Wolf at the Door: Salvation Pack, Book 1 (22 page)

“The big one, the one that’s lighter than the others. That has to be Cole.”

He nodded, letting his chin rub the top of her head. “Very good. Watch the eyes. You can recognize the eyes.”

“Good to know.” She fell silent for a moment, studying the others as the sun sank below the treetops, casting the clearing in shadows. “There are two black wolves. They would be Gator and Armand.” She leaned forward in his arms and finally pointed to her right. “I think that one is Gator.”

“Why?” It was important for her to distinguish features.

She hesitated but then continued in almost a whisper. “Because the one on the left has scars on his face. I didn’t think Armand’s wolf form would have the same injury as his human form.”

Jacque exhaled slowly. “It was a very bad injury,
chère
. His wolf was injured so severely he could not heal all the way. That is why he has a scar on his face in his human form as well.”

“What happened?”

He gave her a comforting squeeze. “That is Armand’s story to tell.”

She nodded. “I recognized Louis from where I saw him change before. The brown colors of his fur and his eyes are distinctive.”

Jacque knew the time had come for him to show Gwen his wolf, the other side of himself, the primal beast. She’d seen his wolf briefly during the attack, but he wasn’t certain how well she remembered him. It was vital she recognized all of them easily.

He kissed the top of her head and stepped away. “Now it is my turn.”

Gwen shivered when Jacque dropped his arms from around her. He’d been holding the chill of the evening away with the heat from his large body. She put out her hands and gripped one of the porch posts for support. The yard was filled with four magnificent creatures. Wolves, but more than wolves.

They were incredibly big, much larger than a normal wolf. And although wolves were said to be quite intelligent, there was something more in the eyes of these creatures, something human. It was still hard to make her logical mind accept what lay before her very eyes. But there was no denying the evidence.

The more she studied them, the more familiar they became. Their personalities shone through no matter what form they took. Cole was indeed the largest of them all. In fact, he was huge and had to weigh in at three hundred pounds, probably more. He was silent and somehow more still than the others, but she had no doubt he was ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.

The scars on Armand’s face came down across the left side of his muzzle and went upward to just below his eye. She winced at the thought of how much that must have hurt. She wondered how he’d gotten it. His black fur was as shiny as his hair and the chocolate-brown eyes filled with compassion and understanding.

Gator also had black fur but his eyes were a startling blue. And even though he was sitting, the wolf seemed to be vibrating with barely contained energy, just like the man.

She easily recognized Louis from where she’d watch him shift before. His brown fur wasn’t one color but many shades of brown. And his eyes watched her with an unblinking stare that was slightly unnerving.

She heard the swish of Jacque’s clothing behind her and then he walked naked to the center of the yard. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Naked, he was even more imposing than when he was fully clothed, which really should be impossible. There was no sign of vulnerability to be found as he faced her.

She blinked, trying not to look below his waist but failing miserably. She knew he’d been aroused when he was standing behind her, had felt the evidence pressing hard against her back. Sure enough, his shaft was still semi-aroused and twitched when she glanced at it.

He was impressive even partially aroused. Her inner muscles clenched and went liquid. She knew what it felt like to have all of him inside her, plunging in an out of her slick core. Her breathing got faster and ragged as the memory surrounded her.

“Gwen.” His voice interrupted her thoughts and pulled her gaze upward. “Watch.”

She swallowed hard, ignoring the heated pulse slamming through her body and concentrated solely on Jacque’s face. The sun sank further, making the yard dimmer by the moment, but with the rising moon and the ambient light from the kitchen, she could easily see him—the harsh planes of his face, his prominent, beak-like nose, his full lips and golden-brown eyes. His features were familiar to her now. She could easily close her eyes and conjure his face.

She’d seen him in his wolf form once before when he’d come to rescue her during the fight. But her memory was cloudy at best due to her fatigue and headache. Now, she was eager to really see him, to watch the process unfold.

A rippling began beneath Jacque’s flesh. Gwen swallowed hard and dug her fingers into the wooden post. Her legs quivered as she watched a spectacle she knew few outside their species had ever seen. Funny, but she no longer expected them to kill her because of that.

No, in her heart she knew these men would protect her and would never harm her. The wolves from their former pack were another problem all together. They were merciless killers and would do their best to make sure she never had the opportunity to tell anyone about them. She could have told them their secret was safe with her, but she knew they’d never believe her. No way would she put Jacque and his pack at risk.

Jacque made the shift quickly. Bones cracked and reformed, his shape changing. Thick muscles were no longer covered with flesh, but with fur. His jaw elongated and his skull flattened. In a matter of seconds, it was done. So fast, yet she had the impression he could shift faster but had slowed down the process for her. She couldn’t say why she thought this, only that she did.

The only wolf larger than him was Cole. Jacque was absolutely magnificent. His fur seemed to contain every shade of brown, ranging from bronze to bittersweet chocolate. He studied her intently. Watching. Waiting for her reaction.

Gwen pushed away from the post, straightened and walked down the two stairs that led from the porch to the yard. He waited for her to come to him. All the wolves were still now, all watching to see what she would do.

She licked her lips and moved closer with her hand out. “May I?” She wanted to touch his fur so badly, to see if it was as soft as it looked.

He dipped his head and she took that for a yes.

Her hand was shaking as she lowered it to his head, but not from fear. Adrenaline rushed through her veins caused by pure, unadulterated excitement. She was actually about to touch a werewolf. She, who had written about such things for years but never truly believed in any of it.

