by C. T. Adams
Adam looked down at the woman in his arms again, marveling at the play of hard muscles under smooth honeyed brown skin. He let out a sigh that rumbled with a small chuckle. Yah, he was falling for her, hard and fast, and was pretty sure it wasn’t just the mating talking. The scent of her turned his mind to putty, and fer sure he had to struggle nearly every minute not to rip off her clothes and take her… but there was more to it. He respected her—her fierce loyalty and intelligence. And she was good in a crisis. She kept her head and could analyze as well as any cop he’d ever met. But she was beaten down right now, questioning her own decisions. He understood that well—had seen it in plenty of other guys on the squad after an operation went bad.
No. He wasn’t going to let her give in to it. She was a good Alpha and he’d be damned if she was going to slink off with her tail between her legs. He’d be proud to share the pack with her. Together, they could rise above this setback.
A sudden heat swept through him as the moon crept over the horizon and froze his breath in his throat. He caught a glimpse of the glowing orb through the little window half-covered by a white bookcase crammed to overflowing with Dr. Seuss books. The moon magic was unusually strong tonight… or maybe it was just because Cara was nearly naked beside him. He leaned down and kissed her hair gently, and felt her respond with a sigh and a tightening of her arm around him. She was more powerful than she knew and with the right prompting, he might be able to help her reach her potential.
If what Mom told me on the phone earlier is right, there’s a chance this tiny little group could wind up one of the strongest packs in the country. Myrna Mueller was the pack’s historian—knew every bit of Sazi folklore that stretched back to when the world was new. If she said it was possible, then it was. It was just a matter of handling the meeting tonight properly. And if it worked, well, those birds weren’t going to know what hit them.
But as much as he was enjoying the warmth of her body that made his skin tingle, it was time to get moving. There was a lot to do. He shook her shoulder lightly.
“Carita, mi amor, wake up. It’s time to get going.”
SHE FELT THE power of the moon first—a burning tingle that both pushed and pulled at her. Then scents began to penetrate her brain. Pine and cool soil, swollen with melted snow, along with rich, downy fur and clean soap made her suddenly amorous. She blinked her eyes and Adam’s pale chest filled her vision. She fought off the urge to flick out her tongue and taste the dark nipple only inches away. What would she find if she glided her hand down? Would he be hard and ready under the thin sheets? Did he want her again, like she wanted him?
But beyond the broad expanse of his chest that she ached to fondle was a poster of a glacier, with a Spiderman action figure glued on so it appeared he was climbing the ice. Shit! She was in Raul’s room… not the comfortable Riverwalk hotel. And the memories of the past few hours swept back through her again like a foul dark wave that churned her stomach and brought tears to her eyes.
She had hoped, for a brief, shining moment, that it had all been a horrible nightmare.
Adam raised to a sitting position under her, loosening her grip and forcing her to move. She couldn’t remember how he came to be in bed with her, but she was definitely nude from the waist up. The murmur of voices from the next room opened her eyes wider. The pack was just on the other side of the door and here she was—half-naked with a man in her nephew’s bed! ¡Dios Mio!
She rose up so suddenly she hit her head on the planet mobile that hung over the bed. Adam reached out to shift the papier-mâché Jupiter out of the way and separated a section of hair that attached to the chain holding the sun in place.
“Whoa, there! We’re not in that much of a hurry. It’s still going to be a few minutes before Jill gets back from the airport, don’tcha know. Take it easy.” He let his fingers drift slowly down through her hair and the warm glow in his eyes made her breath stutter. She half-expected him to pull her closer into a long, slow kiss. She realized abruptly it was what she wanted him to do, even checking to see if he’d shaved. She liked him freshly shaved, liked the smooth, nearly rubbery texture of his skin against hers.
But instead, he just eased his fingers away from her hair, then touched the tip of her nose lightly with his index finger and winked. “Feeling a little better?”
