Sentinel: Reckless Desires (Wolf Shifter Romance) (Alpha Protectors Book 2) (5 page)

C
omplete and utter silence
. Then everyone stood, bodies stampeding for the door.

I turned to follow them outside, but Chloe blocked my path.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed, her hands jammed onto her hips as she tried to stare me down.

It was almost funny. She wasn’t a small woman. She was above average height, her body voluptuous and deliciously curvy, but compared to me she was tiny.

“I’m accepting the challenge,” I drawled, enjoying the flare of worry in her eyes. So she
did
care about what happened to me. I made to move past her, but she flung out an arm as if she could block my path. I quirked an eyebrow at her, leaning into her hand.

I didn’t miss the quick intake of breath, the way she swayed toward me, her instincts drawing her closer.

“You can’t—” she started.

“Exactly why can’t I?”

“You’ll get hurt.” It was a statement, not a question. She really believed it.

I bit back the snarl at her lack of faith in me. I had to remind myself that she wasn’t seeing the real me, but it still rankled. Years ago when we had first met, I hadn’t hidden myself. The fact that she didn’t question the change in me stung more than I wanted to admit. “Is this really because you’re worried I’ll get hurt, or because you don’t want to work with me?”

Her eyes widened a fraction, her throat working as she swallowed hard. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

My heart sank.
Dammit!
“Exactly what I thought,” I muttered, stepping around her and heading outside.

The pack had gathered in the open courtyard, a hum of anticipation and excitement threading through the air. Stepping forward, I tugged my shirt off over my head and tossed it to the ground. Next off were my boots; bare feet would mean a better grip on the dirt floor.

Then I waited for the alpha to lay out the rules. It would be his decision whether this would be a fight as wolves or men. Either way was fine with me.

The alpha strode forward, his posturing screaming dominance and power. Mark stood just to the left of him and slightly behind, already stripped down to the waist, his grotesquely oversized muscles bunching as he flexed and twisted his upper torso in a parody of a warm-up.

I snorted.
Jackass.

“There has been a challenge,” David called out in an official-sounding voice, turning in a slow circle to survey the crowd. “Who called the challenge?”

Mark stepped forward, confidence oozing off him. “I did,” he growled.

“And who answers?” The alpha continued, his eyes locking onto me.

I strode forward to face Mark. “I do.” I flashed the crowd a grin, my eyes searching for Chloe. Picking her out, I dialed up the smile, throwing a wink in for good measure. Around her several women sighed, their hands fluttering as they fanned themselves. Meanwhile, Chloe just glowered, her expression furious.

What she couldn’t possibly understand was that there was no way I was passing up this opportunity. Not only could I get a measure on Mark’s strength, I might even be able to throw a few questions in between punches.

The alpha continued to lay out the rules. The fight was to be in human form, claws and teeth allowed, and all I had to do was remain standing for five minutes.

He was making it easy for me.

Now all I had to do was try and figure out whether I wanted to crush Mark, or just scrape through. I didn’t bother to hide my smirk.
Decisions, decisions…

We started circling each other, throwing a couple of punches, feinting attacks, both trying to get each other’s measure.

Doing a quick check to make sure my power block was still in place, I feinted to the right then swung to the left. An easy combination to see coming.

Mark’s fist connected with my jaw, his knuckles slamming and smashing into bone.

I staggered back a couple of steps, shaking my head for effect. Well, only partially for effect. The guy had some serious weight behind his fist.

Not seeing little birdies dancing around my head quite yet, I dodged underneath his next blow, coming up behind him and landing a quick one-two jab into his kidneys.

Avoiding another blow, I pulled back, giving myself a shake. “Is that all you’ve got?” I taunted.

“You want some more?” Mark snarled, lurching toward me.

“You’ve only got five minutes to knock me down. Come on, what are you waiting for? Or are you the kind of man that prefers to cheat and use guns?” I easily blocked his next punch, the tips of his claws raking down my forearm and spilling blood.

Mark frowned at my comment, confusion clouding his eyes, but he recovered quickly. “Not laughing now, are you?” he sneered. Springing forward, he went into overdrive, his fists raining down on me, claws rending and elbows jabbing.

