Logan's Acadian Wolves

Chapter Seven

“She’s lying,” Logan commented, watching Wynter through the sliding glass door. Her lithe smooth legs bounced in the azure pool water. He wished he could see more of her but she insisted on wearing that damn cover-up. The sheer pink fabric strained tightly against her breasts; her erect nipples pressed through the small black triangles of her bikini top.

“Yep.” Dimitri popped a potato chip into his mouth, admiring the new womanly fauna that had recently been added to their courtyard.

“She won’t tell me everything I need to know.”

“No surprise there.” He bit another chip, unable to look away.

“I should send her to stay with Fiona.”

“Most definitely.”

“But look at those legs,” Logan growled.

“Yes, indeed.”

“And her breasts. Just so, so…perfect.”

“Hell yeah,” Dimitri concurred, watching her sun herself.

Logan shot him a glare. “My breasts.”

“Whatever you say, Alpha.” He smiled and raised an eyebrow. He didn’t want to burst Logan’s bubble, but they both knew she belonged to Jax. “So why are you in here and she’s out there?”

“D, don’t get me wrong. I know I shouldn’t want her. But there’s just something about her. I can’t put my finger on it.” Logan ignored the question and took a drink of his sweet tea. He really wished that she didn’t fascinate him so much; things would be much easier. He sighed. “She’s just. Well, I don’t know. I just want her.”

“And the problem is?”

“Technically, she belongs to Jax,” he explained, adjusting his growing arousal. He watched with great anticipation as she slowly pushed up the sheer fabric, revealing her belly button. She was killing him.

“Mated?”

“No.”

“Again…the problem is?” Damn, his Alpha was in big trouble if this creature had him tied up so badly. Amused with the situation, he grinned.

“It’s complicated…ugh, will you look at her? Just take that pink thing off already,” Logan groaned as she fingered the edges.

“Can’t stop lookin’ at her. And what’s complicated? She’s, um, a wolf; I think. Anyway it doesn’t matter, bro. She’s definitely all female.”

“I told you. Jax didn’t claim her but she told me that she belongs to him. She’s loyal to him,” he bit out.

“In what way does she belong to him exactly? You know that doesn’t really matter…except for the protocol. If they’re not mates, then it’s lady’s choice when it comes to sex,” Dimitri reminded him. “What else?”

“Secrets. I don’t like it.”

“But you like her?”

“I said it was complicated.” Logan shrugged.

“Nothin’ complicated about those legs,” Dimitri laughed. “Nothin’ at all. I bet they’re quite flexible even.”

Logan growled in response.

“Just sayin’.”

“Being Alpha isn’t always easy, you know. It can be very hard as a matter of fact,” Logan commented.

“Sometimes when things are hard, it can feel really good.” He wagged his eyebrows at Logan.

“Nice mouth, D.” The frustrated Alpha began to undress in front of him. “I’ve gotta check on her.”

“And you’re in here with me because?” He left his question open ended waiting on Logan’s response.

“Because my beta, we’re letting her relax. Building trust,” he explained. “And then, my friend, after that, it’s time to ease the truth out of our new guest.”

“I see. And how do you plan to do that?” Dimitri glanced out once again to admire the lovely she-wolf lounging on their patio.

“Watch and learn,” Logan told him, tossing his shirt and pants onto the sofa.

“Yeah, okay, Alpha,” Dimitri laughed. He surmised that if anyone could get control of the situation, it would be Logan, even if that entailed getting up close and personal.

Dimitri admired how his Alpha wielded his confidence and charm like a sword. Even during the tensest of interactions, the wolf never lost his cool. Damn if his Alpha didn’t have some moves, and he reckoned he probably could learn a few tricks from the master. Dimitri laughed as he watched Logan stroll out the door buck naked. Whether this went well or not, it would be entertaining.

Wynter nervously tugged at the suit she’d borrowed from the pool house. What man kept a stock of women’s bikinis in his pool house anyhow? A playboy. A hotter than hell, sexy Alpha playboy. One with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen and an easygoing personality that made her want to cuddle into his lap like a purring kitten. She sighed, supposing she shouldn’t let herself go there. This was only temporary. As soon as Jax arrived, she knew she’d be whisked back to New York City and reality would commence. She loved the urban scene of the Big Apple but she couldn’t help but notice how the quaint French Quarter seemed to speak to her soul. When they’d returned from lunch, she was surprised to see how lovely the courtyard was in the daylight. Complete with ferns, flowers, fountain, pool and hot tub, the entire back yard screamed relaxation.