She blinked several times, trying to process the question and realized… she did. A tentative stretching of her arms and back didn’t match with the reality that should be. She’d nearly died healing Rosa and Paco, did a frenzy of cleaning and then curled up for multiple hours on a lumpy mattress that wasn’t nearly big enough for two. “You know… I do. But it feels completely wrong —it’s not logical.”
He chuckled and sat up straighter, then wadded the pillow against the flat headboard and leaned back while smelling of light citrus amusement. “Not such a bad thing to have a mate, huh? Jill suggested it after you fell asleep earlier. She’s a registered nurse and worked at the clinic with our healers. You pulled power from me to heal yourself while we slept. Now, how about you go in and take a shower and Eddie and I will take the pack over to your barn to start introductions. Don’t take too long. We’ll start the binding ritual as soon as the others get here.” He paused and locked his eyes with hers. “Are you sure about this? You want me to bind the pack, rather than doing it yourself?”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak past the lump in her throat—both for her decision and because he was willing to share his energy to heal her. He opened his mouth to say something, but then changed his mind and returned the nod. Then he swung his legs off the bed and stood up. “Your brother Jorge brought along a good set of walkie-talkies with a ten-mile range and a couple of shotguns with silver shot. He’s going to stay here to guard the family and let us know if anyone shows up. The pack can be back here in less than a minute once we’re bound.” He put his hand on the doorknob and turned his head back. “We know where the birds are, Cara. We’re going to bring the girls home tonight… and then the people who hurt this pack are going to pay.” The set of his jaw and the fierce intensity in his eyes made her believe him.
For the first few minutes after he walked out of the room, she just stared stupidly at the closed door with the tiny multicolored handprints that crawled all the way up to the ceiling, trying to decide what to do next. They were really going to do this—against everything her papi ever taught her, she was going to allow someone to bind her pack.
But it’s not anymore. It’s not my pack. I won’t be their Alpha. Was that good… or bad? She wanted desperately to trust Adam as much as his own people trusted him. She could see it in their eyes—Tommy’s, Jill’s, and now Eddie’s, too. She touched the worn golden medallion around her neck and raised her eyes toward the ceiling. Please, please don’t let me make a mistake here—not with so many lives at stake. She blinked rapidly. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t cry again, so she just wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked on the bed until the threat of tears passed and the house grew quiet.
“Carlita?” Jorge’s voice came through the wooden door a few minutes later, and he knocked lightly as a follow up. “You okay in there?”
She let out a slow breath and tried to put a smile in her voice. “Fine. What’s up?”
“Eddie just called on the radio. Jill and the others are at the barn. They’re waiting for you, to start.”
A burst of adrenaline made her leap to her feet and she looked at the Mickey Mouse clock on the dresser. ¡Madre de Dios! She’d been curled in a ball, praying for strength, for almost an hour ! She looked out the window to see the moon halfway up the horizon. Thankfully, speed was one thing she could do well. “Thanks, Jorge. Tell them I’ll be right there.”
One nice thing about being late is it doesn’t give you much time to think. She jumped in the shower, not caring that her hair would be damp when she arrived, then tossed on the first thing she found in the closet in the guest room: a pale lavender top with painted lilacs and
a pair of dark purple jeans she’d forgotten she left over here. Fashion didn’t really matter at pack meetings because clothing didn’t last very long before the moon called the wolves from inside. Still, she wanted to meet the new people looking halfway decent, so she brushed her teeth, added some makeup, and, as an afterthought, fluffed her hair with the blow-dryer. Then she gave a quick kiss to each member of her family. She hoped Rosa would remember it… if she didn’t make it back.
Cara stepped into the night and the moon called to her, pulling a long, mournful howl from her throat before she could stop it. She turned back to the door, embarrassed at forgetting herself with her brother still in the house. But Jorge was standing in the doorway, Felix bouncing on his hip, a smile on his face. “Go. Bring home our Gloria. We can’t have a Quinceanera without our princess, can we?” Then he raised the shotgun in his other hand and rested it on his shoulder with enough fire in his eyes that he should be turning with the moon tonight.
