A Ravenous Pack: Wolf's Hunger 5 Books Page 15

  “Yes, she’s gorgeous, but not so sure about the smarts. Licking Wolves isn’t exactly something I want her doing.”

  “We’re not all bad.”

  “I’m afraid I have a different view,” Kirsty retorted. “Wolves killed my parents and they chased me, obviously wanting to do the same to me. Forgive me if I have a skewed perception of your kind.”

  Kade was horrified. Her parents were murdered by rogues, just as his had been, and she’d just been chased down by others. Damn. He had his work cut out here. “I’m sorry to hear that. In fact, I’m disgusted and angry at what you’ve gone through. That piece of shit over there was once a member of my Pack but he was thrown out last year because he wasn’t fit to remain.”

  Her head spun to where Gates’ body lay, loathing in her eyes. “Thank you for your help. I’ll just rest up for a bit and then I’ll be on my way and off your land.”

  “No!” Kade couldn’t help himself, his voice rising and his hands shooting up, palms out to stop her. “You should come back to camp with us so you can rest and get some food and clean up. Your dog can have a good feed too. I’m sure we can find something for her. I’ll cook her some steak if I need to.”

  Kirsty’s eyes dropped, going wide as saucers as she stared at him. He looked down and saw her bag on the ground and his manhood on show. Hell.

  “Sorry.” He shrugged, picking up her pack to cover himself again.

  “That’s all right,” she replied smirking cheekily.

  “So, you’ll come back to camp with us?” he prodded, not sure what he would do if she said no.

  She was his mate but she was also human. He wasn’t sure what that meant for her. Was she aware of their bond? Or not? Damn. He would have to tread carefully and not scare her away. Hell, he was terrified he would go all “caveman” on her, throw her over his shoulder, and carry her home.

  Somehow, he didn’t think that would go down well with Kirsty. She would probably try to cut his balls off.

  She looked around at the carnage, Leia coming over to nudge her hand, whining. Kirsty petted her Shepherd as she looked over at Dara’s and Lennox’s beasts then back at Kade. Her words completely throwing him. “I used to feed her raw but when our supplies ran out, along with my money, I’ve had to give her kibble. It’s rubbish, I know, so if you have anything that’s better, I’d appreciate that. She deserves better than what I’ve been able to provide for her lately.”

  Kade saw her weakness: Leia, and pounced.

  “I can do that. Does she like rabbit? Whole prey? If so, I’ll get the boys to get some for her on the way home. In fact, I can also get them to teach her how to hunt for herself. That’s if you’re okay with that?”

  Kirsty looked up at him, face filthy, stained with dirt, sweat, and tears but she still looked like the most beautiful woman in the universe to Kade. Her eyes almost mirroring the color of their Loch as her eyes met his.

  “She loves rabbit but she’s never had one with, you know, fur and stuff. It’s always been skinned and cleaned before she had it. I’m not quite sure she’d know what to do with it.”

  “First things first—” Kade stepped closer, desperate to be near his mate, noticing she was smaller than he had first thought. Her head barely reached his chest, forcing her to tilt backward to look up at him. “You’ll come back and stay with us for a while?”

  “A while?” she asked, confusion in her voice and written all over her face. Her body trembling at his close proximity.

  Kade’s Wolf howled with glee, it appeared his little human recognized him. Maybe not fully, maybe not as her mate, but there was a spark of something in her eyes as she gazed up at him.

  “Yes, a while. We need to make sure you’re safe, and the only way I can do that is to have you under my protection with my Pack keeping guard over you, and Leia.”

  There, he did it again. Using the love of her pet against her. Low blow, but he would do whatever it took to ensure she returned with him. He needed time to teach her that Wolves were not her enemy and that he, in particular, was anything but.

  “Leia?” she asked, glancing at her Shepherd who had wandered away to prance around Lennox and Dara.

  “Yes, she wouldn’t stand a chance against a rogue. At least if she’s with our Pack she would be safe, and I’m sure the kids would love her. She’ll be spoiled and well looked after, and as I said, we can teach her how to hunt for herself. That way she can eat properly without costing you a penny. What do you say?”