Captivity had made her both claustrophobic and pale, so the sunshine bred a sense of vitality back into her heart. Logan must have sensed her craving as he suggested she go for a swim. She wished she was stronger to refuse the gift but she just wasn’t. Nearly jumping with excitement, she happily took him up on his offer and was even more delighted when he offered her a suit. She supposed that he skinny-dipped, being the wolf that he was. But being the very human she was, or at least thought she was, a suit was a welcome addition.

Wynter swore she could literally feel the cells in her body healing as she basked in the afternoon sun. The cool pool water splashing her feet offered the perfect complement to the stones beneath her towel which emanated heat onto her back. Maybe not heaven but it was damn close to it, she thought. As she soaked up the sun, her thoughts wandered to the conversation she’d had with Logan at lunch. Admittedly, she’d been scared being out in the open where they could find her, but Logan had assured her she was safe with him. Every time she nervously looked around, he’d placed a calming hand to her shoulder, reminding her that she was no longer alone, protected. Not once did he ever raise his voice or make her feel like she’d done something wrong. Even though he knew she hadn’t told him everything, he didn’t press. Rather, he’d kept the conversation light, asking her where she went to school, her favorite colors, foods and movies. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, she told him. And he didn’t laugh but instead asked if maybe she’d like to watch it with him sometime after the drama was over.

If she hadn’t known any better, she’d have thought she was on a first date. She laughed to herself, realizing how crazy it seemed. But she couldn’t deny her gravitation toward the wolf. Logan was undoubtedly the most charismatic man she’d ever met. Both witty and assured, he appeared to approach life with a cool confidence. Yet he wasn’t arrogant or demanding. She was finding it difficult to shake off her body’s reaction to how he’d tasted her in his office. She’d wanted him to go further but he hadn’t. He kept her on the edge of sexual tension all afternoon, and she found herself hoping he’d touch her again, kiss her.

Wynter groaned at the thought. Jax would kill her. While she’d on occasion found a wolf attractive, Jax would have gone ballistic if she’d asked to date within his pack. If he only knew the lustful thoughts that bantered about in her mind, he’d have a fit. She loved him so much, but as Logan pointedly asked, she was not his mate. Jax had to know she couldn’t go on forever living with him. Yet she owed him her loyalty and respect. She’d given him her commitment to see her mission through to the end. And while she was no longer working in the lab, she also wasn’t finished.

Her thoughts wandered back to Logan and she smiled. He’d been incredibly dominant and sexy in his business suit earlier. And the night before when he’d held her so tenderly, she’d wondered what it would feel like for him to run his hands all over her skin. The possibility that she could maybe have a relationship with him thrilled her; even if it was just a fantasy. Maybe after the mess with ViroSun was cleared up, she could come back down to New Orleans. She admonished herself for even getting her hopes up; the chances were slim that Jax would simply accept her desire to see Logan again. With her being human, Jax wouldn’t hear of it. She’d have to convince him somehow that she could make this decision on her own, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy.

Logan quietly padded out of the house. While he prided himself on knowing how to move stealthily in the most dangerous of situations, he hoped she’d scent him right away. Yet Wynter seemed oblivious to his movement. It seemed strange that she didn’t even notice him. Most wolves would have immediately reacted. He slowly waded into the water, never taking his eyes off of her. He could hear from her heartbeat that she wasn’t quite sleeping; day dreaming perhaps? Time to wake his little wolf.

Wynter startled at the sound of a splash. She quickly pushed up onto her elbows and scanned the area but didn’t see anyone. Just as she was about to recline, she caught sight of the most glorious vision she’d ever seen. Oh. My. God. Logan. Before her eyes, his six foot five, tanned, muscular body rose from the water like a dripping hot Greek God. Stunned and captivated, she watched as the beads of water rolled off his smooth skin. Unable to control the impulse, her eyes roamed over his wet body from his broad muscular shoulders to the hard ridges of his abdomen. The very smallest dusting of hair trailed down into the water, where she was quite certain she’d find him naked.

Logan laughed out loud at her reaction, snapping her attention back to his face. He shook his shaggy hair and water sprayed all over her legs. She flinched slightly but didn’t look away. He was simply the most magnificent male she’d ever seen. Immediately, she pulled her legs together, as desire rushed to her belly. She didn’t need an expert to tell her the shark in the water was hungry. She knew he was dangerous, ravenous for his next meal. And oh how she wanted to be bitten. At a loss for words, she returned his smile, waiting for him to speak.

Logan watched her take in the sight of him and tried so very hard to ignore the signs of her arousal. He found it amusing the way she tightened her thighs together in an effort to remain composed. Ah yes, little wolf, the Alpha knows what you want, but will you give it to me? Let’s see where this takes us. Smiling, he approached slowly and smoothly, making her wonder what he’d do next.

