Wolf Pack (11 page)

For the first time in years, Cole regretted the fact that he’d been a punk-ass kid and had ruined the rest of his life. He’d been alone for a really long time. Or he had been until Kendra had invited him into her world.

Cole peered over at Taylor. It was obvious what a great Alpha Taylor was. Still, if Cole spent too much time under the man’s roof he’d start to feel the rebellion bubble up. His issues with authority had the potential to come between him and Kendra, but he could fight his urges so she could keep her pack.

“You okay?” Kendra leaned over to ask in his ear.

“Yes.” He slid his hand in hers under the table.

“Good.”

Cole pushed his thoughts away and picked up his fork. The first bite of chicken was moist and flavorful. “Oh yum!” he said before he shoved another piece in his mouth.

Trent was grinning.

“It really is,” Abilene agreed. “I have to get this recipe.”

“She does,” Zak said with a mouthful.

“Eww.” Abilene elbowed him. “Swallow.”

Cole laughed. He really liked the group of friends he’d made.

The rest of dinner passed with quiet, friendly conversation. When Kendra, Abilene and a few others started to clear the table, Taylor put his hand on Cole’s shoulder.

“You got a minute?” Taylor asked him.

“Sure.” Cole stood and followed Taylor out of the dining room.

“Let’s head to the study,” Taylor suggested.

He hadn’t been this far into the Alpha house yet but Cole enjoyed the homey feeling of the place. Dark tan carpet, which had to be hell to clean from muddy paw prints, ran through the halls.

Taylor opened one of the doors and motioned Cole inside. “My father had this room built so that he could enjoy a brandy after dinner with his inner circle. He also used to hide in here when my mother went on one of her rants about someone always being at the house or him always being called away during dinner.”

“I guess that probably happened a lot,” Cole replied.

“All the time,” Taylor acknowledged. “It’s part of being Alpha. It’s also one of the reasons I haven’t settled down yet. Finding a woman that can be a mate to an Alpha is not easy. My mom left my dad after being married for twenty years. I was ten and one night she was here then the next day, gone.”

“That’s a very sad story,” Cole commented. He wasn’t sure why Taylor would be telling him such personal information.

The Alpha walked over to the bar then held up a glass bottle.

Cole nodded.

“It is sad and I bet you’re wondering why I’m sharing this with you,” Taylor said as he poured their drinks, filling the crystal a little less than halfway with a dark brown liquor.

Cole sniffed.
Brandy, and good stock if I guess right.
As the Alpha strolled to him Cole tried to get his mind back on topic. “I am,” he admitted.

“Kendra would make a wonderful mate to an Alpha,” Taylor commented.

Cole paused with his drink halfway to his mouth. Had Taylor just said that he planned to make Kendra his?

“No,” Taylor laughed. “I’m not in love with Kendra and she sees me as a father figure. That would give icky a whole new meaning.”

“I agree,” Cole stated with relief.

“Have a seat, Cole.” Taylor motioned for him to sit on the brown leather couch.

Since he’d grown a lot more curious about this conversation, he shrugged. Taylor dropped down in the chair across from him. “So let’s get to the point of why I asked you to come in here.”

Cole raised his glass in agreement.

“I want you to consider becoming Alpha of my pack,” Taylor told him.

He choked on his brandy. After he’d gotten over his coughing fit he wiped his watery eyes. “What?”

“I thought you’d be surprised, but I wasn’t trying to kill you,” Taylor said, amused.

“Can you repeat what you said, please?”

Taylor leaned forward. “I’ve been invited to join the Wolf Council and my pack needs a leader. I think you’d make a great Alpha.”

“I don’t know anything about being an Alpha,” he argued.

“I’ll teach you. You’re a natural leader and already proving you care about people,” Taylor said. “It’s been on my mind a while now.”

“I’m not even part of your pack,” he pointed out.

“Not right now, but I hope soon you’ll be joining us. Either as Kendra’s mate or on your own. I already asked you to join. I was giving you time before I approached you again,” Taylor said.

“What changed?”

“You did.” Taylor grinned. “I’ve noticed a difference in you the last couple of days. I think we have Kendra to thank for you opening up but whatever the reason is I welcome it. I believe now is the right time to bring it up.”

