Chapter 20

After they dropped Haldon off at the police station, Jenna and Sarandon headed back to her house, and all he could think about was how much he craved to make love to his mate. He visualized stroking her into completion and plunging into her hot, wet sheath; his cock was already half-aroused.

“What do you do after you have a case like this when you’re so close to home?” Sarandon asked, his voice much huskier than usual. He was glad everything had worked out and no one had gotten hurt.

She eyed him for a minute. “I usually go for a wolf run. It always gives me the feeling of freedom and helps me to shake off the concern I have when I have to take a suspect in. Now that you’re here with me, I feel so much better. I don’t need a wolf run to get it out of my system. Afterward, I would have gone back to Cañon City to look for Herman.”

He parked the car in her garage. “I could just make love to you and get rid of the adrenaline rush that way. You know what they say, don’t you? Having all that excess adrenaline in your system, if you don’t burn it off in physical exercise, can make you jittery.”

She chuckled. “Is that why your voice is so rough? It’s definitely on the agenda. I still want to run. Don’t you?”

“Yeah. And then I’ll make love to you.” But he was thinking that making love to her would have to come first. He was too ready for this.

“How could I be so lucky.” She leaned over the console and kissed his mouth but slid her hand over his erection, and it jerked under her light touch. She smiled and licked his lips. “Hmm, looks like someone’s got other plans. First.”

“I’m damn lucky. And hell yeah.” No way could Sarandon smell his sexy mate running as a wolf with him, feeling her rubbing against him in a loving way, and not take care of the raging need he had to make love to her beforehand.

Ravishing his beautiful mate, and then running with her. He had to keep his priorities straight.

Once they left the car, he snagged her hand and headed into the house. In the bedroom, he removed her holster and pistol.

“Hmm, this reminds me of the first time we met.” She removed his holster next.

He laughed. “I was thinking the same thing. And how our foreplay in the leaves at the cabin was a real turn-on, as much as I was trying to keep some control over the notion.”

She chuckled. “I noticed.”

“Couldn’t be helped. All your ordering me about and armed to the teeth, you were sexier than hell.” He unfastened her protective vest and cast it to the floor.

“I was hoping you’d want to do this first. Been thinking of this for a while?” She rubbed her hot body against his erection and yanked off his protective vest, dropping it on the floor on top of hers.

He loved it when she stripped him of all his gear. “Hell yeah. As soon as we dropped off the perp. All I could think about was getting you naked. You’re so beautiful, Jenna.”

“You’re one sexy wolf, Sarandon. I was imagining the same but didn’t want you to think that’s all I thought of you—sex and more sex, like you were my prized stud wolf.”

He chuckled. “Works for me.” He settled her on the edge of the bed so he could remove her boots and socks, rubbing his cheek against her knee, smelling her musky aroma. “You’re already wet for me, aren’t you?” He looked up at her to see her smiling down at him.

“Since I’ve been thinking about getting you naked and having my wicked way with you.”

He smiled at her, took hold of her shoulders, and leaned her back on the bed. He unbuckled her belt, pulled down her pants zipper, then slid her pants off. He rubbed her mons through her wet panties, glad she was just as eager to have sex.

Not expecting it, she left the bed and yanked his shirt out of his jeans, her fingers slipping underneath his shirt and stroking his chest. “Hurry up. You’re way behind me.”

“We’ll remedy that.” He tore off his shirt. Then he leaned down to remove his boots and socks.

As soon as he stood tall, she ran her hand over his cock straining against his jeans. He groaned.

“Hmm.” She kissed his naked chest, running her hands up his muscles, palming his nipples.

Her touches and kisses stoked the fire burning in his blood. Yeah, no way could he have waited to have her. He pulled off her shirt and unfastened her bra, and then he kneaded her beautiful, bountiful breasts.

He wanted her now, but he was trying not to rush this time, loving the feel of her smooth fingers on his skin and the way her nipples pressed against the palms of his hands.

He ran his hands down her arms while she unfastened his belt and then pulled down his zipper, her fingers caressing his erection. He couldn’t last and hurried to pull off her panties. She slid his boxer briefs down his legs, and he kicked them off before he pinned her to the mattress, his wolf, his mate.

