Passion Fur Three

ctáá|ÉÇ YâÜ g{Üxx Copyright © March 2012, Crymsyn Hart Cover art by Mina Carter © March 2012 Amira Press Charlotte, NC 28227 www.amirapress.com ISBN: 978-1-937394-32-5 No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Amira Press.

Passion Fur Three

Crymsyn Hart

Chapter One “Hey, girlfriend. So are you coming down to see me?” Cassidy rolled her eyes at the voice on the other end of the phone. “I don’t know, Wade. Things at the magazine aren’t going so well. I think they are closing up shop.” “All the more for you to come to North Carolina. Get away from the magazine and that ex of yours. Is he still leaving you notes, or has he delivered any more packages to you?” She fiddled with a strand of her hair. “No more packages. I think the restraining order might have finally worked.” “Well that’s a relief. You don’t need that asshole Ben bugging you. He wouldn’t be able to bother you if you came down here to see me.” Cassidy could envision Wade holding his breath with his fingers crossed for her to answer. It was an intriguing idea to get away from all the bullshit she had endured in the past few months. Maybe a change of pace was what she really needed. “I don’t know if now is the best time to leave.” “Come on, Cass. I haven’t seen you in a year.” “Whose fault is that? You’re the one traveling all the time. Sometimes I wondered if you’d remember me with all your cross-country trekking. You randomly show up at my apartment and want to do drinks and then tell me about your adventures.” Wade sighed. “Yeah well. That way of life has been over for a few months now. After my last trip to California, I decided it was time to settle down. And you have to come see the quaint little town I’m in.” “But you’re in the middle of nowhere up in Hicksville. I like the bustle of the city. Boston is great.” “You might like the hustle, but you need the peace and quiet. Wasn’t that something you said to me? Please come down. I’ll pay for your plane ticket. All you have to do is get the rental car.” The proposition sounded almost too good for her to pass up. It had been a while since she had been on a vacation. And getting back to nature sounded like something she could do. Maybe she could figure out what her 1

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next move was. Maybe it was time for her to think about changing her career path. Nature called to her, and it had been a long time since she had taken a walk in the woods to get some pictures. It did get tiring shooting pictures of people and buildings all the time. “Okay, fine. You twisted my arm. It would be good to see you, though.” “Wonderful. I’ll expect you soon. And you’re going to love the bar that I’m working at. The owner is a bit pissy, but the manager is a dream to look at.” “Do I hear you have a crush?” She laughed. “If only, I don’t think he’s my type. I am seeing someone, though.” “Is it serious?” A long breath came over the end of the phone as he exhaled. “Maybe. You have to come down and meet him.” “I will. I’ll call you with a date and when I’ve booked a ticket.” “Sounds great! See you later, alligator.” She hung up the phone and shook her head thinking about what she had just agreed to. It had been a long time since she had gotten away from Boston. Leaving her crazy ex-boyfriend behind would be a godsend. Maybe she could figure out what she was going to do after the magazine went under. Wade had talked to her before about relocating, but she hadn’t wanted to leave the city. Maybe now was the time to scope out different places for her to live. But only if things fell into place the way they were supposed to. **** Cassidy lifted the camera to her eye so she could frame the picture of the waterfall. The light was sublime. The sun was at the perfect position in the sky so it caught the droplets of mist and reflected rainbows in the vapor. Ice clung to the edges of the river. Thankfully, she was bundled up in a down jacket and a scarf around her neck so it touched the bottom of her ears, and heavy socks covered her feet inside her hiking boots so she didn’t feel the cold. Her knapsack was a few feet away. In it was a thermos full of hot chocolate, along with a map of the area, a compass, a couple of days’ worth 2

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of food, a space blanket, a fire-making kit, and a few other essential items in case she found herself stuck in the middle of the woods. Her father had taught her to always be prepared when they ventured out into the wilderness. It was from him, she had an appreciation for the outdoors. It was from her mother, she had taken to photography. A bird tweeted overhead. The roar of the water filled her ears. The cold spray settled on her face and the lens of the camera. She adjusted the focus and then snapped the picture. Cassidy readjusted the lens and homed in on the wilderness across the river. Some of the branches were iced over, and the sunlight made for a pretty picture. But it wasn’t the branches that held her attention. An animal stared at her through the trees, blending with the forest. It had near-perfect camouflage except for its yellow, glowing eyes. A sense of fear crawled over her skin. She hadn’t heard there were any gray wolves in the Great Smoky Mountains. The wolf remained where he was, his gaze locked with hers. She dared not move in case it bounded away or decided to leap across the river and use her for dinner. Cassidy pressed down on the button and snapped a picture of the animal. Right after she did, it darted back into the underbrush, and she was left staring at the waterfront once more. A few fish flopped in the river, but something about the picturesque landscape didn’t feel right. A cold breeze whipped up and grated along her face. A sense of dread walked down her spine. It seemed like something, or someone, was watching her. She glanced around, trying to see if there was anyone near her, hiding in the trees, but she didn’t see anyone. That didn’t mean there wasn’t someone there. I’m imagining things. Dad always told me to be careful when I was out here by myself. Wade wanted me to come directly to the bar, but there is too much beauty around me. Such a change from the skyscrapers and the craziness of the city. I’m sure there is nothing there, but never can be too careful. Following her instincts, she slipped the camera back into her backpack and then hoisted the knapsack over her shoulder. She patted down her pockets to check everything was in order, but doubly making sure the knife was still in her right pocket, where she always kept it. The bulge remained, so

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she hadn’t lost it. It was the last thing her father had given her before he died. Can’t lose this one. Cassidy glanced around the river and tried to retrace the path she had trekked in from. It had been a three-mile hike from where she had parked her car. The walk didn’t bother her, but now that everything was so quiet, she was extra cautious to keep a lookout. The woman at the rental car office had given her the map of local trails that wound through the mountains. She had started on the main trail, but then veered off, hoping to get better photos off the beaten path. Wade was expecting her for dinner. Her friend had been bugging her for the last month since their phone conversation. He wanted to show her around the small town of Lupine Gorge and was trying to convince her to relocate to North Carolina. She had promised she would visit, but hadn’t mentioned anything about moving. The image of the wolf flashed through her mind. It was a rare occasion she got so close to a predator. Normally, she came across deer or foxes. Nothing large. Once she had happened upon some bear tracks, but she had never seen the animal, just a few tufts of hair caught on the bark of tree. The feeling she was being spied on had not dissipated. Maybe the wolf is following me. She snorted and kept on going. It wasn’t that far to her car. Still, she trailed her hand to her pocket and made sure the knife was accessible. A branch broke behind her. She spun around, scoured the copse of trees she had come through, and didn’t see anyone. Okay. Now you’re psyching yourself out about being alone in the woods. Cassidy drew in a breath to relax. Another twig snapped next to her. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. “Going somewhere?” Cassidy spun back around and saw a man leaning against a tree. He was dressed all in black with a large hood obscuring his face. Heavy black boots encased his feet. Something about him seemed familiar. She took a step back. “Just doing a little sightseeing. Have a good day.” She tried to walk by him, but he seized her arm. Cassidy struggled to free herself from his grip, but found it was iron. “Let go of me.” 4

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He threw back his hood. His face was covered with a ski mask. Her attacker smiled, showing his perfectly white teeth. “I don’t think so. You’re coming with me.” She shrunk back from him. His fingernails dug through the material of her jacket and pierced her flesh. The sting told her he had drawn blood. He shoved her along the path she had come from and then deeper into the woods. Something sharp poked into her back, and she froze. “Now that’s a good girl. Do what I say, and you won’t get hurt.” “W-What do you want with me?” “Oh, you’ll see, pretty one. Just keep on walking, and I’ll tell you when to stop.” Cassidy did what she was told, taking careful steps ahead of her and trying not to provoke him, all the time looking for a way out. The deeper they delved into the wilderness, the farther away they were from her car. The rushing river was off to her right, so at least they were heading in some direction she recognized, but still they were traversing uphill. He was riding her hard and kept digging the knife blade into her back. “Stop. I need to stop.” He growled. “Keep going!” He shoved her, and she fell to the ground. The added weight of her backpack helped push her over. She fumbled to get her hand into her pocket to retrieve her knife. Her fingers grasped around the hilt of the pocketknife. He kicked her in the stomach. The blow knocked the wind out of her, and the immobilizing pain stopped Cassidy in her tracks. “Quit taking so fucking long. You don’t want to make me mad.” He grabbed her scarf and hauled her up by it. Cassidy clutched the strip of fabric and tried to pull it away from her throat so she could breathe. Stars formed on the sides of her vision. Her heart slammed in her chest. Her mind raced trying to figure out how to flee. “Are you going to behave now?” She nodded. Her kidnapper released the scarf. With the first rush of cool air, her head cleared. He held the knife up to her, and her fear intensified. This wasn’t 5

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going to end well for her unless she could figure a way out. He snatched her arm again and then kept her walking. They came to the top of the hill, and down below she saw a looming dark hole in the ground with a sign above it that said Do No Enter. If she went down there, she would never come out again. He pushed her forward. Cassidy stuffed her hand into her pocket, drew out the knife, and tried to hide it along her leg so he wouldn’t see it. Her finger ran along the release. She pushed it down and felt the blade click into place. “Don’t take me into the dark. I’m afraid, and I get claustrophobic. I’ll do whatever you want. I swear. Please don’t hurt me,” she pleaded. Her captor swore under his breath. He pushed her forward. Cassidy stumbled. She landed against a tree, using it for support. She drew in a couple of breaths, steeling herself for what was going to come next. He was coming closer. She closed her eyes and counted. “One.” Her heart hammered her rib cage. “Two.” She couldn’t get enough air. “Three.” A twig snapped behind her. He was coming closer. “Four.” His anger blasted onto her back, warmer than his body heat. “Five.” Cassidy adjusted her grip on the blade. His fingers touched her shoulder to turn her around. At that moment, she turned and plunged the knife into his stomach. She pulled it out and then struck him again in the abdomen. He backed away and touched the wound. His fingers came away with blood. Cassidy was stunned, and the world spun. He took a step backward and then sunk to his knees. “You bitch!” he yelled. He tried to get up, but fell back to his knees. She didn’t stick around to see if he was going to make it up or not. Cassidy bolted through the trees and 6

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headed toward the thunder of the river. Branches whipped across her cheek, leaving thin cuts along her skin. She tried to keep them from her face and kept on running. It wasn’t until she got to the river and scrambled upstream, along the icy banks, that she took a deep breath. When she did, she saw her fingers were shaking. The knife remained in her hand. Her fingers were covered in her abductor’s blood. She knelt down next to the water and wrung her hands through the river. The frigid water helped wash away some of the crimson. She glanced at the blade and thought about washing it off too, but it was evidence. She closed the knife and then shoved it into her pocket. Cassidy glanced around at her environment, trying to decide on which direction to go. The river was too vast for her to ford. Even if she could, it was too cold. There was the threat of hypothermia, and she wasn’t sure where the nearest house was, or even the nearest town. I can’t think that way. I have to keep going. She looked around, searching the forest for any sign of the man who had tried to snatch her. She ran her hand over the spot where he had kicked her. It was tender, and she figured she would have one heck of a bruise. Cassidy couldn’t stay where she was. She had to keep moving. If she was going to get out alive, she had to find someone. She couldn’t go back the way she had come to get to her car. He might be there waiting for her. Cassidy heard heavy footfalls behind her. She adjusted her backpack and then took off running again. Surely, there had to be someone in the woods. She didn’t want to end up a news story splashed across the front page. She wanted to be the one who survived. Cassidy moved along the bank of the river, her legs pumping, and her lungs burning for air. She made it upstream and glanced behind her to see if she was being followed. She kept on until she hit something. Cassidy lost her balance and landed on the cold ground, a little dazed from the force of the impact. “Jeez, lady. Watch where you’re going.” Cassidy focused in the man she had run into. He had a disgruntled look on his face, with a smattering of dark stubble along his neck and chin. His 7

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light green eyes burned with anger from being knocked down. He got up, wiping the dirt from his hands. A smear of mud remained on his cheek. “Sorry.” Her chest heaved from her efforts to escape her attacker. Seeing the man before her was as if the clouds had parted and bathed her in sunlight. She had been saved. “Thank God. Thank you.” His eyebrows came together in a dark line, overshadowing his eyes. “Are you okay?” She shook her head. “No. There’s a man chasing me. Can you help me?”

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Chapter Two Ronan wasn’t sure if this woman was telling the truth about needing assistance. The desperation in her brown eyes made him think twice about turning his back and ignoring her. Actually, it would probably be better for everyone if he didn’t get involved at all. That was the reason he had moved so far up into the woods. All he had desired to do was have a quiet day in the forest and take up some fishing. It was a little cold for April, but the rivers weren’t iced over. Normally, he never caught anything. It seemed the fish knew he was there and stayed away from the lure he tried to entice them with. Not that it mattered. He had only taken up fishing to help him focus his temper. It was supposed to be some sort of meditation that Harry spouted about being all Zen and shit and trying to get in touch with his inner wolf. Ronan didn’t need to get in touch with his inner wolf. They both wanted the same thing, to run through the wilderness, eat the fresh meat from a kill, feeling the blood sliding down their throat, and then roll over and have someone scratch their belly. This woman did not look like belly-scratching material. He rolled his eyes at the interruption in his sedate afternoon. Then he noticed her scratched-up face and the rips in her jacket. Her panicked expression and the disarray of her jeans told him she had been running from something. Finally, he offered her his hand. Her warm fingers slid through his. A relieved smile spread across her lips. It helped to brighten her uneasy appearance. Ronan hefted her to her feet next to him. He overestimated his tug, and the woman slammed against his chest. A small growl slipped from his lips, but he covered it by grumbling. “Thank you. Thank you.” She snuggled up to him for a moment and then stepped away. “You’re welcome. So what can I help you with? You said someone was chasing you. Do you know who it was?” She shook her head, trying to catch her breath. “Yes. I was hiking back to my car and some guy came out of nowhere. He wore a jacket, black sweatpants, and a ski mask. He grabbed me and stuck a knife in my back. 9

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This guy had planned on shoving me into some old mine. I had a knife, so I stabbed him a couple of times. I ran then. I don’t think he came after me, but I’m not sure. I thought he might’ve been, but—” He raised his hand and cut her off. “Good thing he didn’t get you into the old silver mine. Some of those shafts drop for hundreds of feet. I can bring you into town so you can report this to the local sheriff if you want.” And then I can go back to fishing with no one fucking interrupting me again. “That’d be wonderful. I’m so sorry to bother you.” She glanced around and noticed the pole. “You catch anything?” Ronan pulled the pole from the creek and saw nothing on the lure. “Fuck!” He threw it back on the ground and heard it snap. “Shit.” The woman before him cringed. “Sorry. Come on. My car is back at my place. It’s a hike. I hope you don’t mind.” “What about my car? It’s a rental. I don’t want to just leave it,” she asked. “We can go back to your car, but do you remember the way back?” She glanced behind her. Her shoulders sagged. Ronan saw the indentation in her cheek where she sucked on her lip. A strand of blond hair blew in the cool breeze. What kind of a body does she have under that coat? I can’t tell from here. From the way her clothes cling to her curves, I could see us happening. His cock ached when he pictured her naked. Yes, definitely one to tussle around with in the sheets, but that’s it. He shifted his belt, and she turned back to him with a long sigh. “No. I don’t remember the way.” “Well, come on.” “Okay.” She stuffed the wisp of hair back under her hat. Ronan gathered the remains of his fishing pole, the tackle box, and his jacket he had hanging on a nearby tree, which she slipped on. He half expected her to say some offhand remark about the cold, but she kept her mouth shut and followed behind him. Every once in a while, he peered behind him to make sure she was keeping up. She was. Halfway back to his cabin, she stopped. He had made it a few steps ahead of her when he realized he wasn’t hearing her footfalls behind him, crunching on the leaves and twigs 10

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on the forest floor. When he looked back, she was digging into her backpack and had pulled out a thermos. “Do you really think now is a good time to stop for a coffee break?” She looked up, and tears streaked down her cheeks. “Sorry. I was a little cold. The hot chocolate is warm if you want some.” She held out the mug to him. He held up his hand in refusal. “No. I’m not much into chocolate. Thanks, though.” “No problem.” She wiped the tears away and then sipped at her cocoa. He leaned on a tree and stared off in the distance, giving her a moment to enjoy her drink. The clear Carolina blue sky was starting to cloud up. These weren’t the normal wispy clouds that passed over the mountains, but the thick, graying clouds that stuck together like cotton candy. Out of it would emerge some major storm. Most of the time, the mountains got stuck with the weather, while the foothills and the piedmont saw only half of it. The snow was one of the reasons he loved where he lived. It made getting to his cabin nearly impossible unless a car had chains and great four-wheel drive. Ronan preferred traveling on four legs rather than two any day, but he needed to earn a living. That was the reason he had to make an appearance at the bar he owned at least twice a week. “What’s your name?” he asked, breaking the silence. “Cassidy Sands. And you?” “Ronan Braker. Nice to meet you.” She snorted, and choked a little on her beverage. “Yeah. Wish it was under better circumstances. Thanks again for helping me out.” He shrugged. “Don’t mention it. Fish didn’t seem to be biting today anyway. Come on. It’s not far from here.” She finished her hot chocolate, stuck the thermos back in her pack, and then followed after him. They walked another mile until they arrived at his house. Smoke piped out of the chimney. Ronan saw a red Jeep parked next to his green one. “Son of a bitch!” he muttered. “Everything okay?” Cassidy asked. 11

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He bit his tongue at the first response that flashed through his mind. He doubted she would take to him swearing up a storm rather well. Instead, he inhaled, trying to keep his temper under control. “Just fine. Stay here for a second. I’ll be right out.” Ronan opened the screen door and slammed it. The log cabin was something he had built, and he was proud of it. But the intruder warming his hands by his fire was someone he hadn’t expected to see. “Get the fuck out of my house!” The other man turned around. A long scar ran diagonally across his face from the corner of his left eye, down his cheek, and came to an end at the bottom of his chin. “Long time no see, Ronan. See you’ve made yourself comfortable.” “Tyler, what the hell are you doing here?” The other man stood and walked toward him. Ronan hadn’t seen Tyler since he was a teenager. He had grown an inch taller than him, but Ronan knew he could still take him. “I came to collect what is rightfully mine. Technically, I’m entitled to half of everything you own. What are you going to do if I don’t leave?” Ronan gritted his teeth. Inside, his wolf was snapping at the other man and struggling to get out. The muscles in his body tensed. Small bolts of pain raced along his tendons with the oncoming change, but he held on to his human form. It wouldn’t be a good idea to get into a fight with Tyler. The woman outside was his first concern. He closed his eyes and took a calming breath, remembering what his manager and friend had told him about not letting the animal in their nature win. The anger couldn’t take over and unleash the beast. All he needed was to spook the chick outside when someone had already tried to attack her. He wondered if it had been Tyler. But he didn’t appear to be hurt. Then again, the wound could have already healed and he changed in his Jeep. “You already got half of everything I owned. Now you don’t get shit. Get the fuck out of my house!” Tyler growled and lunged at him. Ronan darted backward, teeth snapping inches from his neck. The muscles rippled all over his body. A twitch started 12

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at the corner of his eye, signaling the beginning of transformation. Tyler grinned. He was waiting for him to change. The asshole deserves to have the fur ripped out through his human skin. One good bite at his throat would do it. “Afraid to come at me?” Tyler goaded him. His hands grew heavier from the weight of taking on claws. It was a minute change, but something he was accustomed to. It would be so easy to slip his skin. The urge was there. The feeling of the wolf’s fur rubbed along the inside of his flesh like an itch he couldn’t scratch. “I’m not afraid of you.” He swung his claws at Tyler, who dodged out of the way and chuckled. Ronan went to swipe at him again, but curbed his strike when he heard the squeak of the screen door hinges. He spun around and saw Cassidy standing in the doorway. Her gaze darted between the two of them. From the fearful expression on her face, he could tell she was trying to make sense of the situation. She took a step backward. “Everything okay in here?” Cassidy asked, clutching the strap of her backpack tighter to her body. Tyler gazed at her. A big smile spread on his lips. Ronan saw the lust igniting in his eyes. He walked over to and then around her. Tyler was so close to Cassidy, he was practically dry humping the poor woman. “This yours too, Ronan? She looks yummy,” Tyler commented. He lifted a piece of her hair and sniffed it. “Mmmm . . . mango. One of my favorites.” He tried to touch Cassidy’s cheek, but she shied away from him. “Lay off. We were just about to head to the sheriff’s office. Care to join us?” Ronan stepped nearer to Cassidy. He willed his hands to return to normal so she wouldn’t see his claws. The urge to protect her gripped him. Then again, he would protect anyone from that prick Tyler. Tyler backed away and slunk out the door. “See you later.” He wiggled his fingers at her, and his eyes took on a yellow tinge. The door banged behind him. “He isn’t one of your friends, is he?”

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“Far from it. Come on. I’ll take you to the station so you can report your attack, and I’ll talk to the locals about Tyler.” Cassidy nodded. He smiled, hoping to reassure her. The rage was cooling in him, but his wolf still grated along his skin. It took all his willpower to force it back into the corner of his brain where it resided. The animal side was something he understood. It was the humanity he had trouble with. They left the house and climbed into his vehicle. He drove down the gravel road that twisted around the mountain and then connected with the main road that led into town. It was a thirty-minute drive, and the silence between them was strained. Ronan fiddled with the stereo knob and turned the station, but then turned the radio off again. Having Tyler show up was not a good sign. He would have to talk to the pack leader. He ran his hand through his dark brown hair and then switched the radio back on. Some rock song blared on and hurt his ears. He hit the steering wheel and then flipped the radio off. Cassidy laughed. “What’s so funny?” he grumbled. They cruised by his bar, the Wolf’s Paw. It was packed. He would have to go in after he was done with Cassidy and check on things. Besides, he wanted to warn Henry that Tyler was back in town. “Sorry. Nothing’s funny. It’s just you keep messing with the radio . . . This is such a fucked-up day. Wade never told me this town had crazy guys stalking people in the woods.” “Wade your boyfriend?” “He’s my boy-space-friend. Not boyfriend the way you’re thinking.” Ronan shrugged. “I wasn’t thinking anything. I was hoping you have someone close by who can look out for you.” “I do. Thank you.” He answered in a noncommittal grunt and then pulled up outside of the police station. They both got out and walked in. The officer at the desk looked up when they entered and smiled. “How can I help you?” “I need to report an attack,” Cassidy said to the officer. 14

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Ronan glanced at her and then the cop. “You going to be okay now?” She nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for helping me out back there. I appreciate it.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “No problem. Maybe I’ll see you around.” “Yeah. Maybe.” She smiled. Ronan left her in the good hands of the officers on the force. Now he had turned her over, he walked down to the chief’s door and knocked on it. Samuel waved him in after he got off the phone. Ronan opened the door and walked into the spartan office. “Hey, Ronan. What brings you down the mountain and into my station?” “Tyler’s back.” Samuel stroked his chin and then stared down at him over his beaky nose. The wrinkles around his eyes seemed to have deepened over the last few months. The lines in his forehead had become lines grooved by worry. The sheriff’s brown eyes were troubled. His search for the rogue wolf who had gotten away was still ongoing. Ronan knew because he had helped scour the woods when the pack called, but no sign of the rogue had been found in months. His expression didn’t waver. “Hmm . . . about time he showed back up. California must have gotten too hot for him.” “You don’t seem surprised. Are you going to do anything about it?” “Has he threatened you?” “He took a swipe at me, and he might have attacked the woman I found in the woods.” “Tyler wouldn’t hurt a fly. From what I remember, you were the one who took the first swing and . . .” He ran his finger along his face, indicating the scar that ran along Tyler’s. Ronan shifted in the chair. “Yeah. That was also a long time ago, and I paid for it dearly. But I was defending Henry.” “Really? Because as I recall, my brother was forced to leave the pack, and you stayed.” I should’ve known it was going to go like this. “Look, Sheriff. I came here to report that an intruder broke into my house and threatened me and the 15

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woman who is speaking with one of your deputies. I wouldn’t take this lightly if I were you. Have a good day.” Ronan got up and walked out the door. The rage he had felt earlier boiled up again. He had never liked Samuel. That aversion had grown worse when he became sheriff and the pack looked up to him. There had been some dissension among the wolves ever since Samuel had never appeared when they found one of the killers who were dumping bodies on pack territory. He claimed he was out helping one of the human townsfolk with a prowler in the house. Not many believed him. Ronan was one of those. He had been there that night helping bring out the women who had been found in the underground cells. Cooper, the pack leader, had thanked him and then sent him back on his merry way. That was fine with him. Ronan did his wolf duty when summoned and then remained on the mountain. He did not need to get involved with humans or wolf politics. He enjoyed going into the bar and messing with Henry, though. Most of the time, his friend ventured up to the cabin, and they discussed business or whatever else was on their minds. When Ronan walked by the front desk, Cassidy was sitting with one of the deputies and giving him her statement. He stopped for a moment and studied her. She seemed more relaxed. Something about her tugged at his insides. Just because I saved her doesn’t mean anything. He shook his head, glad that she was safe, and was about to walk out the door when a snippet of conversation drifted to his ears as another deputy talked to someone on the phone. He took a minute to admire the plaques on the wall, all the while listening. “Are you sure that she’s missing and not just run away?” the deputy asked. Ronan couldn’t hear what the caller said, but from the reflection of the cop’s face in the glass, he could tell it wasn’t good. “No, of course. I’ll send someone out to you right away.” Ronan closed his eyes and prayed it wasn’t happening again. That’s all this town needs. Another rash of murders and kidnappings we have to keep quiet. The cop hung up the phone and went to Samuel’s office. Ronan didn’t want to stick around. Besides, if it did involve the pack, he would hear about 16

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it. For now, he headed down to his bar. The name was etched into the wooden sign that swung above the door. It read The Wolf’s Paw. He smiled when he thought about the time and effort he had put into making the sign. It was good to work with his bare hands. That was more meditation than the fishing Henry had suggested. When Ronan walked into the bar, the chatting stopped. Everyone looked over at him. The buzz of the other wolves bombarded his brain as they identified him as one of their own. The hairs rose on the back of his neck as he strolled behind the bar and glanced at the bartender. Wade had been with them for six months. Henry had hired him, but Ronan hadn’t encountered him until now because he always came in after everyone had left the bar. In the small town, Wade was still considered an out-of-towner who had rented Mika’s place since he was now holed up with his friend Elliot and their new mate, October. “Where’s Henry?” he asked Wade. “Ahh . . . he’s in the office doing inventory. Did you need me to get him?” Ronan waved him off. “No need. I’ll bug him. Thanks.” “Only staff is permitted back there.” He silently cursed himself for not being the one to hire the man before him. Wade seemed like a decent guy. His blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail. “Don’t think the owner will mind.” Ronan smiled. He brushed past the bartender and headed to the office. He heard Wade dashing behind him. “Sir, really, you can’t—” Ronan spun around and grabbed the man’s arm, maybe a little too fast because Wade jumped back with fright brightening his eyes. He released him and took a deep breath, hoping his eyes were not tinged yellow at the moment. “Look, Wade. We haven’t officially met yet, and that’s my fault. I know it’s been half a year since you’ve been here. But Henry told me all about you. I’m the mysterious owner who comes in late at night.” His green eyes widened. “Y-You’re Ronan.” He nodded. “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” 17

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“No big deal. Now you do. Henry says you’re doing real good and the customers like you.” “Thanks. I’ll get back to the bar.” “You do that.” Ronan shook his head. Crazy humans. He opened the door and saw Henry staring intently at the computer. Only he wasn’t doing inventory. The naked forms of two women having sex showed on the monitor. Their moans were muted. “Porn? Seriously?” Henry whipped around. His blue eyes showed his surprise from being caught. At least he wasn’t whacking his Johnson. His friend stood up, and a book fell off his lap. Ronan couldn’t help notice the bulge in his pants and turned his gaze away. “Ronan. I wasn’t expecting you until Friday night. What brings you here?” Ronan sat in the chair across from the desk and glanced at the state of the office. It hadn’t been dusted in a while. Cobwebs gathered in the corners, and small bits of paper were strewn on the floor, with the occasional receipt sticking to the tiles. “I was fishing, or doing whatever that ‘find your inner peace bullshit’ you tell me all the time is, and a woman ran into me, claiming she was attacked. So I brought her back to the cabin, and I had a visitor.” “Who?” “Tyler.” The color drained from his friend’s face. The normally laid-back wolf was now taking in deep, slow breaths. The last time they had seen Tyler, before he had gone out of town, he had attacked Henry and left him for dead. It might have been ten years ago, but his friend was still a little freaked out by him. After that incident, Henry had studied alternative religions to find a way to repress his wolf. He had learned to meditate and control it more than any other in the pack. He had suggested that Ronan try to become a Zen master too, but so far, he didn’t have the patience for taming his inner beast. Henry smoothed back his hair, and his face relaxed. “So he’s back in town. Nothing to worry about. You stay out of his way, and he’ll stay out of yours.” 18

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“He was inside my goddamn house, spouting off that he gets half of everything I own. My dad nearly went bankrupt paying his family retribution. I don’t owe him shit. But that isn’t the worst of it.” “What’s worse than that? Do you really want him to claim he has a right to the bar? Or have him shack up with you? You don’t think the council would allow that, do you?” Ronan rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. Recompense was already paid. The worst of it was that he was trying to come on to the chick who I was bringing down to the station. Tyler thinks she’s mine.” “Is she?” “Please, man. You’re my best friend and know I’m not into women right now.” “You haven’t been into women for the last five years, since Angel left you high and dry.” “I get whatever pussy I need, and let’s not bring her into this. Angel’s long gone. I didn’t need that bitch hanging around and trying to turn me into a perfect human male. Regular people suck.” “So you finally coming out of the closet?” “Fuck off, Henry. I enjoy pussy just as much as the next guy. Those fake tits you got bouncing on the computer screen don’t do it for me. I need real ones that I can squish in my hand. How can you watch that shit?” Henry glanced back at the two chicks going at it and shrugged. “Got to deal with my animal urges somehow. Easier to channel them into running and having sex, or at least whacking off. I can only meditate so much. I might be a Zen master”—he placed his hands together in a triangle and then bowed, but still had a smirk on his face—“but even a Zen master has to get laid.” “Yeah. I hear that. Turn that shit off. Wade said you were doing inventory.” “I started to, but got distracted. You want to help?” Ronan shrugged. “I need something to take my mind off the events of the day. Come on. I think you need a cold shower, and I have the books in my office.” 19

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They spent most of the afternoon going over everything. Looking over the numbers helped soothe Ronan’s mind. The one thing he couldn’t wipe from his brain was Cassidy. Her face kept popping into his head. He could push it away for some time, but it flashed before him again. Each time it did, only one thought stuck to him. I am royally screwed.

