Wolf Rock Shifters Books 1-5: Five BBW Paranormal Romance Standalone Novels (21 page)

Corgan looked around the room, making eye contact with each shifter in it.

“Look,” he said, “We all know there are people like us all over the world. But the fact is that there is a giant target on
your
backs, because people now know where Wolf Rock is. I knew from reading encrypted messages that a few of the hunters, if you can call them that—they’re not all very competent—were on the lookout for this place. I saw coordinates, estimates of the location. So I came to take them down.”

“I don’t understand,” said Tristan. “Why didn’t you just contact us? Warn us? We’re good at seeking and hunting, you know.”

“It’s personal,” Corgan said, his voice suddenly sounding more animal than human. Kyla looked at him, her eyes welling with tears. She imagined the young boy whose innocence was ripped away in front of his eyes.

“It wasn’t the right way to go about it,” Maddox stepped in now. “But Corgan has regrets about that. Don’t you, brother?”

“I do. And I’m sorry to have caused problems for your reputation. I was only trying to protect and preserve our kind.”

“It’s over now, and your part is done, so there’s no point in dwelling on it,” said Tristan. He scratched his stubble-coated chin. “It’s good that you’ve told us, and I’m not deeply concerned that Peterson or this Hicks fellow are going to press charges. They’d have to admit what they were doing.”

“Well, even if they didn’t admit it, there’s tons of evidence of their attempts at murder. All of Peterson’s weapons, for one thing,” said Kyla. “They’re in a cave miles away, but well hidden.”

“Good. We should get those here and keep them concealed. Dascha, you could take some of the guys and go get them. Get Corgan to give you directions. Meanwhile we’ll need to be vigilant here. It’s possible that no one else will come, but you never know.”

“Agreed,” said Maddox.

“
You
need to leave, however,” Tristan said, looking at the older of the two grizzly shifters. “And so does your brother.”

Kyla gasped, her voice choking in her throat. She wanted to protest, but she knew as well as anyone that you don’t argue with the alpha on matters such as these.

Nikki looked at her sympathetically. She knew how little Kyla wished to be separated from Maddox.

“You may stay for the night. I’m sure you’re tired. But you’ve both proven yourselves reckless and I can’t have my pack worrying about what you might do next. I’m sorry, but you need to head to town or further until we’ve sorted all of this out.”

Tristan looked at Kyla, his expression a mixture of kindness and authority. She chose to be grateful that she would get to see Maddox for one night, at least.

The only alternative was to hate her alpha.

W
hen the pack
had largely dispersed, Kyla took Maddox’s arm.

“Corgan can take one of the spare rooms,” she said, smiling at him. “And you can sleep with me tonight, since you’ll have to leave tomorrow.”

At first Maddox grinned back at her, his crooked, charming dimpled expression taking up residence on his face. Then, abruptly, he went serious.

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, Kyla,” he said.

She felt gutted. If she could only have one more night with this man, she wouldn’t—couldn’t—spend it under the same roof but in different beds.

“Why not?” she whispered, not trusting her voice not to betray her hurt feelings.

“Because I’ll probably be leaving here for good and I think we’re getting too attached to one another.”

This meant that she wasn’t the only one who felt it; the connection between them. It was the first time Maddox had admitted any sort of feelings other than animalistic attraction. He’d come close, she thought, the previous night. But she wasn’t sure that he was really planning to admit an emotional bond.

“Do you have to? Leave, I mean?”

“I don’t know what I’d do here.”

“Me,”
she thought.
“You’d do me.”

“Well, if you can’t think of a reason to stay,” she said instead. “Then I suppose you shouldn’t. Meanwhile, I’m going to go to my room.”

With that, she turned away, the tears coming now, and walked up the stairs. She waited until she was in her room with the door closed to allow her hands to come up to her face and meet her sorrow.

