Secret Seduction: BBW Werewolf Romance (Wolf Pack Protectors Book 1) (12 page)

“What could they do that they haven’t already done? Maybe we can come to some sort of agreement if I prove to them that werewolves exist and that we’re not dangerous unless provoked.”

The sheriff said, “If werewolves actually exist, I don’t want them in my town. I don’t want any deaths on my watch and I don’t want werewolves roaming my streets.”

Diana pleaded with her eyes, but Ryker ignored her and shifted.

The sheriff’s hand flicked against the butt of his gun. His jaw dropped. “I’ll be damned.”

As Diana pet Ryker’s thick coat of fur, he nuzzled her hand with his cold nose. Luna snorted in disgust. Diana ignored her.

“That’s all the proof I need. Don’t ever step foot in my town. If I catch you there, I’ll shoot to kill.”

“He can’t talk when he’s in wolf form,” Diana snapped.

“Too bad, that would be a hell of a thing to see.” The sheriff continued to stare at Ryker.

Ryker shifted back to his human form. “You’re not afraid?”

“When I was in the Army, I saw things you wouldn’t believe. I’ll believe anything that someone can prove to me. What you just did, that’s proof enough for me.”

“So now what?” Diana asked.

“I think I made myself very clear. Werewolves are not welcome in my town.”

Ryker eyed him warily. “We don’t want to be in your town, but we also don’t want you roaming around the woods hunting us.”

“I don’t negotiate when my town’s safety is at risk. But I don’t want a war between humans and werewolves. I’d like to come see where you live. You said there are others like you?”

“Three packs in this area. I could call a council meeting and we could discuss ways we can all live together. I think we both want peace. Maybe we can come to an arrangement,” Ryker said.

The sheriff rubbed his jaw reflectively. “You have council meetings? Interesting. If you’re as organized as you say you are, we might be able to come to an agreement. When can you get the council together?”

“Give me a few days. I’ll go into town to let you know when we’re meeting.”

The sheriff shook his head. “No. I’ll give you two weeks from today and I choose the meeting place.”

Ryker’s jaw clenched. “Agreed. But keep your people out of the woods until we meet.”

“I’ll do what I can.” The sheriff tipped his hat and walked away.

Chapter 18

Diana watched the EMTs zip Zane’s body into a black bag. She took a deep breath and let it whoosh out through her teeth. She couldn’t wait to get home to take a hot bath and sleep in her own bed. Luna stood on the sidewalk watching her with suspicious eyes.

Ryker gave Diana an awkward smile. “So I guess you’re headed home?”

“Yes, home.” As soon as she said it, Diana realized she didn’t know where home was anymore. She immediately thought of Ryker’s room in the den. In the time she’d spent with him, his room became home for her. But it wasn’t really her home. She needed to remember that up until a few days ago, she lived in town, alone.

“Can I walk you home?” Ryker asked.

“Sure.”

When they reached her small cottage-style house, Ryker pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in the crook of his neck to avoid the look of disapproval on her sister’s face. Even though she needed time away, she never wanted to leave his side again.

There was so much she wanted to ask, so much she wanted to say. But she couldn’t forget her sister’s accusation that she only cared about Ryker because she’d depended on him for her safety. Now that she didn’t depend on him, could she walk away? Maybe in a few days, the feeling she had for him would fade.

Ryker spread damp kisses across her face and cheeks. “I never should have left you.”

“You didn’t know.”

“I’m so sorry. I swear I’ll never leave you again.”

His lips found hers but she pulled back slightly. She wanted to believe what they shared was something magical, something real and good, but how could she know for certain until she spent some time away from him?

As if sensing her change in mood, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Diana stepped out of his embrace. She needed time to figure out if what she felt for him was real. Maybe her sister was right and she’d only fallen for him because of the extraordinary circumstances.

She gave him a weak smile. “I’m just… really tired. I need to get some rest.”

Luna stepped in. “It’s time to say your goodbyes.”

Ryker shot her a look. “Can we have a minute?”