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Chapter Three Cassidy sat at the bar and watched Wade pour drinks for the next customer. He flashed her a smile, flipped a bottle of vodka up in the air, and caught it. His blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail. After a couple more tosses, he received a round of applause. He winked at her, and she shook her head. Wade was doing everything he could to distract her from what had happened to her earlier. After she had given her report to the cops, a woman officer had driven her back to her car. Her first thought was to head to Wade’s and hang there, but she couldn’t stand being alone. So she drove down to the bar. She had been sitting for hours, ignoring the stares and lame-ass pickup lines she had heard one too many times before. And the drunken men who assumed her eyes were in her chest rather than her face. She hated when men did that. All the while, she reconstructed the attack in her mind. Should she have seen it coming? Cassidy hadn’t heard or seen the man coming until he was leaning against the tree. There had been the wolf, and then there was the man. Maybe they’re one and the same. Impossible. Then she thought about Ronan. He had played it all cool, but there was something about him she couldn’t put her finger on. He was aloof and hadn’t offered much about himself. Not that she figured that into the equation when she was asking for help. The anger she had seen in his eyes toward that other man in his house had shaken her. Ronan’s eyes had almost taken on a golden hue. They reminded her of a topaz caught in the sunlight. It had to be the change in the light. His eyes were dark honey brown, and then they were golden. Ronan had gotten all protective of her, as if he were claiming her for his own. Nevertheless, what she had seen must have been all part of her wild imagination. Although, it would have been nice to snap a picture of him because she doubted she would ever see him again, a memento to remember her hero by. “So, you ready to get out of here?” Wade asked. 21

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The bar was empty. All the stools and chairs had been put up on the tables for the floors to be swept. She glanced at her watch and hadn’t realized it was one in the morning. The time had flown. Her muscles were stiff as she got up. “One sec. Gotta use the little girls’ room.” She used the restroom and then stared at herself in the mirror. Her strawberry blonde hair hung in tangles to her shoulders. The ends were frizzy, and it needed to be cut. Small lines had appeared at the corners of her gray eyes because she was so tired. The events of the day had caught up to her. Cassidy splashed some water on her face and then walked out of the bathroom. When she did, a man carrying a stack of folders collided with her. The folders scattered to the floor. “Sorry about that.” “Hey, no problem. Shit happens. The universe must have wanted us to bump into one another.” Cassidy looked up from the floor. She gathered the papers in her arms and peered into the warmest blue eyes she had ever seen. They belonged to an even handsomer man. His dark blond hair was the color of a haystack. He had a narrow face, but full, kissable lips. Those eyes sparkled with a calmness and laughter that seemed to be bottled up inside of him. He smiled, and she returned the gesture with ease. Something about him made it easy to get along with him, even though he was a complete stranger. Her body responded to him without her even having to think about or fake the attraction racing through her. “The universe, hmm? I’m not sure about that. I just happened to come out of the bathroom while you were walking by, and bam. Right into you. Sorry about that.” He shrugged. “Like I said, no worries.” He extended a free hand toward her. “I’m Henry.” Cassidy handed him the folders she had gathered and then took his hand. His grip was firm, but not overpowering. His big hands covered hers. She felt the heat rising in her face when she thought about what other attributes 22

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might be big about him too. She could only imagine what kind of a cock he had and could easily see herself riding him all night long. “Cassidy Sands.” “You’re Wade’s friend. The one he’s been going on and on about.” Henry released her hand and stood up. Cassidy nodded. “Yup. That’s me.” “Wade says you’re a wonderful photographer. Care to show me some of your work?” She blanched. “Ahh . . . well, now isn’t the best time . . . and . . .” Henry hit his forehead and rolled his eyes. “Of course not right now. Unless you have something better to do at this late hour besides sleeping. Maybe tomorrow night. We could have dinner. Perfectly in a professional sense, of course.” “Of course.” She smiled back. “Tomorrow night would be great. Although, I’m sure Wade told you, I’m only in town for a couple of weeks.” Henry shrugged. “If the Fates have given us only a few days of bliss together, then so be it. I can deal with that. I can meet you here.” “Sounds great. Around seven?” He took her hand and kissed the back of it, pressing his soft lips to her flesh and dragging them along her skin before he pulled away. He even did a little bow, which was kind of awkward with the files he was juggling. “Until then, beautiful Cassidy.” She chuckled and watched him head into the bar area. She leaned against the wall to get herself situated. The adrenaline that had been fueling her was burning off in her veins, and the lateness of the hour was finally getting to her since she had gotten up at seven that morning. A yawn moved up her throat, and she covered her mouth to ward it off. At the same time, she heard a door close and footsteps coming down the hall. “Bar’s closed.” She looked down the hall to see who the gruff voice belonged to. Standing with his arms crossed over his broad chest was Ronan. A flash of warmth went through her. She had hoped to see him again so she could thank him properly. After she was done giving her statement at the station, he had already departed. Now he was here. Wade had said something about 23

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the owner of the bar being somewhat reclusive. He lived up in the mountains and hardly ever came down into the bar until late at night. “Ronan, it’s Cassidy.” He stepped into the light. For a moment she thought his eyes shined with the illumination. Can’t be. Has to be my imagination. It took him a moment before he gave her a half smile. “Oh. It’s nice to see you again. I presume the cops got you back to your car.” “Yeah. Hey, I wanted to say thanks again for helping me this morning. It really meant a lot. You probably saved my life. If I hadn’t of come upon you fishing, then I don’t know what I would’ve done.” He shrugged. “Don’t mention it. You’re safe. That’s the most important thing. However, the bar is closed.” “Oh. I’m here with Wade, the bartender. He was closing out the cash register, and I was in the restroom. I hope that’s okay. He’s wanted to show me this place for a while. He loves it here.” “He’s a good employee, or so Henry tells me. He’s my manager. I only come in at nights to do the paperwork. It works out better for everyone if I don’t mix with the clientele.” “This is a nice place. You have a lot to be proud of.” The smile that formed on his lips was a genuine one this time. “Thanks.” What is he hiding behind? Why would someone purposefully keep themselves away from interacting with the public? “Could I buy you a drink or a bite to eat to say thanks and for dragging you away from your fishing?” His eyes widened. “I thought you had a date with Henry tomorrow night? I overheard you talking before.” “It shouldn’t matter if I go out with him and then with you too. I’m not looking to make any permanent attachments here. Wade’s been insisting I move in with him and share the rent. I’m not sure I want to move here and then get mugged again by the guy in the woods.” Ronan stepped a little closer to her. If she hadn’t known him from before, she would have taken a step back and been intimidated by his 24

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presence. Examining him now, he reminded her of a lumberjack. She could see the curves of his biceps pressing against his plaid shirt. His ragged jeans outlined the defined muscles of his legs. He had a presence that when he walked into the room, he was noticeable. Ronan could have been a wrestler. With his scruffy look, he was mouthwatering, and not the type of guy she normally would have gone for. Cassidy felt she had now gotten a glimpse of who he was underneath the gruff exterior. She wanted to peel back those layers and see what he was concealing. “Lupine Gorge isn’t a bad town. The only thing we’re known for is the abandoned silver mine, which you saw earlier today. You might like it here once you get past the rough edges.” He stepped closer to her until they were only a few inches apart. “Really?” She held her breath. Heat raced along Cassidy’s nerves from the attraction that gripped her. She placed her hand lightly on his chest and picked a piece of lint from his shirt. His nostrils flared, and his eyes had certainly taken on an amber hue. It made him all the more sexy. This close to him, she smelled the manly musk of his personal scent mixed with the aroma of the woods she had met him in earlier. She trailed her fingers over his chest, feeling the firmness of his pecs for herself. Ronan drew in a ragged breath. For a second he appeared nervous. “Yeah.” “So what about dinner?” “What about it?” he asked. She stood up on tiptoe, his stubble scratching along her chin, and pressed her lips to his. He stiffened, but didn’t pull away. Cassidy tugged on his bottom lip for a quick second before pulling away. The shock in his eyes was priceless. “You still want to get together?” “You’re booked tomorrow night.” “How about the day after? Saturday night?” Ronan searched her eyes. “Are you sure you want to do that? Most people don’t find me pleasant to be around.” “It’s the least I can do. It’s not every day I get rescued by a burly knight with a fishing pole.” Cassidy pressed against him, hoping he would get the 25

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hint that she wanted to get to know him a little better. She normally wasn’t into hooking up with guys, but she was attracted to him and wanted to make the best of her visit. It had been a long time since she had been with anyone. The last time was with Ben, and it had been breakup sex because he was a dick. Ronan didn’t seem like he was a dick, just a really lonely guy who needed some comfort. “No one has ever called me a knight before.” He placed his hand on her cheek. His touch was hesitant at first, but the warmth of his palm radiated along her flesh. It seemed he was afraid to touch her. After a moment, he swiped his thumb across her bottom lip. His eyes dilated the longer he looked at her, changing from amber to gold. Cassidy flicked her tongue over the pad of his thumb. Ronan tasted salty with a hint of beer. It made her want to feel more of him. “Well, you’re mine. How about I make dinner on Saturday?” “That sounds good.” “You have a specialty? Vegan? Steak? Allergic to eggs?” “The meatier, the better.” She smiled. “You sound like my kind of guy. I love veggies, but red meat is my favorite.” He rolled his eyes and flashed her a genuine smile. “My kind of girl.” He leaned in closer until his lips were centimeters from hers. She stepped into his body until her breasts crushed against his chest. Her nipples tightened at the thought of kissing him once more. Her heart skipped a few beats at the excitement of it all. She drew in a breath and waited for his lips to touch hers once more. “Yo, Cass. You ready to go?” Wade called from down the hall. Ronan stepped back, and Cassidy hung her head. She glanced over her shoulder and threw Wade a look. “What the hell?” she mouthed. He shrugged. “Sorry.” She turned back to Ronan. “Guess I should call it a night.” “Guess so. What time on Saturday?” “Six thirty. Gives me time to cook. You bring dessert, though.” He nodded. “Okay. Anything in particular?” 26

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“No coconut. Surprise me.” Ronan chuckled. “I can do that.” “Good. See you then, Ronan.” Cassidy went to meet Wade in the other room. He didn’t say anything as they walked out to the parking lot. He stopped by her rental and looked back toward the bar with a disgruntled look on his face. She rarely saw her friend get so mad. “What? Do you have a problem with me asking those guys out?” she asked. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to go out with Henry and Ronan? They’re my bosses.” She shrugged. “When did you become my father? You’ve never really butted in when it came to me dating guys before.” Wade sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well I care. Sue me. I’ve heard rumors about Ronan since I’ve worked here. People say he’s a recluse and stays on the mountain so he won’t cause trouble with the locals. Some years back, he got into a pretty bad fight with someone, and that guy was scarred for life. Do you really want to get involved with a guy who is a loose cannon? And Henry chases anything with tits. I don’t want to see you get hurt. After what you went through with Ben, you don’t want to get in bed with another psycho. You know that I could take care of you.” The shock that went through her at his statement took a minute for her to digest. “Since when do you have an interest?” He rolled his eyes. “I’m not saying that I have an interest in you that way. I’m just saying that you don’t need other men. Besides, you need to get over Ben.” Cassidy fought the rising irritation she felt about her friend butting into her love life. Wade meant well. He was her best friend. They always had a lot of fun when they went trolling for men at the bars. They had met when she was in college in Boston and he worked at one of the local clubs. Then he got a job that allowed him to travel all over the country, so she wouldn’t see him for months on end. Then, when he did come back into town, they would hit all the clubs, and then Wade would disappear again. He was always 27

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there when she needed to talk, though. After all his bugging, she had come to North Carolina. She knew that he wanted her to relocate and move in with him. It was something she was volleying around. But first, she had to see how the rest of her trip went. He’s just being overprotective because of what happened earlier. “Trust me. I’m so over that asshole. He had the audacity to confront me right before I was leaving and demand to know where I was going.” “Did you tell him?” “No! I told him to fuck off and get it through his thick skull that we weren’t together anymore. Then I called the police and told them he was violating the protective order I had. He didn’t stick around for them to show up. So you see, I can handle myself. Besides, Ronan doesn’t seem to be such a bad guy. He’s rough around the edges.” “Rough?” Wade scoffed. “Okay. Jagged. Sharp enough to cut myself on. So he doesn’t have much in the way of people skills. He saved my ass this morning, and I want to make it up to him. He’s all rugged and lumberjacky. Makes me want to climb him and find out where he’s hiding his ax. And there’s something about Henry. Come on. I’m on vacation. Let me have some fun.” Wade laughed, and it lit up his eyes. The boisterous sound echoed in the night. It was good to see he was happy here. Cassidy was glad he was fitting in even though Lupine Gorge was a small one-stoplight town that she could barely find on the GPS. “I admit he’s a hunk, but just be careful. Henry and him are best friends. And you deserve to have some fun.” “Hmm . . . well I guess I have to be extra careful and seduce both of them so I don’t hurt their feelings.” “You are such a vixen.” She tossed her hair behind her shoulder. “You know it. Don’t think I won’t push you out of my way to get what I want.” “Seriously, though. You okay from what happened today?” “Yeah. I’ll be fine. Nothing to worry about. Just a little scare.”

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“Good, ’cause I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to my best friend. I’m not saying don’t hook up with either Ronan or Henry, just play it safe. The people here are a close-knit community. When I arrived, they were still recovering from the murders.” Cassidy dug into the pocket of her jeans for her keys and then stopped. “Whoa. You never said anything about any murders.” “I didn’t want to frighten you. There was a serial killer roaming the woods and leaving the girls’ bodies within the town boundaries. The guy I rent the house from is one of the ones who brought in the killer. Mika is a nice guy. When I asked him about it, he told me it was old news and something I shouldn’t be poking my nose into. So I took the hint.” She punched Wade’s shoulder. “What the hell were you thinking? Did it occur to you that the guy I was attacked by might be some copycat killer? He was dragging me to this old silver mine up in the woods. Damn it, Wade!” “Sorry, Cass. I really wanted to see you, and I didn’t want you to get scared off by the tragedy that happened here. I mean, come on, that guy in the forest was probably some pervert. Do you really think he’s a copycat? That shit just doesn’t happen every day, and it normally comes about in the movies or one of those crime television shows.” She opened the door to the car. “Get in. I’m so beating your ass up tomorrow when I wake up.” He kissed her cheek before getting into the car. “Love you too.” She rolled her eyes and then slid into the driver’s seat. “Whatever. You’re still a pain in my ass.” “Makes you want to move here after all because you missed me? And to get away from the cold.” “I don’t know. This is the mountains. It still gets as cold here as it does back in Boston. Less snow does sound wonderful, though, and it is nice here.” “See? I’m already winning you over.” “Just shut up and give me directions back to your place. I’m tired, and I want to dream about the two men who I’m having dinner with. I deserve a good wet dream.” 29

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“Don’t we all.”

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Chapter Four Ronan watched Cassidy pull away with Wade. He had overheard most of the conversation and cringed when Wade mentioned the murders that had plagued the small town only months before. The bartender had tried to downplay the serial killers who had terrorized the town. He hoped the man who had attacked Cassidy wasn’t the partner of the murderer who had been caught. They still didn’t know who the other killer was. Samuel had lost the faith of the pack. He hadn’t come when the pack was called, and everyone had wondered if he had anything to do with it. Ronan had wondered the same thing. Now that Tyler was back in town, he wouldn’t put it past him to be a fucked-up asswipe who desired to hurt people. He didn’t trust the other wolf and had half expected him to be following Cassidy. When Ronan thought about his encounter with Cassidy in the bar, he wasn’t sure what to make of it. Not many people came up to him, and no one ever asked him out for dinner. At first, he’d assumed she was kidding, but after she kissed him and he smelled her sweet desire wafting, he knew she was serious. Cassidy was an attractive woman, and knowing she was also going out with Henry ruffled his fur. Ronan couldn’t fathom her dating his friend. The image of him pawing all over her and whispering sweet nothings into her ear forced a growl from his throat. Henry always had a way with the ladies. He didn’t care if he had one-night stands or not. It was all about getting laid. Something about his calming Zen master persona attracted woman with an ease Ronan had always been jealous of. He was even that way with other pack members. Ronan had hoped they might turn their eyes to him, but ever since his encounter with Tyler, the pack had branded him a troublemaker, so they kept away. It was easy to keep that label. After all the years, his selfproclaimed solitude had spread over him into a thick wall that even he found tiring to come out from behind these days. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to get involved with Cassidy. I should just call it off and leave her to Henry. She’ll have a good time. They’ll have a good tumble. Besides, she’ll be gone soon. No point to get attached to someone passing through. 31

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His wolf clawed at his mind at the idea of not seeing Cassidy. It was a strange experience because the animal inside of him had never before disagreed with a decision he had made. It appeared the beast wanted some claim to Cassidy he wasn’t aware of. He wasn’t going to deny that side of him. He never had. Sure, he had tried to tame it. Look where that had gotten him, nearly an exile from the pack. But at least he was still part of it. “Looking for something?” Ronan spun around and saw Tyler leaning against the door of his bar. The other wolf ran his hand over the wooden frame. “What are you doing here?” “I have family in this town. I belong in the pack. I have every reason to be here, especially when you owe me. I’m sure we can trade, the bar in exchange for the house, or vice versa. Or we can go halfsies on everything, including the woman who you seem so enamored with. She was sweet the first time I saw her, but she’s downright delectable now. The curves under those jeans. Nice tits too.” The wolf in him lunged forward, but making a public scene was not going to get him anywhere. Ronan’s muscles tightened, and his teeth lengthened. It was arduous to keep his control. The bones in his neck and back cracked. The prickle of fur ran through his body as it pressed into the underside of his flesh. “Get the hell out of here,” Ronan said through clenched teeth. Tyler stepped forward, staying an arm’s length from him, and wagged his finger, taunting him even further. “No can do. I’m not doing any harm. Am I?” He looked over into the shadows. The sheriff stepped out of the darkness. “He’s right. He isn’t doing anything wrong. Be careful, Ronan. Don’t want to get yourself into any more trouble.” He snarled and then backed away. It took everything in him not to attack either of the men before him. “He might not be doing anything wrong, but keep him away from Cassidy.” “Have you laid claim to her?” Samuel asked.

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“We haven’t gotten that far yet. By human rules, and wolf ones, we’re getting started. It was clear by the way he approached her earlier, she was afraid of him. I wouldn’t say that she wanted to be claimed by Tyler. So keep him away from her.” Samuel glanced at his brother. “Is this true? Were you tormenting a woman?” Tyler turned up a corner of his mouth, which Ronan supposed was a smile. He held up his hands and shrugged. “I wasn’t threatening her. Just getting a little friendly. She was with him, and she had a nice ass. I wanted a piece of her.” The sheriff stepped closer to his brother until their noses almost touched. “You will leave her alone. It’s bad enough the pack doesn’t trust me. I don’t need any more discord right now.” “You’re such a buzzkill, bro.” “I mean it.” Tyler threw up his hands in defeat and walked off toward the parking lot. “Fine.” The sheriff turned back to Ronan. “He won’t bother her again. I’ll make sure of that. I’ll talk to Cooper about him bothering you.” “Thanks, Samuel. Why the sudden change of heart? This afternoon you were about ready to rip my head off when I came in and mentioned your brother was back in town.” Samuel sighed and adjusted his belt. Ronan’s eyes rested on his gun. He waited for the other man to draw it. “I hadn’t seen him yet. And it’s rare you ever come into the station. What was I supposed to think about you claiming another woman was attacked? Then I read the report and saw the knife she had brought in with her. Plus, there was a call about a missing girl today.” “Have you guys found her?” Ronan asked. “No. We haven’t. I’ve talked to Cooper, and he was going to send out a small search party later tonight.” Ronan nodded. “I’ll keep my ears open then. Thanks for keeping an eye on Tyler for me. Try to make him stay away from Cassidy.” 33

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“Why you so concerned about this woman?” “Because she . . . I don’t know.” He threw up his hands. “I’m still trying to figure that out.” He stuck out his hand, and Samuel took it. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome. Have a good night.” Ronan turned and went back to his Jeep. He took the winding road up to his cabin and couldn’t get Cassidy out of his mind or his nose. Her scent was pressed into his clothes. It was a mixture of mint and mango from her hair. He opened the door to his cabin and pulled his shirt off. He pressed the fabric to his nose and inhaled. He rubbed it along his skin to keep her scent close to him. The urge to turn into a wolf and roll all over it ran through him. Ronan slung the shirt over a chair and then built up a fire. Its warmth soaked into his bones. He was semitired, but the urge to check on Cassidy overwhelmed him. The report of the missing girl had him on edge. Maybe it was only a coincidence that she had disappeared the same day Tyler returned. Chance my ass. Fear for Cassidy’s safety grappled him. Had she truly gotten away from the man who had pursued her? Maybe he was watching her still. I have to make sure she is okay. He slipped off his pants, secured the house, and then let the wolf out of his cage. It was more comfortable for him to be in wolf skin than human form. The only reason he had to concentrate on keeping the wolf at bay was that it was so easy for him to slip his skin and take on his fur. It was natural, and since he had no human besides Henry he wanted to be around, he had no reason to be on two legs. Now that Cassidy was in town, he wasn’t sure what he wanted except to make sure she was okay. He ambled through the woods and down the mountain until he found himself outside of the house where Cassidy was staying. A light was on in one of the rooms. Ronan trotted around the house until he came to the lighted window. The curtains were parted. He moved closer until he was staring into Cassidy’s bedroom. She wore nothing but a tank top that showed off her tanned skin and toned arms. Her pink panties covered her golden curls. He could imagine ripping those away and pressing his face into that downy patch and feeling the heat of her folds along his face with the perfume of her sex in his nose. Thinking about her made him lose his 34

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concentration. Before he knew it, Ronan was kneeling outside her window in human form. He had hardly felt a twinge of pain when he transformed back. Even with his eyesight sharper than a human’s, she was still challenging to see in the low light. He went closer and pressed his nose to the glass. The warmth from his breath fogged the window. When Cassidy turned off the bedside light, he ducked down in case she saw him. As he peered back in, he had a direct view of her lying in the bed. I really shouldn’t be doing this. She appears to be fine. I should go back to the cabin and wait to hear if Cooper calls. The rational side of him knew it was best for him to go because if she found him, she would call him a Peeping Tom. Tyler would love to rub that in his face, being arrested for staring at a human woman. If he went to jail, then it would give Tyler an in to pursue Cassidy. Ronan couldn’t have that. Cassidy lay on top of the covers with her hair spilling onto the pillow, a beautiful halo surrounding her head. She was an angel who had come to wake him up from the hell he had been in, and he was finally realizing it. Cassidy seemed uncomfortable and adjusted the pillows. She slid her hands over her stomach. He thought about slipping away soundlessly, but when he saw her hand settle on top of her panties and then slide underneath the thin fabric, he froze. Watching her kept him riveted to the spot. Ronan watched with fascination as she began to touch herself. He caught a glimpse of her golden curls, and they were more inviting than he had imagined. His cock hardened. Ronan reached down and touched it. He had to have her. It wasn’t a desire. It was an urge that he had to fulfill. I will do anything to make her mine. She rubbed herself and spread her legs open further, giving him a glimpse of her moist folds. Oh fuck, this is so wrong. But I want her so bad, and this is too tempting. He pulled his hand along his cock and pumped faster. His heart rapped along in his chest. Ronan tried to hear her through the glass. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard her moaning. Cassidy’s back arched off the bed. Her hips lifted slightly and then slammed down. He ran his hands along his shaft. His control was slipping faster and faster. The wolf was riding along with him. Her back rose once more off the comforter and then settled back on the bed. A piece of her hair stuck to her cheek. Her 35

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skin was rosy. Her breath was easing out. He imagined her reaching toward him and calling his name. He bit his lip to keep in the groan that rolled in his chest. Seeing her that way, so vulnerable, so beautiful, was something he hadn’t imagined. Her scent, still imprinted into his skin, came to his nose again. He pictured himself touching Cassidy’s plump breasts, and then he came, spilling his seed onto the frozen ground. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe. He’d kill anyone or anything that got in his way, even his best friend. Ronan looked inside her window one last time. At the same time, he heard a long howl echoing in the woods. A moment later, he heard another one. Then more wolf voices joined the chorus. The pack was gathering. Seeing Cassidy lying peacefully on the bed, he knew she was okay for now. Although he didn’t want to leave her, it was his duty to meet up with the pack. They were probably going to search for the missing girl Samuel had mentioned. With one last look, Ronan pulled himself away from her window. He began running and shed his two-legged form, hoping they wouldn’t come across the body of the girl they were searching for.

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Chapter Five Cassidy pulled her fingers through her hair one last time and checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. I can do this. It’s just dinner. Henry seems to be a nice guy. So does Ronan. I did dream about him last night. She dabbed lipstick onto her lower lip and smiled. He was by my window, watching me while I was masturbating. Couldn’t have been real, though, just the way the wolf howls weren’t real. Warmth spread along her nerves thinking about him. If he enjoyed watching, then she had some things in store for him. Just get through tonight, and then I can look forward to dinner tomorrow night. She got out of the car and headed into the Wolf’s Paw. Cassidy half expected Tyler to be waiting for her so he could terrorize her once more. When she walked in, Tyler was nowhere to be seen. Wade was behind the bar and winked when he noticed her. Next to him, Henry was dressed in khaki pants and a nice polo shirt. His hair hung loose around his shoulders. He picked up a bouquet of flowers and handed them over to her. The aroma of Old Spice wafted to her nose. Being close to him, she could see he was toned too, just not in the way Ronan was. Henry was more of a wiry geek who was hot. She could see herself with him. Actually, she could see herself with Ronan and him, the two of them keeping her warm. She was between them while they slid their cocks inside of her, one inside her pussy and the other maybe in her ass, just so they were both mounting her. She felt the blood rise to her cheeks and pushed the image away. “For you, my beautiful lady.” Henry took her hand and kissed it, slowly dragging his lips over her skin. The caress made her tingle, and something about his blue eyes held her transfixed. Cassidy brought the flowers to her nose, smelling the daisies, baby’s breath, and lilies. The scent was intoxicating. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.” “You’re welcome. But nothing compares to your beauty. Not even the moon.” He held out his arm. “Will you accompany me to dinner?” “Dinner sounds wonderful. Let me powder my nose first.” Henry smiled. “Okay.”

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Cassidy brushed her lips across Henry’s cheek and then slipped past him. She made it into the bathroom and then double-checked her makeup. She stared into the mirror and gathered her wits. Everything was going to be fine. She was going to have a nice dinner and enjoy herself. Henry didn’t seem like Ben. Someone else came in. She drew herself up and then slid into the hallway. “Don’t you look smashing?” She froze at the sound of the voice. It’s not possible. Cassidy turned and saw Ben leaning against the wall. He wore a baseball cap, a thick leather jacket, and some dark blue jeans. His intense green eyes held her gaze. The sense of revulsion he provoked in her turned her stomach. His smile widened to show his even teeth. “What the fuck are you doing here?” “Just came to see if you got to North Carolina okay. You didn’t think that I wouldn’t check on you, did you?” “You can’t be here. You shouldn’t be here. It goes against the restraining order that I have on you. Haven’t you gotten the fucking hint yet? I don’t want to go out with you,” Cassidy yelled at him. “Hey, is everything okay?” Henry came down the hallway. He glanced between the two of them. She inched closer to him and pointed at Ben. “This man has threatened me and won’t believe that I don’t want anything else to do with him. We broke up six months ago. I have a restraining order against him.” Henry growled and stepped toward Ben. “I suggest that you leave this woman alone and get the hell out of my bar before I call the cops.” Cassidy stared at Ben. He looked between Henry and her. A smirk appeared on his lips. “I can take the hint. Cass, be seeing you.” He slipped past Henry and walked toward the main room of the bar. Henry drew her into his arms and held her. She couldn’t stop shaking from the encounter. How in the world had he found her? Had he been monitoring her e-mail or her calls? She clung to him for a moment and then pulled away. “Are you okay?” Henry asked. 38

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She nodded and wiped her eyes. “I’m fine. Thank you for handling that.” “So he’s your ex?” “Yeah. He started to get real possessive and bossing me around. A couple of times, I brushed it off, but he almost hit me once, came at me with this wild look on his face. I knew then that he was nuts. So I broke it off with him, but he kept on coming back, following me, leaving me notes. I don’t know how he found out that I was coming here.” Her anger roiled her insides that Ben still affected her the way he did. Henry smoothed her hair. “Would you rather we call it a night?” “No. I need a good time to forget all this crap. I’ll go to the sheriff tomorrow and inform him.” Henry smiled and took her hand. He brushed his lips across her knuckles. The gesture warmed her heart and began to unwind the knots in her stomach. “That is a smart idea. Would you like a minute, or are you ready to go?” “I’m ready.” She slung her arm around his waist. Feeling his tight body next to hers comforted her. She smiled and thought about the good time she was going to have for the rest of the night. **** “Hey, are you all right?” She blinked and looked at Henry across the table at the restaurant. “Sorry. Yeah, I’m fine. I guess I’m still dealing with what happened earlier and the attack yesterday. I don’t mean to be a drag. I thought I’d be fine.” “You’re not a drag.” He slid his hand over hers. “Thanks. I appreciate that.” Cassidy pushed away her encounter with Ben and tried to think about other things. “So how do you know Ronan?” Henry leaned back and scratched his head. “Gosh. We grew up together. Why do you ask?” “Sorry. I was just curious because he saved me the other night. Wade mentioned him being reclusive.”

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“That’s mostly because of something that happened when he was younger.” “Yeah, you mean whatever was between him and Tyler?” He nodded. “Yeah. Ronan was defending me. Tyler was always the bully. I was the runt of the litter, so to speak. He always picked on me. Ronan always stuck up for me, and this time it got a little out of hand. Ronan scarred Tyler. He and his family were made to pay for the medical bills. It nearly bankrupted the family. Tyler left the town for a while. He’s also the sheriff’s younger brother.” “Wonderful,” she muttered. “I wouldn’t worry about him. He’s harmless. Besides, you have me and Ronan to look out for you while you’re in town.” “It doesn’t bother you that I’m having dinner with your best friend tomorrow night?” His calmness oozed out of his pores and affected her so that she wasn’t as uptight as she had been before. “If that’s the way it’s supposed to be, then so be it. I’m not going to harp about it. Besides, if tonight went well, I was going to see if you might accompany me back to my place.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. Cassidy chuckled. “Maybe if you play your cards right. The flowers were a good step. This dinner is another one. And so was saving me from my evil ex. Honestly, I’m not the kind of girl who does the one-night stand thing or gets involved with guys that I hardly know.” “There’s always a first for everything. I’m not going to pressure you. I’m not that kind of man. But for you, I’d be anything.” She shook her head. “You’re funny. I appreciate that. I don’t know what it is about you, but I do really like you.” “I hope my singing voice doesn’t throw off your decision of me.” “Oh no! Please don’t tell me this place has a karaoke machine. I can’t sing for the life of me. My mother always said I was tone deaf.” Henry was about to answer when their food arrived. She had ordered chicken piccata with extra mushrooms. He had ordered a rare steak. She took a bite of the chicken, and it melted in her mouth. 40

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Cassidy thought about what she had said to Henry about not doing onenight stands, and here she was contemplating it. There is something about these guys that I’m drawn to. Something about them that I can’t figure out. “How is your dinner?” “It’s really good,” she said. “Anna is the best chef in town. We’re lucky to have her. But not as lucky as I am to be sitting here with you. The universe has been good to me on this night.” “You really go with the flow of things?” “Best to master your emotions than let them get the better of you. I learned that after my run-in with Tyler. He was the reason why Ronan stepped in and did what he did. We’ve been friends for many years, and he’s always been there for me. When I proposed he open the bar, he grumbled about it until I told him it was a good idea to help him interact with people. It’s not good for him to stay up on the mountain all the time. So I became the manager. After a few incidents of him losing his temper with some of the patrons, I suggested he try something to wrangle his anger.” “Hence the fishing.” Henry laughed. “Yeah. He bitches and moans that he hates it, but I know he secretly enjoys it. If he didn’t, he would’ve stopped a long time ago. It has helped him tame his inner beast.” “Good to know. How about we finish dinner and think about dessert?” “Really?” “Yeah, really.” She ran her finger along his arm. At her touch, she felt his muscles quiver. “Sounds good to me. I have some chocolate back at my place.” “I love chocolate. I especially enjoy licking it off my fingers. Maybe other places too.” “You keep talking that way, and we won’t need to go back to my place. I’ll pull you into the men’s bathroom and fuck you right there.” Cassidy dropped her shoe and then ran her foot along his inner thigh until her toe hit the erection that strained against his pants. He jumped when

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she touched him. “I have to veto the bathroom. I’m more of a bed kinda girl.” He gripped the edge of the table. His knuckles were white from clutching it so hard. “God, you make me so hot.” “I’ll make you even hotter later. Want to get the check?” Henry nodded. He signaled the waitress when she walked by. Cassidy took another couple of bites of her chicken. Henry paid the check, and then they got up to leave. He slid his hand around her waist and settled it on the top of her ass. Cassidy jerked from the sudden contact. “Is this okay?” “Yeah.” The cool spring air ran a chill through her when they walked outside. He walked her to the car and stood her against the passenger-side door. His body heat kept her warm. Henry pressed his lips to hers. She pushed herself against him, feeling his taut body. I can see myself with him. Oh yeah. He’ll be great with his clothes off. Tonight is going to be good. She giggled. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and Frenched her. Cassidy dragged her hands over his back and clutched his ass. The door handle pushed into her left ass cheek, making her uncomfortable. She broke the kiss and was about to say something when she heard a growl. “What the hell?” Henry turned toward the sound. “Don’t move, Cassidy.” She glanced over his shoulder and saw a large red wolf glaring at them. Its teeth were bared, and the hair on its back was raised. Henry stepped toward the wolf. “You know better than to come out in public. Get the hell out of here before anyone sees you.” The wolf snapped at him and advanced. “What the fuck are you doing, Henry?” Cassidy asked, not sure she was seeing right that he was talking to the animal that had stepped into the parking lot. He pressed the keys into her hand. “Go around the car slowly and get into the driver’s seat. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” “What? No. Not without you.” 42

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“Don’t argue with me on this. It won’t hurt me.” Cassidy saw the determined look in his eye and knew he wasn’t going to back down. She studied the wolf. It held its golden gaze on her. Henry kept himself between the wolf and her while she inched around the car. When she was halfway around the vehicle, another wolf crept out of the shadows. Henry growled at the other wolf and lunged at it. It didn’t back off. She fumbled with the keys to the car, but dropped them to the ground. When she reached down to get them, another growl rumbled in her ear. She looked up slowly. A third wolf stared directly at her. She held up her hands. “Nice wolf. Good boy.” The wolf stepped closer, blocking her path. Henry was still behind her, fending off the other two wolves. She started to rise. The wolf lunged and landed on top of her. The force of the impact knocked her into the pavement. Pain exploded in her head, and her vision clouded. The weight of the wolf on top of her didn’t vanish. Its rotten breath blasted against her face. Cassidy heard Henry’s voice yelling at her through a tunnel. Before he could get to her, powerful jaws ripped into her shoulder and scraped the bone. She cried out in agony. The wolf was suddenly gone, but her life still flashed before her eyes. The next thing she knew, Henry was above her. Ronan had appeared on her other side like magic. Cassidy tried to focus on what they were saying, but a burning sensation had started to spread from her shoulder and throughout her body with every beat of her heart. Soon the blaze burned away at her brain, and she knew nothing else.

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Chapter Six The dread that filled Ronan stole his breath as he stared at Cassidy’s contorting body. He gritted his teeth and felt the wolf rising inside of him again. It clawed at his mind so it could go after Tyler. Henry knelt across from him. Ronan’s skin tightened. The wolf was emerging whether he willed it to or not. His friend grabbed his wrist and stared at him. “No. Now is not the time to be chasing after him. We have to focus on Cassidy.” “He bit her against her will. He has to pay. I’ll tear his throat out,” Ronan snapped. He felt the bones in his cheeks rearranging, making room for sharper teeth. “That’s what he wants. Tyler wants you to go after him so he can say that you provoked him in some manner. Don’t give in to him. Focus, Ronan. We have to get her into a cold bath. If the fever gets too high, she can burn out.” Ronan glanced at Cassidy. She was rolling on the ground and attracting attention. The transformation had started and brought on the fever. Seeing her writhing coiled his stomach into knots. He curled his hands into fists and pushed back the wolf. It took all his concentration. He scooped her up in his arms. Her skin was already damp with sweat. The soft skin he had touched. The perfect lips he had kissed. Now small moans slipped from them. Ronan held her close to his body and stared at Henry. “Your place is closest.” “It’s not fit for her to be there.” “And yet you were going to take her there to fuck her.” His friend grumbled and opened the car door. Ronan slid into the backseat, clutching Cassidy to him. Holding her close helped to calm her. She continued to mumble and shake. He smoothed the hair from her face and kissed her forehead. “You have to hold on. It’ll be okay,” he whispered to her. They pulled up outside of Henry’s and rushed inside the house. Cassidy’s teeth were chattering. Sweat had soaked through her clothes. Ronan rushed 44

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into the bathroom. He quickly pulled off her shoes and socks and then sat her in the tub. Her eyes shot open, and a pained expression crossed her face. She looked at him, but he didn’t see recognition in her gaze. “What else do we need to do?” Ronan glanced at the panicked man. “Get some ice cubes to cool her down. Call Dawn and Cooper. Cassidy might want a female presence when she wakes up. Cooper needs to know there’s now another member of the pack and that Tyler is a menace.” Ronan had never dealt with anyone who had been bitten. He had heard the stories, though, and the fever flared through them. The one bitten either came out of it or they didn’t. Everything in him wanted Cassidy to come out of it changed. He wasn’t sure how she was going to react, but he doubted it would be with an open mind. Humans thought his kind were merely something out of horror movies. Those flicks did his species no justice. Who ever heard of a werewolf who could stand on two legs and was bound by the moon? It was bad enough the myths said wolves were killed by silver bullets and that was all it took. Granted, they were harder to kill than the average human, but enough damage committed to their bodies, and they were dead just like everyone else. Henry came back in with his ice bin full of ice and dumped it into the water. Ronan gathered the ice over Cassidy’s heart, trying to stop its frantic beating. She moaned in pain. Her breath came in pants. The cold water seemed to be helping because she wasn’t convulsing any longer. That was a good sign, he hoped. “I called Dawn. She can’t come at the moment, but she said that we did the right thing by getting her in the tub. Once the water warms, refill it with cold water and then put her in bed covered with blankets. Someone is going to have to sit with her until she wakes up if she can’t come over before that.” Ronan swore under his breath. He had no idea how to handle this kind of shit. It would have been nice if the pack’s doctor were here to focus on the pack and not the rest of the town. “What about Cooper?” Henry glanced at him. “Are you sure you want him here?”