Mine.

* * *

Sarandon gave her a long, lingering kiss, his touch a drug Jenna didn’t want to give up. Ever. Her body was as taut with need as his appeared to be.

He anchored her against him, rubbing his stiff cock against her, and she rubbed her body against him, breathing in his scent and collecting it against her skin.

She swept her hands down his back as he pressed kisses on her cheeks, then her throat, her neck, making her tingle with exquisite need.

He kindled a fire deep inside her, his warm tongue pressing against her lips, seeking entrance. And she let him in. Welcomed him, the sweet, spicy taste of him. The erotic touch of him.

Never had she imagined she’d feel this way with another wolf, so completely taken in. So fiercely passionate. So ready and demanding.

With Sarandon, it was always uninhibited, passionate sex. Having him touch her scorched her as she couldn’t stop touching him. Feeling his smooth, heated skin, tracing his hard muscles, she enjoyed his cock rubbing against her leg as he moved to stroke her into oblivion, and she was ready for him too.

Oh God, he was so very good at this. And tormenting her with his strokes. She breathed him in, her sexy mate, her wolf, his pheromones zinging about and tantalizing hers.

Their heartbeats were thundering as he stroked her harder, faster, into a fevered pitch. Now or never. She felt the rise and fall in one tumultuous, cataclysmic moment, and then the waves of climax carrying her out to sea.

Feeling boneless, she wanted him now, every bit of his glorious cock thrusting between her legs. Now.

* * *

Jenna was one hell of a seductive wolf. Sarandon was damn lucky Alex had brought them together, and though Sarandon had never believed in fate or destiny, he couldn’t deny he felt that meeting Jenna like he had and falling in love had been fated.

He spread her legs apart and entered her slowly, then pulled out and began to thrust. He’d never met a more passionate woman. Never needed one like he needed her.

He kissed her lips. Licking them, then seeking entrance. She parted her lips for him, but when he inserted his tongue to taste her, to caress her, she sucked on it, making him nearly come.

He thrust his cock deeper between her legs, slipping his hands under her buttocks, so she was higher and he could forge even deeper. She clung to him, matching his thrusts, drawing him in and holding on for dear life.

He would never be able to get enough of her, and he was glad he had an extended lifetime to pleasure her. When she grazed her nails gently down his back, he couldn’t last any longer.

He came, thrusting a few more times before grinding out, “You make my world complete.”

“As you do mine. I can’t imagine not having you in my life since we met.”

He pulled off her and lay on his back. She snuggled up to Sarandon. “You’re easy to love, you know.”

“I feel the same about you.”

“I feel totally boneless and wish we could just stay here the rest of the day, just like this.”

Hating to mention it, he said, “We have to find Herman.”

She sighed. “Yeah, time to put another one behind bars so we can do more of this. Come on, mate of mine. Help me up.”

He got out of the bed and pulled her up and into his arms. He snuggled her close, his cock twitching. She smiled, then kissed him slowly on the lips and finally separated from him. “I’m getting something to drink before we run, and then let’s go.”

“Sounds good to me. Making love to you works up a bit of an appetite too. We can eat when we get home.”

He swore he heard something push the wolf door open, and she quickly whispered “Wolf company” to Sarandon before shifting.

No one would come into her house without forewarning unless that someone was trouble.

Sarandon had shifted just as quickly and brushed past her, ready to tear into the wolf. There was only one wolf he believed would come in uninvited.

When he saw the brown wolf this time and smelled his scent, he recognized him from the meeting with him at the Antlers Hotel. Burt.

The wolf’s brows lifted, his tail stiff, his ears down a little as he saw Sarandon. What did the bastard think? That because Jenna had been trying to locate him on her own, she would be alone right now? Badly injured? Barely able to fight him, if he showed up unannounced?

Burt tried to make it back to the wolf door, but Sarandon pounced on his back and bit him hard.

