Darkest Wolf (2 page)

“You have no idea how I was brought up.”

“I will have your choice.”

She cursed. “The back of the van.”

Fine. So far Rex’s mating was not going the way he might have hoped. None of his brothers had this much trouble with their soul mates. His brother Tristan had been trapped as a wolf, his brother Theo had accidentally managed to take part of the soul of a demon inside of him, Az’s mate had herself been stuck as a wolf, and Michael had mated a latent wolf-shifter who had been horribly abused. And, yet, none of them had found a mate as bad-tempered as his. Hell, he still didn’t know this witch’s name.

Thumping her down on the inside of the van, he grabbed some rope he kept stored there. Also collected were lots of tools and assorted weaponry he might need whenever he left the island. All of his equipment would have to be moved up front because even tied up he suspected his mate-slash-witch would find a way to wound him if she could.

She was going to have to go up front with him whether she liked it or not. He grabbed the rope and tied her wrists. “I really don’t want to do this to you. I have no interest in tying you up.”

Her eyes flared with anger. “I thought you wolves were into all kinds of kinky stuff.” Rex rolled his eyes. The woman would say anything to get a rise out of him at the moment. “When I have your hands on me sexually, I won’t want you tied.” She gulped, the muscles on her neck stretching slightly. He wondered if he’d made her mouth go dry.

“Nothing to say?”

With her wrists fully secured, he heaved her over his shoulder again. “Stop. Right now. I don’t like how you’re holding me. It makes me feel like you’re going to drop me on the ground.”

“Witch, if you weighed twice what you do, I wouldn’t drop you. I’m a wolf-shifter. I can carry three times my own body weight.”

“Good to know.” She kicked again, this time landing a blow on his chest. It stung but he wouldn’t rub it, not in front of her. In their power struggle, he would come up on top.

This witch would not be allowed to see him weak, even if she were his mate.

She is
.

He wanted to slam his wolf.
Shut up
. “I would think you would be pleased. You said they were going to kill you. I’ve removed you from the situation, witch.”

“Would you please stop calling me witch?” Her eyes flared as he placed her in the front passenger side of his blue van, bending over to buckle her in like she was a child who needed help.

“What else should I call you since you won’t tell me your name?” He closed the door and used his key remote to lock her in while he walked to the driver’s side. If she managed to escape and run away, he would catch her with no trouble. But the time he spent doing it could be better spent getting back to Maine. If he rushed, he would be there in seven hours.

In an irony not lost on him, this wasn’t his first time in New Jersey picking up a mate he needed to bring back to Maine. The only difference was the first time Tristan had been with him, stuck in wolf form, and Tristan’s mate Ashlee had at least accepted she was mated to Tristan.

Also, it hadn’t been his fate and soul on the line. Which seemed, he rapidly discovered, to make all the difference. Was he doomed to spar with this woman’s attitude for the rest of eternity?

Not the rest. You will start to age as soon as you take care of the sexual part of
mating. Then you’ll live a normal and happy life like the rest of your family.

Only if I can avoid getting murdered by my father.
His wolf had left the troubling part out of the happily-ever-after scenario.

Yes, if you can manage to not get killed
.

He opened the car door and slipped inside, keys in hand. The witch stared at him through hooded eyes. He didn’t like her quietness, not one bit. Sniffing the air, he tried to get a sense of what her emotions were based on her smell. Most of his brothers couldn’t decipher as well as he could. It had been his gift—and burden—since childhood. Having a really sensitive nose made it impossible to do certain things. Before he’d learned to control it, the faintest aromas could make him physically ill. If something was about to go bad in the refrigerator, he might be sick for days.

The other side of his scent issues was he could easily discern things other wolf-shifters could not: like the moods of those around him. Right now, his orange-scented mate smelled … perturbed. She wasn’t really angry nor was she confused. The witch radiated a feeling somewhere in between.

“If I tell you my name, will you let me go?”

