Shadow of the Wolf

Chapter Ten

“He’ll be all right, Chris.” Lana hugged Chris, pulling him down onto the hard plastic seat. He’d been pacing since Gareth went into surgery.

“If he’d been two inches shorter his throat would be slit.” Her wolf was growling.

Rage poured off of him in palpable waves. “I’m going to kill him.”

She didn’t even have to wonder whose death he was contemplating. “Cole can’t get away with this. The karma alone is going to be a bitch.”

“Thank the Goddess your friend Kerry was there.” He shuddered. “I don’t know what we would have done without her.”

She stroked his hair, sighing when he relaxed into her. “Called an ambulance and held cloth to the wound, same as she did.”

“He’s going to make it.”

“Yes he is. Don’t doubt it for a second.” Because if Gareth didn’t make it, she had no idea what Chris would do.

“How the fuck did this happen?” Zach growled. His sunny blue eyes were dark with worry. The youngest Beckett was pacing the worn linoleum, tension riding his lean frame.

Lana stared blearily at Zach. She was so damn tired. “I’m not exactly sure.”

“There’s no fucking way Gareth would drive with an open switchblade on the dashboard and you know it.” Zach was practically vibrating. Lana wondered if she had the strength to deal with all of the Beckett males.

“We already know Gareth isn’t stupid. We also know that stomping on the brakes plain old can’t drive a knife into a man so hard it penetrates his collar bone and sticks there.” Daniel cracked his knuckles, his eyes never leaving the swinging doors the doctors would come through after surgery. “That knife was shoved into him by someone or something.”

Kerry snorted. “The man was locked in his car, no broken windows, no nothing. If he got stabbed it was because he stabbed himself.”

“Or the attacker was already in the car with him.” Daniel cracked another knuckle.

“The angle of the knife tells me it came dead on from the top of the steering wheel.

I’m not sure an assailant could even angle his arm the right way to get that shot.”

Daniel finally turned his glare onto something other than the doors. “You stay out of this. You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

Kerry leaned towards Daniel. “Magic. Woo-woo stuff. Right?” She wiggled her fingers in his face, ignoring his shocked look. “Lana’s my best friend. Whatever is going on here involves her, therefore it involves me. And the angle of that knife indicates that it came out of the steering wheel of that car. What if Lana had been driving? She’d be dead.

So get over yourself, get over the fact that I’m a mundane, and let’s all assume that Kerry has a brain in her pretty blonde head. ‘Kay?” She patted Daniel on the head like a dog, nearly earning herself a bite from the normally unflappable Daniel.

Lana was shocked. She’d never told any of the Andrews what she was. How had Kerry known? “Kerry?”

Kerry turned to Lana with a sigh. “You really think you could hide that from me?

Seriously? I had a nice long talk with Grammy when we were sixteen, and she told me everything.” Kerry shook her head, an echo of an old hurt deep in her eyes. “I understand why you didn’t tell me, but I wish you’d trusted me.”

Lana blinked away tears. “I couldn’t, not without permission. But I wish I had, too.”

Kerry nodded. “So. A spell, right? Who was the target?”

“We’re not sure.” Chris cuddled Lana closer, kissing the tears from her cheeks. “We do know who cast it.”

“Cole.” Lana shuddered. “I’m really beginning to hate that man.”

“You and me both, sweetheart.”

Kerry plopped down on the seat, the satin of her dress crackling against the plastic cushion. “So what now?”

“Now you keep your pretty ass out of it.” Daniel was still glaring at Kerry. He actually growled at her when Kerry flipped him off. “I mean it. You have even less defenses against Cole than Lana does. Do you understand me?”

“Actually, there may be something I can do about that.” Grammy stepped over to Kerry. “Do you still have that charm Lana gave you for your eighteenth birthday?”

Kerry nodded. “In my jewelry case back home. Why?”

Grammy smiled wearily. “It was a gift of love from a dear friend. If I can borrow it for a day or two, I can enchant it to protect you from those who would wish you harm.

Would that be all right?”

“Yes. Thank you, Grammy.” Kerry’s smile was tinged with relief. “I want to help Lana, even if it means helping Mr. Grumpypants.”

Daniel took one step towards Kerry. What he intended to do when he reached her was a mystery, because at that moment the surgeon came out of the swinging doors.

“Christopher Beckett?”

“Here.” Chris stood, holding on to Lana with everything in him.

“Your brother is going to be just fine. Frankly, if the knife had hit him just slightly to the left he’d be dead right now, so he’s a very lucky young man. We’re keeping him overnight for observation, and he’ll have to undergo some physical therapy to get full use of his arm back, but I think he’ll make a full recovery.”

