“But—”
“Please.” Rosa looked up then, and I could see her eyes were filled with pain. “Just let’s go to sleep and forget it ever happened.”
Why? Why do we have to forget? I don’t want to ever forget anything about you, Rosa Parker. But I could tell something had her freaked, and that now was not the time to ask, so I shrugged and gave her my best attempt at a smile. “Sure. Whatever.”
Rosa crawled into bed and made a big show of pulling off her clothes and putting on an old t-shirt while under the covers. My cock throbbed as I finished the washing up and pretended I wasn’t watching her.
Fine. She said she wanted to forget it. Well, I’d give her something to forget. Grinning at her, I peeled my clothes off, giving her a full view of exactly how much I wanted her. “This is how much I don’t want to forget,” I growled.
“Goodnight, Caleb,” she said, flicking out the light. Her eyes gleamed at me through the darkness, reflecting the light of the moon. “Thanks for everything.”
“Babe, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” I transformed into my wolf, and went to take up my spot by the door.
It wasn’t long before Rosa was making adorable snoring sounds. I sat on the kitchen bench, looking out into the forest, at the dappled moonlight splashed across the porch. I could see why Margaret liked to walk around at night, although I’d have to talk to her in the morning about not doing that in future, lest one of my stepbrothers decide they need a snack.
Something moved at the edge of the trees. I sat up, scanning the area, my nose prickling. I couldn’t smell much through the window, but I pressed my nose against the glass, and the faintest scent wafted across my nose.
Robbie.
I’d recognise my youngest stepbrother’s scent anywhere. Growing up, I’d always tried to befriend Robbie, but he idolised Angus, even though Angus was mean to him about his learning difficulties. He followed his brother everywhere, fetching whatever Angus wanted, bringing him the choicest cuts of meat, giving Angus his favourite toys even though Angus would just break them. Robbie always took Angus’ side, always, even when I could tell he disagreed. Later, as Angus got deeper into the family business, Robbie became his errand boy, always putting his ass on the line to help Angus score his next deal or win turf from the Bairds.
Now he was here, watching me for Angus, still doing the dirty work.
I know you’re out there, I sent the thought out. Werewolves communicated telepathically with each other while we were in wolf form. It enabled us to still articulate human thoughts along with our wolf signals and body language. I’m not going to let you take her, so you might as well go home.
Caleb. Robbie’s thought appeared in my mind, the words dripping with malice. Come outside, and we can talk.
We can talk just fine right here. What do you want, Robbie? Why did you come all the way to Crookshollow and try to kidnap Rosa?
You have to come back to us. Dad needs you.
No, he doesn’t.
Dad doesn’t want us to take no for an answer. He told Angus to use whatever force was necessary. Things will be easier for you if you just come with us. We won’t hurt the girl, we promise.
No can do.
She’s your fated mate, isn’t she? There’s this really intense smell from her that—
That’s none of your business. I’m no longer part of your pack.
You haven’t yet claimed her. Angus wants her. He wants to claim her for his own.
Rage bubbled inside me. Angus would be able to sense my connection to Rosa, but clearly he didn’t care. It was considered highly offensive in shifter society to attempt to go after another wolf’s mate, especially a fated mate. Granted, I’d done it to Luke in the beginning, when I’d first smelt Anna’s scent. She wasn’t my type at all, but I was so desperate to establish a pack and I didn’t exactly have much to lose. I gave up as soon as I figured out Luke was family.
Granted, I hadn’t claimed Rosa as my own yet, but that shouldn’t matter. If anyone else in the Maclean pack tried to take another’s fated mate, they’d feel the sting of Douglas’ teeth in their back. Even gangsters have their standards.
But Douglas had said by any means necessary, and it seemed Angus was taking that to heart. Angus had to have the best of everything. If my mother gave me a treat, or a special toy, Angus would make me give it to him, or break it or hide it. I was never allowed to have anything of my own. And now he was trying to take Rosa, the one bright spark that had come into my life.
I damn well wasn’t giving up Rosa to these pricks.
