Wolf's Den - A BBW Shifter Romance Novel (4 page)

“Thank you for sticking up for me,” I said. He nodded.

“No problem,” he replied but he was clearly embarrassed at being bested like that. He and his party left while Edie and I cleaned up the mess. I apologized to the rest of the patrons but those that hadn’t been served began to leave. The line at the front door dwindled as well. By lunch, the Rusty Skillet was all but empty. It was like a typical weekday at the diner despite the thousands of bikers. One or two tables full and the rest empty. Everything was falling apart and I didn’t know how to stop it.

Some big biker threatened to rape me, another had told me he was a shifter, a wolf, and that I was his mate. If all that wasn’t enough, my diner was empty and without the money this event brought in, I couldn’t afford to keep the Rusty Skillet open past the end of summer. To top it all off, without the crowds to keep me working my ass off, I had all the time in the world to think about everything that was happening and there was a lot to think about.

At the forefront of my thoughts were Yeager’s claims. What if what he told me was true? What if I was his mate? What if I was made for him and he was made for me? What did that all mean? Was I fated to be his wife, his lover? That scared the living daylights out of me. I wasn’t ready for that. I wasn’t ready to be anyone’s wife much less their mate, whatever that implied. But even more frightening was the idea that it apparently wasn’t my choice. It wasn’t up to me. Whether Yeager was a good man or a creep wouldn’t matter. I was trapped if what he claimed was true.

And I had little reason to doubt Yeager’s story in light of what had happened. Dolan’s growl wasn’t that of a man. It was that of an animal. And those fangs, those weren’t there before. He was a shifter too. I felt just like I did when my mom passed away. I accepted the truth but it didn’t hit me right away. I knew it was true, that she was really gone, but it took a while for it to sink in, to become real. I felt just like that again. I knew Yeager was telling the truth, I think I knew it when he told me, but it wasn’t completely real yet.

“You scared?” Edie asked me as I leaned behind the lunch counter waiting for the single table I was serving to finish up. I’d already sent Jesus home. There was nothing for him to do. I’d have sent Edie home too but I didn’t want her to be alone. Maybe I didn’t want to be alone.

“Yeah, I am,” I told her.

“Me too. This sucks!” Edie replied. I giggled despite my mood. I could always count on Edie to distill everything down for me.

“Yeah, it does suck,” I agreed.

“Do you think that loser will really do what he said?” she asked. Edie hadn’t heard what Dolan whispered in my ear and she hadn’t asked. It didn’t matter. He’d said enough.

“No. He’s just full of shit,” I assured Edie but I wasn’t so sure. In fact, I somehow knew he’d make good on his threat. Where was Yeager? Did I hurt him that badly? Did he just up and leave town? I knew now that he was the only man that could really stand up to Dolan. I just hoped it didn’t come to that. Maybe the big biker was just making idle threats but somehow I knew that wasn’t the case. I was going to have to face him again.

The afternoon and evening passed slowly. Edie and I spoke more but I didn’t tell her anything about Yeager or Dolan that she didn’t already know. I could hardly believe any of it myself. How could I expect Edie to believe it? Besides, I didn’t want to worry her. She acted tough but she wasn’t as strong as she wanted everyone to believe. She had her own secrets even if she wouldn’t admit it.

I closed the Rusty Skillet down at nine. We hadn’t had a customer for over an hour by then. I hoped things would get back to normal in the morning. If not, I’d be sunk. We left only fifteen minutes after I turned off the open sign. With no customers, we’d already done just about all the closing duties, cleaning the diner and getting ready for what I hoped would be a busy day. Deputy Perkins called for a unit to follow Edie home in her car. Deputy Perkins, Jimmy, would walk me home once they were gone.

“Stay safe,” Edie told me and then we hugged when the deputy arrived to escort Edie home.

“You too,” I replied and watched as she got into her car and drove away, the other deputy in tow.

“I’m ready, Jimmy,” I told Deputy Perkins. He graduated a year ahead of me and we knew each other but we weren’t really friends. He’d come back to Gold Canyon and joined the Sheriff’s Office after a stint at the State Police Academy. I locked the doors and it felt as if I was leaving the Rusty Skillet for the last time. It was a silly thought. Things would turn around. Mom made this place work for a long time and I could do it too. I had too for her.

“I’m headed home for the evening once I get you home. I’ll make sure my relief checks in on you tonight,” Jimmy told me as we walked through the crowds towards the edge of town. The house I grew up in with my mom was only a quarter mile from the diner, back off the main highway. The crowds were thinner tonight in town. There was a wet t-shirt contest and a concert on the schedule at the fairgrounds so many of the bikers were over there. As we reached the edge of downtown, the crowds all but disappeared with the lure of the bars and beer wagons.

We walked past the old service station turned jerky and nut stand and then headed up my street. Suddenly, Jimmy was knocked to the ground. I screamed as the black mass on top of him tore at his uniform, foiled only by the bullet-proof vest he wore. “Go get help!” Jimmy shouted as he struggled to free his sidearm. I turned to go find help but there stood Dolan and behind him, two more black wolves.

“You think Barney Fife there is going to save you? He’s not. You’re that gray’s mate and he and I have history. I’m going to make him pay for what he did, or rather, I’m going to make you pay for it,” Dolan said but I had no idea what he meant. Jimmy pulled his pistol but Dolan turned and kicked it away. Jimmy looked at me, his eyes wide and full of fear but there was nothing I could do.

“Cassie?” he pleaded and then the black wolf astride Jimmy tore his throat open. Jimmy screamed but it died in the blood coming from his neck. I watched in horror for a moment, too shocked to even move. But suddenly I was filled with anger and a need I couldn’t quite fathom.