Diana sighed as Luna walked away. She hated the hostility in her sister’s tone.

“I’m sorry, she’s just really protective.”

Ryker searched her face. “I don’t want to say goodbye. Come back with me. Come back to the den.”

She looked away. “I need some time to figure things out.”

“What things? You know there’s something between us. I’ve never felt so…”

“So what?” She leaned forward, hoping he’d say the words she needed to hear.

“Never mind, I just thought you’d want to come back with me.”

Diana sighed. “Go home, Ryker. Go back to where you belong.”

Ryker hung his head as he backed into the forest. He watched her from the tree line for a moment before shifting and leaving.

Exhaustion pulled on every muscle in her body. She didn’t want to deal with Luna’s inevitable interrogation.

“I’m tired. I need to sleep.”

Luna balked. “I’m glad you got rid of him. I think we need to talk about what happened. I don’t want you wandering off into the forest in search of that werewolf. That’s not the kind of man you get married to and have children with. Zane may have been totally insane, but he was right about one thing. Werewolves are unnatural creatures. Stay away from him and you’ll forget this whole ordeal in no time.”

“Why do you hate him so much? He saved my life. If he hadn’t stopped Zane from attacking me in the woods, I’d be dead right now.”

Luna grabbed both of her sister’s hands. “What kind of future do you really think you can have with him? What about the big wedding you always wanted? Or kids? Who knows if you can even have kids with a werewolf? And if you did, you’d be shunned by the entire town. No one would accept your children. They’d be bullied and ridiculed their entire lives.

“He saved me twice. He cared for me and made sure I was safe and comfortable the entire time I was in his den. I love him and I know he loves me too.”

Luna dropped her hands to her sides. “Has he told you he loves you?”

Diana shifted uncomfortably. “Not exactly.”

Luna smirked. “You might want to get that figured out before you set up house in his damp, bug-infested cave. He might not even want you to live with him. I can’t imagine the other werewolves like having a human around.”

Diana frowned. “I’m sure he can convince the others to let me live with him.”

“You’re clutching at straws. You can’t honestly tell me you’re going to give up all the comforts of modern life, watching television, going to the movies, telephone calls with me, microwave mac and cheese? And coffee? Really? You’re going to trade that all for him?”

Diana didn’t care about those things. Luna didn’t understand that the magic of the forest made city life pale in comparison.

The soothing sound of the wind as it whispered through the trees, the gurgle of water cascading over river rocks, the hoot of the owl at midnight, and the scent of fresh, clean air did more than soothe her frayed nerves, they awakened a spark of magic in her soul.

Diana didn’t feel like arguing. “I’m tired and need a good night’s sleep.”

“I’ll come and check on you in the morning.”

Diana stepped into her house and closed the door. She sagged against the wall. The anxiety and stress of the last few days finally caught up with her.

She took a long, hot bath filled with lavender-scented bubbles. The warm water relaxed her aching muscles. As the water cooled, she ran through every moment she spent with Ryker. Every touch, every kiss, every time he’d taken her to his bed replayed in vivid color. What they’d shared felt so real, so right. Her sister meant well, but Diana couldn’t help but think she was completely off-base.

She reluctantly left the bath, toweled off, and then climbed into bed. Wrapped in silence, she missed the sounds of the raging river and the wind through the trees. But most of all, she missed the way Ryker wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

***

Ryker flinched. He’d never expected her to reject him. Then he realized why. She probably hated him now. He never should have left her. What kind of a protector was he? He’d failed to protect Trista, Leah, and now Diana. No wonder she’d turned away from him.

Ryker took the longest route to the den. He couldn’t imagine going back without her, but maybe after she rested she’d change her mind.

As he approached the den, he spotted Stryde standing at the edge of a clearing. Great, the last think he wanted to do was talk to him. Anger still simmered in Ryker’s gut. How could Stryde have hidden such a huge secret about Trista’s killer from him all these years?

Stryde shifted from one foot to the other, then lowered his gaze to the ground in a display of submission. “I want to clear the air.”

