“I’m sorry, Maya. That was too much,” he said, as he wrapped a fresh bandage around the wound.
She reached out to touch the back of his hand, giving him pause. “I’m a big girl. I can decide for myself what is and isn’t too much.”
He looked up into her eyes. She held his gaze, straightforward and serious. She wasn’t the type of woman who’d just go along with something.
He nodded. “Okay. And are you ready to meet my alpha? Everyone should be starting to get back to the compound now.”
A smile tweaked her cheeks, but it looked forced. “Yeah, I think so. I’m nervous about what he’s going to say.”
“Honestly, so am I, but we need to do this. We have to find out if there’s been a case of a shifter recognizing a human as their mate before. We can’t be the only ones.”
He could see the idea of them being mates was still foreign and overwhelming to her. It was easier for him—he’d grown up with the knowledge it would one day happen, and he had the further insight of being able to scent it on her. It was different for her, but she must feel something akin to what he did, or she wouldn’t be here now.
The shifters tended to gather around the meeting house in the center of the compound when they returned from a night of running as wolves. It would be the place he’d find his alpha, Holton, along with elders of the pack who might understand what was happening.
Chance found himself drawn to Maya in a way he’d never been before. They’d only just fucked, and yet he wanted her again, wanted to touch her skin, to taste her, to lose himself in her. No, it wasn’t a want. It was a need—something driven by his body’s basest requirements.
He gave in to his desires for a moment, pulling her against him and folding her into his arms. Her hands slid up his spine, and he hated that he now had the material of his t-shirt between them. He kissed her, her mouth tasting of honey and sunshine, and his hands lifted to lace through her still-damp hair. How could anything feel so soft? She was like a dream caught up in human form, and he could barely believe she’d wandered into his life.
As much as he wanted her again, he knew he needed to speak to Holton. His alpha wouldn’t be too happy if he discovered Chance had brought a stranger, and a human, onto the compound without going directly to him.
He broke the kiss and pressed his nose and forehead against hers. “It’s time to go.”
She nodded.
Slipping his hand into hers, he led her from his house and through the compound, toward the meeting house at its center. They passed a few other shifters, but spoke to no one, though he sensed curious disapproval radiating from them.
They reached the meeting house. Plenty of shifters were still out running tonight, so the place was quiet.
“Come this way.” He took her via the back of the building, hoping he’d be able to catch Holton without the others around. The last thing he wanted was for this to turn into a whole pack thing. His position in the pack was low enough as it was, something he didn’t want Maya to know about. It embarrassed him. He wished he was able to tell her he was alpha or beta, instead of a subservient wolf who’d been used as bait for other members of the pack.
Chance pushed open the back door and stepped inside, checking quickly then pulling Maya in with him. There was no one here yet, something he wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or annoyed about. He’d told Maya he’d have her back home before dawn, and they didn’t have a huge amount of time.
“They’ll be here soon,” he reassured her.
She chewed her lower lip, and he noted how her skin had paled. “I’m not so sure about this,” she said. “Maybe we should take a rain check.”
“I’m not going to push you into any—”
Movement came from the front of the meeting house. Wolves entered, several of them, with the alpha leading the way. They stopped short when they saw him, hackles raised, lips curled in snarls. He knew their reaction was less toward finding him there, and more that he had a human by his side.
Chance stepped forward, shielding Maya with his body. He sensed the tension radiating from her, in the locked muscles of her body and the thrum of her heartbeat.
He addressed the pack. “I can explain.”
Chapter Ten
Maya had never seen so many wolves in one place. They were all different—ranging in sizes, their fur various shades, from black, to white, to brown, to russet. One wolf in particular caught her attention. He—she assumed the wolf was a him from his size—was massive, with dark grey fur and the golden yellow eyes of his kind. But it was more his position in the group than his size or color that alerted her to who he was. He stood at the head of the pack, flanked by a smaller wolf with russet fur on one shoulder, and a tall, lean, lighter grey wolf at the other. Numerous other wolves lurked behind him, all of them watching her. Low growls issued from their barrel chests, their nostrils flaring as they scented her. She was struck by the sudden fear that they could smell sex on her. The thought made her embarrassed and vulnerable. Exposed.
There was no doubting that this was the alpha Chance had been talking about.
She stood, frozen, as the huge wolf trotted forward and sniffed her, his lips drawn back over his sharp teeth, his muzzle wrinkled. It made for a terrifying sight, and for a moment she thought he was going to lunge forward and attack. She wouldn’t stand a chance if he did—the powerful muscle bunched in the animal’s body, combined with teeth and claws, made for a lethal combination.
But instead of attacking her, the animal stepped back.
Just like when she’d watched Chance change in the forest, the fur on the beast’s body began to shimmer. His body realigned, bringing him back to two feet, and his muzzle retracted, leaving a human face beneath. It was like watching one of those 3-d cards where, when the angle is altered, the picture changed. One moment, she was looking at one thing, and the next he was something else altogether.