He enjoyed keeping her on her toes. And now that she’d had time to relax, to be lulled into a false sense of security, he intended to take advantage. As his cock jerked, he wondered, though, who was going to take advantage of who. The closer he got to her, the harder he had to deliberately keep himself from ripping off her clothes and sinking into her sweet heat. Needing to touch her, he placed his hands on her knees. She did nothing to stop him. He could almost feel the electricity sizzle as his cold hands touched her hot skin.

“Ah,” she moaned, not exactly protesting.

“Enjoying the sun?” Logan asked softly. His hands held tight to her knees, not moving.

“Yes. It feels so good. The sun…I needed this.”

“I see you found the suits Fi brought you,” he acknowledged. He’d arranged for clothing to be sent while they’d been at lunch.

“Thank you. I really appreciate everything you’ve done. I don’t know how I can repay you for helping me.” Ah, so that’s where all the new suits came from. Wynter knew it was silly but she felt relieved to know that he’d brought bikinis to his pool house just for her.

“Just showing you a little southern hospitality is all. I’ve got lots of things to show you as a matter of fact,” he laughed.

“I just bet you do,” she flirted. “And something tells me that I’d like to see them.”

“Well, I’m sure that can be arranged after we’re done with our business.”

“Yes, that.” The reference to business dulled the ache between her legs considerably. How could she forget?

“I got a text from Jax,” he mentioned nonchalantly. “He can’t get down here tonight. Looks like he’ll be here tomorrow at the earliest.”

“Why not?” she asked, concerned he wasn’t going to come for her. She was about to get up but Logan held her still, placing his palms on the tops of her thighs.

“Snow. Airport’s closed. No flights in, no flights out,” he explained in a calm voice. “But don’t worry; I told him that I’ll take good care of you.”

“I’m sure you will,” Wynter replied sarcastically. And wouldn’t she just love it, she thought.

He smiled broadly. Truth was that he wasn’t a damn bit upset that Jax was delayed. It gave him more time to get to know Wynter and hopefully, find out what secrets she held.

“In the meantime, we’re meeting with some vamps tonight.”

Her face went white with fear. Too soon. They’d take her. As much as she wanted to trust Logan, there was no way she could be around another vampire.

“Hey there. It’s okay,” he coaxed, caressing her skin. “Come on, look at me, Wynter.”

She complied, meeting his eyes. Once again tears threatened to fall. “You don’t know…what they did. I can’t go back.”

“I told you that you’re safe with me. No one will get to you while you are in my protection. Do you understand?” he asked calmly. What did they do to her? He’d seen the bite marks, but hadn’t delved any deeper. A serious expression washed over his face. “I would never put you in danger. Ever.”

A tear ran down her face as she struggled to maintain contact with the powerful Alpha. She wanted to trust him, but it was so very difficult after everything that had happened.

“Listen sweetheart, I don’t know what happened to you…what they did to you, but I promise to stop whatever’s happening. Do you remember?” He had to ask. In a low, soft voice he proceeded, trying to be as nonthreatening as possible. “You can tell me…what they did to you. The bite marks…I saw them. They’re mostly on your arms, but there were a few on your legs…your thighs.”

Wynter closed her eyes and then opened them slowly. She’d thought long and hard about her periods of unconsciousness. “I wasn’t raped,” she stated definitively. “That is something I’d know. But everything else…”

She’d been violated. Bled. Infected. She looked away from him, embarrassed that she even had to discuss it.

Logan waited for her to finish. He wanted to hold and hide her so that no one could ever hurt her again, but he needed her to open up to him.

“There were times in the beginning…the guards…they fed on me. I was conscious. But then they stopped because the blood loss made it hard for me to work…I couldn’t think straight. They eventually figured out it was slowing my progress,” she recalled with disgust. “So they stopped…for the most part. If I refused to work, they’d attack me…shove me against my cot…their fangs.” She rubbed her arms, reliving the pain.

Logan deliberately calmed himself. He detested the bloodsucking demons he’d met over the years. Yes, most vampires were mainly well integrated within society. But some vampires skated the edge of morality, often justifying the torture they inflicted on their victims. He refocused on Wynter, absorbing every detail she shared.

“The bottom line is that there are missing time periods. I don’t remember. Did they bleed me? Yes. Did they infect me with something…change me? I was human. Now look at me,” she pleaded. “I don’t know what they did…I don’t know what I am…I don’t know…” Her words trailed off as she shook her head in frustration.

“I’m sorry,” Logan told her sincerely. “I don’t know what they did to you either, but I promise you that we’ll find out.”

“I don’t know, Logan. This was my responsibility. It’s so messed up,” she confessed.

