Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2021 N.J. Walters

ISBN: 978-0-3695-0450-0

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Jessica Ruth

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

All books are special to a writer, but there are some that rise above the rest. The Salvation Pack series has been a labor of love for me for years. Thank you to all my amazing readers who wrote asking for more. It gave me an excuse to go back to a place and characters I love and write the next generation of stories.

The release of any book takes a lot of work. Thank you to my editor, Jessica Ruth, and the incredible team at Evernight Publishing—especially Stacey and Audrey—for giving me the opportunity to bring this spin-off series to life.

WOLF IN THE WOODS

Salvation Pack: The Next Generation

N.J. Walters

Copyright © 2021

Chapter One

Billy Gallagher peered up at the mountains and inhaled the crisp air. Spring had come to Kentucky, but the day was still cool. Birds trilled their songs, and a crow cawed his annoyance. In the distance, a small animal rustled a bush as it hurried by. Leaves were unfurling, the woods coming awake after their winter nap.

He loved being outside. Always had. It was his good fortune that he’d grown up in the middle of a wolf pack just outside of Salvation, North Carolina. He’d literally run wild with the wolves.

He veered off the path and into the surrounding trees, as at home here as he was in his living room. His stepfather, Elias, had taught him how to survive in the wilderness, how to track and find food, how to mark his trail.

The incline grew steeper, but it didn’t slow him down. He kept up the punishing pace for almost an hour, pushing himself to his limits. His lungs were sucking in air when he finally stopped and sat on a moss-covered outcrop that gave a beautiful view of the countryside below. It was peaceful and quiet.

Exactly what I need.

He opened his knapsack and pulled out a bottle of water. As he took a long pull, he let his gaze travel over the landscape. Something about the rustic countryside settled the slight dissatisfaction that had crept into him as of late.

He loved his life and living on Salvation Pack land, but it wasn’t always easy being one of only two people there who were full human. The rest were either pure werewolf or half-breed. Having to keep such a large secret meant he didn’t have any friends outside the pack. Sometimes it got lonely.

Every now and then, he just needed to get away.

He dug into his backpack and found an energy bar. Since it was chocolate, it wasn’t half bad.

But it wasn’t nearly as tasty as whatever was being whipped up at home for lunch.

Pack life was communal. He’d spent his childhood running in and out of all the homes in the compound. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. But he wasn’t pack. Not really. He was human.

He stuffed the bar wrapper back into his bag and pushed himself upright. The restlessness that had plagued him was back in full force. He was determined to silence it one way or the other.

Leaving the pack was an option, but not one he really wanted to consider. They were his family.

And if he went, his mother would be the only human among wolves. The alternative was to do what he was doing—spending time alone in nature, soaking up its peace and tranquility. And if that didn’t work, he’d sweat his restlessness away, pushing himself harder.

Billy swung his knapsack onto his shoulders and continued the climb. He’d hike for another hour or so and then set up camp. Being early May and with him so far off the beaten track, he wouldn’t run into anyone else.

And that was exactly how he wanted it.

****

Addie Fuller glanced over her shoulder, not slowing her pace. Hurry! Her paws barely made any sound as they landed on the forest floor, cushioned by moss and downed pine needles. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. Her heart pounded. She dug deep and pushed herself to go faster.

Even in her wolf form she was tiring. She’d been running flat out and hiding for what seemed like hours. Simon should have given up by now. He had to know if he did, she’d sneak home and keep her mouth shut about what he’d done.

If she told her daddy, he’d feel honor-bound to fight Simon. And he’d also never let her out of

the house on her own again. She’d be basically a prisoner until she allowed herself to be mated.

But Simon Jones and Jude Gordon didn’t care what she wanted.

Her options were severely limited.

Addie stopped beside a large overgrowth of bushes and listened. She was panting so heavily it took a couple of minutes for her to be able to hear anything above the pounding of her heart.

The woods were silent.

The birds had stopped singing. The squirrels and other small animals were still.

Damn! She hadn’t lost him.

“Come on, Addie. I was only kidding around.” Simon sounded both condescending and cajoling. He was also much closer than she was comfortable with.

She hunkered down low to the ground, barely daring to breathe.

“Let’s go home.” Jude was obviously trying to talk some sense into his friend. “Addie doesn’t want you, man.”

Jude was right. She wouldn’t mate with Simon if he was the last man on the planet. Too bad he couldn’t seem to get that through his thick skull. What had started out as a friendly outing with packmates had ended up with her running to keep from being mated by force.

“She will.” The certainty in Simon’s voice sent an icy shiver down her spine. This was not a man ready to give up. She was tempted to take a peek to see how close they were but didn’t dare. She shifted her weight and a leaf crunched beneath her right paw.

“There she is!” Simon yelled.

“Come back!” Jude called after his friend.

She took off, running harder than she thought possible, but Simon was a male werewolf, several years older than her. He was bigger, stronger, and faster.

He’s going to catch me.

It was only a matter of time until he overtook her. There was only one thing to do. There was a clearing up ahead, and she went straight for it. It would be easier to fight if she wasn’t hemmed in.

This morning had started like any other normal day. When she’d had breakfast with her folks, she’d never dreamed that hours later she’d be fighting for her life.

Because there was no way she was going to allow any wolf to claim her. It would be her choice or none at all.

She skidded to a stop and turned. Growling, she showed her fangs, warning both men she was prepared to fight. Simon remained a wolf, but Jude was in his human form.

“We don’t have to do this,” Jude began. But Addie was very much afraid they did. Simon’s brown eyes gleamed with determination and lust.

****

Something is wrong.

The woods went silent. The birds stopped singing, and a squirrel that had been entertaining him with its antics suddenly fled up a nearby pine tree.

It was an unnatural quiet.

Billy sat up on his sleeping bag and listened. He’d been lying back, relaxed, watching the late afternoon sky and enjoying the sounds of the mountain. He hadn’t bothered to bring a tent. The weather was forecast to be decent, and he loved sleeping under the stars, even when there was the possibility it would dip down close to freezing overnight.

Something rustled in the bushes nearby. He pushed himself upright and quietly moved in the direction of the sound. A bear? The smaller animals wouldn’t have been as spooked by a deer or a

fox.

When voices filtered through the trees, he relaxed. It was just some fellow hikers. Although, he really was off the beaten track, far from humanity or any trails. One of the voices sounded distressed.

He knew his way in the wilderness, but not everyone else did. Best to make sure they weren’t lost.

He took the time to roll his sleeping bag and attach it to his pack, just in case he had to guide them out.

So much for my quiet afternoon and evening in the woods.

Some sixth sense made him creep quietly toward whoever was out there. This wasn’t a likely spot for anything illegal, but stranger things had happened. There could be hunters out there, in which case the last thing he wanted was to get his ass shot by startling them.

He might be human, but he’d been trained by werewolves from the time he was a kid. It was as natural as breathing for him to stay downwind and watch where he put his feet.

A deep growl made him stop in his tracks. There were wolves out there. And since there weren’t any regular wolves around here, they had to be werewolves.

He did not need to be caught in the woods by another pack. There was one in Kentucky, but he’d figured the odds of him running into any of them were slim to none. Looked like slim had won.

But they didn’t know he was out here. The best thing to do was walk away to avoid any possible conflict. He’d turned to do just that when a woman spoke.

“Make him go home, Jude. I won’t mate with him.”

Billy’s blood ran cold. Silently cursing himself as an idiot for getting in the middle of a fight between werewolves, he slowly lowered his gear to the ground and strode forward, making no attempt to silence his approach.

They all stared as he walked into the small clearing. His gaze went from the naked woman—

and wow, was she gorgeous—to the very large wolf glaring at him. There was another man, also naked. He had no idea where the naked guy stood in all of this, but the wolf was obviously the biggest problem.

He held his hands out in front of him. “Don’t mean to barge in, but I’m afraid I can’t let you claim an unwilling female.”

The wolf growled, showing plenty of teeth. The other man frowned and spoke. “I don’t know who the hell you are, but this isn’t any of your business. Walk away.”

Billy tilted his head to one side, studying them both. “Sorry, can’t do that. I’ve heard stories about forced matings. A real man protects his friends and family, helps where he’s needed. A real man never forces a woman.” He shook his head. “So sorry, but I’m not going anywhere.”

****

Who is this guy? Where the heck did he come from?

There was no time to get answers. The tall stranger sauntered forward to confront Simon and Jude, as though he didn’t have a care in the world.

Even more shocking, he knew what they were.

He wasn’t the least bit taken aback by seeing two naked people and a wolf. Obviously, he’d been listening to them if he knew about the claiming. He was a stranger, but he had to be a wolf or at least a half-breed if he knew so much about their kind.

“You need to leave,” Jude repeated. “While you still can.” His voice was so low it was almost a growl. The stranger didn’t back down, but stood taller and tilted his chin up slightly in an obvious challenge.

Addie took a deep breath and caught the stranger’s scent. Shock rippled through her. He was

totally human and no match against two male werewolves. As much as she appreciated him coming forward on her behalf, she couldn’t allow him to be hurt. And that’s what would happen if he stayed.

“He’s right.” She looked the stranger right in the eyes. “You should go.”

The human hooked his thumbs into the front pockets of his jeans and shook his head. “Not unless you tell me you’re ready to mate with that wolf.” He jerked his head toward Simon.

There was something about the man that made her unwilling to lie. She shook her head. “No, I can’t tell you that.”

“Then I guess I’m staying.”

Simon began to shift, his bones and body contorting and reshaping, fur disappearing and turning to skin. Back in his human form, he spat on the ground. “This is none of your business, human.” He made the last word sound like a curse and took a menacing step forward.

But the stranger didn’t back away. Nor did he seem the least bit shocked by Simon’s transformation. Human he might be, but wherever he’d come from, this was not his first encounter with her kind.

She didn’t know if this newcomer was brave or stupid.

“But since you’ve seen what we are, you have to die,” Simon added.

The man cocked his head to one side. “I knew what you were before I stepped into the clearing.” Then he turned his attention to her and inclined his head. “Billy Gallagher. Pleased to meet you.”

It was embarrassing to be totally naked in front of a complete stranger. Even with her hands strategically placed, there was no hiding her nudity. She always changed and shifted before joining the others. She wasn’t ashamed of her body, but she was modest, and there was no need to make the situation regarding her unmated state even more volatile by parading around in nothing but her bare skin.

At least she knew his name now. Billy Gallagher. It suited him. He was just a shade over six feet tall with blond hair and eyes as blue as a summer’s sky. He wasn’t heavily built, but from the way he moved, there was a lot of lean muscle under his clothing

“Addie Fuller.” It should have felt ridiculous to be acting like the situation was normal, but she honestly didn’t know what else to do.

Simon gave a menacing growl. “You don’t look at her. She’s mine.”

Enough was enough. “I’m not yours. I’ll never be yours. I thought we were friends, but right now, I don’t like you. I don’t know who you are anymore.” And that was the truth. They’d all grown up together, playing and running wild as children. Everything had changed these past few months.

She turned to Jude, appealing to his common sense. “You need to take Simon home. We can pretend this never happened.”

“She’s right.” Jude held his hand out toward his friend, but he was having none of it.

“No, she’s mine. And I’ll claim her as soon as I get rid of the human.”

Billy’s affable demeanor disappeared in the blink of an eye. “You might want to rethink that. If I don’t turn up at home on time, people are going to come looking for me.”

“Let them come.” Simon threw back his shoulders and gave a cocky grin. “They’ll have to find your body.”

An icy chill ran through her. She’d never once thought Simon was capable of cold-blooded murder. Of course, she’d never thought he’d try to force her to mate with him either.

“Oh, they’ll find it.” Billy tapped the side of his nose. “Werewolves have an excellent sense of smell.”

Brow furrowed, she cocked her head to one side, totally confused. “Werewolves?”

“Didn’t I mention I’m part of the Salvation Pack out of North Carolina? No? Well, I am. So unless you want to bring a whole heap of trouble down on your pack, you’ll walk away.”

Chapter Two

Billy was taking a huge gamble, but it was the only chance he had. Simon seemed intent on not only mating with Addie but also killing him.

He wasn’t sure which side Jude would come down on in a fight, but he wasn’t expecting help from that quarter. He hoped the threat of the wrath of another pack would be sufficient deterrent to end this.

Simon sniffed the air and glared. “You’re not a half-breed.”

Once again, he tried not to feel lacking because of his heritage. “No, I’m not. I’m full human.”

“How is that possible?” Addie asked.

She really was lovely. It wasn’t just that she was naked, but she was and there was no denying it was a distraction. She was tall and lean, her long hair falling in waves around her shoulders in a curtain of chocolate, chestnut, and ash brown, her eyes a lovely shade of dark honey.

“My mom is mated to one of them.”

“Your mom?” she repeated.

He nodded. “Yup. I was just a kid at the time. Elias adopted me after they mated.”

“But she’s fully human, not a werewolf or half-breed?” Addie seemed shocked by his admission. So were the other two. The best thing he could do was to keep talking, maybe give the two men time to rethink what they were doing.

“She’s fully human. When I was a teenager, I asked her why she hadn’t been turned into a wolf when he’d bitten her. I mean, she has a mating mark on her neck.” He tried not to think about what had been happening when his mother had gotten it. Yeah, as much as he loved Elias, he didn’t want to think about his mom and dad having sex.

He hated sharing such personal details with the men, but if talking kept them from attacking, it was worth it. Strangely enough, he didn’t mind sharing with Addie.

“She told me that Elias had been careful, barely sinking his teeth into her. Only enough to mark her. In order to be turned, the bite has to be vicious and life-threatening.”

“That’s bullshit.” Simon took an aggressive step forward. “If a werewolf attacks a human, they die. Pure and simple. There is no such thing as conversion. That’s just a folktale.”

He could have disputed that. The details might have been kept from him, but there were females in the pack that had survived such an ordeal.

Simon growled and took another step toward him, obviously finished listening to anything he had to say. “You should have minded your own business.”

Why were some people so damn stubborn? This wolf wasn’t going to walk away.

With a sigh, he took in the beautiful meadow that might be his burial place. “A man has to die sometime, and this is as nice a place as there is.”

“You’re out of your mind.” His adversary stared, as if trying to figure out if he truly meant what he’d said.

He shrugged. “Maybe, but I’d never be able to live with myself, look at myself in the mirror, if I left her here. Just as important, I’d never be able to face my father or pack again.”

He rubbed his hand over his jaw and sighed. “I’m not going anywhere. So what do you say, you leave and no one gets hurt?”

Addie had been quiet for some time, but now she spoke up. “I won’t tell anyone.”

Billy looked into her eyes. As she stared back, something clicked into place, a deep connection forming between them. It was so strong it almost seemed physical rather than emotional. She was

telling the truth, meant what she said. And for good reason.

He tried to reason with Simon. “She’ll get restricted if she tells her father or alpha what you tried to do.” For all he knew, her father or alpha might not think anything wrong with the situation.

Some wolves wouldn’t.

He glanced at the man standing silently next to Simon. Jude seemed to have a bit more sense than his friend. “What do you say?”

Jude glanced from Simon to Addie to Billy but kept his mouth shut.

Great, no help there.

Simon smiled and began to shift. As many times as he’d seen a member of his pack change from human form to that of a wolf, it never got old.

As the male began to transform, so did Addie. Spellbound, he watched her morph from tall, gorgeous, brave woman to multi-hued, sleek, powerful wolf. Her body contorted—bones reshaping, forehead flattening, and jaw elongating.

It was pure magic.

She growled, prepared to fight, but it was an uneven battle, lost before it even began. Two full-blooded werewolf males against a female werewolf and a human? Yeah, the odds weren’t in their favor.

He made one final attempt at peacemaking. “You’ll be the reason your pack ends up in a war with the Salvation Pack. I don’t know all the details, but our packs have history.” Probably not the best time to mention his pack had walked away the winners from the last clash. Simon was the type who would take that as a personal challenge instead of seeing it as a deterrent.

“They must be weak if they allow full humans in their midst,” Jude pointed out.

Why did people always think that being open-minded and sensible meant being weak? His mom was the strongest person he’d ever met. She’d been a single mother raising him by herself until she’d met and fallen in love with Elias. If he didn’t survive, at least she wouldn’t be alone.

He didn’t want to die. There was still so much he wanted to do. In spite of the obstacles facing him, he’d still hoped to one day have a wife and maybe kids.

Without warning, Simon leaped into the air.

Instinct kicked in, and Billy dropped flat on the ground. Not expecting such a move, the wolf sailed right over him. He was already rolling to his feet before Simon landed.

He glanced at Addie and made a split-second decision. “Run.”

****

Billy’s order shocked her. It was appalling and unconscionable how far Simon was willing to go to get what he wanted. The Jones family was known for being ruthless to the point of recklessness.

She’d thought he was different from the rest. Smarter.

Her assessment had been way off.

Simon growled, stalking his prey, flaunting his powerful form. He wanted Billy to run.

She growled at Jude, but he held up his hands and backed away. “Not my fight.”

Coward. The man was an absolute coward to allow this to happen.

She hurried around the perimeter of the clearing, always keeping Simon in sight. She wouldn’t put it past him to try to mark her while she was distracted.

Billy jerked his jaw toward the woods. He honestly wanted her to leave. He’s way braver and more protective than my own packmates.

He was willing to die to protect her. No way could she run and leave him to fight alone. Taking up a position beside him, she growled. If Simon wanted a fight, he’d get one.

Simon leaped toward her. Billy shoved her aside and went on the attack. He ducked beneath a massive front paw and punched Simon right in the jaw. The male wolf gave a yelp and fell, but not before raking his claws over Billy’s arm. Blood seeped from the shallow wounds.

This is crazy.

Mind racing, she searched for some solution, some way to end this without anyone dying. But she couldn’t think of any way to make that happen.

Totally beyond reason, Simon growled and bared his fangs, saliva dripping from them. The scent of blood was goading him. His need for revenge was a thirst to be quenched. He was a primal werewolf male, and he’d been struck by a human.

There’s no way to stop him. Terror gripped her, making her stomach churn.

Billy kept his arms loose by his sides and his knees slightly bent. He never took his eyes off his opponent. “You need to run, Addie, or my death means nothing.”

Torn, she froze. If he was willing to die for her, shouldn’t she honor his sacrifice?

The wolf charged. Billy jumped aside but not fast enough. Several claws raked his torso. The metallic scent of blood clogged her nose.

This can’t go on much longer.

He smiled and curled his fingers toward Simon in a come-get-me motion, taunting him.

He’s buying me time to run.

Disappearing into the underbrush, she circled around, careful to keep downwind. Not that it mattered with the three men intent on the fight. Jude might not be actively involved, but his attention was glued to the scene.

Hunkering down, she waited for her chance to attack. Her soul screamed that she’d regret it for the rest of her life if Billy died.

Simon hit hard and fast, taking his prey to the ground. Man and wolf rolled in the dirt. The muscles in Billy’s arms bunched and strained as he tried to keep the wolf’s sharp teeth from taking a chunk out of him. And he succeeded … for about thirty seconds. No matter how strong he was, he was no match for a werewolf.

Sharp fangs clamped down on his shoulder. He’d managed to turn at the last second to protect his throat, but it hadn’t saved him from injury. As he cried out in pain, claws raked over his body, sharp nails ripping into his human flesh.

Something inside her snapped. Spurred on by the scent of his blood and the sound of his cries, she burst from her hiding spot. Leaping on top of Simon, she clamped her teeth around the back of his neck, braced her hind paws on his back, and yanked with all her might.

He released his prey, and they both tumbled to the side. He swiped his big paw at her. She jerked back, but his sharp claws caught her soft belly. The smell of blood was followed by pain. It radiated outward to her limbs, the shock weakening her. Outside the inevitable injuries that came from tussling and playing with friends while growing up, she’d never been attacked. Especially not by a packmate.

“Stop it!” Jude yelled. The stench of his fear permeated the air. He kept glancing at the woods, as though he didn’t want to attract attention, which didn’t make any sense since they were the only ones around. Maybe he finally understood just how far Simon was willing to go. This was no longer a game. This was life and death.

Apparently, he didn’t care about the human but drew the line at Simon killing her.

Standing over Billy’s prone body, she growled a warning.

Simon shifted back to his human form, his brown eyes dark and mean. Keeping his gaze on her,

he licked Billy’s blood from his mouth and spat it onto the ground at her feet. “Human blood. You’d protect him against me.”

She shifted back to her human form and faced her attacker. “I’ll protect him as long as there is breath in my body. You’ll have to kill me to get to him.”

He stared at her as though he’d never seen her before. And maybe he hadn’t. She’d never stood up to him in such a direct manner. Then he glanced at Billy and finally over at Jude.

“Come on, man,” he pleaded. “Let’s just go.” Jude obviously wanted no part in this. A forced mating was one thing, killing her quite another. Maybe it was finally sinking in with Simon that his friend might not keep his silence if he murdered her.

“You’re not worth the trouble.” Simon motioned to Billy. “And neither is he. He’ll be dead before morning, probably sooner.” He turned to leave. “Better hope no hunters find you with his body.

They’ll shoot you in your pretty little head. And even a werewolf can’t recover from splattered brains.” He laughed as he sauntered away.

The bastard was walking away free and clear from what he’d done. Secure that no matter what happened, she wouldn’t tell her alpha about this, couldn’t be sure he’d take her side. Not over the death of a human. Addie thought he would, but she couldn’t afford to take the risk.

But she could go to the Salvation Pack. It would never occur to Simon that she would do such a thing. Because what Billy had told them was true. Their packs had clashed in the past. Not that she knew many details about what had happened. Only that some members of her pack had died, all of them killed by one member of the Salvation Pack. The older wolves sometimes spoke of it in whispers when they thought they were alone. But however bloody their history, they deserved the truth. And if it started a war between the two packs, she’d be sure to point out exactly who was to blame.

She silently pleaded with Jude for help. He shook his head, turned away, and followed Simon.

Uncaring of her nakedness, she fell to her knees and pressed her fingers against his neck.

“Billy.” Was he even breathing?

It was a shock to find his eyes open and him staring at her. “Addie.” The word was little more than a breathy sigh, but she heard him as easily as if he’d shouted. He wasn’t dead yet. There was still a chance she could save him.

“I’m here.” She needed supplies. His chest and arms were bleeding, the long gashes from Simon’s claws leaving open wounds. But it was his shoulder that was the worst. The skin had been ripped away, and a chunk of muscle was gone. She pulled away the shredded remnants of his shirt, wadded up the material, and pressed it against the wound, trying to staunch the bleeding.

So much blood.

He flinched at the pressure and gave a moan of pain, but didn’t tell her to stop. He had to know just how bad the situation was. He licked his lips, his breathing labored. “Gear.” His fingers uncurled and pointed to the right.

She jumped up and raced in that direction, inhaling deeply to find his scent. His knapsack was partially hidden under a short pine tree. With shaky hands, she grabbed it and hurried back.

“I’ve got it.” Adrenaline pumped through her veins, allowing her to focus past her own pain.

She ignored the gashes in her stomach. Her werewolf metabolism was already working to heal them.

They weren’t as deep as they could have been. He wasn’t so fortunate. She opened the bag and dug out a long-sleeved flannel shirt. It would do for a makeshift bandage. She ripped the arms off and then folded the rest into a thick padding.

I don’t know how to do this. This was beyond anything in her experience. Werewolves healed

naturally, for the most part, and she’d never been around anyone who’d been this seriously injured.

I have to clean the wound first. Fear was making her sweat. She swiped her forearm over her forehead.

You can do this. She didn’t have a choice. The alternative was to just let him die.

There was a bottle of water in a holder on the side of the pack. She opened it and poured the cool liquid over the wound. He clenched his teeth against the pain, his back bowing off the ground.

“I’m sorry. I know it hurts. I’m sorry,” she chanted. She pressed the folded pad against his shoulder and used the sleeves to bind it in place. “That should do it. I hope.” She chewed on her bottom lip and studied her handiwork.

“So, do you always apply bandages on the first date?” His voice was low and shaky.

Her mouth dropped and she stared. Here he was possibly dying, had to be in sheer agony, and he was making a joke.

She swallowed hard. For some reason, his attempt at humor, at making them both feel better, made her heart hurt. She had to clear her throat several times before she could respond. “I didn’t know I was going on a first date, or I might have brought a big box of bandages with me.”

His chuckle turned into a low cry when he jostled his injured body.

Heart racing and hands trembling, she dug through his pack and found a small first aid kit. She used every butterfly bandage to close the worst of the gashes on his chest and arms. Then she used a thick roll of gauze to wrap around his torso. It was easy for her to get him to sit upright, given her werewolf strength, but it was pure hell for him.

When he passed out and went limp in her arms, she felt utterly alone.

“Billy.” She eased him back down and pressed her fingers against his neck, barely breathing until she caught the slightest fluttering. He was still alive.

But for how long?

She sat on the ground and shivered, not from cold as much as fear. Still, she was naked, and the sun was almost gone.

She dug through his things and came up with another shirt. This one she pulled on and buttoned.

It fell to mid-thigh and made her feel not quite so vulnerable.

What should she do?

A branch snapped in the distance. She sprang to her feet and growled a warning. Whatever curious animal was out there retreated.

“Think, Addie.” She rubbed her hands over her thighs, absently noting she was getting blood on her legs and on the shirt. It was a combination of his, hers, and Simon’s, because she’d drawn blood when she’d attacked.

Blood. She needed to get them somewhere safer, or she’d be fighting off predators all night long.

Moving Billy would be next to impossible. She was stronger than any human, but shifting and fighting had exhausted her, not to mention she’d run for hours. The adrenaline dumped into her system was dissipating, leaving her weakened, even as her body worked overtime to heal her wounds. She was also hungry, not fueled enough to function at peak strength.

As she tried to figure her next move, she tossed things back into the knapsack. When her gaze fell on the sleeping bag, it gave her an idea.

With as little jarring as possible, she maneuvered him into the sleeping bag. It wasn’t easy. He was deadweight, unable to help. She cursed and sweat but kept going until the task was done. If he hadn’t already been unconscious, he likely would have been by the time she finished.

Being wrapped up would keep him warm and offer him some protection when she moved him.

It would also give her something to grab onto so she could pull him.

She’d been running wild in these woods since she was young and knew them well. There was a small cave not too far from here.

With the knapsack on her back, she bent down to brush his hair away from his face. It was silky and soft, the color so light. “Everything will be okay. I’ll get you somewhere safe,” she promised.

She waited for several heartbeats, but he didn’t stir. That was concerning, but there was nothing she could do about it. Safety came first, and that meant moving.

“Get going, Addie.” She went to his head, grabbed the ends of the sleeping bag, and tugged. It slid easily over the needle-covered forest floor. A low moan escaped from his lips. His eyes scrunched, creating lines on his forehead. Even passed out, he couldn’t escape the pain. She almost stopped, but delaying matters would only make things worse.

Don’t die before I get you to the cave.

She didn’t want to be pulling an actual deadweight. Shoving that thought from her head, she kept going. It seemed as though she walked forever, small sticks and rocks biting into her bare feet.

Her arms were like lead. The muscles in her thighs burned. She was panting, sucking air into her lungs. The weight on her back grew exponentially with each step. Her fingers began to cramp.

Gritting her teeth, she cried out and pulled. “I can do it. I can do it.” She stumbled and went down on one knee. Head bent, she took several deep breaths before shoving her hand to the ground and pushing herself upright. She’d crawl if she had to, but she prayed it wouldn’t come to that.

Swiping her hair out of her eyes, she trudged on.

Just as despair crept in, when she thought she might not make it, their destination loomed before her. “Thank God.” She dropped the corners of the sleeping bag, leaving him long enough to ensure the cave was empty of any occupants before pulling him inside.

“Fire.” She didn’t need one, but he did. There was a small stream not far from here, too. That gave them water.

They should be safe. It wasn’t likely Simon would come back later tonight. As far as he was concerned, he’d won. That was fine with her. She’d be happy if she never laid eyes on him again.

What would her parents think when she didn’t return home? All she’d told them earlier was that she was going for a run. She couldn’t worry about them now. There were bigger problems to deal with.

There was a flashlight in his pack. She retrieved it and set it aside. She could see perfectly fine without it, but if he woke before she got a fire going, he’d find comfort in it. Most full humans were uneasy in the dark, their eyes unable to adjust the way hers could.

Whoever Billy Gallagher was, he was an experienced camper. He seemed to have everything she needed, including matches in a small protective metal canister.

Staying nearby in case he stirred, she gathered twigs and branches and piled them at the entrance of the cave. When the first flames flickered to life, she looked toward him. Still flat on his back tucked inside the sleeping bag, he hadn’t stirred.

She placed her hand on his forehead and swore. He was burning up.

Humans died from werewolf bites. She was facing a battle she couldn’t possibly win, not out here in the middle of nowhere with very limited supplies.

It would be so easy to give in to the inevitable.

Then his eyelids fluttered and opened. When their gazes met, something inside her settled.

“You’re back,” she whispered, relief making her hoarse.

He blinked several times. “Was I gone?” His voice was incredibly weak. If it wasn’t for her superior hearing, she wouldn’t have heard him unless she’d had her ear right to his lips. One corner of his mouth quirked up slightly.

Was he seriously joking?

He coughed and followed it with a moan. She stroked his arm until he regained control and took several deep breaths.

“You’re okay,” she assured him. At least he was for now.

“Where—” He broke off and shivered.

“You’re safe in a cave.” She dug into his pack, this time to find something to use as a cloth. A clean pair of socks would have to do. She moistened one of them with their dwindling water supply and rubbed it over his forehead and cheeks.

He sighed and angled his head toward her.

The next shiver shook his entire body. He was burning up, but he was shivering. If the fever spiked too high, it would kill him. The human body could only withstand so much.

She brought the bottle of water to his lips. “Drink.”

A werewolf bite was always fatal. That’s what her daddy always said. But there were stories, folklore that spoke of the rare person who survived, who became something more than human, who became like them.

“That’s just myth,” she whispered. But what if it wasn’t? What if there was even the tiniest hope?

She rubbed the cool cloth down his face and upper body, avoiding his wounds. As she did so, she began to pray.

****

“So what are we going to say?”

“About what?” Simon looked over at Jude’s fingers where he tapped them nervously against the steering wheel of the truck. They were almost home. They’d stopped along the way for him to clean the blood away. It wouldn’t do for anyone to smell it on him.

“About Addie.”

“Nothing. We’re going to say nothing.”

“But what if someone asks? What if someone saw her leave with me earlier?” Jude could be a pain in the ass, but he did have a point.

“We say she wanted time alone so we left.” Simple and straightforward. Nothing to screw up.

“I don’t know, Simon.”

He clamped his hand over his buddy’s shoulder, squeezing it harder than necessary. “There is nothing to know. If you’d helped me earlier, I’d be mated to her—and that human would be dead.

You’ll keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you.” He’d wanted Addie for years and was tired of waiting for her to come to her senses. He was the obvious choice, the best single male in the pack.

Jude swallowed several times as he pulled the truck in behind his house. “Sure. No problem.”

“Good man,” he praised. “Now let’s get something to eat.” He needed to refuel and rest, because he was heading out first thing in the morning to check on that human. This time he was going alone. And if Billy Gallagher was still alive, he wouldn’t be when Simon was done with him.

As for Addie … well, he’d find a way to make her his yet. It was only a matter of time.

Chapter Three

Billy woke in the midst of a fiery hell. Fire crackled; the smell of smoke clogged his nostrils.

There was no escaping the inferno.

But even through the despair, something nagged at him. There was something important he was forgetting, something he needed to do. Thinking was almost impossible. The pain ate at him, like a monster trying to devour him from the inside out.

“You’re safe.” The promise was followed by a cooling balm across his forehead.

He tried to pry his eyes open but couldn’t. Panic swept over him, through him, making him sweat. It was as though someone had placed anvils on his eyelids.

More cooling on his body. This time on his neck and one of his shoulders. The relief was a welcome respite.

Shards of agony pierced his other shoulder. Why was this woman with the angel voice both soothing and torturing him? Surely, he’d done nothing to deserve this.

“Billy? Can you hear me?”

She called him by name. That had to mean something. He had to see her. Sweat poured down his temples. He gritted his teeth and pushed. It was harder than bench pressing two hundred pounds, but he managed to crack his eyelids.

And closed them just as quickly. Too much light. And why was it flickering?

Fire. I’m on fire.

He was also outside.

“Please open your eyes.”

Her desperation and fear reached inside him, giving him the strength needed to force his eyelids to follow his command. She was blurry, at first, but came into focus after he blinked several times.

Her face was stained with blood and tears and dirt. Had there been an accident? Was she hurt?

“—okay?” The first part of his sentence got lost. He’d meant to ask her if she was okay.

She was laughing and crying at the same time. “I don’t know what to do?” she confessed. She poured some water over a white cloth of some kind and pressed it against his forehead.

What had happened?

He wasn’t sure if he asked the question aloud, or if she could see his confusion, but she pressed her free hand against his cheek. “You’re burning up. You were attacked. Do you remember?”

He started to close his eyes, to try to think.

“No, don’t leave me. Stay with me.”

Her genuine fear sent a jolt of adrenaline through him, giving him the strength to fight against the lethargy that wanted to drag him under. It would be so easy to give up and give in, to take the promise of sweet oblivion.

“Simon hurt you. Do you remember? You were a hero, stepping between me and him. You should have just left. Why didn’t you just leave?”

He understood some of the jumble of her explanation. She spoke fast, her words sometimes running together. Or maybe that was how he heard it.

His hand weighed a ton and shook when he lifted it. He couldn’t ever remember being so weak in his entire life, not even when he had the flu as a kid and ran a temperature of over a hundred and four. Elias had finally put him in a tub of cool water to break the fever.

“Wat—” He licked his lips and tried again. “Water.”

“We’re running low.” She lifted his head and brought the bottle of water to his mouth. “I’ll have

to refill the bottle soon.” He sipped, even though that wasn’t what he’d meant. But he was parched, his lips cracked and dry.

Cool liquid dribbled down his chin, but it momentarily quenched the fire burning inside him.

She lifted the bottle away and patted him dry.

He tried again. It was essential she get him to a river or stream. His entire body needed to be submerged. His reasoning might not be the sharpest right now, but there was no doubt that he was close to dying.

“Water.” He grabbed her free hand and squeezed. Or tried to. It was more his fingers touched hers. “Get me to water.” Speaking that entire sentence exhausted him.

“Why? I need to keep your wounds dry.”

Wounds? He caught a flash of a wolf jumping at him, flinched, and tried to jerk away from the attack. Pain shot through him before the darkness swallowed him whole.

****

Desperation clawed at her. Addie was close to the breaking point. She’d been wiping him down as best as she could, but his fever hadn’t broken. If anything, it had spiked even higher.

At least he opened his eyes and spoke to me.

That was small consolation when he passed out again, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

He wanted to get to water. If she could get him into the nearby stream, maybe she could cool his entire body down. It might not be the most sanitary thing for his wounds, but if she didn’t get his temperature lowered that wouldn’t matter. He’d be dead before morning.

Decision made, she grabbed the ends of the sleeping bag and began to tug him toward the stream. She’d always thought it close to the cave. And when she was at full strength and not trying to pull two hundred pounds behind her, it was.

She dragged him over twigs and bramble, detouring around trees and avoiding as many rocks as she could. But it wasn’t possible to evade them all. He didn’t even groan when his body jolted. That scared her more than anything. She didn’t stop, though, fearing if she did, she might not be able to start up again.

Please don’t die. Please don’t die.

The sound of rushing water gave her energy a boost. She picked up the pace. Because it was spring, the stream was higher than it would be in mid-summer.

When she got to the edge of the shore, she dropped to her knees and hung her head, sucking air into her starving lungs. There was no time to waste. She tugged on the zipper of the sleeping bag. That had to stay dry. She’d need it to wrap him in once she was done cooling him down.

The zipper stuck once. Or maybe it was her shaking hands making the simple task difficult. She bit her bottom lip and tugged harder, finally getting it to work, peeling the fabric away.

He was still wearing his jeans and boots.

She almost cried at the thought of having to remove them. But he’d need them if he was to walk out of here when he was well.

Maybe she was being stupid and ignoring the inevitable, but she wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet. Not while there was still breath in either of their bodies.

She tore at the laces and managed to pry his boots off. His jeans were harder to skim down his body. Sweat had made them damp and they stuck to him.

Should have stripped him earlier.

After much grunting and groaning and swearing—on her part, not his—she managed to get them off. She left his underwear on.

With no time to waste, she tugged off the shirt she wore, not wanting to get it wet.

This was it. This either broke his fever or killed him.

“Please don’t die,” she muttered. She hooked her hands under his arms and towed him toward the stream. The water was downright frigid with the spring runoff coming down from the higher elevations. She hissed between her teeth but kept going.

Placing her feet carefully, she managed to keep her balance as she pulled him into the flowing water. Once she had him partially in, the rest of his body slipped in easily.

She carefully picked her way toward a flat rock, fighting to hold him against the flow of the current. It was stronger than she’d thought. Or maybe she was simply weaker.

Her feet slid on the smooth river stones, and she stumbled once, but she never let go. She fell against the rock with a groan, letting it support her. “You got this,” she gasped.

Digging deep, she yelled and dragged his upper body against her, keeping the lower part of his torso and legs beneath the water. Shit, she’d forgotten to bring the sock to use as a cloth.

Keeping his body braced against hers, she used her hand like a cup to trickle water over his face and uninjured shoulder.

“Billy,” she pleaded, “please wake up.”

There was no way she could hear a pulse, not above the rush of the stream. She rested her fingers against his neck and, for one heart-stopping moment, found nothing.

Wait! There! The slightest flutter.

Acting on pure impulse, she leaned down and pressed her lips against his. It was like putting her face near an open oven. The water she’d trickled onto his skin had already evaporated.

Hot tears welled in her eyes and trailed down her cheeks before dropping onto his. “Don’t die,” she whispered. Not only couldn’t she bear that on her conscience, but she knew she’d lose something vital, someone very special.

Billy Gallagher was a stranger, but that didn’t seem to matter. Not to her and not to her wolf. He was brave and caring, had stepped between her and Simon and ordered her to run, even knowing what he was facing, even knowing he couldn’t win.

Only one man in a million would do such a thing.

She wouldn’t lose him.

She kissed his lips again. “Billy.” She said his name like a mantra. “Please don’t leave me.”

****

He wanted to cry but couldn’t summon the strength. Tiny daggers were being plunged into every inch of his skin. He wanted to shiver, but that was beyond him, his strength depleted.

It was darker now. Or maybe that was because he had his eyes closed. He worked on opening them a sliver, but the darkness was still there.

There was a rushing sound. Something familiar.

The air was crisp and clear, the scent of wood smoke gone.

Something ran down his face and trickled against his lips. It tasted salty. He frowned. What was it?

Then something sweet and firm pressed against his lips. Even though he was in pain, that slight caress reached into his soul and touched him.

“Please don’t leave me.” It was his angel. The woman whose name he couldn’t remember.

A wolf had attacked. Was she safe or did danger lurk nearby?

Giving a Herculean effort, he pried his eyes open and assessed his surroundings. He was …

sitting in the middle of a stream. She’d gotten him to water.

The fever. They had to break the fever.

“Who?” He hated to ask her who she was, but he honestly couldn’t remember.

“What?” She brushed her fingers against his face. The gesture was familiar, as though she’d done it so often it was ingrained in his subconscious. “Who am I?”

He nodded, which sent another wave of agony rocketing through him.

“Addie. I’m Addie.” She was crying now, not even trying to hide it. That was bad. He must be worse off than he thought. And he already thought he could die.

His feet began to shake, the involuntary movement working up his legs and torso until his entire body was trembling, the cold of the water shocking against the intense heat engulfing him.

He tried to speak, to reassure her, but his teeth were chattering too hard. He heard her call his name, but it was as though from a great distance.

Blackness began to eat at his awareness until there was only a pinprick of light left. He fought to beat back the darkness, but it was a losing battle. He gasped—and then he fell into it.

****

“Billy!” She screamed his name, not caring if there was anyone out there who might hear. The trembling abruptly stopped. He was a dead weight in her arms. This was different from the times he’d passed out.

She surged to her feet and half dragged, half carried him back to the shore, stumbling along the way. She got him down on the sleeping bag, placed her head against his chest, and listened intently.

There was no heartbeat.

With no time to worry if she was making things worse, if she was breaking open the wounds in his chest, she placed her hands over his heart and began compressions. “Don’t you die.” She pumped up and down, imitating what she’d seen them do on television shows. It was better than doing nothing.

After a short time, she stopped, tilted his head back slightly, and blew her breath into his lungs.

His skin was cooler. She had no idea if it was because the fever had finally broken or because he was dead.

“Don’t be dead. Come on. Come on.”

More chest compressions followed by more breaths. She lost track of time, only stopping when she was sobbing too hard to continue. “Wake up, damn you.” Grabbing him by the shoulders, she shook. His head lolled to the side.

Pain squeezed her heart. An overwhelming sense of loss permeated her soul. She tipped back her head and howled. The forest went silent at her lament.

Laying her head on his chest, she wrapped her arms around him and wept. Despite her best efforts, she’d failed.

Billy Gallagher was dead.

****

Billy was lost in a sea of darkness. It was thick, almost like water, but not quite. It was foggy, too, a heavy mist draping over everything. He saw a light just ahead, but rather than hurrying toward it, he had the urge to retreat.

There was something, someone he had to go back for.

A howl echoed in the distance. It was faint, but it made his heart hurt. He turned toward it, looking away from the light, and came to a dead stop. A large wolf blocked his way.

The creature was muscular and majestic. It had light fur, almost blond with slightly darker brown patches. Oddly enough, he wasn’t afraid, even though he didn’t recognize the creature.

“I have to go back,” he told the animal, not sure if it understood him or not.

The beast tilted its head to one side and studied him. He was being assessed, his worth being weighed.

“Addie’s all alone.” He remembered her now that the pain wasn’t making thought impossible.

Addie Fuller, a female werewolf being harassed by a male who wanted to force mate with her.

His Addie.

Why aren’t I in pain?

He caught flickers of memories—Addie crying, Addie swearing at him, Addie kissing him.

Kissing him? He wished he remembered it better. He must have been really out of it to have missed that.

I’m dead. The reality hit like a lightning bolt, but it was followed by confusion. If he was dead, why was he still thinking? Maybe it wasn’t too late.

He walked toward the wolf, determination in every step. “You can either kill me or let me pass, but I’m going back.”

The wolf seemed to smile. Could they do that? Surely he should know, considering he’d grown up around them, but he just couldn’t remember. The fog or mist, or whatever it was, was getting thicker. He started to lose track of the wolf and began to panic.

“Where are you?”

He hurried—or tried to. It wasn’t easy to move away from the light. It kept pulling at him, as though a rope was attached to his waist and trying to drag him toward it.

He bent forward, put his back into going in the opposite direction, and stumbled into the animal.

He grabbed it for support but still went down.

“Help me,” he pleaded. “Help me.”

The great beast stood over him and growled, exposing massively sharp teeth. Billy rolled onto his stomach, ignoring the excruciating pain in his chest and shoulder. He dug his fingers into the ground and tried to stand, but was shoved back down when the wolf lay on top of him.

A huge pressure on his spine compressed his lungs, suffocating him. Then the weight and the wolf disappeared.

Gasping, he shoved up on his hands. A surge of adrenaline rushed through him. But it was more than that. He was no longer alone. Something else was inside him.

The wolf wasn’t gone. The wolf was now a part of him.

Determination gave him strength. He fought hard, toes and fingers digging into the foggy land beneath him, away from the light. On a yell, he catapulted himself back the way he’d come, back to Addie.

