by Crissy Smith
The gun was jammed harder into her and she hissed.
“Hey, sis. Hey, James,” Alex called out.
Cassie figured her brother couldn’t see the weapon as he walked toward them. She knew as soon as he was close enough, he would pick up on her fear.
“Hey, Alex!” James waved with his free hand. “We’re just going to run into town real quick.”
Come closer, Cassie mentally begged her brother.
“Cool!” Alex hollered back. “Can you stop at the gallery and pick up a box I need?”
“Uh, sure,” James replied.
“Good.” Alex started to jog over.
She felt James stiffen.
Cassie braced herself for whatever would happen next. Alex wasn’t giving any kind of message that he knew something was wrong. But he had to know. There was no way that her leaving with James, barefoot and in pants and a tank top, would be normal.
“Drop the gun.”
Both Cassie and James jumped when Max’s deep voice sounded behind them. Cassie whirled and saw Max had clamped his hand around James’s wrist. She backed up from the two men and almost squealed when she ran into another solid form.
“It’s okay.” Alex wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“Oh, God!” She whimpered and relaxed into his hold.
“I won’t repeat myself again. Drop the gun.”
James yelled and released his hold on the weapon, causing it to fall to the ground.
“You okay?” Max asked, his gaze raking her up and down.
She nodded.
“Now…” Max gave his attention back to James. “You and I are going to have a little talk.”
“Let me go! I wasn’t doing anything!”
Max gripped James’ shoulder with his free hand. “We have your buddies from the gallery.”
James paled, but Cassie didn’t have any sympathy for him. There was no telling what would have happened to her if James had delivered her to the church. James might not believe she was a shifter, but if anyone else had suspected, she could have been in real trouble.
“I just wanted to help her. To help all of you! You don’t know what kind of monsters you’re dealing with!”
“Monsters?” Max growled.
“James thinks that the reason my art is so popular is because shifters keep buying my work. That is why the church wanted to stop the show. They don’t want shifters in town,” Cassie told him. She prayed that Max understood the unspoken part of that sentence. If James didn’t think her family were shifters then hopefully they could get by without having to reveal themselves.
“I see,” Max said. “I think holding an innocent woman at gun point makes someone a monster. Not if someone has the gift to turn into an animal.”
“You’re wrong! Let me take you to my uncle. He’ll show you how evil they are.”
“I would love to meet this uncle,” Alex spoke up.
Cassie would be happy to stay away from the man. She was relieved to hear that the men from the Church who were at the gallery had been caught, but what exactly where they going to do with them?
“Damn!” she yelled. “There are more men coming! They were going to burn my house down.”
“We’ve got them, plus the ones watching Jacob’s place.”
Cassie spun and saw Jacob, Chase and Shawn joining them with three other men. She placed her palm over her racing heart. “Please, no more surprises. I can’t handle anything more.”
Max frowned and motioned his brother closer. After he pushed James toward Chase, he marched up to her side. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
She moved from Alex, and her brother stepped away to join the other men. “I’m okay. I just don’t want anyone else sneaking up on me.”
“Well, we have the two Council representatives bringing the men from the gallery over. We should probably go meet them at the main house so they don’t have to look for us.”
She bobbed her head in agreement. “Alcohol. There will be alcohol in the main house.”
Max intertwined his fingers through hers and lifted her hand. He kissed her knuckles, smiling. “I’ll get you whatever you want.”
“Okay,” she agreed. She sure could get behind that idea. “I can’t believe I was wrong about James.”
“I understand. And I really do think he believes he is helping you.”
“He was going to burn down my place!”
Max stopped them and waved for the others to continue on. Once the group was far enough away to not overhear, Cassie found herself held tightly as Max dropped his mouth to hers.
She opened to him and grasped at the back of his T-shirt to keep him close. The scent and flavor of him calmed her wolf and even managed to make her forget about everything for a few minutes. He pulled away and she was surprised by the stress lines on his forehead.
“I was so scared. Kurt and Clint called and said that they’d caught a couple of guys trying to break into the gallery and knew for sure James was involved, I just about lost it. Thank God for your brother. He managed to calm me down enough so I didn’t barge into the studio and wait until the two of you came out.”
Cassie cupped his face. “I was trying to figure out what to do.”
“I know. And I knew that you’d be upset that James had turned on you.”
“I am,” she admitted. “But I also know that he doesn’t understand. He’s been surrounded by hatred. I wish he could see how much being a shifter is a gift.”
“Maybe someday he will. Let’s head up to the house. Kurt and Clint will help clean up this mess. They’ll deal with the church so we can go on remaining hidden.”
“I’m glad we weren’t exposed. But I have to wonder how long it will last.”
Max sighed. “Me too. But we’ll figure it out. Shawn won’t let anything bad happen to the Pack. I bet he is already working on whatever needs to be done.”