Cara raced into the forest, running would be faster than taking the car. Her eyes filled with filtered moonlight. Suddenly it was as bright as midday. Grabbing a familiar branch as she reached the tall game fence separating Rosa’s property from the hunting grounds, she swung her body up and over. Energy flooded her muscles and fur began to tickle under her skin, fighting to get out. She held back, but didn’t really want to. Her nose pulled in scents that she shouldn’t be able to smell if she were only human… traces of deer musk on that tree, a rabbit’s frantic tracks away from her through the cactus. Even closed for the night, the wildflowers were incredibly fragrant. She wanted to run and run until the night was over, chase something to ground to calm the burning in her stomach.
And then the barn appeared, surrounded by cars. She slowed as she approached and heard Adam’s voice from inside.
“So, we’re agreed then? You’re all certain you want to give it a try?”
Eddie was the first to speak, and it really surprised her. Usually he was quiet during meetings. “Absolutely! It sounds like the best way to bring Gloria and the others home. Luis will eventually come around. I’m sorry he attacked you and I thank you for sparing him, Alpha. But you’ll have to make him pack by force… as you saw.”
“He made his choice and he failed,” replied Adam and then he raised his voice slightly. “What we’ll be doing is a little different in a full binding. There’ll be some pain, and I’ll need you guys to all change form.”
Cara started to step forward but then stopped with one foot still in the air, when he continued. “We’ll add in Cara last, like we discussed. It has to work that way, in case there are problems.”
Oh. Sure, that made sense. What if instinct kicked in and she attacked him without realizing it? It wasn’t just the human side of a Sazi that came up with authority challenges. The moon touched a much more primal instinct. She backed up until she was outside the wide circle of light surrounding the tall steel building and started to take off her clothes. She might as well turn into wolf form and be ready for his… attack. Cara wondered abruptly if he’d explained it to them—that he would have to close his jaws around each of their throats and tear flesh until they submitted to his authority. She did know how to bind a pack, even if she had always disapproved.
By the time she let the moon slice through her defenses and pull the wolf from inside her, she could hear Adam doing the formal side of the ritual. “Does anyone object to my rule?” No response. He raised his voice and let a low growl play along the edge of each word, readying himself for the moon to take him. “Does anyone challenge my right to lead this pack?”
She heard a rustling and a growling that she recognized. Luis must have woken up. He couldn’t help himself, as she knew he wouldn’t be able to. He was the third male, and with Paco not here… he let out a deep snarl, apparently already in his animal form.
She could feel the swell of energy as Adam descended on him and the snarls and growls as they fought, Luis was no match for an alpha timber wolf. He probably even knew it, rationally—but logic didn’t mean much on the first night of the moon. She winced inwardly as a sharp animal yelp cut the air and she prayed that Adam hadn’t gone too far. She forced herself not to race to her pack mate’s defense, and lay down on a bed of pine needles in the darkness, closing her eyes so she couldn’t see, and digging her claws into the ground to hold on.
One by one, wolf screams split the air and each subsequent whimper cut her heart. She wished there was another method, but there just wasn’t. It was the Sazi way. He didn’t mean them any harm, and blood had to be spilled for thé binding to complete.
Power began to grow around her until even the branches of the trees shuddered and moved upward with a protesting creak. The air was alive with magic. It called to her, pushed aside her human mind until there was little left but the wolf, scenting the air and waiting… waiting for him to come for her.
Then she smelled him and her eyes opened. He was in human form, bathed in moonlight that paled to the glowing power from under his skin. “It’s time, Cara.”
She rose to her feet, front legs splayed and hackles raised while a growl formed deep in her chest. No! She was supposed to be submissive, the human argued. No, replied the wolf. He would have to prove his dominance. She was no whelp, to roll over and bare her throat. Only the strongest should lead.
He smiled, laughed at her snarl. Blood painted his mouth—the blood of her pack; now his.
