Bonded

  Butterflies danced in her stomach at the thought of what passing or failing could mean. If her marks weren’t high enough, she’d have to head back to the pack with her tail between her legs and accept a mediocre position within the ranks. A scout if she was lucky, though it was more likely she’d be pushed into a mating.

  The very thought made her clench her fists. Not that there was anything wrong with being a mate and raising pups. Someday she even hoped to do that herself, but first she wanted to do something with her life, to help Lycan society as a whole rather than just her own pack.

  She knew she was seen as an oddity within her very traditional pack, the female that didn’t know her place, yet she couldn’t help it. It was who she was, who her wolf was. And she wasn’t so odd. There were other females at the Academy. Not as many as the males, but some.

  Finger combing her hair, she drew her knees up and turned to the next topic in the book. The evolution of the roles of Enforcers and Damage Control officers…

  24 hours later…

  Inside the Academy pub, music pounded from speakers mounted on all sides of the tiny dance floor. Lights flashed in time with the beat while Lycans, both male and female writhed to a popular song. Over the din of the music people laughed and tried to carry on conversations with their friends, the mood in the building celebratory. Patrons filled almost every square foot of floor space, the heat of many bodies packed together contributing to the already rapid consumption of cold drinks. Waitresses skilfully wove their way through the crowds, trays laden with glasses and pitchers balanced over their heads.

  One such tray landed on the table in front of Brandi, the contents of the glasses sloshing from side to side. Those sitting with her tossed a few bills into the kitty in the middle of the table and the waitress swept it up with a nod and a grin, pleased by their generous spirits. Exams were done and everyone was feeling carefree for the first time in months.

  Tabitha grabbed a glass and stood up to make a loud enthusiastic toast. “To the end of exams, text books, and boring instructors!”

  “Woo hoo!” Everyone cheered and banged the table top before chugging back their beer. Since they were in strictly Lycan territory, the drinks were considerably stronger than what would be found in a human bar. As a result, a pleasant buzz was affecting most of those present and the group was getting more boisterous by the minute.

  Brandi tipped her glass too far back and some of the liquid dribbled down her chin. She set her glass down with a bang while simultaneously laughing and grabbing for napkins. Tabitha observed her predicament and teased her good naturedly.

  “Forget how to drink, Brandi?”

  “Yep! I lost the skill. Too busy studying.” Brandi leaned her head back against the leather cushions that covered the booth and ran her fingers through her hair, feeling pleasantly relaxed. God, she’d had more to drink tonight than she’d had in ages and yet it felt good to cut loose for a change. For three years she’d kept her mind focussed on her career goals and tonight was her night to put all that aside and just enjoy being young. Tomorrow, she’d return to her disciplined ways but for now…

  Picking up her drink, she pressed the cold mug to her heated cheek, closing her eyes for a minute and relishing the cool bits of condensation trickling down her neck. God, she hoped she made it through the evening and didn’t have to bail. She was so hot and overtired, solid sleep having eluded her for a number of days in a row. Maybe the alcohol would help calm the voices in her head and she’d be able to get her thinking straight again!

  “Were you busy studying books or studying instructors?” Tabitha jabbed her with an elbow and Brandi opened her eyes to frown at her friend.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You know. Reno Smith. The guy you have the hots for? You’ve watched him every second you could from the moment he arrived on campus.”

  “So?” She sat up, folded her arm, and jutted her chin. “I was never in one of his classes and there’s no harm in looking!”

  “Looking isn’t as much fun as touching though.” Tabi’s sing-song voice should have warned Brandi something was up, but too much alcohol and a lack of sleep had dulled her normally keen senses.

  She shook her head and made a slashing motion with her hand. “Tabi, he’s an instructor. Definitely off limits. And you already tried to set something up when you shoved me into his class last week.” While the bruises on her butt hadn’t lasted long, the ones to her ego still stung from the encounter.