She’s mine, I growled, baring my teeth.
Not for much longer, was his reply.
Is this what you’re stooping to, now? Is Douglas really so desperate he’d let Angus piss all over his rules just to get me to return? Why does he need me so much, anyway? I’m only one wolf. What possible difference can I make?
The Bairds have taken your mother.
I sucked in a breath. Shit. My mother Maria – Aberdeen university librarian and matriarch of the Maclean clan – was one powerful hostage. I hoped like hell she was all right. The whole thing sounded very odd. I’d had dealings with Irvine Baird, the young alpha in charge of the Baird clan, and kidnapping seemed out of character. He was shrewd and level-headed, and this seemed like a move of desperation more than anything.
At least I knew the Bairds would pay for this. Douglas may have been a scoundrel with no love for me, but he did love my mother with all the ferocity he possessed, and he would make them bleed for this offence.
So go and fight them and get her back. I still don’t see why he needs me.
They want an exchange. You for her.
That made no sense whatsoever. What on earth did the Bairds want with me? I was nobody important – the forgotten adopted child of their biggest rival. I wasn’t an heir, nor did I have a particular knack for being a criminal mastermind, nor was I privy to any of the secret details of Douglas’ crime empire. And if they really wanted me, why didn’t Irvine Baird just come and get me himself? Something didn’t add up here.
Why? Why do they want me? They’ve never shown any interest in me before.
Dunno. Robbie pawed the ground. Dad has no idea, either. But he doesn’t have any choice. We either show up with you, or they’re gonna start sending chunks of her back to us until we comply. He can’t just go in and get her. You leaving has destabilised his power. Wolves Dad thought he could count on are nowhere to be found. He doesn’t think he has the numbers to stand up to the Bairds.
I had no idea my leaving would have such a huge impact.
It’s the precedent you set. Now everyone thinks it’s okay to walk out on Douglas Maclean, or kidnap his mate. Dad has to show them all it's not okay.
Has he ever thought about not treating his pack like shit? That might get the desired effect and I’d never have to see his face again.
This isn’t time for jokes. Your mother’s life is at stake here.
Oh, no, I completely agree. We passed the jokes portion the moment you threatened Rosa. My mother will be fine. She’s tough, and the Bairds won’t hurt her if they need something from me. Irvine know me better than that. Tell him to come down here if he wants to talk to me so badly.
He says that’s not an option.
Then you’re on your own. Douglas needs to sort his own shit out. When I left, I left for good.
Robbie sighed. I know you don’t believe this, but I’m not actually here to fight you. I’m giving you this one chance, Caleb. Come back to your family, and we’ll leave the girl in one piece.
You want me to go back to committing all manner of crimes in Douglas’ name, and Rosa becomes Angus’ broodmare? That’s not a deal, Robbie. It is a fucking joke.
Robbie sighed, a strange sound coming from a wolf. Have it your way. Don’t say I didn’t try.
With that, he turned and stalked off into the night.
I stayed by the window, staring after him, replaying the conversation over in my
head. Something about it was very odd – odder than the fact the Bairds had taken my mother in order to get to me – and it took me a few minutes to realise what it was.
Robbie had come here alone, and tried to bargain with me. Clearly, he was shit at it, but the fact was that he’d tried to solve this thing without bloodshed. Angus would never have bothered trying. His motto was, “Bite first, ask questions never.”
Everything Robbie had said … “I’m giving you this chance … “ implied that he was offering me this boon of his own accord. That meant Angus didn’t know he was here. Which was … odd.
Robbie never did anything unless his father or Angus told him to. He wasn’t exactly known for his lateral thinking skills. The fact that he was here, bargaining with me, was completely out of character.
Was my younger stepbrother finally stepping out on his own? Did he have a different idea of how a pack should be run?
More importantly, was my mother okay? And what in the world did the Baird clan want with me?
7
Rosa
I can’t take it anymore.
