Dolf fisted his hands at his sides, fighting the urge to pull her close. Standing in front of her, smelling the scent that was uniquely hers, made his cock go instantly rock hard. Inside, his wolf threw back its head and howled, longing for his mate, wanting to claim her. But he made no other move to get closer, not when he could smell her fear and hear the sound of her heart beating at too fast a rate.
“Then answer my question,” he said in an even tone, not wanting to scare Maggie any more than he knew she already was.
She took a step back. “It’s none of your business.”
Dolf had to stiffen his body to stop himself from closing the gap between them. “It is, and you know the reason why. Tell me,” he said through gritted teeth.
Maggie shook her head. “I won’t accept you. Not ever. I can’t.”
He showed no outward sign of how much her words had hurt him. It felt as if someone had taken his sword and stabbed him through the heart. “That might be so, but it doesn’t make it go away. Not for me. You’re my ma—”
She quickly cut him off before he could finish. “Don’t even say it. I don’t want to hear it.”
Dolf sighed. “I’ll let it go for now. Just tell me why you’re out here alone.”
Maggie looked undecided, but then she surprised him when she lifted her chin and met his gaze. “I’ve cowered enough. I’m not going to let what happened make me a virtual prisoner in my own home, scared to leave it in case I get taken again. I’m not going to live out the rest of my life being afraid of my own shadow. If I do, the bastard will have won.”
A surge of pride washed through Dolf. This was the Maggie he wanted to see, to get to know better, not the woman who looked at him with fear. He ran his gaze over her long, black hair and pretty face before he settled on her green eyes. He ached to touch her, to claim her kissable lips while he learned her taste.
“I commend you on what you’re doing, but it doesn’t make it any safer. Stephen is still out there. We have no idea where he is.”
Maggie’s face turned white, but she seemed to be keeping it together. The only other thing that gave her away was the scent of fear growing stronger on her skin. “I can’t keep looking over my shoulder. It’ll drive me crazy. I want my life back to the way it used to be before I’d learned werewolves existed…before I’d met you.”
Dolf took another shot to the heart. “I would never do anything to hurt you.” No longer able to keep his distance, he shifted closer. “I’d give up my life for you,” he said softly.
Maggie silently stared at him. Dolf looked into her eyes, trying to show her with his that he meant what he said. He’d been alone for so long, and now that she’d come into his life, he wasn’t going to give her up without a fight. They barely knew each other, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t impacted him greatly. He’d never be the same without her.
A moment seemed to pass between them when it looked as if Maggie really saw him for the first time. As if she’d seen past what he was and finally peered inside at the man, not the immortal werewolf warrior. Dolf slowly raised his hand, wanting to reach for her. To touch her skin. But the spell that had come over them suddenly shattered when a male voice called Maggie’s name.
“Maggie?” Chris called again as he crossed the street. “Is that really you?”
She tore her gaze off him and turned to the other man. A large smile spread across her face, one she’d never given to Dolf. “Chris! It seems like ages since I last saw you.”
Dolf held back the growl that threatened to rumble out of him as he watched his mate walk into Chris’ arms and hug him, giving another man what he so desperately craved.
Chris released Maggie and smiled. “I thought you were still in Canada, going to school. When did you get back?”
“A couple of months ago. After I finished university, I decided to come home.”
“Why didn’t you get in touch with me?”
Maggie took a quick glance at Dolf before she said, “I would have, but I got caught up in something. It’s okay now, though.”
Dolf cleared his throat loudly, not liking the idea of being left out of the conversation. “So, Chris, you know Maggie then?”
The werewolf nodded. “For quite some years now. We went to school together. We actually went out on a couple of dates, but decided very quickly we were better off as friends rather than boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Maggie looked at Dolf and then back to Chris again. “You know Dolf?”
Chris nodded. “We just recently met.”
Ignoring Dolf, Maggie said, “Oh. Look, I have to get back inside, but we should get together, Chris.”
“I’d love to. I’m just not sure when yet.” Chris’ gaze flicked over to Dolf. “How about I email you.”
“All right. You already have my address.” Maggie hugged Chris once more. “It was really nice seeing you again. Hope to hear from you soon.” Without a backward glance, she walked away and headed into the house.
Once she was out of sight, Dolf took hold of Chris’ arm and walked him back to the Porsche. He didn’t say anything until they were inside and driving away. Mostly because Dolf needed the time to get his emotions back under control. Seeing Maggie touching Chris so easily made Dolf want to rip the werewolf to shreds. And it had everything to do with him feeling jealous.
Finally calm enough to talk without a growl lacing his words, Dolf said, “Maggie and you are obviously close.”
“We are.”
“Well, the fact you are might’ve just saved your ass.”
“Why?”
“Maggie is my mate, and you’re going to help me get her over her fear of werewolves. In my book, you’ve just become a valuable tool. You’re going to show her that not all of us are bloodthirsty killers.”
Maggie closed the door behind her and went straight up to her room. If felt as if her heart slammed against her ribs, it beat so hard. She walked over to the bed and sat. Holding out her hand, she saw it shook slightly.
It took almost a minute for her nerves to settle. Seeing the large figure of Dolf walking toward her had scared the crap out of her. Every time she thought about him, she remembered the pain and fear she’d suffered when the werewolf pack leader had abducted her. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to disassociate one from the other, which wasn’t a good thing.
Maggie sighed and fell back on the bed. Being around Dolf had pulled her in two different directions. On one hand, she was afraid of him, and on the other, she found herself attracted to his good looks. Standing outside, for a brief moment, she’d finally been able to get past her fear long enough to actually see Dolf as just a man. And if she were being honest, she had to admit she’d liked what she’d seen.
