End Game (Bad Boy Football Romance) (Cocky Bastards & Motorcycles Book 6)

by Faye, Amy

  “Come back here, you damn wolf!” The father screams, running to his fence but not past it. I wonder if he'll notice that I stole a sheet and rope from the other end of the fence to use a makeshift dress.

  The wolf that dared to trespass on my land is long gone. I'll find him, of that I am sure. I just have to figure out who he was or what pack he's from.

  I fought for that land, nearly died for it many times after I divorced Aimar. I'm not going to lose it to some half-witted pup, a stupid lone wolf.

  I guess it's not fair to look down on lone wolves anymore, since I am one now. Whatever. He's still worthless scum for trespassing and attacking me, and I will make him pay.

  The girl is having a harder time holding back her whimpers. “Shh, shh,” I soothe the child, though my whole body is one fire with hatred and my nerves are on fire. I wipe blonde curls away from her face before tearing a piece of the sheet away to use as a tourniquet.

  Yeah, this wound might rot, or she might have caught one of our many viruses. Werewolves have a surprising number of viruses that originate from us but can spread to humans. I can't let this girl die because I made the mistake of chasing him into her back yard.

  At the same time, I have to get away. I look up at the man, agitated and hoping that I can leave and he can take care of his girl. She clings to me as he approaches, though, wrapping her good arm around my leg.

  “Alice, don't latch onto her like that. You don't even know her.”

  “But! She's nice and she made my booboo feel better!”

  I look down at her, pity tearing at my conscience. Alright, fight. I'll clean her up, then I'll leave. I just have to do it quick, or I might end up slaughtering this whole family. When a wolf gets ready for a kill, they either follow through or take that energy out on something else.

  I don't want to take it out on this family.

  There is one other option, and that's having sex. Seeing as the girl's father is obviously a nervous wreck over his daughter, and I've never met him before, sex seems to be out of the picture.

  “Where are your shoes?” Alice points to my feet.

  “I lost them while I was chasing the wolf away from my house,” I fib.

  The girl nods, completely buying the lie. Big, fat tears spill from her eyes, her little bottom lip trembling as she grips my leg and tries to ignore the pain. Oh, poor thing.

  I remember my first werewolf bite. I received it even before I was turned into a wolf myself. That was ages ago, and I nearly died from the fever. I remember the pain like I felt it just yesterday. Biting back a swear word, I look up at the father.

  “You'll need to clean that, and I have to be sure you get it right.”

  “Of course. Thanks for your help, she seems less scared now. Where did that damn wolf come from?” He asks, his big shoulders stiff. His eyebrows cast dark shadows over his eyes. He looks back towards the forest, muttering a curse.

  “He was probably chased out by a hunter, he was by my house, too. You know how bad wolves can be around here.” And they can be. Once, there were so many of us that no human dared to settle the area just south of Traverse City. That is, until The Great Hunter came and nearly wiped us out. “Can you please show me to your bathroom so I can clean the bite?”

  “Oh – of course. Follow me.”

  He walks into his house, agitation making his movements sharp. The door slams behind us as I take the girl's hand and walk her into the house. She seems content with me, though I am but a stranger.

  I will never be able to have a child. I have no idea what the father is feeling as he leads me to his bathroom and looks for the chemicals I ask for to clean the girl's wound. Even still, I burn with anger for the girl, and for myself. I vow again to find that wold, whoever he was.

  And that's half the issue, isn't it? I know his smell, like a distant memory. But from where? I met so many wolves when I was with Aimar, the bastard, that it would be hard for me to remember exactly who that pup was.

  Hukka, drive an arrow through his heart to spare him having to meet me again! I look to the ceiling as I think this prayer, then look down to see the man watching me.

  “Were you hurt by the wolf, too?” He asks as I help the girl up onto the sink and inspect her wound once more.

  I don't answer.

  I find my tools and set to work, clearing away dirt and saliva and hoping that these chemicals will be enough to keep the viruses at bay.

  “Make sure you keep this clean,” I say. “Wolf bites are very quick to become infected. The wolves around here carry some nasty diseases, much worse than most.”

