Untamed Wolf (12 page)

“You can remain a Lone Wolf, and I will oversee your choices for a time, explain the laws to you, and you will agree to adhere to them.” The cool eyes watching her left her with nowhere else to go. She felt like he could read her soul.

“Or?” she’d managed to squeeze out past her panic.

“Or I can deliver you to a pack and see if they’d be willing to take you or kill you.” He paused as though waiting for her to respond to the words. “Your father is dead, Chrystal, and your mother is a Rogue. I’m offering you a chance to not have to pay for their mistakes. You need to take it.”

After repeating an edited version to Dylan, she spread her hands. “I chose Lone Wolf, because it was what I was. He was there when my next heat came…and I told him how I locked myself in, but he didn’t make me do that. He just stayed until it was done, then he left. He always dropped in when I didn’t expect it. When I moved after high school, he helped me find a place. When I needed a car, he co-signed on it. The visits became less frequent as I grew older…and then I met Luciana and Rayne.”

“Have you seen Julian since then?”

She shook her head. God, she hoped she never saw him again.

The last thing she wanted to be was a Rogue Julian hunted.

T
he snow stopped falling
ten hours after Chrystal dropped the bomb on him about Julian. Though she’d managed to coax him into playing, they’d both been aware of his bad mood, a foul temper he couldn’t quite seem to shake. Her mother—what a piece of work that bitch had to be—isolated her child and taught her to fear her wolf and all other wolves. Then she abandoned her, leaving her to be found by Julian.

Arms folded, he spared a glance at the sleeping Chrystal. She sprawled on the pallet they’d rebuilt. The firelight gleamed on her skin and gave her a ruddy cast. Her mouth was open ever so slightly and her soft snore earned a faint smile from him. He’d made love to her until they were both weak with exhaustion, and only then had he let her rest. Sleep proved elusive for him, and his wolf remained agitated.

The dying of the wind kept him awake long after she drowsed against him. When Mama asked to leave, he opened the door and bid her farewell with her pup. Like him, she recognized the change in the weather. The heavy snow still blocked the road, but he could get them out, and with the storm passing…

His phone vibrated and he paced over to the table where he’d left it after discovering it wasn’t charged earlier in the day. Cell signal returned. A sure sign of the end. A message flashed across the screen, then another, then a third. They’d been out of contact for nearly two days. Two? Or had it been only a little over twenty-four hours? It seemed weeks and no time at all.

Another buzz announced the arrival of a new message. No matter how much he might wish to remain disconnected, he couldn’t ignore his Alpha or any other call for his attention. He was a Hunter. The pack’s business and safety was his responsibility. Personal feelings and desires weren’t as important as the needs of the pack. Device in hand, he swiped his thumb across the screen.

Mason sent a half dozen messages.
Check in if you receive this.
Four in a row, all the same thing about four hours a part—then,
Storm dropped power in Willow Bend. Land lines down. Reports of outages across the state.
The timestamp was nearly eighteen hours before. The most recent message was sent to multiple Hunters, Dylan included. Three words.

Report in. Now.

Even as he stared at the screen, Hunters lit it up checking in. Activating the keyboard, he typed in his name, location, and current condition:
safe, storm passing.
His thumb hesitated on the send button. The moment he tapped it, the sojourn of Dylan and Chrystal, wolves riding out the storm together, ended. He would be Dylan Royce, Willow Bend Hunter, and she Chrystal Landros, Three Rivers wolf…

Three Rivers. Rogue Pack granted probationary status.

Six months or a year from now…the Alphas could change their mind and end Three Rivers, a decision he might have agreed with even three days before…

Grinding his teeth together, he hit send. Seconds passed, and the main message to Mason dinged. His Alpha switched to the private message.

You two all right out there?

Concern. It was what made Mason worth following. He cared about his people.

We’re good. Lost power, but the generator worked perfectly. Still snowed in, have to clear to the road.

The information would buy him a few hours at least. Nowhere near enough time. His hesitation and reluctance increased his sense of agitation. His wolf, however, seemed even more recalcitrant than he.

Get it cleared. We need to return Chrystal. Luciana believes we’ve kidnapped one of her wolves.

Son of a bitch.

The faster we return her, the sooner we end this problem. Enforcers are en route to you. They will help clear, then handle returning her.

Enforcers?
She hasn’t done anything wrong.

A pause.
Didn’t say she had. Luciana is beginning to chafe under restrictions. Get dug out. Get that wolf home.

No wiggle room. Mason didn’t say it was an order. He didn’t have to.

Will do. When should I expect Enforcers?