For three hours, I’d stared at the ceiling, trying not to listen to Caleb moving around the cabin and growling out the window. Every time his claws tapped against the wooden floor or his powerful silhouette passed in front of the window, I replayed our kiss over in my head. The way his hands were all over me … the warmth of his tongue wrapping around mine … the way he made my whole body hum with energy …
I couldn’t sleep knowing the possibility of another kiss like that was out there, and I wasn’t taking advantage of it. As the minutes and hours ticked by, my protests grew smaller and sillier.
Desperate for a distraction, I leaned over to grab my glass of water. In the dark, my hand missed the glass and knocked off a stack of books. They clattered to the floor, the sound like gunshots in the silent cabin.
Caleb was by my side in a flash, his wet nose nuzzling my hand. His fur felt so soft and warm.
“I’m fine,” I said, patting his head. “It was just the books.”
Caleb leaned his head against the bed, his mouth open slightly, revealing rows of sharp teeth. He panted, his big blue eyes staring into mine. I stroked the top of his head, scratching between the ears, the way I knew dogs loved. I can’t believe I’m patting a wolf. A real live werewolf.
It’s not too late. You can still back out. Just tell him to go back to his post, and—
Nope. Three hours of staring at the light fixture on the ceiling had convinced me that whatever I felt for Caleb, it wasn’t going to go away by just ignoring it. Maybe it was a stupid idea to be with him, but it certainly wasn’t the first stupid idea I’d ever had. Plus, as a writer, I had to seek out new experiences. And being with a guy like Caleb … that definitely fell into the “new experiences” category.
“Caleb.” My throat caught on his name. I coughed, and tried again. “Caleb, why don’t you change into your human form?”
He lifted his head, staring at me with wide eyes. Why? he seemed to be asking me.
I lifted the edge of the duvet with shaking hands, and patted the sheet beside me. I can’t believe I’m doing this. “You can guard me just as well from in here.”
Caleb’s eyes locked with mine. I swore I saw the corners of his mouth turn up into a grin.
My heart pounded. I shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t be doing this …
But the ache between my legs had a mind of its own. My body was screaming for attention that only Caleb could give me.
The wolf’s face contorted, the fur falling away, revealing tone, muscled limbs. A few moments later, a very naked Caleb was crouched beside the bed, his icy eyes locked on mine. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“I’ve been staring at that light fitting for three hours, thinking about you. Yes, I’m sure.”
Caleb stood up and swung his body on to the bed, straddling me. The weight of him against me lit my whole body up. His hardness pressed up against my legs. I ran my hand over his shoulder, surprised to find the skin smooth, no sign of a bite.
“Angus bit you when you fought, didn’t he?”
Caleb nodded. “Our bodies heal fast. It’s one of the benefits of having these particular genes.”
“I’m not looking for a genetics lesson right now.”
“Then what are you looking for?”
“You.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” he said, grinning.
His lips locked with mine, and all thoughts of dissent flew from me. Fire spread through my body, flaring in my veins and between my legs. He forced my lips apart with his knee, and his tongue wrapped around mine, exploring my mouth. He tasted hot and earthy.
Caleb leaned me back against the bed, his fingers cupping my cheeks. I ran my hands across his naked skin, admiring the tautness of his muscles, the vivid colours of his beautiful tattoos. Between our bodies, sparks flew.
Our kiss deepened, our tongues searching out each other’s mouths, hungry for each other. His hands cupped my neck, fingers in my hair as he held my head against his.
Caleb grabbed the edges of my shirt, his hands locked in a war with the fabric. His eyes blazed. “You sure you want this?” he whispered against my lips. “Because I’m damn close to losing control here.”
“I want this,” I told him, firmly. “Bring it on, werewolf.”
Caleb tore my t-shirt, the fabric ripping up the seams. He flung the scrap away, and stared down at my body. “God, you’re so fucking beautiful.”
The words replayed over and over in my mind. No one had ever said that to me before. Ever. And the way he was staring at me, biting his lip like he was trying to resist taking a bite out of me … hot damn.
He cupped one of my breasts in his hand, lifting it slightly, his fingers gliding over my skin, leaving trails of heat in their wake. His light skin contrasted against my dark tone, looking at once strange and also beautiful.
