Patient Mates: (Book 7 Grey Wolf Pack Romance Novellas) (8 page)

Chapter Twelve

Gabe tapped on the window to the Diner and Kira ran over to open the door, her wolf figuratively wagging her tail.  Swiftly she pulled him inside, locked the door and smothered him was a kiss.

She twinkled.  “I’ve been dying to do that all day.”

Gabe kissed the tip of her nose.  “Well I’m glad I could oblige, can’t have you dying on me.”  He smoothed his hands down his torso.  “I mean I know this body is to die for…”

Kira threw a dish
towel at him and started singing ‘You’re so vain’.

Gabe warmed at seeing his mate swinging her hips as she sashayed around the Diner. “You ready to go
?”

“Uh huh, I need another ten minutes.  Deedee had to duck out so I said I’d finish cleaning.”

Gabe raised his eyebrows.  “That’s not like Deedee.”  The bear was notorious for being the first to arrive and the last to leave.  The shifter was conscientious when it came to her business,
or perhaps just a control freak.

The she-wolf shrugged.  “Family business.”

Gabe took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.  “So just tell me what to do.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep, the sooner we finish the sooner we leave.”

Kira giggled and her wolf preened at their mate.  “He cooks, he cleans is there anything he can’t do?”

Gabe pretended to think for a few seconds.  “Hmmm no, but there’s one thing I do particularly well.” 

He gave her a lascivious look and heat rapidly permeated her body.
  “How about you wipe down the counters while I sweep the floor?”

Gabe pouted.  “Well that’s fun too I guess.”

“So how was your day?”

Uncertainty passed through Gabe for a second.  He wasn’t sure whether to tell her about Albert Peterson.  On one hand his wolf howled at him to keep their mate safe, and what she didn’t know couldn’t hurt her.  However he didn’t like the idea of her finding out some other way.

He cleared his throat.  “Well a couple of days back I ran into a guy driving a Cadillac.  I was on my way home from dropping you off.  I thought he was a bit suspicious so I took his license plate.  Then I saw him in town again the other day.  So I thought I’d check up on him.  Turns out his brother works for your old pack.”

Kira felt a trickle of icy fear.  “A coincidence maybe?”

Gabe came over and took her hands.  “No, when I came by the Diner earlier he was here.  He was watching you.”

Kira squeezed his hands and gulped.

“When he saw me he took off so we persuaded him to come and have a chat in the Sheriff’s Station.” 

Kira cocked her head on one side.  “We?”

“Me, Jake, Alec, Adam…”

“Wait you said he was in the Diner?”

He nodded and Kira thought back to the patrons she had served and remembered the small sweaty human who had ordered numerous cups of coffee and had looked at her oddly.  “So what happened?”

Gabe snorted scathingly.  “Adam barely had to say anything and the guy fell apart.  Turns out your brother in law was threatening to
fire his brother and stop his health insurance unless Albert spied on you and Lilah.  The brother’s in hospital with cancer and has six kids and a huge mortgage.”

After the small human had broken down and started sobbing the
four burly wolves had felt a bit sheepish.  They had allowed Albert to leave with a warning.  He was told to report back to the Charming Alpha that Adam wanted to meet, but that Lilah and Kira were now part of his pack.

Albert had sniffled and asked about his brother.  Adam magnanimously told Albert to let him know if his brother lost his job, he would see to it that his brother found a new job.
  Albert had been relieved and scurried away as fast as possible.

Kira furrowed her brow mulling over what Gabe had told her.  “Have any of the Charming pack been in town?”

“Albert says not.”  Although Gabe thought it best to hold onto the fact that he saw Albert driving around with a number of heavily built passengers for now. 
There was no way to tell if they were shifters and Albert had denied they were.
  Why would he lie about that? 
Then again they could easily have been in town without Albert’s knowledge…

Kira nodded.  “Thank god.”  She breathed.

Gabe rubbed a thumb over her cheek.  “It’s gonna be okay.  Adam will meet with your old Alpha and make him see that this is hardly worth starting a fight over.”

Kira raised her eyebrows and Gabe stammered.  “I mean you are worth fighting for, of course you are.  But just not in this context.
  I would fight for you.  I will fight for you.  I will fight to be with you.”

Kira lightly brushed her lips against his.  “God you’re easy
Bambi.”

Giggling she flicked the dish towel at him
again and fled into the store room.

Chuckling Gabe chased after her. 
In his eagerness he managed to trip over a table and let out a protracted ooof as he landed ass over head on the floor.  Without missing a beat he leapt to his feet and continued to the store room. 
He was far too excited to be embarrassed
.

He found her leaning against
the small table Deedee used as a desk, she was pressing her lips together tightly pretending like she handed just heard him fall over. 

