The Blackstone Wolf

by Alicia Montgomery

  “The female dragon, right?” she said. Though she didn’t keep up with shifter news and lore, she knew female dragons were rare.

  “Don’t worry; she’s super nice,” Penny said. She grabbed Violet by the elbow. “Let’s go.”

  Violet allowed Penny to lead her away, her mind already whirling with questions for the youngest Lennox dragon.

  The two women sitting by themselves at a picnic table looked as different as night and day. The one on the right had dark hair that hung down her back in a braid. She was wearing a one-piece suit and a long skirt that covered her legs. The woman across from her, on the other hand, wore a bright pink bikini that matched the ends of her dark blonde hair. A small nose piercing sparkled in the sun as she turned to them. Why did she look familiar?

  “Penny, my girl!” She waved them over.

  “I like your new hair and the piercing, Kate,” Penny said as she sat down next to her.

  “Yeah, I was tired of the old me. I was thinking of getting some ink done, too.” She turned to Violet. “Who’s this?”

  “Oh. This is Dr. Violet Robichaux.”

  “Vi! I like it!” She stood up. “I’m Kate.”

  “It’s Violet,” she corrected.

  “But Vi is so much cuter and efficient,” Kate said, then pulled her in for a hug. Violet stood there awkwardly, her arms stiff at her sides, unsure of what to do. When she took a deep breath, the scent of fur filled her nostrils. Wolf, definitely. As soon as she felt Kate’s limbs loosen, she disentangled herself as fast as she could.

  “Er, I suppose so—”

  “Great! It’s settled then, Vi.”

  Violet wasn’t sure what was settled, but she shrugged it off.

  “I'm Sybil Lennox,” the other woman said, flashing her a bright smile. With her sweet face and sunny expression, Violet wouldn’t have guessed this young woman turned into a giant fire-breathing dragon. “I’ve never seen you before. Which department do you work at?”

  “I’m Dr. Philipps’ replacement,” Violet said.

  Sybil scooted over and motioned for her to sit down beside her. “Ben told me he was retiring. He’s such a nice guy; he’s been working for us since I was a little girl. So you’ll be Chief Geologist now? That’s awesome!”

  “Finally, more girls in the mines. Yes!” Kate raised a fist in triumph. “Let’s take down the sausage fest. And you’re a shifter too, right?” She sniffed at Violet. “You don’t smell like any cat I know. What are you? Cougar? Lynx?”

  “You work in the mines as well?” Violet asked, quickly changing the subject.

  “As a consultant. I don’t do the 9-to-5 thing. I like the freedom of freelancing,” she said. “I do software for the computer systems there and at Lennox. Unfortunately that moron Chief Engineer couldn’t program his way out of a paper bag.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Kate laughed and looked around. “Where is my brother, anyway?”

  Brother? Violet looked at the other woman closely. No wonder she seemed familiar. She and Nathan had the same eyes, nose, and chin, though Kate’s features were softer.

  “Oh, never mind. Of course that’s where he is.”

  Violet’s gaze followed where she was looking. There he was. Nathan was standing in the water, beer in hand, wearing only swim shorts. He was surrounded by three women in bikinis, all laughing and giggling as he pretended to splash them.

  Mine! The tiger’s claws came out. Mine!

  Shut it!

  But Violet’s stomach tightened, even as she forced herself to look away. Damn her enhanced hearing. She could make out Nathan’s laughs and the girls’ cries of Stop Nathan! And You’re getting my hair wet, Nathan! Jealousy began to seep through her veins. She huffed. No, she was going to put her foot down. This was not jealousy. Why the hell would she be jealous of those vacuous women?

  “Oh brother,” Sybil rolled her eyes.

  “At least he’s not your brother,” Kate said.

  Penny gave Violet a sheepish look, but remained silent.

  “I swear, he lets his dick do the thinking all the time.”

  “Kate!” Penny admonished.

  “What? It’s true.” Kate tossed her hair. “You know he’s got a revolving door on his bedroom.”

  Penny let out a small eeep! and went pale.

