TEARS OF ANUBIS

Michele Bardsley

Prologue

In the beginning, the Earth housed One Tribe. The Tribe cared for the Earth, for its water and its terrain, for its harvest and its creatures. They honored the gods, those half-man, half-animal beings who walked the land and swam in the sea alongside the people.

Twin brothers, Netre and Otra, ruled the Tribe. The brothers were strong, wise and fair, and their governing brought peace and prosperity to all.

Each brother decided to take a wife, but they wanted the same woman—Eane. Her beauty and grace outshone all females. Her merest smile stirred passion in the brothers, and soon they vied for the smallest crumb of her attention.

Eane reveled in her sensual power. She brought forth the devils of avarice and jealousy from the brothers, playing one against the other until they felt nothing in their hearts but hate. The brothers each vowed to possess Eane only for himself, and so, they divided the Tribe and declared war.

The terrible war raged on, and soon, the gods sent one representative to each brother in hopes to reinstate peace and reunite the Tribe. Only Anubis, the half-jackal, half-man god, succeeded. Otra, seeing his own folly and tired of bloodshed, agreed to grant forgiveness to his brother.

Netre married the lovely, conniving Eane, but even this victory did not assuage his rage and greed. He was not softened by his brother's gestures of love and peace, either. He invited Otra to his home, and when his brother arrived, Netre drew his sword and pierced his twin's heart. Then he and his followers hunted and killed those loyal to Otra. He offered no mercy to even the smallest babe.

To save the survivors of Netre's vicious attacks, Anubis gifted them with the ability to turn into ferocious beasts at will. But Netre was not cowed by this new threat and renewed his efforts, creating magical silver weapons to kill the beasts.

The jackal god wept for those destroyed by Netre's evil. His blood tears crystallized into a ruby as large as a man's fist. He bespelled the jewel so that it could only pass into the hands of the Alpha's true mate. Only she could wield its powers, and only if her heart became one with the Alpha's.

In honor of the god who gifted them with dual natures and saved them from the vicious Netre, they named themselves Anubinake. Although they were driven from their homelands, they did not disappear from the Earth.

It is said that even today, the Anubinake live among us…

Chapter 1

I am coming for you, my mate.

Elle Reddington rose from her bed, the cotton sheet falling away from her nude body. The tile floor chilled her feet as she drifted toward the open window. Weird. When had she opened the window? A warm breeze blew in, scented with the salty tang of the ocean. She paused at the sill, leaning out to soak in the calm, sweet air.

Her bedroom opened onto a small patio, which was shaded by large palm trees. The six-by-six concrete square held one table and two chairs—cheap, turquoise plastic that she adored. On either side of the sliding glass door were potted Indian Pinks. When she woke in the mornings and opened the patio door, she inhaled their fragrance along with the smells of ocean.

From the patio, it was a short walk to the beach.

Elle dug her toes into the gritty sand, her gaze on the waves sloshing on the shore. Moonlight glittered on the ocean, white beads sewn onto an indigo blanket of sound and motion that stretched until it met the night sky.

It was peaceful here.

And she needed peace.

Mate.

The deep male voice came from her right. She turned, anticipation skittering through her. He stood five feet away, assessing her with silver eyes. Tall, dark and brooding, this one. She wasn't surprised to find him naked, his muscled frame rangy and lean. His hair was the color of a raven's wing, long enough to brush his shoulders. The wind tossed the black strays across the sharp contours of his cheeks. He had one of those impossibly good-looking faces, the kind male models had in magazine ads touting clothing and cologne.

And, of course, there was his other impressive attribute—the large cock that sprang, erect and proud, from a thatch of dark hair. Erectus momentous, baby. A smile curved her lips. Truth was, it had been a while since she felt the need or inclination to have one of those thrust between her legs.

Why do you keep showing up? she asked. I told you that I belong to no one.

He watched her, the possession in his gaze both thrilling and frightening. There was something animalistic about the way he walked toward her, the muscles in thighs and torso graceful, powerful. Her heart stuttered in her chest when he linked her wrists and pulled her into his embrace.

I am coming for you, he murmured. He buried his face against her neck and breathed her scent. His hands cupped her ass and brought his cock into sizzling contact with her labia, sliding between the sensitive folds and pressing deliciously against her clitoris. Her pussy contracted and moisture beaded her thighs.

Her dream lover growled.

Really growled.

Stranger still was the need that shuddered through her. Good God. Was it possible that fearful, dark sound turned her on?

Her fingers splayed on the hard muscles of his chest, and she wiggled closer, daring to put her mouth onto his collarbone, and trace it with her tongue.

Then, inexplicably, the chest under her hands, the thighs pressed against hers, were no longer smooth skin, but silky fur. On her throat, she felt not soft lips, but a narrow snout snuffling while a raspy tongue licked.

Confused, she drew away and gasped.

What the hell are you?

I am your Alpha. I am your mate. The words sounded gravelly. Large, furred paws pressed on her shoulders and she fell to her knees, a pseudo-worshipper at the feet of this wolf god.

Leave me alone. Tears fell. She never cried. Never. But this monster had drawn tears from her. Had made her fear, had made her want, goddamn him. She liked the emotional void that had consumed her. She didn't want to feel.

But he made her feel all the same. The vortex of emotions filled the emptiness of her soul. Such a powerful mix of anger and terror and passion…she could barely stand it.

Before she realized what she was doing, what she was agreeing to, she had gotten on all fours. Her body quivered, her arms shaking as her fingers dug into the sand. Then she felt him behind her, his furry thighs pushing against her smooth ass.

His cock teased her entrance and she drew in a breath as anticipation soaked her.

He was not gentle. One rough shove and he sank into her fully. He pumped into her unmercifully and she loved it. Loved the pain and the pleasure. She wanted more, so much more…

Elle woke suddenly, her heart pounding fiercely. Taking a deep breath, she rolled onto her side and looked at the digital clock. The big green letters blinked 3:02 a.m. “Fuck!”

Three months ago, Elle had moved to this beach house trying to escape the devastation wrought by her marriage. Her husband was dead and it felt as though she was too. Every night she since she'd come to this place, she had the same dream. It had built and built…

“And we finally have sex and I don't even get an orgasm.” Sweating as though she'd had a real session of lovemaking, she removed the sheet and allowed the twirling blades of the ceiling fan to cool her off.

Elle could not deny that she missed the strength of a man's body, the thrust of his cock, and, truth be told, the protection and domination of a male. Elle had an aggressive nature, one she did little to temper. How she longed to find her equal. If only her dream man, even if he was a wolf-man, were real.

Once, she thought she'd found the one meant for her.

She'd been wrong about Simon. They had courted and married quickly, lost in the love and lust that beguiles couples in the beginning. After only a year, their lives lay in ruin—the ashes of betrayal and death scattered in the miles between her old life and her new one.

Elle's body hummed with sexual need. Thanks to the dream's aborted ending, she was still juicy. Rolling over, she dug into the tiny nightstand drawer and took out the bullet vibrator. Then she found her nipple nooses. Elle loved nipple torture. Simon had been quite good at tormenting her breasts until they were swollen, aching and tender. The pleasure-pain had always been so exquisite.

Twisting both peaks until they hardened, she pushed each one into the noose and tightened the little leather loops until she couldn't stand it. Then she tightened again. Pain radiated from each crown, gathering force as it shot toward her pussy. Her nipples swelled and reddened, the tips sensitized nearly past endurance.

She stretched out on the king-sized bed until her toes touched the edge. Then she took the small round vibrator and rubbed the purring machine on her clitoris. Her mind flashed to the dreams of her man…her wolf… She closed her eyes and imagined that…

His big hands gripped her hips.

His cock swelled inside her, filling her, completing her.

She felt the nip of his teeth on her neck.

Then, with a growl of possession, he thrust inside her, over and over and over.

Sparks of pleasure teased her, winding and coiling, until sensations burst wildly, burning through her, convulsing her pussy and taking her far away from bad dreams—and ugly reality.

Xavier Skye stood on the patio next to the garish turquoise chairs and table and watched through the window as Elle masturbated.

Next to him, Jonas sighed. He was as uninterested in the woman's self-gratification as he was in doing in his own laundry or balancing his own checkbook.

“How much longer do we act like Peeping Toms, your eternal and all-knowing highness?” he whispered. When Xavier did not respond, Jonas muttered, “Oh, fine. Seethe on, my lord.”

