Far From Innocent (9 page)

“Malta werewolves will not be guided by blind fury.” Dante moved in closer, shrugging his mate’s hand off him when she tried grabbing him. “Hatred destroyed us in Malta, not me. And until you accept that, you’ll never be able to lead.”

Dante stood inches from Dimitri, the two werewolves on the verge of changing.

Muscles rippled through their bodies, stretching their clothing until it looked like it would tear free from their bodies.

“What happened in Malta will never happen again,” Dimitri hissed. “The gift will not be exploited. Those who have it will learn to use it productively and not like cubs who can’t keep their tails out of trouble.”

With that, he grabbed Erin, moving quickly and pulling her off her feet until he had her out of Juan’s arms and secure behind him.

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Far From Innocent

“Touch her again and I’ll break your fucking neck,” he threatened, pointing his finger in Juan’s face. “Go sniff around some other bitch and forget about this one.”

“Damn it, Dimitri. Quit being such a bully.” Erin fought for her footing when he pushed her toward the road and then picked up the pace, grabbing her arm and marching her away from Juan and his den.

“You’re going home and showering. The stench on you turns my stomach.” Dimitri ignored her complaints, holding on to her tight and heading up the road.

“The last place I want to go to is our den. The night is young, Dimitri. And if you’d pull your head out of your ass, you’d see there’s nothing wrong with Juan.”

Dimitri sighed, his anger hanging in the air while they climbed the rough road toward their den. Erin fought until he let go of her and then crossed her arms over her chest. A cold wind blew over the side of the mountains. She ached to change, race the breeze and be warm in her fur. She glanced over her shoulder, no longer seeing Juan but aching to run and find him.

“Go home and shower and then I’ll take you on a run.” Dimitri glanced down at her then looked ahead quickly.

She shook her head. “We need to find you a good bitch.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

“Why not? You sure are wasting energy worrying about me.”

“It’s not a waste of energy. Nic and I have done our damnedest since our parents died.” His words trailed off.

His pain smelled sour and mixed with the spicy scent of his anger, which hadn’t subsided. Thinking about her sire and mother right now would just worsen her mood.

She sucked in a cold breath, willing the pain that threatened to weigh down her heart to go away.

“You two have done fine,” she said quietly.

“You’re wild as hell and I can smell his come on you.”

“Dimitri!” Erin licked her lips, tasting Juan. Her pussy throbbed, wanting—no, needing—more of him. “I’m not a fucking cub. And I sure as hell don’t question you every time you come home smelling like some bitch.”

Dimitri combed his hands with his fingers, grinding his teeth as he growled. They both heard panting to the side of them, and her littermate grabbed her and pushed her behind him. She clung to his arm, sniffing the new scent that approached quickly.

The chill in the air picked up when Josie and Nicolo crashed through the trees and slowed when they hit the road. Both of them looked like they’d been running for a while and panted heavily, their dark hair windblown and their expressions grim.

“What the hell is this?” Dimitri let go of her and put his fists on his hips.

Erin decided not to move. She didn’t like the smells coming off either one of them.

Her oldest littermate had a scratch on his cheek. They’d been fighting. And the adrenaline that filled the air quickly led her to believe the fight wasn’t over.

45

Lorie O’Clare

“The
lunewulfs
made a run into our territory,” Nicolo said quickly, sucking in breath and then slowly letting it out.

“Damn good thing we didn’t have any of you single bitches with us.” Josie tilted his head to get a better look at her with Dimitri still in front of her. “They made more noise than anything, and we got a few good swipes in.” He tugged on his sweatshirt that hung crookedly on him, as if he’d dressed quickly. “We pushed them back to their territory and now are heading into town to see what anyone’s learned.”

“Let’s go then.” Dimitri turned to head back down the road, his gears shifting quickly at the prospect of a good fight.

Nicolo met her gaze before Josie and Dimitri did. She found herself staring at all three of the werewolves and knew what was coming.

“I’m going with you.” She stuck her chin out, daring any of them to suggest they send her to her den.