“Now’s not a good time.”

Stryde held out Trista’s rumpled dress. “I went to your den and asked Trent to bring it out.”

Ryker snatched the dress. “What the hell gives you the right to go to my den and ask for my property?”

Stryde’s shoulders slumped. “I made a huge mistake not telling you about the dress. I thought I was helping, but I…”

“You were wrong. I lost Diana because of you,” Ryker blurted.

“What are you talking about?”

“She thinks I can’t protect her. None of this would have happened if you hadn’t stolen this dress years ago.”

“Did she tell you that?” Stryde asked.

“No, but she didn’t have to. Why else would she leave? If I had been a better protector, she would have stayed.”

Stryde shook his head. “I doubt that’s why she left you. She knows humans aren’t welcome in the pack. Maybe you should break another rule and bring her home. I saw the way she looked at you. She loves you. Don’t be stupid. Don’t let her get away the way I let Leah get away.”

“Did you bury her?” Ryker asked.

“I made a tomb on the mountain in a place where no one can disturb her. I didn’t want some stray to dig her up.” Stryde’s shoulders slumped forward.

For a moment, Ryker felt the other wolf’s pain as if it were his own. Stryde had made a bad choice years ago, but before Trista died they’d been like brothers.

Ryker didn’t want to hold onto the past anymore. He stepped forward and clasped Stryde’s shoulder. “I forgive you.”

Stryde looked up at him. “I swear I won’t keep secrets from you ever again.”

Ryker embraced him, then slapped him on the back. “Let’s move on. I miss our old hunting trips.”

“And fishing in Silver Creek.” Stryde grinned.

Ryker smiled as he remembered watching Diana swimming in the river the first day after he’d brought her to the den. He still had a chance to win her heart. He just had to stop being such a coward and go to her.

Stryde glanced at the dress. “Bury the past. You only get so many chances before fate twists you into a new path. Don’t miss this chance with Diana.”

As Ryker watched Stryde’s retreating form, he held Trista’s dress against his chest. He’d always remember her, but Stryde was right.

Ryker shifted to his wolf form and clawed at the ground. He dug deeper and deeper into the cold earth until he couldn’t see over the edge of the small pit. He jumped out and took Trista’s dress in his teeth. He dropped it into the hole and kicked dirt onto it. As each clump of earth hit the ground, the heaviness in his heart lifted.

With the dirt back in place, he picked some branches up with his mouth and dropped them to hide the uneven earth. Covered in dirt, he hurried to the river. He wanted to be clean when he returned to her house.

Chapter 19

The creepy sense of being watched woke Diana. Startled, she glanced around her dark bedroom. She’d fallen asleep late in the afternoon, but must have been out for hours. Night had fallen and darkness pressed against the windows.

As her eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom, she spotted a naked man standing at the foot of her bed. She opened her mouth to scream.

“It’s me,” Ryker whispered.

“You almost gave me a heart attack. What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” She dragged the covers up to her neck.

He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “I just came to talk to you.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see you, but couldn’t you wait until morning?”

He perched on the edge of the bed. “I couldn’t wait. I needed to see you because I need to tell you… I don’t know how to say this.”

Her breath caught in her chest. “Whatever it is, just say it.”

Ryker fidgeted on the bed. “When I met you, I never thought I’d care about anyone the way I cared about Trista. But something about you stole my heart. From the minute I met you, I couldn’t breathe without knowing you were safe. When Zane kidnapped you, I almost went out of my mind trying to find you. If he’d killed you… if you’d have died, I never would have forgiven myself.”

Diana clasped his hand. “I didn’t die. I’m right here.”

Ryker smiled at her in a way that melted her heart. “I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you and I know now that I can’t live without you.”

Diana’s pulse raced. “But the other wolves, they won’t let me live with you.”

“I don’t care what they say. If they can’t accept you, I’ll leave the pack. As long as I have you, nothing else matters.”

“You can’t leave your family for me.”

He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “I want to stay pack alpha, but I can’t protect a pack who doesn’t respect my mate.”

