by Leia Shaw
Her heart fluttered and every muscle tensed.
Behind the yellow and brown bear, two cubs played in a stream, splashing and romping, oblivious to her presence.
Oh shit. Mama grizzly.
She gulped and took a step back. The grizzly looked at her and growled. Should she run? No. She’d look like prey and a grizzly could outrun even her.
“Drop your gaze, Harmony,” Sorin said. His voice didn’t sound far off. He was there. For some reason it made her feel a little better, even though he was in danger too.
She did as he said. Staring at the ground made her feel more vulnerable but that was the point. Let the bear know she wasn’t a threat.
“Back away, slowly. No sudden moves.”
Trying to keep her breathing even, she walked backward, listening carefully for signs of aggression from the bear.
It growled again, louder, and her inner wolf fought to get free and run. But even as a wolf, she was in danger. And she’d definitely look and smell like prey.
“Don’t shift,” Sorin said. “Just keep moving back. You’re almost to me. The bear is losing interest.”
A few more shaky steps and she felt him at her back. He pulled her into his arms, kissed her cheek then shoved her behind him. “Keep walking back. All the way to the trees.”
Together, they shuffled backward. The mother grizzly must’ve deemed them unworthy because she went back to looking over her cubs. In the safety of the trees, Sorin turned around and gathered her in his arms.
“That was close,” she said, taking comfort in his embrace.
“Too close.” He gazed down at her and placed his hands on her upper arms. “How could you not smell them? You would’ve run right into her if I didn’t stop you.”
A huff of anger was her first response. “Hey! I was…” She trailed when a reason failed to appear. “I…”
“You weren’t being careful,” he admonished with a finger pointed at her.
Damn him for being right. She growled, grabbed his finger and bit it. Instead of pulling away like she’d thought, he slipped it in further and pushed down on her teeth. Her mouth opened and she closed her lips around his finger. His eyes hazed over as he stared down at her. With a smirk, she twirled her tongue around his finger then sucked it.
He gave her a longing look then pulled away. “Tease.” His voice sounded harsh and he swallowed hard.
She grinned. Maybe she wasn’t as powerless as she’d thought. By the desperate hunger in his eyes, she knew she had him wrapped around her finger.
“Let’s head back,” he said, grabbing her hand. “It’s getting late and your little tease gave me ideas for that mouth of yours.”
Uh-oh. Her mind searched for a reply but nothing came. Strangely, the idea of using her mouth to pleasure him was appealing. Her insides clenched and she fought back a blush.
They walked hand-in-hand through the forest and she tried to think of ways to change the subject. After a few moments of silence, she asked, “What would you have done if the bear attacked me?”
“Shifted and fought her.” He shrugged as if it were no feat. For him, maybe it wasn’t.
“I hope you wouldn’t have killed her. She was just protecting her cubs.”
With a sideways glance, he said, “As am I. Protecting what’s mine.”
Her stomach thunked. The wolf part of her preened at the sense of belonging, especially to such a strong male. She shook her head, pushing instinct aside. On an intellectual level, his barbaric ways stung her feminine pride. “I’m not yours.”
“This says otherwise.” Gently, he stroked his bite mark on her neck. “It’s lasted a long time. It’s like your body wants it there.” He smirked and pulled his hand away. “It wants to be marked by me.”
“You wish,” she said half-heartedly. “Anyway, I could’ve outrun the bear if I had to.”
He snorted. “You’re fast, but you’re not that fast. I was just about to catch you before the bear ended the game.”
“Hmm.” She arched a brow at him. “Convenient the bear just happened to appear right when I was winning.”
He barked a laugh. “Do you think I planted it there?”
“You could have called it forth.”
“Called it forth? Who am I? Tarzan?” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you think I’m powerful, but even I have limits, love.”
She gave him a mischievous smile. “Maybe I should find a mate with less limits then.”
He stilled then dropped his arm from around her shoulders and turned to face her. His blue eyes seemed to shine against the dark forest. Intense and dangerous. Had she pushed him too far?
