Mating Hunt

by Bonnie Vanak

  Dale’s scowl turned into a dreamy grin. “She had a hankering for pancakes and bacon, and our stove is broke.”

  Judging from the Lupine’s satisfied expression, they broke the bed as well. Kyle felt a pinch of real regret. Dale was happy and newly mated. What would it feel like to be that close with a mate?

  Hell if I’ll ever know.

  “Pussy,” he said. “Where is the lovely light of your bloodshot eyes?”

  “Dickwad, she’s upstairs, having girl time with Arianna,” Dale replied, removing the bacon and setting it on the paper towel.

  Taking two more slices, Kyle turned a chair around and straddled it. He enjoyed the relative quiet. Usually the lodge was filled with males elbowing each other as they grabbed coffee and a bite before heading out on the range.

  “Speaking of upstairs, when did you start sleeping here? What happened to your nice, secluded love nest in the woods?” Dale asked.

  “Aiden asked me to move into the lodge and be more accessible.” Probably to involve him more in pack life, lure him into staying. Even though he wasn’t fully considered pack, they needed his skills. Kyle finished the bacon. This place was getting too comfortable, and he was getting way too fond of the pack. Especially one particular female.

  Time to move on.

  “Must be a bitch when Arianna goes into heat.” The Mitchell pack’s chief of security gave Kyle a knowing look.

  His chest tightened. “I gave her my cabin when Aiden decided to separate her from the males.”

  “Tough one.” Dale looked sympathetic.

  Oh, yeah. In the truck when Ari leaned close, her wet, red mouth pursed in a kiss... his blood surged hot and thick, triggering the primal urge to mate. And then he’d growled.

  Chest tight, Kyle dusted off his hands. Arianna’s fear last night shattered him. Never again.

  Beth burst into the kitchen, her long black curls tousled, her eyes filled with worry. “Arianna’s gone. I’ve searched everywhere in the lodge.”

  The two males exchanged glances.

  “She probably returned to the cabin.” Kyle hoped so. “You know, that time of month.”

  Aiden’s niece gave him a sharp look. “That time of month isn’t for another three days.”

  “Yeah, well it’s getting a little stronger.”

  Right. Arianna once emitted a fire extinguisher filled with pheromones, now it was more a fire hose.

  Beth went into the pantry and returned a minute later. “I knew it. The entire stash of beef jerky is missing. Why would anyone take that, unless they were on a long hike or a hunt?”

  Oh shit. It dawned on him. The missing kids.

  Pushing off the chair, Kyle gestured to Dale. “Call Aiden.”

  Minutes later, the alpha walked into the kitchen, clad in low-slung jeans and a T-shirt, a scowl on his black-bearded face. Kyle summed up Arianna’s desire to find the missing young.

  Aiden rubbed his chin. “Gather the best hunters,” he directed Dale. “Meet in the corral in ten minutes.”

  As the pack leader headed back upstairs, Beth’s worried gaze met her mate’s. “I’ll search the grounds.”

  “I’m coming with you.” Dale hesitated and glanced at Kyle, who nodded. Newly mated male Lupines were extremely protective and loath to leave their females.

  Another good reason never to settle down. He enjoyed his freedom too much.

  “Go with her. I’ll tell your team.”

  But Dale, the pack’s head of security, gave him a scrutinizing look. “Who’s heading the hunt?”

  Kyle drew in a deep breath. “Me. I know her style—hell, taught her my tactics.”

  No choice. He’d have to do it, hunt down the very female he’d vowed to protect since the day he’d found her on the mountain, naked and trembling.

  Dale shook his head. “You know Aiden will order her to mate to save her life.”

  “Yeah.” Sweat covered his hands. “She’s not going easy.”

  “Damn. Tough choice.”

  Throat tight with emotion, Kyle managed a brief nod. He’d track her down, find Arianna and bring her back to the ranch to meet her fate.

  He only hoped he could find her before Tristan did, and before the next full moon.

  Cold vanilla, hot sunshine and freshly cut grass.

  The scent she’d caught the other day was faint, but distinct. The missing young.

  Arianna shifted her backpack and climbed a trail snaking up the mountain from the ranch. Though Kyle was the best Lupine hunter in the west, even he struggled to distinguish a young’s scent. But she didn’t.

