by Dannika Dark
The door opened and I stepped on cold kitchen tile. Lorenzo had an impressive home. The kitchen looked like something out of a magazine—stainless-steel appliances and a long counter in the center. His pack kept it impeccably clean, not a crumb or even a flower display to be found. A row of copper pots and pans hung above the counter, shiny as if they’d never been used. The chatter in the house drew me closer to the hall on my right.
I cleared my throat and approached the open doorway. My heart must have been going a mile a minute, and my throat felt like sandpaper. I felt like an intruder and prayed he had a sensible pack.
A woman swiftly rounded the corner and gasped in surprise when she bumped into me. Her dark red curls fell against her bare shoulders, and she was well-endowed, judging by the way her tank top had lost the war of concealing her breasts. She looked at me from head to toe before yelling over her shoulder, “What have I told you boys about bringing in tramps?”
Then her head snapped back and she put her hands on her hips. “Who let you in?”
I realized she must be the alpha female. If that was the case, she had the power to toss me out on my behind.
“I’m Ivy, and I’m here as Lorenzo’s guest.”
Her blue eyes widened. “You little liar.”
“It’s not like that,” I quickly said.
She touched a button on my flannel shirt. “Sure looks like it’s that to me.”
Lorenzo might have claimed this woman, so I didn’t want to give her the wrong impression. “He found me in wolf form—that’s why I don’t have my clothes. I’m not here to cause trouble, but Lorenzo left and I didn’t want to hide upstairs. I thought the respectful thing to do was come down and introduce myself so you were aware of my presence. I just want to extend my friendship to the pack.”
She jutted her jaw out and irritation flashed in her eyes. “I just bet.”
“What’s going on?” a man asked, appearing by her side. A smile brightened his face, and his cheeks flushed when I looked up at him. “I’m Caleb.”
The redhead elbowed him. “Don’t introduce yourself. She’s a saboteur.”
“Oh yeah? And what’s she saboteuring?”
“You mean sabotaging,” the woman said with disdain.
His eyes rolled back. “Shut up, Rebecca. Just because you watch Wheel of Fortune doesn’t mean you’re more educated than the rest of us.”
Another man came up behind him, and this one wore menace like a cloak. He towered over both of them, his brown eyes cold and devoid of emotion, his looks barbaric.
“Who’s this? I didn’t see her cross onto the property.”
“I’m Ivy Kizer,” I said with a respectful nod. “I’m Lorenzo’s guest.”
He nudged Rebecca aside. “And I’m going to repeat myself. I didn’t see you cross onto the property.”
“I don’t remember how I was brought here, but if you doubt my words, then call your Packmaster. Standing here arguing about it is a waste of breath. And don’t bother cracking your knuckles as a show of intimidation—no man intimidates me. What’s your name?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up as he swallowed. “Watcher.”
“Unusual name.”
Rebecca spoke as if I were an unruly child. “That’s what they call him.”
“He’s got good eyes,” Caleb added.
“Watcher, I have no ill intentions toward your pack. Let me use your phone so I can call my Packmaster. If he orders me home, then I’ll have no choice but to leave, and I’m sure that’ll make everyone here very happy. But if you want to change your name from Watcher to Boulder by blocking my way, then Lorenzo will be interested to hear about how you browbeat me.”
“You could be lying,” he said.
“But if I’m not, that doesn’t put you in a good standing with your Packmaster to treat his guest in this hostile manner. Do you want to take the chance?” I held out my open hands. “Do I look like I can take down your entire pack? Please, just let me use the phone.”
Rebecca looked up at Watcher and jerked her head to the left, signaling for him to go get it.
They eyeballed me without saying a word until Watcher returned with the phone. I quickly dialed Austin and turned away from them. They backed into the hall and began chattering in low voices.
“This is the party to whom you are speaking,” a voice answered.
“Izzy? It’s me, Ivy.”
She gasped and didn’t even bother to cover the phone when she screamed, “It’s Ivy!”