Anger curled in Xavier's gut as he watched Elle plunge her own fingers into her weeping pussy. His nostrils flared as the scent of Elle's sex perfumed the air. He licked his lips, almost tasting her. As he watched her remove the nipple nooses and put away the vibrator, he bared his teeth and nearly choked on the snarl.

“You need to take the edge off. Call in a soother and fuck her senseless.”

Xavier turned a steely gaze onto his friend.

Jonas grinned. “I'm happy to oblige, of course, but as you say, your cock doesn't bend that way.”

“Maybe I should fuck you, Jonas. Just to teach you a lesson.”

“You know how much I like lessons. Feel free to spank me while you plunge that big Alpha cock into my ass.”

“Shut up, you mongrel.”

Jonas' soft laughter chased him off the patio. Xavier's Italian leather shoes sank into the sand, the tiny granules clinging to the pants of his new Armani suit.

By the time he reached his BMW, just a half-mile away on the other side of Elle's place, he could not deny Jonas' suggestion was best. All the same, he didn't want a substitute lover.

When he arrived at his beachside mansion twenty minutes later, he resented like hell picking up the phone to request a soother to attend his needs.

Soothers functioned within the Anubinake much the way camp followers had in ancient wars. Soldiers needed those prostitutes not only for sexual release, but the feel of woman's arms around them, offering temporary comfort and false hope. When Alphas and Betas needed release, the soothers served that purpose, and very well.

Ten minutes later, a woman arrived.

He was glad she was not as dark-haired or tall like Elle. She was an olive-skinned brunette, with plain brown eyes, and curves in all the right places. She wore a simple black dress and a pair of three-inch heels. From the sway of her breasts and the lack of panty lines, he knew she wore nothing under the garment.

Xavier put two fingers on the scooped neckline and ripped the dress off her. She didn't gasp in shock. Good. It meant she knew the ferocious sensual nature of an Alpha. Not all soothers could handle an Alpha male's…enthusiasm.

She would be able to give him what he needed.

But not what he wanted.

Because he wanted Elle.

“Take off your shoes,” he said.

The woman obliged. She stood before him, waiting calmly, her gaze on the floor to show her submissiveness.

After watching Elle pleasure herself, he felt more raw and needy than he had in a very long time. He wanted to be the one slipping inside Elle's pussy. Giving her pleasure. Making her come.

He unbelted his pants. They dropped to his ankles and revealed his straining cock. “Bend over,” he demanded.

“Lubricant, my lord?”

She was bold to speak to him, but he admired her practicality. Though her main function was sexual appeasement of her betters, he felt ashamed that he had not thought of her comfort.

“Yes, of course,” he said. Then, as he lowered to his knees in front her, he heard her gasp. Ah, so he had the ability to shock her, after all.

His hands gripped her firm ass as he dove into the folds her pussy, licking, tasting, sucking. He was aggressive and unrelenting, using all of his skill and his own carnal need to bring her pleasure. She screamed as she came, her vaginal pulses pulling on his tongue, her juices slicking his chin.

He rose swiftly, snapping and snarling. She turned and bent over, her trembling fingers wrapping around her ankles.

Guiding his cock into the still-pulsating entrance of her cunt, he thrust inside. There was no gentility left in Xavier. He plunged into her tight sheath, shoving his hips against her ass, sweat beading his skin until the orgasm ripped through him.

He threw back his head and howled.

“Hello, Lanie.”

The blonde gasped, clutching the doorknob, keys jangling from the simple lock. Her purse slid off her shoulder and thunked to the floor. She wore a light summer dress and flip-flops and best of all, an expression of pure terror.

Jonas made a big show of picking lint off his trousers and smoothing the fabric. His nostrils flared as he scented her fear, heard the frantic pounding of her heart. Her gaze darted from Jonas, who sat in a wicker chair a few feet away, to the knob still clenched in her trembling fingers.

“If you run, I'll catch you,” Jonas said, smiling politely.

He saw the truth of his statement flicker in her eyes. She lost her nerve, her shoulders slumping. Entering the rest of the way, she pulled out the keys and shut the door behind her and stood next to the small peach-colored couch, playing with her key ring.

Chink. Chink. Chink. The keys tumbled and twirled in her nervous hands. Her gaze stayed on the floor. She had been reared Anubinake. Her submissiveness was ingrained.

Jonas waited, letting her sweat. He'd checked out Lanie's bungalow before he settled down to wait for her. It was much smaller than Elle's house, and somewhat shabbier. The front door opened into the living room. To the left was a small kitchen and dining area. To the right was the only other door. It led to the bedroom with its tiny bathroom. Like Elle's bedroom, it had sliding glass doors that opened onto a patio within steps of the beach.

He had chosen the chair to the left of the couch because it was between the only two exits in the living room. If Lanie tried to run either way, he would catch her.

And she knew it.

“You've been a naughty girl, Lanie.”

“I'm on vacation.”

Jonas snorted. “On the very same beach as your Alpha's mate. What a coincidence.”

She shrugged, tossing her purse onto the couch. She did not sit. Jonas suspected she wanted to keep her options open in case she decided to run. She was fast.

But he was faster.

“I am not fooled. You wanted to see her, I have no doubt. She is quite beautiful, our Elle. She is very strong, much stronger than you. But really, it's Xavier you wanted to see.”

Her silence bespoke her guilty intent. Jonas felt his pity for this girl turn to ashes. She was neither naïve nor ignorant. But it seemed she was incredibly stupid.

As the second girl born to a lesser female, Lanie had no status, no mate and no prospects for moving up in the Anubinake's complex hierarchy. She was not of royal blood and no common-born member was allowed to hold a high position of authority.

“Royals mate with royals. It is the way of the Anubinake.”

“Bullshit!” Resentment vibrated in the single word.

“You are petty and cruel, Lanie. So fearful were you of your older sister's beauty, you disfigured her with your own claws.”

Triumph flashed in her eyes before she looked away. “I paid the price. I am outcast. And she is married to the Beta. Remember, Jonas, she too was born from my mother.”

“It is the father's blood that gives members status.” Jonas' smile was cold. “And hers was more than worthy.”

Her eyes flashed with fury. “A fact Mother never let me forget. To her dying day, she was proud of Leila, but not me. Never me.” Her nostrils flared and she showed her teeth. Then, getting herself under control, she cast a sly smile at Jonas. “You would be first Beta if not for your love of men. Do you not resent your position in the pack? Would you not prefer second-in-command status rather than your role as a mere advisor?”

“We cannot control our birthrights,” said Jonas simply. “Or our natures. The Anubinake depends on every member to survive. Royalty may be born to privilege, but it is also born to obligation. Xavier can no more choose his fate than you can yours. Or than I can choose mine.”

“He doesn't know what it's like to be born from nothing. To be nothing. Without a mate or a pup to rear I am worse than a soother.”

“But you seem worthy enough for Tanin.”

She blanched, her pale features turning sickly gray. Jonas' lips thinned into a satisfied smile. “Did you think you could hide your relationship with him?”

“He should be Alpha.”

Jonas rose from the chair and strode across the room until he towered over her small, quivering frame. Anger flared, but Jonas kept his voice even. “You are a bigger fool than I thought. Tanin may be royal but he is so far away from the Alpha's crown that he had to murder siblings to become the fifth in line. He will never be Alpha, Lanie. He is outcast.”

Tears coursed her cheeks, but her rebellion refused to crumple under the weight of the truth. “Have you not considered that many of us are outcast? The numbers of the Anubinake dwindle, but outcasts remain numerous and strong.”

“I tire of this melodrama,” said Jonas. “You will be imprisoned until the tribunal communes to determine your fate.”

“Imprisoned!” Her shock gave way to horror. “The tribunal?”

“You can't refuse, Lanie.” She turned as if to bolt, but Jonas grabbed her arm and held her in place.

“Please, Jonas. Let me go. I'll leave and never come back. Maybe I wanted Xavier to pay for his rejection. The whole pack knew it, too. That kind of humiliation was too much too bear. But even that is not an offense great enough for the tribunal.”

“You are being charged with association with a declared enemy of the Anubinake and illegally reinstating your shape-shifting abilities.”

Her mouth dropped open. “What?”

