Chapter Three

 

Grey had wanted to tear Zeke apart but managed to control his beast. He was acting completely out of character, but it didn’t take him long to figure out why.

Caroline.

She’d taken over his thoughts, his desires, and he had to have her.

To own her. Mark her. Fuck her.

He tried to push the ideas out of his head, but there was no fighting them. This girl, this human, was the one he wanted to claim as his mate. She held him tightly as he carried her, no scent of fear remaining. She should be afraid.

Grey planned to take her to his cabin until he got his head straight. Claiming a human went against everything he believed in. It was also the most undeniable instinct he’d ever experienced. He was powerless against the call.

Jacob and Zeke believed she should be punished for being involved in Rhaina’s capture. If he hadn’t stepped in, she’d probably be dead by now. As much as he should put his pack first, all he could think about was Caroline.

He opened the rear cab door and dropped her on the seat. “Lie down. Do I need to tie you up?”

She shook her head and complied, tucking her legs in as she settled on her side. He hoped she’d put up more of a fight, give him a reason to hate her. As it was, she was too behaved.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled up to his private cabin. There were no streetlights this far off the grid, so the house and land were encased in darkness. It was one of the reasons he used to love coming out here. Crickets droned as he walked around to open the rear door. “Come,” he said.

She sat up, reaching out blindly for him. He’d disabled the interior lights of his truck when he’d bought it. When she made contact with his chest, she patted around, finally setting her hands on his shoulders. “I can’t see.”

“Let me do the worrying.”

He scooped her up, and she let out a childish little squeal when her feet left the ground. She-wolves were anything but sugar and spice. Grey always expected to mate with one of his own kind, and had prepared himself to deal with a toxic personality. He needed a mate for reproduction, not love, so it didn’t matter if he liked her or not.

Once inside the cabin, the familiar scents brought back lost memories. It amazed him how a smell or taste could evoke so much emotion. He pushed it all away, back to the dark recesses of his mind, and flicked on a light.

“Where are we?”

“My home.”

“Why am I here? What’s happening?”

As far as she was concerned, he could be a serial killer. She should be much more afraid. He sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar. Caroline looked like a fish out of water. Her ponytail from earlier was replaced with loose waves of hair fanning down over her back and shoulders. She scanned every inch of the open concept bungalow as if cataloging each detail to memory. He rested his forearms on the counter behind him, leaning back.

She had curves. Just the right amount to make him take notice. He undressed her with his eyes, layer by layer. When his fangs pricked his gums, he shook away the images and refocused.

“You know who I am,” he said. “You’ve seen my ID.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” she said. “I promise. I don’t even remember anything. You can let me go and I’ll find my way home. You’ll never hear a peep from me again.”

He chuckled. Grey’d never heard a woman talk so damn fast. “You were afraid of the dark last night.”

Her mouth fell agape. “You were watching me, weren’t you?” Those blue eyes were wide with uncertainty. Every time she looked at him, he lost his bravado, his urge to protect her taking control.

“Only animals can see in the dark.”

“But—”

He stood up, making her back away. “I brought you here to find out why you were trapping wolves.”

“It wasn’t me. I tried to help it, but Wayne had other ideas,” she said.

That must be why Rhaina’s scent was all over her. The only person who could resolve this debate would be Rhaina herself. Even in wolf form, she’d be able to hear and understand everything going on around her. Caroline best not be lying to him.

“Do you like Wayne?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I can’t stand him.”

“And me? What do you think of me, Caroline?”

“I’m not sure what you expect me to say. Before you kidnapped me, I thought maybe there was something there between us. I guess I was wrong, but then again, I’ve never had luck with men.”

“I just saved you from being kidnapped. Right now, you’re my guest,” he said. “So tell me about this something between us.” He walked circles around her, his hands clasped loosely behind his back. She kept tabs on him, continually keeping a bubble of space between them when all he wanted was to be closer.

“I don’t know,” she stammered. “I thought you liked me. The way you looked at me made me feel special.”

“And now? Do you still feel special?”

“I’m afraid. Honestly, I don’t know what I should be feeling. You may have saved me, but you knew that guy.”

“He’s a friend. We’re all concerned with the wolves disappearing. He just went too far for my liking—especially when it involved you.”

Grey should never have brought her here. He never should have returned at all. Like Zeke said, they knew where Rhaina was so this drama would end tonight. Still, he brought Caroline to his secret place, stole her away, and he knew he couldn’t let her go.

****

Grey was danger personified, the type of man parents warned their daughters about. Yes, he’d brought her here rather than bringing her home, but he’d also just saved her from a man who probably planned to rape her. Part of her was flattered Grey had protected her, and the other part didn’t know what the fuck to think.

“Have I hurt you?” he asked.

“No.”

“Then why be afraid?” Every time he walked by her, she was greeted with the faint scent of his woodsy cologne. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, savoring his essence. He was exactly what a man should be—hard, strong, and powerful. She’d been daydreaming about him since he first pulled up at her window. Grey wasn’t handsome in the traditional sense, but he made her want to drop to her knees and submit when he looked at her with those intense black eyes.

“I don’t know anything about you besides your name.”

“So you do remember the details,” he said.

Caroline kept her big mouth shut this time.

