A Siberian Werewolf Christmas (4 page)

"Please forgive our insensitivity,
Maggie." Zhora handed her a plastic tray with a sandwich. "It
wasn't our intention to starve you."

Maggie jerked her head around. Had
Zhora caught her ogling Slava’s behind? Feeling her face flush, she
set the tray on her lap then took a large bite of the ham sandwich.
She moaned at the wonderful flavor of the meat, and her eyes closed
while she chewed.

Zhora chuckled.

Maggie opened her eyes and smiled up
at him. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was. This is
good.”

“I’m glad you like it. Perhaps another
bottle of water to wash it down?”

“That would be perfect,” she quickly
agreed.

§

Slava heard Maggie moan and whipped
his head around to inspect her. Her eyes were closed as she savored
the sandwich Zhora gave her. His body responded, and he shifted
position, trying to find a comfortable stance.

Zhora watched her face,
his stare avid. An answering growl rose in Slava’s chest, but he
held it in. No one should be watching Maggie in her
enjoyment.
Nobody, except
me
.

Shaking his head, he turned away. He
didn’t own her. His job was to protect the pack and keep her safe,
nothing more or less. It was possible she would meet her lycan mate
at the Christmas Ball, maybe he would even be Zhora. So why did his
heart ache when he pictured her in someone else’s arms?

Slava turned back to the pilot and
signed off on the paperwork, one ear still trained to listen for
Maggie’s voice. He stiffened when he heard her chuckle at something
Zhora said, the throaty sound washing over him. A sudden picture of
the American siren laid out on his bed, her red hair spread on his
pillow, flashed in his mind. Biting back a groan, he shook hands
with the pilot before returning to the main cabin.

He stood near the door, a scowl on his
face, watching as Zhora helped Maggie put on her coat. Zhora looked
up. The smile left his face, and he dropped his eyes. Maggie looked
at him and then over where Slava waited.

“Are you ready?” Slava asked, trying
to hide the bite in his tone that wanted to come out. If Zhora
continued to touch the woman, he would rip out his
throat.

“Yes, Zhora was helping me with my
things,” Maggie said, moving toward him.

“So I noticed.” Slava couldn’t help
but glare at the lycan that followed her forward. He turned and
opened the door, then signaled for the stairs to be rolled into
place.

The pilot came out of the cockpit.
When he saw Maggie, he looked her up and down before smiling. Slava
scowled at the man then reached for Maggie’s arm and escorted her
to the door. “I am right behind you.”

Would every man react to the redhead
like the pilot? If they did, he had his work cut out for
him.

He waited for Maggie to start down the
steps before he followed her. The only thing keeping his anger in
check was the fact that Maggie didn’t seem to know what a
temptation she was.

Chapter Four

Snow and more
snow
. That’s all Maggie could see as they
traveled out of Yakutsk toward the village’s community garage. Of
course the tinted windows in the Lada Niva didn’t help either.
Though the vehicle smelled new, the ride was bumpy and the roads
bad. Zhenya drove the stick shift engine with confidence but the
vehicle still jerked and bounced.

Slava sat beside her in the back seat
and had made sure she wore a seatbelt. She was glad she did. For
some reason, she seemed hyper aware of him. Her gaze often found
his. She was tempted to reach for his hand, especially when the car
jerked or Zhenya slammed on the brakes to avoid a depression in the
road.

Her infatuation embarrassed her and
she turned away. Finally, an hour later, they pulled up to the
metal building that acted as a garage for the village.

Slava unlocked the structure and
pushed back the huge door, revealing the space inside. Two black
Lada-Niva 4x4’s, like the one they drove, sat next to three, huge,
canvas-covered lumps. Zhenya pulled their vehicle in, and Maggie
quickly got out. She walked over to see what Slava worked to
uncover.

Maggie stared at the large machine,
her heart beating fast. Slava continued to uncover the other two
snowmobiles while she stood there frozen. The twins got her luggage
out of the car and dragged the suitcases through the snow to where
she stood.

She shivered and it wasn’t with just
the cold. She stuffed her icy hands into her pockets and pulled out
a pair of gloves. She looked out at the snow-covered field. The
moon bounced light off the white ground cover. The field ended in
trees so thick that the light disappeared a few feet inside. She
glanced back at the snowmobile and noticed the headlight on the
front then looked up at the man who seemed to be fiddling with
something on the dash.

Slava flashed a reassuring smile, and
once again her skin warmed. Somehow he seemed to be her personal
heater. She wanted to laugh at the absurdity. Who needed three
suitcases of clothes when one man could make her body
burn?

She turned as Zhenya attached two of
her suitcases to the back of one of the snowmobiles with an elastic
net. His brother attached her other suitcase onto another machine.
Both men moved quickly and finished up as Slava walked up beside
her.

“The ride won’t be long. I‘ll need you
to stay close to me. The trail isn’t very wide and there will be
overhanging branches.” Slava handed her a pair of goggles before
leading her forward to the black and silver monstrosity. She
slipped the goggles over her head and put her leg over the seat. He
settled in front of her and put his goggles on, then waited until
she put her arms around his waist.

“You’ll be fine,
malyshka
. Just don’t let
go.” Slava patted her hands where they were clasped around his
waist before he started the engine.

Maggie cringed at the loud
noise and buried her face in his back. Her thighs gripping his
hips, she closed her eyes and held on for dear life.
Just hold on, just hold on
, she kept repeating in her head.

The sound of the other two snowmobiles
starting filled the air and they were soon flying over the snow.
Maggie pried her eyes open to see Zhora wave at her as he rode
beside them. Zhenya came up on the other side before roaring
forward to take the lead. Zhora dropped behind them, and they
entered the forest.

