Far From Innocent

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Far From Innocent ISBN # 1-4199-0844-8 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Far From Innocent Copyright© 2006 Lorie O’Clare Edited by Mary Altman. Photography by Les Byerley. Cover design by Syneca. Electronic book Publication: November 2006 This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 443103502. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Content Advisory: S – ENSUOUS E – ROTIC X - TREME Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (Erotic), and X (X-treme). The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. This story has been rated E–rotic. S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination. E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. E-rated titles might contain material that some readers find objectionable—in other words, almost anything goes, sexually. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry in terms of both sexual language and descriptiveness in these works of literature. X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Stories designated with the letter X tend to contain difficult or controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

WEREWOLVES OF MALTA: FAR FROM INNOCENT Lorie O’Clare

Lorie O’Clare

Chapter One A chilling breeze rustled the Colorado pines, releasing their thick scent. Standing on the side of the mountain, Juan Anthony braced one foot against a flat boulder that stuck partially out of the ground. His dick got hard as he watched Erin. The little bitch was hot as hell but absolutely insane. He stood at the edge of the cliff and glanced at the ten-foot or so drop in front of him. Not an unreasonable jump if he put a little muscle into it and allowed the change that already burned inside his veins to have its way. But he stood there, hidden by the trees and their smell, and watched the show he’d stumbled onto. It didn’t make a lick of sense. In the several months he’d known Erin Spalto, not a damned thing about the sexy little female made any sense. Young and always smelling lusty and interested, Erin was beyond wild. The little bitch belonged on a tight leash. The scene that played out before him proved that fact. Juan didn’t know whether to laugh out loud or race down there to intervene. With barely an hour or so left of daylight, the lunewulfs normally would be reprimanded for running in their fur. Not to mention they chased after a single bitch in Malta werewolf territory. They were pushing things too fucking far. Erin had the lunewulfs running in circles. Juan glared at the valley spread out below him, aching to strangle her for trying to take on five lunewulfs. They chased her around creeks and leapt over fallen trees, running into each other when she turned around and charged into them and then darted to the side. One of them almost caught her and outrage quickly made Juan’s blood boil. The little bitch played with too much fire. He clenched his fists, the change demanding freedom to tear through his veins. His heart pumped hard enough to bring forth the change that heightened his senses. His vision grew clearer, became more acute. He struggled against the strong surrounding smells of nature and pulled out their scents. The smaller lunewulf breed had one quality that made them a race to watch out for—their incredible speed. Malta werewolves were possibly the only other breed with as much power to fly across the land in their fur. What the hell was Erin doing out here? Juan pushed away from the boulder and moved down the incline. Adrenaline pumped inside him, keeping his dick hard. But then, every time he watched Erin, she made him horny. She’d make any werewolf horny. He swore sometimes she was permanently in heat. Trouble. The little bitch was nothing but trouble.

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The trees hid him so that he saw the lunewulfs but they didn’t see him. Too many scents from the evergreens and fresh mountain water filled with trout also kept his presence a secret. Not to mention the lunewulfs chasing Erin were too busy drooling over her to notice anything else. But he moved closer, ready if needed. Watching. Waiting. As the lunewulfs quickly narrowed the distance between them and Erin, the urge to change, to protect and dominate the situation pumped furiously inside him. His eyesight altered. Tiny hairs prickled to life on his flesh. Juan focused on their lengthy teeth. Victory danced in their almond-shaped eyes. Their lean bodies moved like clones of each other, tearing over the rocky ground of the valley. Juan cleared the distance from the side of the mountain to where the valley began in a matter of minutes. There was one of him and five of them. Wonderful fucking odds. That damned female had gone too far this time. Not that he worried about taking them out. They were a small breed, petite and prissy if anyone asked him. And they sure as hell didn’t rate touching one of the females from his pack. In spite of the chilly mountain air, heat poured over Juan. He’d ventured up the mountain, exploring possible sites in which to build his own den. The last thing he’d expected to find was one of the bitches from his Malta pack about to get raped. Erin slowed down. For a minute he thought she stared right at him. She gazed in his direction for only a moment and then turned around. The stupid little bitch would be gangbanged. His anger mounted when she moved away from him, her sleek black fur flowing almost to the ground. She was a regal-looking creature, but her actions belied her looks. Out here running by herself, caught by five werewolves who weren’t from her pack and who’d crossed into Malta werewolf territory would ruin Erin. He owed it to his pack, to her den and to Erin to jump in and protect her sweet ass. Erin always smelled like she was horny, like she couldn’t wait for the nearest werewolf to bend her over and shove his cock deep into her hot cunt. But that wouldn’t be a werewolf from outside their pack—not if he had any say in the matter. The lunewulfs panted loudly and let out excited yelps as they started forming a circle and closing in on Erin. Her long, thick tail swayed slowly behind her. Straight, shiny black hair fell almost to the ground. She held her head high, opening her mouth and showing off razor-sharp teeth. She didn’t pant. She hadn’t stopped because she was out of breath from running. Instead she opened her mouth and let out a yelp, matching the excitement that rushed through the lunewulfs. One of the stouter males leapt forward, hearing the invitation as loud and clear as Juan. Dear God. She toyed with those small, white males. Juan knew Erin had the gift and used it more than she probably should to tease males. The little bitch thought herself omnipotent, like no male could touch her and she could tease them ruthlessly and have a good laugh over it. One of these days, her flirting with danger would bite

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her in the ass. But it wouldn’t be today. If she wanted to toy with danger, he’d take her on—except if he did, he’d be the victor. Juan bristled. Not that he wanted a feisty bitch as out of control and insane as Erin. But still… As the second of the lunewulfs pounced in Erin’s direction, a cracking sound ripped the air above them. If any of them had been more focused on their surroundings instead of on the sexy little bitch who teased them, they would have heard Juan swear under his breath. Instinctively, he jumped forward when a large branch from one of the pine trees tumbled to the ground, crashing on top of the first lunewulf who had moved toward Erin and narrowly missing the second. The lunewulf howled in pain, smashed under the bristly branch. Two of the other lunewulfs leapt forward and more branches crashed to the ground. He doubted any of them noticed Erin lift her head, staring at the trees just before the branches split from the trunk. Her tail wagged excitedly and she barked her defiance while she danced around the fallen branches. She dared the remaining lunewulfs to come any closer. Juan untucked his shirt and unbuttoned his jeans. Erin needed his help, whether she’d admit it or not. Her small ass swayed temptingly in front of him, proving a distraction and almost making him fucking drool. Not even her strong smell of satisfaction and excitement covered her lusty, sensual aroma. Juan forced his attention on the two werewolves still standing. The three knocked to the ground from branches moved slowly, managing to crawl out and limp behind their pack members. The metallic smell of blood filling the air didn’t distract any of them. Slowly, the two lunewulfs moved closer to Erin, both coming at her from different directions. They no longer looked excited at the chance to fuck a hot bitch. They looked pissed. Erin yelped another challenge, her tail still wagging. Not an ounce of fear came from her. God. He would wring her fucking neck when all of this was over. Forcing himself to look away from her slender backside, he demanded his cock chill out. The longer he watched her, the more it ate at him to know what it would be like to grab her by the waist, force her submission and impale her until he was buried deep inside her heat. A fever of need tore him alive inside as he pulled his gaze from her. More than likely, the other werewolves had the same damned thing on their minds before she pissed them off. And she toyed with every one of them, that “come fuck me” smell stronger than any werewolf’s resistance. Stupid little bitch. Five werewolves, even if they were smaller lunewulfs, would tear her apart. And not in a good way. One of the lunewulfs snarled, stepping sideways as he pranced with confidence toward her. Moving any closer would get Juan noticed. He stood within throwing distance, but the intimate group of players in front of him didn’t pick up his scent. For obvious reasons, the lunewulfs were a bit preoccupied.

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Juan hurried out of his clothes, raising his hands to the top button of his flannel shirt and unbuttoning each one. His fingers brushed over his coarse chest hair. It tickled his fingertips, adding to his already heightened senses. Imagining Erin running her smaller fingers over his chest was too easy to do. She’d be one hell of a hot, feisty fuck. Obviously the female didn’t fear much and was more than willing to take on an adventure. Her littermates would have her locked in a closet if she were caught out here. He exhaled silently, knowing beyond a doubt he’d save her from that humiliation. Again he reminded himself that a little bitch like her was the last thing he needed in his life right now. Not only was she wild, untamed, but she used her gift to toy with werewolves. There were Malta werewolves who could do things other werewolves couldn’t—like make tree branches fall to the ground. In spite of Dante’s efforts to convince their pack that showing off their gift would make it harder on them with the other packs, obviously not everyone listened to him. And Juan wasn’t sure he agreed with his littermate anyway. It was a hot topic, and one Juan tried to avoid since he didn’t have the gift. Dante was another of those werewolves blessed with the gift their previous pack leader had bestowed on some of them. It wasn’t anything the two of them had ever discussed. Juan didn’t consider it any of his damned business. His littermate fought hard to gain respect as a normal werewolf, and Juan wouldn’t challenge his efforts. But Erin never gave any indication that she fought for anyone’s respect. The little bitch did whatever the hell she wanted. Nicolo and Dimitri Spalto, her older littermates and all the den she had, fought hard to keep her under lock and key. For the most part, he pitied the two werewolves. Erin didn’t make it easy on either of them. Her incredible sex appeal and defiant attitude only made their job as her protectors even harder. She was hot as fucking hell, with powers that made the Malta werewolves feared. Fucking dangerous combination. And one he’d be real smart to steer clear of. Steering clear at the moment wasn’t an option though. Erin needed him. And he had no problem jumping in with tooth and claw to save her hot little ass. But it would just be that. No involvement, nothing more than protecting her like he would for any Malta werewolf bitch. His cock hardened again in spite of his efforts to keep it soft. Damn. He wanted to fuck her. Raw energy pumped inside him. No matter that over the past few months he’d gained respect in their newly formed pack by helping to build many of the dens, Nicolo and Dimitri would be damned fools to think he was a good candidate for chaperone of their younger sister. Even the cold air brushing over his bare chest didn’t calm the burning need building inside him. One thing he couldn’t deny—Erin was by far the hottest bitch in their pack, and Juan never had a problem sniffing out the best in life. Those lunewulfs wouldn’t lay a paw on her. She twitched her tail defiantly against that hot ass of hers. The three injured werewolves crawled away from the scene, more than likely humiliated and hurrying to

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go lick their wounds. So that narrowed the odds—just two males to contend with. They ignored their pack members and watched Erin warily. She barked at them, her tone cheerful and inviting. Juan didn’t trust the manipulative wag of her tail and doubted the two lunewulfs did either. Erin wagged her long, fluffy black tail faster, lowering her head and yelping at the werewolves. Damn her. If that wasn’t an invitation, he didn’t know what was. The lunewulfs obviously agreed. At the same time, both of them leapt on her. Juan stripped his unbuttoned shirt from his body and kicked off his shoes faster than he’d ever undressed before. His heart raced so hard in his chest, the change consumed him before he could control it. No matter how wild Erin might be, he wouldn’t believe she’d invited those lunewulfs to fuck her, and this time, her toying with others had gotten her into deep shit. He told himself it was his duty. She was an unmated bitch from his pack. Good little bitches didn’t go around fucking werewolves without properly dating and gaining approval from their den. And they sure as hell didn’t romp around at the edge of their territory with werewolves who weren’t even part of their pack. Her reprimand would come later. Right now it was time to save her adorable little ass. He ignored the voice in the back of his head that tried announcing loudly that he had no say over her. Sure she needed protection at the moment, but beyond that, what Erin did with her life wasn’t his business. God. It wouldn’t be too much trouble to make it his business. Muscles screamed with new energy inside his body. Blood raced through his veins too fast for his human half to handle. Juan’s teeth pricked against his lips, the slight taste of blood not distracting him from the white pile of fur that attempted to cover Erin’s long black coat. He froze when she easily slipped out from under the two werewolves. Erin sat down several feet away from them and daintily began cleaning her paw, looking way too damned pleased with herself. The lunewulfs stumbled over each other and then straightened, glaring at her. The ground trembled, almost knocking him off balance. Just a ways up the hill, a large boulder tore free from the earth and rolled toward the lunewulfs. What the fuck? Erin focused intently on cleaning her paw, lazily stroking her fur with her moist, red tongue. She ignored the lunewulfs. They hesitated in pouncing on Erin as the boulder picked up speed. When the lunewulfs moved, the boulder altered its path and continued coming toward them. Juan cocked his head, the change freezing inside him, leaving him partially transformed between human and wolf. He struggled out of his pants, underwear and socks, then formed a rope out of his clothing and tied them around his neck. The two lunewulfs looked in his direction. For the first time, they noticed him, looking directly past where Erin sat primly cleaning herself. He glanced at her and she 8

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glanced sideways to meet his gaze, opening her mouth and panting. The little bitch was laughing at him. He’d had about enough of this shit. The boulder raced toward the lunewulfs. They managed to jump out of the way at the last minute to prevent being crushed. The large rock crashed into several trees. Juan allowed the change to fully take over. Dropping to all fours, muscles bulged against growing bones. The world around him changed. Everything grew crisper, clearer. The smell of each tree, the moss growing on the sides of them and the anger and confusion of the werewolves staring at him, coming at him each with their own distinct scent, filled his nostrils. He acknowledged each scent in a fraction of a minute. Juan roared and leapt at the werewolves. On all fours, he towered over the two male lunewulfs. Maybe burning off a little energy would rid him of his aching desire to mount Erin. She casually stepped out of the way when he made contact with the first lunewulf. Seems you’ve strayed a bit too far out of your territory, he howled, burying his teeth into fur and flesh, unable to voice the words that he craved to hiss in the male’s face. The lunewulf he’d captured with his mouth growled furiously. It crossed his mind to snap the lunewulf’s neck, end this and do more appealing things with his day. But he’d give the lunewulf opportunity to come to his senses and realize he couldn’t defeat Juan. He let go of the male. The lunewulf rolled over and jumped to his feet, shaking himself furiously. Then, glancing at the other lunewulf, the two turned tail and tore over the ground, running faster than Juan cared to try to match. He slowed after a minute, allowing them to escape but howling a warning for them to stay the fuck out of Malta territory. Juan took a minute to sniff the air, searching for the three injured lunewulfs. The rich, sweet smell of so many pines around them made it difficult to pull out their scents. What he managed to pick up faded the longer he inhaled, and he turned toward Erin. The little bitch was running back up the mountain. He raced back to where he’d left his clothes. She glanced over her shoulder, and for the first time since he’d stumbled on to her little scene, he smelled fear and worry.

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Chapter Two Erin Spalto’s heart thudded against her rib cage hard enough to hurt. Damn Juan Anthony for showing up and ruining her fun. Never mind the fact that she shouldn’t have been down by the creek by herself. But hell, it wasn’t like she’d never been there before. She sure as hell could protect herself. Damn pack law and its backass way of looking at single females. If she wanted to be mated right now, she’d be mated. Well, maybe that wasn’t completely true. It was just the right werewolf hadn’t come along yet. After dealing with the gazillion chores her older brothers never tired of giving her, just a bit of time on her own was all she asked. Time to sort through her thoughts and figure out what the hell she was going to do with her life. Seemed everyone else had things in order. Erin didn’t anticipate her life falling into a pretty little picture anytime soon. She didn’t need a slap in the face to know what the pack thought of her—what all single males thought of her. Erin wasn’t the type of bitch a werewolf sought out to be his mate. She was the kind of bitch they sought out for the night. And it wasn’t that she’d done anything to earn such a reputation. Hell, her littermates kept her under such lock and key, loading her down with errands and chores while they worked to build their den, that she wouldn’t have time to get in trouble if that had been what she wanted to do. Nope. Erin didn’t run wild. But she looked like she did. And that wasn’t her fault. Not that she minded how she looked. Her breasts were large and she had more curve to her than a lot of bitches. But she liked looking sexy. It was great having every werewolf sniff her way when she pranced by. The attention rocked. Her spirits lifted when a werewolf showed interest or appreciation for how she looked. Most of the time, that was enough. Like her littermates would allow her to actually date any of the rogue werewolves who looked her way. And she didn’t mind building their new home. Supplies were limited, and it seemed like it was taking forever. But ever since leaving Malta, life had pretty much sucked. Staying in run-down trailers or motel rooms, never getting to finish school or make new friends had grown old. Coming here was the opportunity to try again at life. Possibly to once again have a pack, a den of her own. Those were her thoughts when she’d headed out for some alone time after filleting fish for supper and hanging curtains in her room. The only room in their den so far that had curtains. And for obvious reasons. She hadn’t planned on smelling out trouble. Usually there wasn’t reason to. No matter her intentions, trouble always found her. She shivered, her human flesh damp 10

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with sweat and the settling evening air. She fell on her bare ass, hitting the rocky ground hard. She grabbed her socks. Her pussy pulsed between her legs, exposed and growing wetter as the cold air hit her. She pulled on her socks. Somehow covering that small part of her body helped against the growing chill as the sun slowly disappeared. Next came her sweatshirt, clothing she despised. With her rather large breasts, baggy clothes just made her look fat. But well-fitting clothes, which she preferred, showed off everything she had— something both of her littermates growled loudly over. Hidden behind several large rocks, she worked to get her clothes on, sniffing the air while she struggled to come up with a believable explanation for what had just happened. It pissed her off that she had to explain herself at all. Just because she’d wanted downtime, an escape from everything, now she’d have to endure being hauled back to her den like a bad little girl. It wasn’t her fault the lunewulfs found her at the creek. Erin had no problem giving them the chase they craved. But she’d never been worried. The gift protected her and kept her safe when her pack faced trouble. Granted, the gift also made most werewolves think she was a freak. But she had been so busy playing with the horny assholes, she hadn’t noticed Juan until he was too close. She’d catch more than hell in a handbag for leading the lunewulfs on the way she had. Good little bitches, even those who possessed the gift, didn’t take on five males— not to tease them or for any other reason. She fought with her leggings, sticking her legs up in the air so that she could slide the silky material over her bulky socks and up toward her ass. Dimitri and Nicolo would have her ass if they knew she’d left the den wearing them, but her baggy sweatshirt was her compromise. She wouldn’t live in a gunnysack. A branch cracked nearby and she sniffed the air, filling her nostrils with the rich scent of werewolf just as Juan appeared, climbing up the side of the mountain toward her. Why did it have to be Juan Anthony who found her? The werewolf was fucking hotter than any other werewolf in her pack. And unmated too. His dark skin glistened with sweat and his shiny black hair curled at his nape, slightly damp. Blue jeans clung to his muscular legs. Roped muscle shifted under his flannel shirt when he moved in on her. His determined expression was filled with reprimand and something else, something more carnal and dangerous. She swallowed her breath and stared up at him. Her lips parted slightly until they went dry. She quickly wet them with her tongue. His gaze moved to follow the small act. The only way to handle an alpha male like Juan was to come on strong and quickly gain the upper hand. “Don’t even think you’re taking me back to my den like some naughty pup.” “What would you have me do with you then?”

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She could think of a few things he could do with her. Instead of answering, she let him ponder it for himself. Erin pulled her leggings up over her ass while he watched. He had thick black lashes that hooded his attentive gaze. Everything about him was dark, mysterious and damned appealing. “I didn’t ask for those lunewulfs to follow me,” she offered. She pulled her thick, long black hair free from the collar of her sweatshirt. It tumbled down her front and back. Juan watched her every movement, like a dangerous predator. Suddenly she was the prey and he was deciding his best method of attack. It wasn’t a feeling she enjoyed. Standing slowly, she hobbled in her socks over the cold rocks. Her boots were next to her on the ground, but putting them on meant sitting again, and for some reason, standing up to this werewolf—literally—seemed imperative. “You went to quite an effort to prove to the lunewulfs that Malta werewolves possess the gift we’re fighting so hard to show that we don’t have.” There was an angry edge to his tone. He moved closer and pulled a twig from her hair. She did her best not to flinch. Not from fear but because she hadn’t sensed he would touch her. Werewolves were usually very easy for her to read. Maybe her gift was the reason. She’d rather believe she was just perceptive. It was hard to say. The gift swam through her, as much a part of her as her own blood. Memories of visiting their pack leader and sitting on the lap of his mate faded as the years went by. She’d been such a small cub when her parents first took her to partake in the experiments. The activities she’d done weren’t clear any longer. But the gift hadn’t faded. And she wasn’t ashamed of it. At the same time, flaunting it in front of others wasn’t always the smartest move. “What did I prove?” she challenged him. “Do you really think they are going to go bragging about being taken down by a single bitch? No matter what I did, they will distort the truth to soothe their egos.” “I think they will tell their pack that our pack is spooked with magic. It will justify their returning bruised with their tails between their legs. What were you doing out here all by yourself anyway?” He looked at her with the same interested gaze she’d seen many times before when he’d helped her littermates build their den. But this time he stood close. The spicy smell of his anger covered other emotions, but they lingered in his dark eyes. His gaze burned her skin wherever he looked. No matter that she didn’t smell his lust, it was there, simmering, curious, growing in strength the longer they watched each other. She was damned tempted to feed on that carnal emotion. She tugged at her sweatshirt, forcing it to stretch over her large breasts. “Other packs will believe what they want about us, whether they have proof or not. I came out here to be alone. Why are you out here all by yourself?” she countered. “My being out here alone isn’t the issue,” he growled. 12

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“You are so much more capable of fighting off five lunewulfs than I am?” He moved quickly. She squealed—a most unladylike sound—when he grabbed her arms and lifted her off the ground. His spicy, angry smell mixed with a muskier scent, not as sweet as it was on some werewolves, but definitely the smell of lust. “I’m a hell of a lot more capable of defeating five lunewulfs than you are, little bitch.” Silver streaks sparked in his irises, looking like lightning shooting against an onyx background. “Even now, you are in quite a predicament.” “Oh really?” Her heart leapt with excitement. What would it be like to fuck such a powerful, dominating werewolf? She’d sniffed out a werewolf or two in her past—always American werewolves. Her den hadn’t been around their own kind since they’d left their pack back in Malta. He held her in front of him, her feet dangling, while they stared eye to eye. “Oh yes. Really. And you can’t defeat me.” “Is it a fight that you want?” Her heart raced furiously. Just thinking about him wrestling her to the ground made it hard to breathe. Juan dropped her like she’d just burned him. Her thick wool socks weren’t enough to keep the rocky ground from grinding into her feet. She ignored the slicing pain, more concerned with the sudden turmoil that filled the air. Juan turned away from her quickly, and for a moment she worried he’d leave her. Muscles twitched against his shirt. She licked her suddenly dry lips, fighting to sort through the intense emotions she smelled. As quickly as he’d turned from her, he whirled around. Juan grabbed her neck just under her chin and lifted her face to his. Carnal lust filled the air as he attacked her mouth. His kiss was possessive, demanding. Erin melted from the intensity of it. She almost couldn’t breathe with the way he lifted her head, squeezing her neck. Her world spun around her. She opened to him, tasting him. His tongue probed her, exploring, forcing her mouth open farther as he devoured her. He could kiss her forever. He tasted so good, his breath hot and his mouth wet, which tormented her pussy as it throbbed eagerly between her legs. She gripped his shirt, grabbing him to balance herself. There was solid steel under that soft flannel. She spread her fingers, stroking bulging muscle that twitched under her touch. He caressed the throbbing vein in her neck, and too much oxygen pumped into her brain all at once. Maybe that made her lightheaded, or maybe it was the way his rough fingers caressed her, touching and claiming while he nipped at her lower lip. “I can smell, and taste, how badly you need this,” he said gruffly. “I can’t help it,” she breathed, shaking her head slightly.

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“Is this what you wanted from those lunewulfs?” His teeth scraped her flesh. “No.” “Damn good thing.” He reached her collarbone and stretched his fingers over it. Her head fall back. She no longer had the strength to hold it up. She focused only on where he touched her, how he touched her—gently yet with such raw power. He moved his hands down her arms and then gripped her waist, pulling her against him. The thick hardness of his cock made her pussy drip with excitement. He would be a rough fuck, demanding and sure of himself. Every inch of her pulsed with a need stronger than anything she’d ever known before. No werewolf put her over the edge like this. God. If he stopped caressing her, touching her, she would be begging him, pleading for his hard cock. “What magic will you work on me when I take you to your den without fucking you?” His breath tickled her neck, giving her chills. She stiffened, her heart stopping. Her pussy swelled dangerously, the thought of being deprived relief soaking her with a sadness that filled the air between them. Its thick, heavy scent depressed her. She lifted her head, opening her eyes and taking a minute to focus on his handsome face. He wanted her. Damn him. He ached to fuck her so terribly he could hardly move. The overwhelming smell of lust didn’t come from just her. “You think I’m manipulating you somehow right now?” Her heart swelled, aching when he hesitated. “That part of the gift doesn’t exist. Of all werewolves, you should know that. I can move things. That’s it.” She stumbled backward, her foot landing on a rock that hit the soft flesh of her arch. The pain cleared her head, and she looked away from him, searching for her boots. She sat down on the cold ground, the contrast against her burning pussy igniting the fire further. Juan stood over her. She glanced at his boots, at the thickness of his legs. His turmoil was as obvious as the thick smell of lust hanging between them. When he didn’t answer her and her boots didn’t want to cooperate, she fought the urge to scream. “You’re just like all the rest,” she mumbled, not caring if he saw her irritation. “Everyone thinks I’m a freak.” “Nope.” He squatted in front of her. “You’re one hot fucking bitch, or I wouldn’t have kissed you.” “But you stopped.” Damn it. She sounded like a whining cub. She wouldn’t beg him to fuck her. She wouldn’t. She didn’t know his thoughts. At the moment, she wished she couldn’t smell his emotions. That rich, musky scent was so different from other werewolves. And she loved it, could inhale him all day. She bit her lip, staring at the black, coarse curls that tempted her from the opening in his shirt. Juan moved over her, crawling on top of her until she lay down, forgetting about her boots. She grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer.

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“I won’t send you to your den smelling of my come inside you,” he told her, his voice more gravelly than it had been a moment ago. “We can bathe in the creek before returning to the pack.” He smiled, nipping at her lower lip and then lifting his head so he could stare into her eyes. “That water is fucking cold as hell.” “I guess we’ll just have to build up a good sweat so we don’t mind it.” She pulled harder on his shirt and rubbed her legs against his powerful sides. Juan growled, and the vibration from it tore her insides apart. She gasped, wishing her gift would allow her to just make their clothes disappear. All the rumors of what the gift entailed weren’t true though, or at least not with her. All she’d ever been able to do was make things move and make herself appear invisible…if she really concentrated. If she dared, she’d move him closer. Something told her if she tried anything on Juan, he’d haul her to her den quicker than she’d be able to run there herself. His mouth closed over hers, and he dipped inside, exploring and tasting. His musky scent mixed with the overwhelming smell of satisfaction. Tingles rushed over her as she gripped his shoulders and experienced the raw strength that pulsed from every inch of him. Juan pressed his body over hers, letting her feel some of his weight but not crushing her. Not that she would have cared at the moment. She pressed her inner thighs against his waist, raising her hips off the ground, and deepened the kiss. She brought him to the edge. She sensed it. His kiss turned more aggressive and he impaled her with his tongue. Erin couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think straight. Her entire world spun around her. When his scent changed, becoming more animalistic, her heart raced with the hope that he’d fuck her. His fingers moved down her body, finding where her sweatshirt ended and pushing it up over her breasts. Exposed yet covered with his large body over hers, she moaned her consent into his mouth. Her reward was a low growl while his hand gripped her breast and tugged, then squeezed. All that mattered at the moment was experiencing his flesh touching hers. She moved her mouth against his, tasting and probing. At the same time, her fingers dug under his shirt, stretching where the buttons constrained it, and scraped her nails along his collarbone. He nipped at her mouth. “Are you always this wild?” he asked, and then traced a wet path down the side of her face to her neck. She couldn’t think. Did she eagerly seduce werewolves in the valley without a care to what her pack might think? Well…no. But maybe he liked wild. Maybe he wanted a bitch as aggressive as he was. Juan lowered his head and bit her nipple. “Oh shit!” She arched into him while bolts of electricity jerked through her body. “Hesitate in answering me and I’ll think you’re plotting something, little bitch.” His breath tickled her puckered, sensitive flesh.

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“No. I mean, I’ve never been…” She inhaled a sharp breath when he sucked her nipple, his tongue doing a wicked dance, torturing her puckered flesh. Juan kept his hands on her sweatshirt, holding the material up by her shoulders when he lifted himself off her. He had her pinned with her legs wrapped around him, preventing her from moving. His gaze lifted from her breasts to her face, and his searching expression made her heart pound faster. “You’ve never been what?” he asked, looking down at her. “I’ve never been with one of my own kind.” God. Why was she telling him this? “I’ve never been with a Malta werewolf.” She licked her suddenly dry lips, unsure how he’d react to the knowledge. It didn’t really answer his question, but then she wasn’t giving him the third degree as to how many bitches he’d fucked up to this point. By the looks of him, she doubted he’d kept count. “Why is that?” He let go of her shirt and reached for the buttons on his flannel shirt. Slowly he unbuttoned them until she had an eyeful of coarse black, curly hair covering dark flesh and hard-packed muscle. Her pussy throbbed. Her damp breasts and nipples ached. Their conversation had no purpose and talking didn’t appeal to her at the moment. For too long she’d drooled over this werewolf while he helped her littermates build their den. Rumor through the pack offered little clue as to what kind of werewolf he was. Other than he was the half-littermate of Dante Aldo and had run with him before settling here with the rest of them, she knew little about him. All the bitches drooled after him. When he wasn’t helping with her den, she had no clue where he went. And to the best of her knowledge, he didn’t howl after any one female. “I just haven’t,” she said lamely. Like he wanted to know the dismal facts of her life. Juan grabbed her legs and too easily pried them loose. He stood and then undid his jeans. If she was supposed to move, undress, do anything other than stare at the magnificent body appearing before her, she wasn’t sure she could do it. Within seconds Juan stood naked, his cock throbbing and hovering over her. Juan lay down on his clothes and put his hands behind his head. He looked lazily over at her. “Undress and come here,” he ordered, his tone so calm that chills rushed over her. Something had hardened inside him. She stood on shaky legs and kicked off the one boot she’d managed to put on then slid out of her clothes. The cold mountain air attacked her bare flesh and she reached for him, his warm body as enticing as the thought of having him deep inside her. Juan grabbed her hand. “If you fuck me, then know I will watch you. This will be the last time you roll with a strange werewolf and wander off on your own.” She stared at his long fingers wrapped around her wrist. “Oh really? And you will quit going to other bitches?” “This isn’t a two-way street.”

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Her mouth fell open, a protest ready at her lips. His determined look brought her pause. An excitement rushed around inside her that she couldn’t control. No werewolf had ever made any demands of her. All she’d known was a quick tumble with American werewolves she barely knew and seldom saw again. It had always been safer that way. No obligations. No ties. No leashes tugging her away from the life she’d always known. Juan held her gaze, waiting patiently for her answer. He meant what he said. Confidence mixed with the strong scent of lust that didn’t falter as silence grew between them. “That’s not fair,” she whispered, knowing damned good and well that he wasn’t demanding she mate with him. “That’s how it is.” He pulled on her hard enough that she fell over his chest, her breasts smashing against coarse hair that made her ache to rub herself against him. “And if you don’t answer me when I ask you something, and instead fight to learn my thoughts, you won’t like the punishment.” “What?” Erin shook her head slowly. She’d already told him it was impossible to move into someone else’s mind—the talk of that part of the gift being real was a fallacy—but she held her tongue. Maybe he knew something she didn’t.

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Chapter Three There was something sweet about the way Erin tasted. A mixture of mint, fresh stream water, fish and possibly chocolate gave her a flavor he could feast on for hours. Her mouth closed over his with eager excitement, yet he smelled hesitation too. Her scent wrapped around him, smothering him while her body brushed against his skin gently at first, then with more passion. Soft in all the right places, yet firm and muscular too, her body fit on top of him perfectly. Erin’s skin was so silky, so smooth. She wasn’t skinny. He didn’t feel any bones. But she wasn’t plump either. He slid his hands down her sides, dipping into the curve of her waist and then cupping the roundness of her ass. God. She was fucking perfect. Soft skin covering firm muscle. He loved how her kiss was attentive, yet she didn’t fight for control. She explored every inch of his mouth, darting around his tongue when he tried to impale her, as if she didn’t want the close intimacy with him. Yet she was curious. Curious enough that she’d begged him to fuck her. And it wasn’t like Juan didn’t have the willpower to turn down a bitch. More than a few willing females in the pack would spread their legs on a moment’s notice. There was something about Erin though. Something more than sex appeal. And she had that one down better than any bitch he’d ever been with. With her hesitation, the caution he sensed when she kissed him, came overwhelming need. She’d made a show of how she loved casual sex—how she did werewolves who weren’t in her pack. Yet the way she touched him, moved her body over his and used caution instead of eagerly working him inside her, told a very different story. She wanted to know what true lovemaking was, yet wouldn’t let go enough to do more than just fuck him. Erin released his mouth and ran her tongue over his chin, down his neck and then bit his collarbone, tasting him. He tangled his fingers in her thick, long black hair, enjoying the way the small of her back had a nice curve to it. Her plump breasts brushed down his chest when she moved lower, continuing to lick and nibble until his blood boiled in his veins. Muscles threatened to grow when her tongue did a wicked number around his bellybutton. His cock thrust against her breasts, their full softness almost making him come. He could hold out if she took him in her mouth, but as she ran her tongue around his bellybutton, she made a delicate purring sound. He looked down to see her watching him, her dark eyes glowing like onyx. Long black hair flowed over her

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shoulders, covering his midsection and fanning over the ground. Her cheeks flushed with excitement and she smiled. It was a very satisfied grin. She sensed his pleasure and loved giving it. What a perfect bitch! He couldn’t wait to return the favor. As he stared, her expression changed, the hesitation he’d smelled before returning. Her aroma changed too. Lust dripped from her strong enough to hide other emotions, but they were there. It wasn’t fear. She wasn’t acting. But there was something. When she looked down quickly, lowering herself even farther to take him into her mouth, his clothes bunched underneath his head. Juan almost threw her off him, jumping and turning to stare behind him. No one was there. He fucking swore his clothes had just been wadded into a better pillow, fluffed underneath him like someone had tried to make him more comfortable, propping his head up to give him a better angle to view the show. Then it hit him. Like a damned tree branch clobbering him on the head, it was suddenly clear what had just happened. Her scent changed when she used the gift. The gift she’d been blessed with, or possibly cursed with, had a distinctive way of giving itself away. He grabbed her shoulders, dragging her over him until her face was inches from his. “You will not use the gift around me again without my prior consent,” he hissed. “Is that clear?” She froze, her eyes almost perfect circles when she looked up at him, stunned. “But…” “You toy with werewolves, use your abilities to taunt them. And I won’t always be there to save your ass.” “I can take care of myself.” “Is that clear?” She sucked in her lower lip, chewing it while staring at him with wide brown eyes. Slowly she nodded her head, the smell of lust growing stronger on her. Erin liked being controlled. The realization drained all the blood in his body to his cock. He shifted his hold on her, grabbing her under the arms and dragging her up his body. She’d agreed to his demands, and that sounded like damned good reason to reward her. And fucking hell, her naked body pressing over his was making him insane. “Spread your legs, little bitch,” he instructed, speaking with his teeth clenched together while he struggled to maintain his composure. His cock swelled eagerly, making it damned hard to think straight, let alone instruct her. All he smelled was the sweet pungency of her lust, not filtered with any of the hesitation he’d detected moments before. Her short legs couldn’t kneel over him and give her room to rise and allow his entrance. He didn’t want to give her a quickie. And

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if she kept rubbing him like that before he entered her, he’d explode the minute her sultry heat wrapped around him. Giving the little bitch control and power like that would never help in showing her how to submit to him. “Squat over me.” He gripped her hips, lifting her off him. “I want to watch you slowly take all of my cock.” “I can take it fast. Feel me. I’m ready.” In spite of arguing with him, she squatted over him. She followed his instruction but then grabbed his hand and placed it between her legs. Her black hair was soaked, and he parted it gently until he stroked the soft, velvety flesh hidden underneath. “Oh yes!” She let her head fall back, pressing her feet on the ground on either side of him while she squatted just over his cock. The damn thing was doing a dance in its eagerness to get inside that heat. He clenched his teeth, ordering himself to be still. Erin had honored his command to refrain from using her gift without his consent. He wasn’t a brutal man when it came to bitches. Their pleasure mattered to him as much as his own. And Erin’s eagerness was so fresh, like a newly blossomed flower—although there was no question in his mind that her blossom had been plucked long before. Nonetheless, she hadn’t ever truly experienced really good sex. Her assuring him she could take it fast was proof enough of that. He guessed she’d had experience with quick, hard sex—wham, bam, thank you sweet bitch. What he craved showing her was drawn out, hot, sultry sex that would leave her breathless and aching to see him again. “I’m sure fast and hard is the way you like it best.” “Yes. Fuck me as hard and as quickly as you can.” “Nope.” Erin lifted her head slowly, although her eyes opened quickly. Her lashes fluttered over her dark orbs as she stared at him. He waited to smell the hesitation, the sign of her disobedience. It took more effort than he wanted to admit to pull his fingers from her soaked heat. But he grabbed her waist, holding her over his cock and keeping her from moving while he met her heated gaze. “What do you mean, no?” she whispered, suddenly looking scared. Worry mixed with her lust. But that was it. She nibbled her lower lip, balancing herself over him while he held her, contemplating how to answer. If he told her his suspicions, at this point, she’d deny them. “I mean that you aren’t going to get it fast and hard.” He adjusted her over him, letting his gaze drop to the closely shaven black curls that covered her sweet pussy. “Lower yourself on me slowly. You are going to feel every inch of me stroke all those tiny muscles inside you that are screaming for relief.” “Slowly?” She said the word like she didn’t understand the meaning. “Yup.” In that moment, he learned something about Erin Spalto.

