Bad Blood (2 page)

Blaine dropped down to one knee beside him and gazed down at the massive paw print. It did indeed look like a wolf’s print, and nothing like any bear print he’d ever seen. A wolf’s print showed four toes and a small pad at the back of the foot, while a bear’s print could look almost human, with five distinct toes and a much larger foot pad. These prints were as big as a bear’s but with only four toes and a shorter pad in back. It was a fresh print too, indicating that something had been standing there only a short time before.

A cold wind whistled through the trees and slipped down the back of his shirt. Blaine glanced back at the big lodge where he lived with his pack, and a hard shiver shook him. He looked up sharply, suddenly feeling as if someone was watching him even now as he crouched over the strange prints. He raised his nose to sniff the wind, but only the smell of wolves came back to him across the breeze, though there was a strange hint of—something—in the wind. Standing up, he nodded toward Colby. “Take off your clothes and we’ll shift. Let’s follow these tracks and see where they lead us.”

Blaine and Colby soon divested themselves of their clothing and fell on all fours, bringing the change on themselves, allowing their bones to morph and reshape into the bodies of sleek, slender wolves, their fur a mottled gray in color, though with Blaine’s, a distinctive silver pattern shot through the darker tones. Colby’s darker wolf raised its snout and howled, an answering howl coming back from the direction of the lodge. Their home was isolated at the foot of a small peak called, appropriately enough, Wolf Mountain. Blaine’s pack owned its own land for at least a mile around in any direction, and their land had been passed down in their pack for hundreds of years. The heavy weight of those years and his responsibility for his people weighed down on Blaine and only increased his nervousness.

The two wolves set off together, slowly at first, sniffing the ground, but then faster as they picked up the scent. It was fresh wolf scent, all right, despite the huge size of the paw prints, and the path led straight back up the side of Wolf Mountain. The trail split about halfway up the slope, and Blaine veered off to the north to follow the strong scent he was tracking, while Colby took off in the other direction.

This was a male wolf he was tracking, probably an alpha from the size of the prints, and much bigger than any wolf Blaine had ever seen or heard of. He tracked it directly to a mountain stream about a half mile from the lodge. The white-capped water, swollen by recent rains, spilled and splashed its way brightly down the rocks. The banks on either side crowded close to the water, and Blaine peered into their shadowy depths, unable to shake the feeling he was being watched.

The scent stopped abruptly there at the stream’s edge, and after searching around for a few minutes on both sides, Blaine finally gave up. He realized the wolf must have gone either up or downstream in the water, covering its scent, and he’d lost the trail completely. He howled once, long and loud, signaling his location to Colby. An answer came from some distance away, so he shifted back to his human form to wait for Colby to finish his search. Standing back up, he stretched his arms above his head and raised his face, as the sun suddenly broke through the clouds. The last rays of sun felt warm on his skin, and he tilted back his head to bask in them.

He loved the sunshine and loved to curl up in it as much as any cat. He tried always to find ways to be out in it as much as possible, though the job of alpha didn’t leave him much free time. Since his alpha grandfather had passed away two years before and given Blaine the title, he’d had little leisure time at all. He’d never wanted to lead the pack, unlike his cousin Colby, who’d been angry and hurt that their grandfather had chosen Blaine.

Blaine had little choice in the matter. His grandfather had been clear—Colby, he’d told Blaine privately, lacked the judgment to effectively lead. He’d make a strong beta, and that had to become his new role. Blaine and Colby had both been orphaned years before when they were very young after a terrible traffic accident that had claimed both their parents. Their parents had been traveling together, coming home from a rare evening out, when their car had been hit by a drunk driver. All four had been killed on impact.

Both young boys had moved in with their grandparents and were raised as brothers. They were as close as any brothers too, so despite his initial hurt and bitterness, Colby had finally settled into his job as second. Blaine had come to rely on him a great deal. Sometimes Blaine felt as if nature had played him a cruel joke, making him an alpha. Though he was strong enough, and a good leader, he had little interest in the role. The constant worry and pressure of responsibility got to him at times, and he wondered if there would ever come a day again when he could turn his burdens over to someone else and be free to pursue his own goals.

