Untamed Wolf (8 page)

After setting the logs into the fire as he’d directed, she tried to clean the area. First, the shredded clothes. Ruined beyond repair, they landed in the trash bin. She folded the bedding neatly, and she stacked the pillows. A quick peek out the window showed Dylan digging steadily to his truck. The snow reached his thighs in height. Mama didn’t appear anywhere, but her tracks across the snow rapidly vanished under the continued precipitation.

Gnawing her lower lip, she returned to straightening. Her soaked clothes had all dried and the fire continued to crackle. A beep in the kitchen announced the second pot of coffee had brewed. Good, because Dylan’s would be cold by the time he came back inside. Reminded, she found her mug and took another drink. More restless than ever, she tackled the rest of the dishes and the pans he’d used to cook. Once finished, she was almost disappointed Dylan hadn’t returned.

He’d made it to the truck and was clearing out around it as well. Was he in so much of a hurry to get rid of her? Sighing, she gathered her clothes together and checked her boots. They were still a little damp from her venture to the creek, so she set them closer to the fire. A buzzing noise vibrated in the room. Pivoting, she tracked the sound to bag on one of the armchairs. Nudging the bag aside, she found Dylan’s phone—at least she assumed it was his, as hers was still with her things.

The name “Phyllis” appeared on the screen along with the photo of a lean blonde woman so alike to Dylan, she had to be his sister. At least the cell signals were getting through. She answered it on the fourth ring. “Hello?” She crossed to the door to call Dylan in so he could talk to his sister.

“Well, hello. And why do you have my brother’s phone?” The warm, throaty and very feminine voice carried an edge of suspicion-laden humor.

“Because I’m trapped in a cabin with him.” Which was mostly true. “He’s outside shoveling snow, and the cell signal hasn’t worked. If you can hang on a sec, I’ll get him for you.”

“You can do that, kitten.” Phyllis seemed to almost purr the words. Wasn’t she a wolf, too? “In a minute. My brother doesn’t introduce me to his lady friends. Do we know each other?”

Chrystal paused. Maybe she shouldn’t have answered the phone. The impulsive choice put her on the spot. “I’m pretty sure we don’t.” Since moving to Three Rivers, not once had she been to the town of Willow Bend, even if she had
trespassed
their territory frequently.

“Well, we’ll make Dylan fix that. How is my big brother? Working hard? Or hardly working?” More laughter. Siblings were notoriously harder on their family members than on friends. Chrystal had been an only child, but she’d been aware of the lack when she’d seen what few friends she had immersed in family squabbles.

“He works really hard,” she told his sister. No one had to defend Dylan. While he seemed more than capable of taking care of himself, she wanted to defend him. “He’s taken wonderful care of me, and he rescued a wolf. Now he’s out there digging in the snow, so you should be nicer to him.”

A very audible pause from the other end of the line, then a quiet. “Well said, little one. I really
can’t
wait to meet you.”

Face warming, Chrystal raced to the door. The sooner she handed the call off, the better. “I doubt we can, but—” She paused with her hand on the doorknob. “Do you mind if I ask
you
a question?”

“Not at all, kitten. But even I don’t know the secret of how to get Dylan to be more than a ship in the night.”

Mouth open, Chrystal stared at the door. Had his sister just said what she thought she said? “Um…no, I’m not asking about him.”

“Oh.” Disappointment circled the word. “Well, what’s your question?”

“Dylan said you used to braid your hair at night when you went to sleep if it was wet, so it didn’t snarl in case you shifted. Do you know why it works?”

Another significant pause, then Phyllis’ voice gentled considerably. “Most kids learn it young. It works because it keeps your hair nice and tight when you go through the shift. The braid is gone when we shift back, but you won’t have all those snarls to worry about. What few knots do happen are pretty minor. Once you master shifting, you don’t usually have to worry about the spontaneous bursts messing up your hair. How old are you, sweetheart?”

A stomp on the step saved her from the question. Twisting the knob, she pulled the door open and thrust the phone towards Dylan. “It’s your sister. I’ll get your coffee.” She raced into the kitchen then had to return for his mug.

