Maggie's Wolves, Part Three: A BBW Shifter Romance (Red Mountain Pack Book 3) (3 page)

“Oh.” She could see what Eli meant. She couldn’t imagine Case ever screwing anyone over like that, especially not family.

Eli turned to toss the diced pepper and onion into a heated pan, and Jack said, “In the meantime there’s no one close enough to stop us from running on our old territory. The weather’s clear today. I can take you out to see it if you like.”

Reluctantly, she shook her head. “I can’t shift.”

“That’s what snowmobiles are for,” Jack said. “We run a wilderness adventure business, and all of our customers are human. We don’t really slow down much in the winter. Snowmobiling. Skiing. Anything you want to do, we can make happen.” He stopped and a complicated expression crossed his face. “I know you don’t know me, but I’m good at my job. I won’t let anything happen to you out there.”

It would be good to get outside in the fresh air. She’d never liked being cooped up for long. “I’ve never ridden on a snowmobile before.”

Eli grabbed the egg mixture and gave Jack a warning look. “Case wants everyone to stick close to the house.”

“We won’t go far.”

Eli held Jack’s gaze for a long moment, but Jack didn’t back down. His jaw firmed and Maggie’s wolf, silent all morning, lifted her head in interest.

Jack turned to her. “What do you say, Maggie? Are you in?”

She nodded. “I’m in.”

Chapter Four

After finishing breakfast, Jack took her out to the garage where they stored their large equipment. This garage was separate from the one attached to the house where they parked the cars. Maggie paused in the dark doorway while Jack reached over and flipped a switch on the wall. Fluorescent bulbs flickered once and then steadied, revealing a masculine toy store the likes of which she’d never seen.

The snowmobiles were parked in front, facing a large overhead door. They’d obviously been used more recently than the ATV’s and kayaks that were stored neatly in the back. There was an entire wall lined with pegboard holding various fishing supplies. Racks of skiing equipment, camping and climbing gear. She’d always wanted to go rock climbing, but she’d never had friends to try it with or the money to pay an instructor.

She walked down the long aisle through the center of the building, silent and amazed. When she reached the middle, she turned and spread her arms. “You know how to use all of this?”

Jack nodded. “My family was big into outdoors play. Most wolves are. What do you like to do?”

“I have no idea. I’ve never been skiing, or kayaking. White water rafting, any of it.” She smiled at his appalled expression. “I like to go hiking. I’ve spent a lot of time in the woods. Sometimes it’s nice to hike in human form.”

He tipped his head to one side, considering. “Your wolf probably doesn’t like that much.”

“It wasn’t always convenient for me to take wolf form. Aunt Tildy moved us to the city when I was young. It wasn’t until after she died that I moved back up here, closer to the cabin.”

“I see.” He looked as if he wanted to say more, but then changed his mind. He reached behind him to hit a button on the wall and waved her over as the chains on the garage door started to move. “Come on, let’s get you some gear.”

Jack led her to a rack holding coats and bibs of all sizes. Behind it were shelves of boots and goggles and helmets. He guessed her size right off the bat, but she supposed that wasn’t hugely surprising. He probably had a lot of experience at this, and he
had
seen all of her.

She blushed, remembering Jack’s hands on her hips. His mouth on her neck. His cock moving inside her. Last night seemed like a dream. The man standing beside her was still a stranger. Only, he remembered too. She could see it in his eyes as they met hers. He looked away first, turning his back to pull on a jacket. It suited him. The fabric fit close to his trim body showing off the clean line of his shoulders and his narrow waist.

He handed her goggles and a helmet. After helping her adjust them, he led her to a black and red sled. “Do you want to ride with me or would you rather drive your own?”

While holding on to Jack had its appeal, she wanted to drive. “Will I be able to handle it?”

His smile was slow and sweet. “I take first timers on this trail all the time, and you’re a wolf so you’re a lot sturdier than the average human. You can handle it.”  

He gave her a quick lesson, showing her how to start the engine and explaining all the controls. Then he watched as she maneuvered the snowmobile out of the garage. He climbed on a yellow and blue sled that matched the colors on his helmet and pulled in front of her. Gesturing for her to follow, he led the way around the side of the garage to the mouth of the trail. It took her a few moments to feel comfortable, especially with the turns, but by the time she pulled up next to Jack, she felt ready to tackle the mountain. The trail was reasonably wide and had either been cleared fairly recently or the snow had been packed down by frequent use. It ran straight for about a quarter of a mile before turning to the right and disappearing into the trees.

