Wolf Moon

by A. D. Ryan

  The way I was with David, aggressively passionate, was exactly what had just happened with Nick. The only difference was he was just as assertive. It had to have something to do with the wolf side of me. Everything was amplified now; sight, hearing, emotions. Like everything else, my hormones were heightened and hyper-sensitive. He was like me, and my animal side recognized that and craved that connection…that bond.

  It absolutely made sense.

  What I wanted to know was if it was wrong. Was what we did disrespectful to David’s memory?

  I tried to shake off the whirlwind of thoughts and headed downstairs. If I didn’t, I would stay in our room all day and obsess over what happened, and that wasn’t healthy. I needed to focus on something else for a while.

  I still didn’t know the layout of the house very well, but the smell of breakfast pulled me in the right direction, through the formal dining room off the foyer. It was a bit of a surprise to only find Miranda and Colby there, slaving over the stove and buttering toast respectively.

  “Good morning,” I greeted. “Need a hand?”

  Miranda turned around with a bright smile. “Hello!” She was so chipper; a natural morning person, that much was evident. Wiping her hands on her little white apron, she looked around at the smorgasbord of food laid out on the counter—pancakes, waffles, fruit salad, French toast, eggs, bacon, and ham. “Um, I think we’ve got everything under control,” she replied warmly. “Feel free to pull up a seat and sample a few things before everyone else arrives. Early bird gets the worm, after all.”

  Colby giggled as she set a plate down with about three loaves of toasted bread on it. “How’d you sleep?” she asked, her voice very much like her mom’s.

  “Really well, thank you,” I said, grabbing a slice of the buttered toast and tearing off a chunk as I leaned on the counter. “This place is amazing.”

  “Thank you.” Miranda returned to the stove and pulled a casserole dish from the oven, presenting the massive quiche she’d also made. The amount of food she’d prepared was startling, but with twelve supernatural creatures in the house with out-of-control metabolisms, I supposed it only made sense.

  Slowly, other members of the Pack started filtering in. Vince and Layla were first. Layla was quick to grab the plates and cutlery and set them on the huge island amidst the food, and Vince grabbed a cup of coffee, offering me one. I accepted and grabbed a slice of bacon. My appetite was building, and I was suddenly ravenous.

  Corbin and Marcus came in next, hair wild like they’d just been caught in a windstorm. They smelled of the crisp air, and I picked up subtle hints of their recent shift on them. I suspected they’d been out tracking our trespasser from last night. The room soon filled with chatter, several conversations going on at once, and I took it in, both admiring their familial bond and missing my own. It helped keep my mind off what happened in the shower.

  “Mmmm… Something smells absolutely delicious,” a deep, familiar voice said, sending an icy chill down my spine. When a presence stepped within inches of my personal space, my awareness spiked, putting my body on alert. Karl’s hands appeared on either side of me, effectively pinning me in place, and when he inhaled deeply, I knew he wasn’t just talking about the food.

  “You wearing a new perfume, dollface?” he asked, his deep voice grating on my nerves. It didn’t take me long to recognize the meaning behind his inquiry; he could smell Nick all over me. Hell, I could smell him all over me, regardless of the fact that we were in the shower.

  So, why didn’t that deter him from approaching me?

  Having experienced my fair share of unwanted attention over the years, I wasn’t just going to roll over and take it now.

  Without moving—because if I did, I was certain it would give him the wrong impression—I gritted my teeth and kept my tone as even as possible. “I’m going to ask you once to back the hell away from me,” I warned.

  Karl leaned in, his nose brushing the shell of my ear. I looked around to see several others watching. Marcus looked like he was ready to jump in at any moment, but I could only assume he was waiting for me to say the word. I didn’t. I felt fairly confident in my ability to deal with the situation.

  “Or what? You gonna scream?” His voice wormed its way beneath my skin, making it crawl. I got the impression that he didn’t give a shit if I was with Nick or not. “I might like that.” His right hand inched inward until he grabbed my hip roughly.