Dylan stood just inside the door, his face red and lightly chapped from the wind. Snow clung to his hair and eyelashes, enhancing his fierce expression. He’d set the shovel aside and held the phone to his ear. “No, Phyllis,” he said slowly, locking his gaze on Chrystal. She wanted to get the hell away from the animosity in his tone, but she didn’t dare move. “Who she is, is none of your damn business.”

“Dylan Amadeus Rosanov, don’t you take that tone with me.” Phyllis didn’t sound as fierce though, despite the invocation of all three of his names. “I’m allowed to be curious.”

“Uh huh. I’m a little busy with a blizzard. Are you all right?” He refused to release her gaze, so Chrystal remained rooted to the spot.

“I’m fine.” Uncertainty entered his sister’s tone.

“Great. Mom? Dad? Everyone else?”

“We’re all fine.” She softened her tone considerably. “I just wanted to check on you.”

“Fantastic. I’ll check in when I get back to town, but it will be a few weeks before my rotation brings me in again. Have a good day.”

“Dylan…?”

He paused, his tense expression unwavering. “What?”

“She sounds pretty, but also a little—”

“Goodbye, Phyllis.” He disconnected the call and silence crashed into the space between them. “Why did you answer my phone?”

“Because it rang…and it meant we had cell service again.”

He glanced toward his bag, releasing her from the captivity of his observation.

Blowing out a breath, she added, “I’m sorry. I know I keep saying that, and I’m not a total idiot. But it rang and it was your sister, so I thought it might be important and that service might not be steady.”

“It’s a reasonable assumption.” One he didn’t seem particularly thrilled about. Instead of glancing at her again, he looked at his phone. “I could wish she hadn’t called and that you’d ignored the phone.”

Folding her arms, Chrystal frowned. “Did I get you in trouble?”

“With Phyllis? No.” A humorless laugh belied the words. “But I need to call Mason.”

His Alpha?
“Why?”

“Because Phyllis won’t not mention this to someone. It will get back to Mason then he will want to know why I didn’t tell him. He has a right to know you’re here, so he can contact your Alpha and let your pack know you’re safe. There’s a good chance they could be out searching for you in the storm.”

Chrystal sat abruptly. It never occurred to her anyone would be looking. No one cared about her comings and goings. No one had, not since she’d turned fourteen and her mother paid the couple to let her use the guesthouse on the back of their property. She’d gone to school, fed herself, and had the freedom to shift—even if she didn’t want to—without anyone being the wiser.

“He’ll call Luciana?”

“Yep.” Dylan closed his hand on the phone. “Son of a bitch. How much trouble are you going to be in?”

“No idea.” Clasping her hands together, she tried to ignore the dread dragging through her gut. “But I trespassed again, and everyone told me not to.”

“Yeah.” He stared at his phone, then hit a button and put the phone to his ear. It rang once before it was answered.

“Dylan, good. You have cell service again. Tried to get ahold of you a couple of times last night, but the call failed. Have you seen Chrystal Landros? The Three Rivers wandering wolf?”

She winced at the description.

“She’s with me, I found her on my way to the cabin last night. She got turned around in the storm.”

Chrystal jerked her head up.

“She also found a mama wolf and her pup trapped in a frozen creek bed. I helped her rescue them, then I made her come back with me to the cabin. It was too far to get her across the border. Before I could call and let anyone know, we lost landlines and cell service.” Smooth, but not altogether truthful.

“Good man. I’ll get Collin on the phone and he can alert Three Rivers. They’ve had several search parties out through the night trying to track her, but he said the conditions made it impossible.” The rough timbre of the Alpha’s voice held confidence and command. “How soon can you get her home?”

“It’s still coming down here. I managed to get the truck dug out, but I need to get a path carved to the shed so I can pull out the plow. No guarantee, even if I clear to the road, that I’ll have a passable track all the way to Three Rivers.” Dylan grasped the door and pulled it open. To Chrystal’s surprise, Mama trotted in with her pup in her teeth. She shook off the snow, splattering Dylan before she returned to her makeshift bed.