She took a few steps back.
“Looks like someone needs another mark on her neck. Maybe one on the other side.” He stepped toward her.
“No!” she said, giggling.
“Or on your shoulder.” Another step closer. “Maybe a few on your inner thighs.”
She almost moaned. Biting, marking – her clit throbbed so hard she was sure she could come with one stroke.
“Run, little wolf.” He grinned a feral grin. “Run fast. Because if I catch you, you’ll wish you hadn’t challenged me.”
He didn’t have to say it twice. She turned tail and fled. This time, his heavy footsteps were loud behind her. She pumped her arms as she flew through the trees. His hot breath on her neck said he was toying with her.
She should give in. The heat between her legs, the yearning for him to be inside her…it was slowing her down. She wanted this anyway. Why not give in?
A second later, a hard body rammed into her back, making her stumble forward with a yelp. Before she hit the ground, he slid under her, shielding her fall with his body.
They stared at each other a moment, panting, Harmony lying on top of his chest. Then he flipped her. Flat on her back in a bed of leaves, she looked up into his heated gaze. He straddled her hips then gathered her wrists and held them at her stomach.
“Now you’re in trouble,” he rumbled.
She couldn’t stop a giggle. “Sorin. Be nice…don’t…”
His wicked smile made her trail off. Without another word, he leaned in to her neck – the side that was unmarked – and bit down.
She half-laughed half-screamed and writhed her body underneath his, trying to dislodge him. He was too heavy. He sucked on the spot and flickers of pain traveled down her body. It ended in a pool of wetness between her legs and the scream turned into a moan. God she wanted to fuck him so bad!
Instead of trying to throw him off, she gyrated her hips against him.
“Yes,” she whispered.
He sat up and examined the mark, pride radiating in his eyes. “Mine.”
The possessive tone shot straight to her clit. Her breasts felt heavy and goosebumps rose on her skin. “Take off my pants,” she rasped.
His expression changed in a blink. “No. Bad girl.” He tapped her nose.
It took her a moment to realize he’d denied her. “What?”
“Look.” He pointed behind her.
She followed his gaze. Lights were visible through the trees. And rows of cabins. Shit! They were practically at the camp’s doorstep. In a panic, she scrambled to get free. How did she not see that?
He chuckled and let her go.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded, rising from the ground and brushing off her clothes.
“No one saw.” He spun her around and helped brush the leaves off her back.
“Ugh. You are such a jerk!”
At that, he gave her backside a smack. “Watch it.”
She scooted away and growled. “I’m going home. We probably missed dinner. I don’t even know what time it is.”
“I’ll walk you.”
They stared at each other a moment. Her nipples still felt hard and achy against her cotton bra. Her thighs wanted to clench together to ease the desperate feeling between her legs. She whimpered.
Sorin laughed then strode t
oward her. He placed a hand firmly between her legs. She gasped.
At her ear, he whispered harshly, “You want that taken care of, you know where to find me.”
He circled her clit once…twice…she leaned in, almost fell to the ground her knees were so weak. Then he drew away.
No! she almost yelled but remembered where she was. The pack could probably smell her arousal even now. She’d always felt bad for the wolves in the mating dance. It was a frustrating and embarrassing time. Sorin strutted around camp, prideful, but she just wanted to hide in a hole somewhere until it was over.
If she accepted his mating, they would make love and he would empty inside her. The mating dance would be over and their hormones would go back to normal. That meant she had to get on the pill. Just because nature wanted her to reproduce, didn’t mean she had to let it happen.
Sorin stepped back and raked his gaze over her. “You’re so fucking hot. Your clothes disheveled. Her hair tousled.” He focused in on her neck. “Wearing my marks. It’s damn sexy.”
Mmmm. Couldn’t he finish her now? She gave her head a shake. Focus! Camp was only a few yards away. An exhibitionist, she was not.
