Secret Seduction: BBW Werewolf Romance (Wolf Pack Protectors Book 1) (4 page)

“What happened after that? Did you see him again?”

“Yes. We spent the entire summer together. At the end of the summer I couldn’t stand the idea of being apart from him so I begged him to turn me.”

“And he did?” Diana asked.

“At first, Stryde refused to turn me. But I pleaded with him and eventually he gave in. He loved me too and couldn’t stand the thought of being apart.”

“How did he turn you?”

“He bit me.”

“Is that the only way to become a wolf?”

“No, you can be born a wolf if one of your parents is one.”

“Does Stryde live in the den also?”

A dark shadow passed over Leah’s face. “No. Stryde and Ryker were best friends, but only one could become alpha. The den chose Ryker. When he became alpha, Stryde left for the mountains and formed the Dark Moon Pack.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“Stryde was so bitter and angry that he wasn’t chosen. I waited for him to calm down, but he kept pushing me away. One day, he told me he didn’t love me anymore.” Leah pressed her palm against her heart.

“And you believed him?”

“No. But I couldn’t take his anger anymore. His den is high in Howling Mountain and very isolated. I couldn’t live like that, so I returned to the Silver Creek Pack. I haven’t seen or talked to Stryde in over a year. When he comes to the den for council meetings, I hide in my room. I can’t bear to see him.”

“Do you still love him?”

Leah wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’ll always love him.”

Diana placed a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“You didn’t. But you know something? I have no regrets. I love being half-human, half-wolf. It’s like getting the best of both worlds.”

“How so?”

Leah swam to a calm pool of water that was surrounded by rocks. She floated on her back. “When I’m a wolf, I can run faster than I can in human form. I can roughhouse with the other wolves and no one gets hurt. When I’m human, I can work with my hands and make things out of wood and stone. I’ve always liked to create functional art.”

“I’ve never been much of an artist. I’m going to a college of dentistry.”

Leah sat up. “You should see Trent’s mouth. Talk about a disaster.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He likes to gnaw on sticks. I’ve told him it’s not good for his teeth but he doesn’t listen. He’s so stubborn about listening to anyone’s advice.”

“Maybe I can take a look to see if there’s anything I can do to help.” She hadn’t been paying attention to any of the werewolves’ teeth, but now that Leah mentioned it, Ryker’s seemed unusually sharp.

***

Ryker tracked the scent of the gun-wielding human to the town of Full Moon Bay. At the edge of the forest, he surveyed the people walking down Main Street. There were too many out right now so he couldn’t continue his search in town. He’d have to continue tonight after he brought Diana back.

He had to find the man and kill him. He couldn’t risk word getting out about werewolves in the forest. He wasn’t sure how much the man had seen after he took off, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

After studying the faces on Main Street one more time, he backed into the woods and then turned and ran.

The deeper he got into the forest, the more sure he was about where he was headed. He reached the base of Howling Mountain. As he ascended the steep trail, he carefully chose each step. Wind whipped through the narrow passes. An ever-present mournful howling sound snaked through scattered pine trees.

Most wolves refused to climb the mountain out of respect for the Dark Moon Pack. But Ryker had known Stryde, the pack’s alpha, since they were children. The council agreement between the tribes allowed wolves to pass through other territories without harm, but they were strictly forbidden from approaching the other wolves or hunting in their territory.

Ryker didn’t plan on violating the treaty. He only broke rules when it was absolutely necessary.

He continued up the switchback trail that lead to his favorite place in the world. When he reached the overhang, he quickly checked the small cave. He kept a few supplies here for when he needed a place to think. Everything seemed to be in its place.

Thirsty from the climb, he nudged the lid off a large gourd and lapped up water. When he was done, he picked the lid up with his teeth and secured it.

He pawed toward the edge of the overhang and stared down at the river below. Diana and Leah splashed in the pool at the edge of the river. The women were both in their human form and he couldn’t help but notice their differences. Leah’s stomach was a smooth plane which ended at her narrow hips. He’d enjoyed mating with her over the years, but beyond that, he didn’t feel anything more than friendship toward her. She seemed more interested in Trent anyway. The beta didn’t mind sharing since he also had a wandering eye, so the arrangement worked well.