  Tabi waved her hand negligently. “So it didn’t work. It was just a one time setback. That doesn’t mean you can’t try again. And the whole instructor-student taboo is just in your head. It doesn’t stop Brad and me.”

  “Yeah, right.” Brandi rolled her eyes. “Nothing stops you, but it’s a moot point. Reno doesn’t even know I exist.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” Tabitha slid her eyes sideways and Brandi followed the direction of her gaze. Reno was across the room, leaning against the bar and… Oh God, he was looking her way!

  “Oh my gosh, I wonder if he saw me spill my beer!” Brandi slunk down in the booth and tried to disappear.

  Tabitha grabbed her arm and pulled her back up. “Why are you hiding?”

  “Because… I don’t know… Because he’s Reno!” Brandi sputtered not quite sure herself. She was focussed on a career, though lately just the thought of the man made her lightheaded and it was more than the fact that Reno was a legend. As one of the up and coming Enforcers, rumour had it he could be in charge of the whole unit one day if he’d only toe the line a bit more. His methods were effective but unorthodox and Lycan Link reportedly reprimanded him as often as they praised him.

  No, his infamy wasn’t what was causing her heart to flutter. It was something else, though she couldn’t quite figure out what. She’d always been attracted to the man, but now there was an actual pull that made her want to plaster herself against him. An obsession seemed to have overtaken her with thoughts of Reno filling her mind both night and day. Was it all her wolf’s fault, she wondered? The beast wouldn’t stop talking about him—

  “Well, pull yourself together because he’s coming this way.”

  Brandi peeked over Tabitha’s shoulder and nearly died. Reno was coming her way, threading a path between the various tables and groups of Lycans. Oh hell! She watched him cross the room, his stride as smooth as that of any predator. His low-riding faded jeans emphasized his trim hips, powerful thighs, and long legs while his t-shirt stretched over his chest outlining the well-toned muscles beneath. His hair wasn’t too short or too long and had the slightly messy look about it that she found especially appealing. Clenching her fists, she could imagine how it would feel to comb her fingers through the brown locks, to clutch them in her hands while guiding his oh-so-kissable mouth towards her own. Warmth swept over her body and a whimper threatened to escape her lips as her imagination took an erotic flight of fancy. How could one man look so amazingly hot and not appear to be even slightly aware of it?

  “He’s probably looking at someone else.” She nibbled her lip, afraid that it was true while at the same time afraid that it wasn’t.

  “Uh-uh. It’s you. You know how I know?”

  “How?” Brandi forced her gaze from Reno’s approaching form to her friend. She dreaded hearing the answer; her sluggish instincts were trying to warn her of something but…

  Tabitha leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “I told him you were interested.”

  “You didn’t!” She stared at the other girl in horror.

  Tabitha grinned looking extremely pleased with herself. “Sure I did. Well, actually I had Brad tell him since they’re friends and that’s what friends are for. You’re probably leaving tomorrow and I can’t let you go without having a chance to get it on with the guy you’ve been ga-ga about for ages. What kind of friend would I be if I let that happen?”

  Brandi grabbed Tabitha’s arm. “What did you have Brad say to him?” Knowing Tabi, it was p
robably something mortifying.

  Shaking free of Brandi’s grip, Tabitha laughed. “Nothing bad, just that you’d like to meet him. Now come on, up you get!” With that Tabitha stood up and, with the help of a few others at the table, pulled Brandi out of the booth and to her feet. “Go get him, girl!” Tabitha shoved Brandi forward with a laugh and the rest of the group whistled and called encouraging words.

  Brandi took a few stumbling forward steps while still glaring back at her supposed friends and then ran into something very, very hard. Her whole body hummed with awareness and even before she looked she knew who it had to be.

  Chapter 4

  “Hey!” Reno put out his hands to steady the young woman who had literally bumped into him. His fingers encircled her upper arms, lightly gripping the soft flesh. She turned to stare up at him, her long hair swinging around her shoulders and brushing over his hands. In the muted illumination, with coloured lights flashing all around, it had been hard to make out the girl’s features from a distance. Brad had pointed her out to him, but he’d only had a general impression of a female tucked in the back corner of a booth.