“Does Austin know where I am? … Hello?”
“Ivy, this is Austin. Tell me if you’re hurt and I’ll kill the sonofabitch.”
“I’m with Lorenzo.”
“That I know. Is something wrong?”
Lorenzo had been truthful with me—Austin knew where I was. Why hadn’t he demanded my return? “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Has Fox tried anything?”
“His men showed up sniffing around the property twice, and Reno’s wolf got in a tangle with one of them. They’re testing our weaknesses. The night you vanished, a wolf was sniffing in circles down by the road, so we had a feeling Fox had tried to run you off.”
“I’m so sorry for leaving the house, Austin. He showed up and wanted to speak with me privately. I thought maybe we could settle it between us before things got out of hand. He only wanted to talk, but I guess my wolf became protective of me and I lost control.”
“Have there been any rogues on Church’s property?”
“We heard some unfamiliar wolves howling, but nothing confirmed that I’m aware of. He tells me little. Lorenzo has a large pack, so I don’t think Fox will try anything. Do you want me to come home?”
“Ivy, how are you holding up? He said you were hurt bad.”
“I was,” I replied in a quiet voice. “I’m better, but not all the way.” Tears stung my eyes as the pain of missing my family—my pack—began to settle in. “Are you sure everyone’s safe?”
“We’re keeping the house locked up tight with all the alarms on. Everyone is inside except for Reno. He set up camp on the porch with a few weapons that’ll blow a hole in a whale.” Austin chuckled on a low breath. “I think he’s even got one of those rocket launchers. Nothing you need to worry about. Just rest and heal yourself. I made an agreement with Church that you’ll be coming home the day after tomorrow. Is there a message you want me to give to Lexi or anyone else?”
I pinched my lips, tears wetting my cheeks. “Tell them that I love them,” I said, my voice breaking.
“Will do.”
When I hung up, I sniffed and rubbed my nose.
“Oh, Jesus. We got ourselves a baby wolf in the house,” Rebecca said.
I calmly turned around so as not to draw attention to my leg. “Tears are not just for children. My mother once told me that a soul is a river and that the spirits give us teardrops when we have converged with another life. We overflow with them because our spirits become wider and deeper than before. Those who lack love or compassion will not be given the gift of tears.”
She chortled. “Well, go on and cry a river for me, sweetie.”
“Shut the fuck up, Rebecca,” Caleb spat out, seemingly enthralled by my words. “Maybe the reason you don’t cry is because your soul is as dry as your vagina.”
She lunged and scratched his face before Watcher stepped between them and broke it up.
“Intruders on the property! Intruders on the property!” a voice boomed from across the house.
A riot of noise erupted as heavy footfalls came from all directions in the house. When I moved through the hall and into the front room, people were scattering like leaves. A few looked at me suspiciously. More than fifteen men had run out the front door.
“Are the alarms set?” I shouted.
A slim man with bright blond hair gave me a funny look. “We don’t need alarms. Who the hell are you?”
“If someone decides to sneak in through one of the back windows, are you still going to say
you don’t need alarms? This is a large house.”
Watcher snapped his fingers and four men ran to the back of the house. Goodness, what Lorenzo had in numbers gave him false security. Anyone could get inside.
A wolf ran past me and skidded to a halt, cocking his head and curling his lips back. I stood still and offered him the palm of my hand, lowering my eyes to the floor. He smelled me and then trotted into another room.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Watcher peered out the window. “One of our men spotted two rogues circling the property. Panthers.”
I could hardly breathe. Panthers were deadly to wolves and had taken out entire packs with only a few members. “Do you have weapons?”
“Yeah.”
I raised my voice. “Then arm your best men and have them surround the house. You need two lines of defense. My father didn’t believe all battles could be settled by our animals, and the odds could be tipped in their favor. Let your wolves be your first line of defense and a group of armed men be your second. Then a third inside. I know who’s behind this, and he’s a wolf. Send out the strongest bitches in your pack and put them on the front lines. His wolves won’t attack, and it’ll create a distraction.”
