.

Knox braced for impact, but when the brother tried to fire, nothing happened. He must have used up all his rounds in the previous exchange.

As he fumbled in his pocket for another magazine, Knox dived through the broken window, hitting the guy and knocking them both to the floor. They rolled across the enclosed space, banging into the leg of a bleeding man already lying in the middle of the room. Anger gave Knox a surge of energy. He gained the advantage, smashing Campbell’s head against the floor. He tried to rear up, but Knox socked him in the jaw, just as they both heard footsteps reverberating on the stairs.

Reinforcements for the brother?

Or one of the Decorah men?

The door burst open, and Zack charged into the room. Taking in the situation, he aimed a kick at the bastard’s head, and the man went still.

“Appreciate it,” Knox said, as he heaved himself up and rushed back to the window. Climbing out, he headed for the gable, praying that Maggie hadn’t been hit.

He wasn’t sure when he saw her.

She was lying on the roof, hugging her shoulders and rocking back and forth.

“Are you okay,” he shouted frantically, moving toward her as fast as he could without tumbling off the roof.

“I don’t know,” she gasped out. “Everything is spinning.”

He kept his gaze on her. When he saw her hand was bleeding, his insides clenched. Speeding up, he crawled toward her and caught her in his arms, running his hands over her, searching for bullet wounds.

To his profound, relief, he found none. And when he picked up her hand, he saw a gash across the palm—probably from the glass.

Slowly he dragged her back toward the window, trying to keep clear of the broken glass.

As he approached, he called out, “All clear?”

“Yeah. I’ve got him cuffed,” Zack called from inside the room. “It looks like he shot one of his own men before we got here.”

That must be the wounded guy on the floor.

“Too bad the nurse on the scene is in no shape to treat him.”

Zack’s head appeared in the broken opening. “I’ll open another window. That way you can keep clear of the glass.”

“Thanks.”

He heard crunching noises from inside. “It’s stuck,” Zack called. “Give me a sec.”

Knox waited, gritting his teeth to keep from cursing. He wanted to get Maggie inside, and it seemed like hours before the sash finally flew up. Knox headed in that direction, hauling Maggie with him.

When they reached the window, he stood and lifted her into his arms, then ducked inside.

Zack had cuffed the brother to the bed rail. The man on the floor was moaning.

Zack’s phone vibrated, and he whipped it out, listened for a moment and reported, “The stable is secured. One of the men down there turned on the others.”

“Which one?”

“The chemist, Emery Livingston. I guess he came to his senses. Or he figured he’d get a better deal by cooperating with the law.”

“Okay, yeah,” Knox answered, barely able to listen to any reports. “But I have to take care of Maggie.”

“I know. We’ll clean this up.”

The brother turned his malicious gaze on Zack. “You know your buddy is a werewolf?”

“Me?” Knox asked as he gathered Maggie closer.

“Yeah, you.” Campbell’s gaze drilled into her. “Hey, sis, you fucked a wolf man. How do you like that?”

Knox had been thinking about how to respond to that accusation. “You’re mistaken,” he said in a cool voice. “I work with a trained wolf-shepherd mix. He dug me out of that shed, then waited for you to open the door.”

Campbell laughed. “Nice try.”

As if on cue, a wolf walked into the room and snarled. It was Cole who must have been on his way in and heard the conversation.

“Good boy,” Knox said.

The wolf grinned at him, then snapped his teeth at the brother—who cringed back.

Knox might have enjoyed the moment more, but he could feel Maggie trembling in his arms.

“I gotta get her out of here,” he said.

“You go on,” Zack said.

Knox strode out of the room with her in his arms. At the end of the hall was what looked like a master bedroom.

Carrying her inside, he kicked the door closed behind them, then lowered Maggie to the bed.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered.

“I won’t.” Turning back, he locked the door.

When he returned to the bed, he scuffed off his shoes and lay down beside her.

She scooted up against him, her face buried in his shoulder.

He stroked her hair, her arm. She was still trembling.

“Is it bad?”

“I feel like I’m going to fly apart.”

“He did this because of me.”

“No. He’s always hated me.”

He wanted to ask why a brother could hate his sister that much. He wanted to tell her what he was feeling about the two of them. And he desperately wanted to make everything right between them. But he remembered how he’d reacted when he was under the influence of the drug, and he knew a coherent discussion wasn’t possible for her now.

All he could do was help her get through this. “You’re with me. You’re safe.”

“I know.”

The way she said it was like a caress. Yet the fear of losing her was still strong. What was going to happen when she came back down to earth? That had been a gradual process for him. It might take longer or be more violent because of the injection she’d gotten.

Her next words riveted his attention. “Sex magic,” she murmured.

“What about it?”

“You thought of it as a way to keep us safe.”