The wolf let out a yelp. Sarandon wasn’t letting the bastard live. When their kind tried to kill humans or wolves, it was a death sentence. Unless there were extenuating circumstances, like self-defense or protecting an innocent. But going after people who were trying to do their job and keep their kind safe?

The wolf was as big as Sarandon, and he twisted and turned to get loose of Sarandon’s grip, finally breaking free. He was hurting. Even so, he snapped and snarled, trying to keep Sarandon from attacking again. Thankfully, Jenna waited in the wings, and Sarandon was glad she didn’t try to attack. This was his job, unless the wolf managed to get the best of him. Sarandon wasn’t about to let him. He lunged in, and the two wolves growled and snapped at each other, trying to grab the other’s throat but only managing to clash teeth.

Sarandon tasted his blood, and Burt’s. Burt tried to back out the wolf door and Sarandon tried to stop him, but Burt managed to get outside, whipped around, and ran.

For his mate and CJ and Alex, Sarandon couldn’t let the bastard go free. He ran like the wind after the retreating wolf, and he heard Jenna running to catch up. He saw her run beside Burt, and Sarandon didn’t want her to get anywhere near him until he realized what she was doing. She was running him toward the box canyon. Like Alex, Burt wouldn’t know the area that well. He’d only been here the one time.

Sarandon loved his clever mate, though he still didn’t want her near the bastard.

As soon as they reached the canyon, Burt looked up and realized his mistake. He had no time to rectify it. He turned, and Sarandon was on him again. Only this time, he tore into Burt before the wolf could fight back. He cut off his windpipe and held on until Burt sank to the ground and shifted.

He was dead.

Before Jenna could race back to her house to tell her mom what had happened, Sarandon saw five male wolves running toward them. What the hell?

No way could Sarandon fight off that many wolves, and with only Jenna’s mom at her own home next door—even if she could come help out—two females and one male against five hefty males wouldn’t be a match they could win.

Then one of the wolves barked at the others, and they all stopped. The black wolf ran forward then, the alpha male of the group. Sarandon could win this battle, even though he was bleeding some. He would do anything to protect Jenna.

The wolf barked at him, and Sarandon smelled his scent as he ran to join them. Join them. Not fight them. Relieved beyond measure, Sarandon realized the wolf was Monty.

How had he and the others known Burt was here? He wondered if they’d caught wind of where he was headed. Sarandon hoped the pack would understand why he’d had to take such drastic measures.

Monty shifted. “We have other men standing by. Some of my men will return with you and Jenna to let them know where we are. We’ll take Burt back with us. I’m sorry it had to come to this.”

Sarandon shifted. “How did you know he’d be here?”

“The whole pack has been on the lookout for him. We learned he was meeting some waitress at a bar tonight, but we discovered he’s been staying at her house. After what happened to Jenna, we were afraid he might come after her. After he tried to kill her and didn’t succeed and it turned the whole pack against him, we were worried he’d want revenge.”

“Sorry it had to come to this.”

“We smelled his scent at the house. We know you couldn’t let him go. We’ll take care of him. Thanks for all your help,” Monty said.

Sarandon nodded, and the two men shifted. Then he went with Jenna and two of the men. He smelled that one of the men who stayed with Monty was Anton. He was sorry for him most of all.

Jenna kept pressing against Sarandon, showing him her love and support. He licked her muzzle, and they kept loping toward the house. Only now did he feel some pain from the bites Burt had managed to inflict. Nothing really serious that wouldn’t heal up in a few days. More irritating than anything.

When they arrived at the house, they found five cars sitting in Jenna’s driveway and more men, still in their human form, appearing anxious to learn what had happened. One of the wolves shifted and said, “Burt’s dead. He entered Jenna’s home to kill her, and Sarandon had to fight him. He didn’t have a choice.”

“Hell,” said the man who had taught the boys to ride motorcycles. He glanced at Sarandon. “I don’t blame you one damn bit. As much as I hate to say it, Burt dug his own grave.”

“We’ll show you where his body is.” The man shifted back into his wolf form, and he and the other wolf led the men to the box canyon.