“The wind sounds bad. All right, use your judgment. Until then, Miss Landros can be our guest…I…ll…iana…ther—”

“And the phone dies.” He said after checking the screen. The wind screamed against the sides of the cabin and a thud echoed outside. Chrystal hurried to the window and stared. A large tree had taken a tumble and lay across what might have been part of the driveway. The top most branches just barely touched Dylan’s truck. “Okay, you’re definitely staying.” Dylan’s voice was right on top of her.

She glanced at him, her heart slamming against her rib cage. “Tell me there are no trees close enough to do that to the cabin.”

“Nope. We keep them cleared away from the main buildings. Gives us better line of sight and definitely avoids that.” He slid his phone into the pocket of his jeans. “Your Alpha will know where you are and they’ll know you’re safe. I’m going to double check our supplies. I may head out in a bit to hunt if we get a break in the storm.”

Trailing after him to the kitchen, she frowned. “Hunt?”

“Mama will need more food. I think she discovered the hard way that she was too far from a natural shelter point.” He opened cabinets. “’Course she may have other problems with a cub that young this late in the year.” Dry goods lined the shelves.

“Would you like more coffee?”

He paused, his scorching gaze touching hers. “Not yet. I need to cool off before I drink anything hot.”

“It’s freezing outside.”

“Yes, but I was digging. It’s hot work.” As if remembering he had his jacket on, he stripped out of it. “Would you hang this near the fire and check to make sure it’s burning steadily?”

Nodding once, she accepted the jacket. His fingers brushed hers and electricity licked along her spine. Shuddering, she hurried to do as he asked. He’d left his boots near the door, so she retrieved those as well and carried them over to the fire. The logs continued to burn, but it could stand to have more wood added.

Mama made a low snarling noise in her direction, and she glared at the wolf. “Not right now. I’m already in enough trouble. I don’t need your grief on top of it.”

The bared teeth vanished and Chrystal glanced at the pup nursing eagerly. No matter how bad it was outside, Mama hadn’t abandoned the cub. Not once. Chewing her lower lip, she searched Mama’s weary eyes. “Dylan, do we have any more meat?”

“Yeah, she hungry?”

“I think so.” She set another log in, then retraced path to the kitchen. He had the fridge open and he pulled out two paper wrapped steaks. “Are those the last?”

“Yeah. I’ve got a couple of chickens in the freezer. I’ll get them out to defrost, but I’ll need to hunt for her—and us—soon.”

“I’ll help.” She volunteered, then hesitated under his assessing look.

“Do you know how?”

His question crushed her. Not for the way he asked, because his tone was kind. Yet, for the simple fact he needed to ask at all.

“Not really. I’m not even sure I could track an animal on a good day.” Then raising her chin, she refused to cower. “But a girl has to learn and two hunters has to be better than one.”

With one finger, he stroked her cheek. The touch relaxed her almost immediately. “Maybe so, sweetheart. I’ll teach you, if you promise me one thing.”

Excitement threaded through her and dulled the dread she’d been wallowing in since he said he had to call his Alpha. “Anything.”

“First, never tell a man you’ll promise him anything. We’re too likely to eat you up.” He snapped his teeth in mock bite, and she snickered. His eyes warmed in direct contrast to the warning, then sobered. “No, I want you to promise me you will do exactly as I say. I have no idea what kind of game we may encounter and, in a storm like this, wouldn’t be hard to stumble across humans. We always have to be aware, and it’s better that we do
not
become the prey. Got it?”

The thought would never have occurred to her. Clasping his outstretched hand, she nodded again. “I understand. I’ll follow your lead.”

After a moment of silence, he sighed. “Okay. Then I’ll teach you.”

“Dylan?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m twenty-two, by the way. Not a baby.” She released him, then grabbed the steaks for Mama. “And I’m a fast learner. I promise, you won’t regret this.”

She was already out of the kitchen when she caught his low-voiced response. “No, but you might.”