****

She was lying with her head on his chest, her tears blinding her, when Billy’s entire body jerked as though it had been jolted with an electrical current. She pushed upright and stared down at him. He was still and quiet. Had she imagined it?

Then his eyes flew open, and he took a huge gasp of air. It was the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard.

He was alive. She began to laugh and cry and run her hands over his face, to reassure herself it was really happening. “Can you hear me?” she demanded.

He was having difficulty breathing, and his skin was hot. His fever had spiked again.

Determined, she pushed herself up and dragged him back into the stream. He didn’t fight her. No, he used his hands to help propel himself into the water.

“I’ve got you,” she reassured him. Although, it was a toss-up as to which one of them was

weaker. She’d spent her reserves and was running on fumes.

He didn’t speak, just kept his gaze locked on her, as if he couldn’t quite believe she was here.

“I won’t leave you,” she promised.

He wrapped his fingers around hers, his grip stronger than it should be. “Won’t leave you,” he pledged in return.

Tears of relief flowed down her cheeks. Usually, she’d be ashamed to show such weakness, especially in front of someone she didn’t know well, but this was Billy. The bond between them was strong, created under the direst of circumstances.

He’d almost died because of her. She could never forget that. And he wasn’t likely to.

When morning came, he’d have to leave. She’d help him get back to wherever he’d come from.

He had to have a vehicle. Then she’d go home and face her pack on her own.

She shivered and pulled him closer.

But they had until morning. What was left of the night was theirs.

Her wolf began to howl inside her. The creature didn’t want to let him go. Neither did she. But he was human, and her pack would never allow such a thing.

Maybe his pack would. His mother was human and was mated to a wolf.

But no, her family, her pack would never let her go. It was nothing more than wishful thinking.

And really, what was she considering? That she’d give up everything she’d ever known for a stranger? Even one who’d saved her life? And that was assuming he even wanted her. Her thoughts were entirely muddled. After everything she’d been through, it was no wonder she wasn’t thinking straight.

They were even now. He’d saved her life and she’d saved his. It would have to be enough.

Neither of them spoke as the sky began to lighten. When the first faint rays of gold began to peek from behind the mountain, he stirred.

The night was over and the morning’s reckoning had arrived.

Her arm around him, she guided him back to the shore, grateful the fever was gone and he was strong enough to help. They stumbled onto the sleeping bag, fatigue making them both clumsy.

Taking her totally off guard, Billy caught her face in his large hands and kissed her.

The water had made her cold. As a werewolf, she could usually regulate her body temperature, but she’d been too weak after everything and was chilled to the bone. Not any longer. The heat from his kiss warmed her from her toes to the top of her head.

It was a soft, gentle kiss, but it packed one heck of a punch.

He leaned back and the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile. “Guess I’m going to live.”

Too overcome to speak, she nodded. Trying to regain her composure, she took a deep breath.

Went still. There was an unknown wolf in the area. With her nose stuffy from crying and the rushing water washing away any scent, she hadn’t noticed it before. She surged to her feet, fighting off a wave of dizziness before turning in a circle, trying to locate the source.

“What is it?” he asked, alert and scanning the trees.

“Wolf.” She kept sniffing. The creature was close. Too close. It was impossible, but her nose wasn’t lying. “It’s you.”

Chapter Four

As though some internal button had been pushed, all his senses went on overload. The gentle rush of the stream became a thundering torrent. Goose bumps ran up and down his bare limbs, but he wasn’t cold. The fresh, earthy scent of stream and shoreline filled his nostrils. Unfortunately, so did the smell of damp clothes. Not pleasant.

Everything around him was crisper, sharper. It was as though he’d been seeing the world with rounded edges and blurred lines his entire life, and the truth had finally been revealed. The colors were richer. Even in the dim light of dawn, he could differentiate between the various shades of greens and browns around him.

And then there was Addie.

He’d thought her beautiful before. He’d been wrong, so very wrong. Beautiful was too weak a word. Her hair was a glorious mixture of rich hues of brown, lush and thick. Her skin was luminous.

But it was her spirit, her strength that captured him.

She hadn’t left him. More than that, she’d called him back from the brink of death, maybe even from death itself.

“Did I die?”

She nodded and took another step away from him. Her fear hit him with the force of a sledgehammer, the pungent scent of it burning his nostrils.

“I won’t hurt you,” he promised. “I’ll never hurt you.” He wouldn’t allow anyone else to harm her either. Addie belonged to him.

And where the hell had this newfound possessiveness come from?

He sensed it then, the other inside him. The wolf he’d seen in his vision or near-death experience, or whatever the hell it had been, was still with him.

The wolf was what had allowed him to live, to come back. He didn’t understand any of this, but that didn’t matter. The only thing that did was that he was here and he was alive.

“Addie.” He held out his hand, hoping she’d take it. She shook her head and took another step away. It was killing him to watch her distance herself from him. Probably not the best choice of words after what he’d just survived.

“You saved my life,” he reminded her. She needed to understand he would never harm her, that she could trust him.

“I had to.” She swallowed heavily, making her slender throat ripple. She was naked and shivering. He wasn’t sure if it was from fear or cold, but he did know he didn’t like seeing her in distress.

“I know.” He patted the slightly damp sleeping bag. “Come and sit. Please,” he added. One of his shirts lay on the ground. It smelled like her, so he knew she’d worn it. He picked it up and held it out to her.

She edged closer, snatched it from his hand, and tugged it on. As much as he liked seeing her naked, he also liked seeing her wrapped in a piece of his clothing. She was wary of him now. Not that he blamed her. He wasn’t quite sure what he was, but he was no longer fully human.

He wrapped his arms around his bent knees and peered at the sunrise, trying to appear as nonthreatening as possible. “I never expected to see that again.” He pointed to the sun slowly rising in the eastern sky. “It’s beautiful.”

She tentatively sat down beside him, but he sensed her nervousness. Not that he could blame her. He’d basically come back from the dead, very changed from what he’d been before. Humans

normally didn’t survive werewolf bites. It was so rare it was considered myth by most. Yet, here he was.

What neither of them knew yet was just how far the change went.

“I love the early morning,” she whispered. “It’s so quiet.” The offering was a balm to his soul.

“I like sharing it with you.” He turned from nature’s glorious show and faced her. “Thank you for saving my life.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. He was glad his knees were bent, because he was suddenly sporting an erection. Guess that really proved he wasn’t dead.

“We need to get going,” she pointed out. “I’m not sure if Simon and Jude will come back this morning.”

“Why didn’t anyone come looking for you last night?” He would have expected someone from her pack to come searching.

She shrugged. “I told Momma I was heading out for a run, but not where or who I was going with. I thought I’d be home in time for supper. If they bothered to ask Jude or Simon, maybe they lied and said I’d decided to spend the night in the woods. I have no idea.”

“Is that normal?” His tone was sharper than he’d expected. Damn, he was being a hypocrite seeing as though he’d planned to spend the night in the woods by himself.

“Not that it’s any of your business,” she began, her tone brusque. He almost smiled, liking that she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. “But no, it’s not normal. I don’t like to worry my parents, and my daddy doesn’t like me out on my own.” She sighed and pushed her damp hair over her shoulder. “Too many single males in the pack want a mate.”

“And you don’t want them.” He knew that as certain as he was sitting here. If she’d set her sights on a male wolf, she be mated by now.

“I’ve known them all my life. I like a lot of them, but as friends. You don’t know how difficult it is to be expected to mate when you don’t want to.”

A quick laugh escaped him, making her frown. “I’m not laughing at you. It’s just I have the opposite problem. I want someone special in my life, but I can’t bring a human who knows nothing of wolves into the pack.”

Addie smiled and her entire face brightened. “Yeah, that would be a problem. We’re just a couple of misfits.” She got to her feet and staggered. He was beside her, his arm around her waist before he was conscious of moving. He was much, much faster than he’d been only yesterday. But he was also getting more tired with each passing second.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded.

“What could possibly be wrong?” Her wry reply made him feel sheepish. It was a silly question, considering all she’d been through. “Other than being chased for hours,” she continued,

“being attacked and saving you. You know, just a normal day.”

“You haven’t eaten, have you?” His stomach growled. He was suddenly starving.

“No.”

He looked around. “Where is my gear?” He had a vague memory of wood smoke and a fire.

“Back at the cave. Come on.” She motioned toward a split in the trees.

“Give me a second.” Not willing to try to put his jeans on over damp underwear, he shucked them.

She yelped and abruptly turned her back.

He couldn’t help but grin as he pulled on his jeans and shoved his feet into his socks and boots.

When he was dressed, he rolled the sleeping bag and grabbed his underwear off the ground. His chest

was wrapped in wet gauze, and his shoulder was bandaged with the remains of a shirt. He didn’t bother removing them in case they were still doing him some good.

“This way,” she told him and began to trudge uphill. She wasn’t wearing any shoes. She wasn’t wearing anything but one of his shirts.

“Shit.”

She spun around, totally alert and ready to defend herself. Her gaze tracked all around. “What?

What’s wrong?”

“You’re barefoot. Let me carry you.”

She looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. He suspected she might be right, at least when it came to dealing with her. He was besieged with all sorts of emotions and impulses every time he looked at her. Without bothering to reply, she began walking again, leaving him to trail behind.

He didn’t like seeing her bare feet hit the cold, hard ground. Yes, she was a werewolf, wouldn’t really feel the chill or sustain an injury, but that didn’t stop it from bothering him. He was too smart to just pick her up and carry her. She’d fight him. Worse, she’d lose some trust in him.

And quite frankly, he wasn’t sure he could manage. His earlier surge of energy was dissipating.

He needed food and rest. He could get the first but not the second. They couldn’t afford to hang around. It was only a matter of time before someone in her pack, whether it was her father or Simon, came looking for her.

He didn’t want to act all overbearing. That’s what most male wolves would do. And he wasn’t totally like them. He’d been human his entire life. He was more now, but he wouldn’t allow whatever had happened to him to turn him into someone he wasn’t comfortable with.

She was wary around him, skittish. He was now the thing she most feared—a male werewolf of mating age. Well, maybe not a full werewolf. Hell, he had no idea what he was—a half-breed of some kind, a full werewolf. It wasn’t something that had been talked about at home. There’d been no need. The women who’d been changed due to a bite were simply part of the pack.

He’d figure it out. He had a protective steak, but that wasn’t new. He’d always been that way.

What he wouldn’t become was domineering or dictatorial. His human father had been too much like that.

He caught the scent of burned wood. They were close to their destination. He needed to start paying attention to his surroundings. The second he did, everything became sharper. The rustle off to his left was a fox crouching in the bush. Two squirrels perched on a branch above him. An owl was tucked into the hollow of another.

He turned in a wide circle, seeing the world as he never truly had before. The forest had always seemed peaceful. And it was, but there was a constant stream of movement and noise as the inhabitants went about their business.

“Anything wrong?”

He shook his head. Everything was finally right. “No. I’ve just never seen the world as clearly as I do now.” He didn’t quite know how to explain it. She’d always seen the world in this way, but it was all new to him.

“We’re here,” she announced, even though it wasn’t necessary. The charred remains of wood and the acrid smell in the air were like a beacon.

He went straight to his knapsack and pulled out what food was in there. There wasn’t much, as he hadn’t planned to stay longer than a couple of days. He had beef jerky, a huge bag of trail mix, energy bars, and a dozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

“You need to eat,” he told her. He opened the sandwiches and handed one to her. As starving as

he was, there was no way he could eat until she did. He just … couldn’t. There was something inside of him compelling him to see to Addie’s well-being first. He wanted—no, needed—to take care of her.

“Thanks. You have something, too. You need the calories to build up your strength.”

He knew she was right, so he took one and began to chow down. The peanut butter tasted a hundred times better, and it had already been his favorite. He was also very glad everything was organic, no chemicals. His taste buds were as sensitive as the rest of his senses.

She glanced nervously off in the distance as she chewed. “We can eat and walk at the same time. You need to get back to your vehicle before anyone else shows.”

Anyone being Simon and whoever else he might bring along. Or maybe she didn’t want her father to find them together. That didn’t sit well with him, but he understood her reasoning. He was a stranger. And until a few hours ago, he’d been totally human.

While he was stronger, he wasn’t stupid enough to believe he could take on a full-blooded werewolf or two on his own. And if Simon came back, he’d be coming to kill Billy and possibly force Addie to mate.

He wasn’t about to let that happen. “Let’s go.” She might not know it yet, but he was going to take her home with him. The Salvation Pack wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her. She’d saved his life.

His alpha would see it that way. There was no wolf stronger or more protective than Jacque LaForge, and Billy might have been human when he’d stepped foot in these woods, but he was considered a member of the pack.

They owed Addie. He owed her.

But more than that, he wasn’t ready to let her go.

He gathered everything and repacked his knapsack, ignoring the overwhelming urge to just lie down and sleep. Even with the food, his energy was beginning to ebb. “I have extra socks in my bag if you want to wear them.”

She shook her head. “I prefer barefoot.” Her werewolf heritage made her more surefooted.

Socks would only hinder her, but he still didn’t want her to be cold.

“If you change your mind, let me know.” He stowed everything, tied the sleeping bag onto his pack, and slung it over his shoulders. He’d run out of shirts to wear. Simon had destroyed one. Addie had used another as bandages, and she was wearing the last one. That was okay with him. He’d had a sweater at some point, but he had no idea where it was. Not that it mattered. He didn’t find it particularly cold.

“What about your wounds?” she asked.

He wasn’t quite ready to speak about what had occurred. Was still trying to process and understand everything that had happened to him. As unreal as it might seem, the big wolf he’d seen when he’d died was crouched inside, a permanent part of him.

“No time,” he told her. He held out his hand and waited. “Let’s go.”

****

I shouldn’t take his hand. It was broad and tanned and strong. And far too appealing. Better for her to refuse it and assert her independence.

With his fever gone, Billy should have been weak, unable to walk and move around so easily.

He also should’ve been in acute pain. His injuries had been extensive.

Instead, he was up and moving with a fluid grace he hadn’t possessed before. She’d seen him sniff the air, the way he’d tracked the animals hiding in the trees. Whatever had happened to him, he

was no longer fully human.

And the fact remained that she really didn’t know him. They might have shared a life-altering experience, but he was virtually a stranger. She knew he’d grown up in a wolf pack. Oh, and he was willing to put his life on the line for her. She would never forget that. He was a man of honor and principle.

Her wolf liked him and so did she.

And he had died in her arms.

No matter how she tried to rearrange the events and memories of the night, she couldn’t change that one fact. Billy Gallagher had died. Yet, here he was, up and walking, which should have been impossible after the massive blood loss and the raging fever.

“Addie.”

A shiver skated down her spine. This was a pivotal moment in her life. If she took his hand, everything would change.

Whether it was for good or bad remained to be seen.

Maybe she was being dramatic, feeling vulnerable and emotional after the trauma she’d been through.

It was only a kind gesture. She was reading too much into it.

She took his hand.

His fingers closed around hers. They were warm and his skin was callused. She hadn’t noticed that before. He obviously worked with his hands. She liked that.

She liked him. Way too much for a man she barely knew.

Her wolf whined, not liking to hear her speak of him that way. Too bad. She was going to play things safe, which meant they needed to get out of here, and fast.

“Lead the way,” she told him.

He peered down from their high perch on the hill. “Where did we meet yesterday?”

She pointed off to the left. “Down there.”

“Then that’s where we’re going. I can backtrack from there.”

“Maybe you could drop me off near pack land.” That would be better for her. She could sneak home and avoid Simon.

He made a sound more like a snort than agreement.

“Do you have a phone so you could contact your family?”

He shook his head. “I have one in my pack, but I won’t get any service until we’re closer to my truck.”

They both munched sandwiches and then dug into the energy bars, practically inhaling the food as they walked. Werewolves needed a heck of a lot more calories on any regular day. With the shifting and running she’d done, coupled with being up all night, she could eat twice the food they had between them and still be hungry.

And she couldn’t imagine what he was feeling right now. He had to be beyond exhausted. He stumbled occasionally but kept going. The man didn’t know the meaning of quit. The food gave them a much-needed boost of energy, but it wouldn’t last. They needed sleep, and that wasn’t going to happen until they were somewhere safer.

They were both silent as they passed by the small clearing where the fight had taken place. It still smelled faintly of blood and would until the next rain.

Billy focused forward, putting one foot in front of the other, quickening his pace. She understood his sense of urgency. Neither of them wanted to be caught out here by Simon.

“How far is it?” she finally asked.

“At least a couple hours of hard walking.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I’d been hiking for quite some time before I stopped.”

She didn’t care how much time it took as long as they kept moving.

“Would it be easier for you if you shifted?” he asked.

She hadn’t really thought about doing that, which showed just how tired she was. It was so ingrained in her not to shift around outsiders that she hadn’t considered it. Now that she’d eaten, it would be much more convenient for her to travel as a wolf.

“You wouldn’t mind?”

He ran his free hand over her hair. It was tangled and damp from the night in the river and didn’t smell very fresh. “Why would I mind?” He leaned down and kissed her forehead as casually as if he’d been doing it for years. The gentle caress sent heat rushing all the way to her toes. “Wolf pack, remember? I’m around folks who shift all the time.”

He leaned back and peered down at her. “Do you have enough energy to get through the transformation? There’s a couple energy bars left. You should eat them first.”

Her chest tightened and ached to the point of pain. Other than her parents, no one ever worried about her. Billy seemed to do it without thought, as though it was as natural as breathing for him to put her needs first.

“What about you?” He needed nutrition even more than she did.

“There’s still trail mix and jerky.” He held out the two remaining bars. Knowing the extra calories were needed, she took them. It was the smart thing to do. She’d be quicker and the walk would be easier, which meant he could expend his energy worrying about himself.

She wouldn’t be able to hold his hand, though. And that was more of a consideration than she’d realized.

She ate the bars and handed him the empty wrappers to tuck back into the pack.

“Can I watch?” He raked his fingers through his hair, lightly tugging on the ends. “Hell, I’m sorry. That’s all kinds of inappropriate.” He started to turn away, to give her privacy.

“I don’t mind.” Why had she said that? She wasn’t in the habit of getting naked around men.

Although after everything they’d been through, it was a bit late to be worrying about that. He’d already seen all of her there was to see.

And he didn’t feel like a stranger. She wanted to share the intimate experience of shifting to her wolf with him.

“You sure?” He frowned, lines creasing his forehead.

Not really, but she wasn’t about to back down or change her mind. Her wolf wanted this and so did she.

She nodded and took several steps back. Once she was in the shade of a tall pine tree, she removed the shirt and, as the gentle breeze cooled her bare skin, allowed the change to come.

Her bones popped and began to reform. Her jaw elongated and her forehead flattened. Fur pushed out from beneath her smooth skin. She fell forward, but before her hands could hit the ground, they were paws.

Addie stood there, proud in her wolf form. Eyes wide and filled with some emotion she couldn’t quite read, he simply stared. He swallowed several times and finally cleared his throat.

“You are so gorgeous.”

Her wolf tilted her head up and raised her tail slightly, pleased with his praise.

“Your fur is every color that’s in your hair.” He eased closer and reached out, only to pull his

hand back before he touched her. “May I?”

Anticipation spread through her limbs, making her tingle all over. She sat and dipped her head slightly.

He touched the top of her head, running two fingers back and forth. When she didn’t object, he stroked his large hand down her back. Her spine arched automatically, the wolf not wanting to lose contact.

“Doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it happen, I’m still in awe of the whole thing.”

So was she. So many wolves in her pack seemed to have lost the wonder, the reverence for the process, taking their wolves and their heritage for granted.

He grabbed the shirt she’d shed from the ground and shook it out before hooking it over one of the straps of his pack. “I’ll keep this close in case you need it.”

She trotted by his side as they continued their trek. He didn’t feel the need to fill the void with useless chatter. She liked that. Like her, he remained alert, constantly looking around and sniffing the air. It wouldn’t do to get careless.

Time passed as they covered a fair distance. They snacked on the trail mix and jerky to keep up their strength. She figured they had to be getting close to where he’d left his truck. They were still in the thick of the forest, so it was difficult to sense anyone else around. But as far as she could tell, they were alone.

She’d no more than had that thought when she caught the scent of something that made her heart stutter and then begin to race.

Addie thrust herself in front of Billy. He almost tripped over her before he managed to stop.

Unlike most men, he didn’t demand to know why she’d blocked him. He crouched beside her, one hand on her back, and watched and waited.

There was a wolf out there. And it was coming this way.

Chapter Five

Billy wasn’t sure what was wrong, but he trusted Addie, and she was obviously concerned about something. He didn’t think a bear or other animal would cause her to stop. Only another person or persons would do that.

He listened and heard a faint rustling not far from them. Then he sniffed and stilled. With his newfound sense of smell, there were many unfamiliar scents, but this was one he recognized—wolf.

And not just any wolf. Simon was out there, looking for Addie, stalking her. He recognized the scent from the clearing where they’d had the fight. He’d been afraid this would happen. There was no denying the other male wolf was obsessed. He’d seen it in the way Simon had talked about her, looked at her.

Well, he couldn’t have her. Billy had fought for her once and would again. Not that he expected he’d fare much better this time. He was exhausted and still had no idea how he had fundamentally changed. As for Simon, he was well rested, well fed, and knew exactly what he was capable of.

Addie wrapped her jaws around his hand and tugged. He followed her lead and crouched behind a low bush. She was right. Best to hide if they could and avoid all confrontation.

Some primal instinct reared up in protest, but he ignored it. If there was ever a time to use some common sense and reason, it was now. The urge to go after his foe was strong. That wolf had hurt Addie, hurt him. He dug his fingers into her fur and held on, letting her ground him.

She poked her nose around the edge of the bush and sniffed again. When she looked back at him, worry clouded her eyes.

Since he couldn’t speak out loud, he pointed to her, back to himself, and then in the opposite direction. They needed to get out of here. “Fifteen minutes.” He mouthed the number instead of saying it aloud. From his calculation, they were probably no farther away than that from his truck.

There was no way of knowing if Simon had found his vehicle and disabled it. All they could do was get there and hope for the best.

She inclined her head in acknowledgment, stayed low to the ground, and began to cautiously move. He was right behind her.

He’d always been aware of his surroundings when he was out in nature, but now his senses took it to a whole other level. Every stick and rock stood out and was easily avoided. He naturally walked lighter, picking the best path to avoid detection.

And always his eyes were on the female wolf in front of him. He didn’t mind letting her take the lead. That way he could keep a watch behind them. It would be stupid to underestimate Simon just because he didn’t like the guy. He was a werewolf and would have superior tracking skills.

Billy sped up slightly and touched her on the flank. When she paused and glanced over her shoulder, he pointed her to the right. They were about ten minutes out. So close, but he wouldn’t relax until they were on Salvation Pack land.

He lifted his head from time to time and sniffed the air. Simon’s scent should have been dissipating. Instead it seemed to be getting closer.

Shit, the guy was on their trail.

The urge to break out into a run was strong, but that would only give away their location. Think, he ordered himself. There was no water nearby that they might use to camouflage their scent. The only saving grace was the wind direction. They could scent Simon, but he wouldn’t be able to do the same with them. He would have to sniff out their tracks. He’d do it, but not as quickly as he could have if the wind was in his favor.

There were some rocks ahead. Not many, but enough to possibly confuse their scent. Even an extra minute could mean the difference between making it out of here cleanly and having to fight.

Neither of them paused. There was no time to stop and discuss strategy. He simply pointed to the rocks. She nodded her understanding and went toward them.

He cast a worried glance over his shoulder. There was a constant twitch in his spine, his new instincts assuring him someone was out there. The fine hairs on his arms rose slightly.

Addie was already picking her way over the rocks, her sleek body moving nimbly and quickly.

When she reached the end of the small formation, she leaped gracefully into the air and landed silently almost twenty feet away.

Now it was his turn. Keeping bent as low as he could, he followed in her footsteps, or rather paw steps. When he reached the last rock, he too jumped. He didn’t expect to get as far as she had, not without being able to get a running start. The world flew past him. The air caressed his bare arms and face.

Instead of landing hard, the balls of his feet touched down lightly, his knees bent so he was in a crouch. He stared over his shoulder, awed at the distance he’d covered. He’d gone even farther than Addie.

Wow, he loved his new skills.

When he tried to straighten, a wave of dizziness washed over him. He started to topple, but she was right beside him, letting him lean on her strong wolf body.

He rubbed his hand over his face and inhaled silently and deeply. Yeah, he wasn’t nearly at full strength.

The truck was within reach. Picking up the pace, he set a course straight for it, one he wouldn’t have chosen before. There were obstacles, but they went over, under, or around them.

They were going to make it. He glanced over at Addie. The second his gaze landed on her, she looked his way. Her expressive dark-honey eyes held a boatload of worry.

He started to nod to reassure her, his attention on her rather than on where he was going. His foot landed hard. His mistake registered as the twig beneath his boot snapped.

A wolf howl echoed through the woods.

The time for stealth was over. “Run!”

They both tore through the trees, not trying to muffle their passing. Right now, it was a race for their lives. The wind flew past him. His breathing deepened. Sweat beaded his forehead, but he kept going. There was no stopping.

Addie was right beside him, her lithe wolf form taking huge strides.

He ran faster than he ever had in his life, arms and legs pumping. His knapsack jostled against his back. He thought about dumping it, but that would mean slowing down to shrug out of it, so he kept going.

“There,” he whispered, knowing she would hear him. They burst through the tree line and onto an old dirt road. His truck was fifty feet away.

Exhaustion pulled at his limbs, and his running became more erratic and less graceful. He was no longer silent either. His boots thudded against the hard packed ground.

Keys, he needed keys.

Another howl split the air. This one too close for comfort. He didn’t look behind, only ahead, slowing long enough to drag the keys from his jeans pocket.

Then he was at the truck with Addie panting hard beside him. Hands shaking, he fumbled the keys. “Come on. Come on,” he muttered. He wished he had a newer truck, one with a key fob that

would allow him to press a button and have the damn door unlock. But his truck was a much older model, one he didn’t mind leaving unattended on a back road for a couple of days.

Success! He jammed the key into the slot and managed to turn it. He yanked the door open. “Get in,” he yelled.

She bounded into the driver’s seat but quickly scooted over. He jumped in behind her and almost had the door closed when he saw Simon coming hard and fast. The male wolf wasn’t slowing down.

Leaving the door, he jabbed the keys into the ignition, cranked it over, and threw the truck in gear.

Simon leaped toward the back of the cab just as they pulled away. The driver’s door slammed shut when they hit a bump. Both he and Addie were tossed around. He glanced in his mirror and breathed a sigh of relief. They’d made it.

A huge wolf head suddenly appeared at the back cab window. Fury darkened his eyes, and saliva dripped from his powerful jaws.

Beside him, Addie shifted back to human form. “What should I do?” she yelled.

“Buckle up,” he told her. He drove erratically, swerving from side to side, hoping to lose their unwanted passenger.

That only angered the wolf, who threw himself at the window. It didn’t shatter, but a long crack formed in the glass.

He heard the snick of her seat belt and braced himself, braking as hard as he could. She screamed. He cursed. The wolf slammed into the cab and flipped over it, landing on the bonnet of the truck.

It all happened in a heartbeat, but it wasn’t over. He hadn’t managed to get rid of Simon.

The wolf growled and launched himself at the front windshield. Billy hit the gas hard. The wolf was tossed in the air. But this was no normal wolf. This was a werewolf. He managed to dig his claws into the roof. They went through the metal like a hot knife through butter, and one of them almost caught Billy in the skull when it came through into the cab. It snagged the backpack he still wore instead. He leaned forward, ducked as low as he could, and held on to the wheel.

“What now?” she yelled. “He’s not giving up.”

He was running out of ideas, but he wasn’t slowing down. Then a thought came out of the blue.

“There’s a rifle behind my seat.” His father insisted he take it for protection, but he always left it in the truck. Now he was glad as hell it was there.

She reached behind but couldn’t quite get to it with the seat belt on. She unlatched it and practically dove behind him. Simon had released his grip on the cab and slid back into the bed of the truck.

“I’ve got it.” With the rifle aimed toward the back window, she braced herself against the dashboard.

The huge wolf slammed himself against it, shattering the glass just as she fired. The wolf gave a sharp cry but didn’t stop. The big head shoved through the opening, powerful jaws aiming right for Billy.

She jammed the muzzle against the wolf’s skull. “A bullet to the brain from this distance will kill you.”

Holy fuck, she was some kind of woman. Totally naked and completely calm, she held their attacker at bay. Was it wrong of him to find her hot? It might not be the time for it, but his cock was hard as a rock, straining against the front of his jeans. It might be a physical reaction to the adrenaline,

but it was Addie, too. She was amazing.

“Get away from him,” she ordered.

Hot breath brushed against his neck. Billy sensed the wolf weighing his options. Simon wanted to kill him badly but wanted to live more. He growled and a single fang rubbed against Billy’s shoulder, right over the bandaged area—a warning, a promise.

“I’m going to count to three. If you’re not gone by then, I’m shooting. One. Two.”

The wolf growled and pulled back. Billy half expected him to lunge forward. Instead, the huge beast jumped over the side of the truck. He pressed down hard on the gas. The wheels spun in the dirt, caught, and then they were rocketing down the road. The wolf got smaller and smaller in his rear-view mirror.

****

Hands shaking, she slumped back onto the seat and stared at the wolf still standing in the road behind them.

“Are you okay?” Billy’s voice was sharp with worry.

“I’m fine.” Only she wasn’t. She’d attacked a packmate, threatened to kill him. And she would have done it in a heartbeat.

He swore under his breath and began to slow the truck.

“Don’t stop.” Fear ripped through her. They weren’t far enough away yet.

“Put down the rifle, sweetheart.”

The term of endearment jolted her, bringing her awareness to the here-and-now. She was naked, practically kneeling on the seat with a rifle clutched in her hands.

Taking a deep breath to help calm her pounding heart, she put the safety back on the weapon and stored it behind the driver’s seat once again.

He was still wearing the backpack. That couldn’t be comfortable. “Let me help you.”

Maneuvering wasn’t easy, but she managed to drag it away. First thing she did was grab the shirt and pull it on.

He glanced toward her, his eyes sparkling. “I was enjoying the view.”

“How can you joke at a time like this?” It took her several attempts to get a single button fastened. Her skin was clammy, her stomach slightly sick.

His expression sobered. “Make no mistake, I’m angry as hell. That bastard could have killed you. But we’re alive and that’s all that matters.”

He was right, but now they had another problem. “What do we do now?” She rubbed her forehead and sighed. She was too tired to think straight.

“Now? Now we go home.”

She shook her head. “You can’t take me with you.”

“Sure I can.”

He seemed so confident, so sure of himself, but she knew better. “Your alpha would never agree to that.”

“Yes, he would. And, Addie, I’m not going anywhere without you.” He began to slow the vehicle. “Wherever you go, I’ll be right beside you.”

It was emotional blackmail, pure and simple. He wasn’t safe with her. Eventually, Simon or her daddy would find her. If he was with her—

Yeah, that wouldn’t end well.

Then there was the question of what had happened to Billy, what he’d become. He smelled of wolf. But that didn’t mean he was one, not completely. His senses had improved and so had his

strength. There was no way he’d have been able to walk out of the woods if he was still fully human.

He’d pushed himself beyond any ordinary limits.

They were both out of their depth.

Her parents had to have missed her by now and would be worried sick. “Can I use your phone?

I need to call home.”

“It’s in the inner pocket of the backpack.” He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.

“Don’t tell them where you’re going. It’s safer for everyone that way.”

She dug out the phone, punched in the numbers, and waited, not sure what she was going to tell her parents. As expected, it was answered on the first ring. “Who is this?”

“Daddy, it’s me.”

“Where the hell are you? Your momma has been worried sick. I was out looking for you all night.” It warmed her heart that he’d searched for her, even though she hated that she’d worried them.

“Whose phone are you using?” Leave it to him to home right in on that small detail. She hadn’t taken her phone with her yesterday, hadn’t expected to need it while on a simple run with friends.

“Someone I met.”

“You’re with a stranger?” His voice had gotten calmer and lower, always an indication of just how angry he was.

She shivered and fought the urge to cower beneath his displeasure. Didn’t matter how old she was—he was still her daddy. “Listen, I’ve got to go, but I’ll call you in a day or so.”

He growled at her. She closed her eyes and swallowed back tears. “You need to come home,”

he told her.

“I can’t. Not yet.”

“What aren’t you telling me, Addie?”

“Love you and Momma.” She hung up and swiped at the tears filling her eyes.

Billy reached out and rubbed her arm. “I’m sorry.”

She gave a watery laugh. “Me, too. I’m twenty-four years old, but right now I feel like a kid who disappointed her daddy.”

****

Billy hated seeing her upset, but there really was no other choice. Not while Simon was still roaming free. He had no doubt the wolf would keep the incident to himself, unless he could come up with some spin to make it work for him. In the meantime, they would be safer at home.

Problem was, the road was shimmering in front of him. The longer he drove, the more difficult it became to focus. The adrenaline that had kept him going for so long had dissipated, leaving a bone-deep exhaustion in its wake.

The end of the road rose up before him. He managed to stop and shove the gear into park. He dug deep for the energy he needed to keep going, but it just wasn’t there.

“What’s wrong?” Soft hands stroked his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into them. “Billy?”

The underlying concern in her voice made him open his eyes again. It wasn’t easy, but he managed. “Hmm.”

She lightly tapped the side of his face. He liked it when she touched him. “You need to listen to me.”

“Okay.” He was floating. It was nice. “You’re so beautiful.”

She laughed, but it was strained. “You need to give me directions. How do I get to your home?”

“That’s easy.” He pointed to the right. “You go that way.”

She snorted. “Good to know. Let’s get you over onto my side, okay?”

“Sure.” He wouldn’t mind cuddling up next to her. Damn, he was tired. He yawned so wide and long, his jaw gave a loud crack.

“Come on.” She tugged on him and he slid over. It was a heck of a lot harder than he’d thought it would be. When he finally got there, she was gone. He looked around, surprised that she was now behind the wheel.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Driving.” She put the truck back in gear and turned onto the highway. “You need to give me directions.” With her prodding him, he managed to tell her what she needed to know.

“I’m just going to take a little nap. Wake me in an hour.” Like a curtain coming down, his awareness began to fade. The last thing he saw was Addie glancing toward him with a worried expression on her face.

****

Simon was still fuming when he pulled his truck into the pack compound and slammed on the brakes, sending rocks flying from beneath the tires. Even running for hours to try to work off some of his anger hadn’t worked. She’d gotten away from him … again. Had actually held a gun on him, threatened to kill him. And even worse, the man with her was still alive.

The alpha walked out of his house and stared in Simon’s direction. That old wolf was a pain in his ass, just like his daddy was. Someday he planned to challenge him, when the time was right. In the meantime, he’d swallow his anger and tow the pack line.

“Problem?” Ryan Hatfield asked when Simon climbed out of his truck.

He started to shake his head when he got a fiendishly good idea. “She’s gone.” He ran toward the alpha, putting as much worry in his voice as he could.

“Who’s gone?” Legs spread and hands resting on his hips, Ryan was an imposing figure.

Simon skidded to a halt in front of him. “Addie Fuller. She went running with me and Jude yesterday but went off on her own. I was worried when I heard she hadn’t come home and went looking for her.”

“Did you tell her folks you left her out there alone yesterday?”

Simon wanted to claw his alpha, but that would lead to his untimely death. He shook his head.

“Didn’t think I had to. I never figured she wouldn’t have contacted them if she wasn’t going to make it home.”

When Ryan nodded, he continued. “I tracked her scent. She wasn’t alone.” He paused to increase the drama.

The alpha frowned, his brows lowering and his gaze staring straight at him. “Who was with her?”

“A human. When they saw me, they ran. Addie’s run off with a human.” Damn, he was good. It was almost too easy. They’d all be pissed at her for running off with some human. It was payback for every time she’d turned him down. Her parents would be angry and hurt, maybe even shunned by the pack. Served them right. They’d always taken her side against him, allowing her to turn him away.

“You’re sure?” Ryan’s voice deepened, and there was a note of compulsion in it.

He swallowed hard and almost blurted out the truth, but a sense of self-preservation prevailed.

Besides, it was true. She had run off. The alpha just didn’t need to know why.

“I’m sure. I heard her call him Gallagher, Billy Gallagher. I would have caught them if my truck had been parked closer.”

“You did right by coming to me with this. I need to go talk to her folks, see if they’ve heard from her. This isn’t like Addie at all.”

Simon waited until the alpha was out of sight, on his way to the Fuller house to see Addie’s parents. Only then did he allow himself to smile.

It was time to go online and do a little digging around. He needed to find the Salvation Pack. It was somewhere in North Carolina. Shouldn’t take him too long to narrow things down. When he did, he’d go hunting.

But first, he wanted to see what the alpha was going to say to her parents. Judging the old man was far enough ahead, he set off after him.

Chapter Six

Addie pulled the truck off the main road, hoping it was the correct turnoff. Billy’s directions had been slurred and disjointed. She’d used his phone to find the best route to Salvation, North Carolina. From there, she’d used what he’d told her to guide the way. He hadn’t stirred during the long drive. Honestly, she was ready to curl up and nap in the truck if this wasn’t the right place.

She drove down the dirt track that was supposed to lead to the pack parking lot, according to what he’d told her. She turned a corner and came upon the promised lot. There were several more trucks there, but she didn’t see any houses or people.

She parked, turned off the ignition, and just sat there. What do I do now? God, she was exhausted. The thought of having to search for someone made her want to cry.

Before she could open the door, a huge wolf stepped out from behind a tree and glared at her with piercing green eyes. His coat was lighter than most wolves, almost blond in places. And he was huge. She’d grown up surrounded by powerful werewolves, but she’d never seen one this big before.

And he didn’t look happy to see them.

“Billy.” She reached over and shook him lightly. He just lolled to one side and kept on sleeping.

The large wolf tipped back his head and howled, calling for reinforcements.

Suddenly, coming here didn’t seem like such a good idea. His pack might be the kind to act first and ask questions later. And Billy was no help.

A flash of movement caught her eye. It was a big man with brown hair, running down a nearby path. He didn’t pause but headed right to the passenger side and ripped open the door. “Billy?” He glared at her. “What the hell happened?”

She swallowed hard and managed to find her voice. “He was attacked trying to save me.” Best to be honest about everything. “He’ll be okay. He’s just exhausted.”

“Son.” The man lightly tapped Billy’s face.

“Tired.” The word came out partially slurred. He licked his lips and tried again. “Need to rest.” Just hearing him speak after so many hours loosened the tight knot in her stomach. She’d done it.

He was home with his pack.

Two other men hurried toward them. She had to blink several times to make sure she wasn’t seeing double. Nope, it was two different men, but they looked like carbon copies of each other, except for the colors of their T-shirts.

“Who are you?” the older stranger asked as he lifted Billy from the truck.

She thought about lying and just leaving, but one glance toward the huge wolf put the brakes on that idea. He wouldn’t let her go. And unlike Simon, she didn’t think a rifle would stop him. Most likely it would only piss him off.

“I’m Addie. Addie Fuller.”

The man sniffed the air. “You’re a wolf.” He tensed and glanced down at the blood-soaked bandages wrapped around Billy’s shoulder and chest.

“Yes.”

“Come with me. We’ll get this sorted out once he’s seen to.”

She clamped her hands around the steering wheel. “Who are you?”

His gaze softened slightly. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. “Elias Gallagher. Billy is my son.” He glanced over his shoulder. “And those two are Sage and Reece. They’re my nephews, Billy’s cousins.”

He started to walk away, leaving her to stay or follow. There was a hard tug in her chest that worsened the farther away Billy got. She jumped out of the truck and staggered slightly. When one of the twins started toward her, she righted herself and rushed after Elias.

Don’t show weakness. These were wolves. They would respect strength and pounce on weakness. Wolves were social creatures, always touching, always sharing with one another. But there was also a dark side. Pack law could be swift and vicious. They were part animal, after all. They lived by their instincts. Fighting and jockeying for position was a huge part of most packs.

At least in her pack. She had no idea how this one worked, but imagined it had to be the same.

It was in their natures.

Billy stirred as she came up alongside him. He opened his eyes and stared at her. She wanted to reach out to him, but she kept her hands by her side.

“I’mokay.” The two words slurred together and came out as one.

“I know you are,” she assured him.

He nodded and just seemed to let go. He was safe now. His family would take care of him. But what would happen to her?

She glanced over her shoulder. Yup, the big wolf was right behind them, not to mention Billy’s cousins. All she could do was follow Elias.

Not that she really had any plans to go anywhere until she knew Billy was going to be okay.

He’d driven himself too hard. Yesterday, he’d been human. He’d died last night and come back. He’d seemed fine, acted fine, but he’d pushed himself to keep her from worrying. That was just the kind of man he was.

“I’m Sage.” One of the twins came up alongside her. He was wearing a blue T-shirt, which meant the other one had to be Reece. “Are you okay?”

His kindness was almost more than she could bear. She nodded and kept going. When she rounded a bend in the path, a lovely log home came into view. There was a porch on the front and another along the side. In fact, it seemed to wrap around most of the house. Any other time, she would have loved to stop and admire it.

A woman stood on the deck. When she saw Billy, she gave a cry and ran toward them. This had to be his momma. Addie could see the similarity in the color of their hair and eyes.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s okay, Sue. He’s been hurt, but he’ll be fine.” He kept going straight toward the house. Sue kept pace with them, but she looked quizzically at Addie.

She could just imagine what Billy’s momma saw when she looked at her. But for one of his shirts, she was totally naked. Her legs and feet were dirty, and her hair was lank. Not to mention it was her fault he’d been hurt. Of course, she didn’t know that. Not yet.

Could she make a worse first impression? And why did she care what any of them thought of her?

“Take him to his room,” Sue ordered. She held the door for Elias and Billy and quickly followed, leaving Addie to bring up the rear with the twins. She was right behind them, not wanting to let Billy out of her sight.

It wasn’t surprising he lived with his folks. That’s the way it was with wolf packs. Unlike most humans, they stayed close, several generations of family often sharing the same house or at least living alongside or nearby one another.

His room was much like him, sturdy and warm. The walls were the color of coffee with lots of cream. A bed with a large padded headboard and covered with a forest-green comforter dominated

the space. Family pictures lined a shelf above the dresser. An upholstered chair sat in the corner next to a sliding glass door that let out onto the side deck.

Sue turned back the bed covers, and Elias laid Billy down. “I don’t know how severe his injuries are,” he told her.

“I’ve called Gator and Jacque.” A giant of a man wearing only a pair of jeans stepped into the room. His hair was blond and his features severe. But she recognized those green eyes. This was the huge wolf from the parking lot. He crossed his bare arms and glared at her, as if to caution that he was watching her.

The warning was obvious. If she did something he didn’t like, she was in big trouble. Inside, her wolf whimpered. All the fine hairs on her body stood on end. It was getting harder to control the trembling of her limbs.

“Thanks, Cole,” Elias told the newcomer before turning to her. “You need to tell me exactly what happened.”

She swallowed hard. Was this man Cole Blanchard? The one she’d heard whispered about in her own pack? He certainly looked like he was capable of killing anyone who pissed him off. She didn’t think he’d lose any sleep over it either.

It was going to be difficult enough to tell the story to his family, let alone with that huge wolf staring at her. Before she could begin, a man stepped up to the sliding glass door and opened it. A wave of power slammed into her, making her stagger back a step.

If Cole had been intimidating and scary, this wolf was off the charts. This had to be the alpha.

