Chapter 13
Caidrik smelled them before he heard them outside.
The scent crept under the door, sharp and cold, riding the wind like a warning. Too many wolves to be coincidence. His muscles tightened instantly. He tossed the covers back and reached for Nadia. “Nadia. Wake up.”
She murmured, still heavy with sleep, and tried to scoot closer to him.
Her body found his on instinct, seeking heat.
He forced himself upright and crossed the small cabin, the floor cold under his feet.
He grabbed the extra sleeping bag and wrapped it around his hips before feeding another log into the fire.
The flames caught with a crack, light jumping across the rough walls. “Nadia,” he said again.
“What?” she asked grumpily, blinking at him.
There was fresh whisker burn across her delicate chin. His doing. The sight of it hit him low and hard. He liked his mark on her.
Right now, he needed to protect her.
Wolves were coming, and when he stepped outside, he’d have to shift. He could probably handle her shifting with him inside, but there was no reason to push their luck.
“Wake up, baby,” he said.
She blinked once more, then sat up. The blue sleeping bag slid to her waist, baring her breasts.
He’d spent an inordinate amount of time on those the night before.
Whisker burns and faint marks tracked her skin, proof where his mouth and hands had been.
He’d definitely marked her. The thought sent satisfaction roaring through him, dark and possessive, and he hardened again.
He wasn’t sure he’d ever get enough of her.
“Did you hear me?” he asked
“Yes.” She stood and stretched. “I’ll shift the minute you’re outside. Are we in danger?” Her eyes widened now.
“Probably.” He opened the door and stepped onto the frozen ground. The cold bit into him instantly, but he welcomed it. Nobody was getting between him and that female. Ever. Last night had cemented that fact in his mind.
He shut the door and waited.
It took about ten more minutes for the wolves to reach the clearing. His senses were that good. He cocked his head, recognizing the scent even if he didn’t recognize the faces. “Are we on Copper Pack land?” he growled.
The closest wolf, a light brown with sharp eyes, stepped forward. He wasn’t the biggest there, but he was lean and carried himself like he’d survived things. The wolf shook his head and then jerked it toward the tree line.
“You want us to come with you?” Caidrik asked.
The wolf nodded. A much larger black wolf flanked the younger one, his stance sure. He’d seen some life. For sure.
Caidrik had always gotten along well enough with the Copper Pack, and he didn’t mind the reprieve from the deadly Slate Pack trials, especially since Nadia kept ending up in danger. Real danger. “All right.”
Air burst from inside the cabin.
It had taken her long enough.
“If any of you makes a move toward her, I’ll rip out your throat,” he said calmly, letting the promise sit heavy in the air. Then he opened the door.
Nadia padded out, her fur platinum blond and shimmering against the snow. The daylight caught her, and for a moment she looked unreal. Her eyes were darker in wolf form. For a wolf, she was small, just like she was as a human.
He checked her without thinking. Ears up. Stance solid. She looked good. Healthy. Alert.
“We’re going into Copper territory,” he told her.
She sat and looked at him expectantly.
He dropped the sleeping bag and moved away to shift. Even then, his energy cascaded out, and a couple of the wolves stiffened.
Once he was in wolf form, he couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked like she was grinning.
He felt like grinning, too.
What they’d shared the night before had been intense. He hadn’t made her his yet. They hadn’t talked about it, and it wouldn’t have been right. But he planned to. Soon.
He took the lead, keeping her tight to his side as they ran into the forest. Miles passed under their paws before the scent changed.
Copper land. A truck waited at the edge of the trees.
The brown wolf shifted into a teenage boy.
The bigger, darker wolf beside him shifted into a tall, broad man. The rest vanished back into the woods.
Nadia shifted back into human form before Caidrik even gave her the sign.
“Konrad,” she cried, joy breaking free as she launched herself into the taller man’s arms.
What the fuck? The female was naked, jumping at another male? Caidrik shifted fast. “Nadia,” he snapped.
“It’s so good to see you,” Konrad said, embracing her. The giant clapped her on the back before setting her down.
“I take it you know each other,” Caidrik said, his eyes moving from one to the other. He kept his tone neutral, but his body stayed angled slightly toward Nadia, a reflex he didn’t bother fighting.
Nadia hopped up beside him, her energy bright and unmistakable. “Yes. Konrad and I were in the same pack before we joined the Copper Pack. We’re all friends. He’s a farmer.”
