Savage Urges

  “I’ll bet some don’t want to leave,” wagered Dante.

  Dawn ushered them all into an office. “The isolation of a loner lifestyle is hard for any shifter. Here, they’re around people who can understand them and who’ve had similar experiences to them. They get mighty comfortable and want to stay. Shifters in packs, prides, flocks, or whatever it may be all lean and rely on each other. That’s part of what makes it hard for loners to adjust to being on their own. I allow some to stay permanently, but in exchange they have to work for me—whether it’s to cook, clean, wash clothes, or something else.”

  Dante and Ryan leaned against the wall while Taryn, Jaime, and Madisyn sat on an old, faded leather couch. Makenna perched herself on the edge of the desk that Dawn then sat behind.

  “You do good work here,” said Taryn. “I have to admit, loners have such a bad rep that it never occurred to me how hard it must be for them.”

  Dawn gave an understanding smile. “It’s easy to forget that they’re not all bad. Most just need help. I do my best to provide that. But I can’t help everyone.”

  “Must be hard for you.” Dante folded his arms. “It has to cost a lot of money and energy to run this place. This is a nonprofit organization, right?”

  “Yes. I have sponsors, grants, and private donations. The shifter council only gives a minimal amount of funding, but everything makes a difference. Some people—shifter and human alike—are kind enough to donate blankets, supplies, and food. But some, like Remy, just present us with problems.”

  Taryn leaned forward. “Tell us about Remy. When did all this trouble with him start?”

  Dawn’s expression turned somber. “He first came here four months ago. We were scrubbing off some graffiti outside when he came up to us, all charm and smiles. But it’s like Makenna says, his eyes are cold. He said he admired what I did but that he’d bet it was hard to run the shelter with no protection. He offered for me to join his pack—said Madisyn, Makenna, and any other volunteers would also have a place, if they wanted it. I declined, and he didn’t like it, but he told me to take some time to think about it.

  “He came again the following month, made the same speech. Again, I told him no. That didn’t faze him. He was back within three weeks. At the time, things weren’t great. A human who owns several local businesses had begun a petition to get rid of the shelter; said he’s losing business and employees because a lot of humans don’t like being close to a shelter for loners. He got other business owners, humans, and the local schools to sign it.”

  “Bigots,” Jaime bit out.

  “Yes,” agreed Dawn. “Remy said he’d heard about the petition; said he could provide me with the protection I need from this sort of thing, if only I’d join his pack. He’s right. If this was officially classified as shifter territory, the humans would have no say. And they wouldn’t dare go up against me. But I think Makenna’s right.”

  As Jaime shot a questioning look her way, Makenna explained as she swung her legs—legs that Ryan wanted hooked over his shoulders as he pounded in and out of her—“If you ask me, Remy was behind the petition. He wanted Dawn trapped in a corner so he could be her savior and, in desperation, we’d all fall in line. He somehow got the humans riled up; he may have even given them the idea of starting the petition.”

  Dante nodded slowly. “I take it the petition came to nothing.”

  Dawn waved a hand. “The human court dismissed it. I think it likes the idea that shelters help keep loners off the streets, since they often sleep in their animal form because they feel less vulnerable that way. Humans don’t want us roaming free like wild animals. And, you know, not all humans hate us. In fact, the majority don’t. But those that do hate us . . . well, they can make a lot of noise.” Dawn sighed. “Anyway, we hadn’t seen Remy again until today.”

  Dante scraped his hand over his jaw. “I have to say, it’s damn odd that the guy wants to expand his territory in this direction. No offense, but this isn’t the kind of area that Alphas like to claim. It’s rough.”

  “That’s why this makes no sense to us,” said Madisyn.

  Taryn tapped her fingers on the arm of the sofa. “I’m surprised he hasn’t just tried to take the territory. You’re loners; you can’t fight him.”

  “The land the shelter sits on belongs to me,” said Dawn. “It was granted to my mother by the council and she passed it on to me, which makes it my territory. No one can take it without my permission.”

  “That’s probably why he went running to the council.” Makenna held out the letter to Dawn. “He presented me with this.”