W
hen Chrystal said
she didn’t do a lot of hunting, she hadn’t been kidding. They’d shifted in the cabin after making sure Mama ate, then he’d led her out into the snow. Her dainty wolf watched him with wariness. It took her a little less time to shift when she made the attempt—in the bathroom. Her shyness, while adorable, meant he couldn’t observe where her struggles were. When she was ready, he let her out of the bathroom, stripped and then shifted aware of her gaze on him the whole time. Using the rope pulls, he got the door to the cabin open, then pulled it closed after them.

The steady snow hadn’t slacked. If the promise of more in the dense clouds overhead and heavy scent of snow on the wind held true, they wouldn’t be going anywhere soon. All of his earlier work seemed to be on the way to filling in, but at least he’d hooked the scraper to the truck. When he had to dig the damn thing out again, he would already be a step closer to clearing the way to the road. Setting off on a diagonal from the cabin, he headed for the woods.

Willow Bend owned the full extent of the campgrounds and several hundred acres of the woods paralleling the state park and beyond as far north as Wisconsin. The open land created a perfect backdrop for Chrystal’s first lesson, but the heavy snowfall probably kept most of the local game tucked in for warmth. He trailed Mama’s faint scent as far as he could before the weather had obliterated her path.

Walking along the top of the snow kept them on track. Before heading out, he’d considered their best routes and reminded Chrystal to shadow him. If they could flush smaller game, he’d prefer to test her mettle against a rabbit, grouse, or even muskrat. Though winter had apparently decided to pound the region early, he had no guarantees the local population of black bears were all sleeping.

Mental fingers crossed, he angled towards one of the local lakes. A small water source, but a necessary one even in the midst of all the snow, was the best place to locate any wandering critters. Pausing at the edge of the trees, he tested the wind. Chrystal bumped him lightly, yet remained near his rear flank. Sparing her a look, he thwapped her with his tail. Amusement sparked in those cautious eyes and she tilted her head.

Satisfied she paid him close attention; he studied the landscape before them. No animal musk touched his nose, but he arched his head sniffing each gust of wind. At least it blew steadily instead of swirling from every different direction. The wind came from the northeast, slicing across the lake surface sending slow ripples across the sluggish surface.

Nothing to the northeast, at least not game which appeared easily accessible. Deciding on southwest, he followed the line of the woods curving the lake. The snow disguised any tracks—theirs included—so he trusted his instincts. A mile into their route, he caught the first hint of deer. Not enough to determine whether he tracked a stag or a doe, he kept his nose pointed away from the wind. The elusive trail carried them into the woods.

Though Dylan checked on Chrystal several times, he never found her more than a couple of feet behind him. She stuck to his ass like a burr, exactly as he’d instructed before they began their venture. Confidence flowed through him as he continued to hunt. The musk of deer grew stronger. They’d found more than one. A herd almost guaranteed no stag, but he would take his chances. Options were always preferable. It was a great time for hunting them, since deer in rut threw scent like crazy. Mama needed to eat, but Dylan wanted to be choosy for their target.

Chrystal bumped him again, excitement radiating off of her. Pivoting, he followed her gaze to where a handful of deer had taken shelter near a rocky outcropping. One of the ledges kept the snow off them and they were half-asleep. Their navigation through the woods had kept them downwind. Dancing on her paws, Chrystal kept running into him. Puzzled, he studied her. Joy shimmered over her, and more—enthusiasm and anticipation. Though her reaction was adorable, he needed her focused.

Catching her muzzle in his lightly, he gave her a soft nip. The rapture in her eyes dimmed, and her ears perked forward.
Better.
Holding her gaze steadily for three heartbeats, he waited for her to relax under his grip before releasing her.

Studying the herd, he identified sixteen does. Flushing them from their shelter then taking down the slowest would be their best option.

Prowling forward a step, he clamped his jaw when Chrystal mirrored his motion. Glancing at her, he shook his head once then took another step. Her head tilted and mouth opened in a toothy grin, but he read the question in her eyes. Shaking his head once, he took another step and she remained in place. Pleased, he resumed his stalk of the herd. Staying downwind was key. He wanted to startle them into moving. Then he could cut from the herd the doe he wanted and let the others go.