I had to make a decision. Should I take the beating and stagger out of the circle, or should I give him a taste of his own medicine? My wolf snarled inside of me, anxious to defend and retaliate. He wasn’t used to being chained and held back—he was snapping at my willpower that bound him tight.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Chloe standing frozen, her hand hovering near her mouth, her eyes peeled wide open as though she couldn’t bear to look away.

The distraction cost me as I saw Mark sneaking past my defenses and then landing a crushing uppercut to my cheek. Pain rang like a bell, deafening inside my skull. The world flashed red, my wolf rising within me and surging forward. Claws sliced out, my muscles bunching and growing as I prepared to fight back.

There was a whisper of movement behind Mark, with David deliberately catching my attention. A small tilt to his head, his lips puckering in disapproval.

I wrenched back control from my wolf, slamming a lid on the power that threatened to explode out of me. I’d been seconds away from blowing my cover, something that had never happened before in all my time working these kinds of assignments.

I was angry with myself now. No, fuck that, I was furious. So what if everybody thought I was weak? I didn’t care about these people.

But you care what Chloe thinks…

I gritted my teeth, letting Mark land yet another punch. I could feel my face swelling, one of my eyes refusing to open. Blood dripped inside my mouth. It was nothing I wouldn’t be able to heal, but it was fucking humiliating. I staggered to the side, ducking out of the way.

Eyes on the prize.

“You’re fucking weak,” Mark hissed, his spittle flying in my face. “Face it, you’re not good enough to be a lieutenant.”

I wiped the wetness off my face, then shrugged. “I think you’ll find that I’ve been standing for, what, nearly five minutes?” Even if I wasn’t allowed to put up a good fight there was no way in hell that I was submitting to this wolf.

Frustration furrowing his brow, Mark reached for me, his claws glinting in the moonlight.

David cleared his throat and everyone’s attention shifted to the alpha. Except Mark, who lunged for me.

I couldn’t resist. I slammed my fist into his jaw, snapping his head back. He teetered for a second, shock painted on his face, then he fell, landing with a bone-shattering thud.

David looked like he was trying to hide a smile. “That’s time! Five minutes is up. Angel is a lieutenant.”

I shrugged, not meeting anyone’s eyes. “He must’ve tripped.”

What was interesting was that nobody went to Mark and he was left alone to pull himself up off the floor.

I’d done what I needed to do. Tomorrow I’d be working with Chloe. Giving the alpha a brief nod, I turned to go back to my room. I blinked, testing my eye. It was already healing. I was in dire need of a damn good shower, not to mention I needed to find something to hit. Hard.

The crowd parted, letting me through. I was halfway back to the main house when Chloe caught up with me.

Her eyes caressed my chest, lingering in a touch I could almost feel. Shaking herself, she tore her gaze away. “Don’t feel bad,” she said, her hand hovering over my arm before she remembered herself, snatching it back. “Mark’s really strong, one of the strongest wolves in the pack. I don’t think even I could take him.”

The only thing that kept me from laughing out loud was her earnest expression. I’d truly fooled her, which meant I’d fooled everyone. Which also meant she really believed I was this weak.

“Is that why you ran away from me? Because you think I’m weak?”

She stiffened, her earnest expression fading to be replaced with one I’d like to believe was regret. But was probably more relief. “No. I ran because I think you’re too strong,” she whispered.

She was seconds away from bolting. I could read it in the lines of her body.

Not thinking, not caring, I grabbed her and pulled her flush against me. She wasn’t mated; there was no reason not to. Walking her backward, we skirted around the back of the rec room and away from prying eyes. I pushed her against a convenient tree, all the while telling myself that she had every opportunity to break free and leave if she really wanted to.

Satisfaction roared through me when she didn’t move, didn’t protest or push me away.

Her chest rose and fell as she gulped in deep breaths. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as her eyelids lowered, her long lashes obscuring pupils dilated with lust.

Leaning in, I let my weight fall against her, letting her feel exactly how much I wanted her, and how much I craved her. Her breasts were soft against my chest, her rapidly hardening nipples grazing my skin through the soft fabric of her shirt.

Swiveling my hips, I ground my painfully hard cock between her legs.

She sucked in a deep breath, her arms coming around me to dig her nails into my ass, her head falling back as a wanton moan spilled from her lips.

