Winter Magic (9 page)

“He said he’d been sent to teach his people how to hunt and track big game and people. As the air turned bitter cold, he did just that until one day when his time was up. He couldn’t stay with his mother any longer. ‘Remember when snow falls, it is I who has come to visit you.’ His mother led him down to the banks of the river and placed him on a cake of ice. He was given a ration pack of food then sent down the river….”

Silence filled the area as Gee took a sip from his cup then looked at those who gathered around him. “The first winter,” he said. “The birth of new life.”

Drew stepped away from his mate Betty and nodded. “New beginnings, my friends.” The light dusting of snow thickened a bit, blanketing the ground in a fresh layer of pristine white. The time had come for them to run as a pack. Drew raised his hand, but something above him caught his attention.

There, hanging by the talons of his strange bird-shifter mate, Stewart clutched a large red bag. As they crossed over to the Christmas tree, he opened the bag and presents fell to the ground. Some only had bows attached to them while others were wrapped with care. They enveloped the ground around the tree, cushioned by the fluffy snow. His aerial display only added to the mysticism of the coming evening.

“Okay,” Drew said. “We’ll all thank Stewart and his mate later for the toys and gifts. I don’t know, maybe we’re having a new tradition. All right, everyone. Let’s do this. Time to run. As a pack. You’re my family. Now and forever. Let’s have a great time.”

A cheer rose around the pack. Some whooped and hollered. And, like a chain reaction, people began to undress then shift, or simply shifted, and took off. Trepidation filled Fawn along with a healthy dose of embarrassment. However, when Kalum turned to her, his eyes blazing with lust and desire, everyone around them disappeared. Kalum took his time caressing and teasing her, banishing her fears of being seen.

Her Wolf grew more excited by the second, pushing her way to the surface, desperate to get out and be with her pack…her family. Fawn gave over to the shift. Warmth bloomed in her chest and expanded outward. The hairs on her arms stood up as electricity snapped around her then skimmed down her flesh. In one fluid motion, she went down on all fours and peered out through her Wolf’s eyes. Freedom.

Fawn took a deep breath and yipped. The scent of pine, fresh crisp air, and burnt wood comforted her in ways she couldn’t describe. The playful bump of Kalum’s head nudged her. Bigger than her, his large black Wolf form loomed over her. Her frisky mate prodded her again, before taking off. She gave chase, following him into the woods with the rest of the pack. In her Wolf form, she could pick out everyone’s scent and knew in which direction they headed.

Leaping over a downed log, Kalum tackled her to the ground then licked her muzzle. She’d never seen him be so jovial before, but she liked it. Enjoyed it even. Getting to her paws, she took off again, zigzagging through the thick underbrush of the forest floor. Her mate stayed no more than three feet away from her in any direction, giving her a sense of security she craved—for now.

They caught up to the pack, which followed the stream deeper into the surrounding woods. The wild scent of live game hit her nose, and she lifted her head, taking a deep whiff of air.
Elk.
She fanned out with some of the other females and began tracking the animal, while the males continued on. They worked as a team, following the trail. They came to the clearing, and there, in the middle, stood a giant elk. At least a ten-point bull with a head the length of her arm, raised his head. Steam poured from his nostrils. His ears twitched back and forth. Across from them, the males appeared, slowly advancing on their prey.

Betty pushed forward. Following the Alpha’s lead, they eased ahead, matching the men step for step. They crouched, making little to no sound at all. No need to spook the animal, yet, anyway. Drew stepped out of line, inching closer to the big game. Anticipation churned in Fawn’s belly. She had a feeling she knew what would happen next. Betty held their line a good three feet back, out of danger. Her body coiled. Her nails bit into the snow-covered ground. Any second.

Her Alpha sat back on his haunches and she could have sworn he smirked. A loud yip then a howl rent the night air. The elk took off and they followed, hot on its heels. Up and over brush they went, jumping and passing each other as they cried out, enthralled by the hunt. They followed the trail down and around, pushing the elk back toward town. The men peeled off once more, and she knew what it meant. It was time to claim their prize. They continued to push, herding the big beast the way they wanted him to go. The trap had been set the minute Drew’s yip broke the silence in the clearing.