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Sex was an escape for her. More than likely a means to run from her den and her suppressed existence. He saw how Nicolo and Dimitri treated her. Their love for their youngest littermate showed easily. And more than likely, if he had a younger female in his den who was as hot as Erin, he’d keep her on a tight leash too. She’d told him she’d had sex with American werewolves. But not with a Malta werewolf. His guess was that she ran to strangers, sniffed out the horny ones and tumbled quick and hard in isolated fields to get herself off. More than likely she’d never been slowly seduced, the fire burning naturally inside her brought to full flame. Juan found he ached to give that to her, to show her how fucking good it could be. Erin looked down, adjusting herself against the throbbing tip of his cock. He pinched her nipple, grabbing her attention. “Watch me.” He wanted to see her expression when she sunk deep onto him. And he wanted to show her how wonderful sex truly could be. Up until now, he really believed Erin had used it as a tool, a way to relieve penned-up emotions that she didn’t know how to deal with. Showing her how to direct those feelings, to experience pleasure while giving it at the same time, would be something she’d love learning. There was no way he was wrong about this. She stared into his eyes while slowly lowering herself. His cock throbbed with a fury he could hardly contain as a thousand tight, little muscles quivered and gripped him, closing in around him and sucking him in deeper. Erin was tight. Fucking wet as hell but tighter than he’d imagined her being. When she lowered herself and took more than half of him inside her, he grabbed her breasts. “That’s good. Now raise yourself off me.” She did as she was told, never looking away. Her soaked heat glided over him while she arched her body. He watched in awe when her long lashes fluttered over her eyes. All those twitching muscles against his shaft about stole his breath. Speaking right now would be fucking close to impossible. Not to mention her full, dark breasts, so perfectly curved and spilling into his hands were absolutely breathtaking. His mouth watered with an urge to suck and nibble on them. “Okay. That’s far enough,” he said huskily when she’d almost lifted herself off him. Immediately she began sinking onto him again. God. He needed to shove himself deep inside her so bad he couldn’t think. If she only knew the torture racking his body when he stopped her. “Not so fast,” he whispered, his voice sounding harsh even to him. Her pout almost made him smile. She wouldn’t understand. Her confusion grew with the intoxicating smell of lust in the air. Thick strands of shiny black hair drifted over her breasts when she shook her head. The long locks tickled his hands, but he didn’t move them from her. “Let me do it my way. You’ll love it. I promise.”

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“Nope. Today you’ll learn something new.” Conversation was almost fucking impossible. He fought for breath, his voice raspy when he spoke. “Do as you’re told, relax and take more of me into you this time. But slowly.” She worried her lip with teeth that had slightly extended, glistening white against the dark, flushed red of her cheeks. Her leg muscles quivered against him when she brought herself down, taking in almost all of him. Juan swore he would die from the torture. His heart thudded in his chest so loud it drowned out all thought. Sweltering heat engulfed him, wrapping around his swollen cock and drifting down his legs and up into his chest. If he didn’t give her a little right now, he wouldn’t be able to keep this up. Without warning, he raised his hips off the ground, quick and hard. He impaled her with his cock. She almost fell forward, grabbing the ground on either side of him while she threw back her head and howled. His entire world spun around him. So many muscles quivered against him, tightening, spasming while her orgasm tore through her. “Juan. Oh God,” she howled, tossing her head from side to side as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. “Look at me,” he growled, feeling her soak his balls and drench both of them while the scent of her come filled the air like sweet nectar. Her gaze was hazy. Streaks of silver danced in her deep, almost black eyes. She stared into him and he lost himself in her beauty. Again he thrust, knocking her forward, taking her over the edge until she collapsed on top of him. Those soft, large breasts smashed against his chest. Her breath was hot against his neck as she panted, riding out her orgasm. He wouldn’t let her wait too long. Something told him she hadn’t experienced this level of intensity and he craved showing her more ways they could enjoy each other’s bodies. Wrapping his arms around her, he plunged deep inside, filling her and stroking all those muscles that continued to quiver against his shaft. He kept the movement steady, giving them both time to enjoy the overheated sensations that tore them up inside. When she stiffened, clawing at the ground, that hot little pussy of hers convulsed with so much fury his cock couldn’t take it any longer. He grabbed the sides of her face, finding her mouth, and lunged deep inside with his tongue while exploding and giving her all that he had. God. When the hell had he ever come so fucking hard? His cock swelled, almost doubling inside her, and he stretched and filled her while draining every bit of come he could release into her hot little pussy. She pulled her mouth from his, gasping for air. “Juan. Shit. Oh my God.” He held on to her when she moved like she’d jump off him. And more than likely, with her American werewolves that she’d romped with, she’d managed to pull away before they locked together.

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Yet another experience he had no problem sharing with her. Juan tightened his arm muscles, pinning her to him when she tried to squirm free, and let his cock grow and expand until she quit moving. Her panting turned him on as much as her hot, sexy body had. He held her, waiting for her to relax, and ordered his own body to slow down. Blood still rushed through his veins and his heart hammered a mile a minute. His senses had grown more acute, the urge to change while coming a natural and powerful sensation, but an embarrassment he’d managed to prevent from happening since he was a teenager. After a few minutes, she lay sated on top of him. His vision cleared and he stared up at the almost-black sky and the thousands of speckled lights that spread out above them. “Now you can’t tell Nicolo and Dimitri where you found me or I’ll tell them that you fucked me.” Every muscle inside him stiffened, his cock jerking inside her, making her squeal. It was too damned big at the moment for either of them to move that much. “I don’t do threats,” he told her. Then he pulled her hair back, gripping it behind her head, and tugged until she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked down at him. “It’s a promise. I’m not going to get busted over this.” From her expression and the darkening of her emotions, he sensed the fear that climbed in her at the thought of returning to her den. “Threaten me again and I’ll spank that adorable ass of yours until it’s red.” He let the silence grow between them while she searched his face. That aroma he’d experienced earlier drifted between them. He let go of her hair and cupped her cheeks. “What did I tell you about using your gift on me?” That startled her. Her mouth fell open. “I haven’t done anything yet. No one can tell,” she argued, although she already seemed to realize the truth. “How can you tell?” “I can. And know this, sweet little bitch. After you bathe in that freezing water from the waterfall behind your den, you can tell your littermates whatever you want about where you’ve been.” She searched his face. “You aren’t going to escort me to my den?” “Do you plan on going anywhere else?” She shook her head. He believed her. “Then no. I never planned on telling Nicolo and Dimitri that I saw you with the lunewulfs. But I do plan on keeping an eye on you. No longer will you run like this without seeking me out first.”

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Chapter Four Erin’s legs ached as she climbed the side of the mountain, which made her mind buzz even more as she quickly searched the pack members gathered around the new den site. She swore for the past few months all they’d done was build one cabin after another, helping the new dens as they arrived on the mountain. She couldn’t complain. But she wanted to. Their small, four-room home was the best thing she’d ever lived in since they’d fled Malta. Spacious and cozy—and, most importantly, theirs! Members of their newly formed pack had helped build it. Now it was their turn to help others. “Here we go again.” Tonya Miccatto sidled up next to Erin, her gaze instantly drifting to Dimitri. “Yup. Looks like it,” Erin muttered under her breath, accustomed to females from any pack befriending her so they could get closer to her littermate. Dimitri didn’t seem to notice the young bitch, and Nicolo gave her a harsh look. Erin wrinkled her nose at him. But Dimitri’s hardening expression grabbed her attention, her heart leaping even though she knew Dimitri’s thoughts were anything but excited. She followed his gaze to where Juan stood with his littermate, Dante Aldo, and Dante’s mate, Moira. Thousands of goose bumps popped to life over her body. Ever since she’d fucked him, her body had been screaming for more. Two days had passed, and she swore if she went two more days she’d be a rabid idiot. Juan stood with his back to her, talking to a few other werewolves while they pointed and discussed the building of the new den. She ignored Dimitri’s growl, knowing he hated Dante. Dimitri had mentioned privately to her and Nicolo that he might challenge the werewolf for pack leader. He would make a good leader, and she supported him when he talked about it. Right now though, his aggressive emotions filling the air did nothing to calm her pattering heart. “He’s going to make every werewolf here sweat and groan when it would take nothing to let those with the gift build this den,” Dimitri muttered under his breath. “Why don’t you and your friend join the other bitches,” Nicolo said to her quietly. Nicolo didn’t want Tonya hearing Dimitri discuss the gift. And the last thing she wanted to do was to be herded off with the bitches. Dante preached at their pack meetings how the gift needed to be kept secretive, how none of them who could move things should do so where any other werewolf could see them. It was paranoid thinking. And she didn’t agree with it. Living on the run for so many years had fogged their thoughts, made them untrusting. But if they didn’t trust each other, they’d never grow as a pack. Using her gift when the three of them had been alone at their den had sped the process of building tenfold. 24

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“I saw the den next to ours go up within hours because one of the werewolves could move everything without touching it,” Tonya offered conspiratorially. She ignored Nicolo’s comment and grinned at Dimitri. A few other females arrived and quickly joined their small group. All of them hovered around Dimitri, falling over each other to get his attention. Erin wouldn’t have to go anywhere to join the bitches. As long as her littermate stood here, every one of them would come to her. They all growled and snapped at each other as soon as he walked away from the group, more than likely oblivious to every bitch who’d stood around them. Erin did her best to ignore the smell of their jealousy. She struggled to watch Juan while the group of werewolves grew around him. Already Dimitri argued with Dante, but she was too far away to hear anything they said. It wouldn’t be hard to guess though. Not that she cared. Dimitri would make an excellent pack leader, and he was equal in size to Dante Aldo. If there was a challenge to see who’d be pack leader, she knew her littermate could take on Dante. Juan said something, laughing easily, and all thoughts of the other werewolves faded. God. Juan was fucking sexy as hell. He wore faded blue jeans that hugged his thick, long, muscular legs. Cowboy boots just added to his badass appearance. The flannel shirt stretched across his back and tucked into his jeans, showing off his narrow waist. She just knew if he turned around, she’d drool over that hard-packed abdomen of his. As if on cue, he acknowledged a few approaching werewolves and looked her way. His dark, brooding stare stabbed her heart, pinning her where she stood so that she couldn’t even breathe. It had been two days since she’d seen him, and she’d argued with herself a hundred times that his words had been spawned by the moment. She told herself that, in truth, she’d been a piece of tail for him just as she had been with the other werewolves she’d been with over the years. That was cool, if it were the case. She could handle it. Running from town to town, existing in her fur as much as her skin, she’d learned nothing lasted forever. And getting attached meant getting hurt. But this was their new pack. They were digging in their claws, staying put. Would it be so bad to chase after a werewolf? The way he watched her, the words he’d said to her and his rich, musky smell that still lingered on her skin no matter how many showers she took made it real damned easy to believe that maybe he wanted her again. Or a few more times. A couple hundred times would be nice. “Erin.” Nicolo pulled her from her thoughts. She looked at her oldest littermate. Tall and well-built, he reminded her so much of her sire. At the moment though, he looked stressed. He worried too much about which werewolf was in charge. That was Nicolo, always needing order and demanding perfection from everyone, including himself. “Come with me and meet Josef Failo. We build his den today.” “Why do I have to meet him?” she frowned, glancing past Nicolo to where Juan had started working with the other werewolves.

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Already the pounding from hammers and electric saws whizzing made it hard to hear. Body sweat and testosterone cluttered the cool mountain air. She got a whiff of something that smelled like a possible storm when she left the group of chattering bitches. “We live better today than we have since we’ve left Malta, Erin. But still times are hard and some decisions aren’t easy to make.” He grabbed her arm with both his hands, patting it with his large, warm fingers. “You know I’ll always make sure you have the best life possible.” Two werewolves behind him struggled with a load of timber. “We take care of each other, Nic. I know that. What’s that got to do with meeting some werewolf? I’m really not in the mood.” Unless it was Juan. Obviously he wasn’t seeking her den out for a formal introduction. “Josef asked to meet you. He’s bringing a lot of money to the pack. What harm is there in meeting the werewolf?” Erin scowled at the timber when it threatened to fall on one of the werewolves. Ignoring her brother, she grabbed the wood with her mind, keeping it from tumbling over and causing an accident. The two werewolves moved it easily to where it needed to be. The two of them glanced around, obviously aware that someone had just helped them. “I don’t feel like meeting some werewolf just because he’s got cash. Probably means he’s butt ugly.” Erin watched Juan walk over to the two werewolves and listen as they shared something with him. Slowly he turned his attention to her. She scowled, hating the sensation that she’d just been caught with her paws where they didn’t belong. Quickly she turned her attention to Nicolo. “Why would you want me to meet him anyway? Are you trying to pawn me off or something?” Nicolo sighed. “We’re part of a pack now. It was different when the three of us ran alone. But you’re twenty-three and more than ready to have your own den. Humor me, Erin. The werewolf asked to meet you. So meet him. You don’t have to do anything beyond that if you don’t want to.” Nicolo stopped carrying on when two cubs ran in front of them, both wearing matching dresses and thick stockings with matching boots. Their long black hair tangled down their back. Erin frowned at how well-dressed they were, yet how unkempt both looked. She didn’t recognize them and looked up when she smelled the thick scent of a male werewolf. A large, very dark-skinned man stood in front of them, turning his attention from the two cubs and letting his gaze travel down her slowly. She’d never seen such thick fingers on a werewolf before. Was it true that a werewolf’s cock could be determined by the length and thickness of his fingers? If so, this one had one hell of a fat cock. Nicolo’s smell of concern turned into one of forced confidence. He straightened and quietly cleared his throat. “Josef Failo, allow me to introduce my youngest littermate Erin Spalto.” 26

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“Please call me Joe,” Josef said in a too-deep baritone. She looked up at him. There was no happiness in his dark eyes, and his somber emotions weighed down the air around them. She didn’t like his smell. When he smiled, showing several chipped teeth, she took in two small scars on his chin and the way several gray hairs streaked through his straight, otherwise black hair. He had a thick neck too—what there was of it. There was a rough look about him that plenty of bitches might find appealing. Erin didn’t like him. “You’re from Malta?” She ignored Nicolo’s scowl. So she wasn’t some sweet, demure little bitch who simply nodded and smiled in the company of males. “Not from our old pack though. I’d remember you.” “Not only sexy but intelligent too.” Joe turned his attention to Nicolo, ignoring her question and observation. “I’m impressed with her. Would you mind if she sat here and chatted with me?” The last thing she wanted to do was sit with this werewolf and his smelly emotions. When his gaze returned to her and a stale, rather frigid smell of lust crept toward her nostrils, images of a fat cock chasing her made her cringe. He obviously didn’t want to sit with her for conversation, since he’d just ignored everything she’d said. “Erin, Joe has offered to help fund paving our road up the mountain,” Nicolo told her. “Once I have a fine young bitch in my den, there will be no limit to the money spent on making it the nicest den on the mountain,” Joe added, puffing out his chest and grinning down at her. Did the werewolf think bragging about the money he had to throw around impressed her? She scowled at her littermate who gave her one of his pleading looks. The look she usually got when he wanted her to behave and go along with whatever he’d already decided would be best for all of them. A decision usually made without consulting her first. She couldn’t hold her tongue. This male was a jerk. “I’m sure you might find a bitch who would be impressed by that.” “I like her fire,” Joe said, rubbing his thick hands together and again ignoring her and speaking to Nicolo. “And of course my mate’s littermates would be well provided for.” Of all the antiquated, half-ass, backward way to do things! “I am not some whore who can be bought or sold,” she hissed at him and then glared at Nicolo’s stunned expression before turning and marching away from the stench of astonished emotions that she couldn’t clear from her head fast enough. More than likely, her sudden outrage kept her from smelling or seeing the approaching werewolf. She ran into Juan’s chest before realizing he was just a few paces in front of her.

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“Making a scene?” he whispered into her hair, the question sounding more like a threat. The chilly mountain air did nothing to stop the fire that blazed to life inside her. Erin froze, not even backing up although she should have. It probably looked really weird that she stood there with her nose buried in Juan’s chest. He smelled so damned good though. One deep breath and she’d cleansed herself of the stench from Joe’s overbearing emotions. “Erin,” Nicolo said, exasperated, as he hurried up to the two of them. “I didn’t realize he’d be like that.” Juan stepped to the side and nodded to Nicolo. Erin ached to touch him again. But she turned to her littermate, running her hands down her front and praying she didn’t look too disheveled. “We’ll talk about this later,” she said quietly, not wanting Juan to know her littermate had almost tossed her to some moneybags werewolf. Yelling broke out and Erin struggled to see around Juan and Nicolo when they turned toward the aggressive sounds. Joe stomped past them, shaking the ground and mumbling something about incompetent idiots. “Dimitri would find a fight with his own shadow,” Nicolo sighed, stalking after Joe. “I’ll show him incompetent idiots.” Erin headed after her littermate. Already Dimitri was chest to chest with Dante. Dimitri wouldn’t back down from the werewolf until he’d shown the pack that he would make the better leader. Erin was proud of her littermate’s craving to lead the pack. He’d make a damned good leader for all of them. His willingness to take on anything made him perfect to help them make a stand in a nation of werewolves who despised and feared them. “What do you think you’re doing?” Juan grabbed her arm, dragging her backward to his side. His breath was hot against the side of her face, smelling of fresh meat and something a bit muskier—the ripe scent of his lust. “Like I have the ability to stop them.” She turned to face him, but he didn’t let go of her arm. Instead, he pulled her closer. “I know exactly what you have the ability to do,” he whispered. “You stopped that lumber from falling on those werewolves. So I also know your inability to follow orders.” “They would have been hurt,” she said, admitting her guilt too damned quickly. His expression hardened and that musky scent that she loved smelling on him faded. She licked her lips, struggling for the right thing to say to bring that scent back. “I did listen though. I haven’t gone off by myself once—or chased after any other werewolves.” “And now I see that your heart is full of compassion for others.” He brushed his knuckles down her cheek but then let his hand fall. Giving her a small smile, he turned and walked away from her.

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“Damn it.” Like hell she’d chase after him. She wanted to so badly. She stared at that hard ass of his while he strolled over to where her littermate and Dante Aldo were starting to yell at each other. Without hesitating, he moved between the two werewolves. Dimitri looked like he might punch Juan in the face. “You better not,” she hissed under her breath, glaring at her older littermate and hurrying toward the growing group of werewolves. “You’re not in charge here, Aldo,” Dimitri yelled, practically shoving Juan out of the way as he lunged at Dante. “No matter who is in charge, we can’t have chaos here.” Dante also ignored Juan and grabbed Dimitri. The two werewolves fell to the ground, rolling over each other while Dante’s mate yelled at him to quit being a pup. Erin didn’t have a clue what the two of them were yelling about. A handful of werewolves blocked her from getting any closer as they started cheering the two idiots on. They screamed at each other about chaos, yet they were the ones creating it. Juan jumped at Dante when he was on top and yanked him back by his shirt. He then let go before Dimitri could take advantage and get a good punch in. “The only chaos I see is right here,” he said, almost laughing at both of them and voicing her thoughts. She stared at him. Juan didn’t have the gift, did he? She never believed Malta werewolves could read thoughts, but he’d implied otherwise when they’d been alone together. God. If he could read her mind, then she was in trouble. He’d know how desperately she wanted him. “If there are werewolves here who can raise these walls by just thinking about it, I’ll be damned if the rest of us should sweat and ache all damned day. I say we let them do it.” Dimitri’s voice was garbled. His teeth grew, making it hard for him to shut his mouth. He yanked on his shirt, which barely covered his growing muscles as the change threatened to take over him. “So you would use all of those with the gift to do your hard labor while you sit back and give orders,” Dante hissed. “That is not what I’m suggesting.” Dimitri jumped forward, shoving Dante backward. He then turned to everyone surrounding them. “How many of you here would prefer to build these dens using the gifts that some of us possess?” The cheering stilled and it grew quiet—uncomfortably quiet. Erin chewed her lip, staring at Juan. He kept his attention on the two werewolves, his gaze going from one to the other while muscles doubled in size throughout his body. Erin shook her head, fighting to pull her gaze from Juan. Dimitri’s idea was a damned good one. “Maybe we could,” she began.

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“Little bitch,” Juan growled, capturing her gaze before she could suggest some of them help with the gift while others worked with their hands. She fought to not finish her sentence. “I am all for my den being built as quickly as possible,” Joe bellowed, and every werewolf looked at him. “I will also challenge any werewolf for the title of pack leader. Fighting won’t get my den built.” His words stilled the pack for mere moments. “A challenge?” “Who will fight?” “When is the challenge?” All of them began shouting over each other at once. Erin rolled her eyes. No one’s den would be built once the males got wind of a challenge. Immediately the conversation jumped to who would fight and where. All that meant was that no one would be raising walls today. She fought to listen, anxious to hear if Juan would be part of the fighting. She couldn’t hear a damn thing over her littermate loudly announcing he’d take down any werewolf in order to secure the title for himself. The smell of testosterone and anger clogged the air and Erin finally stepped away from the overcharged group of werewolves. Moira’s shrill scream managed to still the group somewhat. Juan rubbed the bitch’s shoulder and Erin stiffened, watching the friendly act. Moira Aldo had been their previous pack leader’s daughter back in Malta. Today she was the closest they had to a queen bitch. Although officially she held no rank, over the past few months, she’d fulfilled the role. Erin fought not to snarl at her when she squeezed Juan’s hand. The bitch was too damned pretty. And the gift in her was so powerful, it made Erin nervous. Anytime she got too close to Moira, she could feel the power that seeped from the bitch’s pores. What was worse, Moira was nice. No matter how hard she tried not liking her, it was really hard to do. “It probably is time to arrange a challenge,” Moira said quietly, looking in turn at the group who now all stared at her. “And a date should be set. A pack won’t get anywhere without a leader. But in the meantime, the dens need to be built. Cold weather will be on us before we know it.” She gestured to the cubs playing behind them. “We need good housing for all of our dens. The mountains will be intolerably cold, even in our fur, without good dens.” “And you could probably build this den by yourself just by thinking about it,” Dimitri accused. “Dimitri,” Erin hissed. Her littermate was out of line. Erin didn’t blame Dante a bit for growling at Dimitri. Moira laughed easily, moving into her mate’s arms—probably to stop him from taking a potshot at Dimitri. “I wouldn’t have a clue what goes where,” she told Dimitri, smiling easily at him.

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“Understandable.” Dimitri had an amazing knack of calming down just as quickly as he got fired up. “With little effort, werewolves with that knowledge could advise those with the gift. All of our dens would be standing long before fall turned into winter.” “And everyone with the gift would be singled out, a quick target for any werewolf who wanted to start trouble,” Dante argued. “Are you saying you don’t trust your own pack members?” Dimitri challenged. “You would have the world believe you can take out a pack single-handed, but when it comes to giving that same strength to an entire pack, you balk at the idea.” “I don’t trust any pack other than ours.” Dante pushed his mate toward Juan and took a step toward Dimitri. “What you suggest stretches our throats and makes us even more vulnerable to surrounding packs who already would kill for a way to get us out of here.” “I’m not afraid of any other pack,” Dimitri told him, and glanced around at the werewolves surrounding them and listening closely. “If we stand united as a pack, loyal to each other, we have nothing to fear.” Dante shook his head, looking more and more aggravated. Erin fought not to beam at her littermate. Her pride in him couldn’t be stronger. Ever since they’d arrived here, he’d discussed repeatedly how much he wanted to lead the pack. It was true that most packs surrounding them hated them and wanted them gone. But Dimitri wasn’t scared. And neither was Erin. She took a step forward until she stood next to him. “Dimitri would make us even stronger as a pack leader. What Malta werewolf hides in fear?” The roar from all werewolves around them had to be heard clear to the next mountain. It was almost impossible to tell if most approved of Dimitri leading or not. Everyone yelled at once, excitement electrifying the cold air.

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Chapter Five Juan wouldn’t be welcome at the Spalto den. He had no doubts on that one. Especially after Dante and Dimitri almost went at each other’s throats earlier that day. He ached to see Erin though—to smell her scent around him and enjoy her hot little body but also to learn her mind. And God, what he wouldn’t do to fuck her again. Pressure had built inside him over the past couple of days that only her hot little body could take care of. Unfortunately, showing up at her den probably wouldn’t go over too well. Moira finished stacking dishes in the cupboard and turned, glancing at Dante before giving Juan her attention. “That little Spalto bitch has grabbed a hold of your tail, hasn’t she?” “More like he’s gotten himself a piece of tail,” Dante grumbled. “You got a problem with that?” Juan wouldn’t be swayed by Dante’s foul mood tonight. “Nope.” Dante glanced at Moira, staring at her long enough for Juan to know the two of them spoke to each other with their minds. Dante’s scent grew stronger, just as it always did when he used the gift. They both liked thinking he was ignorant of the strength of their gifts, and he didn’t have a problem playing along—usually. But the three of them had been silent after supper, and Moira bringing up exactly what was on his mind was no coincidence. It was times like this when the two-bedroom den he shared with them was a bit too confining. “I’m heading out. Don’t wait up for me,” he told them, winking at Moira before grabbing his jacket from the chair by the front door. “Why are you sniffing after that Spalto bitch?” Dante took the beer that Moira brought him and twisted the cap off with his teeth. “She’s more out of control than any other bitch I’ve seen you run with.” “Just because she’s Dimitri’s littermate doesn’t make her less appealing,” Juan said, stuffing his arms into his leather jacket. He gave Dante a knowing grin. “Out of control isn’t always a bad thing.” “It’s not that,” Moira jumped in. Her concern was usually an appealing scent, but tonight it grated on Juan’s nerves. “It’s obvious she wants you just like you want her. Neither of us wants you hurt, that’s all.” “You think I can’t handle a bitch who has the gift? Is that it?” He yanked open the front door, filling the small living area with frigid air and the smell of pine. “I’ve lived

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with you two in this tiny den for months, and you and I have run together most of our lives, Dante. The gift is nothing new to me.” It had never been discussed between them before. And truth be known, he wasn’t sure what all Dante could do. Dante and Moira made others nervous though—other werewolves that Juan guessed also had the gift. The way Juan saw it, any special powers that any of them had just made them who they were. Not any better or worse a werewolf than the rest of them. “If Dimitri and I fight, it will be to the death.” Dante stood slowly, his pale eyes searching Juan’s face. Or more than likely, digging deeper and probing into places his littermate didn’t belong. “Would you mate with a den if they killed your littermate?” Moira’s jaw dropped and she looked ready to say something. Juan shook his head. “You won’t die because you won’t accept the challenge. I don’t need the gift to know your mind, Dante. Leading a pack would tie you down and that’s not in your nature.” He didn’t wait for his littermate’s response. It was the truth and both of them knew it. Closing the door behind him, he headed to the truck. A mountain chill attacked his flesh and the smell of werewolves hung heavily around him. Adrenaline attacked him as he thought of getting a bit wild tonight. Cutting loose might help the soul. Going into Valle, the nearby town that was predominantly werewolves, was an option. But his pack hung out on the mountain, and he’d possibly find a few willing to head out on a run. Kicking some energy loose sounded like a damned good idea. A willing bitch or two might not hurt either. Maybe he’d get Erin out of his system. He stuffed his fists into his coat pockets, leaving the truck and opting for a quick hike instead. He picked up his pace, already hearing voices and laughter through the trees. Erin might be with them. Juan blew out a breath of cold air. “No other bitch is going to get her out of your system,” he muttered. He sniffed the air, struggling to pick out her scent although he was still too far away to smell anything more than the fact that werewolves were nearby. He could fuck every available bitch in the pack tonight. None of them would take away his craving for one little, hot female who’d crawled under his skin and stayed there. Werewolves and bitches hung around one of the dens alongside the mountain. The smell of cooked meat and beer were invitation enough. Juan stepped into the clearing, his scent quickly picked up as most of them turned, growing alert for only a moment before recognizing him. “Juan Anthony. Do you come alone?” Josef Failo, the new member of their pack, held a beer in his hand and sniffed the air.

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“He’s alone. Have a brewski, Anthony.” Perry Zammit had his arm around his mate Claudette. “The cooler by the door is full of them.” “Don’t mind if I do.” Juan nodded to Perry. He’d worked with the werewolf building a few of the dens and he smelled like a male to be trusted. “You going to be part of the challenge?” Josef asked. Juan pulled the lid from the cooler and stuffed his hand into the ice. He pulled out a longneck and twisted the lid between his teeth. He spit the lid on the ground, staring at the large werewolf. Josef had some kind of foul smell to him. Maybe it was just too many stuffed emotions. Every single one of them had some bad experiences behind them since leaving Malta. He sauntered over to Perry and Josef, ignoring Josef’s beady eyes that followed his every movement. “Politics aren’t my thing.” And discussing who was strong enough to kill whom didn’t appeal to him either. “What exactly is your thing?” Tonya Miccatto brushed against him, giving him a good feel of her large breasts and the smell of beer on her breath. She’d be an easy fuck tonight. Another scent drifted toward him and he glanced through the darkness at the few other werewolves lingering around. Erin sat on a stump at the edge of the group, holding her bottle of beer to her lips and glaring over the top of it. She looked ready to pounce on Tonya. Juan hid his smile, gently taking Tonya’s arm and pushing her toward Josef. “I wouldn’t mind getting to know your thing,” Josef said to her, and the werewolves around him laughed. Erin’s anger didn’t subside when Juan walked toward her. “Waiting two weeks for the challenge is going to stir this pack into all sorts of fights.” Josie Balzon stood next to Erin, glancing down at her when Juan reached her side. “Seems to me it would be better to have it done with.” “I can see why we wait.” Perry walked over to them with his mate in tow. “Word is out that there are other Malta werewolves working to settle here. Our pack will grow and they all have a right to witness their new leader fight for his title.” Josie Balzon grew up on Malta, as did a fair amount of the werewolves living on the mountain. Standing maybe an inch taller than Juan, the black sweatshirt he wore made him look even larger than he was. He met Juan’s gaze for a moment and the smell of confidence suddenly flooded the air around them. Erin glanced up quickly, biting her lip, and looked from one to the other. Juan guessed that she sensed what he did. Josie had the gift. Juan wouldn’t swear to it, but he’d learned hanging around with these werewolves over the past few months that those who did have the gift emitted a stronger-smelling emotion when they used it.

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Juan wouldn’t let the werewolf gain the upper hand in front of Erin. “It might prove rather entertaining watching werewolves with the gift fight each other. But I can wait two weeks for a good show.” He swore he saw Erin smile, but she looked down quickly. “I do believe I’ve heard word that no werewolf will be allowed to use the gift during the challenge,” Josie said quietly. “Then I sure hope you can fight without it.” Juan watched Josie’s lip twitch, his confidence turning into the spicier smell of anger. “Hey man, enough talk of the challenge.” Perry tapped his beer bottle against Josie’s. “I thought we were going to head out on a run.” “Sounds good to me.” Josie looked away from Juan first then nudged Erin. “What about the single bitches? Should I escort you back to your den before we head out, sweetheart?” Juan took her arm, pulling Erin up quickly before she could let out a smartass response. And from the sudden glow in her eyes, it would have been a damned good one. He had no doubts. “She’s not unescorted. She’s with me.” “Oh,” Josie said, his gaze dropping to Juan’s hand on Erin’s arm. “My apologies for sniffing around your bitch.” Erin opened her mouth to speak and Juan pulled her to the side, letting the other werewolves think what they would. Word would be back to her den before they returned from their run that he’d just spoken for her, but he’d deal with that later. Something about that Josie rubbed his hide wrong. Erin didn’t need some brute like that sniffing around her. And it wasn’t because he was jealous. He’d told Erin he’d watch out for her and that’s what he was doing. “I can escort myself back to my den,” she told him, shrugging her arm free from his grasp. “You don’t want to go on the run?” He glanced over her head at Josie, who had already peeled off his shirt. The werewolf was fucking built. It didn’t bother him a bit that Erin’s back was to him, which prevented her from getting an eyeful. “Seems to me I was reminded recently that good little bitches didn’t run by themselves.” “You won’t be by yourself. You’ll be with me.” “And that makes me safe?” He almost told her she’d be better off with him than with any other werewolf. Her eyes sparked with silver when he hesitated, amusement and lust smelling real damned good on her. “As safe as you want to be,” he told her, his tone garbling when the change rushed inside his veins. Damn it if this little bitch didn’t bring out the more carnal side of his nature. 35

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Erin ran her fingers through her long, thick hair and he noticed her fingernails had lengthened and were pointed. His dick got hard thinking of how those nails would feel scraping over his flesh. “Why don’t we head out on our own run?” she whispered, and her tongue darted over her top lip. Grabbing her and dragging her away from the others sounded like a good plan. Then Claudette walked over to them. Perry’s mate was a cute little thing—young, with short black hair that made her look younger than she probably was. “Perry says we can call Erin and Tonya’s den and get permission for them to run with us.” She smiled almost apologetically when Erin groaned. “We can tell them you’re running with us,” she added quietly, blushing when she glanced at Juan. “My littermates would faint if I called them and told them what I was doing,” Erin said quietly, turning to face Claudette as if she wished he wasn’t hearing the conversation. “I can imagine,” he said, grabbing both bitches’ attention at the same time. Claudette grinned as Perry walked up and wrapped his arms around her waist. Erin scowled, although whether from frustration or thinking his opinion of her was low, he couldn’t tell. Irritation sprinkled the air with its spicy scent. “What do we do about the single bitches?” Perry looked worried, obviously not wanting to take the rap for running with the females without their dens knowing. “I’ll escort Erin to her den and catch up with you all later.” Juan gripped Erin’s arm when she turned on him quickly. “I don’t want…” she began. “No arguments.” He almost dragged her away from the surrounding males and bitches. “Look here, wolf man. I don’t want to go to my den,” she argued the moment they hit the road. “Good.” He didn’t quit pulling her but headed back toward his own den. “Oh lovely,” she whined, hurrying alongside him to keep up with his determined gait. “Taking me to your den would go down worse than if I ran with members of the pack.” They crossed the road and trudged through undergrowth. Her small hand in his was warm and soft, her grip solid. No matter that she complained. She held on tight. Juan led the way but her scent still managed to wrap around him, intoxicating him with need that ran rampant inside him. She tripped and Juan tugged her to him. Erin fell into his chest, her long hair draping wildly around her. He grabbed her under her arms, his thumbs caressing the swell of her breasts. She stilled. His heart hammered in his chest. “I need to taste you now.” No way could he wait a minute longer. 36

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He cupped her chin, pushing her head back. “Does it look like I’m fighting you?” she teased, beckoning him with her tongue as she pressed it to her upper lip. Juan attacked her mouth with the need he felt for her that had built up over the past couple of days. She sighed, relaxing against him while offering her mouth. The action was so submissive, especially for Erin, that his insides hardened to the point where he couldn’t breathe. He loved how her fingers moved over his shoulders. She stroked and caressed him, then dug her fingers in as if she’d searched and found the perfect spot. “You taste so fucking good,” he growled, giving them a moment to catch their breaths and then devouring her mouth again. Her scent wrapped around him, filled his lungs, becoming one with his. He probed deeper into her mouth, breathing her in while tasting and feeling her. Erin was short, her figure absolutely perfect—not too thin but with curves he could feast on all night. Blue jeans hugged her round ass, and when he ran his hands down the soft curve and pressed between her legs, her heat sunk deep into his flesh. She clung to him, her tongue darting around his. There was more adventure with the intimacy this time, as if over the past couple days she’d dwelled on him as much as he’d thought about her. It seemed she wanted to explore him, taste every inch of his mouth, open to him and give him all that she had. And she was one hell of a damned good kisser. He grabbed her soaked lip between his teeth, scraping her soft, swollen mouth, and gazed down at her. Her lashes fluttered over eyes that had gone almost completely silver. She attempted a smile, panting hard enough through parted lips that he just knew would feel awesome wrapped around his cock. “I need you,” she said on a breath, moving her hand between them and stroking his chest, then moving lower. Juan grabbed her wrist before she could touch his cock. “No longer want to go on that run?” She made a face at him. “Sure. If you’re willing to chance it, then I am.” “We can run and not get caught.” Like he gave a rat’s ass right now if they were caught. “After telling Josie I was your bitch, if we do get caught, the pack will start believing it.” “I don’t care what the pack believes.” She searched his face, her scent changing for a moment, something akin to hesitation sobering her expression. She hid the emotion quickly.

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“You already know I don’t care what any of these werewolves think of me,” she lied, lowering her gaze when the salty smell of it drifted between them. “You care what I think of you.” “Think so?” When she smiled, her eyes had more of an almond shape. With so much silver in her eyes, Erin was breathtaking. “Yup. Enough to risk running alone with me.” He teased her, running being the last thing he wanted to do right now. His cock burned so badly he doubted he could walk that far. Her nose wrinkled and she tilted her head, brushing a strand of hair from her face while studying him. “I think it would be fun running with just you,” she said quietly. He guessed she didn’t open up her feelings to too many werewolves. “What would your den say?” “Does that matter to you?” Her question was sincere, the smell of an emotion deeper than her obvious lust drifting toward him slowly. “Yes. Actually it does.” The way her expression softened hit him like a knife slicing into his heart. Suddenly he felt flushed, although it wasn’t embarrassment. “Dimitri and Nicolo don’t want you tarnished with the reputation of a slut. I won’t have it happen either.” Her mouth puckered as if the word slut put a sour taste in her mouth. “No matter what you think, wolf man, I’m not sleeping with every werewolf who howls my way.” “No. You’re not. Running alone with me, however, without consent of your den will give the impression that you are. It will also make everyone believe that is what I like about you.” “You’ve never run alone with a single bitch before?” Her look showed she already believed that he had. Juan couldn’t help smiling and shook his head while grinning down at her. He ran his fingers over her hair. It was so thick, yet soft and silky—probably just how her coat would feel when she was in her fur. “I’ve run with many single bitches before and not given it a second thought.” “Then what’s so different about me?” That knife in his heart twisted, and then the pain swelled until his entire chest hurt from it. His cock still throbbed in his jeans. Standing this close to her, inhaling her with every breath had turned his entire body into an oversensitive nerve ending. Her question was sincere though, and she waited, holding her breath as if scared to hear his answer. It dawned on him that his answer made him nervous too. “Because I don’t think you are just another bitch,” he admitted, stunning himself with how easy the words came out. “Oh.” Her mouth formed a perfect small circle and she stared at him for a moment and then looked down between them.

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The tart smell of embarrassment lingered between them, but there wasn’t a damned thing he could do about it. “My den would never allow you to properly date me.” She said the words so quietly he almost didn’t hear them. “Because of the challenge,” he guessed, ready to tackle that issue on all fours if need be. She nodded. He ran his hand down the side of her face and then under her chin. She lifted her head, offering her mouth to him without instruction. Juan knew at that moment he’d take Dante on full force, do whatever it took to ensure that Dante wouldn’t be part of that challenge. Erin wanted him. She craved being sought out properly, every antiquated backass pack law honored while some werewolf fought to be with her on the pack’s terms. No. Not just some werewolf. She wanted him. Erin was wild, fucking sexy as hell, with a look about her that invited trouble. She was exactly the kind of bitch he’d normally sniff after. Yet she was different. And that was worth exploring. “I can handle your littermates.” “What if they demand more than you want to offer?” Her eyes glowed against her dark skin when she dared meet his gaze. “They won’t.” No werewolf made demands of him. “This is between you and me. Either of them have a problem with that, I’ll take care of it.” His hands were in her hair and she pressed her palms against his stomach, pushing into him as she moved lower until she tugged at his jeans. His clothing cooperated easily—or she had a hell of a lot of experience taking off jeans without looking. The smell of her lust thickened. Other emotions twirled around them in the air, filling his senses, making it impossible to think while she opened his jeans and reached inside to free him. “What is between you and me, wolf man?” she whispered, pulling his cock out and stroking it with her fingers. “I’m willing to find out.” It was the best damned answer he could come up with at the moment. “Good.” She knelt before him, bending and taking him into her mouth. Wet heat wrapped around his cock, burning him alive. Something clawed at him deep inside his fogged brain. They were fucking too close to his den. The road wasn’t that far away. Werewolves were out and about. The smell of their sex hung like rich syrup in the air. He grabbed her shoulders, wishing for the strength to pull her to her feet. She groaned and sucked him deep into her mouth. Then her tongue did some kind of magical dance around his shaft.