  “Penny!” Sybil exclaimed. “Are you okay?”

  “Is it the baby?” Kate reached over and placed a hand on Penny’s stomach.

  “I … uh, would you guys mind getting me some water?”

  Kate stood up and winked at her. “No prob, mommy. I’ll grab a bottle from the table.”

  “I came prepared with crackers in my cooler!” Sybil got up. “Be back in a sec.” The two women walked in opposite directions, leaving Violet and Penny alone.

  Penny let out a breath and the color of her face returned to normal. “I’m s-sorry,” she said in a quiet voice.

  “For what?”

  Her eyes lowered. “About what they’re saying about Nathan. And just to let you know, I won’t be telling anyone what I heard the other day. About you guys being mates.”

  Violet straightened her shoulders. “First of all, you shouldn’t apologize for something that’s not your fault. I already knew Nathan was a cad, so it’s not news to me.” Of course actually seeing it was entirely different, but she swallowed the feeling that was not jealousy deep inside. “Second of all, why would Ben ask you not to mention us being mates?”

  “Ben told me, but it was Nathan who asked us not to tell anyone.”

  Violet’s nostrils flared, and she felt heat creeping up her neck. Her tiger roared in outrage, furious at its mate's denial.

  “Uh, Violet?”

  Before she could say anything, Kate and Sybil returned. An indignant shriek caught their attention.

  “Nathan! Stop that!”

  Nathan and one of the girls were now in the deeper end, and she was pushing him and giggling over God-knows-what he was doing under the water.

  Kate turned to Violet. “You’ll be working closely with him as Dr. Philipps’ replacement, so I apologize in advanced for my brother’s actions. He’s going to try to get in your pants at some point, but I know you’re smart enough to avoid that train wreck.”

  The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. “Don’t worry, I’ve already said no. I simply told him I wasn’t in need of a mate at the moment.”

  Shit.

  The silence at the table would have been deafening had it not been for the sounds of the picnic around them. Still, Violet’s ears were ringing.

  That damn tiger.

  “Kate, flies are going to go into your mouth,” Sybil said in a droll voice.

  Kate’s jaw shut. “You’re. Freaking. Joking.” She looked at Penny. “This is a joke, right?”

  Penny’s red face said it all.

  Kate’s head turned to Violet. “Oh. My. God.” Then she let out a hoot and started laughing.

  “So, you’re Nathan’s mate?” Sybil said. “Like, for real? How did you know?”

  Violet straightened her spine. “My animal seemed to recognize him, but I shut that down quickly. Mates and the mating bond have never been scientifically proven. In fact, we already know the so-called mating bond is not a prerequisite for procreation nor can we prove that children born from that bond are superior to offspring of non-mates. My own parents weren’t mates as is the case with many shifter couples. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Hold on. So you don’t think mates have to end up with each other?” Sybil asked.

  “It doesn’t make sense. Scientifically,” Violet said in her most authoritative voice. “If a species wants to survive, they simple can’t wait around for their supposed fated mate to show up. Shifters and humans wouldn’t have been able to propagate for so many centuries if that were the case. I simply believe that while Nathan and I may be mates, it’s not necessary for us to bond and procreate.” The argument sounded logical and based on science. But why did
she have a strange knot in her stomach?

  “My parents weren’t mates,” Kate said in a sober voice, wiping the tears from her eyes. “But Sybil’s were and so are Ben and Penny.”

  Violet cursed at herself silently, wishing she had known that before she had gone on and on. Her bluntness tended to alienate people, and she was used to it. But for some reason, she didn’t want to do that to these women. And she knew she might have, seeing Penny shift in her seat uncomfortably and Sybil’s brows draw into a frown.

  “I meant no offense,” she said to the two women. “Like I said, I’m sure Sybil is a fine specimen, er, woman, and Penny, you’ll have a healthy and wonderful child. But, Sybil, you don’t consider yourself more superior to me and Kate just because our parents weren’t mates, right?”

  “Uh, I guess not.” The younger woman seemed mollified.

