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DISCOVERING HER WOLFEN

HERITAGE

Missy Martine

EROTIC ROMANCE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance


DISCOVERING HER WOLFEN HERITAGE
Copyright © 2009 by Missy Martine
E-book ISBN: 1-60601-640-7

First E-book Publication: December 2009

Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2009 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic
reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual
persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.


PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

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Letter from Missy Martine

Regarding Ebook Piracy

Dear Readers,

Reading romantic fiction has brought joy and romance back into my
life for many years. Each story different, yet the same. Books filled
with passion, romance and happily ever after endings. These are the
things that fueled my fantasies for years.

Now, I write to bring the same kinds of romantic feelings to you. It
makes me happy to think that I can bring a little romance and fantasy
into people’s lives.

I’m really lucky because I can earn a living writing my stories for
you. I don’t have another job. Selling my books is my only income.
When I recently discovered that my books were being pirated, I was
devastated.

Pirating books is the same as stealing. Don’t share this book with your
friends. Don’t post copies anywhere on the internet. Don’t sell or
auction it to anyone. Please respect my right to earn a living from my
hard work.

With deep gratitude,

Missy Martine

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DEDICATION

This book is dedicated in part to Dana Marie Bell, whose shape-
shifter books inspired me to want to create characters of my own, and
to my husband, who once again read along as I created, giving me his
honest opinions and his unconditional support.

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DISCOVERING HER

WOLFEN HERITAGE

MISSY MARTINE

Copyright © 2009

Prologue

Summer 1997

“Grandpa, who’s your friend?”
Victor Barrow wasn’t surprised by the sound of his

granddaughter’s voice. He’d sensed her approach even before she
came around the corner of his cabin. Truth be known, he hoped for
the chance to introduce her to his friend before her father took her
home. Turning to look at her, he flashed her a smile and motioned her
forward.

“Come and meet my friend, Maddie.”
The petite eight-year-old girl moved cautiously forward, never

taking her eyes off the large, black wolf lying at his feet. He watched
the wolf’s bright blue eyes following her movements and saw his
granddaughter’s body shiver.

“What’s his name, Grandpa?”
“Well, Maddie, I suppose he does have a name, but I’m afraid

he’s the only one who knows it. He sure hasn’t told it to me.”

The solemn faced little girl giggled, just as he hoped she would.

She always seemed so serious. Victor just wanted to put a smile on
her face and keep it there.

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“Can I pet him?”
“Yes, Maddie, you can pet him all you want. Look at his eyes,

little girl. They show you what kind of wolf he is. I promise you that
this wolf will never do anything to hurt you. In fact, he’d protect you
from danger if you ever needed it.”

The little girl dropped to her knees beside the large wolf and

tentatively held out her hand. Raising his head, the wolf sniffed at her
fingers and stared directly into her wide, brown eyes. His long, moist
tongue came out and gently lapped at her fingers and hand, making
her giggle again. As she relaxed her posture, the wolf lowered his
head and butted up against her arm. Maddie ran her hand over his
head and down his back.

“Grandpa, his hair is so soft. It tickles my hand.”
The old man smiled at his granddaughter and had to blink back

tears. He wished he could tell her that her future belonged to this
wolf, but he’d promised his son he wouldn’t say anything. It hurt him
deeply that his own son continued to deny his heritage. It shamed him
to know how he failed his beautiful wife, Eloise, by not instilling the
pride of her people in their only son.

As he watched, the wolf crawled closer to the child and curled his

massive body around her where she sat on the grass. She smiled
happily and sunk both her hands into his thick, fur and then laid her
head on his side.

“You’re my new friend, wolfie,” she said with her eyes closed.
The wolf raised his sky blue eyes to the old man, showing his

content, then slowly closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Victor
knew this was the wolf’s way of memorizing her scent.

“Maddie, get away from that filthy thing right now,” came a harsh

voice from the corner of the house. “That thing could kill you with
one bite.”

The wolf’s eyes flew open and turned to look at the young man

standing in the sunlight beside the small cabin.

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“Michael, don’t try to scare your sister like that. She’s perfectly

safe with the wolf, more so than you’ll ever know.”

“Grandpa, wolves are wild animals, and you can’t tame them, no

matter how hard you try. You may think it’s safe, but one day, when
you least expect it, he’ll turn on you and kill you.” The young man
looked irritated, as if he couldn’t believe he had to explain this to his
grandfather. “Come on, Maddie, right now, or I’m going to tell Dad.”

At this, the wolf slowly rose to his full height and released a small

growl from deep in his chest. Maddie jumped, pulled back her hands,
and began to scoot away. Victor realized the wolf frightened her. He
smiled as he watched him lean forward and lick her on the side of her
face. Maddie smiled and seemed to calm instantly.

“See, Maddie? Don’t listen to your brother. This wolf loves you

and would never hurt you.”

Smiling, Maddie petted the wolf one last time and then got to her

feet.

“I have to go, Grandpa. Dad’s waiting.” She threw her arms

around the old man, hugging him. “I love you, Grandpa.” She looked
up at her grandfather inquisitively. “Are you going to come to my
birthday party next month? We’re having a cookout at the lake, and
Michael promised to teach me how to water ski.”

“I’m going to do my best to be there, little girl. I can’t wait to see

you flying across the waves behind that boat of your Dad’s.”
Returning her hug, he said, “I love you too, child.”

Maddie giggled one more time, looked at the wolf again, and then

ran off to join her brother beside the house.

“Goodbye, Grandpa. I had a nice time. You be careful around that

wild animal. He really could turn on you without any warning.”
Michael seemed to be trying to sounder older and wiser than his
sixteen years.

“Bye, Michael. I love you, boy, and I hope you visit me again

sometime soon.”

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Both children waived one final time, with Maddie looking

longingly at the wolf, and then raced off to join their father in the car.

“She’s mine Victor, you must know that.”
Victor turned his head and looked at the tall, naked man standing

where the wolf had been just moments before. He sighed and thought
carefully before he answered.

“Yes, Remus, I know she’s destined to be your mate. You must be

patient, though, and not rush her. She needs time to experience life,
and it must be her choice. Believe me, your union will be a happier
one if she comes to you on her own.”

“I’ll give her time. After all, she’s still just a little girl.” Remus’s

deep voice held a hint of anger in it as if he didn’t like getting advice
from his old friend.

“No, Remus, you must wait until she’s twenty-one before you

claim her.” Seeing Remus about to object, he quickly continued, “But
more important than that, you’ve got to wait until she loves you.”

“Victor, you know the mating bond brings feelings of love with

it.”

“Yes, I know, but I want something more for Maddie. I want her

to love you because her heart says it’s right and not just because some
chemical reaction in her body makes it so. If you spend time with her
then you’ll develop real feelings that will make your life together
even more special.” He could tell by the look on Remus’ face that he
was getting angry, so he added one last plea. “It’s what Eloise would
have wanted.”

Remus appeared thoughtful at the mention of the woman who

always treated him like her own son.

“I loved Eloise, too, Victor. You know that. She came from my

own pack. But I can’t make a promise I know I might not be able to
keep.” Looking away toward the mountaintops, Remus thought
quietly for a few moments. “I’ll promise I won’t go in search of her
until her twenty-first year, but if she comes back here before that and
she’s at least seventeen years, I may not be able to stop myself from

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claiming her.” He turned and gazed into the eyes of the old man. “But
I will promise you that I’ll spend time with Maddie and get to know
her before I stake my claim.”

Victor stared at him for several minutes and then shook his head

sadly.

“Thank you, Remus. I wish Eloise could’ve lived to see the two of

you mated.”

“She does see, my old friend, she sees everything from above.”
Victor wiped the tears from his eyes, turned to say something, and

saw a large, black wolf running down toward the river, heading into
the trees.

Smiling, he watched the fearless animal racing with the wind, and

he knew the wolf wouldn’t be happy until the day his Maddie came
home for good.

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Chapter 1

Ten Years Later

“Maddie, be reasonable, you can’t expect me to leave you here

alone.”

Maddie Bowers looked up at her handsome brother and tried not

to show her irritation. She understood he worried about her, but at
some point, he had to accept that she was an adult and responsible for
her own choices. He’d spent the last two weeks helping her get settled
in her new home, and now she really wanted to be alone.

“I do expect you to leave me here alone, Michael. I expect you to

respect my decisions and acknowledge that I’m an adult.”

“Oh, honey, I know you’re an adult, but you have to admit that

your situation isn’t entirely normal.”

“I’m perfectly normal, Michael Barrows.” She interrupted his

pleading, her voice becoming louder as her anger grew. “As for my
special situation, well, this place is perfect. It’s remote, with no one
anywhere close. It’s the perfect place for me to relax and begin to take
control of my life.” As she spoke, Maddie looked around, taking in
the cabin with the majestic mountains and forest in the background.

“Exactly, it’s too remote. Hell, we’ve been here two weeks and

haven’t seen anyone except when we drove into town to buy supplies.
What happens if you get hurt?”

Trying her best to control her temper, Maddie turned away from

her only brother before she answered him. “You know as well as I do
that I’m more likely to hurt someone else than myself.” There was no
way she was going to let him know the thought of being on her own

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terrified her. The idea of being watched constantly scared her even
more.

“But Maddie,” he began.
“Stop it, Michael. Stop it right now,” Maddie yelled. Suddenly,

the dirt and flowers behind Michael exploded up and out into the air,
showering Michael with dirt.

“Holy hell!” he shouted as he jumped to the side.
“Michael, I’m so sorry,” she gasped. Huge tears ran down

Maddie’s cheeks as she apologized to her brother. “That’s why this
place is so perfect, Michael. I don’t get angry when I’m alone.” She
pleaded with him to understand.

“All right, Maddie, you’re right.” He leaned over and began

brushing the dirt and leaves from his clothing. “You’re an adult, and
there isn’t anything I can do to stop you from staying here.” He
straightened and gazed into her eyes. But try to remember that I’m
your brother, and I love you. There is nothing you can do to stop me
from worrying and caring about you.”

“I love you, too, Michael.” She looked at him and tried to make

him understand. “I want this time to figure out what I want to do with
my life.” Maddie stepped closer and put her hand on Michael’s arm.
“I’d also like you to take this time and think about moving forward
with your own life as well. I know you’ve put off planning for a
future because of your commitment to me. Well, I’m selfish. I want
little nieces and nephews to spoil. If you’re going to give them to me,
you’re gonna to have to get busy.”

Michael frowned at her. “I’ll find a wife when I’m good and ready

to find one and not before, little girl.”

They had this discussion before, and Maddie knew she was

making him angry. She wasn’t at all surprised when he suddenly
changed the subject.

“Maddie, do you remember the man Grandpa left his land to?”
She nodded. “Sure, Remus Wind River, wasn’t it?”

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“Yeah, that’s right. I spoke with him last week, and he’s gonna be

checking in on you from time to time while I’m away on this job.”

Trying to hold her anger in check, Maddie glared at him. “Why

would you do that?”

“Because I need peace of mind, Maddie.” Michael sighed and ran

his fingers through his hair. “With me being so far away, I need to
know you’ve got someone to turn to if there’s a problem. He seems
like a responsible, decent fellow, and I trust him. Hell, Grandpa must
have trusted him since he left him the land and you the house. He
would have known the two of you would have to interact from time to
time.”

Figuring she could get rid of Mr. Wind River easily enough,

Maddie held her tongue and let her brother continue.

Michael hesitated for a moment and then changed the subject

again. “You’ve got plenty of food, and there’s enough fire wood to
last several months. I left the number on the counter for you to call
when you start getting low. They’ll deliver it and stack it up for you.”
He walked over and took her chin in his hands, forcing her to look
him in the eye. “Please, don’t go trying to cut wood yourself. My
heart couldn’t stand knowing you were here alone, playing with an
axe.” He gave her a wicked grin, which softened his words, and then
he held out his arms to her. Maddie walked into his embrace without
hesitation.

Hugging her close, Michael closed his eyes. “I’m gonna miss you,

little sister. I’ll have my cell phone on all the time, so if you need
anything, or just want to talk, I’m only a phone call away.”

She felt him bury his face in her hair and take a deep breath.

Maddie pulled back slightly and looked up. She was surprised to see
the tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

“Take care of yourself, little sister.”
“Try not to worry, big brother, I’m gonna be just fine.”

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Michael held her face between his hands and leaned in to kiss her

on the forehead. Stepping back, he smiled and then tweaked her nose.
Without another word, he got into his car, and drove away.

Maddie watched the car as it slowly moved down the winding

gravel road. When she couldn’t see it any longer, she sighed and
looked around, listening to the sounds of the birds. A sudden feeling
of helplessness washed over her, and she found herself blinking back
tears. Struggling for just a moment with her feelings, Maddie forced
herself to relax and felt a blanket of peace wrap around her. This
cabin was her home now. Fate meant for her to be here, and she
believed in her heart that her destiny was tied to this place.

“Thanks, Grandpa, for leaving me your house and for trusting me.

I’ll always love you,” Maddie whispered.

She walked up on the porch and relaxed down into the hanging

swing. Smiling, she pushed with her foot and began swing back and
forth.

* * * *

Unknown to Maddie, Remus stood in the trees, hidden by his wolf

form, watching her. Shifting silently, he went from wolf to human in
the blink of an eye. He’d been waiting for this day for a very long
time. Maddie lived with her brother for the past year, and Remus had
begun to fear she would never claim her grandfather’s cabin. His mate
had finally come home, and now the time to claim her had arrived.
She wasn’t twenty-one years yet, but he felt certain that Victor would
understand and even approve. He wouldn’t break his other promise to
his old friend. He’d court Maddie and make her fall in love with him.

He’d been trying to think of a way to insinuate himself into her

life when he received the call from her brother. He couldn’t believe
his luck. He could go to visit her as often as he wanted, and all with
her brother’s approval.

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Longingly, he gazed at her. She’d grown into such a beautiful

woman. Her petite frame, only about five and a half feet tall, couldn’t
possibly weigh more than a hundred pounds soaking wet. Her curly
brown hair reached almost to her waist and glittered with tones of
gold and red in the sunlight. Her eyes were wide with flecks of brown
and gold, unlike the last time he saw her, when they were utterly
lifeless.

He visited her as often as he could in that horrible clinic. It broke

his heart to see the way they kept her doped up so much of the time.

Remus still remembered the day Victor

came

home and told him

what happened. With bitterness, he talked as if everything changed
and that Remus should forget about mating with Maddie someday.
He’d gently told him that the Maddie he knew didn’t exist any longer.
Remus refused to believe it, though, and eventually convinced the old
man that someday Maddie would be whole again and he’d be able to
claim her as his own.

Glancing once more at his mate sitting in the swing, Remus turned

and headed toward home, wondering how she’d react when he went
to see her. Tomorrow, he’d reintroduce her to the wolf and see if she
remembered him.

Just before her birthday last year, Victor died in his sleep, finally

going to join his beloved Eloise. Out of respect for the love he felt for
Victor and Eloise, Remus held off going after Maddie. He wanted to
give her time to grieve. But even in death, Victor looked after him. In
his will, he left his house to Maddie, but the land on which it sat and
all the acreage around it to Remus. For her to claim the house, she’d
have to come to Wyoming and be near Remus. Smiling, he changed
back into his beast and raced toward his family home.

* * * *

Maddie woke with a start. Momentarily confused, she wondered

why the surface on which she lay was so hard and why her neck hurt

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so badly. Raising her head, she looked around her and remembered.
This was her grandfather’s house, now her house, and she apparently
fell asleep on the porch swing.

Groaning and rubbing her neck, Maddie slowly sat up.
Boy, I must have really been tired. I can’t believe I fell asleep

outside on this old, hard swing.

Laughing to herself, she got up and stretched. It would be dark

soon, and she was suddenly feeling hungry. Taking a last look around
the valley, Maddie headed into the house to find something for dinner.

Not wanting to eat anything heavy, Maddie fixed herself a quick

sandwich and poured a glass of milk. Sighing, she took her food out
on to the back deck to watch the sunset. Carefully, she carried her
food over and sat it on the table between the chairs and then lowered
herself into her grandfather’s favorite rocker. She picked up her
sandwich and slowly began to rock back and forth. There’d been
many times she sat on this porch and watched the colorful sunsets
with her grandfather. Reaching for her glass of milk, she was startled
when her cell phone rang. Pulling it out of her pocket, she glanced at
the screen. Michael was calling.

“Hey, big brother, you haven’t been gone long enough for me to

be in any trouble yet. What’s going on with your trip?”

“Hello to you, too, little sister. My trip is going just fine, thank

you. I just wanted to check in with you and let you know that I arrived
safely.”

“I’m sorry, Michael. Of course I want to know you arrived safely.

I’m glad you called. I’m just sitting here eating a sandwich and
watching the sun set over the mountains. What are you doing
tonight?”

“Tonight, I’m just relaxing and getting my notes and drawings in

order for tomorrow. I have back-to-back meetings with the crews, and
hopefully we’ll break ground next week.”

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She was pleased to hear her brother sound like his old, cheerful

self. “That’s great, Michael. This is the biggest project of your career
so far, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, if I’m lucky, the success of this center will open my

company up to all sorts of jobs overseas.” Michael paused and cleared
his throat. “Listen, kiddo, I wanted to say one more thing to you, and
please don’t get upset with me, okay?”

“What is it?” A chill crept over Maddie, and she waited

impatiently for Michael to continue.

“If you start having any problems at all, you should give Dr.

Constantine a call right away.”

Maddie couldn’t stop the rush of anger that washed over her.

“Absolutely not, Michael. I’m never going back to his clinic, no
matter what happens.”

“Maddie, don’t be like that. Dr. Constantine only wants to help

you. If you took the medication he wants you to take, you could lead a
more normal life. Wouldn’t you like to be able to go anywhere or do
anything you wanted without fear of hurting someone or breaking
something? Wouldn’t you like him to teach you to control your gift?
Please, Maddie, for me, just promise to call him if you get into any
trouble.”

“All right, Michael, if I start to feel as if I can’t handle things I’ll

give him a call.” Maddie’s hands trembled at the thought of calling
her former doctor. She had no intention of keeping that promise. The
drugs Dr. Constantine wanted her to take made her feel horrible. They
made it impossible for her to function without help, and she often
forgot what happened from one day to the next. No one should have
to live that way.

“That’s my girl. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”
“Great, Michael, I have to go now. I have things to do before I can

go to bed tonight.” She made her voice sound firm. “I don’t want you
to call me daily. I’m a big girl now, and I can take care of myself.
You just concentrate on designing your convention center, and I’ll

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talk to you in a few days. Goodbye, now.” She hung up the phone
before he could say anything else. In a childish fit of anger, she also
turned the phone off in case he tried to phone her back before she was
ready to talk with him again.

Thinking back to her months in the clinic, Maddie remembered

Dr. Constantine and shuddered. He always promised her and her
family that he’d be able to teach her to control the telekinesis.
Unfortunately, he’d never been about to tell them what caused it.

In the clinic, they finally gave her the official name for what

happened around her when she got emotional. Telekinesis. It was a
funny name for the chaos that erupted around her from time to time.
Unfortunately for her, the control he promised came from forcing
drugs on her, which made it almost impossible to have any emotions
at all. She’d felt like a zombie most of the time. Plus, it caused her to
lose parts of her memory. She’d come off the drug and not remember
where she’d been or what she’d been doing for whole days at a time.
It frightened her, and nobody in her family would listen to her except
her grandfather. When she voiced her fears to him, he stopped visiting
her and she never knew why. It was the loneliest time of her life.

Smiling wickedly, Maddie spoke out loud.
“I don’t need the good doctor to teach me how to control my gift.

I’m learning just fine on my own without taking his stupid drugs.”

Maddie turned and stared intently at the glass of milk on the table

beside her. After several moments, the glass slid smoothly across the
table, stopping just before it toppled over the edge. Laughing out
loud, Maddie turned back in time to see the golden, orange, and
reddish hues fall down behind the snow covered tops of the distant
mountains. Here, in her grandfather’s cabin, she felt nothing but
peace.

I only lose control when I’m angry or emotional. If I can stay here

in this beautiful valley, I should be able to control myself all the time.

She remained outside in the rocking chair long after the sun set,

only deciding to go inside when the cold began to seep into her bones.

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Tired from her day, she just wanted to stoke up the fire and climb into
bed. Tomorrow, she’d spend time working on her control and do a
little exploring on her own.

* * * *

Still in his wolf form, Remus approached the large log cabin home

built at the edge of the forest and let himself into the kitchen through
a giant doggie door his brother installed a year ago. He’d been
horrified when his younger brother suggested it, but he had to admit it
made it easier for their wolves to come and go as they pleased.

Glancing up, he saw his brothers, Ethan and Latan, sitting at the

kitchen table. Quickly, he shifted back to human and grabbed the pair
of jeans he kept by the back door.

Never one to waste time, his younger brother Ethan spoke first.

“Well?”

“She’s finally here, getting settled into Victor’s house. I didn’t

think her brother would be willing to leave her alone there at first, but
he finally gave in and drove away. Hell, he’s been like a shadow to
her for two weeks.” He sighed heavily. “Gods above, Ethan, she’s
even more beautiful than I remembered.” Remus knew he probably
had some ridiculous romantic look on his face. He hoped his brothers
wouldn’t make fun of him.

“So, when are you gonna mate with her?” Latan joined the

conversation.

“It’ll be soon, but I want her to have a chance to adjust after being

locked up in that clinic for such a long time. I don’t want to push her
or throw too much at her at one time. I sort of promised Victor that I
wouldn’t rush her, and I intend to keep that promise.” He didn’t tell
them that he also promised to let her fall in love with him.

“I know what you promised Victor, but she won’t be twenty-one

for almost two years. Do you plan to wait that long? How will you
ensure that you don’t lose her to someone else before then? Not to

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mention, how will you get the others in the pack off your back about
mating? They expect, as Alpha, you’ll produce a mate and an heir
quickly.” Ethan looked genuinely worried. .

“I’m not gonna wait that long. I just want time for her to get to

know me. I want her to come to me willingly, when she knows what I
am. I don’t care what the others think. Hell, I’ve only been Alpha for
a little over a year. There’s plenty of time for me to produce an heir.
You know they can only put pressure on me. They can’t force me to
do anything. Besides, I need time to help her get control of her gift.
Victor said strong emotions bring out the violent episodes, and I’m
afraid that suddenly finding herself mated to a wolf and having to
meet all the other wolves could mean disaster for all of us. Think of
the damage she could do with just one thought.” Although serious,
Remus couldn’t help but laugh at the vision of her unleashing her gift
on the stuffy Elders of his pack.

Both brothers nodded their agreement, and then Latan spoke up.
“How can we help, Remus?”
“She’s going to need protection. The doctor at that clinic wants

her back for more research, and I’m not sure how far he’ll go to get
his hands on her. I don’t know if Constantine knows she’s one of us
or not.”

“Constantine!” both brothers cried.
Before he died, Victor told Remus all about Dr. Constantine and

his involvement with the wolf shifters. It seemed the clinic doctor had
an agenda Maddie’s father hadn’t known about. “Yeah, that’s one of
my major problems. Since he knows about the shifters, he could want
her for research other than her telekinesis. I don’t want to risk her
life.” Remus’s glance went from one brother to the other. “I’d like it if
we could split up so she always has someone watching her until I can
mate with her and bring her home.”

“You can count on us, Remus. Just tell us what you want us to

do.” Ethan said.

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“Thanks, guys. Just check your schedules and let me know when

you’re free during the next couple of weeks. I’m really hoping that’ll
give her enough time to get to know me. I’m heading over there in the
morning to see if she remembers the wolf. She was quite fond of me
when she was a little girl.”

“When can we meet her?” Ethan asked quietly with a hint of

enthusiasm.

“Soon, Ethan. Hopefully, by the first of next week she’ll be ready

to meet with my family. I warn you, though, you’ll probably have to
meet her as human and wait before you show her you’re wolves.”

“That’s fine, Remus. We don’t mind spending time with her as

humans.” His brother looked uncomfortable and cleared his throat
before continuing. “You also need to be aware that Nanita has been
coming around, asking where you’ve been spending all your time.”
Ethan looked at his brother, and Remus got the feeling he was trying
to see how he would react to the female’s name.

“Keep that hell bitch away from me until after I’ve mated with

Maddie. I’d sooner mate with a grizzly than bed that barracuda.” He
paused and felt a moment of panic. “I’ll call Chatay and see if he can
keep her occupied, maybe give her some job to do for the pack. Hell,
maybe he can even send her on a trip. I’d certainly be willing to pay
her expenses.”

Frowning, Latan spoke up. “Mate as soon as possible, Remus.

Nothing’s going to keep Nanita away for long.”

* * * *

Slowly, Maddie woke from a deep sleep, toasty warm under

several quilts in the huge brass bed. She didn’t remember ever feeling
so safe and comfortable waking before, and she didn’t want it to end.
Stretching out in the cocooning warmth, she refused to open her eyes
in case it was all just a dream and she found herself back in the clinic
bed that had been hers for so many years.

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Realizing she couldn’t put off facing the day any longer, Maddie

slowly opened her eyes and glanced around. Smiling and laughing out
loud, she realized she was in her grandfather’s cabin, finally free.
Giggling like a schoolgirl, she jumped from the bed, grabbed her robe
on the run to the living room, and began to bank up the fire to add
more logs. After she got the fire roaring, she went to take a hot
shower.

Maddie dressed quickly in jeans and a T-shirt and then added a

pullover sweater. She ran a brush through her long curls, then pulled
her hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a thin red ribbon.
Satisfied with her appearance, she headed over to the small kitchen
area for a bite of breakfast before she took off on a morning walk.

Singing along with the radio, she ate her light breakfast of cereal

and fruit and then headed out the back door to walk down to the lake.
The grass, wet with morning dew, dampened her shoes as she walked
lazily down toward the riverbank listening to the birds cheerfully
singing.

When she arrived at the river, she spotted the huge rock overhang,

always her favorite place to sit with her grandfather and talk. Smiling
happily, she climbed out onto the rock, which had a perfect view of
the river and the mountains. Sighing, she let her head fall back while
she looked up at the sky. The beauty of this place always amazed her.
The sky, a deep sapphire blue, didn’t have a cloud visible anywhere.
Nowhere in the cities could you see sky as clear or as blue as this.
Glancing back down toward the river, she watched the swift flowing
current.

Looking around, she decided that this place, in particular, would

be perfect to try out her new hobby. Without telling Michael, she’d
begun painting in the clinic to pass the time away. She really enjoyed
her new hobby, and the hospital staff convinced her that she wasn’t a
half bad artist. She hadn’t been able to recreate the scenery here on
canvas because of all the drugs she’d been given. Now, she could take
her time and capture all this splendor. Michael would really be

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surprised by his Christmas present this year. Lying back to soak up
the sun, Maddie allowed her mind to wander, remembering all the
special times she shared with her grandfather right on this very spot.

* * * *

Remus ran along the path in his wolf form, heading over to

Victor’s cabin. He couldn’t wait to see Maddie again, to see if she
remembered her wolf.

As he neared the house, he caught her scent on the wind and

stopped to look toward the river. Almost immediately, he spotted her
on the great rock, lying back in the sunshine.

God, she’s so beautiful.
He started walking in her direction, purposely making noise as he

approached so he wouldn’t frighten her.

* * * *

Maddie heard a noise behind her and turned quickly to see what it

was. She couldn’t believe her eyes as she watched a wolf walking
across the field toward her. Something inside her told her not to fear
him. He stopped briefly and looked right at her, then began walking
toward her again.

As he got closer and she saw his huge size, she felt a little

frightened. She remembered the wolf her grandfather introduced her
to so long ago, but surely this couldn’t be the same wolf.

How long did wolves live in the wild, she wondered.
As he continued to draw closer, Maddie stood and began to back

away slowly toward the river. She was amazed when he stopped
advancing and then dropped to the ground and whined. Almost
immediately, he began to crawl toward her.

Maddie stopped her retreat and suddenly heard her Grandfather’s

voice in her head.

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Look at his eyes, little girl. They show you what kind of wolf he is.

I promise you this wolf will never do anything to hurt you. In fact,
he’d protect you from danger if you ever needed it.

Feeling more confident, Maddie began to walk toward the large

wolf. He stopped and watched as she drew near. When she stood right
before him, the wolf rolled to his back, presenting his belly to her,
causing Maddie to laugh out loud. Feeling confident, she sat down in
the grass next to him. After watching him for just a few moments, she
reached out a hand timidly and began to rub his belly.

“I’m so happy to see you again, big fellow. I can’t believe you’re

still around. You must be getting pretty old for a wolf.” She jumped
when a chuffing sound came from the wolf, almost as if he laughed at
her. While she talked to him, she continued to rub her hand across his
silky fur.

* * * *

That feels so good!
He was lost in the sensation of her hand on his body when he

heard her talking about how old he must be. Remus couldn’t help it,
his beast laughed at the concern in her voice. Luckily, he didn’t seem
to have scared her with the sound. Maddie was going to be quite
surprised when she found out just how slowly his kind aged.

Confident she wasn’t afraid of him now, Remus turned over and

licked her hand, then crawled up and licked her cheek. Maddie
laughed and began rubbing his head. Encouraged, Remus crawled
closer and put his head in her lap.

“Wolf, do you miss my grandfather?” Maddie began to scratch

behind his ears while she talked to him. “I miss him so very much.”

Remus raised his head and looked into her eyes. He saw a

loneliness there that nearly broke his heart. He wanted to erase the
sadness from her eyes and give her as much happiness as he could.
But first, he’d have to figure out a way to gain her confidence as a

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human. He had a feeling it would be difficult to get her to trust him
this soon. Licking her cheek once more, he settled back down with his
head on her lap, content to listen to the sound of her voice.

“Grandpa left me his house, wolf, so it looks like you and I’ll be

neighbors now. I never thought I would get to see this place again.”
As she continued speaking to Remus, she gazed around at the river
and mountains.

“I feel a little silly talking to you, Wolfie.” She reached over and

scratched behind Remus’s ear again. “I guess you must be wondering
where I’ve been all this time.” Sighing, she pulled her knees up and
wrapped her arms around them.

“I’ve been away in a clinic, wolf. When I was little, I nearly

drowned in a boating accident.” Glancing at Remus, she continued.
“Something happened to me when I drowned, something nobody
could explain. When I woke up in the hospital, I could do things I
couldn’t do before, things with my mind.” Maddie wiped at her eyes
and turned to look at the flowing river. “Whenever I get upset, objects
fly around or explode. It freaked out my father and brother. But do
you know the worse part, wolf?” She looked down at Remus as if
expecting him to answer her. “It made them afraid of me.”

It shattered Remus’s heart to hear her pouring out her story.
“They let me come home for a while, but things kept happening

and Daddy couldn’t take it. He let Dr. Constantine convince him to
bring me to his clinic, and then he left me there in his care.” Her voice
turned sarcastic. “The good doctor talked like he’d be able to find out
what caused me to have the ability, and even possibly be able to stop
it from happening in the future. At least that’s what he told my dad.
He promised me he’d teach me how to control it.” She glanced at
Remus and laughed. Her laughter had a sad sound to it. “His idea of
controlling it was to give me pills, lots and lots of pills. It was awful,
wolf. They made me feel horrible. I heard him tell Daddy that they
were going to suppress my emotions since the incidents only

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happened when I reached an emotional state about something.”
Sighing, she laid her cheek on top of Remus’s head.

“Sometimes I’d forget several days at a time. I couldn’t remember

what I’d done or what had been done around me. It terrified me, wolf.
I felt so out of control.”

Maddie laughed when Remus crawled up even closer and settled

across her lap. Then she giggled when he reached up and licked
underneath her chin. Wrapping her arms around him, she hugged him
tightly.

“I got tired of the clinic experimenting on me. I vowed that I’d do

whatever I could to get released. He was never going to help me learn
to control my gift. I knew I’d have to do it on my own if I ever
wanted to be free.” Sighing, she sat back up and glanced back toward
the house.

“My dad remarried and then stopped letting me come home for

visits and pretty much stopped visiting me. His new wife wasn’t
comfortable around me, and he just wanted to make her happy. I
understood he just wanted to move forward with his life in my head,
but my heart took a little longer to accept it. Even Grandpa stopped
visiting me. Nobody ever told me why he stopped coming around.”
Maddie jumped when Remus licked away the tear falling down her
cheek. She smiled at him and ran her hand over his head.

“Then Daddy and his wife were killed in a car wreck, and

Grandpa died shortly after that. My brother wouldn’t let me come
home. He thought I’d be better off in the clinic with Dr. Constantine. I
might have been stuck in that place forever if it wasn’t for a kind
attorney who went to the courts on my behalf. Thanks to him, they
had to let me go.”

Maddie smiled down at Remus, and he could sense she felt happy

and safe. “I stayed with Michael, my brother, until yesterday. It took
us some time to get my father’s will probated, and then I had the
money to do whatever I wanted. Grandpa left me this house, so this is
where I’ve come to live, wolf.” Frowning, she picked up a rock and

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threw it toward the river. “Michael wants me to stay in touch with Dr.
Constantine, but I’m not gonna do it. They don’t know this, but I’m
learning to control my gift on my own, wolf. Watch this.”

Maddie pointed to some rocks lying in the grass a few feet away.

Remus’s eyes followed the path of her hand and focused on the rocks.
All of a sudden, they slid across the grass about two feet. Shocked,
Remus turned his head to look at her more closely. She grinned at him
and really looked quite happy.

“See, wolf? I can control it myself. Of course, I admit, there are

still times when being angry causes me to lose control, but that’s why
I’m happy to live up here alone. At least I can be assured I won’t hurt
anyone up here.”

With a wistful expression, Maddie stared up at the sky. “I have

dreams, wolf, dreams of falling in love and getting married, of having
children some day. But I’m realistic. I know it isn’t likely to happen.
So, I’m determined to be happy here, enjoying the scenery and
painting, and hopefully, having you as my best friend.” Maddie patted
Remus’s head one more time and then pushed away to rise to her feet.
He stood beside her, watching to see what she would do. He was
elated to be with her, and longed for the time when he could tell her
the truth about himself. He couldn’t believe she was starting to be
able to control her gift. She’d clearly recovered more than anyone
knew.

As she walked back toward the cabin, he fell into step beside her.

Arriving back at her new home, Maddie opened the door. “Would you
like to come inside with me? We could sit in front of the fire, spend
some time together.” As much as he wanted to accept her offer,
Remus preferred talking with her as a human. Yipping at her to offer
his regrets, Remus raced off toward the woods. He wasn’t going to
waste any more time. Maddie needed to make friends with Remus, the
man.

* * * *

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Maddie watched the wolf run away. She felt saddened that he

didn’t want to stay with her.

“Well, I guess maybe he’s right. It could be a real problem with a

full grown wolf in the house.” Laughing, she headed into the kitchen
to fix some lunch and to get rid of her sweater. She had grown quite
warm sitting in the sun.

After a quick sandwich and a glass of milk, Maddie took a book

out to the front porch and settled into the swing for some afternoon
reading.

* * * *

Maddie had been engrossed in her book for a while when, out of

the corner of her eye, she saw movement down the hill. Looking up,
she saw someone walking up the dirt and gravel drive. She recognized
Remus Wind River, the man to whom her grandfather left all his land.
She only met him once, at the reading of the will. Gosh, he was even
better looking than she remembered.

Easily six and a half feet tall, he had broad shoulders and a very

muscular body. His brown hair fell down his back, and he kept it
pulled back with what looked to be leather ties. She’d never forgotten
his eyes. They were the deepest blue she’d ever seen. Glancing up at
the sky, she couldn’t help but notice they were almost the exact same
color. Puzzled, she wondered where she’d seen eyes like that before.

Watching him walk toward the porch, Maddie realized just how

handsome he really was. Suddenly embarrassed by how she kept
staring at him, she felt her nipples hardening and moisture gathering
between her legs. She might be an innocent, but she read enough
romance books to know what her body wanted. It wanted Remus
Wind River, and it wanted him badly.

As Remus walked up to the porch, he smiled and spoke to

Maddie.

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“Hello, Miss Barrows.”
“Good afternoon to you, Mr. Wind River.”
“So you do remember me.” Remus smiled and looked pleased.
“Yes, I remember you. What brings you to visit me today?”

Maddie asked but already knew why he was there.

Remus flashed her a toothy smile. “Please, call me Remus.”
“All right, Remus. You may call me Maddie.” Maddie smiled.

“Let me guess, you’re here because my overprotective brother wants
you to check up on me.”

Laughing up at her, Remus replied, “Well, he did give me the

perfect excuse to come up here and see you, but I’d have found a
reason to stop by anyway.”

“Now why would you be wanting to stop by here?” Maddie asked,

puzzled.

“I find you very attractive, Maddie, and I’d like to get to know

you better and to have you get to know me.”

“Now why would I want to do that?” Maddie asked before she

could stop herself. She seemed to surprise Remus as much as she
surprised herself.

“Maybe you’ll start thinking of me as attractive, and that I’m

someone you want to spend more time with.”

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Chapter 2

Maddie blushed and looked away.
“May I join you?” Remus asked. He gave her an amused smile,

making her think he was enjoying her embarrassment.

After she shyly nodded her consent, he came and sat next to her in

the swing, directly in the middle, with his thigh touching hers. Maddie
froze. She had no real experience with men. She could feel her face
blushing furiously, and she struggled for something to say.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Maddie. I’d never hurt you,”

he said after he chuckled. His voice stayed low, his tone soothing.

Maddie looked into his deep blue eyes and heard her grandfather’s

voice in her head again.

This wolf will never hurt you, and he will always protect you.
“How about I tell you a little about myself so you’ll be more

comfortable with me. Then you can tell me a little bit about you.”

Maddie looked into his eyes. “Okay,” she said hesitantly.
“Hmmm, let’s see. I have two brothers. Ethan is thirty-four, and

Latan is thirty.” Remus smiled at her again. “In case you are
wondering, I’m thirty-eight.

“Our mother passed away when we were little, and our father just

a little over a year ago. None of us are married yet, but we’re all very
hopeful.” At this, he gave her a wide smile. “We own a construction
company and live together in our family home a few miles from
here.”

Remus shifted on the seat, and then he continued, “I knew Victor

and his wife, Eloise, for a long time. I was very fond of both of them.
In fact, I thought of Victor like a second father to me.”

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Suddenly worried, Maddie chewed her bottom lip and worked up

her courage to ask Remus a question. “Did my grandfather ever talk
to you about me or my family?”

Remus frowned and reached out to take her hands in his. His

frown changed to a smile when she didn’t pull away from his touch.

“Victor told me about your accident and about your special, new

gift,” he told her.

Horribly embarrassed by his admission, Maddie lowered her gaze.

“Aren’t you afraid to be around me?”

Remus leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead,

shocking her speechless.

“Does that feel like I’m afraid of you?”
“No,” she whispered.
Lowering his head further, he touched his lips to hers, then slid his

arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

Maddie knew the way he was clutching her wrists so tightly in his

hands, he’d be able to feel her pulse speed up. She panicked and
pulled her hands free, then placed them on his chest to push him
away.

“I’m sorry, but I really have some things I have to get done.

I…um…I appreciate you stopping by, but as you can see, I’m doing
fine. I’ll see you later.” She was up, off the swing, and in the house
closing the door before Remus could say a word.

Maddie watched him walk away from behind the safety of the

curtained window, her heart pounding, her nipples so hard they were
painful, and her panties soaked.

“Oh, Grandpa, what have you gotten me into?”

* * * *

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When Maddie didn’t immediately try and pull away from his kiss,

Remus folded his arms around her, pulled her close and slid his
tongue into her mouth.

Oh Maddie, you taste so sweet, little one. I can’t believe how good

you feel. God, I want to taste you all over.

Remus was so caught up in the kiss, he didn’t realize his little

mate was trying to get away. When he became aware of her hands on
his chest pushing against him, he raised his head and looked down.
He was stunned when Maddie pushed him firmly back and jumped up
from the swing. His blood was still racing from his unfulfilled desire
while she rambled on about having other things to do and that she’d
see him later. He could hardly believe it when the door to the cabin
closed with her on the inside and him still on the porch.

Damn, I pushed too hard and too fast. I must have scared her. I’ve

got to come up with a better plan for her to get to know me.

He chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll let you get away this time,

little one, but I’ll be back.”

* * * *

Remus arrived back at his home and walked in the front door to

find Nanita sitting in the living room with his brothers. They didn’t
look happy.

“Remus, I’m so glad you’re back. These two wouldn’t tell me

where you were.”

The young woman jumped up from the couch and began to walk

toward Remus with her arms spread wide as if to embrace him.
Quickly, he backed away, growling a quick warning. “Not true,
Nanita,” Ethan said. “We told you we didn’t know where he was, and
it was the truth.” He looked annoyed as he responded to her
accusation.

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“Well, no matter now because he’s here. Remus, please, can I talk

to you alone, maybe in the kitchen?” She looked like she couldn’t
wait to get him alone.

“Absolutely not, Nanita. My brothers have to remain with us. You

know it’s improper for an unmated female to be alone with an
unmated male. What’s so important that we’d need to talk privately?”

Nanita moved even closer to Remus, who erupted in another

warning growl. She stared at him with a hint of fear and didn’t come
any closer.

“Well, I was thinking about the annual picnic in two weeks and

remembered you don’t have a mate to help you with pack gatherings.
I wanted to offer my services to plan it for you and help you get it set
up.”

She smiled at him coyly and put her hand on his arm.
“Thank you for your offer, Nanita, but the picnic’s already been

planned. There’s nothing for you to do.” Firmly, Remus removed her
hand from his arm.

He could tell Nanita was becoming angry but was trying very hard

not to show it.

“Well, if you ever need someone to fill in for an Alpha’s duties,

please remember I’m always available, at least until you decide on a
mate, of course. I am the highest ranked unmated female in the pack.”

Remus nodded to his brothers and sent them a telepathic message.
Get her out of here now.
Wolf shifters were born with the ability to communicate mind-to-

mind with their blood family members, and as Alpha, he could send
his thoughts to any of the wolves in his pack. After they were mated,
he would be able to send and receive thoughts from Maddie.

He watched as they each walked over and took one of Nanita’s

arms to escort her out. After closing the door behind her, Latan
glanced over at Remus.

“Mate fast, Remus, or you’re going to have female troubles the

likes of which you’ve never seen.”

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Both brothers laughed when he grimaced. Remus understood his

brothers’ worries, but there was no way he’d rush Maddie again. He
wouldn’t mate with her without her consent and without her knowing
all there was to know about him. He promised to let her fall in love
with him before he mated with her, but he was beginning to want that
love for more personal reasons. Reasons he didn’t want to share with
his brothers.

* * * *

Maddie was lying back in the grass, asleep in the sunshine. She

slowly awakened to tiny nibbles on her lips. She brushed her fingers
around her mouth, thinking to shoo away some insect, but the nibbles
continued.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and gazed into the bluest eyes she’d

ever seen. Remus! What was he doing here?

Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. Lightly, he ran

his tongue along the seam of her closed lips, begging for entry.
Maddie sighed and he took advantage, slipping his tongue into the
depths of her mouth, causing her to groan deep in her chest.

Pulling her closer and lying partially across her body, Remus

ravaged her mouth with his tongue, running it over every surface. At
the same time, his hands caressed her shoulders and ran up and down
her back. Shyly, Maddie placed her hands on his chest. She could feel
the springy hair below the thin cotton of his shirt.

Remus pulled from the kiss to run his lips along her jaw and down

to the hollow of her throat. He slowly brought his hand around to
gently cup her breast. Maddie gasped, and Remus covered her mouth
with his as he firmly squeezed. When Maddie arched into his touch,
Remus brought his fingers quickly to the buttons of her blouse.

Shocked awake by the ringing of her telephone, Maddie was

shaking all over from the intensity of her dream.

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Oh, why did I have to wake up before we got to the good stuff?

Maddie snorted. Not that I know anything about the good stuff.

Reaching over, she picked up the phone, not bothering to check

the identity of the caller before she answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, baby sister, how are things back in Wyoming?”
“Michael, umm, things are fine. How are things in Canada?”
“What’s wrong? You sound funny”
“Well, you woke me up, and I haven’t had time to pull myself

together.”

“Are you sure that’s it? You haven’t had any episodes have you?

Did Remus Wind River come to check on you? Have you called Dr.
Constantine?”

