Arctic Bound (3 page)

“Liar.” Raven chuckled over the phone. “There are only whales and mean ass town folks there. Ain't enough variety for me. There's mountain men, and then more mountain men, oh wait and mountain men.” Raven said sarcastically.

It was true enough, but Nerina wasn't looking to get laid.

“I'm not looking for a man, Raven.”

“Give it time. Your double A's can only treat you good for so long.” Nerina could hear the smile in her friend's voice.

“Shut up. Is everything else on the up and up?”

“Yeah, package coming for you this time tomorrow. When's the storm coming?”

The package wasn't related to anything friendly. It was probably from the Mistress.

“Later in the week, possibly Saturday or Sunday.”

“Alright later.”

“Later.”

Nerina turned, bumping into Thorn.

“No idea you could speak Italian.”

“Yes, my father is from Civita and my mother is from the islands.”

Thorn nodded his head towards her sat phone.

“Got some pretty expensive equipment there. Don't see many phones like that up here.

Yeah, cause your town's a throwback.

She didn't answer his implied question, instead she said her goodbyes and walked next door to Cassandra's bed and breakfast for cocoa with Teak.

 

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Victor heard the door open to his sister's bed and breakfast and wrinkled his nose.
Human.
Nerina Simpson walked through the door bundled from head to toe in protective winter gear. She was of average height but he could tell she had good weight about her. She pulled off her skull cap and long, curly tresses of dark brown hair almost black spilled down her shoulders to rest in the middle of her back. Daar and Demon walked ahead of her into the common area. Her smell was stronger now that she'd taken off her cap and mittens. It was distinct and pleasing. He could see why his nephew was drawn to her. He watched as she took off her jacket and exposed more of her features. Damn, she was beautiful. Her unruly curls fell around her exotic face. She was devoid of any make up and her cheeks were a warm red from the biting wind. It wasn't until he noticed that her hands were scared that his admiration stopped. His wolf immediately put her at the bottom of the food chain. Prey to his
predator.

Eyes the color of aged-whiskey regarded him shrewdly as she pulled the sleeve of her shirt over her hand. As his gaze ate up her body, he lingered on her legs and hips, loving the fullness of her. His wolf rejected any possibility of the two of them sharing any intimacy, but the man couldn't help but notice the parts of her that appealed to him. As she made her way over to his sister, she limped, favoring her right leg. He made his way back to her face, and still she stared. If it had been any other person's gaze staring so directly at him, he'd have put them in their place, but she was human, not accustomed to their ways.

“It's rude to stare,” she said.

Victor straightened from his seat at the counter, still transfixed by the woman in front of him. Trying to come to terms with the man and beast. One was of mind to dismiss and the other wanted to take a closer look, see what made her tick. What made her wet between the legs. Was she a screamer or would she be a silent lover?

Clearing his throat he responded to her comment.

“I wasn't trying to be rude, but I can tell by your tone, you're the rude one.”

Cassandra slapped his shoulder to make him stop. The human eyed him, watchful of his moves.

“You caught all that just by me telling the truth did you? How very astute of you.”

She turned to Cassandra and smiled, asking for a cup of cocoa. Aware of her dismissal, Victor straightened his back, not ready to be ignored.

“Where are you from?”

She looked over at him and then back to Cassandra after she did her own assessment of him.

“Can you let Teak know I'm here? I really need to get back soon. If he wants to share a cup of cocoa we should do it now.”

Did she really just address his sister and not him?

“Hey, I asked you a question.”

She turned harsh eyes on him and shrugged.

“A question I don't have to answer. I'm not much of a talker. We might as well not even exchange pleasantries. I don't like you and it was obvious from the look on your face when you saw my hand, you don't like me either. Let me save you the trouble now and tell you that the rest of me is just as hideous.”

