Changed: 2 (Wolf's Den) (9 page)

“That’s it,” he answered, thrumming his fingers on the
table. “The money is there. Two grand just like you asked. You can be in, out
and on with life in a few minutes.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything you do.” Soon he’d be able to contact Jackson
with information. The pack would take care of matters, get things in working
order, and he could breathe easy for a change.

“That’s a helluva lot.”

Yep, he definitely knows more than he’s letting on
.
“A man gets what he pays for.”

The server returned with the drinks and he motioned for her
to put them on the table. As she did he thought about the mate he’d yet to see,
wondering what she looked like. Would she be blonde, brunette or maybe a
redhead? Tall or short? The one thing he knew was she was she’d be slim, like
all werewolf females—soft skin, lush curves, a sexy as hell shape.

She’d also be soft-spoken.

That was the only glimpse he’d been given of her. Each word
breezed from her lips, a soft caress in his ears. It had been enough to put him
on the edge, his teeth lengthening in his mouth. He wanted to take her, mark
her and claim her. The trouble was he couldn’t find her, not matter how hard he
tried. And she couldn’t find him.

Where are you?

Come to me.

Why do you keep doing this?

He didn’t understand her questions. To his knowledge
he
wasn’t doing anything.

Were females initiated the dreams, drawn by inner awareness.
Each time he’d tried to answer he’d stumbled over his tongue, his breath
catching in his throat. There were no words, only whining sounds that roused
him back to reality and ripped him from sleep.

Tearing them apart, leaving him completely empty.

He yearned for her, ached for her and couldn’t stop thinking
about her. Soon he’d lose every ounce of his control and go fucking crazy. Even
as a born Alpha there was only so much he could take. A mated man needed the
other half of his soul.

Why does mine have to be so hard to find?

“Damn this is good shit.”

Shane came crashing back to reality. He’d drifted again,
thinking of his female at the most inopportune time. She was close. Even if he
couldn’t see her he could
feel
her. Still, if he lost his rank in the
pack—even if he found her—he’d have nothing to offer her. He had to make sure
she had adequate protection and family, those who would love and care for her.
He couldn’t go back home. His pack had made that clear before he’d left.

“Here,” Shane said, handing the man a fresh glass. “Have
another.”

“I don’t know where to start,” the cur slurred and downed
his drink.

“The beginning is usually best.”
In your current state,
sooner is probably better.
“Go with the flow. Tell me what’s easy.”

“His name is Randy. He came from Cali.” He snickered. “Easy
to remember.”

“Randy from Cali.” No sense in asking for a surname. Most
rogues didn’t use them. “How long has he been here?”

“A month, I think? Something like that.” The rogue shook his
head, shoulders relaxing. The liquor was doing its job. “He didn’t like talking
about the past but he
did
love to brag. I ain’t shitting you. The man
loved
to talk some trash.” As he cackled, spittle formed around his lips.
“He had some crazy stories to share. Insane fucking stuff. He’d been all around
the world.”

“Which is how you found out about the female who’d hired
him?” Yes he was leading the witness but he didn’t give a shit. At this rate
happy-go-drunk-me asshole would walk off the beaten path and start telling
Shane things he didn’t need to hear. He threw a pawn across the board, viewing
their talk like a game of chess, hoping for a shot at the queen. It was all
about strategy. “You don’t know her name by chance?”

“You’re trying to trick me.” The drunk snorted. “It won’t
work.”

“Don’t think so highly of yourself. I told you why I came.
You sent out a call and I responded.” He shook his head, his agitation very
real. “You want money. I want answers. It’s not rocket science. I’d prefer not
to waste any more time. You want to ditch town. I want to help you. The sooner
you answer my questions, the quicker you can hop a train to wherever the fuck
it is you want to go.”