  Throughout all my poking, prodding, and cleaning, the girl does not mutter one word. Not one whine. I am again struck by how strong she is, how easily she trusts me. I wonder if she might not be wholly human, but then I don't sense anything strange about her. If she were a demon, or half-succubus, I would surely know.

  “You never answered my question.” His eyes, are like the green you see in the sky before a tornado. Stormy, powerful, dangerous. “You were bleeding from your arm, but it seems to have formed a scab already. Did the wolf bite you?”

  I glance at the bite with a sigh. “I guess he did. I didn't notice. Adrenaline, I guess.” The same adrenaline that's pumping through my veins and threatening to take over, to force me to kill this man and his child. “I have, uh… a genetic mutation. It makes it so blood clots faster, so wounds heal pretty quick.” Actually, my thigh hurts from the scuffle much more than my arm does.

  “Like the MTHFR mutation? My wife died in childbirth because she had that, and got a nasty blood clot.”

  I can see the years of pain in his eyes. This man has known suffering. I just nod, though of course this is nothing like the MTHFR mutation. This won't end up killing me. Actually, it increases my lifespan. I haven't know more than a handful of werewolves that died in their bed instead of battle.

  That's not to say it's all roses and rainbows, of course. It's still a damn curse, a horrid disease.

  “My name is Grant, by the way.” He smiles, the kind of smile that reminds me of when I was young and in high school, swooning over the Beatles. Oh, those were the days…

  “I'm Alice!” The girl says, smiling bravely through her tears. I grin down at her, swiping wetness from her cheek with my thumb. Though she isn't mine, could never be mine, I beam with pride at how strong she is, how well she's behaving through the pain of the chemicals.

  “My, Alice! You're such a strong girl. You're a true warrior.” I wrap her tiny arm in a bandage, kissing it like my mother used to kiss my own booboos. Alice giggles, then takes my hand and hops off of the sink. Her innocence is melting my heart. Tears start to well up in my eyes.

  I truly did want to be a mother…

  “What's your name, miss?” Alice asks. I shake my head, swiping away a tear discretely.

  “Susi. Susi Tytar,” I say, nodding towards Grant. I clear my throat and regain control of my emotions.

  “Susi is such a cool name! My friend from school is named Susie! Dad, can Susi by my friend and stay the night to protect me from more wolves?”

  Grant's eyes widen, his mouth falling open then shutting again. He covers his face with one of his large hands, concealing his awkward smile and bright red face. “Alice, she probably has somewhere to be. And you've only just met.”

  “Nuh uh! She's my friend!” Alice protests. I laugh, kneeling down next to her and looking up to Grant.

  “It's okay! I'll stay for a little while. Until Alice falls asleep, just to make sure no foul beast can come near her and destroy her beauty sleep!” I strike a pose, showing off my muscles. Alice claps and giggles. Grant raises his eyebrows. I swoop in to tickle Alice, before picking her up and having her show me where her room is.

  I will keep them safe, if only for a few hours. Unless, of course, I am unable to control myself, and I end up killing this family with my own hands.

  Chapter 3

  Alice falls asleep fairly quickly after I read h
er a bed time story. Of course, she had to choose Little Red Riding Hood for me to read. I rolled my eyes, but she's already got me wrapped around her finger. I couldn't say no!

  I was baby crazy for a while, when I was with Aimar. Even though werewolves simply can't have kids, I wanted desperately to nurture new life.

  There was always cubs, children turned by monsters that think anything weaker than them is a toy or fair game. So many were abandoned, with no pack to turn to unless they were adopted.

  I met a cub once, a sweet boy. Aimar and I were considering taking him in, training him to hunt. The boy died, dragged off by another wolf. Aimar and I tracked that other wolf down and killed him.

  Then I divorced Aimar. I was with him for 30 years. Werewolves do age, though it's more slowly. 30 years together, 30 years of dealing with his abuse, and I wasn't even allowed to stay in his pack for another day. I didn't get to say goodbye. I was just cast out, and immediately turned into their enemy.