It bothered her to feel so at the mercy of a man. Kyla had never been in love; at least she didn’t think she had. Men were to be avoided, or at least, emotional attachments and reliance on them were. And yet she felt as though life would end the moment Maddox walked out of it, and she wasn’t sure why.

“Is this love?” she asked herself. “Is it really this painful? Because if it is, I don’t think I really need it.”

She stripped naked and threw a robe on, showering before crawling into bed, hoping to be able to find her way towards sleep so that she could forget for a few hours what was happening. It was early yet, but she didn’t want to stay awake, to confront the reality that the most exciting man she’d ever met was about to leave her life.

She closed her eyes, asking her innermost self what would come next; hoping for another vision that would reassure her about life and the future. But there was only darkness, and the odd flash of Maddox’s smiling face. With it came a joy, but also a sort of aching jealousy of the woman who would end up with him one day. He wasn’t the easiest man in the world, but he was lovable to the core, with all his flaws and all his strength, and she couldn’t imagine designing a better man for her. She only wished she could say it to him.

With those thoughts in her mind, she drifted to sleep, exhausted.

That night, Tristan assigned four of the larger males the role of lookout. Their job was to stalk around the cabin, ensuring that there were no intruders about, and if they smelled humans they were immediately to come and warn the others.

The rest of the pack slept in the cabin, most of them in wolf form since it was easy to curl up on the floor of the large living room. But the night passed without incident, at least downstairs.

K
yla awoke
around two a.m. in the midst of a wonderful dream in which her pussy was being tenderly licked, fingered and massaged by a man with extremely gifted hands and an even better tongue.

But when her eyes opened she realized that it was no dream.

Maddox’s face was between her legs and he was devouring her. It took a moment to register what was actually happening and to decide whether she was awake, but Kyla found herself looking down at him, astonishment on her own face. How had he managed to sneak in so quietly? How had he…?
Why?

His eyes were closed and he was dipping his tongue inside her, letting out quiet moans as he took in her scent and her taste. The sensation was astounding as his tongue slid its way up and flicked softly at her clit, his fingers splaying her open so that he could access each nerve ending. With his lips he sucked delicately on her lips, kissing her before dipping his tongue back into her opening and exploring her channel.

“I want to ask what you’re doing,” Kyla moaned, “but I’d have to be awfully stupid not to know.”

“I’m eating…your…gorgeous…pussy,” he said between licks. “And it’s so fucking delicious.”

“Mmm, yes you are. But what, may I ask, prompted this? I thought…”

She stopped herself there, not wishing to accuse him of aloofness, and not wanting to expose her feelings.

Maddox stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.

“I woke up thinking about you. Thinking about death. Thinking about life. And suddenly I wanted nothing more than to lick you and make you come for me. So if it’s okay with you, I’m going to do that. I’m going to lick your pretty, moist, delicious lips and nibble on your perfect clit until I feel your shuddering, intense orgasm, and then if you let me, I’m going to plunge my hard, throbbing cock deep inside you and fuck you while I stare at your gorgeous face, until I explode inside you.”

“Oh my God,” she said. “I like it when you’re direct.”

“I like being direct. Sometimes,” he said before getting back to the task at hand.

Kyla parted her thighs, giving Maddox full access, as her hands slid up to her breasts. She circled her nipples with her fingertips and gently pinched them between each thumb and index finger, hardening them, thinking about the extraordinary cock that was going to enter her when she’d exploded in waves for Maddox.

The bear moved his mouth away now and looked at Kyla’s pussy, smiling, as he rubbed her with his fingers, squeezing her lips gently between them, slipping a fingertip over her wetness to tease her gently.

He watched her play with her nipples, enthralled, as he stroked the pink softness, sliding his fingers along her slick flesh, kissing her delicate lips before plunging three fingers inside her.

This made her raise her hips and moan, thrusting herself forward to pull him in deeper inside her.

“Oooh yeah,” he said as he slid his thick fingers in and out, watching her writhe under his touch. “That’s my girl. She’s so good. She loves to be fucked, my wolf girl.”

