Wild Wolf (30 page)

Ben returned a week into Graham's recovery to congratulate Misty on her victory. Graham almost ripped Ben's head off as soon as he stepped inside through the kitchen door Misty enthusiastically opened for him.

“You asshole,” Graham said clearly when he had his hands around Ben's throat. Graham's Collar sparked, but he didn't seem to notice or care. “Misty told me all about you. You sent her straight into danger—alone. Never mind about your little spell book. If not for you, she'd have stayed the hell out of this.”

“Maybe,” Ben said, unruffled, even though Graham's fingers bit into his neck. “But she wouldn't have learned how to find you or fight the Fae's spells, and you'd be a Fae slave now. Or dead. Maybe both.”

“I don't
want
her to fight the Fae,” Graham snarled. “I want her to stay safe.”

Ben brought his hands up between Graham's and snapped his hold away. Graham stepped back in surprise and glared at him, but didn't renew the attack.

“I want her to stay safe too,” Ben said, his look serious. “That's why I taught her how to defend herself and save you.”

“Yeah, well . . .” Graham's growl was low, and his Collar quieted.

Misty released a breath of relief. She knew Graham well enough now to know he'd gotten his initial rage out of his system and might start listening.

“So when I found the box of books at the flea market,” she said, rummaging in the refrigerator. Now that Graham was done choking Ben, both men might want beer. “Did you make sure I'd buy it? Or was it a coincidence?”

Ben winked at her. “I don't believe in coincidences.”

Graham rumbled. “Of course you don't, you cocky son of a—”

“What about Matt and Kyle?” Misty interrupted. “You said they were special. Very special Shifters, you called them.”

“Ah.” Ben accepted the beer. Graham grabbed the other from Misty and twisted off the top, his movements still a bit stiff.

“I came to tell you about that, actually,” Ben said. “I didn't realize what they were at first. I didn't think there were any left. But I did a little research, and I'm right.”

“Get to the point.” Graham leaned against the counter near Misty, protecting her even now, and fixed Ben with a Shifter stare. “Damn creatures from Faerie love the cryptic.”

“They're Guards,” Ben said.

Graham stiffened. “Guardians?”

Ben shook his head. “Guards. Back when Shifters were created, Fae made a special breed of them they called Guards. They were a little bigger and more ferocious than typical Shifters, and created to guard the highest generals, the clan leaders, and the emperor.”

“Rear guard, you mean,” Graham said. “To take care of the cowards who wouldn't go out in actual battle.”

“You got it.” Ben nodded and took a sip of beer. “Unfortunately, the Fae made the Guards a little too good. When the Shifter-Fae war came along, the Guards turned around and defended the Shifters instead of the Fae. They knew a lot about the habits of the highest-ranking Fae, and they used that knowledge to take them down. They fought the Fae to the death. The main reason the Shifters won that war is because of the Shifter Guards. Unfortunately, ‘to the death' meant literally. The Guards died to the last one. Extinct. Or so we all thought.” Ben gestured with his beer bottle. “Those two cubs are Guards. I guess the genetics made it through. Who was their father?”

Graham shrugged. “I don't know. Their mother was one of my wolves—she died bringing them in, and she never would say who the father was. None of my other Lupines would admit to it, so I figured she'd found a wolf from another Shiftertown, or maybe one who'd stayed in the wild. She died without naming him.”

“Hmm,” Ben said. “Interesting. Well, keep an eye on them.”

“Great,” Graham said, though the anger in his voice had lessened a long way. “They're out with Dougal right now. Probably watching Dougal chase tail.”

“They'll take care of Dougal,” Ben said. “Who's babysitting whom, that's the question.” He chuckled, took another sip of beer, and glanced out the window. “Hey, Graham, looks like your wolves are ready to parley. Enjoy yourself.” Ben set his bottle by the sink, came to Misty and kissed her cheek, then grinned at the snarling Graham, and exited through the front.

“Crap.” Graham slammed down his bottle, winced, and touched his side. Shifters healed quickly, he'd said over and over to Misty this week, but even so, Graham wasn't ready for a full-blown fight.