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“Erin,” he growled, his eyes rolling in his head. She mumbled with her mouth full of cock, her voice vibrating around him. His balls tightened, every muscle in his body hardening to stone. Glancing around in the darkness, determined to protect her while she gave him the best damned blowjob he’d ever had in his life, he searched for any sign of intrusion. Erin’s lips moved faster over his cock. She was amazing. He tangled his fingers in her hair, inhaling her lust while she built the pressure inside him to a boiling point. She scraped her nails up his chest, dragging them heavily over his flesh and sending tingles shooting through his insides. He sniffed the air, smelling the thick, rich smell of their sex. Blood boiled in his veins. Muscles and bones hardened, aching to change. Erin called out the purer side of him with her actions, taking him deep and moving quickly. He thrust himself into her heat, loving how her tongue stroked him. Her lips were wet, soft and gliding along his shaft until she had almost all of him in her mouth. Everything around him blurred. His insides were on fire, the pressure building to where he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Little bitch,” he growled. She lapped at his cock. “Come for me, wolf man. I want to taste you.” Her words were garbled. When she closed her mouth around him again, the slightest prick of her lengthening teeth scraped over his sensitive flesh. It was more than he could handle. He exploded, sucking in a breath that filled him with the smell and taste of her lust. Juan released all that he had, daring to look away from their surroundings long enough to watch her lap at him as if she had been starving and he offered her favorite treat. His climax was quick, hard, and he gripped his cock, pulling it from her when he swelled. It was all he could do to keep standing when his legs almost buckled underneath him. “Don’t get mad,” she whispered, and looked away from him quickly before he could register what she was doing or why in the hell she’d think he’d be mad. She stared at a fallen tree buried deeper in the woods and pulled it closer to them. It scraped the ground with a rustling sound until it was directly behind him. Erin straightened and pushed against his chest. It didn’t take a lot of strength to make him sit, and she straddled him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him before he could protest her use of the gift. Tasting himself on her made him hard as a rock instantly. Erin smiled against his lips, obviously quite pleased with herself and convinced that providing him with a seat wouldn’t upset him. Truth be told, the way his cock tingled with satisfaction and craved more at the same time, sorting his emotions at the moment proved a challenge. He stroked her hair over her shoulders. “You’re amazing.” “The idea excited me,” she confessed, chewing her lower lip while her incisors hung too low and glowed in the darkness.

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“Giving me head?” “Chancing getting caught.” Juan shook his head slowly, her words making sense as the fog disappeared in his brain. “Are you so bored with life?” She looked shocked. “Life is simply more fun with challenges. Making you fuck me so close to your den and with werewolves across the road would have been impossible.” Her grin said it all. “But I knew you wouldn’t stop me on my knees.” This was what made her different. Erin’s ache for adventure, her sexual cravings and her willingness to talk about them turned him on as much as her sultry sex appeal. He pressed his lips to hers, needing her taste fresh on him even if she succeeded in making his blood boil with need all over again. The heaviness in his chest didn’t subside. Never had he thought of a bitch as anything other than willing companionship for a short time. Just like Erin, like so many of them, he’d run from pack to pack most of his life. Long term wasn’t in his vocabulary. At twenty-seven years old, having his own den, his own bitch, hadn’t ever really entered his mind. Until now. Until the past few days. His cock barely had time to resume its normal size. Now she had him pondering their chances of getting caught if he fucked her right here. A cracking twig behind him sounded like an explosion in his ears. Juan forced his cock into his jeans, zipping his pants and almost causing himself some serious damage. “Someone’s found us.” There was a mixture of fear and excitement in Erin’s hushed whisper. She jumped off him and Juan moved just as quickly, grabbing her and forcing her behind him. He managed to inhale the intense spiciness of outrage right before Dimitri leapt at him and punched him square in the face. “No!” Erin screamed as he took the hit square on and staggered while his vision blurred. “Get your fucking paws off my sister,” Dimitri hissed, his teeth extended past his lower lip as he lunged at Juan.

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Chapter Six “Damn it! Stop it—both of you.” Erin ran into Dimitri, grabbing his arm when he would have swung at Juan again. “She was safe with me, man.” Juan could have swung in that split second when she distracted Dimitri. Erin doubted her outraged littermate realized that. “You had her alone out here. I can smell what you were doing to her.” Dimitri shoved her to the side and lunged at Juan. “Cut it out, Dimitri.” Erin tried grabbing him but he tumbled into Juan. “Fuck! Stop it. I swear I was here because I wanted to be.” Her cries fell on deaf ears as the two werewolves rolled around on the ground, growling and swearing at each other while the smell of anger and blood clogged the air so badly that she coughed and gagged on it. “That’s enough!” The male werewolf who bellowed behind her about made her heart explode. Erin swung around, completely freaked out as Dante and Moira hurried toward them. At the same moment, Juan and Dimitri flew in opposite directions and crashed into the ground. The power of the gift made the air around them spark with electricity. More than anything, she wanted to move to Juan. His outraged expression lingered on her littermate for only a moment. He then glared at his own brother. “Stay out of this, Dante.” Juan pointed a finger at his littermate as Dimitri slowly stood. “This is not how it will be. Do you really think that Bruno Tangaree gave the gift to some of us so that we could use it against each other?” An uneasy silence fell upon all of them until Dimitri cursed and moved quickly, grabbing her arm. “Let go of me.” She fought Dimitri, but he was stronger and way too much adrenaline pumped inside him at the moment. “Quit it! I’m a grown bitch. You’re treating me like a cub.” “You’re an unmated bitch, and this werewolf won’t ruin your reputation in our new pack.” Dimitri’s tone was colder than she’d heard out of him in ages. She quit fighting him and stared at his outraged expression, which had turned his eyes silver. Fangs pressed against his lower lips and his coarse black hair looked like he’d just stuck his finger in a socket. But it was his tormented gaze that brought her pause.

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“I like him,” she whispered. “Find another werewolf.” Dimitri dragged her toward the road, growling under his breath. “I don’t want another werewolf.” She struggled against him. “Not this den, Erin.” Dimitri gave her a quick shake. His anger filled her nostrils with such a spicy smell, she sneezed. “You don’t even know Juan,” she argued, twisting in his grip until he let go of her. She rubbed her arms where he’d held her and searched his outraged expression. “He’s a good werewolf.” “Our den is dead because of his den.” Erin shook her head slowly and took a step backward. “I really think you’d make the perfect pack leader. But not with all that anger. You can’t blame Juan for what happened.” She turned before he could grab her again and hurried toward Juan. It hurt that Juan didn’t move but instead stared over her head at Dimitri. Maybe if she made the trees fall around them, his den and hers would leave them alone. After two days of not seeing him, she just wanted it back to how it was before they were interrupted. “Prove to me your den has a worthy werewolf in it and agree to stay away from Erin,” Dimitri announced behind her. Erin froze in her path, fisting her hands at her side. If she turned around, she’d send him flying through the air just the way Moira or Dante did moments before to Juan and Dimitri. The thought sure as hell had its appeal. “What worthiness would I be proving if I ignored her?” Juan asked, still not meeting her gaze. “You wouldn’t be fucking her like some slut and then leaving her with your scent clinging to her.” “Trust me. I’m not fucking her like some slut.” “You aren’t going to fuck her at all.” “Too late.” Dimitri’s growl ripped from his body. Erin spun around as her older littermate turned beet red. He charged toward Juan, coming directly toward her since she stood in the line of fire. Dante took a step forward. Moira yelled something. Erin’s head spun with the realization that Dimitri would try to kill Juan for speaking so boldly about her. She raised her hand, fearing for Juan’s life as her own anger racked her body. “No!” she screamed. “Erin!” Juan bellowed her name so loud that it vibrated through her.

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All she could focus on was Dimitri—the intensity of his anger, the overwhelming smell of his outrage and determination. She pushed her hand through the air, calling forth the gift while she extended her arm and stretched her palm and fingers. “I said no!” she yelled, her own anger clogging the air between her and her littermate. Dimitri stopped as if he’d run into an invisible brick wall. Stumbling backward, he teetered on his heels for a moment. His hand went to his head, as if the impact of the force that couldn’t be seen left him bruised and bewildered. Large hands came down on her shoulders. “What did I tell you about using the gift?” Juan hissed in her ear. “Release him immediately.” His touch was like fire. Her anger shattered inside her. The harshness of his tone cleared her head. It was one thing for her littermates to scold her. She didn’t like hearing it from Juan. She dropped her hand and at the same time, Dimitri fell to the ground. Moira took a quick step forward, as if she would help him, and then stopped herself and instead looked at Juan. “Preventing her from using what is naturally inside her will cause her to resent you,” she said quietly. “Don’t decide how my littermate will think,” Dimitri snapped at her. “You will not talk to my mate that way.” Dante took a step forward. “If you can’t keep her in line, how would you manage a pack?” Dimitri sneered. “Oh wait. You don’t manage them, just destroy them.” “Dante has never destroyed a pack. He made that clear to you when we first moved here.” Juan still had his hands on Erin and his grip hardened as his anger toyed with the werewolf inside him, itching to be set free. “Your hatred will keep you from leading this pack, just like Erin said.” “Get your hands off her,” Dimitri growled. “There are many who feel like I do. And all of them side with me in leading this pack.” “Malta werewolves will not be guided by blind fury.” Dante moved in closer, shrugging his mate’s hand off him when she tried grabbing him. “Hatred destroyed us in Malta, not me. And until you accept that, you’ll never be able to lead.” Dante stood inches from Dimitri, the two werewolves on the verge of changing. Muscles rippled through their bodies, stretching their clothing until it looked like it would tear free from their bodies. “What happened in Malta will never happen again,” Dimitri hissed. “The gift will not be exploited. Those who have it will learn to use it productively and not like cubs who can’t keep their tails out of trouble.” With that, he grabbed Erin, moving quickly and pulling her off her feet until he had her out of Juan’s arms and secure behind him.

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“Touch her again and I’ll break your fucking neck,” he threatened, pointing his finger in Juan’s face. “Go sniff around some other bitch and forget about this one.” “Damn it, Dimitri. Quit being such a bully.” Erin fought for her footing when he pushed her toward the road and then picked up the pace, grabbing her arm and marching her away from Juan and his den. “You’re going home and showering. The stench on you turns my stomach.” Dimitri ignored her complaints, holding on to her tight and heading up the road. “The last place I want to go to is our den. The night is young, Dimitri. And if you’d pull your head out of your ass, you’d see there’s nothing wrong with Juan.” Dimitri sighed, his anger hanging in the air while they climbed the rough road toward their den. Erin fought until he let go of her and then crossed her arms over her chest. A cold wind blew over the side of the mountains. She ached to change, race the breeze and be warm in her fur. She glanced over her shoulder, no longer seeing Juan but aching to run and find him. “Go home and shower and then I’ll take you on a run.” Dimitri glanced down at her then looked ahead quickly. She shook her head. “We need to find you a good bitch.” “Don’t worry about me.” “Why not? You sure are wasting energy worrying about me.” “It’s not a waste of energy. Nic and I have done our damnedest since our parents died.” His words trailed off. His pain smelled sour and mixed with the spicy scent of his anger, which hadn’t subsided. Thinking about her sire and mother right now would just worsen her mood. She sucked in a cold breath, willing the pain that threatened to weigh down her heart to go away. “You two have done fine,” she said quietly. “You’re wild as hell and I can smell his come on you.” “Dimitri!” Erin licked her lips, tasting Juan. Her pussy throbbed, wanting—no, needing—more of him. “I’m not a fucking cub. And I sure as hell don’t question you every time you come home smelling like some bitch.” Dimitri combed his hands with his fingers, grinding his teeth as he growled. They both heard panting to the side of them, and her littermate grabbed her and pushed her behind him. She clung to his arm, sniffing the new scent that approached quickly. The chill in the air picked up when Josie and Nicolo crashed through the trees and slowed when they hit the road. Both of them looked like they’d been running for a while and panted heavily, their dark hair windblown and their expressions grim. “What the hell is this?” Dimitri let go of her and put his fists on his hips. Erin decided not to move. She didn’t like the smells coming off either one of them. Her oldest littermate had a scratch on his cheek. They’d been fighting. And the adrenaline that filled the air quickly led her to believe the fight wasn’t over. 45

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“The lunewulfs made a run into our territory,” Nicolo said quickly, sucking in breath and then slowly letting it out. “Damn good thing we didn’t have any of you single bitches with us.” Josie tilted his head to get a better look at her with Dimitri still in front of her. “They made more noise than anything, and we got a few good swipes in.” He tugged on his sweatshirt that hung crookedly on him, as if he’d dressed quickly. “We pushed them back to their territory and now are heading into town to see what anyone’s learned.” “Let’s go then.” Dimitri turned to head back down the road, his gears shifting quickly at the prospect of a good fight. Nicolo met her gaze before Josie and Dimitri did. She found herself staring at all three of the werewolves and knew what was coming. “I’m going with you.” She stuck her chin out, daring any of them to suggest they send her to her den. She’d had just about enough of that shit tonight. The action would be in town. And more than likely, Juan would be there too. “She’ll be safe. I’ll see to it.” Josie patted Dimitri on the shoulder. She clenched her teeth so her jaw wouldn’t drop when Dimitri simply nodded and then turned, breaking into a sprint and heading down the mountain. He’d leave her in the paws of Josie, a werewolf who had the gift possibly as strongly as Dante and Moira. He also had a reputation for rolling with any willing bitch he could find on a dark night. Irritation roared in her veins as she matched her littermates’ speed and hurried down the mountain toward town. Josie was Nic’s age. But he’d run with both of her littermates growing up on Malta. Usually she had no problem with him. And she’d be the first to admit he was a good werewolf, albeit more of a slut than most. Josie had the good looks, the charm and wit that almost always got him what he wanted. He’d never impressed her much though. Josie was too smooth talking, his growl almost always sounding a bit too sweet for her taste. And chasing after a werewolf that every bitch in the pack had already fucked didn’t appeal to her. Maybe she liked the unapproachable. A werewolf she shouldn’t have, or who was a claw length out of her reach turned her on more than one who would fuck whatever bitch was closest. The simple truth that Dimitri had known Josie all of his life, that their dens lived by each other and that he wasn’t a stranger couldn’t be ignored. She might run with these werewolves tonight, but if her littermates thought for one second that would put Juan out of her mind, they could think again. No matter what Dimitri or Nicolo thought, both of them would learn to like and accept Juan. They slowed when the rough road turned to pavement at the edge of the town of Valle, a small community made up mostly of werewolves. Even on a weeknight, the downtown nightlife was stronger than in most towns. Werewolves were nocturnal. An American pack claimed this territory, but they welcomed the Malta werewolves into 46

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their establishments. Part of the reason they did so was for added protection. The lunewulfs pushed into the American werewolves’ territory too. Erin coughed as she inhaled a deep gulp of cold air. Josie rubbed her back. His large hand was hot, strong and lingered a bit too long over her shoulder blade. She itched to shrug him off her but instead stepped out of paw’s reach, falling into step on the other side of Nicolo. “Looks like there’s a fair bit of action going on at Bernie’s,” Nicolo said to no one in particular. They moved to the sidewalk and headed toward Bernie’s Den, the local bar and grill that did more business after midnight than any other time of the day. Werewolves trudged in after a night’s run for a burger and beer and to catch up on pack gossip. A handful of cars were parked outside the bar. Music and chatter tickled Erin’s ears even at this distance. More than likely, many showed up on foot, just like them. It sounded like there were a lot more werewolves inside than the parked cars indicated. Erin got a whiff of fried beef when they got closer and her stomach growled. “It’s almost midnight. The crowd will pick up more after stragglers come in from their runs.” Josie strolled easily alongside Dimitri. The air around them suddenly charged with electricity and Erin glanced past her littermates at him, purely out of curiosity, when the sparks made the hair on her skin rise. “There’s an argument going on inside,” he added quietly. Dimitri raised an eyebrow, picking up his pace with excitement as he looked over at Josie. “Can you tell what it’s about?” he asked, lowering his voice as if requesting that Josie’s use of the gift was some kind of crime or something. And in essence, the way her pack looked at the gift these days, it almost was a crime to use it. Josie shook his head then glanced around him. She rubbed her arms, inhaling excitement and anticipation from the werewolves around her. They were as bad as cubs being told they could have free reign in a candy store. All three males around her prayed to get in a good fight tonight. Maybe the distraction of it all would allow her to get away from them and find Juan. The music was loud when they pulled the door open and entered Bernie’s. The song went on about having friends in low places, which seemed appropriate when she strolled in surrounded by werewolves who quickly sniffed out the place, anxious to jump into any argument and burn off some adrenaline. She rolled her eyes at all of them and lagged behind, searching the bar and hoping that Juan might have decided to come here too. Bernie stood behind the bar with a young bitch working alongside him. Bernie was a massive werewolf who would stand out in any crowd. His blond hair, almost shaved to his scalp, gave him a rough look. Tattoos on both biceps added to the picture. Although she’d heard rumors that his name wasn’t really Bernie, it suited the American mutt nicely. 47

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“The lunewulfs have everyone’s claws sticking out.” Josie had to lean in to Dimitri to share this bit of information due to the noise surrounding them. “Let’s check it out.” Dimitri glanced behind him, catching her attention and then looking at Nicolo. “Why don’t you two get us a pitcher and a booth?” “Ollie’s over there.” Nicolo pointed to the bar where the American pack leader stood. “Come on, Erin. We’ll grab a couple pitchers and see what’s going on.” Josie tried swatting her rear, but she dodged his efforts. Electricity sparkled against her skin and for a moment, she slid backward. Fire instantly burned inside her as anger mounted. She spun to face Josie the second he released her from his invisible grip. “Keep your hands and your gift off me,” she hissed, pushing against his rock-hard chest. Her efforts seemed to amuse him. He grabbed her arm, almost lifting her off her feet, and pulled her closer so their faces were inches apart. “Seems to me your den approves of me more than they do Juan Anthony,” he whispered loud enough for her to hear over the noise surrounding them. “You coming?” Dimitri asked, scowling at him and proving Josie a liar. “I don’t give a rat’s ass what my den thinks. Don’t touch me again.” She shrugged out of his grip. Josie turned from her, showing enough confidence that anyone around them would have thought she’d just agreed to suck his cock around back. She glared and made sure at least Nicolo saw that she didn’t like Josie’s treatment of her. Nicolo patted her head. Erin hated how he treated her like a small cub whose fits he endured politely. She grabbed his wrist. It didn’t get her the look of surprise she wanted. “How would you like it if I had the power to continually match you with bitches you didn’t care for?” she whispered into his ear. “I might get laid more than I do now,” he teased. “Very funny.” She punched his chest and he swatted at her, his look turning playful only for a moment before something grabbed his attention behind her. She turned to see who sobered his expression and smelled Juan the same moment she saw him. He looked ferocious standing next to Dante, neither of them smiling. “You sure don’t seem upset to be with your den now,” Juan scowled. His frown added to his fierceness, and if she stared at him another moment, he’d smell the nervousness that fought to swarm inside her. Sucking in a breath, filling her lungs with his powerful scent, she stepped into him. Before he reacted, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. “Do I taste good?” she whispered. Her knees almost went out on her when he growled. And it didn’t bother her a bit when he grabbed her wrists and pinned her hands between them. Nicolo let out a

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hissing sound and wrapped his hand around her arm, attempting to pull her out of Juan’s grip. “Dante,” Ollie said over the music when he joined them. He quickly lowered his voice. “I hear your pack plans a challenge in a couple weeks to determine who will be leader.” “Yup.” Dante stood as tall as the large, balding pack leader, his paler skin making him almost look more like an American werewolf than Juan and her littermates. “Any word of the lunewulfs tonight?” She almost drooled at how Juan’s features made all other werewolves around him dim in comparison. “Nothing official. I’m thinking about taking a day trip over to their neck of the woods in the next day or so and paying their pack leader a visit.” Ollie spoke to Dante as if he were their leader. “Might not hurt if you came along.” “If we hold them off a couple weeks, it would go better for us. The Malta werewolves might get more respect if the werewolf with official title of pack leader accompanies you.” Juan hadn’t let go of her hands and held them in his at her waist. He didn’t look at her though, instead giving the American pack leader his attention. “I’m dying to know as much as the rest of you why they keep running in our territory.” “We all are.” Nicolo let go of Erin and faced Ollie, holding his own in size and weight among the large werewolves surrounding her. Her oldest littermate had never been outspoken, but Erin admired his calm authority. The other werewolves gave him their attention when he spoke. “Rumors run strong and I’m sure there is some truth that they simply don’t want Malta werewolves nearby. But if we approach with unity and authority, it will be easier to gain respect.” “Is their respect what you want?” Ollie asked and then glanced at Juan and Dante. “Mutual respect would be best.” Dimitri joined them, moving between Ollie and Nicolo. He pinned the American pack leader with his gaze. “The lunewulfs will learn we are better allies than enemies.” “They’ve pushed for more territory even before you arrived,” Ollie pointed out. “And we know that’s why you were so agreeable to giving us the mountain between you and them,” Dimitri said. “The leader of our pack definitely needs to accompany you, but I hate waiting two weeks. Neither of our packs needs to endure their recklessness for that long.” Ollie raised an eyebrow. The noise in the bar would make it hard for anyone to overhear their conversation. Dimitri hadn’t been close enough to hear Juan mention waiting until after the challenge to meet with them. Obviously someone tipped him off as to what had just been said. Dante looked past Dimitri and Erin glanced behind her to where Josie stood silently. She didn’t know the extent of either his or Dante’s gift. At that moment though, she swore the two of them exchanged words—words none of the rest of them could hear.

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Juan squeezed her hands, pinching her flesh as his grip tightened. She shifted her gaze slowly, sniffing the air for jealousy. Too much testosterone and aggressive energy surrounded their small party for her to pull out any one emotion. His dark eyes sparked with silver as he stared down at her. Her insides heated instantly. She didn’t need the gift to sense his lust. “You must be Dimitri Spalto. I don’t have any special powers, but word still travels my way too.” Ollie made it clear he knew the gift had just been used to eavesdrop on their conversation. “I don’t have the gift either,” Dimitri said easily, giving Ollie his attention. “A good pack leader stays informed though, with whatever means it takes.” “As long as those means don’t infringe on anyone’s rights, I agree.” Ollie glanced at the other werewolves then faced Dimitri head-on. “How would you control those werewolves who have the special powers? Seems to me so far I keep hearing denial that it exists. You and I both know that’s a bunch of crap.” Dimitri gave Dante a hard look. “Yup. It sure is. And I’d control those werewolves the same way I would the rest of the pack. If someone starts thinking their shit doesn’t stink just because they can do something others can’t, I’m not afraid to knock them down to size.” Ollie nodded, his forehead creasing into lines. He rubbed his thick hand over his bald head and focused on the rest of the bar for a moment before turning his attention back to their small group. “That attitude will gain you more respect with the surrounding packs. I’m sure of it.”

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Chapter Seven More or less, Juan had spoken for Erin and her den had turned him down. Damn good stuff for the old ego. Now to make matters worse, Dante looked ready to spring. Ever since they’d arrived in Colorado, Dante had fought to downplay the gift. He didn’t want any surrounding packs, or any of the packs in the country, for that matter, dwelling on the gift and fearing the Malta werewolves. With one sentence, Dimitri blew all of Dante’s efforts to bits. And the werewolf knew he’d done it too. Juan wasn’t sure if Dimitri was braver than Juan had originally given him credit for or if he was an idiot. One thing hit him, though, and the smell of it didn’t appeal to him. A week ago, he would have walked away from this potential showdown. Fighting over pack politics usually bored him. Let the werewolves fight. He’d go find the bitches who were all left behind while a bunch of males tried to outfight each other. Until this moment, it hadn’t crossed his mind to back out of this scene. Just a whiff of werewolves getting ready to make asses out of themselves and he’d usually be on his way. There were better ways to spend an evening. Yet with Erin standing in front of him, her small, warm hands in his, her scent wrapping around him and reminding him that they had unfinished business, it hadn’t occurred to him to head out. “Ollie, I’d appreciate it if you kept this conversation we’re having right now to yourself,” Dante said quietly. “And why should he?” Dimitri countered quickly, pushing his fists into his hips while his black hair started to stand more on end. “Keeping the gift a secret only makes us appear suspicious to other packs.” Dimitri raised an eyebrow, challenging the American pack leader. “Am I right?” “This is very interesting.” Ollie wouldn’t be pushed into agreeing with anyone that quickly. “You’re a fool to discuss this matter openly outside the pack,” Dante growled. “Are you implying you don’t trust me?” Ollie asked Dante, and Dimitri got a smug look on his face. “Nope.” Dante turned his back on Juan, giving his attention to Ollie. “If I didn’t trust you, this conversation wouldn’t have made it this far.” “This conversation will go a lot further. Building allies with our neighboring packs is essential to secure our position here.” Dimitri moved into Dante’s space. The three werewolves had pushed the others out of their private conversation, which at the moment served Juan’s purpose fine. He would have his say in pack 51

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business, but not during a showdown, which was all that would be accomplished here. Taking advantage of their distraction, he pulled Erin with him and moved to the other side of the bar. “You ready to get out of here?” Erin pressed into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and smiling. Her dark eyes glowed with excitement. The little bitch would defy her den to the very end, which made him feel good but didn’t help the big picture. He brushed his lips over her forehead. “Go tell your oldest littermate you’re leaving.” Her mouth opened and she stared at him as if he’d just spoken some bizarre language. “And he’ll say no,” she complained. “Don’t ask, just tell him. I’ll wait here.” Her den would accept him, but on his terms. Juan wouldn’t sneak off with her—that was just implying guilt. Neither of them were cubs. And he didn’t feel like hiding just to enjoy time with Erin. “You’re impossible.” She took a step back from him, looking ready to argue. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, then gave that adorable ass of hers a good smack, which made her jump a few feet away from him. Juan looked across the bar and spotted Josie watching him. His expression was chiseled in stone and impossible to read from this distance. It was easy to see that he far from approved. Juan hardly cared. He gave the werewolf only a glance before fixing his gaze on Nicolo, who’d also apparently been watching. Nicolo moved toward Erin when she walked up to him, immediately putting his arm around her shoulder in a protective hold. Erin’s words obviously didn’t please him, and he countered immediately. Erin shook her head, backing away from him. Juan didn’t have to be able to smell the werewolf’s emotions to understand the disapproving frown he gave Juan when Erin hurried back to him. “He said I better be home when he returns to our den,” she said quietly, grabbing his arm and almost dragging him out the door. “I’m too old to sneak around,” Juan told her when the cold mountain air hit him hard in the face. The noise from the bar all but disappeared when the heavy door closed behind them. He pulled Erin to him, her body heat sending his insides to a boiling point within seconds. “Your den will accept my seeing you. And they will see that no rules are being broken here. You’ve informed them you are with me.” “Don’t hold your breath on gaining their approval that fast,” she muttered. “Where are we going?” “How about to my den?” She almost stumbled over her feet and then stopped and gawked at him. “Is anyone there?” she asked quietly. Obviously shocked at the suggestion, she looked excited about the proposal. Moira hadn’t been with Dante. Juan shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

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Erin bit her lip and then a slow smile made her expression glow. “We’ll go to my den. I know damn well there’s no one there. And besides, that way I’ll be sure to be home when Nicolo returns.” The small wooden structure wasn’t that much different from Juan’s den. For the most part, shy of how many rooms each den had, most of the homes built along the side of the mountain over the past few months were similar in design. Erin unlocked the door while Juan sniffed the air around them, making sure there were no werewolves lingering in the woods surrounding them. For the moment, they were alone. Nervous energy crawled over his skin when they entered the dark room. Erin moved easily in the darkness and reached for a lamp. Juan put his hand over hers when she would have turned it on. “Show me where your bedroom is,” he whispered, respecting the silent peace of the empty den and not wishing to disturb it. “Okay.” In the darkness, her eyes glowed against her caramel-colored skin. She bit her lip, brushing her fingers through her hair while staring at him for a moment. “I won’t let my littermates hurt you,” she promised. Juan couldn’t fight another werewolf in a den that wasn’t his own. No matter his determination to have Erin, tradition ran as deeply in his blood as it did the next male’s. He understood Erin’s promise. Leaving the living area undisturbed, she slipped her hand into his and guided them toward one of two bedrooms. Both doors were closed and he guessed her littermates shared the room opposite hers. Cramped quarters, but more than likely the best den they’d had since leaving Malta. It was that way for most of the dens on the mountain right now. Malta werewolves were finally able to relax and stretch their claws as long as they didn’t kill each other trying to do it. She opened her door and guided him into a small room with a single bed pushed up against the wall. A dresser was against the wall opposite it, and one window had heavy curtains. A roped rug covered most of the wooden floor, and a variety of female scents—rose, lavender, something richer, like baby oil—lingered in the air. Everything that was Erin was in this room—her scent, her clothes hanging in a closet with its door open, her makeup and perfumes in small bottles on top of her dresser. He took a deep breath, filling himself with her scent, and quietly closed her door behind him. With a quick glance across the dark room, he would have guessed himself stepping into a virgin’s haven. Everything here spoke of the sweet innocence of a cub. The picture belied the voluptuous female in front of him. Which was exactly how Erin was—a tempting mixture of wild and naïve mixed into one hot little bitch. No female had ever presented a more effective package. She pulled at more than his cock. His heart throbbed just as eagerly, anxious to do what it took to make her his. He glanced at the doorknob. “It doesn’t lock.”

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“There’s never been a need. My littermates knock before entering, although I doubt they would tonight,” she said, a smile in her tone. Her scent was a mixture of amusement and lust. “But there is a way. Please, allow me.” She was up to something. Her emotions smelled stronger and mischief made her cheeks flushed. “What are you going to do?” He loved being able to smell her so easily. She tugged on his shirt, pulling him toward her and taking a step backward toward her bed, her eyes never leaving his. He about drowned in those sensual dark orbs. A large scraping sound behind him about made his heart explode. He jumped, turning quickly while his teeth grew instinctively, almost pricking his lip. He growled at the sound, ready to fight and kill to protect Erin. No one would touch or hurt what was his. At the same time that he smelled the gift on her, the dresser slid along the wall and stopped in front of the door. The way the thing scratched over the wooden floor, he guessed it was fairly heavy. No one would be interrupting them that easily. His cock throbbed to life at the private sanctuary—albeit in enemy territory—that she’d created for them. And at the same time, the intensity of the protective instinct the moving dresser had brought to life inside him brought him pause. His feelings for this hot little female were stronger than anything he’d experienced before. He fought a grin, staring at the dresser. Damn, he liked the heat she created in him, her spontaneity that kept him guessing and her willingness to go to an extreme to be alone with him. Nonetheless he turned around slowly, greeting her eager expression with what he prayed was a hard, serious look. He clamped down on any emotions that would make him appear anything other than completely in charge of the situation. Damn. She wanted his approval, some sign that he appreciated her actions. He shook his head slowly. It would be mighty hard to stay mad at her for long when she looked at him like that. Letting her know how she affected him wouldn’t be to his advantage. He’d be a whipped werewolf, panting and wagging his tail anxiously every time she graced him with her attention. “What did I tell you about using the gift?” Her smile disappeared. “Fine. I’ll put it back.” He grabbed the side of her head, wrapping his fingers into her thick black hair, and pulled her head back. She didn’t fight him but arched her neck, closing her eyes while letting out a sigh. The smell of his need for her filled the room so fast it drowned out all of her personal scents. It wouldn’t surprise him a damned bit if anyone approaching the den smelled it before getting inside. Like he cared about that at the moment. “What you’ll do is tell me next time before you make things move.” “Okay.” “I don’t disapprove of your having the gift.”

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Her eyelashes fluttered over her eyes. “I know.” “I don’t like not being informed.” He kept his hand tangled in her hair and stroked her cheek. “You will always tell me. Do you understand?” Her smile had a mischievous glint to it. “So the dresser stays put?” If she had any clue how that look made his heart pound and his insides turn to fire, he was in deep shit. “No wonder your littermates keep you under lock and key. You are nothing but trouble, little bitch.” “I’m in trouble?” Her amusement smelled as sweet as her lust. “Are you going to spank me?” Picturing her ass red with his handprint on it about made his cock explode. “Not with your clothes on,” he growled. She took a step backward and her hair pulled forward, still tangled in his hand and falling slowly from his fingers like black silk. She didn’t take her eyes off his as she reached for her shirt and then slowly pulled it over her head. All of that long black hair of hers tumbled down her front as she stretched her arms over her head and balled her shirt into her hands. Her breasts were large, almost too large for her small frame. He knew she wore baggy clothes to hide them and that her shirts made her look heavier than she was. Her ribs pressed against her skin and her flat tummy stretched, showing off how firm and well-toned her body was. It was a perfect package. A spunky little bitch , fire burning inside her with passion and willingness to take on life. She was happy, willing to accept a challenge and not afraid to walk with danger. On top of having a perfect personality, her body was breathtaking. Her white cotton bra barely contained her breasts. The material glowed against her dark skin. It was a damned good thing her eyes were closed because she’d probably laugh at him if she saw him drooling like a starved pup. Erin dropped the shirt to the floor and held her hands over her head for a moment, opening her eyes slowly while she continued stretching in front of him. His arousal had him too hard to keep the change completely dormant inside him. His heart pounded, pumping blood in his veins almost too fast for his human body to handle. His teeth pressed against his gums and his muscles grew, making his clothes feel way too tight and confining. There was no way he’d encourage her to rush her striptease for him though. Some torture was worth enduring. “Like what you see, wolf man?” she purred, her lips looking pouty when she closed them over her teeth, which had also grown just a bit. “You know I do.” She smiled and her sharp teeth glowed in the darkness. Slowly she lowered her arms, stroking her body with her hands. She held her breasts, her small hands barely covering them, and squeezed slightly. He closed his eyes, just for a moment, fighting to maintain control as she taunted him with her partially naked body. She ran her

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fingertips down her ribs, over her stomach until she reached the top button of her jeans. He licked his lips, following the movement while his cock throbbed painfully against his own jeans. “Want to see more?” she asked. “Take everything off.” She growled deep in her throat, swaying slightly, moving her hips back and forth to a silent rhythm that matched the primal pounding of his heart. His mouth went dry when she unzipped her jeans and then pushed them down her hips. She took a moment to slide out of her shoes and socks, kicking them to the corner of the room before turning around and bending over. She pushed her jeans to her ankles. The little bitch didn’t have on any underwear. His cock screamed at its confinement in his jeans while all blood drained from his head. His little temptress had a body that would put him on his knees within minutes. More than he needed to breathe, he needed to bury himself deep inside her, feel her heat wrapped around him, let her hot come cling to his cock. “God damn.” He couldn’t think, could barely fucking move. “Stay just like that.” He took a step forward, feeling the pain in his groin when he moved but enduring it while grinding his teeth to keep sane. With little effort, she could completely control the moment. Yet he saw how much she ached to please him. The wildness that burned inside her needed taming. Although with the way she bent over her bed, brushing her hair to the side in an effort to see him, he wasn’t sure he wanted to change a damned thing about her. “What are you going to do?” The excitement in her voice added to her sultry tone. “You’ll find out.” He had plenty in mind, if he could move without exploding. He pressed his hand against the small of her back, just above her perfectly round ass, and with a quick movement, Juan used his other hand to unsnap her bra. She gasped when it sprang free, the straps sliding off her shoulders. Her full, round flesh appeared as the material slid to the bed. The more he moved, the easier it became to do so. He raised her arms so that he could pull the bra from her then let it fall to the floor on top of her shirt. She stayed where she was, naked and bent over her bed. He ran his fingers down her spine and she shivered, sucking in a breath. Running his palm over the smooth curve of her behind, he then gave her ass a quick slap. “Oh shit.” The smell of her lust exploded in the room. He slapped the other side of her ass. The sound of his hand hitting her warm flesh was as fucking hot as the way she quivered. Her legs parted, giving him a better view of the black, nicely trimmed hair that covered her pussy. Her dark skin around her ass puckered, and the small, tight hole was an invitation that made his cock swell to the point where he’d do himself damage if he didn’t allow it some freedom. “I don’t want you to move. Not an inch.”

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“I won’t.” He walked over to her dresser and leaned against it, then pulled off one boot, then the other. She strained to see him, lifting her head and stretching while her dark eyes glowed in the darkness. “I told you not to move.” Her head dropped to the bed. “Well then, tell me what you’re doing,” she suggested. “Just stay put. We’ll get you to the point where you can follow my lead without your curiosity getting you in more trouble.” He loved her frustrated sigh and was glad she actually obeyed and didn’t move so she wouldn’t see him smile. Pushing Erin beyond her normal comfort zone was one hell of a turn-on. And the sweet smell of her lust dripped so heavily in the air he knew she got off obeying him. His cock danced with satisfaction when he unzipped his jeans and peeled them down his legs. His underwear went next and then his shirt. Since she was completely naked, he wanted the same and pulled off his socks, then piled his clothes all in one spot. Even though she had his insides on fire, he wanted his clothes where he could get to them if he needed to dress quickly once her littermates came home. Although he prayed they stayed in town for a while and burned off some steam. He wanted plenty of time to enjoy every inch of his little bitch. “You’re doing very well,” he told her, content his clothes were where they could be reached easily and returning to stand behind her. He grabbed his cock, stroking it slowly and adoring the roundness of her ass and the narrow curve of her back. “Touch me or something. I’m going nuts being like this with you just watching.” “Are you?” He wanted her dripping wet when he impaled her. “I rather like you bent over like that.” She shook her ass in frustration. “Prove to me how much you like it.” He brought his hand down on her ass again, just a bit harder than he had before. It made a cracking sound, and she jumped, letting out a cry that sounded like she’d come. “Juan,” she begged, twitching her ass faster. “You’re going to prove to me that you can follow instructions.” “What do you want me to do?” “Nothing at the moment. It will take time, Erin. Time and trust will allow you to let me lead. Once you’re there, you won’t jump to act without consulting me first.” She sighed loudly. “I’m sorry I moved the dresser without asking first. Okay?” She’d say anything right now. He knew that. But he believed her—believed that she wanted to please him. And she wanted to be fucked, needed him inside her as desperately as he needed to be there. He ran his hand over her rear end, feeling how hot the skin was there.