“No.” He didn’t like her feeling any anger at all. In her position, he might too be annoyed. Still, something inside of him he didn’t want to particularly examine churned at the thought she had displeasure with him.

“I didn’t think so.” She sank down in her seat. “I don’t know why I’m surprised I’m being kidnapped by a psychotic witch-killing wolf. These sorts of things happen to me all the time.”

Really? He started the car and pulled it into traffic, watching where he went to make sure he did so in a safe manner. He wouldn’t risk her by being careless. “It does?”

“Sure. I’m cursed, after all, which doesn’t happen if you have great luck.”

“You’re cursed?” He nearly stuttered on the word. Rex knew something about curses. They’d all lived with one for thirty years until Ashlee had come and the pack had thrown it out. Most of the pack had died because of the blasted thing. “But you’re a witch.”

She shook her head. “Look, Kane.”

He really wished she wouldn’t use his last name to address him. It reminded him too much of his father. But he had no desire to interrupt her when she talked. Her voice had a lyrical, soothing quality he wanted to listen to for a while.

“I wasn’t born this ugly. In my normal form I’m not gorgeous, but I’m not grotesque either. People can look at me without wincing. I appreciate you’ve chosen not to flinch or look away. You’re the second wolf today to do so, which is, actually, incredibly kind considering what you all are. But don’t you want to abduct a better-looking person?

Surely, there can’t be much fun in this.”

Rex felt dumbfounded. He’d always prided himself on being a smart man. But he couldn’t make head or tails of what she’d just said to him. “Let me see if I can understand what you are saying.”

She shifted in her seat, and he wished he could trust her so he could untie her wrists.

“Okay.”

“People can’t look at you without flinching?”

“Correct.” She motioned to her face. “Can you blame them?” He ignored her question. “Why is this?”

“Because of the sores, the puss, the misshapen nose, the way my eyes are narrowed, my stringy hair and the other ways in which I now resemble a stereotypical crone.” She swung her head around to look out the window into the sunset. “And by the way, I take it back. You’re an asshole for making me list all the things wrong with me when you can see them perfectly for yourself.”

“Witch, I cannot see any of what you described. Do you need what the humans call a psychiatrist? Are you unwell?” He sniffed at the air. She didn’t smell of mental illness.

Her head turned around, the eyes he could now see had as much gray in them as they did blue stared back at him. “Are you serious or just playing some kind of a game?

Because I know the wolf earlier could see how horrendous I looked.”

“You are of petite stature. Your breasts are round and look like they would fill up my hands.” She sucked in her breath as he said his words but he wasn’t done. “You have brownish-blondish hair. I will call it whatever color you would like me to call it. Your eyes are … beautiful. Blue, gray. Your nose is not askew. By contrast, I would call it pert. Your chin is stubborn. All in all, if you were not a witch, I would call you a pixie.” She was silent for two seconds before tears slid down her face. Silent, she did not wipe them away. Neither did she slip into hysterics. “I used to look as you described me.”

“It’s how you look to me.”

“How?” She shook her head.

“I’m your mate. I see you as you are, witch.”

“My name is Liz. Stop calling me witch.”

He felt a smile twitch at his mouth. He’d gotten the name. Already, he’d made progress. If only it would be as easy to get her to save his pack.

Chapter Two

Elizabeth Willow wondered if she had been dropped on her head. The concussion could at least explain all of the odd things happening. Her day had started out like any other one. She’d endured her servitude to the hell-twins, making sure they ate all their favorite foods before she cleaned up the mess they’d made in their hotel rooms.

Finally, when they’d had their fill of Virginia Beach, she’d put them in the car, seen to it they had their favorite movies available to watch on DVD, and driven them to New York City. They wanted to see The Lion King on Broadway. Again. Because a thirty-year-old couldn’t see it too many times, could they?

Now there was this big mess with Rex Kane—not just any wolf but Prince of the Royal Westervelt Wolf Pack—the most famous witch-killing wolves on the planet. She shivered at the thought even as watching Rex’s strong profile gave her goosebumps for very different reasons.