“Jesus, where did you come from?”
“My father defended our pack against rogues on three occasions. He never lost.”
Watcher chewed on it for a second before going out the front door. I heard a sharp whistle and some talking.
I glanced around the house at the intimate sense of warmth and home. Elegant wood floors spanned the house, and dim lights reflected an amber glow within the rooms. I walked up to a wall, admiring the Native American artifacts mingled with modern art. A spear, arrowheads in a case, a painting of a sunset—Lorenzo had expensive taste and yet held on to his roots.
A shrill scream came from the back of the house and a wolf lurched into the room. His jaws were wet with crimson, his ears flat, his tail straight out from his body. A pack member would never behave this way among his own family, and a chill crept down my spine as I stared into the eyes of an enemy wolf. Four men within sight were too far to get to me in time.
Rebecca dashed through the room and shouted, “I saw a panther!”
Her eyes went wide when the startled wolf leapt at her. Without thinking, I grabbed the spear from the wall and threw it at the wolf. It sliced into his shoulder and punched out through the front of his chest. A spray of blood darkened the floor and the wolf yelped as he fell to his side.
Two of the men made it to us and dragged the downed wolf outside by his hind legs, the spear still in him.
When another wolf trotted in from the back, Watcher appeared and shifted into a massive black wolf. The two stood on their hind legs and savagely attacked each other. Unarmed, I backed away and grabbed a man’s arm. “There’s a breach at the back of the house. A door must be open and they’re getting in. Hurry!”
The sound of wolves fighting outside riled up my spirit wolf, but this was not the time or place. She didn’t know this pack and would turn on them. I felt a rising sense of panic when two men ran toward the sound of shouts coming from the kitchen.
My God, Fox knew I was here.
***
A short time later, the pack had killed two wolves in the struggle to defend their territory. A couple of Lorenzo’s men had sustained minor injuries, but quickly healed after shifting. The panthers never moved in, only circled the house to spook the pack.
“Where the hell did you learn to throw a spear like that?” Caleb asked. He had an angelic face in a manly sort of way, probably because of the five-o’clock shadow, and curly blond hair. He looked like a handsome version of what I imagined the Greek god, Eros, could have looked like.
“Charm school,” I said, giving him an impish grin.
Caleb sucked down a bottle of water and wiped the sweat from his forehead. I quickly realized he was higher-ranked than Watcher, which explained why Watcher followed my orders. A second-in-command doesn’t follow orders—he gives them. You couldn’t judge a Shifter by their brawn; sometimes the larger wolves ended up as the lowly omega. It was all based on personality, and I could see that Caleb was in his element. I’d be willing to bet he was third in rank, and with the second-in-command out of the house, he took his leadership role seriously. Caleb gave orders and collected information from Watcher, who periodically went outside to check on the wolves.
Caleb handed me a bottle. “You’ve been standing in the same spot for ages. Why don’t you sit down?”
Because I’d fall. I’d been nervously watching everyone for so long that my leg had stiffened. I was afraid of taking a step and collapsing. Call it dignity, but I didn’t want to reveal my injury in a pack of unfamiliar wolves. It was instinctual to conceal what others could use against you.
I accepted the water and it quenched my thirst. “How’s it looking out there?”
He took the bottle from my hand and stared at the door. “Quiet. They’re lying low outside the territorial lines. I can’t tell how many there are. I wonder what the hell they want. Seems like a bunch of rogues would pick off some of the smaller packs instead of going for the castle, you know?”
“Perhaps their leader is an imbecile.”
“That I don’t doubt,” Caleb muttered.
I blinked wearily. “How’s Rebecca?”
“Pissed. You saved her ass in front of the pack, and you know how that goes. We respect what you did, but she’s feeling a little inferior. Maybe a dash of humility will do her some good.”