“One question at a time, please,” Maddie said, getting annoyed.

“No, I haven’t had any episodes. Yes, Mr. Wind River came to check
up on me yesterday, and, no, I haven’t called the good doctor. I’ve
had no reason to call him.”

“Don’t try to run Mr. Wind River off, Maddie. I want him

checking up on you for me. It gives me peace of mind to know he’s
near.”

“Was there a purpose to this call, other than to annoy me, of

course?” Maddie let the sarcasm come through her tone clearly.

“Don’t be a smart ass. I was lonely and wanted to hear your voice.

I’m sorry for waking you. I honestly didn’t think you’d still be
sleeping. I’ll try to be more careful when I’m harassing you in the
future,” he snickered, annoying her even further.

“Now who’s being the smart ass? I’m fine, everything’s fine. I

slept better the last two nights than I have in years, straight through
without waking or having nightmares. That should tell you
something.”

“Maddie, if this turns out to be good for you, then nobody will be

happier than me. But I’m still hoping that when I come home, you’ll
come back and live with me. You can keep the cabin for vacations,

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but I want you in the city with me. I like having you in my home and
my life.”

“That is so not happening, Michael, not in this lifetime. You need

your space, too, you know? You need to find a nice woman and get
married. Believe me, you’ll have much better luck dating if you’re not
living with your spacey sister.”

“Maddie!”
“No, Michael, I’m not discussing this with you right now. Since I

just got woken up, I need to get moving and take care of personal
business, if you know what I mean. Now, I’m going to say so long,
glad you called, and stay well. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“All right, I can take a hint. I’ll call you in a few days, but please

think about what I said.”

“Okay, brother dear, I’ll think about living with you when you

return. Happy now?”

“Deliriously. Have a great day, kid! Talk to you soon. Bye, love.”
“Bye, Michael.”
Slowly, she hung up the phone. Sitting up in the bed, she glanced

over at her reflection in the mirror. “Okay, I’ve given it some thought,
and I reject his proposal that I come and live with him again.”

Feeling silly, Maddie giggled and raced toward the bathroom to

start her day.

After taking a quick shower and dressing, she went to the kitchen

to make herself some breakfast. Crossing the room, she heard
something scratching at the front door. Walking quickly to the
window, she peeked out and saw the black wolf standing on the
porch. Delighted, she rushed over to the door and opened it, then
stared down at the wolf.

“Well, good morning. Do you want to come in this time?”
After Maddie’s greeting, the wolf walked past her through the

front door and continued on to collapse on the couch in front of the
fire.

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She glared at him in astonishment. “Well, it certainly looks like

you’ve been in here before. Did Grandpa let you come in and keep
him company?”

The wolf continued to stare at her, giving her the eerie feeling that

he understood everything she said.

After fixing herself a bowl of cereal, Maddie sat down next to the

magnificent animal on the couch to eat. Once she was seated, he
scooted closer and lay down with his head and front paws over her
lap. When she finished her breakfast, Maddie reached over to set the
bowl on the table and leaned back to pet the wolf’s head.

I wish I had a best friend to talk to. There are so many things

inside me that I want to share with somebody.

She looked down at the beautiful animal and realized that he was

the closest thing she had to a best friend.

How ridiculous is that? My closest friendship is with a wild

animal!

“Wolf, I had the strangest dream last night.”
The animal raised his head to stare at her. She laughed.
He looks like he’s ready for me to tell him a story.
“It was so erotic, which is weird because I haven’t had any

romance in my life, so how would I know what was erotic and what
wasn’t? The most romance I’ve been exposed to was in books, and
I’m not sure if they were erotic or not. All I know is that they made
me just plain hot!” She jumped, startled when the wolf gave her that
chuffing sound again that was so much like laughter.

Absently, she began rubbing her hand down the wolf’s back while

she thought back to her dream, then proceeded to tell him more about
it.

“It was so good, wolf, the things he made me feel. I’ve never had

kisses like those. He made me wish I could feel his tongue in other
places.” Maddie laid her hand over her mound through her jeans. She
looked around guiltily. She had this weird feeling like someone was
watching, or listening to her. Maddie sighed, and settled back down

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into the cushions of the couch. “Even now, I can feel my nipples
hardening and rubbing against my bra, and my panties are wet just
telling you about it.”

Her wolf shifted around on the couch and burrowed his head over

to sniff between her legs. Slightly stunned, Maddie laughed and
pushed his head away.

She gazed into the wolf’s eyes. “I want it for real, wolf. I want his

hands and mouth on me, and I want to make love with him
completely. I’ve never been with a man, but I know with him it would
just be so perfect.”

Maddie leaned her head back on the couch, closed her eyes and

whispered. “Oh, Remus, would it be like that for real with you?”

She was surprised when the wolf jumped off the couch and

walked over to the cabin’s door. He looked back at her and yipped.

“I guess you’re ready to go back outside, huh, big fellow?”
Sighing, Maddie got up and came to open the door for him, then

watched as he took off running down toward the trees. “Hmmm,
guess my love life wasn’t of any interest to him.”

Laughing, she shut the door and headed back to the couch. She’d

only taken a few steps into the room when the phone rang. “Oh, great.
What does Michael want now?” She glanced at the receiver but didn’t
recognize the number on the display. “Hello?”

“Hello, Maddie. Dr. Constantine here.”
Maddie froze at hearing the voice of the man who tormented her

for so long. “Dr. Constantine, how did you get this number?” Maddie
voiced her question, not bothering to mask her fury.

“Now, Maddie, don’t be that way. Michael gave me your number.

He wants you to be safe as much as I do. After he talked with you
yesterday, he was worried, and he asked me to give you a call to
evaluate your condition now that you’ve been out on your own for a
short time.”

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“My condition, Doctor, is just fine and none of your business. I

don’t need your services at all. As a matter of fact, I’ve never been
happier or healthier than here in my grandfather’s cabin.”

“How are you handling the episodes, Maddie? Have you had any

instances where you lost control since you’ve been there?”

“I’m sure my charming brother already told you about getting his

dirt shower, but he probably failed to mention that he provoked me
into anger at the time.”

“I’ve told you time and time again…”
“Just a minute, Doctor, there’s someone knocking at my door. I’ll

be right back.”

Maddie laid the phone down without waiting for his response.

She’d heard the firm knocking and now hurried over to the window to
see who it was. Smiling when she saw Remus standing on the porch,
she hurriedly opened the door. It never occurred to her to be
embarrassed about their last meeting.

“Hi, Remus, come on inside. I’m on the phone, but I’m about to

be off. Why don’t you have a seat in the living room, and I’ll be right
back.”

Maddie pointed toward the couch and then picked up the phone on

the table. Walking toward the kitchen area, she resumed her
conversation.

“Sorry, Doc. I have a neighbor here to visit, so we’ll have to cut

our conversation short.”

“Before you go, Maddie, I want to finish my thought. You know

I’ve told you over and over again that we can control your anger
outbursts with drugs. That would almost completely stop the violent
episodes. Your brother agrees with me that you need some kind of
treatment if you’re determined to live out in the world with other
people. You don’t want to hurt anyone, do you? Wouldn’t it be easier
and better for you to just visit out in the world during the day but
come back here to the clinic at night to get treatment?”

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“No, it wouldn’t be better for me. I won’t take your drugs ever

again, Doctor Constantine, and that’s final. I’m not a minor anymore,
and I’ve already had a judge say I can make my own decisions. I
choose to live here, and I choose not to have you as a physician any
longer. I can’t say it any plainer than that.”

“Maddie, it may not be up to you. No, you’re not a minor, but

your brother can still petition the courts to be named guardian if we
feel you’re a danger to yourself or others. Don’t make us take you
back to court, Maddie. Try to think about what’s really best for you
and what’s best for your brother. You have to know he won’t move
forward with his own life as long as he feels obligated to take care of
you.”

Maddie saw red. She couldn’t believe he was trying to make her

feel guilty about her brother’s life. “Doctor Constantine, don’t call me
again. My brother is not obligated to me in any way at all. I’ve made
my decision, and nothing is going to change my mind. Goodbye.”

With that, Maddie slammed down the phone in anger, forgetting

she had company.

How dare he threaten me! I’m not going to let him, or Michael, or

anybody else send me back to that place. I won’t go, I won’t!

Suddenly, the candlesticks on the fireplace mantle flew onto the

floor, followed closely by Remus jumping off the couch.

Oh my God, what have I done?
Maddie was horrified. She didn’t think she’d be able to stand it if

she frightened Remus away.

“Oh, God, Remus, are you all right?”

* * * *

Remus smiled when Maddie opened the door and then frowned

when he could sense her anger. He was relieved when he realized she
was angry with someone on the phone and not with him. He went in
and sat down on the couch while she carried the phone off toward the

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kitchen area to finish her call. With his enhanced hearing, it was easy
to hear her conversation. It pleased him to hear her giving Dr.
Constantine the brush off as he tried in vain to get her to come back to
the clinic. It was one less thing he’d have to worry about.

He heard her tell the doctor goodbye, then jumped off the couch

when the candlesticks on the mantle jumped out at him.

“Oh, God, Remus, are you all right?” The look on Maddie’s face

said she felt terrible by what she’d done.

Remus chuckled, amused that her gift caught him off guard. “I’m

fine, Maddie, it just surprised me is all. I take it the good doctor got
you angry.”

When she looked shocked, he smiled sheepishly at her.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but hear your part of the conversation.”

He didn’t tell her that with his increased hearing, he heard the
doctor’s part of the conversation as well.

Remus felt true regret when he saw how much he embarrassed

Maddie.

“Yes, he made me angry. He and my charming brother have

decided that, just maybe, I should be locked away again for the good
of mankind.”

He could easily tell she was struggling to control her emotions.
Remus walked over to Maddie, careful to mask how angry he was

at the thought of her brother trying to take her away, and put his arms
around her, pulling her close to his body. He was pleased when she
didn’t pull away, and in fact, laid her head on his chest. Gently, he
placed a kiss on the top of her head and tightened his arms around her.

“Maddie, you’re not a danger to anyone, especially yourself. I’ll

be here for you, and I’ll protect you from the doctor. You have my
word.”

Remus smiled when he felt Maddie’s arms come around his waist

and hug him tightly. “I believe you. I really do,” Maddie whispered to
him.

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Pulling back so he could look into her eyes, Remus smiled and

attempted to cheer her up. “How ‘bout we blow this pop stand and
take a walk together?”

“Pop stand? Boy, you sure talk funny for a country boy.” Maddie

laughed and smiled at him. “But I’d love to take a walk with you.”

“Let’s go, then.” Remus took her hand and pulled her out the back

door and down the steps. Continuing to hold her hand tightly, he led
her down toward the riverbank.

Content to walk along in silence, they continued downstream,

following the riverbed until they came upon a shaded area still
carpeted with soft, green grass despite the fact that winter was just
around the corner. Remus stopped, gazed out over the flowing river,
then turned and smiled at Maddie.

She seemed nervous when she smiled back up at him. He could

see the tips of her breasts poking at the front of her shirt. The scent
drifting up from between her legs told him she was wet with desire.
Her breathing became erratic, and her body began to tremble in his
arms.

Remus was having trouble controlling his need to claim Maddie

as his own. Being able to smell her desire, he wanted nothing more
than to lower her to the ground and explore every inch of her beautiful
body. He could envision mounting her and plunging his throbbing
cock deep inside her welcoming warmth while he marked her as his
own with his canines. These thoughts made his jeans feel about two
sizes too small. He was in danger of having a permanent zipper
imprint on his cock if something didn’t happen soon. Unfortunately,
both their needs would have to wait. Maddie was nowhere near ready
to learn all about his wolf and being his mate.

Remus tugged on Maddie’s hand, pulling her closer to the warmth

of his body. Lowering his head, he gently brushed his lips across hers,
once, twice. Then, with a groan, he covered her lips with his while
sweeping her up into his arms. Unable to stop himself, he ran his

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tongue along the seam of her lips to taste her. His senses were
swimming in the intoxicating aroma of her arousal.

Maddie parted her lips allowing his tongue to sweep inside. Elated

at her response, he placed one hand on the back of her head and tilted
it just to the right angle to deepen the kiss. His other arm snaked
around her waist to pull her body into even tighter contact with his.
He was overwhelmed to feel Maddie slide her hands up his arms and
grip his shoulders tightly. Feeling his passion flare at her acceptance
of his kiss, Remus slowly began lowering her body down into the soft
grass. He wasn’t surprised to feel her hands pushing against his arms
in an attempt to make him release her. It was hard for him to
remember his mate didn’t have any experience with the opposite sex.
He’d have to stop pushing her so hard.

Remus loosened his hold on her but didn’t release her from his

embrace. “Shh, it’s okay, Maddie. I’d never do anything to hurt you.
You don’t have to worry. I’ll always stop if you tell me to.” Remus
laid his cheek against her hair as he crooned comforting words to her.
It pleased him to feel her relax her body into his embrace.

“I’m sorry, Remus. I’m just not use to this. I guess it makes me a

little uncomfortable.”

“To this?” Remus teased her. “What’s this?”
Maddie flushed a bright red. “You know what I’m talking about.

This. Kissing, hugging, being close to someone.”

Remus laughed. “I’m sorry, Maddie, I can’t help but tease you.

You look beautiful when you’re all flustered.” He watched as her face
became even redder and decided it was time to make her feel
comfortable again. “I’d like to spend some more time with you,
Maddie. Would you like that? Would you like to go to dinner with me
tomorrow night?”

She looked up at him, her pleasure showing in her face. “I’d love

to, Remus. It sounds like fun.”

“That’s great. I’ve got to go into town for some supplies, so how

about I pick you up about four o’clock. We can make a quick stop at

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the market, and then we’ll have dinner at the diner. Will that be
okay?”

“That’s perfect. I haven’t been off the mountain since Michael

left, so I could probably stand to pick up a few things at the market
myself, if that’s okay with you.”

“That’s fine. I’m looking forward to spending the evening with

you.” Remus pulled her closer and touched his lips to hers. He was
surprised when she opened her lips and touched her tongue to his. He
didn’t have the strength to turn down her innocent invitation. Remus
pulled her tightly against his body and plunged his tongue deep into
her honeyed warmth. Before he realized what he was doing, he’d
ground his erection against her jean clad thighs.

Remus felt her body tense, and she began to push him away again.

When he felt her withdrawal, he released her lips to run light kisses
over her closed eyes, then over to her earlobe, which he took between
his lips and sucked lightly.

“You’re so beautiful, Maddie. You take my breath away.”
“Uh, Remus, maybe it isn’t such a good idea for us to go out

tomorrow.”

Remus could hear the fear in her voice and hated that he’d been

the one to put it there. “I’m sorry, Maddie, I didn’t mean to frighten
you. I’ve never felt like this about anybody before, and I just keep
wanting to be closer to you.”

Maddie gave him a doubtful look, and he couldn’t really blame

her for her feelings. It was a surprise to him, but he was telling the
truth. He felt things when he held her in his arms he never
experienced before.

“Come out with me, Maddie, please. I promise to be on my best

behavior. I’ll always back off if you tell me no. You don’t have to
worry about me. I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll try to never make you
uncomfortable.”

Maddie took a deep breath and then smiled. “Okay, I’ll be ready

by four o’clock.”

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Remus closed his eyes briefly, relieved he hadn’t scared her off.

“Okay, then, I think we better head back now. I’ve got a business
meeting this evening I can’t miss.”

He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, then took her hand and started

back toward her cabin. Things were definitely looking up.

* * * *

Maddie nearly jumped out of her skin when Remus knocked on

the door the next evening. Even though she’d been expecting him, her
heart raced and her stomach did somersaults when she saw him
through the window.

Oh God, this is it. My first date. What would he think if he knew

I’d never been out with a man before?

Looking at the door, Maddie thought she was going to be sick.

What would he expect tonight? Could she trust him to keep his word
and not push her into anything she wasn’t ready for?

Well, now that’s the problem isn’t it? Your body is ready. It’s your

mind that’s having trouble catching up.

Maddie was startled out of her thoughts by another loud pounding

on the door and Remus’s voice calling her name.

Maddie opened the door and gazed into his smiling face. “Hi.”

She felt herself begin to flush. “Um, you’re a little early.”

She watched as his smile became a frown.
“I’m sorry, am I too early?”
Maddie laughed. “Oh, heavens no. I’ve been ready for quite a

while. Just let me grab my purse and we can go.”

As Maddie turned to go back into the cabin, Remus grabbed her

hand and pulled her into his embrace. Before she could say anything,
his lips covered hers and his tongue plunged into her mouth. For just a
moment, Maddie let go of her inhibitions, turned her head slightly,
and kissed him back with all the passion in her heart.

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She felt Remus stiffen slightly, then his arms tightened around her

and he took over their kiss. His mouth devoured hers, and she felt his
hands slide around her waist. They drifted down until he gripped her
bottom tightly, and he pulled her tight against the bulge in his jeans.
Panicking slightly, she pushed against his chest and was relieved
when he immediately let her go.

“Sorry, baby, but I’ve been thinking about doing that all day.” The

look on his face made her think he was worried about her reaction.

“It’s okay, Remus.” She decided she needed to be honest with him

as well. “I have to admit that I’ve been thinking about kissing you
ever since our walk yesterday.” She looked up at him and was
annoyed to see the shit-eating grin he had on his face. It was very
much like the looks she got from Michael whenever she admitted to
something he already knew she was guilty of.

Maddie pulled completely out of his hold with a laugh. “All right,

you wicked man, your ego has definitely had enough stroking for one
night. I still need to get my purse and we can be off.”

She was stopped by Remus grabbing her hand and placing a wet

kiss on her knuckles. “Maddie, I’ll never get enough of you stroking
my ego, or anything else you want to stroke.”

Maddie watched his smile widen as she felt her face get flaming

hot. Without another word, she went and grabbed her purse. She came
back out onto the porch, closing the door behind her.

Remus frowned. “Don’t you lock that door when you go out?”
She glanced up at him in surprise. “Gosh, I, um, well, this is the

first time I’ve been away except to walk since Michael was staying
here with me. I guess I haven’t given it any thought.”

“Maddie, you need to be locking the door every time you leave,

even if it’s only for a walk.”

“Remus, that’s crazy. I’ve never seen another living soul up here

on the mountain except for you. As far as I know, nobody even lives
anywhere near me.” She definitely didn’t like the look of anger that
came over his face.

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“Every time you leave to go anywhere you need to lock this door.

There are several other families that live here on the mountain. I’ll
make sure that I take you around and introduce you soon.”

Maddie started to say something but was interrupted when Remus

took her by the shoulders.

“Please, baby, for me. Lock your doors from now on.”
With that intense look on his face there was no way Maddie could

tell him no. “Okay, Remus, for you, I’ll lock the door.” Pulling out of
his hold, she checked her purse to make sure she had the key and then
went over and locked the door. When she turned back around, the
look on Remus’s face nearly took her breath away. She could see the
passion simmering in his eyes. She gulped and took a step back.

“Come on, girl, time’s a-wasting. We’ve still got shopping to do

before we can get to our dinner date.” He held out his hand for her to
take.

After only a moment’s hesitation, Maddie took Remus’s hand and

allowed him to lead her to his truck.

* * * *

Maddie and Remus had been walking through the market,

combining their purchases in a buggy, when Maddie felt the hair on
the back of her neck stand up. She slowly glanced around and saw a
young woman standing at the end of the aisle. When she gazed into
her eyes, she was shocked. She’d never sensed such hostility coming
from anyone before. She unconsciously took a step back to distance
herself and ran into Remus.

“Maddie, what’s wrong. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
When she glanced back down the aisle, Remus turned and looked

toward the young woman. Maddie was surprised when she felt his
entire body stiffen.

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“I’ll be right back.” Those were the only words he said before

stalking off toward the woman. Maddie watched as he stopped to talk
to her.

She couldn’t hear anything they were saying, but she’d have to

have been blind not to see how angry Remus was. It didn’t look like
he was going to let the woman say much of anything. He was doing
all the talking, and Maddie gasped when he grabbed her arm roughly
and shoved her in the direction of the front of the store.

Maddie watched him carefully as he turned and walked back

toward her and their buggy. He smiled at her, but it didn’t seem very
sincere.

So what was that all about? Maybe an ex-girlfriend?
“Sorry, Maddie, I wish you hadn’t been subjected to that.” Remus

looked very uncomfortable.

“Old girlfriend, Remus?”
Now he looked positively shocked. “Absolutely not, she’s never

been my girlfriend. Hell, I’ve never even dated her.” He sighed and
looked away. “But you should probably know that she’s always
wanted to be with me.” He stared intently into Maddie’s eyes, and she
got the impression he was waiting for some kind of reaction from her.

“That’s okay, Remus. You’re a good-looking man. It would be

foolish for me to think that you haven’t had women in your past.” She
almost laughed when she watched him perk right up when she called
him good-looking. She decided to feed his ego a little more. “I’m just
glad you’re with me now.”

Maddie squeaked when she found herself grabbed up into a tight

hug. He’d picked her clean up off the floor. “Remus, put me down.
We’re in the grocery store, for heaven’s sake.”

He laughed and set her back on her feet, then lowered his head

and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I’m right where I want to be,
baby, and don’t you forget it.”

Maddie laughed and shook her head. “Are you done with your

shopping?”

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“Absolutely, how about you?”
“Yep, all done.”
“Then let’s get the hell out of here. I’m getting hungry.” Remus

gave her an evil grin that caused her to laugh. She grabbed his arm
and pushed him toward the checkout stands. She was looking forward
to dinner.

* * * *

Remus watched as Maddie pored over the diner’s menu. She made

him feel so happy just to be with her.

She’s so beautiful, and she doesn’t even realize it.
“What are you gonna have, Remus?” Maddie smiled and laid her

menu on the table.

“I’m wanting a steak, a nice rare steak.” He waited to see what her

reaction to that would be.

“Yum, that sounds perfect.”
He looked at her doubtfully, hoping she wasn’t just trying to

please him. “Are you sure you want it rare? I like mine pretty
bloody.”

She didn’t even hesitate. “The bloodier the better. It’s the only

way to get the real flavor of the beef.”

Remus could hardly believe his ears. The more he discovered

small things about her, the more certain he was that they belonged
together. Of course, there had never been any real doubt. He’d known
the first time he’d scented her that she was his mate. But now he
could understand what Victor tried to tell him. Their relationship was
going to be so much stronger with the bonds they were creating now.

“Are you ready to order?”
Remus’s thoughts were interrupted when the waitress came to

take their order. He looked over at Maddie. “May I?” he asked.

“Be my guest.” She smiled at him.

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He quickly gave their order and turned his attention back to his

beautiful mate.

“So tell me, Remus, what do you do?”
“I’m Alpha of my pack.” Remus responded before thinking and

then winced.

What the hell am I thinking? Now how am I gonna explain that?
Maddie frowned. “Okay, what’s an Alpha do, and what is a

pack?”

Remus sighed. Well, hell, now he’d have to tread lightly. “Sorry,

Maddie, those are kind of internal names for the corporation I run.”
Boy, he hated lying to her. Even stretching the truth didn’t seem right.
Well, he’d tell her what he could and then fill in the blanks once he
could tell her about his wolf.

“The Alpha is just what it sounds like. I’m the top dog that runs

things.” Inwardly, he cringed at calling himself a top dog. He was
glad neither of his brothers were there. They’d have never let him live
it down.

“The pack is what we call our corporation. I’m responsible for

overseeing all the management, all the jobs we take on, and all the
safety protocols we have established.”

“What type of jobs does the corporation take on?” Maddie asked.
“Well, we have our hands in pretty much everything. There’s

construction, land management, investment counseling. I even run a
string of halfway houses for troubled teens from around the country.”

“Wow, I’m impressed. It must be very rewarding being able to

help out the kids in need.”

Remus smiled. “Yeah, it’s definitely my favorite part of the job.

We round up strays from all over the country and give them homes,
re-train them, teach them what they need to know. I’m only sorry that
it requires me to travel every so often. It’s bound to take me away
from you soon or later.” He reached across the table and took her
hand in his. “I’m not looking forward to separating from you, even for
short periods.”

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Maddie’s face turned a bright red, and she tried to pull her hand

back. “Um, I don’t think I’m looking forward to your taking off,
either.” After a brief tug of war, Maddie succeeded in reclaiming her
hand. “So, Remus, what do you do for fun?”

Remus blinked, not quite believing she accepted what he said so

easily and now had changed the subject. “Um, okay, I like to fish and
hunt. I like watching old movies and going to the local school plays.”

Maddie smiled. “You go to school plays?”
“Sure, it’s great fun to watch them put on plays. They put so much

of themselves into the parts. Don’t you think you would enjoy
something like that?”

“Oh, I’m sure I’d like it a lot. I missed out on doing things like

that when I was young. It would be great fun to see what all I missed
growing up in the clinic.”

Remus had to force himself not to growl when she talked about

the clinic. It made him see red to think about her being locked up for
so long.

“What do people do here in the winter, Remus? Grandpa told me

about the snows you get here, but we never visited him in the cold
months.”

“We’re pretty much like anybody else. We like playing in the

snow, running, building snowmen with the young ones.”

“Is their skiing around here? Or maybe snowmobiles?”
Remus shook his head. “No, that’s something you won’t see on

the mountain. None of the people who live on the mountain do
anything like that.” He looked at her and grinned. “Don’t you think
you’d like running around in the snow, maybe having snowball
fights?”

Maddie snorted. “Oh, yeah, I’m sure I’d just love being pummeled

by little round balls of snow. Something tells me that you could bury
me before I got too many shots off toward you.”

He gave her a little grin. “You could always use your gift to even

out the odds.”

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Maddie laughed out loud, a full belly laugh. “Oh, my gosh, I

never thought of that. I could just picture you in the snow, nothing
showing but your head!”

Remus laughed but cringed inside. She could probably do exactly

what she described with her gift. It was a thought he didn’t want to
dwell on. He was saved from making a response by the arrival of their
dinners.

* * * *

Remus carried the bag of Maddie’s groceries into the cabin and

sat them on the table. Turning, he looked at Maddie standing by the
door. She looked nervous and unsure. Dinner had gone really well,
and he guessed that now she was worried about how the evening was
supposed to end.

He crossed the room and quickly took her in his arms. Lowering

his head, he licked across the seam of her lips. His pulse sped up
when she opened her mouth to accept his kiss. With a small groan, he
covered her lips with his and thrust his tongue inside her mouth. He
could taste a hint of the wine they had with dinner and a flavor that
was unique to Maddie herself.

When he felt her tongue began to play with his, Remus pulled her

body close and backed her against the door. When she didn’t try and
push him away, he deepened the kiss and pressed his erection against
her stomach. He was thrilled when he heard her tiny moan and felt her
hands tighten on his shoulders.

Remus broke off the kiss and trailed his lips across her jaw to nip

on the lobe of her ear. “God, Maddie, you’re so soft and sexy. You’re
driving me crazy.”

“Remus,” he heard her whisper.
He brought his mouth back to hers and began nibbling on her

lower lip. When he felt Maddie’s hands rise up and curl into his hair,
Remus allowed his hands to slide up from her waist to rest directly

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under her breasts. Maddie made a harsh sound and bit his lower lip.
Encouraged, he allowed his hands to close gently over her breasts, his
thumbs stroking back and forth across her nipples.

Oh, Maddie, what I wouldn’t give to be able to taste your breasts.

I want to suck on these hard buttons and drive you crazy with lust.

For just a moment, Maddie gripped his hair tighter and thrust her

breasts even further into his hands. Then, suddenly, she lowered her
hands and pushed against his chest.

“Remus, please, we have to stop. It’s too soon. I can’t do this, I’m

sorry.”

Remus slid his hands back to her waist and pulled back enough to

look into her eyes. He was shocked to see tears forming in the corner
of her eyes. “Baby, it’s okay. You don’t have to be sorry for anything.
I told you I’d stop whenever you told me to, and I’m keeping that
promise.” He raised his hands and brushed her hair away from her
face. “You excite me, Maddie, like no woman has ever excited me
before. I want you, I won’t lie you, but I’m willing to wait for the
right time.” He smiled and brushed her tears away. “I’m willing to
wait until you’re ready, until you want me as much as I want you.”

He watched the look of relief that came over her face, then felt her

body relax in his hold.

I know you desire me, Maddie, but do you think you can love me?
“Thank you, Remus. I’m glad you’re not angry. I feel a bit

overwhelmed by you. You make me feel things I’ve never felt before,
and it’s a little scary.”

Remus pulled her close and hugged her. “Don’t be scared. There’s

nothing to be scared about. You’re feeling desire, and who knows,
maybe the beginnings of love.” He pulled back so he could see her
reaction to what he said.

She sighed and gazed into his eyes. “Maybe, who knows. I

definitely feel something special for you. But you have to be patient
with me, Remus. Love is something I don’t have any experience with.

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I don’t want to rush into anything. I kind of want to enjoy these new
feelings. Is that gonna be okay with you?”

“You bet it’s okay with me, baby.” If you only knew how happy

your admission has made me. “We’ll take all the time you need.
There’s no rush, I’m not going anywhere.” Boy, that was a damn lie.
He didn’t know how he was going to stand the wait. He was ready to
make her his mate now.

“Maddie, I think it’s time I said good night. I understand your

need to wait, but my body is telling me that it’s waited long enough.”
At her look of alarm he was quick to add, “I’m not gonna let my body
rule me, but I think it’s time to take it home and let it cool off.”

Maddie smiled. “Okay, Remus, you’re right, it’s definitely time to

say good night. I had a wonderful time tonight.”

“Oh, Maddie, tonight was wonderful. I can’t begin to tell you how

much I enjoyed spending the time with you. Will you let me take you
on a picnic tomorrow? I’ll take care of everything.”

Maddie’s wide smile told him she was as anxious to spend more

time with him as he was to spend time with her.

“I’d like that a lot. Are you sure you don’t want me to make any

food?”

“I’m sure. This is gonna be my treat. It’ll be a surprise. I’ll pick

you up around noon if that’s okay.”

“Perfect, I’ll be ready.”
Remus kissed her one last time and then let himself out the door.

Tomorrow couldn’t get here fast enough.

* * * *

Remus arrived at Maddie’s cabin around noon, picnic basket in

hand. He’d been in conference with the Elders all morning, and his
patience was running a little thin. They were supposed to be meeting
in order to finalize the travel arrangements of four young pups that
had been picked up in Montana. They were runaways, and it was

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important to get them established into packs before they were
considered rogue. Instead, they’d used the time to give him the third
degree about his relationship with Maddie.

All of them knew she was his destined mate, and they didn’t

understand why he hadn’t already claimed her. They were from the
old school that believed that when you found your mate, you claimed
them, no matter where you were when it happened. It didn’t matter if
the young woman was willing or not, it was just a fact of life. They
hadn’t begun to understand his promise to Victor.

I’m just lucky they don’t have the authority to force my hand.
Remus knocked lightly on the door and then jumped back slightly

when it was opened immediately. He started to smile down at Maddie,
but quickly changed his expression to a frown. His little mate was
obviously in a temper about something.

God, please don’t let her be angry with me about anything.
Deciding to go with his original plan, Remus swept an arm around

Maddie’s waist and pulled her close. “Hey there, pretty woman,
you’re looking really fine today.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss
on her lips. He wasn’t happy when she merely accepted his kiss and
didn’t bother to kiss him back.

“Hi, Remus. It’s good to see you.”
Oh, boy, the tone of her voice told him her heart wasn’t into what

her mouth was saying. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

She looked up at him and sighed. “It’s nothing, really. Are you

ready to go on our picnic?”

Remus tightened his grip as she tried to pull away. “Maddie,

what’s wrong?” When he saw the stubborn look on her face he
tightened his hold even further. “You might as well tell me because
I’m not letting you go until you do.”

He watched as she allowed her head to fall back and then heard

her groan.

“Okay, okay. I’m angry at Michael.”

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Remus couldn’t help but be relieved that all that anger wasn’t

focused in his direction. “What happened?”

“I got my usual call from him this morning.”
“Why would getting a call from your brother upset you so much?”
Maddie pulled against his hold again, and this time Remus let her

move away. He watched as she walked across the room. He quickly
followed her inside and shut the door.

“I guess I shouldn’t really be upset. It’s not like he hasn’t said the

same thing to me time and time again.”

Remus was beginning to get the feeling she wasn’t really talking

to him. It was more like she was talking and reasoning with herself. It
was making him a little nervous. “Baby, what did he say that got you
so upset?”

He almost jumped when she whirled around and leveled an icy

stare at him. “He was trying to get me to agree to go in and let Dr.
Constantine evaluate my condition. That’s his word, not mine.” She
began to pace back and forth in the small cabin. “Where the hell does
he get off even talking about my so-called condition? He hasn’t seen
me in several weeks, and unless you’re filling his head with tales
about my mental condition deteriorating, he doesn’t know a thing
about me.” She turned and looked at Remus, and he could see a tear
on her cheek. “He’s not gonna be happy until I’m living back at the
clinic under the doctor’s control.”

Remus dropped the picnic basket and rushed over to take Maddie

into his arms. He pulled her tight and held her head to his chest. “You
don’t have to worry about anything because I’ll never let them take
you away from here. You have my word on that.”

“Would you really be able to stop them, Remus?” Her voice was

low and muffled with her head pressed so tightly against his body.

“Absolutely. I’m not going to let anybody cause you any more

pain, Maddie. That’s my solemn vow to you. You’re safe here on the
mountain with me, I promise you that.” He leaned down and pressed a
kiss to the top of her head. “What do you say we grab our picnic

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lunch and take a walk along the river bank. We can find a nice spot,
lay out a blanket, and just be lazy for the rest of the afternoon.”

Maddie leaned her head back and smiled up at him. “That sounds

like a plan.”

“Good, then let’s get out of here.” He took Maddie’s hand and

pulled her toward the back door, stopping to pick up the basket along
the way. Together they walked across the field and headed down
river.

* * * *

Remus watched as Maddie cleaned up after their picnic. She

looked relaxed and happy, and he hated to break her mood, but there
was something he wanted to ask her. “Maddie, why do you think
your brother wants so badly to put you back in the clinic?” He winced
at the look of sadness that came over her face.

God, I’m sorry, baby, but I can’t protect you if I don’t know all

the facts.

Maddie sighed and leaned back on the blanket. “Michael loves

me. I don’t have any doubt about that. He wants me to be happy, but
his guilt drives him to make sure I’m safe.”

“What guilt?” Remus became alarmed when he noticed a lone tear

sliding down her cheek. He decided to let her finish telling her story
before he took her in his arms. He had a feeling this was something
she needed to get out.

“I don’t know how much you know about what happened to me

when I was a child.” She looked at Remus as if she was waiting for
him to answer.

Remus decided quickly not to let her know just how much Victor

shared with him. “I don’t know much at all. Victor only told me you
had an accident on the lake that caused a head injury.”

She gave Remus a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Yeah, an accident while I was trying to learn to water ski. Michael

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was driving the boat.” She looked at him like he should already
understand where this conversation was going.

“Okay, he was driving the boat. How does that make him feel

guilty? He didn’t cause the accident on purpose, did he?”

Maddie looked shocked. “Of course not! When it happened, he

dove into the water and tried to find me. The water was so murky, and
there were a lot of underwater plants and stuff that made it impossible
for him to see. He found me eventually, but it took a lot of time.”

As Remus watched, Maddie got up and walked over to a fallen log

that lay nearby. “That still doesn’t explain why he would feel guilt.
He must have only been a child himself when it happened.”

“He was seventeen, just a young man. I don’t think he would have

ever felt any guilt if he hadn’t overheard my father talking with the
doctors. They told my father that if I’d been found sooner I might not
have suffered any brain damage and I might not be in a coma.”

Remus whistled long and low. “Boy, that’s some kind of trip to

put on a young man.”

“Yeah, and he’s never gotten over it. He feels like it’s his fault

that I never got to live the normal life of a girl growing up.”

“Wouldn’t that make him want to help you life your life to the

fullest now?”

Maddie laughed, but it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “That’s what

you’d think, but you have to add my gift into the equation. When I
came out of the coma, I suddenly had the telekinesis to deal with on
top of everything else. I was really young and really pissed off about
being stuck in that clinic. My emotions were out of control and,
unfortunately, emotions make it hard to control my abilities.”

“Okay, I guess I’m just being dense. Exactly what is the root of

his guilt that makes him want to lock you away?”

“He’s afraid I’m gonna hurt someone, or myself, one of the times

I lose control. They could never give a reason for the telekinesis,
never had an actual diagnosis saying what caused it. The theory,
which I have my doubts about, is that the head injury caused a

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chemical imbalance that projects emotion away from my body, almost
like an electric charge without the burn.”

“Interesting theory. Did they do any type of testing to back it up?”
“Huh, they tested me in so many different ways I lost count. They

never did prove one way or another if they were on the right track.
Michael only heard them say that I had the new gift because I was hit
in the head during the accident. He feels responsible that I have to go
through life being careful not to hurt other people. He’s convinced
that if I accidentally hurt someone in a fit of anger I’ll carry guilt
around just like he does. He figures I’ll be safe as long as I stay at the
clinic.”

Remus snorted and shook his head. “That’s crazy.”
“I’m not saying it’s rational, I just know it’s what he believes.

You know what the worst part is?”

“No, what’s that?”
“He’s put his own life on hold. It’s like he thinks he doesn’t

deserve a life of his own if I can’t have one.”

Remus had heard enough. He rose from the blanket and walked

over to take Maddie in his arms. He pulled her close to his body and
hugged her tight. “I don’t want you to worry about anything. We’re
gonna find a way to make him see that you can still have a happy life
here on the mountain with me.”

He wasn’t surprised when Maddie pushed away and looked up at

him in shock. Before she could make any protests, he leaned down
and covered her lips with his. He felt like he’d been given a gift when
she immediately relaxed into his hold and kissed him back. Remus
tightened his hold around her waist and stood up straight, lifting her
up against his chest. Not breaking the kiss, he walked back over to the
blanket and carefully lowered her to the ground, following her down
with his body.

Remus ran his tongue around the edge of her lips, then buried his

face in her neck. He inhaled her scent deeply, then reached out to lick
up the side of her neck to her ear. “You’re so beautiful Maddie.”

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Remus whispered his words and then covered her lips with his

once more, immediately thrusting his tongue into her honeyed
warmth. As he ravaged her mouth, he allowed his hand to run lightly
up her side from her waist to close over her left breast. His arousal
grew when he heard Maddie gasp and felt her grip him tighter instead
of pushing him away.

It was all the encouragement he needed to let his hand attack the

buttons down the front of her shirt. In no time at all, he parted the
material and uncovered her lace bra. Softly, he rubbed his fingers over
the tips of her breasts through the lace, watching them push against
the fabric of her bra. Hearing her groan, he quickly unfastened the
front clasp, baring her perfect breasts to his gaze. Raising his head, he
swept his eyes over the small, rose-tipped mounds, noticing the flush
that spread from her chest up to her cheeks. Holding her gaze captive,
he gently tugged and pinched one of her nipples. Fascinated, Remus
watched her eyes close and her head fall back. He lowered his head,
took one hardened nipple into his warm mouth, and began to suckle.

As his lips closed over her nipple, Maddie suddenly tried to push

him away.

“Remus, we can’t. We’re out where anybody could see us. You

have to stop.”

She raised her hands to cover her breasts as he pulled back to look

at her.

Remus smelled her anxiety and tried to reassure her. “Shhh, baby,

it’s okay. I won’t hurt you or let anybody see you. I just want to look
at you and show you how much I want you. You’re so beautiful to
me, Maddie. I promise I won’t go further than you want me to. Let me
touch you, let me show you how good we can be.”

As Remus continued to reassure her in a gentle tone of voice,

Maddie began to relax and allowed him to move her hands back to her
sides. Once again, he lowered his mouth to worship her breasts. She
closed her eyes and seemed lost in the sensation of the warm, gentle
suction of his mouth. She raised her arms to his shoulders and arched

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her back as if to offer him more of her breast to take into his mouth.
When he closed his teeth over one turgid nipple, Maddie groaned
deep in her throat and clasped his head with both hands, holding him
in place. Chuckling softly, he raised his hand to her other nipple and
began to gently pinch and tug the rigid tip, causing Maddie to writhe
on the ground beneath him.

“Remus, please. I need…I need.” He knew she didn’t know what

she needed or what to ask him for.

Remus continued to suck and bite Maddie’s nipples while his

other hand smoothed down over her stomach, past the waistband of
her jeans, to cup her heat through the denim. As he pushed down hard
on her clit with the heel of his hand, Maddie bucked her hips up and
called out his name.

“Remus, oh God, please.”
She reached down and grabbed his wrist, but he wasn’t sure if she

wanted to push him away or push his hand tighter against her damp
jeans.

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’d never hurt you, Maddie, and I won’t do

anything you don’t want me to. I just want to make you feel good.
Will you let me do that? Will you let me show you how much I want
you?”

As he whispered to Maddie, she gradually loosened her grip on

his wrist, grabbing both his arms and digging in her nails.

Remus closed his lips over hers, thrusting his tongue deep in an

imitation of what he wanted to do to her body. He moved his hand to
the fastening of her jeans, unsnapped the waist, and then slowly
lowered her zipper. Not giving her time to panic, he quickly ran his
hand down inside her lace panties, combing through the silken curls
guarding her entrance, searching for her moist heat. Finding her slit
already slick with her juices, he carefully ran his finger up and down,
causing her body to tense up.

Maddie trembled and tried to close her legs against his hand. Once

again, she raised her hands to push against his chest.

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“Remus, stop, what are you doing?” Her voice was thick with

passion as she struggled to pull away from his caressing hand.

“Just making you feel good, Maddie. Please, baby, just feel. I

won’t hurt you.”

As he whispered to her, Remus buried his face in the hollow of

her throat, where he licked her skin several times, then began sucking
gently. In his mind, he could picture himself biting her there to claim
her as his own. Just thinking about it had his canines dropping. He
slowly scraped them across her tender skin and then forced them to
retreat so he wouldn’t frighten her.

Gradually, he began to feel Maddie relax her body. Her legs

parted slightly, allowing him to continue probing her creamy heat.

“Oh, God, you feel so good to me, so very hot.”
Remus brought his moist finger to the bundle of nerves hidden at

the top of her slit. Carefully, he pulled back the protective hood and
then rubbed gentle circles around her clit, causing Maddie to arch her
hips toward him. As her breathing quickened, Remus took her clit
between his thumb and forefinger and tugged, then pinched lightly,
causing her to cry out his name.

“Remus, please. I need you.”
Realizing she was close to coming, he began to rub faster and

faster. He took her nipple into his mouth and began sucking hard. He
smiled when she threw back her head and screamed with her release.

God, when I can get her into my bed, we’re going to set the house

on fire.

Remus gradually slowed his fingers buried in her warmth, trying

to make her pleasure last as long as possible. As her tremors began to
subside, he pulled away his hand and refastened her pants while
continuing to kiss her softly.

Opening her eyes, Maddie gazed up at Remus, and he could sense

her embarrassment. With her face flaming red, she tried to push away
from his body. Ignoring her struggles, Remus pulled her trembling

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body even closer and buried his face in her silky, fragrant hair, trying
to ignore the erection straining to burst free of his jeans.

“Hey, it’s okay. Maddie, we haven’t done anything wrong.”
Waiting for her struggles to cease, Remus sighed before he

continued.

“I’m falling in love with you, woman, and I wanted to show you

how good we can be together. I’m not going to push you to make love
to me, Maddie. I know you aren’t ready for that. But I want you to
think about us being together, how good we could be for one
another.”

Maddie looked up at him, clearly shocked by his words. “Remus,

we’ve only known each other a short time. How can you be talking
about love when you don’t know anything about me?”

“I know as much about you as I need to. I know you’re beautiful,

kind, and loving.”

“How could you possibly know that about me?”
“I’ve seen you with your brother. I know that despite everything,

your loving nature wants him to be happy. You’ve resigned yourself
to living here on the mountain alone in an attempt to keep others safe
from your gift. Your kindness shines through whenever I look in your
eyes. I know I feel better when I’m with you and lonely when we’re
apart. I’m not asking for a commitment right now. Just please give it
some thought. Can you do that? Can you at least keep an open mind
about me? Can you give us, give me, a chance?”

As he talked to her, he ran his fingers through her hair, looking

deeply into her eyes. He was pleased when his touch seemed to calm
her.