“Is that what I am? Your mate?”

“If you’ll have me.” The yearning in his eyes made any last thread of hesitation unravel.

“I love you and I want to be your mate.”

As she leaned forward, her tongue flicked out to wet her bottom lip. His kiss started out soft and tentative at first, but as she moved into his arms, he grew bold. His hands roamed the hills and valleys of her voluptuous body.

As he lowered her against the pillows he murmured, “I love every inch of you.”

She closed her hand around the rigid length of him. “I love every inch of you, too.”

His throaty laughter vibrated against her neck. She laced her fingers in his hair and dragged his face to hers.

He pulled back slightly. “Let’s go slow. I want to kiss you everywhere.”

She sighed as his lips left a trail of fire across her collarbone. He kissed and licked and nipped at the swell of her breasts. As he slid lower, heat coiled in her soft belly. She almost couldn’t believe someone as irresistibly sexy as Ryker wanted her. But then she realized she deserved him. She’d waited her whole life to find someone to treasure her and she’d finally found him.

His wickedly skillful tongue traveled to the deep V between her quivering hips. When he kissed her, she groaned. She was the luckiest woman in the world.

His hands molded to her breasts then slid to hold her hips. She writhed against him, meeting his lips then retreating. The exquisite pleasure seemed to last forever until he did something that sent her spiraling over the edge. She exploded in a shuddering orgasm that stole her breath.

She pushed him onto his back. “Relax, it’s my turn now.”

Even though they’d only been lovers a few times, she knew the exact spot to kiss just behind his right ear to make him moan. She wrapped her hand around him and stroked lightly. She teased him with a fast tempo followed by a slow, leisurely pace.

She smiled down at him and his face lit up with joy. So she had no warning when he flipped her onto her back and climbed over her.

He pressed hungry kisses against her mouth as he entered her hot, moist center. She pressed against him and drew him in. Each gentle thrust brought her closer to another release. She raked her nails down his back and he arched deeper.

He pulled her tightly against his chest. Slick sweat dampened their skin. He glided across her while murmuring unintelligible words in her ear.

She wanted their lovemaking to last forever, but as she gazed into his eyes, she knew he was close. The tingling in her body spread until she became a mass of sensation.

As the first tender spasm racked her body, he cried out. Warmth filled her as he spilled into her over and over. As her own sweet release came to a shuddering end, she kissed him. He responded by drawing her even closer.

A minute passed before he pulled back and rolled over to lie next to her. He turned and propped himself up on one arm. Satisfaction washed over his face.

He brushed a wisp of hair from her face and whispered, “I’ll find a way for the den to accept you.”

***

The next morning, Diana slid out from beneath Ryker’s arm. She tiptoed into the living room and looked around. As soon as she knew for sure she could live with Ryker, she’d sell the house.

She picked up the silver-framed picture of her parents. She wished they’d lived long enough to know that she’d finally found a man worth giving her heart to.

She padded into the kitchen. A tin of French roast coffee sat on the counter next to her beloved espresso machine. She sighed. Her sister was right about one thing, she’d miss her daily cup of morning coffee.

As she scooped the coffee into the filter, she decided there was no reason why she couldn’t enjoy a cup now and then at the den. She’d just have to research how cowboys made it before modern day appliances existed.

With the coffee percolating, she went to the refrigerator and took out eggs and bacon. God she’d miss bacon. Maybe they could catch a wild pig. She giggled. Anything seemed possible now that she knew Ryker loved her.

She cracked the eggs into a skillet, and then added the bacon. Her mouth watered as she realized this might be one of the last times she’d cook breakfast like this.

Ryker padded into the kitchen and wrapped an arm around her. “I missed you.”

She turned and kissed him. “I was just thinking, we need to make a few improvements to the den.”

He laughed. “You haven’t even moved in yet.”

She pointed the spatula at him. “But I can still make plans.”

“I suppose.” He sniffed the air. “That smells amazing.”

“So plan number one, find a pig.”