“We caught Giselda. She confessed that she gave you the magic to release your shape-shifting powers. She said she did the same for Tanin and for many other outcasts.” He leaned into her and bared his teeth. “She too paid for her crimes.”

“You k-killed her.”

“She killed herself. That is our way. To die by the Anubinake's claws and teeth or to thrust yourself upon the sword of Anubis.”

She looked at him, tears glittering in her eyes, but he didn't catch a glimmer of remorse. He suspected that if she regretted anything it was getting caught before she could return to Tanin. He jostled her toward the door, but she stalled.

“Better the tribunal's judgment than Xavier's.”

She went boneless and instead of holding her back, Jonas was forced to hold her up. After a few moments, she was able to gain her legs and after few more, able to catch her breath.

“I love Tanin,” she screeched. “And he loves me. I am the mate of the true Alpha!”

Jonas laughed, genuinely amused by the girl's outburst. “Tanin loves power. He sees you and the outcasts as the way to get it.”

She sucked in a breath, obviously offended. Her chin rose and a new emotion glinted in her gaze—pride. “Take me before the tribunal. I dare you. Tanin will free me. He will free all of us.”

Jonas growled, knowing that his eyes glittered black instead of their usual human blue.

“After he kills Xavier, I will be the Alpha's mate.” Her grin was more wolf than woman. “What will happen to you then, oh, mighty Jonas, when your Alpha is dead?”

Every day Elle spent the hours trying to paint anything other than the images demanding her attention. She was finished with creating those strange, dark worlds filled with fantastical creatures.

Wolves had always been her favorite starting point, though by the time she finished creating them, they usually looked like blended human and wolf. Was it any wonder she continued to dream about a wolf-man?

Sometimes she dreamed she was the wolf, running on all fours, her senses besieged by enhanced smells, sights, sounds. She'd had those dreams when she was a little girl. After her father died and her mother sent her to boarding school at the age of twelve, Elle had not dreamed again of the night or of the wolves until… Well, no use thinking of Simon again, was there?

Elle missed the way she felt when she painted what was in her heart, in her soul. She missed her creatures. They were beautiful and majestic, trapped in a world of magic misunderstood by common, mundane people.

Elle had never felt common or mundane. She had always felt a right to live in the world the way she chose. Most everyone who knew her called her arrogant. Those with kinder dispositions said she was confident. Nothing or no one had stood in the way of her goals. Not ever. Not until Simon.

Damn him.

Her mind liked to drift to the early days. Nearly every evening, Simon arrived at her house with a bottle of good wine and some little gift for her. They took turns cooking, or ordering takeout. Sometimes, they watched a movie or listened to music.

They always talked—endless conversations about everything. Simon liked to poke and prod her into anger. He seemed to live for the moment she snapped, her voice rising and her hands gesticulating. He would laugh then, and kiss her until her annoyance faded into something much, much better.

That night, she decided to grill steaks. She liked hers rare and was delighted to discover that Simon preferred his bloody too. She laid the hunks of seasoned meat on the hot grill on their redwood patio. Just as the meat sizzled, its fragrance causing her to salivate, Simon arrived.

She sensed his tension, the roughness of his hands on her shoulders, the baring of teeth against her flesh. She turned, unafraid of Simon's aggressive nature—in truth, she'd always been turned on by his forcefulness—and felt her pulse stutter. In a way, even then, when things were falling apart, she thought she'd loved him.

“Hello.”

Startled, Elle dropped her paintbrush into the sand. She retrieved it, annoyance vibrating up her spine. What kind of moronic male would interrupt what was obviously a solitary endeavor? She was trying to paint the sun setting over the ocean.

And failing miserably. She had never been a landscape artist. Her passion had always been to paint those fantastical worlds featuring wild animals. It was what she was famous for, what people fought over at auction, what her agent still begged her to paint. But she had put aside those images, though they had not left her.

Elle turned, scowling at the intruder, but the scathing retort died on her lips.

The moronic male was…surprising. He was tall, at least six feet, broad-shouldered, and given the size of his arms, obviously knew how to use a barbell. He wore a loose-fitting white shirt and a pair of khaki shorts which showed off strong, brown legs. The light breeze tossed his long black hair about his face in a familiar way. He had the coloring of an Egyptian. Given his bone structure, she wouldn't be surprised if he had descended from the pharaohs.

Despite his dark good looks, it was his eyes that captivated her. The color of a stormy sea, they assessed her with a frankness she appreciated. Those eyes…gray and turbulent and knowing. This was man of secrets. A man of passion and intellect. He didn't seem to mind her silence or her appraisal.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Your canvas is blank,” he said. “Isn't the ocean inspiring?”

“No. It's not.” She put the brush on the easel, walked out to the wet sand and let the waves suck at her feet, not caring that the stranger followed.

Since she'd arrived here, she had no one to share her meals with, no one to talk to about the mundane, no one to hold her when the bad dreams claimed her sleep. Elle had not known that she wanted companionship until this man arrived.

Her new companion stood behind her, to the left, and said nothing. Elle found it soothing to know someone was there, quietly waiting. She realized, at that moment, that she didn't miss Simon, as she'd believed. She missed only the presence of another.

Elle turned and faced the intruder. He looked at her, brows raised, and waited for her to speak. She stuck out her hand. “I'm Elle Reddington.”

He took her hand, clasped it with a strong grip. She smiled. A man who shook hands with a woman in a straightforward manner got high marks in her book.

“I'm Xavier Skye,” he said.

“Do you have a Native American heritage?”

He returned her smile. “My ancestry goes back to the Egyptians.”

“That's interesting,” she said. “So does mine.”

“Look how much we already have in common,” said Xavier. Then he turned her hand over, palm-side up, and kissed the middle.

Sensations zinged the pit of her stomach. Despite her workout sessions with her sex toys, nothing replaced the feel of hands and lips, the low sounds of murmured desire, the musky smell… No, nothing replaced two beings striving together in the giving and taking of pleasure.

She'd bet her next commission check that Xavier Skye was an excellent lover.

He still held her hand, his thumb stroking a circle where his lips had kissed her palm. He watched her, his lips quirked, and she knew, right then, he was challenging her to act.

“Would you like to come in for a glass of wine?” she asked.

“Yes.” He folded her hand within his own and let her lead him to the beach house.

The Indian Pinks slapped against Elle's calves as she stepped between the potted plants and onto the patio. She put the bottle of Merlot on the turquoise plastic table along with two glasses.

Xavier stood next to the table, watching her. She sat, reaching for the chilled bottle. He leaned down and nuzzled her neck.

“You're making a rather bold assumption.” She poured the red liquid easily—as if her body was not trilling in excitement. “I offered you wine. Nothing else.”

He chuckled as he took the seat opposite her. “What are you looking for on this Florida beach?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

He inclined his head, his storm-gray eyes on hers. “Seems like you found it.”

It both appalled and amused her to feel vulnerable. She never felt weak. Or rather, she never allowed herself to feel weak. Suddenly restless, Elle stood up and crossed the patio. Her bare feet sank into the soft sand as she traipsed across the beach. Once again she found herself staring at the ocean, looking for answers, for solace. Once again, she found a whisper of peace, but no momentous insight, no goddamned clue what she needed to heal her soul.

Had Xavier sensed that whatever she'd been looking for she hadn't found? He was both perturbing and intriguing. She heard the scrape of the chair on the concrete as he also stood. Within moments, he had joined her, standing nearby and sharing the view.

She had never met another human being who understood that silence did not need to be filled up by useless words. God, how she hated small talk.

“I want to make love to you.”

Elle turned and looked at him, eyebrows raised. It appeared Xavier didn't enjoy small talk, either. She appreciated his boldness. She liked it when people got straight to the point.

He met her gaze. “I'm impatient,” he admitted. “I should woo you. Offer to buy you dinner or take you to a movie. Are you a woman who enjoys mundane dating rituals?”

“Hell, no.”

Her breath hitched and her knees wobbled. The man made her feel like melting Jell-O. She would be wise to walk away, even though she bloody well knew she was going to fuck him.

What a fool she was. No matter what Xavier offered, he merely sought the answer to one question. What was necessary to make her submit to him? Simon had loved to play games with her. I'll give you this, you give me that. Always a prize for winning, always a consequence for losing. Until he'd pushed her too far.

“Are we making a bargain?” she asked.

“Bargain?” The word echoed with his confusion.