“I know Shawn will do what he can. What if it’s not enough, though?” She didn’t say anything about her talk with their Alpha. She believed that Max was going to make a great Alpha one day. If Shawn did get his way and Max accepted the role of next Alpha in line, he would have to deal with more instances like this. She honestly believed that Max would thrive as an Alpha. He was both smart and kind. Hopefully Max would take Shawn up on his offer once the Alpha spoke to Max about training him. “And I’m glad this is over.”
Max hugged her. “Yeah.”
They walked quietly to the main house, entering though the back door. The low sound of voices reached her as they strolled closer to the den. Cassie paused in the doorway and watched as Alpha Shawn spoke with James and several other men. The two strangers that she suspected were from the Council stood glaring at the other group. Apparently not everything was going well.
Alex spotted them and tilted his head forward. Max pulled her out of sight until Alex joined them in the hall.
“James and a couple of the others want us to talk to his uncle. They seem determined to make us see the light about accepting the shifters. The other group won’t say a word. Kurt has a call in to the Council to see what exactly they want them to do next. Clint thinks they should go to the church.”
“But they can’t!” Cassie exclaimed.
Alex shook his head. “We’re pretty sure that someone from the church would recognize them, so I agree. But they’re right too. We need to know more about this chapter. From what James is saying, his uncle is good friends with the senator who is trying to pass a law to make all shifters register.”
“I still don’t get that,” Max said from beside her. “How would that help?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it. No one actually thinks it’ll pass. We worked with the government when all the shifters announced their presence, so we already have their support. Human and shifter leaders both agreed long ago that all shifters would be treated just like humans. I know the Shifter Coalition is involved in speaking with our government officials to make sure that nothing has changed,
though.”
Cassie groaned. “I wish they would all just leave us alone.”
Alex patted her shoulder. “I don’t think that will happen. There will always be someone who fears us because we’re different.”
“You’re right. I’m just tired.”
“Why don’t you and Max head back to your place? I’m sure it will take a while to get things settled here.”
Cassie glanced at Max. “If you don’t mind I’d really like that.”
Max massaged her shoulder. “No problem. I know how to relax you.”
Cassie flushed since they were in front of her brother and Alex laughed. “I don’t need to know.”
She smacked Max’s chest when he chuckled.
“What? I was talking about a massage,” he protested.
Glaring, she turned on her heel. “Right.”
He caught up with her and threw his arm around her shoulder. “I didn’t mention what part of you I was going to rub down.”
She almost stumbled as arousal spread all over her. “Hurry,” she whispered.
They jogged down the steps and back to the yard. Max grabbed her around the waist, lifting her up and over a shoulder.
“Hey!”
A sharp painful slap to her ass surprised her. “Hush, you know you like it.”
Well, that didn’t mean she had to make it easy on him. “All the blood is rushing to my head.”
He smacked her ass again. “Good, I don’t want you thinking about anything other than me.”
Like that was even possible with his ass flexing so nicely right in front of her face. “Hmm.”
She received another smack.
“I’ll show you hmm.”
That was what she was hoping for.
Chapter Eleven
Max was still reeling after his conversation with Alpha Shawn. He couldn’t believe that his Alpha wanted to start training him to lead the Pack. He’d never even considered the possibility of becoming Alpha since he was a non-shifter.
But Shawn was adamant that he wanted to pass the job on to Max when he retired or in the case of his death.
Max hadn’t given him an answer, but he was seriously considering it. Just in the week since he’d confronted James and the other members of the Church for Humanity, Max knew that he was not going to let anything else hurt his Pack. He wasn’t going to quit and would see to the safety of everyone he loved. He was a new man. His relationship with Cassie seemed to help, plus he had to admit that talking with Alex and Chase and sharing what he had been through had taken him a step forward.
He now felt needed and useful so Max was truly happy. He hadn’t moved back in with Chase, either. He’d brought up the possibility to Cassie, but she had distracted him from the conversation and they’d spent the afternoon in bed. The second and third time it had happened, he’d finally got that Cassie did not want him to leave and that was her way of letting him know it.
She seemed to be dealing well with everything that had happened. They made sure to keep the house and studio locked up and the alarm set just in case there were further issues. Kurt and Clint from the wolf Council were still in town. They were now being helped out by the wolf division of the Shifter Coalition. So far the Pack had been kept away from what was happening. Shawn made sure they were kept in the loop.
One of Max’s first jobs would be to work with the Council and Coalition to insure the safety of the Pack.
First he had a date to get to.
Cassie had texted him coordinates in the canyon for him to meet her at. He drove his Harley, taking in the beautiful surroundings. It was the first time he’d been to the deepest part of the canyon but could see himself going there more often.
He knew Cassie loved shifting and running in the area, so he was trying to keep an eye out for her. However, he kept getting distracted by the amazing sights.
The bike rumbled under him as he followed the trail that would lead him to where Cassie had instructed. It was only about half an hour or so until sunset, and excitement filled him just imagining what Cassie had planned. He slowed and made the final turn taking him farther from the more popular trails.
Another ten minutes of riding brought him to his destination.