  Now that they were face to face, his attention was immediately caught by her hair. Long, red, and a mass of curls. He had a brief impulse to run his fingers through the flowing tresses but managed to control himself, despite the tingling of his palms. Instinctively, he inhaled taking in her scent. And that’s when it hit him with all the subtle impact of a mule kick. It was the same girl!

  His muscles tightened, his body hardened, and his skin seemed to prickle in anticipation. It was only when she gave a squeak of pain that he belatedly realized he’d clenched his hands while still holding her arms. Loosening his grip, but not quite letting go—his hands refused to obey him—he stepped back so they weren’t touching, hoping she hadn’t felt his erection. Nothing like being overly eager, he scorned himself mentally. “You’re Brandi, right?”

  “Um… ” Her expression was a strange mixture of shock, horror, and interest. She glanced back at the booth she’d just exited and then turned back to him.

  Reno was aware that several pairs of eyes were trained upon him however he ignored them in favour of watching the way the tip of the girl’s tongue slipped out of her mouth to wet her lush lips. He imagined how they’d feel against his mouth; the way he’d gently suck on the lower one, then nibble and soothe, the way they’d taste… When she spoke, he had to force himself to lift his gaze.

  “Yeah. I’m Brandi. Brandi Johansson.”

  He frowned. Johansson? Hadn’t the girl been named Jones?

  “You… er… beat me up last week.”

  “I beat you up?” Reno felt his eyebrows shoot upwards at her description of the encounter. Yep, if he’d had any doubts, they were gone now. She was definitely the same girl. Damn, he didn’t know if he was pleased or not. He’d been trying unsuccessfully to forget her, yet here she was standing right in front of him as tantalizing in real life as in his lust-filled memories.

  For some reason—perhaps self-preservation—he felt the need to downplay the impact the encounter had had on him so he faked a frown as if searching his memory. “Ah… That’s right. You were the last minute stand-in for my self-defence class.”

  Her head bobbed up and down and she gave a tentative smile. “That was me.”

  His fingers tightened around her arms again as he recalled the encounter he’d been trying to push to the back of his mind. As a random last minute opponent, she’d been less than effective and he’d evaded her attempts to fell him with little effort. It had been all he could do not to roll his eyes in derision. She’d relied on basic moves anyone with a modicum of skill could counter. He remembered thinking he’d have to speak to whoever had run the course previously about the need to upgrade expectations when she’d charged at him. The impact had barely made him step back, but it had brought their bodies into direct contact and that was when he’d felt it, when his wolf had surged forward. Desire, lust, sexual attraction—whatever name you wanted to give it—had flared to life, dazing him with its strength and bringing his wolf dangerously close to the surface.

  It had knocked him sufficiently off kilter that he’d slipped into auto-pilot, instinctively flipping her onto the ground before dropping down beside her. But then he’d frozen, stunned by the image she’d presented; a beautiful female laid out before him just waiting to be taken by a conquering male. While he’d contemplated how a nocturnal fantasy had turned into reality, she’d taken advantage of his momentary lapse and almost gotten away. Only by yanking her back and rolling on top of her had he managed to hold her down, though the position had done little to decrease his growing awareness of her.

  She’d begun to struggle in earnest then, kicking and even scratching him. Her squirming had heightened his lust even more. His heart had begun to pound, his awareness that it was just a demo had faded. When he’d finally subdued her, a rush of desire had torn through him.

  Her body had been soft and yielding under his. Her scent—heady and sweet—had drifted up, teasing his nostrils, stirring his wolf even more. And her eyes—sea green and framed with thick lashes—had gazed up at him with fear, desire… and submission.