  “Okay, I have to admit I’m tired and Leia’s not had a decent feed in days. If you give me your word we’ll be safe, then yes, we’ll come with you.”

  “I give you my solemn oath, Kirsty Carmichael, as Alpha of the Crescent Loch Pack, that you and Leia will always be safe with me and my people.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Dara, go ahead and grab a rabbit or two for Leia, then get some guards and come back and deal with this mess. On the way home, pick up the packs and make sure there are extra guards on duty until I tell you differently. I’ll see you tomorrow for an update.”

  Kade then looked for Lennox who was playing with Leia, his massive Wolf making the Shepherd look like a pup as they scampered around. “Lennox, stop mucking around, there might still be a rogue or two left in the area. Keep your wits about you. We need to get Kirsty back to camp.”

  Lennox’s Wolf shook itself, rumbling a soft growl, which Leia appeared to understand, her body language changed as her head lifted, sniffing the air.

  “Wow, can she talk to you guys?”

  “I’m not sure,” Kade admitted. “I don’t think she can talk as such, but she can probably sense things. Now, Kirsty, I’m going to transform again. I’ll be much happier in my Wolf form in case we do come across any more rogues. I don’t want to have to waste any time if that happens. I want to be able to attack immediately. My first priority is protecting you. I hope you don’t mind?”

  “No, of course,” she replied, although he got the distinct feeling that she would have preferred he stayed in his human form.

  He would have preferred that too so he made a decision. “I tell you what. We left some packs a ways back, when we knew you were in danger, so we could move quicker. They have clothes in them. If we don’t sense any other Wolves in the area by the time we reach them, then I’ll transform, and we can walk back together. All right?”

  “Sure.” She smiled. Apparently, that pleased her as much as it did him.

  What the hell was going on? Kirsty had no idea but she knew something was afoot. Her reaction to the collossal beast of a man spoke volumes. She’d barely been able to have a coherent thought, her eyes drifting south again and again, and boy! When he’d dropped her pack and she saw his package, she’d almost salivated like a bitch in heat.

  With Leia acting all weird too, things were feeling increasingly strange.

  But she couldn’t pass up the chance to rest and be safe, even for a short while. Leia also deserved a decent meal or two, and if the Wolves could teach her how to catch a rabbit, although the idea grossed her out more than a little, she’d go with it if it meant Leia could eat better.

  She just hoped she’d gotten a hold of herself better by the time they reached this camp they were heading to. And then her mind wandered to think of what it would be like. A few cabins in the forest maybe? Shoot, she couldn’t begin to guess what a Wolves’ camp looked like.

  Would it be clean and tidy? Damn. She hoped so. What if they were always in Wolf form and they lived like . . . wild animals? Oh no, maybe she’d made the wrong decision. She should say so now and turn back before she got there. It would be too embarrassing if she arrived and her face did that scrunched up thing it did when she smelled something she didn’t like. Damn it to hell and back again. What would she do?

  Turn tail and run? Yeah, like that would work. They could catch her as easily as the damn rogues did. But why would they? They weren’t rogues. They were, as far as she knew, law-abiding people who didn’t
harm humans. That was what she hoped anyway.

  Her nerves all a jangle, she did what her nan always told her. Focus and let her intuition guide her.

  The first thing that happened was an image of Kade’s naked body popping into her head. Great. She couldn’t quite get that out of her mind. No wonder. It was a fabulous sight. No woman could possibly deny that but he probably had a bevy of women running around after him, with a litter of babies in his wake.

  Stop it. She chastised herself, refocusing her thoughts on how he, and his Wolves, made her feel. She was surprised when her stomach fluttered with butterflies, then a sense of . . . no . . . yes . . . what? Belonging was the only word she could use but that was stupid, impossible, and downright foolish.

  She’d barely met the guy so why did that feeling surface? Oh, wait, she’d had a knock to the head and she’d gone loopy. Aye, that was the only reason for the feelings that were now stampeding through her like a runaway stallion, wild and free.

