Untamed (3 page)

Her creamy skin was sprinkled with caramel-colored freckles, and he couldn’t help but picture himself lapping at each and every one. Perhaps what he loved most was her fiery red hair. He wanted to bury his face there and inhale her distinctly spicy scent directly from the source. He’d captured her unique energy signature that day in the bayou, and it hadn’t left him since. The intense aroma of cinnamon and spice permeated his dreams and haunted his days.

He’d known who she was the second he’d laid eyes on her, and he thought for certain that Dante would notice her too, but he’d been far too concerned about Kerry to pick up on it. William had openly criticized both Malcolm and Dante for their lovesick foolishness because he didn’t understand how the two of them had become so twisted up over their women. Clearly he owed them an apology. He cringed. He hated to admit that he was wrong, and he knew they’d never let him hear the end of it.

That day in the bayou, Layla’s energy signature had slammed into him with a voracious intensity that took him completely by surprise… and William was not accustomed to being surprised. He prided himself on his innate ability to always remain calm, keep a cool head, and maintain a sense of order.

All of that changed the second he found her.

It was as if he’d been asleep his entire life, and she had awakened him. The world seemed brighter, louder, sharper, and more chaotic. This woman had turned his world upside down and had him spinning. The only thing that could quell the stark need in his gut was connecting with her.

His mate.

He had suspected that his mate could possibly be a hybrid like Malcolm and Dante’s. After what had transpired over the past few months, after all that had been revealed, it wouldn’t have been a surprise. However, he expected her to be unaware of her roots, just as Kerry hadn’t known about her Amoveo heritage. The hybrids were being hunted by an underground network of fanatical Amoveo Purists, and as a result, they had been kept hidden from their people.

However, Layla
knew
she was a hybrid, and so did the human woman she was speaking with. This was where she’d grown up, that part he’d figured out. Rosie was human, but apparently knew that Layla was half Amoveo. The entire situation was highly irregular because there were only a handful of humans who knew about their existence, and they were closely watched by the Council.

William shifted on the branch and attempted to shake off the sense of dread, but this scenario was confusing and unexpected.

Movement to the right of the house caught William’s eye and broke his concentration. A blur of black slipped around the side of the house, and the energy signature with it just about knocked William out of his tree. His eyes glowed brightly as the potent combination of fear and anger took hold. It was an Amoveo male that he had never encountered before: Wolf Clan. Why would any other Amoveo be here? He hadn’t even told Dante and Malcolm about Layla. The unfamiliar hand of panic gripped his heart. Purists? No other answer came to mind.

Anger flared hard, and William zeroed in on the intruder’s location. Whoever he was, he’d shifted from wolf to human form and was about to go inside the house. William whispered the ancient language, vanished with the wind, and within moments was standing on the ground behind Layla’s would-be assassin. With unnatural speed he grabbed the man’s right arm, twisted it behind his back with one hand, and put him in a choke hold with the other.

“Who sent you?” William barked into the man’s ear.

“Fuck you,” he bit out and stomped his steel-toe boots into William’s instep.

William grunted at the pain, and it was the only opening his opponent needed. He struggled as William grimaced at the smell of him, a rancid mixture of dirt, sweat, and farm animals. Slick with sweat, he slipped out of William’s grip, and the two men slammed into the side of the house in a blur of arms and legs. As William pinned the man up against the wall by the throat, he wondered fleetingly what kind of assassin dressed like a farmer.

The man’s human eyes shifted into the glowing blue eyes of his clan as he grabbed William by the lapels of his pinstripe suit. They stood there locked in a stalemate—eyes glowing, muscles straining, and neither willing to retreat.

William knew if he squeezed just a little harder, he could break his neck and be done with it.

The man’s blue eyes glowed brightly, and anger carved deeply into his features. His lip curled back with disgust. “You’re not laying one finger on my sister, you asshole,” he growled.

William froze. Sister? He was Layla’s brother? William held the man’s intense gaze and looked for any sign of deception, but found none. He was about to start questioning him, when a familiar voice sliced through the air—straight to his heart.

“He’s right,” Layla fumed. “You are an asshole.”