Perhaps he should have felt ashamed for outright lying but
he didn’t. This rogue was beyond hope, living a lost life. It was awful to see
but it was a reality with some werewolves. Something inside them never felt the
need to connect with a pack, making them dangerous and untrustworthy. There was
no loyalty, no devotion. Death was probably the best thing for him. He’d only
bring misery to everyone he met.

“That’s true.”

When in doubt, rely on reason
. “Yes, it is.”

“I think it was…Sonja?” The dirty mongrel scratched his
mud-crusted hair. “No, that’s not it. Sarah? No, that’s not it either.”

“Serena?” Shane offered, setting what hoped was a decent
trap.

“No.”

“Sabrina?”

“No?”

“Desiree?” he asked, wondering if it might be that easy.

“Nah, it started with an ‘S’. It was definitely an ‘S’
name.”

“An ‘S’ name,” Shane repeated, pretending to think it over.
There was only female with an ‘S’ name he was interested in. “Serephena?”

“Pfft,” the mongrel blew bubbles from his lips and it was a
nasty sight, “no.”

“Selena?”

“Nope.”

“Stacey?”

“Another no.”

With an open board, Shane took his shot. “Simone?”

“Simone…” The man rolled the name off his tongue. Then he
laughed, floating on a whiskey high. “Simone. Yeah, that’s it. You know her?”

I certainly do. But I’m not telling you that.

“More like a lucky guess, but the name is familiar.”
Smiling, he passed over the other drink. “Go ahead and take this. I’m on call
tonight. If the boss finds out I’m slouching on the clock he’ll kick my ass.”

Shane thought the man said thanks but he couldn’t be
certain.

In a few more minutes the pitiful male would be so sloshed
it would take a wheelbarrow to roll him out the door. Thankfully Shane had
supernatural strength and could carry him over his shoulder. It would create
less of a scene. He wanted to get the loner good and drunk. Everyone in the
bar—if they were inclined to care in the first place—could assume what they
wanted.

That’s it, buddy. Almost there. Drink up.

“By the way,” Drunken Louse informed him matter-of-factly,
“I don’t like this town. Everyone likes starting shit. And they’re always
running their mouth about something. Blah, blah, blah. You listen long enough
and you’ll know everybody’s secrets. I’m not like that, you know. I keep to
myself.”

By offering up information to strangers for cash? I don’t
think so.
“I can see that.”

“It’s been a crummy fucking week, man.”

And it was only about to get crummier, not that Shane was
sharing that information. A call to Jackson was definitely on the day’s menu.
It was time to get cracking. Not knowing who had been responsible for Chloe’s
attack made things difficult. They couldn’t reach out and ask questions if they
didn’t know who they could trust. The pack needed a hard target and now they
had one.

Simone Wilson just fucked with the wrong wolves.

With a bit of manipulation Simone could be fooled as easily
as the shitfaced male across from him. She didn’t know the wolf that had
attacked Chloe had been killed. Jackson made sure to keep that under wraps.
They had to plant seeds, start the rumor mill churning. If she was afraid of
exposure, Simone might slip up and reveal herself. With a bit of luck this would
be over in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.

“Hell, go ahead.” Shane gave the rogue the last drink. “You
need it more than me.”

“I sure fucking do.”

Pawn takes queen. Rook takes king.

There was a glory in the game of chess, a thrill like none other.

Even if his opponent wasn’t up to snuff, he accepted
victory.

Check fucking mate.

“It can’t be that easy,” Declan said, peering across the
room, keeping his mate in sight. “No one is that lucky.”

“Of course it can,” Shane drawled through the phone. “When I
work it’s easy-peasy.”

Declan watched Rachel inspect the walls of his room at the
tattoo shop. She leaned closer to the framed work above his station, studying
his sketches. She’d calmed down as she’d promised, the paragon of control. He
didn’t like it, his wolf warning him something was off. If the phone hadn’t
shrilled and Shane’s name hadn’t blasted through speakers running through the
parlor he wouldn’t have answered.

“You have him with you? Right now?”

