Embracing the Wolf

“Don’t worry about your brother, Adam. I can handle him.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” he said. “If it weren’t for my parents, I would have kicked his ass off our mountain the moment he showed up.”

I smiled to myself. Though Adam was a strong alpha, purebred wolves were taught to respect their parents. As much as he hated their decision to keep his brother around, Adam would not go against their wishes. I could find the humor in the situation—a squabble between siblings—even though I knew it was much more serious. I also knew that whatever the world threw at us, Adam and I would get through it. He lived for me, and I lived for him. Not even a sibling rivalry could taint that.

“What did he say to you?” Adam asked.

I ran my fingernails up and down his bare chest in a soothing motion. I loved feeling the ripple of muscle beneath my fingertips.

“He said he was here for me, and that he might know who’s targeting me.”

“Son of a bitch,” Adam hissed through his teeth. “It’s either him, or he’s lying. You’re not leaving my side until he’s gone.” He began to sit up, and I pushed him back down.

“You’re in no shape to be out of bed. I’ll be fine.”

“Anna—”

I quieted him with a finger on his lips. Leaning down, I replaced my finger with my mouth. My wolf, along with my libido, roared to life. She would have to settle for a kiss, though; Adam wasn’t ready for sex just yet.

“You’re to stay in bed, understand?”

Adam smiled. “I kinda like it when you boss me around.”

I gave him a quick kiss. “Me too,” I said with a wink. “Do you want anything for breakfast?”

“You,” Adam said suggestively. He reached an arm up and slipped his fingers through my hair, bringing my head down to meet his mouth. I allowed him to kiss me, opening my lips to welcome his tongue. Heat blossomed between my legs at the thought of him being inside of me again. I had to stomp the lust down, though. What little strength he had needed to be used to heal his body.

“Easy there, Casanova.” I leaned back, resting a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll wrinkle the sheets when you’re one hundred percent again.”

“I’m always ready for you, Chante.” He gripped my wrist and placed it over the bulge struggling against his track pants. A delightful shiver skipped its way up my legs, settling in my center. The sheer lust I had for Adam often left me in a greedy haze. Under the right circumstances, I would have been naked already. Being responsible sucked sometimes.

“Hmm,” I moaned. “And I can’t wait to feel it inside me when you’re better.”

Adam let out a heavy breath, releasing my hand. “You’re killing me, woman, killing me.”

I laughed and stood up, walking over to my dresser. “One or two days isn’t going to kill you. Stop being a drama king.” I began to take off my pajamas so I could dress for the day. Adam’s eyes seared a path along my body, heating me from the inside out.

“Oh, I see,” Adam said. “You’re plan isn’t to kill me. You want to torture me until I’m mad with horniness. You’re a tricky, tricky woman, Chante.”

I sent him a coy smile over my shoulder before I bent over and tugged up my denim shorts. Adam’s responsive groan was enough to make me smile wider.

Once I was dressed in shorts and a tank top, I walked back over to the bed and sat next to Adam.

“How are you feeling?” It was nice pretending things were normal, but the silver coursing through his body might as well have been coursing through mine. His discomfort was my own, and no brave face could fool me into believing he was handling this as well as he convinced the others. I’d only ever seen Adam as the strong, confident alpha of our pack. Seeing him lying in my bed with a fresh sheen of sweat across his brow unsettled me in more ways than one. It reminded me how fragile life was, even for those of the paranormal persuasion. Lifting that veil and seeing the truth behind it scared me more than I’d admit. One silver bullet to the heart, and any one of us could be wiped from this world. Adam had been close, too close.

“I’ll live,” Adam said, giving confirmation to my unspoken question.

I hadn’t realized I was tense until I felt my body substantially relax. Adam had become something to me that no other man was able to achieve. I knew without a doubt I loved him, even if I hadn’t spoken those three little words yet. Even with my certainty of feelings for the man before me, I still struggled to voice them. I credited it as my fear I’d always had toward commitment, but if I was being honest, it was because the intensity of our relationship left me speechless. Saying, “I love you” didn’t seem sufficient, though I didn’t know any other words to convey what my heart was telling me every time I looked into his eyes.