He didn't think so. But she didn't want to hear that. The woman wasn't Pack, she was human, and no matter what his thoughts were on the subject of bedding her, he wouldn't get the chance to find out. Teak made an appearance then, walking into the kitchen and putting a protective arm around Nerina. She shrugged him off and gestured for the seat next to her.

“Hot chocolate kid, that's it. This isn't a date.”

“Ah Rina, I was just being friendly. No harm, no foul. Right?”

“No kid, of course not.”

Teak grinned and Victor watched as the two of them discussed music and sports. She didn't so much as look his way as she and his nephew conversed. Cassandra motioned for him to join her out in the hall and reluctantly Victor went.

“What the hell brother! Did you really need to do that? And the look on your face was worse than how some of the Pack members look at her. I know she's disabled, but we've come a long way. I won't tolerate you or anyone else mistreating her while in my house.”

“I was taken off guard. One minute I was considering things, and the next she was, well, she was not what I expected.”

His sister glared at him, her violet eyes turning bright amber momentarily as her wolf surfaced.

“You stay away from her, Victor. You may have bedding rights, but you need to take your intentions and your dick elsewhere. Get those thoughts right out of your head. She's human, and you're not. You know what would happen if the two of you got together.”

Yes he knew, he could kill her or worse, he could mess up things with Sasha. Her father and their clan wouldn't tolerate him entertaining any sort of ideas with a human.

“Of course sister, you're right. I should probably go and apologize to her.”

Cassandra nodded.

Victor made his way back in the kitchen just as Teak and Nerina were finishing up their drink.

“Thanks for having me over Teak, I appreciate it. You and your sister have been very kind to me.”

Teak smiled wide at her praise. His nephew was entertaining other ideas, but Victor would talk to him once they were alone. Victor cleared his throat to get their attention.

“Miss Simpson, my apologies for my behavior earlier. It was rude of me to stare, and inappropriate for me to assume that you would be so forthcoming about any information after the way I behaved.”

She didn't acknowledge him right away, but eyed him as if he'd grown a second head.

“Sure thing, no problem. Demon. Daar, time to go.”

The wolves rose from their spot in front of the fire, and as she bundled up again for the harsh weather, she caught his gaze one more time before she walked out into the dark wintery afternoon. There was something there between them. He wasn't going to call it a spark, because fuck if this wasn't some romantic comedy. But there was something. The two of them were both acknowledging the other. If she wasn't going to admit it, he would. There was something there. He just wasn't sure if it was worth the time or hassle to find out.

Victor turned back to his nephew who was standing love struck as he watched her go.

“Get those thoughts out of your head Teak. She's not for you.”

“Says who? I have no problem with bedding a human.”

“She thinks you're a kid.”

“Her mistake, not mine.”

What he really wanted to do was ring his nephew's neck. A deep growl rolled and rumbled in Victor's chest, daring his nephew to overstep his bounds.

“Seriously, you're about to be mated, and you really want to piss on my feet to mark your position uncle? I already said I wouldn't go near her unless in town, and unless Nerina is someone who likes to get down and dirty out in the open, I'll have no chance.”

Cassandra eyed both of them with a serious face when she brought them both back to reality.

“Both of you need to forget about her. She's human, end of story. Now go and help father with Nerina's supplies, and Teak,”

“Yeah mom?”

“Mind your uncle.”

Teak nodded as he made his way out the door and over to the supply shop.”

 



 

Nerina drove up the hill on her ATV. The air was cooler as she slowed her vehicle to a stop in the shed. Cassandra's big ass brother was not sexy. She wasn't into mountain men. Hell she wasn't into any men at the moment. He was taller than his father Thorn, with piercing emerald eyes, and a nicely trimmed goatee. His hair the same inky black as both his parents. His jaw strong, and his lips, man those lips were full and she knew he could make her weak in the knees with a mouth like that.

NO!

