“You can leave her here with my pack if you’d like.”
“I know you’d do that for me but…” Dane paused. He still wasn’t sure he liked that idea too much because at least one of the males was attracted to her scent.
“You hesitate…not good.” Dmitri refilled Dane’s glass with more alcohol. “My mate has become quite attached to your human. We’ll make sure she’s safe while you go back and do what needs to be done. It’ll also give you some time to clear your mind without fear for her safety.”
What Dmitri offered sounded reasonable. But Dane’s possessive side screamed
hell no
. “She’s too much of a temptation for your men. No thanks!” He couldn’t help the tiny bit of sarcasm in his response.
“You can’t have it both ways, Dane. If you have no intention of taking her as your mate, then why do you care if she eventually bonds with one of my males? They’d be good to her, you know this.”
“She should be with her own kind, not with one of us,” Dane sputtered angrily.
“Jenny does not have a problem with what we are. It’s you who are having the problem, not her.”
“You don’t know that, Dmitri.” Damn him. He had a point. Not that it mattered, there was no way he’d allow another male to mate her. Would he?
“Here, have another drink.” Dmitri poured him a third round. “As a matter of fact, I do know. Your mate has spoken quite candidly to mine about it. She says she is at home in our world, like she belongs here. She wants to be with you but you’re the one who’s made the decision not to claim her.”
“I swore I would never take a human life and I won’t break my vow.” Dane took another long drink, nearly draining the glass. The effects of the alcohol had finally taken a firm hold on his mood. “I want her but I can’t have her, it’s as simple as that.”
“You are a stubborn fool, Dane Voss. If I were you, I would let Jenny decide for herself what she wants.”
“She doesn’t know what she wants. This is no life for her.” He stumbled toward the couch and sprawled, resting back against it.
“Well, since you’ve decided not to claim her, and she needs protection, you should do yourself a favor and stop torturing yourself. Take my offer and go. It’s a sensible solution to the problem.”
“She has to agree to stay here. I’m not going to force her to.” He needed sleep. Yeah, that’s what he wanted right now so why was he getting pissed off again?
“I will have Ivanna speak to her in the morning.”
Dane finished his drink as he stared at the fire burning in the hearth. The idea of leaving her here or letting another male claim his woman made his blood boil over with rage. He was such a selfish bastard but at the moment he didn’t care.
No decisions would be made tonight. He needed time to process his emotions before he made a final decision to leave.
Nothing was easy when it came to Jenny and he knew it. Neither was leaving.
“It’s so beautiful out here, cold but certainly worth it.” Jenny noticed that tall fir trees blanketed with snow surrounded them, reminding her of a Christmas postcard she saw once when she was a child. Each pine towered hundreds of feet in the air.
She had always been at home in the woods, having lived in them most of her life. It was an incredibly beautiful and peaceful place. She followed alongside Ivanna, Inga and Mischa as they continued along a trail that wasn’t completely buried in snow. The path took them deeper into the surrounding forest.
“Where is this place?” Jenny asked.
“It’s not far. Dmitri and I come here sometimes to hunt. It’s also one of our favorite spots to hang out, especially during the summer months.”
“I can’t wait to see this place.” She smiled. Ivanna reminded her of her best friend Marley, who always had a way of cheering her up when she was down.
Damn, I haven’t called Marley in a while. I hope she hasn’t tried to get a hold of me recently.
“You’re quiet again. What’s wrong?”
“I’m concerned about my best friend.”
Marley’s probably called the police, the National Guard. You name it. I have to get in touch with her soon.
“What’s her name?”
“Marley,” Jenny sighed.
“Is there a good reason for this concern of yours?”
“She’s protective and a little worried about me being in the big city by myself. If she’s been trying to contact me and I’m not returning her calls, she’ll think something’s wrong.”
“Your friend won’t come to New York, will she?” Ivanna’s worried expression made Jenny pause.
“Maybe, if she can’t get a hold of me, she might.” She could see Marley doing just that. It was totally like her to go commando on her if she didn’t call her back.
“I fear now wouldn’t be a good time for any of your friends to seek you out, because it might draw the attention of the Rogues.”
“I’m going to have to contact her soon or she might. Damn, I didn’t consider this.”
“Relax. Your worry may be for nothing.”
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Will you ask Dane if I can get a message to her somehow?”
Better to be safe than sorry later.
“Of course. I will speak to him. Don’t worry.”
“Can you speak with him as soon as we get back from our hike? I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to her because of me.”
“Let’s not worry about it now, and I promise to speak with Dane when we return to the cabin.”