He made a dismissive sound. “That came from the depths of my drugged brain.”

“But it’s logical.”

“Oh sure.”

“Campbell said . . . the drug can be an aphrodisiac.” The look in her eyes told him it wasn’t just an idle observation.

“Is that what it’s doing to you?”

“Yes.”

“Christ.”

“Knox, I need you.” As she spoke, her voice turned frantic. Twisting, she pressed her breasts against his chest.

A few minutes ago she’d been in his arms when he’d spun the story about the wolf. He’d been lying through his teeth—to protect his secrets. But he’d promised himself that he could have no intimacy with her until he told her the truth about himself.

Now she was silently telling him the talking part would have to wait.

###

Maggie squeezed her eyes shut, willing her body to calm down. But that seemed to be impossible. She’d felt heat building inside her since soon after that damn shot, and the fire had turned into a raging furnace.

When she heard Knox curse, her eyes flew open. “You hate this,” she whispered.

“Yeah. Because of what that bastard did to you.”

“And now you’re left to clean up the mess.”

“It’s not a mess. It’s you in need,” he answered, stroking his hand over her back and shoulders.

“But you can help me.” She might have been embarrassed by her desperation. But she was beyond embarrassment. The raw sensations knifing through her ruled. Grabbing his hand, she pressed it to the throbbing place between her legs, rocking frantically against the pressure of his palm. Needing more, she reached for one of her own breasts, squeezing through her tee shirt and bra, then finding her nipple, pulling and twisting at it.

It was enough to rocket her over the edge, and she came, in a wave of sensation that jolted through her like she’d grabbed a live electric wire.

When the intensity ebbed, she pressed her face against Knox’s shirt and started to sob.

###

Knox gently stroked her back and shoulders.

“I was out of control.”

“Like I was out of control when I thought you were a space alien.”

“Not quite.”

“Yes. It’s the drug.”

“I. . . hate your seeing me . . . like this,” she gasped between sobs.

“It’s okay. You’re okay,” he murmured, still stroking her.

“No. . . I’m not okay. That wasn’t enough to fix it. I can feel it starting to build up again. Oh God, Knox, what am I going to do?”

“I’m right here. I’ll do whatever you need.”

“And I’ll never be able to look you in the eye again,” she answered, keeping her face buried because she couldn’t bear to look at him now.

His voice turned fierce. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not your fault.”

“I can’t control myself. I hate that.”

“Shhhh,” he soothed, kissing her cheek, her hair.

She clung to him because there was nothing else she could do now. She needed him more than she could imagine needing any man. “It’s . . . coming . . . back, like a lion sneaking through the tall grass. About to pounce,” she choked out.

“It’s okay. I’ll take care of you, love.”

“Love?”

He hadn’t meant to use that word. It had just slipped out in the heat of the moment.

Her gaze met his. “That makes it okay.”

“Oh Lord,” he choked out. Did it? Would she hate him later? Worse than she already might.

Maggie pushed herself up and glanced frantically toward the door.

“It’s locked.”

As soon as he said it, she sat up and pulled her shirt over her head. After tossing it away, she reached around for the hook at the back of her bra. “I need your hands on my breasts. Right now.”

He pushed himself up beside her, reaching to stroke her swollen breasts, playing with her hardened nipples. She arched into the caress, obviously needing more.

“Lie down,” she murmured.

When he did as she asked, she rolled on top of him and found that he was hard.

“That’s what I need,” she gasped as she pressed her sex to his rigid erection, then began to move her hips, stroking herself against him, rubbing frantically.

Her orgasm came quickly. When it was over, his hands soothed over her bare back.

“Better?” he asked as he lowered her to the bed.

 

###

Maggie lay there, breathing hard, staring up at him, and feeling better for now, except that her jeans and panties were too tight for her heated skin.

Quickly she pulled them off, then felt exposed when she found herself lying naked on the bed.

“I need to get under the covers,” she whispered.

Knox got up and pulled the spread and sheet back. When she’d slipped under, she lay with her eyes closed, trying to keep her breath even.

“Are you better?”

Realizing he was still standing beside the bed, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. “I’m sort of okay now.”

“That’s good.”

She dragged in a breath and let it out. “But I know it’s not over. It’s crouching like a demon in the dark, ready to spring at me.”

“When it does, I’ll be here.”

He lay down on the bed again and gathered her to him, stroking his lips against her hair, and she thought with a pang that she had been thinking only of herself.

“Knox, take off your clothes.”

“I shouldn’t.”

“I want you to.”

He sat up and pulled his shirt over his head before kicking off his sweatpants and briefs, leaving him naked and aroused, his penis jutting toward her.

“Lord, that looks so sexy.” she whispered. “I want it inside me.”

The expression on his face was torn between agony and desire. “I shouldn’t.”