Colby had found a mate the year before, and she was expecting a baby soon. Blaine hoped the added responsibility would settle him some and make him more mature. Then he might be able to rely on Colby more to lead and take over some of Blaine’s responsibilities.

The trip up the mountain had left Blaine heated and thirsty, so he sank down on one knee, cupping his hands and dipping them into the clear, cool water. He bent his head over a little pool and saw his reflection in the water. He looked grim and serious, the curtain of silky blond hair falling over his face and the full lips singularly at odds with his strong jaw. In a way, his appearance was an outward sign of the dichotomy in his personality.

He had just leaned over to take a sip when he heard a slight noise behind him. Before he could react, he was being swooped up into incredibly strong arms that lifted him up and slammed him down on his back on the grassy bank behind him. He blinked at the pain and heaved in a sharp breath, staring up in shock at a handsome, rugged face hovering only inches above his own, the full lips twisted in a snarl.

“Who are you?” The man’s voice was deep and authoritative, the voice of a man used to giving orders and having them obeyed without question. He put one huge hand at Blaine’s throat, his thumb pressing against his windpipe so that he could barely breathe, let alone speak. Just as black dots started to dance before his eyes, the pressure relented, and the man allowed him to draw in a gasping breath. His naked body was stretched out over Blaine’s, and his excitement and arousal were obvious. He had to be the shifter they’d been tracking. To Blaine’s horror, his own sudden arousal was just as apparent. The man ground his huge cock against Blaine’s and smiled down at him, revealing beautiful white teeth.

“Is that for me? Are you glad to see me, sweetheart?”

“L-Let me go.” Blaine was mortified to hear himself stuttering. This man had to be the huge alpha wolf he’d been following. How he’d managed to catch him so unaware, Blaine had no idea. The sound of the rushing water must have covered his approach. He felt exposed, vulnerable and utterly helpless in the man’s grip, and some part of him he never knew existed suddenly awakened and flared into life with excitement.

“No,” the big man said. “I don’t think I will let you go. Not until you explain why you chased me all the way up the mountain.”

“You’re on my land. This land belongs to my pack, and you’re trespassing.”

“
Your
pack?” He ran his hands down Blaine’s sides, moving down to cup his ass with both hands. “And who are
you
?”

“I’m the alpha of the pack and like I said, you’re trespas…mmmph.” His words were choked off as the big man took possession of his mouth, thrusting his tongue between Blaine’s lips and getting to know the inside of his mouth thoroughly before he finally raised his head.

“Now try again. Your name, sweetheart. Nothing more or I’ll have to continue your lesson.”

Blaine narrowed his eyes furiously. He thought about head butting him, but that might earn him another kiss, and that was one thing he certainly didn’t want to experience again—did he?

“Blaine,” he finally ground out between gritted teeth.

“Blaine. And you’re the alpha of the Grays? No, don’t speak—I haven’t given you permission for that. Nod your head if you’re the alpha.” He smiled down at Blaine as he frowned and nodded. “Good boy. Do I make you nervous, sweetheart?” His erection poked aggressively into Blaine’s stomach, and he felt the heat rush to his cheeks. With a sound of outrage, he tried to heave the man off his body, but the man only shifted a little and then settled himself more comfortably on top of Blaine’s body.

“My name is Kerrick. Useful information for you to have since you’ll be screaming it in a minute.”

His hand reached between them to cup and squeeze Blaine’s balls. Shocked into immobility, Blaine recovered fast and struck out at his chest. Kerrick cocked his head to one side, grinned and thumped Blaine’s chest with his big hand. “Foreplay? Much as I appreciate the effort, it’s not necessary. I’m pretty worked up already.”

“Get off me, asshole!”

“No, I don’t believe I will. Not while we both seem to be enjoying this so much.” He pushed a hand between them and fastened on Blaine’s rock-hard cock. Blaine felt his face flame again. Why was he so excited by this man’s touch, or any man’s touch for that matter? He put his hand down to stop Kerrick from stroking him, but instead found himself pressing the big hand closer, even putting his own over it to encourage him to stroke harder. What was happening to him? He wanted to be fondled and caressed, and he made a soft whimpering sound as he realized how much he wanted this man to be the one to do it. This kind of instant lust and attraction only happened with mates, and that was impossible.