“Thank the Lady.” Lana turned Chris and hugged him, his body sagging against her in relief.

“Now that we know Gareth will be all right, why don’t you come with me, Kerry?

We’ll get that little thing taken care of, and you’ll be able to change your clothes.”

Grammy gave each of the Beckett brothers a hug before tugging Kerry out of the hospital waiting room.

“When will your parents get here?” Lana forced Chris to sit back down. He still looked a little gray to her.

“They were in Chicago at a seminar. They’re still trying to get a flight.” He rubbed his face wearily. “It could have been you in that car, Lana.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think we were the targets. Not this time. I think it was a message.”

He looked at her through his fingers. “Sort of I can get you anywhere, anytime?”

“Yeah.” She rubbed Chris’s back, hoping to soothe him.

His jaw clenched, his pupils widening until his eyes were small golden rings around a sea of black. “Message received.”

Lana went down to breakfast Sunday morning a week later to find three of the four Beckett brothers seated at Christopher’s table. She wondered if Gareth’s pain medication had made him sleep in, or if he’d already been down to eat and gone back to bed. She was pretty certain it was the former.

Getting the oldest Beckett brother to move in temporarily had been a battle all on its own. He’d wanted to return to his home in Pittsburgh, feeling he would only be in the way now that he was groggy on pain meds. She and Chris had talked him into staying with them. It had been Chris’s argument that he’d feel safer knowing Gareth was there to protect Lana if anything happened to him that swayed the tide. He’d totally worked Gareth’s overdeveloped protective streak to their advantage. So far, nothing had happened, thank the Lord and Lady. She didn’t know if Cole was laying low after the attack at the wedding, or preparing for one hell of a spell. Either way having the Beckett brothers so close made guarding everyone that much easier.

She turned her eyes to Chris. Her wolf looked grumpy this morning, swatting Zach’s hand away from the last piece of toast with a low growl. “Save some for my mate, you heathen.”

“Speaking of which, good morning, Lana.” Daniel stood, pulling out her chair for her.

Chris took one look at her still wearing his shirt and frowned. “Why aren’t you dressed?”

“Thank you.” She took the seat gingerly, waiting until Daniel sat back down. “It’s Pajama Sunday.”

Chris blinked, a slow frown forming on his face. “Pajama Sunday.”

“Yup.” She snagged the last piece of toast and nibbled on it delicately. “I get to sit around in my jammies, watch television, and generally make a pig of myself.”

Chris chuckled. “I like it already.”

Zach ducked his head under the table. “Are you wearing underwear?”

“Zachary!” Chris yanked his brother up by the hair.

“Pig!” Lana threw her napkin at him.

“I am not a pig. I’m a growing boy. Can’t you tell?” Zachary flexed his muscles, throwing her a happy puppy look.

That happy puppy look changed to a grumble when Daniel snagged Zachary’s last piece of bacon. “We hope some day he’ll even grow a brain.”

Zach picked up the napkin she’d thrown at him and threw it at Daniel. “What is with you and stealing my food?”

Zachary slapped his hands over his plate. Daniel smirked. “I’m a growing boy.”

Lana bit her lip to keep from laughing. Chris’s head was in his hands, but she could see his shoulders shaking. Whether they were shaking from laughter or sobs she couldn’t tell.

“Could you two idiots go call Mom and Dad and let them know what’s going on?

They’re at the Holiday Inn, room two-fifteen.” Chris stood, taking the dirty plates from the table into the kitchen.

Zachary and Daniel stared at Chris. “Me? Call Mom?” Zach pointed to Chris. “She’s your mate, you should call.”

Chris glared at Zach from the kitchen sink. “I’m not calling Mom and telling her Cole threatened my mate. Besides, I told her one of you would call with an update on Gareth.”

Daniel began backing slowly towards the patio door. “Don’t even think of asking me to do it.”

Zach stood. “Run?”

Daniel nodded. “Run.”

They ran, right out the door and straight onto the patio, shedding clothes as they went. Lana tried to peek around Chris to see the brothers disrobing, but he kept blocking her view.

“Party pooper.” She sat back, folding her arms over her chest and pouting for all she was worth. She laughed when he growled at her.

She stopped laughing when he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. She felt something sharp digging into her side. Claws? She twisted, trying to see his hand, but the smart smack he gave her butt stopped her. “You want to see a naked Beckett?”