Slowly like a predator stalking its prey
he sidled toward her.  She flushed and bit her lip.  Gabe tangled his fingers in her curly hair and pulled her in for a slow, sensual kiss.  She moaned into his mouth as his tongue danced with hers.  He reached his other hand round her back, journeying down until he cupped her round ass.

Kira tentatively reached between them and brushed her knuckles against the front of his trousers.  He groaned appreciatively into her mouth and emboldened she did it again.

Abruptly Gabe drew back from the kiss and Kira mewled at the loss of his soft lips. 

He leaned his forehead against hers
and she could see his eyes flicker to deep amber.  “Careful you’re getting me awfully excited.” 

Kira smiled naughtily.  “It seems like you’ve been giving me pleasure and I haven’t been reciprocating.”

“There’ll be time enough for that later.”

Gabe pulled her back to his mouth, this time a little more forcefully.
  Kira clung to his shoulders as he plundered her mouth.  She suddenly gasped as she felt his hands traverse her panties and slip into her wet folds. 
Sneaky wolf, she hadn’t even noticed him unbuckling her jeans!

His fingers sought her tight channel. 
He broke away from her lips and trailed kisses over her jaw and down her neck whilst abruptly pushing two fingers inside her.  She whimpered at the sudden invasion.  His mouth found the juncture between her shoulder and neck, where eventually he would place his bonding mark.  He alternated between kissing and licking it.  She moaned in delight as her wolf yipped beatifically.

Gab
e twirled his fingers inside before pushing another in.  Her breathing hitched as he nipped at her skin with blunt teeth.  Her fingers dug into his shoulders and he sped up his movements.  The wonderful pressure she felt built and built with each thrust of his talented fingers.  He used his thumb to flick her clit.  Once.  Twice.  Then she was gone. 

Kira cried out his name
as his pushed his fangs into her silken skin.  A twinge of pain shot through her body before it melted into pleasure and a second mini orgasm coursed through her.  She ran her fingers through his hair, and closed her eyes as her body trembled.  Gabe threw back his head and howled in satisfaction, the joyous taste of her blood fresh on his lips. 

He bent his head and
smoothed his tongue over the wound.  They had not bonded yet or mated but at least he had given her his mark. 
That was enough to satisfy his wolf… for the time being
.

Pulling back he stroked his thumb over the mark and she shivered, moaning adorably.
  “I’m sorry.”

“Hmmmm?”

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have marked you without asking.” 

A small voice at the back of his head had piped out just before he sunk his fangs into her.  But
the mixture of seeing her flush in the throes of orgasm and her luminous mocha skin just inches away from him had proved too much.

Kira nuzzled her head in his shoulder and
scented him.  She rubbed her cheek over his shoulder.  “I’m your mate; I want to wear your mark.  Just like you’ll wear mine.  You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Gabe folded his arms round his mate.  “I wish we could stay here a little longer but it’s getting pretty cold out there.  Heavy snow is forecast in the next few days, we don’t wanna get trapped here.”

“Oh I don’t know Bambi.  We’ve got food, water, each other… I bet we could hunker down for a month in here.”

“Don’t tempt me.  We really should get going.”

Kira sighed.  “Hmmm yes we really should.  After five more minutes.”

Chapter Thirteen

3
rd
December

Kira’s eyes fluttered awake.  She smiled remembering the feel of her mate’s hand
s on her body, the sensation of his teeth in her skin.  She stretched as her wolf yowled and threw her arm across the bed.

“Yow!”  Lilah cried as Kira’s hand connected with her face.

Kira pulled her hand back and looked at her twin sheepishly.  Lilah rubbed her face and scowled at Kira.

“Sorry forgot you were there.”

“I don’t see how.”  Grumbled Lilah.  “You’ve been kicking and slapping me all night.”

Kira frowned at
Lilah’s tired face.  “Have I?  Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Ah gee
I wish I’d thought of that…  Of course I tried to wake you up!  You just kept mumbling something about Bambi and groaning.”

Kira’s eyes widened and she turned away so her sister couldn’t see her blush.

Lilah heaved herself out of bed and began padding to the bathroom.  “Whatever you were dreaming about it must have been good, because you certainly didn’t want to wake up.”

Kira rolled over.  All night she’d dreamt of Gabe.  It had been
lovely.  She dreamt of them making love over and over until finally at last they were bonded.  She had felt so satisfied, so fulfilled but now she was awake she felt empty and itchy.  The need for her mate had been a slow burn, gradually creeping over her until finally now she was desperate to be with him.  Heat flowed through her body and her skin felt too tight.  Her wolf was howling for her mate.

She threw the covers back and leapt out of bed.
  Kira paced as her wolf prowled.  It had been too long since she had been in her wolf form.  She needed a run.  If she could just get out and burn some energy she’d feel better.

