Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf [Wolf Creek Pack 6] (9 page)

“Do you want to turn around and head back home?”

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Stormy Glenn

“No,” Stefan said, trying to bolster his courage. “We need to find

Audley and get this over with.”

“Does it bother you being back here?” Ben asked as he brought

their truck to a stop and turned the engine off. “Is it the coven?”

“No, I don’t think so. Prince Zacarius has always been a good

leader. He cares for the members of his coven. Since he mated with

Devlin, though, he’s a lot more…I don’t know…personable? He gets

a lot more involved in the lives of those in the coven.”

Ben chuckled. “Devlin can do that to a person. Mind you, I didn’t

get long to know the man before he mated your prince, but he always

seemed liked an exceptional man.”

“Devlin’s cool.” Stefan frowned. “He didn’t even get real mad at

me when he found out I poisoned the prince.”

“You poisoned the prince?”

Stefan felt his face drain of color at the shock in Ben’s voice. He

might have forgotten to tell his mate that little tidbit of information.

“Um, yeah, but I didn’t mean it.” Stefan tilted his head to the side.

“Well, at the time I did, but I meant to poison Devlin, not Prince

Zacarius. It just didn’t turn out quite like I planned.”

“Why would you try to poison Devlin?”

“I thought he would try to kill my prince. I couldn’t let that

happen.” Stefan turned to look at Ben, desperately hoping he could

make the man understand what he needed to say. “You have to

understand, I was raised in a household that fully supported the war

between vampires and werewolves. I’d always been taught that

werewolves were monsters. I truly thought Devlin came to kill Prince

Zacarius and I couldn’t let that happen.”

Ben just stared.

“I know that it’s not true now and I swore to Devlin and Prince

Zacarius that I would never do something like that again,” Stefan said

quickly. He squirmed a little in his seat. His fingers plucked at a stray

fabric string on his jeans. “I know it was wrong.”

“Sweet Jesus, Stefan. You’re full of surprises.”

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

61

Stefan grimaced. That didn’t sound very reassuring. Stefan didn’t

know if Ben would hate him now or not. Trying to kill someone—

especially the leader of his people—was pretty big stuff. Ben enforced

the laws of his people. Stefan didn’t know if his mate would

understand that it had all been a misunderstanding.

“You really tried to kill Devlin?”

Stefan nodded, watching Ben carefully through the fall of his hair.

Ben chuckled. “I think I would have paid to see the expression on

Devlin’s face when he found out about that.”

Stefan frowned. That wasn’t the response he expected. “He wasn’t

real happy about it.”

“I imagine not.” Ben laughed some more as he opened his door

and climbed out.

Stefan watched him come around the truck until the man opened

his door. Ben certainly didn’t seem to be bothered by what he did,

more like amused. “You’re not upset?”

“Well, I don’t think you should go around poisoning people,

Stefan,” Ben said. “But if anyone deserved it, Devlin did. The man’s a

pain in the ass.”

“Hey,” said an offended-sounding voice from behind them. “I

resent that.”

“I do, too,” said another voice. This one sounded much more

amused. “Devlin never caused me a moment of pain in
my
ass.”

Stefan felt his face flame as he looked around Ben to see Devlin

and Prince Zacarius standing at the bottom of the steps leading into

the mansion. Stefan quickly jumped from the truck and moved around

Ben. He bent his head, bowing respectfully.

“Prince Zacarius.”

He heard a low growl from behind him before large hands picked

him up. Stefan’s startled yelp was smothered by the hard body he was

pressed against and the arms wrapped around his waist holding him

off the ground.

“Ben!” Stefan exclaimed.

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“Mine!” Ben growled. His voice was hard and possessive, and it

thrilled Stefan down to his very toes. He grinned over at Devlin and

the prince. Devlin laughed and looped an arm around Zacarius’s

shoulders.

“Dude, you don’t think I have my hands full with my own mate?”