Kyla let out a gentle growl which sounded more like a purr as Maddox began to lick her again, his fingers fucking her gently and then harder, harder, plunging deep into her eager channel.

He sucked on her clit now, his tongue dancing in small circles around its circumference and finally settling in, stroking her in perfect unison with his thrusts.

“Oh God, Maddox, I’m going to…”

A series of small explosions set off inside her now, coming from her center and working their way outwards. Kyla felt her nipples grow harder, her clit grew hotter and she felt her cunt grasp Maddox’s long fingers, not wanting to release them until her hunger was sated.

“I need that cock of yours,” she said. “In my mouth or my pussy. Just give it to me now. Please.”

Maddox sat up now and eased his hands behind her back, lifting her towards him so that her thighs split open around his hips. He eased his way into her, lowering her onto his thick shaft, and she wanted to cry out in ecstasy at the tightness of his giant cock between her swollen lips.

“You like that?” he asked, staring into her light blue eyes. She felt an aggression in him as she eased up and down, his bear coming out to play, but a gentleness too, as if what he wanted most of all was to please her. “You like my big cock?”

“You know I do. I love your cock….it’s fucking heaven,” she moaned as she pushed herself upwards and came down again, feeling his entire length easing its way in, his impossibly large shaft opening her wide and creating a gush of delectable wetness.

“Tell me more,” he said. “Tell me about how it feels to have me fuck you.”

This was another first for Kyla, and she wasn’t sure what to say, but she was eager to try.

“My pussy is tight, wet and swollen around you…squeezing you…I can feel every last inch of you inside of me…stroking me from the inside…your perfect cock is so thick that you can hardly open me up enough…but you thrust it into me and spread my lips wide…my cunt…feels so good…”

“Yeah? More.”

Kyla was beginning to enjoy this.

“I can feel my lips milking you…begging your cock to come for me….I can feel you get harder and thicker inside me…I…I want you to come. I want you to shoot your hot cream inside me, Maddox. Come for me. Come inside my pussy. Feel me squeezing you, inviting you…”

He pushed her backwards onto the bed and pounded her now, hard and fast, his thighs slapping against her round ass as he drove himself deep inside her.

“I think…I’m…going…to…” with that he closed his eyes and let out a moan worthy of a grizzly.

He tensed, his body tightening as he exploded, and Kyla felt a rush of scorching heat at her center. She was growing to love this; her fulfilment through this man’s body in every way; inside her, tending to her needs, enjoying her lust and desire for him.

Maddox gave in finally and let his body ease down onto hers. He kissed her deeply, his mouth tasting of sex, his tongue gently seeking her own.

Then the two lay in a hot embrace, holding one another until morning.

Kyla had never slept better in her life. Her dreams were of a man she loved, and of a quiet, peaceful home.

T
he night’s
patrol was replaced in the daytime by four other wolves. Tristan was kind enough not to ask Kyla to join them; he knew that she would want to say good-bye to Maddox.

“Corgan, Maddox,” he said to the bears as they had breakfast together. “I have a bit of a proposition for you. It’s entirely up to you two, but I need to ask for some help.”

Given that the alpha didn’t want them on his territory, Kyla couldn’t imagine what his plan was.

“I’m hoping to get some of the laws changed around here, at least where the town of Wolf Rock is concerned. So that no one enters with weapons anymore.”

“That’ll be a tough sell,” said Maddox.

“Probably. But if you can provide evidence: the website that you found and anything else, that this group exists, and that Wolf Rock is a target, I think everyone will agree that it’s for the best, and for the safety of the townspeople as well as the shifters. Corgan, do you think you could aid us in this?”

“I could. It’ll mean doing some more digging, so I’ll need a computer and a good web connection.”

“I know just the place,” said Nikki. “Julia’s got everything you could want.”

“Who’s Julia?” The mention of a woman’s name seemed to perk Corgan up. He’d only been around coupled up shifters for what seemed like days now and was getting tired of watching smitten folks.