“Right now, you’re safe. And we’re going to work things out. Now, of course, it would be a whole lot easier if you’d tell me everything, but I get that you need time with Jax. I may be new to this Alpha gig, but I assure you that I’ve been a wolf a very long time. I know protocol. Been livin’ and breathin’ it for over a hundred years. The last thing I want to do is get you in trouble with your Alpha. In the meantime, we’re meeting with Kade Issacson tonight. Yes, he’s a vampire. And as hard as it is to believe, he is one of the good guys. I hate to have to drag you there with me, but I can’t leave you alone, and this can’t wait.”

Wynter pursed her lips, unsure that any vampires could be anything less than vicious. But she wanted to trust him. “You’re sure? You’re sure the vampires won’t attack me?”

Logan laughed, “Questioning the Alpha, huh? Seems we’re going to have to work on those pack skills of yours.”

Wynter gave him a small smile in return. “Ha, ha. Funny wolf.”

“And you, too, are a wolf.”

“So you say.”

“And that is what counts. Hey, I want to tell you a story.”

“A story, huh?”

“Yes. A story,” he confirmed. “A few months ago in Philadelphia, my Alpha met his mate, Kalli. The interesting thing about Kalli is that she’s a lovely little hybrid, but at one time, she denied her wolf. And in the process, she just happened to invent this nasty little drug that essentially masked her scent and stopped her from shifting.”

“So if she took the drug you would think she was a human?”

“Exactly.” Logan let his hands wander down to her calves as he spoke. Goddess, she felt so good.

“And do you think that is happening to me? Maybe they drugged me?”

“Well, if you were human and now you are wolf, they did something. A drug? Maybe. The drug she created? No. But my point is that there’re always things in this world that we don’t understand. People will always push the frontier of what we think is possible. Biology. Nature. It’s always changing. Slowly but changing. And like what Kalli did, supernaturals and humans are finding ways to accelerate the process regardless of whether it’s the right thing to do.”

If you only knew, she thought guiltily.

“I’m Alpha for a reason, Wynter. Like Jax, I’ve been around a long time. I’m not going to sugarcoat what I sense, what I know. You may have been human when you started but I can tell you with certainty that you’re wolf now. I don’t know how they did it or why they did it, but it’s who you are.”

Wynter stared off, refusing to verbally acknowledge what he was saying. Deep inside, she knew he was right. Her recovery, even since this morning, had been accelerated, deviating far from what would be considered normal for a human. She was feeling good. No, not just good but excellent. As a scientist, she knew there was no logical reason to explain it. After being bitten and chased, it should take her days to recuperate.

“Look at your skin,” he urged, rubbing his hands up her shins until he reached her thighs. Gently placing his hands on her knees, he parted her legs and moved toward her until the insides of her thighs straddled his sides. His fingertips teased the small strings that barely held her bikini bottoms together. Ah, finally got her attention, he thought with amusement.

Wynter had barely been listening to his words when she felt him open her legs. At his intrusion, she snapped her focus back on his eyes, not moving but simply watching him as he grazed his palms up over the tops of her thighs until he reached her hips. She didn’t try to stop him; she wanted his hands on her skin. Her eyes locked on his as his big strong hands skimmed over her body, flaring her arousal. What was he saying? Something about her skin?

“That’s it,” she heard him say. “Look at your skin. It’s healed.”

The bite marks were healed. Small pink spots were the only evidence that anything had happened to her.

“I know. I feel it,” she admitted.

“Yes, I’m sure you do. I know you’re scared. But it’s going to be okay. Tell me, what do you know about being wolf?” His hands roamed upward. Goddess, her legs were smooth and silky, begging to be touched. He kept going, pushing the pink fabric upward.

Lifting her arms, Wynter let him remove the sheer barrier that covered her skin. Part of her wanted this, him. Moreover, she yearned to reveal her body and soul to this man, hating to keep secrets from the Alpha who sought to help her. He tossed the fabric aside, and she gasped as he tugged her into the water against him. Her smooth belly met his rock hard abs, and she really thought she might pass out from the rush.

“I…I grew up around a pack,” she confessed.

Logan brushed his lips to her hair, resisting the urge to kiss her. Gently, he cradled her in his arms, letting her float along the surface. She held his gaze, never looking anywhere but to him.

“Let go, Wynter. Trust me?” he smiled down on her.

She was helpless to resist. Having no idea what he was doing, she gave in to her desires. “Yes.”

“Relax. Let yourself go. I promise to keep you safe.”

Wynter willed herself to go limp within his incredibly strong arms. And even though she knew better than to let a wolf touch her, she reveled in the experience of trusting him. As she closed her eyes and the cool water washed over her, every nerve lit on fire with need. In spite of the heat, she opened her hands, her thighs, until she was completely relaxed. And all the while, he never let her go. He adjusted his hold, carefully supporting her upper back and bottom with his hands.