Sarandon followed Jenna into the house through the wolf door, and as soon as they shifted, she was looking him over, tears in her eyes. “God, Sarandon.”

“I’m all right. We’re all right. The pack is with us on this. They’ll take care of him.”

“And Alex? What will he think when he learns you killed his brother?” Jenna pulled Sarandon into the bathroom to tend to his wounds.

“If he can’t understand that protecting my mate is more important than life itself, it doesn’t matter what he thinks.”

“True.” Once she tenderly cleaned his wounds and bandaged them, kissing each of them, Sarandon pulled her into his arms and kissed her mouth with tenderness.

Jenna’s phone rang in the bedroom, and she nearly leaped out of his arms. “Wolf howl. Mom.” She rushed into the room, got her phone, and put it on speaker. “We’re all right.” She glanced at Sarandon as he pulled her into his arms again. He kissed her cheek.

“Monty and some of his pack members are here. Sarandon had to kill Burt.”

“Anton called to say they had just arrived at your house but not to come over until they knew it was safe.”

“Yes, Burt had come into the house to kill me, but he didn’t expect me to have a mate. He wasn’t planning on having to face a wolf like Sarandon.”

“How is he?”

“Dead. Burt, I mean. Sarandon? A few bite marks. I’ll take care of him.”

“We don’t have to try to locate Herman right away. Let Sarandon rest up.”

Sarandon was shaking his head. When he had a mission to do, he did it. A few bites weren’t going to stop him.

“Did you tell him what the guy is charged with?” her mother asked.

Jenna looked up at Sarandon, and he frowned down at her.

“Aggravated assault and battery.” She smiled a little at Sarandon.

“We’ll take him down together,” Sarandon said. “We’re going to get something to eat, and we’ll be on our way.”

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Victoria asked.

Sarandon smiled. He hadn’t had a mother in so long; he was going to love this.

“Yes,” Jenna said. “We’re a team, and I don’t want to do this without him.”

When they ended the call, they got dressed and found Monty and his group taking Burt home in a tarp in the back of one of the trucks that had a cover for the bed.

Everyone had shifted back and mostly dressed. They all looked pretty grim about the whole situation. Sarandon wondered if the man who had told Jenna where to find Burt at his grandfather’s farmhouse was here.

He didn’t have long to wonder. The older man came over with Monty to speak with them. “I’m so sorry,” he said to Jenna. “After Burt shot you and you finally came to enough to call Monty for help, I realized what a mistake I’d made, believing Burt wasn’t capable of injuring anyone like that. I just figured CJ had riled him. To try to kill a woman? You were still lying on the ground and barely able to move when we arrived, and you hadn’t even drawn your gun. So he wasn’t acting out of fear for his life. I can’t tell you how much I regret forcing you to go alone and not calling for any backup. I’ll do whatever you want to make it up to you.”

“Thanks. You don’t need to. Your apology is enough,” Jenna said graciously.

Monty shook Sarandon’s hand. “Don’t be a stranger. You’re as much family as Alex is.”

“Despite what happened here today?” Sarandon asked.

“Hell yeah,” said two of the men who were getting ready to leave.

The one said, “You took care of a bad situation none of us wanted to handle.”

The other nodded.

“And, Jenna,” Monty said, “you’re just as much family.”

“Thanks, Monty. We’ll be headed into your territory looking for another fugitive soon, and when we have the chance, we’ll drop by and say hi.”

“That would be good.” Monty gave her a hug, and then he and the rest of his men left.

“I feel bad for Anton,” Jenna said.

Sarandon noticed he’d already left with the man driving the truck carrying Burt’s body and hadn’t said goodbye. “He’ll take time to grieve. I just hope that Alex will understand.” He didn’t want to lose his brother before he’d even had a chance to know him.

“You know,” Jenna said, taking Sarandon’s hand and leading him into the house, “you have a sister and her family to get to know better too.”

“Right. That we do.”

“Let’s have lunch and go find Herman.”

* * *

Jenna still felt bad about the situation with Burt, knowing that’s how it had to end, glad his pack was willing to forgive. It was still a hard thing to do.