Graham walked out of the house to his back porch, Misty following. Graham pulled himself up straight to face the crowd of Lupines who'd gathered at the edge of his yard. “She accepted the mate-claim,” Graham told them, his voice as strong as ever. “Get over it.”

“We know.” The wolf called Norval fixed his gaze on Misty. “We
don't
accept it.”

“Don't care,” Graham said. “I formed the mate bond with her. What am I supposed to do? Throw that away?”

Several of the wolves moved uneasily. The mate bond was an almost sacred thing—to come between two Shifters who shared it was cruel, not to mention dangerous.

“Other Shifters have given up the mate bond for the good of their clans,” Norval said.

“True,” Graham answered. “Other Shifters, not me. And that was in the wild, where those choices meant survival. These days, we don't have to deny a mate bond so full-of-themselves Shifters don't get their knickers in a twist.”

A few of the wolves chuckled. Norval only looked more angry. “Watch it, Graham. I'll challenge for Shiftertown leadership if you break this faith.”

“Go ahead.” Graham shrugged his large shoulders. “I'll slam you down. Then your second will climb over your dead body to take the clan leadership.”

More movement, some of the Shifters drifting away from Norval, others gathering behind him.

Misty saw Dougal approach and stand on the edge of the crowd. Graham shook his head ever so slightly, and Dougal nodded back, silently staying where he was.

“I accept the mating,” a female voice said.

The Lupine woman Jan stepped out from behind Muriel. Her arms were folded, she wouldn't look at anyone directly, but she glanced defiantly out of the corners of her eyes. “Misty Granger will be a good mate for Graham,” Jan said, her voice firm. “She'll have our backs.”

Norval bristled. “You don't know what the fuck you're talking about.”

“Yes, she does,” Misty broke in. A hiss of distaste went through some of the Shifters—a female, human, speaking to dominant Shifters—unheard of. Misty jabbed a fist in Jan's direction and grinned at her. “Jan and me, we're sisters under the skin.”

“Misty saved me from being taken by the Shifter Bureau,” Jan said. “For that, I stand by her.”

“I do too,” Muriel said. “Jan told me what happened. While you alphas were skulking around avoiding the Bureau men, Misty was saving Jan's ass. She also saved Graham's. We wouldn't have a leader right now if not for her.”

“She also got Graham into trouble in the first place,” Norval said angrily. “He got shot and nearly taken by the Fae because he went running after her.”

“Pay attention,” Muriel said. “The Fae would have grabbed Graham any way he could. Misty brought him home
and
kept the Bureau from finding out we're digging under the houses.”

Norval's eyes narrowed. “Are you ‘sisters' with her too?”

“No,” Muriel said. “But I'm not stupid. You want Graham to mate for the good of his Shifters, or so you say. Or maybe you're trying to force a match that's for the good of you.”

“Muriel,” Norval growled, giving her his alpha stare.

Another young female Lupine came forward, followed by another, more reluctant, but with her shoulders squared. “We'll stand by Graham's choice too,” the first one said. “We're a little irritated that our clan leaders are trying to mate us off to him. It's our decision who we pick as a mate, not theirs. We're tired of being treated like chattel.”

Norval swept his gaze over them. “Is this what city living does to Lupines?” he asked. “Clan leaders let low-dominance females speak without permission?”

“Clan leaders can get used to it,” Misty called to him. “If I'm going to be the Shiftertown leader's mate, I'll teach the ladies to not let themselves be pushed around. They should all be like my friend Lindsay.”

Norval went almost purple. “Dear Goddess. Graham, control her.”

Graham shook his head. “I can't. She's human. She does what she wants.” He rested his fists on the porch railing. “My decision's made. I mate-claimed Misty, she accepted, the sun and moon ceremonies will be soon. Suck on it.”

Norval and a few others looked as though they wanted to continue the argument, but Graham did his Graham thing of turning around and walking away, showing them his uncaring back. Misty gave Jan a grateful smile and retreated into the house after Graham.

