Tempted: A Cowboy Shifter Romance (Two Marks Book 2)

by Renee Rose

  “Yes. I’m tracking population and territory of wolf packs, as well as their genetic makeup to determine whether transplanted wolves have mixed with uncolonized packs. We’re trying to determine whether to treat the North American grey wolf as one species.”

  He seemed truly curious. “And what have you found so far?”

  “I’m still sequencing the genes from the samples I took from the two West Springs wolves last weekend. I’m anxious to compare them.”

  Cord stiffened. “West Springs wolves?”

  Oh, shoot. Belatedly, I remembered how protective Landry and Wade were of the wolf population here. How Landry had seemed pissed, even as he’d helped me tranq the wolves I took samples from and tagged. Now that I knew what they were, it made sense. My research must offend them. Were Wade and Landry actually supportive? They’d said they compromised.

  But Cord was a doctor. He surely understood studies had to be conducted to gather data to analyze.

  “Erm, yes,” I said finally, squirming a bit under his less-casual stare. “I came out here to gather samples and tag wolves from the pack in this area—canis lupus, not shifter, of course.”

  “And Wade and Landry allowed that?” He looked surprised.

  I swallowed, remembering the Forest Ranger’s suspicion over finding my car last weekend. The whole pack was protective of their wolves, which was now completely understandable. “They, ah, set some ground rules. I’m not allowed to tag wolves without them present.”

  Cord blinked a few times, then nodded. “Now I see why they wanted us to talk.”

  “Oh?” I was starting to get irritated about constantly being one step behind in these conversations. What hadn’t they shared with me?

  “I imagine they hope to spark your interest in researching shifter DNA rather than studying the wolf-dogs.”

  “Again… why?”

  “Well, if you’re studying the wolf-dogs in this area, your research could be dangerous to our shifter pack. We’re not the variety of wolves you’re studying, of course, but we’re protective of the wolf-dog packs in these parts. If your research showed population growth enough to warrant changing the grey wolf’s designation from predator to trophy game, it would open them up to hunting, which would endanger all of us.”

  I opened my mouth to defend my research, but then sat back again. “I understand the concerns but my research isn’t for the Fish and Game department’s use, it’s for science. They generally conduct their own studies.”

  “Oh, I know.” He held up a hand. “It’s just that it puts Landry and Wade in a tough position with the pack. It must be especially hard for Wade, after his mother.”

  I frowned. “What about his mother?”

  Cord winced. “Sorry, I thought you already knew. Not my story to tell. But listen, pack politics aside, I would love your professional input on my shifter gene research project.”

  I tucked the lollipop into my cheek. “What is it?” The scientist in me was curious about his study, especially since it involved wolves.

  He spun his chair around to face a computer behind him. “I’m trying to sequence the genes between scent-matches—that’s what we call the paired males who bond together to mate a female, like Landry and Wade with you—as well as the genes of the Two Marks wolves in general to find the markers for triad mating.”

  I stood and moved around the desk, leaning against the corner so I could see his computer monitor. “Wait… do you call them scent-matches because they smell the same?”

  He turned and looked up at me. “Precisely.”

  Now I understood why I thought Wade and Landry used the same shampoo. They actually had the same scent!

  “And what have you discovered?” I asked.

  Cord looked rueful. “I’m just getting the genome maps down. I haven’t even begun sequencing. It’s a huge project, and I have a full-time job being the only doctor in the area, but it’s a passion project for me.”

  It was hard not to get swept up into his project. The temptation was strong. But I had my own research. Sequencing DNA—human or otherwise—wasn’t my specialty. I didn’t go that in-depth with my wolf testing.

  Then again, I’d love to see what he was doing. “May I look at the maps you have now?”

  Cord flashed me a smile, then looked at his computer. “I’d appreciate that. I’ll print it out.” He hit a few buttons, and papers began to emerge from the printer.

  I leaned forward to take them from him. This would be fun.