  “Oh, shut up, you stupid mare.”

  “What?” Kade’s voice startled her, causing her to jump and let out a far too girly squeal.

  He was behind her, next to a huge pack that she knew she’d never in a million years be able to lift. It lay open, boots peeking out as he fastened a pair of jeans. Damn. She’d missed the chance to see that glorious body which now had a black t-shirt covering his muscled chest and those dang jeans were now hiding his thick thighs and, well, the rest.

  “Sorry, I was just talking to myself,” she replied, nibbling her bottom lip to try and remove the naughty images that suddenly invaded her mind.

  “Do that a lot?” he asked, grinning.

  “No, I don’t think so, but I’ve been on my own a lot lately so I guess it’s become a habit. It gets awfully quiet when there’s nobody else around.”

  “I can’t imagine what that would be like,” Kade said as he tugged the boots on, grabbed a zip-up fleece and waved his arm forward. “I rarely get time on my own, and even then the Pack can still communicate with me through our link. In here.” He tapped the side of his head.

  Kirsty wasn’t quite sure what he meant. “You can hear them in your head? Like, what, some kind of ESP mindreading thing?”

  Kade’s eyes crinkled at the side as he smiled, his ice-blue eyes shining as he shook his head. Kirsty’s stomach clenched as he gazed down at her, his size making her feel tiny, but strangely not fearful.

  “No, it’s something most Pack’s have. We are linked and in Wolf form we can communicate freely with each other. In human form that doesn’t happen, not unless you’re Alpha. I can sense them, their feelings, if they’re upset, or more importantly if they’re in danger. It’s the way we keep the Pack safe, and that means I have to focus to shut them out sometimes.”

  Kirsty couldn’t comprehend having someone else talking inside her head. She wasn’t sure if she thought it was cool or creepy. Before she had the opportunity to ask about it, Kade was at her side, a hand on the base of her back guiding her through the forest. His touch was . . . strange.

  Her body reacting in ways she’d never experienced before, her skin tingling beneath his fingers as they splayed out over her clothes. Her heart suddenly going into overdrive, and damn, but she felt as if she couldn’t catch a breath. Kade towered over her and she bet he couldn’t get closer if he tried. His thigh rubbing against her every time he took a step.

  Oh boy. She was in trouble. Her mind going in directions that were definitely not appropriate.

  Luckily, Leia pranced over, distracting her from the hot Alpha at her side. Her dog jumping around excited in front of her, before running off a few feet and spinning in a circle.

  “What’s up, Leia?”

  Kade crouched down, holding a hand out and Leia ran to him, licking his fingers. “You’re gorgeous.”

  Leia raised her head at the praise, looking up at Kirsty before whining and looking over her shoulder. Kade rose, raising an eyebrow. “She wants to go for a run but she doesn’t want to leave you.”

  “What?” Kirsty asked shocked. “How do you know that? Please don’t tell me you can talk to my dog ‘cause that’s just weird.”

  “No.” Kade’s lips tugged up and holy shit he had a dimple to the left of his mouth! A dang sexy dimple. Kirsty had to concentrate as he carried on. “It’s her body language that’s telling me, her little whine, the way she’s prancing about like that. She’s full of energy and wants to burn some of it off but she’s obviously devoted to you and she won’t go anywhere until you tell her it’s okay.”

  She looked between her Shepherd and the Alpha, then the area around them. It was a remote area, one she didn’t know existed, but would Leia be safe? She couldn’t even contemplate losing her beloved pet. It would destroy her if anything happened to Leia after everything else she’d been through.

  Kirsty was torn, she wanted Leia to have a run, but she was scared too and Kade seemed to have read her mind as he leaned down, whispering against her ear. His hot breath on her skin causing her to flush scarlet.

  “She’ll be fine. I promise she won’t be in danger, and I have enhanced hearing, so if she goes too far I’ll make her come back.”

  “How can you do that? I usually whistle but if she’s far away she won’t hear me.”