“I’ll try, Remus, but you have to be patient. I’m just getting used

to being on my own, taking care of myself. For so long I’ve had no
choices and was forced to do what others wanted me to. I’m just
beginning to enjoy my independence, and, well, I’m not sure I’m
ready to love anyone or give up any of that independence.”

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Before Remus could respond, he heard a wolf howling from the

woods. When he jumped up to glance around, Maddie got to her feet
and quickly refastened her bra and buttoned her blouse.

“Don’t worry, Remus, it’s probably just my wolf.”
When Remus gave her a puzzled look, she explained. “I have a

wolf friend, actually, my best friend.” She sighed and looked
resigned. “And, yes, I do know how crazy that sounds. I first met him
when I was a little girl. He was friends with my grandfather, and after
I moved back here he just showed up one morning. He’s been very
friendly with me, just like when I was little. He won’t hurt you, I
promise.”

Remus smiled at her and indicated he believed her, but didn’t tell

her that he recognized the howl of his brother. Latan was letting him
know he needed to talk to Remus and didn’t want to interrupt, so he
called to him with his wolf. Remus took Maddie’s hand, and together
they began to walk along the riverbank, toward the sound of his
brother.

* * * *

Neither of them noticed the lone, female wolf, watching from the

cover of the forest.

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Chapter 3

Maddie and Remus were strolling hand in hand along the

riverbank when they spotted two men coming toward them from the
opposite direction. Nervous of strangers, Maddie stopped and began
to back away slowly.

Remus glanced down at her. “It’s okay, baby. It’s just my

brothers, and I want you to meet them.”

Relieved, Maddie smiled at him, and together they walked toward

the approaching men.

“Hey, guys, I’m glad to run into you. I want you to meet Maddie.”

Smiling at her, Remus continued. “Maddie, these are my two
wayward brothers. This is Ethan.” He pointed at one of the men. “And
this is Latan.”

As he introduced them, each brother smiled and took one of her

hands, then, at the same time, dramatically placed a noisy kiss against
her palms.

Maddie smothered a laugh and shyly smiled at them. Both men

were over six feet tall with brown hair and brown eyes. She’d never
been in the company of so many good-looking men in her life. She
could easily see the family resemblance in all of them but noticed that
Ethan’s eyes had a mischievous look like he was a prankster, while
Latan appeared to be very serious and business-like. Remus seemed to
be a combination of the two, except for his blue eyes, perfectly
capable of humor, yet having the steel to handle any difficult problem.

“No wonder you haven’t been home lately, Remus. You’ve been

hiding this little beauty from us.” Ethan smiled wickedly at her while
he teased his older brother. “Of course, now that she’s met me, she

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won’t be willing to settle for your weak charms any longer.” As he
teased her, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing her to
laugh out loud.

As Remus tried to tackle Ethan, Latan surprised her by joining in

the fun.

“Of course, Maddie, you can see who the civilized one in the

family is.” He struck a dramatic pose, indicating that he was speaking
of himself. “You guys just go ahead and play, and I’ll take care of
Miss Maddie myself.” Grinning, he hooked his arm through hers and
began to lead her away. Both of his brothers promptly jumped on him
with Maddie squealing in the background. She wasn’t used to the
roughhousing and wasn’t sure if she should be worried or not.

* * * *

Remus realized they were making Maddie uncomfortable, so he

used his psychic connection to his brothers to calm them down.
Sobering quickly, both men backed up and gave him a look he
couldn’t read.

“Remus, can I have a word with you,” Latan glanced over to

Maddie, then back to his brother, “privately?”

“Sure, no problem.” Remus looked at Ethan. “You behave

yourself and keep my Maddie company for a few minutes.” He kissed
Maddie on the forehead. “I’ll just be a minute, baby.”

Remus gave Ethan a look, warning him to be on his best behavior,

and then walked off a short distance to speak privately with Latan.
Looking back, he saw the worried look on Maddie’s face and flashed
her a calming smile. He was pleased she seemed to be getting along
with his brothers. He smelled her fear earlier when she first saw them.
Satisfied that Ethan would watch over her, he turned his attention to
his brother.

“What is it, Latan?”
“The Elders sent for you this afternoon.”

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“Did they say what they wanted?”
“An Alpha committed an infraction of the Shifter Laws in one of

the Canadian packs. They’re going to sit in judgment and need seven
Alphas for the tribunal. They want you to attend as a judge.”

“Damn.” Remus ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

“When do they want me to leave?”

“Tomorrow morning. I took the liberty of getting all the

information, and it’s in a file at home for you to read on the plane.
They said for you to expect to be away for a week, at least.” Latan
lowered his head when his brother growled.

“Hell, a week. What am I suppose to do about Maddie? I don’t

like the idea of leaving her alone for a week. She’s having problems
with her brother as well as Constantine.”

“What the hell is Constantine up to now?” Latan growled, and his

canines dropped down.

The entire pack had been filled in on Constantine’s shenanigans

and warned about staying away from him. “Get control of yourself,
Latan,” Remus ordered. “He’s been trying to convince her brother to
have her locked up in his clinic again. It doesn’t seem to matter that
the courts ruled she could make her own decisions. Constantine is
determined to make her brother believe she’s a danger to herself and
others if she stays out on her own.”

Latan frowned. “Look, Remus, I know you don’t want to hear

this, but is it at all possible that he’s right?” Latan took a step back
when Remus responded with a vicious growl. “I’m sorry, Remus, but
I don’t know her like you do. I only know what you told me she’s
capable of doing, and it’s kind of creepy.”

Sighing deeply, Remus looked over to see his love laughing with

his other brother. He realized that Latan didn’t mean anything by
what he said. He was genuinely concerned for his safety.

“She’s not dangerous to anyone, Latan. She’s lonely, and she has

a gift she hasn’t completely learned to control yet. Locking her up
isn’t the solution to the problem. I want to help her learn to use the

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gift to her advantage.” He scowled at his brother. “Besides, locking
her up with Constantine will only cause more problems, for her and
for us. He’s bound to know about her heritage because he knew about
her grandmother. He wants to be able to study her like a rat in a maze,
and I’m not going to allow that to happen.”

“Okay, brother, I accept that you know her best, and I’ll give my

life to protect her for you. You can rest assured that while you’re
away, we’ll guard her at all times and keep that son of a bitch away
from her.”

Remus breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Latan. I’ll rest much

easier if I know the two of you are watching her. You need to be
watchful of her brother, as well, because I think he may be inclined to
believe the good doctor. I know he loves her, but he’s also afraid for
her, and I think a little afraid of her. He’s been watching out for her
ever since their father died. Victor told me he doesn’t know about his
own heritage, either, so he might as well be human. Constantine
might be able to convince him that locking her away is a means for
him to have a life of his own.”

“Not a problem, Remus, but you have another problem that might

be harder to get a handle on.”

Remus looked at him with a puzzled look on his face. “What

problem is that?” He didn’t like the deadly, serious look that had
taken over Latan’s face.

“Were you aware that you were being watched today?”
Remus growled low in his throat and narrowed his eyes at his

brother. “Watched by who?”

Remus was practically yelling at his brother, and he turned

quickly to see Maddie staring at him curiously. He smiled at her
briefly and then turned back to his brother.

“Nanita was in the woods watching the two of you when we

approached. She was so absorbed in you and Maddie, she never heard
us. She wants you, Remus, and the position of Alpha Femm, and we

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believe she’s decided that Maddie is her competition. The way that
woman thinks, there’s no telling what she might do in a jealous rage.”

Remus sighed and ran his hand shakily through his hair. “Great,

just what I need right before I have to go away.”

Latan laid his hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Remus. We’ll keep tabs on Nanita while you’re

away, as well as watching over Maddie. I can get a couple of guys
from the pack to help with surveillance round the clock. Who knows,
maybe I can get one of them to put the moves on Nanita until you get
back. That would definitely keep her occupied.” Latan had a wicked
smile on his face to go with his suggestion.

“Do whatever it takes. I don’t want her near Maddie.”
Remus began walking back toward his other brother. “Let’s go.

Maddie’s going to get annoyed if she has to put up with much more of
Ethan’s sense of humor.”

Laughing, Latan followed him back to the other couple.
Ethan looked at his brothers as they approached. “What, you’re

done already? I was hoping for a little more time. I’m just about to
convince this lovely lady to run away with me.”

The rolling of Maddie’s eyes told Remus that she’d had enough of

his brother’s strange sense of humor. He walked over and wrapped his
arm firmly around her waist, then pulled her tightly against his body.

“On that note, we’ll be off, gentlemen. I trust you have other

duties that require your immediate attention.” Remus spoke to the two
men sternly.

Laughing, Maddie turned toward the men. “It was a great pleasure

to meet both of you.”

“You, too, Maddie. It was all our pleasure. We look forward to

seeing you again soon.” Latan spoke for both of the brothers. With a
final wave, both of them walked off in the opposite direction.

Remus briefly glanced to the woods where Latan said Nanita was

hiding. Seeing nothing suspicious, he turned back to Maddie. “Let’s

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head back to your cabin. I got some bad news from Latan I need to
talk to you about.”

“What’s wrong, Remus?”
His heart turned over at the worried look on her face. “I have to

leave on a business trip tonight, and I won’t be back for at least a
week, maybe longer.”

Maddie became quiet with his announcement and glanced away.

He knew she was trying to hide her disappointment, but it didn’t
work. He could sense her feelings.

“I’m sorry, Maddie. I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to. I don’t want

to be away from you.”

She turned back to face, and Remus hated the sadness he saw in

her eyes.

“It’s okay, Remus. I understand. I know you have a business to

run.” She smiled sadly. “I’ll miss you, of course.”

Then Remus saw a positively wicked smile come over her face.
“I’ll just spend time with my best friend.”
Puzzled, Remus tried to think of who her best friend was. “Who’s

that, baby?”

“My wolf, of course. He likes to come in the cabin and spend time

with me in front of the fire. I won’t be lonely, and you’ve got no
reason to be jealous.” Maddie gave an unladylike snort. “Gosh, I’m
gonna have to give him a name. I can’t just keep calling him my
wolf.”

Damn, I can’t believe I’ve already forgotten that she called my

wolf her best friend.

Remus was briefly paralyzed with fear at the thought of her

trusting another wolf and lashed out at her before he could stop
himself.

“You stay away from wolves while I’m away. Absolutely do not

approach any of them, and certainly don’t allow any of them into the
cabin with you.”

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His tone was harsh, and he gripped her arm tightly while he glared

at her. He was almost crazy with fear thinking that she’d mistake
some other wolf for him. She could be hurt or killed, and it would kill
him to have anything happen to her.

“My wolf would never harm me, and you’re not my boss,

Remus.”

She yanked her arm from his grip. He could see tears forming in

her eyes and watched as she blinked rapidly, probably trying to keep
them from falling. She stepped away from him and didn’t look him in
the eyes. It didn’t take much psychic ability to sense her anger and the
coldness she was feeling toward him.

“I hope you have a productive and safe trip, Remus. Don’t worry

about me while you’re away. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of
myself.”

Realizing he messed up badly, Remus tried to smooth things over.

“Maddie, I’m sorry. I know you can take care of yourself. I just worry
about you, and I’d consider it a personal favor if you’d avoid the
wolves until I come home.”

“I think you’d better go now, Remus. I have things to do, and you

need to go home and pack for your trip.” She took a deep breath
before she continued and then raised her watery eyes to his. “I don’t
need a keeper, Remus. I’ve had enough of those to last a lifetime. I do
need friends, but friends trust each other.”

Sensing he pushed too far, Remus decided talking was not going

to work. He grabbed both her arms and pulled her to his chest, then
covered her mouth with his before she could object. Immediately,
Maddie tried to pull away. Remus could feel her aroused nipples
against his chest and took advantage of his superior strength to move
her body, raking her breasts back and forth. When she gasped, he
plunged his tongue into her mouth, effectively cutting off her protests.
Using his expertise, he quickly coaxed her tongue into playing with
his and felt her body begin to relax, her arms sliding around his waist.

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Over and over, he kissed her swollen lips, and then trailed his

kisses down her neck to her shoulder. Unable to stop himself, he
licked his way back up to the lobe of her ear. He waited until Maddie
was practically purring in his arms before he spoke again.

“I’m sorry, so very sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry. It’s

new to me, having a woman I care about. I guess I’m going to have to
learn how to handle it better. Can you forgive me?” Gently, he ran his
hands up and down her back as he asked for her forgiveness.

Maddie sighed. “Oh, Remus, I forgive you. Just give me some

time to get use to someone caring about me, someone besides my
brother. I need a friend right now, not someone else to order me
around. I want to be with you, I really do. You make me feel things I
never thought I would feel. Don’t ruin it by trying to control me.
Don’t make me have to tell you to go away.”

Her wounded expression nearly crippled his heart. He wanted her

love, not her anger. He knew he couldn’t keep from worrying, so he’d
just make sure his brothers watched over her to keep strange wolves
from her door.

“Okay, baby, no orders, just a goodbye. I’ll call you the minute I

get home. I’m sorry, but there might not be a chance for me to call
while I’m away. It’s a pretty rural area I’m headed to in Canada, and
the phone might have trouble catching a signal up there.”

Reaching up on her tiptoes, Maddie placed her lips against his

briefly and then dropped back down. He could tell she didn’t believe
him, and he could sense her pulling away from him emotionally.

“Goodbye, Remus. Have a safe trip and hurry back. I’ll be waiting

for your call when you get home.”

Without another word, she turned and walked up the steps and

into her cabin. Sadly, Remus watched her go inside and shut the door.
Sighing, he waited a moment, hoping she’d come back out, and then
he walked swiftly toward the woods. He had to get going if he wanted
to make his destination by morning.

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* * * *

Standing silently in the woods, Nanita watched Remus kiss the

human woman and then walk away once she closed herself inside the
cabin. Shaking with fury, the lone silver wolf changed into its human
form.

She’d watched them walking by the river and was consumed with

jealousy when they stopped for Remus to make love to her. But then
they didn’t make love at all, only played around like children.

He can’t possibly prefer that puny human woman to one of his

own kind.

The Elders would want him to make a choice soon for a mate, and

Nanita was determined it was going to be her. There was no way a
human woman could fulfill the obligations of the Alpha Femm. She
was going to have to watch very carefully and wait for her chance. It
should be a piece of cake to scare her away, and if she got hurt in the
process, all the better as far as she was concerned. With that thought,
Nanita happily changed into her wolf and ran through the trees toward
her home.

* * * *

Michael sat in his temporary office in Quebec, thinking about the

situation with Maddie. He’d had a hard time concentrating on his job
since he’d arrived, not liking that he had to leave her alone on that
damn mountain. Why did his grandfather have to go and leave that
cabin to her? For that matter, why had that stupid lawyer gotten
involved with her case, getting the courts to release her? When she
was living at the clinic he’d never worried about her or anyone else
getting hurt. He loved Maddie very much and only wanted what was
best for her.

The ringing of his cell phone startled Michael.
“Hello, Michael Barrows here.”

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“Michael, it’s Dr. Constantine.”
“Hello, Dr. Constantine. How are things with you?”
“Actually, I’m quite concerned, Michael. I’ve been in contact with

Maddie, and I believe we have a problem.”

“What problem? What’s happening? Is she all right?” Michael

could hear the fear in his own voice as he sprang to his feet in
agitation.

“Calm down, Michael, and I’ll try to answer all your questions. I

believe that Maddie is beginning to live in a dream world. She’s
convinced herself that she’s in control of her telekinesis and that she
can never hurt anyone again as long as she stays in her cabin.

Sighing, Michael sat back down in his chair. “I know what you

mean, Dr. Constantine. Did she tell you about her wolf?”

“What wolf?” Constantine’s voice indicated he was clearly

puzzled.

“Maddie made friends with a wolf when she was just a little girl.

Our grandfather introduced her to it, and it seemed tame enough at the
time, so she considered him her friend. She told me on the phone a
few days ago that the wolf was back, and she insists it’s the same wolf
she knew as a child. Actually, I don’t think she meant to tell me about
him at all. It just sort of slipped out. She’s apparently been spending
time with it, even inviting it into the cabin with her. She says he’s
perfectly safe and that he’d never hurt her. I don’t know if she’s
fantasizing or not.”

“Michael, this is just what I was afraid of. She’s manifested a

friend in this wolf, and it’s taking over her reality. What’s going to
happen when she really does come upon a wolf, something that’s
quite likely to happen considering where she’s living, and she tries to
befriend it?” He paused, and his words began to sink into Michael’s
consciousness, alarming him. “I can tell you what will happen, she’ll
be hurt or killed. You have to act now, Michael. You’re the only one
who can. We can go together and collect her and have her back in the

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clinic safe and sound in no time. She needs supervision, Michael. You
know she does for her own safety.”

Michael was not totally convinced by what the doctor was saying.

He saw the wolf for himself when he was younger, and despite
wondering if she could be fantasizing, he really didn’t have any
reason to believe Maddie was making up stories about him now that
weren’t true. Michael decided he wanted someone else’s opinion
about her before making the decision to lock her away.

I’ll call Remus Wind River and see if he’s seen her acting

strangely since he’s been checking on her.

That settled, he refocused his attention back to his conversation

with the doctor.

“I understand what you’re saying, Dr. Constantine, but this is a

huge decision to make and I want to get all the facts. Her neighbor,
the one my grandfather left all the land to, has been checking on her
for me. I’m going to call him tonight and find out what he thinks
about the way she’s acting. After talking with him, I’ll get back to
you.”

“All right, Michael, but don’t wait too long. You’d never forgive

yourself if something happened to her and you could have prevented
it.”

Michael was rather surprised at the anger in the doctor’s voice.

“Okay, Doctor, I’ll check with him tonight and get back to you in the
next couple of days. Good bye.”

Michael hung up the phone, preventing Constantine from putting

any more pressure on him. Realizing that he didn’t want the doctor to
be right, he put in a call to Remus.

“You’ve reached Remus Wind River. Please leave your name and

number with a brief message, and I will return your call as soon as
possible.”

Disappointed at getting the answering machine, Michael left his

name and number for Remus to return his call. Sitting quietly, he
wondered what Maddie would say if he just asked her to return to the

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clinic for him. She’d be angry, of course, but would she do it for him
because she loved him? He didn’t want to make this decision on the
doctor’s observations alone. He had two more weeks of constant
meetings on this project and then he could go home for a visit and
make his own determination. In the meantime, he’d call her daily and
have Remus check on her as well. Two weeks was not such a long
time to let things ride. Dr. Constantine would just have to be patient
with him.

* * * *

Constantine was appalled. He had no idea that Maddie met any of

the local pack or that she actually befriended one of the wolves. He’d
have to act fast and get her away before one of them mated with her
and she discovered the truth about herself. He’d never get to finish his
research if they took her away. His only hope was to convince
Michael that she was in immediate danger and should be hospitalized
by force if necessary. He was furious at the young man’s indecision
but knew he had to hide his feelings if he wanted Michael to
cooperate with his plans. Maybe he’d just have to find a way to push
Maddie over the edge, just a little.

* * * *

Remus had been gone a couple of days, and Latan and Ethan had

been following Nanita in their wolf form all morning. They posted
guards at the foot of the mountain road and in the forest near the river
that would warn them if anybody approached the cabin. Latan didn’t
think Nanita had spotted them, but she was definitely leading them on
a merry chase. She’d been all over the pack’s land without seeming to
have a destination in mind. After a couple of hours, she must have
thought she lost anyone tailing her because she headed straight for
Maddie’s cabin.

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In the distance, Latan could see Maddie sitting on her porch

swing, reading a book. She seemed totally unaware that wolves from
the local pack were all around her, watching her to keep her safe.

He and Ethan were just about to confront Nanita when she threw

back her head and howled, then stepped out into the clearing. There
could only be one reason for her behavior. She wanted Maddie to see
her.

Angered, Latan glanced back toward the house, grimacing when

he saw that Maddie now stood watching the lone wolf from her porch.
Ethan sent his thoughts to Latan.

She’s hoping that Maddie will think that all wolves are friendly.

She’s looking for an opportunity to get close to the house. We have to
turn her back.

Latan’s agreement came swiftly back into Ethan’s mind.
Agreed, brother, let’s do it.
With that shared thought, the brothers raced toward the smaller

silver wolf, yipping and snapping at her legs. Startled, Nanita tried to
run toward the cabin but was cut off by Ethan. Together, the brothers
kept nipping at her legs, driving her back into the woods and away
from the sight of the little cabin. When he was sure Maddie couldn’t
see them, Latan changed back to his human form while Ethan tackled
Nanita, holding her in place by the scruff of her neck. She struggled
furiously but was unable to break his hold.

“Nanita, we’re only going to tell you this once. You’re to stay

away from this cabin and far away from the young woman living
there. We’ll not be so forgiving if we find you here again. You might
as well accept the fact that Remus has chosen, and it’s not going to be
you.”

He paused, giving her a moment to let that sink in.
“In a moment, Ethan will release you. You’ll return to your den

and not come here again. There will be permanent guards surrounding
the human female at all times.”

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Carefully, Latan watched her for any signs of rebellion. When he

was certain she was going to follow his orders, at least for now, he
ordered Ethan to release her. The two brothers watched her race away,
back toward her home. Ethan shifted to his human form and sent his
brother a scathing look.

“You should’ve let me give her something to remember us by.

We’ve let her off too easy. What will keep her from trying to find a
way back to the house, around whatever guards we post?”

“Patience, brother, I’ve anticipated the need for a closer eye on

Nanita until after the mating. Do you remember Ariane?”

Ethan looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yes, of course. She

joined the pack last year. Didn’t she come from some Canadian
pack?”

“Yes, and she’s become casual friends with Nanita. When I

explained the situation to her, she was happy to offer her help to
protect the future mate of her Alpha. She’s a loyal wolf and pack
member. She can follow Nanita without suspicion, and she’ll report
back to us anything Nanita does to undermine the mating. You and I
will only need to guard Maddie when she’s away from the house.”

Ethan looked at his brother with admiration and respect. “That’s

pretty clever, Latan. Are you absolutely sure we can trust her?”

“Yes, I’m sure. When she joined us, Remus talked with her

former Alpha, and he gave glowing reports on her. Of course, it helps
that Nanita has continually treated her like a second-class citizen
whenever they’re together. She said she’d put up with it for a little
while longer to help her Alpha win his mate.”

“Well, okay, then. Let’s head back to the house and set up a

schedule for the guards watching the mountain road. I don’t want
Remus to have any reason for worry while he’s away.”

The two brothers shifted back into their wolves and raced through

the trees toward home.

* * * *

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Feeling a little sliver of fear at the thought of three wolves in her

front yard, Maddie closed her book and retreated back into the safety
of the cabin. She’d been putting off going through her grandfather’s
desk, and now seemed like a good time to start it. Remus had only
been gone for two days, but it seemed like much longer.

After pouring herself a glass of tea, she walked over to her

grandfather’s office, such as it was, and sat down in his chair. The
office consisted of a huge, roll-top desk pushed into an alcove along
the wall of the living area of the cabin. The desk had oodles of
drawers, all of them brimming to the top with papers. It was going to
take some time to sort them out.

Sitting in his rolling office chair, Maddie started with the top

drawers and began making piles, dividing the paperwork into
categories—receipts, bills of sale, policies, letters, and miscellaneous.
Pretty soon, she had little piles all around her, and it was beginning to
get dark outside.

Determined to get through at least one more drawer before

making herself dinner, Maddie opened the largest drawer in the
bottom of the desk. Reaching in to grasp the stack of papers, she
realized there were actually only a few loose papers, which were
sitting on top of a bound notebook. Setting everything else aside, she
picked up the book and began leafing through the pages. Reading just
the first few lines, she discovered she’d found a personal journal of
her grandfather’s.

“Oh, my goodness, this is like a diary. He’s written about his life

with Grandmother.”

So excited by her find, Maddie was startled to realize she was

talking out loud to herself. She returned her attention back to the
journal and flipped the pages back to the beginning. She made a
startling discovery. The writing was addressed to her. With her hands
shaking slightly, she read the first paragraph of the journal.

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My darling Maddie,
It was always my hope that you learn of your special heritage

from your father, but alas, as time has passed, it has become clear to
me that he’s never going to tell you of your unique ancestry. Always
remember that your father loves you dearly and only wishes to spare
you the fears and insecurities he remembers of his own childhood. I’m
sorry to say he was never able to embrace the heritage of his mother’s
people. Read this book with an open mind and a loving heart, and
know that you have a family you know nothing about who will
embrace you with open arms back into their fold. If you are reading
this, I have passed on to be with my beloved Eloise. It is with her that
your heritage begins.

I met your grandmother on a beautiful summer day when I was

walking along the riverbank, planning out my future. She was so
beautiful, standing in the sun, naked as the day she was born. She
wasn’t afraid of…

Maddie heard the mournful howl of a wolf from outside and

rushed to the window to see if it was her wolf. She looked all around
the darkening yard but couldn’t see anything. She sighed deeply and
decided that she needed to be fresher, with a clearer mind, to read her
grandfather’s words. Although intrigued, Maddie was hungry and
very dusty and dirty from her trek through the paper jungle. She
decided to make herself a sandwich for dinner and then soak in the
tub for a while. After a good night’s sleep, she’d sit and read the
journal, and hopefully learn a little more about her family history.

* * * *

After finishing her sandwich, Maddie retired to the bathroom and

ran herself a warm tub of water, liberally adding soothing, rose-
scented bath salts. Several minutes later, she immersed herself up to
her neck in the warm, scented water. She wondered again why her
grandfather had such a huge tub installed in the cabin. It would clearly

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hold at least four people at once. It made her blush to think about her
grandfather and grandmother playing in the oversized tub.

Clearing her mind, she turned her thoughts back to the romantic

interlude beside the river with Remus. Closing her eyes, she could
still feel the touch of his hand on her bare breasts. Unconsciously,
Maddie raised her own hand to her breast and pinched her nipple
lightly. The feeling sent tingles shooting down her body from her
nipple to the hidden area between her legs. A small moan escaped her
lips as her other hand repeated the caress on her other breast.

As the pleasure began to curl inside her body, Maddie slipped one

hand down her abdomen, past her belly button, and through her
feminine curls to probe at her clit.

She gasped loudly when her finger found the pulsating button that

controlled her pleasure. She began to rub back and forth across the
sensitive little nub while continuing to pinch and twist the rosy tip of
one breast.

As she began to feel the heat curling in the depths of her body, she

sped up the rhythm of her finger, then took her other hand away from
her breast and inserted two fingers into her virginal passage. Her
breathing quickened as she rubbed faster and faster. “Remus,” she
cried out as her climax washed over her. Trembling, she removed her
hands while a single tear escaped from her eye to slide slowly down
her face.

“Oh, Remus, I want to be with you so much. I don’t want to be

alone. I want to share my life with someone.”

Maddie whispered the words, wishing she could make things

different. Recognizing the futility of her thoughts, she finished
washing up, then dried her aching body and dressed for bed. She
refused to let herself feel depressed.

I don’t want to lose Remus without knowing what it’s like to be

with him at least once. I’m not going to waste another chance. When
Remus comes back, I’m going to make love with him.

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Chapter 4

Deciding to call it a night, Maddie curled up in the large bed and

snuggled under the quilts her grandmother had made. Smiling, she
closed her eyes and ran her hands over the intricate design. She could
just picture her grandmother sitting in the corner rocker and sewing
the cloth swatches together. Just as she began to doze off, the ringing
of the telephone woke her. Groggily, she reached over and picked up
the receiver.

She murmured huskily into the phone. “Hello?”
“Hey, little sister. Please don’t tell me I woke you up.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you that you woke me up. It’ll just be my little

secret. How about you tell me why you’re still up? What’s up, bro?”

Maddie let the pleasure she felt hearing from her brother seep into

the tone of her voice. It was good to hear the voice of someone who
she knew loved her.

“Sorry, kiddo, I guess I wasn’t paying attention to the time. I don’t

really mean to stunt your growth by waking you every time I call.” He
paused for a moment. “You’re sounding pretty up, little girl. How’s
life treating you up in the lonely, cold mountains?”

“Well, life’s pretty good, actually, and not so lonely lately.”
“Yeah, who are you keeping company with?”
Maddie was startled by the sound of fear she heard in Michael’s

voice. “Well, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Remus, and
of course, I met his two brothers.” She almost felt embarrassed telling
Michael about spending time with Remus. Luckily for her, Michael
didn’t know how they’d spent that time. She thought he was

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protective now. He’d go positively ballistic if he knew what the two
of them had been doing.

“That’s great, Maddie.” Now Michael sounded relieved. “Aren’t

you glad I asked him to check on you now?”

Frowning, Maddie wondered why his words bothered her so

much. She knew Remus had feelings for her and that they had nothing
to do with Michael asking him to check up on her.

“Let’s just say that I think Remus would have checked me out

whether you asked him to or not. So, why the bedtime call, Michael?
Is everything all right?” She thought it best to get Michael off the
subject of Remus.

“Sure, honey, everything’s great. I just wanted to hear my baby

sister’s voice. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“Of course not, silly. How’s the building coming along? Are you

having any problems?”

“No, everything’s running smoothly for a change. We’re a little

ahead of schedule and well within budget. An architect can’t ask for
more than that. I’ll be caught up with the preliminaries in less than
two weeks, and I’m gonna take a break then and visit you. I’d hoped
that my baby sister might be willing to put me up for a few days so
we can spend some time together.”

“You’re always welcome here, Michael. It’ll be great to see you.

Actually, I have something to show you.”

“What’s that, honey?”
“I’ve been going through Grandfather’s papers, cleaning out his

desk, and I came across a journal that’s written like a letter from
Grandfather.”

“What does it say?”
“Don’t know yet. I only found it tonight. I read the first couple of

pages, then realized how tired and dirty I was, so I soaked away my
aches and curled up in this huge bed, figuring I’d be in better shape to
read it after a good night’s sleep. The first page says it’s his way of
telling about a family heritage that our dad wouldn’t tell us about. He

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makes it sound so mysterious, so I decided to let my imagination
work overtime and read it tomorrow.”

Michael laughed. “Well, you have me intrigued, but don’t get

your hopes up, honey. That old man was a little off in his later years.
There isn’t much telling what he’s written. Plus, you know how close
I was to Dad. I don’t think there could’ve been anything in our
heritage he wouldn’t have been willing to tell us.”

Michael’s words disappointed her, but she tried not to let him hear

it in her voice. “You may be right, but I’m going to enjoy reading it
anyway. I noticed he begins with the story of how he met
Grandmother, so it should be interesting. I kind of like the idea of
reading about his life with her. I don’t know much about her at all.”

“Well, enjoy yourself reading about the family. Personally, I’ll

wait for the movie.” Michael spoke dryly and caused Maddie to
chuckle.

“Maddie, I’m gonna let you go now. Get some sleep and dream

happy dreams, little girl. I’ll talk to you soon and see you in a couple
of weeks.”

“Okay, Michael, take care of yourself and be happy. I’ll look

forward to seeing you soon.”

Carefully, she replaced the receiver and snuggled back down into

the warm quilts. It didn’t take much time at all before she was drifting
off to sleep.

* * * *

Maddie slept later than usual the next morning. She hadn’t heard

from Remus since he’d been gone, and the loneliness she’d never
noticed before was beginning to wear on her.

After showering and a quick breakfast, she took her grandfather’s

journal out to the rock overhang at the river. It was a warm day. The
sun shining down on the smooth rock surface felt good to Maddie.
She wanted to read her grandfather’s words here, the same place she

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sat with him when she was a little girl listening to all his stories. She
didn’t understand it, but she felt closer to him here.

Opening up the journal, Maddie began to read.
I met your grandmother on a beautiful summer day, when I was

walking along the riverbank, planning out my future. She was so
beautiful standing in the sun, naked as the day she was born. She
wasn’t afraid of me as I approached her. It was almost like she was
expecting me and knew we were destined to be together.

My darling, granddaughter, it pains me that I can’t be with you

now, but be happy for me because I’ve gone to join my beloved
Eloise. There are many things I have to tell you, and they’ll be hard
for you to believe. You must have faith in me and open your heart and
mind to all possibilities.

Intrigued, Maddie made herself more comfortable and continued

to read her grandfather’s words. After several minutes of silent
reading, she gasped, sat up straighter, then re-read the last line to
make sure she understood it correctly.

It will be hard for you to accept, but your grandmother was a

member of the Wind River Pack. This is a pack of wolf shape-shifters,
people who can change their physical makeup to resemble either
human or wolf.

Maddie couldn’t believe what she’d read. She never knew her

grandmother, and now she was supposed to believe she could turn
into a wolf. Maybe Michael was right and Grandfather wasn’t all
there when he wrote in this book. Turning back to the journal, she
read on.

My son, your father, was one-half shape shifter, but he was never

willing to accept his heritage. It broke my heart when he walked away
from her traditions, then refused to let me tell you children about her
family. I kept quiet all those years, believing the call of the wolf was
not strong enough in him to make a difference. It didn’t seem to
matter that he didn’t believe since my beautiful Eloise was gone.

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Now, in you Maddie, I see the heritage again, stronger than ever.

I believe the call of the wolf is in you, and it’s my belief that you’re
destined to live in your grandmother’s world and not in the human
world your father so dearly loves.

Maddie thought back to her childhood and the wolf to whom her

grandfather introduced her. Was he a shape shifter? Is that why she
felt so strongly about the wolf? Hoping to find her answers, she went
back to reading the journal.

Maddie, by now you’ve guessed that Remus is part of this Wolfen

Heritage that is in your blood. You met him as a child, right in my
very own back yard. Wolves mate for life, honey, and they have only
one true mate. From the time you were a little girl, Remus knew you
were destined to be his mate. I imagine he’s been calling on you,
trying to make you see him as more than a friend. He’s loved you all
your life, Maddie, always believing the two of you were fated to be
together forever. He was devastated when you had your accident and
visited you often in the hospital when you didn’t know who he was. He
only stayed away this long because of a promise he made to me. Trust
in him, Maddie. He’d never hurt you, and he’ll protect you with his
very life. His love is unconditional and forever, and he’ll move
mountains in order for you to be together. Find it in your heart to
welcome him. He’s waited for you a very long time.

Maddie stared off into the clear blue sky, thinking about Remus

and how he made her feel when he was near. She had feelings for
him, feelings she didn’t understand. Could he be her soul mate? How
wonderful to think she’d have one mate to love and cherish her for as
long as they both lived. With tears forming in her eyes, she went back
to the journal.

A couple of hours later, Maddie closed the book and stared off

into space as a single, lone tear made its way down her cheek. She felt
almost numb. Could it be true, or was it the ramblings of an old man
who’d lost touch with reality? She thought back to when her

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grandfather introduced her to the wolf. Even as a child, she’d been
impressed by how intelligent the wolf seemed. It wasn’t hard for her
to believe such things existed. There were a lot of people who
wouldn’t believe anyone could move things with their mind.

Suddenly, feeling furious, she wanted to lash out at Remus. How

could he keep all this from her?

He said he’s falling in love with me, but he doesn’t think it’s

necessary to tell me that he isn’t entirely human!

Why did the people in her life continue to profess to love her and

then work actively to keep important things from her? When was
someone going to treat her with the respect she deserved?

Frustrated by all her unanswered questions, Maddie lay back on

the warm rock and rolled up her sweater to use as a pillow. She
listened to the sound of the rushing water and allowed it to comfort
her. It wasn’t long before she dropped off into a light sleep.

* * * *

Latan, in his wolf form, stood in the shadows of the trees keeping

watch and protecting his brother’s mate. He watched as Maddie lay
back on the rock and appeared to go to sleep. She’d looked upset
while she read her book, and he wondered what she was reading.
Watching her, he was amazed at her inner beauty. She had an aura
about her that made her positively glow.

Remus will be a very lucky man if he can convince her to mate

with him.

Many of their fellow wolf brothers just took their mates when they

found them, never even considering giving the female a choice. He
knew his brother was determined to have a willing mate, someone
who’d share his life and love.

Sighing, he wondered if he and Ethan would ever find their own

mates. Sometimes, when they were alone at the house or out on a
hunt, they’d talk about what they wanted in a life partner.

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Surprisingly, they described the same female traits as their perfect
mate, almost identically. They were both beginning to think they’d
never meet this perfect female. He snorted. If they ever met a woman
who had all the qualities they wanted, they’d probably fight over her.

Ears suddenly back, Latan sniffed the air and discovered Remus

was approaching. He changed quietly to his human form to greet him.

* * * *

Remus walked swiftly through the woods, anxious to get to

Maddie’s cabin. It’d been only a few days since he was forced to
leave her, and it made his heart ache to remember how hurt she’d
been when he left. He yearned to hold her in his arms again and to
feel her lips against his own.

He glanced up ahead and saw his brother. As he watched, Latan

shifted and stood naked in the trees, watching his approach.

“Hello, brother. How’d the trial go, and what are you doing home

early?”

“Hello to you, Latan. The trial was cut and dry. We only had to do

the penalty phase. All of us were in agreement to his punishment, so
there was no reason to linger. How have things been here?”

As he questioned his brother, Remus spotted his mate sleeping on

the rock. It warmed his heart to find his brother guarding her, and he
admitted to himself that he’d worried needlessly.

“Things have been very quiet. She’s been sitting and reading for

the past couple of hours. She seemed to get upset at something she
read a while ago, and then she fell asleep. She’s been napping about
an hour now.” Latan paused before he continued. “We did have some
problems with Nanita.”

Remus tensed. “What kind of problems?”
“We caught her approaching the cabin yesterday and had to

forcibly drive her back. Maddie witnessed it from her front porch.”

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“What the hell was she doing at the cabin? Maddie didn’t try to

talk to her, did she?”

“No, we didn’t let her get close enough to talk to Maddie. We

figured she was trying to get close to the house in hopes that Maddie
would try to make friends with her.”

“Why the hell would you think that? Maddie wouldn’t try to make

friends with a strange wolf, would she?” Remus glanced toward his
sleeping mate, fear beginning to crawl up his spine. “Never mind, of
course she would. Hell, we had a fight about it right before I left.”

“Well, it’s no surprise Nanita might think that. It’s been a favorite

story for a long time with the Pack, how that old man helped you
make friends with his granddaughter.”

“It might be easy to believe, but I don’t have to like it. What

happened with Nanita?”

“We don’t really know what she was up to. Since then, we’ve had

Ariane following her and keeping us informed of her activities.”

“Ariane? Why would she be willing to follow Nanita for you?”
“She was tired of being treated like a second-class wolf by Nanita

and was more than happy to help us keep tabs on her to protect the
mate of her Alpha. She really has a lot of Pack loyalty.” Latan
snorted. “I have to tell you, Remus, Nanita is already big trouble, and
I don’t see that changing until you’re fully mated.”

Remus glanced back at his sleeping mate and thanked the heavens

he’d left his brothers to watch over her.

“All in good time, Latan. Maddie’s not yet ready to be told about

me. She’s still recovering from her grandfather’s death and learning to
adjust out in the world away from the clinic. I’m waiting for just the
right time to show her my wolf.”

“Just some advice, Remus, don’t wait too long. Better to show her

your wolf than have her meet Nanita’s wolf.”

With that, Latan saluted his brother, changed back to his wolf, and

ran off toward their home.

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Remus stood for a few minutes, just gazing at the woman he

loved. He couldn’t believe how much he missed her while he was
away. He’d always known she was a necessary part of his life, but
she’d become important to him in ways he’d never imagined. Not
wanting to wait a moment longer to be with her, he started forward
and then came to an abrupt halt.

She was really angry with me when I left.
He thought for a moment, then removed his clothes and shifted

into his wolf.

At least I know I’ll get a warm reception this way.
Quickly, he ran toward the river where his love lay sleeping.
Remus crawled up onto the warm rock, walked over to Maddie,

and lay down beside her. After watching her sleep for just a moment,
he nuzzled her arm. When he got no response, he crawled closer.

Maybe I shouldn’t wake her as a wolf. I don’t want to scare her.
Then he remembered how much she loved the wolf and knew he

could never frighten her in this form, so he moved a little closer, and
slowly licked her cheek several times.

* * * *

Maddie gradually began to wake to the feel of something wet on

her cheek. She raised her hand to brush it away and encountered
something slippery and wet. When she opened her eyes, she saw her
wolf standing over her. Everything she read in her grandfather’s
journal came rushing back to her. Again, she could hear her
grandfather’s voice in her head.

Look at his eyes, little girl. They show you what kind of wolf he is.

I promise you this wolf will never do anything to hurt you. In fact,
he’d protect you from danger if you ever needed it.

The wolf moved closer, bent down and licked across her lips, like

he was tasting her. Maddie stared into his deep, blue eyes, Remus’s
deep blue eyes. She looked closely and saw Remus’s features in the

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face of the wolf. Reaching up to caress his snout, she whispered his
name. “Remus.”

* * * *

Remus was shocked. Maddie knew he was Remus. She looked at

him so lovingly and didn’t seem to fear him at all. Deciding to take a
chance, he backed up and jumped off the rock. With Maddie watching
his every move, he changed into his human form, his very naked and
aroused human form. Maddie gasped in surprise but still showed no
fear. He saw nothing but desire in her eyes, which made his heart sing
with happiness.

Slowly, he walked back to her, leaned over and picked her up into

his arms. Holding her tightly against his bare chest, he carried her
over to the grassy bank and gently lowered her feet to the ground. He
smiled at her, then bent his head and covered her mouth with his.
Immediately, she groaned, threw her arms around his neck, and
opened her lips.

Remus slid his tongue deep into the warm cavern of her mouth,

and lured her tongue into play. As Maddie became caught up in his
kiss, he moved his hands to the hem of her shirt and slowly began to
raise it up her body, giving her plenty of time to object if she was
going to.

As Remus began to remove her shirt, Maddie pulled away from

his kiss and raised her arms to assist him. Surprised by her response,
Remus yanked the shirt over her head and tossed it to the ground.
Before he could do anything else, he watched as Maddie reached
behind her body and unfastened her bra, sliding it off her arms and
tossing it down on top of her shirt. She stood still while Remus
unfastened her jeans and eased down her zipper. Bending down, she
removed her shoes, then stood up straight, hooked her thumbs in the
waistband of her jeans and pushed them down along with her panties.
After stepping out of the clothes pooled around her ankles, she moved

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back up to press against Remus’s aroused body while placing her
hands on his broad chest. Looking up, she gave him a smile and then
rose on her tiptoes to lightly touch her lips to his. Shyly, she
whispered to him. “I want to be with you, Remus. I want you to make
love to me.”

Remus thought his heart would burst. It was unbelievable to him

that this beautiful woman held the keys to his happiness in her heart.

“I want you, too, little one. But I have to know, how did you know

about me, about my wolf?” As much as he wanted to take her as his
mate, he had to know how much she knew.

“My grandfather left me a journal telling me all about my own

heritage. I want to share it with you, but could we do it later?”

Remus smiled at her tenderly and tugged the tie from around her

hair, releasing the silky strands to fall around her shoulders.

“Of course, my mate. Did he tell you what I want from you? That

I wanted you for my life’s mate? Did he explain what being a mate
entails?”

As Remus bombarded her with questions, he began nuzzling her

neck, planting soft kisses on her skin.

“Yes, I mean, no.” she replied breathlessly. “He explained that

you’d always known I was your mate, and that you would want to bite
me to make me belong to you. He said that would bind us together for
life.” She pushed against his shoulders, backing him up, and looked
into his eyes as she spoke. “I’m making a request now, Remus. I want
to make love to you, but I’m not ready for you to bite me. I know it’ll
be part of it eventually, but I want more time to think about it.
Grandpa said that after we mate there’s a small possibility that I’d be
able to shift into a wolf like you do.”

She looked down at the ground and then she continued. “I’m not

ready for that kind of change, and with my other gift, I’m afraid it
could even be dangerous. Can you accept me that way, for now?” Her
voice had taken on a pleading quality.

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Remus already knew her biggest fear was losing control to

another person, having someone telling her what to do and deciding
what was best for her. He could tell she wasn’t ready to give away
another part of her life to anyone.

Remus was angry and tried not to let her to see it. All he dreamed

of for years had been the right to claim his life mate in every way. To
just make love to her wouldn’t tie her to him like claiming her would.
He was also anxious to form the mental bond that came with the
claiming, knowing it would help him keep her safe.

