CrySanctuary:Book1ofRedRockPassseries

Chapter One

Keith’s alpha rocked back in his chair and watched the harried-looking man and his young daughter walk out the back door of the bar. Then he cast a weary glance at Keith. “It’s different now. Since you left, I mean. Shit like this happens all the time.”

He’d gathered as much, but hearing Gavin say it somehow made the situation more real, more desperate. “Maybe we shouldn’t have gone out into the world. Humans are a lot more cruel than we are.”

Gavin snorted and let his chair legs hit the floor with a thump. “I wish I could blame it on that. If the alphas were doing their jobs, it wouldn’t matter.” He reached out for his beer and drew a hand through his graying hair. “But they’re not just letting too much slide. They’re abusing the power.”

Keith turned a chair around and sank into it, folding his arms across the back. “Maybe the alphas have been corrupted by the human way. Take what you want and terrify anyone who tries to stop you.”

His alpha just shrugged. “What’s done is done. It’s up to the Lorekeepers now, unless we want to go out, guns blazing, and take over the world.” A tiny smile curled the edge of his mouth. “Sammie tells me I’m too old for that shit. And she’s right. War is for young men.”

War isn’t for anyone. Keith lifted a hand to rub at his chin, the rough stubble under his fingers reminding him he needed to shave. “Then I guess I’m not young anymore, because five years of it made me pretty damn tired.”

Gavin finished his beer and flashed him a knowing look. “Does that mean you’re going to stick around for a while? Maybe settle down?”

Maybe find a woman? Gavin didn’t say it, but he didn’t have to. Not when Keith had heard some variation on the refrain a hundred times. The past is past, or Kelly wouldn’t want you to be alone, or the more damning, You have a duty as a dominant.

That last one was what had finally driven him overseas, driven him to spend five years as a soldier in the battle between werewolves and wizards, where his only duty was fighting. He did have a duty as a dominant werewolf, one to guide and shelter and teach. A duty to protect. A duty that comes with too many damn strings.

“Hey, forget I said anything.” Gavin didn’t look the least bit sorry as he returned Keith’s steady gaze. “I don’t make people do things they don’t want to do, remember?”

“Yeah. I know.” Keith changed the subject. “That guy and his kid going to stay in the motel?”

He nodded. “I’ve granted them sanctuary until they can find a safe place to relocate. They can’t go back to Coeur d’Alene, not while that bastard alpha’s still in charge over there.” Gavin tapped his chin. “Who do we know up in British Columbia?”

“Manuel. We should send them to Manuel.” The voice came from the doorway to the back office, and it brought Keith to his feet in an instinctive gesture of respect. Though tall and extremely fit, the woman who stood there might not have seemed intimidating to the mundane eye, but her power swept through the room like a warm breeze and raised the hair on the back of his neck.

Samantha Hamilton walked in, her eyes focused on her husband alone. There were times when even being in the same room as the alpha pair made Keith feel vaguely voyeuristic, and this was one of them. Sam crossed the floor, a walkie-talkie in one hand, and the power that flowed with her found a focus, an answering echo in Gavin. For a brief moment, he could almost feel their emotions, taste the depth of their love in the energy that sparked between them.

Gavin frowned. “Is something wrong?”

Distracted by the magic, Keith hadn’t noticed the expression on Sam’s face. She looked worried, tense. A bad sign for a woman as hard as nails and afraid of next to nothing. She thumped the walkie down on the table and hooked a chair with her foot. “Yeah. Just got a call. Two kids left Helena on their way here, and Alan Matthews is apparently pissed enough at losing his newest girl that he’s sent men after them. Into our territory.”

Her husband bristled as he rose. “He wouldn’t.” It was a blatant challenge, one Keith knew Gavin couldn’t let slide. “Of course he would. Impertinent idiot.” He turned sharp blue eyes toward Keith. “Feel up to it?”

Of all the duties expected of him, this was the only one he felt capable of handling anymore. Keith checked both of his pistols before snapping them into their holsters. He nodded shortly as he shrugged into his shoulder rig. “Always. How far out do you think the kids are?”

Sam slid the walkie-talkie across the table to him. “They should have been here by now. They had a head start, and Justine said Alan didn’t realize they’d slipped out. The girl’s newly changed, one of Alan’s special picks.” Her lips twisted into a disgusted snarl, one Keith had to fight not to echo. “The boy’s one of Alan’s little whipping boys. No one thought he’d have the guts to try to get her out, I guess, even though she’s his friend. But he’s not strong enough to protect himself or her.”

“Get them here, Keith.” Gavin’s words were soft, but an unmistakable order. “Do what you have to do.”

***

For the seventh time in as many minutes, Abigail Adler checked her cell phone’s display. “Still no service.”

“I told you.” Dylan grunted as he tried to wrestle the blown tire off his car. “I don’t think you can use cell phones up here. Even if you got reception, the magic they use to keep humans out would screw it all up.” He spoke calmly, but the tension in his voice provoked a reaction she didn’t understand.

Abby took a deep breath and distracted herself by counting the lug nuts lying in the upturned hubcap. Finally, when she had her frustration under control, she spoke again. “Does anyone know where we are?” Do you know, Dylan? Please say yes.

The tension grew worse, prickling tangibly against her skin. “I told someone we were coming, but I didn’t exactly have time to call ahead and make hotel reservations, Abby.”

“I know.” She closed her eyes and leaned against the side of the car. “I know this wasn’t easy for you.” He’d put his life on the line to get her out of Helena, defying his alpha. It was something she could still barely wrap her brain around. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” he responded, his voice almost harsh. “It’s my damn fault you’re in this situation. My fault you’re—” He wrenched the tire free and sent it skittering back down the road in a show of temper and inhuman strength that would have shocked her a few weeks ago. “Damn it, I should have protected you before it happened.”

She closed her eyes again and tried to calm her pounding heart. “It’s not your fault.” He couldn’t have helped what happened. He couldn’t have stopped it.

Only a month earlier, Abby had lived a quiet life. She’d had work and family and friends, and she’d known nothing of Dylan’s secret. In the years they’d been friends, she’d known him as a funny, sensitive, compassionate man.

She hadn’t known Dylan Gennaro was a werewolf.

She’d met Alan Matthews one night at a restaurant. Dylan had gone out with Abby and a group of friends, and Alan had come over to the table. He was tall, blond and gorgeous, and she’d been mildly flattered by the attention he’d shown her that evening. Only Dylan’s obvious discomfort had kept her from accepting the date he offered.

Then, two nights later, something attacked her in the parking lot outside her apartment building, and her world exploded.

She wanted to scream at the injustice of it. Instead, she helped Dylan roll the spare tire into place and lift it onto the axle. “It’s not your fault,” she repeated. She touched his shoulder lightly.

He stiffened under her touch, and she knew he was fighting not to shrug her hand away. He’d been drowning in guilt for weeks now, choking himself with it as he struggled to help her adapt to the life that had been thrust upon her.

The hardest part had been watching his reactions change, as if some instinct that had lain dormant while she was nothing but human had shoved its way to the surface. He acted antsy whenever she got too close, and withdrew when she touched him. Their easy, open friendship was gone.

Dylan focused on the spare tire and said nothing until he had it fixed into place. The line of his jaw tightened as he took a breath. “Hand me the lug nuts?”

She wiped her palms on her jeans and gathered them with both hands. “Have you ever been to Red Rock before?”

“No.” The word came out short and rough. “Alan would have killed me. Even talking about Gavin Hamilton is treason, as far as he’s concerned.”

She handed him the first lug nut. “Because Hamilton takes people in?”

“Yeah. Because he’s fighting for the old ways.”

He’d tried to explain it to her before, but it hadn’t made much sense. She opened her mouth to question him, but a faint noise tickled her ears. A car or a truck was somewhere down the road and coming closer. “Dylan—”

He was already on his feet. “Do you know how to use a gun?”

“No.” The thought that Dylan did shocked her. “I-I can try.”

Dylan strode around the side of the car and reached through the passenger window to open his glove compartment. He pulled out a small, compact gun, and the ease with which he handled it alarmed her even more. “This is the safety.” He showed her how to switch it off. “If someone gets close to you, point and squeeze the trigger. I’m going to deal with whoever’s in that car, and you’re going to run. If anyone comes after you, do your best to shoot them.”

Something inside her balked at running, wanted to stand and fight, though she didn’t know how. “What about you?” she demanded, her teeth nearly chattering despite the warm evening air.

He didn’t say anything, but the bleak look in his eyes made words unnecessary. Dylan didn’t expect to survive the confrontation. He recognized her sudden understanding and turned away, his gaze going to the road behind them. “I mean it, Abby. You run. The longer you can stay away from them, the better the chances someone’ll come from town and find you.”

“No.” She couldn’t just leave him. “Dylan, that’s crazy. We can—”

He whipped back around, and she saw the wolf in his eyes as he curled his fingers around her shoulders. He stood only an inch or two taller than she, but the frantic energy vibrating off of him made him seem more intimidating. “Do you want to join Alan’s little harem? He shares his women, you know. Gives them out as rewards. He probably gave one to Chuck for turning you. And I’m dead either way.”

Abby sucked in a ragged breath and nodded, already backing away. “Be careful.” Before she could change her mind, she took off down the shallow embankment by the road.

She ran as fast as she dared. The sun had barely dropped beneath the horizon and the moon hung large overhead, nearly full, but the dense trees blocked the light. She could see, but she wasn’t used to her newly keen senses. The forest looked odd, eerie, and her heart pounded with fear.

No. Another emotion rose up to overwhelm her terror.

Rage.

She skidded to a stop, her shoes slipping and crunching on dry pine needles. She couldn’t leave Dylan to die, no matter what he’d said. The gun lay heavy in her hand, and she stared down at it. Even if she couldn’t save herself or Dylan, she wouldn’t have to go with them.

She had a way out.

She tried to be quiet as she headed back to the car, letting her nose guide her when her sense of direction failed. She smelled car exhaust, sweat…

And blood.

The men who had caught up to them weren’t bothering to be quiet. They filled the night with their laughter, with Dylan’s muffled grunts of pain. She heard the sick sound of fists against flesh, and Dylan roared. Someone laughed, and she drew close enough for their words to carry to her through the trees.

“If you wanted a bitch so bad, you should have asked your alpha. Might have been hard to find one pathetic enough to bend over for you, but he would have at least looked.”

Their laughter masked her approach. It was clear that, no matter their plans for her, they’d been given carte blanche to hurt Dylan. No, stupid, she berated herself silently. Not hurt.

Kill.

Abby walked toward them, the gun in her outstretched hand. “Let him go.”

Dylan groaned in protest and forced himself to his knees. “Run, Abby—” A booted foot crashed into his chin, knocking him back to the ground.

The owner of the foot turned to grin at Abby. Tall and blond, his blue eyes held nothing but amused condescension as his gaze swept over her, barely pausing at the gun. “Oh, you’re feisty.” He turned his head and spit on the ground next to Dylan’s head. “Too good for the likes of you, Gennaro.”

She squeezed the trigger and fired.

The gun jerked in her hand and she flinched back. One of the other men swore and jumped to the side, but the ringleader just laughed. “Come on. Put the gun down before you hurt yourself, sweetheart. We’ll take good care of you.”

She ignored him and tried to aim again. Her second shot went just as wide, and this time all three of them laughed.

The laughter cut short when another shot rang out and the blond man’s head snapped back. Abby registered nothing more than the fact she hadn’t pulled the trigger before the man hit the ground, a bullet hole between his eyes.

Pandemonium erupted and was silenced just as quickly as the mysterious shooter took down the two remaining men, one with a bullet to the chest, and the other with one to the gut.

Abby didn’t question it, didn’t think. She rushed forward and grabbed Dylan by the shirt. “Stand up,” she demanded. “Dammit, Dylan—” She managed to drag him halfway behind the car’s bumper, instinctively cutting them off from the general direction of the shots.

The man with the stomach wound curled a hand around her ankle, his grip hard enough to be painful. He yanked at her leg in spine-jarring jerks, trying to drag her back out into the open. She kicked at him and recoiled with a shriek when a fourth shot sounded and blood exploded from his head.

Dylan had gotten to his knees somehow, and he pulled the gun from her hand and tried to drag her back behind him, as if to shield her from whoever had shot their attackers. A crunch of gravel from the other side of the road snapped his head around, and he raised the gun in a hand that shook so badly Abby doubted he’d be able to fire, much less hit anything.

The man who walked toward them looked dangerous even before his power hit them in a scalding wave, the strength of it like nothing she’d ever experienced. She’d learned to recognize the feeling of another werewolf from extended contact with Dylan, but her friend’s energy was like soft sunlight against her skin, warm and a little tingly, but easily ignored.

The large man who stopped a few paces away was something else entirely. Putting aside the energy that singed the air around him, he was physically imposing. His tight T-shirt emphasized his wide shoulders and strong muscles, and the dark leather shoulder rig that cut across the white fabric had holsters for two guns. One was empty, the weapon held easily at his side as he surveyed the two dead attackers and one survivor. Everything about him was dark—his hair, eyes, even the fierce expression he wore.

That expression didn’t change when he looked at Dylan and found him pointing the gun at him. “You’re okay now. Put the gun down.”

Dylan’s shoulders sagged in what might have been relief, and he lowered the weapon obediently.

The man’s gaze moved to Abby, and his face softened a little. “You okay?”

The human part of her—the part that had just watched him shoot three men—wanted to run, hide. The rest of her wanted to cling to the power that poured off him. “I’m all right.” She held his gaze for a moment, then lowered her eyes. When she looked back, he was still watching her. “Who are you?”

Dylan answered. “He’s one of Hamilton’s enforcers.” Her friend’s voice shook, though she wasn’t sure if it was with pain or relief. “He’s safe. We’re safe.”

“Keith.” It was so short and abrupt she didn’t realize at first that it was meant to be an introduction. Keith holstered his gun and moved to the third man, the one still whimpering in pain. He nudged the man’s body over with his foot and studied him appraisingly.

The man tried to speak, but managed only incoherent moans. Abby took a deep breath. “Will he make it?”

“Probably.” Keith leaned down and searched the man with an ease that looked practiced. He pulled a cell phone from one pocket and a gun from an ankle holster. He absently checked the gun, set it on top of the car, and crushed the cell phone under one booted heel. “If he does, he can drag himself home and tell them what happens when you cross our borders to hurt someone looking for sanctuary.”

Dylan dragged in a pained breath and braced a hand against the back bumper of the car as he tried to stand. “Alan Matthews had someone attack her. He wants her, and he’s not going to just let her go.”

“Dylan.” The word came out more sharply than she intended, and she looped his arm around her shoulders to help him. “We can talk about it later.”

Keith’s dark gaze flicked back and forth between them before settling on Dylan. “Can you walk back to my Jeep, or do you need to wait here?”

“I can walk,” Dylan said, his voice stubborn. “I want to get Abby somewhere safe.”

“She is somewhere safe,” came the calm reply, and Keith smiled a little as he reached for the gun he’d set on top of the car. He checked it again and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans. “She’s with me.”

Abby fought a shiver as she glanced at Keith. Judging from the way he’d dealt with Matthews’ men, he’d have no problem with whatever else they might face. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Two

Abby straightened her shoulders and forced her gaze up from the floor. The pleasant-looking older man behind the desk radiated authority, as did the woman at his side, and her instincts demanded she show deference. Submission.

Then the man smiled. “You must be Abigail. I’m Gavin Hamilton.”

She cleared her throat. “Hello. Thank you for seeing us.”

He waved a hand and leaned back in his chair. “Any problems, Keith?”

Keith shook his head. “I already called Cindy. She’s coming here to check out the boy.” The look he cast Dylan was slightly reproachful, but it held a bit of respect too. The kind she’d never seen any werewolf give him before.

Dylan had dug in his heels and refused to leave her side. He stood next to her, shaking a little with the effort, and flatly ignored Keith.

The woman seated next to Gavin snorted loudly and leaned forward. “Sit your ass down in a chair, Dylan Gennaro, or I’m going to put you in one. If you think you’re making Abigail feel better by dripping blood on the floor next to her, you’re dumber than most men.”

Abby helped him to the chair Keith dragged forward. “Thank you,” she murmured. Keith’s face remained impassive as he nodded, and she averted her gaze, once again meeting the alpha’s eyes. “Dylan said Matthews wouldn’t give up. I don’t want to put anyone in danger, but my sister, Brynn, is still in Helena. If someone can help me make arrangements, we can go to our brother’s place in California.”

Gavin scratched his chin. “Is that what you two want to do?”

“No.” Dylan wouldn’t look at her. Instead, he focused on Gavin. “She doesn’t know what she’s saying. She doesn’t understand what the next few months will be like for her. We need sanctuary.”

She glared at Dylan’s profile, irrational anger surging through her. “I made it before. I can—”

“How long have you been a werewolf?” Gavin’s quiet question cut through everything, and she fell silent. “A few months?”

Keith was watching her. Her gaze clashed with his again, and she looked away. “One. One month.”

“One change, then?”

She nodded.

Gavin glanced at his wife before asking, “How much do you remember?”

Abby knew he wouldn’t like the answer. She didn’t even like it, but she couldn’t lie, no matter how much the thought of staying in Red Rock scared her. “Not much.”

The woman—Samantha, someone had said—leaned forward once more. “No one wants to hold you hostage, Abigail, but there are things you need to learn before we can let you go out into the world. You say you don’t want to put anyone in danger. You’re not a danger to us, but you would be a danger to your brother and sister. To any human around you.”

She could offer no argument, no defense. “Yes, ma’am.”

Gavin stood. “You and Gennaro will stay here, at least until after the full moon. Sam can help you, you know, and it will give me a chance to make sure Alan Matthews has gotten the message about leaving you alone.” He walked around the desk and laid his hands on Abby’s shoulders. “I’m sorry this happened. The transformation is a gift, not a curse. It shouldn’t have been forced on you. But what’s done is done.”

What’s done is done. She nodded slowly. “Thank you.”

He inclined his head. “Keith. Take them to the motel. And let everyone know they’re under my protection.”

She couldn’t quite interpret the look that flashed between the two men. Keith’s face hardened slightly, his eyes growing tight, but after a moment he nodded. “What about Cindy?”

“Get them settled, and you can take the boy to see Cindy at her house.” His instructions given, he moved on to nod at Dylan. He grinned at them both. “I think you’ll like it here. We’re good people.”

Abby tried to return his smile. “Thank you again.”

“Don’t mention it. Go on with Keith, now, and we’ll see you two tomorrow.”

Keith gritted his teeth and struggled to keep his instincts in check as he steered Abigail and her erstwhile protector out the back door of the bar and across the dusty street to the motel that stretched out behind it.

The motel might have been designed to be a business but, as far as Keith knew, it had never actually been run as one. What had once housed members of visiting packs had turned into something far more somber—a place where refugees tried to put their lives back together.

The walkie-talkie on his belt crackled to life as he pushed open the door to the front office. Cindy’s voice, slightly distorted, spilled out. “Keith?”

He held the door open and reached for his belt as Abigail helped Dylan limp inside. “Yeah?”

“Sam just called. I’ve already got my bag and am on the way. You want me to come to you so you don’t have to move the new arrivals?”

Keith glanced at Dylan, who was insisting he was all right even as the girl bullied him into a chair. In the end he sat, forced by instincts he couldn’t control to yield to the power that burned so brightly inside of Abigail. Power she probably didn’t even realize she possessed.

Power that would have the unattached men in town circling like sharks before the week was out. Before the next day is out.

The thought made his voice a little rough as he jabbed at the button on his walkie. “Yeah, come over here,” he said, deliberately ignoring Gavin’s order. Bringing Dylan to Cindy’s office would involve leaving Abby unattended. Not that she was in any danger—any man in town would think twice before so much as offending her—but his instincts demanded that he stay. That he protect.

“Be there in a few.” Cindy seemed blithely unconcerned by his tense tone, or perhaps she was simply used to it.

He clipped the walkie back on his belt and turned to Dylan and Abigail. “You want two beds or one in your room?” It was a perfectly reasonable question, even a necessary one, and he tried not to hold his breath as he waited for the answer.

Her eyes widened. “We can rent two rooms. If they’re available, I mean. We’re not—” She cleared her throat and flushed. “We need separate rooms.”

Being satisfied was wrong on so many levels. He wanted to be able to smile and put them in separate rooms… But people will leave her alone if they think she’s with him, at least for a few days. Dylan’s presence wouldn’t dissuade the curious men of the pack for long. He was obviously incapable of handling her dominance, and Abigail would need someone strong enough to keep her safe during the Initiation months. Even though it was custom to let a woman make the choice about who that person would be, there was no rule that prevented interested men from trying to convince her.

And try, they would.

He met Dylan’s gaze and saw that same knowledge reflected back at him, and Dylan was the one who finally spoke. “It’s not about us being together. It’s just better for a few days if people think we are, Abby. I promise I’ll try to explain it all.”

She ignored him and stalked toward Keith, her jaw tight. “Your alpha said we’d be safe,” she reminded him. “Do I need to be taken for that to be true?”

Her energy spiked dangerously, a clear sign she was close to losing control, which could result in a painful and terrifying shift in forms. Still, he told her the truth. “No. You’ll be safe. If someone tried to force you, their life would be forfeit. That’s the alpha’s law.” And it would be his job to enforce that law, something she might be more comfortable not knowing.

“She doesn’t know about the Initiation and Guides,” Dylan interrupted, his voice weary. “She doesn’t know any of it.”

“What initiation?” she demanded, her dark ponytail swinging as she turned to look at Dylan. “What guide?”

The door opened, saving both men from having to answer. Keith stepped aside to let Cindy enter, automatically reaching out to take the heavy bag she carried.

The petite blonde glanced at Dylan and grimaced. “Hell. Who worked you over, sweetheart?” She started rolling up her sleeves and nodded toward the back office. “We can do it in there, probably. Or does he have a room?”

“I was going to put them in 104.” He leaned over the counter and located the correct key on the desk by the number burned into the small wooden disk attached. After a second, he picked up the key for 103 as well and offered it to Abby. “Here. You’ll be safe enough if you stay in the room. You’d be safe outside of it too, but if people don’t realize you don’t know what’s going on, they’re going to confuse you. You’ll probably think they’re hitting on you.”

Her hand shook a little as she accepted the key, but her voice was steady. “I won’t leave the room.” She avoided everyone’s eyes as she turned and walked out of the lobby.

Cindy watched her go and scratched the back of her head. “New?”

“Less than a month, and against her will.” Keith glanced over at Dylan. “How much does she know?”

“Just about nothing.” The young man stopped trying to keep up the brave facade now that Abby had left. He looked tired and hopeless, but the brittle, tense way he held himself made it clear he didn’t expect support or comfort.

Another thing Matthews should have to answer for. Keith closed the door and crouched down next to the chair. “Hey. You did a damn good job, getting her away. I know she doesn’t understand what you did, but I do.”