“Ready?” Jack asked.

She nodded, and Jack took the lead, zipping off at a faster pace than she expected. Grinning, she moved to catch him. The wind on her face washed all of her anxiety away. The smell of the forest—snow and pine—enveloped her, overpowering even the scent of the engine. The speed and the chase sang in her blood, pleasing her wolf. This was almost as good as running, and she wondered if that was why Jack had suggested it. If he’d sensed how much she hated not being able to shift.

Jack signaled as they approached a turn and she leaned into it, taking it easily. The dip in the trail that immediately followed surprised her and she gave a little yelp as her stomach dropped. Jack’s laughter drifted back to her on the wind.

It took them an hour to reach a large clearing at the bottom of the trail where Jack finally stopped. He cut his engine and signaled for her to do the same. After removing his helmet, he walked over to her as she climbed off the sled. Her legs felt shaky, and she gratefully took the arm Jack offered to steady her.

“It can be like stepping off a boat,” he said. “Give it a minute.”

Without thinking about it, she leaned against him. His body stiffened, and she started to draw back, but he caught her before she could step away.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “Don’t leave. You only surprised me.”

“Surprised you?”

“I’m not used to being touched by anyone not in my pack.”

“You didn’t seem to have a problem last night.”

His eyes darkened. “Last night was not normal for either of us, I think.”

That was true, but she didn’t regret it. She hadn’t even considered that he might. “Why aren’t you used to being touched?”

“My birth pack was strong, closer than Case’s.” His mouth tightened. “Suffocatingly close. My mother didn’t like strangers, so we never mingled with other packs. She didn’t trust humans, so none were welcome at our home. One of my fathers, the alpha, is good at dealing with outsiders. He runs the business, handles clients and such. It doesn’t have anything to do with you. It just takes me a while to get used to new people. To completely trust them. I can’t seem to shake it.”

“Does what happened last night make it worse?”

“The time constraint of the mating cycle makes it worse. It’s awkward for me trying to convince you to claim me as your mate when we’ve known each other such a short time. I have to open myself up to do that, and it’s not easy.” The wind blew a piece of hair into her eyes, and he gently brushed it aside. “It’s harder for you I imagine.”

She looked into his eyes. They were a bright, glittering blue. Kind eyes. They sparkled whenever he smile, which was often. He was happy here, but it sounded like he hadn’t been happy with his birth pack. And the decision about whether he could remain with the pack here was in her hands. No wonder he felt conflicted about her. “Eli keeps telling me to trust the wolf, but it’s hard. My aunt taught me the opposite—that I needed to suppress the wolf at all costs.”

“
What?
”

“I know.” She smiled wryly. “I know that it was bad advice now, but she did the best she could. Do you mind if we walk around? My legs are a little stiff.”

“Come on.” He squeezed her fingers and led her away from the snowmobiles. “There’s a great view over here.”

The snow wasn’t as tightly packed once they stepped from the trail. With every step, she sank to her knees. When Jack noticed her struggling, he walked ahead of her, breaking a trail with his longer legs. She was winded by the time Jack stopped at the barrier of a wooden fence. About ten feet on the other side of the fence, the ground fell away in a sheer drop. The view was spectacular. Framed by dark towering pine trees on either side, the mountains stretched out as far as the eye could see. Black rock and snow silvered peaks. The sky was a bright, clear blue.

“It’s beautiful.”

Jack hopped over the fence and extended his hand. “You can see the lake from the edge.”

She hesitated, eying the edge of the cliff. The snow was deep, the ground uncertain, and it was a very long way down. Jack raised his brows, waiting, clearly daring her to make the leap. With a deep breath, she climbed over the fence and took his hand.

They had to stand on the very edge of the cliff in order to see the lake, but it was worth the risk. It was a small lake, dark and gleaming in the sun. It took her a minute to figure out why it wasn’t frozen over.

“Hot springs?”

Jack stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He nodded. “That’s part of Margot’s property. It used to belong to the pack. We can still take you there if you want to go. We just have to be a little more careful.”

“How do you get down there?”

“Usually we run. It’s probably best if we wait until your heat is over.”