Graham grabbed Misty around the waist as soon as she came out of the kitchen and had her against the wall in the hall. “You've got a sassy mouth.” He leaned to her. “I'm going to bite it.”

“Mmm.” Misty laced her arms around his neck as he took her bottom lip between his teeth. The little pain of the bite shot excitement through her.

“Mating frenzy,” Graham said. “It's rising and doesn't care about these damn bandages.”

Misty put her hand on his jeans and slid it down to his zipper. “I see that.”

Graham rested his hands on either side of her head as he licked across her mouth. “I need you, Misty. I've been needing you . . . it's making me crazy.”

Misty lost her smile. “I don't want to hurt you.”

“It's supposed to be me saying that.” Graham nipped her chin. “I want to do
everything
with you, love. I want you to suck my cock. I want to drink you. I want you riding me, and looking at me with your beautiful eyes when you do it. I want you on your hands and knees, like in your garden, in the moonlight. I want to be in you, buried there, and not come out. I want it all.”

Warm excitement built. “I can go for that.” Misty pressed her hand to his chest. “But not until you're well.”

“I'm well. I'm with my mate.” Graham clasped her hand, pressing it harder into his chest. “And I have the mate bond. It's hot inside me, connecting me to you. Can you feel it too?”

The look he gave her was so hopeful, so utterly raw, no barriers between them, that Misty's eyes stung. “I feel warmth right here.” She pressed his hand between her breasts. “I feel happy whenever I see you, even when you're yelling. I love looking at you, and watching you look at me as though you want to devour me. I feel lighter whenever you're around me. I told you in the cave that I loved you, and why. Want me to tell you again?”

“I heard you,” Graham said. “Even that far gone, I heard you.” He touched his lips to hers, the kiss the gentlest brush. “It brought me back to you.”

“Graham.” Misty loved saying his name. She laced her hand behind his head, rubbing his short hair, and made the next kiss deeper. She loved doing that too.

Graham opened her mouth with his kiss, brushing her cheek with his thumb. His body came hard against hers, pressing her back into the wall.

When Graham broke the kiss and looked down at her, the tenderness had left him. “I'm done being nice.” The strength and the savage growl had returned to his voice. “Can you take that?”

Excited heat spun through her. “I think so.”

“Better know so.” Graham took a step back and flashed her his most wicked smile. “Run, sweetheart. I want to hunt.”

Misty's eyes widened. Graham's little growl made her heart flutter and then beat very fast.

Misty turned and ran, but not out of the house. Graham caught her when she was halfway up the stairs. Then her shorts were yanked down, her shirt wrenched off, and Graham was on top of her. He growled as he slid inside her, taking her with hard, merciless thrusts. All the while he cradled Misty in his arms so she wouldn't be hurt on the uncarpeted stairs.

Misty met his thrusts with her own. It was a fierce, wild coupling, and Misty wanted it. Wanted more. Mating frenzy didn't happen only to Shifters.

“I love you,” Graham said, his voice the gravelly rumble she adored. “Mate of my heart.”

“I love you too,” Misty whispered, then she yelled it, her voice echoing up and down the stairs. “I love you, Graham McNeil! Mate of my heart.”

Graham made a noise in his throat, and the emptiness that she'd always seen in his eyes fled. The light in them warmed, flared, then was drowned by a sudden wash of tears.

Graham's mouth came down on her in a savage kiss, one that held both his fierceness and his love. He protected her with strong arms while he kissed her and sought his pleasure, and he gave her pleasure back threefold.

Misty traced his flame tattoos, which danced and swirled like the fires in her heart.

Turn the page to read the first chapter of

FERAL HEAT

A Shifters Unbound e-novella that tells how Deni Rowe and Jace Warden fall in love, available now from InterMix

T
he fight club had moved since Jace Warden had last visited the Austin Shiftertown. The Shifters used to meet for their forbidden bouts in an abandoned hay barn nestled into folds of a hill, but the land had been purchased, and a developer had built over it.

