Things That Go Hump In The Night (71 page)

Chapter Five

“Kane.”

Someone was shaking him. Was it a rival wolf? They had made a mistake, creeping up on him in the darkness.

He lunged, his teeth about to connect with flesh when he saw Ronan.

Kane glared. “What do you want?”

“It would be nice not to get bitten just for waking you up.”

“I didn’t actually bite you, which I’m starting to regret.” Kane rubbed his eyes. “Don’t come into my room before dawn if you want me to play nice. Why are you here, anyway?”

Ronan sat on Kane’s pile of furs without asking for permission. His brother was obviously thinking quite highly of himself after last night, when he’d gotten the better of Kane. He resisted the urge to massage his throat, which was still slightly sore. He wouldn’t show weakness in front of Ronan. He’d have to wait for the right opportunity. Then he’d show Ronan which of them was stronger.

“We need to end this,” Ronan said.

Kane tensed, preparing to attack. Did Ronan mean to ambush him?

“Lia can’t despise you if this is going to work, and you can’t keep provoking her. You two need to get along.”

Kane relaxed. It wasn’t time to fight. Yet. “And how do you propose we do that?”

“All three of us are going to check the river crossings. The winter snows might have dislodged one of the bridges.”

“Send Duke and Orion to check the crossings. That’s not work for an Alpha, let alone both of us.”

“The work isn’t the point.” Rising, Ronan stripped Kane’s furs away, letting in the pre-dawn chill. “The point is to get to know Lia.”

Kane didn’t move. He wouldn’t give Ronan the satisfaction of grabbing for the covers. “I already know her. She’s dangerous, but because she’s small and pretty, no one seems to remember that. You’d remember if she threw sparks at you.”

Ronan crossed his arms. “Maybe you shouldn’t give her reasons to throw sparks at you.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t take a witch as our mate.”

A look he had never seen before passed over Ronan’s face, and for a moment Kane felt fear. Then Ronan seemed to compose himself. “Just give her a chance.”

“Fine. One chance. I’ll check the crossings with her. If she tries any magic on me, I’ll escort her out of our territory.”

“You’ll do nothing without my agreement.”

“If you say so.” Kane got out of bed, brushing past his brother as he made his way out of the den. Ronan was tiring him lately. He seemed to have fallen for the female, which was always ill advised, fated or not. If Ronan couldn’t keep a clear head, Kane would have to take charge. He wouldn’t let anything weaken the pack, not a defiant witch-girl and not even his brother.

Crouching outside the den, he waited for Ronan. He would check the crossings with them. Someone had to make sure the witch didn’t tamper with them, after all. Then he would come back and sleep.

He heard footsteps. Ronan would be coming to apologize. As he should.

But it was the female who emerged from the den. She shook her tousled hair, wafting that maddening smell over him. He tried not to breathe in. She must know what a temptress she was being. The witches must have taught her how to seduce weaker men. He must show her that he would not give in.

She yawned, almost running into him. “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to—”

What had she put on her skin to make the scent so damn enticing? There was no way she could smell like heaven on earth through mortal means. He must stay strong. He couldn’t succumb to her enchantments like Ronan had.

“Oh.” She turned from him. “I’ll wait inside.”

Her bodily rejection infuriated him. If she were a shifter, he’d have pounced on her and made her submit to him. But she was a witch. He’d have to tread carefully.

“Why are you scared of me?” Kane asked.

“I’m not.”

“Then there’s no need to run, is there?”

“I wasn’t going to run.” Crossing her arms, she leaned against the den entrance. “I was going to wait for Ronan, like he told me to.”

There was something in the way she said Ronan’s name, softly, like it was precious, that made Kane want to gut him.

“And did Ronan forbid you from waiting with me?”

“No,” she admitted.

“Then stay here. Unless you want to see what happens when you disobey an Alpha right outside his den.”