She might push me away while denying everything in her heart, but her body couldn’t lie. She wanted me—wanted
this
.

The scent of our arousal perfumed the air, twisting and twining together until it was hard to breathe. Her heart hammered in her chest, the erratic thudding beats vibrating against mine.

Time was frozen, the past all at once insignificant, only the future important. I lowered my head, taking my time, letting there be no misunderstanding of what was about to happen.

Her gaze followed my lips, hungry and eager.

A hair’s breath away from lips touching, I paused, savoring the moment.

Her breath puffed out and I breathed her in. “You have no mate,” I growled in a low whisper.

Then I attacked, claiming her soft, luscious mouth with mine, not giving her a chance to surrender, instead taking and plundering and basking in the marvel of my true mate.

She melted against me, her sweet, soft body curving around mine, welcoming me.

I growled into her mouth, pressing closer, harder. Insisting that she give me everything; to not hold back.

Her soft mewling sound was like music to my ears.

I broke away from her lips, kissing and nipping my way down her throat. I found my mark, the one I could feel and the scent buried just below her skin.
Mine!
I bit down.

Hands shoved at me, pushing me away. Her body that had been soft and pliant was now stiff and unwelcoming. “No!” She cried. She threw herself to the side, rolling back to her feet with an agile grace that I couldn’t help but admire even while I detested the distance she’d put between us.

And then she was gone.

She could run, but she couldn’t hide from this. We belonged together.

A
fter a sleepless night
tossing and turning, with vivid 3D images of Chloe gasping and shuddering in my arms dancing through my head on a constant loop, I eventually gave up on sleep. It was my first day as a lieutenant, and for the first time it felt like I might actually have a chance at finding out what the hell was going on with this pack.

And to find out what the hell was going on with Chloe. Somewhere along the way I had decided that I wasn’t going to let her go without a fight.

Fuck knows when I had come to the decision, but my mind was made up. Whatever her reason for lying, I was pretty damn confident that if she’d just talk to me then we could figure things out. Together.

I was feeling pretty damn chipper as I made my way across the courtyard. I’d stuffed myself with a delicious breakfast, the sun was shining, and I didn’t have to report for duty for a couple of hours.

Picking a spot at the edge of the meadow with a prime view of the courtyard and everyone coming and going, I sprawled out. I’d already clocked Mark and the other lieutenants heading off into a small building by the side of the rec room, which I assumed must be for pack business. I made a big show of flopping down in the long grass, closing my eyes and letting out a theatrical sigh of contentment. Anyone looking would think I was just enjoying basking in the morning sunshine.

Now, where the hell was Chloe?

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than I heard her voice. My eyes flashed open, locking onto her. She was walking across the courtyard obviously having just left the main house. I arched an eyebrow, tracking her journey through hooded eyes. She had that little girl in tow again, the same one from last night. They were talking animatedly, the little girl jumping up and down with barely suppressed glee as Chloe smiled down at her.

Propping myself on one elbow, I rubbed at a sharp tug in my chest.

I heard movement behind me. I didn’t bother turning around. They weren’t trying to be quiet and they knew I’d heard them.

“She’s a looker.” It was one of the lieutenants, one that I hadn’t spoken to before.

I gave him a nod, my eyes never leaving Chloe. “You know my name, what’s yours?” This was the perfect opportunity to do a little digging.

The man sat down next to me, plucking a long strand of grass and twiddling it between his fingers. “Neil,” he replied, adding, “I wouldn’t bother. Not with her.”

Now he had my full attention, and not in a good way. “Why not? Because she’s the alpha’s daughter?”

He gave a wry chuckle, shaking his head. “The way things are going around here, she might not hold that title for much longer. I saw you with her last night,” he stated bluntly. “I’m going to give you some advice, since you’re new around here. She might look like she’s worth the effort—not that it seemed like you had to make any effort last night—” he quickly interjected, a touch of awe in his tone, “but I have to warn you, she’s soiled goods.”

I didn’t think, I reacted. I had him pinned to the floor before he’d even finished his sentence. I shoved my face in his, letting him see the danger in my eyes. “What the
fuck
do you mean by that?” I was vibrating with rage, control slipping through my fingers.