  A dim memory tugged. Her parents taking her to the fields where Lupine children had played, urging her to flush through the varied scents until she could pick out a Lupine young eating an ice cream cone in a freshly cut field on a summer’s day.

  The memory winked out like a light.

  Dew lay thick upon the crushed pine needles and dead leaves crunching beneath her hiking boots. A short while later, she spied a scrap of blue among the bushes rimming the pathway. Arianna plucked it free and inhaled the rich scent of cold vanilla laced with wood smoke. A male Lupine, approaching puberty.

  Excitement poured through her. She was on the right trail. And one of the young had been clever enough to leave a clue stamped with his stronger, more distinctive scent. Tucking the scrap into her pocket, she kept hiking.

  She wasn’t running away. Not escaping the inevitable fate Aiden would choose for her. Mate or die.

  Nice choices. Neither one interested her. Think I’ll choose to live.

  Every month intensified her body’s natural urges. Frustrated and edgy, she’d finally swallowed her pride and asked the pack leader for help.

  Darius volunteered to be her first lover. With his shoulder-length ebony curls and dreamy blue eyes, the charismatic beta was nicknamed the pack’s stud king, servicing unmated females who needed sexual relief. She’d fought the surge of panic, managed to stay calm even when Darius’ light kisses became deeper. And then he’d touched her breasts... and her claws came out.

  Fortunately, he had fast reflexes. The vicious scratches on his throat healed, but every male now regarded her with caution. Except when her mating heat made them growl with hunger and their own need.

  Now if she didn’t mate, Tristan would fry her big ass. But damn, if she was going down in a blaze of silver fire, she wanted to find the young first, make something of her life and return them to parents who loved them.

  Ponderosa pine, fir, spruce and juniper trees flanked her as she ascended the narrow pathway. A thick fog shrouded the serpentine trail snaking up the mountain past brilliant vermillion and yellow bushes.

  Half a mile later, she lost the scent trail, sensing only small game mingled with thick pine and decaying vegetation.

  For a moment she wrestled with the sinking feeling of defeat. She remembered these same woods as she’d crashed through bushes, trying to escape the bad man who’d wanted to do such awful things to her...

  Don’t give up. You have to keep searching.

  Shifting into wolf would sharpen her senses. The Change happened swiftly as bones lengthened and fur rippled along her spine.

  Nose to the ground, she searched the surrounding area, scenting a sharp stench of sweat and unwashed bodies. Skins. Recognizing the scents, she growled. The human hunters she’d seen at the bar were hiding something.

  Her wolf growled deeper as she picked up the scent of icy cold vanilla and old blood.

  Arianna searched the ground, controlling the frantic human emotions roiling through her. A scrap of cloth trapped on a thorn brush caught her eye. She shifted back, clothed herself by magick, and examined the square of navy fabric stained with rusty droplets. The eldest of the three missing young, a male, had been wearing a blue baseball jersey.

  Good boy. He’d probably torn the shirt and left the clue.

  Arianna picked up her backpack and kept climbing. After two miles, she left the path and collapsed on a flat ro
ck. Sweat plastered the shirt to her back, and her heart pounded hard. Retrieving her water bottle, she took a long pull and stiffened.

  In the distant valley, a wolf gave a mournful howl, the eerie sound a clear signal to the pack. The hunt for her had begun.

  She could only hope to find the young before Kyle found her. Never had she imagined being hunted by the guardian who’d vowed to protect her.

  The thought of mating released a fresh wave of old terror. But far scarier was the knowledge her beloved guardian was not immune. The way Kyle’s eyes had glowed in the truck...

  A shiver wracked her spine. With every ounce of strength, she climbed, hoping to outrace the powerful hunter before he reached her and dragged her back to mate against her will.

  Or handed her over to the Silver Wizard to die.

  Chapter 4

  “SHE LEFT US.”

  Disbelief colored the deep voice of the Mitchell pack alpha. Sitting on the fence, Kyle kept his thoughts guarded as Aiden paced in the cow pasture. In the ten years Kyle had been with this pack, he’d never seen the leader so agitated.

  In jeans, faded shirts and cowboy hats, ten of the most skilled hunters hovered near the fence, watching their worried leader. Aiden had gathered them together to track the missing Arianna and bring her home. But just outside the pasture, they’d lost the trail, detecting only the scent of deer piss.