“He’s totally inebriated and passed out in the back seat,”
Shane replied. “I think he’d sleep through a natural disaster at this point.”

“And he said it was Simone?” The information came from a
rogue but it was damning given the state of things. “You’re sure?”

“He did, and I wouldn’t call if I wasn’t.”

“What did you give him?” Declan still couldn’t believe it.
Either Shane was a lucky fucking bastard or the clouds had finally parted and
the water-deprived earth was finally getting much-needed rain. “Elephant
tranqs?”

“I offered the man a few shots of whiskey, not that it
matters.” Shane sounded annoyed. “You should know I’m taking him to ground. I
tried to call Jackson but didn’t get an answer. I left a message. Once I get to
the location my signal blows. He won’t be able to get in touch. You need to
tell him what’s going on and stress the importance of him getting here. If we
work this right we should be able to get down to business in the next day or
two.”

“We just saw her,” Declan snarled quietly, seething at the
memory. “Not even thirty minutes ago.”

“Who?”

“Simone,” he hissed, keeping his voice down. “She was in
town acting like everything was totally fucking cool. She even started shit
with Rachel.” He recalled how angry his mate had been, full of piss and
vinegar. “It wasn’t good.”

“You have to hand it to her,” Shane said. “She’s got balls.”

Balls that are about to be clipped.
“If I talk to
Jackson I’ll tell him you’re trying to get in touch. Keep your phone outside
the basement when you make it to the bunker. The signal is better and calls
roll through.”

“Why are you at the shop? I thought you were on vacay.”

Declan didn’t like answering questions but he didn’t have a
choice. “I needed my appointment book. I’m driving Rachel to her place before
we drive back to mine.”

“Appointment book?” Shane hesitated. “Are you taking more
time off?”

“Only a week or two.”

“What should I tell the pack?”

“I’m not sure.”

Declan kept his gaze on his female, trying to see into the
future, wishing he had a crystal fucking ball. The pack knew he’d been
preparing for a trip, they just didn’t know why he’d decided to cut and run all
of a sudden. He hadn’t bothered telling them, stating he needed some time to
himself. Eventually they’d want to know why he left so abruptly. Since he
intended to return to his position as Beta, they had the right to ask
questions.

“I’ll keep things cool if they ask about you,” Shane finally
said. “I didn’t sign on to be a Beta long-term. When you decide on a course of
action I need to know.”

“I’m working out the kinks. As soon as I do you’ll be the
first to know.”

“Much appreciated.”

The line clicked off and Declan hung up the phone.

Son of a bitch.

On the way to the shop he’d tried to formulate a plan. Since
he hadn’t known if Simone or Desiree had been responsible for the attack he
hadn’t been sure if he could take Rachel home. He’d seriously considered asking
for permission to skip town with his mate. Now he knew he didn’t have to.
Simone was running around like a duck on the water because she thought she was safe.
Maybe it was because she hadn’t been apprised of the crime. Or perhaps she
truly was that simple-minded and arrogant.

Either way it didn’t matter.

He could take Rachel home.

She could transition to her new life surrounded by those who
could support her.

With a sigh of relief he returned the phone to the receiver.
“Just Rachel?”

“Stop calling me that,” she replied, keeping her back to
him.

If he had his way he’d never stop calling her that. He loved
seeing her cheeks turn pink, her eyes glossy when he referred to her as such.
Although he wasn’t a sexual novice, romance had eluded him all his life. He
wanted to peel his mate back layer by layer. Over time he was certain he’d get
to her center and understand her as he was meant to.

He closed the distance between them, moving quietly. His
muscles drew tight, his cock swelling to life. The last time she’d been in his
area he’d put her pretty little ass in his chair and told her not to move. The
punishment for doing so had been a sound spanking. Of course she hadn’t
listened, making a run for it as soon as she’d had a chance. Back then he
hadn’t understood why her absence had left him feeling so empty, unaware of her
importance in his life.

