The Finding

  The impact sent them both rolling across the ground in a tangle of legs and tails. A cloud of dust billowed around them and Bryan sensed rather than saw her turning around, preparing to bite her attacker. Agilely, he twisted away, the sound of teeth clicking together letting him know he’d had a near miss. Before she could make another attempt, he hip-checked her, knocking her off balance and then scrambled around to straddle her. Gripping the scruff of her neck firmly in his teeth, he issued a low, warning growl. Instantly, she froze in response, only her heaving sides moving as she struggled to breathe after her headlong flight.

  His wolf was excited to have her pinned beneath him and he flashed back to his recurring dream. This wasn’t a forest, but in every other way, the circumstances were the same.

  We’ve chased the female down and now she is ours!

  Cautiously, Bryan released the scruff of her neck and nuzzled her ear. She whined in response, tilting her head and exposing her throat. A rumble of pleasure sounded deep in his chest.

  She is submitting to us! We should stake our claim and mark her!

  He got up and circled around, sniffing her thoroughly. The scent of arousal was becoming stronger and the wolf in him fairly danced in excitement. Moving so they were nose to nose, he nipped and licked at her face, rubbing against her, marking her with his scent. She returned the favour, her breathing turning into excited pants.

  Her scent was intoxicating and he couldn’t wait to get closer. She seemed to feel the same way, standing and bumping her body into his. Licking her muzzle, his human side wondered what it would be like to kiss her full plump lips. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, than he shimmered and changed forms, using the power of his own transformation to pull her along with him. Before he knew it, Cassandra Greyson was in his arms, kissing him passionately.

  He sighed contentedly. It was just as he’d thought it would be. Her mouth was soft and responsive, her tongue grazing over his, teasing, then retreating while little sounds of pleasure emitted from her throat. He gathered her closer, gently pushing his hips against her. She responded in kind and his arousal throbbed heavily between his legs.

  Cassandra threaded her fingers through his hair, her nails grazing his scalp. A shiver of excitement raced down his spine. Inhaling deeply, her exotic spicy scent overwhelmed his senses, seeping into his every pore, filling him with her presence. He wanted her, desired her, needed her like he’d never needed anyone before.

  Bryan slid his hands up and down her back, marvelling at the feel of her warm, silky skin. His questing hands reached the flare of her hips and he paused, but she made no protest. In fact she moaned softly and nestled in closer. His wolf’s elation at her nearness meshed with his own; his heart pounding, his blood racing.

  He slid his fingers over the smooth curves of her butt, lightly tracing the cleft between her cheeks before cupping her bottom and pulling her more tightly to his aching erection. She felt so good in his arms; he couldn’t wait until he too was naked and—

  Whoa! Go back and repeat that thought. Naked? She was naked? He stilled his hands, shock running through his system. Damn, but she’d forgotten to think ‘clothes’ when she shifted. Either that or she was a half-breed. Whatever the case, they were in a public park and Cassandra being arrested for public nudity was the last thing he needed to deal with at the moment.

  He hastily removed his hands from her oh-so-tempting rear and grasped her upper arms, pushing her away. She mewed in discontent, straining forward, trying to reconnect. Bryan ignored her protests and looked around. Thank heaven there was still no one about.

  “Cassandra! Hey, Cassandra!” Bryan gave her shoulders a quick shake. She gave him a dazed look and he realized that her wolf side was still foremost in her mind. “Cassandra, snap out of it.” He tapped her cheek lightly and watched as her eyes lost their unfocussed appearance. Blinking, she gave her head a shake and he noted that the human half of her seemed to be regaining the upper hand.

  Bryan made a mental note that he’d really have to work with her on integrating the two parts of herself. Right now it was as if she were two different beings. He’d never encountered a case like that; it reinforced his suspicions that she was probably completely uninformed about their species. Most werewolves conversed with their wolf as if it were a friend that was constantly with them. They shared thoughts and feelings, but the human half never completely submerged even when they shifted. The wolf within recognized and accepted that its human held the superior position in the relationship. Only a totally repressed wolf would seek to become dominant in order to be heard.