“You wish to make love to me without the appropriate wooing.” She bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Since I'll be woo-less, what else do you offer?”

He didn't respond and she knew she'd nonplussed him. Was he thinking about what kind of treasure to bestow upon her? Take me to your bed, he would say, and I will give you gold. I will give you jewels. I will give you pleasure. And at the end, I will give you pain.

She swallowed the knot of longing in her throat. Like Simon, Xavier would most likely offer her anything, anything at all, except what she most wanted. Money could buy many lovely toys. It could alleviate financial suffering. It could build and it could destroy. But money was neither affectionate nor kind. Money did not love. And Simon, the man she had wanted more than her next breath, had been in love—with her money.

Xavier circled around her, standing within her personal space, his gray gaze enigmatic. “I will not bargain.”

A smile tugged at her lips. So he would not seek her compliance for trinkets. Would he somehow know that she wanted him? Would he do everything in his power to break her, to strip away her pride until her vulnerability was revealed?

She waited. Her heart pounded, in dread, in hope. He dropped to his knees. Shocked, she reached out, vaguely thinking such a magnificent man should never kneel to another, but he clasped her outstretched hands into his own.

“Xavier.” His name was a soft plea. Goddamn it! She trembled at the very thought of what he might ask. Fear chilled her. Fear of repeating past mistakes…that she would say yes…that she wanted to say yes.

“Darling Elle.” He kissed each of her palms. “Make love to me.”

Chapter 2

Xavier stood before her, naked, his circumcised cock long and thick. Elle's gaze moved from his impressive manhood to travel over his muscled body. His skin was the color of caramel. Mm-mmm. She could not deny the perfection of his form. He was tall with broad shoulders, his stomach rippled with muscle. Dark hair furred his big chest. His unbound raven-black hair drifted around his shoulders.

“Tell me what you want, Elle.”

Her nipples ached for attention. “Kiss my breasts.”

Soft lips descended on her tender flesh, peppering the tops and sides of her breasts with sweet kisses. The wetness of his tongue against her distended nipples made her shudder. “More,” she breathed.

His hands cupped the mounds, kneading them. Then he grasped her nipples and twisted. Pleasure-pain jolted through her and she moaned. He lifted his head, his eyes glittering with lust. She trembled with joy at the sensations zipping from her nipples to her core.

Elle dropped to her knees and grasped his cock, sucking his length into her mouth. She tasted his maleness, flicking the pearl of pre-cum leaking from his mushroomed head.

Wetness flooded her pussy as she worked his cock in and out of his mouth. His hands covered her head and his hips pumped as matched her rhythm. She grabbed on to his thighs, her pants and moans low and harsh as she took his cock again and again.

“Elle!” His seed spurted into her mouth. She greedily drank every drop, licking and sucking until he pried her away. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her to her feet. Her whole body trembled, aching for his touch as well.

Xavier dropped to his knees and started licking her clit. As he built and stoked the sensual fire between her legs, her knees nearly buckled, but Xavier held on to her thighs and attacked her pussy with lips and tongue. Her heart pounded as heat spiraled through her. Xavier relentlessly sucked, licked and tasted.

The orgasm built to a sweet crescendo. She flew over the edge into pure bliss. For a long moment, she felt only heat and light and pleasure. Then, as she attempted to catch her breath, Xavier got to his feet. One finger traced her cheekbone. He said nothing, but a smile curved his sensual lips.

Xavier circled around her then she felt the steel warmth of his body as he pressed against her, his hardening penis fitting between her buttocks. He lifted her hair and feathered kisses on her neck.

His hands drifted down to her thighs, trailing up her ribs oh-so slowly until his big, pale hands cupped her breasts. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples taut and deliciously achy.

Her pussy throbbed, swollen and needy. Her clit was tight with echoing pleasure. Elle stepped toward the bed, placing her hands onto the comforter and offering her ass to him.

His cock grazed her thighs as he guided the thick member into her weeping pussy. Panting, heart thundering, she pushed her ass against him. “Please!”

Xavier wrapped one hand around her waist and offered a few, slow strokes before creating a steady rhythm.

“Yes.” She moaned, gasping, as she met his thrusts. “Yes!”

Her nipples tingled and her pussy dripped. The covers bunched under her fingers as she took every rough stroke. She shoved one hand between her legs and rubbed her tortured clit.

“Elle!” Xavier tensed, his cock trembling then jerking violently, emptying his seed inside her.

Her second orgasm ripped through her, robbing her briefly of sight and breath.

Xavier's fingernails dug into her skin then he slowly pulled out of her. He leaned forward and kissed her spine. “More,” he said. “I want more.”

Despite all her fears, all her doubts, she offered her submission. “Yes,” she whispered, wanting him so badly she would give him all that he asked. “I want more too.”

Elle stretched out on her bed, naked and sweaty, the rhythm of her hips matching Xavier's urgent tempo. Every thrust brought her closer to the edge of bliss.

Xavier was skilled and relentless with his hands, with his tongue, with his words. God in Heaven, he had a big cock.

Her arms were stretched above her head, her chest arched to better rub her nipples against Xavier's lightly furred chest. Her nipples tingled, sweetly raw from Xavier's lips and fingers, and now the abrasion of his skin, which skimmed so delightfully across the peaks.

She moaned as he rocked against her clitoris.

“I love the way you feel,” he murmured, his teeth grazing her lobe. “God, Elle. You're so wet. So tight.”

“Hmm. Tell me more.”

“I love thrusting my cock into your pussy.” His lips scraped her neck, licking away the beds of sweat. “I love fucking you.”

“Xavier…” The urgency wound as tightly in her voice as it did in her cunt. The wave was rising, a thrilling escalation that hovered, waiting… “Make me come,” she begged.

His tongue flicked the shell of her ear, his breath shuddering as he strained for his own completion. “My darling, beautiful Elle,” he whispered, “you're the best fuck I've ever had.”

She flew over the edge, drowning joyfully, her nails raking across his back, as the orgasm rocketed through her. Her vaginal convulsions milked him even as he thrust into her, then he was coming, plunging deeply, shouting her name as his seed spilled.

He gave her no time to recover, his mouth sucking away the sweat on her collarbone, his tongue lapping at the valley between her breasts.

“Christ, you're insatiable,” she murmured.

His chin scraped her skin as he kissed his way down her stomach, stopping to dart his tongue into her navel. He nipped her right hip then rested his head on her thigh, his eyes glittering up at her.

She wound her fingers into his damp hair and marveled at the perfection of his face, his body. He was, without a doubt, the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. And yet, there was something about him that was…dangerous. Dark. Animalistic. He reminded her of Simon…of how her husband had assaulted her senses with his own perfection, his own menacing aura.

Xavier's gaze remained on her face. She'd never met a man like him. He let her think, let her wander away in thought and in daydream, and just…accepted she would return to him.

He was quiet. Patient. She smiled. Sure. Quiet and patient like the lion who lounged in the grass watching the gazelle. He waited only for the perfect opportunity to pounce.

“Are you waiting for me to say something silly like, `I've never slept with a man I've only known two hours'?” she asked. “I'm a woman who knows what—and who—she wants. I rarely deny myself pleasure.”

“I am the same, Elle.” His palm coasted up her stomach, stopping on her rib cage. His forefinger traced the bones. “We are the same.”

“That's a large assumption.”

“Nevertheless, it is true.” He pressed his lips to her navel, flicking his tongue across it.

“You are beautiful,” said Xavier, crawling back up her body. He pressed his lips in the valley between her breasts. He twisted one of her responsive nipples between his fingers. Then he let go, leaning down to suckle the peak and flick the tip with his tongue. Elle's moan encouraged him to devote attention to her other breast.

She dragged his face up to hers for a kiss. His hands strayed into her hair, threading through the thick strands. As he nibbled the soft skin of her neck, he pressed his cock at her entrance. She shuddered at the pleasurable contact. Oh, how he liked to torment her.

Elle wrapped her legs around him, urging him inside. Her hot breath fanned the underside of his jaw as she begged, “Fuck me, baby. Fuck me hard.”

Xavier slammed into her again and again, his eyes closed, his moans harsh. Her hands slid down to his ass and she grabbed his buttocks.

They gave each other raw pleasure.

Elle's cries were low, guttural. He stroked harder, faster. Her cunt pulsated around his cock, and then she was arching, screaming and coming, her nails digging into his ass.