On his borrowed Harley, Jace turned from the discreet plane that had flown him this far and headed down a highway that led to drier country away from the river. The world had darkened while he'd flown east from Nevada to land at an airfield that had supposedly been closed.

Dylan Morrissey, the Austin Shiftertown liaison, had left a message for Jace to meet him at the fights, and he'd also left the bike for Jace's transportation. Tired and hot, and having hauled himself halfway across the country at Dylan's request, the last thing Jace wanted to do was to ride out to the fight club. But Dylan had summoned him to work on the problem of getting the Collars off Shifters once and for all, and had extended his hospitality, so Jace hid his irritation, thanked the humans who had helped him get this far, and mounted the motorcycle.

Jace turned off where the directions had instructed, the paved road quickly turning to dirt, the bike bouncing and skidding over gravel and through ruts. The road grew narrower and narrower, until it petered to nothing. Jace continued down a short hill and around a bend, and found the Shifter fight club behind a slight rise that hid it from the road.

He smelled it long before he saw the electric lanterns, fire dancing in garbage cans, and flashlights. Anything that could be quickly doused was being used to illuminate the scene.

Jace would have known it was a place of Shifters, even in the pitch-dark. Shifters working off adrenaline rushes and fighting instincts had a certain interesting—and pungent—odor.

Jace killed the engine of the bike, parking it among the pack of motorcycles, pickups, and smaller cars. He hung the helmet from the seat and made sure his backpack was well stashed in the saddlebag before he approached the fight area. He wasn't worried about Shifters stealing his change of clothes and toothbrush—Shifters didn't steal from one another, because a simple snatch could end up in a fight to the death. Possessions were territory, and territory was respected. But humans also came to the fight clubs, and some liked to abscond with things.

The new fighting arena was a broad slab of concrete about a hundred feet long and just as wide. Probably an old building or an event area of some kind, abandoned by its owners when money ran out. Everything had been pulled away except the slab.

Rings were outlined by concrete blocks, and firelight flickered wildly, making it a scene from hell, complete with demons. But the demons were only Shifters having fun and working off steam; those not fighting were cheering, drinking beer, or finding hook-ups—human or Shifter—and sneaking into the darkness to work off steam a different way.

Jace made his way around cars—a few of them being used for liaisons—and toward the firelight. He didn't worry about locating Dylan in the chaos, because Dylan, a Feline Shifter who was mostly lion, always made himself known.

What Jace didn't expect was the wolf who sprang out of the shadows in a deserted stretch of the parking area and landed on Jace full force.

Jace swung around with the impact, hands coming up to dig into the wolf's fur and throw him down. The Lupine landed in the dust, his Collar sparking and sizzling. The Collar's shocks didn't slow the wolf much, because he rolled to his feet and charged Jace again.

Jace didn't know who the hell the wolf was. Not that he had much of a chance of identification as the Lupine landed on Jace again, his Collar's sparks burning Jace's skin. The wolf went for Jace's throat, and Jace's hands turned to leopard's paws to rake across the wolf's face. The wolf took the blow, landed on his feet, shook himself, and sprang again.

Jace's Collar hadn't shocked him yet, but he felt the build-up. Collars were made to spike pain into Shifters as soon as they became seriously violent, but Jace had learned techniques to fool the Collar and keep it dormant. It was tough to do, however, especially when he was taken by surprise. Jace had to focus in order to keep the Collar quiet, and right now he was busy trying to keep this bloody Lupine from killing him.

Jace whacked the wolf aside again, spinning around as he shed his denim jacket and half shifted to his wildcat. His shirt split, jeans falling as his back legs elongated into powerful feline haunches. He emerged from his shredding clothes as a fully formed snow leopard—creamy fur, black spots, ice blue eyes—and thoroughly pissed off.

Jace went for the wolf. The wolf was bigger, almost twice Jace's bulk, but leopards hadn't made it to the top of the wildcat pyramid because of size. Leopards might be among the smaller big cats, but they were swift, agile, and smart, and they didn't take shit from anyone.

