Deadly Seduction (Wolf Pack Protectors Book 3) Read online

  A cold wind blew in from the north. Tree branches swayed and rattled a warning. Black clouds loomed overhead. The sky opened to unleash a deluge. Lightening flashed and thunder cracked as if hell-bent on ripping the air apart.

  “We need to get back to the den,” he said.

  “I won’t be safe there. I’ll never be safe again.”

  He coaxed her to stand. “Come on, sweetie. We need to get out of the storm.”

  “It’s not safe,” she whispered.

  The glazed look in her eye wasn’t normal. She wasn’t doing well. He bent to try to scoop her up into his arms, but the pain in his ribs made it impossible.

  “You have to walk. I can’t carry you.”

  “Walk.” She nodded but didn’t move. She was probably in shock.

  A bolt of lightning lit up the sky. He couldn’t risk staying out in the storm a minute longer, so he grabbed her ice-cold hand and pulled her along the path. She stumbled but managed to keep up.

  By the time they’d reached the gate, rain pounded the earth. One of the wolves swung the gate open then closed it behind them. The relentless force of the wind propelled them into the den. Nosh stopped just inside the entrance. He leaned a hand against the wall and willed his stomach to stop clenching. If he’d had anything in his belly, he would have thrown up. With each passing second, the pain in his side spread deeper into his ribcage.

  He glanced at Gwen who stood by his side with the same dazed look on her face. He ran his palm down her arm. Goosebumps pricked up from her shivering flesh. He needed to bundle her up and get her warm.

  After leading her to his room, he sat her on the bed. He wrapped all of the blankets he could find around her before turning to stoke the fire. He didn’t stop adding logs to the pile until he’d created an inferno. Sweat beaded up along his forehead, partially from the heat and partially from the pain. He crawled onto the bed beside Gwen. She still hadn’t spoken a word.

  “Sweetie, lay down next to me. My body heat will help you get warm.”

  “I let him do it.”

  “What?”

  “Mazus… I let him do it.”

  He bolted upright. “I thought you said he didn’t…”

  When she shook her head “no”, he released a pent-up breath.

  “But I didn’t stop him,” she whispered.

  “You couldn’t stop him,” he corrected. “That’s not the same as letting him hurt you.”

  She hung her head. “There will always be men like him out there and I can’t defend myself from them. I’m too weak.”

  “Physically, maybe. But mentally, you’re one of the strongest women I know.”

  “I cracked. As soon as he got on top of me, it was like I couldn’t move.”

  “You were terrified.”

  “I was weak.”

  He slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer. If she’d given him any resistance, he would have let go immediately. His heart ached for her.

  She rolled away from him. “What do I do to make them want to hurt me? I wish I knew. I’d stop doing it.”

  “Oh, honey. It’s not you. It’s not anything you do.”

  “So I’m just unlucky?” she asked bitterly.

  “No.” He fumbled for what to say. “Mazus and Zane are terrible men. You didn’t do anything to provoke them. Men like that, they have no conscience. They take whatever they want, when they want.”

  “I’ll never be free from them. They will always find me.”

  He wasn’t sure if she was talking about Mazus and Zane specifically or not. Zane was dead, so maybe she meant men in general. Living in fear wasn’t a way to live. He had to find a way to help her. She’d mentioned she felt weak. He could teach her to fight. It wasn’t much, but it was the only way he knew how to help her.

  He didn’t want to broach the subject right now. She needed comfort, not self-defense tips. As he eased an arm around her waist, she tensed then relaxed. At least she wasn’t afraid of him.

  After a few minutes, he scooted closer. When she didn’t pull away, he spooned his body around hers and held her. She laced her fingers through his. The trembling in her body slowed. After a few minutes, it finally stopped.

  She spoke in a voice so soft he could hardly hear it. “You saved me.”

  “I’d do anything for you.”

  She slowly rolled toward him until she faced him. “You’re so strong and powerful. I wish I was more like you.”

  He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “We can make you stronger.”

  “How?”

  “I can teach you how to defend yourself.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know…”

  He brushed her cheek with the side of his hand. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes,” she said without hesitation.

  “Then let me teach you how to defend yourself.”

  “But you’re hurt.”

  “I don’t mean right this second,” he said with a smile.

  Her face fell. “Oh, of course. You’re hurt… again… because of me.”

  “No. This wasn’t your fault. It was Mazus’s. You have to stop taking responsibility for things that aren’t your fault.”

  She sighed. “I know.”

  “The only thing I’m going to hold you responsible for is following my training regimen.”

  “Oh?”

  “And your first lesson is that you need to get enough sleep. You need to be alert enough to recognize danger and take immediate action.”

  Her eyebrows knitted together. “We’re starting already?”

  “The sooner we start, the sooner you’ll be strong enough physically to defend yourself.”

  “Are you sure you can teach me? I’m not as tall or big as those guys were. How could I possibly fight them?”

  “It’s not always about brute force. You can use your attacker’s weight against him. But don’t worry about any of that right now. Right now, I want you to get some sleep.”

  She lowered her head to the pillow and snuggled closer to him. “Why do I feel so safe with you?”

