He sucked in a breath. “Selene and I are just getting to know each other again after many years apart. Things were rocky at first, but I think mating with Zan has really grounded her. They’re madly in love and I’m reaping some of the benefits of her softened attitude.”
“Why did you and Selene spend time apart?” She shook her head. “From your expression I’d say that’s upsetting to you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. It’s a long story, but the short version is that when Selene was eleven years old I made a mistake and broke Pack law. As a result, my brother, Damien, who you met at the party, took Selene from me and cast me out of our Pack.”
“That’s terrible,” she said quietly. Her brain couldn’t wrap itself around the thought of being rejected by her own family. The sorrow of such an act would probably kill her.
His hand squeezed hers. “The horror I recently suffered at Carter’s hands doesn’t begin to compare to losing my child. Only the hope that we might know each other someday, that she might forgive me, kept me going. It seems we’re finally finding each other again.”
“I’m so glad. And Damien?”
His jaw clenched. “He’s an asshole. The bastard can rot in hell for all I care.”
This might not be a good time to mention the intense longing on Damien’s face as he’d observed Nick at the party. That his eyes had been filled with regret. Maybe once she and Nick were better acquainted, he’d be ready to hear it.
He went on before she could form a response. “We never had any other siblings, and our parents are dead also. My father was murdered by hunters thirty-five years ago, just before I met my mate, and my mother died of grief soon after.”
Mate? What effing mate? She cleared her throat. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you. It was a terrible time for the clan. My father was the Alpha, and was beloved by almost everyone. Damien took his place and there were the usual challenges to his leadership before he settled in.” He paused. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
She stopped walking and leaned her back against a tree, studying him. “You mentioned a mate. Am I going to find myself on the business end of some alpha bitch’s teeth and claws?”
He shook his head. “That mistake I mentioned before, the one that got me ousted from my Pack? My mate was killed as a result—by Carter Darrow. He saw an opportunity to come after me recently, and you know the rest.”
“Not entirely, but I won’t press you.”
“I appreciate that. I’m sure I’ll tell you the whole story one day, but not today.”
“I’m sorry about your mate,” she said sincerely. “What was her name, if you don’t mind my asking?”
His lips curved up just a bit, and his expression was fond. “Jennifer. A name as sweet and simple as the woman. I wasn’t looking for a mate, and one day she visited from a neighboring Pack. It was like being electrocuted.”
He got the strangest look on his face, and she cocked her head. “What?”
“Nothing. Anyway, that’s ancient history.”
Time to lighten the mood again. “Speaking of ancient, how old are you?”
He laughed, showing off those straight white teeth—complete with a couple of canines that were slightly longer than a human’s yet not as long as her own. The sight intrigued her.
“I’m two hundred sixteen. A mere baby next to you,” he teased, blue eyes dancing with mischief.
“Oooh, that was a low blow, wolf.” She narrowed her eyes, her tone playfully menacing. “Or should I say ‘pup’? Perhaps you’re too young and green to play with the grown-ups.”
“Pup?” A feral gleam lit his eyes, coupled with humor. Moving in swiftly, he pressed his big body against hers, palm braced above her head. “Do I seem like a pup to you?”
Bark dug into her back, and she relished the feel of his hard muscles surrounding her. The thump of his heart. And there was nothing humorous about the hard-on in his jeans.
Their easy playfulness rapidly becoming something deeper. Nick continued to push against her, letting her feel his arousal. Then he raised a hand and stroked her face. Brushed a thumb over her lips.
“No,” she admitted. “You certainly don’t.”
“You’re beautiful.”
She stared back at him, ensnared in his gaze. “Thank you.”
Please, kiss me. I need—
His mouth covered hers and she whimpered, returning the kiss with equal hunger. Heaven. He was pure heaven, his heady scent and rich taste playing havoc with her hormones. Never before had a man owned her with a kiss like this one. As though he fully intended to possess every corner of her soul.
She wanted the contact to go on forever. Her vampire instincts surged to the fore, and she had to force down the desire to bite him. To claim her mate.
Mate!
Suddenly he pushed back, breaking the kiss. His chest heaved and he stared at her as though he’d read her thoughts. Maybe he had, somehow. And if so, he seemed less than happy about what he’d seen.
“I shouldn’t have done that.”
Not too promising.
“In case you didn’t notice, I rather enjoyed it,” she pointed out.
“So did I, but . . .” He ran a hand through his jet-black hair. “Look, I need to get back. I’m not ditching you, it’s just that something tells me I’m needed.”
He sounded sincere and she breathed a small sigh of relief. “I’ll take you.”
“You don’t have to do that. My wolf can run fast.”
“My way is faster.” She held out a hand and waited. He hesitated only a second before placing his palm in hers. With a smile, she said, “Don’t let go of me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Shifters didn’t like traveling by translocation as a general rule. It tended to make many of them dizzy and sick to their stomachs. But there were times that it was the most expedient way to get where you were going.
Closing her eyes, she imagined the Pack’s compound and let her gift take them there. The flight lasted merely a few seconds and soon she felt solid earth under her shoes again. Looking around, she saw that they were in the grassy yard area in the back where the party had taken place.