  “Nice to have you back.” He gave her a crooked grin and rubbed her arms soothingly knowing it might be difficult for her to reorient herself.

  Cassandra stared at him in surprise for a second before trying to escape his hands. “Oh no, it’s you again!” She pressed her hands to his chest, perhaps intent on pushing him away, but something made her glance down at herself instead. Her face flushed red and an embarrassed squeak emitted from her lips as she realized she was naked. “Oh my gosh! What did you do with my clothes, you...you...pervert?”

  She shot him an accusing glare while quickly removing her hands from his chest and trying to cover herself with her hands in an age old gesture of modesty. Bryan was tempted to protest that it wasn’t his fault, but she backing away from him and at the moment, hiding her from any prying eyes was more important than defending himself against her accusations.

  He tightened his grip on her upper arms and pulled her closer despite her resistance. “It’s better if you stay close to me.” Casting a wary glance around the park again he explained his logic. “Less of you is exposed to prying eyes this way.”

  Upon hearing his words, she too flicked a glance around and then froze, a horrified expression on her face as she realized she was outside in full view of anyone who happened to be passing by. He could see the fear and confusion in her eyes as she tried to decide what was the biggest threat; being near him or running naked through a public park.

  “Relax, there’s no one about right now, though we don’t want to push the situation. If you promise to not run, I’ll let go of you and give you my shirt, okay?”

  She stared at him wide-eyed, but gave a quick, jerky nod.

  Slowly, testing the fact that she wouldn’t run, Bryan released his hold on her. He left his hands hovering in the air on either side of her for a moment, thinking back to how she’d duped him earlier in the day. When she didn’t move, he quickly unbuttoned his shirt and held it out to her. “I guess you forgot to think about clothing when you changed.” He cocked his head. “Or are you a half?”

  Cassandra snatched the shirt from his hand and turned her back. He watched with disappointment as the dip of her spine and her cute rear end disappeared from view. As she covered up, she talked over her shoulder.

  “What do you mean, ‘think about clothing?’ And a ‘half-what?’ You’re not making any sense! And why are you following me around? And how did I get here?” She peppered questions at him like a rapid fire machine gun, not waiting for him to answer. Now that she was somewhat covered, her fear seemed to be replaced by indignant anger.

  As she swung around to face him again, her hair fell in front of her face and she lifted a hand to brush it away. The buttons on the shirt gaped open and Bryan got an interesting flash of breast. He forced his eyes up; ogling her wouldn’t put her at ease and calming her down was his main priority right now. Reminding himself to focus he tried to answer her questions.

  “Just a few minutes ago, you came running past me like your tail was on fire. I shifted and followed to make sure you were okay, then things sort of got out of hand.” He gave her a crooked smile and shrugged. “Our wolves like each other.”

  “My tail...? Our wolves...?” Her face turned ashen, her eyes wide. She stretched her arms out in front of her and looked at them, shaking her head in denial. “Oh God, you mean I was a...a...wolf?”

  He nodded, puzzled by he
r reaction, but her next statement explained it all.

  “No! It can’t be! I’ve never done that before, never completely given in!” Cassandra clamped a hand to her mouth and stumbled backwards until she bumped into a tree. Her back pressed to the trunk, she put one hand on its rough surface, seemingly trying to brace herself. Bryan thought she looked as if she might be sick and stepped closer, concerned at her extreme reaction. She held out a hand to stay him. Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears and she blinked rapidly, probably trying to hold them back.

  “You mean you’ve never changed before?” He lifted his brows in surprise.