The laugh enraged her wolf. With barely a thought, she flung herself at him, aiming for his neck. She expected him to back up, to run, even to shift forms. So she wasn’t prepared when he opened his arms and caught her—pulled her against him so tight she couldn’t turn her head enough to bite, and whispered, “Right idea, wrong form.”
The mass of energy in the air descended on her like an axe and she howled… fought to be free of the magic that sliced through her and stripped the fur from her body. She was abruptly human again, but her mind was still mostly the wolf’s.
“No ! I will not submit!” Again she fought to be free, but he’d apparently gained some of their speed already, because his mouth dropped to her throat before she could react, while he adjusted his hold around her to her new form, tight enough to bruise, trapping her arms against her body. She shrieked as his teeth, feeling every bit as sharp as a wolf’s, broke skin and wetness began to flow down her naked chest as he fed; swallowed the last bit of her pack necessary to bind them.
The shock of sensation broke through the moon haze in her mind and she gasped. Lightness flowed through her limbs. Dizziness overcame her as he pulled back to meet her eyes. “Adam! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fight—”
“You may not be done yet. We’ll have to see.” Then he gripped her hair in his fist and pulled her mouth against his in a fierce kiss. His tongue forced the mingled blood into her mouth and pushed until she swallowed involuntarily. No! This wasn’t right. He was going to ruin the ritual. He had to… had to—
Again he sent his magic into her, but for a different purpose this time. He growled into her mouth and dug fingers into her back. Her wolf responded, suddenly shifting gears from wanting to kill him to wanting to… mate him.
¡Madre de Dios! Dear heavens, he couldn’t actually be considering… the pack was just a few yards away. And the wolf in her wanted them. Wanted them all under the light of the full moon until she was sated. With all her strength Cara pulled back, fought against the moon that threatened to open her pores; start the frenzy. But he was stronger now, with the power of the pack behind him. She stared into those glowing blue eyes, as haunting and foreign as the stars overhead. “Adam, you have to let go. I don’t know if I can control myself much longer.”
He smiled again, a baring of teeth stained with red. “Oh, you’re not going to control yourself—I’m going to make sure of that. You’re going to give yourself to me with every last ounce of the fury I know you have inside, and then we’re going to rule this pack… together. The others are already bound but I’ve froz
en them. They’ll just have to suffer through my mating you and wait for me to finish turning you into a smoking, satisfied puddle before I release them. They’ll have to wait for their Alpha Pair to return and lead the hunt.”
She felt her heart still and a buzzing filled her ears. Alpha Pair? There was no such thing, not in truth. There was an Alpha Male, who ruled the pack, and an Alpha Female, often his wife or mate, or sometimes a female who just wished to rule alongside. “There’s no such thing as an Alpha Pair. It’s a myth.”
“Then Pm about to go all kinds of mythological on you.” A loud roaring sound rose up over her head and she looked up to see leaves and bits of debris sailing in a circle around them both. It was a tornado of magic, and they were at the center. He raised his arms into the wind and then closed them together and the magic compressed, pushed inside her as if driven by a battering ram. She screamed, cried out, shrieked—over and over, as fast as she could draw air. But it wasn’t a scream of pain.
When she opened her eyes her entire body was one throbbing mass of need and the wolf inside her was not going to allow this to pass. Not again. Her glands opened fully, drinking in the moonlight, pulling on the energy around her—searching for the pack, but finding only one wolf—the wolf, who was hard and hungry and growling. She could taste the colors in the air, see the scents as the world dimmed behind the glowing man in front of her. He smelled of fur and sex and blood and she wanted him. Needed him beyond reason. His every muscle was highlighted by moving shadows from the trees and his lightly twitching erection made her suddenly wet and ready to do anything he asked.
But he didn’t have to ask, because she could suddenly see it in his mind—she could feel him in her head; she knew what he wanted. And she finally understood what she needed, what she’d needed all along.