Nick staggered a bit, then leaned over and rested his hands on his knees. “God, that sucks.”
“Are you all right?” She touched his shoulder.
“I will be.” Gradually he straightened and gave her a rueful smile. “At least my lunch didn’t make a reappearance.”
“Thank goodness for small favors.”
“Yeah.”
“Nick!” The commander glanced toward the back of the building to see one of his men jogging out the door.
“Micah, what’s wrong?”
Calla recognized the younger man with the scarred face as Micah Chase, Rowan’s brother. One side of his face was like melted wax from being tortured months ago while in captivity. The evil scientist who’d held him and many other shifters had poured molten silver on him, ensuring the tissue would never heal. She shoved down the stirring of pity, sensing the young wolf wouldn’t appreciate it.
“We got called out,” Micah said, jogging up. “Oh, hi, Princess Calla. Sorry to interrupt.”
“Just Calla, and no worries,” she assured him. Seemed Nick’s gut feeling that he needed to return had been spot-on.
“What type of call, and when did it come in?” Nick was all business now, standing straight and tall, his own problems forgotten. Every inch the Pack’s Alpha wolf.
Secretly, it gave her a bit of a thrill to watch him work.
“About two minutes ago. There’s a group of hunters attacking a coven of vampires about fifty miles from here. We gotta skate. They can’t hold out much longer.”
Nick turned to Calla, but she held up a hand. “Go. I’ll be fine.”
“Either stay here until I get back or go straight home,” he ordered firmly. “I don’t want you without protection with hunters running around here.”
br /> “I’ll go home. Promise.” She gave him a smile, and his face softened a tad.
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
With that, the commander turned and jogged with Micah toward the hangar. Calla was so intrigued by the sway of his tight ass as he ran, she hadn’t noticed that someone else had joined her.
“Quite the sight, isn’t he?” a woman’s voice teased.
Calla turned her head to see Selene, Nick’s daughter, observing her with humor etched on her angular face. Great, she’d been busted ogling the woman’s father.
“He’s passable enough.” She shrugged.
Selene laughed. “Ha! You were staring at his backside like he was a nice juicy steak, so don’t even try that with me. He seemed pretty into you, too.”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
The other woman’s smile turned contemplative. Suddenly, she leaned toward Calla and sniffed. “Holy shit, his scent is all over you. That old dog, he marked you good, didn’t he?”
“M-marked me?”
“Yeah,” Selene drawled. “Oldest shifter mating ritual on record, girlfriend, especially with born wolves. The male marks his female to warn off other guys. Guess which ritual is the second oldest.”
Nick’s daughter was fucking with her, and enjoying herself immensely. But that didn’t make what she said any less true. Calla had heard about the marking thing—she’d just never encountered an example firsthand.
Calla drew herself up and looked Selene straight in the eye. She wasn’t sure whether she was being mocked, or merely teased in a good-natured manner. “I like your father a lot,” she said directly. “I’m drawn to him as well, and to be honest there could be more than mere attraction there. Is that going to be a problem?”
She’d said as much as she could to the woman without revealing she was pretty sure Nick was her mate. Nick deserved to hear those words first, when the time was right.
“Not at all,” Selene said, dropping the teasing. Her expression was warm, and she seemed genuine when she spoke again. “I want nothing more than to see Dad happy. He’s been on the edge of a cliff, and if you’re the one who can pull him back, I’ll be thrilled.”
“Me, too. And thank you. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s good to know we have support.”
“Always. Not just from me, either, but from everyone.”
Impulsively, Calla pulled Selene into a hug. The other woman appeared surprised at first, then returned the gesture with enthusiasm. Then she stepped back and squeezed Selene’s hand.
“Thanks, but I have a feeling your dad is going to prove to be a challenge. Marking or no marking.”
And then there was Tarron and his damned matchmaking to contend with.
She wondered what the commander would think about that.
Something told her she’d better keep that tidbit under wraps where a certain possessive wolf was concerned.
Three
The ride to the site where they were to intercept the hunters was short—but it was long enough to recall every moment Nick had spent in Calla’s company this afternoon.
Was this woman for real? All he could think was, She’s too perfect. Too beautiful. She has to possess at least one flaw.
Then he’d lost his head. Pushed her against the tree and devoured her mouth like the starving wolf he was. Fucking hell, it had been so long since he’d felt such a strong connection to a woman. Like he had to have her or he’d go crazy.
His wolf hadn’t been able to get close enough, either. Immediately he was rubbing all over her, leaving so much of his scent on her that every shifter within miles of her would know who the hell she belonged to. He had to mark her or lose his mind.
And then he’d felt her tense. As his tongue explored her delicious mouth, he’d actually touched one of her fangs as it lengthened. Her need to bite him became a palpable thing.
There was her flaw, he remembered.
Calla was a vampire. As such, she’d need to feed from her mate, eventually.
And she’s my mate. If there was any question before, there isn’t now. My wolf is howling with the need to be with her. To claim her for us. Then she’d have to claim me, too, as vampires do.
