged Diana. “You were great with the poor girl. You’d make a great assistant.”
“I’m actually studying to be a dentist.”
“Really? Trent could sure use a teeth cleaning.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Akila smiled. “Goodbye. I wish you luck.”
“Thank you.”
After Akila left the room, Diana pulled on the pants and shirt. They were a little snug but she couldn’t walk into town naked, even in the dead of night.
At least two hours passed before Ryker entered the room. Diana was ready to go looking for him when he padded into the room in wolf form. He lay on the ground and motioned with his head for her to climb on.
Disappointed that she couldn’t talk to him, she mounted him and held onto his thick fur. He maneuvered along the corridor, careful to slow when she started to slip too far to one side or the other. By the time they reached the entrance to the den, she’d gotten the hang of riding him.
Ryker strode to the front of the pack. She quickly counted eleven other wolves in the gathering near the entrance. They were all in their wolf form. Apparently they already knew the plan and didn’t need to communicate further.
As Ryker trotted into the woods, she tightened her grip in anticipation. She felt the tension coiled in his body and within seconds, he’d broken into a full stride. The trees rushed past her on both sides. He leapt over logs and dashed around outcroppings of rock.
He ran in circles and loops until she couldn’t figure out which way they’d come from. It was probably part of his plan. He’d said he needed to be sure no one would be able to find the way back to the den.
As they finally reached the edge of the woods, Ryker’s pace slowed. He seemed reluctant to approach the edge of civilization.
He stopped and lowered himself to the ground. She climbed off his back and stood in front of him. She wanted to tell him she’d miss him and thank him again for saving her life, but he looked away. She could feel the other wolves staring, but she had to do something to say goodbye.
She smoothed the fur on his head with her hand. Her voice shook as she whispered, “Thank you for everything.”
As she turned to leave, she felt a tug on her sleeve. Ryker had the edge of it in his mouth. He licked her hand then rubbed his head against it as if marking her.
“Goodbye, Ryker.”
She turned and stepped out of the woods. When she looked up, she froze. Directly across the street, Zane leaned against the wall at Tommy’s Quick Stop Mart. He tipped back a bottle of beer and chugged. When half the beer was gone, he stopped drinking. He wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve and looked up.
She couldn’t move as a slow smile spread across his face. He hurled the bottle against the side of the store. It shattered into a million pieces as he ran toward her.
Consumed with terror, she could only stand and stare as he closed in on her. Someone slammed into her from behind.
She cried out and turned to find Ryker, still in wolf form, standing behind her. He dropped down and she jumped onto his back. They turned just as the first shot rang out.
The other wolves scattered. A bullet whizzed by her head. Ryker shot forward. She dug her fingers into his fur and held on.
Another bullet cut through the air. A few yards ahead, one of the wolves jerked then tumbled, casting up a cloud of dust.
Ryker didn’t stop for him. He raced toward the mountain. Diana turned to look over her shoulder as the downed wolf howled.
Zane stood over the wolf and fired a shot point blank. The wolf’s head exploded.
“No!” she
screamed.
The pack rushed into the woods at full speed. When the sound of Zane crashing through the bushes stopped, so did the wolves.
Ryker tipped to one side and she slid off. She staggered and sat down hard on a nearby boulder.
Ryker and the others shifted.
“Who are we missing?” He looked frantically around the group.
She counted seven other wolves. Oh God, four were missing.
One of the men spoke, “I saw Idan go down.”
“Lonan too.”
“And Jax.”
Ryker paled. “Where’s Trent?”
Diana looked around the group. He wasn’t there.
“Did anyone see him go down?” Ryker asked frantically.
Several wolves responded at once. “No.”
Ryker took two steps in the direction they’d come from then stopped.
Trent staggered out from a thick patch of trees. He bent over with his hands on his thighs. He panted as he struggled to speak. “It was him…the man who attacked us…also attacked Gwen.”
One of the older men stepped forward. “I’m going back for my son. I want to bury his body.”
Ryker held up a hand. “Wait. We should split up just in case Zane’s still out there.”
Surprised he’d remembered his name, Diana perked up. “What can I do to help?”
“Nothing,” snapped the older man. “You’ve done enough.”
Ryker addressed the grieving father. “Clyde, it wasn’t her fault. With or without her, we still would have gone into the town tonight to look for Gwen’s attacker.”
Clyde grunted.
Trent stepped forward. “He’s right. It wasn’t her fault. Let’s take a minute to get our heads together then we’ll go back. Ryker, can I speak with you privately?”
The two men walked out of earshot. Diana knew they were talking about her because they kept gesturing in her direction.
Finally Ryker stepped back into the group. “Trent’s going to take Diana back to the den.”
“What?” Clyde gave her a look filled with so much malice, she cowered against a boulder.
Ryker put a hand on Clyde’s shoulder. “I’ll make this right. I don’t care what it takes. We’ll find and kill the man who murdered your son.”
Clyde pressed his lips together until they formed a thin, pale slash across his mouth. He nodded and turned his back on the group. His shoulders shook as if he was crying, but he didn’t make a sound.
Ryker turned to Trent. “I’ll be back within the hour. Do not let her out of your sight.”
Chapter 6
More than an hour had passed since Ryker left Diana in Trent’s custody. The beta wolf took his job very seriously and paced back and forth just inside the entrance to Ryker’s room.
Diana also couldn’t sit still, so she wandered around the room. Finally she couldn’t stand the silence anymore. “He’s been gone too long. Do you think something happened?”
Trent ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”
“If something happens to him…”
“Nothing will happen to him. He’s twice as smart as anyone in the pack, and twice as fast.”
Ryker pushed back the curtain. “I never thought I’d hear you say that.”
“Oh thank God.” Diana flung herself into his arms.