  That bastard made me find unclaimed land, fight to keep it, and continues to send his lackeys to harass me. I wouldn't be surprised if that silver wolf was one of his, or a free agent hired by him.

  Grant hands me a cup of tea just as I vow to find Aimar and kick his ass.

  “Thank you again.” He sips from his mug, smiling at me. His expression is warm, open. I miss these human interactions. I've been with wolves far too long.

  “It's no problem, really. I, uh, used to work with wolves. In a zoo. So I know how to treat their bites. Alice should be okay, but you should go to a doctor if it gets infected.”

  “Of course. So, do you still work in a zoo?”

  Oh, what am I going to tell him I do for work? “No, not anymore. I do some... freelance writing. For some blogs, you know.”

  Which isn't entirely false. When I'm not hunting or fighting to keep my land, I am helping my friend Elette run her blog and magazine. She pays me with favors, mostly, since I just sleep in the forest and don't exactly have any bills.

  “Oh! That's cool. Well, I have a boring job. I'm in stock trading. I get to stay home, stay with Alice while she grows. Still, it doesn't exactly make for interesting conversation.” He chuckles, crossing an arm over his body.

  That's when I look around the room and realize how ornate it is. The large room with all the precious and breakable items sets me on edge. My inner beast could win the fight against my self control at any second. If I don't do something to let off some steam, I could…

  Grant pulls me in, pressing his lips against mine. They're smooth and warm, and they feel like home.

  It's unexpected, but not unpleasant. He smells like wine, and like a human. Humans have a somewhat sweet smell that draws werewolves to them, but usually that ends up being bad news.

  I kiss him, biting his lower lip as gently as I can manage. He pulls away, which means it hurt him. Fuck, how am I going to make love to this man without tearing him apart? Still, I savor his taste.

  It's been so long since I had sex that my joints ache for it. My stomach flips with butterflies as if I'm a virgin. His tongue glances against my neck, tickling me. I giggle, a girlish sound. That's right. A ferocious werewolf giggled.

  Grant picks me up and helps me to the floor, covered by a soft carpet. He grabs the rope holding my “dress” together and unties it, leaving me fully naked below him. He stops, looking me over. His fingers slide against the bite mark on my thigh.

  His hands press against my knees, pushing them wide open before he stops to take off his own shirt. My gaze travels down his chest, wondering at how he keeps his body so trim and muscular.

  Grant's mouth traces up my thigh, kissing his way up my skin before nuzzling his mouth against my slit. I wonder if I smell okay, but he doesn't seem bothered by it. He licks me once, then dives in like a man wild with desire. His tongue flicks across my clit, lashing it like mad while I gasp and writhe.

  My thighs press against his head with each overly-sensitive lick. Grant's tongue rubs over my smooth inner skin as he tastes me, savors me. My legs tense and relax, my back arching until finally it all becomes too much and I flow into his mouth. He doesn't stop, though. He edges me close to a second orgasm before pulling away.

  He slips a finger inside of my hole. “You're soaking wet,” he remarks, wiggling his finger within me. I squirm, whining about wanting to be fucked.

  Reaching up to my chest, grant grabs my breast and squeezes. Not hard, but not gently, either. He's getting frustrated, horny. He pulls off his pants and kneels between my thighs again. I look down my body to see his meat, and I gasp.

  He's massive! Like, literally bigger than any cock I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot. When I was with Aimar, he let his mates use me. I'm not joking when I say Grant is big. He sees my wide eyes and chuckles.

  His cock pressed against my tight, wet hole. It slipped up my slit, the warm head stimulating my clit, before going back to my hole and sliding into it s-l-o-w-l-y.

  I groan and grit my teeth.

  “Relax, relax. You're almost there. Once I'm inside, it won't hurt too badly anymore.”

  “You could have warned me –”

  “What, that I might be too big for you? I could have, but we didn't exactly have privacy.”

  I nod, breathing deep. His head goes past my entrance, and then inch by inch he inserts himself into me.

  “God, you're tight,” he says. I smile. At least he's enjoying this.