Sink her fangs into my neck. Drink from me.
Like Carter.
He couldn’t let that happen. The very idea made his gut writhe as though filled with poisonous snakes. And yet, if he didn’t claim her, he’d eventually get mating sickness. He was much older, could hold out longer than the turned wolves on his team, but not forever.
Had Calla saved his life for nothing, then? What was the point in living if he couldn’t work past the horror of what Carter had done to him?
What am I going to do?
“We’re here! Get ready!” Jax shouted.
Nick slid from his seat and grabbed the M16 off his shoulder. Sometimes a direct assault and good old-fashioned firepower was the best tactic. That was what they were doing with the hunters since there wasn’t time to set down miles away and come in quiet. The coven that was under siege was out of time.
They flew in low, balls to the wall, and let the bullets fly. It wasn’t too difficult to tell who the bad guys were—they were the armed ones shooting back. The humans were dressed in cammo, too. Real original. Bullets pinged off the sides of the Huey. One missed Nick’s head, so close he swore he felt the heat from its passing.
He fired off round after round, hitting more than he missed. Hunters dropped like puppets with their strings cut, and he felt nothing. No sympathy. He thought of Rambo in the movie declaring they’d drawn first blood, and that was how he viewed the matter.
They started it. We’ll finish it.
With Aric at the controls, the Huey Nick was riding in circled around, making another pass at the wide-open spaces between the buildings of the coven. Most soldiers who weren’t dead were on the run, headed for the trees, guns slung over their backs.
Except one. Nick saw the bastard take aim in his direction a split second too late. A punch seared his chest and he was thrown backward, onto the cold metal floor. His weapon clattered from his hand. Hammer’s shouts reached Nick’s ears, but he couldn’t understand what his friend was saying. He tried to push up. Couldn’t move.
“Stay down!” Hammer’s frantic face loomed over him.
“Vest,” he gasped, trying to raise his arm. “I’m okay.”
The big man shook his head, exchanging a panicked look with someone. “They had armor-piercing bullets. You’re shot through. Stay still.”
What? Raising his head a bit, he looked down at himself. His tan body armor was rapidly becoming soaked, turning a dark rust with his blood. “Oh, fuck.”
His head swam and he dropped it back to the floor, staring at the roof. The motion of the Huey was making him sick. The craft executed a sharp turn and he knew Aric was taking him home as fast as the copter would fly.
“The coven,” he rasped.
“The others stayed behind to wrap up,” Jax said from somewhere near his head. “Stop worrying and save your strength.”
His chest burned like the fires of hell. It was as though someone had pried open his sternum with their bare hands and then poured acid into the bloody cavity for good measure. He couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t right. He’d suffered gunshot wounds before—hell, all sorts of injuries—and he’d never experienced anything like this.
He sucked in a shallow breath. “Silver?”
“Maybe. You’re not healing like you should.” Hammer laid a meaty palm on his shoulder. “We’re close to the compound. Hang on, buddy.”
That look on his friend’s face, in his eyes. Nick knew in that moment he was in real trouble. This was a mortal injury, even for a born wolf. And Zander was still restricted from performing a healing of this magnitude.
“Calla,” he managed.
“Tarron’s sister? What about her?”
“Mate.”
Hammer frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“C
alla’s mine,” he wheezed. “She’ll come.”
“Shit! Got it.” Hammer squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll get her there.”
“I don’t have her number, but I’m calling Tarron now,” Jax said.
Vaguely, Nick heard Jax shouting into his cell phone. He wondered what the vampire would make of his sister being summoned to save a wolf. And not just any wolf—her mate. Then he decided he didn’t give two shits.
Calla was coming, and that was all that mattered. Could be he wasn’t ready to give up, after all.
The copter started its descent just as his lungs gave up the ghost. Thrashing, he fought to take in air that would no longer come. His vision darkened, and regret consumed him.
Not yet. Can’t give up.
Then he knew nothing more.
* * *
“Calla!”
Tarron’s bellow thundered down the rocky corridor outside her room, and Calla jumped. The book she was reading tumbled from her hands and thunked to the floor, making her lose her place. Irritated, she crossed to the door and flung it open.
“Can you ever simply knock and say my name in a normal tone instead of shouting the mountain down over our heads?” She rested a hand on her hip and glared at him as he came to a stop at the door to her chambers.
Her annoyance went unnoticed and he appeared to be in a hurry. “I just got a call from Jax Law. He said the Alpha Pack was out on a mission and Nick was shot by hunters during the gun battle.”
She gasped, holding on to the doorframe for support. “Oh, gods. How is he?”
“Not good. Jax said the bullet must be silver or something, because he’s not healing. He wants you to come, says you’re the only one who can help him. They’re rushing back to the compound by helicopter as we speak.”
“Of course! Let’s go.” She grabbed for his hand, but he held back.
“Wait a second. Why you when I could help him just as easily?” he demanded. “What’s going on, sis?”
“I’ll explain later. There isn’t time right now.”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?” His expression was grim.
“Later,” she stressed.