She tensed when he wrapped a hand around her midsection,
placing his splayed fingers over her stomach. Stepping close, he pressed his
body against hers. She was so small like this, her head notched directly
beneath his chin.

She shivered, the scent of her arousal filling the enclosed
space. “What do you want?”

“That’s a dangerous question.” Bringing his mouth to her
ear, he whispered, “I want all sorts of things.”

“This is so fucked up.” With a small shift of her feet, she
turned to face him. Her eyes were cloudy, pupils dilated. Bringing a hand to
his cheek, she met his gaze. “I shouldn’t want you so much.”

He lifted a hand and rested it over hers. “Why not?”

“It’s not natural.” She closed her eyes and licked her lips.
“It’s not me.”

“I have a feeling you don’t know yourself as well as you
think.”

Ripping her hand from his face, she lifted her shoulders.
“If that’s true it’s because of what’s happened to me. It’s not my fault.”

“How many men have you been with?” He yanked her close when
she tried to get away. “One? Two? A dozen?”

“You know it’s not that many,” she snapped, her face turning
pink in embarrassment. “If anyone has gotten around the block it’s you.”

“Really?” Cocking a brow, he questioned, “How do you know?”

“It’s obvious.” The flush in her cheeks deepened, becoming
red. He waited as she struggled to piece together an answer. “Only a man who’s
slept around knows how to touch a woman just right.”

“You like how I touch you?” Lowering his hand, he brushed
the backs of his knuckles over one of her breasts. Her breath caught, her lower
lip quivering. “I hope so, because I love touching you.”

“I shouldn’t want you this much,” she repeated, inching
closer. The thin sliver of her irises had changed hue, becoming nearly white.
Her wolf had become stronger, coming to life inside her. “I shouldn’t
need
you
this much.”

“Yes, you should,” he corrected, studying her face. Their
mouths were so close her breath caressed his lips. Her scent called to him,
sweet and rich. Knowing she needed to face her demons, he decided to push her.
“Do you want something, sweetheart? If you do all you have to do is ask.”

She didn’t look away, placing her hands on his chest. “Will
you kiss me again?”

This time he made sure the kiss was tender, a light breeze
of his lips over hers. She whimpered, trying to get closer. He didn’t allow it,
maintaining a tiny amount of distance. If his mate wanted things to escalate
she had to accept her feelings and embrace her nature. The constant back and
forth wouldn’t bring them closer together. This had to be done on her terms,
with her interest and willingness to engage him.

“Touch me,” she pleaded, pushing her hips forward. “Please.”

“Where do you want me to touch you?” When she froze, ripping
her eyes from his, he softened his voice. “Here?” he asked, cupping her breast.
Bringing his other hand to the vee of her thighs, he palmed her sex. “How about
here?”

“Yes,” she growled, arching her back and thrusting her hips,
pushing her breast and pussy into his hands. “More. I need more.”

He could sense her beast, feeling it call to his. It was
harder than hell but he removed his hands and cupped her face, forcing her to
look at him. She had to understand that he could give her relief but he
wouldn’t ease her. Not fully. The only way to dull the need was to claim her as
his mate, taking her body as he marked her shoulder. Even then it wouldn’t
eliminate her desire for him. Until the moon came and went she’d keep riding
the line, unable to ignore the lust consuming her.

“There’s only one way to make this better,” he said, voice
cracking, his own libido in high gear. “Touching you—making you come—is only a
temporary solution. I need to claim you completely. It’s the only way to ease
the change.”

“It burns,” she rasped, raking her nails over his chest. “I
feel so hot.”

Fuck.

It shouldn’t have been possible but he thought—for a moment—that
she might be transforming. He felt the hum beneath her skin and saw her wolf
gazing out at him through her eyes. Fear for her safety overrode his
determination to do things on her terms. She needed relief and it was his
responsibility to provide it for her. Unfortunately his beast wasn’t going into
its cage, refusing to be denied.