  15

  WADE

  It took me over an hour to get the server at the distillery back online, which nearly killed me. I couldn’t wait to collect Caitlyn from Cord’s office.

  Even though connecting the two of them was a genius idea, my wolf hated leaving her alone with him. Not just him, but any male. Not that I didn’t trust Cord. I totally did. But our mate wasn’t marked yet, which meant I couldn’t stand leaving her at all, much less with Cord, who was young, good-looking, and accomplished. I wanted to throttle the guy just for doing us this favor. The way Landry had paced while I’d worked showed he felt the same way.

  Thankfully, when Landry had called Cord to connect him with Caitlyn, he’d explained the situation. Who she was, what she was. And what she wasn’t: marked. How we’d hoped to divert our mate’s focus from her research to his. I sure as hell hoped he could spark her interest in a different way, to study wolves where the findings wouldn’t be shared with the world. Claiming Caitlyn was priority one, but that required us to somehow convince her we could make this work, because it was more than taking her together. It was both of us marking her skin with our teeth.

  Even if she had our marks, the pack would never accept her if she kept up with her current research. She couldn’t do both: accept us and expose us.

  Besides, neither Landry nor I were too keen on her living and working fifty miles away. Keen? Wrong word. It wasn’t happening. Our mate was going to sleep between us every night.

  We had to get her to move to West Springs, and work out how to keep that brilliant mind of hers busy so she still felt fulfilled with her career. We didn’t just need our mate. We needed to ensure her happiness.

  We pulled in front of Cord’s practice and jumped out as if my truck was on fire. What we found definitely put my mind at ease and hastened our step. Caitlyn’s face was lit up and animated as she pointed at a paper on Cord’s desk that the two of them were both looking at.

  “Glad to see you two found something to discuss,” Landry said.

  Their heads popped up at his voice.

  Caitlyn looked between us and smiled. Yeah, that made my wolf fucking happy.

  “Cord’s research is really interesting,” she said, rising from her chair. “Did you solve your crisis at the distillery? I would like to see it sometime, by the way.”

  “Wade solved the crisis,” Landry said, looping an arm around Caitlyn’s back and pulling her up against him. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “And yes, we’ll show you the distillery. Later.”

  “Give me some of that,” I complained, and Caitlyn laughed as Landry released her and gave her a little nudge in my direction.

  Fuck, she felt good in my arms. Her scent was like a drug, and I was instantly soothed. I took my time with the kiss. Angled my lips over hers and tasted her once. Twice. On the third time, I used a little tongue. I settled in long enough that Cord cleared his throat to let me know it was getting awkward for him.

  I released her reluctantly. “Hungry, sugar? We could hit the West Springs Diner. They make a mean buffalo burger.”

  “It is delicious,” Landry agreed.

  “Sounds great.” She looked to Cord. “Want to join us?”

  Cord glanced between me and Landry. “I think your mates want you all to themselves. Another time.”

  I was relieved to hear him decline. The doctor was right. I was territorial and possessive of my mate. I gave him a nod as thanks.

  No matter my unfounded jealousy, it
seemed Caitlyn was far more relaxed than when we’d left her. Time with Cord had done her good. Talking science had put her back in her element. Or Cord had fielded her questions more effectively than Landry and I had last night. If there was anyone who could speak about marking and mating and scent-matches, it was Cord. The icing on the cake would be if Caitlyn could get interested enough in Cord’s research to want to join him, and leave her wolf-dog research behind.

  Landry took one of Caitlyn’s hands and I took the other, and we led her down the street toward the diner, which was owned by a shifter family and was sort of the hub of all social activity in West Springs—human and shifter alike.

  “Um, what are people going to say if they see the three of us all holding hands?” she asked.

  “They’ll think we’re in a weird religious cult,” I joked, and her steps faltered. “Don’t worry, I’ll drop your hand like a hot potato if we see another human. Does that make you feel better?”