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“This isn’t about the dresser.” “Then what?” “You’ve never submitted before, Erin. You told me before that you ran out and fucked werewolves you didn’t know. You sought relief. What we’re going to share will be more than relief.” She turned her head slightly, straining to see him. “Don’t think I don’t know how this position is driving you nuts, Juan. If you want to think of me as submissive because my ass is in the air, then whatever gets you hard, wolf man. Now fuck me.” She collapsed on the bed, giggling and turning from him when he lunged at her. “Don’t,” she cried out, laughing and dodging when she guessed she’d be spanked even harder for her outburst. Juan grabbed her, forcing her to her knees and spreading her legs as he pushed her onto the bed. She was on all fours, her ass facing him, and the rich smell of her cunt hit him like a serious drug. His cock weighed a thousand pounds hanging hard and ready between his legs. Fire burned inside his chest, shooting down his arms and legs. He couldn’t count how many willing bitches had turned into submissive and passive partners under his command. But Erin, just as she’d described it—assuming the position—didn’t have a passive bone in her body. Something more raw and untamed than any emotion he’d ever experienced swelled inside him. He didn’t want to beat her into submission. Not at all. Erin being just the way she was appealed to him just fine. Juan held on to her legs, forcing her to stay on her knees, spread open before him as she knelt at the edge of the bed. He ran his tongue over her heat. Rich, thick cream coated her pussy, soaked her inner thighs and filled his mouth with a taste sweeter than anything he’d ever had before. “God, you taste good,” he whispered against her flesh, and devoured her like a starving man. “Oh hell yeah. Don’t you dare stop.” She arched into him, scooting to give him better access and one hell of an incredible view. He laughed in spite of himself. “Still trying to give orders,” he told her. “I can’t help it. Please don’t stop.” He spread her apart with his fingers, suddenly anxious to take her over the edge, please her better than any other werewolf had ever pleased her. Just those simple words, her admission that she was who she was but still eager to give him what he wanted, gave him more pleasure than he thought it would. The clean smell of happiness mixed with their lust, adding yet another scent to the air. If Erin noticed it, she didn’t say anything. And he wasn’t sure how he’d explain himself if she did. He ran his tongue over her hard clit and then sucked on it gently, rubbing his tongue over the sensitive, swollen flesh. He held on to her when she yelped and jumped from his intimate touch. Incredible energy rushing inside him had him teetering on the edge between human and werewolf. His extended teeth scraped over her flesh. She

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cried out, her entire body quivering, and he thrust his tongue as far into her pussy as he could go when she exploded, soaking his face with her come. Rich and creamy and so fucking hot, Erin’s orgasm was as wild and out of control as she was. He wouldn’t want her any other way. Her body convulsed and he held her legs firmly, preventing her from collapsing on the bed as he moved up to her tight ass. Gently stroking it with his fingers, he moistened it, loving how she moaned in delight as he tortured the sensitive flesh and lubricated it with her come. His altered senses made it easier to see her in the dark room. Nonetheless, he ached to enjoy her more, to be able to watch her body react to him as well as smell her emotions and feel the softness of warm flesh. “Come here.” He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her backward. “What?” She sounded disoriented. Her face was flushed and her hair fell wildly over her shoulders, covering her breasts and her back when she looked up at him. He moved the curtains, opening them and allowing the moonlight to fill the room. Her cheeks glowed with sensuality and silver streaked over her black eyes like uncontrollable lightning covering a night sky. “I want to see you.” “Then let’s turn on the light.” “No. The moonlight is perfect. You are so beautiful under it.” Her expression softened and she stared up at him for a moment. “Juan,” she whispered, and he felt the mood in the room change the second she did. Cupping her cheeks, he lowered his mouth to hers, taking his time and kissing her slowly and thoroughly. She let out a cry that matched how she’d sounded when he’d impaled her cunt with his tongue. Never had kissing a bitch done so much for him. He stroked her shoulders, learning every muscle and every bone under her smooth, warm skin. Then he cupped her breasts. They were heavy, full and firm. Her nipples puckered against his palms, growing and hardening while he caressed her. Erin captured more than his need to physically have her. He wanted her mind, her soul, and he wanted her to know him as well. His heart swelled, filling his chest with a pressure that matched the pain in his cock. This little bitch was claiming him, and not just the right to fuck him when the need arose. He wanted Erin. Yes. She was wild and undisciplined, without a passive bone in her body. And she was the most perfect fucking female he’d ever met. “I need you,” he admitted, and wondered if she understood how much. “Same here.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. It was a perfect fucking fit. He pressed into her pussy, burying himself in her heat. He adjusted her and slid

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even deeper until her pussy closed around his cock, soaking him with moist heat that stole his ability to think straight. He thrust with his hips and dove deep into her pussy, inhaling the rich, musky scent that built between them. Soaked muscles, fucking millions of them, convulsed and throbbed around his shaft as she sucked him in deeper, wrapping around him and caressing him with a fire he doubted would ever be put out. Juan pushed her up against the wall, moving his arms quickly and grabbing her legs. He pushed them up and held on to her, riding her hard and fast. He pumped his cock farther inside her, filling and stretching her hot, tight cunt. She dug into his shoulders. “Oh my God,” she screamed, thrashing her head from side to side while her long, thick strands of hair stuck to her cheeks. Erin was wild, stroking his shoulders and arms with extended fingernails while she panted and took all that he offered. Her mouth opened and she howled, showing off bright white teeth that glowed in the darkness, long and pointed and adding to her incredible beauty. Her body tightened, hardened, and she went stiff, her mouth forming a perfect small circle as she stared wide-eyed at him. She came so hard her head dropped and for a moment he wondered if she’d passed out from the experience. But then she started panting, her lust turning into a riper, thicker smell that he drowned in. “It’s too much,” she whispered. “You’re too deep.” “Never,” he assured her. But he’d give her a moment to catch her breath. Pulling out, he held her securely in his arms and moved back to her bed. He wasn’t at all sure he could fuck her on the single frame. It wasn’t meant for a large werewolf to tear into a hot little bitch. Erin had a cub’s bed still, a bed for a virgin. “Have you ever fucked a werewolf in here before?” “No. Of course not.” He laid her in the middle of the bed, kneeling on the edge of it. “But then you haven’t been in this den that long.” She shook her head, reaching for him and dragging her fingernails down his chest. Her touch was gentle yet stirred the fire inside him with its sensuality. “No werewolf has ever taken me in my own den. You’re my first, Juan.” “And your only.” There was more conviction in his tone than he’d anticipated. But he meant every word. “I like the sound of that,” she whispered, surprising him with how shy she sounded admitting it. And there was an admission here. The pressure in his chest exploded and for a moment he got scared that he’d come before entering her again. He lifted her legs, resting her ankles on his shoulders, and watched while he held on to his soaked, sticky shaft and slowly entered her.

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She sucked in a breath, reaching for him and pulling him to her. “And I love how you feel,” she added, grabbing his hair and yanking his mouth to hers. Her tongue swirled lazily around his while he stroked her insides slowly. Fire burned him alive. Her tiny muscles quivered around his cock. She barely touched him with her fingertips as she caressed his flesh, building the pressure inside him until he couldn’t think. Hell, he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see. His cock doubled in size before he had time to react and he exploded, filling her with his come. The heat burned him alive, swelling over every inch of him. He swore he’d changed until he opened his eyes and saw that he still looked at her through human eyes. “Erin,” he growled, his cock trapped deep inside her. “Stay here with me,” she whispered, pressing him against her large breasts as she nibbled at his neck. “If only that was an option.” He’d love to watch her fall asleep, to experience her scent change to satisfaction and happiness. “But I’m hardly a welcome guest.” “This is my den too.” She scowled, looking determined. “You know your littermates will attack me if they find me here.” He sniffed the air, smelling only their scents. “And you must know that I’d never fight another werewolf in his den.” Erin ran her fingers through his hair, lying underneath him, relaxed with her legs lazily wrapped around his waist. “I know,” she said quietly. “I promise they won’t hurt you though. I won’t let them.” He saw immediately what she meant by ensuring his protection. “You won’t use the gift on your littermates.” “I can’t stand there and watch them beat you while you do nothing to defend yourself.” Both of them turned their heads, staring into the darkness of the room and listening. A branch had cracked outside the den. Then there was another sound. Footsteps and voices. They grew closer. Juan sniffed the air, growling instinctively while his cock shrank enough to slide out of Erin. Quickly he jumped back from the bed, reaching for his clothes. Dimitri and Nicolo entered the den, talking quietly, although their tones changed before the front door closed. It wouldn’t take much in a den this small for the two werewolves to get a good whiff of sex. Not even a door and a dresser would contain the ripe smell that still hung heavily in the air. “What are you going to do?” Erin dove off the bed, grabbing him. It wasn’t easy sliding into his jeans with her hanging on him. “Erin, they aren’t going to accept me simply because they find me here in your bed.” A fist hit the door hard enough to make the wood rattle on its hinges. “How dare you bring that fucking werewolf into our den,” Dimitri exploded, his anger so intense it made its way into the room through the closed door.

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He hit the door again and wood cracked. It hadn’t crossed Juan’s mind that Erin might be in danger here. He got into his jeans and reached for her clothes. “Get dressed,” he said quietly, although he could have whispered and the two werewolves would have heard him. The dresser screeched over the floor worse than it had when Erin had moved it. Dimitri roared on the other side, pushing hard enough that he’d change in his own den if he let his emotions surge any higher. “Erin. Get him out of here now,” Nicolo warned her. Suddenly Juan feared for Erin. If he disappeared through the window, leaving her, Dimitri might take his wrath out on her. No matter if she had the gift or not, the smell of the temper coming closer was too intense for Dimitri to be thinking clearly. Juan pushed Erin behind him. The first thing he saw was the glowing silver in Dimitri’s eyes when he successfully opened the door far enough to enter. He barely had time to react when Dimitri leapt through the air, hitting him with full force.

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Chapter Eight Erin was still pissed off when she walked through the woods, ignoring the frigid air that made her cheeks numb. It took a lot of concentration to keep the blanket underneath Juan flat and stiff. Juan lay on it, hovering in the air next to her. Her hand rested on his chest over his heart, which beat steadily. He wasn’t dead. Knocked out cold, yes, but he’d be okay. Dimitri, on the other hand, would have hell to pay when she got her paws on him. The fucking bully. He’d taken advantage of Juan’s strong convictions, of fucking antiquated werewolf traditions, and threw several good punches even after it was obvious Juan wouldn’t fight back. If she’d been a bit stronger, she would have knocked the crap out of her littermate. What was worse was Juan glaring at her, whispering more than once, “Keep the gift out of this.” She’d listened, but she’d be damned if she wouldn’t use whatever means it took to make sure Juan was safe. Dimitri would have thrown him out into the cold and left him, shutting the door to their den and assuming she’d just crawl into bed and go to sleep like a good little bitch. And he’d tried. Luckily for him, he didn’t argue when she grabbed a blanket and tugged Juan’s heavy body onto it. She stared down at Juan’s swollen face, tears burning her eyes. Not many werewolves were as strong as Juan, able to take a punch and not fight back. And all in the name of tradition and values. His legs almost dropped to the ground and she slowed, forcing all thoughts out of her mind and dwelling only on the blanket underneath him, keeping it straight, making sure it didn’t fall and moving it alongside her while she walked, letting it carry Juan back to his den. Someone cried out and she froze, almost dropping Juan again as her concentration broke. She swallowed a lump in her throat and stared at Moira and Dante as they ran from their den toward her. “He’s okay, I think.” She knew the moment they took over, using their own powers and ensuring Juan wouldn’t drop. “We’ve got him.” Dante didn’t look at her but moved quickly, carrying Juan as she had but with more conviction, his gift so much stronger than hers. “I want to stay with him,” she said, meeting Moira’s gaze. The bitch unnerved her. Moira was incredibly beautiful, and the air around her just seemed to bend to her will. It didn’t just spark with electricity but altered altogether.

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The daughter of the werewolf who’d blessed Erin with the gift, Moira had more power and strength in one claw than half the pack put together. “I know you do. Come in.” Moira pressed her lips together, extending her hand to Erin and welcoming her into their den. Erin didn’t hesitate. She hurried past Moira into the den, barely taking time to look around at the orderly surroundings. Dante had taken Juan into one of the bedrooms. The place had an almost identical floor plan to her own den. Warmth spread through her when she realized Juan’s bedroom was the door on the left. Her bedroom in her den was also the one on the left. “He just needs to sleep it off.” Dante didn’t ask any questions. “I can’t go back to my den. Not after this.” She looked past Dante at Moira, who stood in the doorway to Juan’s bedroom. “I want to stay with Juan.” Dante looked at Moira. Once she believed it a myth that Malta werewolves could read minds. Now she knew why Juan had believed otherwise. There was no doubt in her mind that Dante and Moira spoke to each other without using words. “You aren’t mated. It’s not proper for you to stay in here with him.” Moira smiled, understanding. “I’ll make a bed for you on the couch.” There was no way she’d be able to sleep on Dante and Moira’s couch, especially knowing sneaking in with Juan during the night wasn’t an option. Erin wouldn’t try tempting the strength of the gift that was thicker than honey in the air. Going back to her den wasn’t an option, though. She’d just have to deal with lying on their couch and listening to Juan breathe all night long. Accepting the pillow and blanket, she curled onto the couch. The next thing she knew, morning sunshine blinded her and she blinked sleep out of her eyes, trying to register where she was. “Want some coffee?” Moira leaned in the doorway, a vision of perfection with damp hair that smelled like strawberries. “Sure.” Erin didn’t need a mirror to know she looked like shit. “I can’t believe I slept.” “Dante and Juan didn’t wake up until an hour ago.” “How is Juan?” Moira padded barefoot into the kitchen. Erin followed, noting how the bitch had arranged the room. Everything was in meticulous order. The color coordination looked like it came off the cover of a magazine, and it was clean—so damned clean it amazed Erin that two werewolves lived here. “He’s fine.” Moira waved her hand in the air. “You know how werewolves are. Their pride takes longer to heal than their hide.” The coffee was fresh-brewed and tickled Erin’s nose with its rich scent, already waking her up before she even sipped it. Usually she read bitches pretty well, but whatever feelings Moira had toward her were locked up pretty soundly. Just when she

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thought she’d picked up the other bitch’s scent, it trailed away before she could detect it well enough to understand it. Erin took the hot cup, blowing on it and then glancing over her shoulder. They were definitely alone. She looked back at Moira. “Where is he?” “They left.” Moira moved to a small kitchen table and slid into one of two chairs. “I think your being here bothered Juan.” “It bothered him? Did he tell you that?” “No. Not in so many words. Already our dens aren’t on good standing with each other. Now the situation is even trickier.” “So you read his thoughts?” Her dander spiked up. The knowledge terrified and excited her all at once that this bitch could tell her all of Juan’s thoughts. At the same time, knowing Moira could be that intimate with him, could creep into his mind and know everything about him bothered Erin. “Are you in my mind?” Moira placed her coffee cup on the table and stood slowly. This was her den. The bitch had acted as queen bitch since the moment Erin arrived here. Although they’d never run together, even as cubs Moira outranked Erin because of her den. Remembering her place put a sour taste in her mouth. Erin looked away, sucking in a breath filled with her own frustration and Moira’s faint scent. “I’m not in your mind,” Moira said quietly, almost too quiet, like a mother reprimanding a cub. “Juan has always been an open book around both of us. Lately though, with discussion in the pack of when and where the gift should be used, Juan has shared his thoughts with us. He doesn’t wish the gift used on him.” “I know.” Erin didn’t want Moira thinking she didn’t know anything about Juan. “Moving around in someone’s mind isn’t as obvious as moving a table. No werewolf wants to be sneaked up on or manipulated.” “You’re right. But if I were to mingle with his thoughts after he asked me not to, that would make me a bad bitch. And I’m not.” “I didn’t mean to offend you.” She lowered her head, forcing herself to respect this bitch when she wanted to grab the female by the neck and shake her until she told Erin everything she wanted to know about Juan. Moira offered a small smile and waved dainty fingers in the air as if dismissing the apology as unnecessary. “I overheard Dante and Juan talking before they left. I shouldn’t have listened, but I did. That isn’t using the gift. It’s just being curious.” Moira’s eyes glowed, her confession somehow bringing her down to Erin’s level. “He was caught and reprimanded for being alone with you in your den. Then you come here and stay. Tradition could fall into play here. Your den could demand a mating, or worse yet, shun you for disgracing your den. Juan doesn’t want your reputation tarnished. And he isn’t a werewolf to be forced into anything.”

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“Lovely.” A creeping, warm feeling churned inside Erin. She put down her cup. The coffee suddenly wasn’t sitting so well in her tummy. “The last thing I want for you or my den is trouble. And I swear I’m not trying to force myself on Juan. I’m really not.” She left the kitchen and hurried to where she’d slept the night before. Folding the blanket, she placed the pillow Moira had given her on top of it and set them on the couch. “Thank you for allowing me into your den.” She nodded with the respect she’d give a queen bitch and headed toward the front door. “Where are you going?” Moira asked and then added quickly, “Juan would want to know.” “I’m not sure. I need to clear my head.” She was an idiot not to think through the repercussions of coming here. And now possibly Juan’s feelings for her might have changed. If he thought she tried to trap him, he would run. No werewolf liked being cornered. The cold air hit her and she turned, meeting Moira’s gaze as she stood in the doorway to her den. The bitch’s expression wasn’t readable. Erin stifled her nerves, always leery around werewolves whose scent wasn’t obvious. “Be safe.” Moira stepped back into her den and closed the door. “I’d rather be happy,” Erin murmured. She had to look like shit, but at the moment she didn’t care. There weren’t any werewolves on the road as she stomped toward her den, ready to take on her littermates the moment she got there. A mixture of relief and frustration settled inside her when neither of them was home. “Lucky for you,” she told her empty den and stripped before heading for a hot shower. The steamy, hot water was better than she’d thought it would be. Every muscle in her body screamed with relief while she rubbed a soapy washcloth over her. No matter how hard she scrubbed though, the apprehension trickling through her didn’t fade. What exactly had Juan said to Dante? What had Moira overheard? Moira had never said exactly what words were exchanged between the two werewolves. She twisted her hair in her hands after getting all the soap out and then turned off the water. Stepping out, she wrapped her hair and then rubbed her body with another towel. Juan’s hands had been on her, his mouth had licked and nibbled her flesh and his body had pressed against hers. He’d filled her, made her explode and had come deep inside her. Her pussy still throbbed from how he’d swelled inside her, making them one and holding her close until he could pull out of her. Pulling the towel along her body, she closed her eyes and swore his fingers still touched her. His tongue tortured her. His breath burned into her flesh. The way he whispered her name and demanded her submission got her so hot, she got dizzy aching for him.

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“Damn it,” she whispered, her knees getting weak while her lust fogged the bathroom. It hung heavily in the steam while she saw his determined expression in her mind. She swallowed slowly, smelling his unique musky scent. He was in her pores, her mind, her soul—his mark was on her. No matter that she’d just scrubbed every inch of her body and thoroughly rubbed herself dry. Juan had claimed her and she prayed her mark was on him too—that every breath he took kept her in his mind. “Just as it’s been for centuries,” she said to her reflection in the steamed-over mirror. Werewolf tradition stated if a werewolf fucked a bitch, he mated with her. It definitely wasn’t a rule that was paid heed too much these days. And she’d enjoyed a stray or two that she knew hadn’t left any mark on her. But that had been just sex, a stress release, an escape. Physical need being pacified was one thing. Juan had made love to her. From the first moment she’d spotted him when her pack had arrived here in the mountains, he hadn’t been just another werewolf. At that time it hadn’t occurred to her. But as the months passed and she’d seen more of him, he’d gotten under her skin. Then when he’d found her running from the lunewulfs and fucked her on the side of the mountain, something had happened between them. Over the next couple of days, she hadn’t been able to quit thinking about him. Now she saw why. The age-old tradition had come into play. When a werewolf found his mate, he marked her, put his scent on her so that other werewolves would know she wasn’t available. Last night, when Juan came to her den, took her—no, made love to her—they had mated. Every inch of her tingled. Her pussy throbbed, matching the hard beat of her heart. “I love him.” She wiped the mirror, creating a circle so that her reflection could stare at her clearly. “I really do love him.” There were no other emotions to compare to what took over her at that moment. Heat built inside her. But it was more than physical. Her thoughts were hot and her feelings smelled like they were on fire. It wasn’t a bad smell. Not at all. She pulled the towel off her head and her tangled hair tumbled over her shoulders and down her back, cooling her feverish skin. Licking her dry lips, she had to know where he was, what he was doing. And most importantly, what thoughts were in his head. “You’ve got to be thinking about me too, wolf man.” There was no way they could have shared such an intense night and he not be dwelling on her too. Not to mention he’d taken a beating from her littermate. Werewolves had a very high metabolism compared to humans. Even though Dimitri knocked Juan unconscious, today his bruises would be minimal. He’d be completely healed before the day was out.

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Dimitri would still pay hell for being such a pompous idiot and taking advantage of Juan having such strong values. It made her littermate appear the bully, a coward. That wouldn’t look good when he ached to be pack leader. And she sure as hell planned on telling him that. But Dimitri could rot for all she cared. Releasing a long breath, she wrapped her towel around her and opened the bathroom door. She’d get dressed and head back out. No matter what Moira suggested—or what Erin feared the bitch had meant—she had to find Juan. The phone rang and she glanced out the front window as she followed the sound to where the cordless lay on the coffee table. Getting out of here before Dimitri or Nicolo got home would be a hell of a lot easier. Not that she’d let either of them bully her—not after that stunt last night. It would just be better if there were no confrontation at all right now. “Hello,” she said. “What are you doing?” Juan’s deep voice rushed through her like wildfire. “Hi there,” she said, suddenly flustered. “Moira said you left. I wanted to make sure I knew where you were.” Shit! He did care about her as much as she did him. Her heart raced so quickly it was hard to get her mind to work. Her body was on complete overdrive, every inch tingling with need. “Where are you?” she asked, hoping she didn’t sound as completely unnerved as she felt. “We just finished hauling some lumber up the mountain for another den. More Malta werewolves arrived today and are staying in Valle until they can settle in our territory.” He spoke to her as easily as if they shared their daily lives with each other all the time. She didn’t want to ruin the relaxed moment. Something had passed between them the night before though. And Dimitri had escalated it with his outburst. It needed to be discussed. She hated doing it on the phone though, not when she couldn’t see his face or smell him while they spoke. “When can I see you?” she asked. “Do you want me to stop by on my way to my den?” he asked, laughing instantly as if her littermate beating him was a light matter. “Sure.” She couldn’t help smiling, imagining he grinned at his own joke as well. “I wish I could.” His voice got deeper. “There were too many werewolves around earlier when I saw Dimitri and Nicolo, but when I can, I’ll speak to your littermates.” Her heart came to a skidding halt. He would speak to her littermates? About what? “I’ve got to get back to work. Be good and I’ll talk to you soon.” He hung up without saying goodbye, leaving her with even more questions than before he called.

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She dropped the phone, growling and storming into her room to find clothes. “Damn werewolf,” she grumbled. Her heart jump-started to life, pounding harder than her human body could handle. Now she really needed to see him. And she didn’t even know where he was. All they had was a simple phone line, so there was no caller ID. Obviously he had her number, but she hadn’t managed to get his yet. He’d made sure she was where he wanted her to be. But damn him for not thinking she had a right to know his whereabouts. “Well, I can find you,” she decided, putting on her bra and pulling a sweater over her head, then grabbing jeans out of her drawer. He wanted to train her, to show her how to let go and submit to him. And the night before, she’d craved giving him that pleasure, completely handing him the leash. But it was a two-way street and no werewolf on the planet seemed to have that one figured out. Juan was no exception. She grinned, happiness taking over her frustration and giving her room a clean, fresh smell. He had called. In spite of the fact that she had so many questions, he’d sniffed her out. A swelling inside her turned into an unbearable pressure. Need coursed inside her with newfound energy. Not only would she find him, but at the first chance they had, she would make love to him. If they could even come close to the intensity they’d shared the night before, she would have to have him on a very regular basis. She tugged her jeans over her still-damp skin and the rough material pressed into her pussy. Hard, rough waves of lust ripped through her insides. When had she ever craved a werewolf so much? It was more than a physical need though. She wanted to see him, touch him, hear him tell her what he’d do to her. And she definitely loved how he got rough, spanked her, demanded that she hold a certain position for him. She wouldn’t deny the physical part mattered. But that wasn’t all there was with Juan. She wanted in his mind, to know his thoughts, to experience the werewolf who was so strong he would endure a beating simply to honor tradition and her. The front door to their den opened, and at the same time she heard Nicolo and Dimitri talking. “Shit.” She hadn’t even heard them pull up. Before she could grab her brush, her littermate appeared in her doorway. “I want to talk to you,” Dimitri said, his expression relaxed even though his tone was stern. “You made an ass of yourself last night.” She turned her back on him, running her brush through her tangled hair. “What has already happened isn’t the issue here. We’ll discuss what is going to happen.” He sounded too calm, and she didn’t smell any anger.

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Slowly she turned around, parting her hair and brushing it out as she met his gaze. Nicolo moved behind him, giving her a quick once-over. “She can come out here and talk to us in the living room once she’s done.” Nicolo put a hand on Dimitri’s shoulder, forcing him to turn. Trepidation oozed through her when she entered the living room a few minutes later. Something in the air didn’t set well with her. Both of them were too resolved, as if they’d plotted and now were satisfied with their end result. She had a feeling she wouldn’t experience the same satisfaction. Not to mention, she did want to talk about last night. “How do you think the pack will react to a werewolf who takes advantage of an age-old tradition to beat the crap out of another werewolf?” she asked, starting the conversation as she took a seat on the couch. “You made yourself look bad, Dimitri.” “I protected your honor,” Dimitri hissed. “And the pack will see it that way too.” “I love him.” Speaking the words out loud, and in front of her littermates, shocked her almost as much as it did them. Nicolo cursed, running his hand through his hair. Dimitri glared at her, rendered speechless only for a moment. His anger filled the air—an emotion a lot easier to deal with than the unnerving calm resolve she’d sensed on both of them moments ago. “No you don’t,” Dimitri said after they’d stared at each other for a minute. “If you even understood the emotion, you wouldn’t feel it for a werewolf who belongs to a den that ruined our lives.” She almost screamed at him. She wouldn’t let go of her happiness though. It was the only way to show Dimitri how wrong he was. She shook her head, feeling for her littermate and all the hatred he harbored. “What happened in Malta did ruin our lives. But it wasn’t Juan’s fault. And you must be able to smell on Dante that he tells the truth. He didn’t help burn our pack. It was a terrible day. I still cry over losing our sire and mother.” “We all do,” Nicolo said quietly. “It’s time to let it go, Dimitri,” Erin said, daring to move closer to her littermate and reach for his arm. “We need to move forward and forgive so that we can be happy.” He grabbed her hand, his eyes glowing with hints of silver. “Exactly. And I’ve taken measures to see that will happen.” “Now don’t get your claws out.” Nicolo scooted the coffee table to an angle, sitting in front of her. “Hear us out and I really think you’ll like what we’ve done.” “What you’ve done?” She smelled a rat. Dimitri pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. He held it out. “There is a pack in Fargo, North Dakota. John Campbell leads the pack there. Decent werewolf, I hear tell. He and his mate Margo will take you in. They said you can stay with them until you find a den that suits you. They need a teacher for the pack’s school.”

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“A teacher?” Erin jumped off the couch. “In Fargo, North Dakota? You’re shipping me out of here?” She couldn’t believe her fucking ears. “This is a good idea.” Dimitri actually seemed to believe what he said. There wasn’t anger in his eyes, just determination. “Erin, I know you think you’ve found a werewolf here. Trust us, please. We really want your happiness.” “Then don’t even think about sending me away.” She fisted her hands on her hips, staring at both of them. “Accept Juan, get to know him. Do that much for me if you want my happiness.” “We saw Juan today,” Dimitri said. “Dimitri, don’t.” Nicolo stood up, facing Dimitri. “No. She has a right to know.” “Know what?” she asked. “We can smell his mark on you. Believe me, it fills the den with its smell.” Dimitri still sounded so damned calm. “And today, we saw him with another bitch.” “I’m sure there are bitches around him every day.” She waved her hand dismissively. No way would they make her think Juan had done something wrong. “Not like this. They were holding each other, in each other’s arms.” “Dimitri,” Nicolo warned again. “This isn’t necessary. We don’t need to send her away heartbroken.” “And she isn’t going to leave blaming us for taking her from a werewolf she thinks she loves.” Dimitri turned on Nicolo but then reached for her. Erin took a step away from them. “Whatever you saw, it wasn’t like that.” She almost told them he’d called her, that he cared for her as much as she did him. Something told her to hold her tongue. Their compassion almost bordered on sadness. Her littermates knew something, witnessed something. And it was believable enough that they’d made arrangements for her to leave the pack. Her stomach twisted so hard she felt sick. “You think I’m full of hatred. What I wish you’d sniff out is my caution, my concern that our den never endure the pain it experienced before. Running with that werewolf is going to give you nothing but grief.” Erin shook her head. Dimitri couldn’t be right. “No,” she said. “Yes, Erin. He’s running with more than one bitch, as he’s always done, I’m sure.” “You’re wrong.” “Trust me on this.” Dimitri’s calm tone was worse than claws scraping a chalkboard. Nicolo watched her closely, as if waiting for her to grasp something.

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“You’ve only known him a short time,” Nicolo said. “I’m sure what you feel for him is real. But we want the best for you. Juan isn’t good enough, not for our den. Not for you.” “Here is a bus ticket. And we are sending you with all the money we’ve got saved.” Dimitri held out the folded paper. “Your bus leaves tonight. We’ll get you packed, head into Valle and have supper before you go.” “Just like that.” It was like the calm before the storm. It built up inside her and peaked so quickly she couldn’t stop the explosion. “You two do not control my life. There is no fucking leash around my neck. I’m not going to do this.” “Yes. You are.” Dimitri tried shoving the paper into her hand. The explosion was like a loud popping sound in her head. She smacked at Dimitri’s hand, and the paper flew to the side of the room like it had wings. Nicolo lunged for it. Dimitri lunged at her. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the pressure releasing in her brain outward. Her littermates crashed into the walls of their den, flying away from her and creating a path to the door. Erin ran from her den and from her insane littermates. She’d had enough of being controlled.

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Chapter Nine Juan stood when Rosa and Maria began gathering their things. “It’s been too long since we’ve relaxed in a good den.” Rosa extended her hands to Moira. “Your meat was perfectly cooked—nice and rare. Thank you so much for the wonderful dinner.” “I’m more than willing to put these two out for the night and let you both sleep here.” Moira winked at Dante. “You’ll be seeing enough of us as it is.” Maria searched for her bag and Juan picked it up and handed it to her. “And we’ll enjoy every minute of it.” He kissed the old bitch on her wrinkled cheek. She smelled just as she had when he was a cub. “It’s so good to have you here.” Maria patted him on the cheek and reached for Dante. “Cubs of my sister. My own nephews. Where else would an old bitch go?” “Come on, Mother.” Rosa took Maria’s hand. “We’ll return to our room tonight and in the morning we’ll see the land Juan and Dante found for us.” “You’ll love it.” Juan still couldn’t believe how their cousin Rosa had turned into a grown bitch. Always clumsy and shy, she now moved with grace and elegance. He’d be snapping at the heels of every available werewolf in the pack protecting her. “It’s very close to the land you saw earlier today when we were on the side of the mountain. After we show you where your den will be built, I’ll introduce you to some bitches your age.” Dante opened the door and led the way outside. Rosa wrapped her arm around Juan’s. “I knew you had a bitch. You think I’ll like her?” she teased. He ignored the looks Dante and Moira gave him. “You’ll love her.” “What’s her name?” Footsteps quieted the small group and Juan instinctively pulled Rosa closer while Dante stepped in front of Maria. The smell of hostility and anger greeted all of them and Juan groaned at the timing of their unexpected visitors. The last thing he wanted his aunt and cousin on his mother’s side to see was the feuding that already existed in the pack they were so excited to join. “You are such a wasted excuse for werewolf flesh.” Dimitri growled his greeting through clenched teeth and scowled at Rosa, who immediately cowered behind him. Nicolo slapped his littermate’s shoulder and gestured toward Maria. The older bitch had grabbed her small bosom and stared at the two werewolves with wide eyes.

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“Now isn’t the time.” Dante made his warning clear. “Obviously she isn’t here if you are entertaining one of your other bitches.” Dimitri’s tone didn’t soften. “Who isn’t here?” Juan narrowed his gaze on both of them. “Where is Erin?” “She’s none of your business. If she isn’t here, that’s all we needed to know.” Dimitri turned, although he showed enough respect to nod to Maria before retreating. “My apologies for interrupting your evening.” “She was supposed to stay at her den.” Juan let go of Rosa and headed toward Dimitri. They were at his den now, and paybacks sucked. “If you ran her off in any way, I’ll have your fucking hide.” “Juan,” Dante growled. Juan pointed a warning finger at Dimitri. He glanced at Maria. “Forgive me. But I guess you are part of our den and might as well see our imperfections right away.” “Part of your den?” Nicolo asked, giving Dimitri a worried look. “Our cousin and aunt have traveled quite a distance to join our pack.” Juan offered the information out of respect for the older bitch who stood there looking baffled. The two werewolves standing before him showed enough good breeding to look humbled in front of her. “Where is Erin?” he asked, grabbing their attention. “She took off,” Nicolo offered quickly. “We both assumed she would come here. It’s dark, and if she headed toward the valley…” He didn’t finish but let out a sigh, filling the air with an uneasiness that twisted Juan’s gut. “I’ll drive Rosa and Maria into town.” Moira stepped forward. “Sounds to me like a search needs to be formed. Go find her.” She patted Juan’s arm. “We’ll all search for her.” Dante turned to the women. “And if you two don’t mind waiting to go into town, I think it might be best if someone stays here in case she does show up.” Dimitri looked ready to complain, but his worry for his littermate must have been greater than his anger toward Dante. Nicolo nodded his agreement. “Your help is appreciated. I’m afraid she tore out of our den in a fury that might not have her thinking right.” “I can imagine what you might have said to her.” Already Juan pulled off his shirt. He ached to kick Dimitri’s ass, and he really didn’t care if he did it in his flesh or his fur. “If I didn’t care for her, I wouldn’t have come here.” Dimitri didn’t back down when Juan pushed into his space. “Well, I care about her too.” The admission would have given him pause if his outrage wasn’t to the boiling point. “And she damned well knew that when I talked to her this afternoon.”

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“When did you talk to her?” Nicolo asked. “Earlier today. I called her.” “Obviously it was while we weren’t there,” Dimitri grunted. “You had already left the site where we’d hauled lumber. Rosa had just shown up and I spoke with her when you two left.” “You told her Juan was with another bitch,” Dante hissed. Dimitri moved quickly toward Dante but stopped when Juan stepped in his path. “Stay out of my fucking head,” Dimitri snarled. “I don’t have to be in your head to see what is obvious on your face. Your hatred for me is being taken out on my littermate and now has chased Erin off.” Dante stepped around Juan, pulling his shirt off. His teeth were longer and his hair was ruffled when he threw the shirt to the ground. “The gift, more than likely, will save Erin’s ass tonight, unless we can find her before some stray werewolf does.” Juan growled at the thought, grabbing the others’ attention. “If she is hurt at all, you will pay dearly, werewolf.” His voice garbled with his last words. Anger fueled the change inside him. He barely managed to kick off his shoes and strip out of his jeans when blood boiled in his veins. His hands had already changed and he struggled to rope his clothes together and tie them around his neck. His vision blurred briefly from the intensity of energy that rushed inside him. When it cleared, everything around him had a new light. Shadows disappeared and the blackness around them turned to shades of gray. His bones popped, shifted and contorted—the pain fueling him, calling the predator to life. Instinct guided him. Juan fell to all fours, knocking Dimitri to the side and not caring that he was a bit rougher than expected. The werewolf had an ass-kicking coming his way, and it would be sooner than later if he didn’t stay out of Juan’s path. He roared at the others, staring into their silver eyes. Four intimidating werewolves, their long black coats the color of night and their size enough to terrify any creature on the mountain into hiding, leapt toward the road. Juan led the small pack. He didn’t seek instruction. There was no plan or discussion about where they would search. Juan tore at the ground, sending dirt and rocks flying with his large claws as he gained speed. Human hesitation no longer hindered him. His senses and gut led him to where he prayed Erin would be. Her own private haven, a place she sought out to escape. Her words from their first meeting rang in his head, and they led him. He created a path for the others to follow and raced to where he’d first found Erin. Their conversation earlier had been brief. The words he wanted to share with her, he didn’t want to say on the phone. Not the first time he told her. He loved Erin. She needed to know. His heart ached for her to know. Only a few days had passed, but in that time she’d put her mark on him. Rosa teased him when they first embraced. Erin’s scent was on his skin, in his hair, covering his body.