Devlin asked. “What in the hell would I do with another one? I have a

hard enough time keeping track of this one.”

Stefan felt Ben slowly loosen the arm he held around his waist. He

was lowered to the ground, but Ben didn’t stop hovering or release his

hold. Stefan giggled and settled his body back against Ben’s, content

to be right where he was.

“I’m not sure I like the idea that you think you have to keep track

of me,” Prince Zacarius griped. “Just who’s the prince here? Hmmm?

I thought I was the one in charge.”

Stefan’s eyes widened in shock as Devlin grinned at Prince

Zacarius.

“Let’s get Stefan and Ben settled in their room,” Devlin said.

“Then I’ll show you who’s in charge.”

Prince Zacarius’s face flushed, but Stefan doubted the man felt

embarrassed. His arousal saturated the air around them. Stefan

wiggled in Ben’s arms. He felt a little weird witnessing the intimate

play between the prince and his royal consort, mostly because he

found it arousing.

Stefan didn’t know how he felt about that. He’d never imagined

watching other people have sex and being aroused by it. It wasn’t that

he relished the idea of watching Devlin and his mate fuck, just the

intimate contact between two people that truly cared about each other.

Stefan found that interplay fascinating.

He wondered if he and Ben looked as happy as Devlin and Prince

Zacarius did when they loved on each other. He hoped so. Stefan

knew neither he nor Ben had made declarations of undying love to

each other. Didn’t mean he didn’t feel it. He just hoped Ben did, too.

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

63

“Have you heard anything new from Audley?” Stefan asked,

breaking up the uncomfortable silence that fell over the group.

Devlin looked up, startled, then shook his head. “There’s been

nothing new since I talked to you last. Zacarius sent out a message

yesterday requesting Audley’s presence here at the mansion. He’s

supposed to be here tonight.”

“Is Oliver or Dane coming with him?” Stefan asked. Just the

thought made him shiver and lean closer to Ben. He felt gratitude

flow through him when Ben tightened his arm and pulled him closer.

“I imagine Dane will, at the least,” Prince Zacarius said. “You

know Audley is under Dane’s control until he’s mated.”

Stefan didn’t like it, but he knew the prince was right. Until

Audley’s mate claimed him and took responsibility for him, he had to

do as Dane said. It sucked. It sucked when Stefan was under his

stepbrother’s thumb too.

“Come on inside, you two,” Devlin said. “At least we can get you

settled while we wait.”

“I’ll get your bags, young sir.”

“Albert!” Stefan exclaimed. He pushed himself away from Ben

and toward Prince Zacarius’s manservant. He wrapped his arms

around the man and hugged him. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Albert graced Stefan with one of his rare smiles. “You’ve been

missed as well, young sir.”

Stefan heard another low growl. He rolled his eyes, dropped his

arms from around Albert and stepped back into Ben’s waiting arms.

He was instantly pulled back against Ben’s hard body. He patted

Ben’s arm.

“Albert, meet my mate, Ben Nobles,” Stefan said. “He’s a deputy

in Wolf Creek. Ben, this is Albert, Prince Zacarius’s manservant.

He’s been with the prince longer than even I have been alive.”

Albert seemed to assess Ben as he looked him up and down.

Apparently he liked what he saw because he nodded and gave Ben a

small bow of his head. “Mr. Nobles, welcome to Prince Zacarius

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Stormy Glenn

Ivinovav’s coven estate. If there is anything I can do to make your

stay more comfortable, please do not hesitate to ask. I am at your

disposal.”

Stefan blinked. That was a mouthful. He wasn’t sure he’d ever

heard Albert talk so much to a complete stranger and a werewolf at

that.

“Just remember what belongs to me and we’ll be fine,” Ben said.

“I understand perfectly, sir, and that is as it should be,” Albert

replied. “I’ll get your bags from the vehicle, if I may?”