  That look had hit him like a punch in the gut. His body had instantly hardened and he hadn’t been able to resist leaning closer and absorbing more of her sweet scent. For a moment he’d wondered if she tasted as good as she smelled and when she’d tilted her head, offering him her neck, he’d slipped out his tongue for a quick lick. His wolf had rumbled in approval, urging him to bite and claim what was theirs. Only years of training and practise in overriding his beast had saved him from making an enormous mistake. At the last minute he’d drawn back, assuming his professional mask and ignoring the aching of his body.

  The cadets hadn’t been aware of what had gone on before their eyes. Reno wasn’t even sure how much the girl had realized. She’d felt something, he was sure. He’d seen the wolf stirring in her own eyes, smelled the desire beginning to waft from her, but on a conscious level had she wanted him, or had it been just an instinctive reaction? Right after the demo she’d left and while he’d debated about looking for her later, common sense had kept him from engaging in a pursuit. Any attraction between them was pointless. She was a student and he was an instructor. He didn’t want to cross that complicated boundary nor did he have room for anyone in his life that wasn’t a casual encounter.

  Now he found himself with her in his arms again. Were the gods being kind or cruel? His wolf whined its interest, obviously wanting to spend time in her company. He wavered, weighing the pros and cons. Well, perhaps his wolf did deserve some consideration after all.

  Reno quirked his mouth and nodded, deciding to see where the encounter would go. A few minutes in the female’s presence should be safe. “So… ” He allowed a slow smile to spread over his lips. “Your name is Brandi. Unusual.”

  “Brandy’s fancier than moonshine.”

  “Pardon?” He blinked wondering what she was talking about.

  She rolled her eyes. “It was my father’s idea. I’m from a small town in the mountains—you know, hillbillies, stills for making moonshine, that sort of stuff? Well, when I was born my mama said she wanted a fancy name for me, that her daughter wasn’t going to be as common as moonshine. My father said brandy was fancier than moonshine.”

  “And the name stuck.”

  “Something like that.”

  He gave a soft chuckle at the silly tale then decided to bring the conversation around to the real reason they were meeting. “Brad mentioned that you’re interested in talking to me.”

  She paled, then flushed and he wondered why. Was she embarrassed about their first encounter? It certainly hadn’t been her most stellar moment in showing off her skills. Or perhaps it was the attraction between them that had her flustered?

  Someone jostled him from behind bringing him back to awareness of his surroundings. Reno glanced about and frowned. “This isn’t the best place to ta
lk. Why don’t we sit over there where it’s quieter?” He nodded his head towards a table near the back, then took her by the elbow and led her away before she could answer.

  Once they were sitting down, he gestured for a waitress. “What are you drinking? Beer?” She jerked her head in agreement and after placing the order he turned to look at her speculatively. “So… I hear you’re interested—”

  Her face turned bright red again, but she seemed to find her voice. “Look, I don’t know exactly what Tabitha told you, but I’m finding it sort of embarrassing that she actually had Brad talk to you about this.” She picked up a napkin from the table and began to twist it with her fingers.

  Reno eased back in his seat and stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankle. “No need to be embarrassed. This happens to me all the time.” He flashed her a crooked smile and infused his voice with a bit of his Texas drawl, hoping to put her at ease; she really did seem uptight. Was she recalling their ‘fight’ and thinking he’d attack again?

  “Really?” Her eyebrows shot up higher than he thought possible. God, she looked cute.

  He gave a one shouldered shrug. “Sure. Lots of weres are interested in what it’s like to be an Enforcer and I don’t mind talking about my job, though I’ve never met a female who wanted to join up.”

  “Your job?” Her brow wrinkled. “You think I want to become an Enforcer?” She blinked at him, looking puzzled before her face cleared and a grin slowly appeared. Laughter bubbled from her lips and she slumped back in her seat suddenly appearing relaxed.

  “What’s so funny?” He raised an eyebrow, not getting the joke, but enjoying the sound of her merriment.

  Brandi waved her hand between the two of them. “This. Tabitha told you I was interested—”