Kerrick’s breath was warm against his face. Blaine’s mouth tingled, as he realized he wanted nothing more than for Kerrick to kiss him. This was madness, and the idea alarmed him so much he closed his eyes. Kerrick kissed him anyway, his hot lips bruising, his teeth biting at Blaine’s lips. Blaine groaned into his mouth and arched his body closer. His cock felt heavy and swollen. He pushed it up into Kerrick’s hand again.

“That’s right. Give me what I want.” He moved his lips down to Blaine’s throat and pressed a soft kiss into the hollow. Blaine put his hand on Kerrick’s chest, tentatively, gently, his fingers running down the hard planes of his body. Kerrick brushed Blaine’s hair off his forehead and gazed down into his eyes. “Such a beautiful color. Like water, cool and blue. And all this pale skin.” His hands slid along the lean muscles of Blaine’s chest and down between them knowingly, his fingers tangling in the blond curls at Blaine’s groin.

Blaine longed for his hand to stroke him again, but he couldn’t say it—couldn’t do this. He’d never even been with a man before—never even thought about it, though many of his pack involved themselves with someone of the same sex. It was always assumed, though, that as alpha he would mate a female to continue the family line.

“No,” he said hoarsely. “This isn’t possible.”

“Yes,” he murmured back to him. “It seems it is.”

“I-I don’t want this.”

“Are you sure?” Kerrick’s mouth fastened on one of Blaine’s nipples, and Blaine arched up in shock at the sensation. It was like a string ran directly from his nipple to his cock, and he’d never felt anything like it before. His cock grew so hard it was painful.

“You were saying?”

“I—oh, please…”

“Please what, sweetheart? Do you want me to stop?” Kerrick bent to lick and nibble at it again.

“
N-No
! No, don’t stop. Please don’t stop!”

Blaine never imagined he could be so wanton, so out of control that he’d allow a stranger to do this to him, to whisper dirty things in his ear and kiss along his jaw soothingly and sweetly as he started bucking his hips and straining against him. “You need this, don’t you? You want it and you need it, and so do I. Tell me you want it.”

Kerrick was holding both their cocks in his big hand now, sliding them together, the feeling exquisite and thrilling. Shuddering, Blaine turned his mouth blindly toward Kerrick’s, but he pulled back his head, denying Blaine a place to hide. “Come on, sweetheart. Tell me.”

“I-I do. I want it,” he said, panting for breath. He felt as if he were melting inside, and he couldn’t get close enough to Kerrick. Embarrassing sounds escaped him, but Kerrick seemed to like it. He kissed him hard then and made little shushing sounds against his lips. A kind of blaze was building low in his belly and flaring upward all through him.

Kerrick moved his hand firmly and rapidly up and down Blaine’s shaft, teasing the head of his cock with a rough thumb on every upstroke. Blaine was trapped beneath him in an agony of passion. He wrapped a leg around Kerrick’s hips and got the leverage he needed to thrust harder against him. His nerve endings had ignited all over his body, and the explosion was imminent. He whimpered helplessly as he spilled his come into Kerrick’s hand. Kerrick groaned too and his blood-hot semen shot onto Blaine’s stomach.

Kerrick milked them both gently through the little aftershocks that rocked his body again and again and then kissed the side of Blaine’s hot face. “I have to leave you now, sweetness. I can hear your friend coming, and I don’t want to have to hurt him. Be a good boy until I see you again.”

He pushed himself up off Blaine, and with one regretful look back at him, he sped off into the trees so quickly he was only a blur of motion. Blaine sat up as if in a dream, trembling all over. If it hadn’t been for the white splashes of semen on his chest and stomach, he might have thought he’d had some kind of violent seizure and dreamed the whole thing. He got on his knees and dipped his hand in the icy water, splashing some on his stomach, cleaning himself before Colby found him. He could hear Colby even now, calling to him through the trees.

“Here,” he called out weakly and staggered to his feet.

Colby came striding into the clearing by the stream in his human form. He took one look at Blaine’s face, and his own creased in alarm. “What is it? What’s happened?”

“I-I had an encounter with one of them,” Blaine said, climbing out of the stream, shivering a little in the cooling air.