“Jacque.” Elias nodded toward him and then glanced at her. “Jacque LaForge, this is Addie Fuller. Addie, this is the alpha of the Salvation Pack.”

Yup, she’d been right about him being the alpha. They could put that in her obituary. Jacque was well over six feet, with shaggy brown hair that touched his shoulders and golden-brown eyes that were unnerving in their intensity.

Worst thing was she didn’t think he was trying to frighten her. She had the sense he was naturally this intimidating.

“What the hell is going on?” the alpha demanded.

Elias began to unwind the bandages she’d so frantically put in place. Addie wanted to be the one taking care of Billy. After all, she’d tended him for hours and hours, saving his life. But his family wouldn’t let her near him. Not now, maybe not ever.

Her wolf clawed inside her, whining and growling by turns, upset and wanting out. She kept a tight control on the wild part of herself. Shifting would only create bigger problems. And quite frankly, she had more than enough to deal with.

A part of her wanted to lay claim to him and was scared of what that meant, for both of them.

But she couldn’t deny the possessive feelings welling up inside her. Was it because she’d saved his life after he’d saved hers, or did it mean more than that? She really had no idea.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her. It was only sheer will keeping her on her feet. She didn’t feel safe around all these strangers and neither did her wolf.

They were all staring at her, waiting for an explanation. She took a deep breath and gave them the truth. “I was out running with two members of my pack.” She paused for a breath and to gather her thoughts.

“Keep going,” Jacque commanded.

There was no way she could deny him. She licked her lips, feeling helpless as Elias kept peeling away the bandages.

“I thought it was going to be a larger group, but I wasn’t worried when it ended up being just two.” Her lip curled at the memory. “I’d gone with them many times before. We’ve been friends since we were kids. But this time was different. This time, one of them decided he was going to mate with me even though I’d told him no before.”

Cole growled and took a menacing step forward. Addie took one back. Terror all but bled from her pores. She didn’t know these people at all. Why had she thought for one second it was a good idea to bring Billy here? She should have jumped out of the truck and run back in the parking lot, but she couldn’t bear to leave him.

“Fuck.” Jacque put his hands on his hips and glared at her. He wasn’t pleased either. And why would he be? A member of his pack, his family, had been hurt because of her.

No matter how she presented the fact, they’d all soon know what she already did—it was her fault Billy had been hurt. Yes, Simon had attacked him, but she should have suspected something was off before she’d ended up alone with him and Jude. This was on her.

She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to forgive herself for that.

“Jacque, you need to see this.” Elias’s voice was low and strained.

The alpha moved closer to the bed and studied Billy’s body. “A wolf ripped into him.”

Needing to be closer, she sidled up to the bed and touched Billy’s foot. Someone had removed his boots and socks. His skin was warm but not too hot. “He was camping nearby and heard our altercation.”

“And he stepped right into the middle of it.” It was a statement, not a question, but she answered Elias anyway.

“Yes, he did. I told him to leave, but he saw Simon in his wolf form, knew what he was. After that, things got out of hand.” She swallowed. Her throat was dry, and although she was hungry, there was no way she’d manage to hold down any food.

She was in a precarious position here. These wolves loved Billy. He was human, or had been when they’d last seen him.

The long claw marks were red against his tanned skin, but they were closed and already healing, looking several weeks old instead of less than a day. As for the vicious bite mark on his neck, the skin was still raw, but it, too, was closed. And it shouldn’t have been. Not without stitches.

Sue tentatively touched the mark on her son’s shoulder before pulling her fingers away. “What does this mean?”

“He died, didn’t he?” Jacque pinned Addie in place with his golden stare.

She couldn’t move if she wanted to. Her heart was racing, and a bead of sweat trickled down her spine.

Sue began to sob, and Elias wrapped his arms around his mate.

“Yes.” Addie tugged nervously at the tail of the shirt she wore, very conscious of having nothing on beneath it. “Simon attacked. I shifted and tried to help.” She could still hear the snarls mixed with Billy’s cries of pain. She shuddered and pulled herself together. “Before I could stop it, he was hurt.” She stared down at the man lying still on the bed, and her heart gave a little jump.

“Simon left, knowing Billy was dying. No human survives such a deadly wolf bite.” She knew that.

They all did.

“But he did survive,” Sage pointed out.

She didn’t understand why people other than the alpha were talking. That was unusual in a situation like this. The alpha was always the one in charge. She glanced at him, but he didn’t seem upset with the other members of his pack.

“Why did they leave you behind?” Suspicion tinged every word Cole spoke.

She shook her head and lowered her gaze in shame. “They knew I wouldn’t tell my pack. If I did, my daddy wouldn’t let me out of the house on my own again. And there was always the possibility the alpha would make me mate with Simon or another of the single members of the pack.”

“I don’t fucking believe this,” Jacque muttered.

“But you stayed and helped him,” Elias pointed out.

“I had to. I had to try to save him.”

“You could have left him there.” The soft female voice almost sent Addie to her knees.

She looked at Billy’s momma and shook her head. “No, I couldn’t.” They might have just met, but what they’d been through in that short time had solidified their bond. Addie really didn’t understand it, but she accepted it was there. They’d saved each other’s life. That would always bind them together.

Another man walked into the room, carrying a large plastic tote with a red cross on it. He had tattoos running up both arms and looked as though he ate nails for breakfast.

Every older male in this pack radiated a strength that was scary as hell. She remembered Jude voicing his thoughts that the pack must be weak if they allowed humans. Nervousness bubbled up inside her, and she almost laughed aloud before swallowing it. If anything, this pack had too many strong males. She had no idea how they lived together without killing one another.

“Billy had a little trouble, non?” She caught the man’s accent and wondered about it.

“More than a little, mon ami,” Jacque told him. “Check him out.”

He put the large first aid kit on the floor and leaned over the bed. She had to force herself not to throw herself on top of Billy to protect him.

A large hand landed on her shoulder, making her flinch. It was Jacque touching her. “Gator won’t hurt him.”

Gator scowled in her direction, but when he looked at her, his expression eased. She could only imagine what he saw on her face. “I’ll take good care of him, chère,” he promised.

She believed him. There was a lot of love in his pack.

Conscious of the alpha’s hand on her shoulder, she held very still, barely daring to breathe.

“What happened next?” Jacque asked.

“Billy mentioned he was part of a wolf pack. He wanted Simon to know there would be consequences if he was attacked. He was hoping to avert a battle.”

“That’s just like him,” Sue murmured. She hovered beside Gator, watching his every move.

“But he attacked anyway.” Jacque sighed. “The young ones are hot-headed.”

“Sometimes the older ones are no better,” Gator muttered.

Addie took a deep breath and continued. “After Simon left, Billy managed to let me know his gear was nearby. I got it, found his first aid kit, and bandaged him as best as I could. I put him in his sleeping bag and dragged him to a nearby cave.” She didn’t mention the heart-pounding terror that had engulfed her or the stench of his blood as it flowed out of him until she’d gotten the bandages in place.

When Jacque gave her shoulder another squeeze, she flinched again, unable to help herself. He released her and took a step away. Had she offended the alpha? God, she had to be more careful, otherwise she might find herself kicked to the road, or worse. She was already in a heap of trouble.

Her thoughts and emotions were scattered all over the place. She was exhausted and scared out of her mind. Had Billy survived the night only to die now? Why wasn’t he waking up?

“Then what?” Jacque prompted.

She closed her eyes, remembering the long hours of terror. “His fever was up, so I got him to a

stream to try to bring it down.” She gave them the bare facts, leaving all emotion out of it. “It didn’t work. He died.”

It hurt her to say it, but it was the truth. She looked at Sue, feeling as though his momma deserved her full attention. “I pulled him to the shore and tried CPR. I don’t have training, but I’ve seen it done on television.” And that sounded really lame. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

She wanted this over so she could concentrate fully on Billy. Gator was cleaning his wounds and muttering under his breath in broken French and English.

“He came around and his fever spiked again, so I took him back into the stream. He seemed to recover. We needed to get out of there, so we did.”

Tears streamed down Sue’s cheeks as she pulled away from Elias and came toward Addie. She braced herself for Sue to blame her for her son’s plight. It was nothing less than the truth.

But Billy’s momma didn’t attack her, didn’t yell or level any accusations her way. No, she wrapped her arms around Addie and hugged her. “You saved my boy.”

Hadn’t she been listening? “It’s my fault he was hurt.”

The alpha scowled at her. Inside, her wolf whimpered in fear.

“I know him,” Jacque stated. “No way would Billy walk away from a woman he thought needed his help.”

“But he’s human.” She paused and gave voice to what she’d almost been afraid to believe. “Or he was.”

Sue looked from Addie to Jacque to Gator to her son. “What are you saying? Is Billy a werewolf now?”

Addie wished one of the men would explain, but they remained silent. “I think so.”

Jacque touched Sue’s face. “I think your son is very lucky.”

Elias put his arm around his mate and supported her weight against him. The other men continued to stare at Addie. She fought the urge to run. You never ran from a wolf. That immediately made you prey. She might be a wolf, but these men would run her to ground as easily as if she was a rabbit.

“You nursed him through the transition.” Gator stood and wiped his hands on a towel. “All on your own.”

She nodded. What were they all thinking? Why weren’t they yelling at her for allowing Billy to be hurt in the first place?

“Who is your pack?” the alpha asked.

She didn’t want to tell him, didn’t want to be forced to go back there. Most of all, she didn’t want to leave Billy, at least not until she knew he was going to be okay. She shook her head and took a step back.

Jacque gave a deep sigh. “I’m guessing the Pike County Pack since you were running near their home base.”

Of course, he would know about them. Their packs had a history. The Salvation Pack was isolated, but they certainly weren’t weak. The alpha gave off an aura of strength, but there was also a hard gleam of intelligence in his gaze as well. This older wolf was nobody’s fool.

Cole growled, low and deep. Addie was almost afraid to move lest his attention land on her.

She gave a slight nod and then waited for the order to leave. Maybe one of them would give her a ride home so she didn’t have to run the whole way. She wasn’t about to call her daddy and ask him to come get her.

Addie began to sway. What energy she’d had left she’d spent giving her explanation. She’d

pushed herself harder both physically and emotionally than she’d ever had to and was about to pay the price.

She tried to tell herself that she didn’t care what any of them thought of her. She’d made the best choices she could, given the circumstances. But that didn’t stop her from feeling guilty.

When no one ordered her to leave, she slowly made her way to the side of the bed, making no sudden movements. She half expected them to stop her and was vaguely surprised when Gator actually stepped out of the way and let her pass.

Billy was so still. She eased down on the bed beside him and placed her hand over his heart.

The thud was slow, but it was there. That was all that mattered. He would get well. His family would take good care of him.

Their time together was done.

Inside Addie, her wolf howled. Her chest constricted and breathing became more difficult. She tried to force herself to get off the bed, but she couldn’t make herself move. What was wrong with her?

As though he sensed her distress even while unconscious, Billy’s eyelids fluttered open. He stared straight at her and tried to speak. He didn’t make a sound, but she knew it was her name he’d mouthed.

For her, the others in the room disappeared. She lay down beside him, put her head on his shoulder, and gave in to the exhaustion pulling at her.

****

Jacque watched the two younger wolves curled up on the bed together. He jerked his head toward Gator and Cole, and the three of them stepped outside onto the deck. Not that the others couldn’t hear them, but it gave the illusion of privacy.

“What do you think?” he asked his friends.

Gator glanced back into the room. “He’s been converted.”

Cole said nothing, his face set. Jacque knew he was thinking about his last run-in with Addie’s pack all those years ago.

Jacque rubbed his hand over his jaw and nodded. “He has the healing ability, for sure. But will he be able to shift, or will he be more like a half-breed?” Sometimes a converted human had a wolf’s strength, enhanced senses, and healing ability, but was unable to shift. Sometimes, they were fully werewolf.

Gator shrugged. “Only time will tell.”

Cole dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. “It doesn’t matter. He’s ours.”

“Yes, he’s ours,” Jacque agreed. They’d work the rest out in time. “Conversions are a bitch,” he reminded them. Two members of the pack had been through them years ago. They were brutally painful, and it had taken all of them to get his mate through it. “She did it on her own.” He had a growing respect for the young woman who’d brought Billy home.

“Oui. She must have been scared out of her mind, but she stayed.” There was admiration in Gator’s voice. “No wonder she collapsed.” He glanced back into the room. “With everything she’s been through, it’s a wonder it didn’t happen sooner.”

“She will be okay.” Jacque wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Oui.” Gator slapped him on the back. “We will make it so.”

“This is going to cause problems,” Cole pointed out. Jacque knew he was worried about his mate’s reaction to the situation, to having Addie here. Cherise was originally from the pack in Kentucky, and her history with them wasn’t good.

Looking at them together, seeing Billy pull himself awake when he’d felt her distress, watching the way Addie looked at him, it was obvious to him that they’d bonded. Jacque didn’t think either of them was aware of it. Whether that led to a mating was anyone’s guess. “It just had to be the Pike County Pack, didn’t it?” he murmured.

Gator slapped him on the back. “We will deal with it as we did before.”

“Damn right, we will.” Right now, it was Sue that Jacque was more concerned about. How would she feel about her son being a wolf? Elias had decided not to try to convert her, as most humans died during the attempt. Their pack had been extremely lucky in that regard. It was best not to push their luck.

“If you don’t need me, I’m heading home,” Cole told him.

“Go.” Cole would want to tell his mate what was happening, to prepare her for what might come.

When Jacque stepped back into the room, all eyes landed on him. “Sue,” he began. He wished he’d brought Gwen with him. His mate would know what to do in this situation. But he was alpha.

This kind of thing came with the job whether he liked it or not. And it was definitely or not.

She gave him a soft smile. “I’m okay. While I wouldn’t have wished the attack and conversion on him for anything, he’s alive. That’s all that matters.” She straightened away from Elias, who continued to hover behind her. “That young woman saved his life.”

Jacque understood her unasked request. “Don’t worry. We won’t let anyone hurt her.” And that included letting some male wolf mate her without her consent. What century was her pack living in for that to still be an issue?

Yes, it was instinct to want to mate. Yes, it was in the best interests of the pack for the men to have mates. But no one forced a woman. Not on his watch. Not ever.

He’d seen too much of that in the pack he’d been born into. It was one of many reasons he’d left Louisiana behind and struck out on his own to form a new pack with his brother and three of his friends.

He wondered about her parents and what they thought of the situation or if they were even aware. He stared at the two curled up in the bed, their arms around each other, and sighed. He had many more questions, but there would be no answers forthcoming until they woke.

****

Something was wrong with his pack. Ryan Hatfield had sensed it in a way he couldn’t really explain, but years of being alpha had taught him to trust. It wasn’t until moments ago he’d discovered exactly what the problem was.

It was difficult to believe Addie had run off with a human. It was totally out of character for the quiet, pretty wolf. She wasn’t the type to worry her folks or get into trouble. But Simon had no reason to lie to him.

Which was why he was on his way to Orin Fuller’s home.

Addie was a woman, not a child, but he was still worried. Maybe Simon had misunderstood the situation. He knew his pack members well, and that boy was a troublemaker to his core.

Maybe she was seeing a human male. That didn’t set well with him. There were no outsiders in his pack. Wolves belonged with wolves, and humans with humans. Best case scenario, she’d spend a few days with the guy, come to her senses, and return home.

Addie was young and restless because she wasn’t mated with a home and young of her own.

She really needed to pick one of the eligible males in the pack and settle down. Maybe a day in Lexington doing some shopping would help. Even his wife liked to do that from time to time.

Ryan shuddered, wondering why anyone would prefer to be in a crowded city over running wild in the woods. There was no accounting for people’s taste. But he kept his mouth shut when Massie announced she was taking a shopping expedition. Being mated all these years had taught him something about women.

Thinking about his mate made him smile. He was indeed a blessed man. He had his Massie and his two sons, who’d both mated and had children of their own. He had his pack and their land. It had been quiet for years. He liked quiet.

Orin Fuller was sitting on the steps of his porch as Ryan strolled up. “Afternoon, Orin.”

He stood and nodded. “What brings you out this way?” He motioned to the steps and Ryan sat.

“How is Addie?”

Orin stiffened and didn’t retake his seat, which surprised him. There was something going on here, something he wanted to know.

“She’s fine. Why do you ask? You’re not thinking about making her mate, are you?”

Some folks might construe that as a challenge, but he saw it for what it was—a man’s fear for his daughter. Ryan had only had sons. That was much easier, in his opinion. But he had young granddaughters now, and had spent considerable time thinking about how he’d feel if someone tried to make them mate before they were ready.

He didn’t like it. Not one bit. “No one is going to force Addie to do anything.”

Orin’s shoulders slumped and he nodded. “Good. That’s good.”

“But it’s something she needs to start seriously thinking about, and soon.” It was time. Her being single was creating tension among the unmated males. “Where is she?”

His friend looked at the ground. He waited, knowing that silence could be an effective weapon.

When Orin finally raised his head, there was pure torture in his eyes. “I don’t know. She called to say she was safe, but she left to go for a run yesterday and that’s the last I saw of her.”

Simon had told him the truth. It also confirmed Orin and his mate were totally shocked by her actions. “No ideas why she left?” he prompted.

“She’s not saying, but I’m thinking she maybe had trouble with one of the younger men.” He paused and peered out into the trees. “She says she met someone.”

“Where in the hell would she meet someone? And a human, no less?”

“A human?” Orin’s jaw tightened.

“According to Simon, he saw her run off with a man she called Billy Gallagher.” This wasn’t good. Not at all. It would breed unrest in the pack if one of their eligible females ran off to be with a human. “I want to know where she is.”

Orin nodded. “I want that, too.”

Of course he did. He could be no happier about this than Ryan was. He went to the man and squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll work this out.” Orin didn’t look convinced. “Keep me informed.”

He headed home, wanting to talk with Massie as well as his sons. Over the years, he’d learned to gain their counsel before making any decisions. It hadn’t always been that way, but as he liked to put it, you could teach an old wolf a new trick.

As he walked, he sensed someone watching. He hadn’t gotten to be alpha and stayed that way for so long by being stupid. He ignored whoever it was and kept walking.

As it happened, his eldest son was also out for a stroll. “Seth.”

“Hey, Daddy.”

Once they were close, Ryan spoke under his breath. “Someone is trailing me. Find out who.” In

a louder voice, he continued, “You coming for supper? Your momma is expecting you.”

“On my way home to get my mate and the kids.” Seth hugged him and strolled off. He would circle around and find whoever was out there. His sons were the best trackers in the pack. He wanted to know why someone was so interested in his conversation with Orin Fuller.

****

Simon slunk back into the woods. He’d hoped the alpha would call out Addie’s folks, maybe even fight her daddy, but no such luck. All they did was talk. And her daddy was clueless about where she was.

He wasn’t surprised she’d called home, but it seemed she’d kept her mouth shut about the details. The older man wouldn’t lie to the alpha.

Simon had expected her to ditch the human and run home to her folks last night. It’s what he would have done in her position. She didn’t have a job outside the pack or any money with her.

The last thing he’d expected to find when he went looking for her was Billy alive and her running off with him. Did she think Billy’s pack would take her in? Maybe they would. They already had weak humans willingly in their midst.

He wouldn’t stand for it and didn’t think Ryan would either. Addie belonged here. It was time for her to fulfill her obligations and mate. As far as he was concerned, if he caught her, she was fair game. He’d make her his, and there would be nothing her daddy or the alpha could say about it.

Plan set, he loaded some supplies aboard his truck and headed out. No one would miss him.

And if they did, they’d assume he was out running or hunting. He was confident he’d find Billy’s pack fairly quickly. After all, he had a starting point—Salvation, North Carolina.

He was too busy thinking about Addie to notice there was someone watching him.

Chapter Seven

Billy was warm and cozy. The heat of the sun warming his face told him it was morning. He loved using the sunrise as an alarm clock. It sure as heck beat some loud beeping noise any day of the week.

He usually woke energized and ready to start the day. His mother always told him it was because he slept like the dead and always had. It still took a lot to wake him during the night. But this morning, he wanted to linger.

He was … content. Not a feeling he’d had much lately.

The bed dipped slightly, and he realized he wasn’t alone. That surprised him. He’d been camping, hadn’t he?

As though a switch had been flicked, his memories came pouring back. Addie. It was Addie in his arms. He could scent her now. And wasn’t that a kick. She smelled sweet and woodsy. And after sleeping in his arms, she was covered in his scent. He liked that.

He also caught the faint tinge of blood and antiseptic and sweat.

That wasn’t nearly as pleasurable.

He opened his eyes and blinked. Yup, he was home. He hadn’t dreamed that part. But why was the sun streaming into the room? It had been afternoon when they’d arrived, hadn’t it?

When she changed positions again, he became very aware of her hand on his bare chest and her thigh thrown over his. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead. He hadn’t meant to wake her, but her eyelids fluttered open. Then she blinked and sat upright in the bed, a frown chasing away her smile. “You’re awake.”

“Yup. And you’re still here.” That had been his biggest worry—that she would somehow slip away. The thought of her being on her own with Simon still out there chilled his blood.

Content all was well, he closed his eyes and sighed.

“Don’t go back to sleep.”

His eyes popped open in response to her fear, his entire being on alert. Something primal stirred deep within him. “What’s wrong?”

“You’ve been out for hours and hours.” She glanced at the clock. “Almost twenty.”

No wonder she sounded scared. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sleep that long.”

“Your momma has been worried sick about you. Everyone has,” she added.

He eased upright and tentatively rolled his shoulders. The injured one hurt slightly, but all things considered, he was doing great. Had Addie been with him this entire time?

She was still wearing the shirt he’d given her. Her hair was bedraggled and smelled earthy, like the water from the stream.

She squirmed slightly under his perusal and tugged at the shirt. “I need to shower and find some clothes.”

Damn, he hadn’t meant to make her self-conscious. He pressed his hand against the side of her face and shook his head. “You’re beautiful.” He leaned forward, giving her time to object. When she didn’t, he gave a sigh of relief just before their mouths touched.

She made a small sound of pleasure and deepened the kiss. Their lips melded. Hers were sweet and soft and welcoming. He’d kissed his fair share of women, but none of his experiences had prepared him for this.

He wanted to eat her up.

But even with need clawing at him, he kept it light, let her take the lead. That was important. He

never wanted her to feel trapped or pressured.

When she parted her lips, he groaned and took the silent invitation, delving inside. She tasted like heaven, like Addie, like his.

He wanted a hundred mornings like this. No, make that a thousand. More. He wanted to wake with her in his bed, in his arms, as the sun streamed in on them every morning for the rest of his life.

When it came to important decisions, he wasn’t an impulsive man, preferring to take his time and figure things out, but this didn’t feel impulsive. It felt necessary and right.

He had no idea what Addie was thinking. Sure she was attracted to him, but that didn’t mean she’d want to stay and explore the possibilities. She’d run from one wolf to keep from being mated.

What made him think he was any different, especially since he was now at least partly wolf?

He licked the inside of her mouth, capturing her groan of pleasure. When she returned the caress, every muscle in his body tightened. His cock pressed against his jeans, trying to escape the tight confines.

Oh yeah, he wanted her in every way a man could want a woman, but most of all, he wanted her love.

Considering the length of time they’d known each other, it was a shocker. But they’d been through more in that amount of time than most couples faced over the course of years together. He knew who she was at her core. He admired her strength and compassion. He loved her body and was attracted to her.

He almost laughed. Yeah, he was attracted, as in he was going to come if he didn’t stop kissing her. He was so close to the edge it was crazy.

But he kept on kissing her, not wanting this moment to end. It was special. The rest of his pack would be waiting, needing to talk about what happened, to reassure themselves he was okay.

He was surprised no one had intruded.

It was with great reluctance that he released her. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed. It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to tumble her back onto the bed, remove the shirt she wore, and make love to her.

But he had to be smart and take his time, not do anything to make her feel rushed or trapped.

Time was his ally.

“Wow.”

He smiled and nodded. “Oh yeah, wow.” Addie really packed a punch.

She scrambled out of bed or tried to. He caught her hand and stopped her. “Everything will be okay,” he promised. He had no idea how he would make it happen, only that he would.

****

She wanted to lick her lips. Awake and alert, Billy Gallagher was one smokin’ hot male. And he was no longer fully human. Her wolf sensed it. She sensed it.

Her attraction to him was getting out of control. She couldn’t let it happen. It was too dangerous to both of them.

“I need to get cleaned up. I’m sure your family has a lot of questions. I’ll answer what I can before I leave.”

“There’s no rush, is there?” Totally relaxed, he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

“You’re welcome to stay.”

That was a huge assumption on his part. She figured his pack would be happy to see the back of her now that he was awake and well. “I’ve brought nothing but trouble,” she reminded him.

“None of that was your fault. I chose to get involved.” While that was true, she’d put herself in

the precarious position in the first place. Not on purpose, but there was no changing the facts.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do.” She hated sounding pitiful.

“What do you want to do?” He tugged her closer so they were both sitting on the bed with his arm around her shoulders.

She shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter. I can’t stay here.”

“Why not?”

Surely he understood all the ramifications of her staying, but if he didn’t, she’d gladly point them out. “First off, you have no idea if you’re a full werewolf now or some version of half-breed.”

“So?” He stretched his arms over his head, momentarily distracting her with the rippling muscles in his arms and chest.

He was surprisingly nonchalant about the entire thing. She couldn’t tell if he truly felt that way or if he was trying to keep her from worrying. Yeah, that wasn’t happening.

“If I stay, Simon or someone from my pack will eventually show up. What happened is not going to just go away.”

Whatever she did would impact her parents. She was damned no matter what she did. Going home to her pack meant she was consigning herself to never see Billy again, to most likely eventually mating with some wolf in her pack. Staying here meant Billy and his pack would be under attack from Simon, maybe from her entire pack.

He held her hand in his, but she didn’t feel trapped like she normally did when a male wolf touched her. Just the opposite. She wanted to curl up in his arms and stay there. That was very out of character. She’d always been fiercely independent.

One step at a time. “I need to shower.” She was grubby and didn’t smell the best. Nothing but absolute exhaustion could have allowed her to fall into bed alongside him without getting cleaned up first.

She pushed herself up off the bed. “Can I borrow something to wear?”

When he tried to tug her back down beside him, she took a step away, ignoring the way his eyes narrowed. “There’ve been people in and out checking on you. I’m surprised no one has knocked on the door.” But they would. And she wanted to be ready in case they decided it was time for her to leave.

She was kinda surprised she hadn’t already been sent on her way, but they’d left her and Billy alone. Maybe they thought he’d heal better with her nearby.

But he was back on his feet now.

He raked his free hand through his hair and yawned. His hair was so light and his eyes a beautiful blue, unlike most of the dark-haired, dark-eyed men of her pack. He was strong without being bulky, but there was no escaping the width of his shoulders, the ripple of his biceps, and the delineated lines of his abs. The scruff of a beard on his face only added to his appeal.

She wanted to run her hands all over him, exploring every hard inch. Warmth spread through her body, pooling between her thighs.

Her gaze flowed over him, stopping when she got to his lower half. He was still wearing his jeans, but they did little to hide the outline of his arousal. She could smell it, too, the change in his body chemistry.

It belatedly occurred to her that he could now smell the changes in her body as well. She tensed, waiting for him to say something, but he just nodded. “Okay,” he readily agreed. “I need to get cleaned up, too.”

The bedroom door suddenly opened, and his momma walked in. “You’re awake.” She hurried

to the bed with her arms open. “My baby.” She practically fell into his arms, hugging him so tight it brought tears to Addie’s eyes.

“Hey, Mom.” He kissed the top of her head. “Everything is okay. I’m fine.” Most men she knew would have been embarrassed by the emotional display and intimacy in front of her, but not Billy. He returned her hug just as fiercely. There was a deep bond there. “I’m too ornery to die just because some wolf bit me.”

His mother laughed, but Addie knew better. He was protecting Sue. They both knew he had died for a short time. She’d never forget that moment, not as long as she lived. God knows she didn’t want to keep reliving that particular memory, but it was indelibly stamped on her brain.

Sue pulled back and ran her hands over his face, as if reassuring herself that he was indeed awake and alert. Then she gingerly touched the wound on his neck. A single tear slipped down her cheek.

He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “It’s over and I’m home,” he reminded her.

Wanting to give them some private time, Addie slipped into the bathroom, slid the door shut, and leaned against it. There was a tightness in her chest and she rubbed at the ache. Her parents loved her. She didn’t doubt that, but Sue had defied all logic and given up her entire way of life to embrace that of her mate. And she’d brought her son into their world. How much courage and trust had it taken? Now she had to accept that he was no longer fully human.

“How are you feeling, son?” Since there was no soundproofing between the bathroom and bedroom, Addie heard Elias’s voice. They were a close-knit family. She put her hand on the wooden panel separating them—lost and alone.

Feeling almost like a voyeur, she stepped away from the door and stared at herself in the mirror. Yup, her appearance was as bad as she’d thought.

Turning away from the bedraggled image, she cranked the taps in the shower. After discarding the shirt she’d worn for so long, she stepped beneath the hot spray and sighed with relief. The water rained down on her head, washing away the fear and dirt, as well as Billy’s scent and her arousal.

Not wanting to linger, she didn’t waste any time. With her hair washed and her body scrubbed, she felt more like herself, but she was different in some indefinable way. The experience in the woods had left a mark that would never be washed away.

When she turned off the water and stepped out, she heard no voices in the other room. Maybe they’d all left. Not in any hurry to face anyone, she took her time and helped herself to Billy’s hairdryer and brush.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust and tossed the soiled shirt into the laundry bin. No way was she putting that thing back on. Wrapped in a towel, she cracked open the bathroom door. The room was empty, but the bedding had been changed. She sniffed and caught Sue’s scent.

There was a small pile of clothing on the chair, including a package of unopened underwear, for which she was profoundly grateful. The choices were limited, but she was thrilled to be clean and clothed. The dark brown leggings fit, as did the green sweater she paired them with. The slip-on canvas sneakers were only a little loose.

Since putting off the inevitable any longer was cowardly, Addie opened the bedroom door and took a deep breath. She followed the alluring smell of bacon to the kitchen, focusing on the food and not the other wolves her nose had detected.

The second he saw her, Billy jumped out of his chair and came to her side. He’d showered and dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a T-shirt that hugged his shoulders and biceps. Her heart gave a little leap, and her mouth began to water—and not because of the food. She fought down the urge to

stroke his broad chest. “I’m not sure you remember everyone,” he began, drawing her attention back to the group.

“I know Reece and Sage.” She nodded at both in turn and was ridiculously pleased when she got them right. They were twins, but there was something very different in the way they held themselves. Sage was more open, Reece more suspicious and guarded. They’d smelled different, but there were too many scents in the room for her to differentiate them this far away.

“This is my wife, Rina,” Sage said as he put his arm around the woman next to him.

“And this is Hannah,” Reece told her.

Addie nodded at both women. “Nice to meet you.” She was used to being surrounded by wolves, but not by strangers. It made her uneasy. Elias nodded at her. She couldn’t get a read on him.

He watched her intently without giving away much, other than his love for his wife and family.

“Sit. You need to eat.” She allowed Billy to lead her to the table. It was either that or be dragged behind him, which wasn’t happening. Plus, she needed fuel if she was going to start thinking straight and be at her physical best.

“It all smells delicious,” she told Sue.

The older woman waved away her praise. “It’s mostly food others have brought over. There’s steak and potatoes, chicken soup, and spicy chili. If you have a sweet tooth, there are chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, cherry pie, chocolate layer cake, and lemon pound cake. I’ve also made breakfast

—bacon, eggs, ham, pancakes, and toast. What would you like?”

What would she like? She had no idea. It all sounded delicious. Her stomach was growling and her mouth salivating. “Doesn’t matter. Whatever is easiest.” She didn’t want to be a bother.

Billy rubbed her shoulder. “How about we start with breakfast and see how that goes?”

She nodded. That worked for her. Anything worked as long as she got it soon. At this point, she was hungry enough to gnaw on shoe leather. Just smelling the food was making her weak.

The others were watching her, even though they were pretending not to. She could only imagine what they were thinking. Or maybe she couldn’t. She would have expected them to show her the door long before now, not let her sleep and then feed her.

“Pancakes?” Billy asked. He held out the platter. She took several, then added eggs and bacon.

She listened with half an ear while she ate. The women talked about sewing projects and the men about … crops. That was a surprise. But it seemed Sage was a farmer.

Addie also made sure that Billy was eating. Not that she had to worry with his family hovering over him. Sue kept stroking her son’s head every time she walked by him on the way to the kitchen to retrieve another platter filled with food.

When her stomach was full, Addie set her fork aside and turned to Elias. This was his home, and he was the oldest male here. “I need to call my parents.”

Billy stopped eating and rested a hand on her shoulder, offering his silent support. Tears pricked her eyes, as the gesture went straight to her heart, but she blinked them aside.

Elias kicked back and rested his hands on his stomach. “Why don’t you leave that for a little bit longer? Jacque wants to see the both of you as soon as you’re finished eating.”

Of course the alpha would want to see them. She’d answered some of his questions, but he likely had more. She’d actually fallen asleep with him standing in the room. That was a huge breach of etiquette. This wasn’t her pack. She was a guest here—an uninvited one, at that.

“I’m done,” she told him. Better to get this over with. She turned to Sue. “Thank you for the meal and the clothing. Thank you for everything.” When she stood, so did Billy.

“We’ll be back in a bit,” he told his momma.

God, she wished she was half as relaxed and confident as he was. But why wouldn’t he be both those things? This was his pack, his family.

Her wolf howled inside her. She gripped her hands together and nodded at Elias. “Lead the way.”

****

Simon was enjoying himself, in spite of the fact he’d driven for hours and then spent the night in the back of his truck. He might disdain humans, but he liked being among them, knowing he was stronger than they were—smarter, too. And there were no restrictions here, not like there were in the pack.

“More coffee?” The waitress hovered beside him, coffeepot in hand.

“Sure.” When she was done, he watched her walk away. If he had more time, he might pursue her. He did so love the chase, and fucking humans was fun. But he had more serious business to attend to.

Salvation, North Carolina, was a small town, but a surprisingly vibrant one with shops along the main street. He wouldn’t find what he needed here. It was only a starting point.

As soon as city hall opened, he was going to amble over and check out the property records for the land around the town. A pack would own the largest parcel.

He wasn’t worried about anyone finding out what he was doing. After all, he was simply trying to convince a pack member to return home. And if it took a little force and coercion to make that happen… He mentally shrugged, not the least bit concerned.

He sipped his coffee before digging back into his breakfast. He was confident he’d find Addie at some point today. Then it was only a matter of stalking her and watching for the right moment to pounce.

Chapter Eight

Billy glanced at Addie, wishing he knew what she was thinking. Head down, she walked alongside him as though headed to the gallows, or at least to a funeral.

I’m an idiot.

She didn’t know his family. He also had no idea what had gone on while he’d been out. He’d have to ask his father about that later. Not that he was too concerned. His pack would have treated her well.

“We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

The glance she shot him suggested he’d lost his mind. “The alpha wants to see us.”

And in any other wolf pack it would be dangerous not to answer that summons, but this was the Salvation Pack. One phone call to let Jacque know that she wasn’t well enough to talk to him yet and the meeting would be postponed.

But delaying things wouldn’t help her relax. Better to get it over and done with so they could figure out their next move. He needed time to convince her to stay, to take a chance on them.

He was jumping the gun, maybe talking crazy. They’d both been through a life-changing incident. Maybe she’d want to put it behind her and move on.

The idea that she might want to forget him made his heart ache. He’d always been a thinker, taking time to ponder his options before making any big decisions. Now it seemed more natural to act on instinct. And his was screaming at him not to let Addie go.

He was himself but different. He couldn’t quite explain it, even to himself. He flexed his hand several times, feeling a strength that hadn’t existed before.

Reaching out, he touched her hand. She jerked it away but seconds later placed her palm against his. He twined their fingers together. This was how it was meant to be.

Now he just needed to convince Addie, her pack, and his of the same thing.

Easy.

He almost laughed out loud. He did love a challenge, but this might be too much for even him to tackle. He also had no idea what the senior members of the pack were thinking. Oh, they’d never hurt Addie, but they might not want her to stay and instigate a war with her pack. There were children to protect.

It was a sobering thought.

Something stirred inside him, some inner wildness that hadn’t existed before. If Addie left, he’d follow. He’d never force her to accept him if she didn’t want him, but he wouldn’t let her face her pack and family and, most of all, Simon, on her own.

They took the curve in the path, and the alpha’s home came into view. Two teenagers were just leaving when they arrived.

“Hey, Aaron. Hey, Etienne.” Aaron was Jacque’s younger son, although at seventeen, he was certainly no child. And beside him was eighteen-year-old Etienne, Gator and Sylvie’s pride and joy.

“Hey, Billy. Glad you’re okay,” Aaron said as he drew up beside them. Both young men gave him a hug, while watching Addie with curiosity and interest.

She shifted subtly away from them. He wondered if her nervousness was due to the fact they were strangers or because they were almost full-grown, unattached werewolf males.

Before he could introduce them, Jacque appeared in the doorway. “Come in.”

Both teens stepped aside to let them pass. With one hand on Addie’s lower back to propel her forward, Billy followed the alpha inside.

****

Addie was scared to death and desperately trying not to show it. Her wolf whined inside her, not happy at being around all these unknown wolves. Breakfast had been marginally better. That had only been Billy’s immediate family. This was markedly different.

How many young, unmated men were there in this pack? The two she’d just met were a little young, but sometimes wolves were promised to each other and mated when they reached an appropriate age.

It was sobering to realize she might have bolted if Billy hadn’t been right beside her. She’d always thought herself brave and confident. But these past couple of days, she’d been consumed by fear.

I’m alive and so is Billy. That was all that mattered.

A woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes stood beside the alpha. There was also a younger male who looked so much like him, it had to be his son.

“Oh, Billy.” The woman ran into Billy’s open arms for a hug.

A wave of jealousy surged through her. She gritted her teeth and fought it back. The alpha pinned her with a glare that promised death if she did anything to upset the woman. Oddly enough, that show of possessiveness calmed Addie.

“Gwen, let the boy breathe.” Jacque put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her away.

“Sorry about that. We were just so worried.”

Billy grinned. “It’s okay. Gwen, this is Addie Fuller. Addie, this is Gwen LaForge, the alpha’s mate.”

Her wolf settled down some after that announcement. “Pleased to meet you,” Addie offered.

“This is our oldest son, Nicholas.” Gwen gestured to the man who stood next to them. It was hard to place his age. He was older than a teenager but not as old as her.

Addie nodded and sidled a little closer to Billy, sensing Nicholas’s interest. Not that she caught anything of a sexual nature, just plain, old-fashioned curiosity.

“Jacque wanted a pack meeting, but I thought you’d feel more comfortable if it was just us first.” Gwen gestured all of them toward the chairs settled around the large dining table. “Please sit.”

Addie couldn’t imagine being brave enough to tell the alpha what he should do. Although, she could imagine the alpha’s wife of her own pack doing such a thing, but only in private, never in front of anyone else. Especially not in front of an outsider.

She took a chair on the far end of the table, as distant as she could get from Jacque. He raised one eyebrow but made no comment as he took his seat.

“I’ll be going,” Nicholas told them.

“Let me know if you’re having supper at Etienne’s,” Gwen told him.

He grinned. “I’m having supper at Etienne’s. You know Gator makes the best food.”

“Go on. Get out.” She shooed her son away, but she was laughing.

It was Gator who’d checked out Billy’s wounds. He was a good cook, too? A man of many talents.

Then they were finally alone—just the alpha couple and her and Billy.

Jacque leaned back in his chair and pinned her with a golden-eyed stare. “What are we going to do about you?”

There were a lot of things he could do. Many of them not the least bit pleasant.

“I should leave.” That would be the best for everyone, except maybe her. She had nowhere to go and no money.

He rubbed a hand across his chin. “See, I have a problem with that.”

She began to shiver. She tried not to, but the alpha was one scary man. Billy slid his arm around her shoulders and squeezed.

“Why? If I left, you could forget all about me. There would be no repercussions with my pack.”

“No.” Billy tightened his hold on her briefly. Then he spun in his chair and tugged hers around until she was facing him. He took her hands in his. He had such rough hands. Big, too. What would they feel like on her body?

Talk about an inappropriate thought to have in front of the alpha.

Jacque cleared his throat and they all looked back at him. “Save that until later, okay?” He pointed at her. “You saved Billy’s life.”

She shook her head. “If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have been in the position to get hurt in the first place.”

“Did you want to mate with this Simon fellow?” Gwen asked. The alpha had, no doubt, told his mate everything.

“Tell me about him,” Jacque ordered.

Before she could begin, a knock came on the door.

“Should have known,” he muttered. “Come on in.”

The door opened and Cole walked in. He was still the biggest man Addie had ever laid eyes on and one of the scariest. In fact, he was even more menacing than she remembered. His green eyes swept over her, missing nothing. His scowl deepened. Her wolf bristled and then whined inside her.

“Let me by.” A woman’s voice came from behind him. He reluctantly stepped aside to let her enter. Tall, with black hair and gray eyes, she studied Addie for a long moment. “Who are your parents?”

Taken aback by the abrupt demand, she glanced at Billy. He seemed as interested as everyone else. Cole glared and took a step toward her. She quickly replied, “Orin and Sharon Fuller.”

“Will you come in and close the damn door,” Jacque told them. “This is Cole Blanchard and Cherise Michaels,” he continued. “Cherise used to be a member of your pack before she mated with Cole.”

Addie’s breath caught in her throat. She’d been right. This was the Cole Blanchard. She’d heard stories about the man and had thought them just that—stories embellished with the years of telling. But being up close and personal like this, she could well believe he’d killed several members of her pack before being allowed to leave in peace. If anything, the stories about him might be understated.

It was whispered that Ryan Hatfield, her alpha, was afraid of Cole. Seeing him, she understood why.

Cole shut the door and ushered Cherise to the table. Cherise Michaels. She didn’t know any Michaels. “I’m sorry,” she began. “I don’t know your family.”

Cole stiffened and growled. This wolf didn’t like her, not one bit. He was also big enough and strong enough to kill her before anyone could stop him.

“How old are you?” Cole demanded.

Addie looked at the alpha and got his nod before she answered. “Twenty-four.”

“You wouldn’t even have been born when I left with my mother. Would only have been a child when I briefly returned.” She offered her a smile. “I remember both of your parents. They were good people.”

“Not good enough to stop what happened,” Cole said. “Do you know why I visited your pack

all those years ago?”

She shook her head. “Not really. They say you killed some men.”

He nodded. “I did. I found three of them hunting Cherise on Salvation Pack land. They wouldn’t walk away, so I killed them. Then I had to visit your pack to make sure no one else would come after my mate.”

Just like that. As if it was no different than taking a trip to the store.

Addie began to sweat. These men wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of any threat to their pack. God, don’t let them see me as a threat.

“I’ll leave. I won’t tell anyone where I was.”

“No one is going to hurt you, Addie,” Billy told her.

“It’s not your place to make such promises,” she reminded him. That was up to the alpha. This pack might be more lenient than most, but Jacque’s word was law.

“You were about to tell me about the man who wants to mate with you,” Jacque reminded her.

Right. The quicker she could satisfy their curiosity, the faster she’d be able to get out of here.

Although, she had no idea where she’d go since home wasn’t any safer, not with Simon running around.

“Simon Jones,” she began. “I’ve known him since we were kids. The past few months he’s been sniffing around. I told him I wouldn’t mate with him and thought he accepted it.”

She hated to tell them this part because in hindsight it made her seem stupid. And she wasn’t.