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“Damn it. Call him. I did not provoke this. I should’ve killed Tyler when I had the chance. He only attacked her because Tyler thought I wanted her. She didn’t deserve this.” He picked up Cassidy’s hand and kissed the back of it. Her skin was clammy, cold and hot at the same time from the water and her elevated body temperature. “You care for her?” Henry asked. Ronan glanced at his friend and saw the light of surprise in them. He sighed and then looked back at her. Everything in him melted. The knots in his stomach wound even tighter from worry. “I don’t know what it is about her. I don’t expect her to return the feelings because we don’t know one another, but something about her gets under my skin.” “How did you feel about me going out with her tonight?” “Were you planning on getting lucky?” Henry smiled. “That was the idea, but whatever the universe wants. If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be.” “Oh, cut the shit. Are you attracted to her, or were you going to dump her after the one night?” Henry’s face grew serious, and small lines crunched the corners of his eyes. “I like her. What happened to her is a travesty. This isn’t the way to come into the pack. It should’ve been her choice. I’ve known a couple of wolves who were bitten, and it drove them crazy. They decided to commit suicide because they couldn’t deal with it. I’ll go call Cooper.” Ronan glanced back at Cassidy. Her teeth were chattering, and she was shivering all over. He thought about taking her clothes off, but figured he would wait until they put her into the bed. We certainly can’t dress her in any of Henry’s dirty laundry. Hmm. She might not want that either. Maybe we should get something of hers. Henry came back in. “I called Cooper. He’s on his way. Anything else I can do?” “Call Wade and tell him to bring her suitcase down here.” “Do you really want to bring him into this? Cooper won’t approve.” “I don’t care what he thinks. He has a stick up his ass anyway. Wade’s been here long enough to know that something’s different about the town. I 46

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think he has his eye on someone in the pack. He’s going to find out eventually.” “Fine. I’ll call him too and then clean up my bedroom. It’s not fit to have her in there.” “And you thought you were going to get lucky tonight.” “Gotta keep my options open,” Henry called, walking down the hall. Ronan wedged himself between the clothes hamper and tub so that he could be a little more comfortable. He touched the water, and it had started to warm. Sighing, he lifted Cassidy gently and let the water drain from the tub. He added more cold water until it was up around Cassidy’s chest. He grabbed a towel and patted her face. He wasn’t used to caring for a woman. Or anyone, for that matter. Ronan had figured he would end up a lifelong bachelor, fishing when he could, tending to the needs of the bar. Now that Cassidy had entered his life, that had changed. He would do anything to win her affections. His wolf agreed with him and whined inside his mind. They looked longingly to her prostrate form in the bathtub. When he thought about her with Henry, the hair stood up on the back of his neck. He’d never had that reaction before with his friend. All it had taken was the kiss they had shared. The idea of sharing Cassidy wasn’t appealing to him. Before, when he had helped her, it had irked him she had interrupted his fishing. Looking back at that now, he saw what a strong spirit she had. She had escaped the man who had held her captive. That spirit would get her through this. I know that you can take whatever is thrown your way. Even waking up and discovering you’re not wholly human any longer. Please don’t run away scared until you figure out what has happened to you. Ronan trailed his fingers over her cheek. A small whimper escaped her lips. It set his heart on edge. He dipped the towel in the water. Then he peeled away her shirt from her shoulder. Deep teeth marks where Tyler had bitten her were sunk into the muscle of her shoulder. Tyler hadn’t rendered her shoulder into strings of meat, which was good. It would be easier for her to heal. He had bitten so that the virus would infiltrate her system. Tyler had done it to crawl under Ronan’s skin and provoke him. He dabbed at the 47

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wound and tried to clean away the dried blood. Once he cleansed the wound, he could see it was already starting to close. That was a good sign. It meant her metabolism was adjusting already to being a shifter. Ronan couldn’t help but lower his eyes to her puckered nipples that poked against her shirt. Lust stirred within him. He tore his gaze from her chest and pushed the primal stirrings away. “I never thought I’d see the day. Ronan rescuing a human woman.” He growled and then looked over at the doorway. The snarl died on his lips when he saw Cooper, his pack leader. Everything in him said to bow his head before the other man, but he held Cooper’s gaze. “Do you see what Tyler did to her?” Cooper stepped into the bathroom and glanced down at Cassidy’s waterlogged form. “Did she ask to be turned?” Ronan lunged at the other man. He stopped within inches of the pack leader’s face. “Do you think she asked to be turned? Tyler attacked her and Henry. Because every woman I know begs to be turned into a werewolf when I don’t even know her.” He scoffed. Cooper didn’t react to the display. “Calm down. I have to ask. It’s in the job description. Tell me what happened with this woman and why you’re so attached to her if she doesn’t know who or what you are?” Ronan sighed and glanced back at Cassidy. She seemed okay. The urge to be with her speared his being. He wasn’t about to leave, so he sat on the toilet and told the pack leader the whole story, from how he first met Cassidy, to Tyler showing up in his cabin, to how he was supposed to have dinner with her tomorrow night. He left out the part about spying on her. Cooper’s muscles tensed the longer he listened. His eye twitched when he heard about Tyler and his threats. “You didn’t do anything to provoke him?” “How can I provoke him when he just showed up out of nowhere after being gone for ten years? Then he says that he’s going to go to the council and make me pay reparations. His family was already paid because I scarred him and he went after Henry.” “I know. Tyler came to me and pleaded his case.” 48

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“What did you say?” Cooper smiled. “I turned him down. Ronan, you’re a good man. You follow the laws. You deserve some happiness. I’ve already told Tyler and warned our dear sheriff that if his brother doesn’t leave town, then the pack would be after him. And I’ve put Samuel on high alert for the man who tried to kidnap Cassidy. I’m not sure, but he might be the one who snatched that missing girl. He is the priority. I realize you helped us last night, but I want all my wolves on this. Do you understand?” “Of course.” Ronan was in shock that Cooper had said no to Tyler. “You seem shocked that I would side with you and not him.” “I am. I never expected you to even think twice about me. Everyone steers clear of me, afraid they’ll set me off.” Cooper laid his hand on Ronan’s shoulder. “I think you don’t give yourself enough credit. They don’t avoid you. You avoid them. When she wakes up and is oriented, I want to see her so I can get the information on her attack.” “I’ll do that. Thank you, Cooper.” “No sweat.” The pack leader left the bathroom. After a moment, Henry stuck his head in. “Wade’s here with Cassidy’s things. He—” Wade rushed into the bathroom. “Where is she? What did you do to her?” Ronan grabbed him. Wade backed up, a look of horror etched across his face. The horror turned to anger. Unexpectedly, he slugged Ronan, catching him right on the jaw. Henry caught the bartender and held him across the chest. “Wade, you have to calm down, or I’m going to kick you out of the house. Then you won’t see Cassidy until this is all over. You understand?” Ronan saw the hate and murder in his eyes. “Fine,” Wade said, seething. “Let him go, Henry.” He nodded. His friend released Wade. He darted over to Cassidy and lifted her head. “What did you do to her? Did you make her into what you are?” 49

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“You know about us?” Ronan asked. “Of course I know. Did you think I wouldn’t pick it up working at the bar or hearing wolf howls in the middle of the night?” “We didn’t do this to her. She was attacked by a rogue wolf. He did it to piss me off and get me to react,” Ronan explained. “The fever has set in, and she’s turning.” “Can I stay here until she wakes up?” Wade asked. Henry stared at Ronan and shrugged. “Your call.” Ronan sighed. “Okay. You can help me get her into bed.” “So you can take advantage of her. I saw how you were looking at her at the bar the other night.” “Wade, remember, I’m your boss, so talking back to me might not be the best thing in the world.” Wade walked up to him until they were almost nose to nose, but he was shorter than Ronan. “She’s my friend. She’s been through enough, especially with her previous boyfriend, who was a possessive asshole. I won’t have you molesting her when she’s unconscious.” “I wasn’t even thinking that. I respect her.” Wade grunted. “I’ll see that when I believe it.” Ronan tested the water. It was warm again. He lifted Cassidy out of the tub and then pushed by Wade. He carried her into Henry’s bedroom while his friend eyed him. Wade slipped in behind them. “Will you excuse me so I can get her dressed?” Wade stared at Ronan. “Can you lift her by yourself, Wade?” Henry asked. “Let’s get these wet clothes off her, and then we’ll figure it out. We’re not going to hurt her. Wade, take one leg, and Henry, take another one.” Ronan undid the button and zipper on her jeans. From there, each man took a pant leg and pulled. Ronan held on to her while they got her pants off. Next, he sat her up so that Wade could work on pulling off her shirt. That left her in her bra and panties. The warmth of her skin blasted against his arm. Henry threw Wade a towel, and he began patting Cassidy down to dry her off. Ronan hovered. Seeing her helpless tugged at his heartstrings, and it stirred his passion for revenge on Tyler. He had to attack Ronan outright. If 50

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he didn’t, then he wouldn’t be able to retaliate. Cooper had told him to leave, but Ronan doubted that he would really depart. “Can you give us some privacy, please? It’s bad enough you’re ogling her when she’s suffering. I can take it from here. I’ve seen her naked before.” “Lucky you,” Henry commented low enough only Ronan could hear. “Fine.” Ronan got up from the bed and then poked his friend in the arm to leave the room. He glanced back once and saw Wade pushing the hair out of Cassidy’s face. The way Wade looked at her, Ronan wondered if he felt something more than friendship for her. I’m just imagining it. A pang of remorse wound him up. If I’d never shown any interest in Cassidy, then Tyler never would’ve attacked her. “Dude, you can’t blame this on yourself.” He looked at his friend. “How did you know I was thinking that?” “Because you have that guilty puppy look written all across your face. I’ve seen it before. You felt this way about Angel before she left. She blamed you for everything that was wrong in your relationship, and you let her beat you down. Don’t let this wrap you up. You’ll end up right back in the same place where she left you. Then you’ll have to do some more fishing and breaking more poles, or swearing at me because you hate that I introduced you to fishing.” “Shut up, Henry. This never should’ve happened in the first place.” Henry clapped him on the back. “I know. Now you and I are both attracted to a woman who will wake up and may not want anything to do with us after. Seriously, if she does decide to be with our sorry hides, I’m so not climbing into bed with your naked ass.” Ronan chuckled. “You’re funny.” He tried to unwind, but he kept fixating on Cassidy and praying that she would come out of the transformation okay. There was still a lot that could go wrong. He didn’t understand the science, or even the mysticism, behind how humans were turned into wolves by a bite. He just knew that things could go wrong. They could die in the process, or never wake up from it, remaining in a perpetual sleep state. Or they could wake up and not be able to take on their wolf form. He prayed none of that would happen to Cassidy. 51

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To have the wolf inside and not be able to run on four legs would be an unending nightmare. Hopefully, she would awaken and be a happy and healthy wolf once she grew acclimated to her new state. It was going to be a long night. Ronan didn’t know how long it would be before she awoke. But when she did, he and Henry would be there to welcome her into her new world of wolves.

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Chapter Seven Cassidy rolled in the fire that consumed her body. When she wasn’t in pain, her dreams were plagued by nightmares of wolves baring their teeth at her and then lunging to rip her throat out. She tried to run, but each time, they caught her and sunk their sharpened fangs into her over and over again, tearing her apart. And then the dreams would begin all over again. Sometimes she was aware of people around her, but she couldn’t break through the haze that gripped her. Her body was not her own, and she wasn’t sure why it was on fire. Her heart beat a marathon against her chest for a long time, and she could barely breathe. Her limbs were contorting out of her control, even though she willed them to stop. Nothing in her body was obeying her. She had been disconnected from her brain. When she opened her mouth to scream, no sound came out. She was locked inside of her body, which was trapped within a nightmare where the wolves had long fangs with saliva dripping from them and evil red eyes that glared into her soul. Each one snapped at her. No matter how far she ran, she couldn’t get away from their piercing gazes. They were the perfect hunters, and she was the prey. Cassidy didn’t know how long she lingered in the state she was in. It could have been weeks or hours. It could have been years or centuries that passed. She was the helpless victim of fate. Then, little by little, the pain faded. Her body no longer blazed. When she thought she could open her eyes or move her fingers, Cassidy was sucked down into the same delirium that had been plaguing her, and the wolves were on her heels once more. The terror that flooded her body was a slow, soul-eating darkness. All she yearned for was to break free and find her way back to her body again. After being suspended without the use of her body, little things began to come back to her. Her fingers twitched. She could easily draw in a breath without her lungs burning. Cassidy became hyperaware of the small movements. She focused on her fingers and found she could move them by herself. The rapid pace of her heart had slowed and didn’t thunder in her ears. When she drew in another breath, she could taste the dryness of the air. 53

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There was also something else. The musk of another’s scent sat heavy on her tongue, along with the flavor of burnt cinnamon. Inhaling again, she smelled copper this time. The tang of it burned her tongue. It made her stomach turn over from hunger. She breathed once more and caught the perfume of pine. It seemed she could taste the pine needles in her mouth the aroma was so strong. For a quick second, she thought she might actually be in the woods again. The last thing she remembered clearly was being surrounded by wolves when she had been with Henry on a date. They had been in the parking lot by his car. Wait. They couldn’t have been wolves. They had to have been a pack of wild dogs. Her stomach rumbled again. The empty feeling she had made her realize that she was hungry. With the thought of food, she opened her eyes and found she was staring at a white ceiling that had a water stain on it in the shape of a banana. The longer she studied it, the more detail she could make out. Small dust balls clung to the tiny bits of plaster. Dirt-covered spiderwebs were strung along the corners of the room. Cassidy sat up slowly to discover she was in an unfamiliar bed. One wall had Tibetan prayer flags strung over a window. Posters of Buddha and various other things she didn’t recognize covered the painted surface of the walls. To her right was a nightstand that had seen better days, from the overlapping water rings that decorated the surface, to the discarded candy bar wrappers that were crumpled up by the lamp. She gazed around the rest of the room. Her bag leaned against the wall across from the bed, near the closet. To her left she saw Wade sleeping in a chair that was wedged between the bed and the wall. She didn’t want to wake him, so she slid off the bed and stood up. The world spun. Cassidy grabbed the wall when she tried to walk. She slammed into it so hard, her hand pushed through the Sheetrock. She pulled it out and looked at the dust on her hand. Must have been a weak spot. She tried for the door, but heard footsteps rushing down the carpeted hall. Henry and Ronan burst into the room, each struggling to get through the doorway. “You’re awake!” Henry exclaimed. “More than that, how do you feel?” Ronan asked. 54

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Cassidy tried to find the words. Staring at them for a moment, she thought they looked familiar and realized that she had dreamed about them being wolves. The nightmares popped into her mind. She drew back from them as their faces became that of the feral wolves she had seen. What the hell is wrong with me? She felt like she had recovered from a long illness. Her body seemed to be her own, and yet it wasn’t. “Cassidy, are you okay?” Ronan asked and then stepped through the door, worming his way around Henry and reaching out to her. Once his fingers brushed along her arm, a zing traveled over her skin. Warmth encompassed her. The musky burned cinnamon scent she had smelled and tasted before was something she associated with Ronan. She licked her lips and felt a stronger attraction to him than she had before. It seemed almost instinctual. Cassidy caught herself before she rubbed against him. Henry stepped in after Ronan. As he stirred the air, the pine aroma wrapped around her and made her want to run through the woods. Without realizing it, she had stepped forward and run her nose along Ronan’s jaw. Then she did the same to Henry. She flicked her tongue over Henry’s skin and could taste the outdoors on him. “You taste good,” she commented to Henry. He grinned. “Thank you. I take it you’re feeling okay.” She shrugged, taking a moment to feel her body. Cassidy wiggled her toes and rolled her shoulders. Every muscle felt loose. “I’m good. What happened? The last thing I remember was those wild dogs surrounding us, and then it all goes fuzzy. Did I fall and hit my head?” Both of the men glanced at one another. Ronan’s brow furrowed. Henry’s grin disappeared. Ronan took one of her arms and led her back to the bed. “Cassidy, those weren’t wild dogs that attacked you.” “Then what were they? Coyotes?” Henry sighed. “They were wolves.” “Right! Running around wild on the streets? Come on. Stop pulling my leg, and tell me truth.”

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Ronan sighed. “We are telling you the truth. Those were wolves. Cassidy, things are not the same anymore. Do you remember one of those wolves biting you?” She rolled her eyes, picking up on the train of thought he was going with. “So they bit me and now I’m some kind of monster. I guess going back into the silver mine is out of the question now?” “This isn’t a joke. The wolf that bit you was Tyler, the man who you met that first night I was helping you. He attacked you to get back at me. He’s had it in for me ever since I hurt him all those years ago. I realize this is tough for you to understand, but what we’re telling you is the truth,” Ronan explained. “After Tyler bit you, we brought you back to my house. The turning fever started immediately. It’s been two days since you were bitten. First, you were burning up, and then you must’ve been plagued by nightmares because you were thrashing in your sleep. Just a few hours ago, your heart stopped racing. Now you’re a werewolf like Ronan and me.” Henry sat on the bed next to her and placed his hand on her knee. The warmth of his hand burned through her jeans. Cassidy shook her head, not believing they had told her she would turn into a werewolf and was now allergic to silver. She had just been joking about the comment. Both men wore grim expressions. How could she believe them? There were no such things as werewolves. They wanted her to believe she would become furry once a month when the moon was full? It was bad enough she had to deal with her normal monthly cycle, and now they had to add something to her crazy life? A ripple of nervous laughter bubbled from her lips. “You guys are yanking my chain. I get it. You’re both attracted to me, and you’re playing some kind of practical joke or trying to one-up one another because one of you wants to get me to himself.” “If only that were the case,” Ronan mumbled. Her heart slammed into her chest as panic took hold. Neither one of them was laughing. She pulled away from Henry and got up and paced the room. They both tried to approach her, but she put her hands up and warded 56

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them off. “Okay. If this is true, then how could they be wolves when the moon wasn’t full? I don’t have this sudden urge to go prowling through the forest, looking for the local virgin to tear his throat out and gorge on his heart.” “It doesn’t work that way. We can change our shape whenever we wish and are not bound by the moon. Silver won’t kill us. Superstitions about our kind have been twisted all around, one of them being that we are monsters. What you see in horror movies is just the imagination of overread nerds who weave our real lives into lies.” “So werewolves aren’t killers?” Cassidy asked. Ronan shrugged. “There are bad apples in all societies. Even ours.” Cassidy shook her head. This can’t be happening. They’re telling me I’ve been turned into a different species, and now I’m supposed to accept it? “No. I won’t believe it. I can’t.” The need to escape gripped her. She bolted out of the room. The door was open, so she slipped into the night. Without thinking where she was going, Cassidy ran. The pavement was cold beneath her bare feet. The night air chilled her skin. A light dusting of snow blanketed the ground. The more she traveled, the more she noticed the changes in her body. The cold wasn’t affecting her the way it should have. Snow tumbled from the heavens and coated her, but once it hit her skin, it melted. When she did stop, Cassidy noticed there was no one outside. However, in the shadows of the trees that surrounded her on three sides, she could make out pairs of yellow eyes that were watching her. The more she stared into the foliage, the more her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The details of the life around her were more defined. Those eyes belonged to other wolves. She could sense them lurking in the shadows. She could see the curve of their heads and the shape of their snouts amid the darkness. A bolt of terror pierced her entire being that she had been suddenly catapulted back into her nightmares. Out of the copse of trees, a mottled redand-black wolf emerged. All the others kept their distance. She stepped backward, only to collide with something solid. Cassidy spun around to see Ronan behind her. “What the hell is going on?” she asked him. 57

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Ronan’s gaze flicked to the wolf and then back to her. “Cassidy, this is Cooper. He’s the leader of our pack.” “Ronan, this is really happening, isn’t it? This isn’t a gag.” “It’s no charade, Cassidy.” Another voice sounded behind her. She turned back around slowly. Instead of the wolf that had been there, before her was a man, a very naked man. Black hair hung to his ears and curled around the bottom of them. He had a few scars across his chiseled chest, but his tan skin shone in the moonlight. The snow settled on his skin and ran down in droplets as it instantly liquefied where it touched. She tried to stop her gaze from going lower, but that wasn’t working. Her eyes betrayed her, and her gaze settled on Cooper’s semierect shaft. She felt her cheeks burn. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen a naked man before, but it was a first to see one in the middle of a snowstorm. “Forgive my attire, but when we shift, our clothes don’t come with us. I felt your awakening. I’m sure this is rather a colossal shock. Has Ronan told you what happened after you were bitten?” She nodded, trying to catch her breath. Everything in her stopped for a split second. Her heart froze. The world spun. Her nightmares slammed back into her. She took a step backward, but Ronan’s warm hand was on her back, steadying her. His heady scent came into her nose, and she was intoxicated by it. Then the world snapped back, and she was propelled back into reality. Her life had changed in a dramatic way. How was she going to handle it? “R-Ronan told me I was bitten and transformed into a wolf.” Cooper’s jaw tightened. “Yes. The wolf who bit you wasn’t sanctioned to bring another member into our pack.” If she was turned without permission, then what were they going to do to her? “So are you going to kill me now?” “Of course not. We don’t punish the innocent. It wasn’t your fault you were turned into one of our kind. You’re one of us.” “So I can’t leave?” Cooper smiled. “Let’s come to that when we get there. From what I understand, you were going to be staying for a while.” She nodded. 58

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“Good. Ronan, even though we want to welcome Cassidy into the pack, we need you. Emily has gone missing. You understand why all able wolves are needed.” Cassidy looked at Ronan. The horror was overriding her brain again. He was going to leave her alone. “You can’t go. I need someone to be with.” He took her hands. She saw the fight in his eyes. His brow was furrowed and his face drawn. “I’m sorry. I have to go. When the pack leader gives an order, we have to obey. Wade will be with you. He’s waiting for you back at the house. He knows all about us, and he helped us when you were unconscious. He can keep you company until I get back.” She gritted her teeth, trying to wrap her head around everything. She glanced toward the pack and then walked away from Ronan. The long road back toward Henry’s was the loneliest one she had ever taken. Even her best friend knew about the wolves and hadn’t mentioned them to her. The lights were on in the house. She went inside and saw Wade sitting on the couch, thumbing through the channels. He tossed the remote aside and went to her. Cassidy put her hand out. “Don’t.” “What’s the matter?” he asked, concerned. “What’s the matter? You knew. You invited me here and didn’t tell me there were werewolves here. Werewolves, Wade! When were you going to let me in on the town’s little secret?” He shrugged. “Cass, you were supposed to come and visit. I was hoping you’d fall in love with this place the way that I did. Then you’d want to move here to be close to me. I’m sorry. I didn’t think anything would happen to you.” Tears filled her eyes. “You’re sorry. Sorry doesn’t cut it. Now I’m a freak. They’re going to make me stay here.” “That isn’t such a bad thing. It’s nice here.” “Great. You drank the Kool-Aid. I didn’t ask for this. I want to just be me, taking pictures, or living a normal life in Boston. This isn’t my home, and I don’t want it to be.” She marched into the bedroom and pulled out another outfit to put on. Her purse was next to the bag. It appeared that Henry was out with the pack, too, searching for the missing girl. She slipped her shoes 59

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on and slung her bags over her shoulders. Then she went back to Wade. “Take me back to your place so I can get the rest of my things and get the fuck out of here.” “They’re going to wonder where you went to.” Wade stood up. “I don’t give a shit what they think or if they send a whole gaggle of wolves after me. I’ll figure out how to do this on my own. To think I entertained the thought of moving here . . .” Wade muttered something that Cassidy didn’t catch with the anger storming inside her. She wasn’t sure if molten lava was any hotter than her rage. All she wanted to do was destroy something. Her anger was directed at him because he hadn’t told her the dangers of coming to the small town that was barely even on the map. For all its beautiful mountain scenery, she could find the same in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts or the White Mountains of New Hampshire. At least there she knew there were no wolves. If there were werewolves roaming the hills and valleys of her home state, then she’d confront them if she had to. Outside, at Wade’s car, the irritation rolled through her as he fumbled with the keys. The clouds had darkened over the sky, and the snow was falling harder. Cassidy stared off into the distance, watching the snow fall, and got lost in the intricate flakes because she had never noticed how detailed they were. Seeing the tiny ice crystals that formed the fragile leaf of snow, she was so enamored with it she forgot about Wade. A strangled gasp split the moment. She spun around and saw a man on the other side of the car. The stranger had a knife against Wade’s throat. His startled expression jarred her back to reality. The attacker had his face covered with a white ski mask. He was dressed in all white so he could better blend with the surroundings. Cassidy froze, not sure what to do. The fear of what had just happened, and surprise, ran through her. The man’s smile stretched into his cheeks and revealed even white teeth. “Cass, run!” Wade squeaked out. She heard his words, but her body went rigid. “I’ve been looking for you,” he said to her, his voice as smooth as silk.

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It turned her stomach. The fear that throbbed within her sped her heart until she was sure it would pound out of her chest. The cold air stung her throat. Every flake that fell on her head soaked her hair. A drop of melted snow slid down her cheek. “Just let him go. He hasn’t done anything to you.” She took in a deep breath, trying to think who this might be. Studying the man, he seemed to be familiar. “Ben, is that you? Let Wade go. Your beef isn’t with him.” The man’s eyes brightened with excitement. “Who’s Ben? Sounds like you have something with him too. Maybe I’ll have to find him and take care of him as well.” The fear that gripped her turned into horror. He pressed the knife into Wade’s throat. She saw a line of blood appear on his skin. “Please let him go. I’ll go with you.” Neither he nor Wade moved. A heartbeat passed. And then another. It seemed the killer was contemplating what she had said. After a moment, he shrugged and slid the blade across Wade’s throat. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” Cassidy screamed. Something inside of her mind stirred. An itching started under her skin. The aroma of Wade’s blood was rich and coppery. It both disgusted her and intrigued her at the same time. Her stomach grumbled, hungry for something. How could she be associating the smell of the blood with food? The logical side of her said to find help, to open her mouth and scream. And yet another part, the element that was new and alien inside of her, wanted to leap at the man and tear his throat out. He threw Wade’s body to the ground and walked around the back side of the car. The blade of his knife was stained red. Speckles of crimson on his white pants broke the stupor Cassidy was in. “Why have you been looking for me?” she asked, glancing around for the best way to escape. The road behind her dead-ended into the woods. Ronan and Henry were off hunting with the pack to look for some missing girl. The nearest house was a quarter of a mile up the road, and she had to run by him in order to get to it.

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“You think getting away from me that first time was going to be so easy? You’re going to be mine. And no one is here to save you.” He lunged at her. Cassidy threw her purse at him. It hit him square in the chest and pushed him backward a couple of steps, giving her the time to sprint toward the house. She raced up the front steps and tried the door, but it was locked. Frantically looking around, she wasn’t sure where to go, and he was coming for her. He blocked her escape at the bottom of the stairs, darting back and forth so he didn’t allow her any opening to get by him. With nowhere to run, Cassidy jumped from the side of the steps, thankful the railing didn’t extend all the way up the porch. She landed on the ground and heard her knee pop. It was painful, but it didn’t incapacitate her. Her palms scraped against rock and packed dirt. She got up and hurried around the house. Her attacker growled, but continued after her. Cassidy made it to the backyard. All that was behind it was more woods. There had to be somewhere she could go for help. “You’re not going to evade me so easily. Although it was a wonderful try.” Cassidy spun around and saw the man advancing on her. A loud snap echoed in the tree behind her. Next to her was a large fallen branch. She bent down, picked it up, and held it before her so she could swing at her attacker. “I don’t know what you want with me, but you’re not going to get it. I won’t let you kidnap me again and drag me into that mine.” The man laughed. “I had no intentions of taking you to the mine. Oh no. I’m going to do you right here in the snow. You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last. I had to let the others we had go. Such a shame. I didn’t have time to play with them the way I should have. Your wolves can’t stop me.” Cassidy wasn’t sure what the hell he was talking about, but she wasn’t going to become a victim. Her life had already taken a turn for the worse, and now it was hitting bottom. The man lunged at her. She swung the branch. He dashed out of the way. He came at her again, but stayed out of reach with the tree branch. Her assailant circled around her until she was dizzy, trying to keep her eye on him and her surroundings. It was clear he 62

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enjoyed playing with her. She cried out in frustration. His laughter filled the night along with another crack behind her. It was probably his accomplice. “You won’t get away from me that easily.” Cassidy heard a menacing growl behind her. She dared a glance over her shoulder and saw glowing eyes in the woods. Out stepped a large wolf. Its gaze was trained on the man before her. “I don’t think you’re going to be doing anything if he has anything to say about it.” Her attacker’s eyes narrowed. “Do you really think some furry scruff is going to scare me? He’s just a whelp.” He jumped forward and grabbed the branch, ripping it from her hand. He swung at her with the knife. The tip snagged her jacket sleeve and punched through the fabric. The cold steel scraped along her flesh, and she hissed at the pain that zinged up her arm. Another wolf vaulted out of the tree line, across the backyard, and snapped at the man’s heels. He pulled away and turned around to face it. The wolf who had emerged from the woods was by her side. It stepped forward and bared its teeth at the man, trying to protect her. Her attacker laughed. “You think that you can stop me? You didn’t stop me before. I’ll have her. You understand me?” A third wolf materialized from the left side of the backyard. It was reddish in the dim light of the night. While he was distracted, she lunged for the branch and grabbed it again. This time she swung it and hit him across the shoulder. The branch broke, and he turned back around, brandishing the knife. “You will never get me,” Cassidy said through gritted teeth. He rolled his neck until she heard a pop. He pounced on Cassidy, sending her backward into the snow. His weight caused her to lose her breath. The wolves massed and surrounded them. His pungent breath blasting in her face turned her stomach. Her heart jackhammered against her ribs as he pushed his blade against her throat. “If you want me, then she goes too. I can slice her throat quicker than you can sink your fangs into me. What will it be, boys?” 63

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The wolves looked at one another and then backed away. Her assailant had a triumphant smile on his face. “Very good. Stay where you are, and I’ll leave her be.” She glanced at the other wolves. “Just get him. Don’t worry about me.” One barked and then stepped forward. The bite of the knife sliced into her throat. She held in a cry. The rampant fear paralyzed her. She was getting tired of it. Being a victim and being scared was something she was sick of. It was time to take control. Cassidy brought her knee up and slammed it into her attacker’s groin. He winced and rolled off of her. She scrambled away from him and went behind the line of wolves. They advanced on him, but he recovered quickly and sprinted off into the woods. Several of the wolves pursued him. Relief spread through her seeing him driven off. At least for now. “Are you okay?” Cassidy spun around and saw a very naked Ronan standing before her. Her gaze started from his feet and went upward. The tops of his feet were covered with snow. Those well-muscled calves and thighs she had dreamed about were something she yearned to touch. The overwhelming attraction she had for him had to be animal instinct. His cock stood out and pointed at her. She chuckled and roved her eyes over his chest, which was sprinkled with dark brown hair. His nipples were pert in the cool air. After everything that had happened to her, she shouldn’t be drooling over Ronan, but she couldn’t help it. Then she peered into his eyes and saw his genuine concern. “No, I’m not okay. My best friend was killed in front of me, and then my kidnapper appeared again and tried to kill me. What the hell is happening?” She screamed her fury into the night. Wetness slipped down her cheeks. She wiped the tears away and felt Ronan’s strong arms enclose her. He rested his chin on the top of her head. His presence comforted her. “Shh. It’ll be okay. We should go back to my cabin, and we can talk there.” “What about Wade? And that guy? What about that girl you went after?” He kissed her hair. “Samuel will take care of Wade. The pack will track that asshole down who came after you. The girl was found safe and sound. 64

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We figured it was a diversion to get us away from you. However, we can’t find the other one who went missing. Come on.” “What other one?” Cassidy asked. She hadn’t heard of it before. “The same day you were attacked, there was a report of another hiker who went missing. I helped the pack look for her, but so far, nothing. It seems you were lucky to get away. But don’t worry about it. Nothing will happen to you. Henry and I will be there to look after you.” Cassidy sighed, hearing about the missing hiker. Hopefully they would be able to find her alive. The chill of the snow had started to get to her now that her adrenaline wasn’t pumping and she wasn’t terrified for her life. Ronan’s body helped to keep her warm. He had offered to protect her. Could anyone protect her? Deep down she knew that man would return for her. Then her fate would be that of the missing hiker. It was all a matter of time. At least for now, Ronan could provide some shelter. Cassidy felt the world closing in around her. Her thoughts raced as she tried to make sense of everything that had happened to her. It was too much. Ronan’s arms were around her, and she let him take over while her mind shut down to protect her.

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Chapter Eight Ronan walked Cassidy back into Henry’s house using the back door to avoid the front, where he smelled the blood. Cassidy seemed to have shut down. He understood that she was traumatized, but he wasn’t sure how to snap her out of it. So he sat her down on the couch. “I’m going to go check out front and see if Henry’s returned yet. I’ll be right back.” She didn’t acknowledge him except to blink. He donned his clothes and went outside. Henry wasn’t anywhere to be found. Cooper lingered in his wolf form and sniffed at the blood. Wade’s body lay facedown in the snow. The pool of blood was already starting to cool. The pack leader glanced at him and then at the body. Ronan sighed. He had to get Cassidy away from this craziness. “I’ll call Samuel, but can you make sure that he doesn’t try to question Cassidy tonight? She can’t handle it,” Ronan said to Cooper. The other wolf barked once and then bounded off into the darkness. Ronan pulled out his cell phone and called Samuel. “I’m sure you know by now about the man who came after Cassidy. He killed my bartender. We’re at Henry’s house. I’m taking Cassidy back to my cabin.” “I’ll have to talk to her,” Samuel answered. “Not tonight.” He hung up the phone and eyed Henry’s car parked on the street by the house. He went back inside and studied Cassidy. She hadn’t moved. It appeared she was nothing more than a living statue. He had reported the murder, and now it was time to get her away from this place. He saw her bag and remembered her purse was outside. After gathering her things and putting them in Henry’s car, he went back inside to get her. She was still immobile on the sofa. He sighed. Seeing her so inert struck his heart. He prayed she would snap out of it and wasn’t sure how to pull her from the shell she had withdrawn into. He knelt down before her and took her hand. “Cassidy, it’s time to go. Are you able to come with me?”