“That’s it. You’re so beautiful. So calm and at peace,” he crooned softly. “Like this, we’ll talk about wolves. Tell me about your pack, what do you know?”

“I grew up around wolves. My parents worked with the pack…for Jax. I…I wasn’t allowed around the pack that much when I got older. They were afraid I’d get hurt but I knew it’d never happen. My friend, Mika. She’s a wolf,” she said proudly.

“Okay, so our behavior. Our habits. You must have seen something.” Logan watched her soft pink lips break out in a broad smile at his words.

“Ah yes. Wolves. Well, you like to run on a full moon. I never got to see them but I knew.”

“That is true. What else?”

“Wolves are competitive. Mika’s an alpha. Hates when she loses to me at tennis.” She laughed, remembering their last match. “She breaks quite a few racquets. It’s actually kind of funny. Good thing she makes a lot of money working at that law firm.”

Logan shook his head at the thought. “Sounds delightful.”

“She’s okay, just a little short tempered is all. Never with me, though. She gets mad at herself. Which brings me to my next observation,” she continued. “Loyal. Wolves are very loyal to their friends, their pack.”

“That’s correct. See, this wolf thing is going to be easy for you.” He noticed she frowned at his comment. He kept pushing to distract her from her thoughts. “What else?”

Wynter tried to keep her face impassive as the next idea popped into her head. Considering an incredibly hot wolf was holding her against his bare skin, she reasoned it should have been the first thing she told him.

“Come on then. It can’t be that bad,” Logan commented as she hesitated to answer him.

“Naked.” Her eyes flew open and met his. She giggled. “They love being naked.”

“Yes we do. Clothes are very restrictive. Highly overrated.”

“I can see that you practice what you preach.”

“And how do you feel about that? Does it embarrass you?” He queried as his fingers wandered to the knotted strings tightened against her back.

“I’m not sure how I feel. I mean, it’s not like I was allowed to run around naked. I just knew they did. Jax wouldn’t be crazy about me doing it though. Not fair really. A double standard I suppose. Believe me; I think the whole pack would freak out if I decided to join them.”

“I understand how you are worried about what your pack would think but how do you feel?” He pulled on the strings, releasing the knot. The cords floated freely in the water, no longer tied.

Wynter felt his fingers move along her back. It was if she could actually feel the coolness wash over the skin that had been covered by the small strap. With the tension loosened, her top drifted easily across her breasts but didn’t fall away.

“I think…I think it’d be freeing,” she whispered, aware of the message she was conveying. Oh God, she wanted him.

“Are you sure?” he asked, seeking her approval. His fingers traveled up to her neck, pinching the remaining knot that held tight around her neck.

“Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, I’m sure. Please.” She released a small gasp as he tugged the cord free and the flimsy material floated away. Her nipples hardened at the thought of Logan seeing her this way.

Logan didn’t think his cock could get any harder but he was wrong. The sight of her gorgeous, perfect breasts nearly made him drop her. He ran his fingers through her wet hair then slowly trailed them across her throat. Skimming his fingertips down the valley of her chest, he stopped to rest his palm upon her belly.

“You’re incredible. So, so beautiful, Wynter.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her face. She was struggling with her own arousal. And selfishly, he considered whether he should make love to her right there in the pool. But she needed to learn from him, not just pleasure but what it would mean for her to be wolf.

“Logan, please,” she moaned, closing her eyes.

“Breathe, baby. You’re doing so well. Relaxing. Almost naked,” he joked.

“Almost,” she agreed. She opened her eyes and gave him a sensual smile.

“You sure? Once you go wolf, you never go back.”

“Yes, stop teasing me,” she cried. She wanted his fingers on her, in her. What was he doing?

With great restraint, Logan slipped his fingers into the side of her bikini bottoms, ever so gently gliding his fingers across her hip. Effortlessly, he tugged the strings on one side then the other. As the panties floated away, no barrier existed between them. Goddess almighty, she was exquisite. He wanted so badly to take her. From her reaction, he knew it’d be easy. He watched her chest heave up and down in anticipation of his touch. But in the moment, he was certain he’d never be satisfied with having just part of her. He needed the truth. Craved it.

Overwhelmed with arousal, Wynter moaned loudly in protest when he removed his hands. Why wasn’t he touching her? Didn’t he find her desirable? Oh God, she was naked in a pool with the New Orleans Alpha. Jax was going to freak out if he found out. Her heart began to race with worry.