Just too damn trusting of pack members she’d known her entire life.

“Another friend, Jude Gordon, asked if I wanted to go running with a group. Since that’s something we often do, I went.” She rubbed her hands over her thighs, smoothing nonexistent wrinkles out of the leggings she wore.

“I rode over in his truck, thinking we were meeting the bigger group there. But there was only Simon.” She shivered, remembering how scared she’d been when she’d stepped out of the truck only to realize there was no one else, only the two other men.

“You’re safe now,” Billy reminded her. “They can’t hurt you any longer.” Then he did something extraordinary. He turned his gaze toward the alpha and stared him straight in the eyes.

“She’s safe here, isn’t she?”

****

Fear rolled off Addie in waves. Billy couldn’t take it any longer. He couldn’t sit there and allow them to interrogate her without saying something. He needed to protect her, to reassure her that she had a safe place with him, with his pack.

It wasn’t surprising that Cole and Cherise had joined them. That was to be expected considering their history with the Kentucky pack.

What he hadn’t expected to do was to challenge Jacque in such a way, but something inside him needed to protect Addie at all costs.

The alpha stared back. He wanted to look away but couldn’t. This was too important. Addie’s fear grew. He could smell it, sense it. She was scared for him, afraid of what Jacque might do.

What she didn’t understand was that no one else in the room was upset in the slightest, especially not Jacque. He wasn’t the least bit threatened, because it wasn’t a real challenge to his leadership but a need for reassurance.

Two primal urges were pulling him apart—the need to get a promise from his alpha and a need to comfort and protect Addie. In the end, it really was no contest. He turned to her and cupped her face in his hands. “Everything will be fine. I promise.”

“He’s not lying,” Jacque told her. “The fact remains that you saved his life. A member of your pack tried to force you to mate with him. That’s not acceptable in my pack. I didn’t figure it would be in yours.”

She looked at her lap, her fingers plucking at the material of her leggings. “My parents didn’t force me to mate when I came of age.”

“That’s something,” Jacque muttered.

Cole growled so low it was more of a vibration, but they all sensed it. Cherise was obviously upset but holding it together.

Addie swallowed hard. “I know the alpha would prefer I mated. It’s just that I know all the males of age in my pack, and I don’t want any of them. I just want them to leave me alone.”

Billy wished there was some way he could alleviate her pain. He was damn proud of her, the way she sat straight in her chair and answered all their questions. It wasn’t easy for her to have to spill her guts to strangers.

“Most men can control their instincts,” Jacque told them. “But some werewolves don’t see why they should. Those are the ones to worry about. I can call your parents, if you’d like. Tell them what happened and why you’re staying with us for a visit. That is, if you want to stay for the time being, until we figure things out.”

Addie looked shell-shocked. Billy couldn’t blame her. He doubted she’d been expecting that offer when she’d sat down at the table.

Jacque addressed him next. “You survived a werewolf attack. That’s very rare.” It was a stark reminder he was lucky to be alive.

Addie made a small sound of distress. Billy wanted to pull her into his lap and hug her, but she wouldn’t appreciate that in front of the others. “It wasn’t luck. It was Addie.” He firmly believed he wouldn’t have made it back from the dead if it hadn’t been for her tenacity and their connection.

“The question is how far does the change go?”

That was something he was wondering himself. Up until now, survival had been paramount.

Now that he knew he was going to live and Addie was safe, he had questions but no answers. “I’m not sure,” he answered honestly. “My senses are enhanced. And let me tell you, that is going to take some getting used to.” The world was brighter, louder, and filled with more smells than he’d ever imagined.

“Did you speak with your wolf? The one who saved you?” Gwen asked. She’d gone through a similar experience, but it was something she never talked about.

“No. I saw the wolf. It tried to block me from getting back, at least at first.” He let himself remember the thickening darkness, the pull of the light trying to yank him away. “I was trying to get back, but it was such a damn hard struggle. I didn’t think I’d make it.”

Addie went completely still beside him.

“I fell and started to crawl. The wolf seemed to lie down on my back. I absorbed it. I can’t think of how else to put it. It’s like the wolf just sank into me. It gave me the strength I needed to come back to this life.”

Silent tears trickled down her cheeks. They were killing him. He reached over and swiped them away with his thumb. Only she’d lived through the experience with him. It would haunt both of them for the rest of their lives.

“Do you think you can shift?” Jacque asked.

“I don’t know.” And that was the truth. “I don’t think so. Not yet, in any case.” He was emotionally drained and Addie had to be, too. He stood abruptly and announced, “Addie needs to

rest.”

Her eyes widened and she shook her head vehemently.

Jacque nodded solemnly, but he could see the twitch in his lips. “I can see that.”

Billy was being an idiot, but he didn’t care. He wanted to take her somewhere they could be alone and kiss her until she felt better. Okay, maybe that last part was mostly for him.

“Let me know if you want me to make that call,” Jacque reminded them. “We’ll see you at Gator’s for supper.” That was an order from the alpha, a not-so-subtle reminder that the pack, his family, needed time with him after everything that had happened.

Giving a nod, he led Addie away from the others. As soon as they were outside, he scooped her into his arms and started walking. He was taking her home.

****

Jacque watched the door close behind the young couple. “They’ve bonded in a big way.” He dragged his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Too bad you can’t tell me about Simon Jones or Jude Gordon, but they’d have been kids when you went there.”

Cole nodded and said nothing. Didn’t have to. His glare said it all. His friend was less than thrilled about this turn of events, worried how it would affect his mate. Jacque couldn’t blame him.

Cherise was pale but calm. She leaned against her mate, and his arm tightened around her. “I imagine Simon is related to Irma Jones. The Jones family mostly keep to themselves and aren’t known for being tolerant. No surprise that the boy thinks he can take what he wants. They’re really old school.”

“Might is right.” Jacque knew the type. His old man had believed the same thing.

“All we can do is support them. I’m worried about Billy,” Gwen added. “I’m not sure he’s going to be able to shift.”

“It’s possible he was too far gone. The wolf would have had to give most of its energy to healing him. In essence, the wolf would have had to meld completely with him in order to save him.”

Cherise bit her bottom lip. “I think that’s what happened to my wolf when I had the fever when I was a child.”

Jacque couldn’t imagine being a werewolf and not being able to shift. But in some ways it had made her stronger. “Only time will tell. Once he’s rested, we’ll take him out and see just how much of a wolf he has in him. Until then, we’ll keep an eye on him.”

When Cole stirred, Jacque knew his old friend had something on his mind. “What?”

“We need extra patrols. At some point, someone from the pack is going to attack.”

“Oui.” He agreed with the assessment. “Simon’s not likely to tell anyone what he tried to do.

He’s more likely to turn it around and tell them that Billy stole her or coerced her away somehow.

Hell, he could even say that’s why he attacked in the first place. We all know packs don’t like to lose their females of breeding and mating age.”

Addie had told them that Billy had mentioned their pack by name in order to try to avoid the conflict. He didn’t blame him for that, but it did add another layer of trouble to the mix.

“I’ll take care of it,” Cole told him.

Jacque leaned over and gave his mate a long, hot kiss. “I’m going for a quick run. I won’t be too long.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Gwen promised.

She was everything to him, which was why he understood where Billy was coming from. Sue’s kid had far more wolf in him now, maybe more than he realized. The way he’d met Jacque’s gaze and challenged him over Addie’s safety was a sure sign.

He left the house with Cole right behind him. Cherise stayed behind with Gwen.

“Until this is settled, we stay on high alert.” As alpha, it was his job to protect his pack. It was a duty he took very seriously.

The two men looked at each other, their commitment to each other and the pack rock solid. They stripped off their clothes and shifted, embracing the wilder side of their nature.

Then the two large wolves padded quietly into the woods to ensure all was safe.

****

Ryan Hatfield was pissed off, at himself and at Simon. After Seth had told him the younger male had followed him, he should have gone and confronted him. But he’d waited until the next day and now Simon had disappeared.

Which meant he probably knew more than he’d let on.

That pissed him off to no end. He didn’t like when his pack was disrupted. Already folks were beginning to talk. They’d noticed both Addie and Simon were missing. Some were speculating they’d run off together, but others were just as adamant that wouldn’t happen, that Addie didn’t want him. He doubted he’d be able to keep a lid on things much longer. Gossip ran rampant in a pack.

Orin was chopping wood in his front yard when Ryan strolled up. He slammed the axe into the chopping block and met him halfway. “Any news?”

Well, that answered one of his questions. “I was coming to ask you the same thing.” When the front door opened, he nodded at Sharon. Addie’s momma looked like she hadn’t slept well.

Orin shook his head. “We haven’t heard anything. Not since the first call.”

“Would you like some coffee? There’s some biscuits left over from breakfast if you’re interested,” she offered. Her hands were fisted in the apron wrapped around her waist. He could only imagine how worried she was, and now he was going to add to it.

“No, but thank you.”

“What is it?” Orin asked. He went to his wife and took her hand in his, the two of them presenting a united front.

“Simon has gone missing. I think he knows where Addie might be.” A blue jay flew by, making a raucous noise as it passed. “I’ve got people looking for this Billy Gallagher. We’ll find him.” That was a promise.

“But you think Simon will find them first.” Concern and fury were etched on Orin’s face.

It wasn’t a question, but he answered anyway. “I do. If Addie calls, warn her to be careful. I doubt this Gallagher can protect her.” And why the hell had she run off with a human? There was a lot more to this story than he’d been told. And he aimed to get to the bottom of it.

Chapter Nine

“Are you out of your mind?” Addie demanded. It was hard to sound tough, considering Billy was carrying her, but honestly, she wasn’t sure her legs would hold her. Not after what she’d just been through.

It wasn’t that they’d interrogated her. They’d simply asked questions—although it was more a command when Jacque asked anything. Then there was Cole. A shiver raced down her spine. He was not happy she was here. She was obviously a reminder of his mate’s unhappy past.

“You can’t challenge the alpha.” She still couldn’t believe he’d done that. And then to announce they were leaving before the alpha finished questioning them.

It wasn’t done.

Either this pack was truly different or Billy had brain damage from his ordeal, and she really didn’t think it was a brain injury.

“Where are we going?” She really should be more concerned about that issue but couldn’t bring herself to care. Maybe she’d been through too much. Her wolf was content to be here with him and so was she.

But there was still the not insignificant problem of her parents. “I really need to contact my folks.” She hated worrying them. Her momma would be upset that Addie wasn’t home.

“What are you going to tell them?” He paused in the middle of the path.

“Put me down.” It was time for her to stand on her own two feet, in more ways than one. He hesitated but did as she asked. He was so big and strong standing among the trees with the sun shining down on him. It was hard to believe he’d been dead not that long ago. The only indication he’d been injured were the scars peeking out from the collar of his shirt, but there were more lurking under the material.

His eyes were steady. Vitality surrounded him, along with a wildness he hadn’t had when they’d met.

How far did the change go?

A male wolf in his prime would want to mate with a female he was attracted to. After all, that was the whole reason behind their current problems. Yet, for all the conflicting emotions and instincts Billy had to be dealing with, she wasn’t the least bit concerned he’d ever take her by force.

The biggest difference between him and Simon? She wanted him. All he had to do was stand there and her nipples tightened and her panties got damp.

“Well?” he prompted.

Damn, she’d gotten sidetracked staring at him. It wasn’t her fault he was so darn appealing.

“I’ll reassure them I’m safe but won’t be home for a while.” They would be hurt by that, but it was the best thing for all of them. She didn’t want to put them in the position of having to choose between her wants and needs and the pack’s demands.

She caught the scent of another wolf nearby, one she didn’t recognize. Billy’s head came up, and he sniffed the air. “Come on.” He took her by the hand and started back down the narrow trail.

“We can talk more at home.”

Home had always been the small house in Kentucky where she’d grown up, where she still lived with her folks. She was beginning to understand that home wasn’t always a place. Sometimes it was a very special person.

She wanted to wander the land and see where he lived, but that wasn’t wise. She was a guest here. In spite of the offer of protection, she might not be here for long. It would only take one attack

and the offer would most likely be rescinded.

Then there was the not-so-small matter of Cole. He was out there somewhere. Last thing she wanted to do was run into him. While he seemed to accept the alpha’s edict, she wasn’t about to bet her life on it. He’d freely admitted to killing wolves that were a threat to his mate and pack, and he saw her presence as a threat.

Billy bypassed the main entrance and went around the deck to a sliding patio door. There were several sets. Made sense since it allowed wolves to leave the house any time of the day or night without making much noise or disrupting the other members of the household.

It was a clever idea. The only set of sliding doors in her parents’ home was the one off the dining area.

He opened the door and waited for her to step inside. Even though it was warm, she was chilled to the bone. She sat on the bed and stared out the glass, already wishing she was outside rather than in.

Crouching down in front of her, he placed his hands on either side of her hips. “Hey. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Plus, I think we should wait to call your parents until Jacque is around. I know he’ll want to hear what’s said.”

He was right. The last thing she wanted to do was get him into trouble with his alpha or abuse the hospitality that had been extended. Calling home without approval might be seen as an act of aggression on her part.

“I’m sorry this is so difficult for you. And I know it has to be even harder on your folks.” His genuine concern touched her heart. Because of her—no matter how she looked at the situation, it always came back to her—he’d been brutally attacked and irrevocably changed. And yet, here he was, worried not about himself, but her and her family.

At a loss for words, she placed her hands on his cheeks. The slight prickle of beard was a sensual caress against her skin. He turned his head and nuzzled the palm of her hand. A quiver of delight speared through her, accompanied by an ache between her thighs.

She was twenty-four years old, but she was a virgin. Living at home and knowing that any kind of sexual activity might lead to a mating, she’d been too wary to get involved with any man.

But Billy was different. He’d risked his life to save her. He’d put her wants and needs ahead of his own. Most of all, there was a connection between them, one that transcended the physical. It might sound corny, but it was almost spiritual in nature. They’d gone through an ordeal that would forever bind them.

If Simon had had his way, her introduction to sex would have been a forced mating. A shiver of dread made her blood run cold. She didn’t want that. She wanted the first male she slept with to be one of her choosing, one she wanted without reservation.

The only one she could ever see herself doing that with was crouched right in front of her.

“Billy.” She repeated his name, not quite knowing how to ask for what she wanted.

But this was Billy. Once again, he proved he was in tune with her and her needs. “Are you sure?” he asked. “We can wait.” He ran a hand over her hair before tucking a strand behind her ear.

“There’s no rush, sweetheart.”

The endearment made her breathing quicken and her heart beat faster. She nodded.

His broad shoulders tensed as he stood and tugged the drapes over the glass, covering the sliding doors. Good idea. The last thing she wanted was for someone to walk by and see them. If they noticed the drapes were closed, they’d probably assume either one or both of them were resting.

It didn’t matter that the light was dim. As a wolf, she had excellent night vision and got a

perfect view of the taut muscles of his chest and arms when he yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it onto the nearby chair. Then he toed off his sneakers. Each move was unhurried and deliberate.

She licked her lips in anticipation, but he kept his jeans on.

“Let’s lie down.”

Okay. Sure. She could do this.

Her insides were jittery. Excitement and a hint of fear made her clumsy as she tugged off her shoes and lay back on the bed. Her entire body was stiff. “I’m sorry,” she blurted. Could she be any more awkward?

He sprawled beside her and propped himself up on one arm so he was looking down at her.

“I’m not.” He traced the pad of his thumb over her lips. The simple action made her nipples tighten.

“There’s no rush.” He pressed his mouth to hers. They barely touched and he was gone, leaving her wanting more. She raised her head, trying to continue the kiss, but he wasn’t done talking.

“If at any time you want to stop, just say the word.” His eyes reflected the dim light. “I never want to do anything you don’t want. I never want to frighten you.”

His sincerity and concern pushed back her anxiety. I trust him. More than any other male she’d ever known. “I want this.” There was both wonder and certainty in her voice.

She placed her hand in the center of his chest. His heartbeat was strong and steady. It had been silent not so long ago. Memories threatened to swamp her, but she pushed them back. This was their time, hers and Billy’s. And no one and nothing else would intrude.

She wouldn’t allow it.

She traced her fingers over the long red scars that marred his chest. They, along with the ones on his neck, would fade in time but not completely. He would always bear the marks of the brutal attack. They didn’t detract from his appeal. If anything, they added to it. They were a sign of his noble nature, of the way he tried to protect her.

She hooked her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him close. He came willingly.

****

Don’t rush things.

A tall order when she was right here, ready and more than willing. She was also nervous.

Understandably so. They hadn’t known each other long, and their experience together hadn’t exactly been a bed of roses. She was here, in the midst of an unfamiliar pack, worried about her future. He was a port in the storm.

If he were a better man, he’d walk away and let her rest. But he not only craved the connection to her, he needed it.

The heat from her hand seeped into his skin, and then their lips were touching. The kiss was innocent, as far as kisses went, but the impact shook him all the way to his toes. She tasted so damn sweet. The small sound of pleasure she made had his cock as hard as steel.

He cupped her face and deepened the caress, making short, teasing forays with his tongue. She boldly met them and took the kiss up another notch.

On a groan, he rolled on top of her, supporting most of his weight with his forearms. With his hands planted firmly on the mattress, he was less likely to do something stupid, like tear her clothes off and plunge into her.

Slowly, he reminded himself.

But she wasn’t willing to let him pace things. No, she ran her hands over his bare chest and shoulders, teased his tongue with hers, and generally stole his good sense. He lost himself in the kiss,

loving the heat and passion she possessed and gave so freely. His lungs were starved for air when he finally pulled away.

She was panting hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly. He sat back on his knees and reached for the hem of her sweater. “May I?”

Eyes wide but steady, she nodded.

He inched the sweater up, exposing a swath of skin, and released a small sound of pleasure that was mixed with pain when he uncovered a scar. She had also been injured in the attack. Not as badly as him, but Simon had hurt her.

She covered his hand with hers. “It’s okay. It’s already healed and will soon fade.”

It was anything but okay, but he wasn’t about to let Simon ruin this moment between them. “I’ll be careful. Don’t let me do anything that will hurt you.”

“I won’t. I promise. It’s not in you to hurt me.”

She got that right. He’d cut off his own hand first.

Taking control of the situation, she pulled the sweater up and off, tossing it onto the floor. She wasn’t wearing a bra. He couldn’t stop staring. He’d seen her naked in the woods, but this was different. They were no longer in a life-or-death situation. Or maybe they were. If he didn’t have her, he might die. She was quickly becoming his life.

“You are lovely.” He covered her breasts with his hands, loving the way her pert nipples stabbed the centers of his palms. The mounds were firm and full.

She skated her fingers up his sides. He jerked, making her grin. “You’re ticklish,” she said as she did it again.

He laughed and caught her hands in his, brought them to his mouth, and kissed the tip of each finger until she was breathless and no longer thinking about tickling him. “I am, but that’s not what I have in mind right now.” He slyly smiled. “Unless you’re ticklish.”

She shook her head much too quickly. “Nope. Not ticklish.”

“We’ll see about that. But later.” He leaned forward and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down until he was lying on top of her, his chest pressing against her breasts.

Skin to skin. It was a familiar sensation. She had done the same thing in the woods. That had been to save his life. Now she could save his heart.

He left her lush mouth behind and placed a string of kisses along her jaw as he worked his way to her ear. Her fingernails dug into his biceps when he gently tugged on the tender lobe with his teeth.

“Remember to stop me if I do anything you don’t like,” he reminded her.

“Don’t stop,” she whispered.

He kissed and nibbled his way down the slender column of her neck and across her collarbone, nuzzling the valley between her breasts before finally cupping one of the mounds in his hand and tracing the tender bud with his tongue.

She moaned and arched into his touch. His jeans got even tighter. He prayed he wouldn’t disgrace himself by coming before he finally got inside her.

****

Addie was burning up from the inside out, but it was a good kind of fire, one that cleansed away the past, the pain, and left nothing but pleasure in its wake. Billy was being so careful with her.

She should tell him she was a virgin, but she was afraid he’d stop.

That was the last thing she wanted.

This was her choice. He was her choice.

She loved the way his muscles flexed beneath her hands. He was leaner in build than most wolves, but it was all solid strength. She loved the way he touched her as though she was precious and beautiful.

When he flicked his tongue over her nipple, she couldn’t suppress the small cry of pleasure that escaped her. She was trying to be careful, not sure if his room was soundproofed or who might be around.

But he was making that impossible.

He worked his way over to her other breast and sucked the tip into his mouth. She wrapped her legs around his flanks and rubbed her mound against his erection. They were both still wearing pants, but the friction was delicious.

“Fuck.” He reared back, his eyes glowing like blue fire, and grabbed the waistband of the leggings. Panting heavily, he paused.

“Don’t you dare stop.” This was no time for him to be noble. She ached with needing him.

With a quick grin, he peeled them down her legs and off. He took her underwear with them, leaving her bare. He stood long enough to shuck his jeans. She barely caught a glimpse of his muscled thighs and thick erection before he was back on top of her, making a place for himself between her spread thighs.

She sucked in a breath when his hot, hard cock pressed against her.

“Addie.” He said her name like a prayer, like a plea. “I want to go slow.”

He looked tortured, as though he was failing her somehow. That was the last thing she wanted.

“Next time,” she promised. Because she definitely wanted more than one time with him.

He nodded and fit the head of his shaft at her opening. She was wet, but this was also new to her. Unfamiliar emotions and sensations bombarded her as he pressed inward, stretching her.

Then he pushed deeper. She dug her nails into his shoulders, unable to contain her groan of pain. It was too much, but at the same time she wanted more.

“You’re so tight.” The cords of his neck were taut, and his jaw was as hard as a rock. “Has it been a long time for you?”

“Never.” She blurted out what she hadn’t told him before.

He stared down at her in disbelief. “Never? You’ve never had a lover?”

“When would I?” she snapped, feeling stupid for opening her mouth about it. “I live with my parents in a wolf pack. I’d be mated if I’d slept with anyone.”

He started to withdraw, but she wrapped her legs around his thighs. “No. You’re not stopping.”

She hadn’t gone through this humiliation only to have him leave her now. She pulled him down and at the same time arched up. He sank deeper but still wasn’t quite all the way there.

“Please,” she pleaded.

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.

Did he feel like she was trying to trap him? “I don’t expect you to mate with me or anything,”

she assured him. “I just want my first time to be with someone I chose.”

Chapter Ten

She’d never had a lover. It made perfect sense, considering her circumstance, but it was the last thing he’d expected to discover at such a critical time.

He didn’t want to hurt her, but if he stopped she might see it as rejection. And honestly, he didn’t want to stop. Not when his cock was being squeezed in the most perfect way in her heated depths.

When she’d said the word mate, he’d almost lost it. Until he realized she was saying the opposite of what he wanted to hear.

“Billy?” The uncertainty in her tone almost gutted him.

He forced himself to look directly at her, eye to eye. “I want you. Never doubt that. I just wish I’d known beforehand. I wouldn’t have rushed things.” He hadn’t even tasted her yet. Just the thought had his cock flexing and her gasping.

“I didn’t want to wait.”

He started to pull out, but she gripped his shoulders tighter. “I’m not leaving you,” he promised.

He rocked back in, not going too deep. “We’re going to take our time a little.” Fine talk when his dick was threatening to explode.

She licked her lips and nodded. “Okay.”

He closed his eyes but couldn’t shut out the image of her tongue gliding over her plump lower lip.

He placed his hands on the mattress and began to rock, putting all his concentration into going slow. Each motion pushed him a bit deeper. She was softening around him, her inner muscles relaxing and letting him sink into her. After what seemed an eternity, he was fully seated inside her.

The base of his spine tingled. It was sheer perfection. He counted to ten five times before he finally opened his eyes. Hers were luminous with tears. Shit, were they good tears or bad ones?

Resting his weight on his forearms, he brushed a lock of hair away from her face. “How do you feel?” His cock was throbbing in time to his heartbeat, and his balls were trying to crawl into his body. He’d never worked so hard not to come.

“Amazing.” Her voice was breathy and sexy. “Filled by you.” The wonder in her tone made his heart thud harder. “I never knew it would be like this.”

“It wouldn’t. Not with anyone else.” The mere thought of her having sex with another man, sharing herself this way with someone else, was enough to make him crazy.

“Only you,” she assured him.

Fuck, he was being an idiot. This was no time to go all Neanderthal on her.

He rocked his hips, drawing a gasp from her. He loved the sound. Knowing he was running out of time, he lifted one of her thighs and pushed it upward, opening her even more to him.

This time when he rocked inward, he angled his pelvis so he pressed against her clit. Her eyes widened and she moaned. When he did it again, she arched into his touch, seeking it on her own.

“That’s it.” He wanted to say more, but words were lost to him. He thrust faster, desperately wanting her to come, to make her first time enjoyable.

She cried out his name and dug her nails into his shoulders. Her inner muscles tensed around him. Her wet warmth surrounded him.

He lost it. He shoved his arms beneath her back and curled his hands over her shoulders, thrusting once, twice. On the third one he came. His orgasm shot from his balls out the tip of his shaft.

He clenched his jaw to keep from howling, a reaction he’d never had before, but then Addie was no

normal woman.

He collapsed, managing to keep most of his weight off her, but he was still swollen and locked inside her. Not that he minded. He loved the ripples of her release running up and down the length of his shaft.

He’d just come, but he was nowhere near sated.

That was new, too.

She made a small sound, and he turned his attention to her. This was her first time. In a way, it was his, too. He’d slept with women before, but he’d been fully human then. Now he wasn’t.

He cupped her chin and tilted her face toward him. Her eyelids fluttered open, and then the corners of her mouth tilted up. She looked so damn sweet and pleased with herself, he had to kiss her.

“You should have told me,” he began and wished he’d kept his mouth shut when her smile disappeared.

“I figured you might stop if you knew.”

He ran a finger down the curve of her cheek, and she turned into his touch. “No, sweetheart, I wouldn’t have stopped, but I would have done things differently.”

“Oh.” She paused for a second. “What would you have done?”

His cock flexed inside her and she gasped. “I should pull out. Don’t want you to get sore.” He started to retreat but found he couldn’t. He was too swollen. “What the hell?”

She looked uncomfortable, and her cheeks flushed pink. “Ah, you’re not fully human now. It’s natural for you to swell at the base of your shaft.”

Well, hell. He knew that, knew about werewolf physiology, but he’d never thought about it in relation to himself. It was strange. Pleasurable, but strange. “You’re okay with it.”

She smiled and rested her palm on his chest. “I’m definitely okay with it.” She concentrated on gliding her hand around the scars. “I meant what I said. I don’t expect you to mate with me just because we slept together.”

He figured this was payback, karma for all his years of having one-night stands. Not that he could have done anything different considering his circumstances.

“Addie,” he began.

She put her hand over his mouth. “No. Don’t say anything. Not now.”

He lightly nipped the side of her hand until she pulled it away. “I need to say that you’re special to me. I want you to stay. I want to see where this goes between us.” He really wanted to demand she never leave, but he wasn’t stupid enough to say so out loud.

She smiled. “I’d like that, too.” Then her smile faded. “But I don’t think my pack will allow that.”

“You’re an adult,” he pointed out.

“I am, but if I leave the pack, I might never be allowed back.” What went unsaid was that she might not be allowed to see her folks again. “And then there’s Simon.”

Billy could actually smell her fear, and a low growl rumbled in his chest. She froze, like a deer caught in the headlights, and the acrid scent of her fear increased.

Jesus, he was being an ass. “I’m sorry.” He gritted his teeth and pulled out. He hated to be separated, wanted to make love to her again, but this wasn’t the time. The slow withdrawal hurt, because he was still swollen, but he did it. He didn’t want her feeling trapped. “I’ve got all these new emotions and instincts.” And they were more overwhelming than he’d ever thought they could be.

She snuggled next to his side. “I never thought about that. I’m sorry, too.”

He heaved a sigh of relief and pulled her closer. “So we’re both sorry.” He kissed her forehead

and continued. “It’s not safe for you to go home, not with Simon there.” The idea that another man would force her to mate with him was too much for him to ignore.

“It might not be safe for me here either.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “Maybe I’m being a coward, but I don’t want to think about it. Not yet.”

“You’re not a coward. You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met.” She could have run and saved herself, but she’d chosen to stay and fight. Then she’d saved his life and made sure he got back to his family. Addie was one of a kind.

“Stay. For now,” he added before she could object. “Let me take care of you.” He ran his fingers up and down her spine.

“A day or two. Just until I figure things out.”

He would take what he could get. In the meantime, he planned to spend all his time and energy showing her what she’d gain if she stayed—a pack and a lover. He wanted to be her mate but figured it was best to take things slowly.

He shook his head and sighed. That hadn’t worked out well for him so far. There was something about her that shredded his control. Not that it was her fault. No, it was all his.

He had changed, and not just physically, but in a deep, fundamental way. He had to figure out just how deep the changes went and what they meant for him and his future.

“Addie,” he began but stopped. She was sound asleep. It wasn’t all due to his lovemaking, but he couldn’t help the way his chest puffed out or the sense of satisfaction that filled him.

He shook his head at his wayward thoughts and rolled out of bed, careful not to wake her. She looked so peaceful and sweet lying there. He liked seeing her in his bed. When he tucked the comforter around her, she made a small sound and snuggled deeper into the pillow instead of waking.

He hated to leave her, but at least one member of his family would be nearby, even if they weren’t in the house.

After pulling on his jeans, he slipped out through the patio door, careful not to make any noise.

Sure enough, Elias was sitting at the picnic table just beyond the porch, taking up most of the space with his arms spread out behind him and his legs sprawled in front of him. His dad looked totally relaxed, but he wasn’t fooled. Elias could explode into action in a heartbeat. Billy could also see the subtle lines of tension around his eyes and the hard line of his jaw.

The crisp bite of the air brushed his skin, but he didn’t find it cold. His body temperature remained constant, despite the fact he wasn’t wearing a shirt or anything on his feet.

“I don’t need to ask what you were doing.” Elias tapped the side of his nose. “But do you know what the hell you’re doing?”

While he appreciated the concern, he struggled to control the urge to snap at the man who’d raised him. He dragged his fingers through his hair and forced himself to calm down. “I’m doing what I need to do.”

When he patted the bench seat next to him, Billy sat, rested his forearms on his thighs, and stared at the patio door. The urge to go back inside, to be beside Addie, was strong.

“Tell me what really happened.”

There would be no glossing over the incident, not this time. He’d given the alpha the facts, but his father needed more than that. So he told him everything, about hiking in the woods and coming across Addie and the other members of her pack, about the fight, his fear, and what happened next. He made sure his dad understood that the only thing that stood between him and death had been Addie, and she’d never left him.

It took some time as he left out no details.

Elias listened in silence, nodding occasionally. When Billy was done, he finally spoke. “You know it won’t be easy, right?”

“Like falling in love with a human, mating with her, and bringing her and her son into a wolf pack was a cakewalk.” His family hadn’t done anything the easy way. Not his father or his cousins.

Elias chuckled. “Yeah, there is that.” He put his hand on Billy’s shoulder. “You may have to fight Simon. If he claims he wants to mate with her, her alpha and her father may demand you prove you’re worthy of her.”

“I’ll fight. There’s no other choice.”

“Can you shift?” Elias asked.

He’d been dreading this moment. “I don’t know.”

His father climbed off the picnic table. “No time like the present.”

Billy didn’t want to try and fail, but he was right. He needed to know what his new capabilities were, how deep the wolf in him went. “Should I take off my jeans?” It would feel weird to just strip in the middle of the day like that and stand here. It would be different if he knew for certain he could shift.

Elias shook his head. “Just close your eyes and reach for your wolf. I’m not sure how else to explain it.”

“Okay. Gotcha.” He wasn’t sure he understood, but he closed his eyes and looked inward, searching for the other presence he felt inside him. His body warmed, or maybe that was simply wishful thinking.

He concentrated harder, not wanting to fail. Something rippled under his skin. He went deeper and deeper inside himself, chasing the creature into the darkness. Like an elusive shadow, it slipped out of reach. It was there, but hidden, skulking, keeping distant enough that he couldn’t reach it.

Frustration and a keen sense of failure washed over him. He opened his eyes and huffed out a breath. “It’s like it’s there, but I can’t grab hold.”

“We’ll try again in a couple of days.” Elias patted him on the back and smiled, but he wasn’t quite able to hide the disappointment in his eyes. Or maybe Billy was just projecting his own dissatisfaction.

“I might not have that long.” He walked to the edge of the clearing and peered into the dense thicket of pine trees. “Addie won’t stay more than a few days. She doesn’t want to worry her folks, and she’s afraid if she chooses to stay here, her alpha might not let her see them again. Then there’s no telling what story Simon might have told them.”

“Pack politics can be a bitch,” he agreed. “If you can’t shift, you need to sharpen your fighting skills. Because no matter what happens, at some point you’re going to have to fight.”

The fact that his father was so calm about the situation, so pragmatic, settled some of the disappointment and feelings of inadequacy rolling around inside him. He’d wanted to shift so badly. It was an ache in his body, a yearning in his soul. He had to face the fact that he might not ever be able to do so.

He shook his head, determined not to get mired in self-pity. He was alive. That in itself was a miracle. Addie was here with him, and she was worth fighting for.

“So what do we do first?” he asked.

Elias smiled and gave a low whistle. Both Reece and Sage walked out of the woods from opposite sides. They’d obviously been keeping a watch over him and Addie. They were also both grinning.

“Time to kick your butt,” Reece told him, rubbing his hands together.

He held up his middle finger, making his cousin laugh. Then he waved him closer. “Show me what you’ve got, old man.”

Reece gave him a mock scowl. “Old man, my ass,” he countered. He moved in low and quick.

Billy jumped to the side, more agile than he’d been before. He hadn’t even had to think about moving.

It had been instinctive.

“You’re faster,” his father pointed out.

“Let’s see just how fast.” Reece charged and Billy jumped out of the way. He sensed someone coming up behind him and ducked in time to watch Sage’s long arm swing by where his head had been only moments before.

“Two on one,” he griped. “Not fair.”

“You expect Simon to play fair?” his father asked.

He got his point. “No. He’ll cheat if it means he can win.” Centering himself, he opened his senses and was filled with an awareness of his surroundings, the likes of which he’d never experienced before.

He knew exactly where the other three men were. Visual clues were cataloged quickly, his brain giving him the potential moves they might make next. Their breathing seemed louder, and he was able to hear the scuff of a foot and react without thought.

As Sage jumped toward him, he pivoted and stuck out his foot, catching his cousin in the stomach. Before he could apologize, Sage rolled back to his feet and growled. He growled back.

Reece came at him from behind. Distracted, Billy didn’t hear him until it was too late. He fell forward but managed to catch himself on his hands and bounce back to his feet. This time he moved quickly to put himself in a better defensive position. They were holding back, testing him first. He had no doubt they could both easily hand his ass to him if they were so inclined.

“Good instincts,” Elias praised.

He started to make the mistake of looking toward his father but caught himself at the last second. Reece chuckled. “Good call.”

Billy shrugged, even though he was feeling pretty good inside.

“Now we fight for real,” Reece told him.

Shit, he was going to get trounced. Still, he wasn’t about to back down. He had to learn to fight

—and well—if he hoped to protect Addie. His cousins were trying to help him. He only hoped they didn’t kick his ass too badly.

“Good,” he shot back. “I was getting tired of dancing with you. It was the side step and swoop, I think.”

Sage laughed and shook his head. “Reece is going to get even.”

He knew it but didn’t care. He grinned and wagged his fingers at his cousin. “Wanna dance?”

Reece growled and charged.

****

Addie snuggled under the blanket, all warm and toasty and content. Also very alone. She rolled over and placed her hand on the sheet where he’d been. It was cool. He’d been gone for a while.

She buried her head in the pillow to smother a groan. Crap, she’d fallen asleep after they’d made love. Not exactly what she’d planned.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. I’m no longer a virgin. Laughter threatened to bubble up inside her, but she swallowed it back, holding it close and savoring the sensation of well-being. The only thing that would make it perfect was if Billy was with her.

Frowning, she sat up in bed and shoved her hair out of her face.

A sound caught her attention. She cocked her head to one side and listened intently. It was coming from the outside. After sliding out of bed, she padded toward the patio doors and eased back the edge of the drapes to take a peek, making sure to stay out of view since she was naked.

Wearing only a pair of jeans, his upper body glistening with sweat and his fair hair gleaming in the afternoon sun, Billy made her heart skip a beat. He was all lean muscle and smoking hot male. Her core immediately clenched and her nipples tightened.

Movement caught the corner of her eye. He wasn’t alone. His father was there, along with his cousins. Before she could decide if it was cowardly to retreat back to bed, Reece attacked. His fist landed against Billy’s jaw with the force of a hammer. Billy’s head rocked back. He staggered but remained on his feet.

What the hell!

She ripped open the door and shifted as she launched herself off the deck.

“Addie!” Billy yelled her name, but she was too far gone to stop. Fangs bared to show she meant business, she attacked. At the last second, Billy leaped in front of her. They slammed together and the two of them crashed to the ground. With his arms wrapped around her, he took the brunt of the fall.

Was he hurt?

She tried to get off of Billy without injuring him, which wasn’t easy in her wolf form, but he wouldn’t let her go. He was talking, his tone frantic. She forced herself to listen.

“Are you okay? Jesus, what happened? Why did you attack Reece?”

Why had she attacked? She leaned back and growled her displeasure.

Help came from an unexpected corner. “Ah, I think she thought I was attacking you for real,” his cousin offered.

Billy looked shocked. “Is that true?”

What did he think? That she randomly went around attacking other wolves? She inclined her head. Feeling stupid now that she understood they’d been sparring, she put her paws on his chest and pushed until he released her.

Quivering from an overabundance of adrenaline and emotion, she waited for his family to condemn her for attacking one of their own.

Elias grinned and offered Billy his hand. He took it and got to his feet. “That’s some woman you’ve got there, son.”

Billy, the idiot, simply grinned back. “I know.”

Addie hated feeling foolish. She’d been ready to kill his cousin to protect Billy, and they found it funny. She sniffed and turned away but found her way blocked by Reece. He wasn’t smiling.

“Thank you for protecting him.”

At first, she thought he was mocking her, but on closer inspection, he was deadly serious. She inclined her head.

Sage came up to stand beside his brother. It was still odd to see the two of them side by side, like mirror images, especially today since they were both wearing jeans and black T-shirts.

“We’re trying to see how far the change in him goes,” Sage offered. That made perfect sense. Of course, his family would want to know how the conversion had altered him. It was smart to test and discover his new limits.

And she’d interrupted them.

She started up the patio stairs.

“Addie.” Billy was right behind her. She didn’t stop, just kept going, not sure she was ready to talk to him yet. “Shit,” she heard him swear as she slipped back inside.

“I’ll be back,” he told his family.

“We’ll be here,” Elias assured him.

Billy followed her inside and shut the door behind him.

Chapter Eleven

He’d seen Addie in many moods since he’d met her, but she’d never been pissed with him before. And she had every right to be.

One minute, he’d been rocked back by the force of Reece’s fist. The next, all hell had broken loose. She’d attacked in her wolf form, charging in and ready to fight. Damn, she’d been magnificent with her fangs gleaming and lithe body flying through the air, claws poised to do the most damage.

He’d barely caught her in time.

Not that Reece would have hurt her. No, he would have taken whatever punishment she’d been able to inflict, all while trying to stop her without doing her any harm.

When she’d thought he was being hurt, her instinct had been to protect him. That’s why he’d laughed. Not because it was funny, but because of the joy that had welled up inside him. Once again she had fought for him.

In her wolf form, she curled up on the bed with her back to him. She was upset, probably embarrassed, too, although there was no need for it.

When he sat down beside her, she curled tighter, turning her nose away.

“I’m sorry.”

She raised her head and stared right at him, her disbelief plain. Billy ran his hands over his face, frustrated at himself for not responding better to the situation.

“I wasn’t laughing at you,” he assured her. She actually snorted. He barely managed to swallow back a grin. That wouldn’t get him out of the doghouse any faster.

“It just meant a lot that you’d want to protect me.” Taking a chance she wouldn’t bite it off, he ran his hand over her spine, letting his fingers sink into her luxurious fur. She truly was a beautiful wolf with her multi-hued brown fur and honey-brown eyes.

“I’m worried.” It was easier to admit his fears when she was in this form. “I don’t know what will happen in the days ahead, but I don’t want to lose you. I want to be able to protect you.”

She pulled her body around until her head rested in his lap and gave a small whine.

“I know you can take care of yourself. Hell, you’ve been taking care of me since we met.” It didn’t feel the least bit strange to be talking to a wolf. His unique upbringing certainly helped. He’d been talking to Reece, Sage, and the others in their wolf form since he was a kid.

He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, the fur tickling his skin. “I couldn’t shift.” Fear ate at him. Would she see him as flawed, as not good enough? “I tried, but it just didn’t happen. That’s why Reece and I were fighting. They were working with me. I have to be stronger, faster, and smarter if I’m going to fight Simon. I am stronger than I was,” he assured her. “I just can’t shift.”

Her body began to shimmer as she went through the transformation from wolf to human. It was beautiful to watch, awe inspiring. More than anything in the world, he wanted to be able to take the form of a wolf, but that didn’t seem to be in the cards.

He’d deal. The same way he had with everything else life had thrown at him.

Fur receded and her bones reshaped, her jaw becoming shorter. It took little more than a couple of heartbeats. Curled up naked beside him with her head in his lap was his Addie.

“You don’t need to fight Simon.”

His jaw tightened and he shook his head. There was no way he wasn’t going to have to deal with the threat. No way was she facing the man on her own. “Yeah, I do.”

If he didn’t accept the challenge, he wouldn’t be worthy of her.

****

Addie hadn’t expected him to lay out his fears, to be that honest about his insecurities. No male in her acquaintance would do so. But he wasn’t like other wolves. She shouldn’t have expected him to act the same.

She could only imagine how frustrated he must be, wanting to reach his wolf, trying his hardest, only to have it remain just out of reach.

“I’m sorry you can’t shift.” Better to focus on that than to remember she’d made an idiot of herself in front of his family. But since he was being brave and honest, she could do no less. “I’m also sorry I almost attacked Reece.”

“I’m not.” He smiled and ran his hand over her hair. She loved his touch. It was soothing and stimulating at the same time. He had such big, strong hands. “It’s good to keep him on his toes,” he continued.

“I’m sure he won’t see it that way.” She sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around her legs, conscious of her nakedness. It was different when they were making love. “I’ll apologize.” She didn’t want to cause problems between Billy and his family.

“It’s not necessary.” He grabbed his shirt off the back of a chair and draped it over her shoulders. She slipped her arms into the sleeves and tugged it around her. “But if it will make you feel better, go for it.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “He really wasn’t mad?” Male wolves had an ego … and a temper.

“He’ll be more concerned you might have been hurt when I stopped you.”

“But what about you? Wouldn’t his first concern have been you?”

“Nah, he knows I can take a pummeling. I’ve been sparring with them and the others for years.

They’ve pulled their punches some but not too much.” He rubbed his jaw. “I’ve taken my share of hits.”

“But you don’t heal like they do. Or you didn’t, not before.”

“They considered it a learning experience.” He shrugged, but there was a twinkle in his eye.

“And sometimes they’d get in trouble with my mom and the other women.”

She could only imagine what happened next. “And you played it for all it was worth.”

“You bet I did.” The memory made him smile. It made her wish she could read his mind, share every detail of his past with him. “Elise—that’s the alpha’s mom—she makes the best pies, and she’d always make one just for me. Reece and Sage would have to watch me eat it.”