Xavier growled as he thrust hard and emptied his seed again, his own cry of completion mingling with the echoes of Elle's screams.

“More!” he demanded.

It seemed her new lover was not easily satisfied. And his cock was damned near supernatural. Already he was stroking his length into hardness and within moments he was ready again.

His ferociousness was a fearful turn-on. And he knew it.

He rolled her onto her stomach and she knew what he wanted, what he needed. She lifted her ass and wiggled it. Her pussy throbbed, swollen and needy. Her clit was tight with echoing pleasure.

Elle heard her nightstand drawer open and realized that he somehow knew the location of her toys. She didn't think much about it. It wouldn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out she was a sensual woman who would not deny herself pleasure. Where else would a woman keep her sex stuff?

Seconds later, Elle felt the lube tip inserted in her anus, and then the cold squeeze of lubricant. Her heart tripped over in her chest. It had been a long time since she'd had anal sex. Hell, since she'd had any kind of sex. Seems like I'm making up for that tonight. She grinned.

Xavier parted her ass cheeks and rubbed his slick cock over her anus. She pressed her face against the bed, eyes closed, fists clenched into the sweat-damp sheets. One finger pierced her ass, circling and stretching. He inserted a second finger. As he prepared her for his cock, Elle moaned. Anticipation thrummed a primal beat.

He chuckled. “You like it, don't you, baby?”

“Yes.”

He fitted his cock against her anus and slowly worked it inside. She pushed back as he pushed in. The burning sensation melted into pulsing pleasure. When he was fully seated, he smacked her ass.

She clenched around his cock.

He hit her again. Hard.

Cream dripped from her pussy. She pressed into the covers, her body shivering with need and with heat.

Xavier slid in and out of her ass, but his measured pace soon gave way to frenzy. The harder he fucked her, the harder he hit her.

The pain ricocheted straight into her pussy. Xavier thrust deeply, crying out as he filled her ass with hot sprays of cum. His blows didn't cease. Even after as his dick softened within her, his palm landed again and again until her ass was sore and throbbing.

Smack!

She tipped over the edge into orgasm. The pleasure seemed to last forever, spiraling through every nerve until finally the sensations released their hold.

Elle collapsed onto the bed, smiling. Xavier left briefly to wash himself. Lazily, she rolled over, enjoyed the scratchy feel of the sheets on her raw ass. When he returned, he crawled into the bed and cuddled with her. She was surprised that she enjoyed his affection. She had never been accused of being a sentimental woman.

“Tomorrow, I would like to show you something.”

“What?”

His arms tightened around her. “Seeing is believing,” he whispered.

“Fine,” she said, chuckling. “Be all mysterious. I'll go with you, but only if you promise to feed me, too.”

“I'll provide for your every need,” he promised. “For as long as you let me.”

Dreams about wolves dissolved into a nightmare of being hunted. Whoever it was tracked her in a dark, dank forest. Elle ran through the trees on four paws, fear pressing her onward.

Elle awoke, her heart pounding and sweat dribbling between her breasts. Beside her, Xavier slept on his stomach, one arm flung across her. Wolf dreams. Her mind skittered to the night Simon died. He was the reason she refused to paint those fearsome creatures. The creatures she loved. She had spent her whole life building fantasies around those old tales her father told her. The wolves, the strangely named Anubinake, had entered her work from the beginning. They became her obsession. And then they made her fortune—or would have, if she wasn't already a trust-fund baby.

“Elle.” Xavier rolled onto his side and dragged her into his embrace. “Go to sleep, darling. I'll watch over you.”

She closed her eyes, soaking in his strength, and eventually the steady rhythm of his heart lulled her into dreams once more.

Blinking sleep from his eyes, Xavier zipped up his pants as he moved onto the patio and shut the sliding glass door behind him. Elle slept peacefully and he did not want her disturbed.

“What is it, my friend?” he asked Jonas.

“Tanin attacked the holding facility. He and the other outcasts killed our guards and freed all the prisoners, including Lanie.”

“Damn it!”

“We've got trackers working on finding their location, but Tanin and his mongrels are very good at hiding.”

Xavier nodded. The last thing he desired was to thrust Elle into the roiling tension caused by political disagreements and Tanin's constant attacks. It was time he dealt with the outcasts once and for all.

“Asking her to accept that she's not only dual-natured, but also a royal and my bride-to-be is a tall order.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I'll try to prepare Elle, but she's…stubborn.”

Jonas smiled. “I expected no less from your mate.”

Tanin was a beautiful man, a strong wolf, but not a powerful royal. It had pierced his ambitious heart to its ugly black core to be born low in the chain of leadership.

In the cheap motel room, Lanie's gaze roved over her lover as he searched for his clothing, which had been tossed to the floor in the frenzy of their lovemaking. Oh, he was handsome, this one. He was tall, muscled, blond…and soulless.

“Xavier is taking Elle to his house tomorrow. He's going to give her the Anubis amulet,” he said. His gaze raked her. “At least some of those loyal to me do not fail in their duties.”

Lanie clutched the sheet, listening to the warning in those two words. As his lover and partner, she always thought herself immune from Tanin's punishments. She should've known better. Still, she refused to show fear. She stuffed a pillow under her head and drew the sheet up to her chin. “What will we do now?”

Tanin pulled on his jeans. “I will lead a small team to Xavier's house. We'll take the necklace.”

“It won't work for you.”

“If I spill Xavier's blood on it and perform a certain ritual, it damned sure will.” Tanin grinned. “I'll sacrifice my cousin in front of our brethren. When the power of the Anubis amulet is mine, no one will challenge me.”

Tanin led his followers around by their snouts. He had attacked the homes and businesses of Anubinake, but now he was finally ready for the big play. Remove Xavier and Elle and hope for a reunited pack would die. The Anubinake would welcome a new leader. They would welcome Tanin. But he wanted more than just a crown—he wanted absolute power, power that would not stop at ruling the Anubinake.

“And Elle?” she asked.

“She will die too.” Tanin's teeth flashed white and sharp. He leaned over the bed and stroked her cheek. “You failed me, Lanie. You, who I chose above all others.”

“I won't again,” she promised. She cupped his face, and looked into his cold eyes. Her heart thundered. “I swear it.”

He kissed her gently. “I know.”

He pulled away from her. Gray wisps surrounded her and tightened her body against the bed.

“What are you doing, Tanin?” She struggled against the magic encompassing her. Tanin had learned the dark arts from his mother—a woman whose heart had been blacker than her son's. Xavier's father had torn out her throat for death-cursing the children of other pack members.

Her body felt strangely numb and heavy…so heavy.

“Didn't I tell you, Lanie? I need your blood and bones to perform a few spells. I can't just waltz into the Alpha's lair. I have to weaken his defenses. I have to be sneaky.”

Why had she believed his lies? Tears slipped from her eyes. He caught one on his fingertip and licked it off. Lanie couldn't scream. She couldn't move.

Tanin crawled onto the bed next to her. “My mother taught me many valuable lessons along with her magic. One was to never accept failure. And another was to never waste an opportunity.”

Paralyzed, she watched in horror as Tanin's body rippled with the change. She heard the snap and snick of realigning muscles and bones and watched the shimmer of yellow fur as it emerged from his skin. His golden eyes peered down at her, as devoid of emotion as his heart.

He snarled and leapt onto her, his paws pressing down on her chest, his powerful jaws clamping her throat.

Pain shot through her and her vision grayed. Then Tanin tore out her larynx…and she fell into the soft darkness, never to return.

Chapter 3

“You have a beautiful home,” Elle said as they entered the huge foyer.

Xavier looked at the sweeping mahogany staircase to the right, the marble floors dotted with Persian rugs, the antique furniture featuring expensive knickknacks. Ahead, through the open double doors, was one of three living rooms. To the right was the door that led to the formal dining room, beyond it, the rather impressive kitchen. In the kitchen was a breakfast nook, surrounded on three sides by bay windows, with room for ten. Not exactly cozy, but the windows faced the ocean. According to everyone, the view of the sea was inviting, beautiful. It was not one he particularly enjoyed.

“This isn't really home,” he said, thinking of his cabin in Georgia. The place was in the middle of a thick forest. Soon, he would take her there. He couldn't wait to change, to feel the damp soil under his paws, to smell the crisp scent of pine in his nostrils.