“She’s a good friend of mine, from our ‘stupid’ TV show.”

“Oh, the redhead,” said Corgan. He winced after the words had come out of his mouth, knowing what would come next.

“Ha! So you
did
watch it!” said Nikki.

“Of course I did. It was about shifters and I’m a shifter. So sue me. Anyhow, I remember Julia. She’s pretty cute.”

“She’s also very intelligent. I’ll hook you up. I don’t mean sexually,” said Nikki, sensing a pending love-fest. Julia was very fond of strapping young men; particularly of the shifting variety, and Corgan would be right up her alley.

“Okay, cool. We’ll get working. I’ll let you know when I’ve found all the information that I need. Maddox, you don’t mind sticking around for a few more days, do you?”

“Don’t mind at all,” said his brother, smiling. There was a peace in him, Kyla thought, that she hadn’t sensed before. Like a demon had almost been vanquished. She wondered if she’d see him in the next few days.

“I’ll take you two into town later,” Kyla said. “Maybe we can grab a drink at the pub.

T
hat afternoon
as Kyla drove the two men into Wolf Rock, Corgan said, “I’m excited about this Julia. Meeting her, I mean.”

“Are you now?” asked the wolf shifter.

“You know, to use the computer,” he insisted.

“Mmm hmm,” she said, laughing behind her eyes.

“We can drop him there and go for a pint,” said Maddox. “It’s been a while, I think, since either of us has been to the pub.”

“Not since we met,” said Kyla. “I could sure as hell use a drink.”

Last night Maddox was worried about their growing attachment and now he wanted to spend more time together. Confusion was setting into Kyla’s mind, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to be sensible and walk away. Not yet.

Julia opened the door when they arrived and smiled broadly at her guest.

“I’m Corgan,” he said, awkwardly shaking her hand.

“Well, aren’t you lovely,” she said as she showed him into her place.

“And this is Maddox,” Kyla said, introducing the larger man to the slender redhead.

“I’ve heard a thing or two about you both,” said Julia. “I do hope you stick around. This is a nice place to live.”

“You only moved here recently, right?” asked Maddox.

“Yeah, only since the show. I sort of fell in love with the place while we filmed and decided to come back after I left…and after I heard that there was a new alpha.”

“Well, I’m not sure that we’ll be sticking around. Corgan and I might need to take off. But I agree—it’s a nice place.” He looked at Kyla then, and for a moment she felt a warmth inside her that seemed to come directly from him. The mixed messages were killing her.

When they’d made certain that Corgan had everything he needed, Kyla and Maddox made their way to the Lion’s Head, which was refreshingly empty. With the new vigilance in the woods, the pack was largely occupied. The tourists hadn’t experienced any shifter sightings in days and it seemed that things had calmed down.

“Hey, Cam,” said Kyla as they entered.

“Hi, you two. Beer?”

“Yes, please.”

The bartender brought two pints to their table.

“It’s quiet here, huh?” said Maddox.

“Yeah, a little too quiet, if you know what I mean. I’m not complaining about money or anything, but it’s been strange. The tourists have disappeared but there’s a guy who’s been coming in every day.”

“Oh? Who is he?”

“Not sure. But he’s one of them outdoorsy types, always wearing khaki clothing and carrying packs. Really fit, like you’d expect a marine or other military type to be, I think. He’s certainly interested in you folks.”

Kyla felt suddenly nervous.

“What do you mean, interested?”

“Asking questions about the cabin, where you are, how many of you. That sort of thing. I haven’t told him anything, of course.”

“Good. Thanks.”

“But he may be gone by now. I haven’t seen him in the last day or two. God knows, it’s entirely possible that he’s a journalist or something. Probably wants to write an article.”

“Probably,” said Maddox, looking pensive.

When Cam had left, the large man took Kyla’s hand.

“I know you’re worried. But don’t be. I may not be Tristan’s biggest fan, but I sense that he knows how to look after his pack.”

