Chapter 6
Chapter Six
He gave her a minute, trying like hell to put his body back under control.
Just the scent of her spiked his lust, and Fenris had no intention of doing anything more than fucking the she-wolf until he sated them both.
No helping her with a coup, no getting pups on her, and for the Wolf’s sake, no mating.
After some necessary, healthy, normal sex, he planned to return home and weasel some answers out of his uncle about his history.
Fenris didn’t understand. Though he’d been young when he’d lost his parents, he remembered them clearly.
His father had been golden, his mother silver.
In the tomes dedicated to his lineage, after Lycos defeated the humans, only males could become golden, and they always mated females of another color.
So why would Red mention a clan of golden wolves?
Who’d told her such a thing? She obviously believed what she said to be true. But that couldn’t be. Could it?
Wanting to know more, he decided to take some time before returning home. Perhaps he could find the answers he sought among Red’s clan. Plus he’d use his time wisely and fuck her out of his system.
A glance down at his front assured him he wouldn’t strut a boner in front of Red’s father.
From what little Fenris had gathered, Rurik Pavtek seemed a decent enough fellow—for a human.
He’d healed Fenris without fuss and treated him kindly.
But he still smelled like human and magic, and the wolf within trembled and whined, wanting to leave.
The werewolf, unfortunately, wanted more.
The beast loved Red’s power and craved the taste of her on its tongue.
Something Fenris had no intention of allowing.
Due to his nature, his wolf, the human side, and his werewolf all needed to bond to a female Fenris found acceptable.
Scary as she was, Red complemented all of him, and he knew it.
The man had fucked her, and that was enough.
Fenris intended on keeping their sexual relationship in that one small corner of his world.
Thoughts of a mate took care of any fear of an erection. Calmer, he left the bathroom and followed the scent of Red and her father out the front door.
When it appeared Red had no intention of speaking to him, he asked Rurik, “Where are we going?”
“To see my wife,” Rurik answered with a large grin.
Red mumbled under her breath.
“What?”
“Oh, don’t mind her.” Rurik shook his head. “She’s in a snit because—”
“Because she’s the alpha, not a little girl,” Red glared at her father. “And she doesn’t have snits.” Red turned that glare on Fenris then stomped away. In a snit.
“She’s always been an unruly child. So strong, in both power and temperament.”
“It’s gotta be the red hair.” Fenris grinned. “My uncle used to tell me stories about the red wolves.” The same uncle who’d forced them to leave. His smile faded.
“I know what you mean, son. My wife is a red wolf. Has the prettiest damn pelt you’ve ever seen, besides Rudra’s. And she can throw a temper.”
They walked in silence before Rurik spoke again. “We’re going to my home, in case you were wondering. I’m sure you’re hungry, since it’s past the dinner hour.”
“Thank you.” Fenris asked what had been bothering him for some time. “I have to know. What was that thing that tried to attack you and your daughter back there?”
Rurik sighed. “The result of an old family feud that won’t go away.
You’ll have to forgive my earlier exuberance.
For years, I’ve been looking for a way to end a curse put on my family.
The monster that attacked us is a variation on the many creatures I’ve dealt with since my cousin Mikhail stole control of the family holdings. He’s killed nearly every Pavtek alive.”
“Yet you’re still here.”
“Far away from him and his soul-sucking evil. Living among the clan has given me some relief from what I call the Pavtek Curse—my cousin. The Wolf in the Forest is very protective of its kind.”
“Yes, it is.” Fenris wasn’t pleased at thoughts of danger to the female he considered his. Mine for the moment, he reminded his werewolf. No mating. We’re all too young, he told it and his wolf. “You seem to be a man with power. You can’t find a way to end your enemy?”
“I’ve been trying for centuries. My cousin is too powerful.
” Rurik sighed. “For what seems like most of my life, I’ve tried to rid us of his madness, but I haven’t found anything that comes close to matching his power.
” He paused. “I fought him for a century with no end in sight, no way to win. And he continued to slaughter our family until I decided to retreat and gain strength.” Rurik glanced toward a part of the forest with thicker trees and smiled.
“Rena was an accident. I never meant to marry again, but I fell in love with her at first sight.”
“If she’s as pretty as your daughter, I can see why.” An easy truth to admit. Fenris couldn’t read the look Rurik sent him but cautioned his idiot inner voice to shut the hell up and think before speaking.
“Mm-hmm. So you see why your arrival is so important to me.”
“How’s that?”
“Nothing has come close to reaching Mikhail’s ill-gotten power.
I might be able to match him, but that would mean killing innocence, tainting the very goodness he turned his back on centuries ago.
I refuse to sink to that level, so I remain the weaker of us.
” He paused, his eyes bright on Fenris. “A few decades ago, I found a spell. One that requires a drop of werewolf’s blood, collected under the peak of the full moon.
With this magic, I might have a shot at bringing Mikhail to justice. ”
“Just one drop of blood?”