“You didn’t share?” She loved this mischievous side of him. She’d been seeing him as pretty much perfect, and that wasn’t fair to either of them. It had also been intimidating, making her feel inadequate, which was nothing more than her silly insecurities talking. They were both simply people with strengths and weaknesses.

“Hell no, I didn’t share. I’d make them watch me eat every last bite.”

“That is so mean,” she teased.

“I know. But don’t feel too badly for them. Elise always baked more pies. They’d have theirs the next day because she didn’t want them to mope.”

She laughed, finding it difficult to picture two big bad wolves sulking over pie.

“Addie,” he began. “We can’t keep circling around this situation. I want you to stay here, with me.” He rubbed his hands on the thighs of his jeans.

He was anxious. Strangely enough, that helped calm her jitters.

“I know it’s too soon to talk of mating—” He looked away, staring at the wall. A muscle in his jaw flexed.

“But you want to.”

“Yeah, I do.” He took her hand. “I can’t explain it. But we’re right together.”

She chewed on her bottom lip, wishing she was as sure as he seemed to be. Yes, her wolf responded to him. Yes, she was extremely attracted to him. But they had more to worry about than just themselves.

If it was just the two of them, her choice would be easier—she’d stay and see where their relationship went. As a wolf, it was in her nature to want to mate, to want to be part of a family. Until she’d met Billy, she’d assumed those instincts had somehow missed her.

There was no denying she had deep feelings for him. She wasn’t prepared to say she loved him, not yet, even though she feared she might. But she didn’t want to have to choose between her parents and him.

And it might come down to that.

Then there was the matter of his pack. Not everyone accepted her. She shivered when she remembered the mistrust in Cole’s eyes and the apprehension in Cherise’s. No, not all members of his pack were ready to welcome her with open arms. And she couldn’t blame them. She came with a heap of trouble.

Proving once again how in tune he was with her, Billy continued. “I know this is difficult for you. That you’re caught in the middle.”

“I am.” She squeezed her arms around her knees, glad for the weight and comfort of his shirt. It carried his scent, which calmed both her and her wolf. “I owe my parents an explanation.”

“Will you tell them about Simon? About me?” He stiffened, seeming almost wary.

“Do you want me to tell them about you?” She honestly couldn’t tell.

“Do you want to tell them?” he shot back. If his shoulders got any stiffer, he might snap. “Maybe you’re ashamed.”

She shook her head in disbelief. How could he think that?

His face went blank. “I understand,” he began.

She jumped in before he said something they might both regret. “No, you don’t. I’m not ashamed. Not in the least. But I need to figure out how much to tell them. I don’t want my daddy ending up in a fight with Simon or maybe even the alpha.”

All the starch went out of him. “You’re right. I’m being overly sensitive. Of course, you want to protect your father.”

“Momma, too. Because if you think my daddy would be upset by Simon’s actions…”

“Mothers can be fierce,” he agreed.

His mother would have had to be an amazing woman to mate with Elias and be a member of a wolf pack. Addie rubbed her forehead, wishing things were easier. She was tired, not so much physically, but emotionally.

He slid closer and put his arm around her shoulders, urging her to lean on him. “We’ll figure this out.”

“Do you promise?” It was both childish and unfair to put that on him, but she couldn’t help herself.

He kissed her temple. “Yeah, I promise.” He placed his hand on her cheek and turned her so she was looking at him. “I promise,” he repeated.

Then he kissed her.

He gently caressed her lips before delving between them. She met his tongue with her own, and they began a lover’s game of advance and retreat that left her breathless.

He nuzzled the curve of her jaw and nipped at her chin. “As much as I want to take you back to bed, we’re expected at Gator’s in about a half hour for a pack dinner.”

Crap. She’d forgotten about that. “I need to shower and change.” The last thing she wanted to do was go to a pack supper smelling like she’d just had sex.

“Clean clothes are on the chair,” he pointed out. “Gator’s mate brought them.”

“Right. Thanks.” She scooped them up and headed for the bathroom.

“I could join you.” He stood and stretched, raising his long arms over his head. The muscles in his arms and torso rippled. The waistband of his jeans dipped lower.

She’d touched that chest and those muscled abs. Her fingers dug into the bundle in her arms tighter.

“Keep looking at me like that,” he told her, “and you won’t have a choice.” There was a subtle growl in his voice that made her toes curl. He might not be able to shift, but there was a lot of wolf in him. There was heat in his eyes and more than a little possessiveness in his tone. It should have made her wary. Instead, it was arousing.

“You get in the shower with me and we won’t make dinner.” Best to be honest.

He’d started toward her but stopped. “You’re right. Any other evening, I’d say the hell with the dinner, but this is the first pack meal since…” He trailed off, obviously trying not to make her uncomfortable.

“The attack,” she finished for him. “I get it.” And she did. His family needed to spend time with him, to reassure themselves that he was okay in spite of the ordeal he’d been through and the changes he was experiencing. “I won’t be long.”

She slipped into the bathroom and closed the door, releasing a pent-up breath when the outer door closed. He’d gone to use another shower.

And she was running out of time. They’d have to leave in about twenty minutes. Nerves threatened to paralyze her. Everyone would know she’d attacked Reece. That tidbit of information would have already made the rounds. There were few, if any, secrets in a pack. What would they think of her? Would Cole or some of the others use that as a reason to make her leave?

Chapter Twelve

They were a small pack compared to hers, but it didn’t seem that way when they were all crowded into the same area. Seven wooden picnic tables had been placed one after another, creating one long table.

A teenage girl with long blond hair and piercing green eyes ran up to greet them. “Hi, I’m Amy.

Thank you for saving Billy.”

“Ah, you’re welcome,” she replied, not sure what else to say. Not only was Amy beautiful, but she had an open smile and an engaging personality. Addie couldn’t help but smile back.

A younger girl joined Amy, but she was shy and stood partially behind the teen.

“This is Emma,” Amy announced.

“Nice to meet you, Emma.” The dark-haired girl nodded and then ran over to an older man who’d been watching them.

“That’s Mikhail. He’s Emma’s dad,” Amy told her. Addie glanced at Billy, but he simply shook his head and smiled. She had to assume the teen was always this outgoing and friendly.

Cole Blanchard strode toward them. He, on the other hand, was anything but friendly. His scowl was enough to make her tremble. The only thing keeping her from bolting was she didn’t think he’d kill her, not in front of the children.

To her utter shock, Amy ran toward Cole and leaped into his arms. The big man caught her easily, as though he’d been doing it for years. “What did I tell you, Amy?” The deep, scolding tone made Addie shiver, but the girl wasn’t the least bit afraid.

“I’m not bothering them, Daddy. I promise.” She turned to Addie. “I’m not, right?”

She wasn’t about to disagree. “Of course not.” Now that she really looked, she could see the resemblance. Amy had her father’s coloring, their hair and eyes very distinct, but she also took after her mother, having Cherise’s more delicate features.

Amy patted her father’s arm and he put her down. “Go help your mother,” he told her.

She looked like she might object but then nodded. “I’ll talk to you later.” With a wave, she headed toward the house.

“That girl will talk you to death if you let her,” Cole told her. His expression was as grim as ever, but there was pride in his voice. “Billy knows how to handle her.”

“If she asks too many questions, tell her to go away.” She looked to see what Cole thought about Billy’s proclamation, but the big man was already walking away.

Yeah, she really could believe every story she’d heard whispered about him in her pack.

“Here come the rest of the kids.” The people headed their way weren’t kids but young men.

“You’re not much older than them,” she pointed out.

“Bite your tongue. You’ve met all the boys,” he reminded her as the young males reached them.

“In case you don’t remember their names, that’s Etienne.” He pointed to the teen with black hair and intense blue eyes.

The teen nodded but said nothing.

“The taller one there is Nicholas, and the shrimp is Aaron.”

Nicholas gave a snort of laughter. She was surprised when Aaron seemed to take no offense but grinned instead.

“Hello.” She left her greeting at that, not comfortable around them, but not wanting to do or say anything that might be taken as either an insult or encouragement, for that matter. That might be a big assumption on her part, but better safe than sorry, especially with the alpha’s sons involved.

It wasn’t egotistical to think they might be. It was common sense. They were a small pack and probably didn’t come in contact with many other single female werewolves.

“Over here,” Sue called out and waved. Addie could have kissed Billy’s momma for giving her an excuse to leave.

“Excuse me,” she told the group. “I’m going to sit with Sue.”

“We need to speak with Jacque first,” Billy reminded her.

Right, how could she forget that? She blamed it on nerves. While she was used to being among people she’d known her entire life, the only time she was around this many strangers was when she went to a nearby town to shop, and then everyone wasn’t staring at her like they were here.

It was disconcerting to be the center of attention.

Taking the lead, she walked toward the alpha pair. Best to get the formalities over with. Jacque was standing with his arm around his mate’s shoulders while they chatted with another couple. She recognized Gator but not the woman beside him.

They all stopped speaking as she stepped up. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.

And for inviting me to dinner.” It was an honor to eat with the alpha pair, even if she was just one of a group.

“How are you feeling?” Gwen asked.

“Fine, ma’am. Thank you.” Always best to fall back on good manners. Her momma had drilled them into her all her life, and she was glad for it since her reply came easily without her having to think.

“Ma’am.” Gwen wrinkled her nose. “I feel old.”

Oh, God. She’d insulted the female alpha. A knot formed in her stomach. “I’m so sorry,” she began.

Gwen laughed and waved away her concern. “I’m only teasing. But I don’t feel like a ma’am.

Call me Gwen.”

Her instinct was to look to the alpha for permission. He nodded, but there was a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Might as well. She always has her way.”

“Thank you. Gwen,” she hastily added. Billy had joined them and wrapped his arms around her from behind. It centered her to feel him surrounding her, even as it made her slightly uncomfortable.

No one would mistake the gesture for anything but possessiveness. That might be a good thing in their eyes or a bad thing. No way to tell.

“Hey, Gator. What’s for dinner?”

She couldn’t believe how casual Billy was being. He hadn’t even greeted the alpha pair. She elbowed him, making him grunt.

“What?” he asked her.

Was he actually asking her that, and in front of the others? She managed a smile, even though it was forced. “You didn’t greet the alphas.”

“She’s right.” Jacque’s expression was stern. “You didn’t greet the alphas.”

“I beg your forgiveness.” Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, he released her and opened his arms wide. “Give me a hug.” Then he grabbed the alpha and did just that. Even more surprising, the alpha hugged him back, lifting him right off his feet.

Was her jaw on the ground? This must be what Alice must have experienced when she ended up in Wonderland. Everything was topsy turvy.

“Don’t mind them,” the unknown woman told her. “I’m Sylvie, by the way. I’m Gator’s mate.”

Sylvie had long black hair and porcelain-fine skin. She also had a nasty scar on her cheek. The

injury had to have been severe for it not to have healed. There was an aura of kindness emanating from the older woman.

She also recognized the woman’s scent from the borrowed leggings and sweater she was wearing. “Thank you for the clothing you sent along.”

“You’re welcome. There’s plenty more if you need it.”

Billy was hugging Gwen now while the alpha looked on. When he released her, he grabbed Sylvie. “You’re next.” Then he swept the woman off her feet.

A pang of jealousy tugged at her. He was well loved by all the members of his pack. She couldn’t imagine anyone outside her immediate family being this openly affectionate. Sure they’d rub shoulders or pat one another on the arm, but nothing like this.

This was how a wolf pack was supposed to be—openly affectionate and concerned about one another.

She immediately felt disloyal. Her alpha was a good one. And he was affectionate with his mate and children, but there was a distance there, as though he always had to be concerned about protecting his position as alpha.

Jacque didn’t seem to feel the need. He was either extremely strong or he expected the other males in his pack to support him rather than challenge him. Because from everything she’d seen, there were several of them who could easily take control of a pack.

Billy released Sylvie and went to put his arm back around her when Gator spoke. “What? No hug for me? And after all I’ve done for you. No supper for you.”

He laughed and hugged the big, badass wolf. “Thanks, Gator.”

“You are very welcome. Just don’t get hurt again.” His genuine caring and concern was touching.

“I’ll try,” he promised.

“Go find your folks,” Jacque told him. “Sue needs you. We’ll talk more after we’ve eaten.”

She was introduced to everyone else, but their names and faces were a blur. Usually at pack events, families tended to stick together, but not here. There was no being seated at the table according to pack hierarchy. Everyone simply sat where they wanted, but she was glad that his immediate family was close, with Sue and Elias seated across from them.

Everyone also pitched in to help, from the oldest to the youngest.

The food was endless and delicious. She still had a hard time reconciling the fact a good portion of it was produced by Gator, with the help of some of the women.

They talked and teased and laughed. This was a pack that enjoyed life and one another’s company. Even the shy girl, who was the alpha’s younger sister, grew more animated during the meal.

“You doing okay?” Billy asked. He hadn’t left her side, smoothing the way, wanting her to feel included. But this group was so close that she was very aware of being an outsider, in spite of their best efforts to make her welcome.

“I’m fine. Everything is delicious.” Billy didn’t look convinced, but thankfully he let it go.

Addie wasn’t lying. The food was the best she’d ever eaten, and in spite of her nervousness, she’d managed to pack away a good amount of it, needing to rebuild her strength.

Jacque pushed his plate away. As if by some unseen signal, the rest of the pack quieted and gave him their full attention.

****

Billy wished he could read minds. Oh, it was easy enough to sense Addie’s discomfort. Not surprising given the situation. She was doing great, responding politely to anyone’s questions without

elaborating too much, smiling when appropriate. But the smile didn’t reach her eyes, and she was far too restrained for his liking.

He loved his pack for making her feel welcome. He truly was lucky. From everything he’d learned over the years, her pack would be run much differently from this one.

The alpha was always in charge, and his word was law. The packs were more like a monarchy than a democracy. Conscious of hierarchy, everyone knew their place, never stepping out of their role.

The only way to move upward was by sheer force of might.

While there was no disputing Jacque was alpha, he wasn’t autocratic. He listened to the others if they had concerns or suggestions. More than that, he sought their advice. He had strong men who’d followed him for many years. That was the sign of a true leader. They all knew he would lay down his life for them. Not because he had to, but because he considered them his to protect, to love.

Reaching under the table, he took her hand and squeezed, sidling closer until he was as near as he could get without lifting her onto his lap.

“You all know what happened,” Jacque began. The others would have been told the story by now so there was no need to rehash it.

“Addie has all our thanks for what she did,” he continued.

She pulled her shoulders up slightly and tensed. Billy wished he could do or say something to reassure her. The longer everyone watched her, the stiffer she grew. He wasn’t sure she was even breathing.

“It’s obvious that Addie and Billy have made a connection.”

Now he wanted to crawl under the table and take her with him. But the alpha wasn’t done yet.

“She needs to stay here until they decide if they want to make it permanent. If that’s the case, we’ll have to deal with her pack and alpha.”

Yup, he definitely wanted to crawl under the table. No, maybe dig a hole, climb in, and pull the dirt back on top of him. Nothing like putting pressure on her.

Inside him, something dangerous stirred. He was on his feet before he’d even considered standing. “She saved my life. I owe her my protection no matter what she decides.” He would not have her coerced or guilted into accepting any kind of relationship with him. Nor would he send her back to her own pack until he was sure she wouldn’t be hurt.

Imagining not being with her was a knife to the gut, but her well-being and happiness came first.

That felt … right.

He resisted when she used her hold on him to try to yank him back down. This was too important.

He let his gaze go from the alpha to the other original four members of the pack. Jacque would make no decision like this without the support of his brother, Louis, his cousin, Armand, Gator, and Cole. There were varying degrees of concern as well as amusement on their faces. All except for Cole. He didn’t look happy. Billy assumed it was because he was worried about his mate.

Jacque leaned back in his chair. “What do you say, Addie? This is your life.”

She rose to her feet. He sensed her nervousness, but she stood tall and proud beside him. This was the moment she could leave him. If she said she wanted to go home, Jacque would make it happen, no matter how much Billy wanted her to stay.

His entire life came down to this. Or at least that’s how it felt. He wanted her to choose to stay, to stake that claim in front of his entire pack. Nothing like asking everything from her. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t push her, and he was doing just that.

He inhaled sharply, scenting the members of his pack, the crisp air, and the varied smells of the

forest. The wind rustled the leaves, making them sway and dance. The heat from Addie’s hand seeped up his arm to warm him.

“I’m not ready to go back home. Not yet.” Before he could feel too much relief, she continued.

“But I need to tell my parents and my alpha something. It’s not fair to them.”

His heart ached for her. She had pressure coming at her from all sides. He was supposed to be making things easier for her, not adding to it. “I can go back with you, to your pack,” he offered.

His mother cried out in distress, but Elias wrapped his arm around her, keeping her beside him.

Billy appreciated that. He loved his mother. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but Addie was his heart and his chance for a future.

She shook her head. “I’m not sure that would be wise. I don’t know that they’d be as accepting as all of you have been.” What went unsaid was that right now he was more like a half-breed wolf, unable to shift, but with a wolf’s instincts and strengths. And most packs saw half-breeds as an abomination.

The Salvation Pack accepted all its members—full-blooded, half-breed, and human. A lot of packs saw half-breeds as weaker. And the fact that children weren’t likely was also a factor.

Even in their pack, that had proven out. The children had come from matings with full-blooded wolves. Anny and Gwen had been converted after being attacked, but they could fully embrace their wolves. Even then, of the two of them, only Gwen had had children. And while Cherise couldn’t shift, she’d been born a full-blooded wolf. Gator and Sylvie and Elise and Mikhail were all full-blooded.

Talk about putting the cart way before the horse. He had to get her to agree to mate with him first. And the only way to do that was by getting her to stay, to give their relationship a chance.

It had been fraught with danger since the outset. They needed time to simply be together and live, to find common ground and forge new ground together, to discover if this thing between them was real. He believed it was worth fighting for.

Her wanting children might be a factor. They hadn’t gotten around to discussing such things, but if she wanted them and thought she might not be able to have kids with him, that might influence her decision. He fought down a growl of fury at the thought of her having them with another male. Beneath the anger was a gut-wrenching fear that she might leave him.

Ignoring everyone around them, he placed his palm against the side of her face. “Stay.”

“Why don’t you put a time limit on it,” Jacque suggested. “Your parents and alpha might feel better about that, especially if I let them know you’ll be protected while you’re here.”

“Would that work? Would that ease your mind?” As much as he hated the idea of a limit, he was willing to agree to anything if it made her decision easier.

She didn’t rush her answer, but took the time to think it through before nodding. “Yes. When do we call my parents?”

“No time like the present.” The alpha pulled out his phone. “What’s the number?” When Addie rattled it off, he made the call and put it on speaker. Not that the wolves needed that to be able to hear, but he was being considerate of Billy’s mom. It rang once before it was answered. “Addie?” The voice was male and gruff and concerned.

“Yes, it’s me, Daddy.”

“Where are you? Don’t put me off this time. I need to know where you are so I can come and get you.”

Chapter Thirteen

Her father’s demand wasn’t unexpected, but Addie’s stomach knotted. He was going to be disappointed in her, but staying was the right decision. She was still in shock that Billy had offered to leave his pack and go with her. It meant everything, even though it wasn’t something she could allow him to do.

The danger would be too great, coming from many quarters. And while her parents might accept him, she really had no idea how Ryan Hatfield, the alpha, would respond. And there were many in her pack who wouldn’t want him there, would shun or attack him.

“I told you I met someone,” she began.

“Who? You at least need to tell me that much.”

She hesitated, hating that her silence was hurting her family, but not wanting to put this pack in any danger.

Billy took the matter out of her hands. “My name is Billy Gallagher, sir. I give you my word I’ll make sure Addie stays safe.”

“I don’t know you, so I’m sure as hell not going to trust your word. You hurt my little girl and I’ll gut you.”

She winced, but Billy seemed oddly reassured by her daddy’s threat. Men were confusing at times.

“I understand completely.”

“Addie?” The female voice was filled with worry.

“I’m here, Momma. I’m okay. I promise.” She swallowed back the tears that threatened.

“Why won’t you come home? What happened? You didn’t just meet someone and run off. You could have brought him home to meet us. Unless he’s not a wolf.” Her momma was a very astute woman.

She really didn’t want to go into all this, especially not over the phone, but there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of choice. “He wasn’t, but now he is. Or at least partly,” she added, needing to be honest with them. She wouldn’t lie to her parents. She might withhold some of the truth, but that wasn’t the same as lying.

“What the hell does that mean?” her daddy demanded.

She winced. His voice was so low now it was almost guttural.

“You didn’t attack him, did you?” her momma asked. “It would have been in self-defense, but if that were the case you would have come home.”

“I was attacked,” Billy told them, “but not by Addie.”

“Simon,” her daddy growled after he said the name.

“How do you know?”

“The alpha paid us a visit. Simon told him you’d run off with a human. What the hell happened?”

“I went for a run with Simon and Jude.” She couldn’t spare them, not anymore. They’d made their choices.

“What did Simon do?”

“He wanted to mate with me. I objected and then ran. He chased me. Billy was camping in the woods and came to my rescue. They fought. I tried to help, but Billy was injured. Simon and Jude left.

I stayed behind.” She kept it short and sweet, wanting this done.

There was dead silence over the phone. “This Billy, this man who stepped in to help you, was

converted?” her daddy asked, skepticism in his voice. What she was telling him was so far outside the norm as to be almost unbelievable.

“Your daughter saved my life.” He put his arm around her. “I’d have died without her. I’m partially wolf. Not sure if I can shift yet. Time will tell.”

She hated that he wasn’t comfortable talking about his inability to shift, that it made him feel somehow less.

“Addie, you need to come home. I’ll handle Simon.”

She hated to defy him but had no other option. “No, Daddy, I’m staying here.”

“I don’t even know where you are. And what if Simon finds you? Doesn’t sound like this man can protect you.”

Beside her, Billy growled, the sound low and dangerous. Her daddy had just insulted him in the gravest way you could a male wolf. They prided themselves on being able to protect what they considered theirs. It was primitive, but it was who they were.

“Mr. Fuller, my name is Jacque LaForge, and I’m the alpha of the Salvation Pack.” Addie was surprised the alpha had allowed them to handle the conversation up to this point, but he was now taking control.

“The Salvation Pack?” There was surprise in her father’s voice. “But I understood that Billy was human before the attack, wasn’t he?”

“He was until he was attacked by Simon,” Jacque reminded him. “Now he’s not. But he’s been a member of this pack since he was a kid. Both Billy and your daughter are under my protection.”

Addie expected her father to protest. “Good,” he said, surprising her. “I don’t trust Simon not to try to get to her. Stay there,” her father told her. “I’ll talk with Ryan and see what he has to say.”

“If you or Ryan Hatfield wants to contact me, call this number.” Jacque rattled off the number.

“You might want to be careful,” her daddy cautioned. “The alpha was here earlier and said that Simon is nowhere to be found. He may be on his way there. Hell, he might already be there.”

Her heart began to race and her stomach dropped. Simon was looking for her. She knew it, but to hear he might already be in Salvation was terrifying. It was dangerous for her to be here.

Cole growled under his breath. None of the other men looked happy. Billy hugged her, but it didn’t reduce her anxiety. If anything, it drove it even higher. She had so much to lose. This pack had women and children to protect. And Simon was the type to attack an innocent to draw her out.

Jacque was the only one who appeared totally unconcerned. “Thanks for the warning.” He ended the call. “That’s done.” He looked toward Gator. “What’s for dessert?”

****

It was later that evening when she and Billy finally said goodnight to everyone and entered his room. Addie sat on the bed and sighed in relief. Her parents knew where she was and were okay with it, at least for now. And she’d survived her first gathering with the entire pack. But she had an entirely new concern. Had Simon found them? Was he out there somewhere lurking in the dark? Would he hurt members of this pack to get to her?

“Hey.” Crouching in front of her, Billy rested his hands on her knees. “I know tonight was difficult for you.”

That was an understatement. She rolled her shoulders and closed her eyes, fighting off fatigue.

She wasn’t just physically tired, but mentally and emotionally exhausted. “What if he’s out there?” No need to clarify who she meant.

His breath caressed her skin before his lips pressed against her cheek. She savored the small caress before opening her eyes.

“The others will keep watch. He won’t be able to get past them.”

He seemed so sure, but she wasn’t. Simon was nothing if not sneaky. It wouldn’t do to underestimate him. “What if he hurts someone?” She wanted to say, “What if he hurts you,” but was smart enough not to, even though it was her biggest fear.

“You’re safe here.” He looked so worried, not about the possibility of Simon attacking, but about her.

She ran her fingers through his light hair before letting her hand fall on top of his. “I’m fine.”

“You are,” he readily agreed with heat in his eyes. “Very fine.”

Her entire body began to hum with sexual awareness. It was time to put all thoughts of Simon out of her head. There was nothing she could do tonight and precautions were being taken. She had to trust Jacque knew what he was doing, otherwise she’d go mad with worry.

Shoving all her concern about anything outside this room aside, she allowed her thoughts to turn to more intimate activities. She linked her arms around his neck. “You’re not bad yourself.”

His growl sent a shiver of awareness all the way to her core. Her wolf whined, craving more contact with him.

He removed her shoes and tossed them aside before running his hands the length of her leggings from ankle to thigh. Her breath caught, and she dug her fingernails into his shirt.

“I should probably undress you,” he continued. “You know. To make sure you’re healing properly.”

She gave a solemn nod. “That would be the responsible thing to do. You could do the same. You know, get undressed so I could check your injuries.”

A slow smile curved the corners of his mouth upward. Her attraction to him was off the charts when he wasn’t smiling. When he did, it went to a whole other level of need. Her nipples beaded, rubbing against her sweater.

“Hmm, you’re right,” he readily agreed. He slipped his hands under the knit material and palmed her bare breasts. “This time I won’t make a rushed assessment. I’ll take my time and examine every single inch of you.”

God, she wasn’t going to last that long. She was almost panting now, her skin stretched too tight over her body, her core hot and pulsing.

He lifted the sweater up and off, making a small sound of pleasure before dipping his head toward one of her breasts. He lapped at the taut nipple before taking it into his mouth and sucking.

Rip! In her haste to get his shirt off, she’d torn it. His laugh was low and sensual and raised goose bumps on her arms. He released her long enough to let her get rid of the garment, exposing all that tanned muscle.

While she was admiring the view, he cupped her breasts and thumbed both nipples. “You’re so perfect.” She was far from it but wasn’t about to correct him. Her head fell back when he began to tease and suck the sensitive tips, one at a time, back and forth until she was breathless.

She dug her nails into his broad shoulders. He wasn’t as bulky as most wolves, but he was strong. Did he work out or was his job physically demanding? She had no idea. There hadn’t been enough normal in their lives, no time to learn the little things about each other.

It was one of the reasons she was wary of the suddenness and depth of her attraction. Since they’d met, every moment had been fraught with danger.

Her unanswered questions and fears flew out the window when he nuzzled a warm path down to the waistband of her leggings and hooked his fingers under the material.

Kneeling before her, he was big and all male, his skin glistening with a light sheen of sweat.

The scars on his chest weren’t nearly as red as they had been, but they would never truly fade. They were too severe. He would always wear a faint reminder of what had happened.

“Addie?”

She stood and allowed him to peel her leggings and underwear away, leaving her naked. A low sound vibrated in his chest as he pushed to his feet and shucked his jeans. Now it was her turn to emit a low sound of passion. Well-defined pecs gave way to muscled abs. Her gaze dropped, zeroing in on his erection.

Her mouth went dry. They’d made love, but this was somehow different. Both of them had committed to their budding relationship, to discovering if there was enough between them to last.

When she trailed her fingers over his turgid length, he groaned, as though in mortal pain. Sexual power was new and heady.

“Addie.” This time there was no question in his tone, only pure unadulterated need.

Feeling primal and wild, she circled him as she would prey. The thick muscles in his back tensed. Delighted to have had such an effect, she nuzzled him, tasting the salt on his skin.

She pushed him toward the bed. He fell forward, rolled onto his back, and tucked his hands behind his head, looking sexier than any man had a right to.

He raised a brow. “Care to join me?”

“Oh, I plan to.” She put one knee on the bed and crawled over him until she straddled his thighs. His cock flexed and his chest expanded. He wasn’t nearly as calm as he pretended.

He was also letting her take the lead, not trying to dominate as most male wolves would. That meant everything to her. Their first time, he’d been the one in charge. Now it was her turn.

She placed her hands on his thighs and stroked upward, avoiding his groin. Muscles flexed beneath her palms. She’d never wanted to touch a man in such a way before. Now she wanted to explore every inch of him.

The pulse in his neck beat furiously. The muscles in his arms strained from the effort to keep from grabbing her and taking over their lovemaking. It would be instinctive for him, but he was fighting it, for her.

That deserved a reward.

She brushed her fingers over his hard length, marveling at the softness of the skin covering it, the heat radiating from it. He was breathing heavily, his lungs expanding with each deep breath.

How far would he let her go? How far could she push him before he broke?

Determined to find out, she wrapped her hand around his erection and squeezed.

He threw his head back, his jaw taut. “Harder,” he ordered.

She didn’t want to hurt him, but figured he’d stop her if it went beyond pleasure. She tightened her hand around him.

“Now stroke me.”

Getting the rhythm, she pumped up and down, gliding over his shaft. His hips arched up, almost dislodging her. She’d miscalculated, had assumed she’d be the one in control, but his pleasure was feeding hers. Her nipples were so tight they hurt, and the throbbing between her legs was worse.

The scent of her arousal rising from her core, the heat radiating from her skin, and the feel of Billy under her hands all pushed her to the breaking point.

Not yet. There was something she wanted to do first.

Lowering her head, she ran her tongue over his shaft from root to tip. A bead of salty, warm liquid seeped from the top. She made a humming sound and closed her mouth over the broad head of his cock. And like he’d done to her breasts, she sucked.

Material ripped. His fingers were buried in the comforter. His eyes were glowing. And if his jaw was any tighter it would probably shatter.

When their eyes met, he broke and surged upward. He rolled her onto her back and pulled her up so she was lying in the center of the bed with him between her legs. “My turn.” His voice was so low she almost didn’t hear it.

Then he delved between her legs and thinking was beyond her. His tongue rasped over the sensitive folds. She tangled her fingers in his hair, wanting to make sure he wouldn’t stop this wonderful sensual torture. She bucked upward, wanting more.

He growled and the vibration sent a pulse of pleasure rocketing through her.

But he was only getting started. Time slipped away and she lost herself to the sheer eroticism of his touch. He sucked on her clit, pushing her close to the edge before backing away. He eased a finger and then another into her, always pulling back before she came.

Pleasure soon became frustration. She tugged on his hair. “Billy,” she cried. She planted her feet on the mattress and pushed upward, needing more than he was giving her.

“What do you want?”

“You.” She tugged on him. “I want you.”

He surged upward and captured her mouth as he forged inward, his shaft stretching her in the most delicious way. But she’d been on the edge of fulfillment too long. Her entire body convulsed, her inner muscles clamping down hard.

He thrust several times and then came, chanting her name over and over as his big body shuddered and shook. She clung to him, not wanting to lose contact.

His full weight pressed down on her like a human blanket. She didn’t mind in the least, but he turned onto his side and took her with him since they were still joined. With one of her legs draped over his, he rocked gently, sending an aftershock of pleasure through her.

“Thank you.” He brushed the sweat-dampened hair away from her face. “That was amazing.

You’re amazing.”

Her heart seemed to swell until she feared it might burst. It should be impossible, but she loved him. As much as she wasn’t sure she should trust her newfound emotions, she hugged them to her, a secret she wasn’t willing to share.

“What are you thinking?” He rubbed the space between her eyebrows. “It looks serious, whatever it is.”

She shook her head and linked her arms around his neck. “That was pretty special.”

He took the change of subject in stride and rubbed his nose against hers in a playful caress.

“Yes, it was.” Then he turned serious again. “Talk to me. I know there must be a million things running around your mind.”

****

Billy loved having her in his arms. His heart was still hammering a little too fast, but his breathing had returned to normal. Sex with Addie was better than anything he’d ever experienced.

Because he was making love to her.

He ran one hand over her back and hip and down the thigh draped over his. One of the perks of being a werewolf was that he was still hard, still locked inside her. He’d stay like this forever if he could.

She’d been lost in the pleasure as much as he had, at least until they’d stopped. Then she’d drifted away, lost in thought.

When she remained silent, he found patience he didn’t know he possessed. “That’s okay. I

understand.” He didn’t want to push too hard and drive her away. “When you’re ready or want to talk, I’m here.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you or don’t want to share. There’s just so much to consider. It’s a little overwhelming.”

He got that. He did. “Maybe if you talk it out, share what’s worrying you, it won’t seem quite so insurmountable.” As he continued to pet and stroke her, she snuggled against him and played with the ends of his hair. He wasn’t sure she realized she was doing it.

“I just don’t know what’s going to happen with Simon, my pack, my parents.” She hesitated.

“With your pack. With us.”

“I want you with me.” That was the one thing he was dead sure of. “I want you to live here with me and my pack.” He didn’t add that he wanted to mate with her. She already knew that.

He was asking her to give up a lot for a man she’d known only a matter of days. “This isn’t a whim or a game for me.” The wolf inside him was as agitated as he was.

“I know.” Those two simple words helped settle him. “It’s no game to me either.”

“I know,” he echoed. She wasn’t the kind of woman who would give herself so readily if her heart weren’t involved. But he understood her caution. “You’ll still be able to visit your folks.

Kentucky isn’t that far away.”

“Maybe they’ll want you to come and live with us.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, her uncertainty practically killing him.

“If that’s what it takes to have you in my life, I’ll pack my bags tomorrow.” He meant it, too. He could visit his family, but he didn’t think he’d survive without Addie, at least not happily. She’d quickly become everything to him.

“You’d really do that? For me?”

He rolled so she was beneath him once again, supporting his weight on his forearms so he didn’t crush her. “Yes.” He kissed her, not wanting to think about leaving his family, which wasn’t fair considering that’s what he was asking her to do.

Billy had a newfound respect for his mother. She’d left everything behind when she’d married his dad—job, home, friends. At least he’d be able to visit them. His mother had left her outside friends behind and committed herself to Elias and the pack.

“And then there’s Simon.” Addie gripped his biceps. “Don’t underestimate him. He doesn’t like to lose.”

And Addie was the prize he’d lost. Billy understood that. “I’ll protect you,” he promised. The uncertainty that flickered in her eyes gutted him. Unless he could shift to full wolf, he might fail in any bid to keep her safe. “I’ll protect you,” he repeated. “I’d die for you.” He’d been willing to do it when he hadn’t even known her. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to make sure she was taken care of. She was his heart.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she blurted.

A new fear arose. That she might leave in order to keep him from such a challenge, leave him because she cared. Maybe even loved him.

“Let’s take it one day at a time, okay?” He began to rock his hips. Last time had been all about overwhelming passion. This time was about connection that went beyond the physical.

“Okay.” She wrapped her legs around him, totally in sync, at least in this aspect of their relationship.

He pressed his lips to hers, tasting her, consuming her, imprinting himself on her. He liked the idea of her wearing his scent. Even more, he wanted her to carry his mating mark.

His teeth ached, and he wondered for a second if they might grow into fangs, but the pain receded. Her core squeezed his shaft and he let go of all thoughts of shifting, at least for tonight, and concentrated on loving Addie.

Because he did.

He wanted to tell her, but she wasn’t ready to hear it. Most people wouldn’t believe you could fall in love with someone so quickly, but he’d witnessed it with his mother and Elias. And he was no longer fully human, not anymore. His instincts went deeper, were keener. There was a bond between him and Addie, a connection that would not be denied. He was attuned to her, could sense when she was worried, happy, sad, aroused.

This time there was no rush. Only a gentle loving until they both found release. He loved her sweet cries, the warmth of her breath on his face, the way her body squeezed him tight before bathing him in her wet heat.

With her still locked in his arms, he rolled over onto his back and kissed her forehead. When he knew she’d finally drifted off to sleep, he whispered, “Sleep well. I love you.”

****

Simon crouched high on a hill and stared down at the darkened houses. His stomach growled with hunger. It had taken him all day, but he’d finally found the Salvation Pack land. The pack had been clever, hiding some of their land purchases under the names of corporations, but that had eventually tipped him off.

Most land in the area was family held. It didn’t take him long to discover the LaForge family didn’t have deep roots in the area but were transplants from down south. The waitress at the diner had been open and talkative, but even she didn’t know much. Seemed that the people living up here kept to themselves.

After that, it had been easy. Being smart, he’d parked his truck a couple miles away on the edge of bordering property. Then he’d taken his time, walking through the woods, nothing more than a hiker out for a stroll if he met someone. Of course, other wolves would know what he was, but he could easily fool any humans.

But he hadn’t come across anyone, which had surprised him. He shouldn’t have expected any better from a pack that took in half-breeds and humans. He didn’t believe the almost mythical stories about Cole Blanchard that he’d heard growing up. Any group that took in full humans had to be weak.

They were a small pack—rejects, weak wolves that no one else wanted.

It had taken all his self-control not to grab Addie when he’d seen her enjoying an evening meal with the pack like she didn’t have a care in the world. He’d been too far away to hear what was being said. He was still checking out the situation, and it didn’t pay to get careless. They were still wolves.

But watching her snuggle up close to the human had made him want to howl, to spill blood. He promised himself he would taste Gallagher’s blood if it was the last thing he did. This time he’d make sure he finished the job.

He caught the slightest movement off in the distance and narrowed his eyes. Shit, it was a sentry. He began to silently retreat, even though the urge to just race down and take Addie was almost overwhelming.

She was his and he would have her.

Tomorrow he’d watch and wait for a chance. And it would come. He was confident of it.

Chapter Fourteen

When Addie opened her eyes, it was morning and she was alone. If the sunshine streaming in through the slight break in the curtains was any indication, it was late. For the first time in days, she was hopeful about the future.

Her parents knew where she was and were okay with it, at least for now. She rolled out of bed, eager to face the day and find Billy.

After a quick shower, she dressed in another pair of black leggings. This pair had howling wolf heads on them. They were whimsical and made her smile. She matched them with a gray sweater that fell to mid-thigh.

Half hoping Billy would show, she made the bed and tidied the room. When there was no sign of him, she shored up her courage and went in search of him. She could face his family on her own.

They’d been nothing but kind to her since she’d arrived.

There was no sign of Sue, but Elias was sitting at the table with his laptop open. He looked up and closed the cover the second she stepped into the room. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” She ran her fingers through her damp hair, feeling self-conscious under his scrutiny. “I slept later than usual.” She didn’t want him to think she was lazy.

“Not surprising. You’ve been through a lot in the past few days. There’s coffee.” He indicated the pot on the counter.

Addie was grateful. She might be a wolf, and alcohol and caffeine might burn through her system faster than it would a normal human’s, but that didn’t seem to matter. She needed her coffee in the mornings.

She also appreciated that he wasn’t treating her like a guest. There was a clean mug laid out next to the pot, so she helped herself. “You want more?”

“Sure.”

She took the pot over to the table and filled his mug, knowing he wasn’t here by chance. After returning the pot to the warmer, she carried her mug to the table and joined him. “What do you want to know?” Best to take the initiative.

One corner of Elias’s mouth quirked upward. “Don’t pull any punches, do you?”

“You’re his father. Maybe not his biological one, but you’re the one he calls Dad. I figure you’ve got questions and concerns.” She’d be shocked if he didn’t. “Where is Billy?” It was odd he wasn’t here.

“Down in the workshop. Things have gotten a bit behind since the attack. We’ve all been putting in extra hours patrolling as well. He wanted to give them a hand. I told him I’d call when you woke.

His mother was still here when he left.”

That explained things. He would have felt okay leaving her if his parents were watching over her. But it also begged the question, “Workshop?”

Elias’s eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t know?

She shrugged and sipped her coffee. “There hasn’t been a whole lot of time for normal conversation.”

“No, I imagine there hasn’t.” He leaned back in his chair, appearing relaxed, but he didn’t fool her for one second. “He’s a furniture maker. Specializes in live-edge furniture and reclaimed wood.”

That explained his rough hands and the muscles in his arms and shoulders. “Just him?” She was eager to know as much about Billy’s life as possible.

“Nope. It’s a group of us. Started with Cole, but there’s a bunch of us who do it now.” He sat

forward and rested his hands on the top of the table, a frown making him look forbidding. It seemed the exchange of pleasantries was over. “I don’t want my son hurt.”

Addie wanted to wrap her arms around herself, but she forced herself to act more assured than she felt. Her wolf whined and growled inside her, threatened by the much older, much larger wolf.

“I don’t want to hurt him.”

He stared at her for what seemed like forever before he nodded. “Good enough.” He stood.

“You want breakfast? If you do, help yourself. If not, I’m heading over to the shop. I can show you the way.”

Well, that went better than she’d expected. Faster, too. She was starving, but doubted she’d be able to eat much with her stomach in knots.

Elias’s expression softened. “Bring your coffee.” He pointed to a plate covered with a glass dome on the counter. “Help yourself to some muffins. They’re blueberry. Sue baked them fresh this morning.”

“Thanks.” She grabbed two muffins and bit into one. “Delicious.”

He held the door because she was juggling muffins and her coffee. “His mother and I just want Billy to be happy,” he whispered as she passed. “If you don’t plan to stay, don’t let him get too attached.”

It was already too late for that, for both of them. She was in way over her head. They both were.

Thankfully, he didn’t seem to need an answer, and they started down a narrow dirt trail. There were lots of pathways between the houses. They all lived fairly close to one another, which she expected. That’s just the way it was with wolves.

And now the community, the home they’d built, could be at risk because of her. Elias had mentioned extra patrols. They were obviously security conscious here, which made sense since they were a small pack. But now they were spending more time watching the area because they were worried about Simon showing up.

She didn’t want to think about that now. It was a beautiful morning, and Simon would have to be stupid to come here by himself. Of course, he’d already proven he was willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the fresh air. There was a nip to it, but the sun warmed her face and shoulders. The trees swayed in the breeze. A jay swooped in front of them, a flash of blue, before it flew away. Some unseen song bird sang. A fox darted beneath a bush.

The land was beautiful, but there was a sense of calm that seemed to radiate from the very earth itself. She could see why the pack had settled here.

She lagged behind Elias, scenting several other wolves, including the alpha and his brother.

They’d passed this way not long ago.

The sound of voices reached her before she rounded the path and the large wooden building came into view. The fragrance of fresh cut wood mingled with a more pungent smell of some kind of varnish or finish. Overlaying it all were the scents of the male wolves working inside. A smaller building sat beside it. She wondered what they used it for.

Elias had already gone inside. Curiosity drove her to follow. Four men were hard at work, their projects in various stages of completion. There were tools of all kind, both hand and electric, and all were a mystery to her.

Billy had his head down as he sanded a long piece of wood, but it jerked up as soon as she stepped inside, as though he sensed her presence. He was more wolf than he realized.

He smiled and immediately came over to her. “Good morning.” Before she could answer, he lowered his head and kissed her.

The heat, the comfort of his touch, sank into her. She couldn’t wrap her arms around him because her hands were occupied with her mug and the uneaten muffin. It didn’t stop him from wrapping his around her.

In the background, someone whistled. Billy raised his head and grinned. “Bite me, Reece.”

His cousin gave a snort of laughter.

She pushed away, feeling awkward by such a blatant show of affection in front of his family, even though she liked it. “Sorry I overslept.”

“I would have stayed with you, but we have a bunch of orders due soon and they’ve been busy the past few days.” He didn’t mention they’d been busy because of her and what had happened.