The clock on the wall ticked loudly and echoed through the kitchen as the four of them sat around the kitchen table awkwardly staring at each other. Layla stole a sidelong glance at William, who was busy attempting to remove sweat and dirt stains from the lapels of his blue suit. He made a face as the dirt merely smudged, but didn’t actually come off.

She stifled the urge to giggle. A suit? Her mate hangs out every day in a suit.
Yeah, right. That’s the guy for me. Not.
Oh, he was handsome, as she suspected he would be, but she would be damned if her life was going to be left up to the fates.

Raife glowered at William while he ate his apple pie with a vengeance. Layla gave Rosie a look that screamed for help. If someone didn’t say something soon, she was going to completely freak out.

Rosie watched William making a bigger mess of his jacket and shook her head disapprovingly. She finally broke the deafening silence with a sound of frustration.

“Take off that damn thing, and give it to me,” she huffed. Rosie walked around behind William and pulled the jacket off his shoulders before he could stop her. “You’re gonna rub a hole in it.” She took it back to the laundry room. “I’ll get it cleaned up.”

“It’s really quite alright, madam,” he sputtered after her. Rosie, as usual, got her way which left William looking completely befuddled.

Layla’s lips quirked at his discomfort; this man was not used to being told what to do. Her gaze slid over his hulking form, and she couldn’t help but admire his broad chest and shoulders. He was over six feet tall—a bit bigger than Raife, and that was saying something. They were about the same height, but William was bulkier.

His large muscular frame dwarfed the wooden chair he sat so stiffly in. The man looked ridiculously out of place in the country kitchen. She had to admit he was hot. Hot? Hell, that didn’t cover it. He was… exquisitely unique, strikingly beautiful.

Shoulder-length blond hair, streaked with brown, was tied in a tight ponytail at the nape of his neck. Having his hair pulled back allowed his fiercely handsome face with its chiseled features to take center stage.

Her gaze landed on his mouth, and for just a moment, she wondered what his lips felt like.
I
bet
they’re firm and warm. Just like in the dream realm.
His dark gaze flicked over and locked with hers. Layla’s heart fluttered because he didn’t just look at her… he
saw
her, and she bet a million dollars that he just heard her too.

A faint smile played at his lips.
Damn
it.
She looked away quickly. She’d have to remember to guard her thoughts around him.

“Now,” Rosie began as she sat back down at the table, “Let’s start by cutting the madam crap. It’s Rosie.”

He bowed his head. “I am William Fleury. It is a pleasure to meet you, Rosie.” His voice remained calm, cool, and collected.

It was easy to tell that it took quite a bit to rattle this guy. He’d lost control outside with Raife, and it definitely irked him. She deduced that he was not a man who liked to relinquish control. The ferocious look in his eyes, and the energy waves that pulsed off him when he struggled with Raife, were completely different from the man who sat next to her now.

How could the universe pair her with him? She spent most of her life feeling out of control. She lived moment to moment, went from job to job, and thrived on the organized chaos of her life. Something told her that William would take issue with that.

“Yes, well, you already met Layla’s brother, Raife.” Rosie jutted a thumb without looking at Raife.

“I did not know who you were, Raife.” William cleared his throat. “You’ll have to pardon my outburst, but I was concerned for Layla’s safety.”

Raife grunted. “Yeah, well… now you know. You’re not taking my sister anywhere or doing anything else against her will.”

William’s face remained a calm mask of detachment. “I have to admit that finding
you
here was quite a surprise, Raife.” His attentions returned to Layla. “In fact I’ve had several surprises today.”

Layla scoffed. “You’re not a big fan of surprises are you?” Her gaze skimmed his suit-clad body.
He
probably
sleeps
in
that
thing.

“No. I’m not.” He eyed her intently. “Layla, I must admit, you are the biggest surprise of all.” He continued to inspect her thoughtfully and leaned back in the farmhouse chair, which creaked in response. “I did not expect you to know who or what you are,” he said quietly.

Layla’s cheeks burned with anger and embarrassment because she knew he was referring to the fact that she was a hybrid. She wasn’t stupid. She, Raife, and Tatiana were told that they’d been hidden here for a reason. They knew that the rest of the Amoveo thought of hybrids as nothing more than birth defects. Raife’s mother had laid everything out in black-and-white in her diary, and none of it sounded very good.

