Running Free (9 page)

I attempt to stuff my swollen tits in the bra only to conclude that I am, as Luca said, in heat. My body is overwhelmed with physical changes because of it too.

Raging hormones.

Huge breasts.

An ache low in my pelvic region that couldn’t even be relieved by masturbation last night.

Shit!

This is a terrible idea. I’ll end up mauling Gun with my hormonal ass.

I try on a few more bras until I determine that I can’t wear a single one. The doorbell rings and in haste, I tug on my sweater sans bra and finish dressing. Otis took Suzie to the diner for ice cream while I got ready for my date so I know I’ll need to answer the door.

When I finally reach the front door and sling it open, I’m irritated to see Luca standing there. His massive hulk frame fills my doorway and my body physically responds. But in an annoyed way. Last night, I was drawn to him and considered fucking him. Now, ever since I fucking imprinted on Gun, Luca doesn’t have control over my animal cravings.

“What are you doing here?” I grumble out in greeting.

His eyes flit past me and survey the house before he regards me with a serious stare. “I was on a drive when my inner animal snapped to attention and the next thing I knew, I was pulling into your driveway. At first I sensed you were in trouble — a foreshadowing if you will that someone was here to hurt you. But now, I can see that my wolf was just horny, and he wanted to fuck.”

He’s handsome as ever — the man kills it in the looks department but I no longer have the urge to jump his bones.

“Jesus, Frankie. You smell so damn good. As soon as I pulled up to the house, I could pick up your scent. It’s thick and delicious. Let me take care of you,” he says with a growl.

The noise reverberates down to my core and I wonder if I can just fuck him. Then, I could get Gun out of my head and wouldn’t try to ride his dick the second I saw him. Gun and I won’t work. He’s a human and I’m a fucking animal.

But Luca?

He’s an animal too…

“Luca,” I purr and force myself forward into his waiting arms. “I’m aching so badly.”

His massive hands seize my hips and I shudder from his touch. Fucking shudder. I yelp when his mouth finds my neck and his impressive dick presses into my belly through his jeans.

“God, I missed you,” he hisses against my neck.

Bile rises in my throat and I swallow it down. I can do this. I can break whatever it is I created between Gun and I. Luca will sever that tie. We’ve fucked a million times and he always has a way of stealing my mind away from everything.

His hand slips under my shirt and cups my tender breast. “Shit, Frankie. You’re so ripe and supple. Chicks have the best orgasms while in heat. I’m going to make you feel so good, baby.”

I whimper when his thumb slides over my nipple. But the moment I start to imagine what Luca will do next, a cold bucket of water in my head sobers me. Gun’s questioning eyes are in the forefront of my mind. They turn angry and jealous. And it turns me on.

But not for Luca.

It makes me want Gun all the more.

“Luca, stop.”

He pulls away and glares down at me. Lust swims in his eyes but I know he’d never do anything I don’t want to do. He may be a cheating ass, but he’s a good guy deep down.

“Something’s different, Frankie. Is it him?”

I nod and tears well in my eyes. Luca has never seen me so vulnerable. With him, it’s always been naughty fucking and sexy banter. Never real conversations or real feelings.

“Did he hurt you?” His voice is tight and the rage ripples from him. All I’d have to do is nod my head, and he’d haul ass over there and rip his throat out.

“No, God no,” I promise.

A tear slides out and in a tender move, uncharacteristic for Luca, he frowns and swipes it away. “Then what? Tell me.”

“I think I imprinted on him.”

His grey eyes harden and he swallows. Dipping down, he presses his forehead against mine. “I’m a fucking asshole. A stupid fucking asshole. I had you and now I never will again.”

Not exactly what I was expecting to come from his lips.

“It just happened. I had no control over it. What do I do, Luca? He’s a human!” This time a sob escapes me.

What have I done?

He’s about to say something in response to my emotional outburst but then quickly shoves past me. My proverbial hackles rise because I sense it too. Someone is here. Just like he’d thought. Luca tilts his head to the side and listens but remains firmly in front of me. I’m not one to cower behind someone but his overwhelming need to protect me trickles through my veins and assaults me. I can feel it with my very essence — his desire to keep me safe.

The warmth.

The surge of peace.

Like a brother would protect his little sister.

The concept is almost laughable considering how many times we’ve had sex. However, as floorboards within the house creak and groan, I know there’s nothing funny at Luca’s desire to keep me safe. It ripples and pulsates from him, saturating my soul.

“Stay here,” he whispers and starts toward the back of the house.

Footsteps thunder until the backdoor to the house slams shut and the both of us jump. Before I can even process the fact that someone was indeed in the house, Luca has stripped naked, shifted and is mid stride toward the backdoor. I run after him only to see he’s already made it to the edge of the woods with his hackles raised and a fierce growl in his throat.

“What is it?” I hiss after him.

In his wolf form, he’s massive and threatening. I know though that he’d never hurt me. He trots toward me and instinctively, I reach my fingers out and stroke his pelt as he passes. Once back inside, he sniffs around for a bit before shifting back into his human form.

Before, I’d have been drooling over his round ass, but not today. He saunters back over to the clothes he strung through the house and begins dressing. Finally, once dressed, he regards me.

“Someone was here. I picked up his scent. A fucking bear,” he snarls.

Bear.

Those kids were gutted.

What if they were after Suzie?

“Someone is trying to hurt me, I think,” I groan, mostly to myself. “If anything happens to Suzie… ”

He pulls me to him and hugs me tight.

“I know.” He sighs. “I could sense it which is why I made a beeline over here. But then, you looking all sexy and shit, distracted me for a minute. But that won’t ever distract me again.”