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Cassidy didn’t answer or look at him. Ronan helped her up. She stood without complaint. He led her out the back and toward Henry’s car. Samuel and another deputy were already parked outside the house. The sheriff stared at him, but didn’t say anything. Ronan settled Cassidy into the car and then slipped into the seat next to her. The snow was falling harder. The way the clouds were clumped together over the mountains, they were in for a real doozy of a storm. He wasn’t sure how far down the slopes the tempest would stretch, but he had a feeling the spring blizzard would pull down power lines and leave people homebound. Thankfully, his cabin was stockpiled with a generator and enough food to get him through three harsh winters. Living alone had taught him to be prepared. The roads began to ice over on the way up to the cabin. Ronan didn’t know what to say to Cassidy. It was clear she was in shock and that her world had been torn asunder. Her best friend had just been murdered, she had been nearly killed, and it was her first night as a werewolf. He wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to pull her out of her walls or if it was best to let her deal with her trauma in her own way. When Cooper had greeted Cassidy and welcomed her into the pack, Ronan’s heart had lifted because she was not considered an outcast. Although, it all depended on what Cassidy decided, but at least Ronan could pursue her. It had shredded his heart to abandon her when Cooper ordered him to search for Emily. The weight of the order crushed his mind the longer he disobeyed it. His thoughts had been on her the whole time he was scouring the forest for the missing girl. Ronan had had a premonition of danger surrounding Cassidy, and was the first to race back, followed by Henry. He swore that he wasn’t going to abandon her again. No matter what orders he had to disobey. They arrived at his cabin. Ronan helped Cassidy out of the car and grabbed her bags. She said nothing while he led her into the house. He turned the light on and guided her into the living room, then built a fire in the hearth. Ronan sighed. The growing silence grated on him. He didn’t know how to comfort Cassidy. Henry had bounded after her attacker. He

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hoped his friend would find him and tear his throat out to end the man’s misery. He knelt down before her and rubbed her hands, hoping to get a reaction from her. She remained limp and wouldn’t focus on him. An angry red line was etched into her throat where the blade had touched it. It was a superficial wound, and with her new physiology, it would heal rather quickly. Ronan squeezed her fingers, but he didn’t get a response. “Cassidy, you gotta talk to me. Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.” She looked through him rather than at him. He gritted his teeth and counted to ten, trying not to lose control of his anger. What can I do to get her to snap out of this? Ronan pressed his forehead against her lap, hoping the physical contact would jar her. For a second, he thought she stirred. He inhaled deeply, and her heady new scent, mixed with the mango that perfumed her hair, caught him off guard with the intensity of the attraction that flared through him. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about jumping her bones. All he cared about was getting her to snap out of the cell she had placed herself in. He had seen the way she gazed at his naked form when he stood before her in Henry’s backyard. Then she had retreated into her shell, and he didn’t know how to break it. Ronan looked up at her, and her glassy stare hadn’t changed. He ran his fingers over her arms. Even his touch didn’t rouse her. So he brushed his lips along Cassidy’s cheek in a light kiss. She sucked in a quick breath, but made no move to awaken from her trance. “Cassidy, I know you’re in there. I don’t blame you for retreating, but I need you here with me. My reasons are mostly selfish. I won’t lie to you about it. Since that first time you bumped into me, I wanted you. Besides, you still owe me dinner. I’m so sorry this happened to you. Please come back. You can’t get lost in the wilderness of your mind. It’s not healthy for your wolf . . .” He brought her hand to his lips. Her skin was warmer than it had been a minute ago. The wolf inside of him rumbled because it wanted to be with her. His attraction to a woman had never been this strong before. She still 68

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hadn’t responded, but he noticed her eyes were trained on him. At least it was a start. “I’m going to take your jacket off and then see what I have hot to drink.” He stood up and moved her arms so he could unzip her jacket, and slid it off one arm. He leaned her forward carefully, pulled the coat out from behind her, and then took off her other sleeve. From there he took a blanket off the back of his chair and wrapped it around her shoulders. Ronan brushed his fingers along her throat as he pushed her hair out of the way and then pulled himself away to go into the kitchen. He yanked open his cupboards, looking for something other than coffee, and discovered a box of hot chocolate. She had this in her thermos, so I know she likes it. He placed a kettle on the stove and grabbed a mug. He leaned against the wall and hung his head, thinking about what he could do to snap her out of it. Ronan waited for the water to heat. He looked out of the kitchen and had a diagonal view of the living room, where he could see Cassidy sitting on the couch. Her impassive expression hurt his heart. Someone knocked on the door. He opened it and found Henry standing outside, naked, with snow accumulating in his hair. “You gonna leave me out here to freeze my nuts off?” Ronan’s lips curled into a half smile. “Maybe. If they drop off, it gives me a better chance with the ladies.” Henry scoffed, “You wish. Even if my balls shrivel up, I’ll still have more chances with women than you ever will.” “Get your ass in here. There are some clothes in the laundry room. Put those on before you go into the living room.” “Hiding something?” “Your ass.” Ronan dropped his voice. “Cassidy’s in there, and she’s in shock. I can’t get her to snap out of it.” “Well, she has been through a lot. What did you expect?” Henry walked into the laundry room. Ronan turned the stove off, grabbed another mug for his friend, and then poured the water into the cups. Henry reappeared wearing a pair of 69

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sweatpants. He had no shirt on, and Ronan was sure he was trying to impress Cassidy. He almost said something, but bit his tongue. Henry took the hot chocolate and sipped it. Ronan motioned him into the other room. They both looked at Cassidy, who hadn’t moved from where Ronan had left her. Henry glanced back at him, and he saw the concern on his friend’s face. He sat by her, and Ronan set the hot chocolate on the table beside the couch and then sat on the other side of her. He took her hand, and Henry had her other one. “Hey, Cassidy. I know you’re hurting and confused, but you have to snap out of it. Wade was your friend. He wouldn’t want you to retreat into your mind.” “What Henry says is true. Wade wouldn’t want you to wallow. He’d want you to move on and—” Her eyes darted to him. “What do you know about what Wade would’ve wanted? You didn’t know him at all, so don’t feed me that crap that you know what he would’ve said or believed.” Ronan sighed. “You’re right. I didn’t know him that well. But he was a good man, and Henry knew him. I assume Wade would want you to persevere and not dwell on what has happened.” “Yeah. He’d want you to fight for him. He always talked about you and looked forward to you visiting. He mentioned what a strong person you were. You don’t want to disappoint him,” Henry stated. Tears slipped from her eyes. Whatever shell she had erected was cracking. “It’s just so much.” Ronan nodded and handed her the cup of chocolate. Her fingers wrapped around it. She clutched it to her chest as if it were a shield. His heart melted seeing her so distraught. He glanced at his friend and saw a look of fear in his eyes. “We know. We’re here for you,” Henry said. “Why would you be here for me? You don’t even know me. You both were trying to get me into bed. You don’t give a rat’s ass about me. You just want pussy.”

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“We want to get to know you. It wasn’t about getting you into bed,” Henry said softly. “Whatever. Now I’m like you, so you can have your way with me. I’m sure your pack leader won’t be letting me go anytime soon.” Ronan placed a hand on her arm. “You’re not a prisoner to the pack. Nor are you a prisoner here. We’re both attracted to you. Is it such a bad thing to have two men courting you?” She sipped her hot chocolate and then stared at the fire before meeting his eyes. “How can you ask me about dating after everything that’s happened to me?” “Sorry. That isn’t our intent. I’m just saying that we’re here for you. If you want us to be. You know . . . forget I ever brought it up. Excuse me.” Ronan got up and went back into the kitchen. He flung his mug into the sink. It shattered, sending streaks of chocolate along the stainless steel. It did sound like he wanted to get into her pants, but what he said to Cassidy had come out all wrong. That was nothing new. Most everything he said came out wrong when it came to women. He wanted to be sure she was okay. Every fiber of his being screamed to go back in there, take her in his arms, and protect her from the world she had stepped into. “Is everything okay?” Henry asked from the doorway. “No. Does it look okay?” “Dude, you gotta chill, or you’re going to freak out Cassidy even more, and I don’t think she can handle it right now.” “What does it matter? She’s made it perfectly clear she wants nothing to do with me. With us.” “What did you expect? She’s been through enough. Now you go and drool over her.” “Please. You’re hoping to get her attention walking around with your shirt off.” Henry chuckled and ran his hand over his chest. “Chicks dig the naked chest. You didn’t have any shirts that fit me. You’re the big, burly man here. Putting one of your shirts on, I’d be drowning. This has nothing to do with trying to get her attention.” 71

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“Really?” Ronan couldn’t deal with his friend anymore. He pushed past Henry and went out into the falling snow. He stripped off his clothes and didn’t care where they landed. His body shifted. The pain of the transformation was a welcome relief from dealing with the human emotions that plagued him. Henry called after him, but it fell on deaf ears. All Ronan cared about was putting distance between him and Cassidy. He had been wrong to think that she would ever want anything to do with him.

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Chapter Nine Cassidy tried to work through everything that raced across her mind at a frenzied pace. The events of the night ran rampant in her thoughts. Wade was dead. She was almost killed. And then the men were talking about which one of them she wanted to date. It was too much. All she wanted to do was stay in the protective shell that she had been in. It had been calming there. The horrors she had witnessed and experienced didn’t exist there. It would be wonderful just to shut down, but Ronan had been hell-bent on pulling her out of that safety. Her hot chocolate smelled intoxicating, and the burning wood helped comfort her, as it reminded her of her childhood. She stared at the flames and felt something stir in her mind. It was an itch and a pressure rolled all into one. When she focused on it, an animal stepped forward in her mind. A white wolf with blue eyes stared back at her. A gasp left her lips, and her eyes snapped open. Cassidy jumped, and the mug of hot chocolate left her hand and shattered on the floor. “Shit,” she swore and looked around for a towel. Henry rushed in. “Are you okay?” “Fine. Can you grab me a towel?” He nodded. He came back in and knelt down, dabbing at the floor. She began picking up the pieces of the broken cup. Henry sopped up the hot chocolate. Cassidy went to pick up another chunk of the mug, when he tried to grab it too. His hand slid over hers. An electric spark ran along her nerves. Before all of this had happened, she had had a good time with Henry and was looking forward to making dinner with Ronan. Then things had changed. Now she was some kind of monster, a freak of nature, and she was going to have to remain in Lupine Gorge. Cooper had told her he wouldn’t force her, but she suspected that he would make her stay because she was now part of his pack. “Thanks.” “You’re welcome. Look, Cassidy, I can’t tell you what you’re thinking or how you’re dealing with everything that’s happened to you. I can’t begin to 73

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imagine. I know Wade was your friend, but we are here for you if you want us to be. And I don’t mean to entice you into bed either.” She saw the truth in his eyes and felt guilt creep up on her. Cassidy sat back on her heels and stared at the shards of porcelain in her hand. For a moment they resembled the broken slivers of her life. Her life in Boston was cracking. Her job at the magazine was going down the tubes. Ben was crazy. Coming to North Carolina was supposed to give her a break. Maybe even the start of something new. Now her life truly was in pieces. When she looked back at Henry, she knew the man before her did not think she was a freak. She regretted what she had said to Ronan. “I know. I’m sorry for what I said. It’s just . . . with Wade, and waking up a werewolf, I guess I thought it’d be easier to retreat. It was nice for a little while just ignoring it. I know you’re just trying to protect me and you weren’t trying to seduce me. And I was having a good time before I was jumped by a crazed wolf.” Henry’s smile lit up his face. He gathered the shards of the cup into the wet towel and placed them on the table. “I’m glad to hear it. I thought I was boring you with all my talking.” He slid his fingers along hers. “You weren’t boring me. If things had kept going right, you would’ve gotten lucky.” She smiled, feeling some of that magnetism she had for him sink back into her bones. “The Zen master does it again.” Cassidy laughed. She nudged his arm and felt the solid muscle of his bicep. “Don’t get too full of yourself. I did have a date with Ronan. Doesn’t that bother you?” He shrugged. “No. Ronan’s a good man. He just doesn’t believe that. He’s secluded himself up here and thinks that he can’t be around others because he listens too closely to the call of the wolf. His anger releases it. You know, he was the first one to turn around while we were searching for Emily and rush back to you.” “Really? Because you both left me alone when I needed someone.”

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Henry sighed. “It’s more complicated than just making a single decision to stay. We were given an order by our pack leader and had to obey. Ronan fought it, but the pain was too severe. We have to submit. It’s built-in.” Her eyes widened. She hadn’t realized that there was pain involved in rebelling against the pack leader. Now she wanted to apologize to Ronan. Maybe she should give them another chance. “Where is Ronan?” She glanced around the living room and didn’t see him. “He left. He had to get away.” A knife of pain sliced her heart. What had she done? “Oh. I didn’t realize that I was so horrible to be around.” She began pacing the room. The more she walked, the more she felt cooped up. Cassidy ran her fingers through her hair. She felt a shift in her fingers. All of a sudden, her nails felt sharper. She pulled her hands from her head and stared at her nails. They were pointier, and the ends were black. “What the hell is happening to me?” Henry got up and took one of her hands. “The change has begun.” Horror ran her blood cold. She was turning into a beast. Her whole body felt flushed. Her head spun as she tried to draw in a steady breath, but pure panic had set in. She wrenched her hand out of Henry’s grasp. The feeling of being trapped increased. The canine presence inside of her mind stirred. She could see the piercing blue eyes of the creature in the darkness of her thoughts, waiting to be released. She shook her hands, trying to reverse the process, but it wasn’t doing any good. Her heart thundered in her ears. “Oh God! This can’t be happening. It can’t.” Henry clutched her arms and tried to hold her still. “Cassidy, you have to calm down.” “How can I calm down?” she screamed. “I’m turning into a monster.” “You are not a monster. Stop saying that.” Ronan came in and shoved Henry out of the way. He grabbed Cassidy’s shoulders and held her tightly. His nails cut into her flesh, and the pain helped her to focus, but she could feel other things happening in her body. “Help me!” 75

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Ronan released her shoulders and took her face between his palms. He planted his mouth on hers. The sudden shock forced Cassidy to focus on him instead of the changes raging inside of her. His lips were rough, and the way he pressed them to hers, she could feel the hunger in him. The surprise wore off, and she slipped her arm around his neck. Before she could enjoy the kiss, Ronan pulled away. Cassidy was breathing hard, and so was he. She stared at him, but the words she wanted to say wouldn’t spill from her throat. His brow was furrowed, the lines etched deep around the corners of his mouth. His brown eyes were unreadable, but the way he looked at her cut her heart. The guilt she had felt earlier enveloped her again. Her heart had stopped hammering, and she could feel her body reverting to normal. The wolf she had seen in her mind had retreated. A sense of relief washed over her, and she was able to catch her breath. Finally, the words came to her. “Thank you.” “For what? For helping you not turn into a monster? No thanks needed because I’m already one, right?” Before she could respond, he stomped off down the hall. She moved to go after him, but Henry caught her arm. “Not a good idea.” “Why not?” “I’ve known him long enough to know that he’s pissed off. No matter how much he tries to control his anger and his wolf, sometimes it comes out. If you go talk to him now, then he might lash out. I don’t want him doing something that he might regret.” Cassidy wanted to apologize to Ronan, but heeded Henry’s advice. Instead, she slumped down on the sofa and thought about what had just happened. She had gotten worked up and lost control. That must have been the reason why she had started to transform. Seeing the wolf in her mind and then seeing her nails start to blacken had made it hit home for her. She stared at her nails now, and they were clear. She ran her hands over her face, and it felt the same. Realization washed over her. Tears slid down her cheeks knowing that she truly had crossed over to the other side. “Are you okay?” Henry asked. 76

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She shook her head. “Can you leave me alone for a little while, please?” “Sure. Do you want anything?” “No. Thank you. I just need some time alone.” She peered into the fire and watched the flickering flames. The warmth of the blaze brushed along her skin. The wolf paced in her mind. At the same time, the sadness for Wade overcame her. She drew the blanket around her and curled into a ball. Sobs racked her body as she thought about the loss of her best friend. This time she couldn’t hide behind the wall she had erected earlier. That had shattered. All that remained was the cold reality of her situation. Cassidy didn’t know how long she lay there watching the twisting flames, but the house grew quiet. The snow fell outside, and she heard the flakes settling on top of one another. The slight crunch and shuffle of the snow kept her awake. At first she couldn’t believe she was hearing it. Then, the longer she listened, the more intrigued she became. Cassidy wiped her eyes. The more she focused on the snow, the more she could see the lacy texture of the flakes. It was a beautiful sight that she had never paid much attention to before. She ran her finger along the line of her throat where the knife had been pressed against her. Something shifted inside her mind. The wolf in her stepped forward. A surge of strength she hadn’t felt before wound into her bones. She wasn’t going to let anything or anyone push her around anymore. The wolf seemed to agree with her. If that man was going to come after her again, she would be ready for him. The longer she stared at the storm, the more she realized that Wade wouldn’t want her to wallow. Regret surged through her from the last words she said to him. There were many things she wished she could do over, that she could say over. Especially what she had said to Henry and Ronan. They were trying to help her, and she had lashed out at them. Cassidy wasn’t sure if she was completely okay with everything that had occurred over the past few days, but after having time to think and seeing that the change in her reality was real, she knew she was going to have to deal with it. That was the way her father had raised her. He would be rolling in his grave if he knew that she was trying to run from the things life had thrown at her. 77

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“Trouble sleeping?” Cassidy glanced over to the voice she heard and saw Ronan standing in the living room wearing nothing more than his briefs. His chocolate brown hair was disheveled from sleep, and his eyes had a glassy look to them. The breath caught in her throat seeing how much of a golden god he was in the embers of the dying firelight. It took her a moment before she could find her voice from staring at him. The animal inside of her perked up from the lull it had sunken into from her staring at the snow, which was now coming down even harder. Even if she wanted to leave, she knew a blizzard when she saw one. “No. I was watching snow. I can hear it, the flakes settling on one another. It’s kind of strange and yet comforting.” Ronan stepped closer until he stood beside the couch. “You’ll notice a lot of things are different now. Not that you still won’t think that it’s part of being a freak.” The tinge of hurt and anger in his voice made her tremble. “Look, Ronan. I’m sorry about my earlier tirade. I understand that you were only trying to help me. I never meant to imply that you were a monster. I was scared.” He glanced at her, but looked away again. Ronan pulled in a long breath. “I understand that you were disoriented and what you went through was difficult. I’m sorry about your friend.” She touched his hand. He nearly jerked it away, but he left it there. Cassidy could feel from the tremors in his fingers that he wanted to get away from her. That saddened her. “Thanks. Is it always like this?” “What do you mean?” “I mean hearing everything. Smelling things. All the heightened senses. Seeing the wolf in your head. It’s kinda scary.” The vein in his temple pounded, and his jaw tightened. “Look. I’m not the best one to ask about wolf stuff. Henry is the one you want to talk to.” He yanked his hand from hers and began to walk into the kitchen.

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The rejection nearly toppled her, and she wasn’t even sure why. She really didn’t know Ronan, and yet she was attracted to him. He had been kind to her and helped her out when she was in need. “W-What if I don’t want to talk to Henry about it?” “You’re fucking joking, right? You were yelling at us about wanting to seduce you just a few hours ago, and now you’re all right with trying to get me into bed with you?” “W-What? No! That isn’t what I was suggesting. I’m sorry if you thought that. I would still enjoy making you dinner. I owe you at least that much.” She blinked her tears away and then focused on the drifting snow so he wouldn’t see her cry. The wetness plopped onto her cheeks, so she dragged her arm across her eyes. The wolf in her also seemed wounded. This is crazy. Why am I feeling this way? I barely know the guy. “Cassidy.” “What?” She sniffled. “Will you look at me, please?” “Why?” Ronan touched her arm. Cassidy met his deep brown eyes. His expression had softened. “I’m sorry. I seem to be saying that to you a lot. I know I can be an ass. I don’t mean to be, but my temper gets the better of me. That’s why I stay up here on the mountain, so I’m not around people. I’m not used to having a woman staying here. The last woman I dated, five years ago, she was human and discovered I was an animal. She left petrified of me.” “You’re not an animal.” She slid her hand along his cheek, feeling the stubble press into her palm. He stiffened. Cassidy leaned closer and pressed her lips to his. Ronan trailed his hand along her neck and wove his fingers into her hair. He kissed her slowly. The tang of cloves clung to his lips. She placed her other hand on his shoulder. She felt his muscles bunch from her touch. When he pulled away, a small noise of displeasure left her lips. “I should get back to bed.” He began to get up when she took his hand. “Stay with me for a little bit. Please.”

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The fight in his eyes was apparent. His brow furrowed, and he looked from her to the hallway. “It would be best if I went to bed.” “Okay. I understand.” Cassidy nestled under the blanket again. At least there it was warm and it gave some semblance of someone holding her. He made it to the hallway and then turned back around again. “Are you going to be okay?” She shrugged. “I guess so. I’ll figure it out. It’s kinda scary, knowing that I’m different now. But it’s like you said, Wade wouldn’t want me to sit and wallow. The same with my father. He’d tell me to face my fears, and I’m not going to let that asshole who’s after me get me. Oh God, Ronan. I don’t want him to get me.” The fear that she had kept at bay overwhelmed her. At that moment, Ronan drew her into his arms. He stroked her hair while she wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to bury herself into him. He was strong, and an obstacle that stood in the way of her attacker. “Shh . . . He’s not going to get you. The pack will find him. Henry and I will find him. You’ll be able to run free with the pack. Don’t worry.” Ronan hugged her closer until she stopped shivering. Then she pulled away from him and pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. “Thank you. I don’t normally melt down the way I did before.” “You’re entitled once in a while. You seem okay now, so I’m going to head back up to bed.” He looked toward his loft. “Stay with me.” “Cassidy, you’ve had it rough, and I don’t want to take advantage of whatever emotional place you’re in now.” “You’re not. I want you, Ronan.” Cassidy slid her hand down his stomach and ran a finger over the waistband of his briefs. “When I offered to make you dinner, I had hoped we could spend the night together. I still want that.” “Cassidy, I don’t think that’d be a good idea. You don’t want to complicate things between us considering you plan on leaving. It was one thing when you were human and we could fool around. Now that you’re a wolf, it’s a bit more complex. I don’t want to get involved in something that 80

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would hurt us both. Our emotions are heightened too.” Ronan raised his hand and started to touch Cassidy, but pulled back. The conflicted emotions played across his face. She saw the wanting in his eyes, but there was also a hardness. She guessed it was from years of being alone in the world and whatever rejection he had suffered because of it. Cassidy certainly didn’t want to hurt him, but there was a need to be with someone, and she wanted it to be him. It would be nice to have Henry join them, but Ronan had been the first one to come out. She needed someone now. If she did make that jump, then was she going to stay in North Carolina? Her attachment to the two had grown. Maybe it was because they had taken care of her when she was transforming. Maybe it was only amplified from the original pull she felt toward them. Ronan was suggesting that if she did get involved with him, that he wasn’t going to want to let her go. I know what I desire. And I want him. “I can’t tell you for sure if I’m going to leave or not. It’s something I’m going back and forth on. Right now, I want to be with you. Please, Ronan. I needed you before, when I woke up, but you left me. Don’t leave me again.” He ran his hands through his hair and let out a long breath. Ronan was fighting with himself again. The veins throbbed at his temples, and his jaw muscles had hardened. So much anger was inside of him she wondered if he thought she was goading him along. He stood and paced. He pressed his hands against the walls and curled them into fists. Cassidy got up and pulled her shirt over her head. If he wasn’t going to get the hint that she was telling the truth, then maybe nothing would spark between them. At that moment, she was glad that she had forgone a bra. Her hair spilled over her shoulders when she undid the clip that held it. The sheer perfection of his body made her wonder if he had been fashioned by the gods. Her heart sped up again. Cassidy ran her fingers lightly down Ronan’s back and saw him quiver from her touch. She rested her forehead against his spine and planted a kiss where her lips met the middle of his back. “Cassidy, stop.” He a forced whisper, but it was so laced with yearning she could hear the husky tone it gave him.

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She inhaled again. His scent had changed from that musk to a nutty pine. She flicked her tongue over his flesh, tasting the salt and a dash of ginger that gave his skin an exotic flavor. “Please!” “No, Ronan.” Before Cassidy knew what had happened, her back was pressed up against the wall. Ronan had her hands pinned over her head. His facial features had shifted into something that resembled a man, but also the wolf. His eyes were amber and glowed in the low light. His lips were pulled back in a snarl, showing his four elongated canines. Ronan’s cheekbones had shifted and were higher on his face. His lower jaw was a little pointier. It seemed his skin had even taken on a darker tone. He drew in labored breaths. Cassidy figured he was trying to hold himself together. He was close to changing. He had her in a steel grip, but he wasn’t hurting her. However, he was careful not to let any other part of his body touch her. “Is this what you want? Is this the monster that you’ve yearned for?” She leaned forward as far as his grip allowed and was only centimeters from his lips. Seeing him that way didn’t frighten her. It was intriguing to see how she might look. The beast was in his nature the same way it was in hers. This time she felt her wolf wind around her muscles. It hurt, but with it came a strength she hadn’t experienced before. She felt her own teeth shift. She tried to hold on to the transformation so it wouldn’t trigger her going completely into wolf form, but by Ronan’s expression, she could see that something had piqued his interested. Cassidy strained in his grip until her mouth barely brushed along his. “Yes.” He claimed her lips then, giving in to the fight she knew he had been waging inside of himself. Ronan crushed her against him and released her hands. He dragged his nails over her back and then squeezed her breasts until a cry escaped her throat. He kissed a line down the column of her neck, biting here and there, until he sank to his knees, slowly sucking in the skin of her stomach and nibbling on that. He unbuttoned her jeans and yanked the zipper down with such force, Cassidy heard the fabric tear. 82

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She scraped her fingers along his scalp, twining her fingers in the strands of his hair. Ronan wrenched her jeans from her hips. The tips of his nails pressed into her flesh. He pushed his nose against her panties and groaned. Ronan glanced up at her, and she saw the wildness in his eyes. He tugged on her panties with his teeth and pulled until they were ripped from her body. He trailed his hands along her inner thighs and parted her legs. Then he slipped his fingers along her folds. The next thing Cassidy felt was the wetness of his tongue. It plunged against her inner core. “Ronan!” A tremble of delight inflamed her nerves. Cassidy pushed his face into her. He responded by thrusting his tongue into her and licking up the wetness that escaped her pussy. His thumb settled on her clit, and he began to rub. The first surge of ecstasy that flowed through her nearly made her crumple to her knees. If he hadn’t been in front of her, holding her up, she figured she probably would have. It was the most intense delight that she had ever experienced. She tried to wrap her head around the feelings that surged through her and left her weak all over. Her mind soared higher, trying to separate from her body. Little pinpricks of pleasure pushed against the inside of her skin, trying to get out. The wolf inside of her had joined its feelings with hers, so she could tell it was excited too. The primal instinct was something she wasn’t sure how to deal with. It wanted to mate, and it didn’t understand the full concept of foreplay, but it did enjoy the experience. The building pressure was so intense she thought she was going to burst from him just manipulating that small part of her. What was going to happen when he fully entered her? He continued his assault on her buried nub. The torture was beyond comparison with any other man she had met. Her whole body felt light. The force of the orgasm that took her over was so shocking she saw white. Ronan nipped at her clit and began to lick the aftermath from her folds. Cassidy tried to catch her breath, but Ronan wasn’t done. He clutched her leg and pulled the rest of her jeans from her, leaving her completely naked. Then he slipped her right leg over his shoulder.

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“What are you doing?” she gasped, trying to balance on one leg, even though he was holding her up. “Don’t you trust me?” “Of course.” He didn’t respond, but pushed his fingers inside of her pussy. He didn’t break Cassidy’s gaze while he manipulated her. Cassidy shuddered from the sudden bliss of him adding another finger until he had three fingers inside of her. She cried out and closed her eyes. Another orgasm was coming. This one overtook her so suddenly she wasn’t able to ride the ecstasy. Instead, it hit like a tidal wave, and she threw her head back and screamed. Ronan tightened his grip on her. “Stop, please. I can’t stand any more.” “What’s with all the noise?” Cassidy saw Henry standing there. She saw his eyes widen and his face redden. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. “Oh shit! Sorry. I didn’t realize . . .” “Come here.” Cassidy beckoned. “You sure?” “Shut up and get over here,” she growled, amazed to feel her throat reverberate from the words. Henry walked over and tried to avoid his friend, but Cassidy grabbed his arm and pulled him to her. She sought his mouth with a hunger that had built up inside of her and was only getting stronger. She thrust her tongue into Henry’s mouth and raked her fingers down his arm. He cried out and met her kiss with a frenzy that she felt too. Henry tasted sweet, with a hint of caramel on his lips. He pulled away much too soon. Ronan freed her leg, stood between them, and seized her lips for himself. He released her mouth and bit down her neck, pulling in the skin until he reached her throat, and then glanced at Henry. “You joining us?” he inquired. “Are you claiming her for your own?” Henry asked. 84

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Ronan feathered his fingers over her stomach and cupped her breast. He squeezed the nipple until Cassidy moaned. She glanced at Henry and saw the longing in his eyes. He wanted to join. What was going on between the two men? Ronan’s lips peeled back until he was showing his teeth. Henry stepped closer and did the same thing. The tension in the air rose. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck and along her arms. She was afraid that something would pull the friends apart and she was the cause. “Hey, no fighting over me,” Cassidy said. “It’s in our nature that if we claim someone for a mate, then no other will claim it,” Henry stated. “So basically, you mark your territory and have a pissing contest.” “Sounds about right,” Ronan replied. “What if I claim both of you?” Cassidy stepped between the two men. She placed one hand on Henry’s chest and kissed him. With her other hand, she grasped Ronan, pulling him into her body. His rigid cock pushed against the mounds of her ass, and Henry’s was firm too, ready to be played with. Knowing they both wanted her wound up her excitement. Ronan kissed along her collarbone. He pushed her hair back before he plunged his tongue into her ear. She broke her kiss with Henry and moaned. He trailed his hand down her leg and over the top of her thigh. “I want to be inside you,” Ronan whispered to her. “I want both of you inside of me,” Cassidy replied. “You have to choose between us.” Henry turned her chin to him and kissed her again. She feathered her fingers across his stomach until she cupped his balls. “He’s right. You have to claim one of us.” Ronan squeezed her nipple. “How do I do that?” “Draw blood. Normally, we choose mates with a bite. At least that was how my father taught me,” Ronan said to her. “Mine too.” Cassidy closed her eyes and tried not to show her frustration. She wanted both men. If they were going to make her choose, then what was the point in having both? They each were so different. Henry was laid-back, and Ronan 85

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was just the opposite, fighting for control of the animal inside of him. They had said they would protect her no matter what. She was ready to take control and have them by her side. Sure, there would be a learning curve, and she would have to get to know them. But deep down, she knew they were meant to be in her life. It was more than instinct that had set them up. It was fate. God, I was never one to believe in love at first sight or whatever this is, but I just have this feeling we’re supposed to be together. Besides, I don’t expect to move right in with them. Guess I’m moving to North Carolina after all. A smile turned up the corners of her lips. The wolf was there, and it put an idea into her mind. If she had to draw blood to claim one of them for a mate, then so be it. Cassidy took Ronan’s and Henry’s hands. She pulled them to her mouth and slipped their middle fingers between her lips. She wrapped her tongue along each, feeling the creases of their knuckles. Ronan’s hands were rougher than Henry’s. Henry had longer fingers than Ronan. I bet they both know how to use their hands better than they think they can. Each one had grown silent and was watching her. But she kept drawing them into her mouth. Henry’s eyes closed, and he groaned in pleasure. She figured he was picturing her going down on him and sucking on his cock. Ronan shifted uncomfortably. With her free hand, she began to stroke his shaft, and he, too, fell under her spell. He closed his eyes, and the weight of his body pressed against hers. She flicked her tongue over their fingers one last time. At that moment, she felt her canines shift and grow longer in her mouth. Cassidy scraped their fingers over her teeth and tasted the blood. They both wrenched their hands away from her. Their blood slid down her throat. For the first time, another part of her wanted to taste more of that flavorful liquid. She licked her lips and savored the flavor. They looked at her with lust burning in their eyes. “So I drew blood. I guess that you’re both mine.” She slid out from between them, making sure to add a little shake to her stride. Cassidy could feel their gazes trained on her back. She got to the hallway and glanced back over her shoulder. “So whose room are we going to?”

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They looked at one another, and then Ronan stepped forward. “My bed is bigger. The guest room only has a twin bed.” “Great. Then come on, boys. I’m waiting to be ravished.” Ronan glanced at Henry, who shrugged. “She drew blood on us both. By right, she’s got us by the balls. I’m okay with that. You had said you’d share, dude.” Henry walked over to Cassidy and trailed his fingers over her breasts. “You’re so damn beautiful,” he murmured. Cassidy held her hand out to Ronan. “Please.” He growled, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he took her hand. She smiled and wove her fingers through his. He gazed at her, but she couldn’t read the expression. “So where’s this bedroom of yours?” “Up the stairs. It’s a loft. Through here.” He led them into his room. Cassidy got upstairs and rubbed her arms. The chill was getting to her. “Cold?” Henry asked, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into him. “A little. Can you warm me up?” “Of course I can, but I’m not sure that Ronan is really into sharing you.” “Didn’t I claim the both of you the way that you said? I drew blood.” “Did you enjoy it?” Ronan asked. He stepped before her completely naked. She pulled away from Henry and went to Ronan. She trailed her fingers over his muscled chest. “Yes. I liked it. Is that bad?” Ronan wove his hand through her hair. “No. It just means you have the taste for red meat the same way we do. Are we going to do this or what?” “It sounds like you don’t want to,” she whispered. “Would I be naked before you if I didn’t? Besides, I enjoyed how you tasted and how you smelled. That toned body of yours is making me hot. I want to fuck you.” Ronan guided her hand to his cock. “I’m going to fuck you so hard.” He picked her up and deposited her on the bed, then pinned her between his legs. She reached down and gripped his dick. She pumped it a few times, until a pained expression flashed across his face. He pressed his lips to her chest 87

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and worked his way over to her breast. He drew in her nipple and bit down. Cassidy felt that small zing, and the same lust that enveloped her earlier flowed through her. Ronan opened her legs and kissed the flesh of her inner thigh and then slipped his length deep inside of her. “You feel so good,” Ronan croaked. “Fuck me,” Cassidy cried out. She locked her gaze with Henry’s, who had slipped out of his sweatpants. He leaned against the wall and ran his hand over his cock. She tried to focus on him, but Ronan was filling her. She wrapped her legs around his thighs. They were strong and thick, just like his dick. He pressed his lips against her stomach. He locked gazes with her and bit down on the sensitive flesh. She arched her back and tried to stay in sync with him. “You taste good. I’m almost there.” Cassidy braced for the orgasm that swept over her. She squeezed her eyes shut and then slammed back onto the bed. Ronan plunged into her once more. “Yes!” he cried out and then lay on top of her. After a few moments, he rolled over and lay on the bed. He caught his breath and then leaned on one arm and smiled at her. She was happy to see the relaxed expression on his face. “I’m going to get something to eat and give you two some privacy. Do you want anything?” Ronan asked her before kissing her quickly. “That would be great.” Her stomach rumbled. Ronan slipped out of bed and then glanced at Henry. Cassidy noticed the look that passed between them. After a moment, he left, and they were alone together. “I’ve never seen Ronan act this way.” “What do you mean?” Cassidy asked. “Well, he’s agreed to this, for one thing.” Henry joined her on the bed. “What about you? Do you mind sharing me?” “If that’s the way the universe is supposed to work, then I’m all for it.” She poked him in the ribs. “Enough with the Zen master crap. How do you really feel about it?”

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He sighed and stared at her. His brow furrowed, and he ran a finger down her cheek. “I wanted you the first time I saw you. I’m more at peace with the wolf, so I’ve blended my natures better. Sharing you isn’t a problem. However, you have to be ready to deal with the consequences of your actions.” “What does that mean?” Henry flicked his fingers over her pert nipple before rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. “It means that if you run out on either of us, then we’re going to hunt you down and drag you back here. You’ve claimed us for your mates. You might be new to all of this, but what you did was bond to us for life. We’ll figure out living arrangements, and of course, what you like and don’t like. And in turn, you’ll adjust to our lifestyles.” Cassidy saw the truth in his eyes. The decision she made had changed her life, but she had bitten them and made the conscious choice to do it. This was now more than just having sex with these two men. She was going to be spending the rest of her days with them unless that psycho hunted her down and kidnapped her once more. She had faith in her two new men that wouldn’t happen. “I guess I have to learn then. Hopefully, you can teach me. Weren’t we in the middle of something?” She pulled Henry down and then straddled him. A large smile appeared on his face. It reminded her of a doggy smile. All he needed now was the sharp teeth. She ran her fingers down his chest, noting the difference in his frame, leaner than Ronan’s. His muscles were still defined. A few chest hairs were smattered over his pecs. She flicked her tongue across his nipple and drew it into her mouth. Henry moaned and shifted underneath her. His hands rested on her hips. He drew her closer until his cock rested on her inner thigh. She licked a line across his chest, to his throat, and drew his Adam’s apple between her teeth and bit down lightly. Henry shivered. His hands slid down her hips to rest on the mounds of her ass. He gripped and separated them until his fingers found her asshole. Cassidy jumped when he slipped a finger inside of her. “Shit!” “Does that hurt?”