With a sigh, she gestured toward the lights. “Let’s go.” Before I lose my goddamn mind.
Chapter 7
Sorin stormed into the Ranger Station for the weekly council meeting at precisely nine PM. “Has anyone heard from Cristian?”
All conversation stopped. Ten pair of eyes looked up at him, standing at the head of the table, his palm splayed on the hard wood.
Mathias raised his brows and stared at where Sorin’s hand had slammed on the table.
He lifted his hand and examined the wood. A small crack split the mahogany. Whoops. Admittedly, he’d been a little tense since yesterday. He hadn’t touched Harmony since the night before and his body yearned to complete their mating. Having her away from him, even across camp, was difficult.
“Sorry,” he said, fisting his hand.
A few of the guys chuckled then dropped their gazes when he glared at them.
Mathias smiled warmly. “Sit down, Sorin. Relax.”
He nodded then exhaled a breath. If anyone knew what this was like, it was Mathias. His mate had made him jump through so many hoops when they’d dated. At the time Sorin had laughed and vowed never to let his woman have that much control over him. But now…
Now he should give the man a sympathetic hug and apology. Sorin’s little blonde she-devil was giving him the blue-balls of a lifetime. Not to mention making his wolf go crazy. It paced and stirred just beneath the surface.
“Cristian called this morning,” Mathias said. “He’s following a lead to catch a...” he looked at his phone, “Silver Slayer? Has anyone heard of him?”
“Yeah.” Jackson flicked a hand up. “A werewolf serial killer from the south. He supposedly targets kids.”
“Fucking bastard,” someone murmured. Others voiced their agreement.
Sorin nodded. “Cristian’s on it. You know the guy’s a goner.” He looked around at the men in the room – lives he was in charge of protecting. “We’ve got problems here to focus on. There’s a coven close. Marcus found three new bodies drained this week.”
“Three?” a younger member said. “Shit.”
“Do we have any leads on their location?” Mathias asked.
Sorin started to answer that they didn’t when the door slammed open. Paul walked in, covered in blood. “I know where they are,” he said breathlessly.
Sorin rushed to his side, along with Rafe, the pack doctor.
Paul put out a hand. “I’m fine. It’s not my blood.”
He reeked of vampire, but he wasn’t stumbling and his eyes were clear.
“Sit down. Let Rafe check you out,” Sorin commanded.
He shook his head. “I’m not hurt.”
Paul wasn’t prideful enough to lie about needing help so Sorin nodded and pulled out the nearest chair for him. “Tell us what happened.”
He plopped down on the chair and someone tossed him a bottle of water.
After taking a big swig, he spoke. “I was doing a final sweep of the northern border, up by the ravine, and I came across a blood trail. A vampire feeding. Young thing. Very careless.”
“Did you dispose of it?”
He nodded grimly. “He must’ve been high for days. He didn’t cover his tracks. I followed it straight to the coven’s doorstep just over the Montana border. That’s what all this is.” He gestured down his body. “A disguise to mask my scent.”
“Smart,” Mathias said.
Sorin grunted. “You should’ve called for back-up.”
“I didn’t want to lose the trail. Or another vampire to realize the mess the boy had made. But I know where they are and approximately how many.”
“I’ll get a map,” someone behind him said then left the room to rummage through drawers in the attached office.
“How many?” Sorin asked. The prospect of clearing out this coven was tempting but he wouldn’t risk lives unless he was sure they could win.
“From what I could tell, not more than a dozen,” he answered.
“A dozen? That’s fucking easy.” Too easy?
“I saw a few come and go. Most of them are young. I doubt they’ll put up much of a fight. Though if they’re high, they’ll be stronger.”
Anger rose from his belly at the thought of the countless innocent wolves under his protection, being killed for a quick high. A growl escaped him but no one said a word. They knew strongly he felt about this.
Max came back with the map and spread it open on the table. Paul, Sorin, and Mathias hovered over it.
