Don’t even think about it, Wolf. We’re not rewarding her behavior by fucking her.
Caress wriggled, trying to break free, forcing him to deliver a slap on her mighty fine derriere—to which she let loose a string of expressive expletives, how she’d castrate him and feed him to the Hounds of Hell.
Letting her hang over his shoulder proved to be a mistake. Searing pain bloomed on his side where his little she-devil found a spot to latch her sharp teeth.
“Do you ever wind down?” He stopped and dropped her to the ground, letting the fall from his shoulder jar her.
Hellfire and brimstone flashed across her beautiful eyes, a trickle of blood dribbling off her chin. Irritated at her, he ran his hand over his side to assess the damage, pleased to find the bleeding staunched as his natural healing ability set in.
Crouching, Ford rubbed the trail of his blood from her face. “Babe, you are in for a rude awakening. Remember, I’m keeping count. You’re at nine. I’d stop if I were you.” Didn’t want to do this…. He uncapped the tranq and plunged it in her thigh. “Have a good nap.”
“I’m going to mur….” Her eyes rolled back into her head as she slumped into unconsciousness.
Ignoring his pissed-off Wolf was hard to do. “All I wanted to do was get you home.” He lifted her lithe body into his arms, draped her over his shoulder, and set a quick pace to get them to his cabin.
By late tonight, everyone would know what had transpired in the woods. For as long as he could remember, he’d led a pretty private life, aside from random hook-ups. He disliked having people in his business. But his mate had the uncanny ability to generate both public angst and adoration. Her dual sides perplexed him, and agitated his Wolf.
Along the grassy trail leading to his place, he scented Luck and whistled to his nephew. “Where you off to, whelp?”
“Carter, Seth, the new guy Cody, and I are meeting up at Widow Jamison’s place. She needs some help with the chickens. We decided tonight would be a good time to start chopping some firewood for her.” Luck chuckled. “Uncle, Caress is passed out cold.”
“You boys have been doing good, making sure the widow has what she needs. Makes me proud of you all.” He nodded in dismissal to the teens, ignored the curvy bundle drenching his nephew’s shirt in drool, and trekked to his place. Once inside his cabin, he took the stairs two at a time to the master bedroom.
Soft snores left Caress’s mouth as he deposited her on his bed, settling her on her side. Ford swept her hair away from her face and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. Such a pretty face; such a feisty scrapper. She was so much more than she let show. Caress didn’t move an inch. Just as well because she’d be out for his balls upon waking up.
Exhaustion washed over him. He leaned over to listen to her breathing. After ensuring she was okay, he grabbed bottle of water from the mini fridge. He laid the bottle on the nightstand and took a seat in his desk chair to watch over her.
In her chemical-induced coma, she looked so innocent and peaceful, drool and all. The scruff on his jawline itched like hell. He ran his hand over the stubble. Tonight, he’d take the time to shave—after he dealt with the mess his beautiful mate had created with her impulsive ways.
His woman infuriated him more than anything, more than his foolhardy nephew. Hell, life with her would never be boring—if they didn’t kill each other first. The age difference had bothered him six months ago—when he’d first met her and her brothers on their arrival in Los Lobos. She’d seemed so young. But after getting to know her, catching glimpses of her maturity, his views had changed…until now. The dire situation she’d gone through put a pause on his plans. He couldn’t shake the feeling something else loomed on the horizon, and he wanted to finish his search to find any additional threats that might follow her. Make sure something in her past wasn’t coming back to haunt her. Once he was certain she was safe, he’d reevaluate.
His plan to stay five steps ahead of her ran through his head. So far, so good. He had her where he wanted and didn’t plan on letting her go. Ever. Caress, however, didn’t need to know that just yet.
On the desk, his phone chimed then vibrated across the wooden top. He frowned at the unusual sound. What the…? Cell service isn’t for shit out here.
Caress flipped over on her stomach and snored.
Leaning over, he picked it up. Damn. Cell must have found a magic spot. He glanced at the screen. Though the pushpin notification flashed with a new email alert, the reception showed no bars. Of course. He scrolled over the touch screen to his account and groaned at the flood of old emails and spam he needed to go through.
The sender of the newest email caught his attention. He hit open and scanned the message from the private investigator he’d sent to Colorado to gather info on his mate.
Mr. Giovanni,
I’ve been following up on some things about your mate. Sorry it’s taken some time to give you an update. I haven’t found a thing out of the ordinary for a young woman her age. There is no indication the males who attacked her knew her from her previous residence. There doesn’t appear to be a connection. I did find it odd that there is nothing on her at all, even with her brother’s success and occupation. What I did learn is Alder College is a very exclusive school. The Galvestons must have spent a pretty penny for their sister to attend. Ms. Galveston appears cleaner than a whistle, which has prompted me to do more digging. No one is squeaky clean. A month before they moved, some kind of scandal occurred at the college. I did learn Caress was expelled. I’d have a lead if I could search her house. Your Alpha won’t let a Selkie shifter on his land without good cause. I’ll be in touch with another update. However, I urge you to gather some intel yourself.