She wasn't going to think about him. He'd been rude to her. His gaze had been appreciative at first until he got to her hands where she was burned. She'd seen that look so many times. Only his was devoid of pity. In its place was disgust. Like the rest of the townsfolk, he looked at her as though she were
diseased. She wasn't going to be any man's doorstop, or secret fuck either. The heat in his eyes was unmistakable. He wanted to get in where he thought his dick would fit in, but only behind closed door where no one would know about their indiscretion.

The cabin was still warm when she stepped inside. The security locks firmly in place, she stripped down to her underwear and walked to her room where she changed into a sports top and yoga pants. The weather was perfect for working out. What little space she had was enough to get in a decent cardio work out. She just needed to move her small recliner and table further out of the way so that she had room to move about. Nerina turned on her music player and went into her kickboxing routine. Demon and Daar sat in the entry way of the room and watched. Their bodies supporting one another as they focused on Nerina. Jabbing while bouncing back and forth she swung out with an uppercut. She mimicked a right cross, then a right hook. She repeated these moves over and over again, changing up every now and then, blocking, deflecting and ducking until sweat dripped down the sides of her face, and her sports top was soaked through.

After her cool down the music switched over to Sean Paul, the beat of the music was sultry with its heavy bass. Of their own accord her hips swayed to the beat of the music that was native to her mother's island. Lost in the moment, Nerina didn't notice the knock at the door until Demon walked over and butted his head against her leg.

Chapter 3

 

Victor stood outside her door completely dumbfounded. How he'd ended up at her door was still a question he wasn't able to answer. His father was more than willing to take her supplies up to her, as well as check on her snowmobile, but he'd insisted he should go instead. He told himself it was because he needed to make sure she wasn't a Hunter.

You can swallow all the bullshit you want man, still doesn't change the fact that you're drawn to her.

And that was his problem. Sasha and her family were due to arrive in a couple of days, and although he had bedding rights, he knew bedding the human was out of the question. He heard the loud music as he made his way up her drive; saw her through the window as she went through kickboxing moves. She was fluid like water, and even though her limp impaired her, she'd learned to adjust. Sweat glistened down her body making her sports shirt cling to her breasts. He could see the scars all along the side of her body, wrapping around her side and disappearing into her yoga pants.

What happened to you?

Her body was powerful and soft all at the same time, an enticing combination that even his wolf couldn't ignore.

He could tell she had some sort of combat training. She didn't fight like Hunters, but that didn't mean they weren't finding other ways to take his kind out. Her moves were precise and calculated. She was a beautiful woman. She hadn't given him the time of day at his sisters. That stung his ego more than he cared to admit. All the females in the Packs wanted to be with the Alpha's eldest son. They were all vying for the prominent spot of Luna. His mother currently held that position, but come spring it would fall to Sasha. Nerina Simpson would never be a fitting Luna, and why the hell did he even care. He was here to drop off her supplies, and check on her snowmobile. Taking a deep breath he knocked on her door again.

Slowly the door creaked opened.

“Where is Thorn?” She peered behind him, looking for his father.

“He sent me here to take a look at your snowmobile and to deliver your supplies. My sister is cooking a big dinner tonight up at the house, and she needed his help. You're stuck with me.” He nodded his head toward the inside of her cabin so that she would let him step through.

“Do you mind if I unload these supplies? I would really like to get them inside and take a look at your ride before the sun goes down.”

She opened the door and stepped back to allow him entrance. The sun was only visible for a couple of hours now that they were truly into winter. Her cabin was small, but then it was only her and the dogs. She stood watching as he walked to her small table and started pulling out her supplies.

“I can do that, just leave them there.”

Victor turned to look at her, and his eyes swept her from head to toe, lingering on her leg, but then she cleared her throat bringing him back to her eyes.

“You're starring again. Is it my hands, my leg? What?” She held up her scared arm and then dropped it by her side. “I'll be back, I just need to put some clothes on and then I'll meet you outside by the snowmobile. And if you need me to spell it out for you, I'm telling you as politely as I can that you can leave my house now.”