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“No. It’s just different.” She shivered from the unexpected pleasure that it brought her when he pushed farther inside of her, exploring her darker depths. She thrust her hips forward and captured his lips. Henry raked one hand up her spine. It felt as if he was going the wrong way on her skin, causing her to arch her back. Her breasts brushed against his chest while she plunged her tongue into his mouth. They met and wound around one another until Henry pulled away. She noticed his eyes had changed to an amber color and wondered if hers had too. “Had enough?” she asked. “Not even close. Watching you with Ronan was torture. Ride me, baby!” Cassidy kissed him once more and tugged on his bottom lip before reaching down and caressing his length. She guided it inside of her and then began to rock. Henry squeezed his eyes shut and gripped her shoulders. She clutched his upper arms, getting lost in the tempo that had been created between them. The pressure of the orgasm was building in her already. Each time Henry drew out of her, he hit her clit. Cassidy moaned. Her nerves were electrified from the simple act. Sweat trickled down her forehead. “Yes. Like that!” Cassidy reached behind her and cupped Henry’s balls. He drove his hips upward and buried his dick completely inside her. “Does this please you?” He nodded. The look in his eyes was wild. He groaned again. Cassidy was almost there. Just a couple more strokes and she would come too. Before she could draw him in any faster, Cassidy felt a gentle touch on her arm. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Ronan. She stopped. Henry thrust into her once more before he realized she had ceased their lovemaking. “Why’d you stop? Not a good time,” he panted. Ronan ran a finger down the center of her spine. The small gesture sent flares of cold fire running along her nerves. The longing in his eyes tugged on her heart. “Dude, what’s the matter?” Henry asked. Ronan glanced at his friend and then locked his gaze with Cassidy’s again. He leaned in and plunged his tongue into her ear. He slid his hands 90

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under her arms and cupped her breasts. From there, he climbed onto the bed and pressed himself to Cassidy. “What are you doing?” she asked. Having both of them on the bed with her was only making her hornier. Henry was still erect inside of her. If she moved, she was bound to slip into another orgasm and drown in the pleasure of it. “I decided to join you. Is that a problem?” He squeezed her breast and then gripped her ass. “I watched you riding Henry and had to take that fine ass of yours.” “I’ve never . . .” He nibbled on her neck. “I’ll be gentle. This was what you wanted. All three of us connected, in bed together, skin to skin, wasn’t it?” She nodded. Ronan took her hand from Henry’s balls and placed it on his own dick. It was already hard and all set to go. A moment of uncertainty caught her in its hold as she thought about what they were about to do. He was so big, and she didn’t know what the pain would be. “Trust me.” He took her hand, brought it to his mouth, and licked it. Ronan guided it down to his cock again so he could use her saliva for a lubricant. “Lean forward a little.” Cassidy focused back on Henry. She gripped his forearms. He wrapped one of his hands around her neck and pulled her closer. Henry began to kiss her slowly, and some of her trepidation fell away. Ronan knew what he was doing. She trusted him the same way she had trusted Henry. This was what she had wanted, the three of them together. It just hadn’t entered her mind on the how. Small blazes started inside of her. She ground her hips along Henry’s thighs to get a rhythm going. Before she could, Ronan spread her ass cheeks and slowly started to insert his length into her asshole. She went rigid, but Ronan placed his lips on her nape and feathered his fingers along her stomach. “Relax.” He went into her a little bit more. “God, that’s it.” Each time he entered her, the feeling of being stretched and full was nearly overwhelming. It was a strange pleasure she had never indulged in 91

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before. It stirred the wolf in her. Soon Ronan was completely buried in her. She couldn’t take it anymore and began to move against Henry. Ronan tried to control the pace the three of them kept, but Cassidy was too enveloped with the bliss that was riding her body. White pinpoints of light had started to appear behind her eyes. Henry clutched her hips while he pumped into her harder. She wasn’t even sure how he was holding on. Ronan nipped at her shoulder. Each time he went into her, he bit her a little harder. “More. Please. More!” she cried out. Both men increased their already frenzied pace and slammed into her. She was out of breath. Ronan’s teeth pierced her flesh. Henry bucked upward, groaned, and then fell back onto the bed. She continued to ride him. The orgasm she was building to was about to crest and hit the barrier of her flesh. Ronan released her shoulder. His heavy pants blasted against her ear. His hands meandered to her breasts. He squeezed her nipples. The sharp pain was what she needed to slip her over the edge. Cassidy screamed, trying to say his name, but the words came out garbled. Ronan slipped into her one last time and then rested his head on her nape. Cassidy collapsed on top of Henry with Ronan’s added weight on her back. Her flesh was slick from the sweat and their shared coupling. Everything in her felt it was right. They were all together. Ronan rolled to her left. She released Henry and slipped off him so she was in between the two men. Ronan slipped his hand around her stomach. His tongue lapped at the wound that he had inflicted. Henry turned and looked at her. A satisfied smile turned up his lips. “How do you feel?” “Amazing.” “Are you hurt?” Ronan asked. He kissed her wound again, and she heard the concern in his voice. Cassidy took a moment to evaluate how she felt. Her body was jellified, but the warmth of the afterglow was something she hadn’t experienced with any other man. There was some discomfort from where Ronan had taken her

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ass, but it wasn’t something that caused her a lot of pain. It was definitely something she could enjoy. “No. I’m okay.” Her stomach growled. “Just really hungry.” Ronan laughed. “Good thing I made some sandwiches.” Cassidy smiled. “Sounds wonderful. I think I’ll take a shower first, though. That okay?” “Downstairs, first door on the left.” “Thanks.” Cassidy leaned over and brushed her lips across Henry’s. She tried to climb over him, but he caught her leg and planted his lips on the bottom of her foot. She giggled. “Have fun.” He flicked his tongue over her big toe. Cassidy shook her head and then pulled her leg free. She headed downstairs and went into the bathroom feeling more satisfied than she had in a long time.

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Chapter Ten “You seem to be handling this rather well.” Henry crossed his arms behind his head and rested it on them. Ronan threw the sheet over his friend. “Cover that thing up.” “You’ve seen me naked, and it’s never bothered you before.” “This is different. We weren’t sharing a woman.” “So you care about her?” “Fuck you, Henry. I wouldn’t have agreed to this if I didn’t care for her. I’m just hesitant because I didn’t know what she’s going to do about the two of us or if she’s going to stay in Lupine Gorge. By our traditions, she’s claimed us for her own.” “Are you really going to be able to share her with me? I know how possessive you get. I don’t want this newfound relationship to mess up our friendship. Shit! We just fucked the same woman at the same time. That was something I never thought that we were going to do.” “We didn’t fuck her. We made love to her. I should be more worried about you bailing on her. I know the way you chase tail. Is she going to get old for you after a couple of months?” Henry growled and lunged at him, snapping his teeth inches from Ronan’s throat. It was the most out of control he had seen his friend in a long time. The calm, cool demeanor that was Henry had fallen away and been replaced with the raw instinct of the beast. “Don’t you ever say that again, or there will be trouble between us. I would never abandon a mate after they had claimed me or vice versa. Just to clear the air, I’ve never settled down with anyone because I’ve never found anyone who was right.” Ronan saw the truth in his friend’s eyes and was satisfied what Henry said was true. He trusted he would never abandon Cassidy. “Good. I had to make sure. We’ve been friends for a long time. It won’t be easy for me to share her. At least I can stand looking at your sorry ass. Thank God it wasn’t Cooper.”

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He got out of bed and slipped on his briefs and headed downstairs. The water was still running in the shower, so he poked at the ashes in the fire and contemplated what had happened. He never did think he could share a woman. He wasn’t about to let Cassidy get away from him either. The anger he had felt earlier about her calling him a monster had faded, and he was now focused on the animal who had hurt her. I’ll find him and kill him. No matter what it takes. And if something happens to me, then Henry will be there for her. Cassidy. Even when he thought her name, his wolf perked up. It wanted to be there with her in wolf form, but he didn’t want to push her into changing when she was still so new to the lifestyle. Thinking about her undulating form caused his cock to stir once more. He hadn’t planned on joining in with the two of them, but when he saw them together, he couldn’t help it. Now he wanted to step into the shower with her, lather her up, and do her one more time. But Ronan figured that she might need some space, considering the events of the past few days. Ronan mulled over everything that had happened. The first missing hiker, they hadn’t found. She had gone missing within hours of Cassidy’s first attack. Then Tyler had returned and tried to goad him. Tyler had bitten Cassidy and turned her to get back at him. Then another local girl had gone missing. He assumed Emily’s abduction had been a distraction. Cassidy’s attacker had come for her, and in the process murdered Wade. It had nearly killed him leaving her alone when she had said that she needed someone with her. The guilt of it still ate away at him. But, the pain from disobeying Cooper’s will had been too great for him, and he had to go. No matter what happened or who came after his new mate, he wasn’t going to leave Cassidy alone again, even if the pain of violating the pack leader’s orders killed him. When she had been the one to draw first blood, he wasn’t sure how to react. The thought of sharing her was something he was semiserious about, but when it came down to it, he wasn’t sure if he could overcome his wolf instincts. In the end, he had. She was too important not to fight the animal nature in him. He had spent so many years wrestling the beast and keeping it at bay that it always felt he was at odds with himself. During his run, when he had first barked at Cassidy, he had come to a decision. It was more of a 95

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meeting of the minds between him and the creature inside of him. Henry seemed to have it so easy, and he envied his friend for that. When he had been running, he had realized that he had to settle the dispute inside of him if he ever wanted to be happy. He might have been born a werewolf, but he had never come to terms with it. It was time to wolf up and embrace the beast. It wasn’t going to be easy because he had always kept it at bay. He would do anything for his mate. It was a strange revelation to think about someone outside of himself. For so long he had yearned for a mate to settle down with, maybe have children with. But the pack avoided him, and he stayed away from humans, so the possibility of ever finding a mate seemed improbable. Yet the impossible had happened. That thought of offspring sent chills down his spine. He was getting old and wasn’t sure what path his life was going to take. Owning the bar was a lucrative business, but now he wanted to devote his life to Cassidy. After having his conversation with Henry, he knew that his friend would also stand by her. His friend had always been a player, and women flocked to him. Being at the bar, he picked up the tourists who blew through the town. Even the single women of the pack were known to come to him for a night of fun. Ronan was glad to know he had taken himself off the market. Now he had to try to understand Cassidy. He wondered if she fully understood what she had done by claiming them for mates. It had bound them to her. With her being so new, she still might decide to escape back to her life in Boston and away from them. If she returned to her old life, he would follow her. Someone had to tend the bar. Could he give up his business and his livelihood? Could she keep them in her heart for the rest of her life? Was she going to be able to accept the wolf inside of her? There were too many unseen factors. He was putting his soul on the line. If she did break his heart, could he handle it? He sighed and pushed the future from his mind. The most important thing he had to worry about was getting the rogue out of the way. If he could do that, then Cassidy’s protection would be ensured. The bastard had murdered several women with his partner, who was now dead. At least one 96

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source of the pack’s evil was out of the way. Now there was one more terrorizing them. The water shut off in the bathroom. Ronan opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer, brushing his elbow against the plate Cassidy’s sandwich was set on. He had already wolfed his down. Cassidy’s light footsteps were coming toward him. He held his breath. She entered the kitchen with a towel wrapped around her body. Her wet hair hung around her shoulders. Her skin was still red from the water beating against it. He inhaled and smelled the clean scent of her flesh and the slight hint of cinnamon embedded in the shampoo. Seeing the swells of her breasts against the dark blue towel stirred his desires once more. A low growl erupted from his throat. Cassidy’s brow furrowed, and she stopped. “Is that a good growl, or a warning one?” He stepped forward and slipped his arm around her waist. Ronan drew her close and ran his nose along her jaw. A tingle of excitement went down his spine. The desire he had for her heated his insides. Never before had a woman roused his urges like her. He understood now why having a mate was so appealing. Other wolves had talked about it in his bar over the years, and he’d always envied those men. Now he was one of them. Ronan cupped her nape. “It was a good growl. God, you’re so sexy.” She scoffed and shook her head, breaking away from him. “You’re just saying that because you’ve already had your way with me.” “Nonsense. Even before I had my way with you, I thought you were hot.” Cassidy laughed and poked at the sandwich. “Is this for me?” He nodded. She took a bite of the roast beef. Her eyes closed as she chewed the meat slowly. A small sound of pleasure came from her lips. He held in a chuckle. Cassidy plucked out the roast beef and swallowed a piece whole. “I take it you’re enjoying the meat.” Her cheeks flushed crimson. She opened her eyes and glanced at him. “Oh shit.”

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“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” He took another piece of the meat and held it out to her. Her eyes were trained on it while he moved it from left to right. Ronan brought it to his lips and watched her eyes widen. Instead, he held it above her mouth so that she had to snap at it, but he kept it just out of reach. “You’re being an ass.” “If I give this to you, what will you give me?” “I thought I already gave you everything that you wanted.” She reached for the roast beef. Ronan allowed her to take the slice. Her tongue wrapped around his finger as she sucked the blood from it. Ronan’s cock firmed even more. She pressed against him. “You gave me your body, but I want your heart. Do you think you can give that to me?” Cassidy licked her lips. “What about Henry?” Ronan sighed. “How about giving it to us then?” She stepped back until she hit the counter. “Everything’s really going to be different now, isn’t it?” “What did you expect after you slept with both of us?” he grumbled, feeling his irritation resurface at her comment. “No. I don’t mean that the way it came out. Tonight was wonderful. And I know that you said I claimed you for mates. Everything that’s been happening, even eating this meat. It’s the best that I’ve had. The blood tastes amazing. Even when I sampled your blood earlier, it was magnificent. “And the wolf inside of me, I can feel it underneath my skin. When I was losing myself, you helped me get it back under control. Thank you.” He took one of her hands. “Just because you’re different doesn’t mean that you still can’t do what you want to with your life. Being a werewolf only adds a little bit of spice to your existence. You were here taking pictures the first time I met you. With your heightened senses, you’ll be able to see things better. Hear things with trained ears. You have a wonderful future ahead of you. Henry and I will take care of you. I know you don’t know us yet, but we’ll do anything you want. All you have to do is ask. 98

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“I wouldn’t ask you to change who you are for us. There are a few obstacles we have to overcome, but I’m not going anywhere.” “Neither am I,” Henry said from the kitchen doorway. Cassidy sniffled. “Thank you, guys. That means a lot. There’s still a lot for me learn, and I hope that you’ll teach me.” “Of course we will.” Henry stole a piece of beef from Cassidy’s sandwich. Ronan nodded. “Yes, we will. Nothing is going to happen to you. And when you transform for the first time, we’ll be right there to help you through it.” Cassidy looped her arms around their backs. She squeezed them into her and rested her head on Ronan’s shoulder. He sighed and glanced at Henry, who lifted an eyebrow at him, and a large smile. Ronan pressed his lips to the top of her head. For the first time in his life, he felt completely at ease.

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Chapter Eleven Cassidy woke with Henry’s head nestled against her chest and Ronan’s leg wrapped around hers. She was the central piece in the middle of a human puzzle. The night before had been long, and many things had been said. When they finally went to bed, she had been ready to sleep. The snow had been falling all night. Even if she had wanted to head back to Boston, there was no way she was getting to the airport. She had come to a decision that she would stay. Knowing the two men would be with her made her feel like she could conquer anything. Slowly, she wormed her way out from between them and grabbed a shirt of Ronan’s. She glanced at the clock and saw it was midafternoon. They had slept through the morning. She started searching through the cabinets because her stomach felt hollow. Inside a cabinet, she discovered a box of pasta. In the refrigerator, she found a block of cheddar cheese, milk, butter, and some bacon. Cassidy found the pots and pans she needed and began to make macaroni and cheese. It was one of her father’s favorites and a big comfort food that her mother made when she was a little. She heard a loud thump outside. She ignored it at first, but then heard another. Cassidy peeked out the kitchen door. A large clump of snow had fallen from the roof. The lump had a certain shape to it—a body shape. I’m just seeing things. With her curiosity piqued, she slipped on a pair of Ronan’s boots and opened the door. Once she stepped off the porch, she sank down into over a foot of snow. The sudden coldness on her legs made her gasp, but she kept plodding forward. The lump was lying between the driveway and the front steps. Cassidy poked it with her foot. Instead of encountering more snow, her foot hit something solid. The snow fell off the firm form, and a face peered up through the white. One frozen in a petrified scream. One that she recognized. A shriek pushed from her throat. Panic swept through her. She looked around and saw no footprints in the snow. Whoever had put the body there had come in the wee hours of the morning when they were all sleeping, when they were all vulnerable.

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“What is it?” Henry emerged from the house first, pushing through the snow. She pointed at the body. Cassidy was frozen. Ronan was the next to come out from the house. He glanced at the both of them and drew her into his arms. “Shh . . . It’s okay. Go back inside with Henry. I’ll take care of this.” “No. You don’t understand. That’s Ben.” Ronan held her closer. “What do you mean? Who is he?” Cassidy tried to shake off the feeling that someone had walked over her grave. “He’s my boyfriend. Well, ex-boyfriend. We broke up months ago, but he’s been stalking me. He showed up at the bar when I went out with Henry.” “Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Ronan asked Henry. He shrugged. “It didn’t seem important after everything that’s happened.” Ronan snarled. “Why didn’t you mention him before? Did you think he might have been the one who attacked you in the forest?” She shook her head. “He was kind of pushed out of my mind after getting bitten. I don’t think he was the one in the woods. It was over. He got all creepy. I got a restraining order against him. I never got a chance to report his appearance at the bar to the sheriff.” “It’s okay. Forget about it. He obviously won’t be bothering you again. We’ll call the sheriff, then—” “Ronan, come here,” Henry said, leaning over the body. Ronan left Cassidy. She inched closer to see what they were looking at. There was a note pinned to Ben’s shirt. Underneath that was a ski mask like the one she had seen on her assailant who had attacked her in the forest. “Stay there,” Ronan said. She shook her head and leaned over the corpse, trying to read the note. Henry plucked it off and scanned it before handing it over to Cassidy. He thought he could seize you in the woods. Know you are mine and mine alone. I will have you. 101

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Her heart stopped. She shook her head and tried to stop the panic that had gripped her. She crushed the note and threw it into the snow. Ronan picked it up. Henry slipped his arm around her waist and caught her. The solidness of his form helped to keep her standing. Ronan joined him in a second and then helped Cassidy back inside the house. The smell of burned water and pasta permeated the kitchen. Cassidy stumbled inside and turned off the water and left the other ingredients on the counter. Ronan steered her toward the table so she could sit down, but she resisted him and thought about what she had just seen. It wasn’t possible. He’s never going to stop. He’s going to keep coming until he gets me. He’ll come after Ronan and Henry next. I can’t let them get hurt because of me. “Cooper, you have to come. He left something here,” Ronan said into the phone. Henry squeezed her shoulder. “It will be all right.” She gazed at him. “No, it won’t. That asshole after me isn’t going to give up. You read the note. He wants me all to himself. He killed Ben because he was stalking me. Because he was the first one who tried to kidnap me. He killed Wade because he was my best friend. He’ll go after you two next. I can’t let him hurt you.” “I don’t know who it is. Cassidy says it’s her ex-boyfriend. I suggest you come up here. I’ll see you soon.” Ronan hung up the phone. “Cooper is on his way. The snow will make it a little problematic for him to get up here. He’s going to call the sheriff to come and look at the body.” “What is there to look at? His throat was slashed, and part of his stomach had been gnawed on. What kind of a creep would do that? Why is he focused on me?” Cassidy cried. Henry kissed her hand. “Several months ago, there was a series of murders and disappearances. Girls were turning up dead on pack lands. A pair of serial killers kept eluding us, until one of the women they held captive escaped. A pair of men found her, took care of her, and fell in love. They found the one killer. He had no scent, so they couldn’t track him. The other serial killer escaped. It seems he has his eyes set on you.”

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She nodded. “Wonderful. Wherever I go, something horrible follows me. I’m cursed. I thought I could put this all behind me.” “It’s not your fault.” Cassidy threw up her hands, feeling helpless. It didn’t matter that she had decided to accept her fate and knew the men would protect her. If this crazed killer was going to start murdering people and blame it ultimately on her, then she couldn’t be with them for fear they were going to get hurt. She couldn’t have anything happen to them. “Yes, it is my fault. All of this is. I should have stayed in Boston. At least there I could’ve dealt with Ben being an ass. I wouldn’t have gotten Wade killed, and you wouldn’t be in the middle of this. I would still be human and—” “Enough! You can’t change the past or the decisions you’ve made. If you didn’t come here, then he would’ve fixated on another woman. Besides, we never would have met you.” Henry tried to take her into his arms, but she didn’t want to be comforted. She was tired of being coddled. She was tired of being a victim. The wolf inside of her agreed. It was time that she fought back. “Fine. It would have been another girl. And don’t tell me that this was all fated to happen. I don’t buy that. I’m tired of him getting the drop on me. I’m tired of standing around. It’s obvious he’s watching me, watching us. Ben was only a warning. He’s playing with me.” “Even if he is, we’re not going to let him get you,” Ronan reassured her. “Stop treating me like I’m helpless. I’m not helpless.” “No, you’re not helpless, but you don’t know anything about being a wolf. He can use all of his strengths against you,” Henry explained. She clenched her teeth. “Then show me. At my job, I’m surrounded by a bunch of men who try to walk all over me. I’ve learned to stand up for myself and get around in a male-dominated society. If you think that I can’t hold my own now that I’m a werewolf, then you have another thing coming. These past few days I’ve been off my game because I’ve been a little traumatized.”

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Cassidy’s voice rose the more she talked. Her agitation was also growing. She was tired of fighting for her place in the world and having to prove herself. She hated not being herself, but the trauma of what had happened to her was gnawing away at her sanity. The image of Ben’s dead body flashed in her mind. She couldn’t help but think he finally got what he deserved. He was the type of man who didn’t take no for an answer. Even the restraining order hadn’t done its job. He had blended in with the crowd while she waited for the subway, or stood in the back of a line while she waited coffee. Wade had told her from the beginning not to go out with him, but she hadn’t listened. She had felt a little something for him, and the sex was good. Ben had never gotten violent with her, but she had seen his temper burning in his eyes and bunching his muscles. It was obvious that Ben had gotten himself killed for following her. Part of her was sickened by it, but another part was glad she would never have to deal with him again. “No one ever said that you were a pushover. And it’s perfectly natural for you to be freaked out. There is more to being a wolf than transforming into one,” Henry stated. “Really? What is it?” “Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Ronan asked. She glared at him. “Of course I’m ready. I claimed you two for my mates, didn’t I? Did you think I would forget that? Or maybe run out on you?” She looked between the two of them and saw their doubt. They thought she was going to abandon them in the end. “I can’t believe you. You were the ones who told me to trust you. You were the ones who said that I either had to choose between you or I had to claim the both of you. Well, I claimed both of you, had a night of mind-blowing sex, and then you guys figure I’ll run away.” She threw her hands up. “I can’t believe this.” Cassidy stomped past the both of them and went into the living room. From there she took her bag and went back into the bathroom. It didn’t matter how much snow was on the ground. It was time to leave. If they had no faith in her, then maybe the relationship was doomed to fail before it ever began.

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One of the men pounded on the door. “Cassidy, open up. We need to talk about this. You’re just spooked. We all are.” Cassidy stopped and stared at her reflection. For the first time, she noticed that her brown eyes were lighter. She watched them lighten even more until they were a vibrant blue. A sharp pain stabbed her gut. She clutched the counter, but didn’t look away from her reflection. Her cheekbones pressed out from her skin. The shock of seeing it ramped up her heart. Her whole body itched, but she fought the urge to drag her nails over her arms. Instead, she watched the skin on her face ripple and shift into something more like an animal’s. Her nails had darkened, and her fingers were longer. The wolf was there, brought on by her panicked condition. I have to pull myself together. She drew in a breath and then tried to relax. The muscles in her neck eased. The pain in her stomach receded. Her face went back to normal. The sounds of the knocking came back to her. Cassidy glanced back at the door and contemplated what she was going to do. There was so much she could say to them. “Cassidy, please let us in.” Ronan’s plea stung her heart. She turned the handle and unlocked it. When she did, she sensed there was another presence in the kitchen. She squared her shoulders and pushed past him. Cooper stood by the door reading over the note. He brought the ski mask to his nose and sniffed it. His eyes snapped open when he caught her scent. “My, my . . . what a little wolf you have grown into. I see you’ve been teaching her.” “They haven’t taught me anything. Have you any idea where the psycho is that killed Wade? Or Ben, for that matter? It’s obvious that he is coming for me.” He met her eyes, and after a few moments, he was the one to look away. “No. We don’t know where he is. We lost his scent in the forest. And there is nothing on this ski mask or the note for me to keep in my nose. I’m sorry, Cassidy. Others in the pack are searching for him. The safest thing for you is to stay with Ronan and Henry. They’ll protect you.”

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A low growl rumbled from her throat. “I don’t want protection. I want the bastard dead. I won’t be the bait.” “She’s a feisty one. Are you sure you two can handle her?” Cooper asked Ronan and Henry. “They can handle me just fine. What are we going to do about it?” Cooper stepped forward until he was inches from her nose. “You will do as I say.” The overwhelming power that radiated off the pack leader pressed upon her, trying to force her to her knees. The wolf had the instinct to bow before him, but Cassidy stood her ground and wasn’t going to back down. “I will not bow before you.” “You should do what he says,” Ronan said gently and squeezed her shoulder. Cassidy glanced behind her and saw him looking down, not meeting Cooper’s eyes. “You may be part of his pack, but I’m not. I will not have someone put me under their thumb.” She turned back to him. “Feisty. I like that. You may not be considered part of my pack yet, but if you stay here with them, then you will be. Don’t want to start out on the wrong foot with the pack leader.” “Try me. I was never one to take orders very well.” Cooper smiled. A small whimper slipped from Henry’s throat. The pack leader’s gaze bored into hers. A pain, none like any other she had felt before, rippled through her being, but she fought it. Her knees started to buckle under the weight of the stare. She met his eyes and didn’t flinch. Cassidy pulled her lips back from her teeth, growling at Cooper. This time his eyes narrowed. The wolf issued a whine for a warning, but she wasn’t heeding it. He grabbed her arm and growled at her. Cassidy felt the hair standing up on the back of her neck. The heaviness increased on her mind. Cooper was forcing her to obey. She wasn’t having any of it. Her wolf even stood up to the pack leader, and she sensed it was going against its nature. Maybe she was influencing the wolf as it was changing her. Cooper’s grip tightened on her forearm.

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“Enough.” Ronan touched her arm. She saw the determination on his face to fight the resistance being put up by his pack leader. “Not until he realizes I won’t bow to anyone. Not even if I’m going to be a member of this pack or not,” she said through clenched teeth. Cooper released her arm and backed away. His hardened expression hadn’t changed, but she saw some sort of understanding in his eyes. “Okay, I give. For now. However, there are rules you’ll have to learn if you stay. Sometimes you will have to do what I want, even if you don’t. I can’t have open rebellion in the ranks, or others will take it for a sign of weakness. You understand?” “I do. Now what are we going to do about catching this bastard? I’m sure you don’t want any more dead bodies or missing girls in your town.” “No. I don’t need that. Samuel is coming up here with his team. It’ll take him a bit. Let’s sit down. The fewer people who know about what’s going on, the better.” Cassidy looked at her mates. The relief etched in their expressions helped to calm her some. Still, Ronan was tense. She figured it was because they were talking about the killer. If they could trap the bastard who was after her, then she would be okay. The idea of endangering the men she cared about ripped her apart. “Fine. Let’s talk. I’ll see if I can salvage dinner.” Ronan and Henry seemed relieved. Cooper smiled and went into the living room. Ronan brushed his fingers along her cheek. “I can’t believe you did that.” “Why? Haven’t you ever stood up to him?” “Yes, but that isn’t the point. Didn’t you feel the weight he was putting on us?” Henry asked. Beads of sweat lined his hairline. “Of course I did. I’m tired of being ordered around. By anyone. I don’t care who it is. Get that.” Ronan started to say something, but she glared at him. He sighed and shut his mouth. Cassidy focused back on dinner. The milk started to warm, so she added the butter and cheese in to the pot. Cooper came back into the

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kitchen, and the four of them plotted how they would lure the remaining serial killer to them without anyone getting hurt.

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Chapter Twelve Ronan kicked the snow. He didn’t approve of the plan they had laid out. He glanced around, searching the night for the man who was hunting his mate. It had been three days since Cooper had come to his cabin and they had discovered the body of Cassidy’s ex-boyfriend. Samuel and Cooper were the only ones who knew about it and what they were going to do. The roads had been plowed of the eighteen inches of snow that had fallen over the landscape. Life was back in full swing in Lupine Gorge. Ronan stood outside the bar. Cassidy’s rental was in the parking lot. She was inside. Hopefully tonight they would get the killer. “How are things going with your new squeeze?” Tyler leaned against the building, smoking a cigarette. He took a deep breath and counted to ten. Ronan couldn’t let him get in the way of things. “Fine, no thanks to you.” Tyler inhaled once, the cherry burning bright on the end of the butt, and then he flicked it into the street. Ronan heard the sudden hiss of it extinguishing when it hit the snow. “It seems I equaled things out between you two. Have you fucked her yet?” Be cool. He forced a smile. “That’s none of your business. Now get the fuck off my property before I call the cops. I know that you’ve been banned from the pack. So get out of town before Cooper gets wind of it.” Tyler shrugged. A wicked smile spread across his face. “No worries. I was just on my way out of town. Wanted to stop in for a beer before I go. You don’t have any problems with that, do you?” “Be my guest, on the house, and then you get the hell out of my bar.” Tyler nodded. “See? Just like old times.” He strolled into the bar. Ronan took a minute to follow. He prayed that everything would go according to plan. Business was hopping. Henry was slinging drinks to everyone. Cassidy sat at the bar, staring at her reflection and nursing a glass of wine. The patrons’ gazes slid over him, and he noticed some of the other wolves checking her out. The hackles rose on the back of his neck. He didn’t appreciate other 109

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men ogling his woman. The way that Tyler was scoping her out made him even more uncomfortable. Ronan scanned the bar and saw some men he didn’t recognize. Which one of them was the killer? Anyone in the bar could be the killer, and he was watching them right now. Tyler nestled up to Cassidy on the stool next to her. He leaned over and made some comment to her. She smiled and said something. Tyler laughed at her remark, and then Henry brought him a drink. He pointed toward Ronan, and Henry met his eye. The look on his friend’s face was one of confusion, but he didn’t return to Tyler. Henry waited on another customer and then glanced up at him. His face had paled. It was time. Ronan’s heart slammed in his chest. He hoped the charade would be believable. He was not a good actor, so he drew himself up and walked over to Cassidy. She tensed when he slid his hand over her back. His mate didn’t turn around when he brushed the hair from her neck. Ronan inhaled her scent before nuzzling her throat. “You smell amazing. Is Tyler bothering you?” he whispered close to her ear. She turned until her mouth was only centimeters from his. “No. He’s just being a pain in my ass. Probably trying to get to you.” “I supposed so. You ready for this?” Ronan licked her bottom lip. She tasted so good that he didn’t want to let her go. He yearned to pull her into the back room and fuck her in the office. “As I’ll ever be.” She planted her hands on his cheeks and pulled his lips to hers. Ronan crushed her against him, savoring her soft flesh and her tangy perfume. Over the past couple of days, he had come to have a new appreciation for Cassidy. She had shown him there was a strong wolf lying underneath the human facade she now had. Standing up to Cooper under the heavy suggestion of the pack leader’s crushing authority was one example. The pain it had brought him was more than he ever wanted to experience again. He could only imagine what Cassidy had gone through when facing Cooper, but she hadn’t even whimpered. His mate had even been learning to control her wolf. She hadn’t fully shifted yet, but he watched her out of the 110

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corner of his eye. Her face would shift slightly, and her eyes turned the striking blue of the wolf. He adored the color and was almost saddened when her eyes returned to their normal brown. She was the perfect wolf who suited his personality. Having her around helped temper his anger. It had taken him this long to realize how lonely he had been in his life. If anything happened to her, he would blame himself until the end of his existence. “Here goes nothing,” she muttered. He pulled away, keenly aware there were eyes on him. He tried to make his voice sound gruff. “Cassidy, it’s time you make a decision.” She glared at him. The hatred in her eyes seemed believable. “Decision? I’ve told you before. I don’t want to stay here. Quit pressuring me!” Ronan threw up his hands. “You have to decide. I’m tired of you wrapping me and Henry around your little finger. You have to pick one of us!” She hopped down off the stool and jabbed a finger into his chest. “I’m fucking tired of everyone telling me what I have to do and what I can’t do. I’ve already told you. I don’t want to be tied down. I’m not staying here. So you and Henry can go fuck yourselves. I’m done.” She grabbed her purse and began to walk past him. Ronan grabbed her arm. “You’re not going anywhere,” he fumed, allowing the wolf into his nature. “You’re mine! I claimed you for a mate. No one else can have you. I forbid you to leave this town.” Before he knew it, a sharp sting hit his cheek. The force of the blow wrenched his head to the side. He worked his jaw to make sure that he had some feeling still left in it. Cassidy yanked her arm free of his grip and got in his face. “No one owns me. You can’t forbid me anything. At first I thought you were a nice guy. But I guess what I’ve been hearing from everyone is true. You’re just an asshole. I can see why no woman wants you. You’re nothing more than a monster.” She clutched her purse to her chest and stomped out the door. Part of him was wounded by her departure. I can’t linger on her leaving. It’s all part of the plan. He glanced around and saw his customers staring at them. Some of them had smirks on their faces. He waited to see if anyone would 111

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leave, but they didn’t. Everyone remained peering at him. Ronan didn’t sense anyone was going after her. He stomped past the bar, but Henry stepped out in front of him. “Get out of my way.” Ronan glared at him. “Ronan, we have to talk about this. I won’t risk losing Cassidy because you can’t get over your own ego.” “Are you telling me that you value her more than our friendship?” Henry threw his towel down on the bar. “She’s the one. I won’t have you run her off. I’m tired of being bossed around by you. I’ll see you dead before I let you have her.” “Henry, if you want to claim her for yourself, then you have to fight me for her. Cassidy will be my mate, and you won’t have her. I’ll wipe the floor with your face if you don’t get out of my way.” “Then I guess I’ll end up with a few splinters. I’m not moving until you tell me that you’re giving her up.” Henry cracked his knuckles and stood his ground. Ronan tried to push past him, but Henry stepped in his way again and shoved him backward. He stumbled into one of the unoccupied tables. Ronan regained his footing and raised his fists, ready to defend himself. Henry rolled up his sleeves. The others in the bar had all gone silent and were gathered around them. Tyler was watching the whole scene with a large smirk on his face. Ronan knew he was getting a kick out of this. “Henry, you can’t beat me.” “I can always try.” Henry struck his jaw before he could react. His hit was harder than Cassidy’s and sent him back a step. Ronan hit Henry’s temple, fueled with the rage of what was going on with Cassidy and the psycho who was after her. His friend flew backward and collided with a barstool. He toppled over and landed on his ass. Ronan went over to him and was going to hit him again, when someone grabbed his arm. He growled and nearly snapped at the man who had. “Whoa! Ronan, chill.” Samuel held his arm. “Let go of me, Sheriff.”