  That was all it took.

  Even though I knew it was going to hurt like hell, I threw my head back, feeling and hearing the sickening crack of his nose breaking. It stunned me momentarily, the pressure building in the back of my head, but soon my adrenaline pushed it aside. As he took a couple of disoriented steps back, I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm backward, placing my other hand on his shoulder, ready to dislocate it if he so much as moved. This forced him to his knees as blood flowed from his nose, and I could feel his skin heat as his heavy breathing turned to harsh, angry growls.

  “Karl, that’s enough,” Marcus warned firmly. “Brooke, let him up.”

  Feeling pretty smug, I shoved him forward, releasing him. He leapt to his feet, his eyes full of rage. I could smell the changes his body was fighting under Marcus’ orders, his anger, and more importantly, his shame. That last one was more intoxicating than any drug for me, because I had caused it.

  Before anything else could happen, a much more appealing scent filtered into the room. Showtime.

  Regardless of what happened between us earlier and my uncertainty, I smiled brightly and turned toward Nick, rushing for him and throwing myself into his arms. He seemed surprised at first, but welcomed my affection as I leapt up and wrapped my arms around his neck. He must have picked up on the tension in the room, because he looked at all the wide eyes behind me, and then at me, his own lopsided grin forming. His earlier concern seemed to have disappeared for the time being.

  “Brooke… What did you do?”

  I placed a chaste kiss on his lips before sliding down his body, my hands falling to his waist. “Just clarified a few things.”

  With an angry grunt, Karl shoved past us. He slammed his shoulder into Nick on purpose considering how much room was left in the double-wide entry. He turned around, eyes narrowed as I met them. “You made a big mistake,” he said in a low voice before disappearing. Then the front door slammed and he was gone.

  “You really are trouble,” Nick said, leaning down and kissing my nose.

  Little gestures like that—things he used to do when we were together so many years ago—continued to remind me just how easy it was to fall into this role with him. Maybe too easy, sometimes.

  Shaken and feeling a little guilty for leading him on again, I turned around, taking his hands and leading him into the kitchen. The rest of the Pack joined us, and most of the conversation revolved around my putting Karl in his place. Layla congratulated me personally, telling me how her own situation was quite similar. Minus the broken nose.

  Roxanne was the last to arrive, and she seemed to have an affinity for rolling her eyes whenever someone addressed me. I didn’t let it get to me though, because I knew it had to be hard for her.

  Miranda gave the okay for everyone to dish up. Unlike last night, I made sure to put a little extra on my plate this time, knowing my appetite had increased as of late. Once everyone had their breakfast, Nick grabbed a stool at the island, and instead of pulling out my own, I hopped onto his lap, sitting sideways. Simply to keep up appearances, I told myself.

  “There are other chairs,” Roxanne complained from behind us at the table.

  “Thanks,” I said, feeding Nick a slice of bacon. He took it a step further and sucked my index finger into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the end of it. A warm tingle zipped through me, and I inhaled a shaky breath as I reminded myself of my meltdown earlier. “But I’m good right here.”

  Licking his lips, Nick smiled. “Me too,” he confirmed with a wink. He was having way t
oo much fun.

  There was very little talking while everyone ate, but Nick broke the silence by addressing Marcus. “You got anything planned for us this afternoon?” he asked.

  Marcus put his empty dishes in the dishwasher and grabbed another cup of coffee. “Nothing that can’t be postponed a couple hours. Why?”

  “Brooke needs a few winter items, so I was thinking of taking her into Calgary.”

  I swallowed the eggs in my mouth. “Mmf. I’ll need to stop by a bank and exchange my money first,” I told Nick, but he just grinned.

  “Not a chance, babe,” he said cockily. “Today’s on me.”

  Not used to being a kept woman, I shook my head. “No. That’s not necessary. I’ve got enough to support myself while I’m—” I stopped myself abruptly, realizing that I was about to make it sound like I was only here temporarily. That would have been a mistake as it would invalidate my relationship status to the others. “I have money.”