He bucked beneath me, trying to throw me off, but he didn’t stand a chance. Giving up, he held his hands out, fear showing in the whites of his eyes. “Hey, man, I’m just trying to warn you. I shouldn’t have fucking bothered.”

“What did you mean?” I ground the words out, leaning even closer. His scent held the sour note of fear.

Good. He wasn’t an idiot then.

“Her mate rejected her, everyone knows that,” he eventually said.

I loosened my hold a fraction, his words shocking me. “What do you mean?”
How the fuck did he know?

“Isn’t it obvious?”

She’d told people about us, even though she’d run away? It didn’t make sense.

Seeing my blank look and reading the confusion in my eyes, his lips lifted in a twisted smirk. “Oh, you didn’t know? She has a kid.”

I couldn’t breathe, the world was spinning and I wasn’t moving with it. She had a kid? “Maisie.” The little girl’s name came out in a whisper, not a question, but Neil answered anyway.

“Exactly,” he snarled, his voice full of contempt. “She hasn’t said anything, but we all know. I mean, it’s obvious. She’s got the kid but no man. Her mate
clearly
didn’t want her.” Oblivious to my temper igniting, he blathered on. “She’s damaged goods, man. I’d stay clear of that one unless you just want a night of fun, if you know what I mean.”

My vision narrowed, my ears ringing. Despite myself I had to ask. “Have you had a night of fun with her?” The words came out as a low growl, barely understandable.

The man barked out a laugh. “I fucking wish. Above herself that one. You’d think with the fact that she’ll never be mated she’d be a little more…accommodating. But, nope. No one’s good enough for that bitch.”

My fist plowed into his nose, my only thought that of trying to smash his head into the ground.

No one spoke about my mate like that.

* * *

H
ours had passed
, the sun had risen high in the sky, bathing the clearing in its scorching heat, but I hadn’t moved. I couldn’t.

Neil had eventually crawled away, his metaphorical tail between his legs and hate gleaming in his eyes. But at the sharp word from me, I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to tell anyone about this. Not if he didn’t want another beat down, that is.

It had been staring me right in the face… or rather, Maisie had. She was mine. It was obvious, now that I knew.
Dammit
, we even looked the same! And she was nearly five, the right age.

I was a fucking idiot.

The blind rage had given way to confusion, then hurt. Memories had crowded in of my mom searching aimlessly for my father, dragging me on a quest that slowly eroded my soul, until I didn’t care anymore.

The man who had sired me was nobody to me, yet he had been everything to Mom, right up until the end. She hadn’t thought twice about ruining my childhood chasing a farcical dream. The man didn’t want her. He’d used her and then left.
Like I had done with Maisie.

No! I hadn’t.
Chloe had been the one to leave.

Visions of Maisie searching for me, questioning why I hadn’t cared, why I hadn’t taken the time to get to know her flashed before my eyes.

I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
Why?
I had forgiven the lies, or at least I thought I had, but this? I just didn’t know.

There was one thing I knew for sure: she wasn’t keeping me from my kid. Not now that I
actually
knew about her.

“Angel?”

I barely glanced up as David sprawled down next to me on the grass.

“Has there been any progress?” he asked, cutting straight to the chase.

I heard the question, but it didn’t make sense. I had to find Chloe and make her tell me why.

“Angel? The progress?”

Pulling myself together, I answered him vaguely, but my thoughts were still circling my personal quandary. “I’ve spoken to about half of the pack now. Between their accounts and confirmed alibis, about three-quarters of the pack have been cleared. But it doesn’t matter. I’m pretty sure the traitor is one of your lieutenants.” I let the bombshell fall, not caring about the consequences.

Should I just walk up to her and ask her?
My eyes flicked to David as I considered how to get rid of him.

He nodded, his eyes closing briefly in what looked like pain. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

The door banged open across the courtyard, and Chloe emerged into the sunlight, squinting against the glare. I stiffened, my eyes narrowing, every cell in my body demanding that I tear over there and insist on answers.

The alpha nodded in her direction, a shrewd look in his eyes. “You got an interest in my girl?”

I didn’t answer, instead letting the silence stretch between us. I watched as Maisie ran out of another building, her little legs tearing across the ground until she threw herself into Chloe’s arms. Automatically, I glanced up at the sky, noting the time. It was lunchtime.