She gulped and stilled. There was a deep, growling quality to his usually smooth voice that warned her to be very careful. She wasn’t afraid he would hurt her, but it was better not to tug on the wolf’s tail.

His hand caressed her bare ass. “Fucking naked under my shirt.” And he took off, carting her up the stairs so quickly the walls blurred. When they got to his bedroom, he slammed the door shut hard enough to rattle the walls. “No underwear. Trying to see my brothers’ bare asses. Parading around in front of them in nothing but my shirt. Are you trying to drive me insane?” Claws gently scraped her naked ass, his palm rough against her skin.

“Uh, wait?” She blinked. Why did that come out as a question?

He placed her on her feet, his expression full of heated lust. His hands drifted up her thighs, the cool rasp of his claws somehow heightening her arousal. She backed away, her gaze never leaving his heated expression.

And she was aroused. There was no denying that. Something about the feral way he was stalking her across the bedroom heated her blood.

Her back hit the wall. She’d run out of room.

His hands came to rest on either side of her head. “You like to tease, sweetheart?”

She licked her lips, her heart hammering in her chest. “Sometimes.” She wasn’t exactly fighting what he was about to do to her. In fact, she was looking forward to it.

They could both use the relief a bout of hot, sweaty sex could give them. Still, she was in the mood to play a little. She resisted the urge to reach out and trace the muscles of his chest. She knew now exactly how hard and hot those muscles were, how they would twitch under the stroke of her fingers.

He reached out and cupped her breast through his shirt. “I like to tease too.” His thumb stroked over her nipple, bringing it to aching life. His lips curled in a sensuous smile. “But do you know what I like most of all?”

She shook her head, more than half her attention on his hand.

He tweaked her nipple between his thumb and finger. “I like to make my women scream.”

Her eyes narrowed. She snarled at him. Women?

He laughed, obviously delighted with her response. “Woman.” He reached down and lightly stroked her clit. “I bet I could make you, too.”

Everything in her bristled. “Oh no. I bet I could make you. ”

“You’re on.”

She blinked. Had she just agreed to…?

Oh. Oh.

His finger had slipped between her slippery folds, stroking her clit in light, teasing touches. Her hips snapped forward all on their own, trying to bring him closer, to rub harder on that maddening digit.

She opened her mouth, to say what, she wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like he gave her a chance to say anything. His tongue was in her mouth so fast he was lucky she didn’t bite him by accident. But then he started doing things with that tongue, those lips, that finger, driving every thought out of her head but one.

Time to play.

She reached down and cupped him through his jeans, his soft groan music to her ears. She unzipped him, pulling his cock out into her hand. She stroked up and down the shaft, jacking him while he slipped his finger inside her, slowly fucking her.

He pulled back from her mouth with a moan, latching onto her breast through the shirt, suckling at her nipple, until she was gasping, riding his hand, almost ready to beg.

He pulled out of her, smirking at her whimper. He sucked her juices from his finger, growling when she pulled her hand from his cock and lapped his juices from her fingers.

He ripped the shirt open, scattering buttons and exposing her naked breasts, the nipples beaded and hard.

Before he could do much more than look, she was on her knees, sucking him into her mouth. His taste was divine, salty and sweet. She lapped him up, savoring him.

“Holy fuck.” One hand wrapped around the back of her head, holding her steady while he pumped between her lips. The other was on the wall, his back hunched, his head bowed. He watched himself slide in and out of her lips with a rapt expression. She held still, allowing him to control the pace of the blowjob, stroking his shaft with her tongue, determined to get him to scream first.

She peeked up at him and saw his jaw clench. He was watching her face, his gaze drifting between her eyes and mouth. When she closed her eyes and hummed, he pulled out with a gasp.

“Oh no you don’t.” He sounded breathless. He pulled her up by the arms, turned her, and began walking her backwards towards the bed. “You’re very good at that.”

She smirked. “Thank you.”

His gaze darkened. “I’m the only one you’ll be doing that to from now on.”

She decided not to say anything. He had that possessive look on his face again, the one she now knew was directed only at her. He hadn’t even glanced at another woman at the reception, and Kerry’s beauty had garnered no response.

He picked her up and laid her on the bed, his shirt spread under her. Neither one of them had bothered taking the ruined shirt off of her. Her legs dangled over the side, her feet hanging above the carpet, her legs nudged apart by his thighs. When he went down on his knees, her pussy clenched in anticipation. She expected him to go right for her clit.

Most of her previous lovers had. But not Chris. Instead, he began slowly lapping at her, from her hole to her clit, steady, rhythmically. Maddeningly. Her body began to ride his tongue, the rasp of his whiskers against her inner thighs just intensifying the sensation.