“The purity of the werewolf is well known. You’re magic, of noble thought and pure of heart. Honestly, I had never thought to find one of your kind since you’re all but extinct.”
There was one other with Anson still out there.
“With your help,” Rurik continued, “I can negate the cursed power of my cousin, enough that I can finally destroy him. Because he won’t just content himself with my death. He’ll kill the entire clan—including Rena and Rudra.”
Fenris’s wolf and werewolf growled within. “The peak of the full moon, you said?”
“Yes.”
“But the full moon’s not for another two weeks.”
“I know. I’m sorry, but I need you to stay until I can collect it.
You don’t understand. I’ve already lost a wife, a daughter, and three sons because of Mikhail.
Now he’s hounding us again, and this time he knows how precious Rudra is to me.
I’m afraid if I don’t find some way to weaken him, he’ll kill her. ”
Alarmed at the thought of the surly alpha in harm’s way, Fenris forced himself to relax and think. There had to be a way around Rurik’s troubles. “I don’t understand.”
“When my brother Petr was alive, he ruled the Pavtek family. Mikhail had always thought he should rule. It didn’t sit well with him that Petr had inherited our grandfather’s power.”
“You inherit power? I thought sorcerers were born with it.”
“We are, and we’re not. Yes, we are all born with a certain aptitude toward magic.
But upon a loved one’s death, the power accrued through a lifetime may be stolen.
My grandfather gave most of his magic to Petr, willing the rest of it back to the earth.
When Mikhail killed Petr, he stole it back, in addition to Petr’s power.
If Mikhail manages to take my magic from me, he’ll become unstoppable.
Strong enough even to combat the protective spirits of the forest.”
“Hell.” Fenris rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the yoke of responsibility tying him to this man and his plight. To Rudra.
Rurik motioned for him to turn onto a path between two giant firs, away from the village.
Fenris knew it to be intrusive, but he had a right to know, considering Rurik wanted to use him in a spell. “You had a wife and children you lost?”
Rurik stared at the ground as they walked.
“My first wife was a sorceress, as were my children. I had hoped we Pavteks would rid ourselves of Mikhail, banding together. But we failed. My uncles and aunts, my mother and cousins, all of them died violently. Tragically,” he added softly, his gaze downcast. “As did my wife and children when I refused to help Mikhail kill the rest of our relatives. I barely managed to escape alive, and for years after that, I traveled, trying to find something to destroy him. And then I met Rena.” Rurik smiled.
“I hadn’t thought to marry ever again, and especially not to a wolf, because wolves and sorcerers don’t mix.
But Rena is special. My daughter is the best of both our worlds.
Not someone to be shunned,” he said pointedly.
Fenris flushed, recalling how he’d acted when he’d first learned she had human blood in her. “It’s just that we don’t have a fond history with humans. Your kind—”
“I’m sorcerer, not human. There’s a fine but distinct difference, but it’s there all the same. Humans don’t live for hundreds of years.”
“My point is that there hasn’t been a lot of trust between wolves and humans.
Forgive me if I sounded biased, but there’s a reason we don’t interbreed.
” Except in Red, he couldn’t find fault.
She was beautiful, arrogant, and sexy as hell.
If he hadn’t known Rurik was her father, he would have thought her the perfect alpha.
Unlike his uncle, she seemed to care more about her clan and their needs than making herself look important.
“Whatever your history with humans, you must understand why I need you, Fenris. It’s only a matter of time before Mikhail breaches our defenses.
As it is, the only reason he’s left us alone so long is that he thinks Rudra is Rena, since they’re both tall redheads.
Today was the first time he’s penetrated the clan for my home.
I’m afraid he’ll soon start killing members of the pack.
We can’t allow that to happen. Regardless of what you think of me and my kind, would you really allow a rogue sorcerer to harm innocent wolves? ”
“Or course not.”
“I didn’t think so. You have a pure heart. Probably why you’ve been gifted with Lycos’s precious mark.” Rurik nodded at his forearm. “While I’m in your debt, I can’t allow you to leave.”
Leave and risk ruining a spell that would protect Red? Protect kindred wolves, he hastily corrected himself. No way in hell. “I won’t.”
“Won’t what?”
“Won’t leave until you’ve collected what you need from me.
” Fenris shook his head, confused, annoyed, and worried.
The sexual attraction to Red he understood.
But the growing affection, which even now blossomed with heat inside him?
The need to protect her from all harm? The urge to plant young within her belly, to watch her grow round and love her until they both joined the Wolf in the afterlife?
Holy shit, he felt warped inside. Unlike himself, apart from her.
Fenris rubbed his chest, half wishing he’d stayed in the damn woods at home.
At least there, Fenris had some control over his emotions.
He hated the thought of mating with a silver wolf, but at least he knew what to expect. With Red, he felt in constant limbo.
Rurik and he stepped onto a wide porch, and the object of his desire opened the door.
She scowled. “Well? Are you coming in or not?”
Man. Talk about attitude. His heart pounded, twisted, and fell at her feet.
I am so screwed.