Cole didn’t know what to say. His head was spinning so he downed the rest of his drink. Glancing up at Taylor and seeing the older Alpha watching him made Cole uncomfortable. He needed some more alcohol to have this conversation. “I…”

“I don’t expect an answer right now.” Taylor took a drink. “But I do want you to think about it. You have a lot on your plate. Trying to save the rogues, building a new team with the Coalition and a relationship with a wonderful woman.”

He’d never even considered taking a position as Alpha. When he’d left his pack he’d figured that no one would ever want him. Now that things were changing, since he’d made friends and had found Kendra, he already had hope, but this opportunity threw him off kilter. “I don’t deserve this.”

“Think about it,” Taylor repeated. He strolled over to his desk and picked up a few files. “Here is some information about my territory and how we currently run things. Of course, there’s no personal data inside, but it’ll give you an idea of how much property, members and businesses we deal with on a regular basis.”

“Businesses?” he questioned. “I have a job.”

“Yes,” Taylor agreed. “And it benefits the pack to have a Coalition agent looking out for them. You have resources we don’t but the pack can offer you just as much. You don’t have to run any of the businesses. That’s what managers are for. You will have plenty of help.”

“This is a lot to take in,” he admitted.

“Take your time looking through these.” Taylor handed over the paperwork. “Feel free to call or come by if you have any questions. Talk to Kendra also. She has a great head on her shoulders. She’s a valuable member of my inner circle. So, will you think about this?”

“I will,” he promised. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to do anything else. He rose before he set his glass back on the bar top. His hands shook so he gripped the files tighter.

Cole glanced over his shoulder. “Maybe you should consider other options too.”

“It’ll all work out,” Taylor said. “I have complete faith.”

* * * *

“What did Taylor want to talk to you for?” Kendra asked as they got ready for bed.

They were back at her cabin and she was glad that he was staying again. She still couldn’t believe what they’d confessed to each other earlier but she was happy and content. She felt great. Watching him from the end of the bed as he cleaned up at the bathroom sink, she never wanted him to be anywhere else. He’d already removed everything other than his boxer briefs. Damn, he was one sexy man.

Cole put the toothbrush she’d given him that morning back in the cup and looked at her through the mirror. “I want to talk to you about it, I just need some time to process everything first.”

Kendra nodded since she understood perfectly. Taylor was the one person who she trusted most in her life and she knew that he wouldn’t have said anything bad to Cole. However, Taylor also had a tendency to bring up subjects that no one wanted to think about, so if Cole needed time to process she could give him that. Besides, she had a feeling that Taylor really wanted Cole to join the pack. She’d seen the way Taylor had watched Cole with a small smile.

Changing the subject should be easy enough. There was a lot going on. “We got all the rogues fostered with pack members so that they’d be comfortable and not overwhelmed with a bunch of guests in and out of the Alpha house. Only Trent is staying in the main house.”

Cole leaned against the doorway. “Are you sure the pack members are safe? We still don’t know anything about the rogues.”

“They’re with guards or inner circle members. Our pack knows what they’re doing,” she assured him.

“But you didn’t bring anyone here?” he asked.

She smiled. “We talked about it but I need to get Trent transferred into Marshal custody in the morning. Plus we’re still searching for more of Shawn’s pack and the rogues, so I got out of babysitting duty.” Kendra winked. “So it’s just the two of us.”

“Well.” He pushed off the wall. “I can’t say that I’m upset about that. I get you alone for one more night.”

“One?” she questioned

He shook his head. “We’ll start there. Since you have to go back in town tomorrow maybe we can stay at my place.”

“I’d like that,” she told him. Kendra had loved his home. The gourmet kitchen that he never used and the two dogs that… “Oh my God! Your dogs!”

Cole walked over to her. “They’re fine. Jamie’s mate is working from home this week trying to meet a deadline. She’s a writer and loves animals. They’re with her.”

“Okay, good,” she said, relieved. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of them before.”

“It’s enough you did now. Cocoa and Chloe are my babies and I always have backup plans for them,” Cole said. “I was thinking they’d enjoy the openness of the pack territory here, though. Maybe I’ll bring them with us next time?”