Silence save for the crackling fire.
Dawn. Talk soon.

Barely any time at all. If they were incoming, he needed to get the truck dug out, so he could start clearing to the road. Chrystal shifted on the pallet. Studying her peaceful face, he tried to find his balance. She valued her pack, her first pack, and she’d worried about being in trouble. In a few hours, the Enforcers would arrive and he would have to hand Chrystal over so they could escort her home, settling whatever upset had been caused.

Every fiber of his being protested the order, but she didn’t belong to Willow Bend. Mason told him to get it cleared, he didn’t say when. The Enforcers could waste a few hours getting to them. Setting his phone on the table, he walked over to the fire and added a log before lying down next to her. After tugging the blanket over her shoulder where it had slipped down, he rolled onto his side, watching her sleep. She turned over, tucking herself against his chest and he slid an arm around her. Not once did her eyes flutter, but the warmth of her breath tickled his chest. Dawn would be there soon enough, until then, he wanted to stay with her.

She didn’t belong to him, either.

T
he sound
of vehicles in the distance roused him within moments of drifting to sleep…or so it seemed. The low burning fire told him those last few precious hours slipped away.
Dammit.
“Chrystal.” He trailed his finger down her cheek. She swatted at his hand.

“S’cold,” she muttered, and the corners of his mouth twitched. She burrowed deeper into the blankets, then rubbed her cheek to his chest. “Sleep better.”

“I agree.” Dammit, he agreed. “But we have to wake up now. I’ll get the generator started, then you need to shower, pretty girl.”

“Why?” The low plaintive note stretched out, and he had to bite back another grin. Grumpy when woken before she was ready. It was really cute.

“I know it’s still dark, but we have to get up.” The next words out of his mouth would suck. “The Enforcers are on their way.”

Her eyes jerked open and, though he’d been prepared for her worry, the sheer level of panic rolling off her had him at a killing edge. His wolf snarled, but Dylan fought for calm. The last thing they needed was to lose it. “Shh, pretty girl. You’re not in trouble.” Then, because he needed to say what she needed to hear, he promised. “No one is going to hurt you. The storm passed, and Luciana thinks we’re holding you captive.”

Her panic ebbing, she turned those wide eyes on him. With sleep tousled hair, and gorgeous eyes, she looked too young and innocent for all the political machinations around them. “Why does she think that?”

“Probably because we couldn’t produce you with the storm going on, and I lost touch with Mason.” He didn’t regret a moment of their time alone, though the rupture of their bubble sucked. “It’s causing problems, so we need to get you home as soon as possible. In the interests of peace, Mason is having one of the Enforcers deliver you.”

“One?” She started to chew on her lower lip, then halted.
Good girl.

“He said plural, so it may be two. Don’t worry, I’ll be with you…” No, he wouldn’t. He had to hand her off, then return to Willow Bend proper.
Dammit
. “I’ll be here when they get here, and I’ll explain everything.”

“How close are they?”

The rumble of the vehicle, no vehicles, remained steady in the background. Two or more. “Too close. Go shower, pretty girl.” Pushing himself away from the pallet and forcing himself to leave her embrace, he turned to the fire. Adding several logs, he built the heat up for her then got the generator started. “The water will be warm in a few minutes, then you can…” She’s already risen and folded their blankets, erasing the bed they’d shared.

Like their time in the cabin, it all ended too quickly.

“What are you going to do?” she asked after stacking the last pillow. She’d gathered her stiff clothes together, and he knew without her saying a word she planned to change into all of her things after the shower.

“I’ll start the coffee so it’s hot and turn the heat on under the soup.” No reason she couldn’t eat before she left. “It’s going to take a while, so you have time.”

“Dylan?” The question followed him into the kitchen, but he kept his hands busy. When the woman followed him as well, he paused to find her staring at him. Worry lined the corners of her eyes. “You’re sad.”

Yes, he supposed he was. “I wouldn’t have minded another day or two of snow.”

The corners of her mouth curved. “Me, too.”

The wistful note in her voice dragged him away from the stove and he pulled her into his arms. When she returned his fierce embrace, he smiled. “We need to make sure you have my number in your phone.”

“Really?”

Disliking the surprised tenor, he leaned away to stare at her. “How the hell are you supposed to call me when you have questions or if you need me if you don’t have the number?”

Her tongue peeked at him from between her teeth, then she laughed. “Good point.” With surprising alacrity, she retrieved her phone and turned it on. “Can we put my number in your phone, too?”