He knew he had to agree with her wishes if he didn’t want to drive

her away. Careful to keep the disappointment out of his eyes, and his
voice, he responded to her request.

“All right, little one, for now we’ll do it your way. But it’s only a

temporary reprieve, Maddie. The time will come when my wolf will
insist on claiming you. The longer we wait, the harder it’ll be for me
to stop myself from biting. I only ask that you don’t make me wait too
long. Can you live with that, little one?”

Taking a deep breath, Maddie gazed into his eyes. She stepped

closer and pressed her nude body against his aroused one.

“Yes, Remus, I can accept that, and I promise not to make you

wait too long. For now, can you just make love to me?”

Remus smiled at her and decided the time for talking had passed.

Lowering his head, he nipped at her lips, pulling her bottom lip
between his teeth and biting gently. At her gasp, he plunged his
tongue into her mouth and began to lower her to the soft bed of grass.

* * * *

Maddie felt a great relief when Remus agreed to give her time

before he took her as his mate. She was so afraid of giving someone
else control over her life, even someone she loved as much as she
loved Remus. Now, all she wanted to think about was making love
with this big, powerful man.

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Her senses were filled with Remus as his tongue swept her mouth

and he began to lay her on the ground. As she felt herself being
lowered, Maddie tightened her arms around Remus’s neck and lost
herself in the feel of his kiss. She felt the soft grass surround her as
she reached the ground, Her skin felt on fire with the feel of Remus’s
hard body as he reclined next to her, throwing his leg over her thighs.
Her breathing quickened when she felt the prod of his erection.
Tearing his mouth from hers, Remus removed her arms from around
his neck. Slowly, he raised them above her head and laid them on the
grass. He looked deep into her eyes and smiled at her.

“I want you to leave your arms above your head Maddie. Can you

do that for me and not move them until I tell you to?”

“Why, Remus? I want to be able to touch you.” Maddie brought

her hands back to his shoulders. She was confused by his request.

“You’ll be able to touch me, love, in a little while. I want this first

time to be just about you. I want you to concentrate on just feeling.
Please, will you do as I ask?

“All right, Remus, I don’t like it, but for you, I’ll keep my hands

above my head.” Maddie agreed.

* * * *

Remus almost laughed at the stubborn look on her face as she

slowly raised her arms above her head and laid them in the grass. He
brought his lips to the hollow of her throat and began to cover her
neck in wet kisses while his hand roamed down her body and settled
on her naked breast. Remus closed his warm hand around the pink
tipped mound and squeezed, then watched her clench her fingers into
the grass above her head.

Slowly, he began to run kisses down her chest and over to one of

her rosy nipples. He closed his lips around the rigid tip and began to
suckle. Maddie arched her back, pushing her breast further into his
warm mouth. As he alternately sucked and bit lightly at her nipple, he

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ran his hand down across her abdomen, past her belly button, and
tangled his fingers in the dark curls covering her feminine folds. He
dipped one finger into her slit, feeling the slick wetness that told him
of her desire.

As Remus let his finger breach her entrance, he could feel her hips

thrusting up, almost as if she was asking for more. He pushed her
thighs apart so he could lower his hand to explore her more fully.
After releasing her nipple, he trailed his mouth down her abdomen,
following the path his hand had taken earlier. As he reached the area
just above her curls, he moved his body to lie between her legs. When
he spread her thighs wide enough to make room for his body, he
could see her feminine cream glistening on her outer lips and in the
silky hair. He ran his finger the length of her slit, gathering her cream
on his finger. When she gasped and looked down at him, he brought
his finger to his mouth to taste her essence. He could see her shock at
his actions.

As Maddie closed her eyes and lowered her head back down,

Remus leaned back to gaze upon her feminine secrets. He blew on her
intimate opening and then lowered his body so that his face was even
with the lips of her sex. Using both his thumbs, he pulled back her
outer lips and then ran his tongue along the length of her slit from her
clit down to her anus. Maddie cried out and bucked her hips so hard
she nearly dislodged him. His answer to this was to throw his arm
across her abdomen to hold her still.

Still holding her open with one hand, he found her hidden clit and

pulled back the protective hood. His tongue flicked across the swollen
bundle. Smiling as he heard her groan deep in her throat, he took her
clit between his lips and sucked gently. As Maddie thrashed her head
from side to side, he continued to torture her clit, alternating between
sucking and licking. At the same time, he removed his arm from her
abdomen and thrust a single finger into her virginal opening. Timing
his finger thrusting with the flick of his tongue on her clit, Remus
continued to bring her closer and closer to her release. As he felt her

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cream flowing freely across his fingers, he added a second finger and
increased the pace. Then he returned to sucking her clit, now
alternating it with biting softly.

Maddie groaned and clawed at his shoulders. “Remus, please, I

can’t take any more. Please, you have to…”

He smiled as he realized she was lost in pleasure. He added a third

finger to her body and sucked strongly on her engorged clit. Maddie
cried out and he felt her stiffen as her climax rolled over her. Remus
felt her body contracting around his fingers when Maddie reached her
climax and continued his thrusting and sucking to make her pleasure
last even longer. Gradually, he began to slow his caresses as he felt
her body stop trembling. When he was sure that he prolonged her
pleasure as long as possible, he raised himself up and slid up her
pliant body to take her mouth in a carnal kiss.

“Oh, Maddie, you’re so sweet. Can you taste yourself on my lips?

Do you know how delicious you are?”

Remus’s questions brought a surge of color into her cheeks, and

she buried her face against his chest.

Carefully, he nudged between her legs with his erection. He saw

her glance down, and a look of fear came over her face.

“Remus, it’s not going to…”
“Shhh, love, I know you’re afraid. I promise you there’s nothing

to fear. I’ll fit inside your tight pussy just like you were made for me.”
Remus placed his hands on each side of her head and forced her to
look at him. “I’d never hurt you willingly, but I won’t lie to you.
There’ll be a little discomfort when we join the first time. Can you
trust me to make it as painless as possible?”

“Of course, Remus, I trust you completely. But what about a

condom? I’m not on any type of birth control.”

He was pleased at her willingness to trust him so completely, and

Remus smiled and kissed her lightly. “Wolf shifters can’t carry
disease, love, so we can’t pass any on. As for birth control, I could

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smell if you’re in heat and likely to get pregnant. I can tell you right
now there’s no way for you to get pregnant today.”

“In heat!” Maddie sounded horrified, and Remus laughed at her

expression.

“Okay, love, that’s probably not the best way to describe it.

Wolves have a keen sense of smell, and we can tell when our females
are able to conceive. I promise it’s a natural thing, and nothing to be
embarrassed about.”

At her look of relief, he lowered his mouth to hers, sinking his

tongue into her silky depths, and then prodded her entrance with his
engorged cock. Slowly, he pushed his hips forward, lodging the head
of his erection just inside her opening.

He stayed in that position, continuing to kiss her lips, until he felt

her body begin to relax, and then he pushed a little farther in. He
could tell by the feel of her body and by her response to his kisses that
she wasn’t in any discomfort yet. He continued to push forward
slowly, stopping only when he came to her virgin barrier. Lowering
his head again, he took one of her rosy nipples into his mouth and
sucked strongly. She gasped and threw her head back. While he had
her distracted, he pushed his hips forward in one smooth motion,
breaking through her barrier and lodging himself deep inside her
body. Maddie cried out and gripped his shoulders hard. He could feel
her fingernails digging into his body.

“Shhh, baby, it’s okay now. I won’t move again until you’re

ready. The pain is all over now. Soon we can start the pleasure.”

Remus held his body still while he continued to kiss Maddie. The

strain of holding back was beginning to get to him. A line of sweat
had begun to form on his forehead when he finally felt her legs loosen
their death grip on his hips. Remus began to move slowly back and
forth. He carefully watched her for any signs of pain and was elated
when she began to move her hips in rhythm with his own thrusts.

Sensing he wouldn’t be able to last long, Remus picked up his

pace and brought his hand down between their bodies to rub back and

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forth across her sensitive clit, using the same rhythm as his hips
thrusting. When he began to feel her legs tremble against his body, he
picked up the pace and lightly pinched her clit. It was enough to send
her over the edge into another release. When she climaxed, she threw
back her head and screamed his name. The feel of her pussy
contracting around his cock was enough to send him over as well.
Arching his back, he groaned as he pumped her full of his seed.

As he filled her, he was overwhelmed with the desire to mark her

as his mate. His canines dropped down, and his wolf pushed him to
finish the claiming. It was all he could do to pull back and keep from
biting her. He knew in his heart he wouldn’t be able to hold his wolf
back for long.

Remus slid his spent cock from her heat and then rolled to his

side, bringing her body up close against his. Pulling her as close as
possible, he wrapped his arms protectively around her and buried his
head against her silky hair. Neither of them spoke as they struggled to
regain their breath.

Finally, Remus was able to find his voice. “Are you okay, little

one?”

Maddie raised her head from where she laid it against his chest.
“I’m perfect, Remus. I never thought it could be so wonderful. I

feel like I’ve been waiting for you my entire life, like we’re supposed
to be together. Does that make any sense?”

Remus smiled as he placed a light kiss on the top of her head.
“It makes perfect sense, my mate. I’ve been waiting for you my

entire life. You’re my other half, Maddie, my soul mate for life.
We’re most definitely supposed to be together. Once I claim you,
we’ll never be apart again.”

“You promised to give me some time before you bite me. Are you

going to keep your promise, Remus?” Maddie’s voice was laced with
fear.

Sighing, Remus struggled to find an answer she’d accept. “I’m

willing to give you some time, but I won’t be able to give you a lot of

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time. You have to understand that my wolf will demand to finish the
mating. He almost forced me to claim you today.”

Remus winced at the shocked expression on Maddie’s face.
“Maybe it would help me to be able to explain it better if I knew

what your grandfather told you.”

“Well, I can let you read his journal. He told me about my

grandmother and about my father not being willing to accept his
heritage. He said that you were a shape-shifter and that you’d always
known that we’d be mates. How did you know that?”

Remus cuddled her closer before answering. “Wolves can scent

their mates, Maddie. It’s a chemical reaction in our bodies, something
that can’t be faked or forced. I got my first whiff of you after you
visited Victor. You’d spent the weekend with him and your scent was
everywhere. It drove me crazy for days.”

Maddie ran her hand up and down Remus’s chest. “He also told

me about mating and biting and what it would and could mean to me.
I understand it’ll put some type of chemical into my body that lets
others know I’m your mate.”

“Yeah, I’ll inject an enzyme from my body into yours when I bite

you. It’ll change your scent to one that automatically identifies you as
my mate.” At her look of disbelief he tried to explain further. “I don’t
begin to understand it myself, but I’m telling you it works. When my
father explained it to me he said it was magic.”

“Well, that I might be able to believe. Grandfather said that my

grandmother’s father told him it was magic that allowed a shape-
shifter to change from wolf to human. He said that was how
Grandmother changed, she called on her magic.”

Remus began running his hand up and down her back. “Sounds

like it must be true, then, since my father told us the same stories.” He
was surprised when Maddie shifted further away. Remus was amazed
at the look of happiness on her face.

“Remus, Grandfather wrote that he believed I had the wolf magic

in me, even though I’m not full-blooded. He thought the magic was

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what caused me to have telekinesis. It was manifesting itself in me
differently because of the lack of the wolf DNA in my body.”

“That seems to make you awfully happy. Why is that?” Remus

was puzzled by her reaction.

“Because they never could figure out why that happened to me, no

matter how many tests they subjected me to. It’s such a relief to have
a viable reason for what I am. You just couldn’t understand how scary
it is to wonder all the time about why you are the way you are.”

He hugged her tight against his body. “Oh, baby, I never thought

of it that way.” Remus kept his voice soothing and started rubbing up
and down her back again.

When she spoke again, Maddie’s voice was muffled against his

chest. “Remus, he also wrote that he was told that there’s a small
chance that once you bite me I would be able to shift into my own
wolf.”

“Wow, that’s something I’ve never heard.”
“He explained it saying that your bite had something in it that

could activate the latent wolf DNA in my body.”

“I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, don’t get too excited. He wrote that he didn’t believe it for

a minute, but thought I ought to be aware of the possibilities. He said
if anything allowed me to shift it would be the magic he thought I
carried in my body. That’s also why he didn’t think Michael would
ever be able to turn into a wolf. The wolf DNA is in him also, but
Grandfather didn’t believe he has any magic in his soul.”

“After meeting your brother, I can’t say I disagree with that

assessment. Ugh!” Remus grunted when Maddie punched him in the
stomach. He had to bite back a laugh.

“If he mates with a female wolf, and she bites him, he still might

have a chance to become a shifter.”

Remus leaned back so he could gaze into her eyes. “How do you

feel about it? Would you like to be able to turn into a wolf and run
with me through the woods?”

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Maddie was silent for so long, Remus began to wonder if she was

going to answer his question.

“I’m not sure how I feel about it. I haven’t had very long to even

consider the possibility. It’s scary but exciting at the same time. I
have about a zillion questions about what it’s like.”

Remus laughed. “A zillion, huh? Well, before we get to your

questions, I have one for you. Did he mention anything about a
psychic connection forming between us after the mating?”

“Not exactly. He mentioned a psychic connection between mates,

but didn’t explain it or say how it came about.”

“Once I claim you as my mate, when I bite you, the chemical

enzyme that I pass to you opens a conduit between our minds. It
allows us to know each other’s thoughts as well as send messages
from one conscious mind to the other. It’ll help me keep you safe by
allowing me to know where you are and what you’re doing when I
can’t be with you.”

Remus was startled to see the fury come into her eyes as he

explained things to her, and visibly winced at the harsh tone of her
voice.

“You’ll be able to monitor me if I go through with the mating?”
Maddie was angry! Remus knew he had to be very careful how he

answered this question. He knew one of Maddie’s fears was being
locked away again, having to follow someone else’s rules.

“I can monitor your safety, Maddie, not control your actions. It’s a

safety measure, and it works both ways. You’ll also be able to
monitor my thoughts and talk to my mind. You can trust me, little
one. I’d never use the link to harm you or control you. I love you,
Maddie. I have for a very long time. My only wish is to live with you
as your mate and to protect you for the rest of our lives.”

Seeing the skeptical look on her face, he decided not to push it

anymore tonight. He’d much rather take her back to the cabin and
teach her more about making love. “Let’s table this discussion for
tonight. We don’t have to be in a hurry to iron out all the details.”

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“Are you planning on staying with me tonight?” Maddie looked

at him hopefully.

“Tonight and every night I can. I may be willing to hold off on the

final claiming, but you’re mine now, Maddie, and I’m never going to
be very far away from you again.”

Remus was worried the tone of his voice would annoy Maddie,

but he sensed only happiness and excitement from her.

“I’m glad you’re planning on sticking around, Remus. I think I

could really learn to love having you near me every day. I feel safe
when I’m with you.”

She squealed loudly as he stood and swept her up into his arms.
“And every night as well, my love. I want to stay with you at

night to make sure you’re safe, and especially tonight so I can explain
more about what it means to be a wolf shifter.”

Maddie laughed. “Somehow, I don’t think my safety is the only

reason you want to stay with me at night.”

As if reading her mind, Remus gave her a wicked grin as he began

to walk toward the cabin.

“Wait, get grandfather’s journal, please.”
Remus stopped, bent down still holding her close to his body, and

picked up the journal. Leaving her clothes scattered on the ground, he
resumed walking toward the cabin

* * * *

Unseen, Nanita watched them from her hiding place in the trees. It

had taken all afternoon, but she finally managed to dodge that
busybody, Ariane. Did the annoying woman believe she didn’t know
she was reporting her activities to the brothers? Hmph. Nanita decided
to just let her keep on reporting, and she’d get even with the bitch
after she became the Alpha Femm.

Thrilled to see that Remus only fucked the stupid human and

didn’t bite her to mark her, she knew she still had time to make things

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go her way. Waiting until the happy couple entered the cabin, she
changed back to her wolf and trotted off toward her home. She had a
lot of planning to do before she could convince Remus to take her as
his mate.

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Chapter 5

When Remus carried Maddie into the tiny cabin, she immediately

tried to get him to put her down. Instead, he walked straight to the
bathroom and deposited her next to the large tub. Bending, he turned
on the water and adjusted the temperature, all without releasing his
grip on her. Becoming increasingly annoyed at his dominant
treatment, Maddie pulled against his hold, trying to free herself.

“Remus, what’re you doing?”
“What does it look like, little one? I’m running a bath for us.

You’ve just made love for the first time, and you’ll be tender from it.
I thought a soak in a warm tub would help get rid of some of your
soreness.”

She looked at him in confusion.
“Oh, did I forget to mention that I’m gonna take this bath with

you?”

Maddie stopped struggling against him and thought for a moment.

Needing to feel more in control, she gazed up at him with what she
hoped was a mischievous smile on her face.

“Well, why didn’t you say so in the first place?” She lightly

trailed her hand down his arm. “I never take baths without my salts,
though.”

Before Remus could stop her, she reached over, grabbed a

container sitting on the side of the tub, and dumped some of her
favorite rose scented bath salts into the water. She turned to look at
Remus and laughed at the look of horror on his face.

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“What’ve you done, woman?” He scowled at her. “I can’t be

going around smelling like a rose. What’ll my brothers and my fellow
wolves think?”

Although he sounded angry, Maddie could tell by the twinkle in

his eyes that he wasn’t really upset with her. She was even more
convinced he wasn’t angry when he suddenly picked her up and
stepped over into the filling tub. Before she had a chance to squeal, he
sat down still holding her in his arms, the rose scent drifting all
around them.

Carefully, he placed her between his legs, pulling her back tight

against his chest. She could feel his aroused cock pressing against her
back. Feeling happy and content, she allowed her head to fall back
onto his hard, male chest. Idly, he began running his hands up and
down her arms.

“Maddie, while I’m still able to think clearly, I wanted to invite

you to a picnic next Saturday. It’s an annual thing, and everyone from
the pack will be there. I really want them to meet you and for you to
get to know all of them. Will you come with me?”

Maddie was surprised Remus didn’t seem at all like his usual,

confident self. “All your people will be there?”

“Yes,” he said quietly.
When she heard his whispered yes, Maddie stiffened in his arms

and turned her head slightly so she could look at him. “That might be
a problem, Remus. I have trouble controlling my gift when I’m
around a lot of people. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you with your
friends and family.”

“Baby, you could never embarrass me. I love you, and nothing’s

ever gonna change that. Wolves mate for life, and that’s how I see
you, as my mate for the rest of my life. It would honor me for you to
attend the picnic with me and allow me to introduce you to my
people.”

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Maddie was still full of doubts but didn’t want to disappoint

Remus. She’d just be on her best behavior and concentrate on
controlling her feelings while she was with everyone. She sighed.

This has got disaster written all over it. I hope he knows what he’s

getting into.

“Okay, Remus, I’d be happy to come to your picnic with you.

What should I bring? Although I warn you I’m not a good cook.” She
laughed. “Actually, I’m not a cook at all. Being in the clinic for so
many years kept me from learning traditional girly things.”

* * * *

Remus couldn’t believe she was worried about her gift. He’d

already seen how well she could control it now. He couldn’t think of
any reason the day would be stressful enough to set her off. He
hastened to assure her that she couldn’t embarrass him if she tried,
then felt his heart lighten when she agreed to come.

It wasn’t long before she had him laughing at her claims of not

being able to cook. “You don’t need to bring a thing. The whole
thing’s being catered by one of our own people. I arranged things
weeks ago. A lot of my pack mates are unmarried males, so it seemed
prudent that we have professionals feeding us.”

She laughed again at his outrageous statement, causing him to

smile down at her. He watched her closely, curious about the yearning
expression on her face.

Maddie picked up one of Remus’s hands and began playing with

his fingers nervously. “Remus, tell me about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?” He smiled at her timid question

and rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Everything. I know you already told me about Remus, now tell

me about Remus the wolf. Tell me about your family, your job, and
your pack. What are your dreams, your visions of the future? Tell me

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about your childhood, just anything that’ll make me feel like I know
you as well as you seem to know me.”

“Well, that’s a really tall order, but I’ll see what I can do.” He

stared down at her for a few moments, gathering his thoughts and
deciding where to start. “Let’s see, I’m thirty-eight years, and I’m co-
owner of a construction company with my brothers.

“Did you all start it together?
“Wolf Building has been in our family for generations. My

grandfather started the company, and we’ve all dedicated our lives to
making it successful.

“Okay, but is it what you always wanted to do? Was it your dream

or something you felt you had to do for your family?”

Remus smiled. “I always wanted to run the business. I was so

proud of my father, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps in
everything, even being Alpha of the Pack.”

“You’re the Pack Alpha. What does that mean exactly? What do

you do for the Pack?” Remus was startled when she suddenly leaned
away from him and looked over her shoulder. “And for that matter,
what’s a Pack?”

Remus sighed. He had a strong feeling he was going to be

explaining for a while, when what he really wanted to do was to make
love to her again. “Yes, I’m the Pack Alpha, and that means I’m in
charge of everything. I’m the undisputed leader.” Remus had to grit
his teeth to keep from groaning. He hadn’t meant to tell her that. If
she picked up on his word she might ask him what would happen if
someone disputed his leadership. He didn’t think she was ready to
hear about fighting-to-the-death challenges.

Maddie relaxed back against Remus’s chest. “Okay, I get you’re

the big, bad, head wolf. Now tell me what you do that makes you so
big and bad.”

Remus heard Maddie let out a strange sounding cough. Is that

little minx laughing at me? “I’m in charge of everything. I’m the last

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word in any disputes. Nobody can sign contracts, form businesses, or
even mate without my approval.”

He felt Maddie’s body tense and was about to ask her what was

wrong when she spoke up. “You get to tell people whether they can
be together as mates?”

“No, baby, it’s not like that. I only make sure that they know what

they’re getting into, kind of like a marriage counselor. If they find
their mate is human, I make sure the human half of the couple knows
what to expect. I’ve never turned anybody down, if that’s what’s
worrying you.” He was pleased when she snuggled closer and picked
up his hand to place a kiss on his palm.

“Now where was I? Oh yeah, I act as judge in criminal cases, not

only for our Pack but also for others around the country. That was
what my trip was about. I went to Canada to sit on a disciplinary
board. Uh, I oversee our financial investments, make Pack law and
enforce it. I’m responsibility for the safety of all the Pack members,
and that’s a job I take very seriously. Protecting their safety includes
keeping them hidden from the human population.” Remus jumped
when Maddie came out of his arms like she’d been shot from a
cannon.

“Oh, my God, Remus. I almost forgot! Grandfather left me a

warning about Dr. Constantine.”

“What did he say about him?”
“He told me that he was an evil man. The journal said that he has

known about the wolf shifters for a long time and that he was just
waiting to get his hands on one of us in order to experiment on us. He
warned me to stay away from him any way I could.” Maddie looked
at him with tears in her eyes. “He said he hadn’t known that
Constantine was my doctor until I had been there a while, and then he
tried everything he could to get me out. Oh, Remus, I think it broke
his heart that I was stuck in that place.”

It thrilled him when she used the word “us” when talking about

the wolf shifters. Remus turned her body around, put her legs across

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his thighs, and then brought her up against his chest to cuddle. “He
loved you, Maddie. He wanted to bring you here, but your father
fought against it. He didn’t want you to find out about your
grandmother’s people. Victor would have done anything to save you
from Constantine.” He kissed the top of her head. “Maddie, did he
hurt you while you were in his clinic?” Remus held his body perfectly
still while he waited for her answer. If he’d hurt Maddie, Remus
would make sure that he paid.

“No, well, yes, oh, I’m not really sure how to answer that, Remus.

He told my dad that I wouldn’t have the episodes where I broke things
if they could stop me from getting so upset about things. He tried a
series of drugs to try and suppress emotion. It was awful. They’d
make me unable to feel anything. I’d forget things, and sometimes
whole days would be gone where I’d have no memory of what I’d
done or where I’d been. So, yes, he did hurt me emotionally, and I
guess he could have physically. I wouldn’t have known what he’d
done to me during those days.”

Remus tightened his arms around her. “Don’t you worry. He’s

never gonna get the chance to hurt you again.”

Maddie sighed. “I don’t want to talk about this, Remus. Finish

telling me about your family.”

Remus wanted to make Maddie happy more than anything, so he

dropped the subject for now. “I’ve got two brothers, whom you’ve
already met. Ethan’s thirty-four and definitely the clown of the
family. He’s got a wicked sense of humor, and pretty much nothing
bothers him. He’s responsible for our work crews, keeping them
happy and productive. He does all our hiring and firing.”

“What about your other brother, Latan?”
“Latan’s the baby of the family at thirty. He’s definitely the most

serious of all of us. He’s always ready to reason things out. He can be
a little bit of a hothead, doesn’t let anyone walk over him or treat
anyone he loves badly. He does all the bookkeeping and banking for
the business. He also handles our investments and makes sure that our

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coffers are always full.” Idly, Remus picked up the sponge and began
squeezing the rose scented water over Maddie’s back. He smiled
when her heard her tiny, muffled moan.

“Our mother and father were wonderful. They were the kind of

parents that were always there when we needed them. They taught us
what a good relationship and mating could be like.” Remus closed his
eyes in a moment of grief. “They were so much in love with each
other. Our mother died when I was eight, and my father never seemed
to get over it.”

“Oh, Remus, I’m so sorry. If you don’t mind me asking, how did

she die?”

Remus hesitated for just a moment before answering. “She was

killed in a senseless hunting accident.” There was no way he was
going to tell Maddie that she’d been shot by poachers while in her
wolf form. He didn’t want Maddie to be afraid if she could find her
own wolf.

“That’s so sad. What about your dad, when did he die?”
“He died just eighteen months ago. I’m not sure I can really tell

you what he died from. He hadn’t been sick other than heart sick for
most of his life after Mom died. It was like he waited until all of us
were finally involved in the family business, and then he decided he
could go and join his mate. He passed away in his sleep.”

Maddie hugged her arms around his neck really tight. “I’m so

sorry you had to lose him, too. It must have been really painful.”

“Thanks, baby, that means a lot to me. It’s been a long time,

though, and now I just remember the good times we shared. I’m
thankful for the good memories we have of them.”

“What do you do for your company?”
Remus was grateful for the change of subject. “Well, I’m the

president officially. But it’s not a title I throw around a lot. My
brothers know the business as well as I do, there just has to be a
president listed on the corporation papers. I spend most of my time

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with the homeless shelter I set up for runaways. I told you about it, I
just didn’t tell you it was a shelter for runaway young wolves.”

“What exactly do you do for them?”
“Well, when a lone wolf is spotted, several of us Alphas get

together and track him. When we finally capture him, he’s taken to a
shelter we built up in the mountains. We don’t question their reason
for running, only give them a dry, warm place to live and food. We
try to teach them what pack life is supposed to be like, and when we
sense they’re ready, we offer them homes in one of our own Packs. It
keeps them from becoming rogue.”

“And becoming rogue is bad?”
“Very bad. A rogue can turn feral. They sometimes stay in their

wolf forms so long for survival that they lose the ability to shift back
into human. It’s something we try to keep from happening.”

“How did you become an Alpha?”
“It’s a position I had to fight for,” Remus said. Damn, I hadn’t

meant to let that slip

Maddie gazed at him, her eyes as big as saucers. “You had to fight

for it?”

“Yeah, it’s the way of my people, or maybe I should say our

people. It’s always the strongest wolf that leads the pack, and there’s
no better way to see who’s stronger than to face a leadership
challenge. I actually inherited the position from my dad, but I’ve been
challenged for it twice. It’s my hope that someday I’ll have a pup
who’ll take my place as Alpha.”

“Did you say pup?” Maddie’s voice had a shocked quality about

it. She didn’t look amused when Remus laughed at her question.

Remus was pleased. He knew mentioning pups would get her

mind off the leadership challenges. “Yes, I said pup, but it doesn’t
mean what you think it does.”

When she glared at him, he decided to stop teasing her and

explain better.

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“Pup is just a wolf word for a small child. When we have children,

they’ll just be babies. A shifter doesn’t come into their inherited
powers until they hit puberty. Until then, they’re just regular little
kids.”

He watched as Maddie took a deep breath and seemed to relax

back down against his chest. He tensed when her small hands rested
on his thighs and then felt his cock harden and press against her thigh.

When she spoke again, her voice was nearly a squeak. “Where do

you live?”

“I have a house I share with my brothers, but you and I don’t have

to live there. I know you’re attached to this house because of your
grandfather. We could continue to live here, if that’s what you want,
and I can still run the pack. Since the house you own sits on land I
own, it can still be considered a Pack residence. Would you like for us
to live here together?”

Feeling like he was beginning to pressure her, Remus was

surprised when Maddie put both her arms around his neck and
brought her body up close to his, nestling his growing erection right at
the opening to her body.

“Are you sure we have to talk anymore, or is there something

better you’d rather do?”

Although annoyed that she was avoiding his question, Remus

wasn’t stupid enough to turn away from her kiss. He was amazed that
his shy little mate was coming on to him so strongly.

He brought his arms up around her, bringing her even tighter

against his body. Nudging his thighs forward, he pushed the head of
his cock inside her body.

“Remus,” she cried out and clutched his shoulders tightly.
He slid her arms from around his neck and then placed them

behind her back, securing them with one of his big hands. Holding her
wrists captive, he pushed her backwards and then lowered his head to
take her pink tipped breast into his mouth, biting gently on the nipple.
As she squirmed on his lap, he ran his tongue up her chest and neck

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and then over toward her shoulder. When his mouth reached the
junction of her neck and shoulder, his canines dropped, and he
scrapped them over her delicate skin. The urge to bite her was almost
overwhelming.

As his teeth touched her shoulder, Remus felt Maddie’s whole

body tense up. He’d promised he wouldn’t mark her.

Does she really think I won’t keep my word?
“Don’t worry, love, I’m not gonna break my promise to you. I

only wanted to feel your skin against my teeth. It’s very erotic to me
to scrape my teeth over the place I plan to mark you.”

Remus didn’t need a mate bond to know what was going through

his mate’s mind when she tensed up on him. It made him happy to see
her body relax with his words, showing that she trusted him
completely. He would never tell her of his struggle to overcome his
wolf’s wishes or how close he’d come to losing the battle.

As she melted back into his hold, Remus continued to run his

tongue over her shoulder and then back up to her ear lobe where he
nibbled. With his lips touching her ear, he whispered to her.

“I’m gonna fuck you so many ways, you’re gonna be lucky to

remember your own name. After tonight, you’ll know that you belong
to me, and only me.”

Raising his hand to cup her breast, he continued to run his tongue

down her cheek and across to her mouth while slowly rubbing his
thumb back and forth across her nipple. Capturing her lips in a
sensuous kiss, Remus sucked her tongue into his mouth, letting her
taste him the way he tasted her earlier. When he heard her groan, he
pulled away and lowered his head to take her nipple back into his
mouth.

As he sucked and bit on her nipple, he let his hand drift down her

body, continuing on below the water level, stopping when he reached
her wet curls. He probed with one finger, searching for the bundle of
nerves at the top of her slit.

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When he raked his finger over her clit, she moaned and arched her

back, thrusting herself further onto his erection. Needing to feel his
hard cock buried completely inside her heat, he released her wrists
and put both his hands on her waist. Quickly, he raised her up slightly
and then lowered her down as he thrust up inside her. Remus groaned
as he felt himself surrounded by her slick heat.

“Hang on, my mate, it’s gonna be a rough ride.”
Remus began raising and lowering her on his shaft, tilting her

slightly forward so that every time he brought her down her clit
rubbed against his erection. With her shallow breathing and soft little
cries, he knew he was hitting the right place. Remus felt his balls
tightening, signaling that he was close to coming. He wanted Maddie
to come with him, so he increased his rhythm to speed up her own
release. “Come on, baby, you can feel the tingles. You can feel my
hard cock pounding in and out of your heat. Come for me, Maddie,
come with me.”

Remus could feel Maddie’s legs trembling and her pussy

contracting around his pulsating cock. He knew she was getting ready
to come. Suddenly, she threw her arms around his neck and cried out.

“Remus, oh God…Remus.”
He plunged his tongue deep into her mouth and felt her body grip

him tighter with her release. Remus roared, “Maddie, my Maddie,”
and then felt his seed shooting hotly inside her body. He hung onto
her tightly as they both rode out the wave.

As their bodies began to cool from their passion, Remus lifted her

and set her between his legs once more. Grabbing the sponge from the
side of the tub, he washed her body, paying special attention to her
breasts and pussy, knowing that she’d be sore and tender now. After
rinsing her in the rose scented water, he ran the soaped sponge over
his own body and rinsed, praying that the scent of roses would fade
by morning.

Remus stood when he finished with their bathing and lifted her

out of the tub onto the floor mat. Grabbing a towel from the wall rack,

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he patted her dry and then briskly ran the towel over his own body.
He picked her up and carried her out to the large brass bed. Bending,
he pulled back the covers, then lowered her to the mattress and
climbed in behind her. He pulled her close to his body and then
covered them both with the blankets. Maddie snuggled closer to his
body.

“Remus, I told you that Grandfather wrote that it might be

possible for me to shift into a wolf after you claim me. Do you think
it’s true?”

“Well, I don’t honestly know for sure. I’ve not known of anyone

else in our situation. If your grandfather told you that, then he must
have researched it. I guess it makes sense. If you already have the
DNA in your body, then maybe it would only need activated by my
enzyme to make it work. Does that scare you? Don’t you think you’d
like being able to turn into a wolf?”

He looked at her a little fearfully, almost afraid to hear her

answer. “It scares me a little, but not for the reasons you think.”

“Then why, baby?” Remus began rubbing his hand up and down

her back in an attempt to comfort her.

“Being able to shift into a wolf would only be something else

weird that I’d be able to do. I’m not saying anything bad about wolf
shifters, only myself. I already have to avoid people and be careful to
not show my telekinesis. Becoming a wolf would be something else
I’d have to hide from people, something else to isolate me from the
world. Can you understand that?”

Remus sighed and thought carefully before he answered her. “No,

I guess I can’t understand it very well. I don’t look at it as something
to hide from anyone or that it’s an abnormality. Sure, we don’t
advertise our lives, but we have a good life here in our own
community where we don’t have to hide anything. You could have
that life, Maddie. You’d never have to hide your gifts again.”

“Your people would accept my getting upset and things flying

across the room?” She sounded incredulous.

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“Well, they’d have to see it a few times, but they’d get used to it,

and they wouldn’t think you’re strange. Hopefully, your life with us
would be so good that you’d never have a reason to get angry again.”

Maddie snorted, but Remus chose to ignore it. He smiled at her

hopefully as he ran his hand up and down her back in a comforting
way. He was glad she was just lying there quietly. It meant she was
thinking about what he’d said.

“What’s it like to shift, Remus? Is it painful? Can you do it

whenever you want to?”

“I won’t lie to you, the first few times you shift can be a little

painful. But it’s more like being very uncomfortable than real pain.
When my wolf wants to be let out, I begin to feel a tingle, kind of like
a small electrical current running through my body. You feel heat
flow over you, and your bones begin to pop and ache. You’re gripped
with a desire to go down on your hands and knees, and you begin to
see hair sprouting all over your body.”

Looking at her carefully, he watched for any negative reactions

before he continued. “With your coloring, you’d most likely make a
brown wolf, very small and petite.” He tightened his arms around her,
and a picture formed in his mind of what his mate would look like as
a wolf.

“Anyway, then you sort of lose consciousness for a moment. It’s

more like you close your eyes and nod off for a just a few seconds,
and then open them again. After that brief moment, when you don’t
know anything around you, you open your eyes and you’re looking at
things from a wolf’s point of view.”

“You said that’s what happens when your wolf wants out. Is it

possible for you to change when you want to with the wolf having no
say in it?”

“Of course. You just have to clear your mind and call to the wolf

in your head, basically call on the magic like Victor said. You just
picture him in your head coming forth, and he does. He’s always at
the ready in me if I need or want him.”

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“How do you turn back into a human?”
Remus was thrilled at all the genuine interest and thoughtful

questions Maddie had about his other form.

This has to mean she’s seriously giving thought to sharing my life

with me.

“When I’m in wolf form, I’m still thinking with the brain I have

when I’m human. I have the same thoughts and the same intelligence.
All I have to do is reach into my thoughts and call on my human self
to come forth. The wolf recedes, bones pop, and pretty soon I’m
standing there stark naked.” He almost laughed at the look on her face
when she glared at him.

“Yeah, I’m thinking I’d have a problem with that

,

too.” Maddie

bit her lip. “I don’t know that I could be naked in front of anyone but
you.”

Remus leaned down and placed a swift kiss on her lips. “Shape

shifters don’t have any modesty. We’re used to running together in
packs and hunting together as wolves. Since shifting requires being
naked, we don’t think twice about being unclothed in front of each
other. I think, in time, you’d get use to it, especially with everyone
around you getting naked at the drop of a hat.”

Snuggling closer, Maddie sighed softly.
“I need a little time to come to grips with all this, Remus. I hope

you can respect that and give me the time I need.”

Remus smiled and kissed her on her head, snuggling her closer to

his body. He didn’t want to ruin their night by telling her that it’d be
better if they were mated by the coming picnic.

“Remus, what are we gonna do about Dr. Constantine?”
“I don’t know what you mean, baby. I told you I’d take care of

everything. You aren’t gonna have to worry about him anymore.”

“Remus, he’s been calling me and threatening to have me locked

back up in his clinic. He says he can prove to Michael and the
authorities that I’m a danger to others and myself living out on my
own. What am I gonna do?”

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Remus couldn’t stop the growl that came up from his throat at the

thought of Constantine threatening his mate. When he saw that his
growling alarmed her, he pulled her closer to cuddle. “You don’t have
to do anything. I’ll handle Constantine. The good doctor and my pack
have had dealings before, and there’s no way I’ll let him get his hands
on you.”

Remus relaxed when Maddie accepted his words and calmly

snuggled even closer to his body. When he reached out his hand to
turn off the light, they were both startled by the sound of the phone
ringing.

Reluctantly, he released Maddie for her to reach over and pick up

the telephone.

“Hello?”
“Hey, Maddie, how’s my baby sister tonight? You don’t sound

like I woke you this time.”

“Michael, it’s good to hear from you. What has you calling so

close to my bedtime?” She looked over at Remus and then quickly
looked away.

“Just thought I’d check in with you before I hit the sack. Sorry it’s

so late, but I was stuck in meetings all the way through dinner. I just
got back to the hotel. How are you getting along? I talked to Remus
earlier today, and he said you’re doing great, having no problems at
all.”

Frowning, she stared daggers at Remus, making him

uncomfortable.

“You talked to Remus about me today?”
Remus heard the hurt in her voice and wished he remembered to

tell her sooner about her brother’s phone call. Now probably wasn’t
the best time to tell her about his remarkable hearing. She wouldn’t
like knowing that he could hear both sides of her conversation.

“Yes, you remember, don’t you? I told you that I’d asked him to

check up on you from time to time for me. He agreed to do it as a

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favor to me and as a final act of kindness to Grandfather. He was very
fond of him. He thought of him like a father figure I think.”

Remus didn’t like the look Maddie was shooting his way. He

meant to tell her about the phone call, but when he came upon her at
the river, things escalated and they made love. Michael’s phone call
had gone right out of his head.

“Yes, I remember you said he was going to check on me. Believe

me, he’s definitely keeping his word to you and checking up on me as
much as possible.”

Amused by her words, Remus reached down and trailed his

fingers along her ribs. Maddie put her hand over the phone when she
began to laugh. He was glad to see her teasing with him now.

“That’s good, Maddie. I’m depending on his good reports to be

less worried about you being alone. I talked with Dr. Constantine a
few days ago, and he’s under the impression that you’re not doing so
well.”

Remus saw a touch of fear come into Maddie’s eyes and felt her

body shiver.

“Forget about Dr. Constantine, Michael. I’m never going to see

him again, and I’m never going back to his clinic.”

“Well, we’ll see, sister dear. I’m going to let you go now. Get

some sleep and remember I’ll see you in another week or so for a
short visit. We can talk about Dr. Constantine then. Good night,
Maddie.”

“Good night, Michael.”
Maddie slowly replaced the receiver and turned back to Remus.

He roughly caught her up in his arms.

“I’m so sorry, baby. I totally forgot about his call when I found

you by the river. We’ve been making beautiful love ever since then,
and I never gave Michael another thought.”

“He might push for me to go back to the clinic, Remus. I didn’t

think it was the right time to tell him about us or about Grandfather’s
journal.”

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Hugging her close to his body, Remus tried to make her feel safe.

“Don’t you worry, Maddie, I’ll never allow your brother or
Constantine take you anywhere. We’ll tell your brother about our
mating together when we both think the time’s right. You belong to
me now, mated for life, and the sooner everyone accepts that, the
better off they’ll be.”

Not wanting to discuss it further, he reached out and turned off the

light. Snuggling down into the quilts, he pulled Maddie close to him,
laying her head on his chest. Kissing the top of her head, he closed his
eyes and prayed that he’d be able to keep her safe until she agreed to
the claiming. She’d be locked up again over his dead body. Maybe it
was time for the pack to do something permanent to stop
Constantine’s interest in wolf shifters. With that thought, Remus
drifted off to sleep holding his love tight in his embrace.

* * * *

A week later, Maddie was being stubborn. She continued to linger

in the bed, unwilling to face the day just yet. Today was the annual
picnic Remus invited her to, and she was having second and third
thoughts about accompanying him. And if that wasn’t enough to make
her nervous, the fact that Michael would be visiting any day now was
the proverbial last straw.

The last few days had been wonderful. Remus had practically

moved in with her, only leaving occasionally to attend to Pack
business. She was getting used to his brothers and some of his Pack
members coming by the cabin several times a day to talk with him.

Their days had been filled with laughter and caring while their

nights simmered with their insatiable passion for each other. The only
dark cloud had been his constant, although subtle, pressure to perform
the claiming.

Last night had been the worst fight of all, Remus having lost the

ability to be subtle. She’d tried to make him understand that she was

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going to allow him to claim her, but she wanted to wait until she
explained things to her brother. Michael wasn’t due to visit for a few
more days, at least. His schedule was up in the air, and he couldn’t tell
her exactly when he’d get there.

Remus had gotten angry and practically accused her of not

wanting to be with him forever like he wanted to be with her. She’d
finally calmed him down and they’d made love, but she could tell a
difference in the way he’d held her. It was like he was distancing
himself, readying himself for rejection. Nothing she said or did
seemed to make a difference. He’d risen early this morning and left,
saying he had to make sure the arrangements for the picnic were
underway. He was supposed to come back and pick her up around ten
o’clock. Sighing, Maddie left the comfort of the warm quilts and
headed off to the bathroom for a hot shower.

By ten o’clock Maddie was sitting on the porch swing, waiting

impatiently for Remus to show up. Catching a glimpse of movement
out of the corner of her eye, she stood to get a better look and was
surprised to see Ethan coming across the field toward the cabin. She
waited until he was close to the porch before saying anything.

“Hi, Ethan. I’m sorry, but Remus isn’t here yet. He should be here

any minute.”

Ethan looked momentarily embarrassed and uncomfortable, which

was quite a departure for him. Frowning, he finally looked at her.

“I know, he um, well he, actually, he sent me after you.”
Maddie was shocked as he hurried on with his explanation.
“He’s really sorry that he couldn’t come himself, but this picnic is

a big event for our pack, and his duties as Alpha are keeping him
extra busy today. The Elders are insisting that he be present for
everything, and some of the festivities have already started. He really
is sorry, Maddie.”

Ethan seemed to be watching her very carefully, so Maddie did

her best to hide that she was fighting tears.

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Ethan sighed. “I told Remus that sending me to get you was a

mistake, but I couldn’t talk him out of it, Maddie. You’re his mate,
and being mated to the Alpha means that you’ll have to share his time
with the pack a lot. He wants you to get an honest idea of what being
with him is gonna be like.” Ethan looked at her closely. “Maybe,
instead of teaching you what being mated to an Alpha is like, it’ll
teach him what having a mate pissed off at you is like.”

Maddie laughed out loud and then gave Ethan a reproachful look.

“Oh, well, it’s okay, Ethan. If he wants me to go with you, then I’ll do
as he wishes. Maybe you can tell me what to expect while we walk
over.”

Ethan looked relieved as she slowly walked down the steps and

joined him in the yard. Together they started across the field that
would take them over to the lake area Remus had chosen for the
picnic.