Every creeping step brought him closer. The heavy, fat flakes slowed and the wind shifted. Biting back an oath, he lunged. His crucial timing, screwed by the wind, alerted the deer to his presence and had them scattering. Speeding after the one he wanted, he cut the doe’s avenue of escape off, intending to angle her back toward Chrystal.

His target sprinted, banging off a tree then finally turning where he wanted her. Increasing his speed, he paced her. They’d be on top of Chrystal in—a second scent hit him. The violently more dangerous musk of mountain lion, a heavy predator, and one he hadn’t seen in a while. Ahead of him, Chrystal vibrated in place, holding her ground as he turned the doe toward her and above…all thoughts of taking the deer down fled.

Territorial possession and fury swept through him. The cat had positioned itself in the tree above Chrystal. Snarling a warning, he ignored the deer streaking away from him and bounded towards the far smaller female. The cat was huge, and its powerful muscles rippled as it dropped. A growl vibrated in his throat as the cat hit her back. Chrystal’s screams tore through him and Dylan struck the cat a second later. Barreling into the animal’s side he wrenched it away.

Blood stained the snow, and the metallic copper stink of it incensed him. The cat rebounded and whirled on him. Dylan body blocked the predator from getting near Chrystal. A whimper tore from her throat and decided him. He closed on the cat and earned a welt as the cat hissed and struck with claws. They tumbled together, teeth rending and muscles pounding. The male was huge, but Dylan used his size and speed to his advantage, narrowly avoiding the feline’s back feet as they tried to find purchase on his belly.

Gaining the upper hand, he sank his teeth into the cat’s neck, but the beast slid, dislodging him partially. Holding on, he yanked the cat sideways and threw the creature at a tree. Snow fell, pelting the cat who rebounded and spun to face him. Man and beast blended, his wolf understanding the ferocity needed even more than the man. They lunged, colliding in another hail of tooth and claw.

Pain raked along his side and his blood joined the mountain lion’s and Chrystal’s against the snow. Another blow took his shoulder, and he snapped at the foot sharpening its claws on him. Seizing the leg, he clamped down and felt the bone break. The cat’s scream filled his ears and then he had the animal’s throat in his mouth. Biting down, he severed the artery and snapped the bone at the same time. The fight fled along with life, and the cat ceased moving.

Once he was certain he’d killed it, he released the animal and whirled. Chrystal lay against the snow, not moving. Fear leeched at his fury, and he trotted over to the downed wolf. Nuzzling her face, he searched for signs of life. Her chest rose and fell in short, shallow breaths. Relief mustered at the sight, and he checked her injuries. A deep bloody swath ripped across her shoulders and along her back. The cat had scored deep in the scant seconds before Dylan could reach her.

She needed to rise from the snow. The pain had to be excruciating if she wasn’t flooded with adrenaline or used to damage as he was. Nuzzling her cheek, he gave her a push. A whimper escaped her, rending his heart, but he gave her another nudge and growled low in his throat.

Up.

With a painful flounder, she fought to get her legs beneath her. Dylan eased away an inch. When she let out a cry trying to stand; he shoved his nose beneath her belly and lifted. Pain lit along his side, but he ignored the pull of ragged flesh. Most of his injuries skated along the surface. A couple of shifts and he’d be fine. Chrystal’s worried him.

Trembling seized her, and she wavered on her feet. Bracing her with a shoulder, Dylan nuzzled her face again. Once she was steadier, he inspected the injuries. No infection stank within them—yet. The cat had landed on her back and raked its claws down before sinking them deep. Blood leaked from numerous punctures along her shoulders and again over her hips. Another bloody swath of jagged flesh showed at the back of her neck, likely due to when he hit the cat. It had torn a strip of fur and skin.

Hating himself, he backed away a pace and called a shift. His body wrenched sideways, then he knelt in the icy snow. His side burned, but he knew the injury would already be repairing itself.

“Chrystal, you need to shift, sweetheart.” The cold struck right to his bones and he ignored it. At her low moaning whine, he caught her under the chin lightly. “I know, it hurts, but you need to shift to human then as fast as you can back to wolf. It’s two shifts, back to back and it’s going to be brutal. I
will
help you.”