Kira called out goodbye to Lilah and slipped downstairs to find Jolene on the phone
and the bobcat Deputy Deanna sat staring moodily out of the window.

“Hello… hello… is someone there?”

Jolene frowned and hung up the phone.  “Asshole.”  She muttered.  “You going out?”  She called to Kira.

“I gotta go out for a run, my wolf’s going nuts.”

Deanna leapt to her feet.  “I don’t think that’s wise.”

“Aww come on, I haven’t shifted in ages.  Besides I’m on pack land and it’s daylight.  Besides Gabe told me about the whole Albert Peterson farrago. 
Joseph was trying to spy on us and he got caught, we’re safe here.”

Deanna
pursed her lips and finally gave in.  “Well… okay but don’t go too far, remember there’s snow forecast.”

“I won’t
besides I’ve got a shift at the Diner later.”

Kira skipped out onto the porch and danced around. 
Jesus it was cold! 
She quickly shimmied out of her nightshirt and stashed it in Jolene’s clothes box.   Her flesh rapidly goose pimpled and she shuddered into her wolf.  Stretching she swiftly leapt off the porch and sprinted through the woods.

The little wolf roared with happiness at being free, but still the yearning for her mate lingered.
  She knew she needed to bond with Gabe and soon, her wolf had allowed her to wait until she was ready. 
But now she couldn’t wait a moment longer
. 

*

Kira’s eyes rolled to the clock once again.  She’d been checking it every five minutes since she started her shift.  She’d been more than a little disappointed when Gabe hadn’t picked her up for work.  He’d apparently been out on a call.  So instead it was Jake who drove her.  Kira had tried to probe Jake about what Gabe was doing but the serious wolf would not be drawn.  Gabe did actually text her and apologized but promised he would collect her from the Diner later.

Jake
could sense her discomfort,
at being so hot and bothered
, but merely raised an eyebrow, gave a knowing glance at the mark Gabe had placed on her skin and stayed silent.  Kira was thankful it was Jake.  If it had been Mac the she-wolf would have prodded until Kira gave in and told her everything.  Jake at least was reserved and respectful of her privacy.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want people to know that she and Gabe were going to bond. 
Sooner than Gabe realized
.  But she was a little antsy about them knowing that she seemed to be going through a particularly strong mating pull.

The mating
pull referred to something that happened to shifters after they met their true mate and lasted up until they bonded.  It was nature trying to force mates to be together.  It affected shifters in different ways.

From talking to Jolene she had discovered that t
he Beta of their pack had apparently tried to strangle a friend of his mate when he got too close to her.  Like the Beta some nearly combusted with the need to mate while others found it to be a slow smolder. 
It kind of depended on the ferocity of the wolf inside
.  Until today Kira would have firmly put herself in the latter category but apparently her wolf doesn’t have that much patience… 
The desire to be with her mate had been blossoming and now it was a full grown flower desperate to be picked!
 

She wondered how Gabe coped with the need to be with her. 
Was his need for her as great as hers for him?  The way her sex fluttered and liquid heat poured through her veins she found it hard to believe.  He was always so cool so calm, she just wanted to find him and rub herself all over him, she wanted to smooth her hands down his taut body and kiss every inch of him…

“Everything alright Kira?”

Kira started as she found Deedee stood beside her with a curious look on her face.  Kira had been gripping a spoon in her hand so hard that she had managed to bend it in half.

Kira plastered a smile on her face
to hide her heated embarrassment.  “Fine… umm don’t know my own strength!”

Deedee nodded
, gave her a strange look and ambled back to the kitchen.  Kira rushed to the bathroom and splashed water over her heated face.  Looking in the mirror she was shocked at her appearance, her eyes looked downright wild! 

Yes she’d always felt the pull of the full moon, since she was 19 she’d always shared the same urges as her fellow w
olves. 
The desire to hunt and mate
.  But since the best forgotten full moon where she lost her virginity she’d always kept herself in check and now here she was virtually having a meltdown.

Maybe it was worse because of her burgeoning Omega powers.  Before she’d always thought they offered protection from feeling the more extreme cravings of her wolf. 
But now that the floodgates were open… 
She felt a thirst inside that only her mate could quench.  Her wolf wagged her tail and yipped.

Only a few more hours and Gabe would be here.  If she could just last that long she would be in the arms of her mate and everything would feel better.
 
Yep, keep telling yourself that
.

*

Acksel Lucas, the pack’s Chief Enforcer sniffed the trap again.  He had shifted to wolf form in the hopes that his heightened senses would detect something,
or anything
, from the bear trap.

The wolf whined and pulled away.  Other than the scent of the deer that had been unfortunate
enough to get caught in the trap he found wolfsbane. 
Painful in small doses to wolf shifters but toxic in large doses.