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And he’d only partially joked when he’d suggested coming by to see her. Dimitri wouldn’t attack twice. Once, the pack would accept. Twice, Juan wouldn’t allow. Seeing Erin meant enough to him to risk her littermates’ wrath. He’d spent the afternoon fighting with what he would say to them. Kissing ass put a foul taste in his mouth. It wasn’t his style, and he wouldn’t put out like that to have Erin. The simple truth appealed to him much more. If only he had gone to her. Whatever argument she’d had with Dimitri and Nicolo would have been interrupted. Then she would have left with him. Damn it! She’d better fucking be okay. He barely noticed the thinness of the air, the speed they traveled or if the others were even still behind him. He really didn’t care. Getting to Erin was all that mattered. Within minutes, he reached the spot where he’d found Erin taunting the lunewulfs earlier that week. He slowed, sniffing the air, and the other werewolves followed suit, circling around each other and growling. He didn’t pick up her scent. Dante stopped next to him, his head to the ground, and turned slowly to meet his gaze with glowing silver eyes. He growled a warning and the other werewolves straightened, their ears twitching. If I ever wanted you to use your gift, now would be the time. Juan prayed Dante was doing just that. His littermate stared at him for a moment and his scent dominated the air around them. Everything inside Juan tightened, anticipation gripping him. He’d learned his littermate’s scent when he exerted efforts to manipulate his surroundings. Dante used his gift, looking away from him slowly, searching the darkness in a way none of the others could. The other two werewolves had enough sense to understand what he did. No one moved or breathed. They waited. Dante, the only one who stood out with his shorter coat, black like the rest of them but lacking the silky sheen, now controlled the moment. A mixed breed, feared most of his adult life and respected only because he wasn’t understood, Dante had never shoved his abilities under any werewolf’s nose. He scanned the dark meadow below them, the trees tall and thick and impossible for Juan to see past in the night. Dante saw, and the moment he picked up on something, his ears twitched and every muscle in his body tensed. Let’s go! His growl was loud and clear when he quickly glanced at all of them and then leapt forward. Juan’s insides prickled with anticipation. There was no way of knowing what Dante sensed, smelled or saw. This wasn’t the first time he’d jumped blindly, following his littermate’s lead without understanding. It was the first time he cared so much about the end result though. The longer they ran, the more human emotions strained at his werewolf conscience. In this form, instinct prevailed. His heart hurt too much to ignore it though. And he 76

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didn’t want to ignore the growing pressure inside him. Erin’s pain was his pain. If she was hurt, it would affect him. He managed to keep possible scenarios of what she might be doing at the moment out of his head. But knowing she’d ran from her den because of him, because of what her littermates had told her, tore at him worse than claws ripping at his flesh. They reached the stream, the loud pounding of water on rock sounding like nature roaring at them. It was a warning to pay heed. Once again, they all stopped. But this time Juan didn’t turn to Dante for guidance. He didn’t need to. Erin’s scent was all over the place. But where the hell was she? He moved along the bank, sniffing the air and searching the darkness for any sign of her. No matter the distance he covered, her scent didn’t fade. Then Nicolo barked excitedly, and he raced toward the werewolf. Nicolo lifted a shirt in his mouth and Dimitri hurried over to him, sniffing the fabric. Their growls were anything but satisfied. Erin’s clothes were here, but she wasn’t. No way in hell did she walk this far in her flesh and then change. What her clothes were doing here, without her, made no fucking sense. He glared at the darkness on the other side of the stream—lunewulf territory. And something inside his gut tore his insides apart. He didn’t want to think of what might be happening if they’d stolen her. One thing he did know—he would rip out every one of their throats until he found her. He was halfway across the fast-moving stream before the coldness of the water even registered with him. And even then, it didn’t soothe the boiling outrage that grew inside him. His coat was like an oversized blanket, hanging heavily on him, and he shook himself, sending water flying when he climbed out on the other side. Moving slowly, his senses on overdrive, searching and listening for sign of any werewolves, he walked through tall grass. Grass that still remained flat from others who’d passed this way recently. One werewolf wouldn’t have created this defined of a path. He didn’t like the looks of this, not one fucking bit. This wasn’t familiar territory. He didn’t have a clue where the lunewulf pack lived. And walking into an ambush didn’t sit well with him. All of them stopped when they stepped onto a paved road stretching endlessly in both directions. Another mountain loomed before them. There was nothing Juan hated more than feeling helpless. The other werewolves panted around him, standing there. Obviously none of them had a good idea of where to head next. Other than Erin’s clothes, they had nothing to go on. Dante grabbed his attention when he slowly started to return to his human form. Juan reluctantly followed suit, the cold air attacking his wet body with enough vengeance to make it hard to stand up straight. His clothes were wet and his mood soured quickly. “Got a fucking plan?” he snarled when his mouth could form words. 77

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“There’s a town that way.” Dante ignored Juan’s biting tone. “We head there in our human form. Once we’re in town, I can scan the area using the gift and we’ll know soon enough if she’s there.” Dimitri and Nicolo dressed quickly next to him. Neither said a word, and Juan couldn’t think of anything better to do. Silently, they trudged toward town. “Watch me,” Dante whispered after the first signs of buildings appeared on the side of the road. “What?” Juan asked, but then understood. It wasn’t the first time Dante’s pale blue eyes had gone lifeless. His littermate just stood there, his expression relaxed, and he didn’t move or say another word. Juan didn’t completely understand what Dante did. He guessed that somehow he left his body, soaring ahead with just his mind. Juan stared at Dante’s face, knowing talking to him would do no good. At the moment, Dante wasn’t there. “What the hell is going on?” Dimitri demanded, his voice trembling in the cold. “Openly using the gift he’s sworn our pack should keep a secret.” Juan hoped Dimitri saw what a leap this was for Dante. On the other hand, he didn’t care if Dimitri got it or not. Dante did what he argued their pack shouldn’t do—use the gift openly in front of werewolves who didn’t have it—and he did it to save Erin’s ass. Juan’s stubborn littermate was coming around. Maybe when all of this was over, he’d see why Dimitri’s argument for using the gift to their advantage was better than trying to pretend it didn’t exist at all. “He’s just standing there.” Nicolo sniffed the air, looking around them nervously. “He’s standing here all right.” Dimitri moved closer to Dante, narrowing his gaze on the werewolf’s face. “But I don’t think he’s here.” “Lay one claw on him and I swear I’ll be finding Erin by myself,” Juan growled, stepping between Dante and Dimitri. Dimitri squared his shoulders, giving him a hard look. “You got a beating to save Erin’s honor. I wouldn’t touch a werewolf who couldn’t defend himself. I have honor too.” “And so does Erin. It won’t be tarnished with me.” Juan stared into Dimitri’s dark eyes, seeing the hatred but smelling how much he cared about his sister. It lightened the spicy smell of his rage. “She will run with me. And she’d be thrilled to know she has your blessing when she does.” Dimitri opened his mouth, raising his finger and pointing it in Juan’s face. Dante grabbed Juan’s shoulder. He spun around, glancing for a mere second at his littermate before turning on Dimitri. If the werewolf countered what he’d just said, he’d kick his ass right here and now. “I’ve found her. Let’s go,” Dante told them. Juan grabbed Dante. “She’s okay. Tell me she’s fucking okay.” “She won’t be if we don’t get our asses in gear. Come on.” 78

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His aggressive scent was enough to get them all in gear. Sprinting faster than a mere human could run, Dante led the way down the dark street into town. Juan hated not knowing all the details. His heart throbbed so hard that his head ached. It was like running blind, heading toward something that smelled worse than a rotting carcass, but not knowing what it was. And surprises really didn’t appeal to him. He wanted to know what to expect and when. They were forced to slow when the road turned into the main drag of the mountain community. Different-sized buildings lined either side of a blacktop road. Several businesses were open, a few cars were parked along the road and the smell of werewolves was stronger than pine and freshly cut lumber, which also lingered in the cold, damp air. “This way,” Dante said, cutting between two buildings and heading down an alley. “What did you see?” Juan had to know. “Several lunewulfs.” Dante glanced from one of them to the other, his pale eyes glowing in the darkness. “And?” Dimitri prodded. “Erin was sending them all flying.” He suddenly looked impish and a hint of amusement escaped him. “I know this makes a complete hypocrite out of me, but I suspended them all in the air before returning to you. Left her looking more than shocked. It appears that isn’t part of the gift she has mastered.” “She throws things,” Dimitri mumbled, but fell into stride next to Dante. “And thank you.” Dante raised an eyebrow. “For being a hypocrite,” Dimitri added. Once he had Erin in his arms, Juan would be grateful that their dens had just said the first amiable thing to each other since meeting. He’d admit, though, it was the best thing that had happened so far tonight. “Going somewhere?” Two lunewulfs stepped from around the corner. A garbage bin alongside the building had hid their scent. Now as the two blond men, both fairly good-sized for being a smaller breed, stepped forward, their triumphant smell turned Juan’s stomach. He heard the other werewolves behind them before he smelled them. Glancing over his shoulder, three more lunewulfs strolled toward them. Surrounded. And the lunewulfs were five to their four. Not too bad of odds except for one thing—they were in their territory. “As a matter of fact, we were,” Dimitri said, stepping forward. Juan had a feeling he’d be saving the werewolf’s hide before the night was over.

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Chapter Ten Someone in her pack had to be nearby. And it wasn’t Juan. An anxious feeling rushed forward inside her. Juan had to be here—somewhere nearby—even if he wasn’t the one who’d just helped her escape. Someone had stuck those three lunewulfs up against the ceiling. The only Malta werewolves she knew who had the gift that strong were Dante and Moira. Possibly Josie could do something like this, but she wasn’t sure. It would take being able to use the gift from quite a distance and maintaining its strength without being there to witness its effects. No one showed up to help her with her plight, but she wasn’t going to wait around for whoever her rescuers were either. These three werewolves were making a hell of a lot of noise. Her teeth chattered from cold and nerves when she straightened into her human form. Hanging or not, the lunewulfs got an eyeful of what they were not getting tonight. “The lot of you really suck for leaving my clothes behind,” she growled, searching the small, run-down room for something to wrap around her. “You are not going to leave us up here, you fucking little witch!” “Look at that hot little body. Come on, sweet bitch. We just want to have some fun.” “Maybe she can’t handle all three of us. How about you just let me down?” Erin cocked her head at the males, staring up at them as their legs flopped in the air while their backs appeared stuck to the ceiling. The smell of their fear and anger made her even more anxious to get out of there. “You knocked me out and hauled me here against my will. I didn’t ask to come here. If this is the worst you get, you’re getting off easy.” If she could yank their clothes off without risking one of them grabbing her, she’d do it. Damn them all for hauling her to this pack without her clothes. She trembled with outrage while searching the dirty den for something to put on. “You about broke my back when you used your magic and threw trees at me.” The werewolf complaining looked absolutely ridiculous trying to cross his arms and look dignified while his legs dangled in the air. “Was that you?” She didn’t look at them anymore, fairly sure they were up there for a while. “If you hadn’t been running in Malta territory, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.” “That American pack had no right to give you that mountain. That was supposed to be lunewulf territory.” Erin shrugged. “Tell it to Werewolf Affairs.”

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“Oh we are, little bitch. Your whole pack is evil and possessed. We won’t tolerate having you here.” Arguing with prejudice and hatred got her nowhere. If she’d learned anything in her twenty-three years, it was that there was no use trying to change the mind of a bigot. Nonetheless, it still pierced her like a knife hearing others slam her pack like that. She clamped her teeth together, a flush of anger overheating her flesh. At least she wasn’t freezing anymore. “Does anyone actually live here?” she complained, glaring at the dirty kitchenette on one end of the room and two worn-out couches on the other end. The couches looked like they’d been slept on more than sat on. “She’s insulting your den, dude. Why don’t you go down there and teach her some manners?” “Shut the fuck up.” The snarls above her encouraged her to search faster. Finally, she spotted a door behind one of the couches, almost hidden by stacks of newspapers lining the back of the couch. Shoving the couch out of the way and stepping over the mess of newspapers when they tumbled off the back, she found some shelves lining the wall of a cluttered closet. There was one coat rolled into a ball and she pulled it out, sniffing it. Knowing she had to wrap another werewolf’s scent around her didn’t sit well inside her at all. It would have to do though. And fortunately, when she shrugged into it, it was baggy enough to fall past her ass. Her bare legs would just have to suffer. She wasn’t sure if she’d make it farther in her fur or flesh, but she wasn’t going to hang out here and be insulted. “For the record, you brought me here. I didn’t ask to come here. If you hate us so much, you should have left me in my own territory.” She hurried out the door, shutting it quickly before she started arguing with the closed-minded werewolves. “God. Now what?” She searched up and down the quiet street. Houses were set back from the street, all with large yards and little lighting. But then, werewolves didn’t need street lights. Their vision was better at night than humans, and artificial lighting hindered the view of what lay in the dark. At the moment, it also made it easier for her to stay in the shadows. The bulky coat she had on smelled strongly of a male werewolf. The darkness and the coat didn’t offer foolproof protection though. “Just change and get the hell out of here.” She sniffed the air, squinting her eyes and letting her heartbeat accelerate enough to heighten her senses. “I just need to figure out which direction to run.” If she hadn’t been knocked out cold, her sense of direction wouldn’t be so fucked up at the moment.

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She reached the corner and glanced at the streets that went in either direction. Mountains darkened the horizons in front and behind her. The quiet neighborhood continued. “Shit.” She hated being lost. It wasn’t a sensation she had a lot of experience with, but being out of her territory and in enemy land sure as hell wasn’t making it any easier to think. A door to one of the dens across the street opened, and several werewolves laughed easily as they walked outside and closed the door, engulfing them in darkness. Lunewulfs were known for their pale skin and blonde hair. It made them easier to see at night. Erin froze, hesitating. If she ran, they’d spot her in a second. But if she stood there, eventually they would smell her. The moment they quit talking, she knew she’d been detected. “Who’s there?” a female asked. There were two of them, and they crossed the street quickly. Lunewulfs were also known for speed, but damn, they moved so fast that they stood next to her in a second. Maybe she’d taken a harder knock to the head than she realized. It seemed they were in front of her before she had a chance to exhale. “I asked who you were.” The female frowned, stopping when she was a few feet away. The male next to her took the woman’s arm, immediately the protector. “You aren’t part of our pack.” Fucking Einstein here. She licked her lips, having no clue whether they would cause her more harm or help her. If the lunewulfs she’d left hanging were any indication of how this pack felt about her pack, she was in deep shit. “I need help.” She lowered her gaze. One thing was certain—if she used the gift and sent them flying, they would definitely not help her. If she changed, they could outrun her. It was a simple fact that lunewulfs were the fastest species on Earth. Blood pumped in her veins with a fury that hurt. She forced her head down submissively, which seriously bruised her ego. She forced her words out. “Please help me.” The silence was enough to kill her. And she didn’t dare look up. A submissive bitch would get help a hell of a lot faster than a fighting one. “Come with us,” the female said after a moment. Erin’s legs wobbled so bad it was hard to walk. The ground was rough against her human feet. And she was cold—real damned cold. So cold, in fact, that she swore she started melting when they entered the warm den. A fire burned brightly in a large hearth at the end of the spacious living room, and two other lunewulfs, probably mated, sat cuddled on the couch and jumped to their feet when the three of them entered.

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“What the hell?” the lunewulf demanded, immediately looking pissed off at the interruption. The bitch still on the couch quickly adjusted her clothes, glancing down at herself while embarrassment clogged the room with its sour smell. The male eyed Erin warily, taking in her bare legs and the baggy coat she held tightly at her chest. He then glanced questioningly at the two lunewulfs on either side of her. “What the fuck have you done? That’s a Malta bitch.” The lunewulf glared at her as if she had some kind of disease or something. “I know what she is.” Immediately the male next to her was on the defensive. “She was out on the street.” “And she asked for our help,” the female next to her said. “Just because she is a Malta bitch, we should ignore her?” “What were you doing out on the street?” The male standing in front of the couch still looked wary. “Well, I wasn’t out there sightseeing,” Erin snapped. “And quit looking at me like I’m going to grow a second tail or something. I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here.” She sucked in a quick breath, fighting to rein in her temper. She itched to release it, send furniture flying or knock pictures off the wall—something. The injustice of it all! That was the last thing she needed right now. But damn it. It sucked being hated when these werewolves didn’t even know her. “What were you doing out on the street?” the lunewulf repeated, his tone softer but still stern. Erin looked down at her toes and saw how dirty they were. If she told them she was abducted, they’d want to know where the werewolves were who took her. Telling them they were hanging from a ceiling down the street might not go over too well at the moment. But saying she got lost wouldn’t cut it either. “Some of your pack knocked me out and brought me here,” she admitted, not looking up. The flight of emotions that quickly clogged the air almost made her sneeze. She closed her eyes, hating nothing worse than not being believed. “Look. All I want is to go home. I was trying to get my bearings about me when these two spotted me.” “What’s your name?” the female next to her asked. “Erin Spalto.” “I’m Heidi. Come with me. I think I’ve got clothes that will fit you.” “Heidi,” the werewolf at the couch growled. “I don’t smell a lie. Do you?” Heidi snapped. “No matter what race she is, lunewulfs have manners and I won’t have her thinking otherwise.” “Well, I’m calling Bob.” “You do that.” Heidi tapped her arm and then gestured for Erin to follow her.

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They walked down a hallway to a dark bedroom and Heidi flipped the light switch. A cluttered bedroom with an unmade bed and clothes in piles on the floor greeted them. “Who brought you here?” Heidi asked, pulling open a dresser drawer where, amazingly, even more clothes were stuffed inside. “I didn’t get their names.” Erin stared at the sweatshirt that Heidi handed to her, knowing without trying it on that it would be a real snug fit. Heidi didn’t have very big breasts. Erin would be even more on display in these clothes than she was in the baggy coat that barely covered her ass. “I wear twelve in jeans. They might be a bit baggy on you.” A few minutes later, Erin was even more uncomfortable in a sweatshirt that stretched across her large breasts. She wished she had a belt for the jeans that barely managed to stay over her hipbones. Heidi made a face. “Sorry I can’t do better.” “If you all could just point me in the direction of my territory, I’ll be out of your hair. I wouldn’t even need your clothes.” “If it were up to me, I would. You can’t convince me that males aren’t the same everywhere. Those two out there are going to make a big show of this.” Erin sighed. Heidi was right. Her littermates would do the same thing, prancing around so that everyone in the pack knew if they’d done something none of the others had. No matter that they hadn’t really done anything at all. “Could I at least use a phone?” “I don’t see why not.” Heidi pulled a cell phone out of her pocket and handed it to Erin. “Wouldn’t your den be out searching for you?” “I’m sure.” It was probably best at the moment not to mention they were already here. The smell of her own nerves was embarrassing. She pushed the buttons and called her home. It didn’t surprise her that there was no answer. She closed her eyes, fighting to think of another number. If only she knew Juan’s cell number. Being at the mercy of this bitch, who smelled more of curiosity now than anything, really sucked. Her own emotions cluttered the room, giving off a variety of scents. She hated to think what conclusions Heidi might be drawing of her. And it was embarrassing as hell to think that at the moment she was probably a real big open book of emotions and smells. She made a face, glancing quickly at the bitch in front of her who watched her intently. “Would you mind if I called information? We haven’t lived here long and my den isn’t answering.” “More than likely they are searching for you. Go ahead.” A few minutes later the line rang into the Aldo den. A bitch answered, sounding worried and anxious. 84

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“Is this Moira?” Erin asked. “Yes. Who is this?” “Moira. It’s Erin.” “Where the hell are you?” Moira yelled into the phone loud enough that Heidi cocked her head. Erin sucked in a breath. “I’m in the lunewulf pack.” “Dante and Juan and Dimitri and Nicolo are searching for you.” “I haven’t seen them.” And that was the truth. She couldn’t say over the phone that she’d seen signs of them, or at least Dante—not without having to answer tons of questions. “Moira, I was attacked down by the creek. I ran from my den and I’m sure Dimitri and Nicolo are more than pissed. But they wanted to send me away.” Suddenly the words flew out of her mouth too quickly for her to stop them. Tears burned her eyes and she rubbed them away, unable to stop them anymore than she could stop unloading what her den tried to do to her. “I told them I loved Juan.” She gulped and closed her eyes, despising the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. “They would rather ship me off to some American pack in North Dakota than allow me to be with him. I couldn’t handle it. I ran. Now I’m sure I’m in even more trouble, but it’s not my fault I got caught. The lunewulfs knocked me out and when I came to, I was here.” “You used the gift to get away from your captors? But why are you still there? And where are you exactly?” Heidi crossed her arms, listening intently. Erin pressed her lips together, hating how easy it was to hear someone on the other end of a cell phone. There wasn’t a damned thing she could do about it though. Moira’s excited tone was so loud Erin was sure it could be heard in the next room. “Moira. They brought me here in my fur without my clothes. I managed to get a coat from them before I got away.” She knew she wasn’t answering Moira’s questions and prayed the bitch wouldn’t press for more. The way Heidi watched her was unnerving. And if she made the room reek any more with her emotions, she’d gag. “Maybe getting clobbered in the head disoriented me or something. I ran for a bit but wasn’t sure what direction to run. When I stopped to get my bearings, a couple of lunewulfs found me and brought me to their den.” “And let you use their phone?” “Yes.” “Ask for an address and I’ll come get you.” Erin looked at Heidi, who immediately bit her lip. “Umm,” she said, hesitating. “The werewolves out there are already calling our pack leader,” she whispered. “Okay. Let’s do this.” Moira must have heard her. “Ask her if she’d be willing to drive you to the edge of their territory. I’ll meet you there.”

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“I might be able to do that.” Heidi smiled for the first time. She was sort of pretty for a lunewulf. Erin hated having thoughts like that. Ever since arriving in the States, she’d lived with being ostracized by other packs because of her race. Now here she was, judging someone else by her race. She smiled back. Heidi was pretty—plain and simple. Blonde hair and blue eyes and a slender figure—a body any werewolf would like. And she had spunk. In a different life, they might have made good friends. “Tell her that you’ll call her back soon. I’ve got to convince Steve to let us go to the edge of our territory.” Erin said she’d call back in a few minutes and then followed Heidi back out into the living room, fighting to keep her emotions in check so that her scent wouldn’t give away the panic that rushed to her gut. Heidi stopped in front of her. The two werewolves were talking quickly and the overwhelming smell of male testosterone wasn’t a good sign. “What’s wrong?” Heidi asked. “There is a bunch of Malta werewolves downtown. It’s a huge fight.” Steve’s eyes glowed with way too much excitement. He hurried to the door but then turned and looked at the other male. “We can’t leave the bitches here with a Malta bitch.” “What did Bob say?” Heidi asked. “And Erin is okay for a Malta werewolf. You know I’m good at smelling that sort of thing out.” “Bob’s headed downtown,” the other male offered. He turned and looked at the female on the couch, who’d pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She looked more scared than anything else. “Maybe I should drop Tamara off at her parents’ den.” Heidi snorted. “Tam is a big bitch. She can handle a bit of excitement.” Both of the males looked like they couldn’t wait to bolt out the door. “I’m carrying our cub, Martin. And I don’t want any excitement. You aren’t leaving that Malta bitch in my den.” Tam sounded like the kind of bitch Erin would itch to pop in the nose. And that had nothing to do with race—her attitude stunk. “Fine.” Heidi grabbed Erin’s hand, much to Erin’s surprise, and dragged her to the door ahead of the werewolves. “We’ll all leave. Let’s go.” Once outside, the males bounded toward a car parked in the drive. They turned and looked at the bitches, as if the cold air and thoughts of a fight had made them forget they were even there. “I let her use my phone to call her den,” Heidi told Steve when he opened the back door for her. “Some werewolves in our pack went over to her territory and knocked her out and dragged her here in her fur.” Martin let out a loud breath and opened the driver’s side door. Once he’d climbed in, his eyes pinned her through the rearview mirror. “What were their names?”

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“I didn’t bother to ask and they didn’t offer any introductions.” She looked away from the mirror and sniffed out their emotions. Steve had climbed in the front passenger seat and closed his door, trapping all their smells in the compact car. “Just because there are a few rogue werewolves in our pack doesn’t mean we’re all bad.” “And the same with us,” Erin shot back. “Just because you hear bad things about my pack doesn’t mean it’s true.” An uncomfortable silence followed, and Erin made no attempt to break it. Martin started the car and pulled out of the drive. Moira would go nuts if Erin didn’t call her back. And there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that the fight these werewolves headed to involved Juan and the others. This was going to get real ugly. Trepidation made her stomach churn while giving her goose bumps. Tiny hairs stood on end over her arms and the back of her neck. They were heading deeper into this lunewulf town, into enemy land. That scared her to death. Juan would be there, possibly fighting, definitely outraged, but she’d be with him. Excitement and fear mixed inside her, making for a nauseous combination. She pressed her hands between her legs. No matter what it took, she’d do it to see that they got out of this pack alive. “Tell us about the magic your pack can do,” Heidi asked, breaking the silence. “Oh for crying out loud!” Martin exploded. “What?” Heidi snapped at him. “She just said the bad things we hear about her pack aren’t true. Give her a chance to tell us how it isn’t.” “Malta werewolves don’t have magic,” Erin said quietly, seeing that even if Heidi was nice to her, deep inside, the bitch believed her kind to be all voodoo werewolves or something crazy like that. “Then what do you have?” Heidi prodded. “Our pack leader in Malta called it a gift. He taught some of us to work with the elements.” Again Martin’s eyes pinned her in the rearview mirror. Their steel blue color glowed in the darkness, irritating her. “He taught you?” Steve looked over his shoulder at her, his curiosity smelling stronger than normal from the adrenaline already pumping inside him. “So you could teach others?” Erin laughed and all of them looked at her. She hated the caged-in feeling that started rising inside her. “Well, I couldn’t teach you shit. I’m not very good at it. But if some of the idiots in my pack can master things, I’m sure anyone could.” Heidi made that snorting sound again. As odd as it sounded, it fit this bitch. “Maybe you could show us what you can do,” Martin suggested, his tone a bit cold for her tastes.

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“I’m not some freak sideshow act.” She met his gaze in the rearview mirror and he looked away. “There’s Bob’s car,” Steve said excitedly and pointed toward several cars parked diagonally along the side of the road. “Pull in here.” He had the door opened before Martin stopped the car. Heidi opened her door when her phone started ringing. She stared at the glowing box and frowned, standing outside the car and making room for Erin to climb out next to her. “I think it might be the number you called,” she said, and held the phone to Erin. The two werewolves joined them on their side of the car, sniffing the air and searching the darkness for signs of the other werewolves. Someone shouted as Erin answered the call. “Hello.” “Erin, it’s Moira. Are you coming to meet me?” “No. They brought me downtown with them. Apparently several lunewulfs got into a fight with some Malta werewolves in their town. The pack leader is here and they brought me here too.” “Oh hell. Okay. We’re almost to their town. What kind of car are you in?” Erin quickly described the car and the shops that were around them. “But Moira, you can’t come here. It’s not safe.” Moira laughed in her ear, the relaxed, confident sound instantly making Erin feel foolish. Damn the bitch for always making her feel like she wasn’t quite as good. She bit her lip, refusing to let insecure thoughts grow in her head. This was the last place where she could afford to look or smell weak. “Don’t worry, Erin. Those lunewulfs can’t hurt me. If at all possible, stay real close to that car and I’ll grab you, then we’ll go find our fool werewolves.” Erin liked the way she said we.

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Chapter Eleven Juan wanted to kick his littermate’s tail. Of all the times Dante had turned an ambush into child’s play, shrugging off how easily the two of them had overcome being outnumbered in the past, tonight the jerk had gone lame on him. This “keep the gift a secret” crap needed to be saved for another time. “Your pack stole my littermate, and you can go to fucking hell if you think we’re leaving without her.” Dimitri’s shirt had torn down the middle of his back. Too many contorted muscles had ripped the thing in two. “You’re a fucking liar.” One of the lunewulfs who held on to Dimitri growled as his teeth pointed past his lower lip. Two werewolves held on to Dimitri, and two more had their mangy paws on Juan. “The four of you are in some serious trouble for entering our territory.” A lunewulf named Bob, who appeared to be their pack leader, glared at them with silver eyes. Every werewolf in the dark alley struggled to stay in their human form. The fact that they did at all told Juan the town must have a fair amount of humans in it. Not that he could smell a damned thing at the moment other than outrage and hatred. “We sniffed my bitch out to the edge of our territory, which is where we found her clothes. She is here and we’re not leaving without her.” Juan shrugged violently against the two lunewulfs holding him, knocking one of them off his feet. Instantly several more of them jumped him, knocking him to the ground. The burn of the gravel tore at his hands and knees, fueling the fire already raging inside him. He roared and leapt to his feet, out of control for a minute as the change unleashed inside him. “If one hair on her is hurt, motherfuckers, I swear every one of you will die,” he roared, unable to focus as he tore at his captors. Once again he hit the ground, the impact even worse with the weight of too many werewolves on top of him. “Pull him up.” The pack leader’s command sounded like it came through a tunnel. “We know she’s here,” Dante said. “Send some of your werewolves looking for her. We tracked her scent to a few blocks from here.” “I’ve got several werewolves sniffing around for your bitch. No one’s seen anything.” Bob, a fairly large man for a lunewulf, didn’t sound too believable. It was impossible to smell his lie though. Juan got a big whiff of his own blood and the foul stench of the werewolves holding him down. Someone shouted at the end of the alley and all of them jumped. Nerves were on edge. Juan grabbed the moment and

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jumped to his feet. He howled at the lunewulf who tried tackling him and sent the guy flying against the side of the building next to them. “Juan!” Dante screamed at him, but he ignored him. Standing here letting these lunewulfs paw at them was a waste of fucking time. He had the strength to throw these assholes off him. None of them matched his size or strength in human form, and he’d dwarf them even more if they were all in their fur. But even with her gift, Erin wouldn’t be able to stop so many of them. They’d managed to carry her off in her fur—the thought sickened him. The more time that passed without finding her, the more gruesome scenarios attacked his mind. If she was hurt…just one little scratch… “No!” He screamed, lifting another lunewulf into the air and throwing him into a few of his pack mates. “Erin!” Nicolo yelled, but there was no way Juan heard him right. His vision blurred, his insides torn and explosive while the change lunged forward. He fought it, which surged adrenaline inside him at a painful speed. He panted hard while regaining his footing and struggling to search the crowd around him. It seemed in minutes the amount of werewolves in the alley had doubled. “Juan!” The female who screamed his name couldn’t be Erin. He wasn’t hearing right. And there were too many damned werewolves holding him down for him to see or smell anything other than body sweat and anger. “That’s enough!” Bob, the pack leader, stilled everyone around him. “This is the female?” Two lunewulfs, one on either side of him, held Juan’s arms. The others backed off but watched him warily. Dimitri and Nicolo stood several feet from him, growling at the lunewulfs who stood around them. Dante shrugged off the males who held him and took a step forward, showing teeth when a lunewulf made a move toward them. “Juan,” Erin cried out again. This time he saw her, behind the pack leader, standing at the entrance of the alley with several lunewulfs surrounding her. He shoved the brutes holding on to him away and headed toward her. Dimitri and Nicolo shoved their way forward as well. Erin tried running to him, and Bob grabbed her. For a minute it looked like Erin would bite his arm off. “Get your fucking paws off her!” Dimitri leapt through the air, taking down two of their pack members. Juan grabbed the opportunity, bounding past them. He barely registered that Dante was moving alongside him. He bulldozed over a couple of their pack and leapt at Bob the same time Dante reached him.

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Dante could have the pack leader. Juan grabbed Erin, lifting her off the ground and heading toward the end of the alley. Two male lunewulfs and a female gawked at him. He’d take them all down—kill them if need be. All that mattered was getting Erin to safety. What sucked was how far they’d have to run before they were truly safe. And with the lunewulf pack chasing them, they’d have to run like hell. Juan wasn’t sure Erin could run that fast. Hands grabbed him. People screamed behind him. It sounded like someone roared, as if their anger had consumed them and the change took over. He wasn’t sure. It was fucking chaos. Erin’s long hair slapped at his face. She clawed at him, struggling to hold on as he ran. “Moira,” she said. “Huh?” He hated slowing down, frantic they’d be tackled to the ground if he didn’t keep moving. “There.” She twisted in his arms. He gripped her harder. It took a minute to realize she pointed. Moira drove toward them down the street. It made no damned sense at all what she was doing here. But right now, he was just really fucking glad to see her. “Run!” he ordered, taking her hand and jumping over the hood of a car. Moira slammed on the brakes so that she wouldn’t hit them. “Get them!” someone yelled behind him. A passenger door opened and Juan threw Erin inside then barely managed to get inside himself when Moira tore off down the street. “Dante and the others are back there?” Moira asked. Rosa twisted in the front seat, staring at Juan and Erin. “Are you two okay?” Juan took a minute to adjust his large body in the small backseat. “We’re alive,” he mumbled, struggling to get his legs to fit in the small space. “And yes, we have to get the others.” He turned, pushing Erin’s hair over her shoulder and then stroking her cheek. “Did they hurt you?” “No. Maybe it was Dante who intervened. I’m not sure. I got away from them because someone stuck them to the ceiling of this piss-poor den they took me to.” She chuckled although there was no humor in her tone. “We chased your scent until we found your clothes, and then Dante left us. He’s done it before and I’m not sure what he does. But when he came back, he said he’d found you.” He stared down at the baggy coat she wore. It reeked of lunewulf. “Give me this thing,” he told her, tugging on it. She slipped out of it, twisting her body in a sweatshirt that hugged her so tightly it was like a second skin over her large breasts. His cock got hard as a rock. What little air

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there was to breathe in the damnable small backseat, he sure as hell didn’t want clogged with the smell of another male. He took the coat from her, balling it up and rolling down the window, then hurling it to the street. “I won’t have their scent on you,” he growled, twisting and fighting to maneuver his large body in the cramped space. He wrapped his arm around her, aware of everywhere she touched him. “It was all I could find in that gross den to put on,” she said, glancing up at him. “And it was that or run through their streets naked or in my fur.” When she would have looked down again, he gripped her chin, forcing her to keep her face tilted to his. He had to taste her. As much as he ached to devour her, with what she’d endured being kidnapped and hauled from her pack, she’d need gentle. He brushed his mouth over hers. Her lips parted and quivered against his. “Where did you get the clothes?” he whispered. Erin stared at him, her dark eyes haunted. “A lunewulf bitch gave them to me after I got away from that den. She and a male lunewulf found me in the street and I had to go to their den with them.” He ran his hand down her body, needing to feel her but also wanting assurance that there were no bruises, that she wasn’t hurt. “You walked their streets in nothing but a coat?” “Which is why the female gave me clothes. Not all of their pack is bad. That’s how I got to you. They brought me downtown because they’d heard there were Malta werewolves down there and a fight was under way. The males wanted in on the action. I was with them when you first saw me.” He hadn’t focused on the other werewolves around her. “I would have destroyed their entire pack if they’d hurt you.” “I did send one of them flying across the room,” she confessed, whispering so quietly it tickled his ears. It was like a punch to the gut. She confessed this bit of information to him, showing him she’d tried to protect her pack by not using the gift more. He never should have growled so loudly at her about using her gift. “You should have sent them all flying,” he grumbled. For the first time since he’d picked her up, she smiled. “I would have, but then suddenly they were all hanging from the ceiling.” Rosa snickered from the front seat and Erin stiffened. He glanced at his cousin, realizing she had turned so that she faced Moira but could hear them too. The stale smell of jealousy overtook the hostile energy surrounding all of them. “We’re being followed.” Moira’s excited tone quickly changed the mood. She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder and then took a sharp left. “I wasn’t planning on being chased back to our territory.”

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“Let one of them drive and we’ll go get the others,” Rosa offered. “Like hell you two are taking off by yourselves in lunewulf territory.” Juan wouldn’t even allow that discussion. Erin glared in Rosa’s direction. There was confusion in her eyes when she met his gaze. He stroked her cheek. “Swear to me that none of them laid a paw on you?” She shook her head, but her look had hardened. “I’m fine.” “None of them will bother you again.” He’d see to it if he had to hunt each lunewulf in this pack down and find the bastards himself. “Hold on tight, everyone.” Moira slowed and then pulled a u-turn in the next intersection. “We’re going back to get Dante and your den, Erin. They’ve got the lead, but there are lunewulfs chasing them. This is going to have to be quick.” Erin leaned in to him and he wrapped his arms around her. The jeans she wore were so large his hand easily slipped inside them. He cupped her smooth ass, her warm skin feeling damned good. “Dante taught me a few things as a cub that I’ve mastered over the years,” Rosa offered. “But are you communicating with him now? I’ve never managed to pull that one off.” Moira smiled at her. “Dante taught me how to do it.” “All of us won’t fit in this car. Once we reach the werewolves, let me out and we’ll manage a diversion. You three bitches haul ass back to our pack. We’ll be there shortly.” Juan gripped the door handle. Erin fisted his shirt. “Juan,” she began. Moira turned another corner and then slowed. “I don’t know if we’re still being followed or not.” “I’m sure we are.” Juan opened his car door when he spotted the three werewolves coming toward them. Dante reached them first. “I’ve bought us a few minutes, but we need to get the hell out of here.” His pale eyes glowed in the darkness and he smelled of adrenaline peaking from a damned good adventure. The bitches all started jumping out of the car and he grabbed Erin’s arm before she straightened. “You three head back to the pack. We’ll meet you there,” Juan told her. “I can run with you,” she whispered, an imploring look in her eyes. He shook his head. Dante spoke up before he answered. “There isn’t time to discuss this. You three head out now. You’ll make it. Trust me. We’ll meet you at my den soon.”

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They all started to protest and Dante hurried around the car, almost pushing Moira back into it. Juan pulled Erin to him, kissing her hard. Her mouth was like fire, and he ached to have more of her. “Get going. Now,” he whispered into her mouth. “I’ll be with you again soon.” She protested when he pushed her into the backseat, but already he smelled lunewulfs. They all needed to get the hell out of there. As soon as the car pulled from the curb, Juan glanced up and down the dark, quiet street and then stripped out of his clothes. He barely saw the tail lights of Moira’s car by the time he had twisted his clothes and tied them around his neck. The change burned in his veins while he focused on the fading red lights on the back of the car. Cold, bitter air attacked his bare flesh. Thick fur punctured through his pores, covering his body. His face stretched, bones and muscles altering and changing shape while his senses grew more alert to every movement, every sound around him. As he dropped to all fours, his heart pounding hard from the surge of energy that pumped through him, he willed the tail lights of Moira’s car to not disappear from his sight. He ignored the werewolves around him and leapt forward, immediately breaking into a hard run. Erin wouldn’t disappear on him. He raced after the car, focused only on catching up with her. That car would make it back to their pack safely. He’d fucking see to it. All that mattered was getting Erin to his den. He licked his lips, still tasting her there. Those clothes she’d had on, the sweatshirt too small and the jeans too big, made her look even sexier. He growled, realizing she’d look good to him covered in trash bags. All of this had happened because she’d fled her den, thinking he’d been with another bitch. Her pain made her run. Well, he’d run even faster to show her there were no other bitches. And there wouldn’t be. All he wanted was her. Cold, damp night air clung to his fur. His long dagger-like claws scraped over pavement and concrete while he tore through the lunewulf town, indifferent to businesses and dens that he passed while fighting to catch up with the car. Moira wasn’t driving slowly either. The bitch raced down the street, turning corners without hesitation. He had no doubts she used her gift to help navigate through town. Someday he’d learn the details of what she and Dante could do with their gift, but right now, all that mattered was Erin. There was growling and barking behind him, and it wasn’t all coming from Dante and the others. They had lunewulfs on their tails. If the motherfuckers crossed the line into Malta territory, it would be their loss. When the town ended and steep, rugged ground was on both sides of the narrow highway, he found it easier to stay behind the car, breaking into a hard run. Malta werewolves were known for their size but also their speed. He doubted it had ever been

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clocked, and in spite of the fact that lunewulfs were known as the fastest werewolf species, Juan was convinced that Malta werewolves were just as fast. He ran so fast that when Moira hit the brakes and then slid into the other lane, he couldn’t slow in time and jumped onto the trunk and then off the hood of her car. Another car had come onto her head-on and slowed facing her. Juan glared into the surprised looks of the lunewulfs in the front seat before plowing into their windshield. Pain ripped into him, broken glass tearing at his flesh while the sky seemed to come up at him. Airborne for what seemed like too long, he twisted his body, his paws searching for the ground. It came up at him quickly, and the wind left him when he smashed onto the highway on the other side of the car. Juan’s entire world went black.