“Just what the hell does that mean?” Her eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared, as she felt the heat creep up her cheeks. “I guess it came as a pretty rude awakening to find out that your mate is just some half-breed, huh?” Layla’s chin jutted out defiantly as she waited for him to confirm her suspicions.

His dark stare didn’t move from her face, and his mouth was set in a grim line. “Is that what you think of me?” His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “I
did
realize that you were a hybrid. However, I didn’t think you would be
aware
of it,” he bit out. Anger undulated off him in thick waves, and he turned his attention to Rosie. “What have you been teaching them?”

Rosie shook her head and laughed loudly, obviously unfazed by his response. William’s face belied his surprise at her reaction. He probably expected Rosie to submit and shy away at his anger. His energy waves subsided slowly as he looked from Rosie to Layla and straightened his tie.
Surprise, surprise.

“Typical Amoveo man for you.” Rosie sighed and wagged a finger at him. “You remind me of Raife’s daddy. My sister Lucy fell for him like a ton of bricks.” She smiled and let out a soft, almost sad laugh. “Run off and married him after knowing him only a couple of weeks. I didn’t see her again until she showed up here at the farm with Raife and his twin sister Tatiana. Lucy said her man had been killed and that the children were in danger.” Rosie shrugged. “No one ever came around looking for her or the kids.” Her smile faded. “I thought it was all a lot of horseshit until puberty hit this house. Then all hell broke loose.” Rosie’s eyes rimmed with tears as the memories reopened old wounds. “Lucy never saw any of that, of course.” She sniffled. “She died about a year after she came home. Raife and Tati were just two years old.”

“I’m sorry,” William said somberly. His eyes, almost ebony, filled with sympathy, and the anger that had laced his energy signature moments ago was gone. Layla’s brow furrowed as she started to examine this stranger through a different lens. Maybe he wasn’t quite the jerk she thought him to be, but at the very least, he wasn’t going to be as easy to figure out as she had originally thought.

“Yeah, me too,” Rosie said and wiped at her eyes. “You know, in that year she was living with me, she shared some pretty interesting stories. Like I said, I thought they were big, fat whoppers. Fish tales.” She sat back and regarded William through serious eyes. “But as soon as the twins hit puberty…”

William switched his attention to Raife. “You shifted?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

Raife nodded curtly. “Yeah, telepathy too.” He sat up a little taller, clearly proud of his abilities. “Tati and I could always communicate that way, ever since we can remember.” He glanced at Layla and smiled broadly. “Then when Layla showed up, she joined right in. It was as if she’d been doing it all her life.”

Layla looked fondly at her brother and winked.
You
always
know
how
to
make
me
feel
better, big brother.

He’s not taking you anywhere, Red.
His thoughts came through strong and steady, but he didn’t take his blue eyes off their visitor.

William cleared his throat and shot Layla a look of disapproval.
Damn.
He’d heard them. She’d have to tell Raife about this annoying new development later. They never had to worry about anyone else intruding on their conversations before.

Amusement flickered briefly across William’s face before he turned his attention to her brother. “Raife, do you know which one of the wolf clans your father was from?”

He nodded confidently. “I have my mom’s diary. It’s got everything in it.”

“There’s a diary?” William’s eyebrows lifted. “May I see it?”

“No, you may not,” he barked. “You don’t need to see it, because it looks like you already know everything. She said he was in the Timber Wolf Clan. What about you? Huh? What clan are you in?” he asked in a challenging tone.

William’s energy waves rippled faster and washed over Layla with surprising speed. His face hardened, and he straightened his back as if he was readying for a fight. Not again. She’d had about as many testosterone-laden moments as she could handle.

“I am a member of the Falcon Clan—the Gyrfalcon Clan to be specific.” His large dark eyes locked instantly with Layla’s. He breathed deeply, as if he was breathing in her very essence. “And you?” he asked in that smooth seductive tone that tickled the most intimate part of her. “Do you know which clan you are descended from?”