“I need you to touch me too,” he growled, skin itching as
the wolf rose within him. The animal would accept this sliver of intimacy,
giving them a bit more time. “Will you touch me, Rachel?”

A tremor shot through him when she sank to her knees and
reached for the buttons to his jeans. Although it made him a selfish son of a
bitch he didn’t stop her, remaining in place as she undid the fastenings. Her
fingers shook, making the task take longer than it should have. After several
seconds his cock sprang free, fully engorged and throbbing. She wrapped her
fingers around the base and he hissed, balls drawing up. Shifting her torso
forward, she inched closer. Her tongue darted out and connected with his
straining flesh.

“No teasing.” He assumed she didn’t have a lot of experience
but he couldn’t wait. Many nights he’d gone to sleep imagining her just like
this. Twining his fingers in her hair, he instructed, “Wrap those pretty lips
around my cock and look at me.” She hesitated and he yanked on the strands in
his grasp, bringing her back to the moment. “First you touch me and then I
touch you. Give me this.”

Just like that her lips surrounded him, hot and wet as she
sucked him into her mouth.
Holy shit.
He rocked on his heels, locking
his knees in place. The last thing he needed to do was lose his balance and
fuck things up. He couldn’t believe this was finally happening. When she didn’t
look at him, he gave her hair another firm pull. She didn’t understand that
this was about more than sex. They needed to increase their bond, connect with
one another on a deeper level.

“Rachel,” he grated through his teeth, “look at me.”

Finally, she did. Her pupils were smaller, her irises fully
white.

“That’s my girl.” Loosening his hold, he praised her.
“Beautiful.”

Her motions were inexperienced, the hand at the root of his
dick remaining still. To assist her he slid one of his hands from her hair and
brought it to the fingers clutching the base.

“Like this.” He moved her hand up and down, timing it with
the bobs of her head. She quickly caught on, following his lead as he guided
her. “There you go. Fuck that feels good. You have the sweetest mouth.”

Her moan had him on the brink of orgasm. The vibrations
traveled down his cock to his balls, creating a heavy weight in his lower back.
Her eyes drifted shut, her lashes fluttering against her cheeks. His fangs
lowered, the need to mark her shoulder pulsing through him. He fought for
control, trying to stay still when all he wanted to do was thrust his hips and
sink his cock into the slick, warm cavern.

Enjoy it. Don’t fuck up.

“That’s it,” he growled, his wolf slithering beneath his
skin. She shifted the position of her head, taking him to the back of her
throat. He held her still, instructing, “Swallow.” He waited until she did as
she was told and pulled away. With another drive, he sent his cock deep into
her mouth. “Again.” This time she took him more easily, her throat flexing
around his cock head. “That’s right. Just like that.” He helped her settle into
a rhythm so that she stroked and sucked him just the way he liked.

“You’re so perfect, baby. You have no idea what you do to
me.”

Her scent had changed, telling him she was as turned on by
the act as he was. The fragrant aroma of her musk tingled in his nostrils. When
he flipped her over to reciprocate she’d be soaking wet. He closed his eyes and
imagined sinking into her tight cunt, claiming her inch by maddening inch. He
wouldn’t stop until he was balls-deep, lodged fully inside her.

His female only had to accept what was coming.

It was only a matter of time.

Rachel stopped fighting her instincts, allowing the voice
that had appeared in her mind to dictate her actions. It felt foreign but
right, telling her what she needed to do. There was a comfort in the presence,
as though things were coming full circle.

Take him. Claim him.

He’s ours.

Her pussy clenched, a fresh burst of wetness drenching her
already moist panties. Since they’d arrived at the tattoo parlor she’d been on
edge, wanting to finish what they’d started in the street. Her breasts felt
full, her nipples hard and aching. Each time her underwear brushed her clit she
thought she’d come out of her skin.