  “Um… sort of?” She peered up at me. “I’m not sure. Why you? I mean, I like both of you. This is all so weird.”

  Landry pushed the door to the diner open and I dropped my hold and followed them in. Landry was alpha in our triad. He could play her boyfriend in public. I’d be happy to pretend to be the third-wheel friend always tagging along.

  For a moment, my mind wandered into a fantasy that involved Caitlyn bearing our pups and the three of us attending school functions this way. The thought of it sent tingles skittering across my forearms, raising the hair there.

  Once we were inside, though, my mood plummeted.

  Bob Jenkins and Tim Hollaroy were there, along with their crew, seated around one of the long tables.

  Ranchers.

  I couldn’t stand the sight of any of them. I didn’t know specifically which one fired the rifle that took away everything I had loved at the time, but one of them had. I knew that for sure.

  “You okay with sitting outside, Caitlyn?” Landry asked, his voice calm for our mate’s sake, but I heard the words threaded with anger. Thankfully, he knew how I felt. He led Caitlyn through the interior of the diner and directly out to the covered patio. A creek meandered down a rocky embankment, and the sound of it carried.

  I followed them out to the pretty spot, my appetite suddenly gone.

  Landry picked a four-top and we sat down beneath a sun umbrella. A harried waitress dropped off three menus before scurrying away with a promise to return with glasses of water.

  Caitlyn must have noted the change in my mood because she touched my hand. She turned toward me, eyes full of concern. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”

  Landry cast a dark look toward the inside of the diner, his jaw clenched, eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry I suggested this place. We can go.”

  I held up my hand. “Don’t be,” I said. “I’m fine.”

  I wasn’t, but the ranchers weren’t going to ruin my time with our mate.

  Caitlyn split a look between the two of us. “What’s going on?” she asked again.

  “Nothing.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I just hate running into those ranchers.”

  She looked through the big window. “That group in there? Why? What’s going on?”

  I didn’t want to tell her the story. It was a shitty one, and talking about it did no one any good. Especially not when I had to be in the same restaurant as the assholes. But she was our mate, and she ought to know my story. Even the bad part.

  I took a deep breath, let it out. “The one in the blue shirt is Tim Hollaroy. He’s the leader of their little gang. One of the reasons our pack is so sensitive about outsiders coming on the land is because…” Fuck. I couldn’t even say it. I’d actually never had to tell this story before. Everyone in the pack knew what had happened, and I didn’t keep many human friends. Even then, they wouldn’t understand. Caitlyn would, since she knew we were shifters.

  “The ranchers believe wolves hunt their cattle,” Landry supplied, coming to my aid.

  Caitlyn grimaced, but nodded. “Yes, human-caused fatalities in the wolf population are—” She slapped a hand over her mouth with a gasp. Her eyes went wide. “Tell me that’s not what we’re talking about here.”

  I ground my molars.

  “Wade’s mother was shot in wolf form,” Landry supplied quietly.

  Caitlyn’s big, beautiful eyes swam with tears. “Oh Wade, oh my God. I’m so sorry.” She grabbed my hand and pulled it to her chest, kissing the back of it. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Fuck,” I cursed, feeling like shit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin our lunch.”

  Caitlyn tipped forward out of her chair and wrapped her arms around my neck, dropping a few kisses along my temple. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “That’s awful. Really awful.”

  “Sugar,” I murmured, touching her hip despite the farce I’d been trying to enact that we weren’t lovers.

  The waitress came by but Landry shooed her away, saying we weren’t ready, even for water.

  I gently guided Caitlyn’s hips back into her chair. Her pain for me, her open sorrow for a female she didn’t even know, opened all my old wounds. But at the same time, it also bathed them in… I don’t know—love. I could feel her caring wrap around me like a blanket, and it soothed me in a way I hadn’t let myself be soothed.

  Maybe she was the only one who could do so.

  “Thank you, sugar. You’re so fucking sweet.” My own eyes smarted for a moment and I had to look down at the table. Not a day went by that I still didn’t miss both my parents.