Taking the animal’s flank, they slowed. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her mate and three others coming straight for the elk. Ahead, Drew waited for the right moment to strike. With one last push, Betty backed off, stopping short. In a blur of action, the males attacked, overwhelming their prey. Together they wrangled it, taking it down with precision and care. Drew delivered the deathblow then raised his head and howled in victory.

One by one, they shifted back. The women hugged each other, exhilarated by the run and their kill. The men stood by the animal, high-fiving each other while others fist-bumped and slapped each other on the back. Two men headed back down to the center of town and returned a few minutes later carrying a wooden litter. They rolled the beast onto the stretcher, and slowly but surely they made their way out of the forest.

Kalum came up beside Fawn and wrapped his arm around her. She tingled from head to toe. Adrenaline coursed through her; she was still running off the endorphin high from the chase. Her body vibrated with excitement. No words had to be spoken as they followed the trail out. She knew what would happen once they got home. His Wolf would claim her again. Dominate her. Consume her. She could see it in the way his eyes sparkled with intent.

“You’re in so much trouble when I get you home,” he growled. When he crushed his mouth to hers, her mind shut down and her toes curled. Her body responded to his and a soft whimper passed her lips.

“Promise?”

“Definitely a promise.” He kissed her again then smacked her ass. “Get dressed. We still need to mingle for a little while.” With a wink, he grabbed his clothes then strolled away.
Damn.

***

Soft sunlight poured through Kalum’s bedroom window. Beside him, Fawn slept peacefully. Her lithe form pressed to his, and his cock stirred to life. The night before had been incredible. Not only had he claimed his mate, marking her for all to see, he’d run with his pack, something he’d not done for longer than he wanted to consider. The scent of bacon cooking, plus the soft rumble of his brother’s voice drifted up to his room, but he didn’t want to move. His mate needed a proper wake-up call.

He pressed kisses to her shoulder blade while trailing his fingers down her side and over her hip. She sighed, pushing back against him with a wiggle of her hips. Kalum groaned. Allowing his hand to slide between her legs, he teased her, drawing lazy circles over her clit. Her eyes popped open and a sensual smile curved her lips upward.

“Good morning.” Her voice was husky, dripping with arousal.

“Good morning.” He ground his groin against her ass. “I thought I’d give you another present this morning.”

She giggled and rolled to her back. Reaching out, she took his shaft into her hand and stroked. “Oh? What’s my gift?” She squeezed his tip and gathered the bead of his essence on her thumb and brought it to her lips.

Kalum pounced. His little minx teased him, turning him on more than he already was. “This,” he said, positioning himself at her pussy. He pushed forward, filling her up until he was balls deep inside her. The muscles of her vagina rippled around him, milking him for everything he was worth. “Naughty little mate.” He nipped at her full bottom lip with a growl.

Fawn wrapped her arms around and scored her nails down his back before settling her palms on his ass. She gripped him, pushing him deeper still as she rubbed back and forth, getting off on him. Her channel went slick, searing him with her release. “Yes,” she cried, working herself up and down his length.

Watching her through hooded eyes, he was stunned by her assertiveness. She took what she needed from him, and he was more than obliged to let her continue to have her fill. Grabbing her hips, he rolled them so she was on top. With one hand guiding her over him, he pressed his palm to her chest and pushed her back slightly. He watched in awe as she took every inch of him into her tight passage. She cupped her breasts as she rolled her hips, tweaking and tugging on her nipples until she cried out, shuddering above him.

Slumping forward, Kalum wrapped both arms around her, holding her in place while he fucked into her hard and fast. He reveled in the way her pussy quivered with each thrust then tried to hold him within when he pulled back. His balls grew heavy as the tingle of awareness rolled down his spine. He knew he wouldn’t last long. Rolling them once more, he took her from behind. He braced her back against his chest while manipulating her clit. She cried out again, begging him for more.

He’d give her more. Kalum bent them slightly as he pumped into her. Each thrust rubbed her sweet spot and, with one last flick of his finger, he sent both of them headlong into release. He latched onto the mark he’d left last night and bit down again. Fawn jerked as another wash of her cream coated him. He groaned against her neck. His eyes shut as pure bliss rolled through him in lazy waves. Still tangled in their sheets, he laid her down, cocooning her in his embrace.