Cindy smiled gently as she prodded Dylan’s bruised jaw. “Took a couple, huh?” She pulled a penlight from her pocket and shone it in each eye in turn. “Pupils are reactive, but slightly uneven. Could be a concussion.” She straightened and arched an eyebrow at Keith. “He should probably stay at my place tonight. For observation.”

It was unnecessary, considering the healing ability of the average werewolf, and even more, unexpected. Cindy had plenty of reason to be wary of strange men in her house.

Dylan shook his head a little, his concern coming back. “Someone has to explain stuff to Abby.” But there was a thread of hope in his voice, even if he didn’t realize it. Hope that someone would take away the responsibility crushing him.

Cindy leaned down and met his gaze. “You did good. Let someone else handle things for a while. Right, Keith?”

He nodded. “I’ll tell Samantha, the alpha’s wife. She’ll be able to explain to Abby how things work, especially how they work here. She’ll do a better job than anyone else could.”

“Okay.” Dylan closed his eyes, and the anxious energy around him calmed almost at once, replaced by sheer exhaustion. “As long as she’s safe.”

“She is. You both are.” Cindy rubbed his shoulder and looked at Keith. “Help me get him out to my truck, okay?”

There was nothing to do but agree, so Keith rose to his feet and smiled wanly. “Let’s get you patched up.” I only wish taking care of your friend would be so easy.

Abby had thought a shower might help her jittery trembling, but nearly an hour under the erratic spray did nothing but shrivel her skin.

She found a robe hanging in the open closet and shivered into it, then climbed under the covers on the queen-sized bed. She stared at the silent, dark television screen as she rubbed a white towel over her hair.

Safe. She supposed she owed the Hamiltons a debt of gratitude, one she still didn’t quite understand. Judging from everyone’s behavior, what Dylan had done by defying his alpha and saving her was almost unheard of. Unthinkable. But if he hadn’t…

She shuddered. Discomfort shot through her, making her skin prickle. The same nervousness she’d thought to ease with her shower resurfaced, strengthened. It almost hurt, and she found herself panting for breath.

Abby closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing. In, out. In, out. A hot spike of pain twisted her belly, and she whimpered.

A heavy knock at the door startled her, and she slid halfway off the bed. Her knees would barely hold her, but she forced herself to walk across the room and look out the peephole.

Keith stood there, a concerned expression on his face. His gaze focused on the peephole, and he raised a hand. “I can help, Abby.” He spoke softly, but she easily heard him through the door. “Let me help you.”

She fumbled with the security chain and opened the door. “You can’t. I don’t even know what’s wrong with me.”

“I do.” Keith stepped through the door and kicked it shut with an absent gesture, his attention already focused entirely on her. He reached out a hand and held it a few inches away from her cheek. “The wolf is trying to escape.”

The desire to lay her cheek against his hand almost overwhelmed her, and she backed away from the door. “The moon won’t be full until this weekend.” Her legs hit the edge of the bed, and she sat, ignoring the yearning that flared within her.

“The moon forces the change,” he agreed, taking a step toward her. He dropped to his knees and slid his hands onto the bed on either side of her hips. “But the change doesn’t require the full moon. Until you learn control, strong emotions can bring her to the surface.”

“Oh.” The only strong emotion she felt at the moment involved finding out if his lower lip was as warm and soft as it looked. She realized she was staring, drew in a sharp breath and met his gaze. “What can you do?”

Keith closed his eyes, and in the next second, warmth surrounded her. Power built slowly in the room, an odd energy that tickled her skin and raised goose bumps on her arms. Something inside her reacted to it at once, and she leaned closer to him.

The energy wrapped around her, calming the tension in her belly. A small noise escaped her as she nestled her face in his neck and inhaled his scent, so different from her own and yet the same.

A soft tug of his hands brought her off the bed and into his lap. He slipped his fingers into her hair and held her face to his neck. “That’s right,” he whispered. “That’s right, Abigail. You can feel it, can’t you?”

She could feel him, and that was all that mattered. Abby arched against Keith and clutched his shirt, moaning her loss when he stopped murmuring in her ear. He was powerful, strong. She growled lightly and lifted her face to bite his jaw. I need you.

He stiffened, but didn’t pull away. He smoothed his hand over her hair and down her back. “You’re okay. You’re okay, Abigail.”

She panted against his skin for a moment, then froze. “Oh God.” What the hell am I doing? “God, I’m sorry.” She pushed away from his chest, her cheeks burning. “I’m sorry.”

Keith tugged her back. “Don’t undo everything I just did,” he ordered softly. “Relax. You need to relax.”

Even now, mortified by her own behavior, she wanted to sink her teeth into his skin again. She wanted to feel him inside her. “I need to get up, Keith. Really. I want—” She groaned and rested her forehead against his shoulder. “I need to get up.”

His breath feathered against her ear. “Don’t fight it, and it won’t overwhelm you. I can keep you safe.”

She didn’t doubt that. But if she gave in to the need tearing at her, she didn’t know what would happen. How far things would go.

Liar.

She knew. Even as her hands slid up his shoulders and into his hair, she knew. Her tongue snuck out to taste the hollow of his neck, and she moaned again and wiggled closer. “Yes,” she answered, though he hadn’t asked anything.

She kissed him.

At first he didn’t react. His hands stayed on her back, only tightening a little when her lips parted. She licked his bottom lip and went rigid when he stayed perfectly still. You’re an idiot, Abby. He obviously didn’t want to encourage her, and she’d both bitten and licked him in the space of a few minutes. She closed her eyes and sighed. “I didn’t mean—”

“Don’t.” It sounded hoarse, more growl than speech. His fingers skated up her back and plunged into her hair, and he tilted her head back. “Christ… Christ—”

Then he kissed her.

There was nothing hesitant or discouraging about the way he urged her mouth open and thrust his tongue inside to slide over hers. She shuddered and whimpered at the flood of sensation his touch unleashed. Under the civilized, acceptable veneer of passion, something in her thrilled at his loss of control.

He kissed her long enough to make her head spin and tore his mouth away with a low noise. He panted against her neck, his fingers still tangled in her hair, and she felt the power surrounding them. It felt right to be like this, straddling his legs with his hard cock grinding against her. To have his mouth on her neck, hovering over the vulnerable spot where her pulse beat erratically under her skin—

Keith pulled back, his expression pained. “You need to talk to Samantha.” He gripped her hips and lifted her as if she weighed nothing, depositing her back on the bed. “This—it can mean things you don’t understand. You need to talk to her first.”

She stared down at him, bereft, her body throbbing. “What kinds of things?”

He shook his head and rose to his feet. “I need to—” When he took a step back, she got the feeling he was fighting for the control to retreat. “I’ll go talk to Sam. She’ll explain.”

Abby watched in shocked silence as he turned and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him. After several minutes, she crossed to the door and slid the chain back into place. Her hands still shook, and she couldn’t quite wrap her brain around what she’d just done.

She’d been half a heartbeat from dropping her robe and begging him to fuck her. Not make love to her, not even have sex with her. Fuck her. Hard, claiming thrusts, maybe against the wall…

She banged her forehead against the door and groaned. She could have an orgasm by herself and take care of the sexual tension still twisting her, but it wouldn’t calm her need to feel Keith’s body wrapped around hers, solid and warm.

Oddly, though she felt even more nervous and out of sorts now than she had before, the painful energy had disappeared. In its place was a strange sort of satisfaction, as if the wolf inside was simply biding her time.

Keith slammed through the door to the bar and ignored the startled looks from the people spread out among the tables. He ignored Carl and his questioning eyebrow, ignored the beer Stacey held out as he passed, ignored everything except for Gavin and Sam, who were seated at their usual table on the slightly raised platform that would have served as a stage if anyone had ever performed there.

He stopped just short of the platform, his height putting him on eye level with the alpha pair. Sam tilted her head to the side and studied him. After a moment, she sighed and drained her beer. She brushed one hand over Gavin’s arm as she rose to her feet. “I suppose it can’t wait until tomorrow now, can it?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Gavin agreed, his expression bland. “Be safe, baby.”

Sam trailed her fingers up her husband’s arm and across the back of his neck as she moved around him. “Keith, you should go wait in the office, honey. Unless you really want to have this conversation with everyone in town watching.” Her gaze drifted past him, and Keith stiffened, sure that everyone in the room had just turned abruptly away to study their drinks.

It wouldn’t matter where they had the conversation. The gossip in the tiny town broke the sound barrier most days. Still, he shifted his gaze to Gavin’s, pleading silently with his alpha.

Gavin rose and glanced sternly around the bar. Then he nodded to Keith. “Let’s take a walk.”

Keith followed him outside. Gavin spent a few seconds studying the sky and started toward the center of town. “What’s the problem?”

He made a frustrated noise, hating Gavin a little for forcing him to speak the words when they both knew what was wrong. “I can’t handle it. You need to get another enforcer in here to look after them. Carl or Mac.”

“Carl or Mac,” he echoed, scratching his chin. “They’ve both got a lot on their plates right now. I’ll see if Mitchell’s got some time.”

The growl escaped him before he could stop it, which had been Gavin’s intention, he supposed. “Sometimes you’re sort of an asshole.”

“Mac is married with three kids and Carl just took a mate.” Gavin stopped in the middle of the street and arched an eyebrow at Keith. “So they’re safe. Joe’s a good Guide, and the ladies like him. Not so safe.” His tone both dared and invited disagreement. “It’s a duty he enjoys. One you’ve been avoiding.”

His hands curled into fists. “Yeah. Because I’m not good at it.”

“Walk away,” Gavin urged quietly. “I’ll put someone else in charge of her safety, and we’ll find another wolf to guide her.”

Walk away. The man could think rationally, could accept he might need to do just that. The wolf, though… The wolf was hungry, and not for prey. “I don’t know if I can.” It was a confession and a plea for help, rolled into one.

The alpha swore. “Dozens of women, Keith. Since you’ve been back, dozens have passed through here, and you haven’t looked twice at any of them. Now you want me to—” He swore again. “What happened before you came to the bar?”

Keith squeezed his eyes shut and fought against the strength of his memories, of Abby’s scent, her soft, desperate noises, and the feeling of her body under his hands as she begged him for things without saying a word. Only the knowledge that she didn’t know what she was asking for—begging for—had made it possible to back down.

He cleared his throat and tightened his fists until his fingernails dug into his palms. “She was losing control. She was thirty seconds away from a forced change. I had to help her.”

Gavin’s nostrils flared. “So it’s already started.” He headed off the street, toward his house, and beckoned for Keith to follow. “You couldn’t give Kelly up after her Initiation. What makes you think you can do it this time?” He shot him another dark look. “Or are you thinking that far ahead?”

He hadn’t been thinking at all. Her pain, her need for someone strong enough to calm the wolf inside her… Oh, he’d been tempted in the past. His instincts had clamored for him to take any number of newly made wolves under his protection, to teach and guide them. To use his strength to shelter them.

But the wolf was the only one. The man wasn’t ready.

Hadn’t been ready.

Keith groaned and rubbed a hand across his eyes. “Christ, I’ve fucked up, Gavin.”

They crested a small rise, and the light spilling from the front porch illuminated them both. “Not a big deal,” Gavin admitted as his boots clomped on his porch steps. “Not yet, anyway. I can still warn you away from her, if that’s what you want. You’ll just have to sit back and watch her pick someone else.”

He struggled to take a breath around the sudden rage that choked him. “She needs a choice,” he said, forcing out the words. But she has to choose me. She has to.

Gavin tugged a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his flannel shirt and thumped one out. “Sammie will tell her what she needs to know.” He lit the cigarette with quick movements of his weathered hands. “Abigail has already chosen you, Keith. She just doesn’t know it yet. When she figures it out…” He shrugged. “Well, she’ll go with it, or she’ll get scared and run. Either way, I’m leaving it up to the two of you. Just be careful.”

“Careful.” Keith snorted and leaned against the porch railing. “Yeah. That’s me all over.”

“Fine. Stay away from her.” Gavin took a deep pull from his cigarette and grinned as he exhaled. “Let’s see how you do with that.”

Keith scowled. “Fuck you, man. Fuck you.”

Gavin laughed for a moment, but his amusement faded into solemnity. “You never answered my question. When it’s over, can you let her go?”

He wasn’t ready to answer the question. “Let plenty of ’em go before Kelly.”

“That you did. And all it takes to damn near ruin your life is one you want who doesn’t want you back. Remember that.” He turned the doorknob and shouldered open the door. “Want a beer?”

Keith glanced over his shoulder toward the motel. He wanted to go back, but Sam was there. Sam would take care of Abby, would explain to her what was going on.

And if Sam caught him hovering, she’d kick his ass.

He turned back and saw that knowledge and understanding reflected in his alpha’s face. Gavin understood. He always understood, which made him the perfect leader. “Yeah. The last thing you need is to have Sam after you because you didn’t keep me out of her hair.”

“Bullshit.” Gavin chortled. “If I don’t keep you out of her hair now, I’ll be picking bits of you out of it later. And I kind of like you.”

Keith stomped up the porch stairs with another snort. “Yeah, yeah. Fine, let’s go drink beer.” And stop thinking.

Abby’s heart jumped when she heard the knock at her door. For one crazy moment, she thought Keith had come back. But the energy bleeding through the door wasn’t his, and she fought a wave of disappointment.

She pulled open the door to find Samantha standing there. Immediately, she lowered her gaze in deference. “Mrs. Hamilton.”

“Oh, Jesus. Don’t call me that.” She slid a strong finger under Abby’s chin and forced her gaze up. “Sam. Call me Sam. Do you like Abigail or Abby?”

“Most people call me Abby.” She moved away from the door and cleared her throat. “Please, Sam. Come in.”

Samantha Hamilton wasn’t any taller than she was, but her presence filled the room as she stepped inside. It was different from Keith’s, but oddly soothing just the same. When the door closed behind her, she reached out again and caught Abby’s chin in a gentle grip. Sam’s dark brown eyes studied her face for a moment. “You’re strong, aren’t you? Tough.”

It had never really occurred to Abby before. “I’d like to think so.” She stared up at Sam and ventured, “Are you here because Keith sent you? He said you would need to talk to me.”

“Yes.” Sam gestured to the small, scratched table in the corner, an obvious command to sit. “If you had chosen to become one of us, you would have learned this before the change. You would have already chosen a Guide.” The capitalization of the word was clear. “As it is… Well, there’s no good way to do this, Abby. Do you want me to try to explain, or would you rather ask questions first?”

Abby waited for Sam to sit before lowering herself to the other chair. It listed a little on uneven legs, and she stilled its rocking. “Dylan said something about an Initiation. I’m guessing a Guide helps you through that. But I don’t know what’s involved, or why it’s important.”

“Initiation traditionally lasts for three full moons. A ceremony is performed the night before the first full moon, bonding an Initiate and their Guide. The bond is a bit of old magic. Maybe something we got from the wizards before we became enemies.”

Abby groaned as she digested her words. “Keith.”

Sam nodded. “Keith is a strong werewolf. An experienced one. Seeing you in distress… Anyone who grew up with the old ways would have wanted to help you, Abby. But we have strict rules about how this works. The Initiate always chooses. Especially since the relationship involves a level of intimacy that can become sexual.”

Humiliation made her cheeks burn, and she wanted to sink through the floor. She’d known, on some level, that the energy swirling between them had been at least partially responsible for their kiss. What she hadn’t imagined was that he might not be attracted to her at all. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Will you—” Her voice cracked, and she looked away. “Will you tell him I’m sorry? I didn’t mean to bother him.”

“No, I most certainly will not. I won’t insult him by implying that his duty is a bother to him.” Sam caught her gaze and held it, her expression stern. “And neither will you. That is the first thing you need to understand, Abigail. Serving as a Guide is an honor, one that most of us have undertaken at least once in our lives. Sometimes the bonding period ends and we part as friends. Sometimes it deepens into love. But it is never, never a burden.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay. I guess I need a-a Guide before this weekend.” Before the moon reached its fullest. “What do I do? Ask Keith?” The thought made her stomach clench with fear and excitement. Would he want to? Did he want to?

One of Sam’s eyebrows swept up. “You have every right to make a choice, Abby. Not that I’m trying to discourage you from Keith. It’s obvious that you’re perfectly compatible, and I’m sure he would keep you safe. But he’s not the only man here who could keep you safe, and perhaps you owe it to both of you to make an informed decision.”

Abby gritted her teeth. “I can’t make an informed decision about any of this because I don’t know anything.” Irritation and helplessness washed over her. “I-I guess I’ll have to meet more men. I mean—God, I don’t know what I mean.” She cast a pleading look at Sam. “How do I do this? Just show up at the bar tomorrow night and advertise?”

“Shit, no.” Sam reached out and covered her hand. “Come to lunch at our house tomorrow. There’s plenty of time for you to meet people, talk to them. Simple. And if anyone makes you uncomfortable, tell—” She stopped abruptly, the pause short but telling. “Well, tell Gavin or me. No one should push you.”

“Okay.” She had never been one to make friends or socialize easily, and the thought of putting herself on display—to the alphas or anyone else—made her palms sweat. “I can do that. I look forward to it.”

Sam arched an eyebrow. “Next piece of advice—don’t lie to werewolves. It never works well. And don’t be nervous. Your friend will be there with you. Dylan.”

“Right.” What she really wanted to ask was if Keith would be there, but she held her tongue. “I’ll make it. Thanks, Sam. For everything.”

“What else do you need? Clothes? Food? Something to read?” Sam tilted her head toward the TV. “We don’t get cable out here. Don’t get much of anything, but there should be some movies in the cupboard underneath.”

Abby shook her head. She just wanted to sleep. “I’m exhausted. Maybe in the morning?”

A short nod. “There’s some food in the minifridge there, probably. Stuff that takes a while to go bad, probably some drinks and beer. You’ve got the little kitchenette here, but unless you want to go get groceries, I’ll just stop in tomorrow morning and we’ll go find some breakfast.”

She stood and tightened the belt on her robe. “That sounds great.” Tears stung her eyes. “I really appreciate everything you and your husband have done.”

Sam rose and stepped around the table. One hand dropped to Abby’s shoulder and slid around to her back. “I’m sorry this is so hard, honey. You’re going through a lot right now, and I know it. But you’re not alone.”

All Abby could do was squeeze her eyes shut and nod. “It’s just a little overwhelming, that’s all.” She straightened her shoulders and forced a smile. “I’m okay, though. Really.”

“No lies.” A moment later Abby found herself enfolded in a gentle embrace, and Sam’s quiet strength wrapped around her like a warm, soft quilt. “You don’t have to be okay right now, Abby. But you will be. I promise.”

“Okay.” Abby tried to breathe and a harsh sob escaped. She abandoned herself to Sam’s strength, letting it soothe her.

“Shh…” Fingers stroked over her hair. A warm, maternal comfort surrounded her. Sam held her, whispered meaningless words against her hair and rocked her a little as she cried.

Chapter Three

Abby straightened her shirt and cast a nervous glance at Dylan. “I wish I’d had time to pack more clothes. This lunch invitation seems like a big deal.”

“Don’t look at me.” Dylan perched on the edge of her bed, his face still pale, and fidgeted with the edge of the bandage around his arm. “I wasn’t exactly getting invitations to my alpha’s parties. Thank God.”

No. She’d been getting those. “I second that.” Abby turned away from the mirror. “What if they figure out they don’t like me? Will they make us leave?”

“No.” He said it calmly, without hesitation. “Sanctuary isn’t about whether or not they want to invite you over for poker night, Abby. Besides, they’ll like you fine. You’re reasonably intelligent, you know, and only a pain in the ass when you’re feeling bossy.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “I’m serious. I don’t know how any of this works.” She turned back to the mirror and smoothed her hair. “How did you recognize that man last night? The one who came and found us?”

“There’s a woman in Helena who’s friends with Samantha. I met Keith once, not long after I was changed. And Justine told me he’d be the one they sent out to meet us, probably. Him or some other guy…Joe, I think.”

Abby lowered her gaze. “You called him an enforcer. Does that mean what it sounds like?” She tried to keep her voice casual, though she knew it wouldn’t take her friend long to pick up on—and figure out the reason for—her interest.

“Like he shoots people who are trying to invade his territory?” Dylan snorted. “Like I said, Abby. The generals about being a werewolf, I’ve got down. But the specifics…” He sighed. “I’m not exactly from a healthy pack. Enforcers beat the hell out of us for stepping out of line in Helena, and ran interference for Alan so he could do and have whatever he wanted.”

What about here? Do they go around kissing the hell out of women they just met? She picked up her hairbrush, turning it over in her hands. “I was having a hard time last night. He helped me.”

“Because you’re strong.” When she looked up, Dylan’s face was a little hesitant. “It’s one of the reasons I wanted to get you here, Abby. I’m—my magic. It’s not strong enough. If you were weak or submissive, I could have helped you. But your wolf wouldn’t put up with that, not from me. I needed to get you to someone who could help.”

The wooden brush hit the vanity with a clatter. “How do I pick? I mean, I have to, right? Pick someone to help me? To be my Guide?”

He winced. “The people here seem decent. Pick a guy you like. Or, I dunno, maybe a chick. Sex doesn’t have to be involved. Hell, in Helena it almost never was, not for the men. The women—” He broke off. “But this isn’t Helena.”

If she chose Keith, she couldn’t imagine keeping her hands to herself. The memory of his open mouth on her neck made her shiver, and she cleared her throat. “We’d better get moving.”

“Yeah.” He rose to his feet, steady in spite of the fact that he looked like hell. “Can’t keep the alphas waiting.”

She reached out a hand to him. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

“I’m fine.” He smiled, the expression tired but genuine.

Abby changed the subject as they stepped out into the bright sunlight. “So. You stayed at the doctor’s house last night?”

“She was worried about my head, I guess.” He sounded a bit self-conscious. “You could have told her it’s too hard to get dented by a couple of kicks.”

Abby poked him. “Are you all right? Really?”

“Really.” He reached out to take her hand and squeezed it lightly. “Werewolves are hard to kill. They weren’t even trying.”

She clung to him. “Could have fooled me. They were…vicious.”

“No kidding. But they know it’s hard to kill a werewolf too. That one Keith left there is probably back in Helena now.”

She didn’t know whether she should be worried about that or not. “Will they come here? Could they, I mean?”

Dylan was quiet for a few moments. They walked past the end of the motel and the general store next to it. A woman out front waved to them as she supervised a sullen-looking teenage boy sweeping the sidewalk. Abby raised her own hand and smiled.

Finally, he spoke. “They could. But it would mean war. And I’m hoping Alan isn’t that desperate to get his hands on you.”

After what had happened to his men outside of town, Abby could only hope Matthews wouldn’t risk coming into Red Rock. “I’m sure Gavin knows how likely or unlikely that is. He doesn’t strike me as the unprepared type.”