“You don’t get along? Packs usually respect the alpha females.”
He shook his head and made a sound between a laugh and a groan. “She barks orders at everyone. Some of the lower-ranking wolves listen, but most of us don’t respect the way she talks down to the women, let alone the men.”
I tapped my chin. “And what about Lorenzo? Packmasters can be a bit demanding,” I said with caution.
Caleb shrugged. “I’ve seen worse, I guess. Enzo has his moments, but he’s a little standoffish. I guess a Packmaster can’t be too close to the pack or they won’t take him seriously. I don’t know.”
“Well—”
In the midst of our conversation, the front door swung open and slammed against the wall. Lorenzo filled the doorway, the blustering wind lifting the ends of his hair. I smoldered when he took a few steps forward and his leather jacket fell to the floor. He was fearsome, and every man in the room tensed. His black boots were the kind Reno wore on his motorcycle. Lorenzo Church looked magnificent and terrifying all at once.
When he locked eyes with mine, my chest tightened. His nostrils flared and he sharpened his gaze on Caleb. “Is the situation under control?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Caleb’s voice altered and grew a pair of balls. “All corners of the territory are under guard, and we have a second line of defense just outside the house. We’ve armed them with weapons. Every entrance of the house from top to bottom has a man on watch in case someone slips through.”
“Clever. Whose idea was that?”
Caleb hesitated and I interrupted his response. “Mr. Church, did you speak with my father?”
Lorenzo marched forward and slammed the door behind him with a hard thrust. “And then there’s that.” His eyes blazed and he closed in on me. “Caleb, leave us.”
Caleb and two other men backed away and hurried out of the room. Lorenzo was much taller than I was, and when he stopped in front of me, he looked at my bare feet briefly before his eyes settled on my shirt.
His shirt.
“I told you not to leave the room.”
“You told me not to open the door for anyone.”
“That included you,” he retorted.
I lifted my chin. “You didn’t clearly define the rules, Thunder.”
He gripped my arm and began to turn me around. “Have you been pretending to be more injured than you are just to stay in my bed? You seem just fine and—”
I nearly fell and then Lorenzo caught me.
“I can’t walk,” I whispered. “I’ve been standing in the same spot for an hour because my leg locked up.”
Without warning, he bent down and threw me over his shoulder. I could feel the breeze on my bare bottom, and my braid flipped down and swung like a tail as he made his way through the kitchen.
“What the hell… I didn’t see a thing,” a man quickly said. “I’m not looking. Just minding my business.” His voice was full of fear, and I knew Lorenzo must have looked like one of those bulls in Spain.
“Put me down, Lorenzo.”
“Keep quiet.”
“Put. Me. Down.” I laid down my orders with every ounce of authority I could summon, resisting the temptation to strike him with my fists.
I became light-headed when he lowered me to the floor in front of the elevators. I rubbed a few stray hairs away from my face. “There are mirrors in the elevator.”
He slammed his hand on the button and the doors opened. Lorenzo laughed contemptuously. “As if that would put a blush on your cheek.”
I slapped him. “Perhaps that will put some color on yours.”
I limped into the elevator and winced away the pain. After a moment, he slowly turned around and entered, his left cheek red.
Lorenzo leaned his forearm against the wall over my head and glared down at me. “You dare strike me in front of my packmate?” he hissed.
As soon as the doors closed, I sucked in a deep breath. “I won’t apologize, and if you wish to take it up with my Packmaster, then I’ll stand behind my actions. I appreciate the kindness you have extended me, but don’t you ever insult my modesty again.”
“Your tongue is both wicked and sweet. You should take care how you speak to a Packmaster. I have seduced women with far less class who have given me more respect.”
I unabashedly lifted my eyes to his. “If this is your attempt at seduction, then you’re a terrible lover. I am no man’s conquest. You can’t control my words any more than you can my desire. Now let’s sit down like two rational Shifters and discuss what my father had to say.”
Chapter 10