“I could get used to this.” She sighed, running her fingers up and down his arm.

“So could I, sug.” He pushed an errant lock of hair from her face and grinned. “So, do you have anything special planned for today?”

She shook her head. “I cleared my schedule to make sure I’d have fun last night.”

“Did you?” he asked.

“I did. Tinks wasn’t there. She said she would be.” Fawn frowned. “I hope everything is okay.”

“I’m sure it is,” he said, rubbing away the furrow between her brows. “I’ll bet she planned to come with you if you didn’t have a date or something.”

“Maybe.”

He could see the wheels turning in her mind. “Well, since I have you to myself, I was wondering if you’d like a tour of the property. You know, since this is now your home.”

“Okay,” she said. “Do I smell breakfast?” Her stomach gave an appreciative growl, and she giggled.

Kalum laughed. “Yes, Graham and Lily are downstairs cooking it right now.”

“They’re here?” she squeaked.

Kalum laughed as she tugged the sheet higher on her body. “They live here.”

“Oh my God,” she muttered. A light pink tinged her skin. “We just had sex with them here.”

“We sure did.” He grinned. “Nothing to be embarrassed about. Why don’t you grab a shower and I’ll meet you downstairs?”

He slid out of bed and threw on his jeans then helped her find the bathroom and left her to take care of business. Taking the stairs two at a time, he went in search of Lily and found the small bag of clothes by the staircase.
Lily.
He grabbed the suitcase and ran back up the stairs and headed into his room. He placed the overnight bag on the bed and opened it for Fawn. After grabbing a set of clothes for himself, he headed down the hall and grabbed a shower in the guest bathroom. When he stepped out, he found Fawn, exploring the upstairs.

“Hey,” he said, coming up beside her. “Enjoy your shower?”

“Yes. Thank you for bringing my clothes over.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“My pleasure.”

Kalum led her down to the kitchen and cleared his throat. Lily and Graham turned and smiled at her. “Morning, Fawn,” Lily said, handing her a plate loaded with food. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did, thank you.” She sat down at the table.

“Did you have fun last night?”

The image of Chris pointing to the mistletoe hanging above their head then leaning in and kissed Lily floated through his mind. The way she’d stepped back from Chris surprised Kalum. They were doing this dance around each other, never quite giving in to the temptation.

“I did,” Lily answered, handing another plate to Kalum. “How was the run?”

“Great,” Kalum replied, kissing Lily’s cheek. “Did you guys leave early?”

“I had some stuff to check on,” Graham grunted, as he came around Kalum. “I had a good time though.”

“That’s good,” Fawn said then took a bite out of a biscuit. “Did you see the size of the elk we took down?”

The pride in his mate’s voice made him grin. “We should all have enough meat for a while from it. Drew said as soon as it’s processed we’ll get our share.”

Fawn turned her attention to Graham. “I thought I’d get a chance to talk to you. Everything okay?”

“Sorry,” he said. “I hope to know something soon. Thanks for asking.”

When they finished breakfast, he led her outside and over to the barn first. “We try to keep the cows in here during the winter, but sometimes they’re stubborn.” He pushed the door open and brought her inside.

“You mean they’re just bigger versions of you.” She laughed, following behind him.

Kalum pushed her up against a bale of hay and growled. “You think I’m stubborn, huh?” He pushed his hands up under her shirt and brushed his fingers over her flesh. “What about you?”

“I’m not stubborn.” She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I was waiting for the perfect moment.”

“I think that was last night, sugar,” he crooned then pressed a kiss to her neck.

“I agree.” She reached for the front of his pants and unhooked his belt. “Is this part of the tour, Mr. Truesdale?”

“Something along those lines,” he replied, while taking off her shirt. “Are you enjoying this little expedition?”

“Oh yes.” She grinned. “I love you, Kalum Truesdale.

“I love you, too, Fawn Hawthorne.”

Murder comes to the Black Hills Wolves….

On the one-year anniversary of Drew Tao defeating his father and becoming Alpha of the Black Hills Wolves, everyone looks to the future. On the heels of their celebration, a new threat emerges…. Someone is killing the human mates. The pack survived the reign of a madman, but will a single bullet shatter all their hopes and dreams?