The trees flashed by as they traveled
down the trail. Slava patted her hands. Maggie held him with a
death grip. She tried to relax her hold and at least give the man a
chance to breathe.

They suddenly slowed as they came to a
break in the forest and Slava pointed over to the right. Maggie
turned to see a huge wild boar lumbering away. She gulped, suddenly
afraid.

Slava patted her hands again as they
quickly left the wild boar behind them and zoomed down the path.
Stars filled the sky and the moon looked down from on
high.

Before long, the tree line thickened,
and Maggie lost sight of the night sky. She pressed her cheek
against Slava’s back. She was safe with this man.

§

Slava tried to relax, his
muscles stiff with strain. Having Maggie’s body wrapped around his,
her scent tickling his nose, made his mouth water for a taste of
her. His wolf rose to the surface, wanting to claim the woman. He
pushed it back down.
She’s not
mine
, he kept repeating in his mind. His
wolf spirit seemed to ask,
But why
not?
Chemistry sparked between
them.
What if she is destined for
another?
His wolf growled low and mean,
and Slava once more pushed him back. The mating bond didn’t appear
when he first touched her. Until it did, he had no claim on her. He
was a man, and though he loved and respected his beast, he wouldn’t
poach on another’s property.

The ride was over much too soon, and
Slava pulled in behind Zhenya in front of the Alpha Lodge. He took
off his goggles. Maggie was still plastered to his back, and he
patted her hands again, trying to get her to release him. She
didn’t move. Was she all right? He quickly turned off the
engine.

“Maggie,
malyshka
, are you all
right?” he asked, unable to see her face with it buried in his
back.

He drew her hands apart and stepped
off the machine. Startled, she looked up at him and blinked. Slava
couldn’t help himself—he slowly removed her goggles, took her face
in his hands, and kissed her soft lips. She moaned and closed her
eyes, and then he tasted her, their tongues rubbing together.
Fireworks seemed to detonate in his blood as lights flashed before
his eyes. His body reacted to her willing response as she wrapped
her arms around his waist. He moved closer, needing to feel her
against him.

Suddenly a hand gripped his shoulder.
He whirled around, a snarl on his lips, to find Kolya standing
behind him.

“Is everything all right with our
guest?” Kolya asked, his look searching.

Slava’s wolf leapt
forward, wanting to challenge the man who had interrupted their
kiss. He instinctively shielded Maggie from sight. His nails
started to lengthen into claws.
What was
he doing?
Was he willing to challenge the
Beta over a woman?

He wiped all expression from his face
as he stared at Kolya. Kolya frowned and quirked an eyebrow in
question. Slava heard Maggie sigh and then she patted him on the
back.

“She is fine.” Slava turned back and
offered a hand to Maggie to help her off the snowmobile. She
wobbled for a moment, and he wrapped an arm around her waist to
steady her.

“Sorry. I guess I’m not used to riding
yet.” Maggie smiled up at him.

“Let me help you inside.”

His arm still wrapped around her
waist, he urged her past the other machines and up to the porch.
Kolya followed behind while Zhenya and Zhora removed her suitcases
from the nets.

“I will escort you wherever you wish
to go in the village. Have someone send for me, and I will come
immediately.” Slava guided her up the stairs.

“Thank you. I’ll do that,” Maggie
answered.

When they reached the top of the
stairs, the front door opened. Violet squealed, calling her
friend’s name. She rushed up to take Maggie into her arms. Slava
reluctantly released her.

The two women seemed oblivious to
anyone else as they talked and strolled arm-in-arm into the lodge.
Slava wanted to call out, but stood frozen as they walked away.
Maggie didn’t even turn to look for him. Zhora and Zhenya placed
her suitcases inside the door, and then headed off with a wave to
park the snowmobiles near the security building. Slava glanced over
at Kolya, who stood on the porch, his arms crossed over his
chest.

“The trip went well, I take it,” Kolya
said, amused. “Thank you for fetching her. I know how upset you are
over having an American human in our midst. Don’t worry, you are
still on guard duty. I fear you will not be alone with her as long
as Violet is around. They are …what is that expression? BFF’s, best
friends forever?” Laughing, the Beta of the pack headed for the
door. “See you around, Slava.”

Slava stared at the door, his hands
fisted at his sides. Why did he want to storm into the lodge and
take the American out of there? What did he care if she hadn’t even
said goodbye?

§

Dmitry stood at the foot of the
stairs, looking up at his wife and Maggie as they climbed to the
bedrooms. Kolya closed the door behind him, a frown pulling at his
face. Once more Slava had almost challenged him. “He almost
challenged me again tonight, Dmitry.”

“What were you doing?”

“Checking on them. He was off the
snowmobile, standing over the woman. I think he might have been
kissing her. I couldn’t believe it, so then I thought she might be
ill.”

“If you were kissing Alena and someone
interrupted, what would be your response?”

“I see your point. Do you know
something you haven’t told me?”

“Let me just say that the spirit of
Asena told Laurel, her shaman, that Maggie was important to Slava’s
healing.”

“The mother of our race gave you a
message, and you didn’t think to tell me?”

“Technically speaking, Laurel, our
sister in law, gave me the message. I am explaining why Slava might
have reacted so strongly.”

“Do you think they will
heartmate?”

I don’t know, Kolya. The bond won’t
snap into place if one of the pair rejects it.”

“You fear Slava will reject the woman
because she is human?”

“Every mated pair is important to our
future. However, I am not a seer. I don’t know what the future
holds.”

§

“I’m so glad you’re finally here.”
Violet led Maggie down the hall. “I’ll show you your room, and then
we can sneak in to see the girls. If we’re quiet, they won’t wake
up.”