The man he became was almost as big as the wolf he’d been. He had long dark hair, his jaw shadowed with beard growth. His shoulders were bulked with muscle, just as they had been when he’d been wolf. She didn’t allow herself to look any farther down.
As though his shift had been a cue to the others, the wolves surrounding him also began to change back. The russet-furred wolf at his side morphed into a beautiful young woman with flame red hair, and the light-grey wolf became a handsome, blond man. The wolves behind them were a mix of men and women, and she felt all their eyes on her, assessing her. It was strange how she was the one who felt utterly exposed, when they were all naked and she was fully clothed.
“What’s the meaning of this, Chance?” the alpha growled, focusing on the man still trying to protect her with his body. “You know we don’t bring humans into the compound.”
Chance nodded. “I know, Holton, but something has happened and I didn’t know what else to do. I need your advice.”
The man, Holton, narrowed his eyes at her. “Continue.”
“I scented Maya in the forest. She was trapped in a snare, and I freed her. We mated shortly after.”
Holton frowned. “You mated?”
Maya felt heat rush to her face and she shrank inward. How mortifying, and yet somehow erotic, to be discussing that she’d had sex with someone she’d only just met, when she was surrounded by naked people.
“Yes, we mated,” Chance confirmed.
“That’s not possible. She’s clearly human.”
“I know. That’s where the problem arises. When I first scented her in the forest, I knew I’d scented my mate. I was as surprised as anyone when I found her and discovered she was human.”
“You should have waited. You should have had the conversation with me before you had sex.”
Chance hung his head. “I’m sorry.” He glanced back to her. “I couldn’t stop myself. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before—the pull of her. It was like I had to have her or I’d simply stop existing.”
His words made her blood sing. No one had ev
er spoken about her in such a way before.
The alpha nodded. “I believe you.”
Maya felt a tiny part of her loosen and relax.
Holton turned to the others. “Ruby, Joel, you stay. Everyone else may leave.”
There were mutterings as numerous naked bodies left the meeting house. When everyone, except those requested to stay, had left, the alpha Holton stepped closer. His nostrils flared, his eyes fixed on her, dark and intense.
“Do you know who your parents are?” he asked.
The question threw her. “Yes, of course. I still live with them now.”
“So which of them is the lone wolf?”
Maya blinked. “The what?”
“The lone wolf. One of them must be a shifter who has chosen to live outside of their pack.”
Her mouth dropped. “Neither of them!”
The idea of either of her sweet, mild-mannered parents being a wolf shifter was laughable.
A strange silence fell among them and she felt everyone’s eyes focused on her. What was it she saw in them? As she looked around, she realized the atmosphere had changed. Instead of them being wary of her, now they wouldn’t meet her eye, as though they knew something she didn’t. Did they think she was lying?
“What?” she cried. “They’re not shifters!” She turned to Chance and caught his arm. “There must be another explanation.”
He spoke tentatively, reaching down to take her hand. “Or else your parents aren’t who you think they are.”
His words were like an electric jolt through her body, freezing her heart. “No. No way.”
She yanked out of his grip, no longer wanting to be near the person who could cause her such pain. With her mind reeling, she glanced between all of the strangers’ faces, watching her now. Dizziness swept over her and she stumbled back, ignoring the pain shooting up through her leg. She only wanted to get away. These people—if she could call them people—were lying to her. She didn’t know why they’d do that, but they had to be. It was the only explanation.
Pain flitted across Chance’s face and he reached for her again, but she jerked away. “Leave me alone. I need to go home.”
“I’ll take you,” he said.
“No. Please. I need time to think.”
The alpha turned to the red-haired woman beside him. “Ruby, go and find Florence. She can drive Chance’s friend home.”
“Maya,” she found herself mumbling. “My name’s Maya.”
No one acknowledged her.
“I can drive her,” said Ruby, but Holton shook his head.
“No, I need you here.”
Ruby nodded, and turned and left.
Chance turned to Maya. “Please, let me take you home, Maya. I can’t stand the thought of leaving you like this. I know this news must be distressing…”
“It’s not news,” she spat, hating the connotation of the word—as though it was fact and not just speculation. “You’re all wrong.”
Ruby reappeared with a pretty blonde girl by her side. The girl smiled at Maya and jangled a set of car keys in her hand. “Ready?”
Feeling numb inside, Maya nodded.
The pretty blonde jerked her head toward the front of the meeting house, a small, sympathetic smile on her lips. The young woman—who was about her age—seemed nice, and so Maya left Chance’s side to follow her.
“Maya, please…”
She ignored Chance’s plea as best as she could, though his tone made her heart ache. Her head told her to keep walking, while her body hummed with the desire to turn right back around and throw herself into his arms. But she needed to process all of this and she couldn’t do it with Chance around. His presence stopped her brain from working, and she was acting out of character. She was the sensible one, the responsible one. She wasn’t the one who ran off with scarred, shifter men in the middle of the night.
She stepped out of the wooden meeting house and into the cool forest air, following the girl’s —Florence’s—back. Others stood around, watching, as she walked across the clearing to where a couple of vehicles were parked.