Her fingers grazed his head between his pointed ears. They twitched, but other than that, he remained still. “You’re incredible.” She let her hand flow over his thick neck to the top of his shoulder. Thick muscle rippled beneath a heavy fur pelt. The flow of fur between her fingers was an erotic caress that sent a shiver up her arms. Her nipples tightened beneath her sweater and she was glad for the darkness that was quickly deepening.

Jacque’s tongue came out and swiped at her wrist. She jerked away in surprise at the unexpected caress and then laughed nervously. He tilted his head and watched her. She had the feeling her reaction disappointed him.

“You just took me off-guard. It’s okay.” Gwen touched his muzzle. His head moved quickly, his jaws opening and closing around her hand. Sharp teeth pressed against her flesh but he didn’t break the skin. His hold was very controlled, much like the man was. She sensed this was a test of sorts and stood there waiting patiently.

He gradually released his hold on her and licked her palm. The rough texture of his tongue tickled her skin and she closed her hand.

Jacque tilted back his head and howled. The long, lonely sound echoed in her heart and mind, reverberating in her soul. After a moment, the other wolves followed suit, adding their voices to the wild chorus, filling the night air with their music.

It stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Jacque leaned forward and butted his head against her stomach before he settled beside her. One by one, starting with Louis, the other wolves came to stand before her.

She touched all of them on their heads except for Cole. With him, she held out her hand and waited for him to move his head beneath her palm and touch it. She instinctively sensed he didn’t like to be touched without permission, and in that way, he was different from the others.

Of course, they were all very different and distinct, each one dealing with internal and external wounds. They’d left behind their pack, their families and homes to move to a new place and start a new life. It would take a powerful reason for them to do that. From all she’d learned and witnessed over the years, wolves were pack animals, and it seemed werewolves were no different.

She’d seen how they were with one another—a manly pat on the shoulder, a hug, a cuff on the head. They were constantly touching in some way. Except for Cole, who stood back from the others more.

She’d been starved for affection her entire life and yearned for the kind of acceptance these men had found with one another.

“Thank you.” The words were inadequate, but they were all she had. “I promise you that your secret is safe with me. I’ll never tell a soul about any of you.” She wanted them to understand she would protect them as they were protecting her.

A fierce need welled up within her, a need to guard these special men, and especially Jacque. They were important to her in ways she couldn’t really put into words. She only knew she’d die to keep them safe. They were remarkable and deserved to have a life of peace.

Jacque butted his head against her, knocking her back a step. “Hey.” She put her hands on her hips and scowled at him. The wolf’s mouth opened and his tongue hung out of his mouth, showing quite a few sharp, white teeth. She had the impression the devil was laughing at her.

He nuzzled her chest, his nose brushing against one erect nipple. She didn’t think it was an accident. She grabbed his head and leaned down, only to have her lips licked.

She pulled back, sputtering. “Wolf kisses,” she muttered. The other wolves were watching intently, but she could sense they were enjoying watching Jacque tease her. She scowled at the lot of them. “I need coffee. And maybe something chocolate.” Maybe that would settle the combination of arousal and jumpiness within her.

Jacque whirled away and trotted to the woods, swallowed up immediately by the trees and brush. Louis gave a yip and followed his brother, leaving her alone with the other three.

“I’m going in.” She picked up the gun and the extra ammunition, went up the stairs and opened the back door. At the last second, she held it open. “You coming?”

One of the three wolves trotted up the steps and into the kitchen and vanished from sight while the other two disappeared around the side of the cabin. She shook her head, knowing no one would believe this if she told them. Gwen stepped into the kitchen and closed and locked the door. She leaned against the wood panel, resting her forehead against it. Her lips still tingled where Jacque had licked them. She touched her mouth and smiled in spite of herself. Her wolf was a bit of a scoundrel.

Her smile quickly faded. Jacque wasn’t her wolf. He wasn’t her anything. He couldn’t be. There were too many insurmountable obstacles in their way and she’d eventually have to leave.

She pushed away from the door, set the weapon, spare clip and ammunition on the table and went to stand before the window that looked out over the backyard. She couldn’t see much beyond the porch, which was now wreathed in shadows. She put her hand on the glass, wishing it were Jacque she was touching.

No, she’d have to leave eventually, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t embrace what was in front of her. She had feelings for Jacque. In the short time she’d known him, he’d found a way into her heart.

What a coward she was. She laughed aloud, but it was a sad, bitter sound. She loved him. There was no denying it. She’d be a fool not to get as much enjoyment as she could, to make as many memories as possible in their time together. She’d have to live a lifetime in a matter of weeks or months. She had no idea how long she’d be with Jacque, but it was definitely finite.

But there would never be another love for her. She’d almost died at the hands of an intruder the other night. Her life could have ended without her ever having embraced true love. She had no idea how Jacque felt about her. Yes, he was attracted to her. Of that, there was no doubt. She knew he would protect her with his life. Maybe it wasn’t a last-forever kind of love, but it was more than enough.

Gwen resolved to stop being afraid of emotional pain. When her father left when she was a child and her mother had become emotionally distant, she’d blocked her heart up, erecting walls to keep others from hurting her. What she hadn’t realized until now was that she’d also locked herself in, keeping herself from experiencing true friendship and love.

Someone cleared his throat behind her. The reflection in the glass made her smile. Poor Gator. He looked uncomfortable with his hands stuffed in the front pockets of his jeans. She took pity on him, turned and smiled.

He returned her smile and heaved a sigh of relief. Had he thought she was upset by everything she’d witnessed? She was, but she’d keep it to herself. Here was a man who wanted to be her friend, who’d cooked for her and fought for her.