This wolf wanted to give him shit, though. He came at Jace again, fur up, his canine jowls frothing, his golden eyes filled with rage. The scent that hit Jace reeked of challenge. This was a wolf who wanted to move up in rank, never mind that Jace was a different species and not even from this Shiftertown. Dominance challenges weren't allowed inside the ring at the fight club; one of the biggest rules was that fights were for recreation and showing off—that, and no killing. Outside the ring was a different story.

Jace got ready to teach him a lesson.

As he drew back to renew his attack, another wolf sprang from the parking lot and hurled itself at the first wolf. A female, Jace scented, one he hadn't met before.

She wasn't rushing to defend the wolf, however. She attacked the Lupine in fury, teeth bared, near madness in her eyes.

The first Lupine swung to meet her, and the two went down in an explosion of fur and snarls. Jace sat back to catch his breath, surprised. The two wolves were evenly matched, the male a bit larger than the female, but the female was plenty strong and agile. Probably dominant to the male too.

Jace let the female get her first anger out of her system, then he waded back in to rescue his rescuer.

The male Lupine had the she-wolf on the ground by now. He pinned the female with one big paw, snarling as he turned to Jace.

Jace gave him a warning growl. The growl said that, up until now, Jace had been holding back; that Jace was dominant in his pride, his clan, and his Shiftertown; and the wolf might want to think about it before continuing the fight.

The Lupine ignored the warning and went for the kill. Jace met him head-on, his lithe body and fast paws taking the wolf down to the ground before the Lupine could use his superior weight to his advantage.

The she-wolf rose behind the male, landed on the wolf's back, and sank her teeth into his neck. Her Collar was sparking frantically, and she got hit by the arcs from the other wolf's Collar, but she kept biting.

Jace drew back his paw and whacked the male wolf across the throat. The wolf spun with the blow, knocking the female loose. The male Lupine rolled across the dust and dying grass a long way before he was able to stop. He righted himself but stayed down on his belly, panting hard, conceding the fight.

Jace walked to him with a stiff-legged Feline stalk. When he reached the Lupine, he lowered his head to the wolf's eye level and growled again. Stay the fuck down.

Whether or not the Lupine understood Feline rumbles and body language, Jace's glare must have gotten the message across. The wolf snarled, teeth bared, but he plastered his ears flat on his head and didn't move.

Jace turned back to the she-wolf. She lay limply on the grass, and Jace went to her, giving her a cat's lick across her face. She growled softly, and Jace licked her again, feeling a need to thank and reassure her.

The need didn't leave him when he shifted back to human. He stroked her head, liking the wiry fur of her wolf.

The female wolf looked up at him in a wash of confusion. She was a gray wolf, with gray eyes. She breathed in Jace's scent, wrinkling her nose, clearly wondering who he was.

Jace gave her head another stroke, wishing she'd turn back to human so he could talk to her. She'd run to his rescue, a Lupine taking the side of a Feline, and Jace wanted to know why.

The she-wolf remained wolf, still growling softly. Jace touched her head one last time and walked back to the male wolf. “New way of greeting guests in Shiftertown?” he asked. “Let me introduce myself. I'm Jace Warden. A guest of Dylan's.”

Jace knew he didn't need to explain that his own father was leader of another Shiftertown. The fact that Dylan sanctioned Jace's visit should be enough for this wolf.

The wolf morphed into his human form, a man with short black hair and light gray eyes. “Hey, I saw a strange Feline trying to sneak into the fight club when he wasn't invited, and when no one but regulars are supposed to know about the new place. What did you expect?”

“So you were defending all the Shifters here?” Jace asked with evident skepticism. “Commendable.”

“Ask that crazy bitch what she was doing,” the Lupine said, scowling at the she-wolf. “Nurturing females, my ass. She's all spit and vinegar.”

“Let me guess.” Jace felt mirth. “She turned down your mate-claim.”