“A pig?” He raised a brow.

She scraped the eggs and bacon onto two plates then took them to the table. “Yes, because I’ll miss bacon.”

“Anything else you’ll miss?”

She poured two cups of coffee then handed him one. “Coffee, but I got that covered. It might not be as magical as this, but I’ll figure it out.”

Ryker bit into a piece of bacon. “Mmm, good.”

His face lit up like a kid at Christmas. She didn’t doubt they’d have a few sows penned up before winter.

“You make it seem like it’s easy for you to leave,” he said while he watched her over the edge of his cup.

“It’s going to be weird selling all my things. I also have to go to school to let them know I won’t be finishing out the semester. But as long as we’re together, it will be worth it.”

“What about your sister?”

Diana sighed. “She doesn’t understand why I want to move in with a werewolf. We’re two totally different people and sometimes I wonder if we even came from the same parents.”

“She’s just worried about you.”

“Once I get settled, maybe I can invite her to see that you’re not a pack of rabid animals.”

Ryker stopped eating. “I just hope I can convince the pack to let you stay. There are some members who will argue against allowing you in.”

“Like Clyde?”

Ryker nodded. “After Zane killed his son, he blamed you. It’s totally misplaced anger, but I still have to find a way to make him see that I can’t continue to be their alpha if they won’t welcome you to the pack.”

***

Ryker approached the den with trepidation. Even with Diana at his side, he had no idea how he could persuade the wolves to allow her to stay.

As he entered the den, he grabbed Diana’s hand. “It might take a while to convince them. Do you want to go to my room while I talk to them?”

Diana squeezed his hand. “Whatever you’re more comfortable with. You know them better than I do, so if you think they are more likely to listen to you without my presence, then I’ll wait in your room. But if you want me there for support, I’ll stay.”

Ryker stopped and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re such an amazing woman. How did I get this lucky?”

“We deserve each other. As much as I hate what Zane did, if he hadn’t attacked me, I never would have found you. It’s funny how fate works.”

He bent to kiss her. She responded by throwing her hands around his neck and pulling him close. The sweetness of her scent tempted him to bypass the debate he needed to have with the members of his den and take her straight to bed. But he needed to ensure she’d be welcomed as his mate.

“What is she doing here?” Clyde asked in a harsh tone.

Ryker quickly drew back. “I’m taking her to my room and then I’m calling a den meeting to discuss her permanent residence.”

Clyde’s mouth turned down. “Humans are not welcome in our den. It’s rule number one and just because you chose to violate it once doesn’t mean you can continue to violate it.”

Diana spoke up. “Sometimes laws need to be changed. Things change in the world, and laws need to be updated to accommodate those changes. It happens all the time in the human world.”

“This isn’t the human world and you don’t belong here.” Clyde glared at her.

Ryker stepped between them. “We’re not going to solve this right now and this is a den matter that doesn’t involve her.”

“This has everything to do with her. If we make an exception, it will be for all humans, not just one.”

“Not necessarily. Gather the pack in the main room. I’ll be there shortly and we can discuss this matter as a group,” Ryker said.

Clyde grumbled, “I don’t take orders from you. This isn’t a dictatorship.”

“Which is precisely why I’m calling a meeting for all members of the den. Please gather the group. This isn’t an order, it’s a request.”

“Fine.” Clyde stomped off in the direction of the den’s main room.

Ryker ran a hand through his hair. Damned stubborn man. How could he convince him to let Diana stay with him?

He turned to Diana. “Do you remember the way to my room?”

“Yes.” She placed her open palm on his chest. “You can do this Ryker.”

His heart warmed. To have someone believe in him again made all the sadness and anger from the past disappear. He’d made some terrible judgment errors in the past, like underestimating Zane and getting three members of his pack killed, but he couldn’t dwell on the past. With Diana at his side, he looked forward to a future filled with love.

He watched Diana disappear around the corner. He sucked in a deep breath, then let it out through his nostrils. Fighting Zane was nothing compared to the fight he was prepared to wage to keep her by his side.