  She bit her lip and shook her head. “No! I mean... Almost, but... I’ve always stayed in control. Oh God I can’t believe...” She looked around frantically as if searching for answers before locking eyes with him. “But how? It’s still a few days until the full moon! I should have still been safe! It must have been because...” Her voice trailed off and then she gasped, a look of shock and dawning understanding sweeping over her face. “Oh no! Kellen! I left him with that goon, Hugh!” She suddenly pushed off from the tree as if to run and Bryan barely caught her by the arm, stopping her from another headlong flight.

  “Slow down, you can’t go running through the streets half-naked, not even in Vegas. You have no shoes on and my shirt barely makes you decent.”

  “But I have to get back home. Kellen’s there. He might be injured!” She pulled against his grip, trying to free herself.

  Bryan compressed his lips, not at all pleased that she seemed so concerned about this other man. However, he sensed arguing with her would be a waste of time. “Okay, we’ll go back to your house, but you’ll have to go as a wolf until we can get you some proper clothes. Shift back.”

  “No!” For some reason she seemed horrified by the idea. “I’m not some filthy animal. I don’t want to be a werewolf!” Her struggles increased and definite panic was rising in her voice.

  He pulled Cassandra closer in an effort to subdue her, forcing himself to ignore the way she squirmed against his body, the way the shirt rode up allowing his hand to brush against her bare thigh...

  Firming his jaw, he focussed on his duty. Bringing her under control was his main concern and he wrapped his arm around her, threading his fingers into her hair to hold her head still. He hoped no one came by. If they did, they’d likely think he was assaulting her. Frowning, he tried to figure the woman out. How could she call her own wolf a ‘filthy animal?’ And why wouldn’t she want to be a werewolf? It made no sense to him. There were definitely some major underlying issues to be dealt with here, but first things first. He hardened his voice.

  “Listen to me. Stop fighting. We’ll check on your boyfriend, but we’re doing it my way. My shirt isn’t that long; it doesn’t even completely cover your rear so there’s no way you can parade down the street in it” He gripped her chin and stared into her face, letting the Beta in him come to the forefront. There was a stirring in the back of her eyes as the animal within awakened again, recognizing his dominance. “Shift!”

  A shocked look flashed across her eyes, as the human part of her subsided and the wolf inside responded to his command. In less than a second, a chocolate brown wolf stood before him, looking up at him with a submissive gaze, its tail swishing slightly from side to side.

  Bryan rocked back on his heels and gave a satisfied smile. He’d never had to do that before; forcing a lycan to shift against it will. It was gratify to know that it actually worked. And at least this way, he seemed to have Cassandra under control. He took a moment to examine the wolf before him. She was a beauty. Thick, chocolate brown fur, fine boned yet quick and strong. Her deep green eyes followed his every move as he circled around, looking her over.

  Hmm... This might work to his advantage. They’d head back to her house and she could listen without interrupting as he explained his plans for her. Anyone who saw them would assume he was just taking a stroll with his pooch. He took off his belt and looped it around her neck. “I’m pretty sure there’s an off-leash law in this city.”

  If looks could kill, hers would have had him buried six feet under. He chuckled at her feisty spirit and barked out the command “Heel.” She gave him another disgusted look, but immediately got up and followed him as he walked out of the park. Yep, this might not be a bad arrangement at all.

  Chapter 12

  The sun beat down on his back as they strolled towards Cassandra’s house, the warmth actually feeling good on his tense muscles. Bryan rolled his shoulders and took a few minutes to just enjoy the moment. Everything was quiet except for the buzz of insects and the faint click of Cassandra’s claws on the sidewalk. The neighbourhood appeared to be a deserted, each house seemingly empty, the owners no doubt off at work. Still, Bryan kept alert, scanning around looking for signs of danger. This wasn’t his home territory and he felt somewhat ill at ease being so out in the open. After being used to the thick forests of Stump River, Las Vegas appeared almost barren.

  He swatted at a fly that buzzed past and glanced down at Cassandra. She was trotting obediently at his side and he smiled at how right it seemed to have her with him. Exactly why he wasn’t sure and he spent a moment trying to analyze the feeling before giving up. Enough time for that later. Right now, he needed to bring her up to speed on the workings of Lycan law.