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“If I let you go, are you going to calm down? I’ve never known you to fight with Henry. What’s this all about?” “Nothing that concerns you.” Samuel put his hand on his holster. “It concerns me when I get a call saying that two men are brawling and it happens to be the owner and the manager of this bar, who have been friends since they were kids. Now what gives?” Another customer helped up Henry, who was glaring at Ronan. The look of hate and fury in his eyes was real enough. The sheriff focused back on Ronan. “This about that woman my brother bit? Are you fighting over her?” “Cassidy denies that one of us is her mate. She needs to choose.” Samuel shook his head. “Women come and go, but friends don’t. Think this over. If she’s going to cause you so much trouble, then forget about her. Look what trouble she’s brought already.” Ronan growled and dismissed the sheriff’s comment. He ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry you got called down here. And I don’t think it’s her fault that things started happening. If you had found the other serial killer in the first place, then none of this would be happening.” The sheriff’s eyes narrowed, and Ronan knew he had hit a sore spot with him. Because the rogue wolf had gotten away, the pack had lost faith in Samuel. That, and he hadn’t shown up when the pack had called him in the first place. Ronan knew that Samuel never felt like he truly belonged among the wolves. He had been born of wolf parents, but he had never been able to shift. Women of the pack never flocked to him, so Ronan imagined that the sheriff had never had a great love life. “It’ll be okay,” Henry stated. “Is it?” Samuel asked Henry, ignoring Ronan’s comment. “Fine. She’s just a piece of tail, right?” Henry commented, dusting himself off. “Right. See? Everything is fine.” Ronan straightened his shirt. “Well good. I’ll just collect my brother and see him off. Cooper wants him out of town for what he did to your girl.” 113

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“Wonderful. Tyler’s right over there by the bar. Probably enjoying the show too.” Ronan motioned over toward the bar. “Where is he?” Samuel asked. “He was talking to Cassidy. Harassing her was more the word for it. Maybe he’s in the head. Just find him and get him the hell out of town. The sooner the better,” Henry stated. “I know he’s my brother and all, but what he did to that girl was unforgivable. I just wanted you to know that. I’m not on his side for any of this.” Ronan smiled. “I know, Samuel. And I appreciate that. Sorry about getting you down here. I promise I’ll behave.” “You’d better. If I have to come down here again, then I’ll be forced to take you down to the station.” “I’ll remember that.” Ronan walked past the sheriff and heard the whispers in the bar. Henry glared at him. Ronan eyed him and went into his office. There he shut the door and began pacing. He took out his cell phone and stared at the screen. He pulled up Cassidy’s number and ran his finger over the smooth surface of his phone, ready to press the touch screen. Each minute that ticked by without hearing from her, panic started to set in. She’ll call soon. I don’t want to get too worked up. After a minute, the door opened, and Henry came in. A bruise was already forming on his face where Ronan had slugged him. “How you doing?” Ronan asked. Henry shrugged. “You hit like a girl.” Ronan laughed. “That wasn’t what you were saying a few minutes ago. You were talking about wiping the floor with my face.” “Yeah, not going to happen. You think that they believed it?” “I hope so. Cassidy hasn’t called yet. She was heading over to Wade’s to gather the rest of her things and hopefully let the psycho think that she was really leaving town. Cooper is supposed to be over there. He was going to call when she got there. We should give him a few minutes.” “I think Tyler went after her. He was saying some things to her when we were at the bar.” 114

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Ronan’s jaw clenched at the thought of Tyler anywhere near his mate. “I saw. I don’t think he’d hurt her, though. He was only trying to ruffle my feathers so I’d snap at him. He wasn’t going to get a rise out of me.” “Good. I know it took a lot of control for you to do that. You’ve changed these past few days.” He shrugged. “I figured if we were going to make this thing work that I had to accept who I was. I’ll never completely integrate the wolf the way you have. It’s not something I can change overnight.” “True, but you’re trying, and that’s what’s important.” Henry checked his watch and stared at the phone. “Want to try calling Cooper? Just in case?” Ronan hit the speed dial to call Cooper. After four rings, his voice mail kicked in. Ronan hung up and called again. The same thing happened. As he listened to Cooper’s message for the second time, a blanket of dread wrapped around him. He grew cold. “I’ve never known him not to pick up on the second call,” Henry whispered. “We need to get over there,” Ronan said. Henry nodded. Ronan fished out his keys from his pocket. They went out through the back entrance and piled into Ronan’s Jeep. “Who’s watching the bar?” “I asked Haley to do it. She came in just after you came back here.” Ronan nodded and sped out of the parking lot, hearing the gravel ping against the Jeep. He peeled out in front of another car, cutting them off and narrowly avoiding a wreck. Henry held on for dear life as he wove through the streets. He hit an ice patch and had to struggle to keep control of the car. After the wheels spun a few times, Ronan was able to straighten the vehicle out. He went over the railroad tracks and wound up on the curvy road where Wade had lived. Mika still hadn’t put the house on the market. Outside was Cassidy’s rental car with the door wide open. He pulled up beside it and hopped out of the driver’s seat. Henry was right beside him. “I’ll check the house,” Henry called, running toward Wade’s. Ronan nodded and raced around the car. Cassidy’s purse was lying on the passenger seat, the contents scattered on the floor. When he closed the door, 115

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he discovered an impression in the snow where someone had fallen. A crimson smear of blood dirtied the white snow. He bent down, sniffed, and caught the scent of the blood. It was Cassidy’s. Alarm shredded his very being. I never should’ve let her go through with this plan. She’d been the one against being used as bait. Where’s Cooper? Why isn’t he here? Ronan frantically searched around the auto and saw footprints in the snow. They were large boot prints with droplets of red around them. He followed them around the back of the house. The blood stopped at the same place he discovered snowmobile tracks. Henry dashed from the house, gasping for breath. “I found Cooper. He’s been knocked out cold. I got him to wake up, but he’s still groggy.” “Does he know what happened to Cassidy?” Henry shook his head. “No. He heard her pull up, and then he went down.” Ronan clenched his fists and screamed into the air. “We’ve lost her. What are we going to do? We never should’ve gone along with the plan.” Tears stung his eyes, and he wiped them away with the back of his hand. His friend put a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find her. I know she didn’t want to be used as bait, and Cooper was going to be here to catch the guy. There must have been two of them.” “There were.” Both men turned to find Cooper staggering from the house. Ronan grabbed his arm and helped the pack leader over the icy path so that he could lean against the car. The other wolf touched his head and winced. Ronan caught the sharp scent of blood. “How do you know?” Henry asked. “Because I smelled them. The one who came up behind me appears to be working with the psycho. That’s all we need. Another tag team serial killer bunch.” “Did you recognize the scents?” Ronan questioned the other man. “One of them was Tyler. I didn’t catch the other one. It was too faint on Tyler’s clothes. But if I had a guess, it smelled like that body we found. Your mate’s ex-boyfriend.” 116

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Ronan growled. Fury bubbled up inside of him. He slammed his fist onto the hood of Cassidy’s rental car, leaving a massive dent in the plastic. His nails grew and sharpened into claws. He raised his hand again and punched into the hood. “Ronan, you have to calm down. We won’t do Cassidy any good if we’re not thinking clearly,” Henry said. He turned toward his friend and the pack leader. “I told you he was bad news, but you wouldn’t listen to me. Now he’s taken the most precious thing I’ve ever had away from me. This is more than wanting to get retribution. This is war. I won’t sit by while the pack tries to hunt down him and this other perversion that he’s joined up with. I don’t care what orders you give me. Is that clear?” Cooper nodded. “This isn’t the time for an ‘I told you so.’ And I don’t plan on standing in your way. You have my permission to kill him and the other son of a bitch who has been plaguing our pack.” Ronan felt a little bit better hearing that. But where had they taken Cassidy? Who was the other killer? “What about the other scent? Did you catch it?” “The boot tracks lead around the back of the house. I also saw some wolf tracks. The other must have gone off. Where would they take her that’s out of the way?” Henry asked. Ronan ran his hands over his face. They were wasting time standing around and discussing where the best possible torture sight was. “Why not at the pack gathering place? If they want to make a statement, then that would be the place.” “That’s a good idea. I’ll assemble the rest of the pack and meet you there. Don’t worry, Ronan. We will find her.” “We’d better, or there’ll be hell to pay,” he snarled. “I’m with him, Cooper. She’s our mate, and we won’t let anything happen to her. I don’t know what I’m going to do if we arrive too late. We don’t even know if that’s where they took her, but it’s a good place to start. Come on, Ronan. We have a hike to get up there.” Henry tugged on his arm.

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Ronan took one last look at Cassidy’s car and the blood on the ground. There wasn’t a lot of it, but there was enough to worry him. He sniffed, hoping to catch a scent in the car. There was nothing other than the woman he loved. He held on to the hope that she was alive. She was strong, and she was a fighter.

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Chapter Thirteen Cassidy opened her eyes and was immediately hit with the blinding pain in her head. She tried to move her hands to explore the wound, but found they were bound. For an instant, she didn’t know what had happened to her. Then it all flashed back. She had left the bar and driven to Wade’s to gather the rest of her things in the hopes that the psycho would be watching her. Hopefully he would be at the bar and see the argument she had with Ronan. Cooper was going to be waiting at Wade’s and looking out for the man who had threatened to kill her. The plan was to take him by surprise. After a long discussion over her mac ’n’cheese, the best plan they could come up with was using her for bait to draw him out. It seemed the plan had worked all too well because she had ended up captured. Now she had no idea where she was. Besides the pain, she was also cold. A few pinpoints of light broke through the slats in the wood of the building she was in, not enough for her to see too clearly, though. All Cassidy remembered was getting out of her car, going to get the keys to the house, and hearing a crunch of snow behind her. She had spun around and seen a man standing behind her. He raised his hand and clubbed her over the head with a tire iron. “Did you enjoy your nap?” Cassidy focused on the voice ahead of her. Her eyes had adjusted some, so she could see her attacker’s form stooping down in the doorway. “Yeah. It was wonderful. All I need now is a massage to really relax me. You coming in here to show me to my room?” Her aggressor laughed. “If only I had the option of getting you alone in a room all to myself. You’d make such a wonderful plaything. Ronan should’ve just left you to me. I bit you. I was the one who made you.” “I wouldn’t touch you with ten-foot doggy bone, Tyler. Now untie me and let me go. If you wanted to make a point to Ronan, I’m sure you’ve made it.” “There will be no untying. You see, my associate has plans for you.” Tyler came all the way into the room and knelt down next to her. He ran his hand down her cheek, along her neck, and clutched one of her breasts. 119

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Cassidy wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of making a sound. She kept her face impassive. Tyler smiled. “Playing the cold fish won’t save you. You made it perfectly clear that you don’t want me—although you should since I made you. I’m your master, and you should obey!” He grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. Tyler forced his lips on hers in a sloppy kiss. His lips on hers turned her insides, and she felt the disgust roll through her. Tyler was everything she hated in men: chauvinistic, egotistical, thinking they were God’s gift to women, and when the woman said no to them, they got mad. Just like Ben had been. Tyler might have been her werewolf sire, but he was smoking crack if he thought she would roll over and let him rub her belly. She jerked her away head away, only to be racked with the pain of where she had been hit. Stars twinkled before her eyes for a split second. Tyler held her head and shoved his tongue into her mouth. Cassidy struggled to free herself, but his grip on her chin forced her to remain still. She wasn’t able to get enough leverage to get on her feet and run away from him. Her wolf paced in her mind. For the last few days, she had been trying to get used to the beast and let it integrate into her personality. It had become easier and easier for it to slip in, and she could share its perspective without losing her humanity. Tyler tried to thrust his tongue down her throat while he groped her breasts. Cassidy bit down on his tongue. A gush of warmth and a hunk of meat settled in her mouth. Tyler screamed and pulled away from her. Cassidy spit out the piece of his tongue that she had bitten off. With him off her, she got up. The room wobbled with the pain in her head. It had eased some, but it still bothered her. She fought through it and bolted out the door. The wolf lent her its strength. The sudden brightness of the sun blinded her enough she had to use her hand to block it. She glanced around, trying to figure out where she was. Trees surrounded the small clearing she was in on all sides. Damn it, I am going to escape. Cassidy scoured the ground and saw the direction of Tyler’s footprints. She took a chance and headed back in that direction, moving 120

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through the snow. It was almost two feet deep in the woods and grueling to trudge through. The trail she followed was well worn in, so it was some easy going. As she looked closer at the snow, she saw several pairs of wolf tracks. At the end of the footpath was a snowmobile. Please let the keys be in it. Please. Not that it would do any good because she needed something to untie her hands. When she got to the snowmobile, she didn’t see a knife, and the keys weren’t in the sled. Cassidy glanced around and didn’t see anything except the way she had come and the path the snowmobile had made. She looked behind her and saw she had been held in some old shack or hunting camp. Tyler stood in the doorway, and he was coming after her. Cassidy turned and ran down the path forged by the snowmobile. Behind her she heard the crunches in the snow from Tyler’s footfalls. The wolf inside of her growled at the thought of being taken by him again. As she ran, she worked her hands, trying to free them. Her bonds were loosening, but her fingers still felt clumsy. She slipped. The hard snow cut through her jeans and sliced into her leg. The wound left blood on the snow, but it didn’t impede her movement, so she kept on running. The gurgle of the snowmobile’s engine sounded in the distance. Cassidy’s heart pounded. By now they have to know I’m gone. Ronan, Henry, and Cooper have to be looking for me. I have to find a way to get to them. I have to get to a road. Someone around here has to live close by or maybe even be out hunting. Shit. I don’t even know if it’s hunting season. “Help! Someone please help me!” she cried. Behind her, the roar of the engine got louder. Cassidy heard branches breaking in the woods. She turned and saw a yellow pair of eyes staring at her. A mottled brown-and-gray wolf was hunkered down on the snow. Staring at it, she had a sense of recognition. The wolf raised its head. “Are you in the pack?” she asked. It yipped a reply. She didn’t have much time until Tyler caught up with her. “Can you lead me to a road or someplace safe away from here? Please. Someone’s after me.” 121

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The wolf blinked and got it. It beckoned her with its head. She didn’t know what else to do except dive into the thicket behind the wolf. Hopefully, it could lead her out of the forest. She prayed that the wolf was a friend. The wolf raced ahead of her, leading her into thicker woods without any trouble running through the drifts, but it was on four legs, and she was on two. While chasing after the creature, Cassidy felt her wild side rise up and wanted to join the wolf, bounding through the snow with it on four legs. Her wolf didn’t appreciate being held captive by one of its own. No, not its own, Cassidy realized. When she thought about Tyler as a member of the pack, something was off about that assumption. It seemed that he was not there, and a blip on her internal radar wasn’t registering. The snowmobile engine had died, and she heard Tyler scream in frustration. She clambered over a rock. In the distance she heard running water. She recognized the sound of the river she had been near when she was taking photographs the other day. If only she had a camera now to capture the beauty of the world she was in. Her artistic eye was registering things even though she wasn’t paying any attention. The wolf continued to lead her uphill, leading her closer to the waterway. That also meant they were close to the silver mine. Cassidy glanced back behind her and saw a blur of red. Tyler was gaining on them. She tried to keep up with the wolf, but dragging through the snow was tiring her out. Cassidy was running out of breath. Her legs were screaming from the exertion. The roar of the water got farther away. Over the river, she could hear the groan of heavy machinery, of something scraping against the road. It sounded like a snowplow. Before she could get any closer, a loud bang rang out. The wolf before her dropped to the snow. She heard another shot and felt the whoosh of the bullet pass by her shoulder. She froze. A figure holding a gun moved toward her. Tyler was still coming for her. The fear she had been staving off fully bloomed in the pit of her stomach. She started to dash toward the sound of the machines that she had heard. Another shot hit at her feet. 122

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“I wouldn’t try to run any more if I were you. Next time you might find one in your heart. Regular bullets will kill a werewolf just as sure as silver will. Just about enough trauma on the body will kill us. Of course, it does takes a lot, and we do heal faster. If you want to live just a little bit longer, I suggest that you keep still.” Cassidy nodded. The man before her got closer. His face was covered. She glanced at the wolf, who lay still on its side. A pool of blood marred the pristine white snow. The poor creature had done everything in its power to help her. Her kidnapper stood over it and poked it with his boot. It didn’t move. He raised his gun and pointed it at the wolf’s head. She cringed, waiting to hear the gunshot echo through the woods. “Leave him be,” Tyler said behind her breathlessly. “He’ll just go back to the pack and tell them where we are.” “So what? Weren’t you the one who wanted her in the first place?” The other man grumbled and clicked the safety into place onto the gun. He kept it pointed on her. “Fine. True, but things have changed.” Tyler grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. She smelled the blood that lingered on him. “I’m going to enjoy killing you, bitch. You deserve everything you get. Whatever his game is, I’m sure it will be fun. Now come on.” He shoved her forward. Cassidy stumbled and fell into the snow. Tyler grabbed her hair again and hauled her up. She held in a yelp. He pushed her forward until she was even with the other kidnapper. The other man grabbed her chin and stared deep into her eyes. “You’re going to make a great plaything. Much more than the other girls. You can take the pain ever so much better than the others could. Maybe it’s a good thing I’ve decided now to hunt among my own kind. Roger never understood that. He enjoyed playing with his toys. I just wanted to rip them apart, and he wouldn’t let me. Now that he’s gone, well, I don’t have to worry about that. He was fun to have around, but so bossy. The others won’t rescue you.” Cassidy replied by spitting in his face. He laughed and wiped it away from the mask. “They will find me. Both of you will pay for what you’ve done. You won’t get away with it. You’re too cowardly to show yourself.” 123

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He raised his hand to strike her, but then changed his mind. “You’re right about that. I’m tired of hiding. You should know who’s going to kill you. It’s too bad. You and I were always so close. I could never tell you how much I was in love with you.” He pulled off the hood, and Cassidy nearly fainted. “It can’t be. I saw you . . . I . . .” Wade stood before her. “Miracles happen every day. Don’t you just love special effects?” Tyler purred next to her ear. “Just the right amount of makeup, a couple of perfectly placed blood bags, and slicing him at the right angle. One would never know it was all a fake.” “How? They all thought you were dead. They took your body away.” “Having an extra corpse in the trunk comes in handy. With the pack distracted, looking for Tyler, it was easy. I’ve had some practice.” Cassidy couldn’t believe her ears. The man she thought she knew wasn’t a man at all. He was a monster. “Why would you do all this?” Wade shrugged and ran his nose along the barrel of the gun, inhaling the scent of the gunpowder. Cassidy held in her disgust. “It’s quite easy once you figure out where to cut and how to cut. I never did tell you I went to medical school. Got kicked out for cheating. Ended up bartending. That was where I met Tyler and Roger. Roger and I had so much in common, it was uncanny. And he was so hot, but a controlling asshole. Tyler kept an eye on the stable when I was gone. I let him have the run of the place. Then Roger had this wonderful idea to return home. Had a calling to come back to his pack. So I followed him and found he had set up shop all by himself. We argued about it, but finally came to the decision we would share his space. It worked for a while. I’d travel back and forth, stopping in between kills to see you. How could I go for long without seeing my girl?” “Can we get on with this?” Tyler griped. Wade grabbed Cassidy’s chin. She saw something of her friend flash in his eyes for a second. A look of remorse, or something close to it, moved across his face. Then the soulless killer he truly was returned. “Take her. Make sure this time she doesn’t get away from you.” 124

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Tyler mumbled something Cassidy couldn’t make out. He grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her over his shoulder. She kicked her feet against his chest. “Help! Someone help me!” she yelled. Wade walked behind them. “Shriek all you want. Howl, if you must. No one is going to hear you, not out here and certainly not where we’re going. Such a shame because I was so looking forward to you moving here. Then I was going to turn you, and we could have lived together.” “I’d never have loved you. Wade, we were friends.” He shrugged. “We were. Then you fucked those two. You turned your back on me and chose them. Enough chatter.” Cassidy closed her eyes and let them take her away. The hope she held on to was slowly dripping away like melting snow. She didn’t know where they were taking her, but in the back of her mind, a death knell was striking. They walked in silence until Cassidy recognized where they were. Even hanging over Tyler’s shoulder, she remembered it from when Ben had tried to drag her into the silver mine. Now they were descending into the mouth of it. She had always envisioned hell to be a hot place, but the darkness she knew awaited would be cold. Cassidy prayed she would find a way out. Tyler ducked as he walked. Her back scraped along the ceiling of the mine. The dirt and stone dug through her flesh. She bit her lip and dared not move. They ducked into a small alcove off the main shaft, far enough away she couldn’t see the entrance. A lantern illuminated the room. Its flickering light cast eerie shadows around the walls. The smell of kerosene was overwhelming in the tiny space. A small tent was set up in the corner with a sleeping bag and a store of food. Even a camping stove. This was where Wade had been staying. Tyler dropped her onto a pile of fabric. Something sharp jabbed into her back. “What else do you want me to do with her?” Tyler asked. Wade clapped him on the back. “Nothing. You’ve been great. Couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks.” Tyler smiled that self-satisfied, smug grin she had seen on his face before. She shivered seeing it again. Wade lifted the gun and shot him square in the 125

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forehead. Cassidy jumped and then screamed. Tyler landed on the ground next to her. His mouth opened a few times, and then he exhaled a last gasp before his eyes grew glassy. Wade slipped the gun into his jeans and clutched Tyler under the arms. He met Cassidy’s eye. “Don’t even think about trying to run. I’ll be right back. There’s a shaft a hundred feet or so. Goes way down into the earth. No one will ever find him. Makes a wonderful dumping ground.” His smile widened, and she saw the satisfaction in his eye. She wondered how many people he had killed. Cassidy watched Wade haul Tyler’s body out of the small room. Once he was out sight, she turned to see what was poking her in the back. She ripped the fabric down and saw a pile of debris she assumed Wade must have pushed into the corner so he could make the room habitable. Within the old lumber was a rusted pickax. She grabbed it quickly, settled the fabric back over the heap, and sat down as before, pressing the weapon into her back, praying Wade wouldn’t notice she had moved. Cassidy rubbed her bound wrists over the edge of the pickax. Each time she swiped her hands over the blade, she felt the rope was loosening. She tried to work fast, but Wade returned. “Now that we’ve thrown out the trash, let’s see where we can start with you.”

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Chapter Fourteen Ronan and Henry had gone with Cooper to the pack gathering place. After finding nothing, they returned to the bar. Henry was wiping glasses, and Ronan swept the floor, anything to keep busy. Cooper was out with the pack searching for any sign of Cassidy and the two kidnappers. They knew that Tyler was one. The other man, they didn’t know who it was. With each passing hour, Ronan felt more helpless. Cooper had told him to remain behind until they heard something, and he would contact them. Each minute he was itching to slip his skin. The wolf was gnawing at the inside of his mind to break out of its human skin and sink its teeth into the bastards who had stolen his mate. Laughter erupted around him. He looked up. The strangers in the bar had no clue what was transpiring around them. They were perfectly oblivious to the dangers in the town. In the middle of the camaraderie, there was a loud bang. Ronan jumped. One of the patrons had dropped a pitcher of beer. Haley raced to pick up the broken glass. Ronan gripped the broom and heard the wood groan from the force of his grip. He took a deep breath and counted to ten, but it wasn’t helping to relax him. “Ronan.” Henry held the bar phone, with his hand covering the receiver, and beckoned him over. A surge of hope and dread ran through him all at once. The news was going to be one of two things: they had discovered Cassidy’s body, or they were bringing her home. His gut clenched and he held his breath while he walked over. Henry handed him the phone. “Hello.” “Ronan, it’s Dawn.” “Have you found her?” he asked, barely able to force the words out. “No. But you need to come down to my office.” “I can’t leave here until I hear from Cooper or someone in the pack that they have found her. I’m sorry.” The pack doctor sighed. “I know that. Why do you think I’m calling? Kenneth is here.” 127

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“Who?” “Kenneth. He’s Patrick and Vanessa Troudeu’s son. He’s just started turning.” “Yeah, I know Patrick.” “His son was shot this afternoon by a man who was holding a woman at gunpoint. Tyler was with her. I thought you might want to talk to him.” “I’ll be right there.” He slammed the phone down. “Haley, can you watch the place until we get back?” The waitress smiled. “Sure thing, boss.” “Come on,” he said to Henry. “They have a lead on where Cassidy is.” Henry and he both raced out of the bar and the two blocks to the Dawn’s office. She also served as the physician to the town. He didn’t know a lot about her except that she had a sister who had died while turning. And she had claimed to have been forced to turn into a wolf, but later rescinded that statement. They burst into the office, and the receptionist let them through without question. Dawn stood outside of a medical room, reading over a chart. “Where is he? What did he say? Did you call Cooper?” She put her chart down and held up her hands. “Lower your voice, please. Yes, I called Cooper. He’s aware of the situation and has pack members going to check it out. If you can calm down, then I’ll let you talk to Ken. He’s a bit skittish and in a lot of pain. He was shot in the leg, lost a lot of blood, and struggled to return to do his duty, so be gentle. Poor kid almost died. Even we can’t recover from blood loss without help.” “I think I can handle that. Let me talk to him, Ronan,” Henry said. “Fine.” Ronan stood outside the door so he could hear and see the boy. From his vantage point, he saw the teenager was no older than fifteen. His skin was pale. His brown hair was disheveled, and dark freckles ran across his forehead. A pang of sorrow went through him for the boy. He had been brave to come back and tell them about Cassidy. Kenneth opened his eyes when Henry walked in. “You’re the one looking for the woman, right?” Henry nodded. “We are. We’re her mates. What happened?” 128

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Ronan held on to the door and listened. Each minute they were wasting, Cassidy was still in danger. His mate was the most important thing. “I was running by the hunting camp near the old Purdue place. No one goes up there. Me and my friends hang out up there. I saw a snowmobile and heard some talking. There was a woman who sounded like she was in trouble. She asked if I was pack. The man was coming for her, and she needed to get away. I led her to the river and toward the main road where the Department of Transportation has their garage. It was closer than any house. She tried to follow, but she was on two legs. Then another man appeared. He shot me in the leg. I think I passed out. I heard the other one, who had the girl, tell the other one not to kill me. I lay still and hurting so much. I thought I was going to die.” “You were very courageous. And we’re happy that you got back safe and sound. Do you know where they were going to take her?” Kenneth nodded. “Yeah. I didn’t tell the doctor, though. I think I passed out again.” Ronan stepped into the room. “Where did he take her? We have to get there before it’s too late.” “They were headed toward the abandoned silver mine.” Henry glanced at Ronan, who nodded. They were of the same mind. They were going to get to her. “Thank you. Tell your parents free drinks for the rest of their lives. You too when you turn twenty-one,” Ronan said before darting out of the room. Dawn stopped them outside. “Did he know where she was?” Henry nodded. Ronan threw his arms around Dawn and hugged her. He nearly kissed the doctor too. “Yeah. Thanks, Doc. See you around.” They left the doctor’s office and ran back to the bar, where Ronan’s Jeep was. He climbed in and gunned the engine, taking off before Henry had the door fully closed. He sped along the roads until he came to the closest parking lot to the old mine, the same one he assumed Cassidy had originally parked in. He squealed to a stop and felt his tires slip on the ice. He got out of the car and looked at the snow on the ground.

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“The snow will make it nearly impossible to get there quickly on two legs. We need to shift,” Ronan said. “I agree, but if she’s hurt, how are we going to get her back here?” “We’ll freeze if we have to. Anything to get to her and get her back safely. Ready?” Ronan stripped off his shirt. “Let’s go save our mate.” Henry plucked off his shoes and threw them into the Jeep. Once they were completely undressed and the Jeep was locked, Ronan stowed his keys in a secret spot under the bumper and then let the change come over him. Normally, he would have reveled in the transformation from human to wolf, taking in nature around him, but all he was focused on was getting to Cassidy. I know she’s alive. I feel that in my soul. He fought the idea of finding her body somewhere sprawled in the snow. If that were the case, then he would unleash his fury on the bastards who took her. The image of her inert body forced him to run faster, until his paws flew over the snow, and Henry kept pace with him. He dared not call out to the pack because he didn’t want to alert the kidnapper to their advancing presence. They leaped over fallen logs and turned along the banks of the river until it veered deeper into the woods. Ronan headed south toward the old silver mine. When they came to the rise overlooking it, they pressed themselves into the snow. The river was a din in the background. The sun was setting, and the temperature was dropping. His fur kept him warm, but he wasn’t sure what state Cassidy was in. If she was badly hurt, then they needed to act quickly. If she had little clothing, then the cold would get to her soon. Either way, the outdoors was looking dangerous. The first thing he had to be sure of was that she was alive. Ronan felt a sharp stab on his right flank. He growled and looked over at Henry. “What?” His friend’s eyes were slitted. He nodded toward the mouth of the cave. Henry lifted his nose in the air. Ronan did the same and scented the air. The aroma was of one wolf and one human. The wolf was Tyler. The other scent was something he couldn’t be smelling. He focused on the entrance to the

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mine and saw red droplets staining the snow. He had to get closer in order to be sure that he was right. “Who does that smell like to you?” Henry asked through the telepathic bond that all the pack shared when they were in wolf form. “It can’t be him,” Ronan fired back. “We saw his body.” “I know. But how else do you explain his scent? It’s all over the place here.” “Quiet. Listen.” Ronan’s ears flattened. A scream erupted from the bowels of the mine. Henry growled. “I’m going in.” “Wait.” Henry rushed down the hill. Ronan rolled his eyes and jumped down the tor, half sliding in the iced-over snow. He prayed that the noise wouldn’t arouse the suspicion of the kidnapper. Cassidy was in there. Henry crept toward the ominous opening. Darkness engulfed him. With the approaching darkness, the mine was further bathed in shadows. The farther they went inside, the more they could barely see. Ronan didn’t have to see because he heard two heartbeats not far from him. “Do you hear that?” he asked Henry. “Yeah. Cassidy’s definitely in here. I can smell her now.” “This way.” Ronan headed off to the right until he came to a fork in the mine. To the left was a burst of air, and the scent of the breeze was too clean. To the right, it was stagnant, and he could smell Cassidy. Henry nudged him. “I know.” Cassidy shrieked again. This time it curdled his blood. He flattened his ears and bared his teeth. Whatever expectations he had about going in to rescue her and getting the drop on the kidnapper were dashed. “Go summon the pack,” he said to Henry. “You’re going to need me.” “Go out, howl, and then get back in here. I don’t expect to take him on by myself. I’ll keep him busy until you come back. Besides, the both of us are going to have to take Cassidy out of here. I can’t do it alone, and you’re her mate too.”

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Henry pattered out of the mine. Ronan entered the small stone alcove. Inside was a camp setup in the corner. Cassidy was on the floor, against a pile of something with fabric over it. Wade stood over her. The onetime bartender held a knife to her throat. Ronan growled. Outside, Henry’s howl split the night air. In the small cavern, Wade’s dark laughter echoed off the stone walls. When he turned, his eyes reflected yellow in the light. The shock of seeing he was a wolf nearly got to Ronan, but he didn’t let it show. Behind Wade, Cassidy was shivering against the wall. Her hands were hidden behind her back. Her shirt was ripped down the front. Lines of blood were drawn across her stomach. The cuts looked shallow. He figured Wade was toying with her. It was hard to believe that he had the killer working in his bar all along and he didn’t know it. Talk about the ultimate wolf among the sheep. “My, my. Coming to save the damsel in distress?” Wade cooed. He twirled the tip of the knife around his finger and walked toward Ronan. That’s right, come closer so I can bite your balls off. Ronan didn’t let Wade’s show scare him. He stood his ground and growled louder, showing all of his teeth. “You really don’t think that you’ll be able to defeat me in wolf form, do you? Ronan, I’ve watched you enough over this past year to know that you’ve got nothing on me.” He knelt next to Cassidy, seized her hair, and shoved the knife under her chin. She cried out when the point entered her flesh. Her eyes were alight with fright. She cringed when he twirled the knife deeper into her skin. When she did, all he saw was red. He was so going to kick Wade’s ass. Ronan stepped forward, but Wade turned the blade so the whole edge rested against her throat. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. One small slip, and this will slice her creamy white neck. You wouldn’t want to mar your pretty little mate’s perfection, would you?” He remained still. Wade smiled. “I didn’t think so. If you would kindly transform back into human form, I’d really like to talk to you. It’s so much easier.”

