Loved by The Alpha Wolf (The Lone Wolf Book 1)

by K. T. Stryker

  Ross took the cell phone from Connor and looked down at it, grimacing. "I don't recognize them." He looked up at Connor. "Anything else?"

  Connor sat heavily. “Yes, in fact. It’s not great news, Ross. Sarah discovered something about Davidson’s wife. Her name was Lucy Damson.”

  Jenny’s mouth fell open. “What?” she whispered, her eyes wide with shock. “Damson…like the two people helping Davidson?”

  “Their sister. But it’s worse than that,” Connor replied, red creeping into his face. “They’re from a shifter family.”

  The air grew thick as Jenny and Ross tried to understand what Connor had just told them.

  “How can they be shifters?” Jenny breathed, staring at Connor. “I met them. I didn’t sense anything like that from them.”

  Connor shot her a sympathetic look. “Terror can do that to you,” he said by way of explanation. “Besides, you were putting everything you had into staying in your human skin. It’s no wonder you didn’t catch anything.”

  Jenny nodded, still completely shocked. The room fell into silence.

  “Davidson married a shifter?” Ross asked after a few moments. “Did he know what she was?” There was an unwritten rule that shifters were meant to find their mates within their own kind and not marry humans, but obviously Lucy Damson had chosen to marry Davidson anyway.

  “Yes, he did,” Connor answered, taking back his cell phone from Ross. “Sarah couldn’t be sure whether he knew at the time she was a shifter, but he certainly does now.”

  Jenny shook her head in an attempt to get her tumbling thoughts into some kind of order. “But now her own brother and sister are trying to wipe out all shifters?” she asked, confused. “I don’t understand why they would do that.”

  Ross looked at her, his eyes darker than she had ever seen them before. “Obviously, they must think that Lucy was attacked and killed by another shifter pack. I would guess that they believe the only way they can get their revenge is to wipe out all the shifter packs in this state.” He looked at the floor, his voice dropping even lower. “Use a shifter to catch a shifter.”

  Jenny hadn’t wanted to think about the fact that they had three hunters on their tail, but now the knowledge that two of them were shifters made her sick to her stomach. Her wolf growled warily as she got to her feet and paced. She’d been getting too comfortable with Ross and Connor, even if there had been some long drives. It was easy to forget about the danger when it wasn’t so obvious.

  “That’s why it’s really important we don’t get distracted from what we’re up against,” Connor replied, his eyes on Ross. “The bed might be nice and the food might be hot, but we still have to get to the East River pack without being seen. There’s no use dropping our guard now. In fact, I’d say we’d better up it.”

  Turning to face them both, Jenny shook her head. “I can’t believe there are shifters trying to kill us,” she said, becoming angry. “We haven’t done anything.”

  “I know.” Ross shook his head, apparently still stunned by the news. “We need to be even more careful.”

  Jenny kept her gaze on him. “Can we still go out for a run?” she asked softly.

  Ross paused for a moment before nodding. "I'll do a quick check, but I don't think they'll be able to find us here. We've taken the back roads and put a lot of distance between ourselves and them, but we'll still have to be careful. So long as we go further into the woods, we should be OK. Just remember to take off all your clothes before you shift so you have something to come back to." He grinned at her, immediately lightening the mood. "After all, we're going to have to get back in this place and I don't fancy explaining to the proprietor why I've somehow left all my clothes inside!"

  Feeling a little less tense, Jenny let out a soft laugh, hearing Connor chuckle. Connor’s news had been pretty terrifying, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from trusting Ross. If Ross said they’d be safe, she knew he’d do everything to protect them all.

  Chapter Twelve

  It was a relief to let his wolf out, Ross had to admit. It tore out from his skin eagerly, ready to burst into a run. With eager eyes, he waited for Jenny, who had undressed a little further back, while Connor barked once in excitement.

  Careful, Ross warned, pretending to prepare to attack Connor. Keep it down.

  Connor yipped instead before tearing off through the woods. A flash of silver and gray to his right told him that Jenny was right behind Connor, enjoying the chance to shift into her wolf form.

  Ross and Jenny followed Connor, each vying to be the lead. Trees became a blur as he ran and ran, getting rid of all the pent-up tension he’d been feeling.

  A few rabbits later, Ross flopped out across the grass in a small clearing in the middle of the forest. He’d enjoyed running through the woods with his brother and with Jenny.

  I’m going, he heard Connor say. Gotta call Sarah in case there’s news.

  Ross fixed his eyes on his brother as he made his way through the woods. Now he was left with Jenny, who was busy chewing up a few remaining rabbit bones.

  His wolf let out a long, low growl, which escaped him without warning. He saw Jenny look up at once, her eyes bright as they focused on him.

  Suddenly, a deep, almost overwhelming desire to make her his flooded him. It was impossible to ignore, pushing him to his four paws. Without even knowing what he was doing, Ross walked over to Jenny and sat beside her, his muzzle close to hers. His wolf growled again, but a slow, quiet growl of contentment. His desire to possess her as his own, to make her his and his alone, grew steadily, but still, he didn't move. He simply stayed beside her, trying to get used to the feelings he had for her.