If they’d met three or four months ago, she would’ve had no problem hooking up with him. He was everything she liked in a man—tall and muscular with a body she would’ve spent hours exploring with her lips and tongue. She would’ve enjoyed running her fingers through his short, wavy, reddish brown hair while staring into his brown eyes that were so dark they almost looked black. The old her would’ve held onto Dolf and never let him go, but not this new, scared version of her.
And it didn’t help that she was his mate. One of her closest friends, Cydney, who she’d gone to Ryerson University in Toronto with, was mated to Dolf’s best friend, Wulfric. So Maggie knew exactly what she meant to Dolf, and what it entailed to be claimed by him. Not that that was ever going to happen now. She could barely stand having him near her, and touching was completely out of the question. It would just make her more terrified.
She closed her eyes and felt a single tear leak out of the corner of one. Why did her life have to be so hard? After graduating from university, she’d been ready to embark on a new career as a journalist. Her future had looked so bright.
Roughly wiping away the wetness on her cheek, Maggie sat up. No longer would she allow herself to wallow in misery. She’d meant what she’d told Dolf about not letting Stephen win. She’d get her life back, slowly but surely. It would take some time, but in the end, she’d triumph. It was just too bad she still wouldn’t be able to tolerate Dolf when she did.
* * *
Dolf drove straight to the mansion he shared with his fellow warriors and their mates, along with Raed and Lexi’s daughter, Petra. Chris sat quietly next to him, which Dolf didn’t mind. He wasn’t really in the mood to talk.
At the end of the long drive that would take them up to the large house, Dolf stopped his car and turned to Chris. “This is as far as I can go with you right now. Tiw protects our home from Fenris’ get, from your type of werewolves. I’m going to call to him and see if he’s willing to let you through. And I’m not sure what he’ll want to do, to make sure you won’t be a threat.”
“Then why bring me here?”
“Because, as I’ve said before, we can’t allow you to run loose. You’ll be safer here too.”
Chris turned his head and looked at Dolf. “Then there’s the fact you want to use me to help win over Maggie.”
Dolf clenched the steering wheel tighter, turning his knuckles white. “Yes.”
“What happened? How did she learn about werewolves?”
He ground his teeth for a few seconds before he answered, “A couple of months back, Maggie was taken by the pack leader of Fenris’ get. It…traumatized her. My fellow warriors and I infiltrated the den and managed to free her, but the damage had already been done. She can’t stand to be near me because of what I am.”
“So you want me to spend time with her, then spring it on her that I’m one of the creatures she fears,” Chris said as a statement and not as a question.
“Basically.”
The werewolf shook his head. “I don’t think it’ll work. I know Maggie better than you do.”
Dolf growled low in his throat, instinctively not liking the idea that another male was closer to his mate. “Why won’t it?” he asked in a strained voice.
“Maggie sometimes doesn’t get over things easily. She’s a sensitive person. She’s more likely to run scared once she finds out what I’ve become, not get past it, no matter how much time I spend with her.”
“Then you’re just going to have to work harder. We both are.”
“Whatever. Don’t be surprised if it backfires in your face.”
Deciding to let the subject of Maggie drop for now, Dolf called, “Tiw, I need you to allow this werewolf to pass through your protection.”
Tiw’s voice filled his head a few seconds later.
Why should I do this?
“He’s not like the others of his kind. After talking with him, it looks as if Fenris’ get are no longer staying together in a pack. He’s newly turned and has been on his own. He needs to be protected from the other werewolves. I don’t think he’s any danger to us or to mortals.”
I’ll be the judge of that. I will not put the others at risk just because you want to use this werewolf’s help to claim your mate.
Of course, Tiw would know Dolf’s other reason for bringing Chris home with him. Tiw was a god, after all. “I wouldn’t have brought him here if I thought he’d turn on us.”
There was a moment of silence before Tiw said,
We shall see.
Chris jerked and stiffened as he clutched his head. He moaned low in his throat as if in pain. “Fuck,” he said. “I can feel him digging around inside my brain.”
It didn’t seem to take Tiw long to find out what he wanted, because Chris slumped in the seat less than a minute later.
You’re right, Dolf. Chris is no threat to anyone. Keep him at the mansion. I’ll need to discuss this turn of events with Raed. If the werewolf pack is no more, and Chris’ non-bloodthirsty nature is the cause of being alone, it changes how we’ll have to view the enemy from here on out. I’ve adjusted my protection so Chris will be able to come and go. Tell Raed I’ll be in contact with him later.
Dolf felt Tiw’s presence in his head vanish. He turned to Chris to see the other man staring at him wide-eyed. “I take it you heard everything Tiw told me?” Dolf asked.
Chris nodded. “Ah, yeah.” He then smiled. “That was bloody amazing. I heard an actual god’s voice in my head.”
Putting the car back in gear, Dolf continued down the drive. He chuckled before he said, “It is, isn’t it?” He pulled up to the large, detached garage and parked. “Now—I hope you understand that Tiw wanting you to remain here means you have to stay away from your family and friends. You could put them at risk if you don’t.”
“That won’t be a problem. I realized that early on. It’s only me and my mum when it comes to family. I moved out a couple of years ago, so she’s not expecting me home tonight or anything. I just need to get some of my things from my flat.”
“We can do that tomorrow, after you email Maggie about setting up a time to see her again.”
“Fine, but I still don’t think this is going to work.”
Dolf got out of the car and waited for Chris to walk around it before he headed for the front door of the mansion. “We’ll see.” Once they were inside the spacious foyer, he continued to speak. “Besides me, there are five other warriors who have pledged to serve Tiw. Raed, Algar, Garrick and Wulfric are mated, while Brand and I aren’t. Raed and Lexi have a daughter. Garrick’s mate, Nika, is pregnant with their first child.”
“And you’re all immortal?” Chris asked. “What about your mates?”