“We’re not the first.” Dylan kicked at a pebble, sending it skittering down the street in front of them. “Hell, it’s been going on for a decade or two, from what I hear. I mean, it’s sort of the understanding. We can run here, or to the other towns like this, and they’ll usually leave us alone…but we have to get there, first. The ones like Alan make sure you’re too scared to try.”

More people on the sidewalk and in the street stopped to watch them as they passed. Abby tried not to look intimidated by the attention, but it made her stomach knot with dread. “Tell me they’re only staring because we’re new.”

He hesitated a heartbeat too long. “That’s probably part of it. Plus, you know, I look like a bunch of werewolves beat on me.”

“So it’s me, then. Smartass.”

“Or us together. People are probably wondering what a badass alpha chick like you is doing slumming with a weak little sub.”

“Do werewolves expect all relationships to be evenly matched like that?” Her fingers tightened around his again. “What if I did want to be with you?”

“You won’t.” His words weren’t bitter, but they were sure. “With some people, it’s not a big deal. But you’re not some people, Abby. Your wolf will have nothing to do with me. If you tried to be with me, or someone like me, it would always feel wrong.”

She thought of Keith again and fought a groan. “It doesn’t seem fair. I should be able to want what I want without having to answer to the wolf all the time.”

“She’s just a more primal reflection of you, Abby.” He kicked another rock. “Come on. You’ve always been strong. Tough. You’re the one everyone leans on when things get bad.”

“That doesn’t make me some sort of badass,” she argued. “I deal with what needs to be dealt with, that’s all.” Somewhere inside, something rebelled at her simplistic answer. She was strong, and she knew it. “It doesn’t matter, though. The Guide thing isn’t permanent, right?”

“Nope. Couple months, give or take.” They reached the end of the street and Dylan tilted his head to the left, an unnecessary gesture since they’d both gotten the directions to the alpha’s house. “Cindy said they do it the old-fashioned way here, though. I mean, you really learn stuff. Everything. And I guess that can get pretty intense.”

“So I’ve heard.” They walked to the top of a small hill, and the house came into view. Gavin stood on the front porch, smoking a cigarette. “You know me, though. I’d rather know everything there is, and sort out what I need later.”

Dylan nodded, his breath coming a little harder. He paused and freed his hand from her grasp to press it to his side. “Okay. Maybe I need to sit down.”

Abby slid her arm around his waist. “Let me help you to the porch.”

The front door popped open as they approached, and Sam stepped onto the porch and braced her hands on her hips. “What in God’s name is that boy doing dragging his ass up here under his own power? Gavin, go help him, for Christ’s sake.”

“I didn’t want to bruise his ego, Sammie.” Gavin flicked ashes from the end of his cigarette. “So I thought I’d let him see how far he could make it.” He moved off the porch anyway, taking the steps two at time. “You did good, hoofing it from the motel.”

Dylan straightened up a little, seeming shyly pleased in spite of Sam’s muttered, “Men!”

“I’m okay,” he insisted. “I’m a little sore, that’s it.”

“And as brainless as every other man in this town. Abby, come on up here and give me some rational company while I finish lunch. Leave the men out here to pat each other’s backs about how tough they are.”

When she was fairly certain he wasn’t going to pitch face-first onto the lawn, Abby let go of Dylan. “See you in a minute. Hi, Gavin.”

“Abby,” he replied with a nod.

She climbed the steps and walked into the house. It was dark and cool, decorated in gentle earth tones. The furniture was mostly heavy wood pieces that looked handmade and sturdy.

The kitchen was open to the rest of the house, with a thick, scarred pine table that could have seated ten, and two heavy benches. Sam nodded to a cutting board covered in half-chopped vegetables and a large salad bowl. “You want to finish that up? The roast’s almost done, but I’ve got a few side dishes left.”

“I’d be happy to.” Abby crossed to the sink, shoving up her sleeves on the way. “Dylan’s preening now. Gavin made him feel manly, I think.” She turned on the water and soaped her hands. “I don’t think he’s used to that.”

“Well, he’ll get used to it quick enough.” Sam pulled open a large metal fridge and took out a pitcher of lemonade. “What he did to bring you here—a submissive wolf defying an abusive alpha—is highly unusual. The single girls are all aflutter over his bravery and heroism.”

“Good.” Abby dried her hands and examined the vegetables on the cutting board. “He deserves to have women fawning over him. They’d all be lucky. He’s a great guy.”

“No jealousy?” Sam bumped the fridge closed with her hip and retrieved a glass before crossing the kitchen to set it down in front of the cutting board. “He risked an awful lot for you.”

“No jealousy,” Abby confirmed. “In a way, I’m a little bit sorry about that. Before—” She cleared her throat. “Before all this, Dylan and I were good friends. It would make sense to—to try to make him something else now. Wouldn’t it?”

Sam poured a glass of lemonade. “Not really. I would imagine if you were good friends before, you had plenty of opportunity to make him something more. And you didn’t.”

She hadn’t. “He’s the only person I have left, really. I can’t even see my sister or brother without putting them in danger. Dylan is all I have.”

“For the time being.” The older woman smiled and pushed the glass toward her. “I think you’ll find plenty of people happy to make friends with you both. We’re not a perfect town, but we mean well, most of the time.”

“Thank you.” Abby picked up the glass and turned it around in her hands. “I like the town so far. The people are nice.”

Sam set the pitcher down. “Nice doesn’t set your heart to racing, honey. Keith’s a nice brave hero himself, on his good days.”

And terrifying. “I’m going to take some time. Meet some people. I don’t…” Abby took a deep breath. “I don’t think getting involved with Keith is such a good idea.”

“Oh?” There was no disapproval or surprise in the word, just casual interest. “Well, you don’t have to get involved with anyone you don’t want to, sweetie. Not sexually or even as friends. But you will need a strong Guide, and your choices are somewhat limited by that. Doesn’t have to be someone you’ll be intimate with, but it does have to be someone as strong as you.”

“I know.” She turned away and started assembling the salad in the large bowl. “I’m going to meet people. I’m going to look.” The wolf bristled; she didn’t want to look anymore. “I’ll work on it.”

“Enough of that.” Sam tugged on a pair of oven mitts and opened the oven. The smell of the roast filled the kitchen, delicious enough to make her mouth water. “Let’s have a nice lunch and not worry too much.”

It was easier said than done, especially when everyone kept telling her how much she needed a strong Guide. “Salad’s just about ready.”

“Thanks, sweetie. Why don’t you go round up the men?”

“Sure.” Abby wiped her hands again and headed back to the porch.

Gavin sat in a rocking chair, and Dylan perched on the edge of the porch. “There’s always some family or business or another that needs to expand,” Gavin was saying. “A lot of people show up every year.”

“I’ve got things I left behind in Helena. Money, mostly. Not much. We owed Matthews fifty percent off the top of everything we made. I lived in an apartment with three other wolves.”

Abby stopped short and leaned against the doorway. It shouldn’t have shocked her to hear that Dylan’s alpha had taken his money in addition to everything else. Suddenly, a lot of things about his life in Helena made sense. “I always wondered why you were so broke, even with three roommates.”

Dylan glanced back over his shoulder at her. “We were all pretty low in the pack. All of us together barely got by sometimes.”

Her jaw clenched, and she forced herself to relax. “Lunch is ready. Sam sent me to tell you.”

She knew Dylan was tired when he held out a hand to her. “Help me up, would ya?”

Abby grinned at him and reached down to drag him to his feet. “Am I going to have to prop open your eyelids with toothpicks during the meal, too?”

Gavin rose from his chair and grunted. “Not a chance. If I’m not allowed to nap until after lunch, no one is. Not even the injured.” He winked and waved them inside.

“Who said you’re allowed to nap after lunch?” Sam demanded as they walked into the kitchen. She’d settled the roast into the center of the long dining room table, surrounded by a basket of bread, the large salad bowl Abby had helped fill, and several other dishes of vegetables and potato salad.

It was an intimidating amount of food for just four people, and the thought must have shown on her face. Sam took in her expression before her gaze swept over Dylan, and she frowned a little. “Someone has not been feeding you right, young man. And I suppose you forgot to tell her that werewolves need to eat more to keep up with their metabolisms. You both look like you need a few good meals.”

Even though the events and stress of the last month had cost her a few pounds, not many people would call Abby’s tall, solid frame and generous curves skinny. “I’ll try to do better,” she murmured, amused, and helped Dylan onto the bench before sitting beside him.

Gavin sat at the head of the table. “It looks great, Sammie.”

“Of course it does.” Sam surveyed the table for a second and slid onto the bench across from Dylan and Abby. “There’s water and lemonade, and plenty of both. Dig in, kids.”

Abby lifted the pitcher of lemonade and poured a glass for Dylan. “What do people usually do around here? To pitch in, I mean?”

Gavin eyed her as he carved the roast. “Depends. Most people take a couple of weeks, at least, to either move on or get settled in.”

“What did you do back in Helena?” Sam asked.

“I was a carpenter.” Dylan accepted the salad bowl from Sam and dumped some onto the corner of his plate before offering the bowl to Abby. “Abby’s a technical writer.”

Sam spooned potato salad onto her husband’s plate. “Well, when you get to feeling better, maybe you can go out and give Keith a hand on fixing up his parents’ place. He’s been dragging his feet long enough, and I’m getting ready to kick him out of the motel.”

Abby tried to sound nonchalant. “I thought the motel was for people passing through, not residents.”

“Usually,” Gavin conceded. “Keith just got back to town, though, and his place needs a little work before he moves in.” He smiled at Sam. “He’s taking his sweet time.”

“He was in Europe.” Sam passed the potato salad to Dylan, who filled a quarter of his plate with it. Sam’s smile turned approving, and she handed Dylan the basket of rolls next. “Keith was fighting in the war.”

“The—” Abby frowned and accepted the potato salad from Dylan with absent, murmured thanks. “The war?”

Gavin nodded. “Between the werewolves and the wizards.” He rested his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers. “The wolves in Europe are old-fashioned, far more so than most people realize. Things have barely changed since I left Ireland almost a century ago. They follow a lot of traditions and laws that are…more animal than human. And it’s hard to hide amongst the humans when you won’t adapt, change, even the slightest bit. Now, they’re running out of space.”

Dylan dumped two rolls on his plate. “You know how there’s always some sort of blood-feud grudge match going down between vampires and werewolves in the movies? It’s sort of like that, except there aren’t vampires, as far as I know. It’s just wizards and witches.”

“Oh.” She glanced around the table and cleared her throat. “Wow. Just when I think I have a handle on some things…”

Sam groaned. “Enough, the two of you. I wouldn’t have brought it up if I’d known you’d give her a history lesson. Suffice to say, Abby, Keith was overseas for a while. And now he’s being stubborn about fixing up his place. Keeps saying he doesn’t want to take away labor and resources from the people who are building new homes. But maybe Dylan can help him out and put an end to that excuse.”

“I’m sure Dylan can help. He’s really very good.” She absolutely wasn’t volunteering him because it was Keith they were talking about. She wasn’t.

Gavin sipped his lemonade. “I can talk to him about it if you like, Dylan.”

“Sure. That’d be great.” Dylan shot her a look, half annoyance and half exasperation. “I’m sure I’ll see him today anyway, though. So I could bring it up, if you think he won’t be offended.”

“I doubt it. Chances are good he’d bring it up first if he knew what you did for a living.”

“Good.” Sam nudged Gavin. “We need to take them around to look at the houses that are being built. There are a few new ones on the outside of town. Nothing too fancy, but we’ve had a lot of new people coming through lately.”

Abby finished loading her plate and unfolded a napkin across her lap. “Do most of the people who come here for sanctuary end up staying?”

“If they have family or a job somewhere, they go,” Gavin admitted. “More and more are staying, though.”

“Because more and more are coming.” Sam’s voice sounded a little tired. “Things are getting worse out there. There are towns like this scattered all over the country, but not enough of us. Not when the alphas in the city find people who believe in their twisted morals and turn them.”

Or people who don’t believe. Abby kept her gaze on her plate.

“There are more.” Gavin’s weary sigh settled around them. “It’s been building for a while. But we do what we can.”

Dylan cleared his throat and took a large bite of the potato salad. He made an approving noise and executed a graceless but appreciated change of topic. “This is really good. Thanks for having us over.”

The alpha grinned and raised his glass. “Anytime.”

Sam smiled. “Now, if you two need dinner, you can go to the bar and order anything you need. Some of the better cooks in town take turns helping out Olivia in the kitchens at night. People pay if they want alcohol, but food’s on the house for new people in town. You’ve got a grace period before you have to worry about it.”

Dylan swallowed another healthy bite of salad. “Thanks, but Cindy already invited us for dinner tonight.” Abby could have sworn his cheeks heated a little, but it was hard to tell for sure with the ugly bruises on his cheeks.

“Cindy’s nice,” Abby offered. “I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to her last night, but she—she seems great.”

“Staking her claim already, is she?” Sam’s mouth twitched up again. “The other girls in town will be so disappointed.”

Now he was definitely blushing. Gavin laughed. “Definitely staking her claim. It’s a good thing, though. She’s a catch.”

Dylan squirmed in his seat. “It’s not really— I mean, I’m not—”

Abby took pity on him. “I’m looking forward to spending more time with Cindy. And to meeting more people in town.”

“Take a few days to settle in,” Sam advised. “Maybe you could come over to the bar tomorrow or the next night. There isn’t a ton of stuff to do around here after dark, so mostly people hang out there.”

Abby picked at her food in silence. It was delicious, but nerves had stolen her appetite. She felt Gavin’s appraising gaze on her more than once as the meal continued, but she had no idea what he was thinking as he studied her.

***

“Keith! I need to ask you something.” The words, though not loud, were accompanied by another knock that rattled the door in its frame. “Come on, hurry up.”

Keith groaned and scrubbed his towel over his hair as he wrenched open the door. “I was going to put a shirt on first, but if it can’t wait…”

“No, it can’t,” Cindy told him, hands on her hips, her expression one of exasperation. “I have a lot to do. Can you come to dinner at my house tonight?”

He froze with his towel on his head. “Uhh, I guess. Why?”

She rubbed her right foot against the back of her left leg. “Dylan’s coming over, and he’s bringing Abby. I don’t want her to feel like a third wheel, so I thought you could…you know. Entertain her. Be charming.”

He wasn’t sure what to address first, the assumption that it would be a good idea for him to hang around charming Abby, or the fact that Cindy was getting ready to put the moves on Dylan.

Of course, if Cindy hadn’t wanted to talk to someone about it—at least subconsciously—she would have just called. He could feel the nervous energy around her without even trying. He tossed the towel over a chair and stepped back. “Come in. You can tell me what’s going on while I find a shirt.”

She shrugged and followed him into his motel room. “Nothing’s going on. I’m trying to make time with the new guy, but I don’t want to act like Abby’s unwelcome. She’s not. I just think she’d feel less awkward if she didn’t have to sit there and watch me flirt with her friend.”

“Uh-huh.” Keith walked over to the basket of clean laundry and found a black T-shirt that didn’t look too wrinkled. “That’s sort of what I’m talking about, Cindy. Not that I’m not thrilled to see you taking an interest in someone…but it’s a little bit unexpected.”

She scoffed and pulled open the minifridge in his tiny kitchenette. “Not in the least. What’s past is past, Keith.” Cindy claimed a bottle of beer and twisted it open. “It’s been seven years, you know. I’m lonely.” She took a long drink of the beer and made a face. “And scratching the occasional one off on Joe isn’t working anymore.”

The mental image was more than he needed. Keith tugged his shirt over his head and grimaced at her. “All arguments I’ve made to you before, except for the last one, which I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear. But I guess I’ve been gone awhile.”

“That you have.” She tilted her head. “Is it a problem? I saw the way she was looking at you last night. I can ask someone else.”

He had to bite back a growl. “No. It’s not a problem.”

She regarded her beer for a moment. “It might be a little awkward, but I can ask Joe—”

“No!” It came out so fast, so harsh, that he winced. Jesus. Subtle. He grumbled as he ran his fingers through his damp hair. “Keep him away from her, Cindy. She’s had a rough couple days, and the last thing she needs is Casanova humping her leg.”

Cindy stared at him. “Uh-huh. And it wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that you want to be humping it instead, right?”

“Fuck off, Cindy.” He shoved his wallet into his back pocket and sat to tug on his boots. “Even if I wanted to”—if, ha—“same thing applies to me. Like I said, she’s had a rough few days.”

Cindy sank into a chair at the small kitchen table and whistled. “You like her.” The words sounded almost accusatory. “Don’t try to deny it.”

“Don’t know her,” he countered. He tied the laces on his hiking boots and glanced up. “And she doesn’t know me. It’s not fair to her, Cindy. She doesn’t have a fucking clue why she’s drawn to me. I’d have to be a pretty big bastard to take advantage of that.”

She laughed. “So reasonable. And what about the fact that she needs a Guide?”

“She gets to choose.” But even as he said it, he knew the truth. He’d go to dinner. He’d be charming. He’d do everything he could to make her want to choose him. God help me.

Cindy ran a hand through her hair, ruffling the short golden strands. “You probably wouldn’t have to stay long, at any rate. Dylan said Abby would most likely want to cut out early.”

He lifted an eyebrow and stood, pleased for a chance to shift the focus back to her love life. “Just Abby, huh?”

“Mm-hmm.” She grinned mischievously. “Maybe you can walk her back here. Then who knows what could happen?”

Keith grabbed her hand and hauled her to her feet, swatting her ass for good measure. “Stop being a brat. Let’s walk back over to your house now, and I’ll selflessly assist you in your attempts to snatch up the new guy before anyone else gets a chance at him.”

Cindy laughed and ran for the door. “How sweet of you. I suppose I can only repay you by selflessly assisting you in your attempts to snatch up the new lady before Joe takes a crack at her.”

“Like I need help.” He opened the door for her and followed her out into the late-afternoon sunlight. “So what are we having for dinner?”

“I’m grilling steaks,” she told him impishly. “Which means you’re grilling steaks.”

“Oh, Jesus. So that’s why I’m getting an invite.” He rolled his eyes and tossed an arm over her shoulder. “I see how it is.”

“Yep. I’m using you for your ability to sear dead animals over an open flame and make them taste damn good.”

“How manly of me.” And the fact that he was hoping Abby would agree just proved how far gone he was. Offering food to impress a mate. How original.

If Cindy suspected his thoughts, she didn’t show it. Instead, she counted off the side dishes on one hand. “And I’m making salad, baked potatoes and steamed vegetables. But I’ll handle those. All you have to do is drink beer and cook a cow.”

“Drink beer and cook a cow,” he echoed. And try not to hump Abby’s leg.

It shouldn’t have sounded so hard to manage.

The coals were almost ready when Dylan came out the back door with a covered tray. “Cindy said I should go ahead and bring this out.”

“Thanks.” Keith lifted the bag of charcoal out of the way and nodded to the table. “Drop ’em there. How are you feeling?”

“Better.” He seemed surprised. “Though I thought Cindy’d be treating me with kid gloves. Instead, she’s got me pulling kitchen duty.” He looked far from dismayed. “It’s good to be useful, though.”

“Cindy’s a good doctor. And she knows werewolves.” Keith held out a hand to test the heat and tilted his head toward the table. “Why don’t you grab a seat anyway. The sweet little doc’ll kick my ass if I wear you out.”

Dylan nodded and sat, his movements slow and careful. “It would have been a lot worse. You know, if you hadn’t shown up.”

“I know.” Keith flipped the cover off of the steaks and considered how much about Cindy’s past he should reveal. The more reasonable part of him recognized that it was none of his business…but he’d never been particularly reasonable when it came to the people he cared about.

Besides, she was having no qualms about shoving her nose into his business.

He stabbed one of the steaks with a little too much force and transferred it to the grill. “Cindy knows too. About what can happen. She didn’t make the choice to become one of us.”

“Yeah,” came the surprising answer. “She told me.”

“Really?” He tossed the second and third steaks onto the grill as he mused over what that could mean. After he finished arranging the steaks, he turned to level an appraising look at Dylan. “Don’t fuck around with her, or I’ll bruise you up again. Don’t really think you’re going to, but the warning makes me feel a little better.”

Dylan’s eyes widened, and he cleared his throat. “Yes, sir.” He stared at the grill for a moment, then opened his mouth again. “Do you—”

The sound of the sliding glass door from the kitchen interrupted his words. Abby came out, wearing jeans and a plain pink T-shirt. Her hair hung around her shoulders, and she carried two amber-colored bottles. “Hi.”

“Abby.” The teasing banter that had been so easy with Cindy vanished. He’d never been as charming and smooth as Joe, but it had been a long time since the mere sight of a woman turned him into a barely verbal wreck.

“Hey, Ab.” Dylan addressed her with a familiarity that set Keith’s teeth on edge. “Please tell me one of those is mine.”

She grinned and held up the bottles. “I figured delivering these was the least I could do.” She handed one to Dylan and stepped past him. Her smile softened as she offered Keith the second beer. “How’s it going?”

“Good.” He reached out to accept the beer and tried to ignore the inviting look in her eyes. She was throwing off a hundred different signals, every one of them screaming to the instincts inside of him, demanding that he answer that invitation. He wanted to pull her against him, cover her in his scent and soothe that nervous energy inside of her.

Instead he drank half of the beer in one gulp, silently cursing Cindy for putting him in this position. “Thanks. Grilling’s thirsty work.”

“Yeah, it is.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and slid her hands in her pockets. “So. You’re from Red Rock?”

“Born and raised. My father and Gavin were friends.” He picked up the tongs and prodded at the steaks, mostly to give himself something to concentrate on other than the smooth line of her neck. “It’s a nice place.”

“Everyone has been great.” Abby stared at him for a moment longer and looked away. “I’d better get back inside. I can’t make Cindy do everything.” She ducked her head and walked away.

Dylan watched her until she slid the door home behind her, then pinched the bridge of his nose. After a silent moment, he gulped his beer.

Keith dragged in a breath and released it on a hoarse sigh. “She doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing, does she?”

“Not in the slightest.” He flushed a little. “She never had to deal with it with just me around.”

“I know. I know, Dylan. And it’s not something you could have taught her.” Keith stabbed one of the steaks and flipped it over. “Hell, maybe it’s not something anyone can teach her. But until she picks a Guide, men are going to be circling.”

Dylan hesitated before rising. “Is there anyone… I mean—” He exhaled. “Is there anyone in town, anyone she might pick, that I need to be worried about?”

“No.” Keith turned to meet Dylan’s gaze. “I’m not saying everyone in town’s perfect, but Gavin and Sam are pretty damn particular about who gets that honor. And they’re the only ones who can perform the ceremony.”

“Okay.” The younger man’s shoulders sagged. “I didn’t mean anything. I worry, that’s all. I mean, I can’t stop her. She’ll walk right over me, and she won’t even realize she’s doing it.”