Layla gripped the mug in an effort to steel herself against the erotic effect he was having on her body, which had developed a mind of its own. “Cheetah,” she breathed softly and tore her eyes from his.

The truth was that she hadn’t ever shifted. She’d walked the dream realm in her clan form, but had never been able to shift the way Raife and Tati had. It bothered her. She knew it shouldn’t, but it did, because she always felt second-rate or handicapped. She certainly didn’t want William to know about it, and have him discover that she wasn’t as gifted as she apparently should be.

“Yes,” he murmured as his gaze wandered over her. “I suspected you were a member of one of the cat clans.”

“Oh yeah?” Layla kept her eyes trained on the coffee in her hand. “Why?” It took significant effort to keep from staring at him and drooling like some sex-starved teenager.
Ugh.
She needed a cold shower and a beer.

“The way you move,” he said in quiet, almost reverent tones. “There’s a fluidity and a quickness to the way you handle your body. That’s a common trait for members of the cat clans.” He studied her quietly for a moment and said, “Do you have any idea which of your parents was Amoveo?”

Layla’s face heated with anger as the mere mention of her father sent her to a very dark, primal place. “Oh, I’m well aware of my parentage.” She struggled to keep her temper under control. “My father was apparently a member of the Cheetah Clan, and my mother was human. From what I gather, she fell in love with him hard and fast
before
she found out what he was. Once she did…” She shrugged, and her voice trailed off. “She couldn’t handle it.”

Layla flicked a glance to Rosie, hoping to gain some strength from her, and with a quick nod and a wink, the desired effect was achieved. She smiled back and took a deep breath before continuing. “My mother lost it, went completely off the deep end. Drugs. Alcohol. You name it—she did it. It’s amazing I was born healthy,” she murmured. “The little time I did spend with her, in-between being bounced around foster families, she babbled on about how he was a devil and turned into a cheetah right in front of her. As you can imagine, I thought she was freaking insane… but once I got here, I realized that she was telling the truth.”

She looked him straight in the face.

“She was still nuts. Although I think the drugs are really to blame for that. She obviously couldn’t process what he told her, and it pushed her right over the edge into loony-land. She died of a drug overdose. Hence, my childhood spent in the foster care system.”

“Foster care?” he asked with concern. “What about her family?”

Layla snorted. “That’s making the arrogant assumption she had any. She didn’t,” she bit out. “At least none that I know of. And as you probably know, hybrids aren’t exactly held in high regard by
your
people, so dear old Daddy never showed his face.” Her voice quivered, and tears pricked the back of her eyes as she held his gaze. “Which is just fine by me,” she said. “So you’ll forgive me if I don’t fall at your feet and beg to be carried off. Hooking up with one of you didn’t work out well for my mother, or for Raife and Tati’s mother, for that matter.” Her challenging gaze held his, daring him to deny it. “Did it?”

Silence pulsed thickly between them, and the energy waves in the room swirled violently around the kitchen, but William’s gaze didn’t falter.

“No, I don’t suppose it did,” he began slowly. “But I am not the enemy. Your father abandoning you is unacceptable, and I promise you I will help you find out who he is and exactly what happened.”

Layla shook her head furiously. “No. Absolutely not. I don’t want anything to do with him. I don’t even care who he is,” she added quickly.

William was silent for a moment. “As you wish,” he said evenly. “I would never do anything to intentionally upset you. I want you to trust me.”

“In her diary, my mother also said we shouldn’t trust
any
of the Amoveo,” Raife interrupted, his voice laced with irritation. “She said that my father was probably killed by his own people because he mated with her—a human. She made it pretty clear that we were in danger and should avoid the pure-blooded Amoveo like the plague—mate or no mate.”

Layla and Rosie looked back and forth between the two men as they silently glowered at one another. It was like some stupid game of alpha-male chicken.

William nodded and looked at Raife as though he was choosing his words carefully. “I can certainly understand your wariness,” he began slowly. “Your mother was partially correct. There are some members of our race who are a danger to you. The Purists were likely the ones responsible for your father’s death, Raife. We recently discovered their…” He paused for a moment, taking the time to find just the right word. “Mission.”