An older wolf slapped Billy on the shoulder as he passed behind him. He carried a large beam on his shoulder as though it weighed nothing. This was Mikhail, mate to the alpha’s mother. He was also the brother of Rina, Sage’s mate. Addie was still figuring out all the connections.

“We could have handled things,” Mikhail told him. “But we appreciate the help.”

This pack seemed to truly work as a unit. Hers was larger and there were smaller groups, typically families, who worked together in various ways to make money for themselves and the pack.

Her father mostly hunted and fished and picked up the odd job. They also had a garden which kept them almost fully self-sufficient. She and her mother sewed, often bartering services for other things they needed. It was a simple life, but a good one.

“You know you can’t do it without me,” Billy shot back. She liked how easy he was with the older, more powerful full-blooded wolf. And it wasn’t just because he was now one of them. They truly had accepted him as a human.

“You keep telling yourself that,” Mikhail teased back.

“Want to see what I’m working on?” Billy asked.

“Yes.” She walked forward and peered down at the piece of wood he’d been lightly sanding.

“I’m building a custom table out of reclaimed wood from a family barn,” he told her.

“It’s beautiful.” She ran her fingers over the sanded wood. It truly was lovely, and there was obvious pride in the workmanship. Her daddy always said you could tell a lot about a man by the kind of work he did.

He took her around so she could see what the others were making. Reece was working on a cabinet. Mikhail was starting a mantel. Elias was crafting a bench, and Cole was working on a chair that was more like a throne.

Cole must have seen the incredulous expression on her face, because the corners of his mouth moved up a fraction. She couldn’t call it a smile. Not exactly. Maybe a twitch. But he wasn’t as forbidding as usual.

“The client is big into video games and wants it for his man cave,” Billy explained.

“What the hell is a man cave anyway?” Cole asked. “Why would he need one?”

“To get away from his wife,” he explained.

“What kind of idiot wants to get away from his wife?”

Billy only laughed. “Maybe his wife isn’t as loving as Cherise.”

Cole’s eyes darkened. “No woman is as loving and beautiful as my Cherise.”

Just hearing the big man, the dangerous wolf, talk about his mate in such a way warmed her, even though she was still scared to death of him.

She learned the names and various uses for some of the larger pieces of equipment and that the

smaller shed was for varnishing and finishing pieces, kept separate so sawdust wouldn’t be a problem. Plus, it kept the smell mostly out of the main workshop. Always important when your senses were keener.

The other men continued to work, and Billy had to be anxious to get back to his project. These next couple of days were about seeing if they could be together as a couple or if their relationship would fall apart when they weren’t under constant stress. That meant they had to go about their normal lives. He needed to finish sanding his table, and she needed to find something to do.

She wasn’t accustomed to being idle. The past few days had been the laziest of her life, but she supposed she could forgive herself for that. The muffins long gone, she set the now empty coffee mug on the table alongside some others. Billy or one of the others would bring it home later.

“What do I do?” she asked. The other men were listening intently, but it was Billy’s reaction that mattered the most.

He put his hands on her hips and angled her so she was in front of him, with his larger body blocking her view of the others. “What do you want to do?”

She shrugged, not quite sure how to do this without intruding on others. They’d all been welcoming in a pack setting, but thrusting herself into their personal space was something else altogether.

He tucked his hand under her chin and ran his thumb along her jawline. “What do you normally do at home?”

Very aware of his thumb grazing her skin, she barely suppressed a shiver of desire. For someone who’d had no interest in sex a week ago, she’d certainly taken to it like a duck to water.

Apparently, all that had been missing for her was the right man.

“Addie?” His voice was lower and thicker.

There were other people here, including his father, she reminded herself. “After chores were done, my momma and I would garden or sew.” She wondered what he’d think of her simple life. Like many wolves, her education didn’t extend beyond basic high school.

He smiled and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. Her wolf loved the touch and pressed against her skin from the inside, as if trying to get closer to him.

“You have two choices then. Sage is the farmer in the bunch. He’ll probably be in the greenhouses or getting the various outside beds ready for planting. He’s always happy when anyone wants to lend a hand. Or you can head to Sylvie’s place. Some of the women meet there to sew or quilt.”

As much as she’d rather hide in the garden with Sage, she had to find a place among the women if she was going to be able to stay. “Sewing it is.”

He must have sensed her hesitation. “You sure?”

“Yes.” She went up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “You go back to work. I can find my way.”

She was a wolf. If she got turned around, she could sniff out the direction.

Now he frowned. “I can walk you over.”

Her heart ached with what she felt for him. It had to be love. Nothing else could hurt this much but be so beautiful at the same time. “I need to do this.” She kept her voice low, even though the others could hear her. They both needed time alone. She really needed to think about what Elias had said to her this morning. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Billy. Right now, everything in her life was up in the air.

“Okay. I’ll point you in the right direction.”

“Now, that I don’t mind in the least.” She’d rather not get lost and end up wandering around.

While she might enjoy it, some of the pack might not, and she didn’t want to give them a reason to mistrust her any more than they already did.

“Bye.” She waved at the other men. They all acknowledged her with a nod and continued working. Cole watched her a little longer than the others, his warning silent but obvious. Yeah, that was one wolf that wasn’t totally on board with her being here.

Billy put his hand on the small of her back and led her outside. “Take that one.” He pointed out the path on the right. “You can’t miss it.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Sure you don’t want me to walk you?”

She shook her head and stared at the trail. Several others branched off, one of which would take her back to the safety of his home. She literally was at a crossroads in her life.

“I’ll see you later.”

“For lunch,” he promised. “It’s only an hour away. Gator will have something cooking. I’ll come eat with you.”

An hour. She could handle an hour on her own with the women. Or at least she hoped she could.

“Sounds good.” She took a step forward. It would be so easy to turn around and run back to him. He’d understand. He’d leave his responsibilities behind and spend time with her.

But that would only give those who weren’t happy about her being here further reason to distrust and dislike her. A pack survived and thrived only when every member did his or her part. If she was even considering staying here longer than a couple of days, she had to find a way to fit in.

Maybe she should just go back to Billy’s place and forget about it. Stay in his room until it was time to go home. But that was defeatist thinking.

Everything will be fine.

She kept on walking.

****

Billy watched Addie go and took a step toward her. She looked so lost while trying to put on a brave face. He rested his hand against a tree and dug his fingers into the bark to keep from running after her, scooping her up, and taking her home.

“You’re both doing the right thing.” Surprisingly, it wasn’t his father but Mikhail who’d joined him. “She needs some time to herself. She also needs to see if she can find her place in the pack. I know how difficult that can be.”

He was right, but that didn’t make it any easier for Billy to handle. He hadn’t missed the stress on her face when she’d walked inside the shop. Obviously, his dad had said something to her. And there was no missing the way Cole glowered at her. It wasn’t that the older wolf didn’t like her, but he was worried about how her being here would affect his mate.

Would she want to leave because she didn’t feel safe or fully wanted here? If that happened, he’d have a choice to make—go or stay. Not that there was any real dilemma. For him, there was only one real option.

Maybe she’d decide she didn’t want a permanent relationship, that a couple of days of sex were enough. What the hell would he do then? His gut clenched and he broke out in a sweat. Inside him, something volatile churned, just waiting to erupt.

Mikhail slapped him on the back, jolting him back to the present. “Come back inside. Work.

The hour will go faster. Then you can join her for lunch.”

He narrowed his eyes, and the older wolf laughed. “No, I wasn’t listening to your conversation, but it’s not hard to guess. It’s what I would have done.”

Billy looked down the path one final time. Only her slight scent on the breeze indicated she’d

ever been here. Fear speared through him. He couldn’t let her disappear from his life.

Mikhail gripped his shoulder and squeezed.

He shook off the sense of foreboding that filled him. Addie was only going to a nearby pack house. She was in the heart of their land and was safe. “Yeah, I’m good.” He went back inside but paused at the doorway to look back at the empty trail.

He shuddered and went back to sanding the table he was working on. He’d give it forty-five minutes. Then he was going to find his woman.

****

Jude Gordon was not having a good day. Not only was his daddy pissed with him, but he was also facing his alpha, as well as Addie’s parents, all of whom were very angry. “I tried to stop him, but Simon wouldn’t listen.”

“He wouldn’t listen,” Ryan slowly repeated. The alpha had shown up this morning with Addie’s parents in tow. She’d called them last night and told them everything, and they in turn had told the alpha.

Jude glanced at his daddy and found only disappointment on his face.

“No, he wouldn’t,” Jude persisted. “I tried to get him to leave, but he’s lost his mind over Addie, figured he could convince her to mate with him.”

A low growl came from Orin. Jude hunched his shoulders, hoping he didn’t hold him responsible. He wasn’t sure he could count on his daddy for his support if that happened. It occurred to him that Addie must have experienced the same hunted sensation he was experiencing right now.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted. “I should have done something to protect her. But Simon went after the human instead.”

“That would be Billy Gallagher, the man who stepped in to help her when you didn’t,” Ryan pointed out.

Jude nodded and kept his gaze lowered, unable to face any of the older wolves questioning him.

Inside him, his wolf whined.

“What the hell were you thinking?” his daddy asked him. “I thought I taught you better.”

Resentment bubbled up inside him. “Simon is my only friend.” Jude was a bit of a loner, never quite fitting in anywhere, least of all with his family.

“Addie was your friend,” her momma quietly reminded him, making him feel lower than a turtle in the mud, because she was right. Addie had always been kind to him.

“He’s most likely gone to find her.” Best to come clean. He glanced at his alpha, hoping that would placate him. Mostly Jude wanted the attention off of him.

Ryan sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “We already know that. If he attacks anyone on Salvation Pack land, we’re going to have a heap more trouble.” He turned to Orin. “I need LaForge’s phone number.”

Orin pulled out his phone, punched a listing in his contacts, and handed the phone to Ryan. Jude took a step closer so he could hear the conversation.

“Yes.” The voice was male and deep.

“This Jacque LaForge?”

“It is.”

“Ryan Hatfield. We have a problem.”

Jacque sighed. “I figured we would.”

“I just got confirmation that Simon is most likely there.” Ryan peered up at the sky. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but will you not kill him. Call me and I’ll come get him and bring him home. He needs to

be dealt with by me. I need to make my feelings clear on this matter so it doesn’t happen again.”

Jude swallowed past the lump in his throat. He’d never once considered Simon could die. Of course, he’d never thought his friend would attack Addie and a human either.

“I’ll do what I can but make no promises. He attacks one of mine and he’s dead.”

Shit, that didn’t sound like a weak alpha. Maybe all those stories he’d heard about Cole Blanchard were true. Or maybe this LaForge guy was just playing tough. Although from the expression on Ryan’s face, he didn’t think that was the case.

“That’s all I can ask.” Ryan handed the phone to Orin.

“I want to see my daughter,” Orin demanded of the Salvation Pack alpha.

“Your daughter can decide what she wants to do when this mess is over. Right now, I have enough problems to handle without adding more unknown wolves to the mix.” There was such a strong compulsion behind the words, Jude had to fight the urge to whine. Even Orin backed down, hanging his head.

“Once Simon is dealt with, we can talk about you visiting. Addie might even decide she wants to go home.” Then the alpha ended the call.

Orin tucked his phone away. “If Simon hurts my girl, I’ll kill him.”

Ryan nodded. “That is your right. But let’s see if they can bring them both back to us so we can deal with things ourselves. I don’t want Salvation Pack wolves on our land again if I can help it. And I sure as hell don’t want a war with them.”

Jude had a bad feeling that this wasn’t going to end well for any of them. The others left, leaving him alone with his daddy. He didn’t yell. Instead, he walked over to him, wrapped his hand around his neck, and pulled him in close.

“Tell me what I did wrong?”

His chest tightened at his daddy’s words. He was blaming himself.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted. “I’m so sorry.” He knew he’d done wrong, but it was too late to go back in time and change things. He just hoped Simon didn’t add to the mess he’d already made of things, but he wasn’t holding out much hope.

Chapter Fifteen

Addie’s steps slowed as she reached Sylvie’s house. Now that she was here, she wasn’t convinced it was such a great idea after all.

“Can I help you?” Etienne Rollins, Gator and Sylvie’s teenage son, seemed to appear out of nowhere. She hadn’t heard him, and she’d been listening. There was a quiet intensity about him, but it was balanced by a sense of calmness.

“I’ve come to sew with the women.”

When he grinned, he looked more like his father. “Mom and the rest of them are inside.” He loped past her and opened the door. “Go on in.” When she hesitated, he added, “It’s safe.” He inclined his head toward the hallway just beyond the kitchen. “Just follow the noise.”

When she stepped inside, he shut the door and disappeared into the nearby woods. The familiar sound of sewing machines drew her in. It reminded her of home, of spending countless hours with her mother.

Sylvie appeared at the end of the hallway. “I thought I heard Etienne talking with someone.”

Addie rubbed her hands over the sides of her sweater. Her palms were sweaty. “I don’t want to intrude.”

Sue poked her head into the kitchen. “Everything okay?” When she saw Addie, she came to her with open arms. It reminded her of her momma. Her throat tight and her eyes filled with tears, she accepted the hug from the most important woman in Billy’s life.

Clearing her throat, she found her voice. “Billy said it would be okay if I stopped by.”

“That’s fine,” Sue replied and then looked to Sylvie for confirmation.

“Of course. Do you sew?” Sylvie asked. She motioned them both down the hallway. They entered a large room where Rina, Sage’s mate, was busy working at a machine.

Addie stopped just inside the room and made a sound that was part surprise and part longing.

Now this was a workspace to be envied. Four sewing stations were centered in the middle of the room, each with state-of-the-art machines. She knew because she’d often looked online, coveting them, promising herself she’d save up enough to buy one someday.

Sylvie laughed. “I recognize that look. You’re a serious sewer. Come on in and check out the place.”

Like a sleepwalker, she stumbled forward. Cabinets wrapped around the space. One was open, displaying shelf after shelf of fabric. The closet doors were also open, showcasing more fabric, as well as buttons, threads, and other necessities. She’d never seen so much in one place outside of a store.

“I take it you sew.” Rina stopped what she was working on and joined them. “I didn’t know how when I arrived, but the others taught me. Elise sews, too, as does Cole’s mother. We all have machines at home, but we often come here. It’s a larger workspace, and it’s fun to work on projects together.”

Sue wrapped her arm around Addie’s waist and gave her a quick hug. “Why don’t you dig through the cabinets and see if you can find any fabric you like.”

A longing to do just that filled her. She could spend hours lost in fabric and colors. But she also didn’t have any money—and fabric cost, especially quality material. She put her hands behind her back, linking them together to keep from touching anything. “I can help you with your projects or maybe do some mending.”

Sue’s smile faded. “Addie, honey, what’s the matter?”

Swallowing her pride, she gave them the truth, even though it stung. “I can’t afford this fabric.

My momma and I mostly use scraps leftover from projects people pay us to do for them and fabric we find at the used stores when we get to the city. People get rid of perfectly good sheets, too, which make great backings for quilts.” Until this moment, she’d never felt poor. It was simply what they did to make things work.

She expected to see scorn, not kindness in the women’s eyes. Somehow that made her feel even worse.

“When I arrived here,” Sylvie told her, “I had a few possessions, all of which had come from thrift stores and yard sales. Gator and the others gave me this space.”

“I literally had nothing,” Rina added. “Sage and the rest of the pack opened up their home to me.” She rubbed her hand up and down Addie’s arm.

A single tear rolled down Addie’s cheek, followed quickly by another. She impatiently wiped them away. “Sorry about this.” She had no idea why she was so emotional.

Her only excuse was the past few days had been more than a little difficult. And after facing some hard talk from Elias and Cole’s mistrust, she’d expected more of the same from the females of the pack. Instead, they were kind and welcoming.

Sue gave her waist a squeeze. “You go on and pick out some material. I assume you quilt.”

Her tone was so wry it made her laugh. “Yes, ma’am.”

“If you’re worried about money,” Sylvie told her, “sell the quilt you make. Then you can pay us back for the materials and even have a small nest egg toward more fabrics. But honestly, we have more here than we can use in a lifetime, and we’re always ordering more. Gator says it’s a sickness.”

Since she laughed, Addie assumed Gator’s mate was only teasing her.

The men here were like her daddy, wanting only one thing—that their mates and children be happy.

“I can do that.” She wouldn’t mind using material if she knew she could pay them back. And it occurred to her she was thinking long term if she was considering making a quilt. Her plan was to take one day at a time and not jump ahead of herself, not with all the problems looming, but she couldn’t rein in her enthusiasm.

Rina tugged her toward the open cabinet. “We’ve tried to arrange it by colors. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, let us know. We all have fabric stashes at home.”

Addie glanced at Sue, who nodded. “I converted Reece’s old bedroom years ago and turned it into my own private sewing room. There’s room for another machine. In fact, I have an older one in the closet that still works.”

Too overcome to thank her, she went to Sue, a woman who was fully human, and hugged her.

She could see why the entire pack utterly adored this woman.

“Everything will be okay, baby,” she whispered in Addie’s ear. “Just give it time.”

That was something she could do. She turned her attention to the shelves of fabric. Like a kid in a candy store, she looked first. But the temptation was too great, and soon she was running her fingers over the colorful and patterned fabric. In less than five minutes, she was pulling pieces out and trying to decide on a color palette, while the familiar hum of sewing machines filled the quiet.

****

Billy left the smell of freshly cut wood and sawdust behind him and headed toward Gator’s.

His mom and whoever else was working there would be kind to Addie, but that didn’t stop him from worrying.

It hadn’t been easy to leave her in bed this morning. She’d looked so cozy and inviting curled

up under the blankets, he’d wanted to climb back in with her, wake her slowly, and make love to her.

But he’d resisted. He was in this for the long haul. There would be an unlimited number of mornings to make love if she stayed.

Everything in his life had drastically changed in such a short period of time. Even the walk to the workshop this morning, one he’d made hundreds of times before, had been completely different.

His senses were so much sharper now, his vision keener and his sense of smell enhanced. The world was more colorful, filled with more sounds than he’d ever imagined. It was like going from black-and-white television to high definition complete with surround sound.

The wood he worked with to create furniture was more beautiful, the stench of the varnish almost overpowering. Cole had slapped him on the back and told him he’d get used to it in time. He hoped the older wolf was right. It was as though he was wearing his shirt inside out—it still fit, but it felt off.

He’d settled in and found comfort in the familiar work, but something deep inside him had pinged the second Addie had stepped inside with his father. He’d scented her, but more than that, he’d sensed her deep in his soul.

“Gator won’t have lunch on this early.” His father fell into step beside him.

He picked up the pace, ignoring the chuckle coming from behind him. It was just his luck that Gator was sitting on the back porch with his head tilted back. The man did love to bask in the sunshine.

“Lunch in ten minutes. Figured you’d be early.” He kept his face raised to the sun as Billy bounded up the steps and entered the house. His father stayed behind to chat.

Now that Addie was only steps away, he exhaled, releasing the tension that had gripped him all morning. Moving quietly, he headed down the hallway toward the sewing room.

“Those are lovely colors,” his mom said.

“You think so?” Everything inside him settled when he heard Addie.

“Absolutely. They look like a summer’s day with the blues and yellows. Add in the touches of red, green, and orange and it’s a garden.”

“Have you decided on a pattern yet?” Sylvie asked.

Not wanting to interrupt, he leaned against the doorjamb and peered into the room. All four women were standing next to a long table, one they used when they were cutting fabric. All were staring at a small pile of multicolored fabric that had been laid out.

But Addie didn’t answer them. As absorbed as she’d been in the conversation, she swiveled around and their gazes met. Sue turned to see what had captured her attention and smiled.

“Is it lunchtime yet?” his mother asked as she came over and gave him a quick hug.

He kissed the top of her head. “Gator said ten minutes. Dad is outside.”

“Then I’ll just go and say hello.” She patted his arm and left.

Sylvie gave him an understanding smile. “I’ll just go and see if Gator needs any help.” They all knew that for the lie it was. Her mate never needed help in the kitchen.

“Ah, I’ll go help.” Rina slid past him, giving him a discreet thumbs-up as she passed.

“I didn’t mean to clear the room.” He went to Addie and pulled her into his arms. “I’ve been wanting to do that for what seems like forever.”

She laughed at his heartfelt words. “We only parted less than an hour ago,” she pointed out, even as she hugged him as hard and showed no signs of letting go.

“Enjoying yourself?”

“Everyone has been so kind.” The sentiment was positive, but there was an underlying sadness

he didn’t understand.

“That’s good, right?”

She nodded, rubbing her nose against his shirt. “Hey.” He put his hand under her chin and lifted it slightly. Unshed tears filled her eyes. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. This place is like a store. So many choices. And they said I could use whatever fabric I want. I’m going to sell the quilt when it’s done and pay them back,” she quickly added.

She wouldn’t want to feel beholden to anyone. She’d come here with nothing, not even any clothes of her own. It had to all be overwhelming. She had never lived away from home, never been away from her parents.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Forgive me?”

“For what?”

He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. “For not understanding how overwhelmed you might be feeling this morning. I shouldn’t have left you alone.” He was an idiot. In his hurry to get things on some kind of a normal footing for them, he’d overlooked how out of place and confused she must be.

Ignoring the rattling of dishes and chatter coming from the kitchen, he lowered his head and kissed her. He’d meant it to be a quick and gentle caress, one of comfort, but she had other ideas.

Curling her hand around the back of his neck, she pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. He forgot where they were, that there were people just beyond the open door. Sliding his hands down her back, he cupped her behind and lifted her off her feet. She twined her legs around his waist and clung to him with a hint of desperation.

He tore his mouth away from hers. “Everything will be all right,” he whispered in her ear. “I love you.”

She froze in his arms. Shit, he hadn’t meant to say that, hadn’t planned on dropping that on her with everything else she was dealing with. He swallowed back a curse when he heard the footsteps in the hallway. Not now.

“Lunch is ready.”

It was small consolation it was Sage and not his mom or dad at the door. Addie squirmed in his arms until he put her down. She straightened her sweater and sidled past him. “Excuse me.”

Billy raked his fingers through his hair, wanting to howl in frustration. He couldn’t really blame his cousin for his bad timing, not when his own sucked so badly.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but it was either me or Sue.”

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the thundering of his heart. He’d told Addie he loved her, and she’d all but run away from him. Yeah, not the reaction he’d been hoping for. He rubbed his hands over his face. His skin was too tight, and there was an itching beneath it.

“Hey, buddy, you okay?” Sage pushed away from the doorway and put his hand on Billy’s shoulder. That light contact helped calm him. He’d noticed he seemed to need touch more since he’d come back to life. Another indication the wolf that had saved his life was buried deep inside him.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly.

“I know what you’re going through.” If anyone did, it was Sage. He and Rina hadn’t had an easy start to their relationship.

“I think I messed things up.” Oddly enough, he didn’t want to take the words back, but there was no denying his timing sucked.

“Then you’ll fix them.” Sage’s confidence settled him.

“Yeah, I will.”

“There you go. Now let’s get out there before they come looking for us.”

He needed to see Addie, to make sure she didn’t decide to run off. He all but shoved his cousin aside and hurried toward the kitchen. He heard Sage’s chuckle but ignored it.

****

I love you.

Reeling from his declaration, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She wanted to believe him. Truly she did. But she was afraid.

On one hand, it was exciting and overwhelming. On the other, it seemed almost disloyal to her parents and pack. What would they think? Would she be able to see them again? Would the alpha even let her if she chose a male outside their pack?

Panicked, the wolf in her wanted to run. She slid into a seat at the table, gripping her hands together in her lap.

Oh, God. Run. She’d all but run out on Billy. What must he think of her?

Not that she could have said much of anything, not with his cousin standing there. And what would his parents think? He hadn’t known her long, and she’d saved his life. Was what he felt really love or gratitude?

She needed to ask herself the same question but feared she already knew the answer. Her emotional connection to Billy went beyond gratitude, beyond caring, beyond the physical attraction that bubbled up to the surface whenever he was near. She wanted him to be happy, to take care of him, to protect him. Her chest ached with emotion whenever she thought of him.

It had to be love, this overwhelming need to put the other person first, to do what was right for them, no matter the cost.

Her wolf certainly wanted him. The instinct to mate was primal and fierce and one she’d never had before.

Gator was just setting the last platter of sandwiches on the table beside two big bags of potato chips when Billy took the empty seat beside her. She couldn’t look at him. The chicken sandwich, usually her favorite, tasted like dust in her mouth. She set it down and took a sip of water. Since not eating would only raise questions, she picked up the sandwich in one hand, slipped her free hand under the table, and touched Billy’s thigh.

His leg stiffened.

What little she’d eaten turned to a huge lump in her stomach. Fearing she’d offended him by walking away, she started to withdraw her hand, but he caught it in his. The warmth of his skin penetrated hers. Then he threaded his fingers through hers.

Everything inside her settled. When he touched her, everything seemed clearer.

They were meant to be together.

She was a werewolf. It was something she took for granted, because she simply didn’t know any other way of life. Wolves lived by their instincts, and while she also had a human side, she trusted her gut.

Billy was hers. Whatever hand of fate had brought them together, she needed to accept it and work to strengthen their bond so it didn’t wither and die. They were facing a lot of adversity. If she didn’t accept the connection between them, it wouldn’t stand a chance.

A shiver of dread raced down her spine. Was she tempting fate by embracing her feelings for him? She prayed not, but Addie couldn’t shake the fear welling up inside her.

When the time was right, she’d return the words. Unlike him, she wasn’t about to blurt it out when they weren’t alone.

Like a kid with a secret, she hugged it tight. She’d tell him tonight when they were in his room.

Then they could talk and make love.

“Addie?”

She looked up from her sandwich to find everyone looking at her. “Yes?”

“You were lost in thought, honey.” Sue patted her arm. “I asked if you knew what pattern you were going to do for the quilt.”

She needed to gather her thoughts and concentrate on the meal and conversation. Although with the knowing smiles the rest of them were giving her, she figured they had a pretty good idea where her thoughts had gone.

She couldn’t wait for this evening so she could tell Billy she loved him, too.

****

Simon barely avoided being seen by a wolf ghosting through the woods. Crouched behind a rock, he waited until the sentry disappeared down a hill and into some thick brush. He sneered and slowly rose from his hiding spot. The wolves here weren’t nearly as good as they thought they were.

He’d had no trouble evading them.

Confident, he continued on in his wolf form. He’d shifted and left his clothing tucked in the hollow of a tree not far from here, able to move faster and more silently as a wolf. Now all he had to do was find Addie.

If he couldn’t get her alone, there might be a problem. They might be weak, but there was no way he could fight three or four of them at once. He’d have to be smart about this and watch for the right moment. Maybe if he threatened the human Addie seemed so fond of, she’d leave without a fuss.

Something to consider.

Lifting his head, he sniffed the air. Off to his right, he caught several older scents. He turned in that direction. He’d find their homes and then he’d wait.

Chapter Sixteen

Addie couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed an afternoon as much. Playing with fabric was fun, and having almost unlimited choices at hand, women who were as passionate about sewing and quilting as she was, and friendly conversation had left her feeling really positive about everything for the first time in days.

“You’ve made some real progress.” Sylvie studied the blocks and strips of fabric Addie had cut. “It’s going to be a cheerful quilt. Bright, too.”

“Too bright?”

Sylvie shook her head and leaned closer so their shoulders were touching. Her wolf moved inside her, loving the attention from the older female. She was missing her momma. “No such thing as too bright.”

Satisfied by her choices, she began to pack away the fabric.

“Leave it,” Sylvie told her. “You can pick back up tomorrow or the day after. It’s fine there.

None of us will need the cutting table soon. We’re all too deep into sewing.”

“You sure?” She didn’t want to impose any more than she already had. But leaving the fabric spread out like that would save her the trouble of having to lay it all out again tomorrow. She always liked to have a second look at her choices once she’d been away for a while. It allowed her to make any changes or tweak the colors before she started sewing.

“Absolutely. I’d say Billy is going to come looking for you if you don’t head home soon.”

Addie looked around and belatedly realized Rina had already left. Sue was waiting by the door.

“I’m so sorry.” She’d gotten so absorbed in what she was doing, she’d lost track of time.

“No need,” Sue told her. “I just finished up myself. But Sylvie is right. Our men will come searching for us if they get home before we do.”

“Thank you.” On impulse, she hugged Sylvie. When she was hugged back, everything inside her relaxed.

“Have a good evening,” Sylvie whispered. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I love this time of year,” Sue said when Addie joined her on the back porch. “The world is full of promise after the long winter.”

They started walking down the narrow path that led toward Billy’s home. Addie couldn’t think of it as hers. But she was getting more comfortable with the idea that maybe it could be.

“You have a good time today?” Sue asked.

“I did. It was like shopping in my favorite store.” She was gushing, so she shut up.

“I know what you mean. I love fabric. The colors. The patterns. It’s like spring. The possibilities are endless.” She reached out and touched Addie’s arm. “Don’t worry so much. No one expects you to figure things out or make any decisions today or tomorrow or next week.”

Talking about her relationship with his momma wasn’t exactly comfortable, but Sue had a right to know she wasn’t toying with her son. “I have deep feelings for Billy.”

“I know. Anyone with eyes can see that. I’m glad he found you.” Her smile disappeared and a worried frown appeared. “I just wish he hadn’t had to be hurt for that to happen.”

So many events, seemingly random, had occurred in order for her and Billy to meet. Choices, even ones that seemed meaningless at the time, had all conspired to get them both at that particular spot in the woods at the same time.

Was it fate or just happenstance? Planned or totally random? She didn’t know, but whatever the reasons, she was glad they’d found each other.

And tonight, she planned to tell him she loved him, even if the idea of doing so kind of freaked her out. Taking a deep breath, she filled her lungs with fresh air, catching the scents of several wolves that she easily recognized. One in particular caught her attention. Growling, she grabbed Sue’s arm and yanked her back.

“What? What’s going on?” Sue demanded.

Simon stepped out from behind a tree. He was naked, which meant he’d managed to slip past the pack sentries in his wolf form. “Don’t do anything stupid like howl for help,” he warned her. “You do that and I’ll kill that human beside you.”

Addie shoved Sue behind her. “Run.”

“I can’t leave you here alone.”

Once again, it was a human trying to protect her. She loved her for it but couldn’t protect them both. “Go!”

Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Simon shifted and pounced. She threw herself into his path.

He never touched her.

Gator appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, caught Simon in midair and, in an amazing show of strength, tossed him to the ground without breaking a sweat. “You want to be staying there, boy.”

On a growl, the wolf slowly rose to his feet, crouching, readying for another attack.

Gator laughed, not the least bit concerned by the threatening gesture. “You’re as stupid as you look, you know that?”

He growled again and showed his fangs.

“Boy, I’ve eaten bigger than you for breakfast.”

She didn’t think he was exaggerating. For all his laid back manner, there was something decidedly deadly about him.

“Are you okay?” Addie glanced around to find Gator’s son helping Sue off the ground.

“I’m fine. Thanks to all of you.”

She smelled them before she saw them. Pack members emerged from the surrounding woods.

Some were in their wolf form. Others were human.

“Addie!” She heard Billy’s frantic yell and then he was there. She wasn’t sure if she ran to him or not, but she was in his arms. “Are you okay?” he demanded.

“I’m fine. Your momma—”

Keeping her tucked tight against him, he went to Sue. “Mom?” She hated the fear in his voice, hated that she was the cause. Simon had come looking for her.

“I’m fine. Addie protected me long enough to give Gator time to intervene.”

Sue seemed so calm and collected. Of course, she was being held in Elias’s strong arms, and the killing expression in the older wolf’s eyes warned everyone away from them. He wasn’t about to let anyone harm his mate.

Maybe if she’d been more honest with her daddy about the situation with Simon right from the beginning, this would never have happened. But she’d downplayed it, not wanting to make trouble or have her freedoms curtailed.

It all came down to choices. Each individual one, no matter how big or small, was what made a life. She had to consciously decide what she was going to do going forward, whether she allowed life to just happen and reacted to it or if she was going to choose her own path.

“You’re brave when it’s all of you,” Simon sneered. The idiot was actually goading them when he was outnumbered.

Jacque stepped forward and stared until the younger wolf dropped his gaze. “I promised your alpha I’d bring you home to face pack justice. Otherwise I’d kill you right here and be done with you.”

The quiet threat seemed to get through, and he began to tremble. Then he raised his head and found her. What was he up to now?

“I claim Addie as my mate. She is mine.”

“That’s a lie,” she shot back.

He looked cocky now. Sure of himself. “If you take me back, you have to bring Addie. I’m challenging Billy for the right to claim her.”

It was an old custom, one that she’d never seen used in her lifetime. If two males wanted the same woman, they’d fight, sometimes to the death. That’s what he wanted. If he couldn’t have her, he was going to make sure she didn’t have Billy.

“No.” She wanted her voice to be firm, but it came out as more of a whisper.

“Afraid lover boy there can’t win?” Simon taunted.

She grabbed Billy’s arm when he took a step forward. “You don’t have to do this.”

He froze in his tracks, his jaw tight, his expression grim. “You don’t think I can beat him.”

She was damned no matter what she said. If she agreed, she’d hurt his pride. If she told him she thought he could win, he’d fight.

Pain flashed in his eyes. “I see.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe in you.” She swallowed heavily, aware of everyone listening.

“Just not enough.” He turned his back and walked away. She froze, not sure what she should do.

Jacque jerked his head toward Billy. “We’re leaving in ten minutes,” the alpha called after her as she ran.

That didn’t give her much time. Thankfully, Billy hadn’t gone very far. He was sitting on a log, elbows on his thighs, hands clasped, staring at the ground.

Digging deep, praying to find the right words, she dropped to her knees in front of him. “I believe in you. But Simon’s had a lifetime as a wolf. It’s all so new to you.”

“I’ve been around wolves, trained with them my entire life.” He still wouldn’t look at her.

“I don’t want to lose you. I love you.”

His head jerked up, and emotion blazed in his eyes. But it wasn’t pleasure she saw there. It was anger. “Why?” he demanded. “Why are you telling me that now?”

He didn’t believe her. It was as though someone had ripped her heart out and tossed it on the ground. Then they’d followed up by stomping all over it. “I was going to tell you this evening.”

“Convenient way to keep me from fighting. That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”

How could he say such a thing? “No,” she yelled. “It’s damn well not convenient. If we mate, I’ll be leaving my parents behind, leaving my pack. If I don’t, I’ll lose you. So no, it’s not the least bit convenient, but I love you anyway, you jackass.”

****

As declarations of love went, it was a doozy. He was being an idiot, but he couldn’t stop the stupid train. The intensity of his emotions was amplified. The urge to rip out Simon’s throat for attacking his mate and his mother was foremost in his thoughts.

But Addie didn’t believe he could protect her.

And why would she when he’d failed so spectacularly so far? He hadn’t protected her in the woods. Simon had basically killed him. Hell, even Gator had come to her rescue before he could only minutes ago.

Then there was the fact he hadn’t yet shifted into wolf form. There was something he couldn’t grasp, couldn’t quite reach inside. Maybe he’d never be able to shift, but that sure as hell didn’t mean he couldn’t fight.

When she started to stand, he caught her by the shoulders. “I love you.”

“Convenient, isn’t it,” she tossed back. “You think that will placate me.”

Damn, she was one hell of a woman, full of sass and confidence. Hell, he loved her anger. It meant she really did care.

“No, it’s not convenient.” He repeated her words. “But it’s vital to me. The most important thing in my life.”

All the fight drained out of her. When she slumped forward, he pulled her off the ground and into his arms. “What are we going to do?” she whispered.

He wished more than anything that he could tell her what she wanted to hear, but he couldn’t.

“You know what I have to do.”

She clung to his shoulders and squeezed so hard it hurt, but in a good way. He ran his hands over her arms and back and peppered her face with kisses. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” And he was, but that didn’t change things. “I need to fight him. You know that. Your father and alpha won’t let you stay with me if I can’t protect you.”

It was a harsh truth, but one that needed to be faced. Their world wasn’t like the human one.

They had animal instincts that they lived by. Intellectually, he’d understood, but it wasn’t until he’d met Addie and been changed that he truly grasped how primal and powerful those instincts were, how they ruled their lives and emotions. Some werewolf customs had changed and evolved over the years, but her family would hold with this one. If he wanted her, he had to fight.

He captured her lips, tasting the warmth, the promise. A low moan escaped her, and then she was kissing him back. He prayed it wouldn’t be the last time. There was no way of predicting the outcome.

At least Simon would never have her. If Billy was killed in the challenge, Elias would kill the other wolf. It was cold comfort. He wanted to live, wanted a life with her, but there was only one way to get it.

He tasted her desperation, her fear. Beyond that, he tasted her love. He kissed her until neither of them could breathe and finally pulled apart. “I. Love. You.” He spaced the words, giving each emphasis. “Only you.” She was his mate, his one and only.

“I love you, too. I thought I’d never feel that way about anyone, and then there you were. A human. And then more than a human.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to lose you when I’ve just found you.”

“You won’t,” he promised and prayed it was one he could keep.

“If you die, I’m going to be mad at you.”

“I know.”

Chapter Seventeen

The entire pack was waiting for them in the parking area, but not all of them would be going.

The show of support was overwhelming. He ignored Simon, who was between Cole and Gator with his hands tied behind his back. Thankfully, someone had found his clothes so he was no longer naked.

Jacque gave Billy a nod of support. The approval from his alpha touched a place deep inside.

His shoulders went back, and he stood a little taller.

“Billy, you, Addie, and Elias are with me,” Jacque announced. “Gator, Cole, Reece, Sage, and Mikhail will go with us. The rest of the men will stay with the women and younger members of the pack.”

Sue stepped forward. “I want to go.”

Jacque was already shaking his head. Wanting to head off any argument, Billy went to her and took her by the shoulders. “I love you, Mom, but I don’t want you there.”

She flinched. “I see.”

“No, you don’t. I can’t focus on what I need to do if I’m worried about protecting you. And Elias and the others can’t watch my back if they’re watching you.” He hated hurting her, but it was the honest truth.

“Some days I hate being human,” she muttered.

Elias slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. “I’ll watch out for our son,” he promised.

Billy noted he didn’t promise to bring him back. His father understood this was most likely going to be a fight to the death. He tugged his mother away from his dad and hugged her, feeling like a little kid once again. She’d always been there, protecting and caring for him. But this time he had to handle the situation himself.

Addie was beside him when he released his mom. “I’m so sorry,” she began.

“Hush.” Sue pulled her into her arms and hugged her. “This is not your fault. We all know where the blame for this lies, and it’s with the idiot standing over there between Cole and Gator. You watch your own back.”

“I will. I’ll watch out for Billy.”

His heart was breaking, watching the two women he loved bond over their worry for him. “It’s time to go,” he reminded them.

Addie slowly released his mom, turned, and headed toward Jacque’s truck. Not once did she look at Simon. The other members of the pack came forward one by one, the women to hug him and the men to offer advice and a slap on the back.

Those who were going piled into three vehicles. He, Addie, and Elias went with Jacque. Gator and Cole were in another truck with Simon. And bringing up the rear of their convoy were Reece, Sage, and Mikhail. They planned to stop along the way, and Mikhail would drive Simon’s truck.

Billy turned and watched the group getting smaller as they drove down the dirt road toward the highway. His mother was waving, so he waved back before sitting forward. “What can I expect from this challenge?”

****

Addie’s emotions were all over the place. She loved Billy and he loved her. It was both a miracle and scary as hell. There was no time to enjoy or bask in what should have been one of the best moments of her life. They had to leave the safety of his pack, and he had to leave his momma fighting tears, knowing she might never see her son alive again. A challenge was a dangerous thing. It

didn’t happen often, but sometimes people died.

That was what Simon wanted.

Guilt ate at her, worse because Sue hadn’t blamed her, hadn’t yelled or accused her of causing any of this. None of them had. They didn’t have to since she was doing such a good job of it on her own.

When he linked their fingers together, she held on tight. She had to believe there was a chance he could win. Otherwise she’d lose her mind.

“Challenges are brutal,” Jacque began. “In our old pack back in Louisiana, it was a way of life.

My father thrived on the blood sport.”

“I’ve seen a few in my day,” Elias added. “It’s never pretty. Usually it ends when one man admits defeat. I got a feeling that’s not happening with Simon.”

Knowing she needed to be brave and speak up, she leaned closer to Billy. “It won’t. He’s the kind to blame everyone else for his problems. I thought he’d grow out of it as he matured, but if anything, he’s gotten worse.”

“And he’s blaming me.” Billy nodded in understanding.

“And me,” she continued. “If I’d simply agreed to mate with him, none of this would have happened. Therefore, I’m the cause of his problems. He wants to kill you to hurt me. He needs to be the best in any situation, to always win. When he doesn’t there’s always fallout of some kind. It’s always been small, childish things until now.”

“What kinds of things?” Jacque asked.

She shivered as the sheer power of the alpha washed over her. She licked her dry lips, wishing she had some water. “When we were kids if there was a dispute over a toy and he didn’t get it, the item would go missing or end up broken. Once a couple years back, another member of the pack beat Simon in a race. Two days later, that male was injured when he went stumbling over a cliff. He said there was a tripwire, but none was ever found. No one could prove it, but a few of us thought Simon was responsible.”

“Why hasn’t your alpha dealt with him?” Jacque demanded.

She’d often wondered the same thing. “No real proof, I guess.”

Jacque growled and she automatically hunched her shoulders, not wanting to draw his ire her way. Her wolf had a great deal of respect for the alpha.

“So this will be a fight until one of us is incapacitated.”

“Dead,” she blurted. “If you don’t kill him, he’ll keep coming for you. It won’t matter if you win or not.” This was the price of being with her, what it would cost him. He was going to have to kill another man. “Maybe you should just drop me off and let me handle the situation.”

They might not be together, but at least he’d be alive.

He stroked her hair and kissed her temple. “Not happening. Even if we did as you suggested, are you telling me Simon would just let this go, that he wouldn’t come back to Salvation and make a try for me, maybe for my mom?”

It would be so much easier if she could reassure him, but she knew better. “No, I can’t tell you that. He’s the type to pretend everything is fine and then when you least expect it, he’d slip away someday and come back to deal with you.” He’d always been vindictive, but she’d never expected he’d get this bad, that things would get this serious. Her entire perspective had changed this past week.

“Sounds like his parents didn’t raise him right,” Elias commented.

“He’s a lot like his daddy. His entire family thinks they’re better than everyone else.”

“Why were you friends with him?” Billy asked.

“He wasn’t always like this.” She needed them to understand. “When he was a kid, he was shy.

I had the feeling his home life wasn’t very good. He’d sometimes have bruises. They’d fade quickly because we’re werewolves, but I saw them many times.”

Jacque swore. “So the bullied became a bully.”

“Yes.” She wished she had a warmer sweater. In spite of her ability to regulate her body temperature, she was chilled to the bone. “It happened slowly, over a lot of years. Small incidents here and there.”

“Hard to see. Hard to stop.” Elias nodded. “I’ve seen that happen.”

“I felt sorry for him,” she admitted.

Billy hugged her and she soaked up his warmth and care. She wished they were already mated.

If they were, Simon wouldn’t have been able to make a claim for her.

Like a light bulb coming on in a dark room, it was suddenly all so clear and incredibly simple.

Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

“What if we mated,” she blurted out. God, it was so embarrassing to propose this in front of his daddy and alpha. She covered her face with her hands as her cheeks heated.

“What?” Billy swiveled in his seat and forced her to lower her hands so he could see her, looking more shocked than pleased by her proposal.

She had to get him to see reason. “If we’re mated, there is no claim to be made.” It was a brilliant solution.

She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it wasn’t hesitation. He’s going to turn me down.