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“Don’t do it,” Henry said from somewhere close by. “The pack is coming. Wait until they get here. Then we can all take him out.” “I don’t have a choice. He could kill Cassidy. I won’t take that chance. Just be ready.” Ronan glanced at Cassidy. The sour scent of fear tinged the air. He wished he could make the situation go away. “Come on. Take any longer, and I’ll gut her while you watch. I was hoping to have more alone time with her. You got here a little earlier than I expected. Oh well . . . it can’t be helped. It’d be nice to have a stable of bitches to ride like I did before, but Roger screwed up that plan. Because of him, I had to destroy my stock that I had in other cities.” “So why continue your killing spree here, when you could’ve gone somewhere else and planned out your reign of terror?” Ronan stood before them now in human form. Wade laughed and looked him over. “If I was trolling for someone, I’d certainly hook up with you. I never realized how hung you truly were, Ronan. And all those muscles. Yummy. I see why you enjoy him, Cass.” “Shut the fuck up,” she spat. He dragged the tip of the knife down her cheek. “Sweetie, did you know that Ronan here was spying on you? Watched you undress one night while you were at my place. He was there while you were pleasuring yourself. I saw it from a distance. I was watching you too. He got off on it. Bet he didn’t tell you that about himself. Maybe that’s why he wanted you in the first place, because he already saw the goods. Maybe he smelled the sweet pussy of yours from outside your window.” “Leave her alone. You wanted me in human form to talk. Why don’t you throw down the knife and fight me wolf to wolf? Or are you too scared to transform? From what I understand, you were a coward and didn’t stick around to see your partner get taken away by the pack.” Wade laughed. “How would you know that?” “Because I was there rescuing those innocent women who you had hunted and kidnapped. You left them in those cells to rot and dumped their

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mutilated bodies on pack land. How is it that we haven’t been able to catch you until now? Why didn’t we smell you?” “Good question. Something I used to ask myself. That was just the way I was born. I smell human no matter what form I take. And all of you were scouring for that distinct wolf scent. Roger was so careless. But he was another anomaly and didn’t throw off any scent unless he was in human form, so he was careful to a degree. Enough about me. Now that you’re here, let’s get the show going. Cassidy, what do you think?” “Go to hell. I can’t believe I was ever friends with you.” Wade growled and slugged her across the cheek. Ronan launched himself at him. He landed on his back and knocked him to the ground. They hit the cave floor, and the knife skittered across the dirt and landed a few feet from them. Ronan might have been bigger than his old bartender, but Wade was faster. He shimmied out of his hold, toward the knife. Ronan ignored his scrapes and attempted to grab him. Before he could, he saw a blur out of the corner of his eye, and Henry was there, standing between the knife and Wade. Ronan got to his feet and kept his eye on Henry. Wade remained where he was and glanced between them. Wade rolled to the left, out of the way of both of them, and grabbed the lantern that had been lighting the small alcove. He chucked it at Henry. The glass around the flame exploded when it hit the other wolf. Henry yelped and ran from the room, fire spreading over his fur. The remains of the oil spread across the floor, reaching to the sleeping bag. The scent of the kerosene was overpowering in the small space. Flames consumed the sleeping bag and were starting to creep up an old wooden support beam. “Guess your friend won’t be returning to help you out. It’s just you and me now.” “Just the way I want it.” Wade chuckled and sprang into the air. Clothes rained down from above. Then a large red wolf was on top of Ronan. He’d never seen anyone change so quickly. The force of the blow caused him to lose his breath. Wade’s jaws snapped at his throat. Ronan wrapped his hands around the other wolf’s 134

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neck and kept him at bay as his sharp teeth snapped at his Adam’s apple. He could see the cold, dead soul staring back at him. How could this man call himself a wolf? Then again, some men and wolves were just born bad. It was obvious that this one had been. Something had to be so dead and unfeeling in this other man that Ronan couldn’t completely comprehend it. He was going to survive, and this one was going to die. Wade’s claws ran furrows in Ronan’s chest. He didn’t cry out, but gathered his strength and shoved Wade off so he landed in the tent across the room. Wade lay still. It gave Ronan the time to check on Cassidy. “Cassidy. Come on. Wake up.” She stirred, but didn’t open her eyes. A large bruise had formed on her cheek where Wade had hit her. Ronan heard the howls of the pack outside of the silver mine. They were coming, but the fire that had started to eat away at the support beam now licked along the ceiling beams. The sound of the wood cracking above him told Ronan that he didn’t have a lot of time. Soon the whole room, and maybe the whole mine, would collapse around them. The smoke alone was starting to choke him. He tried to wake Cassidy again, but Wade growled. The light from the fire made his eyes glow red like some demon from the pits of hell. “You want me, you come and get me.” Ronan dashed out of the room and deeper into the shaft. The fire gave him a little illumination to see by. He kept backing up, glancing around for something to fight the wolf with. He didn’t have time to transform and go against Wade claw for claw and tooth for tooth. Wade jumped at him, his teeth barely missing his foot. Ronan dodged down the left tunnel he had avoided earlier. In the fading fire, he saw another small alcove. Wade advanced and pushed him into the small space. Ronan backed up. His foot hit a rock, and he slipped. The rock skittered across the floor and fell into a large hole. The echo of it bounced off the walls. He wasn’t sure how far down the shaft went, but it was deep. Wade bared his teeth, almost smiling, like he had Ronan right where he wanted him. A groan sounded above him, and another snap. The smoke from the fire stung his eyes and made it difficult to breathe. Time was against him. 135

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“You won’t win,” said Ronan. Wade lunged at him, sinking his fangs into the meat of his calf and worrying it. Ronan screamed from the sudden pain of when teeth scraped against his bone. He kicked at Wade with his right leg, but he had latched on. Ronan tried to get the momentum to throw him off, but he was in too much pain. The bolts of agony were like screws turning in his bones as Wade ripped out another hunk of his flesh. Ronan heard a noise. The smoke stung his eyes and his throat. He struck Wade, this time with his good leg, and felt it connect with the other wolf’s body. He still didn’t dislodge him. However, after a moment, he heard a yelp. Wade’s weight disappeared. A form stood over him. He made it out to be Henry. His friend offered him a hand. He took it. When he got up, Ronan saw an old pickax stuck in Wade’s back. The rogue wolf whimpered and tried to move, but only made it a few feet. Ronan didn’t feel sorry for him. “Come on. We have to get out of here,” Henry yelled. “Not without Cassidy.” “She’s outside with Cooper and the others. I already got her out.” Ronan looked back at Wade and didn’t trust him not to make it out of the mine. “Help me first.” He went to grab Wade. Henry swore under his breath, but helped him lift up the limp body and hoist it to the hole. “Down you go.” Together they threw the body of the wolf into the shaft. A curl of pleasure lightened Ronan’s mood when he heard the heavy thud of Wade hitting the bottom of the long channel, knowing he would never claw his way out and the mine would be his tomb. Ronan coughed and realized it was hard to breathe. Henry motioned for him to follow. They heard another crack and a snap above them. The fire had spread from the small room, and the flames were licking at the wooden support beams in the main tunnel. Something fell on his head. He brushed it away and coughed. The pain in his calf stopped him, and Henry looped his arm around him to lean. The fire gave them some light to see by, but the way out was surrounded in flames. The fire reminded Ronan of teeth waiting to chow down on him and Henry. He shook and felt the primal instinct that fire was the enemy. They had to 136

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get out of there. The whole ground shook. The air was heavy. He glanced at Henry, who nodded. It was time to go. They ventured through the fire. The heat licked at their skin, but he didn’t mind the burn because he knew Wade was dead and would never harm anyone again. Once they were out, Ronan turned to look at the mine. The fire spread an eerie light on the landscape. Another shudder racked the earth, and then a large cloud of dust and rock exploded from the mine. He jumped back and smiled. At least no one is ever going back in there, or getting out. Taking in a lungful of the night air, he realized he was freezing, dizzy, and his calf was killing him. In the dying light, he noticed the angry red burns over half of Henry’s body. His eyebrows had been singed, and the skin on his back was raw and blistered. “Guess this time I saved your life.” Henry coughed. Ronan laughed. “Guess so. That makes us even.” “Even? Oh, hell no. You still owe me a shitload.” Henry punched his shoulder gently. “You two going to banter all night, or are you going to get your asses over here?” Ronan saw Cassidy wrapped up in a blanket and leaning on Cooper. Beside him, Dawn was pulling out a first aid kit from her bag on the snowmobile. “Thank God you’re okay.” Ronan limped over to her. “She’ll be okay. It’s you two I’m worried about. Come on. Both of you need to get some clothes on, and medical attention.” Dawn handed Ronan and Henry a blanket and assessed their injuries. She bandaged Ronan’s leg, then looked at his other wounds and wiped them with alcohol pads. “I need to get the both of you back to my office. You think you can ride back?” “What about Cassidy?” Henry asked. “I’ll take her to the sheriff’s office. Dawn has already given her the onceover and said she’s fine. Go with her. That’s an order.” Cooper eyed him. Ronan groaned and limped over to the snowmobile. There was another one parked beside it that belonged to Samuel. “Come on. I’ll take Henry,” the sheriff said. 137

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They both nodded and got onto the sleds. He gazed at Cassidy, suppressing the longing to stay with her. She waved at him before they took off. Knowing she was alive put his mind at ease for now. Soon he would make sure she was okay. Right now, he was following orders, and his mate was in Cooper’s hands. She would be protected.

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Chapter Fifteen Cassidy stared at Samuel’s crooked nose while he was on the phone. The man wasn’t attractive. She could barely see anything of his brother Tyler in him. The one feature that was identical were their eyes, cold and calculating. The sheriff had more secrets than what he was telling anyone. She had a feeling that he was somehow connected to her kidnapping and maybe what happened to the other women in the past. It was her gut feeling, but she wasn’t sure, so she kept her mouth shut. Cooper made her feel safe and had stayed right by her side through the questions the cop asked her about Wade. How had she known him in Boston? Did she ever suspect him of being a sexual predator? All she had answered truthfully. It had never dawned on her that Wade was anything more than what he had let on to be: a great guy who ended up being her friend, and a wonderful bartender who had asked her to come and visit him because he knew that her life back in the North was going to shit. “Can you remember anything else about your ordeal that you want to tell me?” Samuel asked when he set the phone down. She took in a deep breath. Fatigue weighed on her, and her wounds ached. All she wanted to do was check on her two mates, make sure they were okay, and then get some rest. Her wolf was in agreement. Cassidy tried to smile. “Nothing that I can think of. It’s kinda hard to remember everything from being knocked out a couple of times.” “Yes, of course. But I was hoping you could tell me again what happened to my brother Tyler.” Cassidy rolled her eyes. She had already told him that Wade had killed him. What else did he want to know? Maybe he thinks that I had something to do with it. “Well . . . I left the bar and went to Wade’s house. I got out of my car and heard someone behind me. It happened so quick I didn’t get a glimpse of who knocked me over the head with a tire iron. I woke up in some old shack. After that, Tyler dragged me to the silver mine. Wade killed him and then dumped him in one of the shafts. And no offense to you, but your brother was an asshole.” 139

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Samuel met her eyes and frowned. Something bitter lingered in his eyes. Cooper squeezed her hand, and she felt somewhat relieved. “My brother wasn’t the golden boy of the pack. He left and made his life in California. He’d call me and tell me stories of all the women he was dating. I’m sorry that you had to endure him and what you suffered.” “Thank you. Are we done?” she asked. “Yes. If I have any more questions, I’ll come see you. Please don’t leave town until we get this all squared away.” She sighed and got up. When she did, the room spun a little. Cooper caught her before she fell. Her reserves were sputtering, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could function before she fell over. “I’m not going anywhere.” “Wonderful. Thank you for your cooperation.” Cassidy nodded and walked out of the police station. Once she got into the cool night air, her wolf scratched at the surface of her mind. It was as tired as her, but it also wanted to be free of the confines of her human flesh and run over the snow. It also wanted to check on Henry and Ronan. She was so tired she wasn’t sure if she could do either. “Are you okay?” Cooper asked. “I’m exhausted. But I need to check on Ronan and Henry before I do anything.” “You don’t have to worry about them. Dawn needs to keep them overnight for observation. I’ll bring you back to Ronan’s.” She nodded, but a bolt of fear went through her. “I can’t go back to Wade’s. My car and some of my things are there.” “It’s okay. I’ll have Mika bring them by for you tomorrow.” “Thanks. I—” “Are you okay to be by yourself tonight? After everything you’ve endured, I can understand if you want someone with you.” She sighed. It would be nice to have some company. She wasn’t sure she was going to be getting any sleep. Maybe she would wake up at every little noise in the house. Company sounded good. “That would be great. But I don’t know anyone else in this town.” 140

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“I know just the woman. You might find that you have some things in common. I’ll call and ask her to come spend the night with you.” Great. He’s probably going to send some chick who thinks I’m completely insane. “I’d like that. And I want to apologize for the other day when I pushed your buttons.” “Don’t worry about it. I get that you’re new to this life. Growing pains. Come on. I’ll take you up to Ronan’s.” He held open his car door for her. She hopped into the passenger seat, and they rode together until they reached Ronan’s. Cooper got out of the car and then tried the door. It was bolted. He searched the outside of the doorframe and found an extra key. He slid it into the lock and then opened the door. He entered, stood a moment in the kitchen, and then came back out. “It’s safe. There’s no one here. I don’t smell Wade or Tyler in here, so come on in.” Cassidy went inside. She inhaled and didn’t smell them either. “Thank you for everything. I mean it.” “Don’t worry. Relax and get some sleep. I’ll send up Mika’s mate to spend the night with you.” Cassidy smiled and then shut the door, leaving her alone in the house. It was silent, and all she smelled was Ronan. Henry’s scent was fainter, but it also gave her comfort. As she walked through the house, she decided to take a shower. Once she got out from under the spray, she wrapped a towel around herself and padded up to Ronan’s loft. She grabbed one of his shirts that he had tossed into the pile of dirty laundry. She dried her hair and then slipped on the shirt. Cassidy pressed the fabric to her nose and inhaled the spicy aroma of his scent, and it comforted her. She lay back in the bed and picked up on Henry too since they had been in bed together. Smelling him helped to calm her even more. Lying there, the events of the day caught up to her, and she closed her eyes and slept. It was the sound of the television that woke her. She opened her eyes and listened to the station. The show was some infomercial trying to sell a special kind of eggbeater. Cassidy rolled over and looked at the clock. It was one in the morning. She stretched, and her wounds ached. She ran her fingers 141

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through her hair and felt the knot on her head. It was still tender. She leaned over the railing of the loft and saw a dark head resting against the sofa. “Hello?” The head turned, and it belonged to a woman who smiled at her. “Hey. You’re awake. I wasn’t sure that you would be after everything that happened. You were fast asleep when I came in.” Cassidy wasn’t sure how to reply. “Yeah. Guess I couldn’t sleep anymore. You’re the one that Cooper sent over, right?” The woman below stood up. “Sorry. I’m October. Why don’t you come down so we can talk? I just made some tea if you want some.” “Sure.” Who in the world names their kid October? I mean, April and May are commonplace. What in the world was Cooper thinking when he said that we have something in common? There is no way. Oh well. Cassidy browsed through Ronan’s drawers until she came across a pair of old sweatpants that she pulled on. Then she stumbled downstairs to talk with this woman. October had the tea sitting on the table. The citrus scent of the beverage wafted to Cassidy’s nose. She wrapped her fingers around the warm mug and then sat on the couch. Cassidy pulled her knees underneath her and studied the woman across from her. Her black hair was pulled up into a ponytail. She wore a dark purple sweatshirt and formfitting black jeans. Her feet were sockless and dangled over the side of the couch. Her skin was pale. It was her eyes that held Cassidy. They were dark brown with sparks of gold in them. “How are you adjusting to all of this?” Cassidy shrugged. “Besides being kidnapped and having my ex-boyfriend be murdered, turning into a werewolf against my will, and then finding out that I have two mates that I’m not sure of . . . just wonderful.” “I’m sorry about that. I heard what happened to you. I wanted to help out with the pack when they were searching for the other serial killer, but Elliot wouldn’t let me out of his sight. That meant I was homebound. Mika was almost as bad, but at least he helped. I think he felt somewhat 142

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responsible because he originally let Wade get away and then rented his house to him. Of course, the pack never realized he was there among them all that time. I can only imagine what you went through.” “Honestly, I don’t think you can. How do you compare being abducted and held hostage by a psycho with just being an ordinary werewolf?” October blew on her tea. Her eyes widened. “Cooper didn’t tell you. That was the reason he sent me over here. He figured that we would have a lot in common because of what happened.” Cassidy’s eyes narrowed. What in the world is this chick spouting? “So what happened?” “I was the victim that escaped Wade’s partner. He kept me, and others, in an underground cellar up in the woods. I got away, bolted through the forest until I came to the road, and darted out in front of Mika and Elliot’s car. They took me back to their house. I ended up falling for them, but the rogue wasn’t going to let me go. He nearly killed Elliot and Mika in the process and kidnapped me again. They found me and rescued me. Wade escaped. After things settled down, I returned to my old life because so much had happened. I needed some space and time to think. At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but Mika and Elliot’s faces flashed in my mind more and more. I longed to be with them. So I returned and made my home with them.” “Wow. I didn’t realize that. I’m sorry—” October waved the comment way. “Don’t worry about it. I know your story is a little different. But we’re both victims of the pair of serial killers who were terrorizing the pack. And we lived to tell the tale.” Cassidy nodded. “But you weren’t a wolf when all this happened, were you?” “No. That came after. Just recently, actually. About a month ago. It’s wild. I haven’t gotten used to it. I’m still a little freaked about changing my shape. So we have more in common than you think.” Cassidy thought about what October had said and what she had endured. They might not have had identical experiences, but they sounded pretty damn close. How was she handling the two men? How could her heart deal 143

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with having the two of them in her life? How could she balance them? Did they love her the same? Cassidy had been pondering what she was going to do with Ronan and Henry. With everything she had endured, there were questions if she had made the right decision in choosing them to be her mates. She and her wolf disagreed on this. The wolf wanted them, but her human side was getting in the way. Cassidy had opened her heart in the past, and it had only gotten stepped on. Ben had stalked her and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Would Ronan and Henry end up being the same as Ben, a deranged psycho? That was the category Wade was also in. She had never thought that he was bisexual, which was fine, but she had also never figured him to be a psychopath. He had even killed Tyler because he stopped serving his purpose. He was close to killing her when Ronan and Henry had come to her rescue. She shook her head. They wouldn’t hurt me. They’ve already proven that by risking their lives to come and rescue me. They could have left me to die in the silver mine, but they didn’t. They cared about her. She had seen it in their eyes the first night they had made love. She had seen it in their eyes when they came out of the silver mine. They had cared nothing for themselves. It was only about her. She did care for them, but she hadn’t figured out exactly what she was going to do. Going back to Boston seemed a dream. She didn’t know if there were any wolves in Boston. It was all too confusing. It made her head hurt. Maybe the original decision she had made, claiming them for mates, had been a bad thing. “How did you know they were the ones for you?” Cassidy asked, glancing at October and then looking back at her cup of tea. She took a sip and coughed a little. The water scorched her throat. A dreamy expression flashed over her face. “I thought they were superattractive the first time I saw them. But it goes beyond the physical. I don’t know . . . I look at them, and I get filled up with joy. Granted, it isn’t easy. We work on our relationship every day. It goes against the wolf nature to have two mates. They don’t fight over me, though. At first they did, until they figured out that they had to work together to make me happy. And that is the first thing they think about, making me happy. 144

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“After being away from them for so long, I came back up here hoping they hadn’t moved on with their life. When I walked in, I found there was another woman there, Dawn, the doctor. They had finished a run, and she was naked. I nearly left, but she told me they were mooning over me. Mika had taken it harder, and poor Elliot. His first mate didn’t survive the turning. I think in order to both claim me for a mate, they both bit me. It’s just something that you know deep down. Maybe it’s part of the wolf mating instinct. I don’t know. All I know is that my life is complete with them, and I wouldn’t ever look back. Are you trying to figure out if you want to be with your two guys?” Cassidy ran a hand through her hair. The warmth of the mug had made her palm hot. “You could say that. I jumped into bed with them, and now I’m not sure if that was a mistake. After everything that’s happened, I know they care for me. I can see it when they look at me, but I don’t know how much this whole ordeal has changed me. Should I open myself up to them or leave? I can’t see myself going back up North to live. Part of me wants to turn tail and run from everything that’s happened. Does that make me a bad person?” Her eyes burned with oncoming tears. October patted her hand. “Oh, sweetie, no. It doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you human. We are two creatures, human and wolf. The wolf might be wild, but we rule with the human side of us. With everything you’ve been through, I don’t think anyone would say anything if you needed some time to sort what you want out. Hell, I’d say come stay with me at Elliot’s, but there isn’t enough room. Maybe your men can move in together, and you can take the empty house. You need to get your bearings back and find you again. You’ve been through a tremendous life-changing experience. Don’t do what I did. Don’t just disappear on them. It only hurts them in the long run. Give it some time, and your heart will make the right decision.” Cassidy nodded. October’s advice swam inside her thoughts. There was so much she had to mull over before she could make a decision. Thinking about it now made her head hurt. A yawn built in her throat that she couldn’t suppress. Sleep weighed on her eyes.

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“Thanks for the talk. I appreciate it, but I think I need to get back to bed. It was nice to meet you, October.” “You too, Cassidy. Maybe we can hang out when you’re all settled. There are no other threesomes in the pack. It gets kinda lonely being the only ones. It’d be nice to double date.” “I’d like that. Night, October.” Cassidy set her cup of tea in the sink and then went back upstairs. She crawled into bed and inhaled Ronan’s and Henry’s scents. The aroma of them in the same bed comforted her to some degree. The only thing was, she wasn’t sure if she could crack open her heart and let them inside. After so many physical wounds, and mental ones, she was too afraid to think about opening herself up once again. Part of her soul had cracked. Would she ever be able to gather the shattered pieces and love once more?

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Chapter Sixteen “Do you think she’ll be glad to see us?” Henry asked from the driver’s seat. Ronan glanced at the house. Cassidy’s car was in the driveway. He sighed and adjusted his crutches. Dawn had told him to stay off his feet for at least a week since he was still healing. Even though wolves healed faster than humans, the stitches he had to sew his muscles back together, and the wounds that he had suffered because of Wade, were serious. Dawn wasn’t sure if he would walk with a limp or not, but he would have a scar. The same with Henry. The burns from the lantern were mostly on his back and torso. His friend was still in some pain, but Henry had joked about having war wounds. Ronan didn’t think it was funny because they had nearly lost their lives. Then again, so had Cassidy. She was the only thing that mattered. He would do anything to be sure that she felt safe and secure with their relationship. During the time he was with Dawn, he had thought about nothing else except her. Ronan didn’t want to put any pressure on her. She may regret claiming them for mates after what had happened to her. He wasn’t sure. It wasn’t about sharing her with Henry. He was okay with that. As long as she was happy, that was the most important thing. He didn’t want her to run off because they were crowding her. “I hope so, but we have to take into consideration how she feels about us.” “What do you mean?” Henry asked, pulling the keys out of the ignition. Ronan sighed. “Well . . . I’ve had a lot of time to think. Look at this from her perspective. She had some horrific things happen to her. She may want to run away from all of this, from us.” “Do you want that?” Henry asked. “Of course not. Having her in my life, even for this brief time, has changed me. She opened my eyes to the life that I was missing. I can’t stay secluded in my cabin and wait for the world to come to me or ignore it

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totally. I have to put myself out there. You have to admit that she’s made you rethink the way that you are, Zen Master.” The other man chuckled. “Zen master that I am, I have been thinking. At first it was all about getting into her pants. I admit that. But there’s something about her, something inside of her that makes me yearn to be better and not so Zen. I’m not saying I’m not in touch with my wolf, but she makes me desire to walk on the wild side a little bit. Give in to the darkness.” “I know exactly what you mean. Let’s just play it by ear with her, and no pressure. I don’t want to lose her because we come on too strong.” “Agreed.” Ronan opened the door and hobbled out of the Jeep. He had to thank the pack leader for returning his vehicle to him after Ronan had parked it when they went to rescue Cassidy. Cooper had also told him that he was going to send one of the pack to spend the night with Cassidy so she would feel comfortable in the house alone. He was grateful for that too. Henry helped him to the door and then opened it. Once he did, the smell of cooking meat hit Ronan and made his mouth water. But it was Cassidy’s sweet scent that enfolded him and drove his wolf crazy. When she turned and smiled at him, everything in him was light as air. He had never had that experience with a woman, or with any human being, before. Seeing her smile was like a shaft of sunlight pouring through the parted clouds and bathing him in its light. It was the best cup of coffee he had ever had. It brightened his soul, and he was sure that no being would ever do that for him the way that she did. He yearned to bow down and worship her. If he could, he would have dropped to his knees and proclaimed his devotion. “Whatcha cookin’, good lookin’?” Henry asked. Cassidy giggled. “Just something I thought you’d like. How are you?” “Better now that I’m with you.” Henry wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. He captured her lips and kissed her. Ronan watched as a bolt of envy pierced his heart. He knew that he shouldn’t be jealous because he had agreed to share Cassidy. Still, he had to bite his tongue. Another part of him wanted to join them. Instead, he poked

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Henry’s ankle with his crutch to remind him not to take advantage of their mate. Henry shot him a glance and then broke away from Cassidy. “It’s good to see you too. Ronan, I missed you too. Are you okay?” Cassidy asked. “I’m good. Dawn says I should be on my feet in a week.” He didn’t move closer to her, even though every fiber of his being called for him to. Instead, she slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his. He brushed her lips with a quick kiss and then pulled away from her. Some unknown emotion crossed her face, and then her lips turned up into a small smile. “I hate to be a party pooper, but I’m going upstairs to change. Maybe take a shower.” “I’ll call you when dinner is done,” Cassidy said. Ronan hobbled into the living room. Everything had been tidied up. Not that he didn’t keep the place neat, but the cabin had a woman’s touch. When he peered up at his loft, his bed was made, and it appeared that his clothes were picked up too. His heart hitched at the thought that she had felt the urge to clean his place. Had she done it because she wanted to or because she had a penchant for it? Maybe she had done it because she cared for him. He shook his head and hobbled upstairs, taking it slowly until he was in his loft. There he sat on the bed and took in a breath. The pain wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle, but it made him wonder if he was going to be crippled. At least he was alive. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to untangle it, and inhaled the aroma of what Cassidy was cooking. It made his mouth water, and he hoped his meat would be rare and bloody. “So how are you doing?” Henry asked Cassidy. Ronan tuned in to their conversation. “I’m okay. I guess. Still freaked out about what happened. It sucks to be alone. I’ve been here most of the day, and I keep expecting something to jump out at me. I was never scared of the shadows before. I’m not sure if I will ever get used to it.” “You know that you don’t have to be scared. Ronan and I are going to be here for you. If you want us to be.” 149

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There was a long pause. Ronan thought he heard Cassidy sigh, but he wasn’t sure. What is she going to say to his statement? What is she thinking right now? He held his breath and strained his ears just in case he missed her reply. “I know how much you both care for me. That was evident when you rushed in to save me.” “We would have done that anyway, but—” “I know, but let me finish.” “Sorry.” “It’s okay. I know that I claimed you and Ronan for a mate. My life in Boston wasn’t going well. That was one reason Wade invited me here, so I could make a new start. Of course, I hadn’t thought about a job or anything. Hell, I just needed to get away. I never planned I’d meet you and Ronan. I didn’t figure I’d fall for both of you, but I need some time to figure this all out. I’m going back to Boston.” Ronan’s heart sank. She was leaving him. The wall that he had so painstakingly started to pull down around his soul instantly reformed. There wasn’t any chance of her reconciling with them. She would never return from Boston. Why did I ever let myself get so wrapped up in her? “Are you coming back?” Henry asked. Ronan heard the pain in his voice. Cassidy sniffled. There seemed to be some tears in her voice, but he couldn’t tell because he couldn’t see her sweet face. “Yeah. I’m coming back. Of course I’m coming back. I want to make this work between the three of us. Although, I was going to ask a huge favor of the both of you.” “Oh? What is that?” “Maybe you should get Ronan for this. I don’t think that it’s right saying this when he’s upstairs.” “Right. I’ll get him.” He heard Henry walk across the floor and then come up the stairs. He met his friend’s gaze. The hurt that was painted there made it evident that Henry’s heart was broken. “She wants to tell you something.” “I heard. I’ll come down. What do you think she wants to ask us? Let’s support her while she finds another man to fuck or twirl around her little 150

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finger?” Ronan grumbled and rose from the bed. His calf hurt when he put weight on it. “Fuck!” Henry offered him his hand. He nearly batted it away, but took it instead and was on his feet. He grabbed the crutches and maneuvered his way downstairs. While he sat down, he tried to keep his face blank. Ronan didn’t want to give away his true feeling, which was a simmering fury that would soon grow into a fire that would unleash his wolf. Cassidy stood in the kitchen doorway, either too afraid to come to him or ready to run away when they reacted to whatever this favor was she had to ask of them. She twirled her hair around her finger. Her eyes were brown, and not the vibrant blue of the wolf he had come to admire. Nervous energy surrounded her. She had changed in the short time he had known her. Some of his rage simmered when he studied her. The lid popped on the pot in the kitchen, and she jumped. “What was it that you wanted to ask me?” Ronan kept his voice steady. She flashed him a small smile. She drew in a long breath, held it, and then released it. Her expression was pinched. The subtle sour scent of fear surrounded her. “With everything that’s happened, I was hoping for some space.” “So you’re going to leave us. You want your ‘space’ so you can scope out other wolves for potential mates,” he growled, not able to keep the anger from his voice. His wolf pushed along his insides. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck to keep himself from changing. “Ronan, let her talk,” Henry chided. The look his friend threw him was sharp enough to impale him. Cassidy’s brow furrowed, and her mouth began to quiver. “N-No, I wouldn’t do that. I wasn’t thinking that. N-Never mind.” She ducked back into the kitchen. “Why are you being such a dick?” Henry asked and hit him in the back of the head before he got up to go after Cassidy. Ronan grumbled. He shook his head and realized what he had done. He had told himself he wasn’t going to fly off the handle without cause. He had said he would listen to her, but he had reverted to his old ways. The gruff 151

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temperament of the wolf had kicked him, and he had listened. He got up and shambled into the kitchen and leaned against the wall. Cassidy was wiping her eyes, and Henry ran a hand down her back to soothe her. They both looked up. “Come to say something else?” Henry asked. “I came to apologize. Cassidy, I’m sorry. Sometimes I forget. What were you going to say?” He made sure to keep his voice even and calm. She sniffled again. Hearing the sound twisted his heart. He swore silently and hated that he had brought her unjust hurt. Ronan had to remember that having a woman in his life meant that he had to temper his inner animal. He had to force himself to be more human. She glanced at Henry. “Go on. What were you going to say?” He smiled and nodded. “I was going to go back to Boston to pack my things and drive back down here so I could be with you. Only when I return, I wasn’t sure where I was going to stay.” “You know you can stay with me,” Henry offered. “Of course you’d offer that so you can keep her all to yourself,” Ronan snapped at his friend. Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Ronan, if you would keep your mouth shut for a moment, then I could get through this.” Now that sounded like the woman he was used to. “Sorry. You were saying.” “Actually, I was hoping that one of you could stay with the other until I could figure something out. I know it’s a lot to ask. If you don’t want to, then I can find somewhere else to stay. Or maybe you can ask around to see if there’s a house to rent, or an apartment.” Ronan sighed. He instantly regretted everything he had said or even thought. She was trying to make a way for them to be together. “Cassidy, I’m an asshole. I shouldn’t have barked at you. We can figure something out. Do you need one of us to go to Boston with you?” She shook her head. “No. I’ll be fine. Thank you for asking. I appreciate you trying to work with me.”

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“Why wouldn’t we? We’re your mates, Cassidy, and would do anything to make you happy.” “Sometimes I wonder what will make me happy. Excuse me. Dinner is done if you’re hungry. I’m going to lie down for a bit.” She walked past them and upstairs to Ronan’s loft. From Ronan’s vantage point, he saw her curl up on the bed. “You really are a dick. Earlier you were spouting off about how you had so much time to think and that you were a changed man because of her. You just turned into the same asshole you were before. Man, we might be friends, but sometimes I wonder why. If it weren’t for her, I’d leave your sorry ass here all alone, but my first priority is Cassidy.” Henry stormed off and headed upstairs. Ronan sighed and glanced up at the loft. He had done it. He had ruined any chance of her ever wanting to be with him again. He had opened his big mouth and inserted his foot so far down his throat that he wasn’t sure he could pull it out. The next morning, Henry made breakfast for the three of them. The silence in the cabin was so thick it nearly smothered him. Ronan had slept on the couch the night before, and Henry had spent the night next to Cassidy, comforting her whenever she would cry out from the nightmares that plagued her. Each time she screamed, Ronan shivered, and it turned his stomach even more to think he had brought her nightmare down on her. Maybe Cassidy would never forgive him. He wasn’t sure if he could ever forgive himself. It was more than what he had said and how he had acted. If it hadn’t been for him, Tyler never would have bitten her. Every time he thought about it, he wondered if maybe it was better if Henry claimed her for himself. Ronan didn’t know what to say to Cassidy. He tried to get past the block that seemed to exist between them now and speak his heart, tell her that it was her choice who she wanted. If it was better to go with Henry, then he would understand. But nothing came out. Henry glared at him the whole way out the door. Cassidy glanced at him and didn’t say anything. Then again, she didn’t have to. The longing in her eyes cut him to the quick. He yearned to

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break free from the prison he had put himself in and lay his soul bare before her.

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Chapter Seventeen Cassidy stared at the moving van outside of her apartment. The crowded street had made it nearly impossible for her to park that morning, but she had been lucky, and someone had pulled out. All of her boxes, save the one that sat on the floor by the door, were in the van. Most of her things, she had donated. Now that it was all stowed away, she wasn’t sure how she felt about leaving. It had all seemed so clear when she had given her thirty-day notice to her landlord. The idea of driving nine hundred miles was daunting. It wasn’t the journey that bothered her, though, but the thought of facing Ronan and Henry again. October’s words had floated back to her many nights while she lay alone. The men she had claimed haunted her dreams, and her heart yearned to be with them again. It was difficult to admit that she did indeed love them. However, there were still the things that Ronan had said to her, the way he had acted when she had suggested that Henry and he stay together, accusing her of trolling for other men when she came back into town. She understood that Ronan was insecure and that part of him was wilder than Henry, but to suggest her wanting to be with other men when she had committed herself to them was unthinkable. She hoped that he would be happy to see her when she arrived. Henry was another story. He had called to check on her almost every night. She had been able to talk to him. The idea of being with him warmed her heart. Cassidy had come to love him even more over the time they had been apart. They had talked so much it felt like she had known him forever. She had hoped Ronan would call her too, but she hadn’t heard so much as a howl from him. Taking one last look around the apartment she had lived in for four years, she gathered up her box and walked out. Her job at the magazine was dead. All her camera equipment was safely packed away. She hoped there would be work for her once she got to Lupine Gorge, but it was such a small town, she had no idea.

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The drive was tiring and the roads bumpy. Cassidy drove nine hours the first night and stayed in Virginia. The next day she ran into road construction, which made her drive longer. It wasn’t until late that night she pulled into town. Cell reception had been horrible during her drive, so she had left messages for Henry that she would meet him at the bar. When she crawled out of the van, her neck was stiff, and her muscles ached from sitting. Her stomach rumbled. It would be good to have a decent meal instead of the chips and other snacks she had been munching on. The Wolf’s Paw was hopping and the parking lot full. Her stomach suddenly turned into knots when she thought about going inside and seeing Ronan. How was he going to react? Hell, she didn’t even know if he would be there. Maybe after all the time that had elapsed and she didn’t hear from him, he had decided that he didn’t want anything else to do with her. She ran a brush through her hair and readjusted her shirt. Her heart slammed into her chest. The knots in her stomach seemed to crawl up her throat and tie themselves into a noose. It was time for her to go inside and face the men she had been thinking about for the last month. Her hand grasped the doorknob. Cassidy took a moment to compose herself. Inside she could hear the rowdy people. It was now or never. Everything in her froze for a split second, but she fought through the cold fear, opened the door, and walked inside. Once she did, she was surrounded by the scent of the other wolves in the bar. She could feel them as if they were rubbing against her skin, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. It was comforting to know there were others who were there with her. She hadn’t felt that while she was in Boston. There were so many people, she hadn’t been able to tell if there were any other werewolves in the vast metropolis. Some of them looked at her. She met their eyes. After a moment, they turned and went back to their beers. She glanced at the bar and expected to see Wade serving up drinks. For a second, Cassidy flashed back and saw him smiling at her the way he had done on the first night she had come to visit him. But that was all behind her. Instead was a woman who was slinging

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drinks to the men who were waiting. Cassidy didn’t see Henry anywhere, but she could smell him. She made her way back to his office. She knocked. “Come in.” Cassidy opened the door and poked her head inside. “You up for some company?” Once he looked up from the papers on his desk, the furrows in his brow smoothed out. “Cassidy, I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow since it’s so late. I figured you’d stop and get a hotel.” He got up and tried to pull her into his arms, but he stopped just short of it. She sensed the tension between them. It had been so easy talking to him over the phone because it wasn’t anything physical. Returning to the bar had brought it all back: being kidnapped, getting bitten, and the terror she had experienced. The nightmares had finally started to fade away. Her sense of self had returned, but the mental wounds remained. They might have closed, but being there now had reopened them a little. However, it didn’t stop the feeling of semicompleteness that surged through her soul being close to Henry. Her wolf was eager to see its mates again and run with them. She was anxious to see how they reacted when she showed them she could shift. The wolf wanted that too. It hoped they would be pleased with her. Henry flashed her a nervous smile and shoved his hands in his pockets. A moment later, he pulled them out and crossed his arms over his chest. Cassidy smiled back. “God, I didn’t think this would be so awkward,” he confessed. She nodded. “I know. Talking on the phone was easier than this.” “That’s because you didn’t have to see my face. Look, Cass, after everything that happened before you left, I know how much of a step this is for you to be here.” “Yeah. But I’m here to work things out. That’s what’s important to me. Then find a job, if that’s possible here, and work on living arrangements.” Henry blew out a long breath. “Yeah. About that.”

