Heart of the Pack

by Jenny Frame

  A lone male jumped the tall junkyard gate and landed with ease. He was definitely a wolf. A dominant wolf at that, but not as powerfully built as she. Kurtis, her contact.

  He had long dark hair that was held in a ponytail, and he wore a long leather coat. She watched him survey the area, all the time sniffing the air and trying to work out where she was. As he got closer, she prepared to strike, and within moments she leaped out at him and pinned him to the floor.

  Leroux held him in the dominant position, daring him not to submit. Her face and claws were partially shifted, and she lowered her face to within inches of his, and the saliva dripped off her fangs onto his face.

  He looked terrified, and it sent a thrill through her, especially when he offered his neck.

  “Stand up, Wolf.”

  He stood and brushed himself down. “Leroux, I’m honored to meet you.”

  “I imagine you are, Kurtis.” She walked around him assessing his reactions. She could smell his fear.

  “Are you well?” he asked her, and she smiled when she saw his hands tremor.

  “I grow stronger every day. My father told me about your family. You were once ranked highly in the Wolfgang pack.”

  “My grandfather was pack Second to Dante’s grandmother. He hated the way she was leading the pack, not expanding pack land, working with humans so closely and giving them respect when we should have been conquering them. He switched sides to fight with the Lupas when your grandmother attacked, but when she was killed, he was made to beg for his life. I hate Dante as much as you. My family has been reduced to nothing in the Wolfgang pack—they do not have my loyalty.”

  Leroux felt his hatred. It ran deep, and he could certainly be useful in her plans. “My father made me vow on his deathbed to avenge his mother and take the Wolfgang riches. If you and your family help me, you will be returned to your rightful place.”

  Kurtis immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head. “I swear my allegiance to you, Alpha.”

  She made him stand, clasped the back of his neck, and pulled him in close. “Welcome to the Lupa pack, Wolf. If you ever cross me, I will rip out the throats of everyone you love, understand?”

  “Yes, Alpha.”

  Leroux released him and asked, “What news from your pack?”

  “Dante has sent two wolves to track you, and the Mater…”

  Leroux walked up close to Kurtis. “What about the Mater?”

  Kurtis was still visibly shaking with the enormity of what he had done here. “She is pregnant again.”

  Leroux began to laugh maniacally. “Perfect. Dante is going to be distracted. This will make her defeat all the more glorious. I may even keep Dante barely alive, so she can see me take her Mater as my own, with her cub in her belly. It will destroy her.”

  *

  Caden was restless. Since leaving Lena’s apartment, she hadn’t known what to do with herself. She felt bad for hurting her. There was nothing on earth that would have made her happier than to share food with Lena, and that’s what had scared her so much.

  She paced up and down the living room of her small cabin, which sat on the edge of the forest. It wasn’t big but suited her needs, since she had no mate to provide for.

  She walked over to a picture of her grandmother sitting on a side table, and picked it up.

  “What’s wrong with me, Grandma? Why do I feel like my blood is on fire? Like I want to scratch and bite…I want to bite down on something so badly. I’ve never felt like this before, why? Humans are destructive, they can’t be trusted, but this one…”

  She held the photo to her chest and closed her eyes. In her mind, all she could see was the silk scarf that she had hastily stuffed in her pocket at Lena’s apartment. It seemed to be speaking to her like a siren song, and she could no longer resist. She pulled it out and held it to her nose. The scent told the story of her new human workmate. As with everything that held Lena’s scent, there was first a sense of anxiety and nervousness, but after she got past that layer, the scent opened up into a myriad of dizzying elements: flesh, sex, hunger, love, and den.