  Dawn took the paper from her hand and read it carefully. “Mediation. Says here that if we can’t solve this ourselves through mediation, the matter will then go before the council after eight weeks.”

  “I thought the council typically gave people twelve weeks to sort out their shit,” said Madisyn.

  “Only in cases where the parties want war,” Dante told her. “This situation is different.”

  “Going before the council could be bad,” began Madisyn, “since it wants peace above all else. Right now, the humans who signed the petition are probably all stirred up because it got them nowhere. The council could see Remy taking over as a way to keep things cool here.”

  “Remy seems too eager to get ahold of this place to wait for the council’s decision,” said Makenna. “I think he’ll try to put Dawn in a position where she feels she needs him.”

  Ryan shook his head. “It will never come to that.”

  Makenna was surprised at the vehemence in that vow. “You heard what he said out there—‘Everybody has a price.’ He was prepared to bribe Dawn”—the feline bristled at the insult—“so I’m thinking he’ll try to pay off the mediator, try to make them convince us to give in to him and maybe even suggest to the council that Remy should be given what he wants.”

  Taryn snorted. “The Californian mediator for shifters happens to be my best friend. Trying to bribe Shaya will achieve nothing. I’m not saying she’ll jump on your wagon. She’ll remain impartial because it’s her job, despite that she’ll no doubt totally hate what he’s doing.”

  Madisyn didn’t appear completely reassured. “What if he tries to bribe the council?”

  “I hope he does,” said Dante. “The last time someone did that, they were killed for the insult. When is the meeting?”

  “Two weeks from now,” replied Makenna. She looked at Dawn. “I’ll be coming with you.”

  “Me too,” said Madisyn. Dawn shot them both a grateful smile.

  “In the meantime,” began Taryn, “all you can really do is stay alert. When you need us, we’ll come.”

  An hour later, after spending time with Zac and an extended tour to check out the basement and upper floors, the Phoenix wolves were ready to leave. Dawn had proudly shown them around while Makenna and Madisyn accompanied her for protection.

  Hey, the Phoenix wolves seemed friendly and eager to help, but that didn’t mean Makenna trusted them. She especially didn’t trust the broad, rugged male who moved into her personal space as if he had every right. Or, more specifically, she didn’t trust that his behavior didn’t bother her the way it should.

  Having said their good-byes at the front door, the wolves then began filing outside, heading to their Chevy. Ryan, however, snatched Makenna’s cell phone from the pocket of her denim jacket, keyed in his number, and then just as deftly returned the cell to her pocket. Had she not been looking at him, she might not have noticed. She should have bristled at his boldness, but she was too busy admiring the sneaky move.

  “If Remy comes back or there’s a problem, call me.” It was a rumbled order that brooked no defiance.

  A lesser female might have folded under the weight of all that dominance and raw masculinity. “Careful, White Fang. You’re pushing.”

  His scowl deepened, but he said nothing. Just stared.

  “Yeah, that whole ‘I’ll just stare until she gets so uncomfortable she gives
in’ ain’t gonna work with me.” His frown remained firmly in place, but there was the slightest touch of amusement in those dark eyes. And she couldn’t help wondering what he looked like when he smiled. Did his face light up? Did his eyes crinkle? Did he have dimples? Was it a lopsided smile or was there simply a slight curve to his mouth?

  It was only right then, when his lips parted slightly, that she realized she was staring at them. She snapped her gaze to his, swallowing as the air became hot and thick. Need began to slowly spill through her veins like warm honey. To evoke this kind of need in her . . . it was power over her. Power that made her anxious. She took a step back. “See ya.”

  With a grunt, he turned and left. And she indulged in a thorough inspection of his rather epic ass as he stalked down the path.

  No sooner had the Chevy disappeared than Madisyn dragged Makenna aside. “I want the details on Mr. Dark and Dangerous.”

  Of course she did, the nosy feline. “He’s Zac’s cousin,” Makenna replied with a nonchalant shrug. But Madisyn waved a hand, encouraging Makenna to continue. “That’s it. There’s nothing else to say.”