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Chapter Twelve Erin kicked several loose rocks and watched them skip over the ground in the darkness. They’d been so excited to have a den, a pack where all Malta werewolves could live. Now she listened to the werewolves yelling at each other inside. Dimitri, Dante, the pack leader from the American werewolves and a couple of the lunewulfs were all howling at the same time. She was sick of hearing it, sick of the fighting and damned tired of werewolves hating each other because they felt threatened. “None of you even know each other,” she mumbled, putting more distance between her and the grocery store in downtown Valle. The American pack leader had agreed to meet with Malta werewolves prior to the challenge. They discussed where the challenge would take place, who would mediate all these rules males put so much merit into. When several lunewulfs showed up, demanding a say in where and when such a violent event would take place, all hell broke loose. She’d stormed out the back door, heading down the alley. None of the werewolves noticed she had left. Sighing, she focused on the millions of bright stars sparkling against an endless black sky. Over the past few days, Juan seldom left her thoughts. She slowed her pace, trying at least to enjoy the peaceful evening now that she was out of earshot of the fighting werewolves. Would she ever enjoy a life without so much fighting? The anger that gripped their pack ripped her thoughts apart too. Word traveled fast after she’d returned from the lunewulf pack. Juan was run over at high speed on the highway by a car from the lunewulf pack. And they’d stolen her. The desire for revenge reeked on the mountain, every werewolf anxious to teach the other pack a bit of respect. In spite of all that, Erin’s apprehension built the longer she didn’t see Juan. Nicolo and Dimitri insisted she stay around their den, and she really had no clue how Juan convalesced. If another bitch cared for him, saw to his needs while he recovered, she’d have that female’s throat. Just thinking about it had made it impossible to eat, hard to sleep and distracted her enough to keep her littermates sniffing after her even more than they usually did. If she didn’t see him soon, she’d absolutely fucking lose it. “Juan asked about you today.” Moira spoke from behind her. Erin spun around, smelling Moira’s scent at the same time the bitch spoke to her. She chided herself for being so distracted she hadn’t noticed the female approaching from behind.

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Moira’s long black hair fanned over one shoulder and then streamed down her back. She wore a thick sweater and snug-fitting black jeans. There was concern on her face and her dark eyes probed Erin. “I hope he’s doing better.” Her littermates hadn’t shipped her off to North Dakota, but they’d kept her on such a tight leash she could hardly breathe. “We’re lucky our pack has a doctor. And even luckier he didn’t break his neck.” Erin shivered at the thought. Pretty much the only thing that could bring quick death to a werewolf was breaking the neck or spine. She nodded then turned, entertaining the thought of breaking into a run and trying to escape the bitch who trailed her. “I think Dante is gaining a lot of respect for your littermate.” Moira fell into stride alongside her. “I know it’s hard to tell, the way they keep going at each other’s throats.” At the moment, Erin really didn’t give a damn about either werewolf. The fighting grew old, and it wore at her. Worrying about Juan made her sick to her stomach. But she wouldn’t ask the bitch to leave her alone. They reached the end of the alley and started toward a quiet park where a swing set and other playground equipment made for odd shadows in the dark. “I wish he and Juan would quit biting at each other,” she confessed, reaching the swings and running her fingers down the cold, twisted metal chain. “But I’m sure you know my thoughts.” “I’m not trying to enter your mind.” Moira sat down in one of the swings and shoved herself backward, straightening her legs and swinging back and forth. Her long hair trailed behind her like a black cape. “If I stayed in there any longer, the thickness of animosity was going to make me puke. Somehow Dante and Dimitri need to learn to get along.” “I’m sure after the challenge is over, all of that will be settled.” She took the swing next to Moira and rocked back and forth slightly, not wanting to talk about either one of them. Maybe she could pry some information out of Moira. She wasn’t sure she could handle knowing if another bitch took care of Juan though. If Moira hadn’t latched on to her, it would have been the perfect time to try to go see him. The werewolf took a nasty blow being hit head-on by a car. Some werewolves would die from such an impact. She ached to care for him, to see to his needs and to be there when he woke up. But the closest she got to him was in her dreams. “Dante has spent years denying any of his gift, fighting to make others believe it didn’t exist. It takes time to change that way of thinking and to acknowledge that possibly our pack could be accepted and not burnt out again because we are different.” “None of us want that.” Swinging made energy burn to life inside her. She dug her heels into the ground, making her swing quit moving.

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What was Juan doing right now? Had they left him alone? This was the first night her littermates were too distracted to care where she was. And now she had Moira gabbing away at her. If only she could ditch her, then maybe she could see him. “American packs have been burnt out before. Even with the laws and protection of Werewolf Affairs, we have no assurance of being safe if we go public with the gift.” Erin looked at Moira. “I’m not going to hide in shadows the rest of my life. You make it sound like you wish your sire hadn’t helped so many of us learn how to use the gift.” “I’ve never thought that for a moment,” Moira said quickly. Her dark eyes glowed in the night, but this time Erin wasn’t intimidated by Moira. Her need to see Juan outweighed any feelings this bitch might be able to stir inside her. She simply stared at her, drowning in possibilities of how to get out of this conversation and away from Moira so she could get up the mountain before her littermates ended their meeting. Someone walked toward them and Moira looked past her, her jaw dropping. Erin snapped her head around, sniffing the air while focusing her gaze on the female who approached them. In the darkness, she swore she didn’t see right at first. “Mom,” Moira gasped, jumping off the swing. Erin stood too, panic hitting her hard. “It can’t be,” she muttered. “You’re dead.” Her insides got so hot from embarrassment, the sour smell filling the air was as strong as the heat that burned inside her. “You didn’t die?” Fear and excitement dripped heavily in the cold night and Erin shot a sideways glance at Moira. Never had she seen the bitch look so unsure of herself. Emotions cluttered her pretty face, clouding her eyes and creating a flush over her dark skin. Moira met her gaze, her eyes brimming with tears. “You see her too.” Her voice cracked and her smile was unguarded. Erin nodded and then looked toward Renee Tangaree, Moira’s mother who’d died in the fires in Malta—or at least Erin thought she had. Her heart pounded hard in her chest and the intense heat swarming inside her faded, turning into a secure, warm feeling. The older female’s gaze drifted from one of them to the other. Dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, her dark hair bundled at the nape of her neck, she looked just as Erin remembered her. “The gift offers advantages that I can’t even begin to describe to you.” Renee moved closer, extending her hand, which Moira quickly took. She looked lovingly at her daughter but then smiled at Erin. “I don’t want either one of you to fear what naturally runs inside you. Do you understand?” “How can you be here?” Erin didn’t understand any of this. She sniffed the air, her insides tightening when there was no scent to the bitch. Renee’s smile had always made Erin feel everything was right in the world. It had the same effect on her now.

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“Because you need me. Both of you are so torn up, and for different reasons. If you put your fears aside, smell how things really are, you’ll truly run and be happy.” She held her other hand out to Erin. “Hiding in the shadows will simply keep you right there—in the dark.” Erin slowly reached out, afraid of what she would feel if she took Renee’s hand. The older bitch grasped her fingers, her touch warm and reassuring. Suddenly Erin’s eyes burned and she blinked back tears. None of this made any sense. Werewolves didn’t just come back from the dead. And if Renee Tangaree had lived, she wouldn’t just saunter up to them in the dark in a city park as if nothing had ever happened. She squeezed the female’s hand, feeling flesh and bone and a firm, reassuring grip. “All we want is for Malta werewolves to flourish again. We want the gift to be our blessing, not our curse,” Moira said, almost sounding like she was whining to her mother. Erin knew these were Moira’s fears, but to hear her voice them, express them without hesitation, added to her already high opinion of the bitch. And it shouldn’t have been a surprise that the female would have normal fears and panic just like any other werewolf. At that moment, Erin wasn’t sure why she’d always had the bitch on some kind of pedestal. Moira wasn’t any different from Erin. “Your sire and I already told you that Dante wouldn’t lead the pack.” Erin shot her attention back to Renee. “Focus on what is important. Malta werewolves will only grow and be strong if there is no more fighting among us. Your mate shouldn’t be in that meeting. He should be in his den with you. Where are my grandbabies?” “Mom!” Moira pulled her hand from her mother but then jumped at her quickly, as if suddenly remembering her time to touch her mother might be limited. “And you, sweet Erin. Look how you’ve grown into such a stunning bitch. Have faith in yourself and quit worrying your presence would be desired less than another bitch.” Renee squeezed both of their hands and then let go, taking a step backward. “Go to your werewolves. Help them and together be strong. That is how the Malta pack will become powerful. Sitting here in the dark won’t help our pack prevent destruction.” “How do I fight for Juan when my littermates won’t let me near his den?” Erin forgot about Moira, anxious to gain insight on how she could get to Juan without causing more fighting. Renee looked over her shoulder and Erin searched the park behind her, wanting to see what the bitch saw. For a moment she swore there was another figure standing in the street. She focused again on Renee, but the bitch held her hand out to both of them, a parting gesture as she turned and hurried toward the street. “Mom!” Moira cried out, taking off after her. “Don’t leave!” She stopped and watched as Renee faded into the darkness until the two of them were alone again. If someone had been standing in the street, they were no longer there.

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Erin couldn’t organize her thoughts. Had she just seen a ghost? Renee told her the gift offered more than could be described. But as much as that baffled her, she didn’t dwell on it. Her queen bitch, the only female who cared for her as much as her own mother had, just told her to go to Juan. Her heart leapt at the thought. Moira turned around slowly, the flushed look that had swept over her face fading. Once again she appeared as the hard and confident bitch who was always in control. “Promise me now that you won’t repeat what you just saw here.” There wasn’t a threat in her tone, but her determined scent made it sound damned close. The fear she’d once experienced around Moira was gone. Erin smiled, suddenly more relaxed than she’d been in days. “Don’t worry, Moira. Do you really think I want the pack thinking I’m crazier than they already believe me to be?” Moira nodded, a quick gesture. “What are you going to do?” She had a feeling Moira already knew the answer to that question. “What I wanted to do before you found me. I’m heading up the mountain.” “Do you have a phone on you?” “No. I’m lucky not to have a leash and collar on me.” Moira snorted—a relaxed sound, but one full of understanding. “I’ll call Juan’s phone when the meeting ends. That will give you time to get to your den before your littermates get there.” “Thank you.” Erin almost said more but couldn’t think of the words to say. They’d experienced something that bonded the two of them. She didn’t understand it, but for now, she’d let it go at that. She turned, breaking into a quick sprint, anxious to see her werewolf. By the time she reached the narrow part of the mountain road where Juan’s den was, Erin was breathless. She couldn’t wait to see him. Being excited about something felt real damned good when she knew the outcome would be so perfect. And it had to be. Renee Tangaree wouldn’t have appeared before them and then sent her after her werewolf if seeing him would be disastrous. She combed her fingers through her hair, nerves hitting her hard all of a sudden. “He’s alone, right?” she asked the darkness, feeling the fool for actually looking up and down the hard-packed road that twisted both directions into the night. There were no other werewolves around her. Nightly runs had been called off since they’d returned from the lunewulf pack. In spite of the challenge still being days off, when Dimitri announced to everyone at the impromptu meeting that had been held the other day that they needed to keep tight rein on all their bitches, no one had questioned him. She was glad they hadn’t. Anyone who saw her would report her whereabouts immediately to Nicolo and Dimitri. Nonetheless, a bit of reassurance as she neared Juan’s den would be nice. “He better be alone.” She chewed her lower lip and cut off the road toward his den. 100

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The small wooden house stood quiet when she neared it. A light was on somewhere inside—possibly a lamp from the dimness of it through the window. She sucked in a breath, marched up to the door and rapped quietly. What if he was asleep? Maybe she should just enter. God, she hated being indecisive. It was a damned annoying trait and one she always thought made other werewolves look weak. Straightening, she shoved her hair over her shoulder and lifted her hand to knock harder. The door opened before she struck it. Rosa, the bitch she’d seen while in lunewulf territory, frowned into the darkness. Her gaze fell on Erin and she opened the door farther, stepping to the side. Something that felt like a razor-sharp dagger twisted inside Erin’s gut. Her mouth went dry and she froze, unable to accept for a moment that her worse fears had come true. How could Renee send her here when another bitch was with Juan? Unless… Was she supposed to fight for her werewolf? Taking on another bitch and defeating her over a werewolf was as powerful an action as announcing to the entire pack that they’d been mated. Once or twice in her life she’d even heard how a bitch had challenged another bitch for her mate. It happened. They were a species who hung on tightly to the belief that it was a survival of the fittest. The strongest prevailed. The weak didn’t survive. “Why are you here?” Erin asked, standing in the doorway. “I was just going to ask you the same question.” There wasn’t any hostility on the bitch. Did she not even know how Erin felt about Juan? If that was the case, then no one in this den had mentioned her name. That didn’t make sense when she swore she’d run up here with Moira’s blessing. But then, maybe Moira didn’t want Rosa to be with Juan. “I’m here for Juan. You can leave now.” Her knees shook when she pressed forward, entering the den. “Damn. You don’t have to be rude about it.” If there was any anger on Rosa, she hid it well. But then all Erin smelled was her own growing fury. “Believe me, you haven’t seen rude. I’m not sure what you’re doing here, but you’re no longer welcome.” “This isn’t your den. And if you’re going to enter with an attitude, you can leave.” She would fight for her werewolf. She would. Her breathing turned to hard panting and she marched into the middle of the small living area. Turning quickly on the bitch who still held on to the doorknob, Erin pointed outside. “Leave. Now.” She narrowed her gaze, calling forth the gift and imagining the air growing arms—strong, muscular arms with the strength to send a bitch flying.

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Rosa opened her mouth, shocked, and cried out when her feet left the ground and she was hurled through the air, falling hard on the ground outside. “Why you fucking little bitch,” Rosa screamed, recovering quickly. Erin hurried to the door, ready to close and lock it when Rosa surprised her. She had no clue the bitch also had the gift. This female didn’t grow up in her pack. Not once had she heard that Bruno Tangaree helped anyone outside their pack learn how to use the elements and control their minds so they could move or alter things. Rosa flew through the air, her arms extended, reaching for Erin’s neck. It was as if someone had hit rewind and Rosa came back at her just as she’d been thrown from the den. She hit Erin full force and the two of them tumbled to the floor. “That’s enough!” Juan’s bellow made them both freeze. Strong arms grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Erin shoved her hair out of her face, glaring at the female who jumped up quickly. “Get out of here now,” Erin hissed at her, shaking from anger that burned her alive. “Erin. Calm down. Rosa is my cousin. She is no threat to you.” Juan wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her backside up against his powerful body. “I’m flattered to see that my little bitch would so willingly fight for me though.”

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Chapter Thirteen “I’m glad one of us is flattered,” Rosa fumed. Her spicy scent didn’t dampen Juan’s good mood. It was the first time he hadn’t been grouchy in a couple days, and nothing would bring him down. Not after what he’d just seen. Juan didn’t let go of Erin. He couldn’t. All he’d dreamed about while lying in his damned bed, urging his body to recover faster, was this sweet, adorable female who now shook in his arms. Fuck. She had flown into his den with all claws extended, ready to take Rosa on because she’d thought Rosa was with him. His heart swelled so large in his chest that his mending ribs ached. Not like he gave a damn. For the first time since he’d played chicken with a car and lost, the pain in his body didn’t bother him a bit. “You two are cousins?” Erin’s voice cracked, her embarrassment filling the air around them and mixing with Rosa’s anger. “I thought…I mean…Damn. I’m sorry.” Rosa made a face, shrugging and then adjusting her clothes. She scowled at Erin. “I didn’t know it was a secret,” she mumbled. “Obviously your littermates didn’t tell you,” Juan said, nuzzling his nose into Erin’s hair. She smelled so damned good, like lavender, the outdoors and aggressive, possessive emotions that made her scent real fucking sexy. “Obviously not.” Erin moved in his arms, turning to face him and then gave him the once-over. “You are okay?” “Never been better,” he told her, grinning at her concern. “Tell me the truth.” Her hands were on him them, exploring and stroking, inspecting his body. “I’m getting better and better every second.” He tangled his hands into her hair, tilting her head back and taking in her flushed cheeks, the streaks of silver in her eyes and her extended teeth. He loved how easy her emotions surfaced, how they made her glow and added to how damned beautiful she looked. He leaned in to her, dipping his face to hers and brushing his lips over her pouting mouth. She tasted better than she had the last time he’d had her. “I need to know everything. No one would tell me,” she whispered, talking as his mouth moved over hers. “Where were you hurt? Are you really all better?” “Maybe I should leave,” Rosa said from behind Erin.

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He nipped Erin’s upper lip and watched her tongue dart out to touch the spot. Instantly his cock jumped to life. He wrapped her into his arms and she relaxed against him, cuddling her cheek against his chest. Juan looked over her head at his cousin who shifted from one foot to the other, looking rather uncomfortable. “No. You can’t leave by yourself.” More than anything he wanted to haul Erin back to his bed, to keep her there with him for the rest of the night. But he couldn’t send his cousin out into the night by herself. She was an unmated bitch. “We’ll go outside for a bit. Stay here.” Rosa made a face, studying Erin, and nodded, then walked over to the couch and slumped down on it. Obviously she didn’t want to be here, especially thinking he would take Erin outside and fuck her. And God. That sounded like a damned good idea. Erin turned again in his arms then walked over to Rosa. “I’m sorry that I attacked you. I was scared that you were…” She didn’t finish her sentence. Rosa waved her hand in the air. “You didn’t hurt me. It’s all good.” “Were you with Juan a few days ago while they were getting ready to build a new den?” Erin asked, her back to him. “It would have been the same day I was taken by the lunewulfs.” Rosa frowned. “That was the day you and your mother got here,” Juan said, thinking back to why Erin would ask that question. Then it hit him. “When the two of you showed up, you met us on the other side of the mountain. Dimitri and Nicolo were there and left as you two arrived.” “I didn’t notice them,” Rosa mumbled. “Obviously they noticed you.” And the bastards had rubbed it in Erin’s face that he’d been with another bitch. “Dimitri and Nicolo told me you were hanging on some bitch,” Erin said quietly, turning slowly and staring at his feet. “That’s why I took off running that night. It kind of got me pissed.” “Kind of?” There was something to be said about a bitch getting possessive over him. Erin showed such raw emotion for him, bared tooth and claw to lay down rights over him. That knowledge gripped him so hard he almost couldn’t breathe. She sucked in a breath and her jacket parted, giving him a hint of those beautiful breasts. He couldn’t wait to bury his face in them. “You made me think that you wanted me.” She ran her teeth over her lower lip and looked at him with a hooded gaze. He loved how her lashes fluttered over her dark eyes. “Good.” He grabbed her arm, yanking her to him. It didn’t bother his injuries a bit when she collapsed against him. The pain was nothing compared to the excitement pumping in his heart. “I’ve never had a bitch fight for me before.”

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“There was no fight,” Rosa pointed out. “But she would have fought for me.” Which was good enough for him. Erin licked her lips, meeting his gaze. “Were you going to take me outside?” she whispered. Rosa cocked her head, her ears obviously tickled by Erin whispering. She looked down at her hands quickly when he glanced at her. He wrapped his arm around Erin. “We’ll be out front chatting for a bit,” he told Rosa, ignoring her prying stare. She nodded, more than likely feeling a bit left out, but she’d get over it. Rosa and Moira had both teased him that the first day after being smacked upside the head by the car, he’d repeatedly called out for Erin. If anything, he probably should be grateful his cousin didn’t unload the embarrassing story to Erin and elaborate on it. He wouldn’t be surprised a bit if she called Moira the second he left the den. That thought brought him pause. He opened the door but then looked at Rosa. “Don’t call anyone and tell them she’s here.” “Okay.” If she was disappointed about keeping the news secret, she gave no indication. “I feel like I’m the bad guy or something,” Erin muttered when he closed the den door. “Why in the world would you feel that way?” He slipped his hand over hers, interlocking their fingers. “Because you had to tell your cousin not to call anyone, like it’s a crime for me to be here.” “There’s no crime.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you’re here.” Happiness smelled damned good on her. “I wanted to come sooner. How badly were you hurt?” “I don’t remember a lot after chasing Moira’s car. I think I got off better than the car, from what I hear.” He wanted to make light of it. She shook her head, not convinced. “Their car went off the road. It looked like you took out the whole front half of their car, but honestly, we didn’t wait to find out. Maybe we should have.” “They had more of their pack on the way.” Most of the facts had been given to him later. “No one died. And you did the right thing getting back into your own territory.” “We stopped and got you.” She shivered, and he didn’t think it was from the cold. “I held you in my arms until they took you away from me.” There were no tears when she looked up at him. He brushed her hair with his palm, loving how silky it felt. She’d had years of learning how to hide her pain, but when her emotions shone through, they made her glow. He rubbed his thumb against her chin, feeling her pain and frustration over not being able to see him sooner.

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“There was never any worry that I’d broken my neck or spine. But a few ribs got busted up and I broke my arm.” He held it out for her inspection. Immediately Erin let go of his hand, turning to face him and taking the arm he held out for her. She didn’t look up at him but brushed her fingers over his flesh. He hadn’t bothered with a coat when coming outside, and her touch sent fire rushing inside him. Hell, he didn’t even need the shirt. Standing before her with her hands on him had him burning with need. “It seems to be mending okay,” she said, now running her fingers over his shoulders and then down his chest. “All cuts healed okay? You were bleeding everywhere.” “I think I’m going to live.” Her sudden maternal instincts amused him. She fussed over him like his wounds were fresh instead of three days old and almost healed. Erin tugged at his shirt and then raised it, exposing his chest. She inspected him with meticulous detail, finding every wound and gently touching the scars that would fade with time. “This one was close.” Her fingertips brushed over puckered flesh next to his left nipple. “I’m not human, little bitch. None of the wounds were life-threatening.” He kept his arms at his side, allowing her time to go over his body. Hell, she could take all night if she wanted. He endured the pain of his cock throbbing in his jeans while she stroked and caressed his flesh. “I know you’re not human,” she said, laughing, but when she looked up at him, her expression sobered. Her scent wrapped around him, so full of concern and compassion that his heart swelled to his throat. Her fingers delicately ran over the deep scar that was so close to his heart and would take the longest to heal. “I just…well, I wished I could have been here to take care of you,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper with her final words. “You could take care of me now.” He cupped either side of her face, holding her still and nibbling her upper lip. Her fingers stretched over his bare chest and her palms pressed into his flesh. Her hands were so hot she could brand her touch into him. He pushed his tongue between her lips and she sucked him in. Their tongues danced around each other. He pressed deeper, exploring her moist heat. She tasted rich and sweet, tempting him with flavors and suggestions of what else her hot little mouth could do. Juan ran his hands down the side of her head to her shoulders. He pulled his mouth from hers, looking down at her swollen, moist lips, the way her lashes fluttered over her eyes and the flushed, sensual glow on her face. “I need inside you, now,” he told her, meaning it more than he could put in words. She nodded, her lashes fluttering over glazed eyes. “Yes. Where? How?” Words weren’t coming to her any easier than they were to him.

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He led her farther away from his den, into the surrounding woods and away from the road. It was cold out—almost bitterly so. In spite of the heat she’d created inside him, muscles cramped, fighting off the chill. She’d immediately wrapped her arms around her waist, leaning into him while they stepped over fallen branches and through thick grass. A cold wind attacked them. “Let me move some large branches,” she suggested. “I could make us a small, makeshift den.” “I have a better idea.” He turned her to face him and then ran his hands down her arms until he reached the end of her sweater. “Take this off.” “I meant the branches would block the wind. We would be warmer.” “We would be even warmer in our fur,” he said, lifting her sweater over her breasts. She raised her arms and he pulled it from her and dropped it to the ground. The large support bra she wore barely contained her full, plump breasts. They swelled over the silky white material, and the wires underneath cupped them together, creating cleavage worth drooling over. He smacked his lips in appreciation. “I want to undress you too,” she said, her voice quavering. “Are you still tender?” There was no way he’d tell her he was, no matter the amount of pain. “Take all of my clothes off, babe,” he told her in a slow drawl. She grinned, her black hair falling down her body. Her white bra glowed against her skin, and he leaned over, burying his face in her cleavage and breathing in her scent. Erin pulled his shirt up his back and tugged while he straightened his arms and let her yank it from his body. His injuries had healed quickly over the past days but were still tender. He bit his lip, keeping his face buried in her breasts while she fumbled between them until she found the button to his jeans. Since he hadn’t bothered with shoes before coming outside, pulling his jeans down his legs and stepping out of them was no problem. He didn’t want her exploring the fresh scars down his legs. They would be ugly for a week or so. Her fingers brushing over his skin was enough distraction to ignore the pain. If she saw the deep purple gashes on his flesh, she’d have a fit, and right now he’d rather have her crying out in passion than in concern over his body. When her fingers brushed dangerously close to the largest of wounds, he reached around her, releasing her bra. Erin’s large breasts were freed. He dropped the bra and squeezed the plump flesh, attacking a nipple like a starved pup. He marched in place, forcing his jeans to fall down his legs and then stepped out of them. Erin had the most perfect breasts—any werewolf’s dream. He could bury his face in them and feast on them for hours. Liquid fire burned inside him, filling his cock and making it swell. The growing pressure throbbed through his groin, pulsating inside him until every inch of him was swollen and hard.

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She wiggled against him, struggling to get out of her jeans. “Don’t stop,” she murmured, placing her hand on the back of his head and holding him to her breasts. “I don’t plan on it,” he said, and nibbled on her nipple until it was as hard as his cock. She cried out, arching into him. A cruel breeze attacked his flesh, and Erin shook uncontrollably against him. “Change now,” he told her, lifting his face to hers. Her cheekbones pressed against his palms, changing and altering. She stared at him with dark eyes that turned silver while he watched—a beautiful, stunning color. And her eyes changed shape too. Getting wider, more almond-shaped, they captivated him and pulled him into her soul. The intense rush of the change took over, hard pain that quickly turned into something more beautiful, more pure and simple than anything his human body could master. He let go of her face. His arms no longer would extend to hold her that way. But he didn’t look away as his vision changed. He couldn’t. It was as if they transformed together, moved and shifted and altered their existence as one. Transforming from human to werewolf was a cleansing act. It gave him strength, power and a dominating sense of control that ran inside his blood. Changing with Erin, becoming more whole, bonded them in a way he hadn’t expected. Juan fell to all fours, howling from the hard drive of blood flow that attacked his senses. The cold night now felt good, clung to his coat, cleansing his body while the change cleansed his soul. Erin’s thick, long black coat hung like a royal robe almost to the ground. Her paws were dainty and her body petite compared to his. Granted, if another werewolf approached her they would be wary and would give respect to a deadly female of the Malta pack. But she was beautiful. Her regal nose was slender and her cheekbones high. Almond-shaped eyes glowed silver as she watched him warily. Her senses were heightened, and her nose twitched adorably as she sniffed the air, learning his mood. Her scent made him wild. It was erotic, sweet and rich. The mountain breeze lifted her coat, fanning it over the ground in a sensual motion. He leapt on her, taking her down. Erin growled at him, twisting under his weight. Her growl was like music, tempting him, calling out the most primal side of his existence. Her movement wasn’t to escape. He didn’t smell fear. Not at all. She smelled of lust, so rich and intoxicating it made him wild. Fucking you like this will bond us, mate us for life, little bitch. He growled his warning, lowering his head and sniffing her.

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She spread her legs, offering her belly and everything else she had to give him. The fur between her legs was damp, coated with her come. He lapped at it and she collapsed further, spreading her legs wide while leaning her head back. Her panting increased with each stroke of his tongue. Her pussy swelled, seeping with moisture, hot and ready for him. He dipped his tongue into her, pushing the sensitive, soaked flesh. She was tight, so damned fucking tight. His cock got so hard he couldn’t breathe. The ground tilted underneath him as all oxygen left his brain. It would feel so damned good to be inside her. He parted her with his tongue and entered her heat. Soaked muscles constricted around him, pulling him in deeper. Erin bucked under his attention, yelping as she squirmed on the ground. Juan answered to the most carnal side of his being. He moved his paws on either side of her, holding her lower half so that she couldn’t move from him. Erin was his bitch. Although his human side lingered, drifting through his conscious mind and reminding him of laws and dens and packs who might have a say in that, the animal side of him dominated at the moment. He would fight and kill for Erin. No one would touch or hurt her. No matter what any werewolf might say, this bitch was part of his den now—a den of two. Her scent mixed with his, clung to his fur, lingered in his mouth as he lapped at her come. Juan explored her small entrance, pushing his tongue in deeper and then pulling out and stroking her swollen flesh while she quivered underneath him. His cock hung heavily, swollen and throbbing. She quivered and then kicked him as her body convulsed. He swore his heart had relocated and pounded angrily between his legs. That’s it. Come for me, little bitch. He growled, unable to form the words he craved to say. Erin exploded, soaking the fur on his face. She screamed, fighting underneath him. But he wasn’t done with her. He was twice her size—there was no way Erin could budge him. He held her in place until her body quit convulsing. The air around them dripped with the musky headiness of her orgasm. It intoxicated him, drove him to keep control of the situation. Lifting his head, he watched through blurred vision as she relaxed. Slowly she lifted her head, looking up at him. Her submission was complete. Silver eyes glowed in the darkness, staring up at him. She opened her mouth and started panting. Long white teeth pressed against her lips, sharp and beautiful. Never had he seen her look more appealing. She yelped at him and then let her head fall back. I doubt you’re complaining. You look too beautiful when you come to be miserable, he growled. Erin made a feeble attempt to move and yelped again. That’s when he heard what she’d heard. He’d been so lost in her scent, in watching her explode and tasting her 109

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come on his face that he hadn’t heard the cell phone ringing. He glanced at their pile of clothes as it continued chirping. The last thing he wanted was an interruption from anyone. Worry sprinkled in the air. Juan moved over Erin, licking her face until the scent went away. He knew the meaning of the call without looking to see who called. It was their warning. Their uninterrupted time was limited. Juan wouldn’t run though. No one would stop him from taking what he wanted. He ran his tongue over her cheek, down her neck, stroking her fur, relaxing her. A growl rippled through her. Her scent ripened again. She turned underneath him and this time he let her move. Erin stood, taking her time as if her legs were wobbly. Her expression showed her satisfaction in coming for him though. Pride burst inside him. For a moment, she leaned against his chest. In their fur, he was head and shoulders taller than she was, and possibly a hundred pounds heavier. Anything he wanted from her, he would take. She wouldn’t fight him, wouldn’t tell him no. He’d laid his claim, made his mark and wrapped her with his scent. And she’d marked him with her scent as well. In the simplest terms, which was how his thought pattern worked at the moment, she was his bitch and he was her male. And right now, he needed inside her. Juan gave her the moment she needed to gather her strength. His cock demanded attention though. If he stood there another minute with her brushing against him, inhaling her on every breath, he’d go mad. It was his turn for release. Now, Erin. I have to have you now. His growl was more like a rumble in his throat but she turned, understanding. There was no more waiting. The human side of him, buried in the back of his mind, warned him their time was limited. And he wanted every minute they had. Moving around her, Juan rose on his hind legs. Muscles stretched in his body and the hardness of his cock made it difficult to move. There were tender spots all over him from wounds still mending, but they were trivial to the pain of need that coursed through him. Erin turned, glancing over her shoulder just as he came down on top of her. He grabbed her with his front paws, wrapping his legs around her waist and then thrust his cock under her tail. He was hard, swollen and too anxious. She barked her complaint when he missed his target. She wanted him. His little bitch was impatient. Sexy as hell, but demanding. He loved it. He slipped off her, circling her quickly and lapping at her pussy when she raised her tail for him. She was fucking soaked as hell. Erin kept her tail raised and arched her back, teasing him while her scent drenched the air. He would be drunk off it at this rate. Once again he mounted her, and she growled, her weight almost giving out underneath him. If she thought threatening him 110

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would make him get his aim right, they would start working on her manners immediately. He rumbled the warning, just to make sure she knew. Hold still and trust me—you won’t be complaining when I’m done. The tip of his cock pressed against her pussy. Smoldering humidity swelled against his shaft. His eyes rolled back in his head. He thrust forward, knowing before he entered her that she’d be tight enough to suffocate him. He couldn’t wait! Holding on to her with half his strength, trying not to hurt her while he pushed forward, Juan slipped inside her. She contracted around his shaft, her tight pussy clinging to him as if she never wanted him to leave. He wasn’t fucking going anywhere. One more quick thrust and he filled her. Erin collapsed. He caught himself, managing to stay inside her and not crush her at the same time. She was so tight that her pussy almost squeezed the life right out of him. Damn. He’d never experienced anything so hot, so fucking perfect, so incredibly sweet in his entire life. It took a moment before he could move. You’ve never taken a werewolf in his fur before, have you? And that knowledge made his heart swell so that it hurt. Juan held on to many of the old werewolf traditions. Call it good breeding, how he’d been raised. He had no problem with casual, consensual sex with single bitches. Sex before mating was commonplace around the world. But fucking in their fur, in their purest state when the most basic instincts and emotions prevailed, meant one thing and one thing only. Erin was now his mate. And werewolves didn’t get divorced. The fact that she’d never taken a werewolf before like this showed him what he already knew to be true—Erin accepted him, wanted him as badly as he needed her. And God, he prayed she loved him. He moved in deeper, filling her, enjoying her heat and the way her vaginal muscles stroked and caressed him, encouraging him in farther. When he’d filled her, given her all that he had, he held still for a moment, giving her time to get accustomed to his size. Breathe, sweet little bitch. You’re going to come even harder for me this time. Erin looked over her shoulder, her hooded gaze almost shy. She’d fallen to her side with one of her hind legs raised to ease his entrance. She stretched her front paw, as if she tried to reach for him but her current form wouldn’t allow her to do it. Her yelp was a plea, begging him to continue, to give her what he promised. There was no way he could deny her a thing. His heart was burning, heat filling not only his cock but every inch of him. He started fucking her, gliding in and out of her until the heat inside him was out of control. She opened her mouth, panting hard while her eyes glowed with passion. He moved faster, building momentum, and slowly began swelling inside her. It forced him to pace himself. He wouldn’t hurt her. The experience of their first time in their fur had to be perfect for her. It meant more to him that she howl her pleasures and

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crave it again than it did coming inside her. And slowing seemed to do the trick. Her muscles quivered around his shaft. She trembled, letting out several quick yelps while she attempted to turn underneath him. No way was she moving anywhere. Her pending orgasm threatened to push her over the edge. He sensed it in her. And she fought to keep control, struggling underneath him. Letting go didn’t come naturally to Erin. Up until him, sex with werewolves had been an escape—something she’d always been in control of. She would surrender completely to him. He saw it in how she panted, how her glazed eyes glowed, how her entire body stiffened underneath him. And then she stretched, yanking his cock along with her. Her pussy constricted, and then soft, soaked muscles quivered and vibrated until he couldn’t take it any longer. Her orgasm took him over the edge. It was too much. Not once had a bitch made him come by exploding around him. He pumped everything he had into her, swearing as he stared down at her that he’d never seen a more satisfied smile in his entire life. She took all he had, and his heart too. Maybe she hadn’t ever fucked a werewolf in his fur before, but little Miss Erin sure knew how to bring him to his knees, and she looked damned proud of herself when he crushed his weight on top of her.

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Chapter Fourteen He’d fucking split her in two. Erin was sure of it beyond any doubt. It would take weeks before she’d walk normally again. And he seemed damned proud of the fact that he’d rendered her incapacitated. What amazed her more than anything was that in spite of the fact that she could feel him clear up to her throat, fucking had never felt so damned good. Erin lay there, feeling his heart pound inside him while he rested on top of her, and listened to her own heartbeat too. Their rhythms matched each other. Even his cock pulsed inside her. Not once had she imagined it would be like this. When she’d been younger, still in Malta, she’d heard the older bitches whisper the warnings. Taking a werewolf in their fur mated them, no matter what a den might say. And it was often painful the first time. A male was so much larger than a female in their fur. But it hadn’t hurt. No matter that fire burned inside her with enough intensity she wasn’t sure it would ever go out, taking Juan like this was the most incredible experience she’d ever had. It took a lot of effort on her part, but she raised her head and ran her tongue against his hard cheek. Juan opened his eyes and stared down at her. She licked him again, inhaling his masculine scent. You’re mine, wolf man. You better realize that. Not that she’d trick him into sticking to tradition. But the way he grinned at her, showing off some incredibly dangerous-looking teeth, relaxed all her fears. And it did a hell of a number on her insides. Her vision blurred, and she relaxed against the cool, hard ground, the contrast of his hot body on top of her and the cold underneath her helping her gain her wits. Damn. Juan was beyond incredible. She closed her eyes, feeling his muscles twitch throughout his body. If only this could last forever. Just being here with him, smelling him, feeling him—inside and out. Everything right now was perfect. What would it take to keep it this way? And did Juan want it kept this way? Please love me as much as I love you. A cell phone buzzed, and she jumped. Juan looked over toward their pile of clothes. He was still buried deep inside her, too swollen to pull out. And she didn’t want him to go anywhere. But that was the second phone call. They were being warned. Their

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damned dens were interfering with her happiness and both of them could go rot. She didn’t want to be bothered. Glaring at the pile of clothes, she made them move over the phone, using her gift to stifle the sound of the ring. Juan turned and looked down at her, the rumble in his throat sounding like a reprimand. But his eyes danced with amusement. The way he looked down at her almost made her come again and she trembled. It was a damned good thing they were in their fur or she was sure she’d be blushing like a fool. Juan gave her a sloppy kiss, running his wet tongue over her face. She shook her head, barking at him, but she laughed inside. It didn’t matter what their dens thought. Erin was his bitch now. And he was her werewolf. They could take on the lot of them and tell them where to stick it. Together they could handle anything. That was all that mattered. It took several more minutes before Juan slowly slipped out of her. Instantly he was off her. He took her by her nape, his large mouth closing over her skin and pulling gently to help her to her feet. She hated that she needed the help, but Juan sensed her body would be weak. And damn it, he was right. Her legs were so wobbly she could barely stand. And the throbbing between her legs—damn. It took her a lot longer to change than it did him. “Take your time,” he said, handing her clothes to her after straightening them. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” she lied, knowing he sensed the truth. He pulled her sweatshirt over her head and held her jeans so she could step into them. Then he combed her hair with his fingers, taking his time to pick out the small twigs and grass that clung to her. “How about you?” she asked, suddenly hating how selfish she’d been. “Your injuries. Did I hurt you at all?” Juan laughed and pulled her into his arms. “Sweet little bitch. You take me in my fur and then ask if I’m okay.” “I’m not the one who ran head-on into a car, wolf man.” She was sure he had to be tender. He wouldn’t let on if he were though. “I’m sure it was Moira who called while we were busy. She said she would when Dimitri and Nicolo headed back to their den.” “I’m sure they are there by now. I’ll take you home. But tomorrow, I will meet with them.” She looked up and sucked in a breath at the serious expression on his face. Suddenly her heart beat too hard for her to say anything. He would talk to them about mating with her. She didn’t have to ask to know. “Unless you don’t want me to,” he added quietly, searching her face. Oh God. She loved him. He needed to know how much she loved him. She opened her mouth, the words on the tip of her tongue, and her mouth got too dry to speak. Shit.