“You bastard!” I screamed and tried to run but Dolan grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to him. He began tearing at my blouse, his hand pushing into my black jeans. “No!” I shouted as I struggled but he was too strong.

“Make sure we’re not disturbed,” Dolan told his gang of wolves as he dragged me behind the old service station. He spun me around and pushed me against the wall, pinning me there with his hands. Then he kissed me, his tongue invading my mouth, his fangs pressing against my lips. I struggled and finally threw my knee into his crotch. Dolan pulled his head back and growled, saliva dripping from his sharp, elongated canines. “You like it rough? So do I, bitch!” he said and ripped open my blouse.

I began to sob as he buried his face in my breasts and then ripped my bra from me with his teeth. “No, no, please,” I begged but Dolan just laughed. I began to shut down as he had his way with me but inside I felt a strange sensation, a need to...I couldn’t hold onto it and it faded as Dolan molested me.

“That gray won’t want anything to do with you after I’m done defiling you. You’ll have my child in your belly. Sister, I’m going to spoil you for that fucking piece of shit gray bastard,” Dolan said and then he changed right before my eyes. His face and neck sprouted course black hair, his hands became paws and his claws scratched at me. Then I heard his blue jeans tear. I looked down and screamed. Dolan laughed. “Don’t worry, it’ll fit one way or another,” he warned in a gruff voice.

I saw the light before I heard the rumble. Dolan saw it too but too late to react. A motorcycle approached and it was moving fast. A moment later, Dolan was ripped from his feet and he went flying as Yeager slid sideways to a stop. “Get on!” he yelled at me. I didn’t hesitate for even a moment. I ran and straddled his bike, squeezed him tight and off we rode, spraying Dolan with gravel and dirt. He roared as his gang chased after but they were too slow for Yeager’s powerful chopper and within moments, we had left them behind. That’s when things went dark.

~~O~~

I woke up in a cabin, if you could call it that. Maybe a shack was more accurate. Sunlight filtered through the wooden planks that were the walls, an old pot belly stove stood in the corner and Yeager sat in an old rocking chair in the corner. “Where are we?” I asked him as I sat up from the musty cot I was laying on. I remembered the previous night suddenly and looked down expecting to find myself topless but I was wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the Indian Motorcycle logo.

“An old hunting cabin. I found it while out for a run last time I was here. It hasn’t been used since the fall at least but it’s got some stores that are edible...I think,” Yeager told me.

“Jimmy?” I asked wondering what had become of my escort. Yeager shook his head.

“If you mean the deputy, he’s dead,” Yeager told me. I guess I already knew that. His poor mom and dad. Jimmy was always nice and everyone liked him. I couldn’t help but feel responsible but that was the least of my problems.

“What about, Edie?” I wondered. She was all by herself and I was afraid Dolan would go after her.

“I don’t think they’re after your friend. They want you,” he said.

“Why?” I asked. I think I knew that too but I needed to hear it.

“It’s complicated. Basically, Dolan knows who you are to me and he wants to use you to get back at me,” he explained. I guess it didn’t matter. That was enough. I didn’t need the details.

“By the way, I believe you now. I’m not sure I understand it but I believe you. Those wolves were Dolan’s gang, weren’t they?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Yeager told me.

“What about you, do you have a gang?” I wondered. I was in a bit of shock, a bit numb to what was happening to me.

“No, not like that. I have friends, allies. I’ll explain everything but not now. You need some time. This goes deeper than you think,” he told me. I wanted to know what he had to say but I also knew he was right. I couldn’t handle much more at the moment. In fact, I broke down and began to cry as it all hit me. Yeager came and sat next to me on the cot. He put his arm around me pulling me close. “Let it out, Cassie. You’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said as I buried my face in his chest and sobbed.

After a few moments, I got a hold of myself. “What are we going to do?” I asked. Whatever I felt about Yeager and his story, I was bound to him now. I couldn’t go home and I needed his help to survive.

“We’ll stay here until I figure out what to do. I’d love to tell you that on Sunday Dolan and his gang will just leave with the rest of them, but I doubt it. We’re going to have to deal with him sooner or later,” Yeager told me.

“Can we go to the Sheriff?” I asked.

“We could but we’d have to go back to town and there’s no guarantee he’d be able to do anything. You saw what happened to that Deputy,” he told me.

“I can call him,” I said and pulled my phone out of my pocket thinking that was the solution.

“No, you can’t,” he told me. Sure enough, my phone showed I had no signal. “Look, we need to do something but for now let’s just stay here. You need to rest and I need to think. Maybe the Sheriff is the answer, maybe not, but we’re safe for the time being,” Yeager told me. I nodded. He was right. I wasn’t ready to face Dolan. In fact, the thought of what he was about to do to me was overwhelming. It was all I could do not to cry again. All I could think of was ending up like Jimmy but I knew Dolan had other plans for me.

“All right. I just wish I knew if Edie was safe,” I said.

“I know. Dolan probably doesn’t even know who she is. He’s only interested in you and me,” Yeager explained. I almost asked him about that but he spoke first. “You hungry? I certainly am,” he asked.

“Actually, yeah. What do we have to eat?” I replied. He got up and rummaged through the single cupboard and turned around with a can of corned beef hash and a box of pancake mix. “Do we have water?” I asked.

“There’s a hand pump outside. I’ll go see if it works. See if you can’t find a frying pan or something,” he said. I got up and Yeager handed me the food but before he went outside, he took me by the shoulders and looked into my eyes.