“Little wolf, you need to stop thinking so much. Lay back and relax into the water. I’ve got you, now. Just listen to my voice,” Logan told her. His patience was of far greater strength than his libido. He wanted to fuck her, but it would be on his terms not hers. “That’s it, just breathe….in and out. Hear the sounds around you. Smell the scents in the air. Soon, little wolf, you’ll be born into your new life.”

Obeying him came naturally as she forced herself to listen to his calm voice. Despite her water-filled ears, the sounds became louder. The more she concentrated, the more she heard. Music played in the distance. A car horn honked. Footsteps echoed on the pavement, coming closer and closer. Wynter’s eyes flashed open to Logan’s and then she rapidly turned her head, seeking the source. Dimitri. Her cheeks heated in embarrassment.

“Please,” she croaked, trying to sit up and cover herself. Logan brushed a calming hand over her hair and her eyes caught his.

“It’s okay. I’m here with you, baby. Holding you. Protecting you. It’s just Dimitri. He’s wolf. And by the way he’s looking at you, I’d say that he agrees that you’re every bit as amazing as I think you are.”

“But I…I…don’t know,” she protested.

Logan nodded to Dimitri who continued walking and eventually entered his home.

“Whatever you feel, it’s natural. Even arousal, it’s what we are.”

Wynter didn’t want to talk about what she felt; it was wrong, dirty. She was so horny; that had to be why she’d felt so aroused when Dimitri looked upon her bareness. She wasn’t really attracted to him, yet she’d reacted. And Logan, he simply drove her mad with need. Skin to skin, her proximity to him overloaded her senses. Her pussy ached for him, yet he made no attempt to kiss or touch her. She struggled to find the words to tell him how she felt.

“Please Logan,” she groaned. “This is…I’m so…I feel…”

Logan knew exactly how she felt, and he felt the same. He reached across her body and caressed her slippery breast, finally giving in to the temptation. His cock throbbed, begging to be inside her as he watched her wriggle within his grasp. She moaned in response, and he slid his hand up her chest, settling it on her cheek. Running his thumb along the seam of her lips, her mouth parted at his touch, allowing his thumb to enter. She wrapped her lips around his finger as if she was sucking his cock. Fuck, she was pushing him to the brink. Logan sucked a breath at the feel of her simulating oral sex on his hand. He pulled his thumb out and spread the moisture on her lower lip. .

“What do you need, Wynter?” He knew he shouldn’t touch her but Goddess; she was so responsive.

Wynter’s eyes opened, meeting his. “I need you,” she whispered.

Barely audible to human ears, her soft words were all he needed to act. Sliding his hand to cradle the nape of her neck, he brought her to him and kissed her. Water sluiced downward as he pulled her tightly against him, hungrily taking his lips to hers.

Jolted upward, Wynter readily met Logan’s lips, wrapping her legs around his waist. As his tongue pushed into hers, she thought she would melt away. Like a tight coil that had just been sprung, all her energy released into their embrace. Her hands raked into his damp hair. Clutching at him, she never wanted him to let her go. She writhed her slick mound against his abdomen, unable to reach the friction she sought. But the taste of him would have to sate her for now, because he didn’t touch her there yet. So she simply let herself go, accepting whatever he’d give her.

At the first taste of her, Logan pressed Wynter up against the side of the pool. She tasted like the sweetest peach, so entirely ripe for him. She’d met his kiss with hunger, not fear, taking and giving. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt an instinctive connection with a woman. It was as if her energy was pouring into his veins, heightening all his senses. Logan deepened the kiss, barely able to restrain himself from grabbing his shaft and thrusting it deep into her. He could feel her swollen folds below wriggling against the small nest of hair above his rigid flesh. It would be so easy to slip into her heat. But he swore that he wouldn’t take her like this in the pool. No, when he took her for the first time, there’d be no secrets between them. She’d have to be as emotionally bare as she was physically.

A buzzer sounded faintly as he felt her wrap her small fingers around his cock. “Fuck,” he grunted at the feel of her touch. She was a fast little wolf, he thought. It felt so good, but this wasn’t happening now. He grabbed her wrist, bringing it quickly to his chest and placed her palm flat against him.

The rush of desire flowed throughout Wynter’s body. She was done waiting. Her whole life she’d been waiting for something, for someone to make her feel this way. It was as if she was coming alive for the very first time in her life. Animalistic. Wanton. Free. She couldn’t get enough of Logan. As he kissed her, she gave into her instinct to take; reaching down between her own legs, she found his hard arousal. It felt enormous in her fingers. Desperately wanting to bring him pleasure, she stroked it up and down until he breathed a groan into her mouth. She felt his firm grip manacle around her own, denying her. Why? Why was he stopping? No, this couldn’t be happening.