Acksel shimmered back to his human form and gladly pulled on the coat Gabe held out to him.
  He rubbed his hands together.  “Wolfsbane.”

Adam looked at him sharply.  “You’re sure.”

Acksel nodded.  “It’s faint but it’s there.”

Alec stepped away as his phone buzzed.

Earlier in the day one of his Enforcers, a young wolf called Felicity had called in that she’d found an illegal trap whilst out on patrol.  To Acksel’s annoyance it wasn’t that unusual.  The pack owned a large area of private woodland.  Over the years numerous human hunters and come and gone wishing to hunt on their land.  The humans often ventured into the pack’s territory and set traps. 
It was infuriating
.  The traps could be lethal to the shifters who often ran through the territory as their wolves.  Females or pups could easily be caught in them and they could bleed to death before anyone found them.

Any hunters who had been caught doing this had been handed over to the police. 
A little worse for wear after Adam was been done with them. 
But still more kept coming.

Acksel couldn’t see the point in
setting traps.  He liked nothing more than hunting in his wolf form.  Where was the fun in hunting an animal that was trapped and bleeding out?  Where was the thrill in that? 
The chase was the thing!
Humans had some funny ideas.

Felicity insisted he come out and see the trap himself.  She was sure there was something
off about it.  Acksel didn’t doubt her word.  Even though she was new and still learning she was well on her way to being his best Enforcer.

Acksel had called both the Alpha and the Beta too. 
Adam always wanted to deal with hunters personally. 
Acksel called in all his other Enforcers as well as any volunteers he could lay his hands on to do a sweep of the woods to check for other traps.  It was vital that they find them before the snow started falling; if the ground was covered in snow they truly would be invisible to the naked eye.

In the meantime the Beta had put out word to all pack members that they weren’t to go out running until they were sure the
y had found them all.  Thankfully given the cold temperature it wouldn’t be much of a problem.

Acksel had arrived shortly before the Alpha
Adam, then the Beta Alec and Gabe who had been out on a call with Alec. 

Felicity was
right; there was something off about the trap.  For one thing it was brand new.  The type of men who came sniffing round their land were those who were too cheap to actually travel to the real hunting areas.  The traps were usually old and well used.  This one was a fancy ass piece of equipment.

For another there were no human scents on the trap.
  Felicity had carefully untangled the deer and dragged it away.  The stench of the blood was strong but there should have been some lingering human scent of the men who had placed it here.

Lastly if hunters had set the trap where were they?  By the time Felicity found the deer she estimated it had been there for at least a couple of hours.  Why hadn’t th
e hunters checked on their trap?  It had been set and then seemingly just left.

Unfortunately Don the pack tracker was out of town for the day.  Otherwise he could have come and taken a look around
and perhaps gotten a little more than them.  Acksel had spent hours training with Don but still couldn’t quite measure up. 
The wolf was a marvel
.  It was a source of frustration to Alec that Don had scented his mate Liv’s pregnancy before he did. 
Acksel and Adam ribbed the stuffy Beta about it as much as possible.

Alec turned back to them. 
“That was Mal.  He just found two more traps a mile from here.  They were covered in leaves.  They hadn’t caught anything but Mal thinks he can detect wolfsbane but he isn’t sure.”

“Do you think human hunters are using wolfsbane to throw us off?”  Asked Felicity.

Adam grunted.  Humans didn’t generally realize the full effects of wolfsbane on shifters.  Only someone with knowledge of shifters would know how bad it was.  Humans in general assumed that wolves when in skin form were just like them. 
Thankfully most didn’t realize how debilitating silver truly was to shifters either
.

“I doubt it. 
Even if they did all we have to do is sit here and wait for them to come and collect their traps.  I don’t think the people who set these traps cared about coming back for them.”  Adam breathed in and out.  “Where are Kira and Lilah?”

Gabe snapped his head in the direction of his Alpha
as his wolf howled.  “You think this was done by the Charming pack?”

Adam shrugged.  “Maybe.”

“Lilah’s at Jolene’s and Mac’s with her.  Kira’s at work.”  Said Alec.

“Alec
send Jake over to the Jolene’s and Felicity you get over there too just in case.”

Alec started dialing while Felicity nodded at her Alpha quickly stripping
and shifting.  Her wolf loped off mindful of the potential traps.

“Kira…”
  Ground out Gabe.  His wolf was prowling.

Adam gave the younger wolf a steady gaze.  “Is at the Diner surrounded by people.  The Charming pack want Lilah. 
She’s next to the Sheriff’s station.  If she needs help back up will be close.” 

“You don’t know that!”  Roared Gabe.

Acksel stilled as Alec moved forward to Gabe.  Adam motioned for Alec to stop.  “You two go and join the search.”