  Kade stepped away, his head falling back, hands cupping the sides of his mouth and a loud howl erupted from him. Kirsty shrank back, the sound both scaring and arousing her in the most mysterious way. More importantly, Leia immediately returned and sat submissively in front of the Alpha. Wow. Leia only ever heeded her commands, seeing her obey Kade like this was . . . powerful.

  She also felt something else in her body reacting to him . . . further south. Kirsty clenched her thighs together as she fought to appear unaffected. “That’s amazing, she doesn’t usually obey anyone else.”

  “I think you’re forgetting something,” Kade said as he petted Leia’s head.

  “I am?”

  “Dogs are more than ninety-nine percent Wolf.”

  “Holy crap, I did forget that.” Kirsty giggled. “That was one of the reasons I started feeding her raw. I saw something online and started reading up about dogs, their diet and stuff and she was just a wee pup when I changed her over, but she’s done fabulous on it.”

  “She’ll learn quickly how to fend for herself. I’ll teach her myself.” Kade gave Leia one last pat then tilted his head. “So, want to give her the go ahead so she can go explore?”

  “Sure,” Kirsty replied, waving her arm away from her, giving her pet the command. “Release.”

  Leia’s body shivered with excitement for the briefest of moments before she tore away, disappearing in seconds.

  Kirsty had a moment of panic at not having her by her side, her pet but also her protector. Then she remembered her escorts, Kade and the massive Wolf that waited just up ahead. Once again, she felt as if Kade had read her mind as his hand landed on her back again.

  “You’re safe, Kirsty. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you, or Leia.”

  She looked up at him, his face serious as he stared intently down at her. His eyes full of . . . what? She couldn’t figure it out but she did believe what he said. Why? She wasn’t sure but again she heard her nan telling her to trust her instincts, and right now they were screaming at her to go with this man and have faith in his words.

  “Thanks,” she simply said.

  “Here, let me carry that, it’s heavy and you’ve already got your pack.” Kade held his hand out toward her dad’s shotgun.

  She paused, the gun giving her a sense of power even if it wasn’t loaded, but he was right. It was heavy and she was tired. Today had been a hell of a day, one she’d prefer to forget, but knew she never would. She’d never thought she would ever kill a man, well, not exactly a man, but it still bothered her.

  Kade waited, his expression neutral as she decided whether to hand it over. Or not.

  “Okay,” she said, holding the heavy gun out toward him not
quite sure why she trusted this man she barely knew. But for whatever reason she wasn’t fearful of him and something deep inside her was telling her that he wouldn’t hurt her. Strange.

  “Thank you,” he inclined his head as he took hold of the gun, hefting it to lie over his shoulder.

  “For what?” she asked, confused.

  “Trusting me,” he replied simply. “Now why don’t we get on our way. I know you must be exhausted so I’d like to get you back and then you can rest.”

  She realized something had happened between them but again she wasn’t sure what as they carried on.

  Walking in the serene woods calmed her somewhat, especially when Kade kept her updated on Leia’s whereabouts. Then he asked her what had happened to bring her onto his land.

  She froze for a moment before gulping in a great breath and telling him everything. How the farm had gone bankrupt, mainly due to their cows being killed, probably by rogues, and then how her parents had been murdered. She talked and talked, spilling everything out in a rush of words that surprised her. Usually she kept everything inside, locked up tight, but with this man she’d barely met, she unburdened herself and told him everything.

  He never interrupted, not once, allowing her to ramble on as they walked, his touch seeming to ground her and stop her from dissolving into fits of tears. That was new. Every other time she thought of her mum and dad she’d cry her eyes out. Not this time. This time she talked about them and not one tear slid free. Strange.

  In fact, when she’d finished, she felt relieved and refreshed, again that was way up on the weirdness meter.

  Kade’s voice was soft and low as he finally spoke. “I have no words to express how sorry I am for what you’ve gone through. As Alpha of a Pack, I am horrified that other Wolves have caused you so much sorrow. I assure you that we’re not all like that, only rogues act in such a manner, and now that I know the extent of their activities, I’ll take steps to deal with them.”

  His eyes told her what she needed to know. He spoke the truth so she nodded. “Thanks, but how will you do that?”