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“Juan,” she mumbled, wishing her legs would quit trembling and her heart would return to her chest and get the hell out of her throat. When she hesitated, his expression hardened. “What?” he demanded. It would be so damned easier if he’d tell her that he loved her first. “I want…I mean…” She was making a mess of this. And she hated the heat that spread across her cheeks. She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down, too embarrassed to meet the expectant look on his face. “We just fucked each other in our fur.” Now he sounded accusatory. “I didn’t take that lightly.” Oh hell. She’d made him mad. She licked her lips, hating how anger smelled on him, especially when it was directed at her. “It’s not like that.” She reached for him. Juan turned from her and ran his hand through his hair. Black locks tousled around his head. Muscles twitched under his shirt, stretching and bulging as his shoulders moved. He was more than breathtaking to look at. He stole every thought from her mind. In spite of her throbbing pussy and how weak her body was at the moment, watching him move, so strong and powerful-looking, made her want him all over again. But when he turned around, her jaw dropped at the bitter intensity in his gaze. “Why are you mad?” she blurted out. “It might not be like that for you,” he told her harshly and grabbed her arm. Erin almost fell when he dragged her toward the road. “What might not be like it for me?” she stammered, fighting to keep up with him when he started dragging her down the road toward her den. “When a werewolf and a bitch have sex in their fur, it means something.” He didn’t slow down and his grip on her arm cut off her circulation. “Would you quit hauling me away like this?” she yelled and almost fell to her knees. Juan stopped, and she stumbled into his rock-hard chest. “No matter what you think, I honor werewolf tradition.” “So do I.” She looked into his smoldering gaze. “Then you and I are mated.” She stared at him, her mouth open and her heart pounding so hard it hurt. “Oh Juan,” she cried, unable to stop the tear that streamed down her cheek. Too many emotions tumbled around inside her. “I love you,” she said, letting the words fall out. It looked like she’d just hit him up the side of the head. “Love me?” The look on his face would have been comical if he didn’t still hold her arm in a death grip.

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“And I’d love you more if you’d let go of my arm,” she stammered. “Shit. Oh shit.” Juan let go of her, the spicy smell of his anger mixing with something muskier when he took her arm in both of his large hands, caressing and stroking her. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. This is new for me.” “Me too.” She straightened and wiped her tear with her free hand. “And I was scared to say it first.” “Erin. You’re braver than I am.” It wasn’t too often such a large, dangerous-looking werewolf had such a sheepish look on his face. Erin decided she liked the look. She licked her lips, unable to stop her grin. “So. It’s your turn.” “My turn?” A tangy, fresh smell, like happiness and embarrassment mixed together, made the cold night air around them crisper. “Oh. Little bitch, I love you too.” “Juan!” she cried out, jumping into his arms and wrapping her hands around the back of her neck. “I can’t believe this is happening.” He held her to him with incredibly strong arms. So much power fed her confidence. Together they could make anything happen. “Come on,” he told her, wrapping her under his arm and turning toward her den. “You are going to your den and showering, then going to bed. Don’t worry about your littermates—I’ll take care of them.” “What are you going to do?” It was impossible not to worry about Dimitri and Nicolo. They were pains in the ass, but they were all she had. “Tomorrow I’ll convince them that you’re part of my den now.” She liked how that sounded. Dimitri and Nicolo wouldn’t be as thrilled. “And how will you do that?” “I plan on letting Dimitri know I’ll back him as pack leader.” He looked down at her, surprising her with a serious expression. “Dante has known from the beginning that he wouldn’t lead this pack.” In the park Renee had said something about how Moira knew all along that Dante wouldn’t lead them. She bit her lip. Juan would think she was crazy. “How did he know?” she asked. “Dante and Moira can do things, see things, that most of us can’t.” “Did you know Bruno and Renee Tangaree?” she asked. Juan shook his head, holding her tighter when the road got rocky. They hiked along a rough path that would be impossible for even a four-wheel drive to make it over easily. She could have lifted her feet and still moved along just fine. Juan had her pinned to his side and almost carried her. “I met Bruno a few times, but never his mate. I’ve heard plenty about both of them though.”

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“I knew them most of my life. Bruno was our pack leader. And Renee—she was wonderful.” “We never knew anyone most of our lives.” She looked quickly, sniffing the air, but didn’t notice any resentment. Juan simply stated it as a fact. “Dante’s sire was killed shortly after he was born. Mom took another mate from the Malta pack and I came along. I barely remember my sire. He died fighting to help protect the pack when I was just a cub. We did okay though. And we saw a fair amount of Europe. Mom took us back to Ireland where Dante’s sire was from and we lived with his den until we were old enough to live on our own.” “Why did you travel so much?” It sounded like such a romantic life, and since he didn’t sound resentful of it, she was curious to know more. “Creating a strong, powerful and secure pack isn’t easy.” He continued holding her but looked ahead as they got closer to her den. “Oftentimes dens can try forming a pack, but without strong leadership, they dissolve and the dens move on to better land. That’s what we did. Mom wasn’t mated, and if there wasn’t enough protection in the pack, she’d bundle us up and head out to another pack. Once we were old enough, of course, we were her protection.” “I bet your mother is a wonderful bitch.” “She was.” “Was?” “She was killed challenging another bitch over a male.” Erin thought of her own mother and her untimely death. A part of her died that day too, and the wound had never quite healed from losing her. She sucked in a breath and glanced up at him. Juan grinned at her then squeezed her ass. “I assure you, there are no other bitches for you to challenge,” he told her, taking her hand so she could step over a fallen log once they left the road. “I’m afraid you are stuck with me.” “You won’t face any challenges either.” Not even with her littermates. She’d damned well see to it. Not once had she taken time to discuss personal history with a werewolf before. In those few brief minutes, Juan had let her see his soul. There was pain in his past. Yet he smiled so easily. More than likely, he covered hostile emotions with amusement. That wasn’t necessarily a bad trait. “Your littermates are here.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Do as I told you now. Go shower and go to bed. I’ll be here tomorrow to secure our mating.” She didn’t expect him to walk her up to the door. He did though, going as far as to put his hand on the doorknob.

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The door was pulled open before he could turn the handle. Dimitri scowled at both of them, his anger spicing up the air enough that she almost sneezed. “Do as I say,” Juan told her, giving her his full attention before slowly meeting Dimitri’s gaze. He wasn’t daunted but turned Erin to face Dimitri and gave her a push into her den. “I will be here tomorrow to speak with you, Dimitri.” She moved behind her littermate, barely able to see over his shoulder when he filled the doorway. He closed the door on Juan without answering him. At least he didn’t tell him no. Nicolo walked into the room, sniffing the air and then giving her a concerned look. “Go shower,” Dimitri ordered. “I was planning on it.” She fought the urge to tell him that for the first time, he and Juan wanted the same thing. Her hair was damp when she padded back into their living room, comfortable in baggy sweats and a sweatshirt, but feeling every muscle in her body. She tingled from head to toe, and it wasn’t from the hot shower. Making love to Juan in her fur left her sore and aching for more of him. It sucked that she’d be sleeping alone tonight. Cuddling up next to Juan sounded so wonderful. But he’d promised to come by tomorrow, and the happy, fulfilled sensation rippling inside her would easily carry her that long. “How did the meeting go?” she asked, cuddling into the corner of the couch and pulling her feet up. “If you were so concerned about it, you wouldn’t have left.” Dimitri crossed his arms, stretching out at the other end of the couch. He crossed his legs, and his large boots reached the middle of the living room. Erin wouldn’t let either one of them sway her good mood. “You know why I left. Now tell me about the meeting.” “Basically, we’ve been planted in between two feuding packs, and now the lunewulfs can take their aggression out on us instead of the American werewolves.” Nicolo stared at a longneck bottle of beer in his hand and ignored Dimitri’s scowl. “The American werewolves have been in these mountains for a couple generations at least. Then five years or so ago, the lunewulfs settled into land on the mountain next to ours. Werewolf Affairs approved their territory claim, but only after a year of the lunewulfs fighting for rights to it. By then, the feud between the Americans and lunewulfs was well under way.” “I remember the day we first came here.” Erin stretched and muscles inside her thighs cramped. She stiffened and her littermates looked at her oddly. Pressing her hands down on her legs to calm the muscles, she ignored them, determined to keep the conversation on topic. “Both of you were so convinced this would never work.”

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“We were right when we guessed Malta werewolves would be dumped onto bad land.” Dimitri studied her closely, giving her a thorough once-over. “It’s good land,” she argued. “It’s just not problem-free. You’ve got to admit though, some of the problems we’ve brought with us. I know you’ll make it work here for us, Dimitri.” “I’m not pack leader until after the challenge,” he reminded her. “And there’s always the chance I won’t win.” “The challenge is to the death?” she asked, already knowing the answer. Up until this moment, she’d been so preoccupied with Juan, she hadn’t thought about it. Dimitri’s gaze softened for the first time since she’d gotten home. It wasn’t often she saw his dark eyes look more like melting milk chocolate. Once in a while, she saw what the other bitches always saw in her littermate. He just had an incredible knack for hiding his compassionate side behind threats and orders. “So far, five werewolves have entered the challenge. Only one alpha male will stand when it’s over. Tradition won’t be altered in our pack.” “And Dante isn’t one of the werewolves, is he?” she said quickly, and then wished she could take back her words. Her strange meeting in the park with Renee came to mind. She’d really seen her old queen bitch. There was no doubt in her mind. What she didn’t know or understand was if she’d seen a ghost, or if somehow Renee had managed to survive the fire in Malta. It didn’t make sense that she’d survived the fire. “No. He isn’t,” Dimitri said. “The werewolf never signed up for the challenge. Why do you think that is, Erin?” “I don’t think he ever planned on trying to lead the pack,” she said quietly. “He brought us all here and then doesn’t try to lead? That doesn’t make sense.” Nicolo shook his head, scowling as he stared at the floor. “I really think it’s destined for you to lead us.” Maybe that’s why Renee had come to her. She could have appeared before her daughter anywhere, but she’d shown up while Erin was there. That had to mean something. “Everyone I’ve talked to backs you as pack leader.” “I still have to win the fight.” Dimitri cocked his head at her, frowning when he sniffed the air. “The gift won’t be allowed during the challenge. Anyone caught using it will be killed immediately. What is this about destiny? What are you talking about?” “If you’re plotting anything to help with the challenge,” Nicolo cut in, suddenly smelling suspicious. “No. No. It’s nothing like that.” She straightened, leaning her elbows on her knees and then resting her head in her hands. “Neither one of you will believe me if I tell you. You’ll both think I’m crazy.” “I already think you’re crazy,” Dimitri said. “And from the smell of you, it’s too late to do a damned thing about it.” “Don’t start,” she said, waving her hand at him.

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Immediately Dimitri stiffened. Nothing pissed him off more than her trying to give him the brush-off. His tail always got bent out of shape so quickly. Erin sighed, purposely sneezing over the spicy smell of his anger. “Something happened tonight while you two were in the meeting.” “We really don’t want to hear the details, Erin,” Nicolo said. “Dimitri’s right. The smell of that werewolf on you is nauseating. You even showered and it still weighs heavy in the air.” “I’m not talking about that.” She wouldn’t honor his comment by justifying it. She smelled Juan with every breath she took, and she hoped she did for quite a long time. Her nerves twisted inside her, and she hoped she wasn’t making a mistake telling them what she was about to say. “When I left the meeting, Moira followed me and we went to the park. I saw someone there that I thought was dead.” The room grew quiet and both of her littermates stared at her, waiting for her to continue. She’d said this much, so she might as well get the rest of it out. Even though Moira asked her not to, Dimitri deserved to know what had been said. “Renee Tangaree was in the park.” “What?” Dimitri jumped to his feet. “Are you sure?” Nicolo frowned, glancing at Dimitri, who suddenly looked ready to explode. “I’m positive. We talked to her.” “You talked to her,” Dimitri repeated. “So they are alive?” Nicolo shook his head, turning his attention to Dimitri. “If Moira was there, then her den would know about this too.” “Bruno would encourage Dante to fight in the challenge.” Dimitri walked to the other end of the living room and then turned, pacing back. “He would want the pack leader to be from his den.” “No. It’s not like that. Listen to me.” Erin jumped up, muscles screaming in her legs as well as deeper inside her when she moved quickly. “Renee told us that Dante wouldn’t lead the pack. She said it like she was reminding Moira of something she already knew.” “But what are they doing here? And why are they hiding?” Dimitri yelled, as if she knew the answers. She shook her head, touching his arm, which made him jump. He looked down at her fingers brushing against his forearm and then slowly returned his gaze to hers. “I don’t think they are hiding. And all I saw was Renee, not Bruno. I asked her how she survived the fire and her answer was confusing. She said something about the strength of the gift offering advantages that she couldn’t even begin to describe to me. And she said we were hiding, and that we would grow strong again when we accepted what ran inside of us naturally. She said we’d be strong.”

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Renee’s words had been directed at her personally. But Dimitri wouldn’t see it that way. He’d see the bigger picture—how it could be interpreted for their pack. He straightened, staring at her for a minute. “I don’t smell a lie.” “I’m not lying, Dimitri,” she told him. He nodded slowly and then took her hand in his larger, rough hands. “Your gift always annoyed me, part of the reason being that I was jealous I couldn’t do what you can do.” Her jaw dropped. Dimitri was never jealous of anyone. She was too shocked to speak. All she could do was stare at him. “I’ve hated the gift because I didn’t have it. And then hated it even more when it destroyed our pack, our den, our sire.” His voice cracked with his final words and she tightened her grip on his hand. His smile was sad, and a scent she’d never smelled on him before filled the room. “I’ve held on to that anger and used it to justify the reasons why I should lead this pack. I thought if I led the pack, I could control the gift that was never given to me.” “You’ve never said this before.” Nicolo stood, leaving them for a minute and tossing his beer bottle in the trash. He returned from the kitchen with three unopened bottles. “Those aren’t good reasons to lead a pack, Dimitri.” “You’re right.” He took one of the bottles and ripped the lid off with his teeth. His teeth extended slightly, pushing against his lips when he handed the opened bottle to Erin and took another bottle from Nicolo. “And I’m a damned fool to just see this now.” “You aren’t a fool.” Erin couldn’t remember when she’d last hugged Dimitri. It took a moment before he wrapped his arm around her. She stayed there for a moment, listening to his heart pound in his chest. “I can’t imagine the amount of strength it would take to enter a challenge knowing there will be only one survivor. You’re strong, Dimitri. Very strong. And I really believe you are meant to lead us.” “So do I,” Nicolo added, patting his littermate on the shoulder. Dimitri nodded, pushing her to arm’s length and studying her face. “I guess we’ll find out. Now tell me, why would Juan Anthony tell me that he’ll speak with me tomorrow?” He changed the subject so quickly it took her off guard. His moment of soulsearching passed and she wondered if she’d even smelled him correctly. His look hardened, and she stared at the Dimitri she was used to dealing with. Embarrassment made her cheeks burn and filled the air with its sour smell. Dimitri just bared his soul to her and he deserved the same in return. In his grasp though she was suddenly very nervous. She sucked in a breath. “You said our pack would honor tradition.” “Yes, and?” he prompted. Silver streaks suddenly danced over his dark eyes and she struggled to get loose. He tightened his grip.

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There was no getting out of it. Both of them would know soon anyway. “Juan and I are mated,” she whispered. The growl that ripped through Dimitri scared her to death. Nicolo grabbed her, pulling her free of Dimitri’s hold. She wasn’t sure if he meant to toss her across the room for Dimitri, or if her oldest littermate intended to offer protection. “I won’t deny what I’ve done.” She fought Nicolo for a second and he let her go. “I love him. Both of you need to accept that. He will be here tomorrow to discuss it with you.” Dimitri scrubbed his thick black hair with his fingers, looking torn more than angry when he turned away from both of them. He pulled the cap off the bottle of beer and then drank almost half of the gold liquid. When he put his bottle down on the coffee table, he used enough force that foam spilled over the sides of it like a small volcano erupting. “The werewolf has nothing to offer you.” Nicolo shocked her by yelling. He never raised his voice at her. But his anger, more like outrage, bounced off the wall. The smell of it turned her stomach and she backed away from both of them, clutching the cold beer in her hand. “He has no job, no den, nowhere to keep you. What will you do? Will you move into that small den with his littermate and his bitch?” Juan hadn’t discussed where they would live. But she knew they would work something out. And very few of them had jobs. They’d just moved here and finding work in Valle, where a pack already existed, wasn’t an easy task. Nicolo was being ridiculous. All of them worked together, providing meat from hunting and helping each other build dens. “Juan is a good werewolf. I don’t know why you two don’t see that.” “He is using you.” Dimitri turned around, his gaze absolutely cold. “You have the gift and you are beautiful. It’s obvious why he sniffed you out.” “You’re wrong.” She shivered from the intensity of fury radiating from him. “Juan isn’t scared of the gift. He’s not jealous of it like you are. He loves me and I love him. We’ve mated in our fur and it’s done.” “Then why did he send you to your den?” Dimitri demanded. “Because he respects pack traditions. Tomorrow he will come to me and he will speak with you. He told you as much when he brought me home.” She walked over to the coffee table and put her beer on it. Emotions rushed inside her with so much fury that the coffee table shook, causing her beer to spill over. She grabbed the bottle, willing her gift not to take over. “Juan will approach you tomorrow honorably,” she said, clenching her teeth while fighting to stay calm. “Don’t disgrace our den and me by turning him away. Show him that you are as strong of a werewolf as he is and hear what he has to say. If you can’t pull that off, you’ll never make it as pack leader.” She turned and left her littermates. Her legs trembled, but she managed to walk to her bedroom and close the door without slamming it. What she wouldn’t do to be in Juan’s arms right now. 122

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Chapter Fifteen Juan stepped outside, the ripe smell of freshly cut wood filling his nostrils. In spite of the cold autumn air numbing his skin, the sun blinded him and he shaded his eyes, staring at the werewolves talking in the road. “We’ve pooled a lot of cash to pay for this lumber,” Josef Failo grumbled. The large werewolf rubbed his thick hands together, as if he’d parted with the cash all on his own and greedily waited to be paid back. He squinted at Juan. “The dens taking possession of these cabins should start considering paying some kind of rent on them.” “More than likely a lot of dens don’t have a penny to their name.” Dimitri gave him a challenging look. Juan needed coffee. He hadn’t planned on getting up before noon. Then he’d intended on heading over to Erin’s. When Dante got a call from Josie Balzon that the last of the expected dens had arrived the previous night, it had been decided that they’d meet to determine where to put them. He’d trudged out of their den to meet with the handful of werewolves who’d formed somewhat of a posse in lieu of a pack leader. Not to mention, he had his eye on this particular cabin for Erin and him. “Are we running out of funds?” he asked. “Do you have cash if we are?” Dimitri asked. “I’ve put a fair amount of money into getting this pack settled,” Josef announced, rocking up on his heels. The smell of his self-importance turned Juan’s stomach. “Our bills are paid,” Josie offered. “There are still things we need.” “Like better roads,” Nicolo offered, kicking a rock with his boot and then sipping from a mug of coffee that smelled damned good. “But we have a few dens already wishing to open stores and schools. Isn’t that right, Dimitri?” Dimitri hadn’t pulled his gaze from Juan—something Juan was more than aware of. His anger, usually bent on Dante, now leaned toward him. Juan had noticed it the minute they’d gathered. It made him wonder what Erin might have said once she’d gotten to her den last night. The cold glare the werewolf had watched him with since they’d all arrived here had him thinking a few things might have been discussed in her den after he’d dropped her off. “We have sixteen dens here on the mountain now.” Dimitri looked at his littermate, who nodded, confirming the fact. “Over half of them have cubs who could go to school if we had one. Right now they are all being home schooled. Josef here, and the Zammit den, both have expressed interest in opening shops.” “I owned a grocery store in Malta. All of you know I could offer employment to several werewolves once my new store is open,” Josef said, puffing his chest out.

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Juan itched to punch it right back down to size. “Perry Zammit is working with some of the contractors in Valle and hopes to have a hardware store open by spring,” Dante offered. “There will still be werewolves we will have to carry. It’s that way in any pack.” “Not every den will be able to pay rent,” Dimitri told Josef. “And I sure won’t have anyone starving over the winter.” “We’ll make sure everyone has plenty of meat.” Juan caught both Dante and Josie glance at him and then Dimitri. He wished he could pick up on whatever it was the two werewolves detected. He sniffed the air, smelling Dimitri’s hostile emotions. “Whatever it takes, all of us agree Malta werewolves will survive here.” “And you have means to help support the pack when you don’t even have your own den?” There was a strong enough challenge in Dimitri’s tone that every werewolf looked at him. Juan clenched his fists at his side. “I’m getting real damned tired of you insulting me and my den every time you sniff us out,” he growled. “If needed, of course I would pull money from funds that I have to help the pack.” Dimitri stepped past the other werewolves, moving until he was inches from Juan’s face. “And what funds do you have, werewolf?” he growled. Dimitri was fucking pushing him on purpose. And it really pissed him off. No werewolf got in his face—not ever. He fought so hard to keep his fists at his side that blood rushed in his veins, tempting the change to come forth. When he didn’t answer right away, Dimitri added in a deadly whisper, “I have a right to know.” Erin must have thought sharing the news of their mating would ease the path for him. If her littermates did anything to her after she’d told them, he’d take them both down—no matter that they were related now. “I have the money to pay for the cabin behind us, which I’ve chosen for my den,” he hissed. “Now get out of my face.” “It’s good to hear another werewolf will be helping support the pack financially.” Josef stared nervously from one werewolf to the other. “You’ve mated with my little sister, werewolf. I will never get out of your fucking face.” Dimitri didn’t budge. “I say we check out this cabin he wishes to have as their den.” Nicolo grabbed Dimitri’s arm, almost yanking him to the side. “We aren’t here to talk about dens and mating,” Josef complained. “We are now.” Dimitri pulled his arm free from his littermate and walked toward the cabin. “His anger is lessening,” Dante whispered to him before Juan turned to follow the two werewolves. “But I thought you used up those funds when we invested in building these roads.” 124

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“I guess that goes to show that you don’t know everything.” Juan forced a smile, working to lighten his mood. Fighting with Dimitri wouldn’t help matters right now. And it would make things even worse for Erin. Josie tapped Juan’s shoulder. “Several females are coming up the road. I’ll be more than willing to offer escort while you go settle matters with your new den.” Josie winked at him, grinning when he glanced at Dante. The werewolf was way too good-looking for his own good. Dante focused on Juan. “Want me to go in there with you?” he asked. “No. Stay out here and make sure gigolo here behaves himself.” Josie laughed, obviously not insulted by the crude comment at all. “I respect another werewolf’s property, my friend.” “You better,” Juan warned him. “Well, this has turned into a personal den matter,” Josef said in disgust. “I’m leaving.” That was fine with Juan. There was a thick paste in his mouth, and he’d kill for some hot coffee. He turned toward the little cabin that he’d chosen after a row of them had been built the previous week. Staring at it now, he pictured him and Erin working in it. A fresh coat of paint, leveling out the ground around it…none of it sounded like work with Erin by his side. And the cozy evenings alone with Erin cuddled up to him. That appealed more than anything. Long, cold evenings and sex with each other for hours—he couldn’t fucking wait. He sniffed the air. Freshly cut wood and the scent from the other werewolves hung heavily around him. He wanted to be able to come home to his den where the only thing he smelled would be Erin, happy and content and anxious to see him. Damn. He prayed she’d like the little cabin. The hostile odors from her littermates attacked him the second he walked through the door. “Erin told us last night that you mated,” Dimitri said the second he entered the cabin. Juan closed the door behind him. “I planned on coming to you first thing today, until we all got called out here.” “How long have you been seeing her?” Nicolo asked. The three of them stood in the small, empty living room, which made the space seem even smaller. He took this conversation very seriously though, and wouldn’t pace or turn from either of them. Odd how he never pictured that he’d be in this situation, humbling himself before a den to win their approval over a mating. Having never rehearsed this in his mind, he simply straightened, clasping his hands behind his back, and faced the two werewolves.

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“I’ve known who she was since we all moved to this mountain. But it’s only been a week that we’ve seriously started spending time together.” “Only a week,” Nicolo said. “Your own words. You admit that isn’t a very long time.” “You two barely know each other,” Dimitri growled. “Why the hell did you mate with her?” Juan scratched his head, staring at the ground while he searched his mind for a good answer. He hadn’t planned anything. And he should have. Now he stood here, fumbling for something to say, which made him appear an idiot. He blew out his breath and tossed his hands in the air, slapping his sides and began pacing before he realized his actions. “How do I explain to either one of you what I feel for her?” he said, almost talking more to himself than to them. “I’m not a fool, and I’m not a pup.” He stopped pacing and met their attentive gazes. Both of these werewolves loved Erin possibly as much as he did. “And I didn’t force anything on her.” “I believe that one,” Nicolo mumbled and Dimitri glared at him. Nicolo met his glare. “Erin doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to do. You know that as well as I do. If she wants this werewolf, then we give our blessing.” “Like Erin knows what is best for her.” Dimitri turned on Juan. “Tell me about this money that you say you have. I want to know you can provide for her. Because I tell you now, werewolf, if you think I have a temper, Erin is twice as bad.” “That’s no lie,” Nicolo agreed. “And when she gets pissed off, she will send things flying at you.” “I have money in a couple of accounts,” he offered, deciding no matter how much he needed to prove himself to them, the details of his financial life were none of their damned business. The last thing he would tell them was how many packs paid him and Dante for protection over the past five years since arriving in the States. “Erin will be provided for and she’ll be loved.” “You love her?” Nicolo asked. “Yes.” Silence fell between them. Something rustled outside the door and both werewolves looked past him. Juan sniffed the air. He turned and reached the door before the other two moved and pulled it open quickly to see a sheepish-looking Erin standing on the other side. She smiled as if she’d just been caught with her tail where it didn’t belong. “I love you too,” she mouthed and grinned broadly. He decided his talk with the werewolves behind him was over. There was no way he’d be able to hold an intelligent conversation with them now anyway. Erin stood before him, smelling of soap and happiness. Her black hair hung straight, draping over her large breasts and behind her shoulders. It was still damp and her cheeks were flushed, probably from a hot shower, but also from being caught listening.

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She nibbled on her lower lip and he watched the act then dropped his gaze to the sweater she wore that clung to her figure. Her jeans hugged her hips and showed off her shapely legs. She was the best damned thing he’d seen all day. “Come here,” he growled, and then scooped her into his arms before she could stop him. “Juan,” she cried out, laughing and wrapping her arms around his neck. “What are you doing?” “I’m bringing my mate into her new den. Now hold still.” He slapped her ass and she squealed. It was a damned good thing she clung to him the way she did because his dick got instantly hard. Not even the growl that ripped through Dimitri swayed his suddenly good mood. “My new den?” she asked, and then struggled against him more, her large breasts smashing against his chest. Damn it. Why the hell did her littermates have to be standing here glaring at the two of them? “At least we know you weren’t standing out there too long,” Nicolo said, crossing his arms and watching the two of them. “Put me down. I want to see it.” She twisted against him. But when he lowered her to the ground, she held on to him a moment longer than he thought she would have. He ignored the still tender spots on his body that hadn’t quite healed yet. It should have dawned on him that she’d be pretty sore today after fucking him in her fur. He brushed his hands over her damp hair. If Dimitri and Nicolo were going to continue standing there, they could damned well start getting used to seeing his hands on their littermate. “Are you okay?” he whispered. For some reason, the beautiful blush that quickly covered her cheeks really pleased him. “Perfect,” she whispered, but then turned away from him, her grin growing broader by the moment as she looked around the naked living room. “Oh my God. It’s perfect.” “It’s about the same floor plan as our den,” Dimitri grumbled. Her smell of happiness was exactly how he’d imagined this den smelling. When she ignored Dimitri and turned to him instead, his insides almost burst with pride. His mate. His woman. His bitch. “Do we have furniture?” she asked. “We’ll get your bedroom furniture moved over here later today,” Nicolo said. Dimitri mumbled something about time. Erin either didn’t hear him or didn’t care. She turned to her littermates and first hugged Nicolo, who held her affectionately in his arms. Then she turned to Dimitri and

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wrapped her arms around his waist. Her littermate moved slowly but finally put his arms around his sister and buried his face in her hair. “You have the right to come back to us if he doesn’t treat you well,” he said loud enough for Juan to hear. She pulled away from him and stroked his cheek. “Will you throw me a mating party? Just like they used to have in Malta?” Maybe it was Juan’s imagination, but something softened in Dimitri’s expression. Juan didn’t think he’d ever seen the werewolf not look angry. Dimitri studied Erin’s face for a long moment and then nodded slowly. “You’ll have your party,” he agreed, and she squealed loud enough to almost hurt their ears. Dimitri put his hands on her shoulders and then slowly backed her up until Juan took her from him. The werewolf met his gaze, looking more concerned now than anything. “Take care of her,” he said, and then headed toward the door. Nicolo moved to follow and then faced Juan. “Our dens are one now. We will always have your back.” “And I would kill for either one of you.” Juan meant it. The two of them could have fought the mating, but they didn’t. They’d just made him the happiest werewolf on the mountain. Dimitri left the cabin and announced to the werewolves who obviously still lingered outside, “It is done. They are mated.” Words a pack leader would have said, if they officially had one. Juan heard Dante howl and Josie joined in. Laughter sounded, and Moira hurried into the den, immediately pulling Erin out of his arms and hugging her tightly. “We are related now.” Moira smiled when she let go of Erin and stroked her hair. “We will run together and lay our kill at our mates’ paws.” The words were traditional but said with enough emotion that Erin’s salty embarrassment filled the air. He stroked her back, knowing how moved she was to be welcomed. “I will kill for you, Moira Alto,” she said humbly. “And I will kill for you.” Moira grinned over at Juan. “Dante will bring a table for your kitchen later today.” “Sounds good.” In larger dens, often a newly mated couple got more furniture and gifts than would fit in their new home. He wasn’t too worried about it though. Dante showed up in the doorway with Josie behind him. “Come on, bitch of mine. Give these two some time together.” He made a show of reaching in and tugging Moira out of the den, but then grinned at Juan and ignored her scowl at being handled roughly. “Give me a call in a couple hours. I think we can handle helping the new dens get settled without you for a bit.”

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He didn’t wait for Juan to answer but wrapped Moira into his arms and reached for the door. Josie gave him a salute and then the door was closed, leaving him alone in his new den with his bitch. Erin turned around in front of him, glancing around the empty room and then looking toward the kitchen and small hallway that led to the two bedrooms and bathroom. “I’m a mated bitch.” She said the words as if letting them sink in instead of speaking to him. He followed her into the kitchen and watched her trail her fingers along the clean countertop. She ran her hand down the faucet, opened and closed the refrigerator, then touched the wall before heading to the hallway and opening the doors to the bedrooms. She peeked into one of them and then entered the other one, turning slowly and taking all of it in. Her awkwardness made him hesitate. Tradition allowed them this time to bless their new den, make love and enjoy the newness of their mating. And he had every intention of honoring that tradition to its fullest. The way Erin stood there, looking more innocent than he’d probably ever see her look again, with her silky, long black hair still damp and clinging to her full curves, made him want her even more. There was no way he could keep his cock from hardening, lengthening against his jeans while he watched her digest all that had just happened. “Erin Anthony,” he said quietly, voicing her new name for her to hear. She looked up at him, long, thick black lashes fluttering over her dark eyes. Her mouth formed a small circle and then slowly she moistened her lips and smiled. “Juan and Erin Anthony,” she whispered. “It’s got a good ring to it.” “Yes it does.” “I love you, Juan.” “I love you too.” She finally moved. He wasn’t going to come to her, sensing she needed to take things at her own pace. Slowly she walked up to him, her scent drowning him. She smelled so wonderful, like fresh rain, clean with a hint of lavender. He noted perfume that she didn’t usually wear and imagined she’d taken extra care showering before coming to him. Knowing she’d prepared herself for him drained every ounce of blood in his body straight to his cock. It burned with a fever he could barely contain when she ran her hands up his chest and then leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair until she tilted her head for him. “I want to know every little detail about you,” he told her. “I want to know what excites you the most and what terrifies you.” “I don’t like spiders,” she said, making a face. “Then I will kill them all.”

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“And you excite me and scare me,” she confessed, although her scent had turned rich and sweet, the air around them filling with the smell of her lust. “Why do I scare you?” “I’m not sure I’ll be what you want.” She nibbled her lip. He leaned into her and sucked her lower lip. He scraped his own teeth over the same spot she’d just nibbled and growled when she sighed and relaxed into him. “You are exactly what I want.” He’d never met a more perfect bitch, although this timid side of her was new to him. Her honesty was a major turn-on though. He wanted her happy, and the thought of exploring her nature and learning everything about her sounded very appealing to him. “I’m not perfect.” “Neither am I.” He couldn’t help grinning. “Perfection would be boring.” “Yeah. I think so too.” Her nervousness mixed with the lust in the air. In spite of the fact that they’d had sex several times already, the sensations rushing through him made it feel like the first time. “Are you tender?” He wanted her so badly. “A little,” she whispered, raising her lashes and staring into his eyes. “We can wait.” His body burned, every inch of it. “I don’t want to wait,” she told him, and ran her tongue against his chin, keeping her gaze locked to his. “Then I’ll be gentle.” Every inch of him hardened, his cock burning alive in his pants. Erin ran her hands down his arms. “You’re trembling.” He was fighting to maintain some sort of sanity. “And you’re beautiful.” She smiled and arched her body against his, rubbing those large breasts over his chest until his knees popped and the change rumbled to life inside him. “You’re also tempting every grain of decency that I have inside me,” he grumbled, knowing giving it to her rough right now would hurt her. But damn he wanted to take her hard and fast. “You won’t hurt me.” She had no idea how her actions were drawing out the beast in him. Or maybe she did. “No. I’ll never hurt you.” It didn’t even need to be said. “I want your clothes off.” She stepped back from him. His body tingled everywhere she’d just touched and fire swept inside his veins, heightening his senses and making it a challenge to stay focused.

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Erin spread her arms, giving him a grin that grabbed his attention. While he watched, her sweater rose up her body. She kept her arms spread, amusement sparkling in her dark eyes. “What are you doing?” He was a captive to her actions, his gaze dropping to the bottom of her sweater as it crawled up her stomach. “Watch,” she instructed, and grit her teeth together as if using the gift in this fashion took effort on her part. The sweater crawled up her body, revealing her creased bellybutton above her jeans and her flat, hard tummy. Her dark flesh glowed as it appeared before him, and she stretched her arms further when the sweater bunched up over her breasts and then slowly gathered around her neck. “Damn it, little bitch. That is fucking hot.” His teeth pricked his lips when he spoke. She raised her arms over her head, stretching her body before him, and let her head fall back, closing her eyes while the sweater slowly covered her face. His muscles spasmed, the urge to leap at her while momentarily trapped under her sweater almost overtaking him. Erin performed for him, slowly undressing and showing off at the same time. He fought to stay put and enjoy her show without attacking her. He sucked in his breath, hissing when the sweater balled above her head and then fell as if invisible hands had let go of it. She raised her head, keeping her arms extended above her head. Long lashes fluttered over her smoldering gaze. “Do you like it so far?” she asked, her voice noticeably huskier. “Oh yeah,” he growled. “Are you done?” “No.” She smiled, pleased that he appreciated her show. Her scent turned sweet, filled with pleasure and sexual arousal. “But this isn’t as easy to do as throwing things. I need to think.” She wore a bright pink bra with underwire that captured her full breasts and pressed them together. They begged to fall free of the silky material. And he ached to wrap his fingers around that full flesh, bury his face in them and suck on her nipples until she screamed. His gaze fell quickly when the black belt she wore around her jeans unbuckled. “Oh shit,” he mumbled, loving every minute of this but dying to touch her. The belt slid through the loops like a snake, gliding around her waist until it was free and then falling at her feet with a thud. She closed her eyes, obviously concentrating hard. It took him a moment to realize she was still using the gift to loosen the laces on her boots. He hadn’t given her feet much attention when her entire body stretched in front of him. That bra trapping her breasts was like a magnet calling to his body to come closer.

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She stepped out of her boots and her long black hair fell over her shoulder, draping over one of her breasts. The long strands fluttered over her stomach like raw silk, glowing against her flesh. At the same time the top button of her jeans popped free and the zipper slid down. The denim material slipped over her hips and glided down her legs until she could step out of them. Erin stood before him wearing nothing more than bright pink panties that rode high on her hips and a matching bra that barely contained her breasts. Juan almost stumbled at the sight of her. “I think for some things, using your gift would be okay.” “Are you sure?” She searched his face, although she looked very pleased with herself. “I want you just how you are, gift and all.” “Damn good thing.” “Is this new underwear?” For some reason, he wanted to know she’d worn this just for him, that no other werewolf had ever seen this incredible sight. “I bought them in Valle a month or so ago, but this is the first time I’ve worn them. Do you like it?” His heart pounded in his chest like a hammer, beating against his ribs. Every beat hit him with a hard thud. He nodded, his own lust clogging the air. Unable to stay put any longer without exploding, he reached for her. Her skin was smooth and warm. Just touching her sent electrical charges jolting through him. “I love how you look. Fucking perfect.” He pricked his lip with his tooth when he spoke and the taste of blood in his mouth sent him over the edge. Grabbing her by the back of the neck, he tangled her hair in his hand and yanked her head back then devoured her mouth. The cry that escaped her fed his fire. His cock swelled, the pressure beyond bearable. Erin opened for him, giving him everything and meeting him with as much energy. Their tongues danced around each other, exploring and tasting. Nothing had ever tasted sweeter. But he needed more of her. So much fucking more. Nibbling at her cheek, her neck, he pulled harder on her hair so that she leaned back, cradling her head in his hand. “I want to taste all of you,” he growled into her chest and buried his face in her cleavage. What he wouldn’t do to have his cock pressed between that flesh. More than his own pleasure, right now he wanted to hear her scream, to know that he’d taken her over the edge. He scraped his fingers over her shoulders, pulling the straps of her bra down her arms until he exposed her nipples. Then he latched onto one of them, nibbling and sucking. 132

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“Juan,” she gasped, digging her nails into his back. She trembled in his arms. And he loved knowing his little bitch got off before he even fucked her. “You’re going to come for me,” he told her, moving to her other breast. “You are going to explode again and again before I even enter you.”