“Of course you should.” She clasped him in her hand, stroking up and down, feeling the heat and the fullness.

He gasped. “Don’t.”

When she didn’t stop, he made a rough sound and slipped under the covers, pulling her body against his. She guided him to her, and almost as soon as she felt him inside her, her body contracted, then exploded, sending another set of shock waves through her system.

She felt his hips moving, then heard him cry out as he followed her.

She nestled against him, so tired now that she could barely keep her eyes open.

“Got to sleep,” she murmured.

“Sure.”

Her eyes flew open. “Don’t leave me.”

“I’ll be here when you wake up.”

###

Maggie wasn’t sure how long she slept. And when she realized she was alone in the bed, panic seized her. Then she saw that Knox was dressed and sitting in the chair in the corner.

Sitting up, she dragged the covers over her breasts.

He looked anxious—maybe as anxious as she felt.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“For what?”

“For acting like a nymphomaniac.”

“Not you. The damn drug. It affects some people like that. Cole—my cousin—was talking to the chemist. He didn’t want to market the stuff until he knew it was stable. Your brother was pressing him to say it was ready.”

Her face heated. “You were talking to them? You didn’t say anything about me, what it did to me?”

“Of course not.”

“Thanks.”

“I wouldn’t. And remember it did something similar to me.”

“Not so—violently.”

“It’s over now.” He stood and crossed the room. His expression was grave when he sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I vowed I was going to tell you something—before we made love again.”

“And I pushed you into breaking your vow.”

“Uh huh.”

She cleared her throat. “You were going to tell me about the wolf.”

His mouth went dry. “What about the wolf?”

“What you told Campbell was a lie. You don’t work with a wolf-shepherd mix. You are the wolf. Like he kept saying, only he didn’t really understand what he was talking about.”

“How do you know?”

“Because of what I sensed from the first. There’s a wildness in you I recognized.” She swallowed. “And I responded to it.”

“You don’t hate what I am?”

“I guess I’ll have to get used to it. I mean, if I want to stay with you.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Thank God.” He gathered her in his arms. “I was afraid you’d hate me.”

“No I love you.”

“I already told you. I didn’t mean to say it, but it slipped out.”

She tightened her hold on him. “I loved hearing it—even when I wasn’t in any shape to be coherent.”

“Maybe you were meant to be a werewolf’s lifemate.”

“A werewolf’s lifemate,” she repeated. “I like the sound of that.”

“I wasn’t expecting it. I’m younger than the usual age of bonding. But I think that drug freed me—to choose you.”

“Lucky for me.”

She lifted her face and he lowered his for a long, deep kiss. When they broke apart, she asked, “Who was the wolf who came into the room?”

“My cousin, Cole.”

“He’s like you.”

“Yes. All the men in my family. Several of us work for Decorah Security. That’s why he thought I’d fit into the organization. Cole came up here with three other agents, looking for me because my phone was out, and they were worried about me. Brand and Zack are also my cousins.” He paused for a moment. “Most Decorah agents have some special talent. Jonah, the other guy in the rescue party is a telepath. He was able to tell us that Campbell had drugged you.”

She nodded. “Where is Campbell?”

“In jail. Along with the rest of the crew. But we’re going to post bail for the chemist, Emery Livingston, so we can get some more information from him.”

“Good idea.” She looked down at her hands. “I’m going to feel funny meeting the rest of your group. Not because of them,” she added quickly. “Because of . . . the way I was out of control.”

“I knew you’d say that. The rest of them have cleared out. They packed up your camping stuff and put it in my car—along with my equipment—and drove the car over. We can stay at the house for a few days, if you want.”

She thought about it. “Not here. Let’s find another camping spot. Somewhere I might not go by myself—but where I’ll know I’m safe because I’ve got a wolf with me.”

“The wolf didn’t do such a great job last time he was in the woods.”

“Because he was trying to take some pictures of the drug operation. This time he’ll be too busy with other stuff for picture taking.”

“Oh yeah,” he agreed, gathering her to him and resting his chin on the top of her head. “I found my lifemate early,” he whispered.

“And now we can spend the rest of our lives together.” She swallowed. “And have a real family.”

“What do you mean? Didn’t you have a real family?”

She pulled far enough away to meet his eyes. “You saw what kind of relationship I have with my brother. But it’s more than that. I had a father who didn’t value me and a mother who just faded into the background and let the men make all the decisions.”

He nodded. “Actually, my family was kind of like that. That’s why I left home as soon as I could. And why I vowed I’d never treat a lifemate the way my dad treated my mom. And you get an extra bonus. You’re going to love the Decorah family. They’ll make up for everything you missed.”

She clasped him to her, marveling at her luck that he’d stumbled into her campsite and into her life.

THE END