Feral Bachelorism (8 page)

Epilogue

It was only after the sun had risen, when she knew she was far enough away from the Zante pack and their silly mating ritual gathering, that Ali slowed down. She’d been running for hours, relentlessly dashing between trees, through hollowed out logs, leaping over stumps and rolling in night-blooming flowers to mask her scent.

Not that she truly believed anyone would have followed her over all this distance, but she believed in being cautious. She wouldn’t have lived past her nineteenth birthday if she hadn’t quickly learned that lesson.

No, there was no one on her tail. Brad didn’t have it in him to pursue her all this way, even if he had recovered from the brief blackout effect of the serum. And he couldn’t have told anyone what had happened in time for the Zanteans to send a search and destroy party after her.

Her fur was damp with perspiration. Though it was only early morning, the scorching sun beat down on her back, its rays assaulting her body with merciless heat.

Ali looked up into the clear blue sky and smiled, at least as much as her wolf physique allowed. She’d done it. Brad was infected, and the consequence of Daniel’s serum would soon spread like wildfire through the pack. She’d picked the perfect mark. After losing her brother to the blonde bombshell with whom J.C. had chosen to mate, there wasn’t a chance in hell Brad would remain celibate. Tonight had proved that.

For a moment, her smile dimmed as the memory of Sean’s piercing gaze flashed across her field of vision. She remembered the way he and Brad had stared into one another’s eyes, the way they’d moved, as though they’d been physically made to fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

She snorted at the absurd thought and shook her head to clear it. Brad Hennessy was a bachelor, through and through. He wouldn’t stay single, and he wouldn’t commit to one man.

And that’s exactly the report she’d give Daniel when she collected her money in a little over an hour.

A branch snapped from off to her left. Ali paused, her snout sniffing the air. She smelled nothing but jasmine and grass sprinkled with morning dew. With a mental shrug, she quickened her stride. It would only take another fifteen minutes to reach the highway where her car waited, and after meeting with Daniel, she’d get as far away from the Zanteans as she possibly could.

The low, menacing growl reached her ears a split second before a pair of large paws slammed into her side, knocking her off her feet. Shiny, long fangs hovered over her throat and deep, startling green eyes bore down into hers.

Her heart skipped a beat, even as adrenaline pumped through her body.

It can’t be
…

She kicked her front legs forward, hard, and her claws connected with tender flesh, drawing blood. The gray wolf howled with fury, its fangs snapping at her neck, its body driving hers into the ground.

She held on to him as they struggled, rolling over each other through the grass. Rocks and broken branches dug into her back, but she didn’t care. Survival was her only goal.

The gray wolf met her every blow with an expert block of his own. She’d been fighting for years, yet he moved like she moved -- like a hunter used to getting his prey. His blows landed exactly where he aimed, grazing her ribs, her hind paws, but never harming her.

Too late, she realized he could have killed her from the beginning if he’d wanted to. He’d been toying with her since he’d first knocked her off her feet, testing her, baiting her. The knowledge enraged her further and she lost control of her precise movements, her claws raking empty air.

Knowing she was no match for him, she held up her paws and took a deep breath, her body already beginning to shift. Growling, the gray wolf stilled his movements. His claws retracted, and fur gave way to lean muscles. His muzzle revealed a square jaw and a flash of white teeth. His smug smile unsettled every part of her being, rattled her to the core.

It was fucking impossible to look calm and defiant when her breath came in ragged gasps, and at that moment, she hated him for the power he had over her.

She wanted to hit him, but he held her wrists pinned to the ground. Her legs were parted, wide on either side of his muscular thighs. His thick, unmistakable erection pressed between her folds, nudging her pussy with the tip of his hard shaft.

Ali opened her mouth for only an instant, just long enough to murmur his name. “Victor.”

And that was her first mistake. He pressed his lips down on hers, hard, and slid his tongue inside her mouth. His bold, eager strokes demanded satisfaction, and the way his cock pressed against her cunt told her he intended to have it.

“You’ve been a bad girl,” he whispered in her ear when he broke the kiss. His husky voice and the feel of his warm breath against her skin sent a shudder down her spine. “You have to own up to what you’ve done.”

Ali narrowed her eyes. “Great. So I suppose you’re taking me back to the elders.”

“The elders?” he asked, as though the idea hadn’t occurred to him. “Oh, no. I caught you, which means you’re mine, and mine alone. No one else is going to share in your discipline. Do you know the way to fight fire, Ali?”

Her body’s traitorous trembling irritated her as much as Victor’s words excited her. She wriggled against him, fighting to get free. “With fire. I’ve heard that line before.”

Victor chuckled. “Where would be the fun in that?” Still holding her wrists, he raked his teeth down the side of her neck and lowered his mouth to bite sharply on her puckered nipple. Ali gasped and arched her back, carelessly giving him greater access to her breast.

“Oh, no, sweetheart. There’s only one way to fight your brand of fire.” He paused, letting his words sink in.

“And what’s that?” Ali asked. Her inner muscles clenched, and she bit down on her lip to keep from panting in frustration.

“With pleasure. And you, baby, are in for the punishment of your life.”

The End… For Now

Lacey Savage

Lacey Savage began her love affair with romance at an early age. In high school, she checked out steamy romance novels from the public library and would often be found reading them in the middle of class. Lacey still reads more than she cares to admit, and probably more than her husband would like, considering how many books she keeps bringing into the house. Her favorite genres have always been erotica, romance, fantasy, science fiction and mystery, so she tries to incorporate a little of each into her writing. She initially majored in Marketing, then went back to school to major in English Literature. After earning her degrees, she decided to turn her efforts to her true passion: writing. A hopeless romantic, Lacey loves writing about the intimate, sensual side of relationships. She currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her loving husband and their mischievous cat. You can learn more about Lacey by visiting her website at http://www.laceysavage.com, and can reach her at [email protected].