Forbidden Attraction (22 page)

“I had no way of reaching you without simply showing up at your den.”

“I wouldn’t have minded.”

Her cheeks glowed when she grinned at him. “The rest of your pack isn’t too keen on having me there though.”

“Maybe we need to work on that.”

Josie tapped the window behind them and both bitches jumped. Maura let out a little squeal, her nerves understandably close to being fried. Nicolo nodded and slowed the truck.

“We organized a small posse to help search for both of you,” he informed them.

“Josie and I dropped werewolves off along the highway throughout this area. Now we need to pick them up.”

“How do they know you’re coming to get them?” Maura glanced back at Josie but then focused on Heidi.

“Josie has been calling them,” Nicolo said simply. There were a handful of them who could communicate with each other without cell phones, but the two bitches 114

Forbidden Attraction

already had enough on their minds. Giving them a clue that the gift was at play here would probably be more than either of them could handle at the moment.

He spotted his pack members walking toward the highway ahead of them and slowed to a stop. The truck rocked slightly when the werewolves jumped into the back.

Both females turned, watching the males climb aboard. He watched through his mirrors and saw each of them take in the view of the bitches sitting next to him.

“Do all of you look like that?” Maura whispered.

“Maura,” Heidi warned.

“Look like what?” Nicolo asked.

“All of you are so dark and so…big.” Maura’s husky whisper sure made it hard to believe she was a mated bitch.

“Probably no more than all of you looking blonde and small,” he added, intentionally sounding stern.

“We don’t all look the same.” Maura didn’t take his implied warning to watch what she said. “Are your females really tall and muscular too?”

“I’ve met his littermate and she’s just an inch or so taller than I am,” Heidi offered.

“And I don’t think Nicolo appreciates your implying they all look the same.”

“Oh. Sorry. American packs all look different and those are the only packs we’ve run across other than
lunewulfs.
You’ll have to forgive me,” she said, sounding hurt.

Nicolo drove in silence for a while, his gut twisting with anticipation the closer they got to his territory. Josie had probably called Dimitri, and even if he hadn’t, Nicolo didn’t feel like arguing with him in front of the bitches. They would hear enough once they got there. The
lunewulf
pack leader would have to be notified too, but Dimitri could deal with him. Nicolo only had one thing to say to the
lunewulf
pack leader.

Both bitches smelled nervous when they turned off the highway and started the slow incline up his mountain. Since Josie hadn’t let him know that he needed to pick up any of the other werewolves, he assumed they had run back to the pack in their fur. He hoped none of them ran into any of the humans. And the animosity between humans and werewolves would probably get worse now that he’d attacked the group of hunters. But no one attacked his bitch without losing their life. He had no problem killing to protect Heidi, even if she was where she shouldn’t have been.

“Where are we going?” Heidi asked. She’d gotten comfortable leaning against him but straightened when the truck moved slowly up the snow-packed road.

“To my den. You two can clean up while we wait for the showdown.”

“You think there is going to be one?” The way she scrunched up her lips showed she already knew there would be.

“I’m going to see to it.” He parked the truck alongside his den and turned to grip her chin. “You will not run again.”

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Her blue eyes were like sapphires, rich and deep in their color. She looked up at him wide-eyed while the truck shook and swayed. His pack members started talking outside the truck, but her gaze didn’t leave his.

“Damn good thing you found me, wolf man,” she whispered. “Remind me to thank you sometime.”

“I doubt you’ll forget.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m not going out there by myself,” Maura announced, poking at Heidi at the same time.

Nicolo opened his car door and then pulled Heidi out on his side. He looked past her at Maura, knowing that even though she was mated, his packmates would come after her. Her scent alone would drive them nuts. Strong sexual energy radiated off her.

She’d be in more danger here than alone out in the mountains with human hunters surrounding her.

“Get out on this side.” He held Heidi to his side and gripped the door so Maura could climb out.

Dimitri came out of their den, quickly getting the gist of what happened from the group of surrounding werewolves.

“Are you going to call their pack leader?” Perry Zammit asked.