“I just wish he’d let you two stick around the cabin. He’s a protector. He should understand that you are too.”

“Yeah, but he has to protect you first, and he’s right—getting distracted is bad. I should know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have nightmares, Kyla. About that day. I should have protected her, my sister. I should have seen the rancher coming. I should have put myself in the way of that dog, and I failed. I failed her and my entire family and it haunts me. The one thing I know is that if something happened to one of you, Tristan would blame himself. Maybe he shouldn’t. But he would.”

“You shouldn’t blame yourself either, Maddox. You were only a kid.”

“I was old enough to know my duty.”

He was silent for a moment.

“Sometimes I think that if only she’d shifted into a squirrel and run up a tree, or something…she was so special. It seemed that her gift for shifting went to waste in the end.”

“This gift…does Corgan have it?”

“No. Definitely not.”

“You said you’ve tried...have you ever come close to changing into anything other than a bear?”

“When I was a kid, I did, actually. A couple of times. I managed to become an otter once, and once a cougar. My imagination seemed to run wild and my personality seemed to work with it, except I wasn’t as disciplined as she was. I was a happy kid until Chloe died. Happiness: I’m convinced that’s why she was so in control. She was all dreams and joy, and everything was an experience for her. I was more cynical, and got worse as I got older. I saw the bear form as the one way to guard against all evil. And it sort of stuck. But I’ve always wished I could find my way back.”

“Maybe you will one day.”

“Maybe. But you know how it is. When you first learn to shift, it’s not so much that you’re learning as the feeling that something’s taking over your body. You feel out of control, and you learn to control it rather than it being in charge of you. I feel like, if it’s still in me, I haven’t figured out how to manage it yet.”

“But your sister did.”

“She was amazing. Like a child prodigy. She knew straight away, and she used to run around in all sorts of shapes, which made for some great games. The best of it was that she could fly.”

“Wow. That would be incredible.”

“I think it was. And Cor and I weren’t even jealous. She was so good, such a sweetheart, that you couldn’t hold anything against her. She just enjoyed life.”

“Well, I’m glad for that, anyhow. I’m glad she was happy.”

Maddox sipped his beer.

“Me too.”

After they’d finished, Kyla reluctantly accompanied Maddox to a nearby motel where he checked in. Two rooms: one for him, one for Corgan. Normally, the she-wolf would have been delighted at the thought of a slightly seedy joint in which to have her way with Maddox, but she knew that she had to return to the cabin. More than that, she felt sad, as though part of her was slowly being torn away.

“Are you coming in?” asked Maddox as he unlocked the door to his room, opening it then and allowing the stuffy motel air to come out.

“I can’t. I’ve got to get back and make sure everything is all right. Duty and all that.”

Maddox leaned against the doorframe and looked down at her. As Kyla’s eyes met his, she felt a stab of intense sorrow. Would she see him again?

His dimple appeared as his lip curled up, crooked as always. With his right hand he reached out and grabbed the front of her shirt, pulling her to him. He kissed her then, his hands holding her face up to his as he leaned his massive form down.

Kyla felt herself falling, as though the kiss was causing her center of gravity to change and her feet were no longer stable under her. They’d kissed before, of course, but this time was different. Intense, passionate, and, if she didn’t know better, she’d have said full of love.

Perhaps Maddox also wondered if they’d ever see one another again.

When they pulled apart at last, he said, “I’ll be here for a few days at least, Kyla, so…”

“So…?”

“Come and see me if you want to.”

He put his hot arms around her and held her to him. She sensed that this might really be good-bye, though everything in her wanted to take him up on his offer.

“If you want to” didn’t seem like much of an invitation, though. He really needed to do better than that.

“Yes,” she thought, “I might need to come and see you. But maybe I should stay far away.”

“Be safe, my she-wolf,” Maddox said.

“I will. I’ll try, anyhow.”

She walked to the car, reluctant to turn and look though she felt his eyes on her back, watching over and protecting her.