“I’ll never forget his eyes,” Ted murmured. Part ice-blue, part gray, and so beautifully furious as he’d stared at Ted with festering hate.
Something in Ted responded to that level of intensity—a challenge that put his back up. No matter how many Shifters he’d killed during his fifty-nine years, he’d never met an animal he wanted to master like he did Demon. And master he had. For six fulfilling years he’d beaten and whipped his wolf. Forced fights in the pits, mental manipulations, more beatings. He’d allowed the wolf to become close to a few of his own kind, only to kill those same friends later, to prove to Demon that he owned him. They’d been the champions of every Hunter’s Folly for all six years.
No matter what Ted threw at him, the wolf never faltered. He never submitted or showed a hint of his belly.
Ted understood that kind of fortitude. It intrigued him on every level, because he lived it day in and day out. He wanted Demon back, and he’d get him. But not today, apparently.
“Your infection actually isn’t that bad,” Brett murmured. “Maybe your super immune system just needed time to kick in.”
Ted fingered his cheek, where the flap of skin torn by a pissed-off cougar had just started to heal, a little more than a week after his ordeal. “Fucking cat thought he had me ’til I turned the tables. I would have killed him if Bill hadn’t dragged me back.”
“To hear him tell it, he saved you from another attack.”
“Maybe.”
“Look. If you really saw Demon, you know where to find him. But trawling through the woods while evading patrolling wolves isn’t working. We’re outnumbered here.” Brett paused and said what Ted knew he’d bring up. The little shit mentioned her at least once a day. “Besides, maybe we’ll find new leads on Sophie. Matt said he learned a few things on his last hunt. Said he’d tell us when we all got home.”
“Sophie.” His sweet little niece. So pretty and innocent. She’d been his pride and joy until she’d turned on him. But then, he’d known it was coming. He’d done all he could, but the girl’s wolf wouldn’t stay down. She didn’t have the power in her to keep it buried. Keep it tight.
His belly coiled in familiar anticipation, and he tamped down the wild energy. Controlled it.
“Ted?”
Ted sighed. “We go home. For now. Spray some more of that mist on me. I can smell myself coming back.” He and Brett covered themselves once more in Hunter’s mist, a spray that camouflaged their scents and made it possible to walk undetected through Ac-taw lands.
He might be leaving, but he wasn’t finished. As he moved, he thought about Demon and Sophie, and what their lives might be like without him. Sophie had been gone for more than two years, and Demon close to six. He wondered if they knew of each other. Wouldn’t that be a kick? He almost smiled, but the hollow in his chest wouldn’t let him. It made him sad, that he couldn’t share in their experiences. But perhaps this had all been a test, to see if he had the discipline and tenacity to persevere. He’d done what he’d needed with his sister. Could he do the same for his niece?
A thought came to mind, one that involved Demon, and he knew how to handle Sophie. He’d find her again, because he could sense her near. She was out here, a prize to be won after he triumphed over the wolf. It was a test, and he planned to succeed. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—fail. With a new spring in his step, he hurried through the woods, suddenly eager to get home and hear what Matt had to say.
Sophie smiled at the last customer and closed the grocery for the night. The others had already finished up and gone home. With Lucy available to work overtime for the next few days, Sophie would have all her free time to deal with the randy wolf waiting for her right outside the front doors.
He waved and motioned to the back of the store.
She nodded and walked through to the back to meet him.
Monty GrayClaw. My lover. And just maybe, my mate.
She couldn’t stop blushing. The whole day had felt unreal. Customers commented on how pretty she looked. Their knowing glances made it more than evident they knew she wore Monty’s scent.
The few wolves who’d visited had glared like thunderclouds, but not one of them had said an unkind word. Rafe’s interference, no doubt. She didn’t think Monty’s warnings would do anything to deter the rough-and-tumble gray wolves from pestering her.
She met Monty at the back, past the storage area and offices, and waited for him to join her before closing and locking the door behind him. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back into a warm embrace.
“I missed you today.” He nuzzled her neck and sighed. Then he nipped her and she yelped in surprise. “Sorry. I don’t like the fact there’s nothing here. Your neck is as smooth as glass.”
“I heal fast.” Stupid. Of course he knew that. They all healed fast.
“I know, but fact is, I didn’t mark you hard enough because I didn’t want to hurt you. But I want everyone to know where you belong. With me.”
She chuckled. “You sound way too satisfied about that.”
“Hell, yeah.” He moved behind her, and she felt his arousal against the small of her back.
“Wow. You really did miss me.” Was it stupid of her to be flattered and excited about his hard-on?
Instead of answering her, Monty shoved her up against the door.
“Monty?”
His hands went to the front of her jeans. “Don’t move.” His raspy breath and the roughness with which he handled her immediately made her wet. “Oh yeah.” He groaned as he unfastened her jeans and shoved them and her underwear down.
Manhandling her into position, Monty had her bent over, her hips back and her feet as wide apart as the bunched jeans around her knees would let her.
“M-Monty?”
“Yeah. That’s nice.”
Before she could ask what that meant, something thick pushed between her legs. He thrust hard into her, shoving through her slick heat in one smooth rush.
“Oh God. Monty. I missed you today too.” She jerked and nearly lost her balance when he started fucking her with brutal strokes, shoving so deep inside her she swore she felt him touch her womb.
“That’s it. Bet you thought about fucking at work, didn’t you, my dirty little wolf?”
She flushed again, embarrassed yet turned on that Monty liked her perverted ways. She never should have told him she watched naughty movies. But then, if she hadn’t, maybe he wouldn’t do things like this to her. Fucking her against the back door of the grocery. It was so unprofessional.
The thought made her want to giggle, but Monty’s cock wouldn’t let her do anything but sigh as he took her.
“I want you to come, baby. All over me.” Monty grabbed her hips and inched her back, lifting her off her feet. The new angle of penetration did something funny to her insides, as each time he thrust, he lit prickles of pleasure throughout her entire body. “Rub your clit. Get yourself off. I want us to come together.”
She hitched a breath but didn’t falter. Feeling the swollen nub, she rubbed her fingers over it and moaned, the lust building like a frenzy. Monty continued to hammer harder, and the dual sensation of being filled and masturbating for him torched her orgasm into a full flame.
She cried out as she came, and he gripped her hips tighter and shoved forward once more before stilling with a groan.