Trying to focus on the task at hand, they drove back to Cañon City to try to track down Herman, letting Monty know they were again chasing down a fugitive in his neck of the woods.

“We want to help.”

“Herman Schofield is human.”

“And he’s wanted for aggravated assault and battery, and your wolf partner has been injured. We want to help. We need to help.”

“We don’t want to get a bunch of your people arrested if anything goes wrong.”

“We’ll just be your backup, and you lead.”

“All right. We’ll be there in an hour. Whoever wants to go with us can, and we’ll revisit the garage where two of the guy’s brothers work. I have a sneaking suspicion they know where he is, but they weren’t about to tell me where.”

“Just come here, and you can take your backup with you.”

When they finished the call, Jenna couldn’t believe the pack was going to help them in this.

“Monty’s taken control of his pack, given them a mission, his territory, and they’re willing to make amends to you. Sounds like a good deal.”

She wiped away tears. “Right. And they want to make amends to you.” She glanced at him. “You were injured.”

“Not hardly a scratch.”

She snorted.

Sarandon got a call from Eric and put it on speaker. “Yeah, Brother?”

“Brett’s coordinating this business of finding people to take over your guided tours. Somehow I got roped into taking on the hiking tour.”

“Roped in?” Sarandon asked, smiling.

Jenna still didn’t get the dynamics between the brothers. Was he kidding? Or not?

“Uh, yeah. My mate said we were doing it. Together. As a team.”

Sarandon laughed. “Thanks, Eric. And give Pepper a hug for me. And for Jenna.”

“Especially for me,” Jenna said.

“I will. Hey, Monty called CJ and said you took Burt down. So, what I want to know is why I’m hearing this from CJ.”

Jenna smiled at Sarandon. His older brother would always want to be the first to know what was going on in Sarandon’s life. She’d make a mental note of it. Contact Eric first when they learned they were going to have their children.

Sarandon told him about Burt trying to kill Jenna. Twice. That he’d taken him out and that was the end of the matter. “The best news is, not only do we not have to deal with him any longer, but a couple of people from Monty’s pack are coming to help us out with our next case. We’re on our way there now.”

“Just how badly injured are you?” Eric asked, sounding concerned.

“Just a few bite marks. They’ll heal quickly.”

“They wanted to help out because they’re afraid you’re not at the top of your game,” Eric said.

“They want to help out because they feel badly about what happened to us.”

“All right.”

Jenna swore Eric was waiting for her to chime in and say Sarandon was fit for duty, but this was between him and Eric.

“Let me know, first, if you have any more life-or-death situations,” Eric said, commanding.

Sarandon smiled. “Will do.”

“Better.”

She chuckled. She loved his brothers.

After they ended the call, Sarandon got a call from Darien.

“Uh-oh,” she said.

Sarandon laughed. “Yeah, I should have told him too.”

The rest of the way to Cañon City, Jenna listened to Sarandon telling the story over and over: to his other brothers, Brett, and even CJ. Monty’s version wasn’t detailed enough. Sarandon talked to his cousins Jake and Tom after he explained to Darien what had happened. Jenna wondered if it would always be this way, even now that he lived away from the pack. She suspected it would. He was a Silver wolf and would always be a Silver wolf, no matter where he lived. She thought it was wonderful to have a family and a pack like that.

When they reached Monty’s house, she’d expected to find a couple of men who had volunteered to help. Instead, ten men were standing in the curved driveway, cars parked all along it, and in the center, two of the men had hold of Herman Schofield.

Her jaw dropped, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how that had happened.

“We figured we’d find him for you,” Monty said. “That way, Sarandon would have more time to recuperate, and you’d have a break. And if you’ve got room for a couple more fugitive recovery agents working for your mom, I’ve got a couple of men who would love to join your force and cover this area.”

“They’ll have to apply for the positions with my mom and complete the training. If it were me, I’d say you’ve done a wonderful job. We’ll pay the reward money—”

“This one is on us,” Monty said, the men agreeing.

One of the men there was Anton. Even he had come through for them.

“Thank you. All of you,” Jenna said.

“Thank you,” Monty said.