She’d had just about enough of that shit tonight. The action would be in town. And more than likely, Juan would be there too.

“She’ll be safe. I’ll see to it.” Josie patted Dimitri on the shoulder.

She clenched her teeth so her jaw wouldn’t drop when Dimitri simply nodded and then turned, breaking into a sprint and heading down the mountain. He’d leave her in the paws of Josie, a werewolf who had the gift possibly as strongly as Dante and Moira.

He also had a reputation for rolling with any willing bitch he could find on a dark night.

Irritation roared in her veins as she matched her littermates’ speed and hurried down the mountain toward town. Josie was Nic’s age. But he’d run with both of her littermates growing up on Malta. Usually she had no problem with him. And she’d be the first to admit he was a good werewolf, albeit more of a slut than most. Josie had the good looks, the charm and wit that almost always got him what he wanted. He’d never impressed her much though. Josie was too smooth talking, his growl almost always sounding a bit too sweet for her taste. And chasing after a werewolf that every bitch in the pack had already fucked didn’t appeal to her.

Maybe she liked the unapproachable. A werewolf she shouldn’t have, or who was a claw length out of her reach turned her on more than one who would fuck whatever bitch was closest.

The simple truth that Dimitri had known Josie all of his life, that their dens lived by each other and that he wasn’t a stranger couldn’t be ignored. She might run with these werewolves tonight, but if her littermates thought for one second that would put Juan out of her mind, they could think again. No matter what Dimitri or Nicolo thought, both of them would learn to like and accept Juan.

They slowed when the rough road turned to pavement at the edge of the town of Valle, a small community made up mostly of werewolves. Even on a weeknight, the downtown nightlife was stronger than in most towns. Werewolves were nocturnal. An American pack claimed this territory, but they welcomed the Malta werewolves into 46

Far From Innocent

their establishments. Part of the reason they did so was for added protection. The
lunewulfs
pushed into the American werewolves’ territory too.

Erin coughed as she inhaled a deep gulp of cold air. Josie rubbed her back. His large hand was hot, strong and lingered a bit too long over her shoulder blade. She itched to shrug him off her but instead stepped out of paw’s reach, falling into step on the other side of Nicolo.

“Looks like there’s a fair bit of action going on at Bernie’s,” Nicolo said to no one in particular.

They moved to the sidewalk and headed toward Bernie’s Den, the local bar and grill that did more business after midnight than any other time of the day. Werewolves trudged in after a night’s run for a burger and beer and to catch up on pack gossip. A handful of cars were parked outside the bar. Music and chatter tickled Erin’s ears even at this distance. More than likely, many showed up on foot, just like them. It sounded like there were a lot more werewolves inside than the parked cars indicated. Erin got a whiff of fried beef when they got closer and her stomach growled.

“It’s almost midnight. The crowd will pick up more after stragglers come in from their runs.” Josie strolled easily alongside Dimitri. The air around them suddenly charged with electricity and Erin glanced past her littermates at him, purely out of curiosity, when the sparks made the hair on her skin rise. “There’s an argument going on inside,” he added quietly.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow, picking up his pace with excitement as he looked over at Josie. “Can you tell what it’s about?” he asked, lowering his voice as if requesting that Josie’s use of the gift was some kind of crime or something.

And in essence, the way her pack looked at the gift these days, it almost was a crime to use it.

Josie shook his head then glanced around him.

She rubbed her arms, inhaling excitement and anticipation from the werewolves around her. They were as bad as cubs being told they could have free reign in a candy store. All three males around her prayed to get in a good fight tonight. Maybe the distraction of it all would allow her to get away from them and find Juan.

The music was loud when they pulled the door open and entered Bernie’s. The song went on about having friends in low places, which seemed appropriate when she strolled in surrounded by werewolves who quickly sniffed out the place, anxious to jump into any argument and burn off some adrenaline.

She rolled her eyes at all of them and lagged behind, searching the bar and hoping that Juan might have decided to come here too.

Bernie stood behind the bar with a young bitch working alongside him. Bernie was a massive werewolf who would stand out in any crowd. His blond hair, almost shaved to his scalp, gave him a rough look. Tattoos on both biceps added to the picture.