“No, it’s okay.” He smiled and reached out to pat Dylan’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re worried. I’m glad you care. She’s lucky to have that.”

“Yeah.” He sat again, this time on the edge of the picnic table. “I just wish I could do it myself. At least I’m familiar. But I don’t even know half of the stuff she needs to learn, not really.”

Keith turned back to the steak, not wanting Dylan to see the pity in his eyes. “It’s okay,” he said, his voice a little gruff. “You won’t be the first person who came here from a screwed-up pack. Or even from Matthews’ pack. You can learn too.”

“I know.” Dylan laughed a little. “It’s just weird. I never thought about what I’d do if I made it. I was so convinced I’d die getting Abby out of there that I didn’t make any plans for myself.”

And if Sam’s contact hadn’t called, he would have died. Abby would have ended up back in Alan Matthews’ less-than-tender hands. Keith forced himself to take a breath and let it out as he stared at the steaks. “Well, you’re both alive and you’re both safe. So…time to start thinking. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. Work, I guess. It’s all I’m used to.”

“What kind of work?”

“I’m a carpenter,” he revealed, stretching his legs out in front of him. “I do mostly restorative work, but Gavin said a lot of people in town are building, so…”

And if he knew Gavin, he’d suggested Keith needed some help. Gavin’s hints that he needed to get his ass back into his parents’ house had grown less and less subtle over the past few weeks.

One look at Dylan’s face proved his assumption correct. Keith grinned. “So, I guess you heard I might need a carpenter.”

Dylan flashed him a sheepish smile. “Gavin mentioned it at lunch.”

Thus ensuring that Keith would be getting his ass out of the motel and spending a lot of time with Dylan—and possibly, by extension, Abby. Keith shook his head and reached for his beer. “He’s meddling, but he’s right. I’ve inherited two houses. Both are in pretty sorry shape.”

“Oh yeah?” Dylan tilted his beer back, finishing it in several long gulps. “Who’s he meddling with? You or me?”

“All of us. Get used to it, my young friend. Sam and Gavin meddle. We’re just lucky they mean well.”

“Mmm.” Dylan thumped the empty bottle lightly against the weathered table. “Abby said you helped her out last night.”

“Yep.”

He stared at Keith for a moment, his expression inscrutable, and straightened. “I’m going back inside to see if they need any help. I’ll bring out another platter for the steaks.”

“Dylan.” He waited until the younger man met his gaze and nodded once. “If she wants me to help her, I will. I can. But she deserves a choice, okay?”

“I know you will,” he answered quietly. “I have eyes. But you were right. I don’t think Abby knows—understands—” He looked away. “I’m worried she might be confused about what it means. What it doesn’t mean. It’s just such a foreign thing.”

He looked beaten down, defeated, and Keith hated it. He hated it enough to admit to Dylan what he’d struggled to deny even to himself. “If you really had eyes, you wouldn’t be worrying about her reading too much into it.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” He passed the bottle back and forth between his hands. “Now that we’ve both done our threatening, protective friend routines…” He grinned. “Yours is better, by the way. Very scary.”

Keith turned his attention back to the steaks. “I have some money. I could pay you to help me fix up the house. But if you’re interested…” C’mon, make this sound casual. Make it sound like you’re just being friendly. “Like I said, I’ve got two houses. The one my parents left me, and a smaller one that belonged to my uncle. I don’t really need two houses, and you and Abby need some place to stay…”

“You want us to stay there while I renovate them both?”

“Well, you can’t stay there yet. It needs some serious help.” He nudged at the steak and carefully didn’t look at Dylan. “But if you decide to stay in town… Well, there’s not exactly a booming real estate market here. I can’t sell it. But you could have it. In exchange for your help.”

“I see.” He spoke cautiously. “I don’t think Abby wants to stay. Not past her Initiation, anyway. But I don’t really have plans to—to go anywhere.”

Keith jabbed at the steak so hard the tongs went through the meat, and he swore and tried to work them free. So much for being subtle. “That’s fine. The house would be yours. I just assumed that if she stayed, if she didn’t want to live in the motel—” Or with me… “—there’s enough room there for both of you.”

Dylan hesitated. “I’ll have to talk to her. But it sounds like a great deal.”

It probably did. Dylan had no way of knowing that he’d rather sleep on the sidewalk than return to living in his uncle’s house. The memories of the year he’d spent living there with Kelly should have faded during the five he’d spent in Europe, but it had taken less than three minutes of standing on the porch after his return to realize he would never willingly spend time there again.

He composed his expression before turning to Dylan. “Well, why don’t we go look at the house tomorrow? Both houses, if you want. Might as well see what you’re getting into before you make any agreements.”

He nodded. “All right. It’ll give me a chance to look them over too. They might not need as much work as you think.”

“Not really my area of expertise,” Keith told him. “Steaks are pretty much done, if you want to go grab a clean tray.”

Dylan picked up the soiled one and gestured to the house. “I’ll be right back.”

Stop staring, damn it.

Abby lowered her gaze to her mostly empty plate and cursed silently. Cindy and Dylan had kept up most of the conversation through dinner, while she’d apparently been able to do nothing but drool over Keith.

“What about you, Abby?”

Cindy’s voice drew her attention away from her plate and her thoughts. “I’m sorry?”

Dylan raised an eyebrow, and she recognized his expression. You’re being an ass, it said, as clearly as if he’d spoken the words. “She asked what your plans are for tomorrow.”

She forced a smile and picked up her wine glass. “I don’t know. I don’t have any.”

Keith cleared his throat, speaking for the first time in nearly twenty minutes. “You could come with Dylan. Check out the houses.”

She didn’t really have a good reason to accompany Dylan, but she nodded as she sipped her wine. “Sure. I’d like that.”

Cindy made a face. “Well, if you get bored hanging out with the boys, come by. I’m doing some house calls in the morning, but I should be done by afternoon.” She grinned. “I thought you might like to go out tomorrow night. Meet some people.”

If she hadn’t been acutely aware of him already, Abby wouldn’t have caught the quick glare Keith shot in Cindy’s direction. Before she could answer, Dylan spoke up. “Abby’s not much for the bar scene, Cindy. She’d rather stay in.”

She tore her gaze away from Keith. “It’s true. I’m not really good with new people.”

Keith looked like he was engaged in some sort of personal struggle. After a moment he spoke, his tone a little bit grudging. “The bar…isn’t bad. It’s not really like a bar in a city. It’s the only place for adults to spend time after dark.”

“I know,” Abby said immediately. “Sam told me. I just don’t really— I mean—”

“You need a Guide.” Cindy studied her wine glass. “The bar is the best place for you to look around, see what’s available.”

Dylan dropped his fork and started coughing. His face turned red, and Cindy reached over to smack him on the back. As she did, a low, soft growl rumbled out of Keith.

Dylan waved Cindy away and cleared his throat. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

Abby sat, confused. Did it bother him when Cindy touched Dylan? “Sam said the same thing,” she admitted. “But I don’t know.”

“Can’t hurt anything.” Instead of taking her seat, Cindy began to stack plates and clear the table. “You and Dylan and I can all go together. Keith?”

His smile looked a little strained. “Yeah. I’ll be there.”

“Good.”

Abby rose to help, but Cindy huffed at her. “Dylan can help me. You go home and get some sleep.”

If she hadn’t been so desperate to leave anyway, she would have felt like she was being shooed. “Thanks for dinner.” She glanced at Keith. “It was really good. I guess I’ll—I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

Keith rose to his feet and shot Cindy an annoyed look. “I’ll walk you home, Abby, since Cindy’s being oh, so very subtle.”

She watched Dylan and Cindy walk into the other room and opened her mouth to argue, but realized it would be foolish. He lived next door to her, after all. “I’ll be okay on my own if you wanted to stay…”

Cindy popped her head back in from the kitchen. “He’s not invited to stay, actually. Get out, Keith.”

Keith shook his head as Cindy disappeared again. “Yeah. Subtle like a brick to the face.”

“It’s okay,” Abby said. “You don’t have to.”

“Hey, I’m headed back anyway.” He tilted his head toward the door with a smile that seemed a little more genuine. “C’mon. I’ll walk you.”

Outside, the stars glowed in the clear night. Abby stuck her hands in her back pockets and studied the sky for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t see him, but she felt his presence behind her, strong and steady. When he spoke, his voice carried to her on the gentle breeze as a soft whisper. “For what?”

The porch creaked as she turned to him, and she smiled gently. “I’m not sure. That just seemed…awkward.”

He considered her for a few seconds in silence. Then he nodded and offered her his arm in an oddly formal gesture. “It was, a little. Did Dylan tell you anything about Cindy?”

“No.” She slid her arm through his and fought a shiver. “I think he’s a little shy about it. He likes her.” She watched his face for a reaction.

The corner of his mouth tugged up as he stepped down off the porch and steered her in the direction of the motel. “Yeah. I know. Thing is, lots of guys have liked Cindy. She’s just…never shown much interest until now. So even though she’s being rude as hell, I sort of forgive her.”

“Why is she usually uninterested?”

She felt his muscles tense under her hand, and they walked past three more houses in silence before his answer came, quiet and terrifying. “One of the alphas like Matthews had her.”

Abby stopped and stared up at Keith. “Are there a lot of them? Packs like that, I mean.”

“More every year.” He stared past her. “It’s worse in the cities. The country’s pretty much divided by now. Maybe ten or fifteen towns like Red Rock that follow the old traditions, and huge packs in the cities run by alphas who do anything they can get away with.”

“That’s terrible.” Again, the seriousness of her situation struck Abby. If not for Dylan risking everything, she could have wound up in Alan Matthews’ clutches. “How did Cindy get here?”

Keith started them walking with a gentle tug. “Sam found out about her somehow. Usually we can’t go and interfere with other packs without starting a war, but the alpha was new. He’d just overthrown the old leader, and their pack was in chaos. So Gavin sent a couple of us to sneak her out while they were busy fighting.”

“You must have seen a lot of that,” she murmured and bit her lip. “Fighting, I mean. Gavin said you’d been overseas.”

“Yeah.” His boots scuffed against the gravel, the sound overly loud in the otherwise-still night. “Different sort though. I was over there trying to help some of them enter the twenty-first century. There are packs out there that are…wild. Feral. No electricity or running water…” He kicked at a rock and sent it spinning away. “They take keeping to the old ways a little too literally.”

She shivered, remembering Gavin’s words. “And now they’re running out of space.”

“Mmm.” His free hand came up and covered hers, as if he’d interpreted her shiver to mean she was cold. Warm fingers rubbed lightly over the back of her hand, the touch almost electric. “It’s a mess over there. I don’t even know who’s right and who’s wrong anymore.”

He kept stroking her hand, and Abby fought to keep her breathing steady. She studied his profile for a moment. “I used to think life was simple. No. No, that’s not quite right. My life really was simple.”

“I know it seems bad right now, Abby.” His voice dropped to an intimate whisper that made her shiver. “It’ll get better, though. Gavin and Sam will take care of you until you know what you want to do.”

“I know. I’m not complaining.” She closed her eyes. “There are so many things to figure out. And I wish I could just let someone else handle it, but I can’t do that. I have to be responsible for myself, even if I have no clue what’s going on.”

“I—we’ll help you.” He stopped walking again, but this time he coaxed his arm free and wrapped it around her shoulders. “It’s okay to be scared. I can feel how strong you are, and I know you’re going to make it.”

The gentle weight of his arm brought their embrace from the previous night screaming to the forefront of her memory. “I’m not scared.” She wanted to open her eyes and lift her face to his. She knew he’d kiss her, right there under the stars. And she wanted it.

But she kept her eyes closed, her face turned away, and he brushed his fingers lightly over her shoulder before dropping his arm back to his side. “Good. You’ll be okay, Abby. I promise.”

“Yeah. I will.” She finally glanced up with a wry smile. “You spend a lot of your time trying to make me feel better.”

“You’ve been through hell.” His hand at the small of her back guided her toward the motel. “Honestly, I’m a little surprised you’re holding up so well. I don’t mind giving you a little help.”

“My grandmother used to say that complaining for no good reason was like begging for things to get worse.” They were close enough now to read the numbers on the motel-room doors, even in the moonlight. “Besides, I haven’t been through hell. Not thanks to Dylan, and to Gavin and Sam. And—and you.”

He fell silent again as they stopped in front of her door. His hand fell away from her back as he turned to give her a warm, friendly smile. “I don’t want you to answer tonight, but you should know… If you want me for a Guide, if you chose me—I’d be honored, Abby.”

Honored. That wild part of her, the one he’d soothed the night before, reached out, relishing his acceptance. The rest of her wished it had less to do with honor and more to do with the kind of desire that heated her skin and weakened her knees.

But that wasn’t his fault. “Thank you, Keith. I’ll remember that.” She hesitated for a moment before leaning up to kiss his cheek. His breath feathered against her ear, and she might have imagined the faint catch. But when she pulled back, she could hear his heartbeat, pounding just a little too quickly to be casual.

He smiled, and there was an edge to it that the wolf inside her recognized, a dangerous edge full of promise and power. When he spoke, his voice was low and a little hoarse. “Good night, Abby.”

“Good night.” She unlocked her door and slipped inside, then closed it with shaking hands.

Chapter Four

Keith led Dylan and Abby on a tour through his uncle’s house and tried like hell to pretend he had the least bit of interest in something other than the way Abby’s energy prickled against his skin whenever he got within five feet of her. It wasn’t easy; the wolf inside him howled its annoyance every time he moved past her, careful not to brush against her body.

He wanted to brush against her, and it had nothing to do with sex. He wanted to rub against her until their scents entwined and no other man in town would dare question the fact that she belonged, completely and absolutely, to him.

But she doesn’t, he told himself firmly as he led them up the stairs to the second floor. Not yet. She didn’t, but she had to. She had to, because otherwise he’d have to leave town until her Initiation was over. Interfering with an Initiate’s choice was forbidden, but there was no way he could stand by and watch someone else guide her. His instincts would push him to fight for her, whether it was forbidden or not.

He cleared his throat as they reached the second-floor landing and tried to force himself to focus. “Both bedrooms are up here,” he said to Dylan as he reached out and opened the door to the master suite. “This one’s got an attached bathroom. Not too fancy, but nice enough.”

“Beautiful construction,” Dylan agreed. “The timbers are mostly still good.” He nudged a baseboard with the toe of his boot and scratched the back of his head. “Is the foundation a basement or crawlspace? I couldn’t tell when we came in.”

He fought back the memory of Kelly’s face, lit up with joy when he told her he was having the basement finished so she could use it as an art studio. He’d left the next day to go to the city on a job, and had come back to find her dead. “Basement. Pretty much just empty. Could be an office or something if you fixed it up though.”

“I need to take a look at it.” Dylan pulled out a notebook and scribbled on it as he walked out.

Abby leaned against the wall and watched him go, a rueful smile curving her lips. “He’s distracted now,” she murmured. “By joists and framework and cornices. I’m afraid we’ve lost him for a bit.”

The smile made him want to touch her, and this time it had everything to do with sex. He could feel her body against his in his memory, feel her hips under his hands and her lips… God, her lips…

Keith cleared his throat again and shoved his hands in his back pockets to keep from reaching out for her. “Well, I’m glad someone’s interested in it. It’s not really my thing.”

“Mine, either.” She dipped her head and tucked her hair behind one ear. “It means a lot to him, though. Being in his element.”

He jerked his attention away from her ear and stared out the dirty window at the backyard. “Yeah, well…good. The women are the ones who are usually in the most danger in packs like Matthews’, but guys like Dylan… They get beaten down. Hopefully he can heal here, too.”

“I think he can.” She stepped closer and laid her hand on his arm. “I was thinking about what you said last night.”

Heat streaked through him at the slightest brush of her fingers, making his breathing shallow and his cock hard. He forced himself to stay calm as he looked down at her. “You were?”

She nodded. “Sam and Dylan said the Initiation doesn’t—doesn’t have to be about sex. Theoretically.” Her voice dropped. “But…how does it usually happen?”

It took every scrap of his self-control to think about the question as a Guide and not a man. “Part of the Initiation is learning to control your changes. Until you’re used to it, highly charged emotions can force you to change into a wolf. Sex can be dangerous because of that. It’s discouraged until an Initiate is more experienced, unless they’re with someone who knows how to handle the power.”

Her brows drew together, and she pulled her hand away from his arm. “I see. And how will I know who can handle it?”

He wasn’t sure when he moved. One second he was staring down at her, then her back hit the wall and so did his hands, bracing on either side of her head as he gave in to the electric power between them and leaned his body against hers. “You’ll know. Can you feel it, Abby? Can you feel it now?”

She squeezed her eyes shut and arched into him with a short, sharp gasp. “It-it feels—” Her eyes shot open, and she gripped his shirt with both hands. “It feels like you’re supposed to be here.”

Because I am. He lowered his lips to her ear even as he slid a thigh between her legs and rubbed against her. “I could keep you safe.”

“Is that all you want to do?” she asked, trembling. “Keep me safe?”

He moved until her leg grazed his cock. “What do you think?”

“No. I don’t know.” She clung to him. “For all I know, this is instinct, and we’re just along for the ride.”

She had to stop asking questions before he answered one that would get him in trouble. The only way to ensure that was to kiss her, so he did. He slanted his mouth over hers with a moan, his hands still braced against the wall.

Abby’s mouth opened on a shaky sigh, and she pressed closer as her tongue met his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed her breasts to his chest. He felt her abandon. Her arousal. Her need.

He groaned and lifted his head, panting for breath. “You should go,” he whispered hoarsely. “You should go and—and think.”

She opened her eyes slowly, her expression dazed, and clutched his shoulders. “I can’t think right now.”

As if he could. The temptation to hoist her up the wall and take her was so intense he couldn’t stand it. He pushed away with two hasty steps back and dragged in a breath. “You need to think, so you need to go. Away from me. But I’ll be at the bar tonight, if you want to—if you need to find me.”

Abby raised a hand to her lips and nodded. “Keith, I…” She pressed her lips together and looked away. “I’ll be there.”

Only the creak of the stairs and the soft sound of Dylan’s footsteps kept him from crossing the room to her again. “I’ll be waiting.”

Dylan came in, and Abby flashed him a smile. “I’m going to Cindy’s. You two have fun, okay?”

His brow furrowed. “Wait. Ab—”

She didn’t stop, just hurried out the door and down the stairs. Dylan arched an eyebrow. “Do I even want to know?”

Keith closed his eyes and tried to forget how good Abby felt against him. “No. Probably not.”

“Okay, then.” He sounded dubious. “Moving on…”

The only thing to do was to open his eyes and focus on Dylan, to answer the boy’s questions and try to pay attention as they finished the tour of the house. It wasn’t his fault he spent the entire time counting down the seconds until he could go to the bar and wait for Abby’s answer.

She has to choose me.

Abby hesitated for only a moment before knocking on Cindy’s door. The doctor was probably busy, but there was no one else she could talk to. Even Sam seemed unwilling to say anything that might influence her decision. After seeing Cindy’s interactions with Keith the night before, Abby knew she could count on her to answer with blunt, even painful, honesty.

She heard footsteps in the hallway. The door opened and Cindy smiled at her. “Hey, Abby. Come on in.”

“Thanks, Cindy.” She clenched her hands into fists as she walked in and hovered in the foyer. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I—I need to talk to someone.”

Cindy tilted her head toward a door just off the foyer. “I was in my office, organizing some supplies I just got from the city. I could use some company. It’s boring work.”

Relief surged through Abby at the thought of being occupied by an actual task, by something other than her myriad, confusing choices. “I’d like to help.”

“Sure.” Cindy led her through the door and into a room that looked like it had been set up as a basic doctor’s office. Several large metal cabinets dominated one wall. They stood open and seemed to be stocked with everything from medicine to bandages.

Cindy smiled and nodded toward a small stack of boxes in the middle of the room. “Sam and Gavin pay for all of the supplies, but in general a lot of things around here run on a barter system. People don’t have to pay for medicine or visits, but a lot of grateful mothers bake me pies or hotdishes. Sometimes they’re even good.”

Abby grinned and reached for a box. “Just like a regular country doctor, huh?”

“Pretty much. Except that most of my patients are werewolves, I suppose.” Cindy returned to a small desk on the other side of the room and picked up a clipboard. “So, what do you need to talk about?”

She waited until she’d peeled the packing tape from the top of the box before answering. “The Guide thing. How am I supposed to choose? I still don’t understand.”

“You pick someone who makes you feel safe.” Cindy’s voice turned gentle. “I don’t think that’s what you really want to know, though. I think you already chose, but you don’t know if it’s the right choice.”

Abby pulled two large, rattling bottles of medication from the box and tried to hide her mortification. “Am I really that painfully obvious?”

“It’s the two of you together, Abby. You fit.” Cindy laughed as she made a notation on her clipboard. “And he’s going to pull something trying not to pressure you, but he wants to be your Guide.”

“It seems like it would be hard, that’s all. Bonding, the Initiation…all knowing you might have to walk away in three months.”

Cindy shrugged. “You don’t have to walk away in three months. Just like you don’t have to stay together. If you’re worried about convincing him to walk away if you don’t want him anymore…don’t. There are rules. No one is forced or trapped here. If Gavin finds out any of the guys are upsetting people, he’ll kick their asses all over town and then straight on out.”

She set the bottles on Cindy’s desk. “That’s not what I’m worried about,” she admitted quietly. “I’m just wondering if it would be better to choose someone…safer.” Someone who can’t break my heart.

“I can’t tell you who to choose, Abby. I just know he’d do anything necessary to keep from hurting you. I can see it every time he looks at you.”

Abby rubbed her hands over her face. Was there any other choice? She could try to protect her heart by choosing another man, but it wouldn’t help. Walking away from Keith would hurt, if she could manage it at all.

“How do I do this?” she wondered. “How do I ask?”

Cindy smiled at her. “If it helps, we can go order drinks first. Then…just say yes. That’s all he needs to hear.”

Abby nodded and grinned. “In which case I don’t think we’ll be around for long. Do you think you and Dylan will make it?”

If Cindy was at all self-conscious, it didn’t show. She winked before returning her attention to her clipboard. “I’ll take good care of him.”

She reached back into the box. Worrying about what might happen in three months was silly. She and Keith fit, like Cindy had said, and that was all that was important. The rest of it would work out.

***

A hush didn’t quite fall over the room when Abby walked in with Dylan and Cindy, but it may as well have. The newcomers looked around nervously, then Cindy laid a hand on Abby’s arm and shooed Dylan toward the bar.

Cindy had apparently invited Abby to raid her closet. Keith recognized the red, scoop-necked dress she wore, though Abby was taller and curvier than Cindy. Looking at her stole his breath, and he jerked his gaze away from her as Dylan approached.

“Hi, Keith,” he said with a nod, drumming his fingers on the scarred wood. “What’s good tonight?”

Joe came over before he could respond. “Gennaro. Hey, you brought in that new girl, yeah? Abby, is it?”