She couldn’t be sure, but she was feeling like Ethan was

uncomfortable talking with her. If she’d done something to make him
uncomfortable, then she really needed to know what it was. “Ethan,
you seem a little distant today. Have I done something to upset you?”

She became even more concerned when he wouldn’t raise his eyes

to meet hers.

“No, of course not, Maddie. I’m just sorry that Remus couldn’t be

here for you. I know that you were disappointed to see me coming
across the field in his place.”

Maddie sighed and thought carefully before she answered him.

“No, I’m not really disappointed, just a little worried. Remus and I
had a fight last night, and I guess my overactive imagination is
wondering if he just didn’t want to have to be alone with me today.”
She turned her head when she spoke, trying to keep him from seeing
the tears threatening to escape from her eyes.

“Maddie, he wanted to be with you more than anything today, and

he’s quite angry at all the little interruptions that have kept him from

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coming here this afternoon. He’s giving everyone hell who has
interfered with his plans.”

Giving her a long look, he continued. “Maddie, I know the two of

you have been at odds over his final claiming of you.”

At her surprised gasp, Ethan stopped. He had a guilty look on his

face. “I don’t mean to embarrass you, Maddie, but I think you have
the right to know what to expect today.”

Feeling resigned, Maddie glanced up at him. “Go ahead, Ethan, I

want to know what I’m getting into today.”

“Okay, first you should know that it was Remus’s hope that the

two of you be mated before today because he desperately wanted to
introduce you to the Elders as his mate. With his appearance at the
picnic unmated, the Elders will feel free to pressure him into taking a
mate from within the pack. Today, all the unmated females will
probably make a play for Remus, and it could get very uncomfortable
for you.” The two of them began walking again, but Maddie was
beginning to bite her lip in worry.

“Don’t get me wrong, Maddie. Remus doesn’t want anyone else,

and he won’t succumb to the wishes of the Elders just for the sake of
mating. They can’t force him to do anything. He’s planning to make it
perfectly clear that his choice is you and that you choose him as well.
It’s just the unmated females, they um…well, let’s just say they’ll
present the biggest problem today. They all have grand dreams of
being the Alpha Femm. You might have to turn a blind eye at their
shenanigans.” He paused before continuing. “Maddie, I don’t want to
see you hurt, but I don’t want to see my brother hurt, either. It’s
killing him that he hasn’t been able to claim you yet.”

Maddie felt troubled, and she stopped walking and turned to face

Ethan. “Maybe it’d be better for all of us if I just stayed home today
and meet your pack some other time after we’ve formally mated. I
only asked Remus to wait until after I’d talked to my brother. He’s
coming to visit, and he doesn’t even now about our heritage yet. I
don’t want to have to tell him I’ve moved on completely in my life

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without him. I love him too much for that, and he’s always been there
for me.”

“Remus would kick my ass if I don’t bring you to the picnic.”

Ethan frowned. “No, it wouldn’t be better for you to stay at home. In
fact, it would send a clear message to the unmated females that he’s
fair game. You don’t want that, do you? You want to go and protect
your territory, don’t you?”

He smiled down at her wickedly. “You might even get a chance to

use that special gift of yours when some unsuspecting female gets too
close.”

Maddie tried to look horrified and then ruined it by giggling.
“Bite your tongue, Ethan. I’ve spent hours worrying about

controlling myself while I’m there. I don’t think Remus would be too
pleased to see me exploding flower beds or dropping tree branches on
the females of his pack.”

She looked up at Ethan when he burst out laughing. “It’s not

funny, Ethan. You don’t understand just what kind of chaos follows
me when I get upset.”

“I’m not laughing at you, pretty lady. I’m laughing at the image of

my brother trying to explain something weird happening. This
picnic’s gonna be more fun than I originally thought.”

With another wicked smile, he took her hand, hooked it under his

arm, and started off toward the picnic grounds, whistling. “I can’t
wait to see what’ll happen.”

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Chapter 6

Remus paced anxiously up and down in front of the playground

that had been set up for the pups. He kept glancing at his watch and
then over to the path through the trees. Where were Ethan and
Maddie? He hated having to ask his brother to go and get her, but the
Elders were making his life miserable today. They’d made it clear that
they expected him to choose a mate by now, and telling them that his
choice was made didn’t help. They expected him to produce a
claimed mate!

He asked his brothers to help him look after Maddie during the

picnic, realizing his Alpha duties could keep him occupied much of
the time. Since she wasn’t officially his mate, Maddie couldn’t be
present when any pack business was discussed. This was just another
reason he’d pressured her to change her mind and allow him to claim
her last night. He hadn’t meant to anger her, but it was getting harder
and harder to control his wolf when they were together. The wolf had
become desperate to claim his mate, and soon he’d take the choice
away from Remus. At least she’d agreed to move forward with their
mating as soon as she talked to Michael. As far as he was concerned,
Michael’s visit couldn’t come fast enough.

Looking around, he groaned when he saw Nanita heading his way.

He’d been trying to avoid her all morning. She was barely dressed,
and she was making it clear to anyone who’d listen that she intended
to be the mate of the present Alpha. Unfortunately, he was the present
Alpha, and avoiding her was becoming more and more difficult.

“What is it, Nanita?”

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He used his coldest, don’t-bother-me Alpha voice when he

addressed her.

“You looked lonely standing here all alone, Remus. I can’t stand

seeing you so lonely when I know I can cheer you up.” As she spoke,
she linked her arm through his and pressed her body close

Growling low in his throat, Remus flashed his wolf eyes and

claws in warning and removed her arm from his. Nanita took a quick
step back, fear evident in her eyes for just a moment. It was clear she
hadn’t expected him to show dominance or open hostility.

“Keep your distance, Nanita, and keep your place. I’ve already

chosen my mate, and I don’t want to have to keep telling you that.”

Just then, he saw Ethan and Maddie coming from the woods.

Before he could walk away, Nanita rubbed her body up against his.

“Later, lover. The human will never be able to give you what I

can,” she whispered.

She reached up and raked her lips against his cheek, then turned,

flashed a smile in Maddie’s direction, strolled off toward the picnic
tables.

Remus was furious and glanced quickly at Maddie to see if she’d

seen the kiss. By the look on her face, she’d definitely seen it and was
not happy about it. Maddie was scowling, and Ethan was laughing.
Remus sighed heavily. It was going to be a very long day.

* * * *

Maddie was laughing at stories of Remus’s childhood as Ethan

escorted her to the picnic. He turned out to be the perfect choice for
an escort. He’d known just what to say to calm her fears about
attending the festivities. As they rounded the corner that would take
them out of the trees, Maddie searched the grounds for a glimpse of
her man. Her gaze was immediately drawn to Remus. She was hoping
he’d be glad to see her.

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He didn’t look like he was missing her quite as much as she was

missing him. Especially taking into account the young, half-dressed
woman draped over him. As Maddie watched, the woman reached up
and kissed him. Maddie felt positively lethal. She just wasn’t sure
who she wanted to kill first.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She ground the words out

between clenched teeth. Ethan gave her a puzzled look. She inclined
her head toward Remus and watched as his gaze followed. Maddie
wasn’t surprised to hear him groan but was surprised to hear the
laughter that followed.

“Maybe you could share what’s so damn funny, Ethan.”
Ethan looked down at her and immediately stopped his laughter.

“Oh, crap.”

“Crap indeed, Ethan. Who is she?”
She could hear the ice in her voice as she questioned Ethan. He

cleared his throat before answering.

“Just one of the unmated females I told you about. They’ll do

anything to get his attention.”

“What a load of bull.”
Ethan sighed heavily. “It’s important to remember that she was

kissing him, Maddie. He wasn’t kissing her.” He cleared his throat
again. “You, um, you look a little upset, Maddie. You’re not going to
let loose, or do anything that would scare anybody are you?”

Maddie snorted, then watched as Remus approached with a

resigned look on his face.

* * * *

Could this day get any worse? Maddie was glaring at him like she

was going to strangle him at the very first opportunity, and Ethan
looked like he’d be willing to hold him down for her to do it. “Hey,
you two, I’ve been waiting for you. What kept you so long?”

Remus was wary of the fire in Maddie’s eyes.

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“We just took our time walking through the words while Ethan

was sharing some embarrassing childhood stories about you. From the
look of things, you had plenty to keep you occupied while you waited
for us.”

Maddie shot him a look that would fell a lesser man.
“On that note, I think I’ll mingle for a while. Maddie, it was a

pleasure to walk with you and talk with you this morning. I hope
you’ll remember everything I said and give my poor brother a break.”

“Your poor brother doesn’t need a break, Ethan, so run along like

a good little wolf.” Remus’s tone indicated that he’d have words with
Ethan later. Smiling, Ethan headed off toward the food.

“Little one, you have to believe me, I had nothing to do with her

kissing…umph.”

Maddie shocked him by standing on her tiptoes and covering his

lips with hers, effectively cutting off what he was about to say. It took
Remus all of three seconds before he reacted by taking charge of the
kiss and plunging his tongue into her sweet tasting mouth. This was
more than he’d hoped for. Maddie was establishing her claim in front
of his entire pack. There could be no misunderstanding this kiss as she
pressed her body close to his. Desire shot through Remus’s body with
the press of her breasts against his chest. Even through his shirt, he
could feel her swollen nipples. Quickly, his cock swelled for the
occasion. Groaning, he broke the kiss and buried his face in her silky,
fragrant hair.

“Maddie, you don’t know what you’re doing to me. I’m so hard I

could hammer nails with my cock. It’s not something I can hide,
Maddie. Everyone’s gonna see that I’m aroused.”

“Good, I want everyone to know you’re aroused and that I’m the

one who inspired it. You’re mine, Remus, and I’m not stepping aside
for just any wolf bimbo who comes along.”

Maddie’s words sounded harsh, but he could see the love in her

eyes. “After that greeting, I think everyone knows you consider me
your property.”

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Smiling at her, he leaned down for another brief kiss. “I’m asking

for a little understanding and a lot of patience today. I have to be
present for a lot of Pack business, and it’s stuff you can’t sit in on.
Plus, there’s a meeting with the Elders before the day is over. I’ll try
not to leave you alone too much, but there’ll be times when I don’t
have a choice. I’ve asked my brothers to help me watch over you
today and to make any introductions I might have missed. I promise
to make it all up to you tonight.”

Remus looked at her longingly and hoped she wouldn’t get angry

with him again.

“You can have my understanding for as long as you need it. I’m

glad that you wanted me here to meet your wolf family. I know it’s
important to you for them to like me, and I’m gonna try my level best
to make a good impression. You don’t have to ruin your brothers’
days, though. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“I know you are, but I want to feel comfortable about leaving you

alone. Remember, we’re still waiting for Constantine to make his
move, so I’d feel better with someone watching over you when I can’t
be here.”

“All right, if it’ll make you happy then I’ll allow your brothers to

babysit me today.” Maddie wrinkled her nose when she agreed,
letting him know that she thought it was unnecessary.

Grateful, Remus took her arm and headed over to enjoy the picnic.

* * * *

Maddie sat at a picnic table, sandwiched between Remus’s

brothers. She was trying desperately to keep the smile on her face, but
it was getting harder and harder as they chatted back and forth trying
to keep her entertained. Remus had been absent for most of the day,
only coming to talk with her for a few minutes at a time before he was
called away again. She was really beginning to wish she hadn’t
agreed to come. His brothers were doing their best to see that she had

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a nice time, and they’d introduced her to quite a few of the pack
members. It didn’t escape her notice that they’d only introduced her
to mated couples. They’d kept her away from any of the unmated
males and females. Of course, she realized they were doing it on
purpose.

Glancing around, she was trying to find Remus when she spotted

him near the dessert table. As usual, women surrounded him. This
time, it was four beautiful young girls, and they were hanging all over
him. As she watched, Remus smiled down at one of them and
casually put his arm around another one, giving her a quick hug.
Maddie couldn’t help it. She positively saw red.

Ethan turned to say something to her, and she watched as he

glanced to see what she’d been staring at. She wasn’t surprised to hear
him groan. Slowly, he turned back to her.

“It doesn’t mean anything, Maddie. As Alpha, he’s required to be

friendly and available to all his wolves.”

“Not that friendly!” Maddie was angry, and she was very much

afraid she wasn’t going to be able to hide it any longer. She whirled
around and glared at Latan when she heard him snicker. He
immediately closed his mouth.

She knew in her heart she should just get up and leave now before

she got angry enough to cause any trouble, but something kept her
from rising and kept her staring at her man as the other women
fawned all over him.

She lowered her gaze to her lap, trying to hold back her tears and

had begun to push back from the table when she heard Latan gasp.
Quickly, she looked up to see what was wrong with him.

“Oh, shit!” he exclaimed loudly, still staring in Remus’s direction.
Maddie turned to see what upset him. What met her eyes brought

her blood to a boil. The same woman who had been kissing Remus
when she arrived just sauntered over to him and was rubbing up
against the front of his body, offering him the pie she carried in her

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hand. Before Remus’s brothers could try and calm her down, Maddie
lost control of her temper.

Unable to stop herself, Maddie stared daggers at Nanita, and

suddenly the pie she was holding fairly jumped out of her hand and
landed on the front of her barely-there dress. The young woman was
covered in pie, not knowing what had happened.

Maddie frowned as Ethan and Latan burst out laughing.
“Oh, Maddie, Remus told us what kind of things you could do, but

this is so much better. I wouldn’t have missed seeing this for
anything,” Ethan teased.

“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself,” Latan

added, still laughing so hard he could barely get his words out.

Maddie was horrified and tried her best to shush the brothers.

They just kept laughing, nearly falling off their chairs in the process.
Terribly embarrassed, Maddie started to go over to apologize to the
woman and Remus when things suddenly got worse.

As she watched, two of the women jumped back from Nanita to

avoid getting pie on their clothes. Remus took Nanita by the hand and
drew her over to the dessert table. He picked up a handful of napkins
and then proceeded to help her wipe the sticky mess from her clothes.
As Maddie watched in horror, he dropped to his knees and reached up
to wipe up and down her dress in an apparent attempt to clean off the
pie. One look at her face told her that the woman was loving the
attention.

Maddie’s anger suffered a full-scale eruption before she could

even think about controlling it. Remus acted as if someone had just
shoved him. He fell backward, automatically grabbing at Nanita,
which caused her to fall on top of him. At the same time, the legs on
one side of the dessert table buckled, dumping the contents of the
table on the two unsuspecting shape shifters.

* * * *

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Remus watched as Nanita pushed herself up, shooting him a

disgusted look. She looked like a disaster, and everyone was laughing
at her. There was even what looked like lemon pie on her head. She
was furious and not bothering to try and hide it.

“Nobody makes a fool out of me, Remus, nobody.” She turned

and rushed off, looking like she wanted to kill somebody.

Remus wasn’t stupid. He glanced around the crowd and spotted

the very red face belonging to Maddie. She might have been
embarrassed by what happened, but the glacial look in her eyes told
him that she was really angry and having trouble controlling it. He
watched as she turned away from his brothers and then began walking
away from the picnic in the direction of her cabin. He knew he needed
to hurry to catch up with her.

She’s never going to understand that I was only being friendly.
The Elders had given him an ultimatum. He had to give others a

chance since the human half-breed hadn’t accepted him, or they’d
enforce an old pack law and choose a mate for him. They hadn’t
wanted to hear that she’d be agreeable to the mating within the week.
The Elders want a mated Alpha now, one that would produce heirs.
They couldn’t really force him. That law had been abolished formally
by almost every pack in the U.S. He could go to the National Council
and have them overturned, but it would cause tension between them,
and he was hoping to avoid that.

Sighing, he watched as his brothers came running up. He accepted

Latan’s hand and allowed his brother to pull him to his feet. He was
dismayed to see the two of them still laughing. Giving them an
annoyed look, he set off down the hill toward the path that would take
him to Maddie. He couldn’t help but chuckle. His mate was really
quite feisty. As he hurried away, he heard Ethan’s voice in his head.

Boy, the road to true love is sure sticky!
Laughing, he used his hand to try and wipe away the excess

pudding and pie filling. Giving up, he realized the only way he’d
catch up with her was to change and follow her in his wolf form. He

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waited until he reached the beginning of the path, then removed his
clothing and changed into the large black wolf that Maddie first fell in
love with. Taking a moment to throw back his head and howl, Remus
raced off through the woods to catch up with his irate mate.

When he appeared on the path ahead of her, Maddie stopped

walking and just stared at him.

* * * *

“Go home, Remus. Go back to your little harem and just leave me

alone.”

Maddie resumed her walking and kept up her pace as she walked

right by the large wolf. She was still angry and realized for the first
time that she couldn’t hope to compete with all the beautiful women
in his pack. Plus, they all shared something with him that she might
never have. There was no guarantee that she’d ever be able to shift
once he claimed her. She rubbed her hand across her face and was
somewhat surprised to feel tears on her cheeks. She wiped them away,
unwilling to let him see how hurt she was.

* * * *

It hurt Remus to see Maddie wipe away her tears. He’d never

wanted to be the one to make his mate unhappy. He was supposed to
protect her and make her life happy. It saddened him to think he was
already failing, and he hadn’t even fully mated her yet.

Remus continued to follow along at her side, letting her rant and

rave and get her anger out of her system. He’d waited long enough,
and he wanted her to calm down before they reached the cabin. He
planned to claim her tonight, and she would just have to be okay with
it. He wanted the world to know that she belonged to him. There was
no way he would let the Elders try and pick a mate for him. He’d
leave the Pack first.

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When they arrived at the tree line on the outskirts of her property,

Remus saw a strange car parked in front of the cabin and her front
door standing open.

“What the hell? I know I shut and locked that door before I left

with Ethan,” Maddie exclaimed.

Remus changed back into his human form and looked warily at

the parked car. When Maddie started forward, he put his arm out to
stop her. He was glad when she didn’t fight him when he brought her
close against his body.

“Let’s wait, little one, and see who it is before we make our

presence known. We don’t know if it’s friend or foe, and I don’t want
to risk your safety.” He was pleased when Maddie didn’t argue with
him and instead sat down to wait for the visitors to reveal themselves.
He sat down close to her, content that he could be there to protect her.

They didn’t have to wait long before they saw someone coming

out the door. Remus couldn’t believe his eyes. It was Dr. Constantine.
“What the hell is he doing here?” He could feel Maddie’s body begin
to shake, and he cuddled her closer to show that she was safe.

As Remus watched, Constantine stood on the porch for a minute

looking carefully all around the woods. Remus brought Maddie closer
to him in a protective gesture. After a few minutes, Constantine went
to his car, got behind the wheel, and drove down the path toward the
highway.

Since he didn’t have any answers, Remus grabbed Maddie’s arm

and hurried up to the cabin. Quietly, the two of them went inside.
Immediately, Remus changed back into his wolf form and began to
sniff over everything in the cabin. A few minutes later, he uncovered
a small hidden camera on the bookshelf that had Constantine’s scent
all over it. Remus was furious. He changed back into his human body
and grabbed the camera.

He took Maddie into his arms. “This is what he was doing here.

He’s trying to record you without you realizing it.”

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Remus wasn’t prepared for the rush of anger that passed through

Maddie, evidenced by the sudden explosion of a glass vase on her
table, which sent water and flowers shooting into the air. Wanting to
avoid her complete loss of control, he grabbed her and hugged her
close to his body. “It’s okay, Maddie. He’s gone now. He can’t hurt
you.” He kept whispering in an effort to get her to calm down. “We’re
together, and we can handle anything he tries to do. I’ll always be
here for you. I love you.”

He sighed when he felt her body begin to relax. Lowering his

head, he kissed her deeply and was elated to feel her kissing him back
with passion.

Remus released her lips and looked deeply into her eyes. “I love

you, Maddie. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. What you
saw at the picnic didn’t mean anything. You fill my heart, and it’s
been that way since the first time we met.”

Placing his lips over hers, he gave her a gentle kiss to show her

how much he cared for her. “You’ve got the power to stop all the
women from hanging around me. All you have to do is let me claim
you. Wolves consider it a dishonor for any female to approach a
mated male. Once I claim you, no other woman can ever lay a hand
on me again.”

Remus saw the indecision in her eyes and decided to push her a

little further. “Maddie you’ve been the center of my world since you
were eight years old, and I’ve always known that I wanted to spend
my life with you. Don’t turn me away again, please, baby. Let me
claim you so we can start our lives together.”

Maddie stared deep into his eyes and then looked startled.
“What’s wrong, Maddie?”
“I can hear him, Remus. I can hear him again.”
Puzzled, Remus asked, “Hear who, baby?”
Maddie smiled, and tears ran down her cheeks. “My grandfather.

The day he introduced me to you he said, ‘Look at his eyes, little girl.
They show you what kind of wolf he is. I promise you that this wolf

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will never do anything to hurt you. In fact, he would protect you from
danger if you ever needed it.’ Now, whenever I worry about the
future, especially a future with you, I can hear my grandfather saying
those words to me in my mind.”

Remus took her face between his hands. “I love you, Maddie, and

your grandfather was right. I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

“Make me yours, Remus.”
Maddie whispered the words Remus had longed to hear and then

reached up and pressed her lips to his in a sweet, loving kiss.

Immediately, Remus’s arms closed around her body tightly, lifting

her up so he could carry her over to the large bed. Now that she’d
agreed to mate, he wasn’t going to give her time to change her mind.

He set her on her feet beside the bed, then leaned back to stare

lovingly into her beautiful, brown eyes. He raised his hands to cup her
face. “Baby, I’ll never give you a reason to regret this decision. My
heart belongs to you. I’ll be here to comfort you when you’re sad,
laugh with you when you’re happy, and I’ll forever fill your nights
with passion. I want you to be the mother of my pups, and I want to
grow old with you. This night is the beginning of our life together. I
want to spend my life worshiping this body with my own and building
a life with you.”

While Remus filled her head with loving promises, he began to

remove her clothing piece by piece. He grasped her shirt by the hem
and then pulled it slowly over her head. He caressed her shoulders,
then turned her around and unfastened her bra, pushed it down her
arms, then allowed it to fall to the floor. Sighing, he brought their
bodies together, her back snuggled to his chest. He folded his arms
around her to cup her breasts in his warm hands. Slowly, he ran his
thumbs over the tips, causing Maddie to groan and lean her head
against his body. With her head tilted slightly to the side, Remus
leaned down and put his mouth on the smooth skin of her nape,
lightly sucking, and then began to whisper to her.

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“Maddie, you’re so beautiful, so perfect. You belong to me. You

always have.”

As he whispered love words to Maddie, he began to tug and twist

her sensitive nipples, bringing another groan from her lips. Smoothing
his hands down her abdomen to the waistband of her jeans, he
released the button and slid down the zipper. Bending down, he
removed her shoes and socks and then yanked her jeans, along with
her panties, down her legs, allowing her to step out of them. Now they
were both naked.

As Remus rose slowly to his feet, he let his hands run along the

smooth skin of Maddie’s legs, over her hips, and up her sides,
stopping just below her breasts. Holding her firmly, he placed his lips
against the back of her neck and allowed his tongue to trace a path
across to her shoulder where he nipped lightly, causing Maddie to
gasp. She trembled when he soothed the bite with a flick of his
tongue.

Slowly, Remus licked his way back over to the base of her neck

and then ran his tongue down the center of her back, stopping when
he reached the crease between her ass cheeks. Moving his head over,
he nipped and then sucked lightly at her rounded globes while he
moved his hands back down her body. Still licking and biting her ass,
he brought both of his hands to her front, resting them lightly on the
silken curls that sheltered the entrance to her feminine secrets. Feeling
Maddie’s legs begin to tremble, Remus rose and turned her body
around to face him.

“Come here, baby, let me love you.”
Remus picked her up in his arms and then laid her in the center of

the mattress. He stood for a moment, just looking at her beautiful
body. He couldn’t believe that the day had finally come for him to
claim his mate. Maddie raised her arms and beckoned to him.

“Remus, please, I need you.”
Smiling lovingly at her, Remus lowered himself to the bed to lie

beside her. Leaning over, he covered her lips with his and traced his

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tongue around the edges of her lips. When she opened her mouth, he
plunged his tongue inside, running it lightly over her teeth, before
engaging her tongue in an erotic dance. Slowly, he coaxed her tongue
back into his mouth, where he sucked on it, reveling in her unique
flavor. He felt Maddie’s arms rise to fold around his neck.

He pulled back from their kiss and ran his hand through her hair,

looking down her body with a lustful feeling in his heart. Her breasts
were full and firm with the tips like little pebbles and pointing straight
up as if begging for attention. It was an invitation he couldn’t refuse.
He dragged her arms from around his neck and then lowered his head
and took one rigid peak into his mouth. At the same time, he raised
his hand to the other side and began to tug and twist the nipple,
working it into a stiff arousal. Sliding his body over hers, he settled
into the cradle of her thighs where he could go back and forth
between her breasts with his lips and teeth. He could feel Maddie’s
hands fist in his hair as he bit and tugged on her left nipple.

Giving one really hard suck, he released her nipple with a pop and

then slid his tongue down her abdomen, stopping to taste inside her
belly button. After swirling his tongue inside several times, Remus
inched down her body, licking his way to the top of her silky curls.
With his head even with her feminine slit, Remus leaned forward and
blew across her dampening curls.

“You’re so beautiful here, Maddie, so wet and ready for me.”
As Remus whispered, he carefully ran his finger down her slit

from her clit to her anus, collecting her feminine cream along the
way. Holding his finger up where she could see, he smiled and then
put the finger in his mouth, sucking off her essence. He watched as
Maddie’s face flushed a lovely shade of red. He loved the innocence
and sensuality of his mate.

With the aroma of her arousal all around him, he returned his

attention to the beauty of her slick folds before him. Using his
thumbs, he carefully held back her outer lips and gazed at her
feminine beauty. Leaning forward, he ran his tongue from the bottom

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of her slit up to the protective hood over her clit. He could feel her
legs beginning to tremble and heard her moaning his name. Slowly,
he teased around the small bundle of nerves at the top of her slit, then
smiled as her clit became so engorged it peeked out from its hiding
place without his assistance. He licked a circle around the swollen
nub, being careful not to touch it directly, then forcefully thrust two
fingers into her dripping opening.

He heard Maddie cry out as she grabbed his head and pulled him

forward at the same time she closed her legs around him in a death
grip. She began rotating her hips toward him in rhythm with his
licking.

He buried his face deep and took her clit between his lips and

started sucking enthusiastically. His fingers in her body kept up their
thrusting while he used his other hand to gather some of her cream on
his fingers. He took those fingers and moved down to the tiny,
puckered opening that was so vulnerable to his touch in this position.

Slowly, he circled his lubricated finger around the opening and

then began pushing steadily against the pucker. Remus released her
clit when she gasped and stiffened her body.

“Don’t be afraid, baby. I won’t hurt you. I want to be able to love

you here, not tonight, but soon.”

Maddie tried to pull away. “Remus, no, that’s just, it’s, well it’s

just not right.”

Remus had to smother his laugh. She didn’t sound scared, she

sounded embarrassed. “It is okay, love. You’re beautiful here,
Maddie. I can bring you a great deal of pleasure if you let me love
you here.”

“Won’t it hurt?”
Remus didn’t’ like the fear he heard in her voice. He removed his

finger, and slid up her body so he could look her in the face.

“Do you trust me? Do you trust that I’d never willingly hurt you

or do anything to frighten you?”

She didn’t even hesitate. “Of course I trust you. Completely.”

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“Then trust that I know what I’m doing. Let me show you how

good it can be. I won’t lie to you. It’ll burn a little at first, but that
won’t last long, and then there’s nothing but pleasure. I only want to
start prepping you today. I’m not going to make love to you there
until I know I can do it without hurting you.” He pushed her hair back
from her face. “Will you let me show you a little about what it can
feel like?”

She hesitated for just a moment, then nodded her head.
“Can I hear the words, baby?”
She sighed deeply. “Yes, you can show me what it will be like.”
Remus kissed her deeply, then moved back down her body. He

coated his fingers in her cream once more and returned them to trace
around her forbidden opening.

Taking his other hand, he began to rub softly at her clit, watching

as it became engorged again. Leaning forward, he took it between his
lips and began to suck and nibble on the sensitive nub.

At the same time, while she was distracted by the pleasure he was

giving with his mouth, he slowly pushed one finger through the
puckered opening, and past the first ring of muscle. He continued
pushing until he had over half his finger embedded in her bottom. She
hadn’t shown any sign of pain or distress.

Maddie was beginning to thrust her hips toward Remus’s mouth

as he continued sucking on her clit. Her legs were beginning to
tremble, and he knew she was getting close to coming. He pulled his
finger out of her ass and pressed it, along with another finger, against
the dark opening. Increasing his sucking on her clit, he began to also
bite and tug the tiny center of her pleasure. Just as he felt her gush and
she cried out her release, he plunged the two fingers deep into her ass.
Maddie arched up off the bed and screamed out his name.

“Remus!”
Her body arched up toward his mouth while her hands gripped

tightly in the covers of the bed. Remus continued tugging and sucking
on her clit and thrusting his fingers back and forth in her ass, hoping

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to prolong the length of her release. As he felt the contractions inside
her body begin to slow down, he changed from sucking to licking her
clit and pulled his fingers from her ass. As her breathing slowly
returned to normal, Remus crawled up the length of her body, licking
and biting along the way. Reaching her breasts, he took first one
nipple and then the other into his mouth, sucking strongly, then ran
his tongue up her chest and across her chin to plunge inside her
mouth. Ravaging her silken mouth with his tongue, Remus settled his
pulsating erection between her thighs. Pulling back, he stared deeply
into her warm, brown eyes.

“I’m going to make you mine now, Maddie. I’m going to claim

you, and we’ll be united forever. Nothing will ever part us again. Tell
me you want that, too.”

Remus waited breathlessly for her reply.
“I want to belong to you, Remus. I want us to be together for the

rest of our lives. I love you so much. I feel whole when we’re
together, whole and safe. I never want to lose that feeling. Bite me,
Remus, bite me and don’t ever leave me.”

With her words, Remus pushed his hips forward, allowing his

erection to glide into her feminine folds. Throwing back his head, he
groaned as her slick heat surrounded him.

“God, baby, you feel so good,” he groaned.
Pushing steadily, Remus didn’t stop until he was seated fully

inside her body. As he savored the feeling, Maddie’s legs came up
and gripped him around the waist, her arms closing around his neck.
Remus reared back at this point, taking Maddie with him. Balanced
on his knees with Maddie impaled on his lap, Remus used his
incredible strength to raise and lower her on his shaft. After several
minutes of savoring her tight pussy, Remus stopped and stared into
her eyes.

“Release your legs, Maddie. I want you on your hands and knees.”
Immediately, Maddie dropped her legs and moved her hands to

his shoulders. She held her breath as he raised her off his shaft and

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lowered her to the mattress. She scrambled back from him, turned,
and got to her hands and knees. She laid her head down on her folded
arms on the bed and slightly spread her legs, the perfect submission
position.

Remus swallowed hard as he stared down at the perfection of

Maddie’s ass. He placed his hands on her shoulders and then ran them
down her smooth back to cup her buttocks and squeeze. Maddie
groaned and raised her head up to look back over her shoulder at
Remus. Taking a deep breath, he placed his right hand in the middle
of her back and pressed down.

“Lower your head and shoulders toward the bed, I want your ass

up in the air for me.”

Maddie did as he asked and trembled when he pulled her cheeks

apart, exposing the tiny puckered opening. “Someday, I’m gonna fuck
you here, and you’re going to love it.”

Feeling her body quiver, Remus grabbed his erection and guided it

to her dripping pussy. Pushing forward, he rammed into her up to his
balls in one stroke. He felt his beast rising to the surface, celebrating
being able to mate his woman finally. Carefully, he pulled almost all
the way out of her body and then slowly pushed back in to the hilt. As
he began the slow rhythm, he leaned forward across her body and
gripped her shoulder with his dropped canines to hold her in place.
When Maddie began to squirm beneath him, Remus tightened his
teeth on her shoulder, essentially calling for her submission. She
stilled her movement at the feel of his bite.

“Please, Remus, harder, I need…oh…harder.”
At her request, Remus increased his rhythm, pounding into her in

a frenzy. Reaching under her body, he fondled her breasts, tugging
gently on her nipples. Feeling himself getting close, he moved his
hand lower to search for her clit. He began flicking it with his finger.
As he felt her body begin to spasm around his cock, he pinched her
clit between his thumb and forefinger, sending her spiraling into her
own release. As she climaxed, her body contracting around his shaft

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sent him over the edge. He cried out from the pleasure as he released
his seed deep into her body and then turned his face toward her neck,
seeking the area where her shoulder joined her neck. Scraping his
fully dropped canines across her skin several times to prepare her, he
sank his teeth deep into the muscle, basking in the blood that filled his
mouth.

Feeling his bite sink deeply into her shoulder, Remus felt

Maddie’s body spasm and contract against his cock in another, even
harder climax.

“Remus!” she cried, as the lamp on the bedside table flew up into

the air and then crashed to the floor. Remus was too caught up in the
pleasure of their mating to do more than glance at the broken pieces.

With his body sated, Remus raised his head and ran his tongue

over the wounds in her neck, closing them. Fiercely, he hugged her
close against his body.

“You’re mine now, Maddie. I’ll never let you go.”
Keeping his arm tight around her body, Remus pulled his sated

cock free and rolled to his side, taking her with him. Cuddling her
even tighter, he took a deep breath, relishing in the feeling of having
claimed his life mate at last.

Now all I have to do is find a way to keep her safe from

Constantine.

* * * *

As they lay there basking in the afterglow of their mating, Maddie

began to run her hand up and down his chest. Slowly, she moved her
hand over to tease the nipple partially hidden by the light coating of
hair on his chest.

“What’re you doing?” Remus whispered. He opened one eye and

stared down at her. “I’m playing. I wanna explore you now, so just lie
back and enjoy.”

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As she said this, Maddie rose up and laid her upper body across

his chest. Lowering her head, she played with his nipple with her lips
and teeth, watching it become erect before moving to its mate. As she
learned about his body, Maddie rubbed her breasts back and forth.
The feel of his hair-roughened chest against her tender buds made her
groan in desire. As she bit lightly on his nipple, Remus gave her a
matching groan of his own.

When she heard his reaction to her lovemaking, Maddie began to

slowly lick her way down his chest, stopping at his belly button. She
gazed at his face and saw that his eyes were closed, his face frozen in
a look of intense pleasure. Feeling encouraged by that look, Maddie
continued her licking journey down his body.

I hope I can keep that look on his face. I’ve only read about doing

this.

Reaching her destination, she took his erection in her hand and

then lowered her head to swipe her tongue across the tip. Hearing his
breathless gasp, she smiled against his heated flesh before opening her
mouth wide and taking in the head of his shaft. She sucked on him as
she moved her body to lie between his thighs. Pulling her mouth off
his cock, she ran her tongue up and down the shaft, moving all around
his heat. As her other hand fondled his balls, she lowered her head
and licked them carefully before taking one of the heavy globes into
her mouth, sucking gently.

Remus growled loudly. “Oh my God, what’re you doing to me?”

He thrust his body up toward the heat of her mouth.

Abandoning his balls, Maddie returned her attention to his

massive cock.

He sure sounds like he’s enjoying it. I wonder what he’d say if he

knew I was just winging it?

Wrapping her hand around his shaft, she opened her mouth and

sucked his erection as far back in her throat as she could. Keeping up
a steady suction, she began to bob her head up and down, while
continuing to fondle his sac. On each outward pull, she swirled her

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tongue around the head as she continued to suck. When she felt his
balls begin to draw up closer to his body, she wondered if he was
getting ready to come.

“Maddie, stop. I don’t wanna come in your sweet mouth. Arrgh,

need to be inside you.” Remus’s voice was frantic.

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Chapter 7

Remus was going out of his mind in pleasure. He hadn’t expected

to feel his mate’s mouth on his body, at least not tonight. Groaning,
he caught his breath at the first touch of her tongue against his
erection. When he felt her take his ball into the warmth of her mouth,
he lost control. Before he could think, he’d thrust his hips toward the
suction of that wicked mouth. He knew he wasn’t going to last long
with this kind of attention.

He begged her to stop, to let him come inside her sweet pussy, and

he clenched his fists in frustration when she didn’t release him.
Determined that she’d do things his way, Remus reached down and
grabbed Maddie. She was so startled she released his cock before it
exploded in her mouth. Using his strength, he pulled her completely
up his body to seal his mouth over hers, taking her in a positively
carnal kiss. While his tongue plundered her mouth, he turned
suddenly, sweeping her under his body, and then drove his cock fully
into her warmth with one stroke.

“Remus!” Maddie screamed out his name as he filled her

completely.

As Remus pumped his cock back and forth, he lowered his hand

between their joined bodies and searched for her clit. With his thumb,
he pressed down hard and then used two fingers to pinch and tug
alternately. It only took a few moments before she was arching her
back and calling out his name with her release. With the feel of her
body climaxing, Remus couldn’t hold out anymore. He threw back his
head and howled as he spilled his seed into her depths once again.

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Exhaustion quickly set in, and he collapsed on top of her soft

body. Hearing her groan, he rolled to the side, gathered her body
close, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. After several minutes
of just savoring the feel of her against him, Remus put his hand under
her chin and lifted her eyes to his.

“I love you. God, baby, you excite me so much. You set me on

fire. I need you to be a part of everything I do in this life. I’m the
Alpha of my pack, and you’ll now be the Alpha Femm. You’re gonna
hold a place of importance for my people, someone the young pups
can look up to and seek advice from.”

As he spoke, Remus felt Maddie’s body begin to stiffen. He

seemed to automatically know what troubled her.

“Don’t worry, Maddie, I believe in my heart you’ve got it in you

to be a wonderful role model for our people. Everything Victor told
me and everything I’ve witnessed over the past few weeks tells me
you’re smart, warm, loving, and compassionate. That’s all you need
to be a role model for my people. Actually, they’re your people, too.
You read your grandfather’s journal. Your father was half wolf
himself.” He brushed back her hair and made her look into his eyes.
“Does this scare you, baby?” He didn’t want her to be afraid of her
own heritage.

“No, it doesn’t scare me, Remus, it worries me. I want to be a

good mate to you and a good role model, but I’m afraid of
disappointing you and your people, er...our people. I haven’t even
been responsible for myself for very long. I’m so confused about my
own heritage and my gift. I’m not sure that I can be the kind of mate
you need.”

“You’re everything I need or will ever want. I don’t ever wanna

hear you talk like that again. You’re special, Maddie, so very special,
and if it’s the last thing I do, I’m gonna convince you of that.”

Remus looked down at his mate thoughtfully.
“I want you to consider something, Maddie. I want us to get

married right away.”

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At her gasp of shock, Remus continued his request.
“We’re already married in the eyes of our pack, but I want us

married in the eyes of your brother’s world as well. I want him fully
aware of my commitment to you and for him to know that he no
longer has the responsibility for your health and well-being. I want
him to know that he has no right to be talking with Constantine about
you. Right now, legally, he could put you back in the clinic against
your will, at least temporarily, until he could get a court hearing. After
we’re legally married, he can’t do anything to you without my
permission, and I’ll never allow you to be sent away again.” He
smiled lovingly at her. “Plus, I don’t want society having a problem
with our pups. I want legal records of them being born to parents who
were married. Here on our mountain it doesn’t matter, but when they
go off into the world, it’ll matter a great deal.”

Tears slid down Maddie’s cheeks. “Remus, you couldn’t have said

anything that would make me any happier. I’ve always dreamed of
being married.” She wiped the tears from her face. “And I really think
that Michael won’t be as much of a problem if we are married.” She
looked a little embarrassed. “Truthfully, I’ve been worried about what
he would say when he found out we’re living together.”

Remus pulled her close and kissed her lightly. “You should have

told me you were worried about his reaction. I can’t help fix what’s
bothering you if you don’t confide in me.”

“I’m sorry, Remus, I was scared to tell you. I didn’t want my fears

to drive you away. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone or
anything in my life. I’d be proud to be your wife. I love my brother,
and I want him to be able to make a life for himself. I don’t wanna
have to worry about him sending me back to the clinic. I’ll never go
back to Dr. Constantine. I’d rather die first.”

“Don’t say that, baby, even jokingly. You don’t have to worry

about the doctor ever again. I’m gonna sit down with the Elders soon
and come up with a plan to run the good doctor off so he’ll never
bother you or any of my wolves ever again. You never have to be

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worried about anything scaring me off. You’re stuck with me for life
now.”

“I trust you, Remus, and I’ll do whatever you want to make our

lives easier.”

As Remus cuddled her close, he smiled when he heard her

thoughts in his head. His mate had forgotten about the psychic bond
that would form with mating.

My life’s changed so much since I came here. Remus makes me so

happy, happier than I ever thought I could be. I don’t know if I’ll ever
be able to make him see how much I love him.

Oh, God, how am I gonna tell Michael? He’s going to think I’ve

been irresponsible about all this, hell, maybe even try to talk me into
ending it

Maddie jumped clear out of Remus’s arms when she heard his

voice inside her head.

Michael will come around, love. He’ll just need a little time to

adjust and then he’ll see for himself that you’re happy.

Looking shocked, Maddie turned to Remus, her expression asking

for an explanation.

“It’s our mating bond, Maddie. It keeps us connected on many

levels. We’ll always be able to sense each other and in time, read all
of each other’s thoughts. If you concentrate, you’ll be able to hear my
thoughts and sense my feelings as well.

At her look of speculation, Remus continued. “It’s a good thing,

Maddie. It can help me keep you safe, and help me find you if we’re
apart for any reason. There shouldn’t be secrets between mates, and
this is a way to keep us from ever keeping secrets from each other.”

Maddie sighed and looked away. “I still don’t like it, Remus. I

don’t like the idea of anyone being able to read my mind.” She gazed
up at him through her long lashes and grinned. “But for you, I’ll find
a way to adjust to it.”

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Laughing, Remus snuggled her back down against his body.

“Maddie, we still haven’t mentioned something else.” Remus gave
her a wicked smile

“What’s that?”
“What happened to the lamp, Maddie?”
Obviously embarrassed, Maddie flushed a bright red and looked

over to the corner where the broken lamp lay in pieces. Again, he
heard her thoughts.

I can’t believe I lost control again today. I’d begun to believe he

hadn’t noticed since we were so caught up at the time. Now, what am
I supposed to say?

“I’m so sorry, Remus. I lost control for just a moment and then it

was too late to get it back. I don’t know what else to say. I’ll try and
not let it happen again, but I can’t make any promises.”

Remus tightened his arms around her and snuggled her even

closer to his body.

“Come on now, it’s okay. I’m thrilled that I drove you to such

passion that you lost control like that. I don’t care about the lamp, and
I hope that I continue to make you feel such pleasure that you don’t
have control of what’s going on around you. Your response to me
makes me feel like a king, baby. Don’t you know that?”

Maddie looked at him shyly and shook her head. Tilting her head

back with his finger, Remus placed a tender kiss on her lips, trying to
show her without words how much she meant to him. “Let’s get some
sleep, sweet lady. We have plans to make tomorrow regarding a
quickie wedding.”

Remus felt Maddie snuggle up to his chest and heard her sigh

softly. He hoped that she was finally beginning to feel safe. As he
listened to her breathing slow as she fell asleep, he whispered into her
mind.

I love you, forever.

* * * *

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Michael barely noticed the scenery as he drove toward Wind

River on his way to see Maddie in her mountain retreat. He couldn’t
believe how furious he was feeling, and he didn’t know how to get
past the fear in his heart. For the past three days, he tried calling
Maddie and got no answer. In desperation, he tried calling Remus
Wind River to ask him to check on her only to be told that he was
away for a few days.

“What good is asking a neighbor to check on her if he’s never

going to be around to do it?”

Michael’s anger actually had him talking out loud to himself in his

car. Dr. Constantine called him last night to say that he tried to visit
Maddie over the weekend and hadn’t been able to find her. He said he
waited quite a while before giving up and that the cabin had been in a
total mess. The door had been open, so he felt justified in going in and
looking around.

His heart had been heavy as he listened to the doctor explain that

she was out of control now, and for her own good, Michael should
sign the papers giving him the right to take her back to the clinic right
away. He assured Michael that, at least at the clinic, she’d be well
cared for and safe.