He knew he was at the right place when he saw the plaid blanket and picnic basket. He turned off his Harley and let the bike still under him. He brushed the hair from his forehead and glanced around him. He didn’t see Cassie anywhere.
After throwing his leg over the side of his bike and stretching, he whistled sharply. If Cassie was in her wolf form, she should be able to hear him.
He strolled over to the blanket and stood with his hands on his hips. He drew a deep breath and brought in the wild scents in the area. He could smell where Cassie had been and figured it was about an hour since she’d left. There were also other animal scents. Small critters and even a coyote.
The air was fresh, and with the slight breeze, it was a perfect spot.
Movement ahead of him drew his attention and he watched as a small tawny wolf slowly approached. He hadn’t seen Cassie in her wolf form. She was breathtaking. Pride and satisfaction flooded him as he thought about the fact that she was all his.
Both the woman and the powerful creature were his to claim and protect.
She paused on the ledge right above him then lowered to the ground. Max closed the distance before dropping to his knees beside her. He buried his hands in her soft fur and tugged lightly.
Cassie rolled, exposing her belly to him and he got the hint to give her a rub down. It was amazing to be able to share this with his lover. He’d stayed away from the Pack for so long that he had forgotten that even if he couldn’t transform like everyone else, he enjoyed being around them in their shifter form.
Cassie was sharing her wolf with him and he fell just a little more in love with her. His feelings were new and growing, but he had no doubt they’d be able to make things work between the two of them.
Cassie licked at his hand before turning back onto her stomach and getting to her paws. She shook her body and he backed up, laughing.
As she started her shift, Max made sure to keep his senses open to insure her safety. Once she completed her transformation, he grinned at her. “Nice run?”
“Yes,” she answered. “I’m glad you got here before the sunset, though. I wanted to show you the view.”
Max ran his gaze over her naked body. He could stare at her all day. Slight and compact, she was a little firecracker.
“Not me!” She smacked his chest.
“Sorry, but when you don’t have any clothes on, I don’t see anything else.”
Her brown eyes sparkled in delight and she rewarded him with a kiss. “Well, I packed a picnic for us. And it includes a bottle of champagne. After the sun goes down, you can make love to me right here.”
He caught her hand and pulled her closer. “What if I don’t want to wait?”
She didn’t get a chance to respond as he lowered his mouth and kissed her deeply. Her arms went around his neck and he lifted her off her feet.
“O-okay” she panted when their lips parted.
Max carried her to the blanket. “We’ll stick to your plan for now.”
Disappointment flashed in her eyes, but Max just grinned. “Now where is the champagne? Are we celebrating something?”
She flopped down then dug into the wicker basket. “Us. I know you asked if I wanted you to go back to Chase’s, but I really don’t. Although it happened fast, I like having you around. I want you to stay.”
He joined her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into his lap. “I’m not going anywhere, baby. My place is next to you.”
“Good, so see, we’re celebrating us!”
“I’ll drink to that.”
Max filled the two glasses with the bubbly liquid and turned just as the bottom of the sun passed behind the canyon.
Colors exploded in the sky and it was so stunning that it actually took his breath aw
ay.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Cassie whispered.
Max nodded. He didn’t have the words to describe what he was seeing. He tightened his hold on her as they silently watched the sun lower. Drinking their champagne, Max was awed by the perfect moment. Once the sunset, he turned his face to hers. She was watching him intently.
“My fingers ache to paint the look on your face.”
He set his glass down before taking hers and placing it next to his. “Later, first I want to show you how much I want you. Always need you. It doesn’t matter if I haven’t seen you for five minutes or five hours. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“I feel the same way,” she responded softly.
“You’ll be mine forever, right? You and me, we’re a team.” He laid her back gently, nibbling her neck.
“Yes, Max. I’m yours. Show me.”
“I’m yours too,” he vowed.
Since she was already bare for him, he took his time kissing down her body. The air around them had started to cool, but he wasn’t worried. He would keep her warm.
The taste and feel of her was already so familiar. He’d been telling her the truth when he’d said he always wanted her. Every part of his mind, body and soul belonged to Cassie. He needed the same from her. He would have the same as he showed her his love under the darkening night sky.
He skimmed his lips over her soft skin and Cassie shuddered in need.
“Max,” she gasped his name as he slipped a finger through her wet folds then inside her. He added a second finger, opening her to prepare himself to bury deep in her body.
“It’s just you and me out here. I’m going to claim you again, make you mine.”
Cassie lifted her hips and rolled into each thrust of his fingers. “Yes!”
Max leaned back over her and lowered his mouth to hers. She gripped his shoulder tightly. Her pants and murmurs grew in volume. Before she flashed over the edge, he removed his fingers.
“In me, please, Max!”
Covering her body with his, he positioned his hard cock at her entrance. “Open your eyes and let me see you as I take what’s mine.”
Her soft brown eyes met his and he slowly pushed inside. He groaned as her inner muscles clamped down on him. On his knees, he lifted her hips and held her firmly. He withdrew gradually then snapped his body, slamming back into her.