“I can tell you more if that would make you more comfortable.” Then he outstretched an arm, motioning her to the sofa. “I’ve lived in these parts my entire life.”

“It’s a beautiful place, I’ll admit that,” she said, taking a seat. “I’ve fallen in love. The thought of moving back to the city in September is starting to give me hives.”

“Moving? Why would you move from here?”

“My job’s only a temporary contract,” she said. “Permanent full-time work is like finding a needle in a haystack these days.”

“You should definitely stay,” he said with a wink.

“Sometimes I wish that was possible.” The longer she lived in the wilderness, the more she hated the idea of returning to city life. She tired of all the drama and hustle. But she had to go where the jobs were, and couldn’t live on air and water alone.

He walked toward her, an aura of confidence surrounding him. The man was a presence. “What if I take care of you? Would you stay then?”

What was happening? This wasn’t a fairy tale, so this was probably another “vice-principal” disaster waiting to happen. “Like some kind of side piece? Are you married or something?”

A wash of confusion hardened his features, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I’m asking you to stay, to be my woman, my mate.”

His mate? That sounded kinky, and her body took notice, tingles traveling all the way to her clit.

“I only met you this morning. You don’t think that’s a little quick to devote your life to me?” He had to be joking, so she played along.

“It only took me a moment to know. I wasn’t crazy about the idea, believe me, but there’s no choice in the matter now.”

She smiled, wondering where this game was going. “Why not?”

He joined her on the sofa, the cushion dipping until she slid against his thigh. “Because I’m already addicted.” Grey was only a breath away. He made her think of kissing and sex and true love. Caroline was a book nerd, a substitute teacher with two brief relationships under her belt. She was no man-eater, but his guy made her feel completely wanton, ready to throw caution to the wind.

“You scare me,” she whispered. He watched the movement of her lips, and the entire world seemed to come to a standstill, leaving just the two of them. All Caroline really wanted was reassurance, to know Grey wasn’t nuts and had no plans of making her hit the next missing persons list. She realized he and his friends wanted to save the wolves, and she was all for that, but their methods left much to be desired.

“You have good instincts.” He ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek and along the side of her neck. Her pussy throbbed, her heartrate kicking up several notches. She exhaled when she realized she’d been holding her breath. “But I’ll admit, the last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

What did he want to do with her?

Her thoughts twisted into X-rated scenarios. “What were you doing in the forest, anyway?” It had been pitch dark and he’d appeared out of nowhere when she’d needed help in the worst way.

“I’ve been keeping my eye on you, Caroline. You’ve invaded my thoughts.”

Interesting, because he’d done the same thing to her. Were they a match made in heaven? She wanted to believe it, but it was difficult for her to trust men. There always seemed to be an ulterior motive, a reason to get what they wanted so they could be on their way. At this point in her life, she’d rather remain single than deal with more disappointment. Of all the men she’d ever met, Caroline had a feeling Grey would be the one capable of breaking her heart.

She wanted to give in to the pull she felt sizzling between them, but kept her wits. “Why did you rent a campsite when you have this cabin? It’s beautiful here.”

“I told you I was looking for information about wolves going missing. Like the one Wayne kept in that shed,” he said. “And I rarely come here. It brings back too many unwanted memories.”

So he was a philanthropist? She remembered feeling so helpless when she’d wanted to save that wild wolf. Knowing he felt the same way was refreshing. It made him even more attractive in her eyes. “What happened?” The words came tumbling out before she could stop them.

He placed his hand on her thigh and she jerked on contact. She swore she’d have a spontaneous orgasm from the proximity to her intimate parts. He didn’t appear to notice, so she was thankful. “I lived here with my parents when I was young. They wanted me to learn how to live like a … to live in a proper home.”

She could feel his unrest, and Caroline had no doubt it was genuine. “Go on.”

“That was a long time ago,” he said, sitting straighter. “They were killed by hunters when I was twelve. I’ve been on my own ever since.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said. Caroline was made of questions, but didn’t want to irritate old wounds. She wondered if they’d caught those hunters, if they were rotting in jail, and if Grey had been shipped off to foster care.

“I try not to dwell on the past. There’s nothing I can do to change it,” he said. “What matters is the future, no?”

She nodded.

His vulnerability and genuine emotions pulled her in, breaking down her carefully built walls brick by brick.

“Stay,” he said, barely above a whisper. His voice was deep and rough, pure sex.

“I guess I’m not going anywhere until you drive me home.”

“That highway hotel?”

This guy knew way too much. Then why did his obsession turn her on? It felt good to be on someone’s radar, to be cared for and not forgotten. “It’s home—for the next three months, anyway.”

“Do you like it there?”

She scoffed. “It’s a dive, but it’s all I can afford. I don’t even mind, not really. It’s the isolation that gets to me.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know anyone out here. It’s lonely.”

He took a section of her hair, feeling it between his fingers. The connection between them warmed her from the inside out. Sharing some of her fears made her vulnerable, making the moment charged with emotion. “You’re beautiful,” he said. “I’ve never met a female quite like you.” Grey licked his lips, mesmerizing her. When he looked straight at her, there was something hypnotic about his eyes. They were black with a holographic quality, like a cat’s.

She reached her hand toward his face, but he grabbed her wrist in a firm grip, startling her.