  “Was it one of them?” Caitlyn demanded, suddenly full of indignation. Her hands formed fists, and a flush crept up her cheeks.

  “We don’t know,” Landry said quickly. “It seems likely. They’re open about their hatred of wolves. My brother organized a group to look into it, but there are no eyewitnesses, no proof. Nothing to tie anyone specifically to the… murder.”

  Caitlyn threaded her fingers through mine at the table. “I’m so sorry.”

  I squeezed her fingers back before letting go. I didn’t want those assholes to see her being passed between Landry and me. I’d seen the way they talked about and treated women, and they wouldn’t take kindly to one they believed was being passed between two men. I wouldn’t put it past any of them to say something to or about Caitlyn that would make us have to tear out their throats.

  And of course, that couldn’t happen. But it would, if they disrespected our mate. Now it was my fists that were clenched tight.

  “Where’s… is your dad still alive? How is he doing with this?”

  My throat worked but I couldn’t answer.

  “His father went moon mad as a result of her death.”

  “Moon mad?” she echoed in a shocked whisper. A little frown formed in her brow, and I wanted to reach up and smooth it away. I looked to Landry, who grabbed her chair and pulled her closer to him so he could wrap his arm around her back.

  “It’s when a wolf goes feral,” I explained. “He can’t turn back to human form and becomes a danger to humans. When that happens… well, he has to be put down.”

  For a second time, Caitlyn gasped and covered her mouth. “Wade.”

  When I didn’t answer, she dropped her head and stared at the table. A salty tear dropped to the wood.

  My wolf caught the scent of it, and whined. “Sugar, please. Don’t cry for me. It is what it is.”

  When she lifted her head, her expression was twisted in misery. “Now I understand what Cord said about my research. He told me the pack wouldn’t like it because they thought it would change the wolves’ hunting designation. No wonder everyone’s so nervous. God, I had no idea what I was stirring up when I decided to come up here and barge onto your land uninvited. I’m so sorry.”

  “No,” I said firmly. “I’m not sorry, Caitlyn. Not for a minute. We never would have met you if you hadn’t been determined to study our wolves. It was Fate, for sure.”

  16

  CAITLYN


  I’d returned to West Springs for the weekend with the intention of tagging more wolves. Plus, spending more time with Wade and Landry. In bed and out. But I’d learned that the two guys I was falling for were shifters, men who turned into wolves.

  Yeah, completely crazy, yet for some reason, I wasn’t losing my shit over it. I had no idea why, and that was something I’d have to figure out. Maybe it was because I’d spent all my time since undergrad studying the animals. It was my job to know everything about them.

  Not shifters, of course. That had been fiction. Until this weekend.

  Now they were two very big, very virile, very into-me guys in the other room.

  I wasn’t tagging any more wolves. I could leave West land and go elsewhere in Wyoming for my research, but I wouldn’t know if any animal I aimed my tranq gun at was a shifter. While I had always been respectful of the species, my entire perspective had changed. I couldn’t do it anymore. I didn’t want to.

  Not that I imagined either Landry or Wade being okay with me going off on my own to do so. They’d punished me for disobeying. Sure, it had been a very pleasurable punishment, but I’d sensed their disappointment, and I didn’t like that. I wanted to please them, to make them happy. Like any woman would in a relationship. Which meant they were definitely more than just a fling.

  They certainly thought so, since they’d brought me into their confidence as well as their bed. This was why they weren’t going to take me to find more wolves either. Landry had intentionally kept me from the animals last Sunday, and would do so again. He wouldn’t lead me on a three mile hike, but toss me over his legs and spank me.

  After Wade shared about what happened to his mother, I hadn’t been all that eager to remain at the diner. I was sad and tried really hard not to cry, not to fling myself into his arms and comfort him with hugs and kisses. That wouldn’t have kept our three-person relationship on the down low, that was for sure.