  Caden could not resist the urge to bite and taste any longer, snapping her jaws into the scarf with a growl. The taste was so overwhelming that she shook it in her mouth like a cub with its favorite toy. Her blood thrummed with energy and became so hot, her wolf couldn’t be held back. Her canines bulged, and her face contorted and began to shift. She ripped off her clothing with a roar, and her wolf burst forth. She sprinted out of the cabin and headed into the deep, dense forest, leaving Lena’s scarf sitting on top of her pile of ripped clothes.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Caden spent the next morning out working, and not much time in Lena’s company. After having lunch in the cookhouse she walked back toward the ranch office. Unusually, she hadn’t enjoyed the companionship of the other wolves today, preferring to sit alone with her thoughts. After the events of yesterday, she felt disturbed. Disturbed that she couldn’t keep this human woman out of her head, and that she had spent most of last night trying to run off the feelings that Lena’s scent had produced in her.

  She also felt terrible that she had made Lena cry yesterday. She never wanted to cause her pain, but she had been so frightened at how much she made her feel. She’d just had to get away from her.

  To Caden, Lena was beautiful, and her very scent made her ache for things she hadn’t before. She had, of course, had sexual feelings before, but this was different—it was an urge to mate, to join as one, to protect, and to make a den.

  Several of her staff nodded and spoke to her as she passed, but Caden was too lost in her own thoughts to acknowledge them.

  She jumped up the outer office steps and found the inner door closed. She could hear Lena’s voice filled with anxiety, and a more muffled voice on the other end of a cell phone conversation. She knew she should walk in and make herself known, but something inside told her she needed to learn more. She stood close to the door and tried to pick out the conversation.

  The other voice said, in imperious tones, “Selena, I hope you are making a good impression with Ms. Wolfgang. Your father says they may be a little strange in Wolfgang County, but the Wolfgangs are extremely powerful and influential in the business community, and this could be the leg up you need in your career. You’re already five years behind where your brothers were at your age, and since you’re not pretty enough to attract yourself an advantageous marriage, you’re going to have to excel in your career. You know what your father expects from his children.”

  “Yes, Mother,” Lena replied meekly. “I’m doing my best. They’re really nice people to work with.”

  Caden had to stop herself from bursting into the room, reaching down the phone, and throttling Lena’s mother.

  “Hmm. Just make sure Ms. Wolfgang notices that you’re doing a good job. Remember, this is what you wanted. How much weight have you lost this week?”

  “I…I…”

  “Don’t tell me that you didn’t lose anything this week, again, Selena.”

  Caden could scent how anxious and stressed Lena was and just wanted to go in there and take Lena in her arms. So this was who made her feel so bad about herself. I would bite her for you if I could.

  “I’m sorry, Mother, I’m really trying. I took a few weeks off from my running because I had a fall, but I’m back on it, and I’ve cut down my calorie intake again.”

  “Well, I expect to see better results, Selena. Remember, no one wants to see you with that flabby stomach and those chunky thighs of yours.”

  “I know, Mother. I’ll do better next week. I promise.”

  “See that you do. Remember, your father and I will expect you home to attend his birthday celebration. Try and find a dress that flatters.”

  “Okay, speak to you soon, Mother. Good-bye.”

  And with that, the call ended.

  Caden took a deep breath to calm herself. If she went in there like this, with the anger rolling off her, Lena would know
she’d been listening.

  These people were the ones who made her into this nervous, anxious creature who wouldn’t eat. How dared they?

  Caden could spend forever worshipping Lena’s thighs.

  She slapped herself in the head. Why was she thinking that way about Lena?

  But still, Lena’s mother’s criticism was an entirely foreign way of being to Caden. In Wolfgang County, family and pack lifted you up to help you achieve more than you ever thought you could—they didn’t beat you down constantly, trying to mold you into something they found acceptable.

  Lena needed someone to show her what a beautiful, wonderful, pretty girl she was.

  Her brain told her she shouldn’t, but her heart and her wolf told her she should be that someone. Determined, she made plenty of noise to pretend she had just walked into the outer office and made her way to Lena.

  She could see instantly Lena’s eyes were red from unshed tears, but she didn’t make any mention of it. “How are my accounts looking?” she said cheerfully.

  Lena wiped her eyes and tried to put a brave face on. “Great. You keep very good records.”