She smiled at him and drifted into the living room.

His butler, Montrose, had lit a fire in the marble fireplace. He rolled his eyes. Spring in Florida was no time for a fire, but Montrose was convinced that lighting a fire in any weather was always welcome.

Xavier watched Elle settle into a brown leather wingback. She watched the flames dance along the logs, and he watched the play of light on her features.

“You dream of wolves,” he said. “Why?”

“I always have.” Her gaze flicked to his.

He leaned down and took her hand, pulling her out of the chair. He placed a lingering kiss on her lips then whispered, “Come with me.”

They left the luxurious room. Xavier led Elle across the huge hallway to a tiny glossy black table next to the wide staircase. On it, sat a bronze statue of a snarling wolf. Xavier pushed it and a panel opened.

“Wow,” said Elle in half surprise, half sarcasm. “Your name isn't really Bruce Wayne, is it?”

Xavier grinned. “Do you see any bats?”

“Just the ones in your belfry.”

He pinched her lightly on the ass, and she laughed. Then he led her through the secret doorway and the wood swished shut behind them.

They went down a dimly lit staircase into what had once been a basement. He had redecorated this area. No furniture or tables existed here. Big comfy cushions were scattered on the black marble floors. This wasn't a room meant to invite or to comfort human beings. In fact, no human had ever been here.

He flicked on the main switch.

Elle gasped sharply.

“My paintings!” She spun around the room, taking in all four walls, which held original, very expensive works of E. Reddington.

Carefully positioned picture lights mounted on the walls highlighted each glorious painting. The low, yellow glimmers struck the oil canvases in ways that made the creatures' eyes seem bright and alive. He'd spent many hours in this room in his wolf form. Before now, this had been as close as he'd ever gotten to his mate.

“You own so many,” she said. “You have a fucking gallery of my work.” Her gaze captured his. Fury danced in her eyes. “You expect me to believe that you happen to be on the same beach as I am? Do you think I'm a fool?”

“No. You are many things, Elle. But you are not foolish.” He walked close to her, but though he wanted to embrace her, he did not. “Yes, I knew who you were on the beach. I wanted you. I still want you. You are…well, you are mine.”

“Oh really?”

He'd discombobulated her. His Elle didn't like feeling vulnerable or not in control. She probably thought a man rich enough to collect her paintings had sought to seduce her. What would she say when he revealed the truth? She was Anubinake. She was Alpha female. She was his mate.

Xavier's heart thudded in his chest. He couldn't afford to lose her. The Anubinake needed her as much as he did. As the destined leaders, it was only natural that they fall in love. That's what soulmates did, after all.

He thought himself prepared for this moment, but he wasn't. He was terrified she would reject her heritage. That she would reject him. Uncertainty was not an emotional state he often experienced. Surely there was some way to draw her into a conversation that would allow him to reveal the full truth.

“What happened to your parents?” he asked.

She glanced away. Since she hadn't punched him and tried to walk out, he could only hope that meant she wasn't giving up on him. On them.

“My father died when I was twelve. Heart attack. Mother shipped me off to boarding school and tried to pretend I didn't exist. Just before I graduated, she died. Our home burned to the ground. I was later told that she didn't try to leave. She sat on the bed holding a picture of my father and suffocated in the smoke.”

“I'm sorry, Elle.”

She paced around the room. He could tell that she felt caged, even though the room was not a prison, but a sanctuary. “I don't know why I'm telling you about my life.”

“My parents are dead too,” he said. “Car accident last year.” It had been tragic, unexpected and accidental. Even then he'd been planning to approach Elle. He had known his destiny since he was a pup. But Elle had not been reared Anubinake. Her parents had chosen to live among humans and to rear their daughter as one.

By the time he'd found her, she was married to Simon Cauldwell. Then the newspapers reported Simon's unfortunate death. Elle left California, disappearing like smoke from an extinguished fire. Then she surfaced in Florida, renting the cottage on the beach. It was as if she'd known he was waiting for her and where she should go to find him.

With the outcasts and his nemesis Tanin attacking Anubinake families and businesses, Xavier did not have time to woo his mate. He wanted her desperately, but was that the same as love? Even if they proclaimed such an emotion, it wouldn't matter. Mates were fated and had been since the Anubinake first walked the Earth. Their people needed unity, strong leadership and hope. Right now, the beloved ones of Anubis were fractured, angry and frightened.

Elle was staring at her work, obviously bemused. He knew she wanted to indulge herself in fantasy, to return to the lands and the creatures that had made her famous and rich. Oh, his Elle cared nothing for fame and fortune.

The wolves called to her.

Elle walked to the large portrait in the center of the left wall. Xavier had paid a million dollars for it at auction. He knew that the portrait was the biggest she'd ever done. A black wolf stood in a dark forest. The full round moon showcased the beautiful creature, his eyes glittering molten silver. What she hadn't known was that she was painting him in his wolf form. Her dreams were of him, though she did not yet know it.

“When I was young, my father told me stories about the Anubinake. Beings who could shift into wolves—oh, that fascinated me so much.” She turned around, her arms hugging her waist. “The first time I dreamed of these wolves was the night my father died. Mother told me to forget about my father's stupid stories, but I never did.”

“I've heard the stories.” He clenched his fists, his heart turning over in his chest. Thank Anubis her sire had at least tried to convey some of her heritage. “Did your father ever tell you about how the Alpha female is chosen?”

“The ruby supposedly made from the tears of Anubis.” Her anger was dissipating. He felt her energy shift from rage to sadness. She had obviously loved her father very much. “When the new Alpha is named, the gem reveals his mate—the female who's supposed to rule with him.”

“Royals mate with royals.”

She nodded. “Yeah. That's what he said.”

“Your parents were royals.”

“What?” She turned and looked at him, incredulous. “The Anubinake aren't real. They're just myths. Legends created by the Egyptians.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “Why would your father tell you such obscure stories? The stories of the Anubinake are not well-known. And they are certainly not the kind of fairy tales you impart to children.”

“Stop fucking around with me.” She walked to another painting, but he knew her thoughts were not about it.

“Tell me about Simon.”

“No.” Grief and rage radiated from her. “I'm not ready for this…for you. I can't take it in.” She looked at him, pain in her eyes. “What do you want from me?”

“Oh, Elle.” His soft tone soothed and reprimanded. He grasped her hand, which trembled like a caught bird within the cage of his fingers. “Come on. This room holds one more secret.”

He took her to the far wall and watched her study the small painting. The female wolf in the portrait was his mother. Her black fur shimmered under the moonlight and her snout was raised in a triumphant howl. The thick gold chain around her neck encased a big teardrop ruby.

“My father had this painted,” he said. “My mother loved it.” He reached out and stroked the muzzle. “It's an optical illusion. Go on. Take off the necklace.”

Elle glanced up at him. “Are you kidding?”

He shook his head. What Elle couldn't know what that the portrait was bespelled. Anyone else looking at it would only see a painting. No one but the Alpha's mate could reach through the magical protections and take the necklace.

Elle's hand hovered over the wolf's neck. Then she reached in and lifted the chain off. “Oh my God!” She grinned at him, holding up her prize in amazement. “That's incredible.”

“It's yours,” he said.

“I can't take something that was your mother's,” she said.

“The gem picks its owner.” He took the necklace from her trembling hands and placed the gold necklace over her head. The jewel settled just above the vee of her breasts, looking as if it had always belonged there—on his mate. The jewel glowed for a nanosecond. It was all the recognition Xavier needed.

“It's beautiful.” Elle looked at the ruby and stroked its shiny red surface. “But I'm not keeping it.”

Xavier smiled at the uncertainty in her voice. She obviously felt she had to say the words, but she sure as hell didn't mean them. The necklace belonged around her neck. Its power was hers to wield. He knew she wouldn't be separated from it. His mother had never taken it off. Not until he himself as the new Alpha had removed it from her broken neck and replaced it in the painting.

“Come on. I promised to feed you. Montrose makes a mean omelet.”

“As long as we don't eat in a room with a roaring fire, okay? Your butler seems to think you live in the Alps.”

Xavier laughed, leading her out of the room and into the main part of the house. For a while longer, they would simply enjoy being with each other.

But soon, Elle would have to face the truth. And so would he.