  “Because, I would never hurt you.”

  She sighed against his chest. “I wish I could just lay like this forever.”

  As he rested his chin on the top of her head, he had the same wish. Within minutes, her chest rose and fell in the rhythm of deep sleep. He wanted to hold her all night, but first he needed to check on the status of Mazus’s capture.

  He slid his arm out from under her neck. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around the pillow. The features on her face softened to make her appear years younger. A fierce need to protect straightened his spine. He could rest later. Right now, he needed an update.

  ***

  Nosh found Lucian huddled with a group of wolves just outside the entrance to the den. Based on their furrowed brows and glum faces, it didn’t look good.

  “What’s going on? Did you guys catch him?” Nosh asked.

  “Everyone but Edon has reported in. The rain killed the scent trail.”

  Through the gloom, Nosh spotted Edon trotting up to the gate. “Let him in.”

  The wolf cantered up to the group before shifting into his human form. “I made it as far as the Silver Creek River then I lost him. I think he swam down river. I checked along the banks, but I couldn’t pick up the trail.”

  Nosh said, “That’s okay. We’ll regroup and send a larger party out in the morning. Until then, I want double the guards on gate watch.”

  Lucian stepped forward. “I’ll take the first shift along with Tate. We already have two guys on right now.”

  Fadian said, “I’ll take second shift with Edon. I’ll round up a few more guys before we take over.”

  Nosh said, “Good. If anyone sees Mazus approach, take him down.”

  “Got it.”

  As the wolves dispersed to their posts or into the den, Lucian remained behind. “How’s Gwen?”

  “Shaken up. Being attacked by Mazus really shoo
k her up.”

  “She must have been terrified.”

  “She thinks it was her fault.”

  Lucian’s lips formed a thin line. “I hope you told her that’s complete horseshit.”

  “I did. But…”

  “What?”

  “Zane really messed her up. She has trouble sleeping and when she does manage to relax, she has terrible nightmares. If Zane was still alive, I’d kill him myself.”

  “Men like him don’t deserve to live. I’m glad he’s dead.”

  “I’m worried about her.”

  “You seem to care for her a lot.”

  “She helped bring me back from the brink of death.”

  Lucian smiled. “It’s more than that and you know it.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe my ass. Is she your mate?”

  Nosh cocked his head to one side. “I don’t know.”

  “If she was, you’d know it.”

  “Maybe.” Or maybe he just wasn’t ready to admit how much he cared about her. He fidgeted, suddenly wanting to hold her in his arms.

  Chapter 10

  Gwen jumped over a fallen log as she chased Nosh through the forest. For their first lesson, she was supposed to catch him. During the first few minutes, she’d come close. But now, it seemed impossible. At lease she had a great view of his butt.

  She panted as she stared at Nosh’s firm glutes. They’d been running for what seemed like hours. The tightness in her diaphragm contracted further with every step. She finally gave up and stopped in the center of the dirt trail. After gulping a few wheezy breaths, she called out to Nosh.

  He turned while jogging in place. “Giving up already?”

  “We ran at least ten miles.”

  He grinned. “More like two.”

  “I think I’m going to die.” And the way he was bouncing up and down wasn’t helping.

  “Let’s stop for a drink. There’s a spring right around the corner.”

  She sighed. “How close is it?”

  He flashed a lopsided grin which sent her heart into a tailspin. “Five more minutes.”

  “You said that ten minutes ago,” she whined.

  As he chuckled, he turned. Normally she would have loved to chase his sexy butt anywhere, but right now all she wanted was some water.

  When she rounded the bend, she sucked in a breath. A pool of sparkling blue water shimmered in the sunlight. She had no idea there was such a stunning oasis this high up the mountain. Because she wasn’t a member of the Dark Moon Pack, she’d never ventured up Howling Mountain. Now, she wished she lived with them.

  Nosh splashed into the water. As he rose up, tendrils of liquid sparkled in the silvery light. The sight did more to steal her breath than the run.

  “Are you coming?” he asked.

  As she waded in, cool water washed across her belly and breasts. Nosh openly stared. She shyly dipped lower so that her shoulders fell below the surface. The position forced her to squat on trembling thighs. She’d known she was weak, but she hadn’t realized how out of shape she’d become until now.

  Nosh waded toward her. “After we cool off, we’re going to start with some basic self-defense maneuvers.”

  “Anything but more running.” She smiled.

  “You held up surprisingly well. I honestly thought you’d break before we made it this far.”

  “You were trying to break me?”

  “Not in a bad way. I just wanted to see what your level of fitness was so I had a baseline.”

  “So you’re saying I could have stopped miles ago?” She splashed him.

  He returned the attack by skimming his hand across the water. The ensuing wave crested so fast that she didn’t have time to avoid it. It hit her square in the face. She sputtered and gasped. No way was he winning this battle.

  She paddled the water with her hands, moving faster and faster until her arms went weak. Nosh roared with fake indignation. She caught the amusement in his tone and smiled.

  As she dropped her hands, he lurched forward and grabbed her waist. She pushed at his chest in mock-horror for a second before wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “Why do I feel so safe with you?”