Caleb bent his head down. His tongue circled my nipple, sending a shiver straight to my core. I arched my head back. Oh, but that felt good.
He sucked and swirled until the little bud stood as hard as a rock, then moved to the other one. His eyes remained locked on mine the whole time, watching my enjoyment. Every time I moaned, he sucked harder, sending me closer to the edge.
Just when I didn’t think I could take anymore, Caleb dragged his tongue from my nipple, slowly trailing a wet line across my stomach. He kissed the flesh above my panties, trailing his fingers lightly over me through the fabric. I moaned as he hooked his fingers under the fabric and tugged them down.
His tongue trailed across my thigh, getting closer, closer … his fingers made circles on my skin, making all my hairs stand on end. I lifted my thighs, driving my ache toward him, but still he continued to touch and stroke me everywhere except where I wanted him most.
“Stop teasing me, wolf,” I moaned. “Get down to business, or I’m kicking you out of this bed.”
Caleb gave me his widest, most stubborn grin. Then he buried his face between my thighs, his tongue lapping expertly at my clit. The heat from our joining bodies consumed me, as though my veins pulsed with liquid nitrogen.
His tongue darted in all directions, changing rhythm every few strokes. It drove me wild in a matter of minutes. I gripped the sheets as he continued to lick and swirl relentlessly. One hand snaked up and twisted my nipple, sending a sharp pain through my chest that only enhanced the pleasure his mouth was giving me.
His eyes burned into mine, the pleasure on his face increasing as he pushed me closer. He was loving this as much as I was. Knowing that he wanted to watch me made this even more intense, more erotic.
Caleb pressed his finger inside me, curling it back to stroke me in time with his tongue. He lapped faster, building up a pounding ache inside me, a wild animal clawing at my stomach, bursting to be free.
My body tensed. Heat rushed to my face as the orgasm tore through me. My limbs went slack. My vision blurred. Red stars danc
ed across the ceiling. Whole worlds were born and died inside the celestial wave of pleasure that washed through my body.
Oh. My. God. That was amazing. Sam never made me feel like this.
Hang on, why am I thinking about Sam when I have this incredible, sexy werewolf in my bed?
Caleb leaned over me, his self-satisfied grin a mile wide. Just this once, it was pretty damn justified. “How was that, then?”
“It was okay,” I croaked out, reaching up to stroke his cheek.
“Just okay?” He tilted his head to the side. “That was a lot of screaming you did for it being ‘just okay.’”
“I screamed?” I had no recollection of doing that. I’d never done that.
“Oh yes. Good thing we’re in the forest, or we’d have noise control restrictions to contend with.”
“If your head gets any bigger, it will fall off your shoulders.”
“Luckily, I’ve got you here to catch it.” Caleb stroked my cheek. “I just want to make you happy. Are you happy?”
“I don’t know if I can move my arms.” I grinned up at him. “You were watching me the whole time.”
“Doesn’t everyone watch?”
I shook my head.
“That doesn’t make sense to me. I need to see your reactions. I want to watch you writhe, your lips open slightly, your eyelids flutter. I need that, need to know I’m doing something right.” His eyes clouded over for a moment, and his grin slipped a little. But then he was back, the same old cheeky, sexy Caleb.
“You’re doing everything right,” I whispered.
“Good. I need this, Rosa. I need you. I’ve been alone for so long.”
Desire welled inside me again. I wanted more of this, more of him, and I didn’t think I just meant in my bed. But while I had him here … I leapt at Caleb, grabbing his shoulders and sending him reeling backwards. Before he could protest, I climbed on top of him. “You’re not the only one who needs this,” I said, as I grabbed a condom from my wallet beside the bed and slid it over him. Caleb tensed as my fingers stroked him, his cock jerking in my hands. I grabbed his shoulders, and forced myself down on his shaft.
Writing the Wolf: A wolf shifter paranormal romance (Wolves of Crookshollow Book 2) Page 7