“You live far?” asked Florence, as she opened the door to the truck. Maya noted the doors weren’t locked.
She shook her head. “Just on the outskirts of town.”
“No problem.”
“Thanks for driving me back, Florence.”
“Most people call me Flo. And it’s fine, I promise.” She lowered her voice, conspiratorial. “Good to get out of the compound sometimes.”
Maya angled her body toward the door as Flo drove from the compound and onto the road leading toward town. She deliberately didn’t look in the direction of the meeting house, not wanting to see Chance if he came running after her.
“I’m sorry about your folks,” said Flo.
Maya frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Ruby filled me in about one of your parents not being who they said they are. That’s got to be a tough thing to hear.”
“It’s not true,” she snapped, her initial warming toward the other girl instantly growing frigid. “They’re just speculating.”
“There’s no other explanation, though, is there?” she continued. “I mean, if you and Chance are truly mated.”
Maya had nothing to say to that. Hadn’t she always felt a draw of the forest during a full moon, a fascination with the wolves at Dark Ridge? She’d assumed it was normal curiosity, but could it have meant something more?
“You’re lucky, you know,” Flo said, breaking her from her thoughts. “I’ve still not found my mate. I’ll be twenty-one soon, and still not a hint.”
Relieved to have the subject turned from her own problems, Maya offered the other woman a sympathetic smile. “You’re still young. Plenty of time yet. Plus, you’re crazily pretty. Any guy would be mad not to want you as a mate.”
“Ah, but it doesn’t work like that. It’s all about hormones and the way our bodies talk to each other. A guy might think I’m cute and want to mess around, but unless those hormones click, messing around is all it will ever be.”
They fell into a companionable silence. As they approached the outskirts of town, Maya told her to pull the truck over.
“Are you sure? What about your leg?”
“It’s only around the corner, and my leg is feeling better already. I don’t want my parents to wake at the sound of the truck stopping. If I can sneak in, things will be easier.”
“For the moment, anyway,” said Flo. “You’re still going to have to have a talk with them.”
“Thanks for the ride,” Maya said, avoiding either confirming or denying Flo’s suggestion.
“Welcome.”
She slammed the truck’s door shut and waited until Flo had done a U-turn and was driving back. It was starting to get light, but she still had a couple of hours before needing to open the diner. She would grab some sleep, if she could. She was going to need it to make it through the day.
Maya turned and moved slowly down the road, and rounded the corner.
She stopped short, her heart lurching into her throat.
Sitting outside the front of the diner was an ambulance.
Chapter Eleven
Watching Maya leave tore Chance up inside.
This wasn’t how he’d imagined it would go when he finally found his mate. In his dreams, he’d thought once he’d met his mate, that would be it. They’d be together for good. He’d never thought he’d have to watch her walk away, feeling like she was taking a piece of his heart with her.
He turned to his alpha. “Tell me what to do.”
“What do you mean?”
“To have her here. I can’t be expected to live here without her.”
Holton frowned. “That might not be my decision to make. It seems she’s the one who needs to come to terms with this.”
“But if she does, can she come and live with the pack?”
Holton glanced away. “I don’t know. This is unprecedented. It would have
to be discussed with the rest of the pack.”
Worry trickled through him. He knew what others in the pack thought of him. They’d block Maya living here just to spite him. “You’re the alpha. This should be your decision.”
“I don’t lead that way. If the pack decided having her here would make them uncomfortable, I couldn’t force them to put up with her.”
“Yes, you could.”
Holton lifted a hand, and Chance clamped his jaw shut, hard enough to hurt. The matter was closed—for the moment, anyway. Chance wouldn’t let things lie. No matter what happened, he wouldn’t be content if the pack blocked Maya from coming here. It would be yet another thing to highlight how unwelcome he felt with the Dark Ridge wolves now. He knew he was near the bottom rung of the pack, but that didn’t mean he had to put up with being treated like shit.
Knowing fighting with Holton wouldn’t get him anywhere, he pushed past the larger man and left the meeting house. He wanted to go home, so he could lie in bed and think about Maya. A massive hole had suddenly appeared in his life, and it was a hole only her presence could fill. They were connected now, an invisible cord joining them, and he’d never be able to rest again unless he had her by his side.
Chance crossed the compound, keeping his head down. He didn’t want to bump into any of the shifters involved in the attack that night—Gavin Toller, Stephen Janson, and Ronny Halt—knowing the news of him having mated a human would have spread like wildfire across the compound. It would be another thing for them to taunt him with, and right now, his mood wasn’t in the right place to deal with such a thing. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. He’d end up lashing out and paying back some of the scars they’d given him.
He reached his house. Even though she’d only been inside the four walls for a short while, he still found that every room and surface reminded him of her. Only an hour ago he’d been fucking her in the shower, fast and hard. His groin stirred with desire at the memory, blood flooding to his cock. He couldn’t continue his life with her not in it. She was his, and he was hers. There was no going back now.
Wolf Betrayed (The Dark Ridge Wolves Book 3) Page 5