  Jenny moved her muzzle up to his, cautiously licking him one, twice, before settling back down. Her muzzle rested on his paws and Ross lay down at once, with his own muzzle resting on her back. His eyes closed, feeling a strange sense of peace, even though he’d always been quite happy by himself. It was as if his heart had found the thing it had been looking for, although he’d never really know it had been missing something. Whatever it was, Jenny made him whole.

  “Don’t look,” Ross heard Jenny exclaim, as she shifted back into her human skin. “I can’t find my clothes.”

  He let out a bark of laughter, now wanting more than anything to turn around and watch her. “I’ve taken them,” he murmured, hearing her gasp. “I’m kidding,” he laughed, as she threw a pinecone at him. “They’re here somewhere.”

  Sniffing hard, Ross found his clothes, followed by Jenny’s. “They’re here,” he said, hearing Jenny walk over to him.

  “Ouch,” she whispered, standing on something sharp. “Where are they?”

  Ross laughed out loud. “You’re a shifter, aren’t you? Use your senses!”

  “I’m trying,” she retorted, crossly. “I’m just a bit mixed up right now.”

  Feeling exactly the same way, Ross gave a wry grin. “Well, they’re here,” he said into the darkness. “You’ve just got to find them.” Bending down, he put his hands out and found his clothes, just by scent.

  His breath caught as her hand touched his bare shoulder.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled, evidently embarrassed.

  Sparks flared in his chest. "Don't be," he replied, trying to sound casual. "That's no problem." Her hand didn't leave his shoulder but instead stayed there, as she made her way beside him.

  “Where are my clothes?”

  Clearing his throat and trying not to react to the fact that she was completely naked next to him, Ross drew in one deep breath before replying. “Here.” Catching her hand on his shoulder, he helped her find the pile to his right.

  “Oh, thanks.”

  “No problem.” His voice came out hoarse, making him cringe with embarrassment. “I’ll get dressed over here.”

  Pulling on his clothes as quickly as he could, Ross tried not to feel the heat spiraling in his chest, ignoring his body's reaction to her closeness. Sticking his bare feet into his s
hoes, Ross took in a few more breaths, tempering his emotions.

  No point in denying it, Ross, he thought to himself with a sigh. It’s obvious she’s your mate.

  Ross had never given much thought to finding a mate, but now, apparently, his wolf had decided that Jenny was the shifter for him. His wolf seemed more than content every time she was near him, coupled with a longing, a need, to have her, body and soul. Clearly, he was incredibly attracted to her, but there was more to it than just desire. There was also an urge to be with her at almost every moment, along with a fierce need to protect her, even though he knew she was incredibly strong on her own. She made him laugh, bringing out a side of him he didn’t even know he had. Running a hand through his hair, Ross let out a long breath, wondering if she felt the same. From how she’d reacted when his wolf had laid beside her, he thought that there was definitely something there for her. Would he have the courage to explore it, to find out whether she wanted him in the same way he wanted her?

  “Are you ready?”

  Her voice broke into his thoughts as he turned around to face her. “Yup.” The silvery light of the moon could only get through the branches in tiny slivers, but it was enough for him to make her out. “Do you think you can find your way out?”

  “Of course I can!” she exclaimed with a hearty laugh. “After all, I am a shifter.”

  He grinned as they walked through the forest together. “I thought you said you were feeling a bit mixed up.”

  “I’m fine now,” she retorted, walking slightly ahead of him. “See, I can see the bed and breakfast already.”

  Laughing, Ross caught her hand, holding it in his. For a split second, she paused, glancing at him, before carrying on—evidently happy with what was going on between them.

  “We should probably talk about this at some point, Jenny,” he said softly. “I know now’s not the best time but there’s something between us. I can’t pretend I don’t feel it anymore.”

  She stopped walking and turned to face him. “Listen, Ross,” she said slowly. “I’m not going to say that I don’t feel something for you too, but I know what Connor was getting at when he said we shouldn’t get distracted from what this is all about. There are hunters after us, and there are other packs possibly in danger too. I don’t want whatever this is to get in the way of that. I would feel terrible if something happened because we weren’t focused on what we were meant to be doing.”

  Swallowing hard, Ross had to agree, giving a slight nod of his head. "I understand," he said quickly. "I know exactly what you mean, and I think that's a good idea. I guess I just wanted you to know how I felt so that it wasn't just this unspoken thing between us. Especially when it looks like you'll be staying with the East River pack for a while." His smile widened as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, seeing her slight shiver at his touch. "I want you to have something to come back to," he continued, grinning. "I don't think my wolf would be too happy if you never came back."

  She smiled back at him, her eyes gentle in the moonlight. “I don’t think mine would be either,” she replied. “Thank you for understanding, Ross.”

  Dropping his hand, she gave him another quick smile before walking across the lawn to the front of the bed and breakfast. Ross gave a heavy sigh, knowing that she was right but hating that he’d not be able to have her until much, much later. His wolf let out a growl of disappointment, clearly frustrated. Ross sighed again before walking back across the grass.

  Chapter Thirteen

  What are you doing? Jenny screamed at herself as she unlocked the door to her hotel room. Frustrated with herself, she threw the door open, hard before slamming it closed behind her.