There’s finality to his words. And I believe him. Whatever past we had before is disintegrating. As I draw strength from his embrace, something new forms between us. His protectiveness over me is ever present but the sexual tension that always ebbed and flowed between us is completely gone. The embrace is comforting. Soothing. Familial.

“We’ll patrol the house. Nobody is touching either one of you, or Otis for that matter.”

His words infiltrate my soul and I believe them with every part of my being. Something is happening — something I can’t quite put my finger on.

My body quakes and my flesh prickles with awareness. Luca will protect me. And so will they.

Pete. Winston. Bob. Shawn. Elliot. His entire pack. Their faces fill my mind. Warmth and love surges through my veins and I’m more confused than ever. I sense their security and loyalty. It makes no sense.

“Luca,” I whine.

He strokes my hair and kisses the top of my head. “Yeah, I fucking feel it too. Looks like you are officially a part of the Grey Lotharios.”

I pull away to stare up at him. “I don’t understand.”

His smirk is a smug one that causes me to frown. “Frankie, it looks like whatever this physical thing is going on with you affects those around you. You imprinted on that dipshit, and now, you’ve compelled my inner wolf to bond to your Doberman. Not in a sexual way,” he grunts in annoyance, “but as in, you’ve joined our pack. You’re our sister now.”

Blinking several times at him, I attempt to process his words. There’s so much about this whole fucking shifter world that I don’t understand. Once again, I’m thrown a curveball that makes no sense.

“So what?” I screech. “Now I’m supposed to wear leather and ride a Harley all day?”

He smiles broadly at me. “That’s a hot visual but no. It means, we’re bonded to you. If something happens to you, we know about it. It’s how we protect each other. A sixth sense if you will. And no fucking bear is going to hurt you on our watch.”

I sigh in relief that my life won’t change too much. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

His chuckle is warm and it comforts me. “For the most part, it isn’t too bad.”

I sense something that he’s not telling me but I don’t beat it out of him. Instead, I let my mind soak up the fact that I now have a whole pack of wolves, bears, and tigers that have my back. My little heart that ceases to beat regularly thumps to life.

As if cued into my thoughts, Luca flashes me a boyish grin. “Yep, Frankie,” he chuckles and pulls me in for another hug. “You now have a family.”

Family.

A foreign concept until now.

Something I seemed undeserving of and like nothing I’d ever receive in this lifetime is now mine.

And I’m fucking thrilled.

“Are you sure he won’t mind the intrusion?” Otis questions as we climb out of his car in Gun’s driveway.

Suzie skips off past us and up the steps to the front door.

Shrugging my shoulders, I sigh. “If he likes me like he says, then having dinner with you shouldn’t be a problem. And if it is, he can go fuck himself.”

Even though I’m pretty sure he’ll be okay with it, a part of me is anxious that he’ll be mad I brought Otis along. I haven’t told my mentor about my imprinting or joining Luca’s pack, but he senses something is different about me. His knowing eyes have scrutinized every syllable that has poured from my mouth.

“Suzie, so nice to see you again.” Gun’s voice slices right to my core and I jerk my gaze to find him staring directly at me. She’s wrapped herself around him like a damn spider monkey.

His gaze drags over to Otis, to which he nods, and then is back on me. When he winks, my knees buckle.

He’s okay with this.

And for some reason, this makes me fall a little more for him.

Suzie drags him into the house but they leave the door open for us. Otis and I climb the steps but before we enter, he grabs my hand and stops me.

“Oh, Frankie. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I snap my gaze to the wide-eyed old man and feign innocence. “Tell you what?”

He huffs. “Don’t be daft, kiddo. The human. You imprinted on him.”

Waiting for a lecture or disappointment in his eyes, I chew on my lip. “I’m sorry,” I finally say.

But his eyes light up, confusing me. “Don’t be sorry, Frankie. Love looks good on you.”

I scoff at his words. “I am not in love.”

The old man shrugs his shoulders and starts in the house but I grab onto his arm before he goes inside.

“Otis, I am not in love. I hardly know the man.”

His eyes twinkle. “Your heart apparently knows him. Your mind will eventually catch up.”

I sigh in frustration. “What do I do? How do I sever the imprint?”

“Oh,” he says with a chuckle, “you can’t do that.”

“But he’s human,” I hiss.

With a flash of a grin, he says, “Wouldn’t be the first time something like this has happened in Woodland Creek and I can assure you that it won’t be the last. Let that heart of yours work its magic. The rest of you will soon follow suit.”

He leaves me on the front porch in a puddle of confusion. Apparently my heart does know Gun. I can feel it down to the fabric of my soul. It doesn’t mean that my mind agrees though. However, my body does. Like last night when we were all over each other.

Two against one.

“You coming?”

I lift my chin to meet the heated eyes of my supposed soulmate.

Soulmate. Soulmate. Soulmate.

The concept is foreign but doesn’t taste bitter on my tongue.

In fact, it’s quite decadent.

But he’s human…

My mind still hasn’t wrapped itself around this concept. I’m not sure that it ever will.

But you accepted Luca as your brother not but a few hours before…

Shit.

“Yes. I hope that it’s okay I brought my… ” What exactly are Otis and Suzie to me?

“Your family is always welcome here.”

My heart does that pitter-patter thing again and before I know what’s happened, I’ve thrown myself into his arms. His lips dip down to mine and he kisses me sweetly. My fingers skitter over his rough face and I moan into his mouth.

This feels right.

“Come on.” His voice is hoarse and his eyes are molten chocolate, hardly containing his desire for me. “Lasagna is almost done.”

He threads his hand with mine and guides me into his house that drips with his clean, masculine scent. I want to roll around in his bed and wear his scent everywhere I go. I want him to make love to me — claim me as his. I want to tell him what I am.

The last thought crushes me.

The only sensible part of me left, my mind, steps in and valiantly protects my heart.

I can’t tell him what I am.