Keith shot him an exasperated look. “Lay off, Joe.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean nothing.” He inclined his head toward the table Abby and Cindy had chosen. “Drinks for the ladies?”

“I need two beers and whatever girly thing Cindy drinks. She said you’d know.” As Joe turned away, Dylan spoke to Keith. “I wanted to thank you. For everything. I won’t forget it. Neither will Abby.”

Keith tried to crush the warm pleasure the words gave him. “It’s my job. And the minute Gavin sent me after you, even before he gave you sanctuary…” He tilted his head to the rest of the room. “You’re pack now. Both of you, for as long as you want to be.”

Joe delivered two beer bottles and a tall glass. “Here you go. Long Island Iced Tea, heavy on the booze.” He snorted. “That woman can drink you under the table, boy. Watch yourself.”

Keith’s gaze strayed to the two women again and followed them as they wove their way around the tables. Cindy said something that made Abby laugh, an honest, open laugh that lit up her face and made his chest ache with longing. She looked nothing like Kelly—Abby was tall and dark, with firm curves and an inner strength that was obvious. Far more his type than Kelly, who had been a petite, fragile blonde.

But Kelly had needed him with a desperation that had completely bewitched him. She’d been weak, submissive. A refugee from a pack where her lack of control had been entertainment, and her lack of power made her anyone’s toy. She hadn’t needed a strong Guide. Anyone in the pack could have taught her, helped her.

But she’d chosen him.

And Abby—oh, she needed him too, but for the opposite reason. Her power burned the air around her with its intensity. He wasn’t the only one watching her move across the room. But of all of the men in the bar—of all of the men in the pack—no more than a handful could match her power, much less eclipse it. One was him.

Another was Joe Mitchell. His friend’s presence became a threat as Cindy and Abby leaned against the bar on the other side of Dylan. Keith fought the urge to snarl when Joe moved closer, smiling in that handsome, charming way that made all of the ladies trip over themselves.

“You wouldn’t bring the drinks.” Cindy pouted with a good-natured wink at Dylan and a wave at Joe. “So we came to get them ourselves.”

Abby smiled at him. “Hi, Keith.”

The warmth in her voice soothed one sort of ache while stoking another fire higher. “Abby. Cindy’s treating you all right, I guess?”

Her smile widened. “Very well, thank you.”

“I had to drag her out tonight,” Cindy complained lightly. “She thought about going back to her room, can you believe that?”

Joe whistled as he wiped a glass. “Not for a second.” His gaze lingered on Abby’s chest. “You miss all the fun that way.”

This time, Keith did snarl. Joe raised both eyebrows and turned toward the other end of the bar.

Cindy took one look at him and linked her arm through Dylan’s. “Come on. Gavin and Sam rigged the jukebox so you don’t have to put money in. Let’s go pick out some music, huh?”

Dylan cleared his throat. “Yeah. Yell if you need us, Ab.”

A furious blush stole up Abby’s neck and cheeks, and she glanced up at Keith before sliding onto the stool Dylan vacated. She was so close he could feel the heat of her body. “I told Cindy this was a bad idea.”

“No.” Keith stopped and swallowed when the denial came out too low, too intimate. “It’s not a bad idea because if Joe makes you uncomfortable, I’ll kick his ass. It’s sort of my job. Right, Joe?”

“Funny thing,” the man drawled, “but I could have sworn Gavin said something about it being Carl’s job now.”

The desire to hop over the bar and strangle his friend nearly overwhelmed him. “Fuck you. I’ll still kick your ass.”

Abby laid a hand on Keith’s bare arm. “I’m not uncomfortable. Not because of him. I just don’t know how to do this.”

Keith glanced at Joe and back to Abby, forcing his voice to a gentle tone. “What are you trying to do?”

She stared up at him, her green eyes wide, then shook her head and pulled her hand away. “Nothing. It’s nothing.” She picked up her beer and scraped the edge of the label up with her fingernail.

But she didn’t have to say the words, a fact she probably didn’t realize. Keith closed his eyes and slid his hand over hers, brushing his fingers softly against the smooth skin of her hand.

Heat zipped between them, physical chemistry mixed with magic. Her power accepted him, embraced him, reaching out hungrily as it flared with enough intensity to make her gasp.

Keith opened his eyes and found her gaze, those impossibly wide green eyes making his heart pound in his chest. “It has to be a choice,” he said, not caring that the burst of their energy had drawn every eye in the bar. “My answer is yes, it will always be yes, but I can’t ask you the question. It’s not allowed.”

Abby bit her lip, turned her hand over and curled her fingers around his. “Will you help me?” Her tongue slid over her bottom lip, soothing the red mark her teeth had left. “Will you be my Guide?”

“You understand what that means?” Please understand. Please fucking understand…

Her fingers tightened around his hand. “I understand, Keith. I know what the bonding means, for both of us.”

Keith grinned and rose to his feet. He tugged on Abby’s hand and tilted his head toward the alpha’s table. “C’mon. You have to tell Sam and Gavin so they won’t send Carl after me to kick my ass.”

Abby blinked at him and laughed as she slid off her stool. “That would put a damper on my plans for the night,” she agreed.

As Keith and Abby approached, Gavin raised an eyebrow and leaned over to speak in Sam’s ear. She nodded.

When they stopped in front of the platform, Abby cleared her throat. “I’m not sure what the etiquette is on this, but…I’ve asked Keith to guide me.”

Gavin nodded. “Keith?”

Keith knew everyone was watching, and he tightened his fingers around Abby’s hand. “She says she understands. And I am honored to accept this duty.” Formal words, the official words required by the etiquette Abby didn’t understand. Yet. But I can teach her. I can teach her everything.

He felt Abby’s gaze on his face, sharp and searching. Gavin frowned for a moment, but nodded. “Very well. We’ll announce the bonding tomorrow, and perform the ceremony the night before the full moon.” He smiled a little. “Congratulations. Now get out.”

“Feed the girl a decent meal when you get her back to your motel room,” Sam added, her voice a command. Her eyes glinted with humor, and she winked at him. “Before you do anything else.”

Sometimes, he sort of wanted to kill her.

Abby laid her napkin across her plate and fiddled with her glass. A steady stream of small talk had given way to charged silence halfway through their meal, and she practically shook with nerves.

Keith seemed at ease except for the energy pouring off him in incandescent waves, raising the hair on the back of her neck and making her shiver. Now that she recognized the feeling, she knew the wolf inside was reacting to him. Wanting him.

But there were things she needed to know first.

“Why do you call it a duty?”

Keith blinked at her. “What do you mean?”

She wasn’t quite sure. “It makes it sound like…an encumbrance. Like something you don’t want to do.”

“Oh.” Keith picked up his beer, his strong fingers curling around the bottle as he rubbed his thumb over the neck. “I’ve never really thought about it, I guess. It’s what we always call it. To us, a duty isn’t something you have to do. It’s something you need to do, because you can’t feel whole without it.”

“I see.” She didn’t, not really, but she supposed she couldn’t. At least, not yet. “Is that what we’re supposed to do now?” She smiled. “Werewolf 101?”

He laughed, but it sounded a little tense. “Sort of. The fact that we’re so attracted to each other makes it a little more interesting. Like I told you before, sex is complicated for new wolves. And dangerous if you’re not with a Guide, or someone strong enough to be one.”

The thought of continuing what they’d started the night before made her nipples harden. The hot look in his eyes made her bold. “I want you. Now. But not if it’s dangerous for you.”

“Not dangerous for me.” He grinned suddenly, hot and confident and a little intimidating. “And we’ll get a lot more done if we resolve some of this sexual tension.”

“Oh, God.” Abby tried not to whimper, but the sound escaped her anyway. The animal inside surged forward again, ready—desperate—to be claimed, and she rose from the table, almost knocking her chair over. For a moment, she didn’t know what to do. Then she took a deep breath and walked from the tiny kitchenette to Keith’s bed.

She gathered every bit of courage she had and turned her back to him. “Can you unzip me? I can’t reach.”

Even though she heard him move, feeling his hands slide around her waist was a shock. Strong fingers stroked across her stomach before moving up to cup her breasts, and he drew her back against him. “When I get around to it.”

Fire streaked through her. Abby rocked back, whimpering again when she felt the hardness of his cock press against her ass. “Isn’t that the dangerous part?” she asked on a moan. “Getting me so excited?”

“Maybe for someone else.” His voice was cocky, almost arrogant. He pinched her nipples and rocked against her ass at the same time, his voice low and sensual. “But I can handle you no matter how excited you get, and it’s good practice for you.”

She cried out and covered his hands with hers, wishing the layers of cloth between his fingers and her breasts were gone. “Practice for what?” For going insane? For dying of frustration?

His breath heated the sensitive skin of her neck, and he bit her earlobe and tugged at her nipples. “For losing control without losing control. I can show you how.”

Abby shuddered and batted his hands away. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. The heels she wore afforded her easy reach of his mouth, and she bit his lip. “Sounds like a ton of work. We might need to practice a lot.” She skated her lips over his cheek and closed her teeth on his ear, growling softly.

His growl was louder, lower. He caught her lips in a bruising kiss as he grasped her hands and tugged them from around his neck. He guided her arms down, behind her back, and bit her lower lip in return as he caught her wrists in one hand. “We do need a lot of practice.”

One hand held her wrists trapped, but the other moved to the neckline of her dress. He tugged it down, revealing the thin fabric of the bra underneath, and made a low noise of approval. “And you need practice in letting me take my sweet time.” He caught her nipple between his thumb and finger and tweaked it again.

“Bossy bastard.” She tried to free her hands, but he held them tight. Desire clashed with defiance, and Abby growled even as heat flooded her. “Fine. Just let me know when you’ve caught up.”

He jerked her forward, crushing her hips against his. “Oh, I was hard before we got through the door. But I’m not a kid who can’t control himself.” His fingers inched under the fabric of her bra and tugged it down, baring one breast.

Her head spun, and the ache inside her grew. She wanted to cry out again, to beg him to go faster, make her come. Instead, she clamped her lips together, muffling the moan that welled up in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut and held her body stiffly against his. She wouldn’t let him win, wouldn’t let him see how close to the edge she was already.

His breath tickled her ear. “All through dinner, Abby. The whole time, I was imagining how it would feel to be inside you. To bend you over and show you how fucking good it can be when the person and the wolf want the same thing.”

When she opened her eyes, she could barely focus on his face. “Why didn’t you?” she rasped, pressing closer, sucking in a breath when her nerve endings screamed at the contact. “Why don’t you?”

“Oh, I will.” He left her breast bare and moved his hand down her body, caressing her stomach over the fabric of the dress. His fingers pressed lower, sneaking under her dress to rub at her clit through her underwear. “Maybe more than once.”

Abby forgot to be stoic, forgot everything but the searing heat that engulfed her when Keith stroked her. “Fuck—” Her head fell back, her hair brushing her hands where he still held them. She couldn’t control her own body as her hips bucked against his hand, once and then again. The tension inside her stretched tighter and snapped, and the accompanying wave of pleasure wrenched a hoarse cry from her throat.

His fingers kept stroking and his lips returned to her ear. “Is that how you want it? Bent over, your ass in the air?”

Her knees buckled, and she sagged against the broad wall of his chest. “Please,” she whispered. “Please, God—please—”

Keith released her hands and plunged his fingers into her hair. His mouth came down on hers, but the brutal domination in his kiss had faded. He kissed her slowly this time, teasing at her lips without pressing past them. His hands moved to the zipper at the back of her dress and slowly pulled the tab, parting the teeth.

Abby licked his lips and urged his shirt up. “When is it my turn?” she asked against his mouth, the twisting need to make him gasp her name overriding everything else.

“What do you want to do?” The dress came undone and he tugged it down.

“Make you crazy.” She let him peel the dress over her hips and kicked it away when it fell to the floor. “I want to make you beg.”

Keith grinned at her as he slowly turned her to face away from him. His hands smoothed up her arms and to her shoulders, and he nudged her upper body toward the bed. “Sounds tempting as hell, sweetheart, but that’s not how it works. Until you’re in control of yourself, you can’t be in control of anyone else.”

Her hands hit the bed and curled into the covers. She looked back at him, her brow furrowed. “That doesn’t sound very fair. I’m doing all right so far.” Except for the fact that her arms and legs were trembling, and she couldn’t quite seem to catch her breath.

One eyebrow went up as he slipped his fingers under the hem of her underwear and dragged it off of her ass. “You think we’ve even gotten started?”

Abby tried to focus on control. Instead, she snarled. “I think I should get my clothes on and go back to my room.” But she didn’t move. The need burning inside wouldn’t let her. She would wait, let him draw it out as long as he desired. As much as the woman wanted to participate—reciprocate—the wolf knew her place.

And the wolf was in charge.

His hand smoothed up her back, a gesture that soothed rather than seduced. “This is why it’s hard for the dominants.” His fingers tickled lightly along her spine. “We want to be in control, even when we can’t be. You’re strong, Abby. Maybe not as strong as Sam, but almost. When you’re ready, when we’re bonded, you can torture me any way you can dream up.”

“I will,” she swore, arching under his touch. She rested her cheek on the bed and closed her eyes on a pained sigh. “I need you so much it hurts. Tell me what to do. How to make it stop.”

The soft rasp of a zipper filled the room, and he stroked her hip. “I’ll take care of you.” She felt the head of his cock as it bumped against her, and he pushed into her with one slow but inexorable thrust. “I’ll take care of you.”

Abby heard a low, keening wail, and it took her a moment to realize it came from her. For the first time in the last month, everything in her snapped into perfect accord. This is what he meant, she marveled vaguely. The person and the wolf, wanting the same thing. The wolf wanted to be taken, claimed by a strong mate.

And Abby wanted Keith.

She threw her head back and dug her fingers into the mattress, levering herself up as she rocked back, trying to take him deeper. “It—It’s been a while—”

His hand slid down to her hip. “Slow, Abby. We’ll go slow. I’m going to make it good.”

“No,” she moaned helplessly. “Not slow. Please—” She shifted her hips and gasped when a shudder wracked her. Her fingers tightened on the bedspread, and her shaking worsened. The same energy Keith had drawn from her in the bar welled up again. “Keith—”

“Shh…” His hand skimmed up to her hair. He wrapped his fingers in it and curled his other hand around her hip. “Focus on me.” A short pull back and he thrust forward again, plunging deep. “Feel me inside of you.”

Abby choked back a hoarse cry. All she could feel was him, his cock inside her, his hands against her skin. She whimpered. “Please…” His touch eased her even as it drove her closer to release. “God, you feel—”

Another deep thrust, and his fingers tightened in her hair. A tiny growl spilled out of him, low and short, and his next thrust came quicker. “Let go. I’ve got you.”

Pleasure flared, warming her skin, but fear overwhelmed it. There was something inside her, something wild and strong. Something Abby couldn’t control.

I’ve got you. His words echoed in her ears. She knew it was true. He could hold her, help her. Stop her.

She was strong, but so was he. Together, they were—

Thought fled. He drove into her, and it was too much. She came, clenching around him, and she barely recognized the primal, satisfied scream that tore out of her. Good, so good. Every nerve in her body was inside out and burning, and she wanted more, everything.

The power inside her tried to gather, but he thrust into her again, distracting her from anything but how good he felt. Every time the power tried to build, to twist out of her control, he drove into her and scattered it to the wind.

Abby bit her lip and tasted blood. The bedspread ripped under her hands, and she pressed her face into the bed to muffle the pleading, desperate sounds she couldn’t hold back. Another orgasm took her, making her shake and leaving her weak. She couldn’t take it anymore, and she tried to tell him, but she could only whimper as the agitation finally eased. The wolf, thwarted by Abby’s exhaustion, found nothing left inside to fuel her break for freedom.

A moan ripped free of Keith, low and grateful and completely out of control. His fingers tightened almost painfully on her hip and he slammed home one last time, as if finally allowing himself release. His groan of satisfaction filled her ears as he rocked against her and fell still.

She turned her cheek to the bed and breathed shallowly, shocks of pleasure pulsing through her. “I can’t move.”

The heat of his body disappeared, but a few moments later he climbed up the bed. He tugged her onto her side and curled his legs up under hers. “Don’t need to move right now anyway, thank God.”

Abby felt limp, sated, but her mind whirled. It finally stumbled over one detail in particular, and she froze. “We didn’t use anything.”

“Anything—oh.” He smoothed his hand over her hip. “I’m sorry, I should have explained it before. You’re still so new that you can’t get pregnant. It’ll take a while for your body to adjust to all the changes. Six months, maybe a year.”

“I can’t get pregnant, or I’m just not likely to?”

“You can’t. It’s not possible.” He hesitated just long enough for his next words to sound nervous. “You…didn’t want to, did you?”

“No.” The very idea shocked Abby into laughter. “God, no. I mean, someday. Yes. But my whole life is upside down right now.”

She didn’t miss his tiny, relieved sigh. “I hadn’t even thought to ask you. I sort of did this all backwards, didn’t I?”

“I don’t know.” She lifted her hand to touch his. “I don’t know how this usually works.”

Keith caught her hand and twined their fingers together. “It’s pretty simple. You don’t have to worry about a lot of the human problems. Like getting sick, I mean. And, for now, getting pregnant. You could ask Cindy if you wanted to know the details.”

Abby’s cheeks heated. “As long as it’s not an issue, I think I can wait.” She was more concerned with other aspects of her new life. “What about the other things? I don’t like fighting with myself.”

His hand tightened around hers. “I wish I could tell you it’d go away. It’ll get easier. You’ll get used to it. But you’ll always be fighting with yourself on some level. At least, if you want to be able to pass as human, you will be.”

She let go of his hand and twisted her head around to study the rugged planes of his face. “How long have you been a werewolf?”

“I was born one.” His hand resumed its slow, careful caress. “It’s not common, but it’s not rare, either. At least, not out here.”

“Mmm.” Abby stretched up enough to brush a delicate kiss over the hard line of his jaw. She snuggled back against his chest, relaxing in the circle of his arms. “I don’t feel so bad anymore. You grew up this way. It’s no wonder you know everything.”

He tugged her more tightly against him. “I grew up this way and still don’t know everything. There’s a lot to learn…but you’re safe now.”

Safe. It was more than a nebulous promise with the solid warmth of Keith’s body sheltering hers. “I feel safe,” she admitted, winding her fingers together with his. “Thank you. For doing this for me, I mean.”

He squeezed her hand softly and she felt his lips at her temple. “Thank you for letting me.”

Chapter Five

Keith felt Abby’s panic through the walls.

As attuned to her energy as he’d been the day before, it was nothing compared to how sensitive he was now. He could judge her moods through the thin wall that separated their rooms. That first part was normal; an experienced Guide had to know how to taste the energy around his Initiate and know her feelings, even without the bond that made such things second nature.

But he’d never done it from a different room before.

The spike in mood was so violent he dropped his shirt back to the bed and strode toward the door without thinking about it, reaching out just as he heard the scrape of her shoes outside the door.

He yanked it open before she could knock. “Are you okay?”

She sucked in a breath and stared up at him, her face pale and tense. “I—I need to go.”

He stepped back, jerking his head in a gesture that was half-invitation, half-command. “Come in and tell me.”

She hovered in the doorway for a moment, then followed him in. “I need to go back to Helena tonight. Can you help me?”

Gavin and Samantha would kill him if he took her back there. He’d probably deserve to be killed. Abby was nowhere near ready to deal with the sort of emotional and physical danger that awaited her in Alan Matthews’ territory.

He opened his mouth to tell her no. “What happened?” came out instead.

She held out a Polaroid picture, but her hand shook so badly he had to take it from her. It featured a young woman with dark hair, her red cheeks wet with tears, and Alan Matthews. He stood behind her, wearing a satisfied grin, his arm locked around her waist. At the bottom of the photo was a single sentence, written in heavy black marker.

I’ll trade, Abigail.

“It’s Brynn,” she whispered, her voice tight and trembling. “It’s my sister.”

Keith reached out with his free hand and slammed the door shut, amazed that he could be so angry, so furious, and not roaring loudly enough to bring the whole town running. “You want to go back to Helena.” Oh, he was so calm. So reasonable. He’d give her a chance to provide the right answer before he lost his temper.

Abby remained silent, her expression bleak, but folded her arms across her midsection and stepped back. “She’s my sister, Keith. I’ll do whatever I have to do.”

“Really?” He braced his hand against the door. “Because handing yourself over to him may seem like the easy answer, but if you think he’s going to let her go, you’re deluding yourself. If you want to help your sister, you don’t get to do the easy thing.”

Her eyes sparked with anger. “You think it’s easy?” she demanded. “You think I even want to try and imagine the sorts of things that bastard would do to me? If that was easy, then I never would have come here!”

Part of him wanted to soothe her, comfort her, but the thought that she might be naive enough to trust Matthews made his gut churn. He leaned down and held her gaze. “Before you give yourself to him, I want you to think about having to watch him do those things to your sister. Because if we’re going to go save her, I can’t spend all my time worrying that you’re going to do something stupid and trust that bastard.”

The stiff line of her shoulders sagged a little, and she looked lost. “What do we do?”

He could tell Gavin and Sam, but Gavin’s own rules crippled him. The tentative peace that existed only survived because Gavin never strayed from his territory. He held it, viciously if necessary, against anyone who attempted to intrude, but in doing so he tacitly acknowledged an alpha’s right to rule as he would. Violating Matthews’ borders, even under the circumstances, would mean war.

Not if Gavin doesn’t know about it. It was an act of defiance another alpha might kill him for. Even Gavin would be hard-pressed to forgive him. He might never regain his place of trust at the alpha’s right hand—

Slow down. You’re thinking about it as if you’ve already made the fucking decision.

He had. Abby needed him. If he didn’t help her, she’d find a way to leave on her own. She’d take herself out of Gavin’s territory, out of his protection. She’d march up to Alan Matthews and hand herself over. And I’d still start a pack war when I showed up to take her back.

He let out a breath. “Okay. We go. But not yet. I need a few hours to get some things together…” And to talk to Joe. He was the only one Keith could trust not to betray them to Gavin.

She laid a hand on his arm. “I don’t want you to be hurt.”

He looked down at her, at her beautiful face and huge eyes, at the hair that felt like silk under his fingers. “Then let me keep you safe.” It was a bad idea, but he couldn’t stop himself from lifting his fingers to trace softly along her jaw. “I would not be okay if Matthews took you.”

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. “I’ll wait in my room. Keith, hurry. Please. If he can’t be trusted—”

He caught her arm. “Promise me, Abby. Promise me you won’t try to leave without me.”

“I won’t.” Her eyes were clear, with no trace of deception in their depths. “I promise.”

“Have you lost your fucking mind, Winston?” Joe shook his head as he stomped across the hardwood floor of his cabin. “’Cause it sure as hell sounds like it to me.”