  Even skilled Lupine hunters could lose the scent trail of a clever female.

  Not Kyle. He’d stayed away, gathering other evidence. And what he’d seen had deeply worried him.

  Aiden scowled, running a hand over his well-trimmed beard. “We need to get her mated before Tristan finds her. Or at least get her to finally have sex so she’s not afraid of how males react when she ovulates.”

  “Been there, tried that, got the marks to prove it,” Darius said dryly. He studied the other Lupines. “Anyone else care to try? I’ve got a flak jacket somewhere upstairs.”

  Ten gazes quickly darted away, except for Kyle, who snorted. Secretly, he’d rejoiced at the male’s failure. The pack beta went through women like a NASCAR driver went through tires.

  “Maybe she came to her senses when she realized what an arrogant asshole you can be. Poor Darius, threatened by a female who didn’t fall at his paws,” he said.

  “She tried to scratch my eyes out.”

  “Only because she couldn’t find your tiny, shrunken balls.”

  Darius leapt forward, only to have Aiden pull him back. “Cut the shit. We’re not getting anywhere with this chest-beating.”

  Nostrils flaring, Kyle slowed his breathing. He had to calm down, get under control. Each hour Arianna was missing brought her closer to danger.

  “And you, oh brilliant hunter, didn’t even bother to join us in the hunt,” Darius pointed out.

  The other males agreed, muttering under their breaths.

  “I can find her.” Kyle swept the males with a look of contempt. “But I needed to form a plan. I don’t go rushing up the mountain blindly. You couldn’t find her with a GPS and a Seeing Eye dog.”

  Low growls rumbled through the males, but Aiden silenced them with a look. “Go on,” the alpha ordered. “What’s your plan?”

  “Caught a scent when I went to my cabin to see what supplies Arianna took with her, see if she planned to run or if she searched for the missing young. Did a little checking around the perimeter. Found tracks. They belong to this.”

  Fishing out his cell, he clicked on the website he’d bookmarked and handed the phone to Aiden.

  The pack alpha looked up, white lines bracketing his mouth. “Hellfire, a Satyr?”

  Mutters and looks of real alarm spread through the males. Darius swore softly.

  “Male, about six feet, maybe 190 pounds. Still in his prime and dangerous as hell. Only one reason he’d be sniffing around my cabin.” Every muscle in his body tensed to stone. “Arianna.”

  “So now she not only has Ogres on the mountain chasing her, but a goddamn full-blooded Satyr?” Blood drained from Darius’ face.

  A muscle jumped in Aiden’s cheek. “One Satyr in full sexual thrall makes Ogres look harmless as puppies. There hasn’t been a mature male spotted in this region in more than a century, which is the reason I bought this ranch.”

  “Something drew him here. Not Ari, something much more powerful. But now that he’s here, he’ll scent her during the full moon.”

  Chest tight, Kyle pocketed his cell phone. “And when he finds her...”

  Dust clouds rose on the horizon. He shaded his gaze, watching as Beth galloped up on her gelding, Dale snug in the saddle behind her. He jumped off and held out a gallant hand to help her dismount.

  Her pretty face distraught, Beth joined them. “I can’t find her anywhere. I’ve looked all the places she likes. Nothing.”

  Remaining silent, Kyle glanced at the mountain. He didn’t want Beth worried about her best friend. “She’s strong and resourceful. We’ll find her.”

  Resolve flared in Beth’s gaze. “Don’t bullshit me, Kyle. I know what’s going on. I heard you talking about the Silver Wizard. He’s going to kill her, isn’t he?”

  Kyle kept his expression neutral. “Not if I can help it.”

  “Then do something! You’re her guardian. You can’t let her die. Can’t you stave off Tristan?”

  Aiden exchanged glances with Dale, who nodded. The alpha gave his beloved niece a reassuring smile. “Beth, honey, why don’t you and Dale search the northern pasture, in case Arianna rode out there? We have to make certain every inch of our territory is covered.”

  “Okay,” she whispered. “But you tell me if there’s any word.”

  “Of course.”

  They watched as Beth and Dale mounted the gelding and rode off.

  “I didn’t want her knowing what’s out there,” Aiden said. “Dale needs to keep her close to home. What’s your take? You have a fix on where Arianna headed?”