Elle believed she'd learned her lesson about her impetuous decisions, but she'd been wrong. She wanted Xavier more than she'd ever wanted Simon. Her feelings for her husband were pale shadows compared to her feelings for Xavier. So she ignored her misgivings and spent the day with him. He didn't approach the topic of the Anubinake again, but she was sure Xavier wasn't done with the subject.

God! How could she want him so much? She needed him like she needed air. What the hell was wrong with her?

Xavier had spent a fortune on her paintings and he'd intentionally sought her out, and she still couldn't get herself to feel righteously pissed-off. She couldn't deny he was arrogant and possessive. Then again, so was she. And all Xavier's talk about the Anubinake being real! The very idea made her quiver. How wonderful if it were true. And yet, how could shape-shifters exist?

Do you need to ask? whispered her conscience. Or have you forgotten what happened to Simon?

That's why she hadn't left yet. She wanted to hear what Xavier had to say about the Anubinake—and her own connection with them. She couldn't deny that she had experienced something odd a year ago. Simon had died as a result of that incident. It had been long enough that she believed it all to be a terrible dream. But it wasn't. Because Simon was dead. And though the human response should've been regret and anguish, another part of her had howled with joy. Justice had been served. Retribution exacted. The scales balanced.

Later that evening, Xavier tucked her into his king-sized bed. Even though they were both nude, he didn't make a single sexual advance. She couldn't decide if she was annoyed or grateful. The Egyptian cotton sheets felt so soft against her skin. She'd missed the finer things while doing her penance on that beach.

“Roll over,” said Xavier.

Elle did. He rubbed her back until she fell into a restless sleep.

As the dark-haired female wolf ran alongside the larger male, she barked her joy. She had done this before, she knew. It was both familiar and strange—the long-held dream meeting the disbelieving reality.

She sprinted beside the Alpha, feeling the freedom and happiness she had sought for so very, very long. The earth beneath her paws was soggy and soft. She raised her nose to the air and sniffed the sharp smell of pine, the dankness of moss.

She followed the Alpha into a clearing. It was quiet and dark and beautiful.

He paced the clearing, smelling and listening for danger. She circled the center and sat, tongue lolling as she tasted the air and examined the blackness behind the clearing.

Others were there, waiting.

She looked at the Alpha. Muscles rippled under the black fur as he padded along the perimeter. Then his eyes locked with hers.

She scooted her paws forward and lowered her head in the submissive position. She would submit to the Alpha. She would be his mate.

She turned, offering him her backside. He dropped to his knees and placed his paws on her haunches. He pushed his cock between her quivering thighs. The head teased her vaginal opening.

She closed her eyes, a snarl locked in her throat.

His cock entered her. Then he thrust rapidly, and hard.

The snarl trapped in her muzzle unleashed, but soon the snapping sounds faded to low yips.

Behind her, the Alpha howled and ejaculated.

She joined in with his howl…and others joined too.

One word filtered through her mind—Anubinake.

“Elle.”

Xavier's concerned voice drew her out of the dream. She opened her eyes to see his just inches away. He was above her, his body pressing intimately against hers.

Heat skittered through her, wedging heavy in her belly. His fingers delved into the moist inner folds of her pussy, sneaking forward to tickle her clit. She closed her eyes, her teeth digging into her lower lip.

He leaned down to lick at her nipples, sucking them into tingling hardness.

She moaned.

His cock slid between her thighs, gently easing into her pussy.

He gave one thrust and buried deep.

Her breath hitched, her lungs felt as though they might collapse. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on to his arms, lifting her hips to meet the swift plunge of his cock.

They reached completion together and collapsed against each other.

She had so many questions. So many doubts. But somehow she knew this man was meant for her.

The next morning, Xavier prepared Elle breakfast. She was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she apparently failed to notice that Montrose and the other servants were gone. He'd ordered Jonas to see that the humans got to safety. He wasn't sure when Tanin would attack, but his cousin wouldn't wait much longer. Tanin couldn't afford to allow Xavier and Elle to consolidate their power.

He placed the plate of scrambled eggs, sausage and toast on the table. Elle stared out the window at the ocean. Finally, she looked at him. “I want to tell you about Simon.”

“Okay.”

“My father wasn't the only one who talked to me about the Anubinake. Simon knew the stories, too. He never said anything until that night. I thought I loved him.” Her gaze held Xavier's and he felt his heart stutter. “But that wasn't love,” she continued. “He enjoyed my money. He enjoyed my pain more. He spent our entire marriage figuring out ways to make me hurt. I wasn't the first. I wouldn't have been the last.”

“What do you mean?”

“He chose me. He said he knew what I was and that's why he pursued me. It's funny how his hatred fueled his passion. I was swept into that passion without realizing its source.” She looked out the window. “When Simon was eleven, his family was attacked by wolves. They'd gone camping and were in an isolated location. He was the only survivor. There were still scars on his back. Claw marks.”

“Anubinake?” Xavier went cold. “Was that the first time someone told you that you were a werewolf?”

Elle pushed the fluffy scrambled eggs around her plate. Tears filled her eyes, but she dashed them away. She wasn't crying for that asshole. No, she was ashamed of her weakness for him. Furious he'd spun such pretty lies and all the while he'd hated her guts. “He said he'd done it before. Found women like me. He'd killed them more quickly. But me… I had money and fame. He got greedy. With my fortune, he could fund his vengeance for the rest of his life.”

“He told you these things?”

“The night he came to kill me.”

She couldn't eat. She pushed away the plate of food. The fork clattered against the ceramic and tumbled to the table. “When I was a teenager, I remember watching this horror movie. This guy woke up with blood everywhere and he couldn't remember where he'd been or what he'd done. Turns out he was a werewolf and he'd change, go off and kill someone… Well, you know how those movies are.

“After my father died, I dreamed of wolves. I would wake up and have dirt in my bed. My window would be open, my carpet a mess. My pajamas were gone or ripped to shreds. No blood. I don't think I ever killed anybody.”

“Until Simon.”

Her eyes widened. She pressed a hand against her thundering heart. “Xavier…”

“Do you remember how it happened?”

“Simon enjoyed causing pain. He used his words to torture me while he pressed a very sharp blade against my throat. One quick flick and my carotid artery would be severed. He wanted to watch me bleed out. Then he started talking about the Anubinake and my father and how we were abominations. He said my father didn't deserve to live any more than I did.” Her throat clogged and tears squeezed from her eyes. “His parents were hunters. They'd deliberately set out to kill the werewolves in the area. Earlier that year, just a few months before the so-called camping trip, Simon's father had tracked and killed…my father.”

Xaviar knew then that Simon's family had died in retribution. Elle might not realize the implications now, but it seemed she'd taken her own vengeance.

She rose from the table, her fury reignited. “My mother lied about his death and sent me away to boarding school to protect me—not to punish me. I don't know if she died in the fire because she wanted to or because someone forced her to stay.” She paced in front of the table and felt electrified by the same anger she'd felt that night with Simon. “I don't remember what happened. I was so goddamned mad I couldn't see straight. I blacked out. When I woke up, Simon was dead and I was covered in his blood. The taste of him was in my mouth, the smell of him in my nose. And I wasn't sorry.” Her gaze ensnared Xavier's. “I'll never be sorry.”

He stood up and gathered her into his arms. She absorbed his strength, reveled in the knowledge of his…yes, his love, and wept furiously.

The floor quaked beneath their bare feet then the breakfast nook seemed to explode. Xavier was ripped from her arms and the whole world went dark.

Chapter 4

Elle awakened in the carnage of the breakfast nook. The windows were gone, the table split in half, the chairs destroyed, and the floor littered with debris. She felt like she'd been beaten with a lead pipe.

“Xavier!” she cried as she got on her knees and prepared to stand. Pain ricocheted from her pelvis, her midsection throbbed with agony. She stilled and tried to breathe through the aching jolts that accompanied her movements.

Without giving herself a chance to think about it, she stood up quickly. Dizziness swamped her, causing sweat to break out on her brow. She sucked in deep breaths, trying to avoid the blackness that encroached on her consciousness.

Dread crept through her, freezing her limbs, her breath.

The strange feeling of suffocation mobilized her. Don't pass out. Don't pass out. Don't pass out.

“Give me the necklace.”