“Look, Rex, this whole mating thing…”

He interrupted her. “What about it?” Goddess, he was so prickly. She hadn’t said anything and already he jumped down her throat.

“I don’t think your being able to see me un-cursed is a reason to feel I’m your mate. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m so glad you can.” So glad she might start bawling at any moment, but he didn’t need to know. “I just think you’d be better off with someone else.” Rex nodded. “I agree.”

He did? Elizabeth’s treacherous heart fell into her stomach. What was the matter with her? She didn’t want this wolf.

“But I don’t exactly get a say, so we’ll both just go with it, shall we?” She sat up straighter. “What?”

“I don’t decide who my mate is. Fate decided and my wolf informed me it was you.

So we’re both going to have to decide why fate thought it was amusing to put us together.”

“Let me get this straight.” She placed her bound hands on his arm, needing to know she had his full attention. The muscles beneath her fingertips were hard and well defined.

As fast as she could manage, she let go. “You don’t want to be mated to me?”

“It’s not a question of want. Did I desire a mate? Yes, of course. Would I have preferred you not to be a witch? Absolutely.”

“Well, I’m so sorry to disappoint.”
Asshole
.

She shifted in her seat again. This van was horribly uncomfortable. She’d spent nights inside of small hotel room closets more comfortable than this hellish vehicle. What was the matter with her? What did she care? He was nothing to her. Less than nothing.

He was a creature to be deplored, to be destroyed if she could manage it, which, of course, she could not.

Rex would probably be thrilled to hear the witch he’d been saddled with had little to no power of her own. The freezing spell she’d used on the bitch-twins in the restaurant was about the extent of her abilities these days.

A thought dawned on her. “What do you mean your wolf told you? You’re the wolf.” Rex’s jaw ticked. “It’s complicated.”

She bet it was. Narrowing her eyes, it occurred to her this might be the best thing to have happened to her in a while. Drea Dubrese’s coven would love any information she could bring them. Enough intel and she might be able to negotiate the release of her mother and return to her normal appearance. All she had to do was to get this frustrating, gorgeous wolf to tell her the things she needed to know, and then figure out how to get the heck away from him in one piece. “How complicated?” He scratched his head. “We never talk about it to outsiders. Hell, we barely discuss it amongst ourselves.”

“Am I an outsider? Or am I the woman you want to mate?” She realized how manipulative she was being. Never having done this before, she hoped she didn’t overplay her hand with him. For years, everyone around her had been using this trick to get her to do what they wanted. Surely, she must have some ability to do it on her own.

“We’re both man and wolf. One of the reasons for not discussing it is people don’t get it, no matter how much we explain.”

“I’m not just
people
. As you keep pointing out, I’m a witch. I’m sure I can handle whatever mystics are going on here.” She hoped. Considering she could be walking into a giant disaster…

“When we’re born…”

She had to interrupt, which she hated since he’d apparently decided to speak about it and she didn’t want him to change his mind. “We, being wolf-shifters?” He nodded, a piece of his nearly black hair falling into his eyes before he swatted it away. Rex needed a haircut in a major way. It was disturbingly cute.

“Correct.”

“Okay.” She leaned back so she could regard him more clearly. “Please go on.”

“When we’re born, we are just like other humans. We don’t have any particular powers.” He stopped speaking, and she had the feeling he held something back. Still, she didn’t want to push. If she could be patient about the twin situation, she could manage to find a way to handle this too. One way or another, she’d draw the wolf out until she got what she needed.

He continued. “It’s not until later, puberty usually, our wolves show up. It’s like one day they are not there and the next they are sharing our body, in our mind, speaking with us. They are the magic; our human half is around for the ride.” What he said didn’t make one lick of sense. “Where are they before they come to you?”

Rex shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“Can you talk to it?” Elizabeth’s mind whirled at the world he opened up to her. The wolf came to them in puberty. It was like a magic awakening showing up with age. Did the wolf exist before then? Did their bodies create the wolf? Did…