Trevor Stanton.
Ford re-read the email again. Could the fighting ring she was in have anything to do with her expulsion? Ravage hadn’t provided him with any additional tidbits of information. What has the man kept secret about his sibling?
He processed the things he’d learned so far about his mate. Caress had an issue with authority figures, which may have stemmed from a lack of parents. Siblings didn’t make parents. She possessed a stubborn streak a mile long, again attributed to lack of boundaries growing up and probably weak-ass consequences. On the opposite end, she loved to nurture people, and somewhere along the line, she developed a talent for combining plants and derivatives. A unique quality passed down from healer to healer.
Being able to read people came easy for him. But his read on her was all over the place. While she flirted and flaunted her body, at times she appeared uncomfortable. Could be the lack of a strong female role model while growing up—all she’d had were her brothers. Made sense to him. He imagined she could play any sport. Hell, he already knew she could protect herself.
He’d searched the car and found nothing useful, nothing to link the two dead assholes to how they knew Caress and Myanna. The security members there that night had moved the car to one of the small lakes, where they’d dismantled the vehicle piece by piece. They’d stripped the useful parts for salvage and torched the rest.
So that brought him back to her college. What did he know of scandals? They held partial truth.
He powered up his laptop, brought up a browser, and searched Alder College, and waited…and waited. The icon spun on the screen. There were advantages to living out in the middle of nowhere—privacy being one. Then there were disadvantages, too—like waiting for the damned Internet to decide to work. If the page didn’t come up soon, he’d have to go up on the roof. Maybe he could get a better connection there. He’d heard of people getting up on The Den’s roof to get reception. But the thought of leaving his mate to head to The Den didn’t sit well with him.
With a scowl, he continued to wait until his computer at last loaded. The thread gave him links to interviews for acceptance, current curriculum, tutoring schedules, clubs…nothing on a scandal. Of course, the board of directors wouldn’t want damaging informa
tion public knowledge for fear of losing benefactors. Humans based prestige and success on the illusion of perfection.
He shook his head and sighed. He’d bet his right nut, any trace of scandal on the media had been removed within forty-eight hours. And if the fight club she’d been involved with had been shifter-based, well…. He’d never find a thing. Shifters kept that shit on the QT.
Ravage had taught his sister everything he knew, including strategy and tracking. But some things never changed. In her room, there had to be some sort of account for what happened, especially since she’d been expelled.
What am I doing? I don’t have time to deal with a broken too-young-for-me woman.
She’s our mate. We fix our mate. His Wolf paced under his skin. Having her in his bed pleased his beast, her scent on his sheets, filling his home. He hadn’t realized how bad he’d wanted her in his home until Fate stepped in.
Ford picked up his phone and moved to the closest window to dial Ravage. Low and behold, the call went through, and the guy answered after two rings.
“How she doin’?”
“Knocked out. I had to tranq her. I need to pick up some items for her. That cool?”
“Yeah. How long she staying with you?”
Ford glanced at his mate tangled in his sheets. “Life. We can discuss moving her stuff here. She can use the spare room for now, until we officially mate.”
“So, you want me to agree to move my sister to your house without the ceremony first?”
“Yep. You and Raze are busy. I need her where I can protect her. Can’t do that with you and Raze standing between us as a united front, a barrier. She’s not prepared for our way of life. It’s on me to provide her that education before something worse happens she can’t escape from.” He ignored his smug Wolf getting his way. Deep down, he knew bringing her home was the right choice. Since seeing her the day she moved to Los Lobos, bedding or even glancing other women left a sour taste in his mouth.
“You know the way over. Pick up what you want,” Ravage snapped, and Ford growled at the dismissive tone.
“Look, not dissing y’all on how y’all raised her—she’s your sister. Just pack life would’ve been easier on her if she’d been living the lifestyle before puberty. She’s lost, and her world has just crumbled in a way none of us can comprehend. Having a strong pack behind her years ago would have taught her how to trust and accept help from those around her. Not this pack when Magnum was Alpha, but pretty much any other pack would’ve shown her family is more than just her immediate siblings. The lack of exposure to our kind and the dangers we occasionally face made it that much harder to understand. Her Wolf took over and brutally handled the threat to our kind. And though you did teach her how to fight and defend herself, her human side is having difficulty processing survival mode.”
Ravage sighed. “You’re right. I wish I could’ve found a pack to fit us all years ago, but I didn’t. We did our best. Taught her how to handle herself in any situation.”
“But you didn’t. She needs to know how to rely on others instead of just herself or others outside your small family.” He punctuated his point to make sure it was received.
“What do you want me to say, Ford? Finding a pack that accepts a gay member is not easy. My brother isn’t a bitch. He’s a dominant male. A damn good one. How many packs did we pass on that refused to let him be a supporting male of society because of his needs? Too many to count. Hell, it was easier to stay in the human world. I know my sister. Her sheer stubbornness will get her through this, but I’m hoping she’ll let you, let us all in to help her. Never thought I’d regret teaching her independence.” Ravage growled. “You coming now? I have to leave to meet Adrie.”