In contrast to Leah, Diana’s belly was soft and round. Her hips were curvaceous and tantalizing. It had only been about an hour since his hands held those luscious hips, but his body remembered. The stirring between his legs distracted him. In his wolf form, desire often overrode common sense. He’d have to be very careful about shifting too close to her, especially if they were alone.

Even from a thousand feet above, he could smell the sweet essence of her. The river had worked wonders and the foul city smell was gone, and so was the scent of fear. He lowered down to the ground and rested his head on his forepaws, content to simply watch her.

***

Zane clamped the custom steel bullet mold into place. A bead of sweat worked its way down his forehead and dripped into his eye. The workshop in his garage didn’t have any climate control but only the wicked needed such worldly things.

He needed to line the mold with a thin layer of carbon. If he poured pure silver into the mold, it would react with the steel and ruin the finish on the bullet. He could probably have gotten away with skipping this step, but people who cut corners were weak, lazy creatures.

He lit a Bunsen burner then turned off the supply of oxygen. A yellow flame bloomed. He waved the mold over the flame a few times to create the carbon layer.

Satisfied with his work, he turned off the burner. He carefully set the mold on the refractory brick on the table, then used a clamp to hold it in place. He opened the furnace and used industrial grade tongs to pull out the crucible filled with silver.

As he poured the molten silver into the bullet mold, he prayed over it. “Lord, make me the instrument of your wrath. Let these bullets pierce the werewolves’ evil souls and send them to hell where abominations against God belong.”

When the molds were filled, he put the crucible to the side and waited. He’d hunt the wolves tonight. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes when the wolf who attacked him transformed into a man, but suddenly everything made sense. Women were only part of the evil walking the earth.

As a boy, he hadn’t realized the extent of their wickedness until the first time his mother beat him over the head with her thick, leather Bible. She’d hit him so hard his head cracked against the kitchen table. As blood oozed from the growing lump on his scalp, God spoke to him.

At ten years old, he thought he’d known his purpose, but now he knew better. God made him an instrument of His will and he’d never stop until he killed every werewolf in the woods.

Chapter 4

Diana froze at the sudden shiver of awareness. The distinct feeling of being watched washed over her, sending her heart skittering in her chest.

Leah frowned. “What is it?”

“I feel like…never mind, it’s silly.”

“Come on, you can tell me.” Leah playfully splashed her.

Diana stared up the mountain. Someone was definitely watching her, but she couldn’t see who it was. A shadowy movement caught her attention. On a ridge high above the river, she spotted a wolf peeking over the side of a shelf in the cliff.

She whispered, “Someone’s watching us.”

Leah followed her gaze. She fell over laughing. “Figures.”

“What?”

Leah cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed, “Hey, Ryker, why don’t you come down and join us?”

Diana sunk down into the water until only her head stuck out. “Why’s he doing that? It’s so creepy.”

“He’s just watching over us. He likes to go up there and watch over the valley.”

Diana eyed the filthy dress draped over the log. There was no way she could reach it unless he saw her naked. She laughed when she realized how ridiculous her reasoning was. He’d already seen her in the shredded dress and probably in the river too. There really wasn’t much left that he hadn’t seen. She was a little on the chunky side, but she was proud of her curves.

Besides, what difference did it make at this point? She’d be leaving in a few short hours, never to return.

Sadness wove a band around her heart. She’d only been with the werewolves for a few hours, but they were fascinating. She wanted to know more about them. Like how did they manage to live in the woods for hundreds of years without being spotted? She’d heard myths and legends of werewolves but no one actually believed them.

She trudged through the water and stepped onto the shore. She grabbed the dress with every intention of slipping it over her head, but one whiff of the garment and she knew it needed a good dip in the river.

She scanned the rock face as she waded back into the water. There was no sign of him. As she dunked the garment in and out of the water, she smiled and wondered what he thought about her body. Did he like thin, fit women like Leah? Or did he like a woman with a few extra curves?

Leah swam over to her. “I think the dress is shot.”

Diana held the mangled dress up and sighed. She needed something to wear for the trip home. “You don’t happen to have a clean dress in the den, do you?”

“I have pants and a shirt.”

“You’re kidding.”

Leah said, “I go into town sometimes to get the supplies. I’m one of the only wolves in our pack to have lived as a human, so it makes sense to send me. Akila lived as a human for a while too, but we can’t risk losing her, so she stays at the den. I can give you some of the clothes I wear during those trips.”

“How do you pay for the clothes and supplies?”