It wasn’t much, but being able to reach her settled his wolf. “Done.” It took them only a few seconds to exchange numbers. When she insisted on a photo, he made a face and she laughed when she snapped it. “Are you planning to use that one?”

“Cross-eyed and sticking your tongue at me?” Delight danced in every word. “Absolutely.” When he reached for her phone, she hugged it to herself. Amusement lived in her eyes, so he raised his phone and snapped a photo for himself. “Fine. I like mine better.”

Her laughter wreathed her as she vanished into the bathroom, though his smile died the moment the door closed. After checking the heat under the soup, then sparing a glance to the brewing coffee, he retrieved his clothes. The shower turned on. The rush of water and the thought of Chrystal under the hot steam held vast amounts of appeal. The motors running in the distance, however, plagued him.

The sooner he got out there and cleared, the sooner he could size up the competition—
Enforcers, not competition.
Even if their assigned task involved taking Chrystal away from him. Shrugging into his jacket, Dylan paused.
They are taking her home. Which I planned to do anyway. It simply saves me a trip…

His wolf raked his claws against his skin and he scowled. The beast’s earlier agitation returned, souring his bad mood further. Outside, he grabbed the shovel and stomped to the steps. Mama’s footprints trailed off toward the woods, but the wolf hadn’t returned. He’d track her later…make sure she was fine. Chrystal would want to know.

Two hours of sweat and shoveling later, he had the truck warming once more. At the other end of the road, a pair of bobcats worked in tandem. They’d already cleared a mile long strip, at their current rate, they’d be to him in an under an hour.

The door opened and Chrystal emerged. Her jacket wasn’t enough for the weather, so he stripped off his and crossed the packed snow to the porch. Accepting the coffee, he wrapped his jacket around her. She’d tucked a wool cap over her head. Tugging the braid hanging over her shoulder lightly, he said, “Thank you.”

“I thought you would take a break sooner.” Which probably explained her appearance an hour earlier with a shovel. He’d chased her back into the cabin, preferring she stay warm.

“I’ll start shoving snow with the truck in a minute.” He took a swallow of the hot coffee. It did little to ease the ice solidifying in his chest.

Her gaze was on the tracks. “Will she be all right?”

“She’s a tough little lady.” It was as close to a promise for the wolf’s safety as he could come. Draining the coffee cup, he tried not to notice her crestfallen expression. “You know, you’ve still got some time…the snow is really pretty on the pines over there. If you wanted to get some pictures.” The sun had begun to make a valiant attempt to break through the clouds, streams of light fell over the wooded area.

“Oh, that’s a good idea. Do you mind?” She shoved her arms into the sleeves of his jacket, and he smiled. Good girl. She would stay warmer in layers.

“Not at all. Go on and have a little more fun.” It would be easier to pretend he wasn’t making way for her to leave if she wasn’t staring at him. With a little bounce in her step, she retrieved the coffee mug and hurried inside. Seconds later, she dashed out with her phone in hand and set out towards the wood. Testing the wind, he smiled. She’d gone upwind, which meant her scent continued to swirl around him even on the faint breeze blowing.

The hour past much too swiftly as he used the scraper on the truck, shoving the snow to the side. Nowhere near as efficient as the bobcat, it still did the job. When he cleared the last pass, he parked the truck and waited. Chrystal was back amongst the trees. He caught glimpses of his jacket peeking through the white and green. The bobcats slowed, then backed off to allow an SUV to down the long stretch of drive they’d cleared. It had to stop, parked nose to nose with his truck.

Stepping out into the cold, he stalked forward to greet the Enforcer he had to give Chrystal to—
Julian
.

S
topping a foot away from him
, he studied the wolf with his air of power and cool authority. “Why you?”

“Excuse you?” Neither his scent nor his expression betrayed the Chief Enforcer’s emotions.

“You heard my question.” Dylan folded his arms. Older for certain, and definitely powerful, but the man hadn’t proven to be more dominant than Dylan.
And even if he is, he’s not pack. I don’t
have
to listen to him.

Julian studied him with an inscrutable look, then glanced beyond him toward the trees. “Chrystal,” he called, pitching his voice to carry. “It’s time to go.”

“She’s not going with you until you answer my question.” Striking him first would open a can of shit with Mason, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t bait the son of a bitch into attacking him. “Why
you
?”

“Boy, by all accounts you’re a good Hunter. Don’t make the mistake of believing I owe you any answer. You have your orders from your Alpha. I am here at
his
request to return the Three Rivers wolf to her pack.”
Cool. Stern. Unflappable
. Then he turned his flat-eyed gaze on Dylan once more. “She is not your concern.”