She said nothing, but her face was set in a mutinous glare. Why was she so stubborn? Was Ronan turning her against him? If she were any other female, he could easily bend her to his will. But he couldn’t overpower this female, not when Ronan was so smitten. Still, there was more than one way to command obedience.

His brother bounded out of the den. “Everyone ready?”

Kane gave a curt nod.

“I thought we could walk,” Ronan said. “Two legs. Do you want to put on clothes, Kane?”

He wasn’t going to dignify that with a response.

“All right,” Ronan said. “We have four bridges to check, Lia. We’ll show you the closest one first.”

Ronan’s tone was never that cheerful unless he was masking supreme annoyance. Kane tried not to grin. He was pleased whenever he could add a little disorder to Ronan’s perfect life. If Ronan wanted to dress up like a jester for the female, that was fine. Kane didn’t have to dance along to his tune.

They moved into the meadow, Lia sticking close to Ronan. Kane clenched his teeth. Was Ronan trying to betray him? Kane would never have believed it possible, but he hadn’t been sure of anything since the female arrived. What if Ronan had decided he wanted to be the sole Alpha, but didn’t want to challenge Kane outright?

If he won over their fated mate and the female refused to accept Kane, Ronan could take over the pack without shedding a drop of blood. Ronan was the strategist, not Kane. Usually by the time Kane understood his brother’s battle plans, Ronan was already three steps ahead and about to win the war.

This was one war Kane wasn’t willing to lose.

He looked at Ronan. His brother’s eyes were on the female, his steps languid and carefree. He wouldn’t expect an attack, not now. But maybe that was Kane’s only choice. He never thought he would want to drive Ronan out, but he also never thought that Ronan would choose a female over him. A lot had changed in the past few hours. But sometimes change was necessary, for the good of the pack.

Kane prepared to shift.

“Ronan!” The shout came from the direction of the den.

Kane froze. Did someone suspect something?

Flint came running up to them. “I need to talk to you,” he told Ronan. “We just got back from our patrol in the southeast. We found strange tracks in our territory. Definitely wolves, but they used mint to cover their scent. What do you want us to do?”

“Are Duke and Orion back at the den?” Ronan asked.

Flint nodded. “And waiting for your orders.”

“I want you to fill me in, but I only have a moment.” Ronan cast a nervous look at Lia. “It wasn’t more than one set of tracks, was it?”

“Just one,” Flint said, “but deeper into our territory than anyone’s ever been without permission.”

Ronan turned to Lia. “Will you wait here for me? I won’t be long.” He looked at Kane. “You’ll look after her, won’t you? Or do you want to hear the details, too?”

“You can fill me in,” Kane said, “but we all know that if anyone’s skulking about it’s one of Shade’s people.”

“You can’t assume that,” Ronan snapped.

“I know, I know, the treaty, kumbaya, we’re such good friends.” Kane waved him off. “Go have your talk. When you discover that it’s one of the Shadow pack, I’ll try not to gloat too much.”

Ronan scowled, but he ran off to the den with Flint.

As soon as they were out of sight, Kane began walking.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Lia asked.

“To check the nearest crossing.”

“Hey!” She jogged to catch up with him. “Ronan told you to look after me.”

“Then I guess you’d better keep up.”

She looked back toward the den. “Ronan told me to wait here.”

“And he told me to check the crossings. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can take a nap.” He paused, making sure she was still there. “Are you coming with me, or are you too afraid?”

Wordlessly, she strode past him toward the forest.

“You don’t even know where the crossings are,” he shouted after her.

“I don’t care!”

He had to admit, she was amusing. “Stop,” Kane said. “Get on my back, it’ll be faster.”

The female bit her lip.

“You’ve ridden Ronan. I’d be no different, except for the fact that I’m stronger and faster.”

She crossed her arms. “I don’t want to.”

“Get on my back. That’s an order.”

The female sat on the grass. “Ronan said to wait for him. Maybe it’s better if I do.”