They admired the view for a time. She stood on the very edge of the cliff with Jack’s arms wrapped tight around her waist. She had the feeling that neither Case nor Eli would have let her get so close to the edge. Jack had encouraged it. Pushed her to go faster on the snowmobile than she would have on her own. Dared her to climb over the fence.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“I’m having trouble understanding the dominant and submissive thing. Case is alpha, so I get he’s in charge. Eli says he’s fairly dominant and that you and Carson are submissive. What does that mean?”

“For you? Nothing.” There was a trace of amusement in his voice. She was happy she hadn’t insulted him with the question and sank back in his arms.

“Why not?”

“You’re a breeding female so you automatically have a place and position in the pack. There’s only one of you. You and Case might butt heads every once in a while, but other than that you don’t have to worry much about the pack hierarchy. No one else will challenge you.”

“But it’s not the same for you.”

“No.” His lips brushed the top of her head and he inhaled deeply. “There has to be order within the males of the pack or there would be constant fighting. When I joined this pack, I voluntarily accepted Case as my alpha. Eli is his second so I bow to him as well. Submissive doesn’t mean pushover, you know? It just means I’m okay with not being in charge. I have no desire to lead the pack and I trust Case completely. All it means is that Case and Eli don’t have to worry about me challenging them for power or arguing with every decision they make.”

“Like the decision to take a mate.”

“Like that one.” His arms tightened around her. “It’s not a personality trait, not really. Just a statement of position and intention. I’m submissive to Case and to Eli. I consider myself equal to Carson.”

“And Declan?”

There was a long pause before he sighed, his breath stirring her hair. “Declan is another story. You’ll have to wait until you meet him.”

She had the impression that he didn’t want to say more about his pack mate, and that was just as well really. She’d rather form her own opinion. Right now, she wanted to know more about Jack.

“I get why Case and Eli wanted to take a mate, but is it really what you want to do? Not just with me, but with anyone. You’re awfully young to be making that kind of commitment.”

“I’m not much younger than you.”

But they’d lived very different lives. For one thing, he still had a family who loved him, even if he found living with them too restrictive.

He turned her in his arms and kissed her, his tongue sinking deep into her mouth. His hands pulled her up tightly against his long, lanky frame. When he lifted his head, his eyes glittered darkly. “I want you. My wolf wants you. Everything inside me tells me this is right. It’s the same way I felt when I found Case and the pack here. This is home to me. You’re a part of that now. Family. You feel like family to me. Like my mate. And I need to stop touching you now while I can still stop.”

His hands were shaking as he let her go. Heat warmed her blood. Some of that was the normal arousal that came from being kissed—from being wanted—by an attractive man, but it was more, too. Her wolf was growing hungry again which meant it was time to go.

They walked back toward the sleds. Jack took her hand again to steady her over the fence, but then released her right away. She didn’t like that. She wanted to touch him again. She didn’t want to let go. Jack felt like family to her too.

She stopped walking when she came to the sled. Jack climbed onto his, but she hesitated. She wasn’t ready to go back up to the house yet where Eli was waiting. Case might be back, bringing Declan. Carson was expected, too. She took off her gloves and set them on the seat.

Jack grabbed his helmet and then paused. “You okay?” His brow creased in concern. “If you don’t feel up to riding on your own, you can ride with me. I’ll come back for the sled.”

She shook her head and walked around the hood of the snowmobile. Jack’s eyes narrowed as she approached. “Maggie?”

She took his helmet and set it aside, then climbed onto his lap, facing him. Framing his face with her hands, she said, “I claim you, Jack. If you’re willing, I want you to be mine.”

Wolflight sparked to life in his eyes, and he reached for her, hard hands closing on her hips to hold her in place. Did he think she’d run now? The stark intensity of his expression made her shiver as he stared into her eyes.

“I claim you as my mate,” he said solemnly. “Man to woman and wolf to wolf, you are mine as I am yours. My body I give to your protection and pleasure. My life to your service. My seed to our future. We are pack.”   

He ripped the gloves from his hands and tossed them aside, sank his fingers into her wind-blown hair to pull her closer. His teeth closed on her lower lip with a sharp nip and then he sucked it into his mouth, tasting the blood he’d drawn before his tongue slid between her parted lips. He kissed her deeply, taking her mouth like he owned it. She could feel the ready tautness of his body everywhere they touched—her thighs sprawled across his, his forearms against her chest, his mouth… God, he was a good kisser. It was only now that she realized just how much he’d been holding back.