Billy tenderly pushed aside a lock of her hair, regret reflected in his eyes. “I won’t rush our mating. When it happens, we’ll be taking our time.”

She wanted to sink through the floor when Elias chuckled from the front seat. She didn’t dare look at Jacque to see what he was thinking. But something inside her settled. He’d said when it happens, not if.

“Besides, we both know Simon wouldn’t let this rest. It needs to be dealt with before we can move forward.”

She closed her eyes and took a calming breath, hating that he was right. When he pulled her into his arms, she didn’t resist. “Trust me,” he whispered.

“I do.” There was no other choice. Her entire life was going to be decided tonight, and there was not a damn thing she could do about it. She felt helpless, hating her culture that allowed such a thing to happen in this day and age.

****

Billy wasn’t nearly as confident as he projected. He was facing a dangerous opponent, one who had already beaten and killed him.

But that was before. Now, he had something precious, something he’d die to protect—his relationship with Addie. There was nothing more important to him than her safety and happiness.

More than that, he wanted them to have a life together. He hadn’t been ready to die the first time they’d fought, and he sure as hell wasn’t ready to die now.

Something inside him had shifted when she’d suggested they mate. Some part of him had wanted to demand that Jacque pull over so he could drag her into the nearest woods and claim her, mark her.

He wanted Simon and the world to see she belonged to him.

But he couldn’t do it. As much as he wanted her—and he wanted her more than he wanted his next breath—he needed to do this right. She deserved their mating to be in a soft, cozy bed where he

could spend hours loving her, showing her just how much he cherished and appreciated her, before he marked her.

Then they’d throw a big pack party, and everyone would celebrate with them.

That would happen. He had to believe that. The alternative didn’t bear thinking about. He had to remain confident, not allow doubt to slip in and undermine him.

His dad looked over his shoulder, offering his silent support, but there was apprehension there.

They were all worried. He might not be human, but he hadn’t yet fully integrated into a wolf. He was more of a half-breed in terms of abilities. And it would be nearly impossible for a half-breed to beat a full-blooded werewolf in a fight.

His one advantage was that he’d been training with big, powerful wolves his entire life. Simon seemed to be more of a bully, relying on stealth and underhandedness to get his way.

It would be stupid to underestimate him—a good way to end up dead. Simon wanted Addie, and that was a powerful motivation. He could even understand it. There was no other woman like her.

She was special. What he would never understand is trying to force a woman. That was never acceptable, wolf or human.

The miles passed in silence as the evening closed in around them. Jacque knew where he was going, had been there years ago. Billy was sorry they’d had to come back under such harsh circumstances. He would have liked to be driving to Kentucky simply to meet Addie’s parents, not to participate in a life-or-death battle.

“We’re here.” She bolted upright and peered out the window, leaning so close her nose touched the glass.

Jacque exited the main road but didn’t go far. He found a slightly wider spot and turned around so the truck was facing the road. They’d be able to move fast if necessary. The trucks trailing them did the same.

They all piled out and Jacque took charge. “Keep him quiet.” He pointed a finger at Simon. “I don’t want him raising an alarm until I speak with the alpha.”

Cole slapped his big hand over Simon’s mouth, muzzling him. Simon seemed more amused than upset. Billy knew it was because he was relaxed, believing he’d easily win the coming contest.

“This way.” With Jacque leading the way, Billy followed with Addie next to him. Cole and Simon came next, with the others bringing up the rear.

There were wolves watching them. He sensed them easily, felt their eyes on him. No one raised an alarm, but by the time they reached the alpha’s house a small crowd had gathered. A large man with dark hair and a full beard stood on the porch with two other men flanking him. They looked enough like him that they must be related, probably his sons.

Ryan Hatfield ignored Jacque and glared at Cole. “I’d hoped I’d never see your ugly face again.”

Rather than be insulted, Cole offered a slight grin. “I’d hoped never to have to come back, but this one”—he lifted Simon right off his feet with one hand in an impressive show of strength—“made it impossible not to.”

“So I’ve heard.” Ryan came down the steps and faced Jacque. “LaForge.”

“Hatfield.”

“Now that the pleasantries have been taken care of, why the hell are you here?” Addie’s alpha demanded.

“It’s my fault.” She marched forward before he could stop her. Not about to allow her to face this alone, Billy stepped up beside her.

“How is it your fault that Simon is an idiot?”

Cole had released Simon, who surged forward. “Hey.”

Ryan pinned the younger man with a single glare. “Be quiet. I’m not talking to you.”

It was surprising when Simon actually obeyed, although he didn’t look pleased by the order.

Not one bit. Billy caught a flash of anger and something else. If he lived long enough, Simon would someday make a run at the alpha.

Ryan pinned him with a glare. Billy didn’t flinch. Something inside him wouldn’t let him.

Hatfield might be alpha of this pack, but Jacque was more powerful. Hell, so were Cole and Gator.

He figured his father could probably take the man in a fight, too. He’d been around tough, hard, alpha males his entire life. If Ryan thought he could intimidate him, he’d best think again.

“So this is the young man causing all the trouble.”

While he’d been raised to be respectful, he was no pushover. “Begging your pardon, sir, but it wasn’t me causing the trouble.”

The alpha seemed surprised he’d spoken. Whether it was his respectful tone or the accusation causing the most shock, he wasn’t quite sure. But he wasn’t backing down.

Beside him, Addie made a strangled sound. He didn’t look at her. Couldn’t. He needed to maintain eye contact with Ryan.

The older man shook his head. “You sure do have a stubborn pack,” he said to Jacque. “This one was human until a few days ago from what I understand.”

“That’s right. Until he was attacked while defending Addie.”

A low growl rumbled in Ryan’s chest. He wasn’t pleased by what had happened. Good, the alpha set the tone for the rest of the pack.

“I challenge him for Addie.” Simon broke his silence and stepped forward.

“Do you now.” Ryan went to stand in front of the younger man. “And why shouldn’t I just let Orin Fuller kick your ass for trying to force his daughter to mate.”

“She’s of age. She wants it. She’s a tease.”

“I am not,” she shot back. “I told you straight out I didn’t want you.”

Billy growled at the insult, would have launched himself at Simon if Jacque hadn’t held him back.

“Boy,” Ryan said as he studied Simon, “I’m not sure if you’re really that stupid or if you just have a death wish.” He sighed. “There’s no easy way to settle this, is there?”

“I’m afraid not,” Jacque agreed.

Ryan tilted back his head and howled, the sound low and urgent. “That will bring the rest of the pack. When they get here, they’ll fight.”

Chapter Eighteen

Addie’s heart was racing, her stomach doing back flips. The growing tension made her skin prickle and her wolf edgy. One wrong word and it would snap.

That bastard had accused her of being a tease. Not once had she given any indication she wanted anything to do with him other than friendship. She’d spelled it out for him in no uncertain terms. Hell, she’d all but put it on a T-shirt, had only refrained from making it public to keep from humiliating him. That had been a mistake.

Fortunately, none of the others believed him. If they had, things could have gotten even worse.

Although, she couldn’t imagine how much more horrible they could be. The man she loved was getting ready to fight for both their lives.

Billy was tense. She wished she could talk to him, but there was nowhere private. There were too many pack members here already, with more arriving every minute.

“Addie!” Addie’s chest grew tight and tears welled in her eyes as her momma ran toward her and pulled her into her arms. “My baby girl.”

“I’m okay.” It was far from the truth, but worrying her momma more than she already was wouldn’t change anything. Addie didn’t want to let her go, but she needed to reassure the man hovering beside them. “Daddy.”

Orin Fuller was a big man, not prone to showing much emotion in public, but he grabbed her off her feet and held her so close it hurt, but in the best way possible. She’d always found safety and comfort in his arms, but this was one thing he couldn’t fix, couldn’t kiss and make better.

She briefly clung to his broad shoulders. “Put me down,” she whispered. She sensed Billy hovering behind her, waiting for an introduction.

Her daddy reluctantly put her back on her feet, taking an extra few seconds before releasing her.

She grabbed Billy’s hand and pulled him forward. “This is Billy Gallagher. Billy, these are my parents, Orin and Sharon Fuller.” She held her breath, wondering how her parents would react.

Billy offered his hand to her daddy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. I’m just sorry it’s under such circumstances.” He waited, calm and assured. This was the man she’d lost her heart to. He was always so brave, ready to do what was right in any given situation.

She looked at her daddy, silently pleading with him to take Billy’s hand. Finally, after what seemed like hours, but was most likely mere seconds, he did. “You protected my girl.” Her daddy’s voice was a deep rumble.

“I did what was right. Addie is one special woman.”

Her cheeks grew warm. Her momma started to smile.

“Mrs. Fuller.” Billy nodded toward her. “I’d like to introduce you to my dad.” Elias was only steps away, watching to make sure no one hurt his son. Addie appreciated his discretion. It had to be difficult for him not to intervene. The connection between them was deep, even though Billy wasn’t his biological son.

“This is Elias Gallagher,” Billy continued.

Elias tipped his head in greeting. Her daddy sniffed the air and frowned. “You’re a werewolf.”

“I am. But Billy is still my son.” There was a challenge in his voice that had her daddy backtracking.

“It’s just odd, is all.” He turned to her. “What’s going on, Addie?”

She wasn’t sure how to phrase it so he wouldn’t lose his mind. Billy handled the problem for her. “Simon has challenged me for your daughter.”

Her momma gasped and her daddy growled. “That boy never did have any sense. I should be the one to fight him.”

“No, Mr. Fuller. That’s my responsibility.”

She wasn’t sure how her daddy would take his declaration. He’d all but stated his intention to mate with her. Her daddy stared deep into Billy’s eyes. Whatever he was searching for, he seemed to find it. “Call me Orin.”

That was a huge concession and one that briefly lightened her heart. To have her parents’

unconditional support meant everything to her.

The crowd had swelled, their murmurs getting louder. People were openly staring at her, her parents, and the visitors from the Salvation Pack. The older pack members were especially watching Cole, many of them with fear. She couldn’t blame them. He was one scary wolf.

The alpha raised his hands in the air, and a wave of silence spread across the group. “It seems we have a problem.”

Irma Jones stomped forward, leaning heavily on a cane. Addie had no idea how old she was, but she’d often heard her daddy mutter she was older than dirt. For as long as she’d been alive, Irma had been cantankerous, liking no one but her immediate family, finding fault in everything and everyone. She was old school, believing half-breeds and humans were weak.

“Why is he here?” She lifted her cane and pointed it at Cole. “Didn’t he do enough killing the last time he was here?”

It was only her advanced age that allowed her to question the alpha that way. None of the others would dare.

“He’s here because your great-grandson has been causing problems.” Ryan put his hands on his hips and let his gaze travel over everyone assembled. The Salvation Pack was off to one side, with Addie and her parents alongside them.

Simon started to walk toward his family, but one look from Ryan had him staying where he was

—between Gator and Cole.

“It’s not Simon causing problems.” Irma turned her ire on Addie. “It’s the girl. It’s her fault.”

Both her daddy and Billy bumped shoulders as they moved to stand in front of her at the same time. It would have been funny if the situation wasn’t so serious. Instead it was a solid wall of protection, a physical reminder of how much she was loved.

“That’s not true, Irma.” Her daddy pointed at Simon. “He’s been sniffing around my girl and planned to force mate with her even though she told him she wasn’t interested. That boy never learned the meaning of the word no.”

Simon’s face was turning a horrible shade of red. His temper was going to burst and soon.

“Enough,” Ryan interjected. “He’s challenged Billy Gallagher, and the challenge has been accepted.”

“What’s going on?” Simon’s father, Robert Jones, strode out of the woods. “What has that boy done now?”

She almost felt bad for Simon. Her parents’ support was never in doubt. He’d never had that.

Ryan’s growl silenced everyone. “I’m getting mighty tired of being interrupted.” They all took that for the warning it was. The next interruption would be met with violence. “Simon tried to force Addie to mate with him. When Billy stepped in to stop, your son attacked. Billy was full human when it happened.”

That drew gasps and stares. “See right there, that’s a lie,” Robert challenged. “He’s standing right there in front of us.” He moved closer and sniffed. “And he’s no human.”

“But he was.” Addie stepped around her protectors. “He was brutally attacked and died. But then he was reborn.” They all knew the myths and legends—almost every human who was brutally attacked died. It wasn’t easy to be converted and it was a very, very rare occurrence.

“So he’s a half-breed.” Robert nodded. “Simon.” He addressed his son directly for the first time. “Kill the breed so we can all go home.”

The crowd was restless, but beneath that was a thread of fear, too. Some were looking at Robert in disgust. The Jones family weren’t making any friends here today. There were members of her pack who feared the Salvation wolves and what might happen if Billy died.

This could become an all-out war if things weren’t settled and soon.

Through it all, Jacque hadn’t said a word, but now he stirred. He didn’t even have to speak and everyone looked toward him, giving him their total attention. “Billy was human until the attack. He was and always will be a valuable member of my pack.”

The unmistakable warning sent a shiver down her spine. Anyone who interfered in the fight would find themselves facing Jacque LaForge. Most of the men looked away. Ryan just seemed aggravated. “Let’s get this done so you can go the hell home.”

Jacque glanced at Billy, who nodded. “I’m ready.”

Addie wasn’t, but it was out of her hands. She was about to watch the man she loved face down a full-blooded wolf, one who wanted revenge for what he’d been denied and for the public humiliation he’d been forced to endure.

Billy stripped off his shirt and handed it to his father before making his way to the center of the rough circle that was quickly formed by the pack. The scars from Simon’s earlier attack were visible, but they were white marks, no longer red. A badge of honor he would carry for the rest of his life.

He was a little shorter than Simon. Not quite as broad either. But there was a sureness in the way he held himself, a confidence. His arms were roped with muscles and so were his abs. She’d been around strong men her entire life, but none had ever drawn her eye the way he did. His hair glinted in the light shining from the surrounding houses.

Simon stripped off his shirt as well and tossed it aside. Billy removed his sneakers and socks.

Simon wasn’t wearing any footwear. Dressed only in their jeans, they slowly circled each other.

With her parents on one side of her and Elias on the other, she watched as they prepared to fight. Her throat tightened and she began to sweat as fear tried to take hold. Simon was a full-blooded werewolf, while Billy was still getting used to who and what he was. She prayed he’d be safe.

Without warning, Simon pounced.

****

He’d been watching his opponent’s feet, waiting for him to telegraph his first move. He couldn’t afford to take his eyes off Simon for one second. The wolf was lethal and a killer.

The roar of the crowd faded, his concentration solely on his opponent, all his senses hyper-focused. When the attack came, he dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way before popping back to his feet.

“Afraid to stand your ground?”

He ignored the taunt. Jacque had taught him early in life that an opponent would try to distract him with words. All the men of the pack had taught him valuable fighting skills. And he’d need every last one of them now in order to survive.

Over the next few minutes, Simon attacked and Billy evaded. It helped tire his opponent, but it also gave Billy a better gauge of his skills.

Simon appeared to be used to attacking quickly and attaining victory before his victim knew

what hit him. He seemed almost baffled by his inability to take Billy down. He was also getting angrier.

And angry men made mistakes.

Addie’s pack was growing restless, calling him a coward for not engaging. His own pack remained quiet. He could practically hear his father whispering instructions in his ear, telling him where to place his steps, to be aware of his surroundings, to keep his eyes on his opponent’s feet, shoulders, and eyes. They would telegraph his movements.

“Come on.” Simon curled his fingers in invitation. “I’m standing right here in front of you. Or are you afraid. That’s it, isn’t it?” He raised his arms in the air. “I’m the winner because this loser won’t fight. I beat him once and he’s afraid.”

“The only thing I fear right now is being bored to death.”

Face turning red, Simon threw back his head and howled. No longer concerned about fighting fair, he shifted. Even though Billy knew what was coming, he barely had time to brace before the large wolf pounced.

Addie screamed.

Long claws ripped down one of his arms. Ignoring the pain, he caught the wolf in his arms and, in a show of strength, threw him to one side, almost taking out several spectators before they scrambled out of the way. The wolf rolled in the dirt and sprang back to his feet.

Saliva dripped from his fangs. His growl was low and menacing. Beyond angry and out of control, he attacked.

Relying on his newfound strength and agility, he managed to evade the angry wolf several times, but that couldn’t last. He had to find a way to defeat Simon.

Blood dripped down his arm, but already the worst of the injuries were healing.

When the wolf glanced toward the right, Billy followed his gaze and his heart almost stopped.

Addie had moved closer to the fighting and was no longer protected by her father or his.

Fuck, he was going to attack her. Maybe it was simply a distraction ploy, but he wasn’t willing to take that chance.

Heart in his throat, he threw himself toward her. He couldn’t get to her in time, wouldn’t be fast enough to save her.

Something inside him splintered. A powerful force surged from the depths of his soul and exploded outward. His jeans ripped. The crowd gasped.

All Billy cared about was getting to Addie.

His body changed. It was like pulling on an unfamiliar skin. One that was stronger than the old one. Sights and sounds were magnified.

He stretched, pushing himself beyond his limits … and landed in front of Addie. But it wasn’t a man who hit Simon. No, this time it was a wolf. A very large, very pissed off wolf. No one attacked his mate. They slammed to the ground, a tangled mass of claws, fangs, and blood.

He’d watched members of his pack sparring since he was a child, but fighting as a wolf was new to him. He should have been uncoordinated, uncertain, but he wasn’t. He let the wolf take control, trusting the beast to protect its mate.

His wolf didn’t let him down. Sharp claws raked across Simon’s underbelly, drawing blood.

Not willing to give him another opportunity to hurt Addie, he struck with fangs and claws, a relentless and untiring fighting machine.

Simon got in several hard strikes, but the pain didn’t register. He ignored the blood running from his hind quarters, chest, and back.

Both man and beast were united in one cause—winning.

He couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of his heart. Nothing existed in his field of vision but his prey. The ground was hard beneath his large paws. He growled a warning and jumped on Simon’s back, digging his claws into the wolf’s sides and biting the back of his neck before taking him down onto the ground.

He struggled, but Billy held firm, refusing to be bucked or shaken off. Finally, Simon stilled. He wasn’t dead, but seriously wounded. His wolf didn’t want to back off, but he took control and forced him to. It was probably a mistake, but he didn’t want to kill the other man unless absolutely necessary.

The crowd was unnaturally quiet. Addie had her hand to her mouth, eyes wide and skin deathly pale.

When he took a step toward her, the other wolf growled, rolled to his feet, and sprang into the air. He had been half expecting it. Simon should have stayed down. No one had to die here today.

He steeled himself, preparing for what he had to do. There would be no peace for any of them if he didn’t.

But before the wolf reached him, Ryan Hatfield stepped in. Moving fast, he grabbed Simon by the back of the neck and twisted. The loud crack echoed around the clearing. A woman cried out, many gasped, and some yelled in anger.

It was a brutal demonstration of swift and violent pack justice.

Ryan cradled the wolf’s limp body in his arms and raised it high. “Simon was beaten, but he couldn’t accept that outcome, was given a chance to live but didn’t take it.” The crowd went deathly quiet. “As much as it pained me to do this, he left me no choice. He dishonored himself and this pack.

He wouldn’t let this go. We all know he would have gone back to Salvation at some point and attacked them.”

That would have ended in war. One in which many of them would have likely died.

Ryan carried Simon over to his father. “Take him home.”

The man shook his head. “He was never strong.” With that, he turned and walked away.

With a father like that, it was little wonder he’d ended up like he had. If he’d grown up with someone like Elias as a parent, he might have turned out differently. But there was no going back, only moving forward.

Surprisingly, it was the older woman, the one with the cane, who came forward. “I’ll take him.”

Ryan shook his head. “Seth.” One of the men who’d been by the alpha’s side earlier came forward and took the limp body of the wolf.

Everyone was silent as they walked away. Ryan addressed the crowd. “There will be no forced matings in my pack. Do I make myself clear?”

Everyone nodded and many looked down at their feet.

“Good.” He then turned to Addie. “I expect you’ll be going with him.” Ryan pointed at Billy.

He was still in wolf form, not quite sure how to change back. All it took was a single thought and his body began to change. His limbs shifted and contorted. His fur retreated under his skin, and his jaw shortened. It was over before he could process it all.

Naked, he sat in the dirt.

Addie flew to his side and fell to her knees beside him. “You shifted.” There was awe in her voice.

“I did. Didn’t I?” He still couldn’t quite believe it.

“Billy.” Elias crouched beside him, hooked his hand around the back of his neck, and pulled him close. He leaned into his father, overwhelmed by it all—the fight, the blood, the death, but most

of all by the love he had for Addie and his family.

“You’re hurt.” Addie bit her bottom lip. Elias already had his shirt off and was pressing it against the worst of the gashes on Billy’s chest.

“It will heal.” Already he was feeling better. The threat was gone.

The crowd had mostly gone home, except for the Salvation Pack, Ryan and his family, and a couple of other tough-looking men who were there to support their alpha in case a fight broke out.

The Pike County Pack was a good one, but it was large. And in any large group there would always be troublemakers like Simon. Billy pushed to his feet and swayed before righting himself.

Addie slipped her arm around his waist, supporting him without seeming to.

“I’m sorry for the trouble,” he told Ryan.

The alpha shook his head. “Not your fault.” Then he faced Jacque. “Take your people and go. I don’t think it’s wise for any of you to come back anytime soon.”

Addie’s mother made a sound of dismay. It hurt him to see her so distressed. It was too easy to imagine his mother in such a situation.

“Addie’s parents are welcome to visit Salvation.” Jacque made the invitation formal. Billy had never been more proud to be a member of his pack.

It was Orin who stepped forward. “We’ll collect some of Addie’s things and come tomorrow, if that’s all right?”

Jacque nodded. “That will be fine.” He turned to the others. “We need to go.” It went unsaid that some of the pack members might be feeling less than kindly toward them.

Now that he wasn’t fighting, wasn’t focused on staying alive and keeping Addie safe, every single gash, every bruise hurt. Still, it was nothing compared to what he’d already been through.

Jacque stepped into his path. The wolf inside Billy reacted to the alpha’s presence. He gave a low rumble that ended almost on a whine. Jacque reached out and, like Elias had done, hooked his hand behind Billy’s neck. Their foreheads touched and a sense of acceptance flowed through him. He had a pack. He belonged.

In his heart, he’d always known it, but now it went deeper, to a wilder part of his soul. Billy pulled Addie close and then stared at Jacque, silently asking him to include her.

“Stubborn, aren’t you?” Hooking his hand around the back of her neck, the alpha pulled her forward. “I accept both of you into my pack. Now let’s go home.”

It was strange to be walking around naked, but his jeans had been torn to shreds, and he had no idea where his shirt was. His father took care of the problem by handing him a blanket as soon as they reached the truck.

“Thanks.” He wrapped it around his waist and turned to Addie. She had been silent for way too long. “Are you all right?” He wanted her to be happy. Did she want to stay here with her family? He wasn’t sure he’d be able to leave without her.

“I’m fine.” She climbed into the back of the truck.

Jacque had already gotten into one of the other trucks so it would be just himself, Addie, and his father on the way home. He looked at the front seat but climbed in the back beside her.

Elias slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He looked as worried as Billy felt.

“Addie?” He wasn’t sure what to ask her. It was stupid to ask if she was all right again.

Obviously, she wasn’t. He hated not knowing what to do for her.

“Not now. Okay?” She seemed fragile, not a state he associated with her. She was strong and resilient, a fighter. But everyone had a breaking point.

“Okay.” He wrapped his arm around her and heaved a sigh of relief when she leaned into him.

“Okay,” he repeated. They had a lot to settle between them, but at least the immediate danger was gone. There was time to figure out all the rest.

His injuries were no longer seeping blood. It was as though having his wolf finally come out had accelerated his healing abilities. But he was tired and weak and hungry. Closing his eyes, he inhaled her sweet scent. It comforted him in ways he couldn’t put into words.

He heard his dad calling home to let his mom know that everything was okay and they were on their way back to Salvation.

The steady rhythm of the truck rolling down the highway and Addie’s weight resting against him lulled him. He kissed her temple, gave in to the exhaustion, and slept.

Chapter Nineteen

Billy had shifted into a wolf. And what a wolf. The creature was huge, with brown and blond fur and those familiar blue eyes. He’d fought with a skill that should have been impossible, hadn’t even had a moment to get used to his wolf’s body, but had taken to it like a duck to water.

Maybe it was all those years of watching pack members move and train. Maybe it was because he’d grown up around wolves and simply accepted it as a fact of life. He hadn’t fought his wolf, allowing it to take the lead.

Even she hadn’t done that during her first shift. There was always a period of awkwardness getting used to the new form.

Not with Billy. He was exceptional in so many ways. Even when he could have ended Simon, he’d hesitated. Some people might see that as weakness. She saw it as strength.

It was only right that her former alpha had dealt with the problem. After all, Simon had been a member of his pack who’d broken the rules—ironically enough, not by trying to force her to mate with him, but by attacking Billy and possibly exposing their existence to the world. That was a huge no-no.

He’d also attacked an opponent from behind once the battle was over and he’d been defeated, breaking the laws of challenge, flouting pack law. The alpha would have looked weak to the rest of the pack and outsiders if he hadn’t acted. That would have led to more bloodshed as other males would have challenged Ryan for his position.

At least the situation hadn’t been for nothing. The rules had been changed, and forced matings would no longer be accepted. While it came too late to help her, she was glad another woman wouldn’t have to go through what she had. She trusted Ryan to enforce his edict. And so did the pack after today’s demonstration.

“You doing okay?” Elias asked in a low tone.

She was still feeling responsible for everything that had happened today. Logically, it wasn’t her fault, but that didn’t stop the guilt from bubbling up at the strangest times.

“I’m fine.” She whispered, not wanting to wake Billy. Although, given all the energy he’d expended, not only in the fight but during his first shift, she doubted he’d wake anytime soon.

The night wrapped around them like a blanket. A few stars twinkled in the sky, but other than the trucks in their small convoy, there was no sign of anyone else on the road.

“He’s something, isn’t he?”

She heard his pride and agreed, “He is.” There was no one quite like Billy. He was one of a kind.

“I wasn’t sure he’d be able to shift.”

“You’re worried about Sue, aren’t you?” So was she. How would his momma react to being the only human in the pack?

“Yeah. She loves that boy to death.”

While he was a grown man, he would always be Sue’s baby boy. Addie’s parents felt the same way about her.

With his head resting on her shoulder, his breath warm against her skin, she felt safe for the first time in months. She hadn’t realized how much pressure she’d been under until it was gone.

“How do you feel about it?” she asked.

Several miles passed before he finally answered. “I’m happy for him. It means he’ll live longer, be stronger, but mostly it makes him more acceptable to your family and pack. That’s

important, because he doesn’t want to let you go.”

She didn’t want him to let her go. But she wasn’t confident about what his momma would think about the situation now that her son had fully embraced his wolf side. Sue would age and die while her son and husband lived on. While she had plenty more years yet, it would be incredibly difficult for her.

“You’re staying, aren’t you?”

Addie wasn’t about to answer that, not before she and Billy had time to discuss it. “That’s something Billy and I need to talk about.”

“Fair enough.” He continued to stare out the window at the dark ribbon of highway in front of them. “Sue is aging slowly.”

“What?”

“I think it’s the mating mark. It was the slightest of bites, just enough to mark her, but I’m not sure it didn’t change her slightly. Her intuition is more honed, even though she’d deny it. She doesn’t need glasses, has good hearing, and still looks pretty much the same as she did when I met her more than twenty years ago.”

Her heart picked up speed, pounding in her chest. Not only because she was shocked, but because she knew Billy was awake and listening. She’d been so intent on the conversation, she hadn’t noticed.

“Have you told her?” Billy asked as he sat upright. His eyes were glassy with unshed tears.

“I didn’t want to get her hopes up in case I’m wrong.”

“You should tell her.” He leaned forward and rested his hand on Elias’s shoulder. “She needs to hear it.”

“You’re right. I’ll tell her tonight or tomorrow. I don’t know what the hell time it is.”

“It’s mealtime. I’m starving.”

The two men laughed. Addie sat back and simply enjoyed listening to the two of them talk. They were so close, such a tight-knit family. And she had a chance to be a part of it.

But what about her parents? Jacque said they could visit. That was something. Honestly, she wouldn’t miss much about her old pack, but she would miss them. Her activities had been restricted the past few years, simply to avoid being pressured into mating. And that hadn’t worked out so well for her.

The girls she’d grown up with had all mated and had families of their own to occupy them.

She’d gradually spent more and more time home or alone. She hadn’t understood just how isolated and lonely she’d become until she’d met Billy and his pack.

Her parents had tried to fill the void, but it wasn’t the same.

“We’re home,” Elias announced. The lead truck turned off onto the dirt road and they followed.

“I’m making breakfast,” Gator announced as soon as they exited the trucks. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving.”

“You’re always hungry,” Jacque told him.

“So true, mon ami.” He slapped the alpha on the back. “Am I cooking for everyone?”

“I’ll be there,” Cole told him. “I’ll check on Cherise and Amy first, see if they want to join us.”

Gator chuckled. “I’d say yes for Cherise but no for Amy. That girl does love to sleep.”

“I’m going to get your mother. Take Addie and go on.” Elias headed off and the group dispersed.

As much as she wanted some alone time, Billy’s father was right. Something monumental had happened, and the pack needed to be together, to bond.

“That okay with you?” Billy asked.

Her heart seemed to swell in her chest and she nodded. “I’d like that.”

Both Reece and Sage hovered beside them. Addie took a step back and motioned them forward.

“I see you were listening all those years we tried to teach you how to fight.” Reece’s voice was gruff, but there was love and pride reflected in his eyes.

“Yeah, thanks for that. I might not have made it otherwise.” The two men hugged and slapped each other on the back. It was a stark reminder the fight could have just as easily gone the other way.

She pushed that thought out of her mind. It served no purpose to dwell on something that hadn’t happened.

Sage yanked his cousin from Reece’s arms. “Don’t hog him.” He hugged Billy. “I’m so damn glad you’re okay.”

Reece threw his arms around the two of them. The bond, the love, was palpable. I’m an outsider. The pang of jealousy was unexpected. It was followed by anger—at herself for reacting that way. Then Reece snaked his arm out and pulled her into the group, sandwiching her between all of them.

She laughed and shed a few tears, more at home right here and now than she’d been in a long, long time.

****

Sue would be watching and waiting, unable to sleep until Elias got home. Their brief conversation wouldn’t have been enough to soothe her. Sure enough, as soon as he stepped into view, the back door flew open. She shot through the door and down the stairs. “Where is he? Where’s Billy?”

He caught her in his arms. “He’s safe. He and Addie have gone to Gator’s place for breakfast.

We’ll join the others in a minute. I want to talk to you first.”

He hated the fear in her eyes. “He’s hurt.”

Elias ran his hands over her shoulders and back, simply needing to touch her. Even after all these years, she was his heart, his reason for living. “He’s fine. He had a few gashes, but they’re already healing.”

“Okay.” She nodded and struggled to catch her breath. Then her eyes narrowed. The woman knew him far too well. “What aren’t you telling me?”

How did he tell her that her son was now one of them while she wasn’t? It broke his heart.

“Elias.” She reached up and cupped his face in her hands. “Tell me what’s wrong. You’re scaring me.”

“Billy shifted.”

She stilled and then slowly nodded, as though she’d expected nothing less. “That’s good, right?

It makes him stronger?”

He should have never doubted she’d take the announcement the same way she’d taken everything else that had been thrown at her over the years—with grace and dignity with a dose of common sense tossed in.

“Yes. It was during the fight. When Simon tried to attack Addie, Billy shifted. It was so fast, Sue. So damn amazing.” He couldn’t have been prouder.

“I knew it would happen. It was only a matter of time.” When he gave her a questioning look, she simply laughed. “He’s stubborn like his father.”

He knew she meant him and not Billy’s biological father. “There’s something else.”

“Now you’re really worrying me.” She tugged him over to the steps and pulled him down

beside her. “What is it? Are you worried because I’m the only human now, because everyone will outlive me?” Werewolves typically had twice the lifespan of humans, but often died young due to the violence that permeated their culture.

He hated how sad she sounded. Inside him, his wolf whined, not liking this at all. “Partly.”

“I’ve accepted it. It’s better than the alternative. Our son could have died. If he can have a long and happy life with Addie, then I’m happy for them. She came back with him, right?”

“Yes, she did. Her folks are coming tomorrow, or rather later today.” Dawn wasn’t far off.

She linked their hands together. “It’s about us, isn’t it?”

“I love you.” He needed her to understand that. He lifted her off the step and into his lap, needing the press of her against him.

“I love you, too.”

“You’re not aging as fast as you should.”

Sue frowned. “I have small lines around my eyes.”

He shook his head. “You see what you want to see. You look the same as you did when we met.”

“The lines are there.” Her voice was gentle and sad.

“Yes, but you don’t look anything like other women your age. You’re still vital and active and except for a few tiny lines around your eyes you’re the same.”

She frowned. “Elias, I’m human.”

“You are,” he agreed, “but the mating mark might have changed you slightly. Hear me out,” he said when she started to interrupt him. “Your intuition is uncanny and you don’t need glasses. Most people your age at least need reading glasses.”

She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I will age a little slower, but I’m still human. I’m okay with that, as long as I have you.”

“You’ll always have me.” He clung to her and peppered kisses on her face. “Always.”

“Then that’s all that matters.”

All the angst, all the fear, simply vanished. She was right. It was all that mattered.

“I want to take you inside,” he told her.

“But they’d come looking for us.”

“And you need to see Billy.”

“I do.”

Elias stood with his mate, the love of his life cradled in his arms. “Then let’s go and see our son.”

****

Billy watched Addie closely. She seemed calm, if tired, but he couldn’t help being concerned.

Tonight had been rough on both of them.

The walk to Gator’s house had been quick, and with Reece and Sage along there’d been no time to really talk. By the time he’d cleaned up in Gator’s bathroom, the others had started to arrive.

Now the house was full, even though it was still dark outside. They were jammed in the living room and dining area, sitting on chairs and leaning against the walls.

But there were two people missing.

“They’ll be here soon,” Addie leaned over and whispered in his ear.

His father was talking to his mom, giving her his theory about her aging. Maybe he was right.

Billy wasn’t sure. He honestly didn’t notice if she was aging or not.

He caught Elias’s scent as the door was pushed open and jumped to his feet in time to catch his

mom as she flew at him.

“I’m fine.” Thankfully, Gator had loaned him a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt so most of the healing scars were covered. He’d long since stopped bleeding, and they’d tossed the soiled blanket into the laundry room out of sight.

“I promise I’ll stop hovering.” Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, she added, “In about a year.”

Everyone laughed and that set the tone for the impromptu celebration. They ate blueberry pancakes and French toast, mountains of eggs, and platters of bacon and ham. There were loaves of bread toasted, including some delicious raisin bread. It was all washed down with copious amounts of coffee and orange juice.

Ravenous, Billy dug in, while keeping one eye on Addie, only slowing down when the worst of the hunger finally dissipated. She’d picked at her food, eating enough so people wouldn’t comment but less than he would have liked.

“Doing better?” Jacque asked. The entire room went silent.

“I am. Thanks.” He set down his fork and pushed the plate away.

Jacque went through what had happened for all the pack members who hadn’t been there. He kept it short and sweet, ending with the announcement that Addie’s parents were coming to visit.

It wasn’t fair that Addie couldn’t go home to see them, at least not with him. And honestly, he wouldn’t want her to go without him. Simon had relatives in the pack. While they may accept their alpha’s decision, many of them would no doubt wrongly blame her.

“I’ll bake a cake or maybe cupcakes,” Anny promised. “Lots and lots of cupcakes.”

“You’ll love them,” he told Addie.

“And pie. I’ll make some pies,” Elise offered.

Both women looked at Gator. He grinned at them. “Guess I’m whipping up something spectacular for supper.”

“We’ll have a cookout,” Jacque decreed. “Easier to fit everyone.”

Addie seemed taken aback by the preparations being made to welcome her parents, but he’d expected nothing less. They might be a wolf pack, but they were family first.

The alpha looked at them. “I imagine you both have things to discuss. You’ll need to rest, too, for when her parents arrive.”

He appreciated what Jacque was doing. Taking full advantage of the reprieve, Billy stood and held out his hand. “Yeah, I’m tired.”

“Tired, yeah,” Reece teased. Addie’s cheeks turned red.

“Since you seem to have an abundance of energy, Reece, you can handle clean up,” Jacque announced. The entire group laughed, including, to his delight, Addie.

His cousin frowned but then began to chuckle. “You got me. My twin will help me. Won’t you?”

Sage gave a fake yawn. “I’m pretty tired. I figured I’d take Rina home. You know, to rest.”

He ushered Addie out while the others were debating who was tired and who wasn’t. He heard Armand announce that he was old and needed his rest. Anny started to pipe up that she wasn’t old, but quickly changed her mind and agreed that Armand was old.

“Are they always like this?” she asked.

“Pretty much.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began the walk home. He wanted to build his own now that he had Addie, but wasn’t sure about leaving his mom and dad in that big house on their own. They’d have to discuss it.

And maybe he was getting ahead of himself. She’d told him she loved him, but she hadn’t

agreed to mate with him yet.

He kept his silence until they entered his room and closed the door behind him. The soundproofing assured no one would hear them, even when his parents returned home.

She nibbled on her bottom lip and glanced at the bed. “So what happens now?”

Chapter Twenty

It surprised him that she was nervous. But this was the first time they’d been alone since he’d fought and won, since his wolf had been released.

“What do you want to happen?” He remained by the patio door and watched the sun rising on a new day—the first one of the rest of his life. While he wanted to kiss her senseless and take her to bed, that would have to wait. She wasn’t anywhere near ready.

She tugged on the hem of her shirt. “Can I see your wolf?”

“You want to see my wolf?” Not what he’d expected, but it did make sense. He’d shifted mid-battle, leaving no time for her to really get a good look at him.

She rocked back and forth on her feet. “If you don’t mind.”

“I’m not quite sure how to do it,” he admitted.

“Really?”

“It just happened before.” He shrugged, trying to beat back the worry settling into his gut. “I didn’t have to think about it during the fight.” The wolf had simply been there. A part of him was worried it had been a one-time thing.

“All you have to do is picture your wolf in your mind and let go. It will be easier now because you’ve already done it. The first time is always the hardest.”

“So just picture my wolf and let go,” he repeated. Sounded easy enough, but he figured there had to be more to it than that.

“Yes.” She took a step back to give him room.

“I can do this,” he muttered under his breath. He stripped off his clothes, tossed them onto the chair, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. A picture of his wolf formed in his mind. Billy wasn’t sure what he looked like as a wolf, but he pulled up his memory of the one he’d seen when he’d been dying.

The creature was big, much bigger than he remembered, the fur a combination of brown with a lot of blond thrown in. Familiar blue eyes stared back at him. He looked expectantly at the wolf. The creature tilted his head back, seeming to laugh before jumping straight at him. Rather than pull back or try to block him, Billy simply opened his arms.

His entire body jolted, and his limbs began to reshape. It should have hurt, but it didn’t. Not really. It was strange more than anything but not painful. Fur pushed out from beneath his skin. His face contorted and he fell forward, catching himself not with the palms of his hands but on two huge front paws. The wolf was in control, but he was still there. It was really weird but somehow right.

They weren’t competing for the same body—rather, they were sharing.

“Wow.” Addie stared, her eyes wide with wonder, her lips parted.

He didn’t need to direct his wolf. The creature knew what he wanted, padding over to her and pushing his muzzle against her stomach. She laughed, leaned down, and kissed the top of his head.

“You’re amazing. So big and beautiful.”

His curiosity was killing him. He wished he could see himself, although he didn’t want to appear vain. She seemed to understand what he needed.

“Give me a second.” She hurried into the bathroom, but he didn’t want to wait. He turned and looked at the patio doors, able to catch a faint reflection in the glass. It wasn’t his familiar reflection staring back at him, but that of a large wolf.

“Look in here.” She held up the small mirror he used for shaving in the shower. It reflected his new form. It was all so unfamiliar, except for the eyes. They were his.

“You’re very handsome.” She set the mirror down on the bedside table. “Do you want to run?”

Excitement quivered inside him. His wolf wanted to be free, to race across the land and learn it in a way he’d never been able to as human. Was she doing this for him or was she avoiding their inevitable conversation?

No matter. They’d talk eventually. If she needed time, he’d give it to her.

When he pressed his head against her arm in agreement, she dug her hand into his thick fur and held on. The slight tremble in her fingers was worrisome. He wished she’d talk to him. Tell him what was on her mind.

Giving him a pat, she stepped away and slowly pulled off her clothes, one piece at a time. A low rumble escaped him when she was finally naked. She was the most beautiful woman in the world, both inside and out. He couldn’t stop looking at her.

She opened the door and stepped out onto the deck. He followed, not taking his eyes off of her.

His wolf growled and began to pace. He didn’t like her being out here, exposed, where anyone could see her.

His wolf was possessive.

She raised her arms and embraced the change. He’d seen it before, but it was utterly enthralling, even more so now that he’d gone through it himself. Everything seemed to happen at once.

Skin was replaced by fur. Hands and feet became paws. Some limbs elongated, while others shortened. Then she was standing in front of him, a smaller female wolf with multi-hued brown fur and honey-colored eyes.

My Addie.

She trotted down the steps and looked over her shoulder as if to ask him what he was waiting for. Bypassing the steps, he launched himself off the patio, landing beside her, quivering with barely suppressed excitement and anticipation.

He was going to walk with her, run with her. And unlike their last trek through the woods the morning after he’d died and been reborn, this time he would be like her. No longer was he human or a half-breed. Today he would run as a wolf.

She shot off between two oak trees with him right behind her. Although it was safe on pack land, the urge to protect her was foremost in his mind.

The light was just beginning to filter through the shadows. The world was waking, and he was alive.

He breathed the crisp morning air, catching the scent of fox, deer, and squirrel. An owl hooted and a crow cawed. But all that was in the periphery of his awareness. Addie was front and center.

She was graceful and swift as she jumped over rocks and downed branches and zigzagged between trees.

And he kept pace the entire way, instinctually knowing how to move for maximum efficiency, where to step to avoid making any unnecessary noise. He let the wolf lead, and the creature didn’t disappoint.

After almost an hour, she stopped on the edge of a cliff and peered out over the land, most of which belonged to the pack. He wanted to touch her, to dig his fingers into her thick fur and delight in its warmth.

Concentrating on a picture of himself, he was pleased when the wolf receded without a struggle. The air snaked over his bare skin, but he wasn’t cold—one of the benefits of being a fully integrated wolf.

He crouched beside Addie and placed his hand on her shoulder, sinking his fingers into her soft

fur. The muscles went taut at his touch. He slowly removed his hand and tried to find the words to reassure her.

“You know I love you.” He held on to the fact that she’d told him that she loved him, too. “I want to mate with you, but I’ll wait until you’re ready. We don’t have to rush into anything. Don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

He rested his head against her flank, absorbing her nearness and drawing comfort from the fact she hadn’t run off.

“A lot has happened in a short amount of time, but I know how I feel. I’ll build you a house if you want one.” When she turned and stared at him, he nodded. “I can afford it. My grandparents left me a trust fund. It was supposed to be for my education, but I didn’t want to go. I’ve always worked and have never spent much. Besides, we’ve built all the houses here. It wouldn’t take long to put up a small one. Couple of months and we’d be finished. Maybe less.”

He drew his legs in and loosely wrapped his arms around them. Addie settled in front of him and rested her chin on his knees. “I admit, I’m worried about leaving Mom and Dad in that big house on their own. Maybe we could wait a month or so before we start on ours.”