Over and over and over, he licked his way up and down, up and down until she was completely drenched and desperate to come. She reached up and began tweaking at her breasts, pulling on her nipples, thrusting against his face. His hands held her thighs apart, his fingers digging into her thighs, his low, hungry growls throwing her over the edge.

She bit her lip to keep from screaming. The orgasm washed over her, so intense she saw spots dancing in front of her eyes. It felt like forever before the spasms ended, but when they did he was still there, kneeling between her thighs, lapping at her, drinking in her juices, lightly trying to drive her back up again.

She whimpered and her body began to stir once more under his expert touch. When he took her hands and put them back on her breasts, she eagerly began playing with them again. This time, when he pushed her over the edge, she clutched his head, holding him right where she wanted him, riding his mouth. She moaned out her pleasure, her back bowing, and her fist pounding the mattress.

Sated, tired, she merely groaned when he lifted her up and placed her on her stomach. Her hips were lifted into the air and a pillow placed beneath them. She heard the sounds of his clothes hitting the floor. His weight hit the bed, almost rolling her over. She steadied herself, giggling, turning tired eyes to see him in all his naked glory. He was magnificent. All corded muscle and smooth, tanned skin, with a washboard stomach and a cock to die for. Thick and red, it jutted out from the nest of black curls, the tip glistening with pre-cum.

He draped himself over her, teasing her with his cock. “Ready to scream?”

She waved one hand languidly, already knowing he wouldn’t get much more out of her. Her body was still humming lightly from the last orgasm. “I think I’m done. But you go ahead.” You’ve earned it.

He reached between their bodies, pinching her clit. She gasped, the sensation rocketed through her. “I’m not so sure of that.” He smiled against her neck, breathing into her ear, “You will come, and you will come hard. ”

She shivered. Her nipples, the little traitors, perked right up, ready and willing for round three. Her pussy quivered in response to his deep growl. When his teeth grazed the back of her neck she quivered.

His smile deepened against her skin. His cock slipped inside her, his teeth nibbling and sucking at her neck. He rode her, his body hunched over hers, slow and easy. His fingers continued to pluck at her clit until her body was bucking back into him, eager for more. The fabric of the comforter scraped against her nipples, heightening her arousal.

And then she looked up, turning her head to get a better look at him, and froze. The way he’d positioned them, she could see everything in the old-fashioned standing mirror next to the bed. Him, sliding in and out of her, his cock red and straining. Her, back bowed, inviting his teeth, his fingers, his cock, her face full of lust, her lips red and swollen from kisses.

And his eyes, those golden eyes, glued to hers through the fall of his bangs in the mirror. He fucked her like there was no place else on earth he needed to be ever again.

She panted, bucking into him harder, tightening the muscles of her pussy until he flinched. His expression turned desperate, and his body lost the slow, lazy rhythm he’d set up until he was fucking her so hard she thought he might leave bruises. He pounded into her, snarling over her, releasing her clit to grab hold of both of her hips.

Her fingers went to stroke herself, the urge to come intensifying with each move of his cock inside her. She could feel it building, her body quivering, straining towards fulfillment.

“Come.” He nuzzled against the back of her neck, the scrape of his teeth turning into the burn of a bite. She shrieked, coming around him in the most colossal orgasm she’d ever experienced in her life. It shot through her, robbing her of breath, of thought, more brutally satisfying than anything she’d experienced in her entire fucking life.

His own roar of completion was partially muffled against her neck, his arms clenched around her waist to hold her in place while he emptied himself inside her.

She collapsed onto the bed, completely rung out. He flopped down beside her, both of them covered in sweat.

“So who won?”

He laughed silently, rolling her over until her body was cradled against him. She drifted off to sleep before hearing his answer.

The first thing he noticed was the ringing of the phone. The second was the warm, damp female body spooned in his arms. He smiled sleepily, wondering when they’d rearranged themselves. He kind of liked the new position, the feel of her delectable ass snuggled up against his growing erection.

“You gonna answer that?”

He pulled her closer to him and mumbled into her hair, “No.” He licked his mark, delighted when she shivered. “M’busy.”

Someone pounded on his bedroom door. “Christopher! Answer the God damn phone!”

Christopher groaned. “Go the fuck away!”

“Just check the caller ID!”

Christopher rolled over and took a look at the phone. The number had him sitting up, his hard-on deflating. He picked up the phone. “Cole.”

“Christopher.”

That hated voice rolled over him. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold back his wolf’s instinctual desire to growl at the man who had not only threatened his mate but his pack.

