“Were you followed?” Brand shut the back of the SUV and watched his two pack members being taken inside the main house. Glenis had helped Joanie inside but he hadn’t missed the scathing look their new pack-mate had sent him before she disappeared. At least she was moving on her own steam.

He’d officially gone off the deep end. Kidnapping patients wasn’t in his normal procedure, that was for sure. He had to speak with her. To let her know it was for her protection and nothing else. Especially nothing to do with the permanent fucking erection he seemed to get whenever he thought about her.

The main house always took his breath away every time he saw it. Brand’s father had been a skilled carpenter and created the structure to be a part of nature, not separate from it. It truly was a marvel. Part tree house, but all home, Brand’s wife had used her talents in the magical arts to further the unique flavor of the place. Here, at least, witches and wolves lived side by side, most of the time harmoniously.

Out in the world, amongst humans, was something else entirely.

Royce shifted on his feet. “I didn’t see anyone obvious.” He met Brand’s eyes and found the man scrutinizing him.

“Good,” he nodded. “I’ll have a couple of the boys keep watch, as always. The rest of the pack will be here tonight and I don’t want one of those Hexen bastards here fucking things up.” Brand frowned and started toward the house.

“I agree.” He followed the Alpha up the steps and inside his childhood home. The scent of pine and the homey aroma of apples baking immediately gave him a sense of peace despite what had happened.

Beyond the main house lay the woods and several cottages for the families that lived on the property. Thousands of acres of land belonged to the Cypress Pack and Brand worked hard to keep the property protected and well maintained. Their apple orchard, and the cider and apple butter it produced, kept a steady income.

His wolf whined and he tried to scent where Joanie had gone. The kitchen most likely. That was where Glenis made her home base. A typical Alpha’s wife she was not. Most would have a cook but she wouldn’t hear of it. Her people, her responsibility was her mantra.

The woman was invincible.

“Hey, Dr. B.” Three of the young wolves hurried from the direction of the kitchen, lumbering past them on their way outside.

“Boys.”

“Come on. We need to talk.” Brand entered the den, waiting for Royce to follow. Two of the young women who helped to keep house whispered behind their hands when they saw him, the blond one giving him a wink.

Gods.

Some things just never changed.

“I’ve been getting reports that things are heating up out there. What can you tell me?” The Alpha leaned against his desk, watching Royce with dark eyes.

“The hospital has seen an influx of new patients with magical wounds, burns and bite marks.” He shook his head. “Nina, my head nurse, has dealt with some of them but a few haven’t made it.”

“She’s the vamp?”

Royce nodded. “She flagged me down last night about two women that had been brought in. I had no idea it was Clare until that bastard witch explained what happened and pulled David from the fucking truck.”

Brand scowled. “We need to tighten things up. I’m going to contact Carrick from the Westmore Pack and see if he can spare one of his gargoyle security. Might do us some good to have eyes in the sky.”

“A gargoyle?”

Brand nodded. “It’s been effective. They had a case out on the coast. An art restoration project gone bad when one of the former pack leader’s failed science projects showed up for some extracurricular activities and one of his people set things to rights. That and his new girlfriend. Had another situation when the guy that runs Barks had a thing. Witch ex-girlfriend.”

“Huh.” Royce nodded. “Are they really made of stone?”

“Yes, but only when they shift.”

“Okay.” Royce moved to the window and looked out toward the forest of pine trees that stretched deep into pack lands. “I don’t want to lead them here and cause problems. Something about this just doesn’t seem right.”

“I know,” Brand joined him, his gaze following Royce’s. “All we can do is keep our people safe.”

Royce made a noncommittal noise.

“Now, tell me about this animal control woman. Glenis tells me she’s still feverish. You should go look in on her.”

When Royce met Brand’s eyes he knew the other man could read him like a book. Christ, they had grown up as brothers. The Alpha took one look at the pained expression on his face and smiled a shit eating grin.