She shrugged. “I don’t. We try not to take very much, mostly medical supplies for Akila. We can get everything else we need from the land.”

“But that’s stealing.”

Leah crossed her arms under her breasts. “Well, I can’t exactly get a job to pay for everything. I haven’t seen any ‘werewolves wanted’ signs anywhere. Have you?”

Diana shook her head no.

Leah took the dress from her. “We can bury this on the way back. We don’t want other wolves to scent you and come to investigate. Let’s get back to the den. Ryker will be waiting.”

Diana followed Leah out of the river. She’d lost her shoes while running from Zane, so by the time they got back to the den, she was limping from small cuts and bruises.

Back inside the den, Leah led her down the right-hand tunnel. “Walk as quickly as you can and stay quiet. The fewer wolves that see you, the better off we’ll be.”

Diana nodded her head in agreement.

As the tunnel continued deeper into the mountain, it opened into a large room. Wolves of all shapes and colors lay sprawled across the floor. Some lay side by side, while others were tucked into the corners away from the rest of the pack.

Diana slowed her pace. Most of the wolves slept, but a few awakened as she drew nearer and watched her with shimmering eyes. Some seemed mildly curious, while others glared at her.

She wished she could to talk to them so they would know why she was in their den, but Leah turned and motioned for her to hurry up.

Diana caught up with her. “How many wolves are in your pack?”

“About forty.”

“That’s a lot of wolves.”

“Not really. The Phantom Lake Pack has over one hundred wolves.”

Intrigued, Dina asked, “How many other packs live in this area?”

“Three. Ours, the Phantom Lake Pack and the Dark Moon Pack. The Phantom Lake Pack lives around Phantom Lake. It’s a huge lake so it can support a larger pack. The Dark Moon Pack is about the same size as ours. They live up on Howling Mountain where you saw Ryker.”

“Aren’t wolves territorial?”

A deep masculine voice sounded from behind her. “They are.”

Diana spun to find Ryker on her heels. She’d been so engrossed in listening to Leah she hadn’t heard him sneak up from behind.

Ryker’s eyes blazed a trail from her face across her body and all the way to her toes before returning to her eyes. She held her head high during the inspection.

“You look much cleaner.” He sniffed the air. “And smell better too.”

Leah grinned. “Mission accomplished. Like I said, anything you need, I’ll do.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Ryker said.

Leah’s silvery laughter echoed down the hall as she left.

“You’ll have to excuse her. She tends to get a little territorial.”

“I asked her but she said she wasn’t your wife.”

Ryker pushed back a curtain and waved for her to enter the room. “She’s not. I don’t have one. Anyway, welcome to my home.”

Diana stepped into the immaculately clean room. The floor looked recently swept and not a single item seemed out of place. A round redwood table and several chairs sat in one corner. She wondered if he held meetings here.

A well-used fire pit took up the center of the room. It had been cleaned out, but charcoal still peppered the bottom.

Situated at the back of the room was a large dais covered in animal pelts and feather-stuffed pillows. Still tired from the ordeal of the last twenty-four hours, she stared at it longingly.

Ryker pulled a chair out from the table. “I brought you some food.”

She sat as he pushed the chair in. “Thank you.”

A platter of meat sat on the table. He skewered a slab of raw meat then offered it to her. She wrinkled her nose. “That’s raw.”

He looked from the stick of meat to her and back. “Oh, right, I forgot that humans prefer to have it cooked.”

“So, you’ve always been a werewolf?”

“I was born a werewolf. I never lived with humans, so I don’t always remember their customs. Like cooking meat.”

He dropped the meat back onto the platter. The wet sound it made when it landed made her stomach churn. She turned away and studied Ryker as he built the fire.

She’d been too afraid to really look at him before now. Flames rose up from the fire and lit up his amber eyes. She wanted to run the tips of her fingers along his strong jawline and brush the back of her hand across the five o’clock shadow on his face. So sexy. She had a weakness for men who had that dark, dangerous look. No wonder he was the alpha.

He squatted on firm, muscular legs. His chiseled stomach clenched as he leaned over to grab more wood. For a second, she imagined his body covering hers. What would it feel like to have him on top of her? Inside of her?