Michael didn’t want to have to sign her back in against her will,

but he was beginning to believe he didn’t have any choice. If Dr.
Constantine was right and she ended up getting hurt or worse, he’d
never be able to forgive himself. He loved her so much and only
wanted to make sure she stayed safe. If it weren’t for him, her life
would’ve been so different. He couldn’t change the past, but he could
do what was necessary to keep her safe now. He only hoped she’d
forgive him when she was back where she belonged. But he wasn’t
going to hold his breath waiting for that forgiveness. With a grim
feeling in his heart, he made the turn that would take him up the
mountain to her cabin.

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* * * *

Maddie set up her easel down by the river and was painting the

rock outcrop with the flowing river in the background. She’d never
been so happy in her life. The day after her mating with Remus,
they’d driven down to Cheyenne, gotten a license, and were quietly
married. It was a quickie, whirlwind wedding, but it had served its
purpose. She was now legally Maddie Wind River. The only damper
on the day was that she knew Michael would be upset that he hadn’t
been told first and that he wasn’t invited.

Remus worried she would be disappointed with the small

ceremony. He explained that it would take time to plan a real wedding
and that he thought it was best to get the legalities out of the way in a
hurry. He promised that they could have a more formal wedding later
on if that’s what she wanted.

She thought back to the ceremony. He bought her a new dress,

white with a lace jacket, and surprised her with a bouquet of roses.
His brothers had been there, along with the justice of the peace and
his wife. There was the only sad part of the day—Michael had not
been there to give her away.

I, Madelyn Bowers take you, Remus Wind River, to be my lawful

wedded husband. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till
death do us part. My life to yours, your life to mine, forever are we
joined.

She could still see the tears in Remus’s eyes when she recited her

vows to him. She completely understood how he felt since tears
streamed down her cheeks when he recited the words back to her.

Smiling, she thought back on the last couple of days. There wasn’t

a nice hotel for miles around, so they returned to the cabin for their
wedding night and a private honeymoon. Remus unplugged the
phone, and they hadn’t had contact with anyone for several days. He
finally let her out of their bed this morning, and that was only because
he had an Elders’ meeting he couldn’t miss. Stretching her arms

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above her head, she realized that there wasn’t a place on her body that
didn’t ache from all the vigorous sex he introduced her to. She was
trying not to think about all the erotic things they’d done because she
knew she was transmitting her thoughts to Remus during his meeting.
He’d be annoyed with her if he got an erection while he was talking to
the Elders. Laughing out loud at that image, she was trying to clear
her mind of wicked thoughts when she was startled to hear her name
called.

“Maddie.”
She glanced back toward the cabin and saw Michael standing on

the porch.

Oh, boy, he’s gonna be really pissed that I haven’t called him

back.

She kept meaning to call, but neither she nor Remus wanted their

short honeymoon interrupted by anything negative. Looking at
Michael’s face, she was pretty sure they made the right decision
because he looked furious. Oh well, she guessed it was time to face
the music. Turning, she began slowly walking back to the cabin.
Stopping at the bottom porch step, she gave him a smile to try and
diffuse his anger. “Hello, Michael. This is a surprise. I hadn’t
expected you for another couple of days for your visit.”

“Maddie, where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to reach

you for three days. Why haven’t you returned my calls?”

Maddie couldn’t stop the rush of anger that flowed through her,

but this time she was determined to control it.

“It’s so very nice to see you, too, Michael. How are you?”
“I think I’ll just ignore your sarcasm today, if it’s all the same to

you.”

It made Maddie a little nervous the way his eyes traveled up and

down her body several times. He stared so hard at her face, she was
beginning to wonder if he was trying to read her mind.

“You look happy, Maddie. In fact, you’re almost glowing.”
“Is there something wrong with that?”

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“No, of course not. I guess I’ve just never seen you look so happy

and radiant.”

Maddie smiled as she opened her door and went inside, motioning

for him to follow her. She was taking a big chance, but she hoped that
he’d see how truly happy she was and be happy for her. She knew
there was no way to hide the fact that Remus was living there now.
His clothes and personal items were scattered all over the cabin. She
wished Remus could be here to give her his support, but his meeting
was all the way across the mountain on the other side of his brother’s
house. It’d take him a while to get here, and she didn’t want to
interrupt him needlessly. Taking a deep breath, she decided that she’d
just have to handle things herself and carefully shielded her thoughts
from her mate. Walking over to the fridge, she pulled out a pitcher
and poured two glasses of iced tea. She turned to hand one glass to
Michael, who took it automatically while he looked around the cabin.

Maddie pointed to the table, indicating that Michael should sit

down. When he took a seat, she joined him.

“So, what brings you out to the country today? Not that it isn’t

really good to see you.”

“I gotta say, I’m surprised, Maddie.”
“About what?”
“You seem so calm, so much in control. I expected you to be

angry. Hell, I was prepared to be dodging flying objects when we
talked.”

Maddie felt her anger rising but decided to hold her comments.

She watched her brother closely as he looked around the cabin. She
was very aware of what he saw. There was men’s clothing laid across
the back of the couch as well as Remus’ shoes sitting in the floor. She
watched as he got up from the table, stalked over to the couch, and
picked up Remus’s shirt. He turned to face Maddie, holding the shirt
in the air.

“Who the hell does this belong to?”

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Maddie decided to ignore the anger in his voice and answered him

in a calm and cheerful manner.

“It belongs to Remus.”
Before she could tell him they were married, Michael exploded

with rage and anger.

“Remus has taken advantage of you? I can’t believe that ass

would do such a thing. When I get my hands on him, he won’t know
what hit him. I trusted him to look after you, not fuck you.”

Michael’s tirade went on and on with Maddie just listening

quietly, waiting for him to stop so she could tell him about their
wedding. She tried to control her feelings of hurt as he ranted on.

“I can’t believe you acted so irresponsibly, Maddie, even if he put

the moves on you. I knew I should never have left you alone here.
You’re not capable of making good decisions for yourself. I should
have listened to Dr. Constantine. You do need constant supervision.”

Maddie listened to him rant on and on, becoming more and more

angry with every passing minute. When he mentioned Dr. Constantine
being right, her rage exploded in full force, blowing the glass out of
the back door frame.

Michael screamed and jumped away, turning to look at her like he

was terrified of her.

“Oh, God, Michael, I’m so sorry.” Maddie was horrified that she

almost hurt her brother, but before she could say anything else, Dr.
Constantine came barreling through the front door. Michael had been
yelling so loudly she hadn’t heard a car drive up.

Maddie was overcome with fear. Constantine was standing in her

cabin, and Michael didn’t seem surprised to see him.

They’re planning something! Remus, where are you?
“Michael, I’m sorry you had to see her like this, but as you can

plainly see, I’m right. She can’t be left on her own any longer. She
needs the kind of supervision that she can only get at the clinic with
round-the-clock nursing care.”

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The men continued to talk to each other, ignoring the fact that she

was standing in the room with them.

Michael sighed heavily and took a step toward the doctor.
“I know, Dr. Constantine. I didn’t wanna believe you, but it’d be

hard to ignore what I’ve seen here today. I’m glad you agreed to meet
me here so we can get this settled before any more damage occurs.
It’s even worse than I thought. She’s let that lecherous neighbor I
asked to look after her seduce her into some type of sexual
relationship.”

“She’s mated with Remus!”
Michael didn’t appear to notice the excitement in the doctor’s

voice or his choice of words, but Maddie did.

Still ignoring Maddie’s presence, he continued speaking directly

to the doctor. “Is there anything you have with you that you can give
her to calm her down so we can transport her back to the clinic?”

“Of course, I anticipated the need for sedation.”
As Maddie watched in horror, he pulled open his case and

removed a hypodermic needle. She could tell by the look on his face
he couldn’t wait to get her back to his clinic, especially now that he
knew she’d mated with Remus.

“No!”
Maddie screamed out and then ran for the back door while books,

dishes, and lamps flew all over the room. Her only thought was to
escape and get to Remus. Michael anticipated her desire to run and
grabbed her, wrestling her to the floor. He held her still for Dr.
Constantine to give her the injection.

As she struggled against the two men, Maddie called out to

Remus in her mind.

Remus, help me! They’re trying to take me away. I can’t fight

them alone, and I don’t wanna leave you. Please Remus, I love you.
Don’t let them take me. I can’t get away from them. Please I need
your help. Do you even hear me?

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She wanted to tell him goodbye and that she loved him. She knew

there wasn’t time for him to get home before they take her away. As
tears streamed down her cheeks, she sent him a final message.

I’m sorry, Remus. I tried to fight them. I never wanted to be away

from you. I’ll always love you.

She continued to struggle against the two men as the drugs began

to affect her body. She felt more and more drowsy and unable to
make any coordinated effort to escape. Her last thought before she
lost consciousness was that she wished she could see Remus one more
time.

* * * *

As she ceased her struggles, Constantine bent down and checked

her vital signs.

“Is she okay?” Michael’s voice was small, almost like a whisper.
Constantine watched Michael as he looked down at his younger

sister. “She’s fine, Michael. Her vital signs are good.”

“I’m so sorry, Maddie. I wish I didn’t have to do this. I know

you’re never going to forgive me, but I just want you to be well.
You’re the only family I’ll ever have.” Michael was talking to Maddie
like he’d not even been aware the doctor had spoken.

“She’s fine, Michael. She’s just sleeping now. When she wakes,

she’ll be back in her room at the clinic with everything that’s familiar.
Don’t look so sad, son. You did the right thing. She’ll be safe with
me.”

Michael nodded as a tear slid down his cheek.
“I don’t know if I’m ever gonna be able to forgive myself for

doing this.”

“Nonsense, you didn’t have any other choice.”
Constantine watched Michael cuddle his sister and felt anxious to

get her back to the clinic. He didn’t want to risk Michael changing his
mind at the last minute. And if she’d really mated, they needed to get

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her away before her mate showed up. Giving him a moment with his
sister to say goodbye, Constantine looked around the cabin.

It’d been years since he’d been a guest here, and nothing much

seemed to have changed. He hadn’t taken much time to really look
around when he’d hidden the camera. He had just wanted to get in
and out without getting caught.

He brought his thoughts back to the present and looked down at

the young man so distraught over his sister’s unconscious body.
“Michael, it’s time for us to go. We need to get her back to the clinic
before the sedative wears off. We don’t want to be in transit when it
stops working.”

Michael nodded in agreement, then stood and lifted her in his

arms. Without a glance at the doctor, he walked through the door and
carried her out to his car.

“Wait, Michael, you need to put her in my car. I need to be able to

monitor her medication on the drive back. It’ll be easier and safer if
she’s with me.”

Looking as if he wanted to argue, Michael turned and walked to

the doctor’s car. Once Constantine opened his door, Michael carefully
placed his sister on the back seat. He smoothed her hair away from
her face and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“I’m so sorry, Maddie. Please remember how much I love you. I

only want what’s best for you.”

After whispering his apology to his sister, Michael gently closed

the car door and started toward his own car.

“I’ll be following behind you, Dr. Constantine. I want to be there

when she wakes up in the clinic. I’ve got to try and explain myself.”

“All right, Michael, if that’s what you want. We’ll drive straight

to the clinic from here. The less stops we make the better. We don’t
want her waking up before she’s settled. It’ll be better for her if she
stays as calm as possible.”

With that, he got in his car and started the engine. Waving to

Michael, he backed up and started down the long drive.

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* * * *

Miles away, Remus had been receiving feelings of anxiety from

Maddie. He has been edgy and nervous, sensing her stress. He could
barely pay attention to the Elders as they went over pack business. He
could tell they were becoming annoyed with him, but there was no
way he could ignore the feelings coming through the mate link.

Suddenly, he heard Maddie’s voice clearly in his head.
Help me, Remus, they’re trying to take me away. I can’t fight them

alone, and I don’t want to leave you. Please, Remus, I love you. Don’t
let them take me. I can’t fight them. Please, I need help.

He let his mind dig deeper into her subconscious and realized her

brother and the doctor were trying to take her away. Remus was livid
that Michael and Constantine would try to take her against her will.
He jumped up, startling his pack brothers. “My brothers, I need your
help. My mate is being abducted by her brother and Dr. Constantine.”

At his words, the members of his pack began to strip off their

clothes, then shifted and followed him as he raced toward their cabin
to stop the abduction. He was determined to stop them before they
could get off the mountain.

* * * *

Constantine was thrilled. He has his prize patient back, medicated

and on her way to his clinic. There’s nothing to stop him from
finishing his research now. He’d make sure her records showed a
permanent reason for her to remain in his care. He was excited to
think about all the tests he could do now that she’d mated with a full-
blooded Wolfen. It should trigger her DNA, allowing her to shift.
What a wonderful thing that would be if he could have her do
controlled shifts in the clinic.

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Glancing back in his rear view mirror, Dr. Constantine wondered

how soon he could get rid of her brother. He was grateful for his help
in getting her today, but he would feel better when they didn’t have
much contact again. Chuckling to himself, he realized he was lucky
that her brother wasn’t too bright and somewhat afraid of her abilities.
It made it easy for him to manipulate Michael.

Glancing back at the road, he was stunned to see twenty or more

wolves running toward his car. He immediately slowed down, then
changed his mind and sped up, letting them know he’d run them down
if he had to.

The wolves fanned out and then fell in beside the two cars like an

escort. He saw Michael’s face in his rearview mirror. He looked
absolutely terrified, but he was keeping up with the doctor’s car.

As Constantine rounded the next bend in the road, he was

dismayed to see it blocked by human looking men and two cars. The
forest on each side prevented him from driving around them.
Reluctantly, he stopped the car, moving swiftly to lock the doors. He
glared at the wolves resentfully.

As he sat there pondering his next move, Remus came up beside

his window and tried to open the door.

“Open this door right now, Constantine, or I’ll turn my pack loose

on you. They won’t leave anything for the authorities to find.”

Constantine was afraid but determined not to show it. Reaching

into his bag, he pulled out another hypodermic needle and leaned over
the seat.

“Back up, Remus, and call off your pack. Let me drive away, or

I’ll kill her right now. I swear it.”

* * * *

Remus growled from deep within his chest. He’d never felt such

fury in his life. He couldn’t take his eyes off the syringe being held so
closely to his unconscious mate. It wouldn’t take him any effort at all

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to just rip the door off the car, but Constantine would still have time
to inject whatever was in the syringe. He felt like a knife was piercing
his heart. To save his love, he’d have to let her go with him for now.

“I’m warning you, Constantine, if you hurt one hair on her head

I’ll kill you myself in the most horrible, painful way I can think of.
Don’t think you’ve won, because I’m coming after you. There won’t
be any place you can hide that I can’t find you.”

Constantine snorted. “Save your pretty speeches, wolf man, they

don’t mean shit to me. I’ve been studying your kind since before you
were born. You, or any of your kind, come anywhere near me, and I’ll
end her life. I won’t even lose any sleep over it.” He moved the hand
with the syringe closer to Maddie’s neck and glared at Remus. “Now
get that road cleared now. I’m driving away and I’d better not see
anybody or anything following me. Do you understand?”

Remus glanced at the serene face of his mate. “Yes, I understand.”

He called out to his pack mates. “Clear the road and let him through.”

“Remus?” Latan’s voice had the sound of fear in it.
“Just do it, Latan. He’s going to kill her if we don’t let them out of

here.” Remus heard a car door slam.

“What the hell is going on, Remus?” Michael wanted to know.

“Where did all these wolves come from? Where the hell are your
clothes?” The young man sounded scared and hadn’t ventured away
from his car door.

Constantine smirked up at Remus. “Looks like you’re going to

have your hands full dealing with good old brother Michael. He
doesn’t know about you, does he? But since you mated with Maddie,
I’ll bet she knows everything. It’ll make it so much easier to study her
abilities if she’s aware of what’s going on.”

“Get back in your car, Michael.” It was all Remus could do to

hold in his anger with the doctor.

“No,” Michael yelled back. “You get away from Maddie. Dr.

Constantine is taking her back to the clinic where she’ll be safe.”
Remus had no patience to deal with the young man right now.

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“Latan, get him out of here and hold him until I can come and talk

to him.” He watched his brother nod to two of his pack mates and
walk off. The next thing he heard was Michael screaming and then
sudden silence. He wasn’t worried. He knew they wouldn’t hurt him
unless he asked them to.

“Back away from the car, Remus,” Constantine ordered. “I want a

clear passage to drive away.” Remus growled again and couldn’t stop
the tears forming in his eyes. “Just remember I’m coming for you.”
He slowly began to back away from the car. Constantine didn’t do
anything until Remus was standing in the grass on the other side of
the road. Remus saw Constantine lean forward and then heard the
engine of the car start. Before he could move, the car’s wheels spun as
it surged forward, tearing down the gravel road. His beautiful Maddie
was gone. He was so lost in his pain that he was startled when he felt
a hand on his arm.

“Remus, snap out of it,” Ethan cried. “What do you want us to

do?”

Remus looked around at all his pack mates. They were standing

around him, waiting to see what the plan of action was going to be.
He pointed to the four wolves closest to the road. “You four, track
them, now. We need to know where he’s taking her. Go up to the
cabin and get her scent. When you catch up to them stay hidden, don’t
let him know you’re there unless you think her life is in danger. Just
locate her and call me. We’re going to come up with a plan to take
care of this permanently.” He watched as the loped off toward the
cabin.

He turned to Ethan. “Where did they take Michael?”
“They put him back in his car and drove him to the Pack house.

They’re going to hold him there until you tell them different.” Ethan
looked at his brother and grimaced. “You’re going to have a lot of
explaining to do for the Elders. They’re not going to like us holding a
human against their will.”

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“I don’t give a damn whether the Elders like it or not, we’re

talking about my mate’s survival. Besides, whether he knows it or
not, Michael is only part human.” Without another word, Remus
shifted, and ran off toward their Pack house.

* * * *

Constantine kept glancing in his rearview mirror and up and down

the wooded areas beside him as he drove down the two lane county
road. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Looks like we’re home free,
Maddie girl. Looks like he took me seriously and decided not to
follow me.”

He quickly peered over the seat and saw she was still unconscious

and hadn’t moved at all. Turning back around, he smirked. “He’s an
idiot, though, because I’d never hurt you, Maddie. I’m going to take
very good care of you. We’re going to become very close, just like I
was with Eloise. You’ll see. You will be happy with me. We’re going
to work together to find out what makes the shifts occur. No matter
what it takes, we’re going to find out what makes you what you are.”

* * * *

Remus raced up the steps to the Pack House and pushed his way

through the screen door. Immediately, he shifted back to his human
self. He quickly changed into the clothes he kept in the closet there,
checked his pocket for his cell phone, and then went to find where
they were holding Michael. He’d just started down the hall when he
heard Latan’s voice.

“Remus!”
“Where did you put him, Latan?”
“He’s in the room at the end of the hall. I’ve got one guard inside

with him, and one outside. What happened after we left?”

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“He took her, Latan, he took my beautiful Maddie. He was going

to inject her with something if I didn’t let him drive away, and I
couldn’t risk that he was bluffing.” Remus knew he had tears falling
down his cheeks, but he couldn’t seem to care.

Latan walked up and put his arms around Remus. “We’ll get her

back, and we’ll make him pay.” He stepped back and gazed into his
brother’s face. “Do you want me to come with you to talk to
Michael?”

Remus thought for a moment. “Yes, I think I do. I don’t think my

mate will be very happy with me when she comes home if I’ve done
something to damage her only brother.” Remus laughed, but there
was no real humor in it. “Let’s go.”

Remus opened the door and gazed at the young man sitting at the

table. His face showed fierce anger, but the trembling of his hands
gave away his fear. He wasn’t surprised when Michael was the first to
break the silence.

“Remus, what the hell is happening? Where are Maddie and Dr.

Constantine? Why have you brought me here?” He wasn’t even
giving Remus a chance to answer.

Remus didn’t say anything for a long time. He just let Michael sit

there, wondering what was happening. He watched Michael’s eyes as
they followed Latan when he walked around the room and took up a
position behind him. The pack member Latan had assigned to guard
Michael stood nearby. He nodded respectfully toward Remus, then
returned his attention to Michael. Remus was fighting his impulse to
throttle Maddie’s idiot brother for his part in her abduction.

“Michael, do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Remus tried

to keep his voice even, not emotional. He didn’t think he would get
answers from Michael if he let his anger out.

“I haven’t done anything except try and get my sister the help she

needs. Damn it, Remus, you’ve screwed up everything. Dr.
Constantine only sedated her so she would calm down on the ride

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back to the clinic. Did you bother looking inside the cabin? She
practically destroyed the place with her fit of anger.”

“Why was she angry, Michael? What did you and Constantine do

to make her so angry?” Remus asked.

“I questioned her about you, you sick bastard. It was pretty

obvious that you’d been staying there with her. Hell, your clothes are
all over the place. Did you think I wanted you to watch her that
closely?” Michael stood and paced back and forth in the room. Then
he stopped in front of Remus. “How could you? How could you take
advantage of someone as innocent as Maddie?”

Remus took a step forward and grabbed Michael by the shoulders,

then shook him hard. “I didn’t take advantage of anybody, Michael. I
love Maddie and she loves me.”

Michael struggled to get away from Remus’s hold. “She can’t

love you. She doesn’t know what love is. Hell, she’s been locked up
for most of her life. You just saw an easy piece of ass and took
advantage, and now Maddie’s the one who’s going to have to pay the
price.”

Remus pushed him away and watched as he struggled not to lose

his footing. “I never took advantage of her innocence. Maddie and I
were married four days ago, Michael. Did you even give her a chance
to tell you that?”

Michael looked like he’d received a fatal shock. “Married? You

married her? That’s not possible. She would need my permission.”

“Michael, Maddie is an adult, not your child, and not your

responsibility any longer. In case you missed it, the courts ruled that
she could make her own decisions. Why can’t you accept that? Don’t
you want her to be happy, to have a life, a family of her own? Or are
you so damn lonely in your own life you’ll do anything to keep her
under your thumb?”

The embarrassed look on Michael’s face spoke volumes. “I don’t

believe Maddie would marry you without telling me first, without
even inviting me to witness it. I’m her only family.”

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“It nearly killed her that you weren’t there, but she was realistic.

She said that she knew you’d object and cause problems, and she
didn’t want to face your anger until it was a done deal.” Remus
watched as Michael walked over and sat back down at the table. He
looked like a lost little boy. “Michael, where’s Constantine taking
Maddie?”

Michael looked up. “What’s with all the wolves, Remus? I’ve

never seen so many in one place.”

“Damn it, Michael, focus,” Remus screamed. “Where is he taking

Maddie?”

“His clinic. He’s taking her back to his clinic. She was always

safe there. He protected her from the outside world.”

“She was never safe there, and he isn’t taking her back to the

clinic, at least not now. He knows that’s the first place we’d look for
them,” Remus said. He looked at Michael feeling nothing but pity
now. Then he caught Latan’s gaze. “I’m not going to get anything out
of him. Let’s go. I need to talk to the Elders.” He spoke to the guard.
“Keep him here until Latan comes back.”

As Remus and Latan walked out the door, Michael tried to follow

and was pushed back down in his chair. The last thing Remus heard
when he shut the door was Michael’s voice. “Forgive me, Maddie, I
didn’t understand.”

Remus looked at Latan. “Do you know where any of the Elders

are?”

Latan scowled. “They’re all in the conference room waiting to rip

you a new one. They didn’t like us bringing Michael here at your
orders, but they didn’t interfere.”

“Well, I don’t really care what they did or didn’t like. It was

necessary. Wait for me outside. I’ve got to talk to them for a moment,
and then we’re going to meet back at the cabin with the other wolves.
I want some type of plan to put in effect as soon as we get word
where he’s holding her.” Remus turned and walked away, leaving
Latan to carry out his orders.

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Remus knocked once on the door to the conference room and then

entered without waiting for permission. All five of the Elders were
obviously waiting for him and said nothing while they waited for him
to speak.

Remus decided to direct his plea to the head Elder. “Vanard, I

come before the Elder’s council to ask a special favor.”

Vanard’s eyebrows rose and he gazed at Remus for a long time

before responding. “What is it that you require, Alpha?”

Remus walked over to the window and looked out at the

mountains in the distance. For the first time, he felt a tingle of fear run
up his spine. He knew what he was about to ask the Elders would cost
him dearly, he just didn’t know what their price would be. “When my
father was still alive he spoke of the council of Elders often. He
thought it was important, since I was to take his place as Alpha
someday, that I understand how our hierarchy worked. He schooled
me in your duties, your authority over the pack, and your importance
to the survival of our race.” Remus turned and gazed into Vanard’s
eyes. “And he told me of the magic you carry within you.”

Vanard’s face showed no emotion at all when he spoke. “Go on,

Alpha. What is sit you seek? If he told you all about us then you must
know that our magic can’t bring your mate home to you.”

Remus took a deep breath. “I ask for the magic for my mate’s

brother, Michael.”

“This is the human you hold prisoner in our home?” Vanard

asked.

“Yes, I had him brought here so he could not leave without my

talking with him and finding out what he knew about Maddie’s
kidnapping.”

“And did you discover the information you needed? Was he

involved with the abduction of your mate?” Vanard’s voice had
grown cold and angry.

“Not really. He was duped into believing that Constantine wanted

to help her. He let himself be convinced that she was a danger to

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herself, since she’d been locked up for so much of her life.” Remus
ran his fingers through his hair. “He’s as much a victim as Maddie.”

“Then what is it you wish for us to do, son?” Vanard looked at

Remus with compassion showing on his face.

“I’m going to bring my mate home, Vanard. Michael is her

brother, and she loves him dearly. It could be painful for her if he
continues to bring up the events from today.” Remus swallowed hard.
“I want you to use your magic to take away most of his memory of
these events. I only want him to remember that he came to see if
Maddie needed to be hospitalized but decided that she was doing all
right since she and I got married. I don’t want him to remember any
wolves or any abduction or interrogation.” Now Remus waited to see
their reaction and find out the cost of what he asked.

Vanard stared at him long and hard before answering. “What you

ask will not be easy, especially since you want part of his memories to
remain.” He glanced at the other Elders. “We must have assurances
that this type of thing with the humans does not continue to be a
problem within the Pack.”

“What assurances do you want?” Remus asked.
“There is a price for our help, Alpha, and it’s a steep one.”
“For God’s sake, just tell me what you want.”
“We will do as you ask if you are willing to give up the right for

your son to inherit your title of Alpha. Since you went against our
wishes and mated with someone who cannot produce a full-blooded
shifter, we have to find a way to protect the future. We need strong
leadership, like you. We won’t have that type of leadership if we
continue to intermarry. Eventually our offspring will be entirely
human and that is not acceptable.” He walked over to stand beside
Remus. “Are you willing to give up your future son’s right to take
your place as Alpha some day in order to give your mate peace about
today’s events?”

“I’d do anything for Maddie.”

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Vanard didn’t hesitate. “So be it. It will be done today. I will have

someone make sure he gets to the local motel with his automobile
after we finish so he thinks he went there after confronting his sister.”

Remus bowed his head slightly. “Thank you, Vanard.” Then he

turned and left the room.

* * * *

Maddie struggled to wake up. She didn’t understand why she

couldn’t move. It was like her arms were glued to the bed. And her
head. It hurt so badly.

Am I sick? Where’s Remus? This doesn’t smell like our bed.

Where am I?

She finally got her eyes to open only to become more confused.

She didn’t recognize anything. It was a small room, only the bed and
a table with a chair. There was one window, and to her horror it had
bars across it. She started to sit up only to realize that she was tied to
the bed. Then she remembered.

Oh God, they drugged me. Michael and Dr. Constantine drugged

me. Remus, where are you? I’m scared. I don’t know where I am.

She was startled when there was a sound of someone unlocking

the door. She looked up in alarm as Dr. Constantine walked into the
room carrying a tray.

“Well good, Maddie, I see you’ve finally decided to wake up. I’m

sorry about that. I guess I gave you a little more sedative than you
needed. I was really worried about your waking up during the long
drive, so I gave you a little more than I usually do. You’re going to
have a bit of a headache, but it shouldn’t last too long.” He looked at
her for a long moment. “I’ll tell you right now there’s no use in trying
to use your gift on me the way you did on Michael. I gave you some
medication while you were sleeping that will keep you from being
able to focus your anger. It’s something I perfected during the last
year you lived at the clinic. You’ll find it’s quite effective in keeping

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you from sending things flying through the air. Of course, there are
always side effects, so I’m guessing you’ll feel very weak and tired
for the next few days.”

“Where am I?” Maddie asked weakly.
“Good, I want you to ask questions. I don’t want us to have any

more secrets. That way we’ll work better together. You’re at a little
cabin I own, not too far from your former home. It’s isolated and has
all the equipment I need to continue with our experiments.” He smiled
at her. “I think you’ll be happy here after you accept that you can’t
leave. I can tell you that your grandmother Eloise spent some time
here, and she came to love being here with me.”

“You knew my grandmother?”
“Of course, she was the basis for my whole life’s work. She was a

lot older than me, but I came to care for her a great deal. It broke my
heart when she was killed.”

“I don’t understand. How did you know her and what did you

mean when you said she liked this place?”

Constantine put the tray on the table near the window and then

pulled the chair over next to the bed and sat down. “I met your
grandmother shortly after she had your father. I was staying here in
the cabin with my family for a vacation, and I’d gone out for a walk.
It was just pure luck that I managed to see her shift into her wolf.”

“You saw her shift?” Maddie asked.
“Oh, yes, Maddie, she was so beautiful. I became quite fascinated

with her. So fascinated, in fact, I came back here after I finished
college. I wanted to meet the woman who’d been in my dreams for
several years, and I wanted to find out what made her like she was. I
tried to befriend her and your grandfather. I’d wanted them to
introduce me to more of their kind, but they weren’t very
welcoming.”

“More of their kind? You thought Grandfather was a wolf shifter

too?”

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“Yes, at first I did. I learned pretty quickly that he was only

human. Eloise was somewhat careless, and I managed to catch her
alone on several of her runs. She let it slip one day that your father
was only half wolf.” Constantine smiled at Maddie. “Back then, I was
only interested in studying someone that was full-blooded, so I made
a deal with your grandmother.”

“What kind of deal?” Maddie asked hesitantly.
“I agreed to leave Victor and Dale alone if she would agree to let

me run some, well, some tests on her.”

Maddie felt sick. “And she agreed to this arrangement?”
“Well, not at first. Victor had a little accident in his car, and I

convinced her that the next time the baby might be with him. She
agreed to come here a few times a week after that.”

“Oh my God, you’re really crazy, like my grandfather said.”

Maddie felt the tears falling down her cheeks.

Constantine looked surprised. “You talked to Victor about me?”
Maddie sighed and struggled against the bonds holding her arms

down. “No, he left me a journal that warned me against you.”

Constantine chuckled. “So he’s still trying to drive me away, even

from the grave.”

Maddie continued to struggle to free herself, trying not to let the

feelings of fear overwhelm her. She was beginning to have a clearer
head, but she didn’t want the doctor to know in case he decided to
drug her some more. She knew Remus would be looking for her. She
just had to hold on until he found her. “Dr. Constantine, please, do
you think you could at least untie my arms? It’s not like I can go
anywhere.”

The doctor ignored her request. “You know, Maddie, it grieved

me as much as your grandfather when Eloise was killed. It was such a
senseless accident, and I missed her so much after she was gone. I
couldn’t continue with my research. Your father showed no signs of
having the wolf DNA. I thought everything would have to be
dropped, and then you fell into my lap as a patient.”

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“How did you know who I was?” she asked.
“I’d kept up with your father in hopes that his children would

show more prominent signs of carrying your grandmother’s genes.
You have an unusual DNA marker in your body. I discovered it when
you were a patient at the clinic. It was my hope that we’d have many
years together for research, but then that lawyer stepped in and got
you released. It hasn’t been easy convincing your brother that you
would be better off under my care.”

Maddie was horrified. Oh, no, not Michael. He wouldn’t do this to

me. “Are you telling me my brother had something to do with my
being here?”

“Of course, he wants what’s best for you, just like I do. He knows

that I’ll look after you and keep you safe. He really does love you,
Maddie.”

Maddie stayed silent. She couldn’t believe Michael would help

this madman keep her locked away, not if he really loved her.

Remus, where are you? Can you hear me? I don’t know how to

project my thoughts to you or how to tell if you’re able to hear me.
I’m in some cabin. I can only see trees through the windows, and it
looks like forest. I’m tied to a bed listening to Dr. Constantine rant on
about his research. I’m scared, Remus, scared of what he might do to
me. Please, help me, answer me!

Maddie was startled when Constantine suddenly stood up. “I’m

sorry, Maddie, I had brought you some tea but now it’s bound to be
cold. I’ll go and make some fresh. Are you hungry?”

Maddie thought quickly, if he took the time to make her

something to eat he’d be gone longer. “Yes, please, I’m feeling very
hungry and a little sick at my stomach.”

“Yes, that’s part of the effect of the drugs. I’ll go make you

something hot. We want to keep you in good physical shape now.
Don’t fret so, child, I’m not going to hurt you.” He walked over to the
door and opened it. Glancing back over his shoulder, he smiled. “I’ll

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be back in a little bit with something for you to eat. Try and get some
rest.”

Maddie watched as he closed the door. Remus, where are you? I

need help!

* * * *

Remus sat at the table in the cabin he shared with Maddie and

watched his pack mates sitting in front of the fire. For the past few
hours they had been waiting to hear from the trackers he sent after
Constantine and Maddie. The waiting was beginning to wear on
everyone, especially his brothers. He could see in their faces how
much they were hurting for him. He’d tried over and over again to
touch Maddie’s mind, but he hadn’t been able to sense her after
Constantine drove off. The only thing he could figure was that the
doctor was keeping her sedated.

He nearly jumped out of his chair when his cell phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Alpha, we found them.”
Remus was delighted to hear the voice of his pack mate. “Where”
“Thirty miles south on State Road Seven there’s a cut off to a dirt

road. About six miles in there is a lone cabin, very isolated,
surrounded by dense forest. It’s going to be a piece of cake to sneak
up on it.” The young wolf’s voice sounded excited, like he couldn’t
wait to take on the mission.

“Don’t do anything,” Remus exclaimed, “unless her life is in

immediate danger. We can be there in less than an hour.” Remus
looked at Latan as he came to stand beside him, and he couldn’t stop
his voice from quivering when he spoke again. “Have you seen her?”

“Affirmative, Alpha. The room she’s being held in has one

window that’s barred. She’s been restrained on a bed. The doctor
spent some time in there sitting and talking, but he left the room a few

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minutes ago. I had to wait to call until I could sneak away from the
house.”

“All right, sit tight. We’re on our way.” Remus hung up the phone

and looked at his brother. “Did you hear?”

“Enough. You ready to go get your mate?” Latan replied.
Remus looked over at his pack mates who were all staring at him.

“My mate’s safety is our top priority. I want her back unharmed.”
Remus let the anger he’d been holding back fill his soul. “Take
Constantine down any way you can.” Remus stopped talking as a
feeling of fear washed over him.

“Remus, what’s wrong?” Latan asked.
Remus ignored him for a moment and just concentrated on what

he was feeling.

Fear, helplessness, anger. These aren’t my feelings. They’re

coming from Maddie. Baby, can you hear me? I’m coming for you.
Hang on, I’ll be there soon.

Remus looked at Latan. “I can feel her now. She awake, and she’s

scared. I can’t hear her words, only feel what she’s feeling.” Remus
glanced at the other wolves. “Let’s shift and take care of business.”

* * * *

Maddie cringed as the door opened and Constantine came back in

carrying another tray. She watched as he pulled the table over by the
bed and set the tray down. She could see it had a bowl of some kind
of soup and a cup that was probably tea. She shook with fear when he
laid a small towel across her chest and tucked it under her chin.

“I’m sorry, Maddie, but I figured you’d rather have the towel than

be covered in soup. I’m afraid I don’t have much experience in
feeding someone. I was afraid I’d make a mess.”

“Why can’t you just untie me and let me feed myself?” she asked.
“Not just yet. I’d rather wait until you’re more settled here before

I give you much freedom.” He picked up the bowl and spoon and

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leaned close to her face. “Now, be a good girl and eat this. You need
to keep your strength up.”

Maddie was just about to refuse when she felt Remus’s presence.

She could sense him getting closer. Maybe if she kept the doctor busy
feeding her she could give Remus the time he needed to get to her.
Slowly, she opened her mouth and let him feed her the soup.

* * * *

Remus watched as his pack mates surrounded the small cabin. It

was almost too easy. The place was surrounded by forest on three
sides. It made for perfect cover and easy to sneak up on. He hoped
they hadn’t overlooked anything.

He sent a telepathic message to Ethan and Latan. Are you in

position? Their affirmative responses came back immediately. Okay,
let’s do it.

Remus led the way as the group, half in human form and half in

wolf shape, converged on their target. Silently, he approached the
window and looked inside. Fury raised inside him as he watched
Constantine wipe his mate’s face with a towel. He couldn’t feel her
emotions anymore, and it was worrying him.

Latan, he’s in the room with Maddie. Be as quiet as you can and

go in the back door. Ethan, you go in the front. I’ll let you know if he
starts to leave the room.

* * * *

Maddie was feeling very drowsy and dizzy. “What have you

done? I don’t feel so good.”

Constantine wiped off the soup that had dribbled on her chin, then

sat back and stared at her. “I thought it best if you rested for a while.
I’m going to want to do some testing later, and it would be better if
you didn’t fight me.”

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Maddie struggled to stay alert. She couldn’t sense Remus

anymore. “What kind of testing?”

“Don’t worry. I’m only going to do some blood work today. I

want to see how your DNA markers have changed since you’ve mated
with a full-blooded wolf shifter. I want to draw the samples soon
because I have to send them out to be analyzed. I promise that’s all
I’m going to do while you’re asleep. I want you awake for any other
testing.”

“What other testing? Please, I need to know.” Maddie knew she

was begging, but she was so afraid to go to sleep.

“It’s simple, Maddie. We’re going to see if we can bring your

wolf out to play.” The sound of his laugh made chills run up Maddie’s
arms.

“I don’t have a wolf, I never did,” she whispered.
“I know, but there’s a good chance now that you will. Remus

injected you with his DNA when you mated. Don’t bother to deny it.
The mating mark is quite clear on your neck.”

“Mating mark? I don’t, I don’t…I—” Then Maddie’s world went

black.

* * * *

As Remus watched, Constantine picked up the tray and left the

room. He quickly warned his brothers.

Get ready, target is approaching.
He motioned for his pack brothers behind him to follow, and they

headed for the front door. A few moments later, he heard a loud crash,
then silence. He jumped when the front door opened, then felt relief
when Latan stepped out onto the porch.

Remus didn’t even wait for Latan to say anything. He pushed past

him and went racing through the cabin, just glancing briefly at the
doctor’s unconscious form on the floor. There were only two other
rooms to the cabin, and one of them had a closed door. He tried the

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knob and found it locked. Pulling back his foot, he kicked with all his
strength. The door splintered and cracked, but it took two more kicks
before it finally gave up the struggle and collapsed.

In two steps he was at the bed, breaking the restraining straps, and

yanking his mate into his arms. “Maddie, can you hear me?” She
didn’t even move. She’d obviously been drugged again. “Damn,
please be okay,” he whispered.

“Is she okay?” Ethan asked from the doorway.
Remus pulled her close to his chest and looked over at his brother.

“She’s been drugged, but she’s alive.” He gazed down at her peaceful
face and blinked back tears. Then he took a deep breath and spoke to
Ethan. “Let’s get out of here. I want her to wake up in her own bed.
Call Vanard and have him get a hold of the Westerland Pack’s doctor
and see if they’ll come out and take a look at her.” As he started to
carry his precious bundle out, Ethan’s voice stopped him.

“Remus?”
Remus merely stopped and listened.
“What about Constantine?” Ethan asked.
“What about him?” Remus replied.
“What do you want us to do with him?”
Remus could hear the fear in his brother’s voice, but he hardened

his heart against it. “I don’t want anyone to have to fear him ever
again.” He glanced over at Ethan. “But don’t worry, little brother, I’ve
already asked someone to take care of it. Go and find Latan. I want
the two of you to follow me home.”

Ethan looked relieved. “Okay, we’ll be right behind you.”
As Remus carried his mate past the doctor’s unconscious body

lying on the floor, he didn’t have one moment of regret for what he’d
asked his pack mates to do.

* * * *

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As Remus watched, Maddie began to slowly awaken. By the way

she began tossing and turning, he was sure she was caught up in the
horrors of a nightmare. Quickly, he sat beside her on the bed.

“Shhh, baby, you’re safe now. You’re home with me in our cabin.

I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you.”

Maddie relaxed in his hold and slowly opened her eyes. She

focused on his face and threw her arms around his neck, holding on
tightly as if he’d disappear if she let go.

“You’re really here? It’s over?” she whispered.
Remus lay down beside her in the bed and took her in his arms.

He wanted to do whatever he could to assure her that she was safe at
home with him.

“You’re safe, and you’re right here at home in our own little

cabin. We’re together, and nobody’s gonna take you away from me.”

Remus gripped his fingers tightly in Maddie’s hair and pulled

back gently until her head was tilted back, then closed his lips over
hers. Plunging his tongue deeply, he savored the taste of his mate
filling his senses.

Before they got too carried away with their loving, Remus needed

to talk to her about Michael. Remus ended their kiss and gazed into
Maddie’s eyes. “Are you okay?

Maddie smiled. “I am now. I prayed you would find me.”
Remus cupped her cheek in his hand, then ran his thumb across

her bottom lip. “Maddie, nothing could have kept me from finding
you. I couldn’t rest until you were back here in my arms where you
belong.”

Maddie brought her hands to the front of Remus’s shirt and lightly

toyed with the buttons. “Remus, what happened to Dr. Constantine?”

Remus gripped her chin tighter and brought her gaze up to his.

“He’s never going to bother you again, Maddie.”

For just a moment, Remus saw fear in her eyes, then calm

acceptance. “Okay, what about Michael?” she asked.

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“Well, that’s another story entirely.” Remus sighed and sat up in

the bed. He reached down and pulled Maddie up to sit between his
legs with her back against his chest. “How much do you remember,
Maddie?”

“I remember everything. If you’re trying to break it to me gently

that Michael was involved in getting me back to the clinic, then don’t
bother. I already heard it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”

Remus tightened his arms around her briefly in a hug meant to

comfort. “I want you to know that I would never hurt your brother. I
know you love him.”

Maddie sighed. “Oh, Remus, it never occurred to me that you’d

hurt him. Now I, on the other hand, might just have to kick his ass.”

Remus couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled forth at his gentle

little mate’s threat. When she turned her head to glare at him, he cut
off his laugh with a cough. “Sorry, baby,” he said.

“Okay, let’s get our facts straight here. Michael was in the wrong,

and he nearly got me experimented on or worse. But the truth is it
wasn’t entirely his fault. Dr. Constantine thought he was an idiot and
was manipulating him to get his help. I know that Michael was only
trying to do what he thought was right, no matter how wrong he was.”

Remus ran his hands through her tangled hair. “So, does that mean

you forgive him?”

“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed. “I’ll always love him, he’s my

only brother, but it’s gonna take some time before I’m ready to
forgive, and I’m never gonna forget.”

“He wants to see you,” Remus told her.
She stilled in Remus’s arms. “Where is he?”
“Right now he’s down at the motel outside of town cooling his

heels. He’s been calling every little bit until I finally unplugged the
phone. I’ve got the road guarded so he can’t drive up here without my
permission.”

“I guess I’m gonna have to see him, if for no other reason than to

make him go home.”

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“Well, before you do I need to tell you some things.”
She turned her head and gazed up at him. “What things?”
“I just wanted to protect your relationship with him and to keep

our secret safe. I didn’t think he was up to keeping his mouth shut
about the things he’d seen.”

“Okay, what did you do, exactly?” Maddie was getting a worried

look on her face.

“Actually, I didn’t do anything. I had the Elders do it. I had his

memory of the events altered.”

“You what!”
Remus winced at the shriek of Maddie’s voice. “It’s okay,

Maddie, he’s not hurt. He just doesn’t remember everything that
happened in the last twenty four hours.”

Maddie took a deep breath and turned back around to lay her head

back on Remus’s chest. “You can really do that, change somebody’s
memories? Never mind, of course you can or you wouldn’t have said
anything.” She ran her hand across her forehead. “So, exactly what
does he remember now?”