“Okay.” She tried not to let her concern ruin their morning. Maybe there was nothing to stress about.
They reached their destination about a half hour later. The trees opened up into a clearing and in the middle of the clearing was a lake. The water was a magnificent cobalt blue surrounded by freshly fallen snow. Trees outlined the lake and its waters were eerily calm.
“I can see my reflection.” She touched her rosy cheeks and noticed that her nose had turned pink from the brisk air. “It’s like a mirror.”
“The water here is pure. There’s no pollution to mar it. Quite lovely, isn’t it?” Ivanna commented.
A large bird of prey glided gracefully across the smooth surface, snatching up a fish in its talon’s before flying away. It was a breathtaking view.
“Yes. This place is remarkable.”
“I’m glad you approve.”
What wasn’t to like? “How could I not?” She marveled at her surroundings.
“Wait until the spring. It gets even better.” Ivanna winked.
“How come the water hasn’t frozen over?”
“It does sometimes when the temperature drops really low. But most of the time it doesn’t freeze. We love it here.” Ivanna stepped closer to the water’s edge.
“I love it too.” She was in awe of its natural beauty.
“Do you really like it here?”
“Oh yes, I’ve always felt at home in the woods. City life was never really for me anyway.” Jenny threw a pebble and watched it skip across the surface of the water.
“I’m glad to hear this because there is something I want to ask you,” Ivanna began.
“What is it?”
“You know you’re going to have to stay here for a while, right?”
“Dane told me I’d stay until he eliminates the threat against my life. Why?”
“What would you think about staying with me and the members of my pack?” Ivanna asked.
“Why, is Dane leaving?”
“Yes, Jenny, he’s decided to go back to hunt the Rogues who are after you. He told Dmitri he can’t stay here anymore because he won’t take your life. However, he still wants to make sure you’re safe until the danger has passed.”
“Oh—I see.” She tried to stop the sting of tears threatening to spill over. Inga and Mischa came over and stood next to her.
“Please don’t be sad, Jenny. We would love to have you stay with us.” Mischa tried to comfort her. It was a sweet gesture.
“Absolutely, we would consider it such a blessing.” Ivanna gave her a hug.
“I guess I knew this day was coming.” Jenny’s voice caught from the pain in her chest.
“It’s his loss, Jenny. One I believe he will vehemently regret someday.”
“He won’t, because I am not what he wants.” She focused her attention on her reflection in the water.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, girl. Dane’s a stubborn male and it will cost him in the end.”
“I was never good enough for him anyway. He’s like the last guy I cared about. When I didn’t fit into the mold he wanted, he left.” She shook her head to dislodge the painful memory of the guy who had rejected her because of who she was.
“He is a fool to let you go. Most of our males would believe it was an honor to have you as their mate.”
“I know you’re trying to make me feel better and I appreciate it.”
“Jenny, please give it some thought. We’d truly be honored if you accept our invitation to stay with us.”
“I don’t need time to consider it. I’d love to stay with you.” She sniffled.
“Don’t cry, Jenny, everything will work out, you will see.” Ivanna gave her a warm hug.
“I’m trying not to.” She let the tears fall, her heart breaking in two. But it wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen this one coming. At least she was among friends and didn’t have to suffer her loss alone. She would get through this too just like she did before. It might take a little longer to get over him. “So when do I move in?” She smiled, wiping away her tears.
“Right after you’ve finished your heat cycle, okay? Then you can move in.”
“All right.” She tried to put on a brave face to mask her pain. It was going to be a long time before she would be ready to give her heart again to someone, if ever.
“Wait!” Ivanna froze and began to sniff the air. Her eyes changed color and a growl tore from her throat.
“What’s wrong?”
“We have intruders on our lands. Get behind me, they’ve scented you. Mischa, call to the pack. Hurry!”
She watched in shock as all three women transformed right before her eyes. Ivanna had a silver-and-black coat, while Mischa was tan with multicolored markings and Inga’s coat was gray. Ivanna was the biggest of the three. Her ears lay back against her skull and her hackles stood straight up. The other two wolves stood behind Jenny, guarding her flank.
Mischa let out an ear-piercing howl that sent shivers down Jenny’s spine. Fear slithered through her when she spotted the outline of several large wolves coming through the trees. The biggest one was a cream-colored wolf who sniffed the air. He growled viciously as the group circled, preparing to attack.
Jenny covered her mouth to prevent a scream from escaping her lips. Ivanna pawed the ground and snarled, snapping her jaws aggressively at the approaching wolves. Jenny closed her eyes and prayed they would survive the attack.