Startled, Elle whirled, and sucked in a breath as a black curtain of pain and terror closed around her. A tall blond, dressed in Armani, stood in the doorway, a .38 special in his hand, no doubt filled with silver bullets. Of all the silly legends that comprised werewolf lore, her father said that silver could cause great harm and sometimes death.

“Where's Xavier?”

“Getting ready for his big performance.”

Elle touched the stone at her neck, which glowed underneath her fingertips. “Why didn't you just take it?”

Tanin's golden eyes glowed with hatred.

“You can't, can you?” She laughed. “Take me to Xavier.”

“Take off the necklace first.”

Elle shook her head. The man aimed the gun and she lurched to the right. The gun fired six times. The sound, the noise, the smell—all of it penetrated Elle's mind at the same time the shots slammed into her body.

By the time the sixth bullet pierced Elle, the shock and torment had turned to numbness, to cold. The silver lodged inside her flesh burned and burned and burned…torturing her…consuming her.

Gray light crimped the edges of her consciousness. Silent tears coursed her cheeks as she crumpled to the floor, trying to breathe despite the blood filling her lungs, trying to reach out to stop Tanin as he squatted next to her and patted her cheek.

“The necklace may resist me now, but when I'm the new Alpha, it will fall off your pretty, dead neck.”

He smiled in triumph.

It was the last thing Elle saw before she tumbled into an endless black.

Xavier's howl nearly shook the prison to its foundation. Tanin himself had dragged Elle's body into the cell across from his. The awful stench of burnt flesh permeated his nostrils. Elle's body was riddled with bullets. The wounds were singed and blackened. Silver. Holy Anubis.

If the outside of his beloved's body was this damaged, Xavier couldn't fathom how the inside looked. Elle had suffered terribly—the silver bullets surely burned through organs. That bastard Tanin had hit vital spots—heart, lung, stomach, womb.

“You will die, you bastard!” Xavier's voice broke. “Elle!”

“Oh, now don't worry, cousin. You'll join her soon.”

Xavier's knees buckled and he howled his grief, over and over, until his voice went hoarse and all that was left were his tears.

Tanin, despite his arrogance, was not stupid. They had dispatched guards at the tunnel's entrance and at several points along the way. Now Jonas and his team were in the main cave, lit by torches. Jonas watched as Tanin droned on about being the true king of the pack. His heart broke at the number of Anubinake who stood with Tanin. How could the pack survive when so many had abandoned Xavier?

Jonas crept around the outside of the crowd. The others in his team stuck close to the craggy, mold-smelling walls until they were only two feet from the raised dais that held a chained Xavier and the bloody body of Elle. The necklace was still on her neck, but its stone was dark.

Goddamn it!

Tanin, dressed in long, black robes, strode to Xavier. Jonas recognized the chains. The magic held in those cuffs prevented Anubinake from changing. The long silver dagger held in Tanin's grip arced toward Xavier, who showed no sign of fear.

Then Elle's body rose from the stone altar.

Startled, Tanin backed away, clutching the dagger before him. Fearful murmurs rolled through the crowd and those closest to the dais moved back.

The bullets still embedded in her flesh popped free and struck the stone floor. Jonas watched in amazement as the jewel around Elle's neck glowed blood-red. The light encompassed her whole body. Moments later, the glow dissipated.

His queen stood on her own two feet, her eyes closed. Anubis be praised! She was healed. Though her clothes still show evidence of her trauma, her wounds were gone. His gaze switched to Tanin and saw that the coward was retreating.

“Hold!” he cried. He leapt to the staging area and those with him followed.

Trapped in a circle of his enemies, Tanin rushed toward Xavier, whose gaze had never left his mate's form. He aimed the blade at Xavier's neck, but at that moment, Elle's eye snapped open. She pointed at the dagger and it flew from Tanin's grip into hers.

“Betrayer!” her voice boomed in an unearthly tone. “The Anubinake are one tribe.”

Tanin's eyes were wide with fear. The Anubinake in the room squeezed together. Terror vibrated on the very air.

Jonas' heart thudded in his chest. He wasn't sure what was happening or what to do. He held his ground and waited. What else could he do?

Elle touched the chains binding Xavier and they fell away. Xavier growled even before his body began the change. Tanin threw off his robes and also began to take his wolf form.

Bones snapped and realigned. Fur sprouted. Jaws elongated. In no time at all, the black wolf stood ready to battle the blond beast.

Xavier snarled and leapt toward Tanin. The blond yipped and staggered backward. Then he jumped away, and snapped at Xavier's front legs. The move gave Xavier the opportunity he needed. He clamped his mouth over Tanin's neck. Tanin struggled harder, pushing back, trying to drag himself out of the powerful jaws.

He whimpered and growled and scrabbled, but he could not free himself. Xavier tossed him to the floor and the blond wolf landed on his side. Before he could get up, Xavier leapt forward and tore out his throat.

Then he dragged the betrayer's body to the edge of the dais and tossed it before those gathered. The body landed with an unsettling whomp, blood leaking from the jagged wound, creating a pool of dark red on the cave floor.

Elle sank to her knees, shaking. It was then Jonas realized that Anubis had released her. Xavier padded to her, sitting near her. She wrapped one arm around his neck.

“Hear me, oh, Anubis,” she shouted, clutching her necklace. The Tears of Anubis responded to her prayer. The jewel grew so bright Jonas had to shield his eyes. “We need your guidance to cull the loyal from the deceitful and the cruel from the merciful. Let your righteous judgment see into the hearts of the Anubinake!”

The ruby's light went molten. Everyone was forced to close their eyes. Jonas fell to his knees and listened to the screams of agony from those who would know no mercy from the great god Anubis.

The Alpha wolf padded into the meadow, his nose lifted as he smelled food. Roasted chicken. Warm rolls. Potato salad. Chocolate cake. His gaze found the picnic blanket and on it, the feast that tantalized his senses.

“Hungry, Xavier?”

He looked over his shoulder and saw the female human, his human. He barked at her, a command that brought a grin to her lips. As he watched, the one known as Elle knelt on all fours and, within a minute, had become his equal.

For a long time, they played together in the meadow, chasing each other, snapping, snarling and barking. The feel of earth under his paws, the familiar scents of pine and cedar and moss, the cool breeze ruffling his fur… These blessings were for the Anubinake.

His mate nipped his ear, and licked his muzzle. He knew she was hungry and wanted to start their picnic. But he was not thinking of food as he dived onto the female and rolled end over end until she lay on her stomach, quivering haunches up, submissive to his needs.

Within moments, they had changed to their human forms.

Xavier gazed at the beautiful ass of his wife and sighed in pleasure. He leaned forward and peppered kisses on those cheeks, his hands parting her thighs to slip two fingers inside her pussy.

“Oh yes,” she moaned.

“You're wet for me,” he said in a low voice. “Elle, I want you so much.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

He bared his teeth and growled, kneeling behind her and sliding his cock into the wet heat of her cunt. His fingers curled around her hips as he slowly pumped his cock in and out of her tight pussy.

Damn. He wasn't going to last long. The orgasm rushed through him, a burst of bright pleasure then—fuck, oh fuck—he came hard, his seed emptying violently into his mate's receptive pussy.

After he recovered, he slipped out and rolled Elle onto the picnic blanket. A low sound gathered in her voice as his head dipped between her legs. His tongue lapped at the folds of her pussy, tasting the heat and the wet of her and of him. She smelled good, like she was made only for him.

He suckled her clitoris until she came, her pussy contracting on his chin, her juices flowing like nectar.

“You belong to me,” he said.

“Yes, Xavier. Always.”

Later, after they'd eaten, they lay on the blanket staring up at the stars. She turned her head to kiss his shoulder and then her gaze returned to the sky. “I have new stories to tell with my brush.”

“I'm glad, sweetheart.” Xavier rolled onto his side and gathered Elle into his arms.

“We are such a small pack now,” she said, worry evident in her voice. “Anubis' vengeance was greater than we imagined.”

“That's what happens when you call upon the powers of a god. Our pack is smaller, but we are stronger.”

“We'll rebuild our present so that future generations will have a firm foundation to stand on,” said Elle, drawing a finger across Xavier's brow. “That was my favorite line from your speech.”

He smiled and sucked the tip of her finger into his mouth. “And guess what my favorite line is…on you?”

On a full-moon night deep in the Georgia forest, the howls of two wolves echoed into the starry sky.

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