  Kyle turned toward the mountain. “Headed after those young.”

  “At a time like this when a Silver Wizard wants to turn her into ash?” Darius shook his head.

  “It’s what she’d do,” Kyle murmured, stricken with admiration and fear for his charge. “If she thinks Tristan is going to kill her, she’d want to make her last moments count. I’ll find her, bring her back.”

  “Time’s running out.” Darius craned his neck and studied the clear blue sky. “Less than three days until the full moon. Someone has to mate with Arianna.”

  A few Lupines shuffled their boots in the dirt.

  Darius’ expression shifted subtly. “Kyle?”

  Oh, shit. Kyle blew out a breath as all eyes turned to him. Shifting his weight on the fence railing, he fisted his hands.

  “You’re the only one she trusts,” the beta said almost gently. “You must do it, before the moon fully ripens.”

  His feral Satyr blood surged thick and hot, indicating the change was coming upon him. Mating Ari in this condition? Acid churned in his stomach as he envisioned her terror, and afterward, her laughter dimmed, the light forever gone from her beautiful blue eyes.

  “You want me to mate with her to save her life? Ari’s terrified of sex.” He turned to Aiden. “I’ll track her, and then bring her back, but I’m not sleeping with her. When I return, I’m gone. Was going to leave after today, before the next full moon. Time for me to push on.”

  The other males looked upset, as if they’d truly miss him. Kyle’s chest tightened. He’d grown too comfortable here. And Ari, sweet Ari...

  “We need you. You’re a damned good ranch hand and friend. Arianna needs you as her mate.”

  “No.”

  “You won’t change your mind?” Aiden asked.

  Pushing his black Stetson low on his brow, Kyle shook his head.

  “Darius and Kyle, stay.” The pack alpha glanced at the assembled males. “The rest of you go search the outlying pastures again.”

  When the males drifted out of sight, Aiden t
urned toward Kyle, his expression resolved. “Soon as we find Arianna, she’ll be mated.”

  “Right. By who?” he demanded.

  “Me. I’m alpha and have the right. She’s a virgin, and fills the requirements for an alpha’s mate.”

  Breath fled Kyle’s throat as he stared at the Lupine.

  “She is quite pretty, great figure for bearing young with those wide hips and big breasts... very nice. Plus her very plush ass. I need to mate, and she’ll suit my needs. May have to force her, but once I get her broken, she’ll be fine.”

  “Tying her up is an option,” Darius suggested. “Velvet ropes are easy on the skin.”

  “I don’t like ropes. I’ll just hold her down. Easy enough. Like breaking in a horse. If she screams, she screams. She’ll eventually learn to enjoy my touch.” Aiden cracked his knuckles, his expression cruel.

  Rage built inside Kyle. How dare he? Sweet, gentle and spirited Arianna, debased like that? Blood dripped from his clenched fists as his claws emerged. He barely felt the pain.

  “You’ll have to fuck her before the entire pack, of course, according to custom for alphas claiming their mates. The pack will understand if she cries,” Darius said.

  Understand? Aiden would have his throat torn out for this. Violence simmered in Kyle’s blood. Arianna became a pulse in his system, the beating of his heart, the surge of male need that thickened his blood. He could barely hear for the chanting in his mind of her name.

  Arianna. Arianna. Arianna.

  “And as a little added insurance of performance, there’s always this.” Darius looked thoughtful as he removed a small glass bottle from his pocket, uncapped it and squirted it.

  Carried on the breeze, the intoxicating scent triggered wild and dangerous lust. A low growl rumbled deep in Kyle’s throat.

  Nostrils flaring, Aiden inhaled the air. His mouth tugged upward in a cold smile. “Good. Kyle, stop wasting time. Go find my mate now. Soon as you return, we’ll hold the ceremony in the main hall. I’ll claim her with the mating mark, hold the ceremony and fuck her hard and fast.”

  Adrenalin and testosterone flooded Kyle’s body. He could not hold back any longer. Arianna’s face stamped in his mind, he snarled, feeling his body shift and change into his beast. Like a snapping twig, his control fractured. Fangs erupted in his mouth as his body transformed. With the swiftness of his beast, he sped to the fence, wrapped a hand around the alpha’s throat and lifted him. Aiden’s eyes bulged, and he gasped for air, his legs kicking.