  “But Violet,” Penny began. “I’m human, but being mates … I can’t explain it, but it’s just special. Not that I think you’re not a great person on your own … or anything. But, aren’t you at least curious about what it would be like? It could be wonderful for you too."

  Three pairs of eyes stared back at her, waiting for a response. For a brief moment, she thought about it. What it would be like to be held in his arms and kissed by him. But reality washed over her as she remembered his words.

  “He agrees with me,” she stated.

  “So, you’ve talked with him?” Sybil asked.

  “Not exactly. But I overheard him tell Ben he doesn’t want a mate.” Or rather, he didn’t want her. The knot in her stomach grew tighter.

  “What?” Penny exclaimed. “They were standing twenty feet from us!”

  Violet tapped at her earlobe. “Big cat hearing.”

  “Shit, that sounds like my brother. He’s never had a serious relationship.” Kate shook her head, but then her lips curled into a smile. “I mean, whatever, right? You guys are free to do what you choose. Fuck fate!”

  “Er …” That wouldn’t be quite how she would say it.

  Sybil and Penny looked dismayed, but said nothing.

  Kate looked around. “So, Violet, what do you say we go for a swim?”

  Violet shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “What? Are kitties like you afraid of the water?” Kate goaded.

  Her tiger reared up and bared its fangs as if to say How dare this wolf say I’m afraid? “Uh, it’s not that. I didn’t bring anything appropriate for swimming.”

  “Oh, you can borrow one of my suits,” Sybil offered. “I brought extras.”

  Kate guffawed. “No thank you; she doesn’t need one of those circus tents you call a swimsuit, Sybil.” She grabbed something from under the table. “Here. I bought this bikini the other day. It still has tags.”

  “Thank you, but—”

  “Great!” Kate stood up, placed the suit in Violet’s hands, and grabbed her by the elbow. “Let’s go.”

  Sybil groaned. “Kate, what are you planning?”

  “What?” she asked, an innocent look on her face. “Violet and I are going to get changed. This’ll be fun. Trust me.”

  Violet could hear Sybil and Penny’s protests, but she couldn’t extricate herself from Kate’s firm grasp, not without using her own enhanced strength. She glanced over to the water, where Nathan and that girl had been, but they were gone. At least she didn’t have to listen to them anymore. Besides, when was the last time she had gone swimming or even done anything to relax? Too long. The weather was perfect, and the view was phenomenal. She even bet the lake was just the right temperature, and it might prove to be a good distraction for her and her tiger.

  “Here you go.” Kate shoved her into an empty changing room. “Put this on. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “Where are you going?”

  Kate bit her lip as if trying to stop herself from laughing. “To get some popcorn for the show.”

  “What show?”

  “Er, you’ll see.” The door shut before she could ask Kate any more questions.

  Chapter Five

  Nathan grabbed another beer from the cooler and popped the tab open, closing his eyes as he drank the ice cold liquid. Finally, some R and R. After a shitty week, he just needed to relax and have a couple of beers. He glanced at the three girls—Sherry, Jeannie, and Marjorie—who were sitting on their towels, tanning themselves. They worked in the accounting department at Lennox Corp., which is why he’d never seen them before. The moment he arrived, he started flirting with them as they were in line for the changing rooms. They were very friendly—especially Jeannie—but he couldn’t muster anything more than a passing interest.

  They’re Lennox employees, he told himself. It would be unprofessional to hook up with any of them. And this was a family-oriented event. Surely Matthew and Jason would definitely not approve of him taking some chick out for some fun in the woods.

  Yeah, that was it. That was the reason why he didn’t try anything else with them. Certainly not because of some uptight geologist who somehow buried herself in her brain so that no matter what he did his every thought seemed to come back to her.

  Not at all.

  As he took another swig of his beer, his ears perked up when he heard a familiar name.

  “Yeah, that Kate Caldwell is fucking hot. I wish she’d come and work on my computer systems,” someone laughed.

  “She does specialize in software, so she could help you with that.”

  His temple began to throb. What the fuck. He turned around slowly.