* * * * *
Dane rose from the couch with the remnants of a nasty headache. He had consumed too much alcohol in an attempt to drown his ache for the woman he was falling in love with but couldn’t have. It didn’t help cool the frustration or temper his desire to keep her so in the end drowning his sorrows wasn’t worth it.
Let’s face it
, he wanted to stay.
Was it only a chemical reaction? He didn’t believe so anymore. He ached to get to know her intimately, not only on the surface. He liked what he knew of her so far, which of course wasn’t much. He had learned some details about her past from his human resources department, which had run a background check on her. She’d gone through a lot in her childhood, it seemed, and had persevered because of it. He sensed an inner strength inside this female that made her very appealing in his eyes.
His instincts couldn’t be wrong about her. She was the female chosen above all others by his carnal side and at the moment he was tired of fighting fate. Besides, the idea of walking away left a foul taste in his mouth. His woman would be safe here though. Wasn’t that what he wanted? The problem was he didn’t want to share her with anyone, ever.
“Damn it!” he cursed.
He shot to his feet when he heard Dmitri’s ear-splitting howl. Dmitri tore down the stairs, transforming as he threw open the door. That’s when Dane heard the cries of a lone wolf, calling to the pack.
“What’s going on?” Dane ran outside to investigate what was happening. Luckily, angry gray clouds blotted out the sun so brief exposure wouldn’t be a problem. He was about to trace to the cabin when he noticed the wolves were heading in the opposite direction. He found one of the females watching the wolves depart. “Did something happen?”
“A nomadic pack has entered the woods over by the lake. Our pack is going there to intercept the interlopers and drive them off our lands.” Her expression was troubled.
“Who’s calling to the pack?”
“Mischa is. The nomads are after the human female that’s with them. You should go help since you’ll get there faster.”
“Son of a bitch, Jenny’s with them!” He traced to the lake and found Ivanna fighting a large cream-colored wolf while her two pack mates tried to protect Jenny from the other wolves circling them.
He traced to the wolf that had slipped past Mischa, grabbed him around the waist and threw him against a tree, breaking the shifter’s back. The other wolf lunged at him and he seized him by the jaw, ripping it from his mouth before snapping his neck. The two smaller wolves backed away, cowering before they sprinted off. He quickly traced to Ivanna’s aid and tackled the cream-colored wolf to the ground, slamming his fist into the side of the shifter’s skull to stun it. Dmitri and his pack entered the clearing and Dane released the lead wolf to let the pack close in for the kill. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. The fight had done him some good, releasing some of his pent-up aggression.
Jenny huddled next to a nearby tree, immobilized with fear. Her frightened expression spurred every one of his protective instincts to life.
He quickly traced to her. “Are you all right?”
“Get away from me!” Her anger surprised him. Was she really that upset about last night? He was trying to protect her.
“Easy, Jenny, you’re safe.” He put his palms face up.
“Not with you, I’m not. I’d rather take my chances with the wolves. By the way, don’t you have someplace else you need to be?” She scowled at him.
What the hell was she talking about? “I’m not going anywhere.” He was confused by her statement.
“Oh, what, you’ve changed your mind now?”
“Why are you act—” He froze.
The wind’s shift caused her scent to slam into him. Dane’s nostrils flared, his heart jackhammering, and fuck, there was no stopping it this time. He inhaled deeply, groaning low on exhale, finally surrendering to it. He’d had enough. He wanted her and nothing was going to stop him from claiming what was rightfully his.
“Jenny, come to me.” His voice was deep and gravelly as he held out his hand to her.
“I’m not some fucking yo-yo you can continue to toy with.”
“You’re my woman.” He took a step forward, trying to control his juiced-up instincts.
“I’m tired of being jerked around by you, Dane. No thanks. Please move so I can make sure my friends are okay.” He held his ground. “Fine, if you’re not going to move, then I’ll go around you.” She tried to sidestep him.
“You’re not walking away from me.” He gripped her around the waist and traced to his room.
“What are you doing? Stop it! You know I hate it when you do that to me. It makes me dizzy. Let me go, I want to go back.” She tried to wiggle out of his arms.
“I’m not letting you go this time. I’ve made up my mind. No one is going to have you but me.” He threw her on the bed, his voice raw.
“Oh really?” She glared at him. “Let me tell you what I’ve decided—forget it. I don’t want to be with you anymore.” She tried scrambling off the bed but he tackled her, caging her beneath his heavy frame.
“Stop fighting me, Jenny, my control is hanging on by a thread. If you keep resisting me, I may accidently hurt you in the process,” he growled, pinning her arms over her head.