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“Let me guess. Ronan wasn’t into you moving in with him or him staying with you. I can find a hotel, or if there’s an apartment around here, I can rent. I guess.” Cassidy shook her head, the exhaustion washing over her. A wave of dizziness spun her head until she stumbled. She tried to catch the desk, but Henry enfolded her in his arms instead. His scent enveloped her. It brought her wolf out. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer until her breasts pushed against his chest. His eyes widened. She ran her nose along his neck as she stood on tiptoe. Henry shook against her. He trailed his fingers along her spine. This time she quivered from his touch. It felt so good to be in his arms, so right. She couldn’t understand why she had ever wanted to be away from them, now she was in his arms. The love she had for him surged forward. Having his absence for that long month had made her realize that being with Henry helped to heal her wounds. Being in his arms was like coming home. “I missed you,” he whispered into her ear. “I missed you too. I wasn’t sure how this would be when I came back. If you still wanted me. Or if Ronan would.” He brushed back the hair from her eyes and traced his fingers down her cheeks. “Of course I wanted you. Ronan does too. He’s sorry about what happened before. I think he blames himself for you getting bitten. You’d have to talk to him, though. I didn’t know if you would want me or us after you’d had time to think about it.” She sighed and rested her head against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heart helped to calm her fears. “It took me going away to realize that I need you in my life. It wasn’t because I had claimed you and Ronan as mates. It was because I knew how much you cared for me. And how much I cared about you. There was a lot I didn’t tell you on the phone.” “Tell me now. Are the nightmares keeping you up still?” She dragged her index finger over Henry’s left nipple, feeling it firm up. He groaned and held her tighter. “No. The nightmares are going away. But I’ve also been dreaming about you and Ronan. About us being together. Being away from you at first was okay, but the longer I was, the more I 158

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realized that I yearned for you both. I’d see a couple on the streets and wish that it was me holding hands with either one of you. I just wanted to be close to you.” “You’re close to me now. And I don’t intend on letting you go.” He placed his fingers under her chin and lifted it so that their lips met. Once they did, Cassidy knew this was the right decision. This was where she was meant to be. In the strong arms that would protect her. Henry kissed her slowly and brushed his tongue along her bottom lip. She met his tongue with her own, caressing it, tangling with it. He deepened their kiss and moved his fingers lower until they cupped her ass. He squeezed the mounds and pulled her closer, and she could feel his hardened cock. Cassidy started to drown in the pleasure of being in his arms. All she wanted to do was stay there. It was safe and warm. “Do you know who that big-ass moving van belongs to? It’s blocking my space.” Cassidy broke their kiss and looked over at Ronan standing in the doorway. His mouth hung open at seeing her. Henry pulled away from her, but kept his hand around her waist. She flashed him a small smile. “Sorry about the van. I parked it the best I could. I’ll go move it.” She tried to head out the door, but Ronan blocked it. “Forget it. It’s not in the way.” “Oh. Okay. Well then. It’s good to see you,” she said. He gazed at her with a hardened expression. The lines at the corners of his eyes had deepened. “Yeah. Good to see you too.” Henry brushed his lips over her cheek. “I’ll let you two talk. I’ll be at the bar if you need me.” “Thanks,” she murmured. Henry left the room so she was alone with her other mate. The anxiety in the air was thick. She wasn’t sure what to say to him. The last words he had spoken to her echoed in her mind, the accusation of her looking for other men. Cassidy had had controlling boyfriends, and she wasn’t going to deal with it again with Ronan.

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“So you’re here to stay, I take it?” He glanced at her and then studied the floor. “Yeah, and I don’t plan on trolling for other men, if you were still concerned about that,” she commented and crossed her arms over her chest. “I-I wasn’t thinking that.” “Really? Because you were thinking it before I left.” “Are you going to hold that against me?” The frustration she felt toward him that had been building suddenly swarmed over her like a nest of angry hornets. Cassidy darted across the room and snapped her teeth at his neck, inches from his flesh. Whoa! Where did that come from? “Why shouldn’t I? You never called me. You left me wondering if you ever wanted anything to do with me. If I was so much trouble, then why did you ever help me in the first place?” “Now that’s a little underhanded. I wasn’t going to ignore you when you came asking me for help. That would make me inhuman.” “Well you are. More wolf than human. Isn’t that what you told me?” Ronan shook his head and looked away. The tops of his ears grew red. He took a deep breath. “This is getting us nowhere.” “I agree. Maybe I should leave you be and forget that I ever claimed you for a mate. Isn’t that what you want?” He grabbed her arm, and a low growl passed over his lips. “Don’t you say that.” “Why not? It’s clear from your actions that you don’t want me.” She yanked herself from his grasp. He curled his hands into fists, but he kept them by his sides. His entire face turned burgundy to the bottom of his neck. “That isn’t true. This past month has been hell.” “I never would’ve guessed since I didn’t hear from you.” “I wanted to. I was afraid you’d already written me off because I was a jerk before you left. I tried to talk to you that morning, but I couldn’t find the words. All I thought was how you must blame me for what happened to you. If I had never shown an interest in you, then Tyler never would’ve gone 160

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after you. You don’t know how often I wished I could take that back. How often I dialed your number to hear your voice, but was too chickenshit to leave a message or say hello. Or the times I curled up with the robe you wore so I could smell your scent. How I imagined your body against mine. Or the lonely nights when I pictured you in the house or running beside me through the woods. Henry has barely talked to me except to give me updates on how you’re doing.” “Well that’s wonderful to know. A little late now.” “Aren’t you going to let me make it up to you? Or have you chosen Henry over me? I don’t blame you if you did, but I’d love to know if you would still consider me being part of your life.” Cassidy saw the hurt in his eyes. Her wolf growled, but it also wanted to forgive him. She did too. He was making it so difficult. “How could you even ask me that? I came back. I have no idea where I’m going to sleep tonight. I’m tired, hungry, and I’m sick of arguing with you. Excuse me, Ronan.” She tried to get past him and out of the door. He grabbed her arm and stopped her. “Don’t go.” He looked at her so intensely, he peered deep into her soul. “Please.” His voice was husky, laden with emotion. He pulled her close to him so his muscled body pressed against hers. Cassidy inhaled his intoxicating piney scent. She tried to not let it get to her, but it was battering against her hardened walls. Her wolf butted against her head. It wanted out. She felt it pushing against her skin and seeping into her bones. “Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t.” “Because I’m a wreck without you. I’m nothing. This past month has been hell without you near me. You made me realize how much of a fuckup I really am. I know what I said to you was horrible. I’m so sorry. Forgive me. If you want to stay with me, I’ll sleep on the porch in wolf form, and you can have the cabin. I’ll move in with Henry. Anything to make you stay.” He pressed his head into her shoulder and slipped his arms around her. His whole body shook. Cassidy’s heart shattered when she heard his confession. He was telling her the truth. He hugged her harder, as if he was afraid she would disappear 161

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into thin air if he released her. She sighed and placed her hands on his back, feeling the quivering muscles underneath. Ronan inhaled something that, to her, sounded like a sniffle. My God, he’s crying. He really means it. She ran her fingers over his shoulders. “Shh . . . Ronan. It’s going to be okay. We can figure this out.” He looked up, and she saw the wetness lining his eyes. He quickly wiped it away and grinned. She saw the doubt lingering in his eyes. “Really?” Cassidy nodded. “Yes. It’ll take some work, but it’ll be okay.” Ronan took her hand and squeezed it. “I’ll show you how much I’ve changed. I—” She covered his mouth with her free hand. “I’m not asking you to change, Ronan. I don’t expect you to bend over backward just to compromise on some things. I realize this whole situation is a stretch for you. Sharing me with Henry, and me asking for my own space, at least for now.” He removed her hand. “That was another thing that I hoped to surprise you with. Come with me.” She was going to say something, but stopped when she saw the excitement in his eyes. “Fine.” He led her out of the office and down the back hall, where there was another door. Ronan held open the door and then went ahead of her upstairs. The stairs were steep and moaned when she went up them. At the top was another door that was open. Inside, she saw the lights were on. When they entered the new space, Henry was there waiting for her. Cassidy looked around, and to her surprise, it was an apartment, furnished at that. “What is this?” she asked. “I had the space, and no one was renting it out. So we thought it might be the best solution for us. The last tenant left a week after you did.” Ronan grinned. “You had asked for your own space, so this seemed to be perfect,” Henry responded.

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Cassidy glanced at the both of them. A streak of love so strong went through her that she couldn’t help but feel the tears slide down her cheek. Ronan’s expression fell. “Oh shit! What did we do?” he asked. She waved him away. “Nothing. This is wonderful.” “Yeah? You want to see the rest of it?” Ronan asked. “That would be great.” Henry took her hand and led her into the small kitchen, but the open living room made up for it. There was already a couch, and a television there too. She went down the hall and poked her head into the bathroom. It was painted a light blue, so it wasn’t bad. They went to the back room, which turned out to be a moderate-sized bedroom with a king-sized bed with pillows and a neatly folded comforter. There was a chest of drawers and two other doors. “Where do those go?” Ronan walked over and opened one. “This one is the closet. The other is the outside door.” “That’s in a strange place,” she said. “Not sure I like that idea. Someone could come in here at night and ravish me.” “Well, you can always block it off. There is a fire escape, too, in the second bedroom. I had to do a lot of renovations up here before I could make it livable. I hope that it’s not a deal breaker.” She could block the door with the dresser if she really wanted to. “No. It’s fine. I like it. Are one of you planning to sleep in the second room?” Both of their faces reddened. “No. Uhh. Only if you want us to,” Henry said. Cassidy sat on the bed, feeling the exhaustion wash over her. She couldn’t even think about getting busy at the moment. “Not tonight. That’s for sure. Honestly, I need to get some real food in me and get some sleep. We can work out a schedule or something. I don’t know.” “The couch pulls out into a bed too,” Ronan said. “Okay.”

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“How about we go out for dinner, and then we can call it a night? We can go shopping tomorrow sometime, if you’re feeling up to it, so you can get whatever you want for the apartment,” Henry offered. She stifled a yawn. “That would be great. You guys lead the way. Dinner is calling me.”

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Chapter Eighteen Ronan wiped down the bar, cleaning up the mess left behind from the patrons. A loud thump sounded above his head. He stopped and almost went upstairs to see if Cassidy was okay. Then he reminded himself that she wanted her space, and he wasn’t going to intrude on that. She had been in the apartment above the bar for the last three weeks. After settling in, she had made an effort to spend time with both him and Henry. It was agonizing not to be around her, so he came into the bar every day to be near her, even if he didn’t see her. Just to be close to her was good enough so he could know that she was okay. He and Henry had resumed their friendship. They both agreed Cassidy was too important to have any animosity between them. It was good that they were now getting along. Still, it wasn’t enough for him. He ached to be around her. Ronan wasn’t sure when they were going to be together again, and every time he saw her, he grew firm at the thought of her naked body. Her scent drove him crazy. Now they were at the first night of the full moon, he wasn’t sure what she was going to do. He longed to see her change. The bar closed early that night, so he could run with the pack. Something thumped again, and Ronan stopped what he was doing. That’s it. I’m going upstairs to see what’s going on. He walked down the hall, up the stairs, and then knocked on the door. After a minute of not hearing anything, he knocked again. This time he heard a muffled cry. “Cassidy, are you okay?” “Fine.” Her answer seemed strained. “I’m going to come in.” Ronan dug his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He went inside and found Cassidy doubled over on the floor, clutching her stomach. He gathered her up in his arms. “What’s the matter?” “Changing . . .” He ran his hand over her forehead. She was sweaty, and he heard the pain in her voice. She moved again and this time crunched up more so he could barely keep a hold on her. “Don’t fight the change. You’re feeling it 165

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because Cooper has willed that we all gather tonight. He likes to meet at the first night of the full moon. Didn’t you already change once before?” She nodded. “In my apartment. The wolf got the better of me, and I couldn’t fight it.” Ronan didn’t comment, but he could only imagine what it was like to change in her apartment. He ran his hand down her back. “You don’t have to spend the night in here. Come out and be free.” “Can’t stop.” “Look at me,” he said softly, turning her head to him. Her eyes were bright blue, and her cheekbones had shifted, making way for her jaw to elongate. Her hair seemed shaggier, but he could see the fight she was in. There were tears in her eyes. Ronan pressed his lips to hers and kissed her lightly. Cassidy made a small noise, and he pulled away. Her face had shifted slightly back to human. He trailed his fingers over her cheeks and felt they were more back to normal. Her eyes remained blue. “You don’t have to fight it. You don’t have to be alone in this. Henry and I are here for you. Won’t you come and run with us? Do you think you can make it to Henry’s down the street?” “I think so. If you’re with me. It helps when you’re near. The wolf doesn’t fight so much.” He slipped his arm under hers and helped Cassidy up. He led her from the apartment and down to the bar. They made it outside, and she was shaking. Ronan smoothed her hair and kissed the side of her cheek. “Do you want to stop?” She shook her head. “No. I’ll be okay.” Ronan walked her to his Jeep and helped her inside. He drove the short way to Henry’s house and then helped her out. She was nearly hunched over. Her breath was coming quickly. Whatever fight she had in her was slowly seeping away. “Henry,” Ronan called as he sat her down on his porch. The other wolf came out. His shirt was off, and his eyes were golden. He was feeling the effects too. “What is it?” 166

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Ronan looked to Cassidy, and Henry’s eyes widened. He sat down next to her. “Are you okay?” Cassidy nodded. All her teeth were sharp and filled her mouth. Her eyes had taken on an almond shape. Ronan looked at her hands and saw they were claws. “You’re going to change soon. Henry and I can help you with your clothes so they don’t get ruined. Okay?” “Yes.” The word came out as half a growl. Ronan lifted her arm, and Henry took the other one. They worked her shirt off and folded it. He placed it on the porch. Henry undid her bra. Ronan focused on her hardened nipples for a moment. He forced his gaze from them and helped her to stand. Henry took off her shoes and socks and unzipped her jeans and helped her step out of them. Next came her panties. Her knees buckled, and she was breathing heavy. Ronan brushed his lips across her forehead, feeling the changes passing through his body. “Don’t fight it anymore. Let it wash over you. We’ll be with you in a few minutes.” He watched her body contort. Her bones cracked, and she went down on all fours. White fur sprouted from her body. A cloud passed away from the moon. When the silver light hit him, his change began to overtake him. He could feel the power of the pack leader’s command rippling though him. He couldn’t fight it even if he wanted to. Ronan undressed and placed his clothes next to Cassidy’s and saw that she had completed the transformation. Her head came up to his hips. He fell to his knees before her. Cassidy blinked and cocked her head to the side. He reached his hand out, and she licked his palm. Ronan chuckled. Cooper howled in the distance, calling the pack together. His body responded with the change. The wildness and the strength of the wolf enveloped him. When he opened his eyes again, he stared into Cassidy’s vibrant blue ones. “Hello, beautiful,” Ronan said to her. Her eyes widened. “I can hear you.” “Of course you can. You’re part of the pack,” Henry explained. “We can all talk to one another while in wolf form. Neat, isn’t it?” 167

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“Does that mean you can read my thoughts?” Cassidy asked them. “Not unless you project them, the way you are now. Don’t worry, Henry can’t tell what your sexual fantasies are.” Ronan chuckled. “Funny, Ronan. Are you ready to run? The others are gathering,” Henry said. Ronan bumped heads with her and then ran toward the woods. “Just follow me.” He took a few steps to make sure that Cassidy was following, and she was. The trio ran through the woods, and for the first time in a long time, Ronan felt complete. This was his element. This was where he belonged, in the wild, with his mate running alongside of him. He jumped over fallen logs and bounded up slopes that his human feet would find perilous. He ran until he felt something nip at his legs. He glanced behind him and growled, only to see Cassidy’s bright eyes right at his withers. She snapped her jaws at him again. “You’re going too slow.” The amusement in her tone was the best thing he had heard in a long time. “You don’t know where you’re going,” he replied. “No, but I do.” Henry raced ahead of him. “Catch me if you can, old man.” Ronan growled and sprinted after his friend. He heard Cassidy keeping up with him. He kept his mind focused on one thing: overtaking Henry. He pushed his legs to go faster until he was close to his friend, and then he was out in front. “Got you,” he called to Henry. “I don’t think so.” Henry chased him and overtook him. Ronan tried to catch up, but Cassidy dashed ahead of both of them. “Sorry, fellas. Looks like you’re chasing my tail.” Her laughter sounded in his mind, and it was heartwarming. He was about to respond, when they burst through the tree line and into the clearing where all the pack assembled on the first night of the full moon. Cassidy stopped when she saw all of the wolves gathered in the center of the clearing. “My God. There are so many,” she whispered. Ronan nudged her with his nose. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Come on.” 168

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“It’s okay,” Henry said as well. A large wolf came toward them from the center of the clearing. The other wolves parted around him until he stood before their mate. Ronan and Henry lowered their heads. Cassidy remained where she was. He glanced up and noticed that Cassidy and Cooper were almost the same height. “You are welcome here, Cassidy,” Cooper said so that the whole pack could hear him. She cocked her head. Ronan couldn’t hear what Cassidy said, but after a moment, she lowered her head, acknowledging his leadership. Although he didn’t know if she truly accepted it based on the conversation they had months ago. “You all may rise. Thank you for bringing your mate to the gathering. Each new wolf makes the pack stronger.” “It nice to be accepted,” she said. “One quarter of the town is wolves, and there are other members who live in the surrounding towns. We are the biggest pack in the state. And we have room to run. Come and meet the rest of your brothers and sisters.” Cooper headed back to the center of the pack. Ronan followed. The other wolves sniffed Cassidy. He sensed her trepidation, but when they got to the center of the pack, surrounded by at least three hundred wolves, she seemed calm. Cooper sat back and began to sing. The howl filled the air. The others joined in as they worshipped the moon. Soon the temptation was too strong, and Ronan added his voice to the chorus. After a moment, he heard Cassidy raise her voice to the sky, and it was the most joyful sound he had ever heard. Once the song died down, the wolves dispersed and romped in the wilderness. Cassidy stayed behind in the clearing and was speaking with another trio of wolves. Ronan recognized them as October and her two mates, Elliot and Mika. It was only a few months ago that Mika had been admitted back into the pack. Elliot and he were friends, and October had been the victim of Wade’s partner. After a few minutes, the trio raced off into the woods. Cassidy came back over and bumped her head against his and Henry’s. “How are you doing?” 169

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She studied them. “I’m good. Better than good.” “Wonderful. Are you ready to go back to my house? Since our clothes are there?” “You just want to see me naked again,” she teased. “There’s nothing wrong with that,” Henry commented. “Come on. We’ll get back to the house,” Ronan said, and bounded off toward Henry’s. When they arrived, he slipped back into human form. Cassidy and Henry broke through the woods. He unfolded his clothes and was going to put them on, when he felt soft hands slide around his stomach. Ronan felt lips press against his shoulder. He held his breath and for a second thought he was dreaming. I never thought that I’d feel those lips again. Hands trailed upward and settled over his heart. Cassidy’s head rested against the middle of his back. Her soft caress stirred his passion and hardened his cock. He didn’t want to get his hopes up. “Cassidy, what are you doing?” he asked. “Showing you that I’m sorry. Unless you don’t want me to.” He moaned when she nipped the skin along his shoulder blade. “I never said that. I was just surprised that you wanted to.” “A lot has changed in the past few weeks. I’ve had a lot of time to think. You two have done everything for me, been there when I asked you to be, and I’m grateful for that.” “So this is a way to say thanks because you’re grateful.” She sighed. “No. Can we go inside, please, where it’s warmer?” “I don’t mind looking at that sweet ass of yours, Cass,” Henry said. Ronan growled. “Henry, why do you always have to come up with some stupid comment?” Cassidy’s nails pierced his chest. He jumped and cried out. “Hush. He can say what he wants. You do all the time.” She bit him harder this time. Ronan’s cock tightened. The pain of it stirred the wolf to the surface. “Yes, I do. Sorry. I don’t know when to hold my tongue.” “No kidding,” Henry murmured. “Will you let me finish?” Cassidy asked. “Of course.” 170

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“This isn’t gratitude. I love you, Ronan, as much as I love Henry. I don’t blame you for Tyler biting me. How were you to know? This is me saying I want to make this work. I’m here offering myself to you. I thought after all this time you would be excited about that.” One of her hands slipped from his chest, lower, over his torso, until it touched his firm length. He let loose a groan. “I am excited about it. Can’t you tell?” She slid her hand over his shaft and cupped his balls. “Oh, I can tell. Although, I wanted to be sure that you were ready for me. Because after this, I was figuring we could make a schedule for the three of us to spend time together, or some kind of living arrangement. I don’t want to be alone anymore. I want to be with my mates.” “I can certainly go with that. Should we go inside? Or do you want to stay out here and talk? Because right now, I’m freezing my nuts off,” Henry commented. He grabbed his clothes and unlocked the door. “I think going inside is a good thing. It is much warmer in there. And Cassidy, I am sorry about everything.” “No more apologizing. Come on.” She gathered her clothes and then entwined her fingers with his. He grabbed his garments and let her lead him into Henry’s house, and she closed the door. Ronan set his clothes down on the counter. He turned and looked at his mate, seeing how beautiful she was. Her body was flawless. The transformation had defined her muscles and made her body sleeker, not that it mattered because she was already perfection. It was difficult to believe that she had chosen him. After all the time he spent believing that she had decided to cast him away, he had given up and his heart was plunging fast into believing that she was going to keep things the way they had been between them. He ran his fingers over her silky flesh and thanked the moon above things were going to work out between them.

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Chapter Nineteen Cassidy saw the look of disbelief in his eyes. It seemed Ronan didn’t think she would ever make up her mind about him. He had tried to hold his tongue, but she knew it was difficult for him not to speak his mind, even if what he was going to say never came out the right way. If she asked for something, he would make sure she got it. Sometimes she could see the questions lurking in his eyes that he wanted to say, but he never pressed her. She didn’t want her mates to think she was sponging off them, and when she asked Ronan about paying rent, he wouldn’t let her, stating that she was his mate and he would provide for her. Cassidy knew that he was hanging on to the hope they would be together and he was just waiting for her to say she was ready. She had spent time with October and her two mates, getting to know them and how they worked together. It made her see that even though they each were unique individuals, they made it possible to get along, and they loved one another. If they could make it work, then so could she. What clinched it for her was tonight. Ronan had come to check on her when she was nearly lost to transforming. He did everything to make sure she was okay. He didn’t think about himself or that he was also going to change. She realized that there was no way of ever changing him, and she didn’t want to because that was one of the reasons why she loved him, the same with Henry. He was the polar opposite, so calm and relaxed that she was comfortable with him, but Ronan brought out the wolf in her, the wild side, and she enjoyed that. The time they had spent apart had given her the time to contemplate the way she had treated them. Granted, she was still working on healing her emotional scars, but being without them was wearing on her. Cassidy hoped that they would work together to make their relationship work. She knew Henry wanted that. It was all about Ronan and seeing if he could get past his jealousy. Seeing him now, staring at her, she could see that he was all about making it work. The longing in his eyes and the tender way

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he touched her told her that she had also wounded him with the way she had kept him at a distance, and that made her want to make things up to him. “Henry is waiting for us,” Ronan said. He trailed his finger over her breast. She encircled her fingers around his wrist and brought his hand to her mouth. She sucked in his finger between her lips before releasing it. “I know, but there was something I wanted to tell you.” He shook his head. “There isn’t anything that you have to say to me. You’ve already said it by showing me you want to be with me.” She placed his hand on her cheek and met his penetrating gaze. “I need to tell you that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for putting the barriers between us. I know that you were waiting for me to figure out what I wanted to do. To heal. But I made you wait so long. I appreciate that. Know that I never meant to drag this out. I never meant to twist your heart around in circles if that was what I did. I wanted you to know that I appreciate it.” He smiled, and it warmed the harsh expression that he always wore. “You never have to apologize to me, Cassidy. You’re my mate. I’d do anything for you. Even die. I love you.” His tender admission raced through her soul and brought tears to her eyes. “I love you too. I admit that was one of the reasons I didn’t let you and Henry get closer sooner. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.” The lines around his eyes crinkled even more. “What do you mean?” “Look at my last boyfriend and my best friend. Both were psychos. I needed to be sure that you two wouldn’t turn out to be ax murderers. That would be all I need.” Ronan chuckled. “Ax murderers we are not. Just very horny werewolves who want to pleasure our mate. What do you say?” She conformed her body against him. “Sounds good to me. Take me away, big boy.” He kissed her quickly, and a wide smile spread on his lips. “Oh, I think I can get used to that nickname.” Ronan scooped her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to a room she hadn’t been in before. Inside, Henry was waiting for them on the 173

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bed. Ronan placed Cassidy down gently, and she looked around. The room had a lingering scent of fresh paint, and the bedding seemed to be brandnew. “The room needed a makeover, so it gave me something to do.” Henry shrugged. “Did you do this especially for me?” Cassidy asked. “We wanted to make you feel welcome wherever you decided to stay, with me or with Ronan. I hope you don’t mind it.” Cassidy crawled over to the bed and kissed him. Henry put his arms around her and trailed his fingers along the curve of her spine. “I don’t mind at all.” He cupped her ass and squeezed it. “Good. Because I was beginning to wonder if I was going to be able to arouse your tastes since I don’t have a woman’s touch.” “You might not have a woman’s touch, but you certainly stir mine.” “Seeing you tonight in wolf form made me want to take you in front of everyone. Even now it makes me hard.” Henry guided her hand down to his dick. The silky smooth skin was warm against her palm. Ronan came up behind her and kissed her shoulder. He moved her hair away and kissed her neck. Next he nibbled her ear. She moaned and let the pleasure of both of them touching her inflame her. The walls she had erected around her heart and soul started falling away. For the first time in a long time, she was able to put her trust in someone. “You got that right. You were amazing. At first I thought you were going to face Cooper for leadership of the pack from the way you stood up to him before,” Ronan whispered against her ear. She leaned her head back to rest against his chest and look into his eyes. “I don’t want to rule the pack. I wasn’t used to the idea of being a wolf then. Everyone was so welcoming. I never expected that. I am really happy that I’m with the both of you. I’m sorry I put you through hell. It won’t happen again.” Ronan kissed her nose and smiled. “No apologies. Isn’t that what you told me?” 174

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Henry gently cradled her head and pulled her down to his lips. He nibbled on her bottom lip. “I agree. No apologies. We’ll start fresh from here.” Cassidy knew this was a new beginning for them, and she was ready for it. “Good. Does that mean you’re up for an idea?” Ronan slid his fingers under her arms and cupped her breasts. “Sure. What did you have in mind?” Henry trailed kisses down the column of her neck. She sighed and nearly lost the nerve of what she wanted to ask them. “Yes. What tortures did you want to inflict upon us?” Henry smirked. She felt the blood sear her cheeks. “I was hoping that . . . well, one of you could be pleasuring me while I was doing the same, with the other on top of me.” “Not sure I can visualize this,” Henry said, his grin widening. “Ronan?” “Nope. Not at all.” Cassidy shook her head. “Fine. Can you both get up for a minute?” Ronan released her. She already missed their added warmth. Cassidy rolled to the other side of the bed so she was off Henry. He got up, leaving the bed all to her, and she patted the space once occupied by him. “Ronan, can you lie down with your head at the foot of the bed?” Ronan lay down. She straddled him, so her ass was pointed at Henry, who was standing at the foot of the bed. “Oh, I like this angle,” Ronan commented and flicked his tongue across her already wet folds. “You would.” She jumped from the sudden contact of Ronan’s tongue. Henry gripped her mounds and squeezed them. “So what am I supposed to do with this?” She heard the amusement in his voice. “I get it. You want to sixty-nine with an added twist. Oh, we can certainly do that.” “Good to know,” she squeaked out. Cassidy felt a little self-conscious at what they were going to do, but she had been thinking about different ways that they could get together and keep their relationship fresh. She knew that to reconnect their mating, they all had to be together, and tonight they had been there for her, so she wanted to be sure they were both pleasured. 175

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Cassidy wiggled down Ronan’s body a little bit until she was able to take his cock in her mouth. She slid her tongue over the smooth skin of his length, feeling the warmth of him settle on her tongue. At the same time, she felt Ronan’s tongue licking along her inner folds. He laved at her pussy until he came to her clit. From there, he drew it into his mouth and began to pleasure her. Cassidy focused on taking as much of his dick into her mouth as she could, swirling her tongue around his girth. She tried to concentrate on bringing gratification to her mate, but she began to feel the warmth of the orgasm building inside of her. It seemed her nerves were coiling up and getting ready to spring. She forced it away and flicked her tongue slower over Ronan’s shaft, drawing him in until he hit the back of her throat. When she dragged her teeth over his sensitive flesh, Ronan stopped his torture on her hidden nub and groaned. “Fuck, Cassidy.” “Mind if I join in?” Henry asked. She wiggled her ass in response to his question. Henry pressed his lips to her right cheek and then her left one. From there he spread her ass cheeks and slid his fingers along the crevice between them. He went lower and then pushed his fingers inside of her pussy. Cassidy stopped her assault on Ronan’s cock and groaned. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of him pressing along her inner walls slowly until he had three fingers inside of her. He pumped them into her, and at the same time, Ronan began ravaging her clit again. He sucked on the buried bud until small shivers of anticipation shot through her. Cassidy drew his cock into her mouth quicker, making sure to drag her teeth along his length. Henry slapped her ass with his free hand. The smack tingled her flesh, but felt good. Her hips moved in time with the rhythm of him thrusting into her. She flicked her tongue over Ronan’s hypersensitive head and tasted the saltiness of precome already lingering there. He moaned again. His pleasuring of her clit had slowed. Still he flicked his tongue over her. She drew him inside her mouth. Then she felt the pressure building inside of her. Ronan began his assault on her again. She had stopped on him to catch her breath. And then Henry removed his fingers from inside of her and replaced them with his cock. 176

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“You feel so good, Cassidy,” Henry moaned. He began to pump into her faster. Ronan licked her again. She could barely keep his cock inside her mouth because the orgasm was dawning on her so quickly. Henry pulled her hips into him because she was too busy focusing on other parts of her body and trying to stay sane. She pulled Ronan into her and fought through the descending haze. Fighting the cry building in her throat, she felt her mate’s warm seed spill into her mouth. Ronan thrust his hips upward one more time and then collapsed on the bed. Cassidy flicked her tongue over him and released him from her mouth so she could concentrate on Henry. She listened, and his breathing was labored. His grip on her ass tightened. Before she thought she could get in sync with him, she felt Ronan flicking his tongue over her nub once more. The slight movement sent her tumbling into orgasm. The electric sparks that had been collecting in her nerves were blasted throughout her body. The first wave hit her like a jolt of caffeine, and then the next one that came rocketed her out of this world. “Don’t stop, Ronan. Henry, fuck me.” She buried her face in Ronan’s thigh and screamed. Henry groaned and pushed into her one last time before resting his head on her back. For a moment, Cassidy could hear the beating of their hearts. The three different sounds were musical in a way she had never thought of before. She wasn’t sure if it was all her imagination, but for the first time in her life, she was at peace with everything. Being a werewolf was okay. The most important thing was that she had been able to find two men in her life. They loved her and had protected her. They would continue to guard her for as long as they were together. Henry rolled off her and lay on the bed, pulling in a long breath. She shimmied off Ronan and snuggled closer to Henry. Ronan turned around so that she was between them. He kissed her shoulder and slipped an arm around her waist. “That was wonderful,” he said. Henry rested his head against the hollow of her throat. “Yes. It was marvelous. We have to do it again sometime.” 177

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She giggled. Ronan’s fingers walked across her stomach. “Soon. I hope.” “Maybe. I’m sure I can fit it into my schedule. Of course, you have to do something for me.” “Anything.” Henry kissed down her chest until he took her right breast in his mouth. “Good, because next Saturday we’re double dating with October and her two mates.” “Spare me the torture,” Ronan murmured. She reached behind her and poked him in the stomach. “You can stow the old curmudgeon for a few hours. I like October and her mates. They were one of the reasons why I was able to come to terms with all of this. You two can play nice.” Ronan nuzzled her. “I was just kidding. I’d be happy to go. I love you, Cassidy. Whatever you want, I’ll do. I’ll go to the ends of the earth for you.” “Me too. Anything to make you happy. I love you too. You are truly the Zen master to make me see that I was missing the most essential thing in my life. No matter how much I integrated the wolf into my nature, I was empty until I met you.” Henry looked up and held her gaze. Ronan tightened his grasp on her. Cassidy felt the warmth of their love radiating in her soul. Being in their arms, she knew this was the place she was supposed to be. Although horrible things had happened to her, the events had led her to them. The results had made her stronger and given her a second chance at life. Together, her mates had filled the gaps in her life, and she would always be thankful for that. “So what do we do now?” Henry asked. Cassidy rolled her eyes, feeling the lust stir within her again. She did know one thing that had changed in her. Being with them had made her insatiable, and maybe it was the wolf in her, but she smiled and turned toward Ronan. “Want to go again?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Sounds good to me. Mind kicking Henry out, though? I’ve seen enough of his naked ass tonight.” 178

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She turned toward Henry and flashed him a smile. “Can we have a little alone time?” Cassidy cupped his cock. “Only if you promise to come see me later.” “Promise.” “Okay then. You two kids have fun.” Henry left the room and closed the door. Cassidy turned toward Ronan. “Have anything specific in mind?” He trailed a finger over her breast and pinched her nipple. “Plenty.” Cassidy smiled. Ronan had a mischievous gleam to his eye, and she could only imagine what was going through his mind. He trailed his fingers across her stomach and cupped her downy curls. She closed her eyes and relaxed, thinking of the future and the wonderful wolf memories yet to come. The End

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TuÉâà à{x Tâà{ÉÜ Crymsyn Hart is the author of over thirty books. Each world is filled with luscious vampires, gorgeous gods, quirky witches, and everything else that goes bump in the night. Crymsyn worked as a psychic for many years in Boston while attending Emerson College. She graduated with a BFA in Writing, Literature, & Publishing. Crymsyn shares her life with a small zoo, two playful puppies, and her hubby Mark. If you come after dark, you’re more than likely to find her snuggled up with a gory horror movie, or a bloody vampire movie. Crymsyn has a collection of Living Dead Dolls and five bookshelves overflowing with books. Of course there’s always room for more.