  “I know that,” he said, wrapping his arms around my waist, his hand resting on my ass. It startled me at first, but I didn’t correct him—nor did I want to, surprisingly. “But I want to do this.”

  Figuring I wasn’t going to win this battle, I acquiesced with a defeated sigh. “All right. When do we leave?”

  Chapter 9 | unsettled

  The drive to the city wasn’t as long as I’d thought it would be. We drove through the city in Nick’s brand-new black pickup truck, arriving at one of several Calgary malls around noon. Even though we’d eaten only a couple hours ago, walking by the food court made my stomach growl.

  “Want to grab a smoothie?” Nick suggested. “It might help tide you over until we finish shopping.”

  I quickly agreed, and we stopped and grabbed me a strawberry smoothie. Nick wasn’t hungry yet, which made me feel like a bit of a heifer, but I just kept reminding myself it was because of my upcoming shift. This was just a part of it all. It happened last month with the rare steak and huge meals.

  Nick and I wandered through the mall together, still avoiding what happened between us. Even though we refused to acknowledge it, we laughed and joked with each other as if there wasn’t a giant elephant in the room. The more we fell into this routine, the more it started to feel like a date. It was actually kind of nice. Though, a little odd since Nick never used to offer to go shopping with me in the past. Maybe he was over-compensating to make up for that morning.

  Nick took my smoothie and had a sip, noticing the grin on my face. “What?”

  I shook my head. “Nothing. It’s just weird. You never used to enjoy shopping with me before.”

  Handing my drink back, Nick shrugged. “I think I just took all of the little things for granted when we were together,” he confessed. “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you these last few days, and I figured you’d enjoy getting out and away from the Pack. Plus…” He paused, looking away from me and shoving his hands in his pockets. “After this morning…”

  I shook my head and refused to bring our good mood down. “They’re great, you know.” I paused, biting on my straw. “Or, most of them are. Karl’s kind of a douche.”

  Nick laughed, drawing the attention of a few younger women. They were taller than me, thin, and scantily dressed. Clearly the winter weather didn’t affect Canadians like it did someone from Arizona. While my abnormally high body temperature helped ease the chill a little, I still wouldn’t go out with eighty percent of my legs showing and my breasts hanging out.

  “Can I ask what he did this morning?”

  I inhaled deeply, worried that I would upset Nick if I told him exactly what happened. I didn’t want to lie or keep anything from him, but I didn’t want a repeat of last night. Especially not in the middle of a mall full of people.

  “Brooke?”

  I slipped my free hand into the crook of his elbow and pulled him off to the side. “Know that I handled it and that Marcus looked ready to step in if I needed help.”

  Nick wasn’t convinced. In fact, he looked even more nervous and agitated.

  “I was standing at the counter, talking with Miranda and Colby when everyone started coming in. He pinned me to the counter and started making suggestive comments.”

  Nick’s nostrils flared, his breathing deepened, and his heart hammered. I stepped forward and laid a hand on his chest, hoping it would calm him. “How suggestive?”

  “He said something smelled delicious, and I’d bet my life on the fact that he wasn’t talking about breakfast. I told him to back off, and he asked what I was going to do before he grabbed my hip.”

  I’d said too much. Nick’s face turned red, and I worried he was going to snap. “He touched you?”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, but I handled it, remember? You saw him.”

  Nick wasn’t appeased. “Marcus should have stopped him. By Pack Law, you’re mine.”

  While I knew not to take what he said as a huge step back for all the work women have done to gain equality, I couldn’t help it. Something about being referred to as his property irked me. “Nick, I belong to no one. Yes, we’re doing this to keep me from being targeted, but I’m no one’s property.”

  Stunned, Nick snapped out of his boiling rage. “What? No, I know that. I just meant—”

  “I know what you meant, but you need to understand, I’d been on my own for five years before letting another man in. I know who I am, and I am quite capable of taking care of myself. I laid Karl out. He didn’t even get a chance to fight back.”