Once Ben nodded, Albert swept past them and headed for the

truck. A moment later, he came back and walked right past everyone

carrying two large bags in his hands. He nodded to the prince, then

went inside.

“I believe Albert has you in the blue room, Stefan,” Prince

Zacarius said. “I’m sure you remember the way. If you’d like to

freshen up, dinner will be served at seven o’clock.”

“Will Audley be here for dinner, your highness?” Stefan asked as

he and Ben followed them inside the large mansion.

“He was not requested to come to dinner, but if he is still here,

then I see no reason why he could not join us,” Prince Zacarius

replied.

Stefan bit his lip for a moment as he considered whether or not to

ask the prince for more than he already received. The prince had been

very understanding about Stefan’s worry over Audley. It would be

rude to ask for more.

“Stefan?”

“I was wondering if there was any way that I could have a few

minutes alone with Audley,” Stefan asked. He twisted his hands

together at the puzzled look on the prince’s face. “Audley is horribly

shy, your highness. I’m not sure he’d tell you if anything was wrong,

but he might tell me.”

Prince Zacarius nodded. “I’m sure something can be arranged.”

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

65

“Thank you, your highness,” Stefan said, feeling overwhelming

relief. “You don’t know how much this means to me. With the

exception of Ben, Audley is my best friend. I’d be devastated if

anything happened to him.”

Stefan grew worried when the prince’s eyebrow shot up. Had he

said something wrong? Insulted the prince in some way? He thought

back over his words, but found nothing wrong with what he’d said.

“You consider your mate your best friend?”

“Of course.” Stefan frowned. “Don’t you?”

The prince chuckled and reached over to take Devlin’s hand in

his. “I never really thought about it, but I suppose you are correct,

Stefan. I’m just surprised you’ve come to this conclusion after being

mated for so little time.”

Stefan felt the sudden urge to defend his mate. “Ben is more than

my mate, your highness,” he said stiffly.

“Oh?”

“He protects me as a mate should, true, but there’s a lot more than

that involved,” Stefan insisted as he walked next to the prince. “He

worries about me. If I’m warm enough. If I’ve had enough to eat. If

I’m happy. He lets me know on a daily basis that I’m the most

important person in the world to him. His strength and size are just an

added bonus.”

“Yes, I can see where his strength and size would be an asset to

any leader,” the prince replied. “But that doesn’t leave much room for

anything else, now does it?”

Stefan felt rage boil through his body. The prince didn't

understanding what Stefan was trying to say. No one saw Ben as he

did, and he couldn’t understand why.

“He wouldn’t hurt a fly unless he needed to, and it’s time that

people like you saw him as more than cannon fodder for your battles.

Ben is smart, handsome, and loving,” Stefan snapped. He stopped

walking and planted his hands on his hips as he glared at Prince

Zacarius.

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Stefan took a deep breath, ignoring the stunned looks aimed in his

direction, and continued. “Everyone seems to think less of Ben

because of the battle scars on his body. I see them as a sign of the

courage and bravery that are a natural part of Ben’s personality.”

Stefan gestured over toward his mate. “He received those scars

defending his pack, the people he loves. He should have medals for

each one of them. They mean that he defended his pack and that

someone lived because of what he did. Ben is the sweetest, most

gentle person I have ever met. And I’m tired of you people seeing him

as some sort of monster!”

* * * *

Ben stared at Stefan, stunned by the words coming out of his

mate’s mouth. He couldn’t believe Stefan thought that way about him.

He also couldn’t believe that Stefan was practically yelling everything

at the prince of his former coven.

“He’s good,” Devlin whispered.

Ben turned to stare at Devlin.

“He obviously cares deeply for you, Ben,” Devlin continued. “I’m

glad. I hoped the two of you would hook up after I met Stefan. I

thought at the time he needed your strength, but now I’m beginning to

wonder if he’s not the stronger of the two of you.”

Devlin chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest as he

watched his mate and Stefan. “He certainly seems hell bent on

defending you.”