Although she’d heard rumors that his name wasn’t really Bernie, it suited the American mutt nicely.

47

Lorie O’Clare

“The
lunewulfs
have everyone’s claws sticking out.” Josie had to lean in to Dimitri to share this bit of information due to the noise surrounding them.

“Let’s check it out.” Dimitri glanced behind him, catching her attention and then looking at Nicolo. “Why don’t you two get us a pitcher and a booth?”

“Ollie’s over there.” Nicolo pointed to the bar where the American pack leader stood. “Come on, Erin. We’ll grab a couple pitchers and see what’s going on.”

Josie tried swatting her rear, but she dodged his efforts. Electricity sparkled against her skin and for a moment, she slid backward. Fire instantly burned inside her as anger mounted. She spun to face Josie the second he released her from his invisible grip.

“Keep your hands and your gift off me,” she hissed, pushing against his rock-hard chest.

Her efforts seemed to amuse him. He grabbed her arm, almost lifting her off her feet, and pulled her closer so their faces were inches apart.

“Seems to me your den approves of me more than they do Juan Anthony,” he whispered loud enough for her to hear over the noise surrounding them.

“You coming?” Dimitri asked, scowling at him and proving Josie a liar.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what my den thinks. Don’t touch me again.” She shrugged out of his grip.

Josie turned from her, showing enough confidence that anyone around them would have thought she’d just agreed to suck his cock around back. She glared and made sure at least Nicolo saw that she didn’t like Josie’s treatment of her.

Nicolo patted her head. Erin hated how he treated her like a small cub whose fits he endured politely. She grabbed his wrist. It didn’t get her the look of surprise she wanted.

“How would you like it if I had the power to continually match you with bitches you didn’t care for?” she whispered into his ear.

“I might get laid more than I do now,” he teased.

“Very funny.” She punched his chest and he swatted at her, his look turning playful only for a moment before something grabbed his attention behind her.

She turned to see who sobered his expression and smelled Juan the same moment she saw him. He looked ferocious standing next to Dante, neither of them smiling.

“You sure don’t seem upset to be with your den now,” Juan scowled.

His frown added to his fierceness, and if she stared at him another moment, he’d smell the nervousness that fought to swarm inside her. Sucking in a breath, filling her lungs with his powerful scent, she stepped into him. Before he reacted, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips.

“Do I taste good?” she whispered.

Her knees almost went out on her when he growled. And it didn’t bother her a bit when he grabbed her wrists and pinned her hands between them. Nicolo let out a 48

Far From Innocent

hissing sound and wrapped his hand around her arm, attempting to pull her out of Juan’s grip.

“Dante,” Ollie said over the music when he joined them. He quickly lowered his voice. “I hear your pack plans a challenge in a couple weeks to determine who will be leader.”

“Yup.” Dante stood as tall as the large, balding pack leader, his paler skin making him almost look more like an American werewolf than Juan and her littermates. “Any word of the
lunewulfs
tonight?”

She almost drooled at how Juan’s features made all other werewolves around him dim in comparison.

“Nothing official. I’m thinking about taking a day trip over to their neck of the woods in the next day or so and paying their pack leader a visit.” Ollie spoke to Dante as if he were their leader. “Might not hurt if you came along.”

“If we hold them off a couple weeks, it would go better for us. The Malta werewolves might get more respect if the werewolf with official title of pack leader accompanies you.” Juan hadn’t let go of her hands and held them in his at her waist. He didn’t look at her though, instead giving the American pack leader his attention. “I’m dying to know as much as the rest of you why they keep running in our territory.”

“We all are.” Nicolo let go of Erin and faced Ollie, holding his own in size and weight among the large werewolves surrounding her. Her oldest littermate had never been outspoken, but Erin admired his calm authority. The other werewolves gave him their attention when he spoke. “Rumors run strong and I’m sure there is some truth that they simply don’t want Malta werewolves nearby. But if we approach with unity and authority, it will be easier to gain respect.”