Remus sighed. His mate was beginning to be annoyed, and he

couldn’t really blame her. “He remembers coming here yesterday
with Constantine to take you back to the clinic. He remembers
helping to drug you. But that’s when his memory changes from
reality. He thinks I stopped them from taking you away when I came
home early and told them that we were married. Then I supposedly
threw them out and told him to wait at the motel until I called him.”

“That’s it?” Maddie said.
“That’s it,” Remus replied.
Maddie shook her head and laughed. “It’s like living in the

Twilight Zone.” She sighed. “Let’s just get him up here so I can talk
to him and send him on his way. Then I’d just like to be with you for
a while, nobody else. Can we do that?”

“You bet we can, baby. I’ll get him up here right away.” Remus

crawled off the bed and went to plug in the phone. After a brief call

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telling Latan to have Michael drive up to the house, he turned back to
his mate. “Maddie, let’s go sit on the porch in the swing. I’d rather
you talk to him outside, if you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine. I don’t want him in here, either.” She started to get

up from the bed and slid to the floor as her knees buckled.

“Maddie, wait!” Remus called his warning just a second too late.

He rushed over and scooped her up into his arms. “You were drugged,
woman. You can’t just be trying to do things on your own.”

Maddie put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Then

it’s a good thing I have a big, strong, handsome man to take care of
me.”

Remus smiled at her. “You’re such a flirt. Now let’s go see what

your wayward brother has to say.”

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Chapter 8

Michael gazed up at his sister as he got out of his car. She was

sitting in the porch swing all wrapped up in Remus’s arms. He slowly
climbed the steps and stood and looked at them.

She continued to just stare at him, maybe waiting for him to speak

first.

She looks so happy. I can’t believe I hurt her so badly. I only

wanted what was best for her.

He watched as Remus leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek.
Was I wrong? Is Remus what’s best for her? You can see the love

shining on her face when she looks at him, but is it because he’s the
first man she’s ever really had a relationship with? What can I do to
get her to forgive me? I don’t want to be cut out of her life. I want to
be able to watch over her, be there if she needs me.

Michael looked at Remus. “Can I please talk to Maddie alone?”
Maddie startled him with her swift response. “No, I need Remus

with me. If you can’t talk in front of him, then you need to go.”

“I’m so sorry, Maddie. I never meant to hurt you or Remus. I wish

I’d known about the two of you before I came up this morning. I let
Dr. Constantine influence me, and that was wrong. I was so
convinced that he knew what was best for you. Now, looking at the
two of you together, well, I guess I should have taken the time to get
more of the facts before I acted. Look, Maddie. I’m still not sure of
what’s best for you. But I guess I’m beginning to realize that it’s no
longer up to me to decide those things for you. Do you think you can
forgive me, Maddie? Do you think we can be brother and sister again?
Will you, at least, let me visit you from time to time?”

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Leaning back, she looked him directly I the eye. “I’m very happy

now, Michael, happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I love Remus,
and I have no doubt that he loves me. We’ll have a good, happy life
together. You’re gonna have to accept that. I love you, Michael.
You’re my brother and you always will be. But right now, I can’t just
forgive you and say that all is well. Whether you meant to or not, you
hurt me, and you hurt Remus. You didn’t even give me a chance to
explain things to you.”

Michael wiped at the tears falling down his cheeks. “Does that

mean you don’t want to see me anymore?”

Maddie sighed. “It means that I need some time, and so do you. I

want some time to adjust to being Remus’s wife and to being on my
own. You need some time to accept my new life, because if you can’t
accept it, then you can’t be a part of it.” She looked up at Remus, then
back at Michael. “I want you to go home, Michael. I’m safe and
happy here. Now it’s time to work on making your own dreams come
true. I’ll call you in a couple of weeks, and we can talk some more.”

Maddie reached over and whispered something to Remus. He

immediately got up, picked her up in his arms, and carried her into the
house. She never said another word to him. Michael stood on the
porch for just a moment, then walked silently to his car and drove
away.

* * * *

Remus carried Maddie over and sat her on the side of their bed.

He lowered his head and covered her lips with his. Angling his head
to the side, Remus deepened the kiss, sending his tongue into her
honeyed sweetness. Maddie groaned and linked her arms around his
neck as he sank back down onto the mattress with her. Not wanting to
rush their lovemaking, Remus continued for several minutes just
kissing her thoroughly. As he felt her passion ignite, Maddie grasped
the back of his shirt and tugged up. She was clearly getting impatient.

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Smiling, Remus raised his head and gazed into her passion filled

eyes. Sliding from her arms, he removed his shirt and jeans, coming
back to her arms totally naked.

Maddie laughed. “You seem to be naked, my love.”
Remus just grinned at her and then allowed his claws to drop

down and proceeded to rip her shirt right down the middle. At her
gasp, he yanked the tattered remains from her body, baring her to his
gaze. Feeling extremely wicked, he smiled at her once again, then
hurried to dispose of her jeans and panties in the same way.

“Now we’re both naked.”
Remus crushed her body close to his and held her tightly against

his heart. He was overwhelmed at the feel of their naked bodies
pressed intimately together. Remus was surprised when Maddie
pushed against his chest to free herself.

“Remus, I want you so much, but I feel positively nasty after

everything that’s happened today. I need to take a shower before we
make love. Please, I won’t be able to relax until I’ve washed away the
ugliness of everything.”

He smiled at her tenderly. “Of course you can. Let’s take one

together.”

Maddie smiled at him with a twinkle in her eyes.
“I like the sound of that, big guy.”
Maddie squealed as Remus jumped from the bed and reached

down to pick her up in his arms. Laughing, he carried her toward their
bathroom, not stopping until he set her down on the rug beside the
shower. Reaching in, he turned on the water and adjusted the
temperature. Grinning, he held the door open wide.

“Ladies first. In you go.”
Maddie smiled and walked into the warm water. He watched for a

minute as the water cascaded down over her hair and shoulders, then
followed closely behind her, folding her in his arms while the water
flowed over them both.

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Remus was content to stand still for a few minutes, just letting the

warm water soothe them. Maddie soon turned in his arms and placed
a kiss in the middle of his chest. Responding to her playfulness,
Remus ran his hands down her back to grip the cheeks of her ass,
squeezing and then lifting to rub her against his erection. Wanting to
get back to their comfortable bed, Remus reached for the liquid soap
and liberally poured some into his hands.

Starting with her shoulders, he began to soap her body. She

groaned as he massaged the tension from her shoulders before sliding
his hands down the smooth skin of her back. Leaning over further, he
ran his soapy hands across her ass, paying special attention to the
crevice hiding her small, puckered opening. He felt her quiver as he
ran his soapy fingers down the crease, stopping to carefully soap the
virgin opening. Before she could object, he carefully pushed, allowing
his finger to push past the outer ring up to his knuckle. She gasped
and he felt the tightening of her body.

“Am I hurting you, baby?” He’d stop immediately if she said he

was hurting her.

“No, it doesn’t hurt. It just feels like pressure, like I’m really full.

You just startled me. I hadn’t expected it.”

Carefully, he moved his finger in and out, stopping after a

moment to add a second finger. Again, he felt her stiffen in his arms.

“You know I’d never hurt you, don’t you, baby? I only wanna

make you feel good. If I ever do anything you don’t like or that hurts,
all you have to do is tell me, and I’ll stop right away.”

“I know you’d never hurt me, Remus. I trust you.”
“Remember I told you that I’d want to take you here one day.”
“Yes, I remember. I’m just not sure I’m ready for it today.”
“Don’t worry, I’m only testing the waters, so to speak. I’m not

gonna try and do this today. When I get around to it, you’ll be more
than ready, I promise.”

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Maddie sighed and relaxed against his aroused body. He watched

her close her eyes and then felt her hands on his back, rubbing him up
and down.

Remus removed his fingers from Maddie’s ass and resumed

washing her body. He turned her around so her back was to his chest.
Filling his hands with soap again, he massaged her neck and
shoulders briefly, then moved down to cup her breasts in his soapy
hand, stopping every once in a while to tug at the rosy tips. Before
long, Maddie’s head lay back on his chest, and she was moaning low
in her throat. Satisfied with his efforts, Remus let his hands continue
down her body until they reached the silky hair covering her feminine
folds. After adding more soap, he plowed through the hair, rubbing
her mound thoroughly. After a moment of this, he concentrated his
fingers on her outer lips, parting them with his thumbs, allowing his
soapy fingers access to her wet folds. Carefully, he ran his fingers the
length of her slit, zeroed in on the bundle of nerves at the top of her
opening, and caressed her engorged clit. Maddie arched her hips
toward his hand.

“Remus, please!”
Holding one arm tightly around her waist, Remus used his other

hand to flick her clit back and forth, stopping every once in a while to
run his fingers down and insert them into her wet heat. Faster and
faster, he rubbed at her throbbing clit until he felt her legs begin to
quiver. Knowing she was close, he grasped her clit between his thumb
and forefinger and squeezed. Maddie’s hips bucked up and she called
out his name. “Remus!”

“That’s it, baby, let it go, I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall. I love

you, Maddie. You’re so beautiful when you come.”

Remus continued to whisper words of love to her as she trembled

with her release. For several minutes, he continued to fondle her with
his soapy hands while she came down from her pleasure high. When
she was breathing normally again, Maddie turned in his arms and
smiled at him.

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“It’s my turn.”
With that statement, Maddie filled her hand with the liquid soap

and laid her hands on Remus’s shoulders. Indulgently, he allowed her
to continue, anxious to feel her hands against his body.

Maddie smoothed the soap over his shoulders and down across his

chest, paying extra attention to the male nipples peeking out from his
chest hair, already rigid from his own excitement. Down she swirled
the soap, over his abdomen, reaching around to his sides, and then
finally allowing her hands to come together at his groin. He watched
as she looked down at him in fascination. She seemed mesmerized by
the sight of her soapy fingers closing around his rock hard erection.

Slowly, she washed down the length and then carefully soaped his

balls, taking each one separately into her fingers. Releasing his balls,
she ran her hands up and down the length of his staff, rubbing her
thumbs over the mushroom shaped head. Remus watched as she used
her finger to push soap down into the slit. He couldn’t stop his hips
from arching toward her as she bent over to run her soapy hands down
his legs, then raised up to continue her torture of his painful erection.

Remus couldn’t take any more. He grabbed Maddie by the arms

and hauled her up his body, slamming his mouth down over hers.
Kissing her soundly, he whispered to her. “I want you Maddie, right
here, right now.”

“Yes.”
Remus roughly turned her around to face the wall of the shower.

* * * *

Holding Maddie’s waist with one hand, Remus used the other to

push against her shoulders, bending her over toward the wall.

“Brace yourself on the wall, Maddie.”
When she raised her arms to do as he asked, Remus lined up his

cock with her opening and filled her with one quick, forceful thrust.
Maddie groaned as he filled her body.

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“Oh, baby, you feel so good to me.” Remus practically growled

the words.

Holding her steady with one hand, Remus proceeded to ram her

over and over with his cock, all the while whispering love words to
her. As he felt himself getting close, he leaned over and ran his hand
under her body, searching for her clit with his finger. At the same
time, he allowed his canines to lengthen, then bit down on her
shoulder, holding her in place. When he found the slick center of her
pleasure, he pinched down and tugged.

“Oh, Remus, I’m gonna come.”
Feeling her pussy contract around his cock, Remus couldn’t hold

off any longer. As he came inside her body, he flicked his finger over
her clit rapidly, his reward being her scream as she found her release.
Instinct had him opening his mouth and sinking his canines into the
muscle where he first marked her. When he felt her pussy contract
against his erection, he knew she was having another orgasm.

The two lovers remained still for a minute, and then Remus licked

the shoulder wound closed and pulled out of her body. He turned her
around and joined their lips for a loving kiss.

“I love you, my mate, and I’ll always be here for you.”
“I love you, too, Remus. I’m never gonna let you go now.”
After hugging her close to his body for a moment longer, Remus

released her and washed the two of them off again, also taking time to
wash their hair. After rinsing thoroughly, he turned off the water and
stepped out of the shower. He took a towel from the rack and slowly
patted Maddie dry, paying special attention to certain tender parts of
her body. After she was dry, he wrapped a towel around her wet hair
and sent her on to the bedroom. After drying himself, he followed her,
carrying the hair dryer.

Finding her sitting on the bed, he motioned for her to sit in the

chair. Once she was there, he took her comb and turned on the dryer.
While she relaxed, he dried her hair, carefully easing the tangles out.

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When he was finished, he turned off the dryer, laid it on the table, and
then scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed.

He placed her in the center of the mattress and then joined her,

folding the covers up over both of them. He reached out and turned
off the light, then took her in his arms to cuddle her close. Sighing, he
smiled as he felt her relax into his body.

“You’re safe now, Maddie, and you’re gonna stay that way. I love

you, and I’ll always protect you. Sleep now, baby. Sleep knowing
you’re safe in my arms.”

Remus kissed her on the top of her head and cuddled her even

tighter against his body. He needed the closeness tonight to convince
his own heart and head that she was once again safe. He never wanted
to feel again like he’d felt today when her terror came across the mate
link.

Holding her close, he felt her body relax as she began to fall

asleep. He knew she was finally sleeping when her breathing evened
out and deepened. She was even making that little snoring sound he
loved so much. Remus laid his head on her shoulder and continued to
watch over her. He knew there’d be no sleep for him this night. His
beast was determined to keep an eye on her while she slept.

* * * *

Two weeks later, Remus was sitting on the porch swing, looking

out over the forest. He’d been waiting for this day for a long time.
This afternoon, he’d officially introduce his mate to the pack. It was
really only a formality. She’d been a member of the pack since he
mated her. He knew she was nervous, and so far, there hadn’t been
anything he could do to reassure her. Remus knew she just had to get
through this day and everything would be okay.

* * * *

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Maddie saw Remus through the window, sitting quietly in the

swing. He was very excited about today, and she was trying to share
his excitement. She turned away from the window and went to sit
down at the kitchen table. For a few days now, she’d been feeling
nervous and jumpy and couldn’t figure out what was causing it. At
times it almost felt like she was going to jump out of her skin. It was a
feeling she never had before, and she didn’t like it. She hadn’t told
Remus anything about it yet. He had so much on his mind right now
with the pack, and she didn’t want him to worry. It couldn’t be fear
because she knew in her heart she was safe and loved. Sighing, she
felt like she’d be okay if she could just get through this day with the
rest of the pack. Maddie was so caught up in her thoughts she didn’t
hear Remus enter the cabin. When he laid his hand on her shoulder,
she nearly jumped out of her chair.

“Whoa, what’s wrong?”
He looked down at her with a worried look on his face. “Maddie,

I’ve never seen you like this. You’re not nervous about today are
you?”

Maddie could only look at him, not really knowing what to say

that would ease his mind.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. You’ve already met a lot of

the pack, and the rest will just be there to say hello. It’s only a
formality. You already know you’ve been accepted.”

“I know, Remus. I’m not worried about today. I guess I’m just a

little nervous about being around so many people. I haven’t had an
accident with my gift in a couple of weeks, and I’d hate to break that
record today in front of all your friends.”

Remus laughed and then quickly changed the laugh to a cough

when she shot him an angry look.

“You’ll be fine, Maddie. Being a little nervous is okay. It’ll show

our pack that you want to make a good impression on them. As for
your gift, just keep your focus on me, or even my brothers, and you
should be able to keep from doing anything drastic. Besides, it seems

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to me like you’ve really begun to control your responses, only using
your gift when you want to, and not letting it catch you by surprise.
I’ve been really proud of the way you’ve worked to get control over
it.”

Maddie basked in his praises. “Thanks, Remus. It means a lot to

me that you’ve noticed.”

Maddie rose from her chair, then Remus wrapped his arms around

his mate and hugged her close to his body. He placed a kiss on the top
of her head, then one on her willing lips.

Her lips parted automatically when they touched his, and suddenly

he took the kiss deeper. He snaked his arms around her body, then
lifted her up off the floor into his arms. Strong feelings of passion and
lust came through their mate bond. He was thinking about getting her
back into their bed so he could make love to her.

He’d just started to carry her toward the bed when Maddie began

struggling in his arms, demanding to be let go.

“Remus, you have to stop. We don’t have time for this right now.

You said we had to leave here by noon, and it is quarter till now.”

At the look of disappointment on his face, she gave him a quick

but thorough kiss.

She whispered against his lips. “Don’t worry, lover, I’ll make it

up to you tonight.”

With that, she licked across the surface of his lips and then

scooted away to walk toward the door, purposefully swaying her hips
back and forth.

“I’m gonna hold you to that, woman.”
She heard Remus sigh as he followed her out the door, and

together they walked across the field toward the pack house.

* * * *

Nanita was standing near the path to the woods when she spotted

Remus and the little human woman. She still couldn’t believe he

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preferred that female to one of his own kind. She wasn’t giving up,
though. She was determined to rid her pack of the contamination of
his mating. She’d make him and everyone else see that he made a bad
choice and that she’d be a better Alpha Femm to serve her Alpha and
the pack. Smiling at the plans in her head, she wandered off toward
the pack house, not yet ready to confront her competition.

* * * *

Remus saw Nanita standing near the path and watched carefully

as she left to see where she went. He was not convinced that she still
wouldn’t cause trouble, and he wanted to be able to avoid it if
possible. He wasn’t afraid Maddie couldn’t hold her own against the
bitch in a fair fight. But Maddie couldn’t shift, and that made any type
of fight between them unfair. Looking around, he spotted Latan.

“Maddie, I need to have a quick word with Latan. Will you be all

right here for just a minute while I speak with him?”

“Of course, Remus. You go talk to your brother. Tell him I said

hello. I’ll just wait for you right here.”

Smiling, she walked over to the fallen tree and sat down.

Laughing at her, Remus walked over to Latan.

“Hello, brother. How are you and Maddie holding up this

beautiful day? Is she excited about being presented to the pack
formally?”

“Excited might be too strong a word,” Remus replied in a dry

tone.

“Ouch! Okay, my nervous Alpha, what can I do to help make

things better?”

“You can keep an eye on Nanita for me. She was waiting at the

trail when we came down, and from the look on her face, she’s
planning some kind of mischief. I don’t want her around Maddie
today.”

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“Remus, you can’t interfere if she wants to challenge the new

Alpha Femm. You know that.”

“I know, Latan. But does it have to be on her first day? It’s been

hard for Maddie to get over the kidnapping, and I don’t wanna make
this day more stressful than it has to be. After today, if she has to be
challenged, then so be it. As long as Nanita follows the rules of
challenging a non-shifter.”

“Remus, have you told Maddie that she can be challenged in her

new position?”

Remus felt a flush go up his neck and couldn’t look his brother in

the eye. “Not exactly.”

“What the hell does that mean? Either you have or you haven’t.

Which is it?”

“I haven’t, okay? I didn’t think she was up to it yet, and I really

didn’t want to scare her off.” Remus cringed at the look his brother
shot him.

“Well, you’d better do it soon, or the whole thing could blow up

in your face. I’ll do my best to keep tabs on Nanita for you. I’ll go
find Ariane and see if she can help.”

Latan gave Remus an annoyed look, then walked away toward the

pack house. Remus turned and made his way back over to Maddie.

“Did you miss me, pretty lady?”
Maddie looked thoughtful and seemed to ponder his question.

“Gosh, did you go somewhere? I didn’t even realize you were gone.”

“Why you little minx.”
Maddie squealed when Remus pulled her up into his arms and

threw her over his shoulder. Smacking her behind once, he slowly ran
his hand down over her ass, causing her to gasp.

“Remus, what’re you doing”
“I’m reminding my woman just who is boss in this family.”
At that, he began to tickle her, causing Maddie to laugh out loud

and wiggle strongly.

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“Remus, please, I’ll be good. I did miss you. I missed you like

crazy. I can’t live if you don’t stay with me all the time.” Maddie
punctuated her pleas with uncontrolled laughter while Remus
continued to torture her. She was laughing so hard he didn’t hear
Ethan when he walked up to them.

“Hey, bro. What’s going on? I could hear Maddie squeal all the

way down the path.”

Remus felt Maddie’s body stiffen, then she smacked his butt.
“Remus, put me down right this minute. This is no way for me to

be meeting the people of our pack.”

Remus sighed at her frantic tone, shot his brother a dirty look, and

slowly lowered his mate to the ground.

“Was there something you wanted, Ethan, or did you just come

around to ruin my day?”

Although his tone was fierce, Remus grinned at his brother.
“Actually, I came to tell you that the Elders want to meet with you

and your mate privately before you introduce her to the pack
formally. Ruining your day was just a bonus.”

Maddie laughed and walked forward to give her brother-in-law a

hug. “Hello, Ethan. How are you on this bright, beautiful day?”

Ethan looked puzzled and then hugged her back. He gave Remus

an inquisitive raise of his brow.

“I’m fine, pretty lady. What’s put you in such a bright and

cheerful mood? You were really down in spirits the last time I saw
you.”

Maddie snorted and then smacked Ethan on the arm.
“Of course I was down, you silly nilly. I’d just been saved after

being kidnapped by a mad doctor and my demented brother. That’s
enough to put a damper on anyone’s day.”

Both Remus and Ethan threw back their heads and laughed

heartily. Remus caught Maddie up in his arms for a tight hug and a
sweet, romantic kiss.

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Ethan got a sad look on his face and hung his head. “Sorry,

Maddie. I didn’t mean to bring up a bad memory. I didn’t think before
I spoke.”

Maddie walked over and gave him a big hug. “It’s okay, Ethan.

You didn’t upset me. It’s not a bad memory now. I was saved by the
love of my life, and that makes it a very good memory.”

Before Ethan could respond, a very pretty young woman walked

up.

“Hey, Ethan, I’m sorry to interrupt. Can I talk to you for a

minute?”

“Sure, Ariane. I’m just shooting the breeze with the great Alpha

here and his main squeeze.”

“Please, Ethan, could you try and show a little respect when you

speak of us? I realize you’ll have to fake it, but I bet you could really
be convincing if you gave it the old college try,” Remus remarked
dryly.

Both women burst out laughing. Remus feigned an irritated look

and then ruined it by winking at Ariane. He turned and took Maddie
by the arm.

“Maddie, I’d like you to meet the newest member of our pack,

Ariane Blue Hills. She comes from Canada. She came here to live and
be near her uncle almost a year ago. Ariane, this is my mate and your
Alpha Femm. She prefers everyone to call her Maddie.”

“It’s my pleasure to meet you, Alpha Femm Maddie.” Ariane

bowed her head.

Maddie looked momentarily shocked and then shot Remus an

angry look. He was going to catch hell. He’d forgotten to fill her in on
protocol, and now it was going to come back and bite him in the butt.
Her thoughts came through clearly.

Okay, Mr. Almighty Alpha, what the devil am I supposed to do

now? You didn’t tell me people were going to be bowing to me. What
are we, some kind of freaking royalty? How am I supposed to respond
to this?

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He bit back a laugh, then tried sending calming waves through

their bond. It was pretty obvious they weren’t working. She looked
like she was ready to explode.

I’m sorry, baby. I should have talked to you about it. Don’t worry.

You don’t have to do anything. Just acknowledge the introduction and
make her feel at home here. Our pack doesn’t really follow the old
rules like the one she came from in Canada. You’ll be fine.

“The pleasure’s mine, Ariane, I’m very happy to meet another

young woman from the pack. I’ve never been to Canada, but I’ve seen
pictures, and I’ve always thought it was very beautiful. Perhaps, if
you have some free time, we could get together for lunch soon, and
you can tell me all about your former home. And please, just call me
Maddie. I’m not much on formal titles.”

“I’d be honored to have lunch with you, Maddie. Just let me know

when you’re available and I’ll be there.”

“Great, I’ll give you a call soon.”
Remus gave Ethan a quick look that got his brother moving to

hurry things along.

“Okay, ladies, you’ve had your female chit-chat, so I think Ariane

and I will let the two of you head over to the Elders, and I can find out
what this pretty lady needs.”

“All right, Ethan. I’ll need to see you later, right after the

introductions are made. Don’t get lost. I don’t wanna have problems
finding you. Also, find Latan and let him know I’ll need to talk to him
as well. We’ll see you later.”

* * * *

Remus took Maddie by the arm and led her away. Once they were

out of hearing range, Ethan turned to Ariane.

“Well, Miss Ariane, what can I do for you today?”
“Latan asked me to keep tabs on Nanita today, but I’m not sure

that I’ll be able to do it for you. She became suspicious of me a

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couple of weeks ago when you had me staying close to her. This
morning when I asked her if we could spend the day together, she got
very angry and told me that if she wanted the Alpha’s family to know
what she’s doing every moment of the day, she’d tell them herself.
Then she informed me that she’d remember my loyalty when she
became Alpha Femm.”

Ethan gave a long, low whistle. “Oh boy, I guess she’s definitely

planning something, and I’m pretty sure we won’t like what she’s up
to.”

“I would say that’s the biggest understatement I’ve ever had the

honor of hearing.” Ariane gave him a very dry, amused look along
with her statement.

“All right, Miss Smarty Pants, I get the message. Do you have any

suggestions on how to spoil whatever plans she has?”

“Sorry, I can’t think of anything unless you have some other

person who can keep tabs on her, somebody she’s not suspicious of.”

“No, I can’t think of anyone else. She’s not friendly with the

women of the pack. The only reason we thought you could do it was
because you’re new and you hadn’t bonded with anyone else yet. I’m
sorry we had to use you that way, but your help was greatly
appreciated. Plus, you had results. Thanks to you warning us, we were
able to prevent her from getting to Maddie’s cabin while Remus was
away.”

“I was happy to help. I’d like to offer a suggestion, but I’m not

sure it would work.”

“Please, I’m desperate. I’m willing to listen to anything you have

to say.”

“Don’t send a woman to keep tabs on her. Isn’t there one of the

unmated males who’d be willing to give her a little extra attention for
a while? Someone who knows the score and wouldn’t be trapped into
some permanent relationship with her?” Ariane looked embarrassed
by her suggestion.

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“Interesting idea, Ariane. It just might work if I can find someone

who isn’t intimidated by her. There’s a reason you always see her out
alone. It’s because very few of the unmated males have been willing
to even be alone in a room with her. Of course, now that she’s
determined to become Alpha Femm, I can think of a few bad boys
who might want to give her a tumble.”

At Ariane’s giggle, Ethan became embarrassed. He’d forgotten he

was talking out loud and talking to an unmated female at that.

“Sorry, I’m just thinking out loud, Ariane. I appreciate the input,

and I’ll give it some more thought. In the meantime, don’t worry
about Nanita. We’ll figure out a way to keep Maddie safe from her.
You go on to the party and have a good time.”

“Thanks, Ethan, I’ll see you later.”
Ethan watched Ariane walk away and wondered why none of the

males had made a claim on her yet. He knew she wasn’t his mate, but
he thought for sure she’d match with someone from the pack. Oh
well, he had other things to worry about today. Glancing toward the
Elders’ office, he wondered why they wanted to see Remus and
Maddie before the introductions. He sure hoped it wasn’t something
that was going to cause them more trouble.

* * * *

Remus was extremely nervous as they walked toward the pack’s

meetinghouse. Except he wasn’t nervous. He glanced down at his
mate. She was projecting anxiety and fear so strongly it was a wonder
he could even walk. He’d done what he could to alleviate her fears,
but obviously he’d done a poor job, and this meeting wasn’t helping
matters. He didn’t have any clue what they wanted to talk about. He
only knew they couldn’t have picked a worse day for a talk.

“Remus, how can you be so damn calm? I hate the way you’re

always so in control and I’m always falling apart. It makes me want to
hit you upside the head with something,” Maddie said grumpily.

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Remus glanced down at his mate and snickered. She’d been

unusually quiet this morning, and now she was in a regular little snit.
It was beginning to worry him. He wished she’d just tell him what
was bothering her now instead of waiting until it got so big in her
mind that she couldn’t handle it anymore. He was fairly certain it was
nothing major and that he could probably ease her mind if she’d just
talk to him. Sighing, he realized he was only dreaming. If there was
anything at all he’d learned it was that Maddie didn’t share her
thoughts easily. She’d spent so many years locked away in that clinic
she’d forgotten how to share herself. Well, he was going to make it
his purpose in life to make her relax and to trust him enough to tell
him anything.

As they neared the Elders’ house, he felt Maddie slow down

dramatically. Worried, he studied her closely.

“You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. What do you think they want with us, Remus?

They’ve already accepted our mating, haven’t they?”

So that’s what she’s worried about.
Well, he could fix that right now.
“I don’t know what they want this morning, but I can guarantee

that it’s not about accepting or not accepting our mating. They already
knew I’d chosen you as my life mate, and they had no objections back
when I first told them. Besides, Maddie, even if they’d objected back
then, it wouldn’t have stopped me from mating with you. I love you,
and nothing’s gonna change that.” He gave her an encouraging smile.
“Now, are we ready to go in and kick some Elder butt?”

Just as he hoped they would, Remus’s words made Maddie laugh

out loud.

“Okay, Mr. Alpha. Let’s go kick some butt.”

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Chapter 9

Together they climbed the steps and went inside to search for the

Elders. They had to walk through almost every one of the downstairs
rooms before they found the five men sitting in one of the dens. They
were all dressed casually and appeared to be in a good mood. Remus
breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been a little afraid Maddie might be
correct in her worries, but now, with their casual appearance, he knew
that whatever they wanted, it wasn’t bad.

“Remus, it’s good to see you and your mate this morning. We’ve

been waiting for you to join us.”

Maddie looked at the man who’d spoken up. He seemed nice

enough and was fairly good looking. Nowhere near as handsome as
Remus, but for an older man he wasn’t bad to look at. She waited
patiently for Remus to introduce her.

“My apologies, Remus, but I’m going to take over the

introductions if you don’t mind.”

He continued right on with his introductions, clearly showing he

didn’t care whether Remus minded or not. Maddie was amused by his
attitude but decided it would be better not to show it.

“Maddie, if you don’t mind me calling you Maddie, I’d like to

introduce the Council of Elders of the Wind River Pack to you. This
is Taynor Wind River. He’s responsible for the finances of our pack.”
He didn’t wait for them to acknowledge the introduction, just pointed
to another gentleman standing in the room. “This wooly gentleman is
Lanicor Wind River. He’s an attorney and handles all of our legal
matters.”

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As the Elder continued the introductions, Maddie couldn’t help

but wonder why they all had the same last name. Were they all from
the same family? His next introduction interrupted her thoughts.

“This serious looking gentleman is Brenner Wind River, and this

frowning man is Koril Wind River. Together they’re in charge of the
security for Wind River Pack. And last, but certainly not least, is me.
I’m Vanard Wind River. I’m sort of in charge of everyone else here,
except, of course, for your mate. It’s our very great pleasure to meet
you and to welcome you to the Wind River Pack.”

At this, each of the Elders stood and bowed their head once in a

sign of respect. Before she could even think about it, Maddie returned
the gesture and nodded once. Then she could hear Remus’s voice in
her head, giving her the correct words to say.

“It’s my pleasure to meet all of you as well. I’m honored to have

become a member of your pack, and I hope I can meet your
expectations of me and prove to be a contributing member.”

“Maddie, we can’t tell you how sorry we are at the events of two

weeks ago. It was most unfortunate that things were allowed to
develop where we nearly lost you. I hope you’ll feel safe in the future
and know that this council and this pack will do whatever is necessary
to ensure your continued good health and safety. Our Alpha is
everything to us, and it will be our great honor, as well as our duty, to
make sure that his family is safe at all times.”

Maddie was beginning to feel like she’d stepped into the rabbit

hole. She looked back at Remus when he spoke.

“Sir, I’m honored at your official greeting of my mate and by your

personal vow to keep her safe. My mate and I will lead and serve this
pack to the best of our abilities.” With his formal words, Remus
bowed his head. Then, to Maddie’s astonishment, he leaned back his
head and laughed heartily. “Okay, guys, you have properly scared the
stuffing out of my mate. Can we get on to the party now?”

Maddie was further shocked by the laughter from the Elders and

by them all heading for the door. Apparently, the formal meeting was

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over. She sure wished all their pack business could be this easy. She’d
stop dreading it if that were the case.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up at Remus and smiled her first

genuine smile of the day.

“Well, my love, it looks like they approve of me, so I guess you’re

stuck with me now.” She batted her eyes at him provocatively.

Remus growled and bent down to lift her in his arms. Covering

her lips with his, he pressed his tongue against the seam of her closed
lips. When she opened her lips slightly to sigh, he took advantage and
thrust his tongue deeply. For several long minutes, he ravaged her
mouth with his tongue, running it over every surface inside. By the
time he lowered her back to the floor, she was breathless and wanting
to skip the party and head to the nearest bedroom. Remus chuckled as
he removed her hands from his belt and began to lead her from the
room.

“Hold that thought, baby. It’s something we’ll definitely get back

to when we get home.”

Remus stared down at her for a moment.
“Maddie, I’m sorry I didn’t make time to go over pack protocol

with you. I don’t really have an excuse except to say I’ve been so
wrapped up in having you home and making you feel safe. Do you
forgive me?”

Maddie laughed. “Of course I forgive you. I’m just glad you

thought fast enough to send me a message about what to say. But let’s
not do that again, okay? We need to spend some time going over
things like this. I have to depend on you to tell me stuff, Remus. I
don’t really know what to ask you.”

“I promise we’ll spend some time this weekend going over all the

formalities you will need to know in the future, but I have to tell you,
I’m so proud of you I could just bust. You handled everything and
everyone perfectly. You showed just the proper amount of respect that
would guarantee to have them eating out of your hand. I only gave
you the right words. That show of respect came from your heart.”

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“I’m glad I made you happy and proud, Remus.”
“No, baby, it’s not about making me happy. Don’t you get it?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Maddie, you were perfect. You didn’t make any mistakes even

though you hadn’t been briefed about what to expect. It means it came
naturally. There’s a lot more wolf in you than we originally thought.”

She looked up at him in shock.
“Come on, let’s get the hell out of here and have some fun.”

Remus urged her forward.

Sighing, Maddie allowed him to lead her out the door, now

anxious to get to the party so they could get it over with and head
back home for some real fun.

* * * *

Maddie looked around the table while Remus spoke with one of

the pack members. It had been an interesting afternoon and not nearly
as bad as she imagined. She’d been introduced to so many people her
head was positively spinning. Everyone had been so friendly and
welcoming to her. They seemed to genuinely be happy that she and
Remus were together now.

Even though she was relieved about the day being almost over,

Maddie was still experiencing all the nervous symptoms she started
her day with. At this point, she was just hoping Remus would be
ready to leave for home soon.

Once again, she gazed down the long banquet table, trying to

match faces with names she could remember, when her eyes
connected with a fiercely hostile gaze. Studying the woman carefully,
she couldn’t remember being introduced to her.

What could make her look so angry? Oh hell, now I remember.

She was in the grocery store the first time I went out with Remus.

Glancing back at Remus, she saw he was still caught up in his

conversation, and she wouldn’t interrupt him just to find out who the

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woman was. She began scanning the crowd for her brothers-in-law,
who seemed to have been close to her for most of the day, to see if
they could tell her who the woman was. They were frustratingly
absent when she actually needed them. Smiling, she shook her head.
She couldn’t believe she was upset because they weren’t hanging
around when only this morning she was wishing she didn’t see quite
so much of them. Smiling, she looked back at the woman and was
annoyed to see she was still getting the hostile looks. Well, there was
nothing she could do about it right now, so she’d just do her best to
ignore her and ask Remus if he knew what her problem was.

* * * *

Nanita was finally beginning to enjoy the pack party. She

carefully avoided being introduced to Remus’s little human mate all
day, and now she was really enjoying making the insecure female
nervous. She carefully watched her and managed to catch her eyes at
every opportunity. Her plan had been to make her nervous and put her
on edge, and it looked like she succeeded.

Nanita spotted Ariane talking with Latan. They thought she was

stupid and wouldn’t know Ariane was being friendly to her in order to
keep the Alpha’s family updated on her plans. She’d fooled them all,
though she used Ariane to pass on information that she wanted them
to have, and made sure she didn’t know anything of importance. Even
today, they tried to keep her occupied so she wouldn’t have an
opportunity to be around Remus or his mate. Males who had never
even spoken to her before were suddenly asking to spend time with
her.

They could try all they wanted, but they wouldn’t keep her from

confronting the human female today. She was just waiting for the
right moment. She knew if she remained patient there’d be a chance
to be alone with her without worrying about Remus or anyone else
interfering.

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Nanita became elated when she saw Remus rise from his chair,

bend to whisper to the female, and then walk away with one of the
Elders. Watching carefully, she got her wish when the human female
got up and walked away from the table, heading for the path through
the woods. Now she could take care of her and have Remus all to
herself.

* * * *

Maddie was beginning to wonder if Remus would ever be able to

talk with her again. He’d been caught up in pack business for the
better part of an hour, and she was getting awfully tired of sitting
here. Everyone was still a little in awe of her, and nobody was willing
to just sit and talk. She was so caught up in her thoughts she was
startled to hear Remus’s voice.

“Maddie, are you okay?”
“Of course, Remus, I’m fine. Why would you ask me that?”
“I’ve been talking to you, and you didn’t even blink an eye.

Where’s your mind? What has your thoughts so occupied?”

Maddie blushed. “I’m sorry, Remus, I’m not thinking of anything

in particular, more like lots of things in general. It’s nothing for you to
be worried about. What were you trying to say?”

“Okay, if you’re sure you’re okay. I’m sorry, baby, but I’ve got to

leave you for just a bit. The Elders want to have a meeting before we
leave, and it’s something I can’t get out of. I can have one of my
brothers walk you home if you don’t wanna wait, or if you don’t mind
waiting, we can take a nice walk along the river when my meeting’s
over.”

Maddie noticed the hopeful tone in his voice, so she decided to

make her new husband happy.

“Okay, my love. I’ll hang around and wait for you. I think I’m

gonna take a short walk to work off that last dessert you put in front
of me. Hopefully that’ll give you time to finish your business.”

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“I’m not sure about that, Maddie. Why don’t I get one of my

brothers to walk with you?”

“No, Remus, you’ve got to be more trusting than that. I promise I

won’t go far from the clearing, and you have to trust that I won’t take
chances. I love you, but I need to feel like I’m not watched all the
time, even if I am.”

Remus laughed. “Okay, we’ll do it your way this time. If you have

any problems just call for me in your mind, and I’ll hear you with the
mate bond.”

“Okay, that I can promise. Go to your meeting, Remus. The faster

you go, the faster you’ll come back.”

Remus leaned over to give her a loving kiss then got up and

walked back toward the Elders’ house. Uncomfortable with sitting at
the table alone, Maddie got up and walked toward the path through
the woods. She could walk a short distance and still be able to call out
if she had any trouble.

Maddie walked down the path, heading away from the noise of

the party. Taking a deep breath, she began to feel a little better and
wondered how long it would be before she was comfortable around
the wolf shifters. Her thoughts wandered back to her grandfather’s
journal. Every single day since her mating with Remus, she’d
wondered if today would be the day she’d change into some type of
wolf. Part of the time she was terrified of the idea, and the rest of the
time she yearned for it. It would be a way she could fit in with
Remus’s people and not feel like the outsider she felt she was now.

As she walked farther away, her thoughts turned to Michael.

She’d only had a brief telephone conversation with him since she
asked him to go away and give her some time. She could tell he was
still upset about the whole thing, even though he went out of his way
to tell her how happy he was for her. She could also tell he was
feeling lost and alone. How could she get him to accept her happiness
with Remus? She didn’t want to have to cut him out of her life. She
wanted to include him in family things with Remus, but she had to

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figure a way to tell him about the wolves first. She didn’t think he was
ready to read grandfather’s journal yet. Remus said she’d know when
it was the right time to tell him, but she had real doubts the time
would ever be right.

Maddie was continuing her walk when she rounded a corner in the

path, then caught movement in the corner of her eye. She turned and
found herself looking into those same hostile eyes that had stared at
her during dinner. Stopping, she looked at the woman warily. She
appeared to be actually vibrating with anger and rage.

“Hello, I don’t think I had the chance to meet you today. I’m

Maddie Wind River, Remus’s wife, uh, mate.”

The woman looked at Maddie for a long moment before she

answered her.

“I know who you are, human.”
As she spoke, she walked away from the tree, gradually moving

around Maddie. She’d placed herself in a position between Maddie
and the rest of the pack.

“Well, I’m glad you know who I am. Perhaps you’d like to tell me

who you are?”

“Yes, it’s appropriate for you to know my name. I’m Nanita, and

I’m gonna be the next Alpha Femm.”

Maddie realized this woman was purposely trying to block the

path back to the clearing where everyone else was still partying. She
decided it would probably be a good idea to keep Nanita talking until
someone else came along or until Remus came looking for her. She
didn’t really think she was in any danger, so she didn’t want to use
their link to call on him.

“Well, that’s kind of interesting, since they told me I was the new

Alpha Femm.”

Maddie was shocked at the look of hatred that came over Nanita’s

face. The young woman stared silently for so long Maddie began to
think she wasn’t going to say anything else. Nervously, Maddie
cleared her throat and shuffled her feet. “Well, it was nice meeting

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you. I’m sure Remus is looking for me now, so I’ll just be saying
goodbye.”

Maddie started to walk back down the path only to swiftly back

up when the other woman lunged at her. As the crazed woman
advanced on her, snarling, Maddie was forced to retreat farther into
the woods, away from the partygoers and any potential help.

“My people will never accept you as their leader. Given time,

Remus will realize this. The longer he blindly hangs onto your union,
the more respect of his people he’ll forfeit. I intend to save him from
himself and provide him with a mate who will solidify his position as
Alpha of the Wind River Pack.”

The entire time Nanita talked, she stalked toward Maddie, driving

her farther and farther into the woods. “Yes, little human. Run into the
woods.” She gave Maddie an evil smile. “I can smell your fear,
human. It excites me.”

“Nanita, isn’t that what you said your name was?”
The only answer Maddie received was more snarling from the

advancing woman.

“Nanita, you have to know this won’t work. Remus is never going

to just abandon me and take a new mate. He loves me, and I’ve
already been accepted by the pack Elders. It’s not something he’s
worried about. How can you believe that you could ever make him
forget me and mate with you? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Foolish woman, I don’t have to make him abandon you. I’m

going to kill you. Then, after he’s mourned, he’ll be forced by the
Elders to take another mate in order to produce an heir. I’m the
highest ranking unmated female in the pack. He’ll have no choice but
to take me as his mate. I’ll make him happier than he’s ever been, and
he’ll forget you in no time.”

“Nanita, you can’t, um, what the hell are you doing?”
Maddie became even more frightened as she watched the other

woman calmly begin removing her clothing. What on earth was she
thinking?

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Where the hell is Remus? I thought he could sense my feelings no

matter how far apart we are. Remus, I need you, now!

Nanita finished removing her clothes and stood in the fading

sunshine, showing off her firm body. She continued staring at
Maddie, making her feel like prey, Maddie couldn’t tell what she was
planning by the expression on her face. Maddie watched the disturbed
woman guardedly, more than a little uncomfortable with her lack of
clothing. There was something about the look in her eyes, something
evil that actually gave her eyes a blood red glow.

Maddie screamed out as Nanita dropped down to the ground on

her hands and knees and began to shift into her wolf. She cringed as
she heard bones and joints popping and grinding. It looked like it’d be
painful to the young woman, but she seemed to not feel anything at
all. It was over in just a few seconds, and then she was facing a huge,
deadly looking silver and gray wolf. If she hadn’t been so terrified,
Maddie might have commented on what a beautiful animal Nanita
made, but as it was, she could only focus on her bared teeth and the
growling sounds coming from the advancing animal. Maddie had only
one response. She began to back away, trying to circle around to run
toward help.

Remus, where the hell are you? I’m about to be eaten!
Maddie fought her fear. She tried to get around the wolf to head

back toward the clearing, and Nanita seemed to be enjoying toying
with her. Maddie would take several steps toward freedom, then the
wolf would lunge forward, snapping at her legs and flailing arms. She
could swear the damn wolf was laughing when she managed to scrape
her teeth over one of Maddie’s arms. She looked down at the blood
dripping down her fingers and was startled when the wolf threw back
its head and howled.