“Yeah, I’ll be right over. She won’t wake up anytime soon.” He ended the call then headed downstairs and out the door. Stretching his legs improved his thinking and might help him find a clue to piece the puzzle together. He needed to know the threat to her died the moment the life drained from the two bodies.
Ravage met him out in the woods. “Brother, not happy that you tranqed her, but I understand the need. Raze is out. Feel free to get as much as you like. We can pack the rest of her stuff up and move it throughout the week. Oh, um…except the greenhouse.”
“I figured she’d walk to and from.” Ford headed onward and entered his brother-in-law’s home.
Bounding up the stairs, he busted into her too-tidy room. He threw the closet doors open and pulled out a bag. Shit, how many pairs of shoes did a girl need? He counted at least fifty sets of heels in front of him, a few pairs of Converse and flats. She wouldn’t need heels, not in Los Lobos. He chose the Converse, tossing them into the bag. Next, he rifled through drawers, picking out undergarments, tees, skirts and shorts, and, on impulse, shoved in every scrap of lace and thong he could find. Damn his dick for making him detour once, opening the lingerie drawer.
Lucky for him, she stored all of her makeup in a huge caddy in her bathroom. He grabbed it, her shampoo, conditioner, and robe and stuffed them in the bag with the clothing.
Inside the nightstand, he found a bottle of lotion and old cell phone. He fought the desire to pocket the phone and, instead, shut the drawer. His Wolf grinned. Seemed his mate liked to talk big. Ford flipped her mattress and discovered nothing. Same with under the bed—just more shoes. The bookshelf appeared neat and tidy, as did her collection of porcelain dolls. A shelf full of medals caught his eye. Had he missed sports teams when he perused the list online?
Opening the closet again, he pushed all the racks of clothing to the side and set the organized shoe shelf to the side. Tucked in the corner, he spied a chest of some sort underneath a horde of quilted blankets and a bag of sporting equipment.
Moving everything out of the way took him the better part of a half hour. Meanwhile, he kept an ear out for anyone returning home. Hopefully, Ravage and Adrie wouldn’t walk in on him now that he planned to find some answers. Answers the brothers wouldn’t provide.
The antique wood toy chest scraped across the closet floor as he dragged it in front of the massive shoe caddy.
He lifted the lid and inside sat a stack of blankets. Taking out the blankets, he uncovered more medals and fighting gear. A picture fluttered to the floor. Ford swiped the light dust from it and stared at an image of Caress smiling next to seven friends all wearing fight T-shirts with glitter on them, looking similar to sorority tees at any major college.
A gasp forced him to turn around.
Myanna’s face paled, and she turned to flee.
“Girl, get over here.”
“Mr. Giovanni.” She looked everywhere but at his face. “I, um…just came by to talk to Caress. Her light’s only on when she’s home. I h-have to go. Bye.”
“I don’t think so.” He set down the photo and stalked after the petite blonde. “Caress is asleep. Why did you run out?”
“I, uh…. Well, I didn’t expect to see you here.” She frowned. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. I’m just gathering some of her stuff for my place. She’s moving in with me.” He pointed. “What do you know about this box?”
“N-nothing.”
The way her heartbeat accelerated and her body language shifted told him she’d lied outright. He fixed her with a no-nonsense glare and quirked a brow.
“I can’t. She’s my best friend.” She stared at her feet. “We have a code, the box is bad news. Take it from me, just put it away. She won’t want those things.”
“I need answers, Myanna. I need to know what happened.”
“I’m so sorry. But I can’t tell you. I made a promise to her to keep her past in the past. You have to respect my boundaries. She may never trust me again if I divulge anything to you.”
“All I see is a bunch of medals and some pictures. Unless I missed something.” He looked at the long box again.
“What you see is all that’s inside,” she said in a rush. “I promise you the rea
son she was expelled wasn’t bad, just shitty judgment on her part. Luck doesn’t even know, and she tells him almost everything.” She barked out the last and turned to flee.
He ran his hand through his hair. “She’s my mate.” He growled, forcing his Wolf underneath his skin. “She acts so strong, but she has no clue what actions from her past may come back with a vengeance. I can’t defend a threat without knowing what exactly it is. Myanna, please tell me what you know. Not just for Caress, but for your safety as well.”
She fidgeted. “If I do this, she may never trust me again. Doing this breaks a million girl codes.”
“I don’t know anything about girl codes.” He met her gaze, tying to convey his concern. “I hate to ask, but you know things about her. I need to know everything, so I can watch over her, keep her safe.”
She nodded. “I’m thankful you want to protect my best friend. I….” Her shoulders slumped. “Damn, Ford, you’ve put me in the worst spot.” Reaching up, she traced the edge of her facial cut with her finger.
The injury had been covered with some clear gel—probably to keep it from scarring since Myanna was moon-dependent and wouldn’t be able to shift and fully heal for a couple more weeks yet. She was lucky to get the ointment—unlike Drew, who, years ago, had been unable to shift to heal his leg and now lived with a permanent limp.
He glanced at the box then at her. “Please, Myanna.”
Promiscuous Wolf Page 4