And as his lips pulled away from hers, she slumped forward, desperately trying to catch her breath, her sanity. Oh God, she’d done something wrong, she just knew it. But she didn’t even care. She just wanted, yearned. Logan made her feel and she didn’t want to go back to who she was.

Their foreheads pressed together, hearts beating frantically from their encounter. Slowly, they both opened their eyes, panting. Sensing his visitors, Logan retreated.

“Wynter,” he breathed. How he’d managed to have enough control to remove her hand from his dick was beyond him. He seriously thought he’d have to go stick his cock in an ice bucket after this tryst. Painful as it was, this wasn’t the time or place for their first time. But after that one kiss, he was quite certain that without a doubt, he planned on making love to her long and hard as soon as she revealed what she’d been really doing in New Orleans.

“Logan, I…I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have.” I’m sorry? No I’m not.

“No, don’t lie, baby. Remember the rules,” he reminded her with a brief kiss.

She laughed, still clutched onto him, their eyes mere inches from one another. “Okay, not sorry,” she admitted.

Before she knew what was happening, Logan’s hands were on her waist, hoisting her onto the edge of the pool into a sitting position. His eyes never leaving hers, he pulled a sun-warmed towel from behind her and covered her with it.

“Thank you,” Wynter responded softly, somewhat shaken by their kiss.

“You’re very welcome.” Logan smiled then looked over his shoulder. Company.

Female voices jarred her connection with Logan, drawing her attention to two women who’d obviously been watching their interaction. Dimitri took the redheaded woman into his arms, kissing her on the lips. Obviously, they were more than friends. The other woman, dressed in a tight black pencil skirt and red bustier, with long black hair and bangs, stared at Wynter. Very Goth, Wynter noted, wondering if the women were also wolves. A hand to her knee brought her focus back to Logan.

“Why don’t you go upstairs and relax for a while? Fiona,” Logan gestured over to the redhead, who appeared as a love child with her peasant skirt and wild curly hair. “She’s going to help you get settled in.”

Wynter’s brow wrinkled at his suggestion.

“Hey, trust me, Fi’s okay. She was here last night. She won’t hurt you. You’ll see. It’ll all work out….now go. I’ll see you in a few hours,” he promised, and swam over to greet his guests.

Jealousy flared in her stomach as she watched Logan emerge from the water, exiting the pool, his sheer masculinity on display for all to see. To her dismay, both women turned their attention to his amazing body, letting their eyes roam all over him. Who wouldn’t look? The man was utterly confident, good-looking and oh so very Alpha. Of course, he’d have women chasing him left and right.

That very second, reality came crashing down upon her. She wasn’t in some fairytale where the girl got the prince. She was in serious fucking trouble with a major corporation who planned on dragging her sorry ass back to the lab to finish the abomination she’d started. And the gorgeous Alpha she’d been throwing herself at five minutes ago only wanted the information she held so he could protect his pack, not to mention that he probably had a different bitch warming his bed every night.

As she stood, she caught a glimpse of him wrapping a towel around his waist. The fabric tented, barely holding in place. Like a crushing blow to her gut, she watched as he took the Goth Chick into his arms and hugged her. The erection she gave him was touching another woman, and it sickened her to the core. Turning her head, she gathered her cover-up, and stood. Her bathing suit appeared to have sunk to the very bottom of the pool, and she had no intention of going in after it. Inaudibly to others, she swore that she heard something growl. Was it her?

This wolf thing was starting to get on her nerves. Did she really have an animal inside of her? Instead of letting fear rule her, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to picture a wolf, her wolf. Where are you? Wynter saw nothing and huffed in frustration. If she was a wolf, it was only a matter of time before she shifted. She knew from her friend how it worked. Somewhere inside her lurked the beast that would claw to the surface, and there wasn’t a damn thing she’d be able to do about it. The wolf was part of the human and vice versa.

Either way, she was disgusted with herself and Logan. Disoriented and confused, she didn’t understand what had just happened. Wynter could have sworn she’d felt something emotional between them in the pool, something other than just lust. But now? Now, he seemed quite content to rub the evidence of his arousal against a strange woman right in front of her. She steeled her nerves, feigning indifference, and casually walked toward the group. Let the fun begin.

Pulling the towel tightly around her, every muscle in her body tensed as she approached. Determined not to shatter, she tried to ignore her feelings. Her eyes darted over to Logan once again. No longer hugging, Goth Chick cupped his face, running her blood red fingernails down his cheek. They seemed to be having an intense conversation, and she wondered if they were lovers.

“Hi there. Feeling better?” Wynter heard the redhead ask.

Tearing her eyes away from the sight of Logan and the other woman, she gave Red a tight smile. “Yes, much better. Fiona?”