  “Why ‘White Fang’?”

  “You remember the movie, right? The wolf was fierce, morose, and a deadly fighter.”

  “I guess Ryan does have a savage look about him. I have the feeling that’s part of why you’re so hot for him.”

  Makenna frowned. “Who says I’m hot for him?” Madisyn just stared at her. “Okay, I’m hot for him.” She liked his hard, dangerous looks and his enigmatic nature. Mostly, though, it was his strength and air of self-possession that drew her. He seemed so solid and steadfast—wolf nip to someone who had never known stability, who had never been able to relax, who hadn’t felt safe in a very long time. “But I’m pretty sure that’s a one-way street.”

  Grinning, Madisyn shook her head. “He looks at you like he wants to take a bite.”

  Makenna blinked. “A good bite or a bad bite?”

  “Depends how you define ‘bad.’”

  “Honestly, I’m not sure I’d know what to do with him. I’ve never been around a guy as dominant as him before.” He wasn’t someone who could be handled. “Dominant males are tricky, domineering bastards. Even Colton can’t deny that.” The dominant bear—who was standing at the reception desk, totally eavesdropping—just shrugged, unoffended. They’d once had a short, casual fling, but they’d quickly realized they were better as friends, and there had never been any awkwardness between them. “Still . . . I know Ryan doesn’t talk much, but when he does”—she shivered—“I honestly have to wonder if he could talk me into an orgasm.”

  Madisyn laughed. “You know, I’ve heard that the quiet ones are always the most vocal in bed. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to let him take that bite he seems to want.”

  Maybe. Maybe not. But Makenna doubted she’d be put into a position where she had to decide. She was a loner, which meant he automatically wouldn’t trust her around him or his pack. Once he’d won over Zac, she’d likely never see him again. Although the Phoenix wolves seemed genuinely intent on helping with the Remy situation, there was a distinct possibility that they were simply trying to impress Zac and use it to gain his trust. Time would tell.

  In the meantime . . . where was the damn chocolate?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Eating dinner at the long oak table in the kitchen of Phoenix Pack territory, Taryn informed the rest of the pack of all that they had heard and seen at the shelter. Only four were absent: Roni and Marcus, who were on Mercury territory, and Gabe and Hope, a mated pair that was guarding the gate.

  Taryn’s expression was pained even though her mate was soothingly massaging her nape. “I have to say, I’m seriously ashamed of myself right now. Whenever I thought the term ‘lone shifters,’ I thought ‘hired guns.’ It never occurred to me just how hard it must be for them, or all the different kind of reasons that drive shifters to become loners. It’s not always a choice.”

  Jaime stroked the ugly, loudly purring ginger cat on her lap. “And not all of them have had the luck to get a place in a shelter.”

  Their resident cook, mother hen, and Rhett’s mate, Grace, spoke as she fed chocolate pudding to her infant daughter in the highchair. “The shifters working there are good people for doing what they do.”

  “Think of what it must cost per person to clothe, clean, and feed the residents,” said Jaime. “The animal sanctuary I work at is hard to keep running; it must be way harder to run the shelter.”

  “What’s the interior like?” Lydia, Cam’s mate, asked.

  Jaime fed some scraps of meat to her cat. “I would have expected a shelter to feel melancholy and hopeless. It didn’t, though. There’s warmth and comfort there. But also a hint of sadness. It was in the eyes of some of the residents. It made me wonder what they’d been through.”

  Taryn looked at Grace. “It was absolutely heartbreaking seeing little kids there. Some were just babies—one of them was so little, I think he might have been born there.”

  Scooping more dessert onto the spoon, Grace said, “I don’t want to even imagine how hard it would be to have to live in a shelter with my Lilah. Even though the shelter sounds like a good place, it would still be a sad situation for anyone.”

  “Not sadder than being on the streets.” Jaime sighed. “It’s horrible to think that Zac was once in that situation. I wonder how he ended up at the shelter.”

  Trick, an enforcer, pushed his empty plate aside. “Considering all that’s going on, wouldn’t it be better to bring him here, out of Remy’s reach?”