  Caden sat down at Lena’s desk and said, “I hate it. It’s the worst part of my job. I’d rather be out there, on my horse, riding over our land.”

  Lena smiled. “Why don’t you get an assistant or a secretary or something?”

  “No way, I wouldn’t like to share my office with someone else.”

  “I’m sorry, would you like me to work somewhere else? I could—”

  Well done, Wolf. Caden leaned forward and covered Lena’s hand with her own. “Not you, Lena. I like your company.”

  The corners of Lena’s mouth turned upward to a smile. “Really? It doesn’t seem like it. We’ve argued since I arrived.”

  “Nah. I’m just not used to having friends who don’t follow our structured way of life. I didn’t like to see you not eating, and I wanted to help. Normally my instructions are followed.”

  “Caden, I came to start an independent life here. Not to follow instructions.”

  “Of course, I’m sorry. It’s just my nature. But I’d like to be your friend. You’re smart, kind, and beautiful.” Caden only half noticed she had been stroking her thumb over the back of Lena’s hand the whole time she was talking.

  “Now I know you’re just being nice.” Lena looked down at her desk as if trying to cover her insecurities.

  “Hey?” Caden raised her chin with a fingertip. “I never say things I don’t mean.” She lost herself in Lena’s big hazel eyes, until Lena smiled bashfully and looked away.

  How can a human make me feel like this? Feeling scared, Caden stood and went back to her own desk to get some distance between them. “So, did you get some lunch, Lena?”

  “Yes, my usual salad, thanks.”

  She had no right to question Lena, but she cared. “What kind of salad? Chicken?”

  Lena turned away and suddenly found the figures onscreen very interesting. “Just a salad.”

  “I know it’s none of my business, Lena, but why wouldn’t you eat the food I brought for you?” Lena seemed about to reply when there was a knock at the office door. “Come,” Caden called.

  She smiled when Dion strode in confidently. “I’ve finished for the day, Second—” Dion just then scented there was a human in the office. “I mean, Caden.”

  “Great. You’ve done some good work this week, Dion. Give me a second and I’ll get your pay. Oh, Dion, this is Selena. Lena, this is Dion, Dante and Eden’s oldest.”

  “Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” Dion said politely.

  “You too, Dion.”

  Caden counted out some bills from the petty-cash drawer and put them in an envelope. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks, Caden.” Dion smiled gratefully and pushed the money into her jeans pocket.

  “So? You got enough saved up for your big date?”

  Dion blushed. “Yeah, I should have.”

  She turned to Lena and said, “Young Dion’s been saving up to take her girlfriend out for Valentine’s on Saturday.”

  “Oh, that’s so sweet,” Lena replied with a big smile.

  Caden smiled as she watched Dion squirm, highly embarrassed about talking about this in front of two adults.

  “She’s not my girlfriend, yet. It’s just a date. Dinner and a movie. I wanted to get some flowers, but I don’t know if she’d like that.”

  “Let’s ask Lena. Would a teenage girl like flowers on Valentine’s, Lena?”

  She smiled almost sadly. “I haven’t gotten flowers before, but I’m sure your girlfriend would love that, Dion. It would make her feel special.”

  Caden was very surprised. No one’s ever treated you like they should, have they, beautiful one?

  “Well…Dion, Tia is a special girl. You’re very lucky, so treat her nice, okay?”

  “I sure will, Caden. I better run or Mom will bite my butt for being late.”

  Caden saw Lena look at them both, as if puzzled by Dion’s choice of words. Best to end this little meeting quickly. “Well, off you go then, and thank you.”

  Dion ran off like a shot, happy to be out of the spotlight. Caden sat at her desk and hoped Lena wouldn’t question her about Dion’s slip.

  “She’s a lovely girl, Caden. There aren’t many kids of rich parents that would work for extra money.”

  “She’s a good person, just like her parents, and one day this will all be hers, but everyone in Wolfgang County has to fulfill their role and work hard.”