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Chapter Sixteen Erin couldn’t see straight. Everything around her blurred while she stiffened in his arms. The silky fabric from her bra, and knowing what would happen once they were alone, had already made her tender. As Juan held her tightly, rubbing his teeth over her nipples, she could hardly hold still. He pulled on her sensitive flesh, his teeth slightly extended, the change aching to come forth inside him. And it called the more primal side of her too. Using the gift to undress had left her slightly lightheaded, and then his mouth on her breasts… God. It was too fucking much. “I’m soaked already,” she confessed, feeling her knees go weak when he pinched her nipple. He offered her the quick sensation of pain and then brushed his tongue over her, soothing her and torturing her at the same time. Her nipples had always been a sensitive part of her body. But Juan had turned them into the focal point of her need. She held on to him for dear life, crying out so hard her throat burned as needles seemed to pierce her body, creating a straight line from her breasts straight to her pussy. Pressure built and exploded so hard and fast she couldn’t breathe. Her orgasm tore her inside out. Erin gasped for breath, inhaling his incredibly musky scent and growing drunk off it. “Don’t stop. God. Please don’t ever quit.” She couldn’t believe how he had her begging. And she would beg. She wanted more. His mouth on her breasts felt better than any werewolf had ever made her feel. “I’ll never quit.” His promise sent chills over her skin and ignited fire inside her at the same time. But then he did. She almost cried. He left her breasts, swollen and damp, and trailed a path with his tongue down her middle. She was on the edge, gasping from the way he’d just made her explode and craving for him to do it to her again. “Juan.” She looked down at him, her vision still somewhat blurred. “What are you doing?” She quivered with excitement, knowing the answer to her question when she asked it. “Loving you.” His voice was so raspy. She sensed his body burned with energy so intense that keeping his human form was as much of a challenge for him as it was for her.

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His black hair hung to his shoulders. Muscles bulged in his arms and down his back. She ran her fingers through his hair, looking down at him when he knelt in front of her. It was hard to picture her powerful werewolf in such a submissive position. Nothing in this world would make her ask him to stand though. Anticipation rippled inside her while she watched his fingers wrap around the straps that hugged her hips. Juan had promised her gentle. She jumped when he yanked on the straps, his fingernails growing quickly and tearing the material from her body. “Holy shit,” she cried out, his actions so fucking hot she practically melted. Streaks of silver shot through his dark orbs when he looked up at her. The grin on his face made her tremble. Pure satisfaction, along with something a bit darker, more carnal, glowed in his expression. “It’s your turn not to move, sweet bitch. I promised you gentle. I never told you that I wouldn’t be thorough.” His teeth pressed against his lips, giving his jaw a fuller look. “Thorough is good.” She tried smiling but her lips quivered. So much excitement and raw, unleashed energy pulsed inside her that she could hardly stand. Not to mention, his expression undid her. Juan was so damned sexy. His powerful shoulders and strong arms rippled with muscle. He’d adjusted himself on his knees in front of her and stared at her pussy. He looked like a werewolf ready to dig into a feast. And she was dinner. She couldn’t wait for him to touch her. At the same time, she prayed she’d be able to last long enough to really enjoy his eating her out. He pulled the panties from her and the material brushed over her soaked pussy. She grabbed on to his shoulders, sensations igniting inside her. “I’m more than good,” he promised, dropping her panties and then pressing his mouth against her clit. Erin’s world turned sideways when he stroked the hair between her legs and then pressed into her, parting her swollen flesh and tasting her. She closed her eyes, holding on to him for dear life. He sucked her swollen nub and then tortured it with the tip of his tongue. Pressing slightly, sparks exploded inside her and she toppled over. “Stay standing.” His breath was fire against her skin. His words vibrated through her as he gripped her to keep her from falling to the ground. She nodded although he didn’t see her, and straightened, praying her legs wouldn’t give out. His thick lashes hooded his gaze and his face pressed into her while his mouth worked a magic she didn’t know existed. His mouth moved tenderly over her pussy. She was glad she’d taken extra care to trim her hair before coming to him. More than anything, she’d wanted every inch of her to appeal to him. With him so close, inhaling and tasting her, he would have her at her best. And damn, this had to be him at his best. Nothing had ever felt so fucking perfect in all her life.

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She breathed in, dragging in the deep, musky smell of his sex along with her sweeter smell. It was a perfect combination, an aroma that carried her away. She dared to spread her legs, not sure she could move and keep upright, but wanting him to have the best access possible. He growled his approval. “You taste so damned good.” He straightened his tongue, dipping inside her and then stroking the sensitive muscles along the wall of her pussy. She dug into his shoulders, loving the feelings he gave her. With each stroke, the pressure grew, spreading inside her. If she could float away, simply drift on the sensations taking over her body, she’d willingly do it. “Don’t stop,” she mumbled, her head falling to the side while she hummed her approval. Juan growled, lapping and sucking, teasing and torturing her until she fought not to explode. She wanted this forever. It felt so damned good. He was hitting a spot she didn’t know she had, controlling her body. Fighting it simply pushed her closer to her explosion. A ringing started somewhere in the distance, growing stronger. At the same time, a thudding sound vibrated inside her, building, intensifying. When she realized it was her heart and the hard pumping of blood crashing through her veins, there was no turning back. Everything around her swam in a pool of delightful lust. Her world spun out of control. The dam broke inside her and the pressure spilled over, consuming her, taking her with it until she was sure she would black out. “Juan,” she cried out, her orgasm tearing her apart, thrashing through her like a tidal wave. “Come for me, little bitch.” He gripped her ass, holding her tightly and stroking her sensitive asshole with his fingers while devouring her pussy. Unable to control her body, her legs suddenly as useful as limp noodles, she crashed on top of him, spinning in her own pool of lust. Juan caught her, moving easily and wrapping his arms around her when she fell over him. Never had she completely lost control during sex. She trembled, unable to regain her footing. Every inch of her tingled. Her world blurred, fading in and out while wave after wave of lust rushed inside of her. She breathed in the rich smell of their sex that hung like syrup in the air. And as her heart pulsed out of control, the only thought she could grab on to was that she wanted more, needed more immediately. Yet she couldn’t stand. “My sweet little bitch just had one hell of an orgasm.” There was never a more satisfied werewolf than the one grinning at her right now. His cock was hard and throbbing against her ass when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. The taste of her own come dripped from his lips. Its rich scent made her insides flip-flop, but at the moment, that was the most reaction her tingling body could master.

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She relaxed willingly against him, not sure she could stand if she tried. “Give me a minute,” she begged, knowing she’d be able to give him more if she could just catch her breath. If her heart didn’t slow down, she’d make a fool of herself and change in the middle of their brand new bedroom. “You’ll get more than just a minute, little bitch.” Juan settled himself on the floor, stretching his long, thick legs out in front of him and then situating her on his lap. “Rest for now. Just relax.” Erin stared at his strong jaw line and then lazily ran her finger along it. “You’re hard as a rock. I can slide on and ride you while we’re sitting here.” Juan kissed her forehead, refusing to let her adjust on his lap. “I’ll always be hard as a rock for you, my bitch. If I take you too hard and fast, which is what would happen if I entered you right now, it might be too much after doing me in your fur last night.” It took a moment to understand his meaning. He wasn’t going to fuck her after getting her off so well simply because he worried her body couldn’t handle it. “You’d suffer for me.” She shook her head. “Wolf man, you don’t have to play so tough all the time.” “Believe me, if you weren’t so sore, you’d see tough,” he growled. Muscles twitched and spasmed throughout his body and his growl turned into a rumbling sigh. She was so damned sated it took effort to raise her hand to his face. “I’m just a little tender,” she drawled. “Rest,” he ordered, grabbing her hand and nibbling on her fingertips. “I’m not going anywhere.” She must have done a hell of a lot more than simply rest. Erin blinked a few times, staring at the blank walls in the empty room, and took a minute to figure out what had happened. “Please tell me I didn’t fall asleep.” From the thickness of her mouth, she knew that was exactly what she’d just done. “You were too beautiful to wake up.” Juan grinned down at her and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “You sat here and just held me while I slept?” She couldn’t believe it. “Yup.” He set her easily on the floor next to him and then stood and stretched. His shirt lifted above his jeans and she got a peek of a black line of hair that she knew spread into wonderful curly chest hair. He raised his arms, stretching before her and showing off incredible bulging muscles all over his body. “Get dressed and let’s see about getting some furniture in our new den,” he told her, reaching down to grab her jeans for her. Corded muscle stretched under his jeans and her insides quivered while she almost drooled at the view.

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“Do we have to leave right now?” She accepted her clothes, taking her time putting them right side out while standing slowly. “You will have plenty of time to enjoy me, little bitch.” His grin was awful, full of teasing and pompous male satisfaction. He’d made her explode, giving her enough relief that she’d crashed on top of him. Instead of waking her and demanding his own satisfaction, he’d held her, protecting her and letting her rest. In spite of the fact that her insides craved more, that an emptiness crept to life in her pussy and she was willing to bet his cock wasn’t completely soft, she couldn’t help grinning at him. “I plan on enjoying every inch of you too, wolf man.” “Damn good thing.” He held his hand out to her, pulling her to her feet and then lifted her against his chest while devouring her mouth. The taste of her come still lingered on his lips. “My guess is that by tonight, you will be able to handle all that I’ve got stored up for you. Right now though, we have furniture waiting for us to move in here.” He let go of her and then turned her toward the door, slapping her ass hard enough to make it sting. She jumped, shocked yet suddenly tingling from head to toe as she looked over her shoulder at him. “Don’t tell me I’m going to have to train you how to behave,” she teased. “Try it and I’ll put a leash on you,” he growled, but his dark eyes glowed with excitement. “Once we get our furniture in here, I plan on taking you in every room of our den.” “Let’s hurry and get it over here then.” Erin quickly pulled on her clothes, suddenly as excited to make their den into a cozy home as she was to fuck Juan again. He slipped his large hand around hers and then brought her fingers to his mouth. Nibbling on her flesh, he then kissed her knuckles and grinned down at her. “You’re making me a very happy werewolf, Erin. Thank you.” Her mouth went dry as she stared into his smoldering gaze. He hadn’t had his relief yet, and promises of what he would do to her formed an erotic image in her mind. She tingled from head to toe at the thought. “I love you,” she whispered, knowing the warmth spreading inside her was more than lust. Her smell had changed. She wondered if he noticed too. In the short time they’d been together, everything inside her had changed. The urge to run, to escape her world, no longer seemed an issue. She didn’t want to hide from anything. Juan was by her side and everything was perfect. An explosion outside about made her jump out of her skin. “What the fuck was that?” Juan barked, pushing her behind him and heading toward the door.

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Erin was on his heels, almost stumbling into him when he reached the door. She heard shouting outside and then another explosion. She could barely contain the panic that rushed over her. Flashbacks of her den going up in flames, of racing for her life while her world disappeared in black smoke made it hard to think straight. She wasn’t a cub anymore though. This was her den. No one would attack and get away with it. Her legs wobbled when she followed Juan outside. She cursed the fear that smelled rank around her and searched the mountain along with Juan. “Shit.” Juan pointed and sprinted toward the road. Already other werewolves shouted orders and growled at each other. Several trees burned and the fire spread over the ground, again bringing back ghosts that bit at her senses. “Please no.” She covered her mouth with her hand, slowing as she watched flames climb a nearby tree. “What the hell is going on?” Tonya Miccatto screamed when a branch crackled and started falling to the ground. The stench of her fear drowned out the smell of burning wood. Something gripped Erin hard. Malta werewolves had a second chance. This time, no one would burn them out. “Get out of the way,” Erin ordered, and reached for the burning branch, using her gift. Fight. Survive! There was no time to stand around freaking out. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to run. The branch quit falling. Erin’s arm muscles cramped, as if the weight of the burning tree pressed her into the ground. It hurt, but she couldn’t let go. Her world wouldn’t burn. Not now. Not when suddenly everything was so perfect. “Erin. Oh shit!” Juan sounded too far away. “Juan!” she cried out, scared to look away from the incredibly large branch glowing from flames and hanging over them. An icy cold breeze made her shiver so hard her muscles almost gave out on her. The branch came closer. “Dante!” Juan screamed his name, sounding like he was right next to her. She didn’t smell him. Smoke burned her eyes and she didn’t dare look around her to search for him. “Juan. Where are you?” Just please be okay. That’s all that mattered. “I got it. I got it.” Dante crashed into her. Erin stumbled and scrambled not to fall while her eyes teared and for a moment she lost sight of the burning branch.

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“Damn.” Juan grabbed her, his hard body wrapping around her and blocking the harsh wind that seemed to be blowing in all directions. She rubbed her eyes furiously, twisting in his arms. Dante sent the huge burning branch that she’d suspended in the air flying like a torpedo taking off into the sky. Erin had never seen anything like it. “Good catch,” Dante told her, patting her cheek but then turning quickly and hurrying away from them. “Apparently Valle has two fire trucks,” Josie offered, rushing over toward them and offering information while gripping his cell phone. “They don’t think either one of them can make it up these rough roads though.” “Fucking figures.” Someone started complaining about losing everything again. Erin blocked them out. She wouldn’t listen to pessimism right now. Her brain wouldn’t handle it. Somehow everything would be all right. Whatever it took. She squinted through the thick smoke, the smell of trees burning reminding her of a huge barbeque, except this time the menu would not include Malta werewolves. A handful of large pines were on fire. Flames danced up a nearby hill, the harsh wind encouraging them in their flight. Her pack members ran frantically around, slapping at the flames with blankets and pieces of clothing. “The cabins have water. We need buckets.” Juan grabbed Dante’s attention and the two werewolves searched their surroundings. They stared at a row of empty cabins lining the side of a crudely built road. There were hardly any supplies anywhere. “Over here. Come on!” Nicolo waved his arm and gestured when Dimitri pulled up in one of the work trucks they’d used to haul supplies for building the cabins. Its motor struggled against the rough incline but Dimitri managed to park it close to Erin and Juan’s cabin. Nicolo ran to the back of the truck and started tossing white buckets at whoever was closest. It was a frantic race hurrying into the cabins and filling the dirty white supply buckets as full of water as they could get them. There weren’t enough of them to form a perfect assembly line. Erin struggled, carrying her bucket full of splashing water, and then tossed it onto the burning grass. “Have the bitches stay inside and fill the buckets,” Dimitri barked. “Fill them and pass them on to us so that we can race them outside.” Erin willed each bucket to fill with water faster than it would. Once each bucket was full, she used her gift and sent the bucket of water to the door where a male grabbed it and took off running. There was no way to know what was going on outside, but the strong emotions swarming around each werewolf that raced into her den didn’t help her calm down any. She handed over full buckets, took empty buckets and searched the view outside the window over her sink. “Are we putting it out?” she asked Juan when he came inside and handed her an empty bucket.

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“Actually, yes.” He pushed a strand of hair away from her face and gripped the bucket for her while water poured into it. “Just a couple of trees caught on fire and we’ve soaked the ground enough that we’ve contained it.” “That’s good to hear.” She let out a sigh, suddenly aching to sit down. Unfortunately she stood in an empty kitchen. “What do you think happened?” she asked. “I don’t know. But we’re going to find out soon.” His anger smelled so spicy she almost sneezed from it. He took the full bucket from her and left her with several long strides. She watched him march out of their den, his back muscles twitching as he carried the heavy bucket. Erin slumped against the counter, finally having a moment to simply stand there. Everything inside her had gone numb. She couldn’t even count how many buckets of water she’d filled. For the first time, she took a moment to glance around her small kitchen. It was designed just like the one they’d had when she’d lived with her littermates. It was simple, and now rather dirty from werewolves rushing in with muddy feet and sloshing water as they hurried back outside. She rubbed her hands down her front, drying them, and went to stand in her doorway. The fire had indeed been put out. A gray cloud hung low over the mountain, capturing the smoke from the fire and holding in all the smells from so many emotions. Juan stood next to Dante, talking, while the two of them held empty buckets and stared at the burnt trees and mountainside. Since they weren’t coming for more water, she crossed her arms against the cold wind picking up and headed toward them. Josie walked toward them from the other side of the road. “It looks like simple explosives were set off.” Dimitri tossed his bucket in the back of the truck and headed toward Josie. “How can we find out who did it?” “The lunewulfs did it.” Josie sounded convinced. “What makes you so sure?” Nicolo smeared dirt over his forehead. They were all dirty. But they’d saved this side of the mountain. And for the moment, that was enough to lighten everyone’s mood. Erin reached Juan’s side and willingly collapsed into his arms. He was large enough to completely block her from the wind. He smelled like smoke. But a determined, aggressive scent wrapped around her as he began stroking her arm with his fingers. She inhaled him deeply, relaxing and listening to the others while simply enjoying cuddling with him. “There wasn’t time to search the area when the fire broke out.” Dante scanned the side of the mountain now, squinting up at the jagged rocks and tall trees.

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“I think we’ve got remnants of some handmade bombs.” Josie led the small group through the trees and then squatted down over the burnt ground. “I can’t smell anything anymore. But I swear when we first got here, I sensed them in the area.” When he stood, he met Dimitri’s gaze. “There wasn’t time to chase after them and get the fire out.” He sounded apologetic. “We can’t charge another pack without proof.” Dimitri sighed with frustration. “I can’t imagine the American werewolves would have done this though. Not after helping us get the mountain.” “I’d have to agree it was the lunewulfs.” Dante reached for his mate, wrapping his arm around her and staring at her for a moment. Erin watched the two of them, imagining they communicated with each other somehow, sharing thoughts that only the two of them could hear. They had a bond she had always envied. Juan’s arms around her made her realize that she’d have that close bond before long. Her insides warmed, and maybe Juan guessed her thoughts. His grip around her tightened and she brushed her fingers over his forearm. Her heart skipped a beat when the thought hit her that she already had a bond like that. They were small in number, but the werewolves surrounding her had just suffered through a crisis to protect their territory. And they’d succeeded. No one ran. They hadn’t given up. They were a pack, for better or worse. They all needed each other to grow strong and today they’d proved working together, they could accomplish just that. “Are we just going to live next to a pack who continually wants to destroy us?” Tonya asked, staring at Dimitri’s chest while she spoke. “We are going to continue living here.” Dimitri looked from one werewolf to the next as he spoke. “And I think another trip into lunewulf territory might be called for.” “Maybe a slightly more organized visit this time,” Josie suggested. “It can’t happen until we officially have our pack leader.” Dante addressed Dimitri when he spoke. Erin swore her littermate straightened, puffing out his chest just a bit. Dimitri agreed with Dante. She almost smiled in spite of the seriousness of their conversation. Her stubborn littermate wouldn’t openly admit it, but she guessed his hatred toward her new den was breaking. Hopefully someday it would be gone completely. “Since we’re all here, I know what we can do right now.” Erin glanced up at Juan. His dark eyes smoldered when he looked down at her. She twisted against him, knowing the moment the mood lightened around them and his hold on her turned less protective and more sensual. “We can all help move my furniture into my new den.” “We were ready to load that table up when all this happened.” Moira smiled at her. Erin brushed her rear end against Juan, feeling his cock harden slightly. She took her time turning around, enjoying hard-packed muscle touching her everywhere. “It would be nice to sleep in a bed tonight,” she said quietly.

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“I doubt you’ll do much sleeping,” he whispered into her ear. Erin didn’t care that everyone watched them. She ran her hands up his chest. He hadn’t come earlier out of consideration for her. But he didn’t seem to mind at all that she teased him now. “I’ll go easy on you then, wolf man, so I don’t wear you out.” He growled, and Dante and Josie laughed. Erin didn’t turn around to see how her littermates handled her open flirting with her mate. Obviously Juan didn’t care that they watched either. He lowered his head, brushing his lips over hers, but kept his eyes open, pinning her with his stare. “I encourage you to get as rough and wild as you can, little bitch.” He nipped at her lower lip. “If you dare.”

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Chapter Seventeen “You don’t have to go, you know.” Juan stripped out of his sweats and stepped into the hot shower. Erin stared at his hard, muscular ass before it disappeared behind the shower curtain. She licked her lips, glancing at the bathroom mirror, which quickly steamed over. “You know I can’t sit here while my littermate fights in a challenge where all die but one.” Just saying the words made her stomach churn. In less than an hour, the challenge would begin. The week had flown. Arranging her new den and running with Juan, enjoying time alone and also working alongside him with the pack had made each day fly. Now, before the day was out, their pack would officially have a pack leader. “Dimitri will win.” Juan seemed to read her thoughts. “He better.” Sometimes she hated pack traditions and laws. It was ridiculous to fight just to show who was strongest, fastest and the most cunning. They would do just that though. The more she thought about it, the more her stomach churned. She hurried out of the bathroom, knowing Juan wouldn’t understand the smells coming off her. He was a werewolf, just like the rest of them, believing the strongest prevailed. And it was true. The weak never survived. “Please don’t die, Dimitri,” she whispered, closing her eyes and searching for that strength she knew was inside her too. It had to be the coldest day so far that year. Erin stuffed her hands into her brand new down jacket that matched the one Juan wore. They’d bought them in town earlier that week, both of them hearing they were in for a nasty winter. This climate would take some getting used to because it was barely autumn and already Erin’s teeth chattered. She couldn’t wait to release the change inside her just so she could warm up. But for now, she’d cuddle next to her mate and watch the challenge. They reached the designated area for the fight, a flat meadow surrounded by deadly-looking cliffs. Rather appropriate, Erin thought to herself. The pale gray sky matched the color of the rocks around them. Already adrenaline and testosterone sparked in the air. Every den showed up for the challenge, and dens sat huddled on large rocks while several cubs ran around among them, their tails sticking out under their clothes. The emotions filling the air confused the small children, and they didn’t know whether to be in their fur or skin.

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“There’s Nicolo,” Erin pointed out, nodding toward her littermate who stood by himself, watching a group of werewolves involved in a heated discussion across the meadow. “You may ask him to join us.” Juan had stiffened the moment they walked into the meadow, his nature changing, hardening, while some more carnal side to him surfaced. “I’ll be over there with Dante and Moira.” The challenge hadn’t even started yet and already the anticipation of blood in the air had every werewolf in the meadow tense. Erin nodded, huddling under the thickness of her coat as she headed across the tall grass toward her littermate. “Are you nervous?” Tonya asked, falling into stride alongside her. The bitch’s black leggings accentuated her long, slender legs. The black leather jacket she wore had to be for looks because it couldn’t possibly be doing much to keep her warm against the biting cold air. “Don’t talk to me about being nervous.” Her breath clouded in front of her face as she glanced at the pretty bitch, whose expression immediately softened. “I would be too,” Tonya said quietly. “Everyone thinks Dimitri will win. He’s definitely the biggest and strongest werewolf in the challenge.” Tonya looked over toward where the werewolves stood and almost drooled. Erin shook her head. If Dimitri even knew Tonya was alive, Erin hadn’t seen any sign of it. “I’ll just be glad when it’s over.” There wasn’t any reason to lie to the bitch. “We all will be.” Tonya looked like she would say something else. Instead she stared past Erin, and not toward Dimitri. Slowly she raised a finger. “Look,” she whispered. Erin followed where Tonya pointed with her gaze. Up in the cliffs, slowly descending on them, were a handful of lunewulfs. It seemed everyone in the meadow noticed them at the same time. She’d almost reached Nicolo and ran the last few paces until she was at his side. “Nicolo,” she cried, just as Tonya ran up behind her and grabbed her arm. The bitch was such a dramatist. “I see. Where is your mate?” “He sent me to bring you to stand with us.” A cold wind seemed to rattle the heavy gray sky above them and a mist started falling. Within a minute, moisture coated her hair and face. She squinted through the growing group of werewolves and then turned to her littermate. He met her gaze. “We’ll go stand with them.” Nicolo held out his arm, turning both bitches around and escorting them to the edge of the meadow. The group of werewolves primed for the challenge had turned their attention toward the lunewulfs.

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Erin watched the blond males, athletic in build but not as muscular as a Malta werewolf, maneuver around the rocks until they were almost to the meadow. Dimitri moved ahead of the group of males lined up for the challenge. Her littermate was a natural at taking command. She shifted her gaze quickly when Juan and Dante moved toward the lunewulfs. Erin picked up her pace. It was one thing living with the knowledge that her littermate would enter a fight to the death today. She wouldn’t have her mate risking his life as well. Nicolo grabbed her arm when they’d curved around the end of the meadow and headed toward the large rocks where Moira and the other bitches from their den still sat. “Take Tonya and go sit with the bitches,” Nicolo instructed her. “Don’t you dare all start fighting.” She wouldn’t be able to handle it. Her scent told her oldest littermate as much. “Do as you’re told, little bitch,” he said softly. “We’re just going to go find out what they are doing here.” Erin glanced again at the approaching lunewulfs and stopped, grabbing Nicolo’s arm. “It’s their pack leader,” she told him. Nicolo squinted through the mist that threatened to turn into freezing drizzle. He exhaled and his breath pooled into a small cloud in front of his face. “They are here for the challenge,” he predicted. “Why would they be here for that? This is a Malta werewolf affair.” “Stay here.” Nicolo pushed her toward the other bitches and took off to join Dimitri and the others. “I don’t like this,” Moira said in form of greeting when Erin and Tonya joined her, Rosa and Maria. Erin moved to stand on the other side of Moira, leaving Tonya to give Rosa a rather disdainful look. Sizing her up as possible competition for the single werewolves in the pack, more than likely. “Can you tell why they’re here?” Erin asked. Moira turned and stared at her, searching Erin’s expression and inhaling quietly as if using all senses to gather the meaning of Erin’s question. “There are too many werewolves around for me to narrow in on just them,” she answered truthfully, almost whispering. Erin noticed Rosa glance toward them. She wasn’t sure if the bitch overheard them or not. Erin whispered, “They can’t be allowed to interfere with the challenge.”

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Moira nodded, her head barely moving. “We won’t let them,” she answered, whispering just as quietly. Erin turned her attention to the werewolves. Moira understood that Erin meant they could use their gifts to stop the lunewulfs if needed. The terms of the challenge were that the gift was not to be used during the fighting. No one had said anything about preventing werewolves from disturbing the challenge. As if he’d been part of the conversation, Dante turned, pulling his attention from the other werewolves and piercing them with a condemning glare. Erin tossed her hair over her shoulder. Let the werewolf glare at his mate if he wanted. Erin didn’t answer to him. Her fingers got wet and cold touching her mist-damp hair. She blew on them, puffing out a cloud with her breath, and turned to see Rosa and Moira also looking toward Dante. Rosa looked her way first and rolled her eyes. Moira glanced from one of them to the other. Moira glanced back at Tonya, who huddled next to Maria and sat on a large rock. The older bitch had offered to share her patchwork blanket and Tonya had willingly slid underneath it with her. Moira met Rosa’s searching expression and then turned her attention to Erin. “Does the threat of leashes and collars bother either one of you?” she asked, a conspiratory edge in her tone. Amusement clung to the mist around them, giving it a citrus smell. “Nope,” Erin and Rosa said at the same time. Erin usually didn’t envy other werewolves in her pack who had more of the gift than she did. And she didn’t now. There seemed to be a fair amount of nonverbal communication going on though, and she wished to hell she knew what they were thinking. The citrusy smell around them strengthened. Moira looked at Erin, quickly suppressing a grin. “Dante warned me in my mind to keep all of us from using our gifts or we’d be wearing collars and leashes. So, my dear, clear your thoughts, focus on the challenge, but if any of those lunewulfs start any trouble, I think we owe them a bit of fun.” “I can make the rocks move.” Erin’s heart pounded. She fought to keep her excitement down. It was bad enough the challenge was about to start and her littermate would kill or be killed. But new emotions attacked as well. Bonding with another bitch, confiding in what she could do with her gift—this was new territory. “Not unless they start trouble,” Moira said. “Right.” Erin tingled inside, nervous energy forcing the hairs on her arms to stand up straight against her sweater and coat. She turned her attention to the werewolves, spotting Dante saying something to Juan. She watched her mate turn in her direction and then head their way. With his down coat, he looked even more thick-chested and broad-shouldered than usual. His legs were muscular and long. Erin didn’t know if it was the way his thick black hair 147

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caught the breeze and lifted around his face, or the intent way he looked at her that stole her breath. But her heart forgot to beat. “I smell mischief all over you,” he growled, walking to her and lifting her into his arms. Juan placed her on a large boulder behind them and leaned next to her. He slid his hand underneath her coat and sweater, and his damp hand touching her back sent chills rushing through her suddenly overheated body. “Does it turn you on?” she teased, twisting her body and nipping at his chin. His growl caused a quick, hard pattering session in her chest. “Do you want to know why the lunewulfs are here?” he asked while running a finger along her jawbone and then lower, down her neck before hooking it at the collar of her sweater. His palm rested dangerously close to the swell of her breasts. “You know I do,” she told him, watching the mist get caught in lashes that almost hooded his dark, penetrating gaze. “Their pack leader claims an interest since we are neighboring territories. He requests the right to honor the new leader once he’s claimed his title.” Juan let go of the top of her sweater and brushed his palm over one breast then dropped his hand and squeezed her thigh. “I also think they want to watch a good fight.” His last comment brought her pause. Just knowing that many would find entertainment in the deadly battle they were about to witness made her gut churn. Sometimes werewolves could be so damned barbaric. Dante yelled for everyone’s attention, and she jumped. Juan quickly wrapped both arms around her, almost pulling her onto his lap. “Malta werewolves!” he shouted, walking into the middle of the field and turning slowly, addressing the crowd surrounding him. A hush fell over the field. Even the drizzle slowed to a mist as if the elements also respected him. “For five long years we’ve wandered without a territory, hunted on land we couldn’t claim as our own and traveled continually, searching for a home for our dens.” His voice boomed off the cliffs surrounding them, adding to the intensity of his words. “It has been a long struggle, and one that has now come to an end. We are home.” Werewolves surrounding him leaned against rocks, stood at attention with arms crossed or huddled with loved ones. Nods of agreement and more than one comment acknowledging the accuracy of his words interrupted his speech. Dante paused, searching their faces, and glanced her direction for only a moment before continuing. “Today we follow tradition as it has been passed down for centuries. All werewolves run with their pack. And every pack has one leader. With this challenge, our leader will show his strength, shed his blood and sweat. He will allow all of us to see that he will fight to the death for us, defend us and lead us.”

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The tension climaxed in the air. Emotions ran strong among all of them and more than one werewolf shouted his blessing toward his choice for victor. Erin turned, acknowledging those who yelled Dimitri’s name. “Let the challenge begin,” Dante yelled, moving to the side as he did. Erin yelped as Josef, one of the five, leapt through the air and tackled one of the oldest werewolves in the challenge. Erin didn’t know the male, and she never would. With little effort, Josef slammed the werewolf to the ground and broke his neck. Howls and yells of approval and disapproval almost distracted her from seeing Dimitri do the same thing. She slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from shrieking when Dimitri flew into another werewolf, tackling the male and nearly throwing him across the meadow. Cheers and screams tore through the air. Dimitri ripped his shirt from his body, letting it fall to the ground while his muscles bulged and contorted. He managed to stay in human form, but his jaw grew, fangs extending when he clobbered one of the remaining four and sent the werewolf sprawling backward. She scowled as Josef watched two werewolves try to take down Dimitri. Josef was such a damned coward. She wasn’t sure why anyone allowed him to be part of the challenge. Dimitri would break his neck with little effort. But only if he survived the attack of the two large males taking him on from front and behind. She gripped Juan’s hand, which rested on her stomach, and almost twisted his fingers as she held her breath. “It isn’t fair,” she mumbled. “He’ll be fine.” Juan sounded so sure of himself. But she couldn’t take her eyes off the fight long enough to search his face. Inhaling his confident scent helped a little though. “He’s got to win. I couldn’t stand it if he didn’t.” One of the werewolves punched Dimitri hard in the gut, causing him to double over and scream profanities. Outrage and aggression clogged the air. Erin ached so desperately to send something flying, save and protect her littermate, that she closed her eyes for a moment. If he died and she did nothing to stop it, what kind of bitch would that make her? Fuck the fact that tradition was at play here. Who the hell cared about the rules laid out for the challenge? This was her littermate, her Dimitri. He’d bullied and teased her most of her life, but he’d always been there to protect her, even when she hadn’t wanted it. Dimitri loved and cherished her since she’d been born. No way would she let something like antiquated werewolf tradition come between that now. The large boulder underneath them trembled. Erin froze, looking wide-eyed around her before she realized it was her own gift struggling for freedom that caused the large rock she sat on to move.

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Juan grabbed her, turning her face to his and devoured her mouth with a scorching kiss. He reached inside her coat and squeezed her breast, finding her nipple through her sweater and bra and pinching it hard enough to make her cry out. “Dimitri will lead us for many years, making us stronger than we’ve ever been,” he whispered into her mouth, his face so close to hers that she couldn’t focus on him. “Have faith.” “Faith,” she repeated, inhaling his musky scent and letting him pull her up against his warm body. One of the werewolves howled, and Erin turned her head, pressing her cheek against Juan’s face. Dimitri dropped the dead werewolf to the ground and turned on the other male who’d attacked him from behind. He leapt through the air and the two of them tumbled to the ground. It only took a few minutes before Dimitri stood again, the third werewolf dead at his feet. He growled loudly when he turned on Josef. Bloodlust had turned his eyes silver and his extended teeth added to the deadly picture. Josef took a step backward, suddenly looking too frightened to fight. Dimitri walked up to the large, barrel-chested werewolf. Josef held out his hands, either fending Dimitri off or attempting to surrender. Erin wasn’t sure. But there was no surrendering in a challenge. Dimitri grabbed the werewolf by his thick neck. The crowd was so quiet, not even the cubs moved. An eerie hush blanketed all of them. She didn’t realize she’d wrapped her own fingers around her neck until she heard the crack of Josef’s bones. Dimitri broke his neck. The large werewolf stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed, and then slumped to the ground. The hush continued for only a second longer. Erin wasn’t sure, but maybe she broke the silence with her scream. “Dimitri,” she cried out, tears of joy and relief streaking her cheeks. She jumped out of Juan’s arms before he could stop her and ran across the meadow. Her littermate turned slowly, as if in a trance, and almost appeared not to recognize her until she jumped into his arms. “Thank God you are alive.” She hugged him fiercely and cried more when he wrapped his large arms around her. The smell of aggressive domination drowned her. And then it was so noisy she couldn’t think. Cheers and howls filled the meadow. Suddenly her pack was all around them, closing in on the two of them. She barely noticed several older werewolves drag the dead werewolves off to the side. Everyone surrounded them, all talking at once. Juan pulled her off Dimitri and wrapped his arm around her while extending his other hand to her littermate. “Our den wishes you many years of power and strength,” he said seriously. Erin looked up at him and then quickly at her littermate.

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Dimitri remained partially changed, adrenaline tearing through him with incredible fierceness. She watched Dimitri and Juan shake hands and her heart melted. They truly had created a home, their den, a new pack. “Juan told me from the beginning that you would lead,” she told Dimitri. Then Dante was there, also assuring Dimitri he’d back him and help with the pack in any way he could. Others chimed in their support. They were all so huddled together, the smell of strong emotions was thicker than she could handle. Dimitri finally raised his hands, forcing everyone to back off. Damn good thing too. Claustrophobia wasn’t something Erin liked feeling. “I am honored to be your pack leader.” Dimitri kept his arms up, turning slowly. His words were a husky growl. The change would attack him with a vengeance when he allowed it. And more than likely, it was all he could do to remain human long enough to address them. She made it back to her rock, sitting down long enough to loosen her boots. Juan started undressing next to her. It would be a magnificent run with the entire pack—a run of victory and celebration. Erin endured the cold against her feet when Dimitri kept talking. Already werewolves around them began changing, eager to be warm in their fur, spiked emotions making it almost impossible to keep the change at bay. “We offer our congratulations on the victory of your challenge.” Bob, the lunewulf pack leader, stepped down off the rocks where he and the other members of his pack had been sitting. Erin looked up at the lunewulfs quickly. One boot she’d pulled off her foot bounced on the ground, as if something were alive in it and fighting to get out. Juan grabbed the boot quickly and held it up between them. “Show them we are stronger. We won’t attack if they show their respect.” His grave expression grabbed her attention. “Now if they turn into idiots, you have my blessing to use the gift.” He winked at her, dropping the boot, and she grinned broadly. “Your congratulations are accepted. You will run with us.” Dimitri’s offered brought everyone pause. “We will run with you to the end of our territory, and then part ways as you return to yours.” The remaining werewolves who hadn’t changed yet stopped what they were doing and stared at the two pack leaders. Dimitri’s invitation was a double-edged sword. An offer to run with a pack was a high honor. But Dimitri would ensure that while the celebration run took place, their territory would remain safe. He’d basically just told the lunewulfs that they would have an escort back to their own territory. Bob stared at him for a moment before nodding. “We accept your invitation.” Another werewolf stepped forward, and Erin hadn’t realized until that moment that the American werewolf pack leader had also witnessed the challenge.

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“My pack extends an invitation to celebrate tonight in Valle,” he said, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. He was a large werewolf, thicker than Dimitri but not taller. Moisture clung to his balding head when he glanced around at the Malta werewolves and slowly approached Dimitri. He kept a wary eye on the lunewulfs as he continued speaking. “Malta werewolves are now recognized as an official pack, with our blessing that you enjoy many prosperous years in your new territory.” “And continue to play bodyguard for the American werewolves against the lunewulfs,” Juan muttered into her ear. She turned to look at him, loving how her mate found humor in the most serious of situations. They witnessed history being made today. Once again she was part of a sound and rooted pack. Now she was mated and had her own den. Erin wasn’t so gullible as to believe that all hard times were behind them. But life with Juan would make any situation easier to endure. “Get naked,” she ordered him, and shrugged out of her coat. “We’ll enjoy this run with our pack, little bitch. But you better save some energy for me later.” He leaned down and nipped her lower lip before she could stop him. Quickly undressing, she released the change inside of her, suddenly full of so much enthusiasm and happiness, she doubted the energy pumping through her veins would go away any time soon.

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About the Author All my life, I’ve wondered at how people fall into the routines of life. The paths we travel seemed to be well-trodden by society. We go to school, fall in love, find a line of work (and hope and pray it is one we like), have children and do our best to mold them into good people who will travel the same path. This is the path so commonly referred to as the “real world”. The characters in my books are destined to stray down a different path other than the one society suggests. Each story leads the reader into a world altered slightly from the one they know. For me, this is what good fiction is about, an opportunity to escape from the daily grind and wander down someone else’s path. Lorie O’Clare lives in Kansas with her three sons. Lorie welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Also by Lorie O’Clare Cariboo Lunewulf 1: Taming Heather Cariboo Lunewulf 2: Pursuit Cariboo Lunewulf 3: Challenged Dead World Fallen Gods: Jaded Prey Fallen Gods: Lotus Blooming Fallen Gods: Tainted Purity Fallen Gods: Embracing Temptation Full Moon Rising Issue of Trust Lunewulf 1: Pack Law Lunewulf 2: In Her Blood Lunewulf 3: In Her Dreams Lunewulf 4: In Her Nature Lunewulf 5: In Her Soul Penance Sex Slaves 1: Sex Traders Sex Slaves 2: Waiting For Yesterday Sex Slaves 3: Waiting For Dawn Shara’s Challenge Taking It All Things That Go Bump in the Night 2004 anthology Torrid Love: After Dusk Torrid Love: Caught! Torrid Love: The First Time Werewolves of Malta 1: Elements Unbound Werewolves of Malta 2: Living Extinct

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

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