  Taryn shook her head sadly. “I wish I could, but he doesn’t feel safe with us yet. And I think Trey’s right, parting him from Makenna might be hard. I was pretty suspicious of her and her motives at first, but I totally misjudged her. Dawn said she’s been there since she was a kid. I’m guessing that she’s changed her name because she doesn’t want to be found.”

  Ryan grunted his agreement.

  Dominic, another enforcer, lounged in his chair with his arms crossed behind his head. “I’m looking forward to meeting Zac. Bring him here for a visit.”

  “He won’t come,” said Taryn. “Not yet. He knows we’d prefer to have him here for his own safety; he won’t trust us not to force him to stay.”

  She was right, which was why . . . “Remy has to be dealt with.”

  Dante’s eyes snapped to Ryan. “He will be.” It was a vow.

  “I called Shaya and told her everything,” announced Taryn. “Of course, she now thinks Dawn, Makenna, and Madisyn are angels and that Remy needs to jump off a cliff.”

  Ryan had every intention of attending the mediation meeting. Makenna might not realize it yet, but he would see this matter through to the end with her—even if Zac was part of his pack before the situation was resolved. Since it had shot to life earlier, he’d been unable to shake off the protectiveness or the feeling that it was his right to look out for her.

  Trey turned to Rhett. “What did you find out about Remy?”

  Rhett put down his coffee. “His father died when he was seven, so he was raised by his mother.” Most shifters couldn’t survive the breaking of a mating bond, but some managed to hang on. “He has a lot of alliances and friends in high places. He became pack Alpha four years ago. Since then, he’s been challenging the packs around him to expand his own, spreading over California like a virus. And now he seems to want the territory that the shelter sits on.”

  Tao, who had Kye sitting on his lap—the kid was playing some kind of game on Tao’s cell phone—frowned. “I can’t work out why Remy wants that territory. It’s a really bad area that’s well known for housing loners.”

  “Maybe it’s not the territory he wants,” suggested Trick. “Maybe he wants the shelter.”

  Cam frowned. “But why?”

  Trick shrugged. “It could be that he’s hoping to shut it down. Being Alpha to Dawn would give him the power to do it.”

  “But why would he want to shut it
down?” Cam asked him.

  “I didn’t say I had the answer. It’s just a theory.”

  Ryan had a theory of his own. “I’ve been thinking about this . . . and I don’t believe this is about the territory at all.”

  Trey cocked his head. “Why?”

  “I once heard a rumor about Remy.” A rumor that he hadn’t thought could possibly be true—or maybe he hadn’t wanted to believe it. But now, with everything going on around them, he wondered if there was something to it. And that made Ryan’s wolf want to rip out the fucker’s throat. “If it’s to be believed, Remy’s not into females.”

  Dante’s brows flew up. “He’s gay?”

  Ryan shook his head. “He likes little boys.”

  There was a stunned silence followed by a string of curses.

  “Are you sure?” asked Taryn.

  “Like I said, it’s a rumor.”

  Taryn suddenly looked nauseous. “There were a lot of kids at that shelter.”

  Dante’s hand paused as it stroked over Jaime’s hair. “Such kids would be the perfect targets—they don’t have a pack to defend them, they don’t have anywhere to go unless Makenna rehomes them. If he was her Alpha, he could prevent her from doing so. Dawn said that kids are handed over to them frequently.”

  Ryan nodded. “He’d basically have access to an endless supply of children.” And that was a frightening thought. “He’d have access to Zac. I won’t let that happen.”

  “Our pack as a whole will protect him,” Taryn assured him. “Not just Zac, but the shelter. It’s doing something good, and that needs protecting.”

  Greta, Trey’s antisocial and pretty psychotic grandmother, raised a hand. “As much as I appreciate what the people there are doing for my Zac”—she hadn’t even met the kid yet, but she already considered him hers—“I don’t think we should get involved. It’s not our fight.”

  Taryn scowled. “You’re suggesting we ignore the fact that those kids could end up in the hands of a pedophile?”