She wasn’t pack, but he was responsible for her. More, he wanted to help her.

“You can call on your pack ties.” Projecting a hell of a lot more confidence than he felt proved easy. “Can you try for me, sweetheart? I’m right here.”

Those gold eyes met his, and he read the terror and hurt in them. The weight of her pain banded around his heart like barbed wire cutting into the muscle. She rolled her eyes and pulled her chin from his hand. Gathering his will to force the issue if he had to, he paused as she shook and then the rending began.

Her body pulled itself apart. Her low cries shredded him. Long, brutal minutes passed before she knelt in the snow in front of him. Careful of her injuries, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her close. To hell with everything, she needed a hug and he damn well needed to give her one. Her tears soaked his skin and he fisted her hair. “I have you. I know it hurts.”

“You…want…me…to…do…it…again.” Every word punctuated by hiccupping sobs delivered further blows to his soul.

“Yes, I got you.” He tightened his grip on her. “Can you feel your pack?”

“What?”

“Can you
feel
your pack? Deep inside—there’s a place for them, a place that tells you that you’re home. It’s like a light, one that warms when they’re there.” Difficult to describe, but if she’d never been a part of a pack before, she might not understand what to look for.

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Her fingers dug into his skin. He tugged her hair gently and leaned away so he could see her face. Tears seemed to glisten and freeze against her cheek. She couldn’t stay human, even an injured wolf stood a better chance in the weather.

“Listen to me,” he ordered her, catching her gaze and holding it. His wolf peeked out of his eyes. As much as he wanted to comfort her, he needed her absolute obedience. “Close your eyes, listen to my voice, and do exactly as I tell you. No questions, no doubt.
Believe
me when I say what has to happen
will
happen. Can you do that?”

Her tongue flicked over her very pink lips and she nodded once. Her eyes closed, concealing the moisture swimming across her gorgeous brown eyes. “I’ll try. I promise.”

Pride flooded him at the determination trembling in her oath. Keeping his grip on her hair, he tried to remember how his parents taught him, then later when Zane pushed him to the edge forcing the speed of his changes. “Your wolf is there, always there, just below the surface. She’s with you every minute of every day. She’s under your skin, a part of your skin and her fur is your fur. Her strength is your strength. Your will is her will. Reach for her, and beyond—there is a place where energy comes in. Think of Luciana and reach for her. We give our obedience to our Alphas and our loyalty. They give us strength and connection to each other. It is their gift we can lean on and pull from. Reach for her and your wolf at the same time.”

Little puffs of white breath escaped her lips as they compressed together. Tension and cold turned her body stiff, even her fingers digging into his arms seemed to still. Strain showed in her expression. She tried too hard, thought too much about it.

“Don’t try, sweetheart. Do it. Call your wolf. Reach for your Alpha,
do it
. Feel me. I’m right here, and I’m willing you to do it.” If he could do it for her, he would. “I
believe
in you, Chrystal. You can
do
this.”

With a sigh, she opened her eyes then the shift hit. He released her as she pulled her hands away. The shift rippled over her, twisting, reforming bone and muscles even as it knitted her skin together. Fur sprouted and spread until she wore her coat once more and stood on four legs. Her injuries were still present, but considerably smaller and far less life threatening.

Another soft whine escaped, then she licked his cheek and he chuckled at the chilly kiss. “Good girl, beautiful girl. Well
done.
You up for the run home?”

One nod served as her answer, though she wasn’t as steady on her feet as he would’ve liked. Thankful for the calories he’d poured in her over the last half day or so, he glanced toward the downed mountain lion. A heavy beast, but he could make something to drag it back. Ignoring his freezing extremities, he went to work pulling a couple of branches together and lashing them with what limited growth they had. Chrystal followed him. He could almost sense her worry as she rubbed against his legs. Her fur was considerably warmer than his skin.

“Almost ready, sweetheart, but Mama still needs meat and likely so will you.” She went still and gave him what could only be described as an appalled look, but he chuckled and kept moving. The faster he got it done, the sooner he could join her in his own fur. “Steak is steak, babe. Dude’s gotta eat, you know?”