  “Oh man, that bikini she’s wearing—Oh shit.”

  “That bikini she’s wearing is what?” Nathan asked through gritted teeth.

  “Mr. Caldwell, sir, I didn’t see you there.”

  Nathan crossed his arms over his chest. He recognized two of the three men as workers from Lennox. Pencil pushers of some sort. Humans, too. And obviously, they knew who he was.

  The one he overheard talking about Kate's bikini took an audible swallow. “Hey, I was just, you know … kidding about what I said earlier.”

  “Yeah,” the other one added. “We weren’t looking at your sister or anything.”

  The last guy laughed. “Besides, that other chick with her is way hotter.”

  “Other chick?” he asked. “What other chick?”

  “Er, that one.”

  Nathan’s eyes zeroed in on the figure coming out of the water and slowly heading to the shore.

  “Motherfucker!” he roared, the beer can in his fist turning into a ball of tin. His wolf reared up and let out an angry growl, baring its teeth.

  Violet was wearing the tiniest bikini he’d ever seen. The narrow triangles in front covered her nipples but bared a good amount of cleavage and side boob. The bottom was more modest, but the pale yellow fabric left very little to the imagination, at least for his shifter eyes. She reached up to squeeze the excess water from her hair, pushing her breasts up high, then making them bounce deliciously as she dropped her hands to her sides.

  White hot rage shot through him, and he marched toward her with his hands balled into fists at his sides. She was adjusting the side of her bottoms when he stopped in front of her. Goddamn, that thing was even more scandalous up close. Her nipples were poking through the thin stretchy fabric, and he could make out the shadow of a landing strip over her mound. Fuck, he didn’t know if he was angry or aroused.

  Sensing he was near, her head whipped up. Dark-ringed light eyes grew wide with surprise. “Nathan?”

  “What are you doing?”

  “I was swimming,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “I mean, what are you doing here? And what are you wearing?”

  She crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up farther. “I was invited, remember? And I’m wearing a bathing suit. That’s usually what people wear when they go swimming.”

  Nathan looked around them and saw a discarded towel by his foot. He reached down, grabbed it, and threw it over her shoulders.

&n
bsp; She shrieked as sand flew everywhere. “What the hell, Nathan!”

  “There, that’s much better,” he said.

  She tossed the towel at him. “That’s not mine! What if the owner needs it?”

  “Who the fuck cares?” He put it over her again.

  A snort from behind made him turn around. Kate was sitting on a beach mat laughing like a hyena and eating from a tub of popcorn by her feet. “Please, keep going,” she said with a grin.

  “Nathan, what is the matter with you?” Violet asked, hands on her hips.

  “What’s the matter with me?” he asked in an incredulous voice. “What’s the matter with me?” Goddamnit, he wished he knew. Without thinking, he grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her away. As they passed by Kate, he kicked sand at her popcorn tub and ignored her cry of “I was eating that, you jerk!”

  It wasn’t easy as Violet was much stronger than she looked, and she struggled with all her might. He didn’t want to bruise her, so, he did the only thing he could think of, which was pick her up and put her over his shoulders.

  “Nathan, everyone’s looking at us,” she hissed. “What will they say?”

  “I don’t care.” He marched them off into the woods, away from everyone, because the entire picnic suddenly felt too crowded. Too loud with too many people, too many men looking at Violet. It was driving him and his wolf crazy.

  “Put me down this instant!” she demanded, her fists beating on his back.

  “In a minute,” he snapped. “We’re almost there.”

  His Mustang was parked in a clearing just off the small path that led to the lake. He spent a lot of time up here with his dad, so they always used this “secret” parking spot. No one knew about it, and he didn’t even have to lock the doors when he parked here. When he got to his car, he dropped her to her feet.

  Violet staggered back but regained her balance, then brushed her hair away from her face. “What’s the meaning of this? Why did you bring me here?”

  “You put yourself out there on display and—”

  “Excuse me! But how dare you! I’m free to do as I want, whenever I want. I was swimming in a public place, not putting myself out there on display for anyone.”