Konrad looked more like a killer than a farmer, but all right.
“I’m Oakley,” the kid said, opening the back of the truck. “We’ve got clothes.”
Apparently being a gentleman, Oakley tossed a sweatshirt and jeans at Nadia.
She caught them easily and started pulling them on without hesitation.
Konrad’s eyes darkened as he looked her over while she dressed.
There was no doubt she’d been thoroughly loved the night before. Marks told that story clearly enough.
Caidrik was suddenly glad he’d left his everywhere.
Konrad glanced at him, suspicion sharp in his eyes.
Fair enough. Caidrik had most certainly made a claim on the female.
Oakley tossed clothes to Caidrik, and he pulled on the jeans. They fit surprisingly well. The sweatshirt did too.
“I forgot footwear,” Oakley said, wincing. “Sorry. I’ve been dating this girl, and my brain hasn’t been where it should be.”
“You’re fine,” Konrad said. “You’ve got this.” He smiled at Nadia. “I’ve got to patrol the left side. We’ve had some incursions from Ravencall wolves lately. I’d love to catch up later.”
Nadia practically bounced on her bare feet. “I’d love to catch up. How’s everybody?”
“Perfectly fine. We love it in the Copper Pack.” Konrad glanced at Caidrik and then back at her. “You should come home.”
Caidrik barely kept a growl from escaping.
Nadia laughed. “I am home with the Slate Pack, but once we get things settled, it’d be fun to have a couple of get-togethers with everyone. I’d like to see all of the packs draw a little closer together.”
“I’d like that,” Konrad said, flicking his gaze to Caidrik and back. The male clearly had no problem with his nudity. “Anyway, welcome to Copper territory.” Konrad turned and bounded into the forest, shifting as he went.
The air brushed past Caidrik. Nadia smelled lighter here. Happier. It hit him harder than it should have. He wanted her happy. He just hadn’t expected to feel so much of it on land that would never be his.
Oakley quickly pulled on a heavy sweater and jeans before hopping into the truck. “Come on in. I’ll take you to Erik.”
Caidrik motioned for Nadia to take the front seat with the kid and then climbed into the back. The truck warmed fast, and frankly, he didn’t mind not having shoes. It was easier to move without them.
“So you’re still working as an enforcer?” Nadia asked, smiling at Oakley.
“Yeah, I am. Once I graduate, I’m going to college for a while to study strategy and stuff. For now, I like the job.”
The kid was young. Seventeen at most. Still, Konrad had seemed experienced.
Caidrik glanced at Nadia. “You’re telling me Konrad’s a farmer?”
“Pretty much. He does protection detail too. Or at least he did when we were just a farming co-op.” She looked genuinely happy saying it, her eyes bright.
Something warmed in Caidrik’s chest. It was good to see her like this.
He wanted to be the one who gave her that feeling.
If they became Alpha and mate, he’d make sure the packs did more together.
She deserved to feel this way. Or maybe, this was where she really belonged.
It wasn’t like she’d grown up with the Slate pack.
While she and Emily appeared close, Em had moved away. Unease settled in Caidrik’s chest.
The truck pulled up in front of a sprawling lodge at the center of town. People milled around despite the cold.
“You can go on in,” Oakley said. “I’ve got to get to study group.”
“It’s so nice to see you,” Nadia said, hopping out.
“Thanks,” Oakley said. He glanced back at Caidrik. “Are you really going to be the Alpha of the Slate Pack?”
Such a good question. “So far,” Caidrik said. “We’re still in the middle of the trials.”
Oakley frowned, his eyes earnest and his young body muscled. “Yeah. I heard about that. Sounds weird.”
“It is,” Caidrik agreed.
“Maybe you should get rid of them once you’re Alpha.”
That seemed to be the consensus. “I fully plan to.”
“Also, the Slate Pack doesn’t get to do much,” Oakley said as Caidrik stepped out. “The rest of us are modernizing. Don’t you think it’s time you let some of them go to college? Study the world, then come back with new skills?”
Caidrik needed to start thinking long term. “I imagine Nadia’s got some ideas.”
“I do,” Nadia said, looking up at the lodge. Her eyes were bright, almost eager. “I really, really do.”
“That’s what I thought,” Caidrik said, watching her instead of the building. He couldn’t miss how different she looked here. Buoyant and cheerful. Like something inside her had finally unclenched. He wanted that for her. He just hadn’t expected it to hit him this hard. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime,” the kid replied.