“Yes,” Fiona grabbed one of Wynter’s hands, giving it a quick squeeze. She was holding a few large shopping bags. “Nice to see you looking better. We were worried about you last night. You were so sick but now I can see everything’s just fine.”

Fine? Really? So not fine. Not even close, Wynter thought.

Before Wynter had a chance to respond to Fiona, she glanced up to Dimitri who gave her a warm but knowing smile. “Looks like you got some sun. Enjoy your swim?”

She tried very hard not to roll her eyes at his smart assed question and settled on giving him a cool smile.

“Swim. Yeah. It was a great swim. Swimming is awesome,” she said, shaking her head. Is that what wolves called it now? Did swimming equate to writhing naked against the hottest Alpha male she’d ever seen? These wolves seemed to know their way around euphemisms.

Dimitri laughed heartily at the feisty little wolf’s response. She certainly looked to be getting hot and heavy with his Alpha. And now, her behavior was bordering on aggressive. Almost as if she was territorial. Interesting.

“Leave her alone, Dimitri,” Fiona told him with a light swat to his shoulder. “Come on now, I’m sure your swim was quite lovely before we arrived. Are you ready to go get settled in your room?”

“Certainly,” Wynter responded in an almost professional tone. As if she was compelled, she could not keep her eyes off Logan as Goth Chick proceeded to trail her talons down his bare shoulder, settling her palm on his chest. A hot anger surged from within and before she knew what she was doing, Wynter found herself walking. Easily squeezing her small but strong body between Logan and Goth Chick, she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him.

Logan had been arguing with Luci yet again. He’d meant to introduce the women but the disagreement became a priority as she insisted she had rights to stay with an Alpha, to stay with him in his French Quarter home. He’d explained that there was no way she was living with him. She had to stay in one of the pack apartments. Yet he’d cordially hugged her as always, aware that Wynter had been watching. Sure, he felt strongly about Wynter and planned to explore their relationship further. But he still didn’t trust her, and it was best that he conduct business as usual. And Luci was business.

A split second passed before he registered what was happening. One minute Wynter was talking with Fiona and Dimitri and the next, she stalked toward him like a lioness on the prowl. As his eyes locked on hers, he soon found that in a role reversal, he was now prey. Wynter pushed Luci aside and pressed up against him, possessively taking his lips. He welcomed the warm feel of her tongue darting into his mouth. He’d almost forgotten they had an audience, putting on quite the show for his pack members. Never in his life had a female demonstrated this kind of alpha, dominant behavior toward him. And damn if it didn’t turn him on even more. He knew he should break it off, tell her no, especially given that she’d done it in front of pack, but her sweet taste enthralled his senses. Vacillating between taking her to the bedroom and pushing her away, became unnecessary when without warning, she released him. She’d been the one to back away, yet still remained between him and Luci, looking directly into his eyes.

“Thanks for the swim, sweetheart,” she purred, with a glare that conveyed both lust and anger. “See you tonight.”

That would teach him, Wynter thought as she proceeded to walk around Logan. Remembering exactly the kind of determined woman she was, there was no man on this green Earth that was going to strip, feel and kiss her senseless and then rub himself onto another woman two minutes later. No damn way. For as long as she remained in this pack of his, she could either be a doormat or establish her role as an alpha female. She’d spent a lifetime of listening to what other people thought was best for her, and it was damn time she stood up for herself.

If Logan wanted Goth Chick, he could have her, but she’d be damned if she let him fawn all over her with her ‘hard on’. No, that was her erection; she’d done that to him. She supposed she should be embarrassed, but as she opened the sliding glass door, she could have cared less. Let him think about that kiss, because it might be the last one he’d get from her if he thought he could use her like that. So not happening.

As Logan watched Fiona chase off after Wynter into the house, he looked over to his beta in disbelief over what had just happened. Dimitri gave him a big shit-eating grin, fully enjoying the performance. Luci, on the other hand, seethed, crossing her arms; clearly annoyed that another woman, not her, was living with the Alpha.

Logan shook his head. “D, get Luci settled, would ya? I’ve got some business to attend to.”

“Yeah, I bet you do, Alpha,” Dimitri laughed, pointing Luci toward the gate.

“Not funny.”

“Good luck with that,” he added, unable to resist teasing his Alpha. It was going to be fun to watch Logan handle the new female.

“Yeah, right.” Logan turned his back to Dimitri and walked into the house. As he entered, he cocked his hand upward, giving him a wave. His beta was freakin’ hilarious. And correct. Something in the back of his mind told him that he was going to need a hell of a lot more than luck to handle his little wolf. Oh yes, her territorial display had been very intriguing, indeed. Considering her behavior, he couldn’t wait to see her wolf, and ultimately her submission would be the greatest prize he’d ever earned.