“There.” Paul pointed to small town just over the border. “It’s a ghost town. No more than a few houses nearby.”
That made things easier. No witnesses to the bloodshed.
“Let’s assemble a team of twenty,” Sorin said. “We’ll leave in two days.” He looked up at his head military strategist. “Tomas, what do you th –”
Every muscle froze. Fear. Harmony. He could feel it in his bones, like there was a string attached from her heart to his. And hers was beating hard and fast.
“Something wrong, Sorin?”
Mathias’ voice snapped him back to attention. “Something’s wrong with Harmony.”
“Go,” he said. “We’ll manage.”
He nodded then pointed to Tomas. “Start a plan. I’ll check back later.” Fear nudged at him more and more each second. In a panic, he left the room and ran to Harmony’s cabin. If anyone dared harm her…
He swung open her cabin door.
“Sorin!” She gasped and spun around, giving him her back. Her bare back. “Don’t you know how to knock?”
Darla and Monica giggled from where they sat on one of the beds.
“You were afraid,” he explained. “I could feel it.”
She huffed as she pulled on her cotton t-shirt then turned to face him. Glaring, she put a sweatshirt over the tee, cutting off his view of her hardened nipples. If she thought she was safe in that…
He gave his head a shake. Safety. He was here to check on her, not check her out.
“I wasn’t afraid. I was just…” her gaze shifted around the room, “a little nervous.”
“She felt a presence,” Darla said. “Outside the cabin.”
“Again?” he asked Harmony.
She nodded.
He looked at the other two girls. “Did you feel it too?”
Monica and Darla eyed each other, hesitating as if they didn’t want to tell the full truth. Finally, Monica shrugged. “A little.”
“It was probably nothing,” Harmony chirped. “We’re fine.”
Sorin was shaking his head before she even finished. “I’m not taking risks with you. You’re coming back to my cabin. Get your stuff for the night.”
Her brow furrowed. “What? No.” She took a deep breath and traded the confused look for a patient one. “I appreciate your concern, Sorin, bu
t I’m not leaving them here alone.”
“Of course not. I’ll have someone outside the door all night.”
“I…I’m fine. It was nothing. Really.”
Her took away her excuse and she still scrambled for more? Why didn’t she want to sleep in his cabin? “This isn’t negotiable, Harmony.”
She looked to her friends and they nodded. “Just go with him,” Monica said. “We’ll be fine.”
Gaze on him, she toyed with her bottom lip, reminding him of when she’d sucked his finger last night. His erection was starting already and she wasn’t even in his bed yet. He tried to adjust himself discreetly, but when Harmony smirked he knew she’d noticed.
Little brat.
“Pack your things,” he ordered, leaving no room for backtalk. Satisfied she’d obey, he stepped outside to call a guard for the cabin.
He did a sweep of the area outside but didn’t detect anything out of the ordinary. Could it all be in her head? He thought for a moment then discarded that idea. Harmony had good instincts. He couldn’t have asked for a better mate. At that, the urge to hold her, smell her, became too much.
He knocked on the cabin door then walked in. Harmony was just on the other side and he scooped her into his arms, inhaling the flowery scent of her hair. She smelled like home.
Vaguely, he registered the girly awww’s behind him. He barely refrained from placing a proprietary hand on her ass. Instead, he whispered in her ear, “You’re mine. You go where I go.”
Her small shudder made him smile.
She tried to pull away, he held her a couple seconds more, just to show her he could before releasing her.
After grabbing her bag from the floor, she said a quick goodbye to her friends. Marcus was already outside for the first watch.
“Thanks, Marcus,” Harmony said as they walked down the cabin stairs.
Sorin took her bag and they walked toward his cabin on the other side of camp. It was quiet tonight, which unsettled him even more after Harmony’s concern. The air felt more still than usual – like just before a storm. He hugged Harmony to him, feeling the overwhelming need to protect her.
She peered up at him, her forehead crinkled in an adorable look of uneasiness. “Are we going to…”