  Clearly Ross had been trying to show her how he felt, and she’d taken the sensible option of telling him that now wasn’t the right time. Of course, it definitely wasn’t the right time, but that didn’t mean that she should have thought with her head instead of her heart.

  Throwing herself onto the bed, Jenny groaned, punching the duvet with her fist. When Ross's wolf had come over to sit by her, she'd accepted him at once. Her wolf obviously wanted him near, and there was a depth to their connection that told her there was something more than just friendship—or even a quick attraction—between them.

  Jenny had heard of finding a mate before, someone your wolf wouldn’t give up no matter what, but she’d never taken it seriously. She’d always thought that kind of thing was almost a fairy tale. Now, however, she was forced to do some serious thinking.

  Her wolf wanted Ross. She wanted Ross. The intensity of her desire was almost overwhelming, to the point that she felt like walking into the bathroom and hammering on his door until he opened it.

  Sighing, Jenny pushed herself up to sitting, that irritating itch between her shoulder blades starting to annoy her again. “A bath,” she mumbled, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “And try to get him out of your head.”

  Knowing she probably wasn’t going to be able to do that, Jenny got up and opened the door to the bathroom, seeing it empty. Turning on the taps to fill it, she poured in some of the complimentary bubble bath and left the taps to run. Walking back to her room, she flicked the television onto some kind of music channel, hoping she could still hear it from the bath. The last thing she wanted was to sit there in silence with her head full of thoughts about Ross. Music would help.

  Quickly undressing, Jenny pulled on the soft complimentary robe and walked into the bathroom.

  Knocking lightly on Ross’s door, she cleared her throat, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m just going for a bath.”

  “OK.” His voice became louder as he came close to the door. “I’m going to call downstairs for a few things. Feeling pretty hungry after all that running.”

  Jenny grinned as her stomach gurgled right on cue.

  “Do you want something?”

  Feeling bold, she opened the door, tugging her robe closed with one hand. She saw the surprise on his face, which he quickly wiped away.

  “That would be great,” she replied quickly. “Perhaps just something light? And, uh, a glass of wine.”

  Chuckling, Ross nodded. “Going to make the most of being here, huh?”

  She shrugged, a little self-conscious. “Why not?”

  “Red or white?”

  “Red.”

  “Coming right up,” he smiled, walking away. “Oh.” Stopping, he looked back at her, his face going slightly red as he rubbed one hand over the back of his neck. “Will I just leave it at the door?”

  Swallowing, Jenny studied him. “Just bring them in,” she said lightly. “Depending on how long it takes, I’ll probably still be in my robe. The bath’s not done filling yet.”

  He nodded, turning away from her without a single word.

  Closing the door, Jenny leaned against it, her breath whooshing out of her body. What are you going to do now?

  Breathing hard, Jenny slipped out of her robe, turned off the taps, and tested the water. It needed a little bit more cold, which she ran for a few minutes, feeling more and more on edge. This was going completely against everything she’d said to him, about how it wasn’t the best time and how they needed to remain focused, but the moment she’d said it, she’d regretted it. She wanted Ross. He wanted her. There was something big growing between them and she wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to explore what that was.

  “I know what I said,” she murmured to herself as she climbed into the bath. “But I made a mistake.” That was what she would say to Ross when he came in. OK, so she might come across as a bit of an idiot for changing her mind so quickly, but hopefully, he'd look past that.

  Then again, there was always a chance he’d turn around and walk back out again.

  Wondering if it was too late to get out of the water and pull her robe back on, Jenny attempted to push herself up again, so that she could climb out of the tub, only for her foot to slip and her entire body to go under the water. Hot water filled her nostrils until she managed to
push herself up again, coughing and spluttering.

  Unfortunately, Ross chose that exact moment to walk in.

  “Are you OK?”

  Wiping bubbles from her eyes as water streamed down her face, she tried to answer but only managed to cough some more. Great, now she’d made a complete idiot of herself.

  “Jenny!” Ross exclaimed, handing her a cloth to wipe her face and slapping her a couple of times on the back. “Are you sure you’re OK?”

  “I’m fine,” she managed to say, clearing her face with the cloth. “Just slipped.”

  Blinking back the water from her face, she saw Ross studying her with a worried expression on his face.

  “I’m fine, Ross. Seriously.”

  “OK.” Stepping back, Ross went out into the bedroom and came back with a tray of something and an entire bottle of red wine, accompanied with a glass. Averting his eyes, he put it down on the shelf next to the sink. “I’ll just leave this here.”

  "Thanks." Her face burned, and she brought her knees up to her chest and put her head in her hands. She'd made such a fool of herself. Hearing the door click closed, she let out a slight groan, muttering under her breath.

  “Are you talking to me?”

  Letting out a small shriek, Jenny dropped her hands only to see Ross leaning casually against the door, his face still turned away. “Do you want me to stay?” Confusion filled his voice. “I just thought—I mean, I know what you said, but then you were in the bath when I came in and I just thought…” He let out a slight groan, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “You are more than welcome to throw me out of here if I’m wrong about this.”