  As succinctly as possible, he filled Cassandra in on the Finding clause; explaining that since his pack had found her, she was their responsibility and that was why he needed to get her to Canada. She wasn’t pleased about the news; the occasional droop of her tail conveying that fact clearly enough. He suspected her wolf side was happier than her human half and he tried to work with that, painting a verbal picture of life in Stump River..

  He talked about the pack members, relating funny anecdotes and then spoke of the vast woods which were perfect for running and hunting. He described the large home Ryne had for them and all the renovations they’d done, but nothing he said seemed to capture her imagination. Finally, he stopped, feeling affronted by her reaction; the pack was his family. What reason could she have to not want to be a part of it?

  Watching her out of the corner of his eye, he puzzled over her reactions. She seemed more aware, as if her human half wasn’t as overwhelmed by her wolf as it had been earlier. What was she thinking? Why had she panicked when he said she should shift? Was there a reason she was reluctant to join a pack or was she just one of those oddities; a natural lone wolf?

  Perhaps she was too concerned about her friend to really hear what he was saying. He gave a nod. It made sense. Okay, he’d reassure her about this Kellen fellow and then they’d have another talk. Once he understood her concerns, he could set her fears to rest and they’d be on their way back to Canada.

  The house came into view and she whined by his side. Bryan slowed his pace then came to an abrupt halt as he took in the scene before him.

  A large blond haired man was dragging another man from the house. The first fellow had blood stains on his shirt and looked shaken, but angry. The second man appeared to have his hands tied behind his back and seemed considerably the worse for wear. Was that Kellen?

  Bryan glanced down at Cassandra. Her ears were flattened and her lips were drawn back, low growls emanating from her throat. He crouched at her side and put a restraining arm around her shoulders and neck. “Shh... You can’t just go rushing in there. Werewolves take great pains to ensure their existence isn’t discovered by humans.”

  She whimpered and pranced in place. He rubbed her fur soothingly. “Don’t worry, we’ll find out what’s going on and see what we can do to help your friend. Looks like he really pissed that guy off though; drew some blood, too.”

  A sudden stiffness in her body, had him looking at Cassandra with dread. “Oh no. You didn’t attack that big lug did you?” He shook his head and looked at her with pleading eyes, already suspecting the answer. “Please tell me you didn’t do that.”

  The wolf hung her head and Bryan
swore under his breath, his shoulders slumping tiredly. “Great. Now the guy’s going to go around telling everyone this big wolf-like dog attacked him. Rumours will start flying and lord only knows how long it will take until things settled down. I’ll have to contact Damage Control and see what type of story they can concoct; maybe a rumour about an animal escaping one of the magic shows at the big casinos...” He let his voice trail off and rubbed his forehead, feeling the beginning of a headache then winced when he touched the spot where she’d walloped him with the lamp. Cassandra Greyson was turning out to be more than a bit of a pain and he was starting to question his inner wolf’s sanity in being attracted to her.

  Cassandra wiggled in his arms and he tightened his grip, while looking up to see what the problem was. Ah! The big guy was shoving Kellen in the back of a white van.

  Bryan stiffened and narrowed his eyes; it was the same van he’d observed last night, he was sure of it. Testing the air, he caught a whiff of scent and confirmed his suspicions; it was the same man too. Well, at least he knew why the fellow had been driving by; Anderson had been the draw, not Cassandra.

  As the van drove away, he stood. “The coast is clear; we can head inside and find you some clothes so you can shift back.” He moved towards the house, Cassandra tugging at her makeshift leash.

  *****

  Once inside, Bryan took off her ‘leash’ and she shook her head, relieved to have the thing removed; it had chaffed at her neck and made her feel even more like an animal than she already did. While Bryan looped the belt back around his waist, she eyed him thoughtfully. Someday she’d have to return the favour if, heaven forbid, their association lasted that long!