“That’s my granddaughter over there.” It was offered offhand, but I recognized a warning when I heard one.

“I know.”

“And it doesn’t bother you?” At my look, he tilted his head. “What? You think I don’t hear what they say? I’m not deaf, or dead.” He scowled, his fist pounding the ground in agitation. “But Chloe wants to handle it herself, so I’m letting her. I’m not going to undermine her.” Having said his piece, he leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows and tilting his face to the sky.

I watched as my mate scooped my daughter up into her arms, her red hair mingling with Maisie’s pale blond curls. They looked so perfect it physically hurt. “She’s a strong woman.” I wanted to say more, but it wasn’t the time or the place.

“That she is. So, you sniffing around?”

Was I? If he’d asked me this morning I wouldn’t have hesitated to say yes. I wanted Chloe, or at least I
had
wanted Chloe, and I definitely wanted to get to know Maisie. So what was stopping me?

You’re scared
…

Me, the supposedly badass ex-Special Forces alpha wolf was
scared
that if I found out why Chloe had kept my child a secret from me, that I might not be able to forgive her. I swept a hand over my hair, then down over my eyes to pinch the bridge of my nose. I
wanted
to forgive her. The thought of walking away and leaving her behind... I cleared my throat, the tension easing from me as I came to a decision. “I am.”

“Good. You’d be lucky to have her.”

I just murmured something that could be construed as agreement.

“Now all we have to do is track down that scumbag who claimed her and get him to revoke his claim. “

He thought she was claimed. He didn’t know she was just marked.
He didn’t have a fucking clue
. “Hey, wait a minute. I didn’t say—”

David rounded on me, his easy demeanor gone and the snarling alpha wolf father firmly in place. “You wouldn’t mate her? What kind of man are you?”

I
wouldn’t mate
her
? If only that was the problem. “Of course I would,” I snarled back, not backing down.

His lips curved up into a smile as he slapped me on the shoulder. “Well then, that’s settled.”

What the fuck had just happened?
I stared at him, a little shell-shocked.

It must’ve shown on my face, because his grin widened as he took pity on me. “Son, I’m a good judge of character and I’ve been watching you ever since you arrived. You’ve never looked at her with judgment in your eyes, not like a lot of the people around here.” He coughed, avoiding my eyes. “I’ve seen you look at her in ways that I wish I
hadn’t
seen, but never with judgment.” He stared off into the distance, his voice breaking a little. “You’d show her kindness, something she hasn’t had a lot of in her life.”

My mind latched onto the last part of his speech. “What happened to her?”

But he shook his head. “That’s her story to share. You should ask her out to dinner, take her into the city, and show her a good time. Give her a break from the pack. She thinks her life revolves around here, thinks she has a duty, something to prove. Ever since her—” he broke off, regret shining in his eyes. “Like I said, ask her about her life and let her explain. But treat her right, do you hear me?” And there was the clear warning from a father that if I messed with his daughter there’d be hell to pay.

If only he knew…

“I hear you.”

The alpha jumped to his feet, his face once again arranged into one of careful neutrality. “Good. That’s all I need to know.” Signaling the conversation finished, he turned and strode away.

A sharp crack echoed through the forest. I threw myself off the ground, smashing into the older man and taking him down. His body jumped as the bullet sliced through his shoulder, exiting into the dirt ground.

Pressing him down, I craned my neck to search the surroundings, but there was nothing. Whoever it was, they were long gone.

“It’s clear.” I made to get up, but he tugged me back down.

“This is our chance,” he whispered in a low voice, and proceeded to outline a plan. We would pretend he was seriously injured, that the bullet had hit him square in the chest in the hope that it would draw the traitor out to finish the job.

It was a good plan, sneaky in a way that I couldn’t help but admire, but there was one thing. “What about Chloe?”

He knew what I was asking. “She can’t know,” he eventually said. “She’s an open book. There’s no way she’d be able to act worried enough that the traitor would believe her.”

Dammit!
He was right. If Chloe thought her father could die, her scent would be soured with fear and pain. Something she wouldn’t be able to mimic if she knew the truth.

But I hated it. Just the thought of deceiving her, putting her through the pain…
But it would work
.
And then the traitor wouldn’t be able to threaten my family.