Keith had been friends with Joe long enough to know exactly what to do. He didn’t reply. He didn’t try to justify himself. He pulled the damning Polaroid from his back pocket and held it out.

Joe snatched it from him and glanced at it. The line of his jaw hardened, and he grimaced. “Fuck you, Keith. This is low.” He stared at it for another second. “Who is it? Friend? Sister?”

“Sister.”

“Dammit.” He tapped it against his palm. “Where’d it come from?”

“Don’t know. Lots of people have come in lately. Could be someone Matthews sent.” Keith caught Joe’s gaze with a serious look. “You know what’ll happen if we have to wait for Sam and Gavin to come up with an official response. And that’s assuming we lock Abby up somewhere so she doesn’t try to go trade herself.”

Joe snorted. “That one’s going to be a handful.” The faintest trace of envy colored his voice.

Keith stiffened. “Yeah. And she’s my handful.”

He waved a hand. “Forget it. My mama didn’t raise an idiot. I gave up after the little show you two put on at the bar last night.” He returned the Polaroid and scratched the back of his head. “What’s your plan?”

Keith relaxed a little and slipped the photo back into his pocket. “I was thinking something like we did in Dayton that time, when Kendal was holding Cindy.”

“Well, now, that was a slightly different situation,” Joe noted, crossing to his gun cabinet. “For one thing, we didn’t have Cindy’s hysterical sister tagging along.” He opened the cabinet and pulled out a shotgun and a rifle. “’Cause we both know there’s no way you’re leaving her here, right?”

“We could try,” he replied blandly. “She’ll pitch a fit and Gavin will chase us down and murder us, though.”

“That’s an excellent point.” Joe pulled an olive drab bag from the bottom of the cabinet and started loading it with ammunition and accessories. “Do I need anything special? C4? Thermite?”

“God, I hope not. Gavin really will kill us if we start blowing shit up in Helena.”

Joe’s grin was mischievous. “Gavin’s going to have our asses anyway. Might as well bring it, just in case.”

***

Abby rubbed her hands over her arms and stared out the window. Her mind whirled, but she couldn’t focus on a single thought. “How will we find him? How will we know—?”

A sharp click from the backseat interrupted her, and she looked back to find Joe loading a small pistol. “We’ll figure it out.” He glanced up, his gaze going to the rearview mirror.

Keith’s fingers were tight around the steering wheel, but he glanced over at her for a brief moment. “I know some things about surveillance. Reconnaissance. I know a few of the hangouts for Alan’s pack. We’ll find him.”

She opened her mouth to ask him how he could be so sure, but Joe coughed and leaned forward. “Ever shot a gun before, Abby?”

Her gaze clashed with his. “Once. The night I came to Red Rock. I missed.”

He smiled a little and inclined his head. “We’ll see if we can’t change that, okay?”

“Cut out the flirting, Joe.” Keith sounded tense. “I’m not having my best day ever.”

“Yeah? Neither is she.” He sat back, unloaded the gun and started dismantling it.

“It’s not going to get better if I lose my shit.” Keith’s gaze went to the rearview mirror this time, and she got the feeling there was more being said than what she heard.

Joe raised both hands in acquiescence. “Okay, okay. I’ll stop.”

Abby bit her lip and shivered as she stared at Keith’s profile. “You said I couldn’t trust Matthews to keep his word. How do we know he hasn’t already hurt Brynn?”

Keith hesitated just long enough to make her stomach churn with fear. “I don’t think he’ll do anything to her until he has you.”

“I’ll kill him,” she choked out, rage building inside her. “If he hurt her—”

“You’ll kill him,” Keith agreed quietly. He took one hand from the wheel and rested it on her leg. “But we’re going to get your sister, Abby. Joe and I aren’t exactly bartenders by profession.”

She’d figured out that much already. Keith and Joe had come back to her room with serious, prepared looks and a duffel bag full of God-only-knew-what. She’d spent her time chewing off her fingernails and quaking in fear. “I’m at a bit of a disadvantage. I wouldn’t know how to help her even if Matthews were human, and I really know nothing about this werewolf stuff.”

“I know, Abby.” His thumb moved over the outside of her thigh in a slow, soothing gesture. “Joe’s right, even if he is a pushy ass. While I go check out your apartment, he’s going to find somewhere and teach you how to shoot. Locking you in a closet to keep you safe might appeal to me, but I know you need to help.”

She stifled her protests, having to bite her tongue to do so. “Should you be going alone?”

“Safer that way.” The corner of his mouth hitched up. “Joe’s not too subtle. Likes to blow stuff up.”

“Not inappropriately,” he argued defensively, leaning forward between their seats again. “I’m just not averse to drastic measures.”

Even though Keith had acted anxious around Joe, Abby could tell he considered him a friend. She fought a smile. “And what did Gavin say about your so-called drastic measures?”

“Which time?”

She arched an eyebrow at him. “This one.”

The sudden silence in the car fairly screamed tension. Keith broke it by clearing his throat. “Gavin isn’t strictly aware of what’s going on.”

Alarms bells went off in her head, and Abby looked at both men. They avoided her gaze. “Meaning…what? We’re on some rogue mission to fetch my sister? One no one knows about?”

“We did what we had to do.” Keith returned his hand to the steering wheel. “There’s too much political shit for Gavin to be directly involved.”

“Political shit?” Abby echoed. “What does that even mean? Matthews kidnapped my sister. My human sister, who knows nothing about any of this, by the way, and getting her back is—is against the rules?”

Keith sighed. “People like you come to Red Rock for sanctuary. There are ten alphas like Alan for every one like Gavin, and right now Gavin gets away with killing anyone who tries to set foot in Red Rock by not interfering in anyone else’s territory. There are an even dozen alphas just waiting for an excuse to call him a hypocrite and start a full-on war.”

Abby couldn’t breathe. “And what happens to you two when we get back? Surely he can’t just ignore what we’ve done? That would brand him a hypocrite too.”

“He yells at us a lot in public and puts on a good show. And, in private, he’s pretty damn glad we did what we did.”

He sounded so confident. “If it were that simple, you wouldn’t have had to lie.” She stared out the window. “I’m not going to be responsible for any kind of war, and I don’t want you two getting into trouble. Just…drop me off at my apartment and go back. Please.”

Keith threw on the blinker and jerked the Jeep off the road so fast the seatbelt snapped tight across her chest as the vehicle skidded to a stop. Someone laid on their horn as cars sped past them.

Power filled the car, tight and barely restrained. “I’m trying to remind myself that you don’t know what you’re saying. But, for the record, what you just said is a pretty damn huge insult.”

Pain twisted through her, and she stared at the tight set of his jaw. “Is it? I’m sorry. Care to tell me why?”

He threw the Jeep into park and shut his eyes. “Because you asked me to be your damn Guide. You were in my bed, Abby, and now you want me to abandon you to a life of fucking misery. You don’t see how suggesting that I could be okay with that is really fucking insulting?”

Pain melted into fury. “But I’m supposed to be okay with you defying your alpha? What if he—”

“Okay, okay.” Joe sat up again, holding out a hand between them. “Knock it the fuck off. You—” He pointed to Abby. “You’re just going to have to get right with the fact that Keith isn’t going anywhere. You’re his.” He turned to Keith. “And I’m going to kick your fucking ass if you don’t rein it in. You don’t have a clue what it’s like to be human. Everything that’s innate and unquestionable to you is some crazy, newfangled shit to her. She doesn’t get it, all right?”

Keith took a deep breath. Took another. When he opened his eyes and turned to look at her, a little of the wildness had faded from his gaze. “We’re not defying our alpha, because he didn’t tell us not to come here. Technicalities like that may not be important to humans, but it will make all the difference.”

“Okay.” Abby shuddered and willed herself not to cry. Tears would accomplish nothing. “Joe will teach me how to shoot, and you’ll…do whatever it is you do.”

“Find him. Find your sister. Figure out if there’s a way to get her out.” His voice softened, and he laid a hand on her shoulder. “We’re good, Abby. We’re really good. And this isn’t the first time we’ve done something like this.”

“I know.” She wanted to lean into his touch, let him comfort her. “I’m not trying to be an ass, Keith. I’m just not used to letting people help me deal with things.”

He smiled a little and brushed a thumb along the line of her jaw. “Well, get used to it. We all help each other with the big things.”

She forced herself to return his smile. Of course he’s helping you. It’s his job, Abby. She found herself wishing she hadn’t asked him to be her Guide. A duty was still a duty, no matter how honorable or welcome. And she was starting to think that accepting him as a Guide meant she’d never have the chance to be anything to him but a responsibility.

Joe cleared his throat. “Can we get moving again? Watching you two make googly eyes at each other is a little creepy.”

Keith pulled his hand back and shot an annoyed look over his shoulder. “Fuck off, Mitchell.”

“Would that I could, my friend. Unfortunately, we’ve got a lot of driving to do.”

Keith sighed and shifted the Jeep into gear. They eased back onto the road, but the tension in the car didn’t dissipate. If anything, it grew stronger.

Abby dropped the empty magazine and reloaded the gun. “This isn’t too hard.”

Joe laughed. “Yeah, now try hitting the stuff you’re aiming at.”

She wanted to blame her terrible aim on the darkness of the night, but she could clearly see the row of bottles he’d lined up on the fence in the distance. “So I suck. Thanks for pointing it out, jackass.” Her words held no heat. Joe was amusing, charming. Simple. Safe. She stretched out her arms and squinted. “God, I wish I’d picked you for this stupid Guide thing.”

He moved quickly, snatching the gun out of her hands and dropping it on the hood of the Jeep with a dull thud. “Okay,” he said with a nervous laugh. “Okay. Let’s get something straight. If you say that in front of Keith, he’ll kill me.”

Abby rolled her eyes and started to turn away. “That’s ridic—”

“No.” Joe grasped her upper arms and leaned down to meet her eyes. “No, Abby. He wouldn’t want to, but I don’t know if he’d have a choice.” He stared at her for a second before sighing. “Just don’t say it again, okay? You don’t mean it, anyway.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe I do, you know. If somebody’s got to see me as a burden to be sheltered and protected, I’d rather it be you than him.” At least, that way, she could still hold out hope that Keith might see her as a desirable woman, an equal.

Joe scoffed. “You have no idea how fucked up he is over you, do you?”

She tried to ignore the excited thrill that shot through her. “He feels responsible for me. I never meant for that to happen.”

His expression was dark but sympathetic. “It’s what guiding is about.”

“I know,” she assured him. “At least, I’m trying to understand it. I guess I just thought that asking him to do it would give us a chance to get closer. I didn’t know it would turn me into a job.”

Joe released her and dragged a hand through his short brown hair. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet and sure. “You need to talk to Keith. I’ve seen him with jobs, Abby, and that’s not all you are. Just…talk to him.” He handed her the gun again.

“Okay.” She checked it the way he’d shown her. “It seems like he’s so focused on that,” she said quietly. “Like nothing else matters.”

He leaned back against the Jeep. “That’s because nothing does. If we didn’t have these rituals—Initiations and Guides and all that—plenty of us wouldn’t survive. Or we’d hurt other people, innocent people, which is actually worse, if you ask me. It’s a big deal. A big responsibility.” He cleared his throat. “Doesn’t mean he didn’t want it.”

Abby took a deep breath and aimed. When she fired, one of the bottles shattered, knocking the neighboring ones from the fence as well. “Thanks, Joe.”

“You’re welcome.” After a moment, he tapped his fingers on the hood. “Did Keith tell you about Kelly?”

“Who?”

He rubbed both hands over his face. “I guess not.”

Abby engaged the safety and handed the gun back to him. “Who’s Kelly?”

“His last Initiate. It must have been…hell, six or seven years ago.”

The tone of his voice alarmed Abby, and she took a deep breath. “Before he went overseas.”

Joe’s eyes shadowed. “He used to do the Guide thing all the time. The older, stronger guys—the ones who aren’t with someone—always end up doing it a lot.” He moved to sit on the grass beside the Jeep and gestured for her to join him. “It started with Yvonne. She came right before Kelly.

“Yvonne was a refugee,” he continued, staring up at the stars. “Strong, but damaged. She’d been through a lot. Keith guided her, and she wanted to stay with him afterwards. But he wasn’t interested.”

Abby listened silently. Though the events Joe spoke of had long since passed, she had to fight a wave of possessiveness. Keith was hers. Hers. “What happened?”

“Kelly showed up.” He shook his head and smiled. “Keith was a goner right from the start, and she felt the same way. And that was that. They were together for about a year.”

A chill prickled over her skin. “I don’t understand what this has to do with the other woman. With Yvonne.”

It took him almost a minute to answer. “I said she was strong. Kelly wasn’t. And Yvonne just got obsessed with how mismatched she thought Keith and Kelly were. She thought she belonged with him.” He plucked a blade of grass and twisted it between his fingers. “Keith and I went out of town on an errand for Gavin. Yvonne challenged Kelly.”

It was one of the things Dylan had tried to explain to her, the ritualistic fights to settle arguments and prove dominance. “I have a hard time imagining Gavin and Sam doing that sort of thing.”

“We’re not human,” he reminded her. “Sometimes it’s the only way. Both parties have to agree, though, and most people who know they’re going to lose just yield. It’s smarter not to fight.” Again, a shadow passed over his eyes. “But Kelly wanted to be strong for Keith. So she fought. When we got back, she was dead.”

Shock rushed through her and was quickly overwhelmed by sympathy. “God. Keith must have been devastated.” The thought made her chest ache.

“That’s an understatement. He wanted blood.” Joe tossed the blade of grass down and picked another one. “But killing someone during a challenge is a banishing offense. They’d already run Yvonne out of town, and she headed to someone else for sanctuary. Gavin forbade Keith to go after her.”

“But she killed someone.” It didn’t seem right to protect a murderer, someone who’d attacked Kelly just to clear her way with Keith.

“Sanctuary is sacred, Abby,” he told her quietly. “It’s the only way Gavin manages to protect his own borders. People who cross them intending to do harm die because the same thing would happen to his people if they did it to someone else.”

Like we’re doing now. “So Keith went to Europe.”

Joe grunted. “Pretty much. He needed to get away, from Gavin and the town. Too many memories, I guess.” He stood and held out a hand to help her up. “I told you that because you need to know why Keith seems so hell-bent on the honor thing. Duty. He’s not reminding you. He’s reminding himself.”

Even through the pain she felt for Keith and his ordeal, something inside Abby eased. She bit her lip as she climbed to her feet. “Thanks for telling me. I didn’t realize…”

“You couldn’t have.” He turned to the hood and began to pack things into his bag. “Come on. I’m starving. Let’s go see what’s still open and grab some burgers.”

Joe met Keith in the parking lot of the motel as the taxi left. “How’d the recon go? Turn up anything useful?”

“Nothing but bad news.” Keith tossed his bag onto the hood of the Jeep. “I wouldn’t call his place impenetrable, but we sure as hell aren’t getting in there unnoticed. And that’d be bad right about now.”

“So we’ll have to use Abby as bait.” Joe’s jaw tightened. “That sucks.”

Keith closed his eyes and struggled to breathe. “Yeah. Please tell me she’s not a total loss with a gun, or I’m going to break something trying to deal with this.”

“Nah, she did okay. She’s not going to be qualifying on the range anytime soon, but she can point and she can shoot. If she keeps her head, she’ll do fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the side of the Jeep. “You’re about five seconds away from losing her, you know.”

The worst part was, he did know. Maybe if he could pretend to be shocked, or surprised—

He forced his eyes open and met Joe’s gaze. “She’s so damn strong. Under normal circumstances, I could work with that. I was Jodie’s Guide, and she’s damn near as bad as Sam. But Jodie’s sister wasn’t in danger, either.”

Joe stared at him for a moment and dropped his head back with an exasperated curse. “Let me ask you something. How many times have you thrown duty and responsibility and honor in her face? Just over the last twenty-four hours. Ballpark.”

Keith gritted his teeth. “And what the fuck is the alternative? Am I supposed to be hitting on her while we try to save her sister’s God damned life?”

“Hey, you do whatever the hell you want to do. I’m just giving you a heads-up.” Joe scratched the back of his head. “She’s wishing she’d picked someone else so she could have a chance with you. That just seems like more than a few hours’ worth of confusion to me.”

His fingers tightened reflexively around the open passenger door, and Keith forced himself to let go of the Jeep before he put dents in it. “What did you tell her?”

His friend crossed his arms over his chest. “I told her about Kelly.”

Keith thought his heart would stop. “What did you tell her?”

Joe grimaced. “Not everything. That’s up to you. But she needed to understand why guiding her isn’t going to be simple or easy for you, and that it’s not her fault.”

At the moment, strangling Joe seemed like a good idea. Keith took several deep, calm breaths before he spoke again. “I need to know how much you told her. Walking in there will be bad enough if she knows I let Kelly get killed, but if she knows what happened to Yvonne…”

“That you let Kelly get…” Joe’s voice trailed off in disbelief, and he dragged a hand through his hair. “Kelly died and you split for Europe. That’s what she knows. I didn’t tell her about Minneapolis.”

Five years later and sometimes the guilt still plagued him. As twisted as Yvonne had become, part of it was his fault. It had been his job to help her through the trauma, his duty to make her understand not just the privileges that came with being an alpha werewolf, but the responsibilities as well.

And in the end it had been his duty to kill her when she’d become the very evil she’d run from. Even Gavin understood the responsibility, though his alpha had never completely forgiven him for openly defying his orders and violating another pack’s territory. Just like he might not forgive you this time. It was a pretty little loophole, claiming he couldn’t defy an order he’d never been given, but he could hardly say he didn’t know better. It wasn’t the first time, after all.

Joe was still staring at him. “Look, Keith. Abby knows now that the situation’s more complicated than she realized, and that should buy you some time to smooth things over. But if you can’t get over feeling responsible for Kelly’s death, then I don’t know if it’s going to matter.”

“Yeah. Shit.” The Jeep door hung open, so Keith shut it carefully. “Fine, I’ll talk to her. But unless one of your Initiates goes off the rails and starts killing people, don’t try to tell me it’s not my fault. You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, maybe not.” He backed toward the motel. “Just fix it, okay? I think you should keep her around.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked off toward his room at the opposite end of the motel.

Keith jerked his bag off the hood of the Jeep. Ten long strides took him to the door to their room, and he counted them in an attempt to calm himself. It didn’t work.

He tried another deep breath. That didn’t work, either. Because you’re too damn involved and you know it. Just like last time. Just like Kelly.

Keith rapped his knuckles against the door. “Abby?”

He heard soft footsteps followed by the sound of the metal security bar being disengaged. The door opened, and Abby stepped back to let him in. “Did you find out anything?”

He could ignore everything Joe had said. He could stick to business and get Abby’s sister out and worry about what messed-up thoughts she had in her head later. Keeping her calm when the wolf inside her wanted to go raging across town in hunt of Alan Matthews was enough stress. No one would blame him for taking the safe way.

But when Abby turned from locking the door, the look on her face made his chest ache. He dropped his bag and lifted his hand to touch her cheek. “Joe says I’ve fucked up.”

“No.” The denial was automatic, but her eyes were earnest. “I think maybe you’re doing everything right. I’m the one who fucked up.” She shifted from one foot to the other and spoke in a rush. “I told you I understood, and I thought I did, but…I didn’t.”

He shook his head. “I figured Sam would have told you. Because it’s me—because of what happened last time—I figured she would have warned you. That I have some issues because of Kelly and Yvonne.”

“A lot of what she told me is a blur,” she admitted, looking self-conscious. “But she didn’t mention them. If she had, I wouldn’t have done this to you.”

“Abby…” He smoothed her hair back and smiled softly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not your fault. My problems are mine. You don’t need to protect me. But when this is over, when Brynn is safe, we should talk. About all of it.”

Her own smile was wry. “Your problems are yours, but you have to fix all of mine?” She grasped his hands and shook her head. “You sound like me.”

Of course he did. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Welcome to being an alpha, sweetheart.”

“Is it a problem?” Her eyes darkened, and color flared in her cheeks. “This? My infatuation?”

“Your infatuation isn’t the problem. Mine is.”

He’d thought her heart was beating fast already. It sped up again, and she licked her lower lip nervously. “I’m back to not understanding.” Her tone was almost apologetic.

His thumb followed the path of her tongue, rubbing across her full lower lip. “We don’t have time for me to be infatuated,” he whispered. “And for the first few weeks, it’s dangerous—for you—for me to be infatuated. I need to stay in control to keep you safe. But when things are settled down—if you’re not sick of me—we’ll take some time. Just the two of us.”

She shivered, her eyes fluttering shut. “Okay. When Brynn is safe and things are quieter.”

The painful prickle of energy in the room eased, and he let out a breath. “I need you to believe in me, Abby. I need you to trust me, because you’re going to have to help us get Brynn back.”

Her eyes snapped open. “I trust you, Keith. With our lives.” She leaned toward him and rubbed her cheek against his chest. Her nervous tension had melted, and he felt a confident, comforting warmth curl around him.

It felt so good to have her pressed against him, trusting and sure. Too good—the calm before the storm. The thrill before the fall.

Damn it. It’s happening again.

“Brynn’s cell phone,” Abby said decisively. “Matthews has to have it handy, expecting me to call it. How else would I know how to get in touch with him?”

Joe made an unconvinced noise. “It’s worth a shot. But where do you call from? Can’t do it from here, or we’ll have ten pissed-off goons knocking down the door in twenty minutes.”

“Pay phone. Public one.” Keith typed something on his computer, his fingers flying over the keys. “He’ll be less suspicious if she’s a little bit wary. She has to act like she’s trying to out-think him.”

“I am trying to out-think him,” Abby argued, nudging his leg with her foot. “It’s kind of hard to do, though. I only met him once.”

“Fine. You need to act like you’re failing to out-think him.”

She groaned and smacked her head back against the wall. “Okay, so. That means no Special Forces interference from you two. How would a shy, helpless technical writer from small-town Montana try to save her sister?” She crossed the room, dropped onto the bed and eyed Keith. “You keep saying I’m strong. Is that the sort of thing you can sense in a human, or is it impossible?”

He seemed to consider it for a moment. “Sort of. The magic, that’s part of it. But it’s the will to control it, the strength of personality, that really determines how strong someone is. Even if you can’t sense their magic, most werewolves are experts at body language. You sort of have to be.”

She thought about the night she’d met Matthews. She’d been torn between accepting his attention and the anxiety she could sense from Dylan, and the alpha had to have noticed that. “I think he’d know. He’d expect me to do exactly what I’ve already tried to do.”

Joe popped open a can of soda from the cooler by the door. “Make the trade, you mean?”

“Right. Trade myself and hope for the best.” She rose and walked back to the table, leaning over the street map Keith had spread out. “I can call him from the Walking Mall downtown, and tell him to bring Brynn. It’s public, but if he’s as arrogant as I think, he’ll just demand I meet him somewhere else.”