“He’s on his way over here.” Dimitri looked past the group, glaring at Nicolo.

“Several of you head down the mountain and give the pack leader an escort to my den.”

“My car is parked on the road.” Perry gestured to the group. “Let’s head down there and get him.”

“He will be honored as a guest in our territory.” Nicolo’s words stilled the group and they turned to look at him. “We will show their pack that we don’t condemn others simply because they’re different from us.”

Five werewolves stared at him, a mixture of emotions filling the air. Dimitri cleared his throat.

“Go get him. None of you have to kiss his ass, but we won’t fight over these bitches either.” Dimitri waved his hand at the group, his words satisfying all of them as they hustled off.

Nicolo headed toward his den with his arm around Heidi. He stopped when Dimitri didn’t move.

“She’s injured and her pack leader won’t see her without her wound tended to,”

Nicolo growled when Dimitri appeared unwilling to let them inside.

Dimitri looked at Heidi, and then his gaze traveled lower to her leg as he sniffed out where she might be hurt.

“Why did you run, bitch?” he asked.

“I don’t like being told who I can and can’t see.” Heidi didn’t look away from Dimitri although she pressed against Nicolo.

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Dimitri looked past her at Maura, who stood next to Heidi. “
Lunewulf
bitch. Look at me. Tell me why you are part of this wonderful party.” His sarcasm filled the air with a sour smell that matched his expression.

Maura stepped around Heidi. She straightened, which barely brought her to Dimitri’s chin. There was no fear on her when she looked up at him though.

“What would you do if a bitch who’d been beaten by her mate came to you and asked to be let out of the mating?”

Dimitri blinked quickly and raised his eyebrows, showing he hadn’t expected the question. And Nicolo had to admit, the bitch had some guts to spill her personal issues so boldly in front of strangers. He watched his littermate curiously while slowly stroking Heidi’s shoulder. She leaned against him, wrapping her arm around the back of his waist.

“Maura,” she whispered. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Yes. I do.” Maura turned quickly, looking at Heidi and then him, then letting her gaze travel down Josie, who stood silently to the side, watching. “I want to know if all werewolves are the same. Maybe I’m the one who’s insane here.”

“You know you aren’t.” Heidi tried pulling from him, but Nicolo tightened his grip on her.

“I don’t have enough information to answer that question,” Dimitri said.

Maura tossed her hair over her shoulder. “At least I now know all males are the same. How typical to avoid answering a question by demanding more information.”

“Don’t insult the pack leader who holds your fate in his hands,” Josie growled.

Maura jumped, turning quickly to stare at Josie. Her jaw dropped, and for a moment, she looked ready to attack. Josie’s growl was so low Nicolo almost didn’t hear his subtle warning for her to behave. Maura crossed her arms across her chest, pushing her rather large breasts together, although Nicolo doubted the act was meant to distract any of them. She sincerely looked torn on what action to take next.

“Forgive me.” She didn’t look at Dimitri, but stared at the ground. A long strand of hair fell over her shoulder, partially covering her face. “I ran from my pack because of personal reasons,” she added quietly.

“You two may go inside and clean yourselves.” Dimitri held his hand out when Nicolo moved around him. “They go inside alone. Your bitch knows her way around, I’m sure.”

Nicolo didn’t miss what Dimitri just said. He ran his hand down Heidi’s back, gently pushing her toward his den. “Go inside,” he told her.

Heidi headed toward the den with Maura right behind her. The two bitches closed the door and he immediately gave his littermate his attention.

“My bitch?” He wouldn’t let Dimitri get away with his slip.

“You know what I meant,” Dimitri growled.

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“Their pack leader is coming up the mountain,” Josie announced and then stepped in closer so that he stood alongside both of them. “You’re going to have a hell of a time with this one, Dimitri.”

“Unless you have advice to offer, shut the fuck up,” Dimitri growled.

Josie slapped Dimitri on the back. Dimitri looked ready to pounce. He was wound tight enough to attack without thought. He jerked, moving to punch Josie, who in turn laughed easily.