  Lena thought for a second and said, “Wolfgang County is a remarkable place.”

  Caden and every wolf thought this was the case, but she was intrigued to know how a human would view it. “How so?”

  “Well, I’ve never known anyplace to be so gay friendly. Someone as young as Dion can be out and open about it.”

  “It’s just natural to us. Some animals are born to be hunters and protectors, and some are born to be caregivers and nurture their loved ones. It makes no difference if a couple is formed of two males, two females, or a male and a female in Wolfgang County.”

  “Wow. It certainly doesn’t work that way where I come from.” Lena looked down and began to tap her nails on the desk. “Certainly not in my family.”

  The more Caden heard about Lena’s pack, the more she disliked them.

  *

  Caden returned to her desk and, from where Lena sat, appeared to be working on her computer. Lena took the opportunity to subtly study her.

  She was becoming more and more intrigued with Wolfgang County. It was both a strange and beautiful natural wonderland, and Caden was a strange and wonderful mixture too.

  From the first moment she’d laid eyes on Caden, there was something about her. Some recognition, a connection between them, that she couldn’t explain to herself. When she touched Caden or was simply in her company, she experienced feelings and sensations that she hadn’t before.

  Physically, Caden was stunning. She was everything Lena wasn’t. Tall, fit, powerful, and muscular, she lifted items as if they weighed nothing and was unusually quick. Lena could only imagine what her mother and father would think of a woman like Caden.

  But she was a strange character to work out. At first, she’d felt Caden disliked her, and then she was trying to dominate her and make her eat. Now Caden was what Lena could only describe as sweet. The time she had spent with her yesterday had been wonderful and exciting, but it had hurt when Caden hadn’t taken up her offer of dinner. When Caden had left, she felt bad for the rest of the night. In her mind, it reinforced the many failings she had as a human being. Mother and Father were right about her. She wasn’t good enough.

  She turned her eyes back to the predicable, reliable numbers on her computer screen.

  At that moment Caden called out suddenly, “Oh, Lena, I almost forgot.” Caden got up and walked over to her, and pulled a stone from her jeans pocket. She put it down on the desk in front of Lena. “It’s a rainbow moonston
e. I saw it when I was out running last night, and I thought you’d like it.”

  What Caden didn’t tell Lena was that she had run to her grandmother’s burial stone, and there, sitting on the plinth, found the gemstone. It hadn’t been there before, and she instinctively felt her grandmother was trying to tell her something.

  Moonstone had a special place in wolf society. Its connection to nature and the moon were obvious, but it also stood for prophecy and lifting the veil to the Great Mother and the heavens, her grandmother’s particular gift. There had always been moonstones littered around her den, in all varieties.

  Lena picked it up and gasped at the rainbow shimmer from the gemstone. “It’s beautiful, Caden. Are you sure it doesn’t belong to someone?”

  “I’m sure. We have an old mine on county land that has these stones. I’m sure it came from there.”

  “Then thank you. No one’s ever given me something like this before. It was kind of you to think of me.” Lena looked up to Caden and smiled, and Caden hoped her mother’s phone call was temporarily forgotten.

  Caden sat on the corner of her desk and said, “You were the first one I thought of when I saw it. Your name means Goddess of the Moon, after all.”

  They gazed at each other for a few seconds before Caden broke away and cleared her throat. “The moonstone is very special in our community. The different colors and types share some characteristics but can mean different things too. My grandmother always had gray moonstones all over the house. She was interested in mysticism and the other worlds beyond. The gray moonstone is believed to help lift the veil between our world and the next.”

  Lena turned the stone over in her hands, tracing the stone’s contours with her fingernail. “What does this rainbow one mean?”

  “It’s associated with the Moon Goddess. It’s said that it provides protection, deflects negative energy and emotional distress. If you keep it with you, it will help you feel calmer.” Caden smiled softly and took her hand.

  “Caden? How do you know—”

  The office door opened, and in walked Dante, catching them in the tender moment. They sprang apart quickly.