Keith shook his head. “You don’t understand arrogant men, then. Or arrogant werewolves. Demanding you meet him somewhere else would be a sign of weakness. You’re one girl. Admitting you could be dangerous, that you could trap him… It’d humiliate him.”

Abby fought a growl. “You’re right. I don’t understand arrogant werewolves. That’s a lesson I’ve learned over the past few days.” She flashed pointed looks at both men. “But that’s even better. He won’t expect me to expect him to not give a damn about the locale.”

“Nope.” Keith’s gaze dropped back to his computer, and he resumed typing even as he talked. “One thing you have to understand about alphas like Alan—they don’t follow the old ways. You may think a modern werewolf would be less likely to underestimate you just for being a woman, but you’d be wrong. Alphas like Alan can’t get their way with women like Sam around.”

She glanced at Joe. “Translation?”

He hesitated. “If someone like Matthews got his hands on someone like you or Sam, the first order of business would be to break you. If that didn’t work, he’d kill you.”

Helpless, hysterical laughter bubbled up in Abby’s chest. “That’s very helpful, Joe.”

“Isn’t meant to be helpful.” Keith glanced up at her again, and his eyes were shrouded by pain. “It’s meant to remind you that you’re not allowed to actually hand yourself over to him.”

Abby couldn’t breathe for a second. She couldn’t resign herself to whatever Matthews had planned for her if it would put that look in Keith’s eyes. “I’m not. I wouldn’t.”

Not even to save his life? a tiny voice taunted. She ignored it, and the ridiculous question. Saving him pain would do no good if it killed him.

“You wouldn’t. Good.” His gaze went back to the screen. “I can work with the Walking Mall. The witnesses will mean he has to play human. Not even Matthews is crazy enough to break that rule. The rest of the alphas would execute him.”

“He’d expect her to bring someone,” Joe mused. “To help her sister. Make sure she got away.”

Keith swore suddenly. “Have we checked lately to make sure Cindy hasn’t let Dylan slip away?”

“Dammit. I meant to.” Joe headed for the door. “I’ll be right back.”

Abby watched him go, dread pooling in her stomach. “Dylan feels responsible for all of this.”

“I know. And that’s something he’ll have to get over.” Keith reached out to shut his laptop. “Getting you away, getting you to safety—it’s more than anyone would have thought possible.”

“I know.” She dropped to the bed and covered her face with her hands. “If Matthews keeps Brynn and takes me, that’s an offense against Gavin’s pack, right? If he violates this deal he offered?”

She sensed movement, heard the soft sound of footsteps. The bed sank next to her and a strong arm slid around her waist. “Yeah. Gavin’s given you his protection. No one would argue that he was within his rights to come back here and get you, or at least take Brynn. But that’s not going to happen, Abby, because we are not going to let Matthews take you.”

“You said technicalities matter.” She dropped her hands and clenched them in her lap. “It’s the perfect solution. He snatches me under false pretenses, and you two suddenly have every reason to take him out.”

“No.” His fingers tangled in her hair and he pulled her head back, staring down at her with an implacable expression. “You think you’re being brave, self-sacrificing? You want to know how Alan Matthews will break you? You’re a dominant. Your instincts are to protect. He will take your sister apart and make you watch, and by the time Gavin got there, there wouldn’t be enough of her left to save.”

Guilt washed through her, though it was quickly eclipsed by anger. She wrapped a hand in the front of his shirt and rose up on her knees to glare down at him. “I’m not brave, and I’m sure as hell not self-sacrificing,” she hissed. “I want to kill him, Keith. I want to get him alone, with no one else around, and I want to see the look in his eyes when he realizes that I am going to rip him limb from limb.” Her voice dropped to a harsh whisper. “Not somebody else. Me.”

He lifted a hand and pressed it over her heart. “That’s what it feels like every time I think of you in danger. That’s why I’m trying so damn hard to be in control. Because my duty is to keep you safe, and I’ve got to remember that so I don’t go get us all killed in a blind, stupid rage.”

Her anger vanished, but her hands still shook when she raised them to his face. “We all have to stay safe,” she agreed. “You promised me some time after all this is over, remember? I’m not going to forget.”

“Yeah.” His fingers relaxed their grip on her hair, shifting to cradle the back of her head. “I’m going to give you a gun, Abby. Once Joe gets your sister, if you can shoot Matthews…do it.”

His voice, his touch, soothed her. “If he’s not too far away, I think I can.” Fear spiked through her. If she missed—if someone got hurt— “I’ll try like hell, baby.”

“Only if it’s not going to get you hurt.” His other hand slipped around her waist and pulled her closer. “If you think I’m an obnoxious ass now, you don’t want to see what I’ll do if you get yourself hurt.”

“I imagine it would involve long-winded lectures,” she murmured. “Maybe even spankings.”

One eyebrow quirked up. “That appeal to you?”

Abby smiled, warmed by the affection curling through her. “I was just trying to be funny. To calm down and not worry.” She brushed a short, thick lock of hair back from his forehead. “Because I do trust you.”

He tucked her face against his neck, and ran a soothing hand up and down her back. “Good. I promise, Abby. Joe and I will help you take care of this.”

The door opened again, and Joe walked in, shaking his head. “Cindy hasn’t let Dylan out of her bed all night.” He dropped into a chair and reached for a can of soda on the table. “And Gavin has to know you’re gone, because he left me three pissed-off messages and told everyone else you two lovebirds needed some time alone before your bonding.” He made a face. “I can’t believe anyone fell for that line of shit.”

“Maybe they didn’t,” Keith retorted. “But Dylan’s the only one likely to know how to find us. And I doubt he’s ever had a female werewolf giving him her undivided attention.”

Joe offered Abby a reassuring smile. “We should try to get a few hours of sleep. We can move on Matthews first thing in the morning.”

She felt Keith’s arms tighten a little around her, but his voice sounded calm. “She can make the call at nine. There should be enough people around by the time he gets there that he won’t be able to do anything stupid.”

She stroked the back of his neck in small, absent circles. “This time of year? Definitely.”

Joe nodded and slapped his hands on his knees. “Okay. I’ll see you in a few hours. Rest up.” He grabbed another soda and waved on his way out.

The door swung shut, and Keith’s arm tightened around her for a second. “You need some sleep. We both need some sleep.”

“I know.” She kissed his temple. “We should try, anyway.”

His lips brushed against her forehead. “Go get ready for bed. I’m going to check a few more things.”

“Okay.” She climbed off his lap and walked into the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her. She turned on the water in the shower, stripped off her clothes and stood under the spray. Only when the bathroom billowed with steam did she allow her silent, scared tears to fall.

So many things could go wrong. She hadn’t lied to Keith; she trusted him, knew that he and Joe were Brynn’s best chance. But the thought of him in danger, of the things Matthews would do if he figured it out…

She leaned her forehead against the tile and cried harder.

Chapter Six

Abby fidgeted on the bench and tried to smile at two white-haired ladies in tracksuits. They ignored her.

“Can you still hear us, Abby?” Joe’s voice sounded in the tiny earpiece in her right ear.

“Yes.” She glanced around the open-air mall. Some of the shops were still closed, but most were beginning to bustle with activity. “What time is it?”

“9:45.” It was Keith’s voice, low and soothing. “We can both see you from where we are, and see everyone around you. You’re perfectly safe there.”

“I’m not worried about that,” Abby countered, then paused as a blonde pushed a stroller past her. “I’m just wondering when the hell he’s going to get here—”

Joe cut in suddenly, calm but businesslike. “We’ve got a scout. At Abby’s seven o’clock.”

“I see him. He alone?”

“Seems to be.”

Abby didn’t dare glance up. In a few moments, a plain man slid onto the bench beside her. “You don’t look much like your sister.”

He had a scar running down the left side of his face. Abby stared at it. “Where is she? Where’s Matthews?”

He just grinned and pulled a small digital camera out of his pocket. When he turned it on, a video began to play. Alan Matthews’ face filled the screen. “Hello, Abigail.”

Her heart seized and she blinked back tears when the shot widened, revealing his arm around Brynn. She was pale and bruised, and Abby’s hands clenched into fists. “Now, I bet you’re wondering why I’m not there. The reason is simple. I know you aren’t planning on keeping your end of this bargain, Abigail. That…pains me.” On the tiny screen, Brynn shivered and whimpered as Matthews nuzzled her cheek. “Ditch the weekend warriors, and Paul will bring you to me. To your lovely sister.”

The video ended, and the man shut off the camera and stowed it in his pocket. “You come alone or you don’t come at all. That’s the deal.”

Abby’s mind raced. She tried to think of a way to figure out where Brynn was being held so she could communicate it to Keith and Joe, but the room in the video had been nondescript, like any anonymous motel or cheap office. “He’ll let her go?” If she could make sure Brynn was safe, surely she could handle Matthews.

Joe swore in her ear. “Fuck—”

“Okay.” The gun Keith had given her was a comforting weight in her jacket pocket as she rose. “Let’s go.”

“Abby, don’t go with him, don’t walk into a fucking trap—”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know it’s a trap, but it’s my only chance.” She pulled the earpiece and microphone free and placed them on the bench.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Keith dropped his rifle and dragged open his laptop, his hands shaking. “Damn it, I knew she was going to do this.”

“Good,” Joe said wearily. “That means you have a contingency plan. I’m headed your way.”

Keith booted his tracking software. “Having a fucking contingency plan doesn’t mean this is okay. If it were a good plan, it would have been the first plan.”

He could hear Joe’s boots thumping against the ground even over the communications link. “We can always hope they don’t check her for weapons at the door.”

“Let’s hope they don’t check her for tracking devices before the door,” Keith retorted. And hope she forgives me for planting one on her without telling her…

Joe skidded to a stop behind him, panting lightly. “Guns, they’ll check her for. Does she know you put a tracker on her?”

“No.” Keith swore as he waited for the software to pick up a signal. “I didn’t want to worry her. Or make her have to lie to them.”

“Good.” Joe leaned over his shoulder and watched the screen as well. “If she doesn’t know it’s there, she won’t be acting squirrelly.” He rose. “Bring it to the Jeep. I’ll drive.”

“Grab my rifle, would you?” He lifted the computer with one hand, his gaze glued to the blinking dot that marked Abby’s location. “Jesus. This could go so fucking wrong.”

Joe hefted Keith’s rifle and snapped his fingers. “Hey. Hey, get your head in it, or you’re going to be useless to her. All right?”

“Yeah. Fuck.” He glanced up at Joe. “They’re in a car now, from how fast she’s moving. But not toward his place. Out of town.”

“Northwest,” he observed. “Could be headed out Marysville way. Lot of old abandoned buildings out there.”

“Means we don’t have a clue what we’re walking into, and there may not be humans around.” He snapped the laptop shut and tucked it under his arm as he jogged toward the Jeep. “But it means the explosives might be back on the menu.”

“See?” Joe said grimly as he followed. “Aren’t you glad I brought them?”

“Not really.” They reached the Jeep, and Keith wrenched open the passenger door and tossed his bag inside before swinging in after it. He opened his laptop again as Joe slid into the driver’s seat. “If you blow up my woman, I will end you.”

Joe made a rude noise as he started the vehicle and screeched back out of the parking space. “I try to maintain a level of finesse that doesn’t involve such catastrophes. But if I manage to hurt Abby, I invite you to kill me.”

Keith fixed his gaze on the tiny pinpoint on the screen that represented Abby. “I don’t care about keeping this quiet anymore. Do whatever you have to do to secure the sister. I’ll get Abby. Blow as many of them up as we can on the way out.”

“Would it be terrible of me to admit that was my plan all along?”

“Terrible? Yeah.” He tapped a few keys and watched as the dot moved onto the freeway, heading northwest. “Surprising? Not really. And I think you’re right. They’re headed toward Marysville.”

“Not many residents, only a handful of tourists…” Joe cursed again. “I wish Matthews was a little bit stupider.”

“If he were a little bit stupider, he’d already be dead.” But I’m going to fix that by the end of the day. The protective rage flowing through him was dangerous; it would be all too easy to let it distract him. To drown in it. But the thought of a man like Alan Matthews holding Abby… He bit back a snarl. “Fuck. I’m going to kick her ass when I get my hands on her.”

“No, you’re not.” Joe kept his focus on the road and the mirrors as he changed lanes. “You’re going to kiss her so hard you both forget to come up for air. And if you don’t, you’re an idiot.”

“Never said I wasn’t an idiot.” His hands curled around the laptop. “But you might be right anyway.”

***

Abby held up her arms and stared straight ahead. She tried to ignore the way the plain man’s hands roamed her body under the pretense of checking her for weapons.

“Hey.” The tall, dark-haired man who guarded the door kicked at the man frisking her. “The boss’ll have your ass if he finds out you were feeling her up like that.”

“I’m done, I’m done.” He flashed her a smug grin as he pulled Keith’s gun from her pocket and handed it over to the guard. “Just the one.”

The guard stared down at her. Abby returned the look, unblinking. Finally, he nodded. “Take her in.”

The first thing she saw when the shorter man shoved her into the room was her sister, curled up in the corner. “Brynn!”

Brynn didn’t move at first. Her slim arms tightened around her legs and her entire body shuddered. She lifted her head, revealing the wide gray eyes she’d inherited from their father. A single, recent bruise marred her cheek, standing out in ugly violet and blue.

Her lips moved, formed Abby’s name in a silent whisper, then she shook her head. “No—no, Abby, run—”

A soft, masculine chuckle cut through her words. It was friendly, easy, but Brynn reacted as if she’d been slapped. She huddled into the corner, pushing against the far wall as if she could fall through it and disappear.

Alan Matthews lounged in a chair a few feet away, his long legs stretched out in front of him and booted feet crossed at the ankle. He rested his elbow on the table next to him, smiling as he gestured to Abby with his free hand. “You’re not going to run, are you, Abigail?”

She stared at him, her hands shaking with the overwhelming desire to rid him of that smug smile. To hurt him. “I wouldn’t have come here in the first place if I were going to run.”

“I told your sister you’d come. She didn’t believe me. Said you were too smart to walk into a trap.” Alan moved with inhuman grace, planting his feet against the floor and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “She doesn’t really believe yet. Believe what you are.”

Her stomach churned, but she kept her gaze on his face. “Of course you’d have told her.” Of course, because Keith was right. Matthews had no intention of letting Brynn go just because Abby had turned herself over. “You have nothing to lose, right? Captives don’t spill secrets.”

“Oh, I’m hoping she’ll come around. She’s been a popular little thing, that’s for sure. Sweet and young and so full of fight. At first.” Brynn whimpered softly in the corner, and Alan didn’t even look at her. “The men are fighting over who gets to make her one of us.”

Abby couldn’t breathe. Her midsection twisted painfully, reminding her of her first night in Red Rock, when Keith had come to her. A shift. She couldn’t. Not with Brynn so terrified, with Matthews sitting there, looking for all the world like he expected her loss of control.

Instead, she focused on what she had to do. If she could get Brynn out of there and take care of Matthews, she could go back to Red Rock. She could explain.

The memory of Keith’s hands, gentle and warm, steadied her, and she dragged in a deep breath. “You won’t get the chance to turn her,” she swore quietly. “You won’t break either of us.”

One thin blond eyebrow arched, as if in surprise. “Really? I assume you met Samantha during your stay in Red Rock. I knew her when she was your age. Tough, like you. Stupid. She thought no one could break her.”

She smiled indulgently, as if at a child, faking it until helpless amusement overtook her fear. “No one has.”

Alan threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, you’re going to be fun, Abby. You remind me of her, you know.” He rose to his feet in one graceful movement and stalked across the space between them. He lifted one hand and traced a finger down the line of her jaw. “I don’t think you’ll prove nearly so troublesome, though. I’ll leave you and your sister alone for a little while. Let you remember all the reasons you might not want to enrage me.”

She barely managed not to flinch away from his touch. “Aren’t you worried it might just give me more ideas?”

He stroked a lock of her hair and wrapped it around his finger before tugging it lightly. “I’m sure you have all sorts of ideas, pretty little Abigail.” The teasing touch turned brutal when he released the lock and fisted his hand in her hair, yanking her head back roughly. “And everything you do to me, your sister will get back ten times over. We’ll have to turn her first, of course. She won’t survive it otherwise.”

Fury burned through her, but she kept her eyes lowered and her voice even. “At least you’ll have to wait a few days for the worst of it. Until after the full moon.”

He released her hair just as suddenly and laughed again. “You are going to be fun. I can hardly wait.”

Abby stared at the floor until she heard the door open and close again. She swayed, and she thought for a moment that the wolf might overwhelm her and burst free.

Then the pain, the urgency, subsided, and she swallowed convulsively. “Brynn? Are you all right?”

“Ab-Abby—” Her sister’s voice trembled. “What— I don’t understand—am I losing my shit?”

“No.” Quick steps took her to Brynn’s side. She shed her jacket and wrapped it around her sister’s shoulders as she knelt beside her. “You’re not crazy, sweetie. Are you— Did he hurt you?”

She didn’t answer the question, a fact that made Abby slightly queasy. Instead, she shivered again. “He-he’s not human—”

“No.” She smoothed Brynn’s disheveled hair back from her forehead. “No, he isn’t.”

Brynn shuddered again. “Are you?”

“Not anymore.” She leaned against the wall and stared at the rafters overhead. “When that dog bit me last month? It was a wolf. One of Matthews’ men.”

“Abby, that’s crazy.”

“I know. But it’s true. Dylan…” Her head began to pound. She knew it was from the fading adrenaline that had kept her going since she’d climbed into a car with one of Matthews’ toadies. “Matthews is the alpha around here, and Dylan followed him. Except I don’t think he had a choice.” Abby knew she was babbling, so she clamped her lips shut and looked at Brynn. “Matthews saw me out one night with Dylan. He wanted me, and now I’m a werewolf.”

Brynn pressed her forehead against her knees and took a shuddering breath. “I don’t want to believe you. I don’t. But I saw it. I saw them change.”

Abby couldn’t sit still any longer. She scrambled to her feet and stalked around the perimeter of the room. “How often do they come in here?” There were no windows, but the board walls were skimpy in some spots, and sunlight shone through. “What times of day?”

“I don’t know—all different times.” Brynn lifted her head and watched Abby, eyes still exhausted and too wide from shock. “Some he only lets come in here when he’s here, but others—”

“Okay.” She wanted to press Brynn for more details, but the wolf growled her displeasure. Her control was already shaky after dealing with Matthews, and she didn’t know how much description of her sister’s torment she could handle. “Matthews is older than he looks, and strong. But I’m going to fix this. I swear I am.”

Her sister looked unconvinced. “You’re a technical writer. I’m a law student. What are we supposed to do?”

“I don’t know yet.” Keith would know. “I’ll figure something out. And I have friends who’ll come for us.” She hoped like hell it was true. “All we have to do is make sure they leave us both alone until Keith and Joe get here.”

“They won’t.” Brynn’s voice shook as she curled in on herself again, looking young and fragile huddled in Abby’s jacket. “They won’t leave us alone.”

“Yes, they will.” She surveyed the room, looking for anything that could serve as a weapon, but it had been stripped nearly bare. “I have something he wants.”

“What?”

Abby turned away to avoid Brynn’s searching gaze. “Submission.”

Joe’s feet crunched on the rocky soil as he approached. “I don’t think they caught my scent,” he murmured as he lowered himself to the ground beside Keith. “None of them seem real concerned about anyone showing up.”

“Stupid of them. Lucky for us.” Keith looked back down at the laptop, though the blinking dot indicating Abby’s whereabouts hadn’t changed in the past half hour. “Did you catch any hint of the sister?”

“They have them in the same building right now. I heard them talking.” Joe pointed down toward the valley and the cluster of buildings. “The schoolhouse.”

Keith nodded and surveyed the empty streets. “How many would you say there were?”

“A dozen. Maybe twenty. Bad odds.”

He’d taken on worse and prevailed, but never when there were hostages involved. Keith slapped the laptop shut. “You need to secure the sister. Brynn. Abby’s stronger than she knows, and Matthews isn’t going to do anything permanent to her.” He closed his eyes and forced himself to make the decision that twisted his gut. “And she’ll survive getting roughed up a lot better than she will watching her sister die.” Let’s just hope I survive it.

As they watched, an armed man went past the guard into the schoolhouse. A minute later, he emerged, dragging Abby behind him. “Taking her to Matthews, probably,” Joe observed quietly. “He’s over at the old bank.”

Keith gritted his teeth and told himself Abby would be fine for a little while. That she’d never forgive him if he moved too fast and endangered her sister. The man understood, but the wolf… The wolf howled his protest.

“Uh-uh.” Joe grabbed his arm and shook his head. “Not yet. Lock it down, man.”

He fought a growl. “I am going to rip that bastard apart with my bare fucking hands.”

“Yeah.” The man pulled Abby up the dusty steps and into the bank. “After we get them out of there.”

Keith took a deep, bracing breath. “Okay. Okay, you go get the girl. I want to be in place, but I won’t move until I know you’ve got her. She’s the only one in this town who can’t survive a bullet or two, so she needs to be secure before this goes down.”

Joe nodded and snatched up his bag. “Quiet, until we don’t have to be.” He met Keith’s gaze. “Good luck, man. Get her back.”

“You too.” He flashed his friend a grim smile. “And watch yourself. Don’t get distracted by the pretty little damsel.”

Joe’s grin was reassuring, even if his words were barbed. “I’ll leave that to you, Winston.”

Chapter Seven

Abby stumbled over the threshold and landed on one knee in the middle of an open room. The man who’d pulled her away from Brynn tried to help her up, but she shook him away with a low growl. “I don’t need your help.”

Alan Matthews’ laughter swept over her. “Leave us, Ronald. But stay outside the door.”

The man sketched something that looked almost like a formal bow and retreated, closing the door behind him.

While the room she and Brynn had been in was stripped clean and peeling, someone had painted this one, even going so far as to put a plant in the corner and pictures on the walls. The effect was disorienting.

Abby stood slowly, ignoring the stinging pain in her leg, and surveyed her captor. He sat at a heavy-looking desk at the back of the room, a walkie-talkie and a bottle of wine in front of him. “What do you want?”

Alan lifted a foot under the desk and kicked the chair on the other side out. “Come, Abigail. Have a seat. A glass of wine.”

She made her way across the room and sat, but kept her hands folded in her lap. “I’m not thirsty.”

His lips curled into a smile. Once again, she was struck by how handsome he could be. “Not ready to play nicely? I thought you might have had time to realize how much more pleasant your life would be if you decided to cooperate.”

She wondered how she’d ever been remotely attracted to him. Even with his winning smile, his eyes were flat, dead. “Maybe I haven’t resigned myself to such a fate just yet.”

He shrugged one shoulder gracefully. “I suppose it would have been boring if you had. Though I do fear for your sister, in that case. I kept my men from indulging their more exotic desires as a show of good faith, but you obviously aren’t interested in good faith.”