“I thought so.”

“You bastard.”

Brand cackled as Royce marched out of the office and stalked up the stairs. He could still hear him when he rounded the hallway. He could hear Glenis in with Clare and decided to forgo that conversation for a while longer. A few steps more and he came face to face with Joanie’s room.

Get a fucking grip. She’s just a patient. He would look in on her, make sure she takes some painkillers until her body’s new natural state takes over and that would be that.

You and I both know that is a little bit in the realm of not remotely fucking possible.

***

 

The dreams surrounded her, dragging her deep into their velvet darkness. His voice. His touch. No matter they had only met hours ago and under tenuous circumstances at best. Her body wanted him and the living, breathing beast coming to life within her howled to feel him thrusting between her thighs.

Mate.

The lupine essence whispered the word but her human self fought it tooth and nail. No one forged a bond that quickly, especially like this. Her consciousness came up for air but then she drifted back down, the wolf waiting none so patiently for her to come around.

Then the dream shifted. Joanie was back in the alley only this time Darius wasn’t dead. He was coming after her and she was all that stood between the child huddled behind her and destruction.

“Go away,” she panted. Her flesh prickled with an alien sensation as her fingers turned to claws.

The snap of a branch breaking a few feet away from her and David’s harsh cry alerted her that something was wrong.

“David?”

“I twisted my ankle.”

She turned to aid him but saw the witch coming at her.

“Die, bitch.” He raised his wand and shot forward but he didn’t get far. Her body shifted and morphed, becoming something other. A being more deadly than she’d ever imagined. Bones cracked and someone screamed. Her body shifted and hot blood poured down the front of her. What she didn’t know was whose blood it was.

She woke, her clothes drenched with perspiration. The clothes had to go. With shaking fingers she slipped the tee shirt over her head and tossed it into a corner. The bra was next, the lace scratching her sensitive flesh.

The sweats and panties took even less time, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she noticed how soaked her panties had gotten just by imagining him beside her.

She climbed back into bed and tugged the light covering over herself, shivering at the thought. Sleep tugged at her once more but her mind wouldn’t let her relax.

A dream was a dream, but her reality had gone far past the land of crazy. He’d kidnapped her and left her in what appeared to be some kind of compound. It was like something you saw on the news, except one of the residents had also bitten her. That was even more special.

She couldn’t trust her memory.

Or her dreams.

A knock at the door roused her from her tenuous grasp on sleep. The door opened and Dr. Buchanan entered, his face an unreadable mask.

“What are you doing here?” Her pulse thrummed in her veins. She pulled the light afghan up over her body but it couldn’t stop the shiver that worked its way through her.

“I came to see how you were doing.”

“Fine. No thanks to you.” She pulled the blanket around her, turned her back on him and faced away.

The sound of the door shutting made her swallow in relief until the weight of another person sitting on the bed startled her into sitting upright.

“Get out.”

He gripped her by the shoulders and dragged her forward, capturing her lips with his. She lashed out with her fist, but he caught her hand in his, wrenching it behind her.

A flush of warmth settled low in her stomach.

His lips grazed her and she pulled back, startled.

“You bastard.” She shoved at him, but he captured her hands in his and brought them to his lips.

“I guess I deserve that. I had to get you out of there before Hexen showed up.”

“Yeah well, don't expect me to thank you.”

 

“I didn't bite you but a member of my pack did. You're my responsibility.”

“You mean burden.” She turned her face away. No man would want her, she knew that from experience. Too many curves in all the wrong places. This was as close as she’d ever gotten to a man in her bed and her senses were going wild.

Her body ached to feel him but she was afraid to open up. What happened when she went home to the real world? What then?

“You're not a burden.” He lifted her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “I don't know what happened in that hospital room, but my wolf knows yours. That hasn't happened before.”

“Really? I would have thought a doctor like you would have your pick of the ladies.” She yanked her arms away, tugging up the thin barrier between them.