“What do you want?”

“I understand your brother had an accident. Pity about that, but the Neanderthal doesn’t really need his head, does he?”

“He’s fine, actually. Thank you for calling.” Christopher waved Lana away but she didn’t take the hint, curling up against him and trying to hear Cole’s end of the conversation.

“Really? How marvelous. Congratulations on your mating, by the way.”

He growled, his wolf dangerously close to the surface. “You leave my woman out of this.”

Cole chuckled. “A witch, Christopher? Truly? How … droll.”

Lana’s hands wrapped around his neck, her ear pressing against the receiver in an attempt to hear the conversation. “My little witch took care of your storm, didn’t she?”

She kissed the side of his neck and pressed her ear back to the receiver.

“Alannah took out the storm?” Cole’s laugh was strained, a sound filled with absolutely no humor. “Well, it seems she has some power. Perhaps I should challenge her, see what she’s made of, especially since she assaulted me first.”

“What?” Christopher felt his wolf trying to slip its leash, eager to protect their mate from Cole’s threat.

“You heard me. She assaulted me first. That branch? The one that knocked me out? I know that was her, not you. That grants me the right to challenge.”

Christopher snarled. “You stay away from her or I will rip your prick off and shove it up your ass.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No. I think you secretly like having things shoved up your ass. I’m just being neighborly.”

Lana buried her face in his shoulder, stifling a giggle.

“I know she’s there, Christopher. Put her on the phone so I can formally challenge her.”

Christopher saw red. “I will kill you first.”

“Ah, a definite threat.” Christopher could practically hear the smile in Cole’s voice, but couldn’t bring himself to care. “I challenge you to a duel, Christopher Beckett.”

“Accepted.” He ignored the tightening of Lana’s arms, concentrating solely on Cole.

“And when your corpse lies on the field, I’ll take your woman and fuck her until she bleeds.”

The phone shattered in Christopher’s hands.

“Whoa.” Lana stared at the wreck of the phone. “What did he say to piss you off?”

He turned to face her, the red haze of anger still coating everything. “I have a duel to prepare for.”

“What?”

He climbed out of bed, pulling her along behind him. “We need a shower, then we need to go consult with my brothers.” There was no way in hell he was leaving her alone, either here at the house or at the duel. His brothers would have to guard her while he fought. She followed him docilely into the bathroom. He wished he could enjoy the view, but damn it if that phone call hadn’t killed his libido.

“What the fuck is that?”

He turned to find her staring in the mirror, her eyes tracing the black wolf on the back of her shoulder. “My mark.”

She glared at him in the mirror. “Your mark.”

He smiled smugly. “You are my mate. All of the Beckett mates wear that mark.”

“I never agreed to be your mate!”

He was stunned. Hurt. “Yes you did.”

“When?” Her hands went on her hips, her foot tapping.

“‘Knot of eight protect my mate.’”

The foot stopped. Her mouth fell open. Her hands fell to her sides. A blush crept up her chest to her face. “Oh.”

“Yes. Oh. I think after that it’s safe to say I assumed I had your consent.” She couldn’t reject him now. Could she?

“It would have been nice to be asked,” she muttered.

He sniffed, ignoring her. He tested the temperature of the water with his wrist, wanting the water just right. He wasn’t done being pissed yet, but he wanted to relax with his mate before he damn well exploded from stress.

“I didn’t realize.”

“Realize what?”

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. “When I did that spell I did it on the fly.”

His hands stalled. He felt dizzy. He could not have just heard what he’d heard.

“What?”

“I mean, I knew what I needed, I just didn’t know the words, you know? Not the exact ones, anyway.”

Her hands were stroking his chest, but he didn’t feel it. All he could feel was the new gray hair sprouting on his head. His heart pounded in fear. His little witch had stopped Cole with a made up spell? Did she have any idea what could have happened to her? He stood to his full height, turning to face her. She flinched, and he knew his wolf was closer to the surface than he’d thought.

“What? It worked, didn’t it?”

No fear. Not one single ounce of fear in her. Defiance, a hint of remorse, but that was it.

Chris growled, and it wasn’t human. His wolf had taken over, and it was pissed.

Lana gasped, backing away from him, from his anger. He shifted, needing to run, needing to get away before he said something or did something he’d regret. He went to the window, pressing a specially made latch with his paw. The window swung open and he leapt out into the mid-afternoon sun.

“Chris, wait! Please!”

He ignored her, running into the forest, intent on taking out his rage on some poor, defenseless rabbits rather than her soft, sweet skin.