“I do have advice, asshole. Come across like you’re going to kick ass to that pack leader and we’ll be at war before the night is out. They’re his bitches.” He turned to Nicolo. “Unless you can prove otherwise.”

“Don’t think I don’t already know this.” Dimitri scrubbed his hand over his head, scowling at his driveway. Tiny snowflakes blew around the three of them, and when Dimitri sighed heavily, showing the burden of his position, Nicolo almost felt sorry for his younger littermate—almost. Dimitri glanced at his den. “I’ll hear what the
lunewulf
leader has to say, and unless his arguments are completely unreasonable, we’ll return the bitches to him.”

Nicolo would have argued the point, but a large, extended cab pickup truck pulled into the driveway. He turned with Dimitri and Josie on either side of him and watched the
lunewulfs
slowly get out of the truck. The air got even colder with the animosity that surrounded the males.

“Are there no females on this mountain that ours seem to keep showing up here?”

Bob asked, stepping forward and eyeing each of them before focusing on Dimitri.

“Not once have we extended an invitation to your females.” Dimitri sounded calm.

That much was in his favor. “We’ve found your bitches and here you are to pick them up.”

“Where are they?” Bob asked, making a show of looking around them. “I smell no females.”

“They’re in the den. We sent them in alone out of respect. One of them is hurt and—”

“Hurt?” Bob interrupted.

“The human who shot her no longer lives,” Nicolo told Bob, watching the leader carefully when he slowly turned his attention to Nicolo. “Heidi and the other bitch were found quite a ways south of here.”

“And you just happened to be the one who found them.” Bob crossed his arms over his chest slowly.

Nicolo growled, noticing for the first time that one of the
lunewulfs
behind him was the spokesperson that he’d confronted the other day. “I’m getting real tired of being called a liar.”

“We were that far south because I have the ability to smell things that other werewolves can’t smell.” Josie’s admission stunned the
lunewulfs.

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Nicolo was rather shocked too. He had no clue they’d taken the last section of land that far south because of anything Josie sensed. He didn’t dare take his attention off the
lunewulfs
in front of him, but he sniffed the air, curious whether Josie told the truth. He wouldn’t have the werewolf cover for him by confessing something that was none of these
lunewulfs’
damned business.

“You have the powers that I’ve heard so much about.” Bob actually looked impressed. “Show me what you can do.”

“You don’t have to show him shit,” Dimitri told him.

Josie raised his hand and pointed at one of the
lunewulfs
who stood closer to the truck. The
lunewulf
suddenly rose into the air and yelped in surprise when he found himself hanging over the rest of them.

“I have a problem with werewolves who beat bitches,” he snarled and lowered his hand.

The
lunewulf
fell to the ground.

“Shit,” Nicolo growled.

Every
lunewulf
in front of them braced themselves. Bob jumped around and then turned again quickly, his mouth open in shock while he gawked at Josie.

The
lunewulf
, who Nicolo guessed must be Maura’s mate, climbed to his feet, moving awkwardly and limping a bit as he moved next to the truck and then leaned against it. Bob kept his attention on Josie while the others watched him too.

“I guess I asked for that,” Bob said slowly, surprising Nicolo with something that sounded like respect in his tone.

“I don’t make a habit of doing requests.” Josie clasped his hands behind his back, relaxing his body. Silently he showed the pack leaders that he had no intention of doing anything aggressive. “But I will make it a habit of ensuring that my pack isn’t ridiculed for something that would only prove a threat against an enemy.”

“Enough.” Dimitri raised his hand. “While the females are inside, I would discuss another issue with you.”

Bob blinked, pulling his attention from Josie and focusing on Dimitri. The aggression had faded in the air. Nicolo wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t witnessed it. The gift actually brought a moment of peace between the two breeds. The very gift that spawned their hatred. He wondered if his littermate noticed the same thing.

“Are you going to do tricks too?” Bob asked, raising an eyebrow.

Several of the
lunewulf
behind him muttered comments and shifted around anxiously.

“There are no tricks here,” Dimitri growled. “We are quite real, and very serious.”