“You're my mate and I’m yours. I can’t fight it even if I wanted to.” He smoothed his hand down the side of her face, gazing into her eyes.

Was he kidding?

“You're crazy. What you are is a kidnapping asshole who thinks he's God.”

A growl slid from his throat and he pushed her down against the mattress. His erection pressed into her through the denim of his jeans, leaving no doubt as to what was on his mind

“That.” He ground against her, moving between her legs. “That is what you do to me.”

The wolf inside of her leapt for joy, her body trembled with liquid desire making her forget her anger. She had nothing to say as he looked at her with his glacial eyes. She craved him. Wanted him inside her with all of her being. Her world upended and her lips parted.

She opened her legs wider and he pushed against her opening. Her nipples hardened beneath the scant covering, the movement of their bodies sliding the blanket down so her breasts nuzzled against his chest.

Royce’s tongue parted her lips devouring and claiming her, his hands roaming her body. He jerked the blanket off, her nudity exposed.

“If you want me to stop, tell me now,” was his ragged whisper.

Did she want him to?

No, she realized with a start. She was still upset with him but he had his reasons. It wasn’t like he was some sort of serial killer. He’d done what he’d done to save Clare, David and her as well.

What she really wanted was to have him inside of her, fucking her till she couldn’t remember her own name. Stat.

He climbed off of her and yanked the t-shirt over his head, revealing a muscular chest that made her mouth water. With quick fingers he unzipped his jeans, his cock springing free as he slid them down his powerful, well sculpted legs.

Royce strode forward, his cock bobbing in front of him. The tip glistened with moisture and Joanie groaned, all attempts to be angry with him evaporating.

“Don’t stop.”

She swallowed, her mouth dry. Her pussy convulsed, wanting… no, needing to feel him inside of her. But instead of mounting her, he knelt between her legs.

“What are you doing?”

“Worshipping you.” He pressed a kiss to the soft flesh of her belly and licked and kissed his way up to her breasts. Nipping and lightly biting her nipples, Royce grinned against her as she arched, the first wave of orgasms rolling through her body.

“Oh God!”

“Mmmm.”

She arched against him as he slipped two thick fingers inside of her sopping channel.

“Come with me,” he whispered. “Let me show you what it will be like to be my mate.”

Joanie didn’t think twice. Chemistry took over as stroke after stroke of his talented fingers brought fireworks exploding behind her eyes. She let her fingers map the contours of his body and reveled in the heady scent of pine and wildness that was him.

She shuddered in his arms and he positioned himself at the entrance to her body.

“Are you ready for me?”

Joanie nodded, barely able to speak. Her body thrummed with electricity, her flesh on fire from his touch.

The soft head of his cock pressed against her slick opening and, with gentle precision, he angled his hips and slid inside.

The barrier to her virginity tore and she tried to stifle a gasp but he caught it, drawing back to gaze at her with startled eyes.

“Joanie…”

“No.” She slid her legs up around him and drew him close. “This was my choice.” The sensation of fullness was unlike anything she’d felt before.

They locked eyes and he began to thrust his hips, every movement bringing them closer together. Her wolf sat back in joyful bliss as he began to pound out his passion. He fucked her, muscles straining, the root of him brushing against her engorged clit.

She exploded over his cock, her body baptizing him in liquid heat. He ground against her, moving his hips, his ass bunching as he came, his hot seed pouring deep into her womb.

Joanie cried out as his teeth broke the soft skin of her shoulder, another release shuddering through her as pleasure and pain became one.

“Mine,” He ground out.

Afterward she snuggled in next to him as he brushed her hair out of her eyes and listened to his heartbeat as sleep claimed her, the ache of his bite tethering her to him.

She slumbered but woke as he slipped from the bed. Watching him dress, she marveled at the way he made her feel. He talked of mating, and she wasn’t sure what all that entailed but she had a feeling tonight would give her more answers than she was ready for.