“Hey,” Adam said, reaching a hand up and gripping my chin to turn my face toward his. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

I gave him a small smile and shook my head. “Nothing,” I lied. “I’m just relieved you’re going to be okay.” That was the truth. “If something were to happen—”

“Stop,” Adam interrupted. “This is nothing.” He signaled to his leg where the wound hid beneath his pants. “As long as I have you, I have something to live for. Not even a vat of silver will keep me from clawing my way from death to stay beside you, Chante. We’re infinite.”

My lips curled inward, and I bit down on my upper one to keep from smiling like a fool. My eyes blurred with tears from the sincere words he so easily spoke. Where I found trouble voicing my feelings, Adam laid them bare.

“You know,” Adam said, bringing me out of my thoughts. “The ceremony was disrupted before I pledged myself to you. I had a surprised all planned out.”

“Oh?”

“Mhmm,” Adam hummed. “Tonight, we’ll complete the ceremony, low key. I’ll invite the wolves here and finish what we started.

“It can wait,” I told him. “You’re still healing and the conference starts today. It’s going to be chaotic. I just want you focusing on getting better.”

“Nonsense, you’re all I’ve focused on since you came to live here. And this cannot wait.”

“Okay,” I said bewildered. “We’ll do it tonight then.”

Adam smiled—pleased he got his way. “Now, get out of here. I should be resting, and you’re making it very hard to concentrate on anything but those tiny ass shorts you’re wearing.”

I laughed and shook my head at him. When I began to stand, he gripped my arm and pulled me back down.

“How am I supposed to leave when you won’t let me?”

A playful glint shone behind his sapphire eyes. “You didn’t really think you were going to leave without so much as a goodbye kiss, did you?”

“Hmm … I wouldn’t dream of it.”

* * * *

“Protect your throat at all costs,” Sawyer said, and I nodded. “Fighting is all about instinct. You really don’t have to worry about much. You held your own against Eve. Had Adam not pulled her off you, you might have been able to finish her yourself.”

“I was pissed then.”

Sawyer smiled. The sun glinted off his dirty blond hair and bronze chest. Memories of our one night together flitted through my mind. It should have been awkward, but it wasn’t. I knew he still had feelings for me, but he also knew he had to move on. Most people wouldn’t be able to remain friends after an ordeal like that. I was happy that we were both mature enough to see past it. Sawyer was a part of my pack and I his; the bond that goes with that is stronger than petty jealousy.

“Pissed off is good,” Sawyer commented. “When you’re in a fight for real, those emotions will help, but they can also hinder. Don’t allow your anger to override your common sense.” He unbuttoned his jeans and let them slip down his strong legs. I began to shimmy out of my shorts and tugged my tank top over my head. I ignored Sawyer’s heavy gaze. If Adam knew I was standing in my underwear in front of him, I’d get chewed out. Not because he didn’t trust me or because I was almost nude, but because he knew how Sawyer felt. His anger would come from the hungriness reflecting from Sawyer’s eyes. Coveting one’s mate was a dangerous line to toe, especially an alpha’s mate. I just prayed he had enough sense not to cross it.

“What do you do if your hind legs are attacked?”

“Kick out?”

Sawyer’s head bobbed up and down. “With any luck, you’ll land a blow to the eyes, and the attacker will release you. Just listen to your wolf and allow her to act solely.”

I nodded, and Sawyer fell to his knees. I did the same, happy for the ten feet or so separating us. While I liked Sawyer, the blatant desire he refused to hide made me uncomfortable and guilty. I knew it was illogical to feel guilt, but I couldn’t help it. Had I known that Adam and I would bond, I never would have gotten involved with Sawyer. What’s done is done, though, and moving forward is the only way to get past it.

I closed my eyes and called my wolf forward.

“I’m going to pin you,” Sawyer said, and I cracked an eyelid open. “I want you to break my hold by any means necessary, got it?”

I nodded and closed my eyes again, concentrating on the beast lying in wait just beneath the surface of my skin. Her power caused my skin to tingle, and a rush of energy to burst through my veins. It was such a commanding high that I would never get used to. A shot of adrenaline raced its way through my body, and then I was on four paws instead of my hands and knees. My wolf relished being released. She hadn’t gotten the chance a lot in the past week. We hadn’t done our nightly runs like before, because my nights were often occupied—twined around Adam’s body. She liked that just as much, though, I knew she loved to be in nature—running and hunting, too.