  He starts to thrust in and out of me, slowly at first. The pain goes away quickly, though, and soon I'm moaning beneath him again. My hands wrap around his neck, my legs around his torso.

  Soon, I'm the one pushing him into me, forcing him to fuck me harder and harder. I can't believe how much I'm enjoying his cock. All thoughts of murder are truly gone, and as my orgasm approaches my mind goes blank. I just lay back and enjoy the ride, with Grant fucking me harder and harder.

  He cums in me, deep inside, his sperm forcing another orgasm through my body. It's so hot, so sticky. Grant collapses on top of me, kissing my neck and breathing heavy, fast.

  “Was I good?” He asks. He's insecure, which is somehow both frustrating and cute.

  I look at him, his green eyes shining in the fading like coming through the windows. Although I feel weaker now that I'm not pushing back against my urge to kill, I feel a lot better, too. More human, more in control of my actions.

  I nod with a smile. “It was awesome.” And it was. I wonder if I could convince this man to fuck me again.

  With a satisfied smile, he rolls off of me and onto the floor next to me. He grabs pillows and blankets off of the nearby couch, pulling them onto the floor to cover us and rest our heads. He pulls me close to him, his human smell a pleasant sensation to help lull me into a peaceful sleep.

  I wake up well before dawn. The moonlight still shines gray through the window. Grant has turned, his arms no longer around me. I lift up the blanket to get a look at his ass. Yep, just as tight as I thought it was when I had my legs wrapped around it.

  Smiling, I stand up and look around the room. All dark, all quiet. Where's the bathroom?

  I go down a long hallway, the same one that Alice's room is off of. Next to her room, I see a photo of a man that I recognize immediately.

  With dark and waving hair that cascades down his shoulder, and a thick mustache, he's the look of the typical 1980s muscular man. He holds an old rifle, one that's been modified to hold special bullets. This man was once the most ferocious werewolf hunters in the area.

  Until he was killed by my ex-husband.

  Werewolf hunters look like humans, and they are… for the most part. But their genes are slightly different, changing their body so that it's perfectly made for fighting and killing my people.

  Geraldo North is hanging in the hallway of Grant's home. It's pretty clear what that means. This is Grant's ancestor, which means the same blood pumps through his veins. Did I just have sex with a werewolf hunter?

  I should have been able to tell. I sh
ould have been able to smell him, know that he was dangerous. But I didn't. There's something very weird about this.

  Judging by their ages, Grant must be Geraldo's grandson. Maybe Grant doesn't know his family's bloody history. After all, if he knew he was a werewolf hunter, he would have chased that wolf and killed him… and then killed me. He would have known how to treat Alice's bite.

  The more questions that pile up, the sicker I feel to my stomach. I need to leave this house, immediately. I'm in grave danger if Grant does know who he is. Sooner or later, he'll realize I am a werewolf.

  I search frantically for the exit, opening it and feeling so very thankful for the fresh air of the night. I run from the house, leaving the sheet and braided rope behind and running naked through the night.

  Running makes my heart ache, ache for Alice and the warm arms of her father. Even the safety of the forest doesn't make me feel better.

  I need to get to safety, somewhere that Grant won't be able to find me. Not even the greatest werewolf hunter would be able to travel this forest without being devoured by another wolf.

  Wishing desperately that he wasn't off limits, I crawl into my cave off the side of a huge hill. I have to stay away from that family, no matter how much I like Alice and Grant. I can't get tangled up with werewolf hunters. I can't risk my life, no matter how great Grant is in bed or how sweet his little girl is. No matter how right I felt in his arms.

  My home is this cold, damp cave. I must stay safe, even if it means never finding love.

  Chapter 4

  With the sun high above me after a long morning of hunting for a rabbit to eat, I decide it's time to find the trespasser. The first stop? Elette's tea shop.

  Elette is the local oracle, witch, seer. Whatever you want to call her. She sees the past, present, and future, but these days it's only for friends and only for the right price.

  The price is usually a favor. I owe her three, now. I don't know when she'll come to cash them in, but I'm under the impression they'll be big ones.