  “You don’t know him,” Nick interjected softly, his eyes wide and worried. “That won’t stop him. If anything, he’ll see you as an even bigger challenge now. He’ll stalk you, so to speak. Learn your weaknesses, figure out when you’re most vulnerable…” A sigh fell past his lips. “If anything, you’ve only poked the wolf.”

  His warning did worry me a little, so I tried to keep my wits about me. “Well, if that’s the case, I’ll handle it again. I’m not some weak little girl. I was a cop—and a damn good one, at that. I can manage without a bodyguard.” Nick’s tension still polluted the air between us, and I knew I had to clear it somehow. “But, if I find I can’t, I’ll be sure to ask for your help, okay?”

  Nick took another deep breath, taking my hand and pulling me into a hug. He was resistant, but knew better than to keep fighting me on it; I always got my way. “I didn’t mean to upset you,” he told me as I began to relax against him. “I just…I know what he’s capable of, and I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”

  Offering him my best and most reassuring smile, I placed my hand on his slightly scruffy cheek. “And, as I told you last night, nothing bad is going to happen…” Feeling a little mischievous, I glanced up at him. “Well, not to me…” Nick eyed me quizzically, and I smirked devilishly. “You’re credit cards might take a bit of a beating today, though.”

  With the mood finally lifted, I took Nick’s hand, and tossed the empty smoothie cup. I was ready to kick-start our shopping spree, and I’d spotted a really cute winter jacket just across the way.

  We were a few feet from the store entrance when a tingle of awareness settled in my neck and shoulders. The hairs there stood on end and goosebumps rippled down my spine. I sensed we were being watched. Slowly, I turned around, looking at all the other mall-goers to see if I could spot our observer. Nothing seemed unusual, though; just the everyday hustle and bustle in a busy shopping mall weeks before Christmas.

  I passed it off as paranoia given the events of last night and this morning with Karl, but the feeling returned when I’d gone to use the washroom before ordering lunch a couple hours later. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so why couldn’t I shake the feeling?

  After getting my food, I found Nick at a nearby table, already eating. My purchases littered the floor beneath our little table for two amongst a sea of people. We’d spent way more money than I’d ever intended. Not because I felt I needed all of it, but because when I was undecided between a few items, Nick would in
sist on buying it all. I argued with him, of course, but he stood firm.

  I still felt like someone was watching us closely, but when Nick remained unconcerned, I figured it most definitely had to be my own paranoia. If anyone was going to sense something unusual, it would be him. He’d been doing this far longer than me.

  In an effort to try and force the thought from my mind, I decided to find out a little more about what he’d been up to during our time apart. Maybe it would also help me understand how he could afford everything he just bought me.

  “Marcus pays for just about everything,” he told me as I ate my Thai food. “But the rest of us do some kind of work to appear as normal as possible and avoid suspicion.”

  “And what do you do?” I asked.

  “Website design, actually,” he replied, shoving a couple fries into his mouth. “It allows me to stay near the Pack if I’m needed, and I can work on the road if I’m on a mission.”

  For some reason, hearing that some of the Pack held day jobs was a relief to me. Maybe, if I wound up staying here with them, I could get a job on the police force. I’d always loved what I did for a living, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else—especially sitting dormant twiddling my thumbs or slaving away in a kitchen while the men-folk supported us. I was incredibly independent, and while helping out around the house was just as important, I wanted to work. I was sure there would be some paperwork to do before I could legally work in this country, but at least the option was there.

  After eating, we headed back to the manor. My shopping bags almost filled the entire backseat, reminding me further of Nick’s extreme generosity. He said it was all necessary since most of my clothes were only good enough for an Arizona winter. I understood that, and let him buy me quite a few fitted sweaters, several pullovers that were meant strictly for comfort, a new jacket, and a great pair of boots.