Did she want the same things he did, or was she trying to find a way to let him down? Did his wolf make a difference to how she saw him?

He’d won the fight for his life, but this was a bigger battle. This was for his heart.

“I wish you’d talk to me.”

****

Addie loved the freedom of running as a wolf, letting the animal side of her nature take the lead so she wouldn’t have to think about all the decisions facing her.

But that was wrong. Billy needed more reassurance than she’d realized. She shifted, ending up kneeling in front of him with her hands resting on his knees. “You’d build me a house?” He’d said it so casually, like it was no big deal, when it meant everything to her.

“Of course.”

And that was Billy, right there in a nutshell. Whatever she needed, he’d provide.

“What do you want?” she gently asked.

“You.” He touched his fingers against her cheek. “I want you. Whatever it takes to have that, I’ll do.”

Her chest constricted and tears welled in her eyes. “You have me.” That was the one thing about this entire situation that she was certain about.

There was an unspoken hope, a question in his eyes. One he seemed afraid to ask. It was up to her to take the final step.

Addie took a deep breath, released her fears, and reached out for what she wanted. “Billy Gallagher, will you mate with me?”

She was in his arms, plastered against his chest in a heartbeat. “Yes.” His kiss was hard and hot and filled with promise. He roamed his hands over her shoulders and back, practically inhaled her into his body.

Heat poured over her, through her, and around her. All she could feel was Billy. His scent enveloped her. The taste of his lips was what pure love tasted like.

She clutched at his biceps, wanting to be closer. Her breasts pressed against his chest, the nipples pebbling. His erection poked her thigh.

They were outside where anyone could come across them at any time. “Should we go home?”

She was breathless, almost beyond caring where they were.

His stunned expression would have made her laugh if she wasn’t so desperate. The hunger in his eyes still smoldered, but it was banked. “Yeah, we should.” He shifted, faster than should have been possible considering he was still new at it. She did the same and they both hurried toward the house.

This time, there were no fun detours or pauses to explore something interesting. They took the most direct route, not stopping until they reached the deck outside his bedroom.

Billy shifted and opened the door, allowing her to slip past him. As soon as she was inside, she shifted.

He shut the door and pulled the drapes.

There were no nerves this time. Honestly, she couldn’t figure out why she’d been so anxious before. Billy was her mate. Waiting wouldn’t change that, wouldn’t make her any more or less sure of his commitment to her or hers to him. Their bond had been tested in every way possible.

He scooped her into his arms and simply fell back, taking them both down onto the bed. His infectious enthusiasm made her laugh. Only he could lighten up such a serious moment.

She ran her hands over his chiseled abs and kept going lower. On a groan, he rolled until she was on her back, caught her hands, and raised them over her head to rest on the pillow. “Too much of that and I’ll come.”

Not to be defeated, she lifted her legs and ran her feet along his bare flanks. “Close to the edge, are you?” Arching upward, she rubbed her mound against his shaft.

He growled and leaned down until their noses were almost touching. “You’ll pay for that.”

Any other wolf and she’d have been scared out of her mind. But Billy would never hurt her, would only ever offer her the most delicious pleasure. “Promises, promises,” she teased.

He nipped her chin, letting his teeth graze the tender skin. Her core contracted and she moaned.

He slid his hands down her inner arms and sides. “Mine,” he whispered before he kissed her.

Yes, she was his and he was hers. That was how it was supposed to be. She kept her hands over her head, for now, because it would please him. There was a feral quality about him that hadn’t been there before. It was extremely arousing.

Their tongues tangled. Their breath melded. His hands were never still as he stroked her stomach and legs. He touched her everywhere but her breasts or between her legs. This was his payback.

She ached for him, yearned to be joined together. “Billy,” she whispered when she finally turned her head away to catch a breath.

He growled and cupped her breasts in his large hands, running his thumbs over the tight nipples.

Pleasure raced between them and down to her core. Unwilling to wait any longer, she reached between them and wrapped her hand around his shaft.

“Addie.” She loved it when he said her name like that, with love and a touch of desperation.

In retaliation, he caught one tight nipple between his lips and sucked. The sensation rocketed through her, leaving trails of heat in its wake. But he was only getting started. He went back and forth between her breasts, licking and teasing until she was gasping for breath and begging for relief.

But he wasn’t done torturing her.

He kissed a path down her torso until he was between her thighs, forcing her to release her grip on him.

“Now.” She didn’t want to wait.

“Not yet.” He delved between her legs and dragged his tongue over her core. She pushed deeper into his touch and made a sound somewhere between pain and pleasure. It hurt, but the hurt

was so good. She wanted more. Needed more.

He seemed determined to make her come before he claimed her. Letting go, she sank into the sensations bombarding her. When he wrapped his warm lips around her clit and growled, the vibration rippled through her. On a thready scream, she came, legs shaking, body trembling.

Before she’d barely registered the orgasm, he flipped her onto her stomach and pulled her up until she was on all fours.

Panting hard, she glanced over her shoulder. His eyes were glowing and his lips were pulled back, exposing the tips of his sharp fangs. Another shiver slid through her.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“God, yes.” She wanted this so badly. If he didn’t do it soon, she might just bite him.

He fit the head of his shaft against her opening and slowly pushed. It wasn’t easy for him to work the broad head in, with her body still pulsing from her orgasm, but he kept up a steady pressure until he was inside, stretching her.

She locked her elbows so she wouldn’t fall. Perspiration trickled down her face. Her limbs shook.

Clasping her hips in his hands, he surged forward. He was hard and thick, forcing her inner muscles to stretch to accommodate him. Aftershocks from her orgasm had her inner muscles clutching his cock.

Breathing heavily, she lowered her head, concentrating on drawing air into her lungs until he was finally seated to the hilt. They were intimately joined, emotionally linked, but it wasn’t permanent, not yet.

He leaned over her, placing his hands next to hers on the mattress. They were larger, darker, and rough. A man’s hands. Her man’s hands.

He nuzzled her neck. “Ready?”

She tilted her head to one side, giving him access to her vulnerable neck.

****

This is really happening.

Billy fought hard to keep control. He’d never forgive himself if he hurt her at such a crucial time. This was their mating.

They still had a lot to work out, decisions to make, but nothing was as important as this. The rest was just details. Joining their lives together, committing to each other, was all that truly mattered.

She was tight and wet and warm. It was hell to try to go so slowly, but heaven when he finally arrived. His cock was pulsing inside her. Her inner muscles shredded his control.

He slowly sank his fangs into the area where her shoulder and neck met and tasted blood.

Rather than be revolted, he moaned as something clicked deep inside him, the joining locking into place, sealing their bond. She gasped and the telltale ripples along his shaft signaled she was coming again.

Releasing his hold on her, he licked the area. It was already healing, for which he was grateful, but the mark would never fade. A mating mark never did.

She moaned and bucked against him, sending him deeper. Swearing, he thrust. Once. Twice. He gritted his teeth to keep from howling. The room was soundproofed, but it was best not to risk it. The last thing he needed was his father knocking on the door. Talk about a mood killer.

Before he collapsed, he managed to turn them so they both landed on their sides. His cock was locked inside her, pulsing with release. He brushed her damp hair out of the way and pressed a gentle kiss against the mating mark.

On a sigh, she snuggled closer, pressing her butt tighter to his groin. His eyes almost rolled back into his head. She knew exactly what she was doing to him. Giving a mock growl, he nipped lightly at her shoulder.

They lay there in the quiet as the room grew lighter and lighter, neither of them in a hurry to move.

“What will your parents think of this?” Maybe it was something he should have considered before they’d mated, but he honestly hadn’t wanted to risk losing her.

“I think they’ll be okay with our mating.” But she wasn’t sure. He could tell from the tone of her voice.

He disengaged, since he was no longer locked inside her, and turned her so she was facing him.

“They can come and visit as often as they want.”

She nodded while rubbing circles on his chest. “I know.”

But it wouldn’t be the same, and she couldn’t go home. Not for a long while. Maybe not ever.

“Do you want a house of your own?” He’d break ground this afternoon if it was what she needed. All he wanted was for her to be happy.

“Maybe, but not yet.” She ran her fingers over his cheek. The feather-light caress had his dick straining once again. Being a werewolf came with benefits.

“What do you want?” Better to ask outright than to try to guess.

“I think your momma needs some time to get used to everything before we move out.”

“You don’t mind?” Most women would. Of course, Addie had grown up with a pack and they were social creatures, more used to communal living.

“It’s private enough. I assume the room is soundproof.”

“Yes. And their bedroom is on the other side of the house. They put us boys on this side when we were growing up.”

Addie smiled. “Smart.”

Yeah, he didn’t want to think about hearing his parents having sex. He knew they did, but that didn’t mean he wanted to have that confirmed on any given night.

She laughed at the expression on his face. “You just realized this goes both ways now, didn’t you?”

He threw himself onto his back with his arm over his eyes. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

She propped herself up on his chest and pushed his arm up so it wasn’t covering his face. There was a twinkle in her eyes that warmed his heart, as well as other areas of his body.

“Maybe we could get an air conditioner or a white noise machine. For summer when the windows are open,” she teased.

He rolled, taking her under him and sliding into her, making them both moan.

“Are you going to do that every time you don’t want to talk about something?” she asked.

“Yes.” He began to thrust in and out.

She clung to his shoulders and smiled. “Works for me.”

He kissed her then, tasting home, tasting the future he’d always wanted.

Chapter Twenty-One

Billy loved her.

Tilting her head to one side, she peered into the bathroom mirror, a newfound confidence filling her. The scar on her neck wasn’t overly large, but there was no missing the mating mark. It was more permanent than a wedding ring.

There’d been a time, not so long ago, she’d believed she’d never mate, had feared such a bond would curtail her freedoms. Instead, it had set her free, enabling her to soar. Having a mate who believed in her, who wanted her happy, was a gift she’d never take for granted. But her worries weren’t totally gone. His pack would accept them, but would her parents?

She’d deliberately chosen to wear a top with a lower neckline so the mark would be visible to everyone. When her parents arrived later today they’d be bringing her clothing so she wouldn’t have to borrow anymore.

It made her transition to the Salvation Pack even more real.

“What are you thinking?” Billy appeared in the mirror behind her. After taking a long nap, he’d shown her just how much fun showering together could be. Her entire body quivered at the memory.

He looked fresh and alert and oh so hot wearing a pair of clean jeans and a crisp white dress shirt.

She shrugged, not sure how to put it all into words. “It’s just a lot. I have no regrets,” she assured him, when he frowned. “But so much has happened so fast.” In a matter of days, her entire life had been turned upside down.

He slipped his arms around her, leaned down, and kissed the mark on her neck. “I wish I could have courted you properly.” He turned her so she was facing him and touched the tips of his fingers to the scar, as though he couldn’t quite believe it was real either. “I promise things will slow down now.”

She laughed in spite of her anxiety. “Really? Because my parents are arriving any second with all my stuff, and we’re talking about maybe building a house. I also have to figure out exactly how I plan to do my part here in the pack. That doesn’t sound like slowing down.”

He hooked a lock of hair behind her ear, the light touch sending a shiver through her. “I thought you were going to sew quilts.”

“Maybe they have enough people doing that.” Wow, she really was stressing. She rubbed her fingers over her forehead. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He pulled her hand away and kissed the frown lines away from between her eyes.

“You don’t have to figure everything out today. And we’re staying here for a while, so you can put aside thoughts of a house until you’re ready. As for your stuff, we’ll find room for everything, even if I have to get rid of some of my things.”

He always seemed to know what to do or say to make her feel better. “I know you’re right.” She tried to smile. “I’m just incredibly nervous.”

He nodded in understanding. “You’re not sure how your parents will react.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine. But…?” She just shook her head and straightened her top. “We should go.”

When Billy’s phone signaled, he pulled it out of his pocket and checked the text message.

“They’re pulling in at the parking area.”

Her stomach was queasy, but she took a deep breath and reached for his hand. “Let’s go greet them.”

It didn’t take long to navigate the right path. She was already getting familiar with the trails

running from house to house to the workshop and parking lot.

Jacque, Louis, and Cole were already there when they arrived, officially greeting their visitors.

Her momma sent her a nervous glance.

Addie broke away from Billy and hurried forward.

“Go and greet your daughter. We can talk more later,” Jacque told them as she skidded to a stop beside them.

“Addie,” her daddy scolded. She knew better than to interrupt the alpha. Then his gaze fell to the low neckline of her shirt. He reached out and touched the mating mark. “What have you done?” he asked, not to her but to Billy.

“I mated with your daughter, sir.”

Jacque put his hands on his waist and raised his gaze to the sky as if searching for divine intervention. Addie couldn’t tell if he was pleased or not by their mating.

Her momma grabbed her hands. “You’re okay?”

“Yes.” Addie’s gaze went to her mate. “I’m very okay.”

The alpha slapped Billy on the back. “Congratulations. I take it your folks don’t know yet.”

He shook his head. “No one knows, except the five of you now. I’d planned to wait.” He shrugged, offering no further explanation, for which she was grateful. It was too personal, too private to share.

“Let’s go back to the house.” Jacque turned to Louis. “Call Elias and Sue. And you better call Reece and Sage as well.” Then he turned to Cole. “Let Gator know he needs to push back our meal for a bit. Maybe an hour to be safe.”

“No, please.” Upsetting everyone’s plans was not the way she wanted to start her new life here.

“Gator’s gone to a lot of trouble. No need to delay it.”

When Jacque came to her, she lowered her gaze, unable to meet his. Billy was immediately behind her, slipping his arms around her waist and urging her to lean against him. The alpha caught her chin in his hand and raised her head.

“You need to stop worrying, chère. You’re part of this pack. You’re Billy’s mate. Besides,” he released her chin, “his parents need to be told before the others.”

“Of course.” God, why hadn’t they waited? Billy leaned down and kissed her temple, sending a blast of heat through her. That’s why they hadn’t waited. He was just too much temptation.

Her daddy stepped forward and held out his hand. “I can see my daughter is in good hands.”

“All I want is for her to be happy.” Billy couldn’t have said anything better.

Her momma’s eyes filled up and then she opened her arms. “I’m so happy for you both.”

Addie hugged her. Then her daddy had her in a bear hug. Jacque and the others slipped away, leaving the four of them alone.

Her momma pointed at the car. “We have your clothes, but not all your belongings.” She bit her lip and glanced at Billy. “We wanted an excuse to come see you again.”

“Oh, Momma.” She couldn’t imagine not seeing her and her daddy on a daily basis. She would miss her terribly.

Billy finally put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We should go. The others are probably waiting.”

“Of course.” She swiped at her eyes and forced a smile.

“Addie, honey, you go in there looking like that and my family is going to whip my butt for making you sad.”

That made her laugh. “Your family adores you,” she reminded him.

“They do. But they adore you, too. If my father thought for one second I’d pushed you into mating, he would not be happy.”

From his expression, he wasn’t saying it to help her relax. He really meant it. Talk about a revelation. She curled her arm around his. “Let’s not keep them waiting.”

With her parents following, they led the way to the alpha’s home. Her new in-laws were already there. Addie scented them as they walked up the porch stairs. The door opened and Elias stood there, big and broad and intimidating.

Except she was no longer afraid of him.

His gaze went to her neck and then to her face. She smiled and nodded. A huge grin split his face. He came to her and gently cupped her face in his hands. “Welcome to the family.”

Following her instincts, she hugged him, smiling more when he hugged her back. Then he released her and all but pounced on Billy. He dragged his son into his arms and lifted him off his feet.

Her parents watched the exchange—her daddy with a smile, while her momma brushed away tears. The spontaneous show of affection did more for settling their doubts than anything else could have.

Sue stepped out onto the porch and glanced at her son and Elias, then turned her attention to Addie. “You mated with my boy.”

It wasn’t a question since the mark was visible, but she nodded.

“I’m so happy for you both.” Sue hugged her, but quickly released her and turned to Addie’s parents. “I’m so glad to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Fuller.”

“Call us Orin and Sharon.” He carefully took her hand and shook it. Addie was very aware that Elias had released Billy and gone to his mate’s side, leaving no doubt he’d maim anyone who threatened her.

Then her momma stepped forward. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

Sue, being the gentle and beautiful woman she was, hooked her arm through Sharon’s and led her into the house. “Addie tells me you taught her to sew. You’ll have to see our quilting room. We make them and a variety of other goods to sell.”

Elias and her daddy followed the women, leaving her and Billy alone. Or as alone as they could be with a bunch of werewolves inside who could hear every word they said.

Billy held out his arm. “Ready?”

More than ready, she took his arm and they went inside.

****

Hours later, Billy stood with a beer in his hand and watched Addie smiling at something her mother said. Her parents seemed to be enjoying themselves. Gator had served up a feast, and the other women had donated almost a dozen side dishes to the cause. The entire pack wanted to celebrate his and Addie’s mating.

Now they’d spilled outside. There was coffee, beer, and lemonade. A variety of cookies and pies sat on a picnic table, as well as two chocolate cakes for anyone who wanted dessert.

Cole had even broken out his fiddle, something he only did on rare occasions, but he wasn’t the only one who’d played. Gator had given them a tune. Surprisingly, Addie’s father played, and quite well. After a half-dozen songs, he’d handed the instrument off to Amy. Cole’s daughter had inherited her father’s affinity for music.

Jacque came over to stand beside him. “Thanks for everything,” he told his alpha. “I truly appreciate the welcome you gave Addie’s folks. I know I probably should have asked you about the mating first.” He understood pack protocol.

Jacque thumped him on the back. “Anyone with eyes could see where you two were headed. If I’d had any objections, I would have left her with her pack.”

Because he was laid back, there was a tendency to forget sometimes just how lethal and dangerous Jacque LaForge was. But there was one thing Billy knew for certain—the man lived and breathed to protect his pack. And in his mind, that meant making them happy.

“Addie’s folks seem like good people,” he added.

“They do. She’s really close with them. Thanks again for allowing them to visit.”

“It’s not going to be easy for them in their own pack. Most people will accept that Ryan had to kill Simon. Some of them will blame Addie and her parents.” Jacque peered into the night sky that had risen over the clearing between the houses, shedding light on it.

“I figured as much.” And it worried him. If something happened to her folks, it might destroy her.

“Wouldn’t take long to put up a small house,” Jacque continued.

He took another pull on his beer, enjoying the taste. “Yeah, Addie and I figured we’d live with Mom and Dad for a bit, until they’re used to things. It’s a big place and soundproofed.”

“Elias already mentioned you’d talked to him about that over dinner. I wasn’t talking about you and Addie.” He tipped his head off to the left where Orin and Sharon were dancing together. Beside them, Reece swung Addie in a circle.

“You want Addie’s parents to live here?”

“Want is a strong word.”

He almost laughed. Jacque was well known for being wary of outsiders, but somehow the pack had grown over the years and would likely continue to do so. After all, the alpha’s sons would need mates someday.

“They’re good people. Addie would be more at ease and so would you.” He sniffed the air and homed in on his mate, who was currently dancing with Louis. “Talk to them. I’m going to dance with Gwen.”

Billy watched Jacque cut in. Louis laughed and grabbed his own mate. A sense of well-being came over him. This was all he’d ever wanted. Right here. When the song ended, he set his empty beer can on the table and headed toward Addie, who was talking with her parents.

“Let’s go back to the house.” He wanted to talk in private. Since her folks were staying with them, it was convenient all the way around.

“What’s wrong?” He hated the fear that immediately jumped into her eyes.

“Nothing.” He dropped a quick kiss on her sweet lips, very aware of her parents watching. “I thought you might like some quiet time with your folks.”

Addie’s father looked resigned, her mother nervous. Time was waning, and they were as worried about seeing her again as she was about seeing them.

“We should say goodnight,” Sharon began.

Billy shook his head. “Jacque knows we’re going.” He raised his hand and waved to the alpha, who nodded back. “We’re heading out,” he announced to everyone. “See you all tomorrow.” They all called out their goodnights and took the path back home.

It became quieter the farther away they got, but they could still hear the music when they stepped inside.

“What’s going on?” Orin demanded. “You were talking with Jacque just before we left.”

His father-in-law was a sharp man, but he wouldn’t have expected anything less, not considering the daughter he’d raised.

“Do we have to leave first thing tomorrow?” Sharon asked. She went to Addie’s side and hugged her, her expression one of resignation.

“It’s nothing like that.” Damn, he hated seeing the distress on both their faces. That hadn’t been his intention. “Just the opposite.”

“What did Jacque say?” Addie asked.

He went to his mate and pulled her into his arms. “He wants you to be happy. And he knows that won’t happen if you’re always worried about your folks.” He looked over her head at Orin, who had his arms protectively wrapped around Sharon.

“There’s land enough to build a small house,” he told his father-in-law. “Wouldn’t take long to put one up.”

Addie frowned. “I thought we were living with your folks for a few months, maybe forever.

This is a big house.”

He playfully rubbed his nose against hers. “It’s big. But, honey, I don’t want to live with both my folks and my in-laws. I may be a wolf now, but that’s a little bit too much togetherness, even for me.”

Her jaw dropped. He laughed and pushed it closed with his forefinger. Her parents looked equally stunned.

“Jacque figures you’re good people. And he knows life in your pack might not be easy because of what happened.”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” Addie admitted. “Has anything happened?”

Orin shrugged. “Some of Simon’s family have made threats. One of Ryan’s sons is watching the house while we’re gone.”

That told Billy this was the right decision for all of them. “Will you do it? I know it’s a lot to ask of you to leave behind your home and move here.”

Orin shook his head and looked at his mate and his daughter. “It’s not hard at all. It’s what would make them both happy.” Both women squealed and hugged.

“How soon can you move?”

“We can head home tomorrow, pack everything we need, and be back by nightfall, the day after at the latest.”

“Will your alpha give you grief?” That was always a concern.

“I don’t think so,” Orin told him. “I think he’d be just as happy to have us gone. Things would settle down in the pack a lot quicker if Simon’s kin thought we’d been banished from the pack.”

“That’s not fair,” Addie protested.

Her father grinned and tweaked her nose. “Life isn’t always fair. But in this case, it is. Your momma and I can start a new life here. I’ll speak with Jacque in the morning. We don’t have much money, but I can hunt and fish and I’m good with engines and such. Sharon is good at sewing and makes the best preserves you’ve ever tasted.”

“He’s not worried about that,” Billy assured him. “He knows you’ll contribute.”

“Well then. I think we should head to bed, Sharon. We need to rest since it will be a long day tomorrow.” Billy caught the twinkle in Orin’s eyes, knew he was heading to bed to give them time alone. If he hadn’t already liked his new father-in-law, that would have cemented it.

“Sounds like a wonderful idea.” Sharon kissed Billy on the cheek. “Thank you.”

“No need for thanks. I wouldn’t have Addie without you.”

With her parents gone, he plucked Addie off her feet and carried her to their room. When the door was shut behind them, he gave a sigh of relief.

“Thank you.” She caught his head in her hands, chaining him with her gentle touch. “You’ve made me the happiest woman in the world.”

He walked to the bed before he released her. “That’s all I want.”

“I love you, Billy Gallagher. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure you’re never sorry you mated me.”

A thrill went through him every time she said she loved him. “I could never be sorry.” He pulled off her tunic while she was busy unbuttoning his shirt.

She slipped her hands across his chest while he palmed her breasts. Her nipples were already puckered, sweet nubs just waiting to be tasted.

He leaned sideways, falling on the bed and pulling her with him. Her laughter filled the room and his heart.

He’d never dreamed when he’d walked into the woods that day, he’d find the woman who completed him. Nor could he ever have imagined he would be changed so fundamentally that he would become a wolf.

She wrapped her arms around him and nothing else mattered. Their lovemaking was gentle, but no less devastating to his senses.

When they finally caught their breath, they drifted off to sleep, entwined together.

Epilogue

Jacque stepped out onto the porch and carefully closed the door behind him. It was late and Gwen and his sons were asleep, but he knew he’d find the others waiting for him.

They were the original five members of the Salvation Pack.

Louis, his brother and best friend, sat on the steps. Cole, silent and steadfast, stood in the shadows. Gator reclined in a deck chair with his feet on the railing. Armand perched on the railing.

These men had left their home pack and set out with him all those years ago. When they’d left Louisiana and settled in Salvation, none of them could have ever dreamed what they’d build here.

They’d all fought for it. They’d killed those who’d threatened them and theirs and created something special. Any of these men could have been alphas of their own packs, but they’d chosen to follow him.

“Do you ever regret it?” he asked, knowing he didn’t have to explain. They’d been together for so long, they always knew what the other was thinking.

“Non.” Gator pushed to his feet. “Coming here was the best thing I ever did.”

He looked to his cousin, and Armand shook his head. “You know better than to ask.”

Cole didn’t even bother to stir from the shadows, and Louis stood and slapped him on the back.

“I don’t want to be alpha. Too much damn work.”

Jacque knew that wasn’t true. Louis was more than capable of handling any and every thing that came his way.

“Do you think Addie’s parents will stay?” Cole asked. He finally walked forward into the area that was illuminated by the moon.

“I do. It will make things easier for all of them. You okay with that?” He probably should have discussed it with his friend before he’d given Billy the offer, but he knew in his heart how Cole would react.

“Cherise has said they’re good people.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Much as I want to, I can’t blame every member of her former pack for what happened to her.”

It was surprising that the two packs’ paths had crossed again after all these years. He believed in such things as fate. Billy and his Addie were meant to be.

“Thank you.” He couldn’t remember if he’d ever thanked any of them all those years ago.

They’d given up their homes, their families, and their pack to follow him. Of course, except for Cole, none of them had been part of a close family. Hell, his father had tried to kill him, and more than once.

Louis came to him, leaned inward, and pressed his forehead against Jacque’s. He was strengthened by the acceptance and love flowing from his brother. “I’m going home to my mate. See you in the morning.”

They came forward, one by one, to silently offer their support. All of them had wives now.

Some had children. They were truly blessed.

Him most of all.

The back door opened and Gwen stepped out. “Everything okay?”

After all these years, she still made his pulse pound and his lust rise. “Everything is perfect.”

He lifted her off her feet and carried her back to their bedroom. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Yes, everything was perfect.

They’d not only found a home in Salvation, but love and family.

Life didn’t get any better.

He said a prayer of thanks that his boys and Etienne were too young to be thinking about mates.

And God help the males who came sniffing around the girls. But that was a worry for another day.

The End

www.njwalters.com

Find more books by N.J. Walters:

www.evernightpublishing.com/n-j-walters

If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:

Catrin by Beth Linton

A Dark Truth by Amber Morgan

Wolf in Heat by Sam Crescent and Stacey Espino

EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®

www.evernightpublishing.com

BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER

RESCUING RORY

Marks Mercenaries, 1

N.J. Walters

Copyright © 2019

Sample Chapter

“This is going to be a major clusterfuck. There’s no quiet way to do this.”

Even though his brother’s thoughts echoed his own, Kal Marks didn’t spare Garth so much as a glance. No, his gaze locked solidly on the woman currently dancing in one of the gilded cages that hung from the ceiling here in the largest club on the pleasure ship Exos. The flashing blue spotlight made her smooth white skin look the same color, giving her an exotic appearance.

Her long, blonde hair hung down her chest, covering her breasts, much to the dismay of the customers around her, and the skimpy thong barely covered her mound as she dipped and swayed to the pounding music. If anything, the tiny strip of cloth accentuated her nakedness, which was no doubt its purpose. She didn’t look at any of the patrons, keeping her eyes trained on the far wall.

“Are you listening to me?” Garth asked, practically yelling to be heard over the noise.

Impatience tinged his voice.

Kal forced himself to turn away and focus on his brother. “I hear you, but we don’t have a choice.” They had to talk to the woman, the dancing vision.

“You sure the information is good?”

Now that was a question, wasn’t it? Digger wasn’t exactly known for his honesty, but he traded in information, and he knew the Marks brothers were always buying when it came to intel on the whereabouts of their missing sister. He also knew better than to lie to them.

“Digger is too scared of Flynn to risk feeding us bad info,” Kal pointed out. Flynn was the oldest of the four brothers, massively tall and mean as a snake. It was well known throughout the Alliance galaxies that the only people Flynn cared about were his brothers.

Cross one of the Marks brothers and you crossed them all.

“I still don’t like it,” Garth muttered.

“Noted.” Kal let his gaze drift over the room, observing the positions of all the guards. There were quite a few of them, as things could get rowdy on the Exos. In fact, Kal was counting on just that.

The music pumping through the sound system was low and rhythmic. That, combined with the mostly naked women dancing around them, was designed to get men in the mood so they’d pay the money to visit the back rooms where women waited to service them. This far out in space the floating pleasure ship contained the only women many of these men would see for months.

Kal looked at his brother and noted his scowl. Garth’s thoughts mirrored his own. What if their sister were aboard a ship like this? Most of the women weren’t here by choice. Usually the brothers would never set foot on a ship like the Exos, but when it came to intel about their sister, they’d go straight into the bowels of hell itself.

“She’s got the tattoo Digger told us about.” Garth studied the dancer now, his gaze tracing the long length of her legs. Kal was filled with the sudden urge to punch his brother in the face.

He rolled his shoulders and forced himself to lean back in his chair and act as if he were enjoying the show. And it wasn’t much of an act. The woman wasn’t really dancing, more sensually undulating to a rhythm far different from the music filling the room. He caught his breath when her hair slid to the side, exposing one perfectly shaped plump breast for a split second before her hair covered it again.

Kal’s dick sprang to life, and he shifted to get more comfortable. No doubt about it, she was beautiful. There was something almost … innocent about her. Yeah, that was it. Impossible considering where she was. No one aboard this floating pleasure barge was innocent. Even if they started out that way, it didn’t last for long.

He fought to bring his body under control, feeling like a jerk for getting aroused. He knew a good percentage of the women here had been bought from slavers. His fingers tightened into fists.

There was nothing he hated more than slavers. Those low-life bastards all deserved to be shot out into deep space without a protective suit.

If he could, he’d rescue all the women here. That just wasn’t possible, but he could rescue one.

He let his eyes drift over her right arm. The tattoo on the woman was an unusual one, a stylized pattern of flowers that covered her left shoulder and ran all the way down her arm to her hand. There was no missing it. At the very bottom, a thorny vine wrapped around her wrist. Exactly as Digger had described.

“So how are we doing this?” Garth asked.

Kal rubbed a hand across his scruffy chin. He hadn’t bothered shaving in a few days, and it added to his disreputable appearance. The jagged scar on his left cheek didn’t hurt either. Both he and his brother were wearing the drab shirt and pants that labeled them as laborers from the planet below.

But beneath them, both of them wore battlesuits, body armor that was practically indestructible while being totally lightweight. That kind of protection didn’t come cheap, but all the brothers owned a suit.

“You create a diversion, and I’ll get the girl. As soon as I’ve got her, we make a run for the ship.” It wasn’t much of a plan, but Kal and his brother had worked with worse.

Garth stood and hitched up his pants. At six-one, he was the shortest of the brothers, but he was the widest, and not because there was an ounce of fat on him anywhere. No, Garth was built like a bull, thick and muscular, and always ready for a fight.

“One diversion coming up.” He swiped up his drink and weaved his way toward a table filled with miners. They were a rough and rowdy lot and were known not to tolerate outsiders.

Kal shook his head. His brother was crazy. But then again, the same could be said about all of them. Garth pretended to be drunk when Kal knew he hadn’t so much as taken a sip of his drink.

Neither of them had. No telling what was in the rotgut they served aboard this ship.

Garth was almost on top of the men now. “Harcon, old buddy. Haven’t seen you for a while.”

He held his arms wide open as if he were going to hug one of them men.

“Piss off,” the man growled. “You got the wrong guy.”

Kal stood and slowly began to meander toward the cage containing the woman they needed to talk with. He didn’t hear the next thing the miner said to his brother, but he heard Garth’s reply.

“No need to be so unfriendly.” Garth waved his arms wide and spilled his drink over two of the other men seated at the table. “Whoops. Sorry about that.”

Kal bit his bottom lip to keep from smiling. Garth was enjoying himself just a little too much.

Kal was right next to the cage when one of the miners slammed his fist into Garth’s jaw. Kal winced and not for his brother. It was well known that Garth’s jaw was as hard as granite. The blow didn’t even knock his brother back an inch. Instead Garth shook his head, roared his displeasure, and rammed his fist into the miner’s gut. The man dropped like a stone, and the fight was on.

The guards hurried toward the combatants before things got too out of hand. Kal turned his attention to the woman in the cage. Like the rest of the crowd, she was watching the fight.

He reached into his pocket, withdrew a thin metal box, and attached it to the lock. The device ran through the sequence of possible combinations faster than the speed of light. In ten seconds flat, he had the door to the gilded cage open.

The woman gasped and jerked away from him when his hand touched her calf. Her amazing blue eyes widened when she realized the door to her prison was open.

“If you want to get away from here, come with me.” Kal gave a quick look over his shoulder, wincing when Garth picked up a man and launched him at another table. The table didn’t survive. Kal wasn’t sure the man would either, not without extensive medical attention.

This was quickly getting ugly. “Make up your mind. We’ve got to go. Now.”

Not that he was going to give her any choice in the matter, but it would be easier if she came of her own free will.

****

Aurora Banks had seen just about everything in her twenty-two years of living, and most of it wasn’t pretty. But this was the last thing she’d expected to happen when she was shoved into the dancing cage a few hours ago.

The man standing before her with his hand out was tall and broad and downright intimidating.

His eyes were a piercing green, and his silky black hair fell around his shoulders. A thick scar ran from just below his eye by his nose all the way out to his ear.

If she were totally honest, he was handsome in a rough-looking way. Not that it mattered. He was a way out of this nightmare. Rory only hoped she wasn’t jumping from one bad situation to an even worse one.

Trusting her instincts, she reached out and took his hand. It was warm and strong as it closed around hers and pulled her to the edge of the cage. He lifted her down from her gilded prison, wrapped one strong arm around her, and hustled her toward the wide red door that blocked their path to freedom.

“The guards.” She had to yell to be heard above the din of the yelling and fighting. They called themselves bouncers, but they were here to do more than keep the peace. Their main job was to make sure they didn’t lose any of the merchandise or the money. And all the women on board were considered prime merchandise.

“You let me worry about them.” Her liberator reached inside his shirt and drew out a compact-sized blaster.

Something crashed behind her, and she automatically began to look toward it. He caught her

chin and turned her face away. “Look forward, not back.”

That was good advice. She ignored the noise and the fighting and hurried to keep up.

One man, a Crebian by the looks of his greenish-blue skin, tried to stop them. The man beside her didn’t even pause. He simply raised his hand and shot the blaster. The Crebian fell to the floor, and the men around him stepped back, giving them a wide berth.

Rory didn’t know how her rescuer had managed to get the weapon on board the Exos, as there were stringent controls in place to keep such a thing from happening. She should know as she’d spent the past month trying to find a weak spot in their security system so she could plan her escape.

They pushed their way through the door. The man beside her tightened his grip on her wrist. His urgency became hers. “Run,” he told her. Giving no thought to the mistake she could be making, Rory ran, her bare feet slapping against the metal floor as she was practically dragged behind him.

“We’re coming in hot.”

At first, she thought he was talking to her. It took her a moment to realize he was speaking into a communication device strapped to his wrist. And it wasn’t just any communication device. This one was top-of-the-line and went for at least one-thousand Alliance credits, maybe more.

Who was this guy? Laborers and miners didn’t waste their hard-earned money on fancy communication devices. They tended to splurge on booze and women when they had a few extra credits.

“Roger that,” a deep voice replied. “Hurry the fuck up.”

Rory shivered. Whoever the voice belonged to, he did not sound happy.

“Just fire up the engines and be ready for anything.” He picked up his pace. “Not much farther,”

he told her. “We’re docked at J portal.”

Rory glanced at the sign on the wall. They’d just passed the H portal. She did her best to keep up with the pace he set, but it wasn’t easy. She wasn’t used to having to run for her life.

He stopped suddenly, slammed her body against the wall, and threw himself on top of her. She heard the sound of a blaster, and then his big body jerked against hers.

Rory screamed. Her rescuer had been shot. She wasn’t going back to the cage. She wasn’t. She scrambled for the blaster in his hand even as the pounding of boots got closer. But when she lunged for the weapon, it was already out of reach.

Her liberator whirled around and returned the guard’s fire, the blaster steady in his hand. She peeked around his shoulder in time to see the two burly guards drop to the deck. “Come on.” He tugged her behind him, practically dragging her. She tripped but managed to stay on her feet.

The J deck came into view. Instead of relaxing, she grew even tenser. She knew better than to think this was over. No woman had ever been taken off the Exos. The captain wouldn’t allow it to happen. His reputation was on the line. If one woman was taken, then many would see all of them as fair game. The Exos would be constantly under attack. Pleasure ships stayed in business by being utterly ruthless to any who broke their rules and by having impenetrable defenses.

The panel whooshed open, and he practically threw her through it. “Get on the ship. Now.”

A fairly large deep-space-class trader was docked on the other side of the portal. The door to the vessel slid open, and a man stood there in full body armor, holding a massive blaster cradled in his arms.

Rory moved closer to her rescuer and clutched the hem of his shirt. He didn’t pay her any attention as he was too busy peering around the panel. “Come on. Come on,” he muttered under his breath. It occurred to her that he must have had an accomplice, someone who had aided him in her escape.

The man with the massive weapon beckoned her forward, but she wasn’t going anywhere. Not without the man beside her. She may not know his name, but she trusted him more than the unknown man waving her toward the ship. He’d protected her from the guard’s blasters. She’d be dead if he hadn’t.

Boots pounded against the metal floor. “Move it,” yet another unknown man yelled as he ran toward them, head down and legs pumping.

The man beside her startled as if surprised to find her still beside him, grabbed her hand, and yanked her through the portal and on to the waiting ship. Honestly, she was getting a little tired of being dragged around as though she were space garbage and he a salvager.

They passed the sentry as they boarded. He didn’t even glance at them. All his attention was on the portal. The other man burst onto the deck, raced through the portal, and launched himself onto the ship. The door slid closed and locked behind him. The man with the huge blaster hit the communication pad next to the door. “Go. Go. Go.”

The ship banked sharply and dropped as the captain released from the docking station and took off hard and fast. Rory flew toward the wall, but before her body could smash against it, strong arms snatched her out of midair, anchoring her. “I’ve got you.”

She shivered at the sound of his voice. He certainly did have her. His arms were like hot manacles wrapped around her midsection. He slid down the wall, braced himself against it, and dug his boots into the floor. The scratchy material of his shirt was rough against her arms and back, making her very aware of her lack of clothing.

With the intensity of their flight, and her need to escape, she’d forgotten she was wearing nothing but a scrap of what couldn’t really be called underwear.

The ship suddenly banked again, and she gripped his arm tight. The two other men grabbed the bulkhead above them and rode out the wild ride with seeming ease. She envied them their strength.

“They’ll send fighters after you,” she felt compelled to point out. The Exos had six fighters in her fleet along with several shuttles for ferrying customers from the surface of whatever planet they were currently orbiting.

The man who’d race on board behind them grinned at her. “They’ve got to catch us first, babe.”

Then the deep voice came over the intercom once again. “Hitting boosters in three, two, one.”

Rory knew what that meant and wrapped her arms around the man holding her. The ship shimmied and then was whipped forward at a massive rate of speed. This was obviously no ordinary trader ship. Boosters cost huge money and came with an element of danger as well. Flying at such incredible speeds meant it was tough to avoid another ship or a meteor if one crossed your path.

Just who were these men? And what did they want with her?

The longer they sat there, the more comfortable she got, which made her uneasy and confused the hell out of her. She was practically naked and sitting on a man’s lap, a man she didn’t know.

Something hard dug into her side, and she knew it wasn’t his blaster—the weapon was much too small to be the foreign object pressing against her. Considering she was sitting on his lap, that left only one possibility. Her rescuer was aroused.

She swallowed hard. Had they brought her on board to service the crew? She began to shiver, fear adding to the chill of the loading bay airlock. She’d fight if she had to. There had to be a safety shuttle somewhere on board. All she had to do was find it.

He pulled her closer and ran his big hand up and down her back, his touch rough but gentle.

“We’ll get you some clothes just as soon as we’re out of booster mode.”

That gave Rory pause. It certainly didn’t sound as if he were getting ready to rape her as soon

as they leveled out. That had to be a good sign. Right?

She nodded because there really wasn’t anything else she could do or say at the moment. She could feel the other two other men watching her and made sure her hair covered her breasts. She didn’t want to give them an eyeful, or at least any more than she already had. Who knew how much of her they’d already seen?

Rory didn’t know how much time had passed before the ship slowed, coming out of booster mode and into regular flight. She had no idea where she was. Not that it mattered. The only home she’d ever know was gone, stolen by a devious man, someone she’d trusted.

“Let’s get you up and find you something to wear,” her liberator, or captor—at this point she wasn’t quite sure what to call him—said. It was getting tiresome not knowing his name.

“Who are you?” She had to know.

He held out his hand to one of the other men and was dragged to an upright position. He kept one arm around her, taking her with him, and settled her on her feet beside him. “I’m Kal Marks.” He raised an eyebrow when she didn’t say anything. “And you are?”

Shock hit her square between the eyes. “You don’t know who I am?”

He shook his head, causing a lock of hair to fall across his forehead. She fought the urge to brush it away. Honestly, she was losing her mind. “Then why did you kidnap me?”

“Rescue you,” he amended.

She’d give him that. At least until she knew more about her situation. “Okay, why did you rescue me?”

He released her wrist. It was the first time since he’d offered her his hand that some part of him wasn’t touching her. She missed it more than she should. She felt bereft, set adrift. Which really didn’t make any sense. She might have a name for him, but he was still a stranger.

“Because of this.” Kal reached out and rubbed a finger over the base of her tattoo, tracing the thorny vines before stroking upward over the trail of colorful flowers covering her arm. He started at her forearm, moved up to her elbow and then all the way to her shoulder.

“You took me because of my tattoo?” Had she heard him right?

He nodded. “What’s your name?”

“Aurora Banks. Call me Rory.” Only her father had called her Aurora, and only when he was angry with her. Everyone else had called her Rory for as far back as she could remember.

Kal nodded. “Well, Rory. Welcome aboard the Abigail. These are my brothers Garth and Amos.

You might recognize Garth from the Exos. The one with the big gun is Amos.”

Now that she was really looking at them, the family resemblance was obvious. They were all big men, although Garth was more heavily built than the other two. And they all had black hair with a shock of white in the front. She looked from one to the other. She hadn’t noticed the lock of white in Kal’s hair during their dramatic escape. No wonder. It had taken everything out of her just to run and stay on her feet.

Amos was missing the pinky finger on his left hand. No doubt these were tough men who’d lived a rough and deadly life. She had no idea what they did for a living and wasn’t sure she wanted to know. Since their ship was a trader she wondered if they were legit or mercenaries. They could well be smugglers, men who’d run anything if the price was right.

Both of the men nodded at her. They were studying her as if waiting for her to say something.

She didn’t exactly know what to say, so she nodded back.

Heavy footsteps came toward them, vibrating through the floor. A red light on the wall flashed to green and the door to the loading bay airlock opened. It had been secured from the other side.

Rory might have wondered more about that, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the giant of a man standing in the doorway. He was taller than the rest, his black hair buzzed off close to his skull. But she could see the short strands of white and knew he was another brother. A black patch covered his right eye, and his right hand wasn’t skin and bone but robotic.

“What the fuck are you standing around for? What does she know?”

End of sample chapter

www.evernightpublishing.com/rescuing-rory-by-n-j-walters

Document Outline

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue