by Ines Johnson
“Friend of yours?” Pierce asked without relaxing his stance.
Pierce kept one arm out as a barrier between Viviane and the approaching wolf. In her mind, Viviane knew she should take issue with that arm and its incursion on her autonomy. But she noted that Pierce’s huge paw rested just before her belly. He was protecting her cub. The gesture brought her up short.
“I sure as hell ain’t a friend of yours,” Jesus said sizing up Pierce. “You’re trespassing.”
“We’re on the road,” Viviane said. Her voice a few octaves above breathy.
Jesus looked at her quizzically. Around him, she’d never spoken with anything but command and superiority in her voice.
Viviane swallowed her breath and found her natural tone. “Don’t worry, no one’s trying to breach your fortress of solitude.” She looked around at the landscape. They technically were at the border between her family’s land and his. The Guerrero homestead was miles back. “What are you doing out this far, anyway?”
Jesus ignored her question. “It’s not the road he’s violating.” The Guerrero Alpha looked at Pierce’s arm that blocked Viviane’s body. Jesus let loose a menacing, low growl.
Pierce did the same.
Viviane stepped out and between the two males. “Oh, go put your cock away, Jesus. Neither it nor your slobbering tongue are wanted here.”
Jesus’ nostrils flared. “You can’t possibly be with this city pup?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Of course it’s my business.” He stomped his bare foot against the pavement. “You and me-”
Viviane’s bark of laughter halted the conclusion of that sentence. “There is no you and me. There never was. And unless you want a problem with my Alpha, I suggest you get out of our path.”
Jesus opened his mouth to speak and came up short. His eyes narrowed on the fresh bite mark on her neck. He glared at Pierce. A murderous silver glint flooded to the creases of his eyes.
Thankfully, Pierce made no move of aggression. A simple tick of the brow and Jesus would’ve taken the excuse to pounce. Instead of a challenge, Pierce moved a step closer to Viviane’s back. He brushed the loose strands of hair off her shoulder, uncovering more of his mark. Then he draped that same arm over her shoulders.
Anger slashed through Jesus’ face. He balled his fists. He stomped his other foot. But then, just as suddenly as he started, he stopped. He took a step back and laughed. “You taking him home, Vivi?”
She didn’t answer.
“Then you must not like him. Easiest way to get rid of a wolf is to introduce him to your pack.” Jesus jabbed a finger in Pierce’s face. “He won’t last a day up on Cruz Ranch. Your Alpha will eat him alive.”
Viviane felt Pierce move beside her. Before Pierce could do anything, she grabbed Jesus’ outstretched finger and twisted. The naked wolf went up on his tippy toes and let out a pathetic whine.
“We had this talk when we were cubs, Jesus. Don’t. Touch. My stuff.”
Instead of being cowed, Jesus grinned into the pain of her twisting hand. With one final wrench, she shoved him away. He sprawled back, but the grin remained firm.
“Go home and stomp on some grapes,” she said.
Jesus put his returned finger in his mouth and licked at the digit. Viviane cringed, her stomach prepared to come to the rescue. Then his eyes went to Pierce. “I’ll see you at your funeral, city pup.”
And with that ominous farewell, he shifted and his wolf took off into the woods.
Viviane turned to Pierce. His eyes were somehow wide and narrowed at the same time as he regarded her.
“Ex boyfriend?” There was a touch of humor in his voice.
“He wishes. He’s always had a thing for me. But I rejected him when we were cubs.”
“So, he’s not the cub’s father?”
“Ew.” Viviane placed her hands over her belly in an effort to settle it.
Pierce grinned, and then, “Viviane? Am I walking into a trap?”
“No.” Viviane flung her arms out at the idea. She noted her posture might be interpreted to mean she was trying to keep him from bolting in the opposite direction.
A devil-may-care glint lit Pierce’s eyes. A light chuckle escaped those cherubic lips. “Shall we?” he said again.
She put her arms down, bit her lip, and regarded him. She couldn’t help but wonder, again, if this guy was a little crazy.
Chapter Seven
For not the first time tonight, Pierce wondered if he was just a little crazy. What the hell had he gotten himself into? Walking off into the moonlight with Viviane Veracruz was akin to some kind of turf war and love triangle all rolled into one.
When would he learn his lesson? At least this time, he hadn’t gotten whacked in the head with a two-by-four and landed on train tracks. Yet.
Pierce gave Viviane a sidelong glance as they picked up their pace. She was not what she appeared to be. The clothes that covered her body told the story of a smart, focused, coed. The pursed set of her lips spoke of a no-nonsense, in charge she-wolf. Pierce looked deeper.
The makeup beneath her startling eyes was smudged. He saw the heavy bags there. Her lip-gloss had faded. Or she’d wiped it away with the one-handed tugging she did with her fingers. Now that her lips were without color, he saw tiny puncture marks from where she must have chewed at them. She was worried.
Pierce hadn’t missed the way Viviane held her arms out to block his passage after the young alpha took off. He hadn’t missed the panic in her eyes. Did she think that he might flee? By the way she chewed at her lower lip, by the way her arms began to lower, by the way her eyelids began to droop, he could tell that she didn’t believe he would stick by her.
He hadn’t stuck by much in his life. He’d picked up the guitar as a kid, but got bored before he’d learned the third string. He’d tried track in high school, but gave it up after running in circles the first few practices.
He’d never stuck anything out. Not once.
Pierce inhaled. The air was vacant of civilization. No chemicals or artificial additives. His eyes flashed as he took in the field that stretched into forever. The light breeze that sailed past the cacti was filled with the cries and calls of night predators.
It piqued Pierce’s curiosity. He wanted to run. But not away.
They moved down the road in silence. Pierce looked out under the moonlit sky. There were rolling hills and green fields that stretched for miles.
“You know, it would be faster if we shifted and ran to your home,” he said.
Viviane opened her mouth to respond. Then she shut it. Pierce wondered if she were feeling sick again.
“Is it safe for you to shift with the cub at this stage of your pregnancy?” he asked.
“The baby’s fine.” Her response was terse. She swallowed and faced him. “I mean we have our luggage. And it’s not safe for you to shift out here. These wolves don’t know you, and they’re very territorial. You could get killed. We’re not as civilized as in the city, as you saw back there.”
“I’ll hold my wolf,” he assured her.
“You seem to be pretty good at that; holding your wolf and your temper.”
He shrugged. “I don’t have a temper. I come from a family of alpha men and strong-willed women. Seemed smarter to sit back and watch the fireworks than to participate. Everyone calms down eventually.”
She looked at him. A question lay in the crinkle of her light eyes. Actually no, that was definitely worry.
Pierce stopped walking. “What is it?”
“They just might eat you alive.” She said it more to herself than to him. “Look, maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe you should just go.”
“I said I’d help you.”
“Why?” she demanded.
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“And you always do the right thing?”
“In situations like these, when someone needs my help?” And he wasn’t required to stand st
ill for long periods of time. “Yes.”
She was back to chewing her lip. It felt paramount that Pierce disengaged her lip from her teeth.
“Listen,” he said. “I’ve been told I’m very charming. I’ll win over your father.”
She gave a firm shake of her head. “My father passed away many years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she said. “It was a pack war. There were many losses on both sides. Nearly every male who fought died or is now more of an invalid from the injuries they sustained.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “This is my family’s land.”
He didn’t know how far they’d walked, but the landscape was markedly different. He saw white specks on the horizon. He inhaled and his nose told him those specks were alive. His wolf broke its constant vigil of watching Viviane and turned its attention to the white puffs.
Sheep.
A low growl hit his ears. It wasn’t him. It was Viviane.
“These sheep are my family’s livelihood. Can I trust you not to go wild on our lands?”
Pierce gulped, embarrassed. He scolded his wolf, and it sat back on its haunches with its tail between its legs. “I’m sorry. Not many wild animals in the city. They’re usually quartered, frozen, and packaged in grocery stores.”
She didn’t smile.
“I’m fine.” He brought out his Grade A charming smile. “We’re good. My wolf’s leashed.”
Her tight lips didn’t relent. He heard another growl. This one deep, and menacing, and full of command.
Viviane closed her eyes and groaned.
They both turned and came face-to-face with a large, tan and white wolf. It was a beautiful specimen. It reminded Pierce of a cougar. Slowly, the wolf began to shift.
He expected thick muscled legs. Instead, he saw shapely calves that ended in purple-painted toenails. His eyes traveled up to a firm, supple ass. The she-wolf turned, and he was met with ripe breasts. His eyes traveled up higher to a cruel smile that flashed sharp canines. The lightest blue eyes glowed back at him. Eyes he’d seen before. But the eyes he’d seen before held worry. These eyes flashed danger.
Beside him Viviane groaned again. “Hello, mama.”
Chapter Eight
Viviane looked down at her mother as she began her shift. Thick legs changed into shapely thighs. Narrow wolf hips turned into curvy woman’s hips; naked woman’s hips. The fur under her mother’s chest changed into two firm breasts. And that wolfish grin turned into lips. Instead of a wolf, her mother reminded her of a shark out for blood.
“You brought me a snack, Vivi?” Her mother sashayed her shapely body up to Pierce. Her naked body, which had not an ounce of fat or flab, swayed seductively.
Gloria Veracruz, though in the prime of her life, looked as though she could be Viviane’s older sister. The only thing on her body that betrayed her age was the shock of gray hair that fell over her forehead in one long wave. Viviane almost rolled her eyes and stomped her foot like a child at the blatant display of the grown woman.
“He’s not for you, mama.” Viviane chanced a glance at Pierce. Thank the Goddess, he had diverted his gaze.
But still, she was annoyed.
Not at Pierce. Her annoyance was directed at her mother. Pierce wasn’t looking at her naked mother. But her naked mother eyed him like he was on display. Her mother was the type of wolf humans would call a cougar.
“This is my mate; Pierce.” Viviane wobbled on the word mate.
Her mother didn’t even throw her a glance in search of confirmation. She threw her head back and laughed. “Nonsense, Vivi.”
“What do you mean, nonsense?” Viviane balled her hands into fists. “You think you can tell me who to mate just like you’ve tried to control the rest of my life?”