She stepped back and scrutinized every inch of his body.
“Did you catch him?” Trent asked.
“No. He was gone by the time we got back, which might be a good thing.” Ryker opened his fist. In the center of his palm lay a large leaf. He carefully peeled it back to reveal two crushed bullets.
Trent peered down at them. “Silver?”
“Yes.”
“I haven’t seen silver bullets in years. Where did you find them?”
“Lodged in trees. We brought the wolves’ bodies back. I asked Akila to look to see if the bullets that killed them were silver too.”
Trent frowned. “We have to be extra careful now. We can’t get hit by those at all. A simple flesh wound will be fatal.”
“I know. That’s why we need to wait and regroup before attacking again. We need a plan to catch the man off guard. Lure him into the woods and get the gun away from him.”
“Do you want to call a council meeting? The other packs should at least be warned about the bullets.”
Ryker nodded. “I want to call a council meeting as soon as possible.”
Trent punched his fist against his other palm. “Then we create a plan to kill him.”
“Get some rest. We’re going to need it to fight the enemy.”
Trent exited the room leaving her alone with Ryker. She hurried to his side. “What can I do to help?”
Ryker sat on the edge of his bed and patted the empty space next to him. “Just lie here with me. The only thing I need right now is to know that you’re safe.”
***
As the night dragged on, Diana tossed and turned on the dais. Every time she closed her eyes she watched the wolves die over and over. Tears dripped down her face. She’d put the wolves in jeopardy by running back into the forest. Because of her, three wolves were dead.
Ryker shifted in the bed beside her. “Can’t sleep?”
She rolled over to face him. “No. I keep seeing their faces. This is all my fault.”
His strong arms pulled her close. “No, you couldn’t have known he was armed with silver bullets.”
“But, when he ran toward me, if I hadn’t run into the—”
“—if you hadn’t run, he would have killed you and still killed the other wolves. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you too.”
The hollow pit in her stomach ached, but it was nothing compared to the anguish in his eyes. She’d give anything to take his pain away.
She reached out to graze his cheek with her hand.
He closed his eyes. “We should get some sleep.”
In the day she’d spent with him, something magical had happened and she wasn’t ready to let him go.
She cupped his face and pressed her lips firmly against his. He groaned and parted his lips. She took it as an invitation and deepened the kiss.
The first electric shock of his tongue against hers ratcheted up her desire. She wanted to capture his tongue, ravish him with her mouth, and send him to a place so filled with pleasure he’d never want to return.
She didn’t know what had come over her. She wasn’t ever this aggressive in or out of bed. But this felt so natural and so right, she refused to question it.
Ryker laced his hands behind her neck and drew her on top of him. Afraid she would crush him, she tried to pull away.
“Lie on me.” His voice was rough with need.
“I’ll crush you.”
He laughed. “Not a chance. You’re perfect, and I want you.”
She lowered herself until they melted together. Skin to skin, she took in a shuddering breath. She’d never felt so eager, so hungry for a man’s touch.
His hands smoothed across her back and slid lower to cup her butt. The hard length of him pressed against her belly. She smiled, knowing she’d made him as hard as stone.
As much as she wanted to take him deep inside, she didn’t want to rush. She wanted to taste every inch of him.
Starting with his neck, she nibbled along the side of his throat. He moaned and pulled her tighter against him.
As she traveled lower, she tasted the ridge of his collar bone. The salty heated skin enflamed her desire. Her hands kneaded and stroked his muscular chest. She started to slide lower but he rolled her underneath him.
His breath tickled her neck. “My turn.”
She opened her legs to let him nestle between them. His cock pressed against her, but he didn’t make a move to enter.
Instead, he nuzzled the side of her neck just below her ear. She gasped as his hands found her taut nipples. He gently ran his nails across her breasts in ever-increasing circles.
She nee
ded him to smooth away the horrible images locked in her mind. With every kiss, with every caress of his hands, he transformed her despair into a hunger so intense it threatened to consume her.
“Please.” She whimpered.
“Not yet, not until I’ve tasted you.”
At first she didn’t understand what he meant, but as he kneeled between her legs and dipped his head toward the apex of her thighs, she knew.
His tongue brushed against her. A moan borne of pure lust escaped her lips. He swirled and dipped and took his time coaxing her to the point of climax, then stopped.
He didn’t make her wait.
He crawled up and sealed her lips with a hungry kiss. As he eased into her, she arched to take all of him. He stayed still for a moment, allowing her body to adjust to him.
She quivered against him. He took her with long strokes filled with passion. No one had ever made love to her like this. In that moment, she felt as if their souls melded together into one.
The look in his eyes told her he felt the same. He murmured something she couldn’t make out against her lips.
The sweetness of her release came perfectly timed with his. He held her close as he shuddered and spilled into her.
He rolled onto his side then pulled her into the curve of his body. With a content sigh, she fell asleep in his arms.
***
Zane parked his truck in the place where Diana ran into the woods. He grabbed the silver-bullet-loaded gun from the glove box. A pair of binoculars dangled around his neck. He zipped his coat against the chill in the air and stalked into the forest.
It took him an hour to find the meadow where the wolf man had kept him from fulfilling his sacred duty of smiting the wicked. A wolf howled in the distance. His lips twitched into a smile as he turned toward the sound. He trudged through the forest. He’d never stop until he sent every last werewolf to hell.
Chapter 7
In a sleepy haze, Diana pressed her back against Ryker’s warm chest. A hint of light filtered down from the skylight in the ceiling of the room, illuminating specks of dust in the air. She couldn’t have been asleep for more than a few hours. Filled with passion, Ryker had made love to her most of the night. Like a sex-starved nymphet, she’d matched his intensity until she’d melted into a puddle of ecstasy.