“Really?” If Cole brought his dogs over that had to mean he wanted them to feel at home with her.

“As long as one of your pack mates doesn’t eat them,” Cole stated with a frown. “They wouldn’t, would they?”

She laughed. “No, we have dogs, cats, birds, fish, and I think one of the boys even has a snake. They’ll be fine here.”

Cole leaned down, crowding her onto the bed. She lay back as he covered her body with his. Kendra ran her hands over his lower back and up. He felt so good under her palms. His body was hot, smooth and all hers. Cole placed his knee between her legs, making her spread for him. She wore a pair of panties and a large T-shirt so she was overdressed for this little party.

Kendra pushed at his shoulders until he was kneeling. She yanked her shirt over her head. “That’s better,” she told him as she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled his mouth to hers.

She nibbled on his bottom lip then his chin and made her way lower to his neck. Tightening her hold, she tugged him until they flipped positions and she was straddling his waist. Kendra scraped her nails down his chest, causing him to hiss and bow up. Grinning, she ground against his cock over her cotton-covered pussy. Oh, that felt good, so she did it again.

“Bring your mouth back here,” he ordered.

“No.” She shook her head. “Not yet.”

Cole folded his arms to cushion his head. “Okay, show me what you’ve got then.”

Kendra rocked against him. “I will.”

“Be gentle,” he teased.

“Oh no,” she responded. “This is going to be rough and dirty.” She stroked his cock as she spoke.

He groaned. Yum, she liked that sound. Kendra ran her thumb under the tip of his cock. God, he was hard in her hand. She scooted back and took him into her mouth. Licking around the head of his cock, she used her left hand to hold him at the base.

She sucked him as far as she could before letting him slide back out then took him again. She repeated the moves over and over until Cole was pumping into her mouth and constantly moaning. Kendra sat up quickly.

“No!” He reached for her.

“Stay there,” she said while grabbing his shoulders and holding him still.

“Come on,” he urged.

Kendra hovered over Cole and grasped his erection again. With her free hand she pushed her panties to her knees then shuffled to finally get them off. She could have released her hold on him to make it easier but she didn’t want to let. Kendra held his hard-on at her entrance. “Ready?”

“Please,” he whispered.

She sank onto him, letting his cock fill her. Once he was fully inside she braced her palms on his chest. Kendra lifted up, rocked her hips, then slammed herself down again.

“Yes,” he hissed.

Kendra rode him faster as she let her head fall back. Each time she took him deep, her breath whooshed out and he shuddered. She drove herself closer to the edge, just letting the pleasure of the intimacy consume her.

Color exploded behind her closed eyelids as she climaxed. Kendra cried out, grinding hard. He growled, then she was on her back with him thrusting fast and rough. Dirty, just like she’d said.

“Cole!” she screamed.

His face was red while he plunged repeatedly.

“More,” she begged.

It felt like he was filling every part of her not only her pussy. She could feel him touch her soul. He slammed his mouth onto hers and she tasted blood. Kendra wrapped her arms around his neck to anchor herself.

“Kendra.” Her name was a whisper as he came.

* * * *

“Coffee?” Kendra asked, holding up the carafe.

“Please. I seem to be lacking in sleep,” Cole teased.

Kendra reached up into the cabinet and pulled down another mug. “Hey, the second and third time were all you.”

He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her back. The hardness of his chest was welcome as he warmed her. “You’re so hard to resist. Especially when you’re begging me to do it harder…faster.”

“Oh.” She flushed.

“That’s cute,” he told her. “You’re blushing.”

“Let me pour you some caffeine,” she replied.

Cole kissed her neck before he released his hold. “I’ll need it for another day of tracking.”

She nodded. “I hate to miss it.”

He laughed. “Liar.”

“Okay, I won’t go that far then. But I’m not looking forward to taking Trent into custody,” she said.

“He’s not in trouble.”

“I know that.” She did. “But he’s so happy at Taylor’s. It’s like the stress melted away and he can finally be a twenty-year-old man. He was proud of the dinner last night.”

“I agree,” he said. “He looks so much better. He’s healthy and happy. I hate to see him go.”