Now her mother looked at her. Gloria peered at her as though it was the first time she’d seen her daughter. In fact, it was the first time she’d seen her daughter in months.
Viviane’s schooling was two years, but she hadn’t come home the last few Moon Festivals. Each visit had been more disastrous than the last. She’d offer suggestions on how to run the farm better based on the new techniques she’d learned at school, only to be met with the thick head that was Gloria Veracruz.
“This can’t be your mate,” her mother explained slowly as though Viviane were still four-years-old. “Because you’re a lesbian.”
Viviane’s fists unfurled. Her head jerked. Her tongue swelled in her mouth. She felt like she was having an epileptic fit. “I am not.”
“Of course you are.” Gloria took a firm stance and placed her hands on her hips, her perfect breasts didn’t jiggle. “You’ve never showed any interest in any of the town bucks.”
“Who would show any interest in one of those deer-headed beasts? None of them have ever even picked up a book.”
Her mother waved a finger in the air as though Viviane were making her point for her. Her boobs did jiggle with that motion. “You were always interested in femme lore.”
“Because women are the clearest-headed thinkers on this planet. You taught me that.”
“That’s true, but you’ve never brought anyone home from that little school of yours.”
“Because you barely listened to me when I came home. I didn’t want to subject anyone to your prejudiced.”
Her mother tsked, shaking her head with furrowed brows. “Do you see how you use your pronouns? Anyone, not him or her.”
Viviane let out a frustrated howl. Her mother was the most infuriating person she’d ever encountered in her life.
“Accept who you are, Vivi. I have.” Gloria brushed her palms together as though she were brushing off crumbs. “I’ve made my peace with it.”
Viviane took a deep breath to calm herself. Fireworks were prepared to explode from her head.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Veracruz.” They both turned to Pierce, and his calm voice. “If you would allow me to introduce myself? I’m Viviane’s mate. My name is Pierce and I’m honored to meet you.”
Gloria looked at Pierce’s hand, likely wondering whether to eat it or not. Then she looked at Viviane. Her eyes zeroed in on the fresh mark on her daughter’s collarbone. The mark that still felt as though steam came from it. Viviane still felt Pierce’s incisors on her bone, the warmth of his lips, the slickness of his tongue. Viviane’s hand went to cover the mark from her mother’s eyes.
“Viviane, who is this?” Her mother chucked her thumb at Pierce.
Viviane stood her ground. “Like I said, mama, I’m mated.”
Her mother stepped up to Viviane, breast to breast. “You can’t be mated. I haven’t given consent.”
Viviane did not back down. “I don’t need your consent. I’m a grown woman.”
“You’re my child, my heir. I will have a say in your mate.”
This was why she’d left in the first place. Her mother was so overbearing. Humans had a term for it; helicopter parent, tiger mom. Her mother was both rolled into one.
“Actually. ”
Both women turned to Pierce. A low growl erupted from Gloria. Pierce raised an eyebrow, but then inclined his head.
There was amusement in his hazel eyes. Viviane recognized it from before on the train when they’d first met and she’d given him the cut with the same condescending smile her mother had worn when she announced her daughter was a lesbian.
Viviane had blown up at her mother, but not Pierce. She’d never met such an easy-going wolf. Another wolf, hell another man, would’ve smirked. Or worse opened their mouths to condescend.
Pierce did none of those. He demurred to her mother. Viviane had never seen an alpha male do such a thing. Who was this guy?
“As you know,” said Pierce, “the mating instinct is sanctioned by no one but the Moon. I felt the pull to your daughter and, when she accepted, I claimed my right.”
Gloria looked him up and down. Her blue eyes flicked the length of his body in the space and time she’d give to a gnat on he
r shoulder. Just as quickly, she turned her attention back to her daughter. “For the last time, who is this?”
“I told you; he’s my mate.” A sense of pride shot through Viviane as she said the word this time. But she tamped that pride down.
Those words could never be true. She would never mate. She’d spend her life alone. She’d wind up roaming these lands without a mate, just like her mother. Her mother spent her twilights toying with males, coming close enough for them to sniff but never catch her.
Viviane narrowed her eyes at her mother. “What are you doing out this far from home anyway?”
Her mother didn’t answer the query. Gloria turned her attention back to Pierce.
Pierce stepped up to her mother and stuck out his hand. “My name is-”
But Gloria turned and darted into the woods. She leaped into the air as a woman and landed as a wolf. She took off down the path that led to the ranch.
“Your mother is the Alpha?” Pierce sounded amused, not amazed.
Alpha females were not uncommon within packs. But they were rare to be seen running a pack.
“She took control after my father died. Bested each remaining male, not that there was much competition to begin with. She ruled over them when my father was alive. When he was gone, she said none of them had what it took to run her home. She might kill you. Jesus was right about that part. You can run if you want. She’s seen you now.”
Viviane held her breath as Pierce surveyed his options. They were out in the middle of nowhere. They’d both lugged their luggage miles in the dead of night. Then his gaze fell back on her.
“I think if I left right now,” he said, “she’d hunt me down and kill me.”
He didn’t know how right he was.