“He said we need to get along. That’d be much easier if you listened to my orders.”

“You can’t order me around.”

Kane advanced on her until he towered over her, forcing her to look up at him. “Of course I can. I’m going to be your Alpha.”

“You aren’t my Alpha yet.”

By now he expected her defiance, her fire. What he did not expect was her eyes to drift to his cock, for her face to redden and her pulse to race. What was this? Did she want him? He looked at the way her jaw was set and tried not to laugh. She did, but she was trying to deny herself. If Ronan hadn’t been lying last night, if he hadn’t already taken the female, then he was a fool. Apparently all one needed to do to excite a human was to walk around naked in front of them. It almost seemed too stupidly simple to be true.

“I’m going to the crossing,” he said, “and you’re coming with me.” He shifted, grabbing her by the shirt collar with his teeth and swinging her onto his back. She gasped like he’d knocked the wind out of her, but clutched his fur. She’d hold. He sprinted into the forest, his breaths fast and shallow. Kane could smell her arousal. She was getting wet, slicking the fur where she rode him. Her thighs gripped him, her calves twitching in spasms. It drove him wild.

He found himself at the crossing, where a log lay over the river. How had they gotten here? Why? There was something he was supposed to do.

The female
. Yes, that was it.

Shifting, he dumped her off his back. She sprawled in the dust, which he found to be a fine position for her. Hunkering low, he studied her. The soft curve of her breasts, the sweep of her legs. She would be a fine treat for him.

“What do you want?” Her voice quavered, but it was laced with desire. Was she toying with him?

“You,” he said.

She stood, backing against an elm.

“I can do what I want with you.” Kane pinned her to the tree. He could feel her pulse beneath her skin. It jumped and raced. She was nervous and excited all at once. It intoxicated him.

He leaned forward, his hard cock pushing against her leg. “You want me, don’t you.”

She didn’t say anything, but he was drowning in the scent of her wetness. Holding her gaze, Kane pressed two fingers to the place where her thighs met. Curling them, he massaged her through her damp clothes. She let out a small noise of pleasure.

“Tell me you want me,” he commanded.

“I want you,” she whispered.

Something snapped inside him. He wondered if the Delirium had claimed him early. Flinging her onto his back, he shifted. They needed to run, far away, where Ronan couldn’t find them. His brother might take her for himself. Ronan couldn’t have her. Kane needed her.

She would be his.

***

Lia sat astride Kane, her fingers twisted into his thick fur. She clung to him as he bolted through the forest. Falling off was a real possibility, for it seemed that Kane was more concerned with speed than care. His paws drummed an urgent beat against the ground, and Lia’s heart beat in answer. She needed him, and she needed him soon.

Ever since she’d met Kane, she couldn’t decide if he unnerved her or thrilled her. In reality it was both, intertwined. She’d never met anyone so wild and untamed. When Kane saw something he wanted, he didn’t hesitate. He just went out and grabbed it.

And it turned out he wanted her.

She shivered. How could he want her? He was a gorgeous man, a beautiful wolf. How could she compare? But another part of her didn’t care about the whys or the hows. That part simply wanted Kane, craved him. Craved his heat against her skin, his rough caresses. His domination.

Her breath hitched as he leapt, his muscles moving underneath her. His motion seemed to set a fire in her. It worked its way up her spine, building to an inferno. Her fingers contracted wildly, pulling at his fur. She wanted him to stop, but she also wanted him to run faster, faster. Part of her wanted to burn.

He sped until he was running flat out, branches whipping by her head. She barely noticed. Kane was running roughly on purpose, making her grind against him. She hated and loved him for it. He wouldn’t stop, wouldn’t slow, and the friction was too much for her. Her pants rubbed against her wetness and the beast beneath, and she was sliding back and forth. She saw sparks. Her breath came in short pants, then deep ones. She couldn’t get enough air. There was nothing in the world but her, Kane, and a crashing wave of euphoria.