God she wanted a boyfriend. It had been over a year since she’d dumped Steve. A girl had needs and her hormones were making her crazy. Just watching Ryker stoke the fire sent flames of desire licking their way up her body. The molten heat between her thighs made her shift with discomfort. As soon as she got home, she planned on relieving the ache. She just had to hold out a few more hours.

***

The scent of her arousal tested every ounce of strength in Ryker’s body. She already smelled like a clear mountain stream, and with the added essence of pure desire, he could hardly focus.

When the fire reached a foot high, he grabbed the stick of meat from the table. He circled the fire until it was between them. From this vantage point, he could drink in each of her sensual curves. He was hyperaware of every move she made. The light from the fire flickered across her body, making him hard. He knew she could see his arousal, but she didn’t look away.

Instead, she met his gaze and held it. He loved the spark of awareness in her eyes. He wanted to carry her to bed, but that was impossible. In a few hours, she’d be leaving the den and he’d never see her again.

“What are you thinking?” she asked in a soft voice.

“I’m trying to decide when we should leave.”

“Oh.” A hint of disappointment flashed across her face but disappeared so fast he wasn’t sure if it was just a trick of the light.

“The meat’s almost ready. I don’t know how hot you want it.” He inwardly cringed. Could he be any more obvious?

In a seductive voice she replied, “Scorching hot.”

Her unwavering gaze melted the last thread of resolve. He stalked toward her. He wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her to bed, but instead, he held the stick out. “Try it.”

She leaned forward and bit off a small piece. Her eyes closed as she moaned with pleasure. “That is amazing.”

He watched her devour the piece of meat. When she finished, she stood and took the stick from him. She laid it on the table then wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For rescuing me, for taking care of my leg, for cooking for me.”

She caressed his back as she spoke. The long, soft strokes enflamed his skin. It tingled all the way down to his toes.

“After tonight, we’ll never see each other again,” she murmured.

He tangled his fingers in her hair and drew her close. Her tongue flicked out to moisten her lips. The puffy bottom lip beckoned, just waiting to be nibbled.

He lowered his mouth and brushed a feathery kiss across her lips. This was madness. He shouldn’t be touching a human. He pulled back slightly, but she cupped the back of his head and pressed her lips against his.

He groaned and deepened the kiss. His tongue slid between her pliant lips to taste her. The tip of his tongue touched hers. She sighed and pressed her breasts against his chest.

He wanted to savor every kiss, every caress because he’d never see her again. At least he’d have something to remember her by when she was gone. He’d only known her for a few hours, but he wished they could have more time together.

She fascinated him. Sometimes she seemed vulnerable enough to shatter into a million pieces, but other times, like when she’d attempted to escape the man who was trying to kill her, she showed immense bravery.

He wanted to know more about her. But rather than dwell on the inevitable loss, he scooped her up and carried her to his bed.

He lay by her side and caressed the curve of her hip. “If you want me to stop, now would be the time.”

“Don’t stop.”

He rolled her onto her back. He leaned over her and spread gentle kisses along the side of her jaw. When he moved to her neck, she moaned and arched into him.

He wanted to go slow, so he laid his palm flat on her belly and took a breath. The musky scent of her arousal swirled up from the juncture of her thighs. His kisses traveled from her neck to the swell of her perfect breasts. He gently stroked her heated flesh until the sound of someone clearing their throat stopped him.

Ryker rolled toward the entrance to his chamber. When he saw who caused the interruption, his annoyance evaporated.

Trent leaned against the door with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Busy?”

Diana sat up quickly and pulled a pelt across her body. “Oh my God this is so embarrassing.”

Ryker slid off the bed and padded across the room. “Do you have news from the tracking party?”

“Yes, but I feel like you have a far more interesting story to tell me.” Trent leaned to one side to look at Diana.

“Did you find out who attacked Gwen?”

Trent nodded. “Her scent led us right to the town. Which reminds me, what the hell is a human doing in the den?”

Ryker glowered at his beta as he backed out of the room. “Wait for me outside. I’ll be right out.”

He returned to Diana. “Trent just got back with the tracking party. Unfortunately, I have to deal with this immediately. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. When I get back, it should be time to take you home.”

“He sounds pissed that I’m here.”

“He’s just agitated from tracking Gwen’s attacker. Don’t worry about it.”

He turned and left the room before he could climb back into bed with her. Giving in to the erotic pull of her pheromones was a terrible mistake. Bringing a human into the den was a mistake too. He needed to get his shit together.