The Lupine gave Jace an incredulous look. “I wouldn't mate-claim her. Not if she were the last female in Shiftertown. She's out of her mind. You can never tell what she's going to do.” The man made a broad gesture in her direction. “You saw her.”

“I thought it was nice of her to help me out.”

“Nah, she saw a fight, it sparked her loony side, and she dove in. Look at her. She's not even sure what happened.”

Jace turned his gaze to the she-wolf again and saw that the man was right. She watched Jace and the Lupine, trembling but trying to hide it with a growl and a glare. Jace saw fear in her eyes along with deep anger—a woman hurting from something and not wanting anyone else to know it.

“I keep trying to tell Liam she should be put down,” the Lupine said. “She's a danger to the rest of us.”

The she-wolf snarled again. Scent and body language told Jace what he needed to know—the female was dominant but of a different clan than the male wolf; the male was aggressive, cocky, and hated to be bested. The male wolf would be dominant in his clan as well. Jace outranked both of them, though.

Jace looked into the other man's eyes. “Why don't you shut your hole, get dressed, and go the hell home? You're too unstable to be here tonight.”

The man tried to meet Jace's gaze. He did pretty well, but in the end had to slide his eyes sideways. “What, you want some privacy with her? Don't say I didn't warn you.”

“Just go,” Jace said.

The wolf snorted. “Whatever.” He climbed to his feet and strolled away, not worried that he was naked.

The fight hadn't attracted any attention. A sudden roar of voices within the arena told Jace why—there must be an intense match going down. The human voices were accompanied by roars and growls, since half the watchers would be in animal form.

Jace retrieved his torn clothing, grunting in irritation. He'd only brought two changes of clothes, thinking he wouldn't be in Austin that long.

The jeans had escaped the worst of the shredding, and he pulled them on, the ripped seams stretching as he crouched down to look at the she-wolf again.

“You all right?” he asked her. “Who was that asshole?”

The disgust in his question reached past the feral fear in her eyes. He saw clarity return, and then the wolf shifted into a female with a lush, lovely body, close-cut wheat-colored hair, and large gray eyes.

She remained in a crouch, covering herself, but Jace's gaze traced the curve of her ample breasts, his natural need rising. She'd be worth sneaking off into the darkness with, maybe having a bounce with in the bed of a pickup.

No, she'd be worth more than that. This wasn't a lady Jace would use to relieve horniness and then forget. Not with that gorgeous gaze pinning him flat.

“His name's Broderick,” she said in a voice Jace wanted to embrace. “He usually wins Asshole of the Month around here.”

“No doubt. What did you jump in for? He's right about one thing—it was a crazy thing to do. Two males with their blood up could have hurt you.”

“I saw him besting you. No one deserves to be pounded by Broderick for no reason.”

“He wasn't besting me,” Jace said, giving her a grin. “I had him. And then he started kicking your ass.”

She frowned. “Oh, please. I was a few bites away from making him crawl away whimpering.”

As Jace hoped, his needling made her irritation erase her fear and pain. “Not to mention, your Collar was going off,” Jace said. “Are you sure you're all right?”

He placed his hand on the side of her neck, over the Collar in question. Ordinarily, Jace wouldn't touch uninvited, especially not cross-species, but something in this woman cried out to him. She needed soothing.

Her eyes widened a little, but she didn't jerk away. “What about you? Your Collar didn't go off. You can dampen its effect, can't you? Like Liam does?”

Jace let his fingers caress her neck as he chose his words. “That's not supposed to be common knowledge. Need-to-know basis.”

“Maybe I need to know. Dylan's trying to teach me, but I can't do it yet.”

“In that case, I'll give you some pointers.” Jace traced her Collar to the front, pausing when his fingers rested on its Celtic cross lying against her throat. “But I'd better find Dylan and tell him I'm here before the payback for controlling my Collar hits me.”

“Dylan's fighting right now,” the woman said. “His bouts are always popular. But short. He should be done soon.”

Jace placed his hand on hers. He wanted to keep touching this woman for some reason, as though breaking contact with her would lessen him somehow. “Come with me. We'll watch him win together.”