Realizing the demented wolf was never going to allow her to head

back to Remus, Maddie changed her tactics and went farther into the
woods, using the trees and brush to try and keep the sharp claws and
teeth from injuring her further. Her arm was stinging and throbbing

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with pain, steadily dripping with blood as she dodged the wolf’s
attacks.

Seeing some fallen timber below a dead tree, Maddie made a run

for the shelter they would provide. She thought maybe she could use
some of the fallen limbs as a weapon, possibly striking out at Nanita
when she lunged. Unfortunately, Nanita could use the same fallen
timber to corner her.

As Maddie reached the relative safety of the dead tree, Nanita

made her move and leapt in front of her, effectively cutting her off
from the broken limbs on the ground. Terrified, Maddie pressed her
back against the tree and held her arms in front of her body, hoping to
be able to fight off the wolf as she attacked. She called frantically in
her mind for Remus.

Remus, help me, please. There’s a wolf attacking me. I can’t win

in a fight with her. Hurry, please!

Nanita paced back and forth, surprising Maddie when she didn’t

attack right away. Then, she started advancing slowly, growling and
baring her teeth in a threatening manner. Suddenly, a feeling of fury
came over Maddie, and the wolf stopped advancing.

Maddie pushed against the trunk of the tree as hard as she could,

wishing she could just push through the dead tree and race home
where she’d be safe. That wasn’t going to happen. She was going to
die in this stupid forest at the hands of a crazed homewrecker, and
Remus would probably never know what happened to her. What the
hell had she ever done to anyone to have so many things in her life go
wrong? Didn’t she deserve some happiness, someone who’d love her
unconditionally?

I have that kind of love with Remus. This bitch thinks she’s going

to take him away and I’ll just lie down and let myself be killed. Well, I
don’t think so. I’ve had enough of this crap.

Maddie felt a sense of purpose come over her, followed closely by

a feeling of fury. No way was anybody, certainly not this crazy bitch,
going to come between her and Remus.

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Damn, I’ve got abilities of my own, and it’s high time I used them.
Letting her anger grow and grow, Maddie focused her eyes on the

pile of dead limbs on the ground, and suddenly they were raining
down on the startled wolf. Maddie watched in glee as the wolf backed
away, whimpering as the shower of wood fell down on top of her
head.

“Back off, Nanita, and believe me, I’m only gonna tell you once.

You’re getting a small sample of what I can do, and if you don’t back
off, I’ll give you the full treatment.”

Nanita cringed on the ground, looking around like she was trying

to figure out what happened. She whined and licked at her paws, then
turned to stare at Maddie. Growling, she got up and started advancing
again.

Maddie couldn’t believe her eyes when the wolf got up and

continued to advance on her. Her anger grew, reaching a level she’d
never experienced before. She suddenly knew she was going to die,
and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. In that instant, she sent
all of her fear and regret toward Remus across their precious mating
bond.

Suddenly, Maddie felt a terrible pain in her abdomen. The pain

was so strong it drove her to her knees, leaving her gasping for breath.
Horrified, she looked on as hair began to sprout all along her bare
arms. She writhed in agony as she felt her face contort, making her
feel as if her jaw was breaking. The bones and joints in her body
began to snap and pop. She felt as if her body was being pulled apart,
and there seemed to be nothing she could do to stop it. She no longer
feared the wolf facing her. She was more afraid of her own body.

* * * *

Remus was beginning to tire of the issues of the pack this

afternoon. He’d been in this meeting for over an hour now, and all he
could think about was getting back to Maddie. He’d reached out with

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his mind but hadn’t been able to pick up anything from their bond. He
could only think that it meant she was safe and probably getting angry
at having to wait for him so long. He should have made sure one of
his brothers would look after her.

“Remus, are you hearing anything we have to say?”
Remus cringed at the annoyed voice of Vanard. The last thing he

needed was to have the Elders angry with him today. He already
pushed them as far as he could just by making them accept his mating
to what they called “the human female”. How he hated that term,
human female. They wouldn’t acknowledge her ancestry since neither
she nor Michael showed any sign of being Wolfen. It angered him
that his children wouldn’t follow in his footsteps. His son could never
be Alpha, at least of this pack. He had to take responsibility for that,
though. Nobody forced him to make the deal with the Elders. He
never told Maddie that, and he hoped he never had to. It would
devastate her to know they were penalizing him and their future
children because of her humanity.

“Yes, Vanard, I’ve been listening, but I can’t say that I’m

agreeing with your concerns. I know we have some security issues,
but not serious enough to double our forces. What do you think,
Brenner?”

“I think we have some problems that need to be addressed. Just a

few weeks ago, your own mate was removed from your home by one
of our long time enemies. If we had more men to post as guards
around our territory, outsiders wouldn’t be able to get in so easily. A
simple checkpoint at the end of the county road where our territory
begins would have kept your mate safe on that fateful day.”

“That’s not a very good example, Brenner, because her brother

was the lead car that came up the road. No guard would be instructed
to keep out family members. They’d have still been able to drive up to
the cabin.”

“No, they wouldn’t have orders to keep family out, but they would

have orders to call up to the cabin to let her know that her guests were

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seeking entry. And you damn well know they’d never have allowed
the cars to leave the mountain with your mate passed out in the back
seat. I think you’re too close to this problem, Remus, and you need to
defer to our judgment.”

Remus stared at the Elders one at a time, trying to see if he could

sense any underlying issues. After several minutes, he accepted that
they had no ulterior motives and decided to give his consent to hurry
things along.

“All right, I’ll agree to increase our security forces, but only by a

third, and not…”

Remus stopped talking in mid sentence and closed his eyes. His

mind flooded with feelings of pain, anger, and fear. Maddie was
calling to him, and she was in trouble.

Remus, help me, please. There is a wolf attacking me. I can’t win

in a fight with her. Hurry, please!

Remus jumped to his feet, unmindful of how he startled the

Elders. Taking only a moment to explain himself, he rushed toward
the door to go and find his mate.

“My mate’s in trouble and in great pain. I have to find her, now!”
He dashed out the door, sending a mental message to Ethan and

Latan, alerting them of the danger. He could hear the Elders following
close behind him. When one of his pack was in trouble, everyone
turned out to help.

* * * *

Nanita looked on in shock as Maddie shifted. She couldn’t believe

her own eyes. She’d thought that Remus’s mate was human.
Everyone in the pack thought she was. What was even stranger was
that Maddie seemed to be surprised at her ability to shift. What was
going on?

* * * *

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Maddie breathed a sigh of relief as the pain she was experiencing

suddenly went away. She turned her head to see where the wolf was
and was shocked to see that she was seeing out of the eyes of her own
wolf and everything was in black and white. Glancing down, she
could see that she now had four legs, and she was covered with a light
brown fur. Her clothes hung loosely around her body, somewhat
hampering her movement. Her thoughts were interrupted when she
heard a growl coming from Nanita.

Realizing that she needed freedom of movement, Maddie used her

claws and tore her clothing free of her wolf’s body. She peered over
at Nanita and decided she had enough and that it was time to get this
battle on more even footing. Keeping that in mind, she bared her teeth
and growled right back at the angry wolf. Tired of being at her mercy,
Maddie decided to take charge of their fight. Snarling and baring her
teeth, she began to advance on the larger wolf. It was time to give as
good as she’d received.

Nanita stood silently as Maddie advanced on her.
She almost looks like she’s in shock.
Happily, she watched as the larger wolf began to back away

slowly.

Remus, I wish you could see me now. You wouldn’t believe your

eyes!

Maddie, happy to see Nanita backing away, continued to stalk

toward the other wolf, driving her back into the forest now. As she
advanced, she suddenly became aware of Remus in her head, assuring
her that he was on the way. It was right then, while she was staring
this angry, bloodthirsty female wolf in the eyes, that she decided
Remus would never have to rescue her again.

Lunging toward her prey, Maddie managed to surprise Nanita and

nipped her front leg hard enough to draw blood. Happily, she heard
Nanita howl in pain.

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Yeah, you stupid bitch, see how that feels? Payback is a bitch,

namely me!

Feeling the adrenaline, Maddie continued to pounce on the other

wolf, confident she could hold her back, or better, until Remus
arrived. She loved the fact that even though she was in wolf form, she
kept all of her mental abilities.

Nanita continued to back away, jumping back and forth, trying to

avoid the sharp claws and teeth. Carefully watching the other wolf,
Maddie waited until her attention wavered for just a moment and then
hurled herself through the air, knocking the larger wolf off her feet
and landing on her back. In a gesture of pure meanness, Maddie sunk
all four of her sets of claws into the unguarded back of her enemy.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t thought about what reaction her claws
would bring. When Nanita howled in pain, she reared back, tossing
Maddie into a pile of dead leaves.

Nanita got up and advanced on the smaller, fallen wolf. Maddie,

lying in the leaves catching her breath, decided she was tired of
fighting this bitch and wanted it to all be over. She looked up at the
branches of the dead tree hanging over the advancing wolf,
concentrated strongly, and the larger branches fell on top of Nanita,
effectively pinning her to the ground. The defeated wolf howled at the
top of her voice.

Getting up from where she’d been tossed, Maddie trotted over to

look down at the trapped wolf. She caught movement out of the
corner of her eye and turned in time to see Remus, followed by what
looked like half the pack, come running around the bend in the trail.
She was never so glad to see anyone in her life. She looked at him and
gave him a big, wolfy smile, wagging her tail excitedly.

* * * *

Remus was running as fast as he could. He could sense Maddie

was just up ahead, and he was beginning to feel joy and happiness

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from her. Feeling she was close, he hadn’t even taken the time to
shift.

Rounding the bend in the trail, he came to a dead stop. Could he

believe his own eyes? As he gazed at the small brown wolf, tears
came to his eyes. It was his Maddie, just like Victor predicted. Her
body had accepted his wolf DNA, and she’d been able to change
without any help.

Remus couldn’t stop looking at Maddie. She was so beautiful, and

she was all his. He glanced over as his brothers came to stand beside
him.

“Remus, is that who I think it is?” Latan sounded skeptical.
“Well, Latan, if you think it’s my gorgeous mate, then it’s

definitely who you think it is.”

The members of the Elder council joined Remus and Latan.

Everyone had their eyes glued to the two wolves in the brush. He
knew everyone would recognize Nanita, but no one would know who
the other wolf was.

“Remus, explain.” The harsh voice of Elder Vanard broke into his

thoughts.

“That, gentlemen, is my lovely mate, Maddie. The same Maddie

you didn’t think had enough of her family’s heritage to ever be a full
member of this pack.” Remus couldn’t stop the sarcastic tone of his
voice as he addressed the leadership of his pack Elders.

Vanard grimaced and had the decency to look ashamed before he

answered Remus. “Well, obviously we were wrong. How about you
get her to change back, so we can find out what happened here.”

Giving them a disdainful look, Remus stripped off his clothing

and shifted into his wolf body, then trotted over to stand beside his
mate. Remus could use his psychic bond with Maddie, even in their
shifted form.

Maddie, my love, you’ve shocked the entire pack, and I love it.

More importantly, I love you. You’re such a beautiful wolf. The
Elders want to find out what happened, so I need you to change back

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right now so we can talk with them. I’ll tell Nanita to change back as
well.

Maddie seemed surprised that she could hear Remus’s thoughts,

and she didn’t look happy anymore.

Remus, oh, this is so embarrassing. I don’t know how to change

back.

Remus chuckled in his mind, thankful he was here for this big

moment in her life.

It’s easy, baby. Just concentrate really hard on your human

physical appearance, and let the magic flow up your body. You’ll be
back on two feet before you know it.

Stepping back to give her room, Remus went ahead and shifted

back to his human form to watch her complete the shift. After a few
moments, he saw her body begin to quiver and heard the sounds of
bones popping. Suddenly, she was standing before him, human again,
the most breathtaking sight he’d ever seen. And she was absolutely
naked.

Maddie squealed when she looked down at her body and raced

behind Remus to hide amidst the laughter of the crowd. Smiling,
Ethan ran over and gave her the shirt off his back.

“Thanks, Ethan,” Maddie said, her face red with embarrassment.

She slipped it over her head and then came out to face the pack
Elders.

While Remus had been getting Maddie to shift back, several of

the pack’s men lifted the debris off of Nanita and helped her to her
feet. She shifted back without being ordered and now stood facing her
pack members.

“Maddie, what happened here?”
Vanard was the first to question the women about what occurred.

Everyone waited to see what Maddie would say.

“I was taking a walk when I came upon this woman on the trail.

She seemed quite upset that I was mated to Remus. She told me she
had plans to get rid of me and get you to force Remus to take another

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mate, preferably her. She changed into a wolf and began to stalk me.
After a while, I got very angry and sort of tossed some dead branches
at her.” Maddie looked up when Remus and his brothers laughed.
“That only made her more angry, so she came back fighting even
harder. She had cornered me against that tree, and I thought I was
really gonna die.” She put her face in Remus’s chest as he pulled her
close against his body. It was a couple of minutes before she could go
on.

“Then I’m not sure what happened. I got this terrible pain. It was

so bad I couldn’t even stand up. I felt like my head was going to
explode, and all this fur started popping out all over my arms.”
Maddie paused when almost everyone there laughed. “For a minute, I
was really scared. Then the pain just went away, and I realized I was
standing on four legs.” This brought forth laughter from the Elders.

“After I changed, I sort of took a little delight in stalking her for a

while until I got tired, and then I used my other gift and dropped the
dead branches from that tree on top of her. That’s when you came
running.”

Remus cut his eyes over to Nanita to see what she had to say

about the events. She seemed unusually quiet, and he took her silence
as an admission of guilt. He could sense all the shock and outrage
coming from the pack members. They were having a hard time
believing one of their own would deliberately attack the Alpha’s
mate. Remus spoke to Maddie in a stern voice. “Maddie, as Alpha
Femm, it’s your choice what punishment is to be given. Her crime of
an unprovoked attack on an Alpha family member is quite serious and
can be punished very severely. It can be anything you think is
appropriate, up to and including banishment from the pack or death.
So, what do you want her punishment to be?”

Maddie stared at Nanita long and hard while everyone in the pack

waited breathlessly to hear what the punishment would be. There’d
never been a situation like this in their community before. Remus

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knew they were anxious to see what type of wisdom in such matters
their new Alpha Femm had.

Maddie walked up very close to Remus and pulled him down to

whisper in his ear.

“Remus, the whole problem with Nanita is that she doesn’t have a

mate of her own. She needs someone in her life to stabilize her. Can
she be made to mate with someone the council of Elders chooses?”

Remus was stunned and then pleasantly amused. He was pleased

that his mate had a kind and forgiving nature. She recognized the
worth in others, even when they don’t recognize it in themselves. He
smiled down at her adoringly.

“Yes, she can be forced to take a mate if she wants to stay with

the pack. But it’s not the Elders’ responsibility to punish her, it’s
mine. It’s a very old law and hasn’t been invoked in a very long time.
Her choice would be to mate with who we say or leave the pack and
not return.”

“You’re okay with doing that?” Maddie asked.
“Yes, I think it’s a fitting resolution to the problem.”
“Then that’s what I want for her. But I want you to pick someone

way down the totem pole in the pack. Her obsession is to be someone
important, and I think she should learn that everyone’s important,
even the smallest member. Find her someone good who’ll treat her
right and love and protect her the way you love me.”

Remus smiled at the obvious concern he could hear in his mate’s

voice.

“I know just the wolf, and he already has a huge crush on her. He

will feel like a king if he has her to mate with, and he’ll probably
worship her for the rest of their lives together.”

“Great. Then that’s what I want her punishment to be.”

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Chapter 10

Smiling, Remus led Maddie to the center of the clearing to face

the members of the pack and Nanita. Chuckling, he turned and
grinned at Nanita.

“My mate, the Alpha Femm, has decided on your punishment,

Nanita. Are you ready to be sentenced?”

“I’m ready.”
Nanita had a bored look on her face, like the outcome of this

meeting had no effect on her at all, but Remus could sense her fear.

“For your crime in the unprovoked challenge of the Alpha Femm,

you are hereby ordered to mate with Zebron immediately, if he’ll
have you. It is my mate’s belief that your crime stemmed from the
fact you don’t have a mate of your own and, therefore, didn’t
understand the power of the mating love.”

The whole pack gasped as Remus rendered the decision of the

Alpha Femm while Nanita voiced her fury.

“Elders, I won’t do it. You can’t make me mate with someone

whom I don’t want to be mated to. It isn’t right.”

“You’re correct. We can’t force you. But if you don’t take the

punishment we’ve rendered, you’ll be banished from the pack,
effective immediately. Do you understand this?” Remus responded to
her outrage, cutting off any reply the Elders might make. As Alpha,
he was in his rights to mete out punishment as he saw fit.

“I understand that you think you can control my life. I can’t leave

the pack. I don’t have anywhere to go. And I’m not gonna mate with
someone just because you say I have to.”

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“You have no other choices, Nanita. Zebron, step forward.”

Remus’s voice turned cold and commanding.

Remus watched as the little, nondescript man came forward from

the crowd. He was pleasant looking, with a kind of timid demeanor.
He looked nervous as he came forward, and Remus couldn’t help
noticing that he couldn’t take his eyes off the nude body of Nanita.

“Zebron, are you willing to take this unwilling female as your

mate, promising to love and protect her for as long as you’re together?
Are you willing to give her pups to care for, to carry on the traditions
of our pack?”

Looking over at Nanita, Zebron licked his lips twice and cleared

his throat before he could answer. The man was positively shaking in
his shoes.

“Yes, Alpha, I’d be honored to take Nanita as my mate, and I’ll

promise to love and protect her for the rest of her life.”

At his softly spoken words, the entire pack cheered happily while

Nanita screamed out.

“No, don’t make me do this, Remus, please.” Nanita’s pleading

did not sway Remus from his mate’s decision.

Frowning, Zebron walked over to the trembling woman. Stepping

up to her, he lowered his head to whisper in her ear. After about ten
minutes, she nodded her head, took his hand, and walked down the
path toward his home. Everyone in the pack, including the Alpha and
his mate, called out their congratulations, and clapped their hands.

Remus looked down at Maddie and spoke softly to her mind.
Maddie, I’ve always wanted to be able to run with my mate as a

wolf through the woods and along the river. Are you game?

Smiling, her fingers went to the buttons of his brother’s shirt.

Slowly, she unbuttoned them, one at a time, until the shirt fell open.
She let it slide down her shoulders and drop to the ground. She was
standing there in all her nude beauty before his pack.

Remus watched her close her eyes, then saw the air around her

shimmer. He could hear her bones pop as she shifted. Then, she was

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standing before him as a magnificent brown wolf, looking every bit
the Alpha Femm she was.

Remus shifted and looked down when his little mate nudged him.
Catch me if you can!
Maddie whispered the words in Remus’s mind and then took off

running toward the riverbank in the direction of their cabin. With a
big, toothy smile, Remus thought, Piece of cake. He took off running
after her.

* * * *

Smiling as he watched his brother chase after his mate, Ethan

turned to say something to Latan and caught sight of Ariane. He
couldn’t help noticing how sad she looked. Not taking time to think
about it, he walked over to where she stood. Reaching over, he
tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek.

“What’s wrong, Ariane? Are you okay?”
Ariane looked up at him with a watery smile. “Yes, Ethan, I’m

fine. I’m just wishing that I had someone in my life to look at me the
way Remus looks at Maddie. I dream of the time when I meet my
mate and we can start our lives together. Do you think that’s silly?”

Feeling like an older brother, Ethan reached over and gave her a

small hug.

“No, it’s not silly. We all dream of being able to find our mates.

Remus was lucky and found Maddie when she was just a little girl. I
admit I’m jealous of them myself. I know that I have a mate out there
somewhere. It’s just a matter of time before I meet her. I know you’ll
meet yours someday as well, and I’ll pray for you that it’s soon if
you’ll say the same prayer for me.”

She smiled up at him. “You’ve got a deal, Ethan.”
Ethan grinned and then took her hand and followed the rest of the

pack back to the clearing where they had their dinner spread.

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* * * *

Remus watched as his little wolf mate raced along the riverbank.

He was pretty sure where she was headed—the rock outcrop where
they first made love. He knew Maddie thought he couldn’t catch her,
but she was wrong. He was letting her stay ahead of him, taking his
time to see where she wanted to lead. He wasn’t disappointed when
he realized she was heading for their rock. Picking up his speed, he
quickly caught up with her and leapt, tossing her to the ground. He
nuzzled up close to her and then closed his teeth at the nape of her
neck, effectively holding her in place and showing his dominance. He
whispered into her mind.

Change, baby. Change back so I can make love to you as human.
Almost immediately, Maddie and Remus both changed to their

human bodies. Maddie turned over, and Remus covered her naked
body with his own.

“I’ve always known that I loved you more than anything else in

this world, and I honestly didn’t think I could love you more.” He
pushed her hair back from her face so he could gaze into her eyes.
“Today, standing in the forest, looking at this beautiful brown wolf, I
realized my love could grow even stronger. You’re everything to me,
Maddie, and I’m gonna spend the rest of my life showing you how
deep that love is.”

Lowering his head, he brought his lips to hers, plucking at them,

and then ran his tongue along the seam of her closed lips, begging for
entry. When she parted her lips, Remus thrust his tongue deep.
Surprising him, she began to suck on his tongue, causing a tremor to
run the entire length of his body.

With their mouths still fused, Remus slid his body into the

juncture of her spread thighs. In a sensuous move, she raised her
knees up along his sides, gripping his hips tightly. With her legs open
and spread on each side of his body, his rock hard erection rested
against her moist opening. She ground her hips toward him,

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effectively causing his cock to slide up and down over her engorged
clit. Both of them groaned deep in their throats.

Releasing her lips, he ran his tongue over her chin and down her

throat. All along the way, he alternated between licking and sucking
on her fragrant skin. Moving further down, he traced his tongue
across her chest, to settle his lips around her erect nipple, and began to
suckle. Slowly, he raised his hand to her other nipple, where he began
to tug and twist. When she arched her back in pleasure, he took her
nipple between his teeth and bit gently, causing her to cry out and
arch her back even further, almost as if she was trying to push her
breast farther into his mouth.

Abandoning her breast, Remus moved up her body until he was

nose to nose with her.

“As much as I love this special place of ours, I think that I’d

prefer a nice, soft bed for what I want to do to you. Are you game?”

Maddie didn’t bother answering him. She just smiled and put her

arms tightly around his neck. Taking that as an affirmative sign,
Remus stood, pulling her up with him as he went, then swept her up
into his arms before turning and walking toward their cabin.

Entering through the back door, Remus crossed to the bed, then

laid her down on the soft mattress. Reaching over, he turned on the
light beside the bed, then lay down next to her, placing his muscular
leg across her thighs.

“I was so proud of you today, mate. You were everything an

Alpha Femm should be and more. I can’t tell you how hot it made me
to see you standing in the sunshine, all naked and beautiful.”

Maddie blushed and hid her face in his shoulder. He could see the

flush start in her neck and move up. Remus smiled when she let out
an exaggerated groan.

“What’s the matter, baby?”
“I was naked in front of your entire pack today! Oh my God, I was

naked in front of your brothers!”

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The horrified tone of her voice caused Remus to throw back his

head and laugh heartily. Gripping his hand in her hair, he pulled back
to bring her face under his own. He whispered. “Let my brothers eat
their hearts out. You’ll never belong to anyone but me.” Then he took
her lips in a passionate kiss.

As Remus deepened the kiss, he grasped Maddie’s wrists in each

hand, pinning them to the bed as he slid his body to lie on top of her.
He could feel his cock twitch at the juncture of her thighs.

Releasing her lips, he ran his tongue along the side of her face and

down to the hollow of her throat. He scraped his sharp teeth across
her delicate skin and then soothed it with a sweep of his tongue. He
chuckled as he felt Maddie try to pull her hands free of his grip.

“Not yet. Right now I want you to keep your hands on the bed.

Will you do that for me?”

“No, Remus, I wanna touch you.”
“You’ll get your chance to touch me as much as you want, but

right now I want you to lie still and just feel me loving you.”

Maddie didn’t answer him with words but obediently laid her

hands back down on the bed. Immediately, Remus put his mouth back
into the hollow of her neck.

Seeing that she complied with his wishes, Remus continued his

journey south, tasting every inch of her silken skin along the way. He
allowed his tongue and teeth to trace her body, along her chest, and up
the firm, rounded globe of her breast, stopping just before he reached
the rosy peak. Carefully, he traced around the areola with the tip of
his tongue, smiling as Maddie arched her back.

“Please, Remus, don’t tease me.”
“I’m not trying to tease you. I’m trying to make this last. I wanna

bring you more pleasure than you’ve ever thought about receiving.”

Over and over, he swirled his tongue, slipping lower to trace the

underside of her breast, still ignoring the one place he knew she was
desperate to have him.

“Remus, please!”

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Sucking firmly on the underside of her breast, Remus didn’t

answer her until he left a small mark of possession on her body.

“Please what, baby? What is it you want?”
“You know what I want. Please don’t tease me.”
“I want you to tell me what you want me to do. I wanna hear the

words.”

“Remus, I want your mouth on my breast.”
“It is on your breast.” He teased her.
Remus laughed as Maddie growled and grabbed his head, trying

to pull it down to her body.

“Remus, please.”
“Please what?”
“Damn you, I want your mouth on my nipple. I want you to suck

on it. Are you happy now?”

Hearing the frustration in her voice, Remus immediately lowered

his head, taking the straining tip in his mouth, and sucked strongly.
Maddie groaned loudly and arched her body up off the bed, thrusting
more of her breast into his mouth.

Remus began alternating sucking with light biting as he brought

his free hand to her other breast. Carefully, he took her tightened
nipple between his thumb and forefinger and tugged. His reward was
Maddie’s head thrashing back and forth on the pillows. “Oh God,
Remus, that’s so good. Don’t stop, please don’t stop.”

Remus licked the nipple he’d been biting and transferred his

mouth to the other side, giving that hardened peak the same attention.
For several minutes, the only sounds heard were the groaning from
Maddie’s throat and the sucking sounds from Remus’s hungry mouth.

Releasing her nipple with an audible pop, Remus began running

his tongue down the middle of her chest and over her abdomen,
stopping to search out the depths of her belly button. Smiling against
her body, Remus felt her begin to squirm around. She was very
sensitive around her abdomen, and he knew it. He held an arm tightly

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over her stomach to keep her from wriggling away while he continued
to torture her for several long moments.

Lowering his hands to her hips, Remus scooted his body down so

that he now was lying with his face directly before her sopping pussy.
Glancing down at her feminine folds, he could see the dampness of
the curls guarding her entrance. Softly, he blew on the silken hair,
causing her to jerk her knees slightly. Using two fingers, he pulled
back her outer lips and stared directly into her fiery depths. Her
arousal was so great, her clit was already engorged and peeking out
from behind its protective hood. Lowering his head further, he flicked
at the hard nub with the tip of his tongue.

“Ahhh.” Maddie cried out loudly. Abandoning the tiny bundle of

nerves for the moment, he ran his tongue down the length of her slit
and all the way down to the puckered, forbidden entrance to her ass,
where he probed gently. He wasn’t surprised when Maddie’s entire
body tensed up.

“Don’t be scared, baby, I’d never hurt you. I wanna fuck you here,

Maddie. Please, I promise I’ll make it so good for you.”

Glancing at her face, Remus saw that Maddie’s eyes were blazing

with passion. He was surprised when she pushed herself to a sitting
position. “What’s wrong, Maddie?”

She didn’t respond to his question. Maddie pulled on his shoulders

as if to pull him up in the bed. Thinking something was wrong,
Remus slid up her body and took her in his arms. He was caught off
guard when she pushed hard against his shoulder and rolled him onto
his back.

“Got ya now,” she whispered to him. Maddie threw her leg over

his waist and straddled his body. He could feel her wet pussy against
his stomach.

“Oh God, Maddie, what are you doing?” Remus groaned his

words.

Maddie began licking her way down his chest. “It’s my turn now.”

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* * * *

Maddie felt elated that she finally had Remus under her control.

Well, at least as much as she could control him. She ran her tongue
slowly down his chest, marveling in the different textures and tastes
of his body. She wasn’t sure how long he’d let her have control, so
she was going to head straight for the main event.

She slid her body down the length of his, stopping to press her

nose deep into his pubic hair. She inhaled, drawing his scent deep into
her body.

Her fingers closed around his erection, and she marveled at the

warmth radiating from it. Running her fingers up and down the silky
length, she couldn’t believe how something so soft could be so hard.
Leaning in close, she rubbed her cheek up and down the smooth skin
and was rewarded with a loud growl from her mate.

She watched, fascinated, as several drops of clear liquid oozed

from the engorged head. Tentatively, she reached forward and licked
across the purplish head. Remus’s hips jerking startled her.

Grasping his cock more firmly, she closed her lips around the

head and began to suck. It surprised her when Remus’s hips began
thrusting back and forth. Her other hand snaked down and grasped
one of his heavy balls and began to fondle it. Once again, she was
rewarded with a growl from Remus.

Maddie released his cock from her lips, then lowered them to rest

against one of his balls. Taking a deep breath, she ran her tongue
across the hair-roughened sac.

“Good God, woman,” Remus roared.

* * * *

Remus couldn’t take the feel of her tiny, wet tongue on his balls

any longer. He reached down and grabbed Maddie by the arms and

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dragged her up his body, then flipped her over onto her back. Wasting
no time, he closed his lips over hers and plunged his tongue deep.

Ending their kiss, Remus immediately lowered himself to lie

between her spread thighs, then pressed his face into her slick center.
He delighted in the gasp that came from her mouth.

Licking up her slit to her clit, he took the tiny hard nub between

his lips and sucked. Carefully, he inserted a finger into her tight
sheath and then slowly added a second one. He began an in and out
rhythm while he continued to suck on her pleasure button. Maddie
began to thrust her hips toward his face, gripping her hands tightly in
the bed covers.

“Remus, I need...I need more. Please, I need to come.”
“In time, baby. Be patient. It’ll be worth waiting for.”
He began sucking on her clit harder, taking it between his teeth

and biting. As Maddie thrashed about, he scooped a measure of her
cream with his two fingers and carried it down to her puckered
entrance. Several times he brought more of her arousal’s cream down
to her forbidden opening and then began to massage it deep into the
tiny pucker. Increasing the rhythm of his sucking, he gently pressed
one of his fingers against her lubricated anus, keeping up the pressure
until it pushed past the outer ring and into her dark depths. She didn’t
seem to notice his finger’s invasion.

Careful to keep up the attention on Maddie’s clit, he inserted a

second finger into the tight opening of her ass. Slowly, he began to
move the fingers back and forth, encouraged to see Maddie’s hips
pick up his rhythm. As he continued to suck strongly on her clit, he
used his other hand to plunge two fingers deep into the opening of her
pussy. When he felt her legs beginning to tremble, he plunged his
fingers deep and hard both in her ass and her pussy and bit down
firmly on her clit.

“Arrgh…Remus,” Maddie screamed out her release.
As she relaxed, he worked his way up her body with his tongue,

stopping along the way to tease her rigid nipples briefly. As he settled

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his erection between her thighs, she raised her knees on each side of
his hips, hugging his body tightly.

“I want you, mate, I wanna sink my cock so far into you, you’ll

think it’s part of you.”

Maddie opened her thighs wider as she rose up and put her lips

against his. She plunged her tongue into his mouth as she thrust her
hips up, causing the tip of his cock to enter her slick passage.

Taking his cue from her, Remus thrust his hips forward and

entered her to the hilt with one, strong thrust. Groaning, he stilled his
body for a moment, savoring the feel of her hot, tight walls pressing
in around him.

“God, baby, you feel so good, so hot and so tight.”
Slowly, he drew his hips back, pulling himself out of her body

until just the very tip of his cock was still inside her, only to thrust
forward again to claim his space deep inside her body. Giving her no
warning, he withdrew completely and pulled Maddie up from the bed,
turning her over and placing her on her hands and knees. Remus
grabbed his cock, placed it at her dripping opening, and then plunged
forward until his balls were tight against her ass.

“Ahhh, oh, Remus,” Maddie called out as he entered her.
Lying across her back, Remus nuzzled her neck while his arms

went around her body and his hands began to fondle her breasts,
pinching and pulling on the tips. His hips began going back and forth,
keeping her arousal at its peak. Gradually, he let one of his hands
move down her body to search through the silky hair to find the center
of her pleasure. As he fucked her from behind, he began to strum her
clit back and forth. It wasn’t any time at all before he had her on the
brink of coming again.

“Harder, Remus, I need it harder,” she gasped.
In response to her pleas, Remus sped up the motion of his

thrusting and began pinching the engorged tiny bud of her pleasure.
Maddie’s orgasm took him by surprise.

“Oh, Remus,” she cried.

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As he felt Maddie’s body begin to convulse around his, Remus

sought his own release. Arching his back as his body succumbed,
Remus growled out his pleasure.

Deep in the throes of his own passion, Remus leaned forward,

placed his dropped canines against the juncture of her neck and
shoulder, and bit down hard.

Maddie screamed out and trembled all over. Remus knew the bite

intensified her orgasm. At the same time, across the room, the items
on the chest went flying to the floor. Remus continued to pump at a
furious rate, wanting to blend their bodies as one. Then, while he was
lying across Maddie’s body with his face against her shoulder, Remus
got the surprise of his life.

* * * *

Maddie felt like she was flying. Being with Remus had never felt

this good. Lost in a sea of pleasure and pain, she reacted to pure
instinct and turned her head toward Remus. She released canines she
didn’t even know she had and plunged them into the area of his
shoulder, right next to his neck.

“Oh God, Maddie, what are you doing to me? That’s so good.”

Remus’s voice was almost a growl.

The feel of his blood filling her mouth gave her a sense of

belonging she’d never felt before. Gently, she licked the wound to
stop the bleeding.

* * * *

“Ahhh, Maddie!”
Remus cried out when he felt his mate stake her claim while his

cock hardened again. Furiously, he began to pound into her, leaving
his teeth clamped loosely against her shoulder. Reaching under her,

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he found her clit and pinched it repeatedly, bringing her to another
climax at the same time his own body found release.

For several minutes, the lovers remained united. Then, reluctantly,

Remus pulled from her body. Together, they collapsed down onto the
bed. Remus dragged her body close to lie within his arms. He raised
his hand, then pushed the damp hair away from her face in order to
stare into her beautiful eyes.

“Oh, woman, you can’t imagine how it made me feel for you to

claim me in the way of our people. You made me so hot.”

Maddie flushed and looked away. “I’m not sure what came over

me, Remus. It was something I just had to do. I’m not sure which one
of us was more surprised.”

“Maddie, you’re the love of my life, my soul mate. Our claiming

of each other ensures that everyone around us will know we belong
together and that we can never be pulled apart. Your claiming me will
make the mate bond even stronger. We’ll always know each other’s
thoughts now.”

Remus leaned over to kiss Maddie when, suddenly, the light

beside the bed began flickering on and off. Both of them stopped to
stare at it.

Maddie cleared her throat. “You think the place is haunted,

Remus? I’d hate to think my grandfather’s hanging around taking
everything in.”

Remus laughed at her words and then glanced over toward the

floor where everything lay in a heap now. Reaching over, he turned
off the blinking light. He looked down at Maddie and laughed.

“I don’t know about ghosts, but I’m thinking we may need to sex

proof our bedroom.”

Maddie looked over to the fallen items and grimaced. “I’m sorry,

Remus. I can’t figure out how to control it during sex. I don’t realize
I’m projecting until it’s too late and things start flying. Are you upset
with me?”

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Hugging her close to his body, Remus planted a romantic kiss on

her parted lips.

“Of course not. It makes me wild to think I cause you to lose

control like that. Just make me a promise, okay?”

She blinked at him. “Sure, what do you want me to promise?”
“Promise me we’ll never have sex in a room with knives.”
Maddie smacked him on the chest as he chuckled, then cuddled up

against him.

“That’s it, baby. Let me hold and protect you, and let’s get some

sleep.”

* * * *

Remus’s softly spoken words went a long way toward lulling

Maddie to sleep. Just before she slipped away, she heard her
grandfather’s words in her head again.

I promise you that this wolf will never do anything to hurt you. In

fact, he’d protect you from danger if you ever needed it. I’m proud of
you, Maddie. Enjoy your Wolfen heritage.

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Epilogue

Three Months Later

Maddie stood at the riverbank, staring back at the remains of her

grandfather’s cabin. Before she could stop it, a single tear slipped
down her cheek. She couldn’t believe everything was gone.

She and Remus had been at the pack house enjoying a group

dinner when the smell of smoke drifted toward the gathering. The
men all shifted and raced to investigate, but it’d been too late. When
they reached the small cabin, they found it in flames. There hadn’t
been anything anyone could do. The volunteer fire department had
been called, but the cabin burned so quickly that all they could do was
contain the flames until it burned out. At least it hadn’t spread to the
surrounding forest.

As she glanced around, she focused her gaze on Remus and

Michael as they walked around the property. Michael had his
notebook out and was writing away as Remus talked.

She’d finally broken down and called Michael a few weeks ago.

Remus hadn’t really been in agreement with her decision to forgive
him, but he respected it. Her brother was the only blood family she
had left. She wanted him in her life, and she needed to tell him about
the wolves at some point. If she could find her own wolf and shift,
then maybe so could he.

Michael had been very surprised by the olive branch she was

offering. They’d made arrangements to get together soon and then the
cabin burned down. He’d been so upset over her losing her cabin that
he decided to design them a new home as a belated wedding present.

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Neither she nor Remus even thought of turning him down. He’d been
talking with both her and Remus all weekend, getting ideas of what
they wanted this new home to look like.

Although happy at her brother’s seeming acceptance of her mating

with Remus, she was still on edge with him being here. She’d never
found the right time to tell him about their grandfather’s journal, and
now it was lost forever in the fire. She knew that sooner or later she’d
have to tell him about the wolf shape shifters, but it wasn’t something
she was looking forward to. It’d be hard for him to accept. He was
so much like their father. Having him visit, even for a short time,
caused a lot of anxiety for her since she constantly had to be on the
alert that he might accidentally find out about the wolves.

Maddie smiled as the men came to join her by the flowing river.
“Well, Michael, do you have a better idea of what we want now?”
“You bet, baby sister. I have all of your ideas written down, and I

have the specs of the property. It shouldn’t take me long at all to have
a preliminary set of plans for you to take a look at.”

“Just make sure the wiring is completely checked and over

checked, if you don’t mind.”

She watched Remus grimace at her words. She knew it was

upsetting to him to see her grieving over everything they’d lost.

I just can’t believe we lost everything due to faulty wiring. I

should have known the wiring was bad. I should have had it checked
out when I first moved in.

Michael’s voice brought her away from her thoughts.
“So I’m guessing that means they ruled this as a fire due to faulty

electrical wiring?”

Before Maddie could jump in, Remus answered for her.
“Yes, they did a thorough investigation and said that the wiring

was old, and it was never brought up to code when the new bathroom
was added to the cabin. They were surprised it hadn’t burned down
before it did.”

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“Well, you can bet this house’s wiring will be top notch and

checked and double checked just for you, Maddie. I want you to have
the home of your dreams, and it pleases me greatly that you and
Remus agreed to let me design it for your wedding gift. I’m really
sorry I took so long to come around, Maddie, but I’m totally behind
you now, and I want you and Remus to be happy together.”

Michael’s sincere words moved Maddie, and she crossed over to

him and flung her arms around his neck, squeezing him in a hard hug.

“Thank you, Michael, you can’t know what it means to us to have

you accept us.”

Giving a long look at Remus, Maddie continued.
“I never got around to showing you grandfather’s journal,

Michael, and there were definitely some things in it that would’ve
interested you. I think, no I’m sure, that we probably need to find
some time to sit down and talk. I’d like to tell you about the things he
wrote about.”

“Okay, sis, we can do that, but it’ll have to wait until I come back

with your plans. I have one project down in Georgia I have to finish
this week, and then I can devote my time fully to your new home. I’ve
managed to rearrange my schedule and put a few things off so I can
be here to handle things during the construction.”

Maddie looked at Remus and then Michael continued.
“I know that Remus’s family’s construction company will be

doing the building, but it’s always good to be on site to be able to
change the design when needed for emergencies. There can be any
number of reasons things need changed from the owner not liking it,
to availability of materials, to structural problems with the lot. It’ll
just be better if I’m close by. I’ll be in the area for a few weeks so we
can definitely find time to talk then. Is that okay?”

Maddie breathed a sigh of relief. She was getting a reprieve for a

little longer.

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“Of course it’s okay, Michael. I’m looking forward to your

spending some time with us and getting to know what’s going on in
your life now.”

“Boy, that’ll be a two minute conversation. All my life consists of

is work, work, and more work. But, I have to admit, that’s the way I
like it.”

“Well, forgive me ahead of time, but I’m gonna do my best to

introduce you to something besides work.”

“No matchmaking efforts, if you please. I’m happy being carefree

and single.”

Maddie looked at him, thinking he was crazy, and she was just

about to suggest as much when Remus folded his arms around her and
pulled her close.

“I’ll try to rein in my wife’s matchmaking efforts while you’re

here, Michael. That’s a promise.”

Maddie started to say something when she caught movement out

of the corner of her eye. She could see a female coming down the path
through the forest.

“Oh, look, here comes Ariane. She made me promise to go

shopping with her today, kind of a mercy trip, to replace some of my
lost clothing. You’d like her, Michael.”

Looking horrified, Michael stared down at his sister then off in the

distance toward the woman walking toward them.

“I’ll pass for now, Maddie. I have to get back this afternoon to

make my flight back to Atlanta.”

Giving her a huge hug, even lifting her off her feet, Michael gave

his sister a big kiss on the cheek then turned and shook Remus’s hand.

“Gotta get moving now. I’ll call you when I know the date I’ll be

coming back. In the meantime, be happy, sis. Everything will work
out.”

* * * *

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Michael crossed over to where he’d parked his rental car, got in

and drove off down the hill, pausing to look at the attractive woman
coming up the drive. He nodded to her as she smiled at him.

“Now that’s one distraction I definitely don’t need.”
He stepped on the gas harder and sped away.

* * * *

Ariane watched the man in the car as she smiled at him. He

looked positively horrified. Well, she didn’t think she looked that bad,
and she was only trying to be friendly. She wouldn’t even have been
that friendly, but he was obviously a friend of Maddie and Remus.
She saw the way he hugged and even picked Maddie up. They must
be pretty close, and she’d never want to do anything to offend her
Alpha or his wife.

Looking up, she smiled at Maddie as she joined them near the

river.

“Hi, Ariane. I guess you’ve been looking for me. Something about

a shopping trip?”

Laughing at her woeful expression, Ariane walked up to her

Alpha Femm and hugged her in greeting. Immediately, her body
stiffened, and she began to sniff Maddie’s clothing and arms.

Maddie jumped and tried to step back, but Ariane wouldn’t

release her. She was surprised when Remus stepped up and pulled her
away from his mate.

“What is it, Ariane? What’s wrong?” Maddie asked.
“Your scent. It’s all over you. Who was that man who was here

hugging you just now?”

Maddie looked at Remus with a puzzled, confused expression

before she answered.

“That was Michael, my brother. He was here to take some notes

about the house he’s designing for us. Are you all right? You’ve gone
rather pale.”

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Ariane looked over to Remus and saw the same confusion in his

eyes.

“That man is my mate, I’m sure of it.”
Maddie and Remus looked at each other in amazement, and they

both spoke the same word at the same time.

“Michael!

THE END

www.missymartine.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Missy Martine is a retired nurse, and former business owner. She

met the love of her life in an internet chat room back in 1997, and has
been happily married for the last ten years.

Now they live in California with their three babies, Beau,

Midnight and Bubba. The three male cats live very pampered lives
since being rescued by Missy and her husband.

Missy loves traveling, and has been all over the world. Although

her favorite places are in the high desert, she has learned to love
walking on the beach near her home. Her favorite vacations have been
when they loaded up the jeep with supplies, and then took off for
Wyoming and Montana to explore the back roads. Another of her
hobbies is photography, and she loves taking pictures of wild animals.
With her digital camera always ready, she’s been known to take
several hundred pictures a day of the wildlife and scenery they
encounter.

An avid reader of romance, she is a firm believer and advocate of

getting a second chance at love. Visit her website and learn more
about her writing.

Also by Missy Martine

Table for Three

Available at

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