  “You ask me that a lot.”

  “Because I don’t understand it.”

  His topaz eyes shimmered. “Maybe you just know in your heart that I’m a good person.”

  “My heart’s not very smart.” Especially when it flutters wildly for no apparent reason.

  “I think your heart’s perfect.”

  He traced the shape of a heart over her chest with a gentleness that made her want to melt. She’d spent the last two nights pressed up against him. She told herself she was just grateful for his warmth and protection, but in the middle of the night, when the den was silent but for the sound of his beating heart, she wondered if it was something more.

  “What are you thinking?” he murmured.

  “I wonder where Mazus is hiding.”

  Nosh’s lips pressed together for a moment before he spoke. “We’ll find him.”

  Damn, why’d she have to bring Mazus up? Maybe to avoid what she really wanted to talk about. She had no doubt that she’d formed a special connection with Nosh, but could it be more than just friendship? Did she even have the right to hope for something more?

  Nosh said, “We should get out soon. I still have a lot to teach you today.”

  “Okay.”

  As she followed Nosh, nervous energy skittered across her belly. She wasn’t sure he could teach her anything that would actually help her. The men who had attacked her were too big, too strong, and although she wasn’t little, she didn’t have enough physical strength to fight back.

  Nosh guided her to a grassy area several feet away from the pool. “I’m going to teach you a few simple techniques that you can use to get away from an attacker.”

  She stood with her hip jutted out and her hands on her hips. “Okay, what do I do first?”

  “First, you need to balance your weight.” He stepped right up to her and grabbed her hips. Tingles of sensation awakened the nerve endings where his hands splayed across her flesh. “Now turn slightly. One leg goes back, the other stays forward.”

  As she followed the directions, she tried not to inhale the ultra-masculine scent wafting from his body. She never thought she’d find a man’s scent attractive again. Boy was she wrong.

  “Now, I’m going to try to grab your wrist. As I do it, twist your wrist away so that your palm faces toward you.”

  She adjusted the position of her hand.

  “Good. Now, grab your hand and jab your elbow up toward my face.”

  When she jutted her arm up, it connected with his mouth hard enough to make his teeth clank together.

  “Oh, no. I’m sorry.”

  He rubbed his mouth. “No, that was perfect. A little too perfect.”

  She grinned sheepishly. “Thanks.”

  “Let’s do it again. This time faster.”

  They practiced the technique over and over until she could do the maneuver without thinking. On the last attempt, she connected with his nose.

  She quickly pulled back. “Oops.”

  He touched it gingerly. “I think you’ve mastered that one.”

  “Sorry.”

  “You’re doing great. Don’t apologize for defending yourself. Part of being able to fend off an attack is having the inner strength to fight back.”

  She blinked back a sudden rush of emotion. “I’m not sure that I have any inner strength.”

  Nosh reached for her hand. He gently rubbed his thumb across her palm. “You survived.”

  “Did I?”

  He held her hand. “You did. You’re here right now, fighting. You’re not hiding in your den. You’re not wallowing around like a victim. You’re a survivor.”

  “Not on the inside. I’m scared all the time. I still jump at shadows and if you weren’t here with me right now, there’s no way in hell I’d be out r
oaming the woods alone. I’m not strong.”

  “I know you don’t believe me, but you’re stronger than you think.”

  She couldn’t understand why he had so much faith in her. Maybe it was an act. But he seemed so sincere. And what if he was right? Was she really afraid of taking back her power? Zane had stolen so much from her. But if she continued to hide, if she continued to be afraid of every shadow, what kind of life would she live? Wouldn’t that be like letting Zane win? He could hurt her from the grave, but only if she let him.

  Nosh clasped her other hand. “If I didn’t believe in you, I wouldn’t be doing this.”

  “I know,” she whispered as she tilted her head up. She sensed he wanted to kiss her and she wanted it just as much.

  As he leaned down, she sighed. She’d been right about a man’s intentions for once. His lips found hers in a kiss as soft as the billowing clouds which grazed the bright blue sky. In the past, she’d let him control the intensity, but not now.

  The urge to taste him overwhelmed her fear. She slipped the tip of her tongue out to skim the seam of his lips. When they parted, she darted between his lips to taste his sensual mouth. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled him closer. Hot and wet, her tongue melded to his in a sensual dance that made her toes curl. When she finally pulled away to catch her breath, he was staring with an intensity that hardened her nipples and moistened the soft folds between her thighs.

  Nosh’s voice came out hoarse. “Gwen.”

  “Yes?”

  “If you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to have to find a patch of snow to cool off in.”

  She glanced at the rigid flesh between his legs and flushed. She quickly looked away but not before a twitch of trepidation shimmied down her spine. She was safe. She knew it in her mind, but her body tensed with fear.

  Nosh stayed rooted in place. “Look at me.”

  She slowly raised her head to meet his eyes. The compassion and caring in them almost brought her to her knees.

  His voice dropped, “I would never take anything you weren’t willing to give.”

  “I know. My heart knows. But… I’m still scared.”

  “Men aren’t out of control creatures. We can become aroused and still control ourselves. Anyone who says differently is a liar.”