Abby tamped down her fear and rage. “I’m not interested in it because I don’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”

She flinched as his hand swept out and knocked the wine glass off the desk, sending it crashing into the wall. Red wine stained the white paint and dripped to the floor as the sound of glass shattering faded. When she looked back at Alan, he leaned toward her. “You showed up with a headset and a Neanderthal merc holding a sniper rifle. I should believe in your good intentions?”

“You tore my life apart,” she reminded him incredulously. “You tried to kill Dylan, and you kidnapped my sister. I don’t mind admitting no good intentions, and I don’t think it’s reasonable of you to expect them of me. So go to hell.”

For a terrifying second, she thought he was going to hit her. His hand rose and he snarled, a low, challenging sound that rumbled out from him as power swelled in the room. It was a harsh, cold power that raised goose bumps on her skin, strong in a way that was totally different from Keith’s.

He slammed his hand down on the desk, and the thick oak cracked. “Even Samantha was never so reckless when lives were in her care. Either you care little for your sister, or you don’t believe I’ll hurt her.”

She tried to keep her gaze off the second, unused wine glass. It had a long, delicate stem, just like the first. If she had a second, she could break it… “You’ll hurt her,” Abby choked. “You’ll hurt her and you’ll make me watch. I believe that. But that Neanderthal was right. Nothing I do is going to stop you, is it?”

Alan sat in his chair, his calm, civilized mask falling back into place. “Your sister isn’t leaving. We can’t let her go, not when she’s seen this much. But she’s not like you. She’s not strong. Not a dominant personality. If we didn’t need her to ensure your good behavior… Well, there are plenty of nice young men in the pack. Men like your friend, Dylan. More loyal than him, obviously, but men whose tastes aren’t too…exotic. She could be treasured. Cherished. She could learn to be happy.”

She wasn’t ready to consign Brynn to a life of finding adequate happiness in not being smacked around or abused. “Sounds lovely.”

One of his perfectly groomed blond eyebrows swept upwards, and he reached for the walkie-talkie on the table. “I bet you’re a poker prodigy,” he murmured before pressing a button on the side that sent the walkie crackling to life. “Ronald, why don’t you let Morrison pay our young guest a visit. Twenty minutes should be sufficient. Stay there and make sure he doesn’t break any bones. And if Abigail leaves the room during that time, have Joseph shoot her. In the leg, of course. Nowhere fatal.”

She clenched her hands tighter, and jerked as her nails pierced her skin, slicking her palms and fingers with blood. “Don’t—”

The speaker crackled. “Problem, boss. The girl’s gone.”

Alan shot to his feet, his fingers tightening around the walkie until she heard the metal creak in protest. “What? Where the hell could she go?”

Whatever answer could be offered was lost in a deafening explosion that shook the walls. The walkie-talkie went dead, and he stared at it in confusion.

Abby didn’t wait. She grabbed the glass and cracked it against the desk, breaking off the bowl, and leaving the base and jagged stem in her hand. He turned away, and she lunged after him, driving the glass into the side of his neck.

Even his roar of pain couldn’t drown out the second explosion. His hand flew back, crashing into her face with enough force to send her flying. Her back hit the wall and she slid down, the remains of the glass he’d shattered earlier digging into her hands and thighs.

There was blood everywhere, spurting from Alan’s neck and soaking his clothes. He tore the stem of the glass free and staggered back, one hand rising to brace against the wound as the other groped at his side for the gun there.

Before he could reach it, the door exploded inward. The man who’d dragged her from the schoolhouse flew inside, glazed eyes staring sightlessly upwards as he landed limply, his neck at an odd angle. Keith stepped through after him, his gaze skipping past Alan and going straight to her.

A loud, angry howl made the skin on the back of her neck prickle. As Abby struggled to move, a large wolf bounded onto Keith’s back, knocking him into the room. His pistol flew from his hand and skittered across the floor, bouncing off the wall. Abby snatched it up, biting back a cry of pain when it drove broken glass deeper into her palms.

There was no way she could risk shooting the wolf on Keith, so she raised the gun and fired at Matthews, hitting him in the side.

A third explosion sounded, close enough to rock the building and so loud it made her ears ring. A light fixture fell to the floor to her right, shattering into a hundred shards of razor-sharp glass. Several pictures on the far side of the room shook free of their moorings and crashed to the floor, the sound lost in Alan’s howl of pain.

His side was bleeding, but he tore his hand away from his neck and her stomach flip-flopped in terror when she realized the wound had stopped bleeding. Rage filled his eyes, which had shifted from blue to an eerie, terrifying gold. There was nothing human left in his face as he curled his hands around the edge of the desk—a desk that probably weighed two hundred pounds or more—and sent it flying across the room at her.

Abby lunged and still barely got out of the way before it crashed into the wall, splintering the freshly painted boards. The gun went off again, startling a shriek out of her, and she lifted it, aiming at Matthews. She closed her eyes and squeezed the trigger over and over, emptying the gun.

Keith had resorted to shoving his leather-wrapped forearm in the wolf’s mouth to avoid having his throat torn out when Joe’s voice crackled to life in his earpiece. “We’ve got reinforcements incoming. Fifteen at least. You need to get the fuck out of there.”

“Workin’ on it,” he snarled, wincing when the wolf’s teeth dug through the stiff leather bracer he’d donned for just this eventuality. His free arm groped at the side of his leg until he managed to wrap his fingers around the hilt of the large knife strapped there. He tried not to think of Abby as he pulled it free, struggling to concentrate on the wolf on top of him.

Her shriek cut through the air, and the wolf inside him howled in response. He drove the knife into the animal on top of him, ignoring the pained yelp as he used the momentum to kick the beast off of him. Blood slicked the hilt of the knife and he lost his grip on it, but he didn’t have time to worry. The second the wolf was gone, a man standing in the doorway lifted a gun and aimed it directly at Keith’s head.

He rolled to the side with a curse, wincing as the bullet dug a furrow into the floor a few inches from his head and sent splinters flying. He kept rolling, coming to his knees and then his feet, another gun already in his hands.

He aimed without thought, putting two bullets in the man’s chest before he realized he’d squeezed the trigger. The man sank to his knees and Keith dropped the barrel and put a third between his eyes, knocking him over backward.

Another man took his place, but this one wasn’t aiming at Keith. A gun came up, trained on Abby, who had her eyes closed as she squeezed the trigger on her empty gun again. Keith lunged through the intervening space, only taking the time to scream an order he hoped like hell she was still sane enough to obey. “Abby, down!”

She dropped immediately, and the man managed one shot before Keith reached him. It took him only a few seconds to knock the man’s arm up and then jerk his head to one side. He heard a sharp, satisfying crack, and the gunman slumped to the floor.

Keith swung his gun to cover the door and backed toward Abby. “Joe, you need to get in the Jeep and run over everyone who’s in between you and us. Abby and I will make a break for it, but I don’t know how far we’ll—”

Another man crashed through the door, and Keith emptied the rest of his clip into him. “Fuck. Joe, now.”

“Way ahead of you.” Even as Joe spoke, Keith heard the familiar rumble of his Jeep’s engine. “Get out here. We’ve got to make tracks.”

Keith slipped his hand under Abby’s arm and dragged her to her feet. “C’mon, Abby. Brynn’s out there with Joe. We’re getting out.”

She shuddered and clung to him. “Matthews—”

He spared a glance for the man slumped against the wall. “No time. He’ll make it or he won’t… Either way, it’s not our problem.” He slipped his arm around her waist and half-lifted her, starting toward the door. “Come on. Your sister needs you, darling. You can make it.”

She nodded and straightened. “I can do it.”

Joe skidded to a halt outside the bank, the steel bracers on the front of the Jeep knocking one of Matthews’ men aside with a sickening thump. When he caught sight of Keith and Abby coming out the door, he reached back and dragged Brynn bodily into the front seat. “Get her in back!”

He tossed his empty gun into the Jeep and swung Abby toward it just as another car skidded around the corner. Trusting that Abby would get herself into the car, he pulled his last gun out of its holster and took a moment to aim. Two bullets shredded the tire of the car coming at them, a third through the windshield took out the driver.

The car spun wildly out of control and Keith switched the gun to his left hand and swung up into the Jeep after Abby. “In. Drive!”

Joe stomped the gas, sending up concealing plumes of dust behind them as the Jeep took off. Brynn screamed, and Abby reached up and urged her to fasten her seat belt.

Her sister secured, Abby hunched down and wrapped an arm around one of the roll bars. She glanced up at Keith as Joe shifted into four-wheel drive and headed up a shallow embankment to the road.

Her lip was split and she had an ugly bruise rising on her face, her eye already starting to swell shut. He could see blood from tiny cuts that had probably already begun to heal, but otherwise she looked blessedly unharmed. Thank God.

Noise behind them jerked his attention back to the road. Two cars skidded to a stop in front of the bank, and the occupants rushed inside, probably intent on finding their fallen alpha. The third vehicle was a large truck, and it gunned its engine and started after them.

“Here.” He passed his gun to Abby, bracing his hand against the side of the vehicle. “It’s loaded, safety’s off. Aim up and don’t shoot any of us.” He didn’t wait for a response, just leaned over the backseat and pulled up his rifle.

He’d already loaded the box magazine, so he braced the barrel over the tailgate and fired. The bullet glanced off of the spinning tire, and Keith cursed as he worked the bolt, ejecting the spent shell and chambering another round. This time, he aimed for the driver, and the tempered glass of the truck’s windshield cracked and webbed as the top-heavy vehicle veered and pitched over. Metal shrieked as it rolled down the embankment.

He braced himself against the side of the Jeep as Joe crested the small incline and yanked the Jeep around, the tires screaming over the asphalt. The smell of burnt rubber assaulted him as Joe brought them out of their skid and slammed the gas. The Jeep leapt forward, tires squealing again as they shot off down the road. Keith watched behind them for thirty seconds, making sure no one followed them, and set the rifle behind the seat.

His gaze found Abby first. “You okay?”

She twisted around and watched the dark plumes of smoke rising into the sky. “I’m fine. I’m not hurt—I’m fine.”

Keith turned to the front seat. Joe looked tense and concerned, but he imagined most of that had to do with the young woman next to him. Abby’s sister was curled in the front seat, sporting a bruise on her cheek that matched her sister’s, but otherwise unharmed. Physically, anyway. The shocked, vacant look on her face was all too familiar.

But there was nothing he could do about it here. Besides, there were people in Red Rock who would understand what she’d gone through far better than he ever could. Too many people had suffered at the hands of men like Alan Matthews, men who thought their strength was permission to forget about the rules their society had lived with for hundreds of years.

He returned his gaze to Abby as he settled into the seat next to her and took his gun back. “You did good, Abby. I may still kick your ass for walking off with him…but you did good. Really good.”

She tried to speak, then shook her head as she reached out and wrapped both hands in his shirt. The first sob broke free just as her head hit his chest.

Keith had no idea how long she cried. He cradled her to his chest as Joe took them past the city limits. The moon hung heavy on the horizon, one day short of full, but the wolf lay quiet inside him as he stroked her hair and murmured meaningless words, and she trembled against him and sobbed in helpless desperation.

She cried until she lay, fatigued and limp, in his arms, and still he held her, listening to her quiet sniffles and rubbing a soothing hand over her back as her choked noises finally gave way to silence and the slow, steady breathing of exhausted sleep.

He held her as the moon rose above them, a chilling reminder he could still lose everything. Sometime before dawn, they’d drive through Red Rock Pass to face an enraged alpha who would be well within his rights to take Abby away from him. Gavin would say he’d endangered Abby, her sister, his friend and his pack…

And Keith would do it all again, in a heartbeat, for Abby.

His arms tightened around her sleeping form and he held her, hopefully not for the last time.

Chapter Eight

Abby winced as Cindy prodded her swollen eye and clucked her tongue. “Not bad. You’re going to have one hell of a shiner for a day or so, though.”

“As long as it heals, I don’t care how grotesque it looks.” She glanced over at Brynn, who was still clinging to Joe for dear life, and smiled reassuringly. “I’ve never cared about that stuff. Just ask my sister.”

Her chest tightened painfully when Brynn scarcely blinked in return. She’d barely spoken since they’d arrived in town, had only reacted with terrified protest when Joe had tried to put her down on the motel bed in Abby’s room.

In the end he’d settled on the end of the bed himself, cradling her in his arms as Cindy performed a cursory examination of Brynn, all the while muttering at how lucky Joe was that he was being spared his alpha’s wrath.

Of course, Sam stood just inside the door, her arms crossed over her chest and her face stern. She might not be yelling at Joe, but he was hardly escaping censure.

Abby caught Cindy’s gaze and bit her lip, wincing when her teeth dug into a sore spot. “Can you check her out more thoroughly later? I-I don’t think they did anything to her, but I—”

“Of course,” Cindy interrupted quietly. “I plan on keeping a pretty close eye on both of you for the next few days. Sam says this is only your second moon.”

Abby nodded, watching as Joe smiled gently down at Brynn. Even that failed to elicit more than another shiver.

A quiet knock sounded, and Sam turned to tug open the door. Abby craned her head and caught sight of Dylan, but Sam stood directly in his path. “Not right now, Dylan. I told you I’d come get you—”

A noise from the bed interrupted her. Brynn stumbled to her feet and took two shaky steps toward the door, her eyes suddenly bright with unshed tears. “Dylan!”

Sam stepped aside, and Dylan grinned and opened his arms as he walked toward her. “Come here, sweetie.”

Abby bit her lip again. Brynn had always been fond of Dylan. At one point, Abby had even thought her little sister might have a crush on him. Now, simply seeing him had evoked more of a reaction than anything else after her ordeal. Her sister stumbled the two remaining steps and collapsed into Dylan’s embrace, sobbing.

Joe looked, in equal turns, relieved and terrified. “I guess I’d better go talk to Gavin now.” His tone made it clear he hoped Sam would tell him it wasn’t necessary.

Sam just snorted. “Go get yelled at, Joe. You sure the hell earned it, and Keith doesn’t deserve to take all the heat by himself.”

Abby offered him a hesitant smile. “Thanks for your help, Joe. I know it won’t help much while you’re getting chewed out, but…I owe you. Big time.”

Joe grinned. “Hell, he has to do this once a month, on average. I’m getting used to it.”

He walked out, pausing only to clap a hand to the back of Dylan’s shoulder. “Take care of the kid, okay?”

Dylan murmured distractedly, his attention on soothing Brynn.

When he was gone, Sam shut the door and turned to Dylan. “You got her?”

He nodded, and Cindy patted Abby’s arm. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Abby stared at Sam. “Is it?”

Sam did her the favor of not lying. “For now. You’ll all be safe enough here, but if Matthews survived, there could be repercussions for all of us.” She watched as Dylan coaxed Brynn into a chair. “It was only a matter of time, though. We’ve been headed toward this for years.”

Guilt twisted through Abby. “I’m sorry. Really, I am. But—” She lowered her voice. “Sam, I couldn’t let my sister stay with Matthews. He was going to do things—”

“I know.” Her voice had an edge to it, sharp and tense, and Abby remembered what Matthews had said. Samantha thought we couldn’t break her.

She met Sam’s gaze and saw a world of pain there. The older woman nodded shortly in acknowledgement. “Keith doesn’t know much about me and Matthews. Not many do, just the ones who need to know that someone understands their pain.” She glanced at Cindy, who squeezed Abby’s hand lightly.

Sam continued in a quiet voice. “As angry as Gavin is, he can’t help but remember what happened to me. And it makes him furious, and makes him feel guilty that he didn’t wipe Matthews out of history forty years ago. But he never would have left your sister with him. Keith made a bad decision, but he did it for the right reasons.”

“He did it for me.” She hadn’t really thought of it that way until that moment, but she knew her words were true. “He’d have gone to Gavin if I hadn’t been so frantic to leave.”

“Maybe. Cindy, are you done with her?”

The petite woman made a soft noise. “Yeah. As expected, Abby, you’re going to be just fine. The cuts are already healed, and the eye shouldn’t take more than a day. If it does, come see me.”

“Thanks, Cindy. For everything.”

She smiled and nodded as she gathered up her things. “Anytime, Abby. I’ll see you tonight.”

Tonight. The full moon. Abby had almost forgotten. “The bonding. Dammit.”

Sam nodded. “We’ll talk about it. Cindy, could you stay here with Dylan and Brynn while Abby and I take a walk?”

“Sure thing, Sam.”

Abby paused to smooth her hand over Brynn’s hair before following Sam outside. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered. “If you need me, yell. I’ll hear you.”

Her sister nodded without taking her face from Dylan’s shoulder.

The sun had already risen over the horizon and was inching toward the tops of the trees in the surrounding forest. Abby walked a step behind Sam, biting her lip. “I’m sorry. I guess I should have come to you and Gavin instead of Keith.”

“Yes,” Sam said, her voice so quiet it barely carried over the sound of their feet crunching on the gravel. “You should have. But we both understand, Abby. Maybe better than you do. And we don’t blame people for their instincts, especially new wolves who barely understand them.”

Which meant they blamed Keith for agreeing to help her. “I asked him to take me back to Helena. I begged him. It’s not his fault.”

Oddly, Sam shook her head again. “I said we don’t blame people for their instincts. Keith knew better. He’s going to have to accept responsibility for that. But he couldn’t have let you go on your own. Neither of us blame him for doing anything necessary to keep you safe.”

Abby stopped and ran her hands through her unbound hair. “Then I don’t understand. What can I say? What happens now?”

Sam turned to face her, her hands in the pockets of her worn jeans. “The bonding ceremony is a tradition, but it’s mostly a formality. The actual bonding is a simple spell, mostly meant to give the Guide and Initiate an empathic connection. It requires two wolves strong enough to feed the magic and a few minutes of time. Gavin and I can still perform it for you, if that’s what you want. This afternoon, before the full moon.”

“I…” Abby fidgeted. Keith already seemed to be able to see inside her, straight through to all the desires she tried to hide, or didn’t even know she had. But I could do the same thing, if we bonded. “It would be okay with me, but I guess it depends. On what Keith wants.”

One pale eyebrow went up, and Sam gave her a stern look that made her feel like a student who had offered a particularly stupid answer in class. “Keith wants you, Abigail. You shouldn’t need empathic power or terribly much intuition to tell that.”

There was a world of difference between wanting someone and being willing to lay your soul bare through an empathic link. She simply nodded. “I want to do it.”

Sam nodded. “Good. Why don’t you go back and get cleaned up. Look after your sister. There are humans here. Friends, relatives, people who are thinking of becoming one of us. I’ll find someone to sit with your sister tonight and watch over her.”

“Okay. Thanks, Sam.” She tried to smile. “It’s been a hell of a week.”

“Yeah. It has.” Sam slipped one arm around Abby’s shoulders and hugged her. “You did good, kiddo. It was an impossible situation, and you got out and got your sister out. You did good.”

“Keith and Joe got us both out,” she corrected. “All I did was give Matthews a reason to abduct her. I have a whole new understanding of what Dylan must have been feeling this last month.”

Sam’s hand tightened on her shoulder, and the older woman shook her once. “The both of you need to get over it. Don’t take the actions of a madman on yourself. Alan Matthews made his own decisions, and he’s the one to blame for them. You didn’t give him a reason to take her. Dylan didn’t give him a reason to attack you. I don’t want to hear any of that nonsense from either of you again.”

“I’ll try.” She took a deep, shaky breath and rubbed her palms on her jeans. “Should we just come over?”

“You and Keith have your talk, and then come to the bar. Keith knows where to find us.” Sam turned back. “Go ahead and get your sister settled in. I’ll send one of the humans over so she can get used to them before the full moon tonight.”

“Thanks, Sam.” Abby’s hands shook. “I really appreciate everything you’re doing, for Brynn and for me.”

“Oh, sweetie…” Sam folded her arms around Abby, and warm, comforting energy spilled over her, soothing in a gentle, maternal way. “You’re both safe now. He’ll never touch either of you. I promise.”

She sighed against Sam’s shoulder. “I know that. God, for all I know, I killed him.”

“I hope you did,” Sam replied quietly, and her hands tightened a little on Abby’s shoulders. “I wish like hell I had.”

“Me too.” Now she just had to get used to not being sorry about that.

“Do you have any idea what could have happened?” Angry energy lashed through the room as Gavin paced from one end to the other. “I’m not even talking about the possibility that you two dumbasses could have gotten yourselves killed. I’m talking about the political implications of what you did!”

Keith braced himself against the power, far more disturbed by the disappointment in Gavin’s voice than he was by the anger. “Yes, sir.”

“If you had come to me—” The alpha bit off a curse and scrubbed his hands over his face. When he spoke again, his voice was weary. Damning. “If Matthews lives, he’ll come here. He can’t stand for losing her twice.”

“If we’d come to you, it would have taken time.” Keith dropped his gaze to the floor and struggled to keep his voice calm. “Too much time. The girl—she’s damaged as it is. Even a few days would have been too late.”

Gavin stepped up until his face was mere inches from Keith’s. “Unless you’re bucking for my job, kid, that’s not your decision to make.”

For one terrifying moment, he thought the wolf inside him would rise to the challenge. He was strong, strong enough to be an alpha in another pack. Maybe someday he’d be strong enough to take Gavin’s place.

But not today. Strength wasn’t what kept Red Rock safe from the outside world, and Keith, who had lived forty-seven years, was still considered a youth in a culture where maturity and wisdom came with a century of life.

He kept his gaze on the floor. “No, sir.” Not today.

Gavin turned away with another soft curse. “When he comes here, we’ll beat him back like the weak, greedy bastard he is. But we won’t prevail without losses. And an attack on us will only leave us open to more. Eventually, they could wear us down.”

“We need to reach out to the other packs still in hiding.” He couldn’t keep the words from coming out. “If those of us who hold to the old ways don’t fight, we won’t be around in another generation or two.”

Gavin scoffed, but Keith saw the acknowledgement in his eyes. “Like I said before, fighting is for young men. Are you ready to do it?”

Was he? A month ago he would have said no. A week ago he might have said no. Crediting his change of heart to Abby would be too simple, though. A woman like Abby would fight for herself, fight on her own behalf and for everyone around her.

And she’d lose. Because no matter how strong she was, how determined, she wasn’t a warrior. Someone would have to teach her.

Keith lifted his chin as the door swung open and Joe stepped inside. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m ready to fight.”

Joe froze and shook his head. “The who with the what, now?”

Gavin made a frustrated noise and waved him in. “We were just discussing the inevitability of having to defend our way of life. Join us.”

“It is inevitable,” Keith agreed as Joe moved across the polished wooden floor. “The wolves in Europe are losing the war. Some of them are talking about retreating. Not just to the mountains and forest. Retreating here.” He grimaced. “The not-so-new world. It’ll destroy the balance we have now.”

Joe leaned against the wall by the large bay window. “Depends on what path they follow. Could be some of ’em go buck wild when they get here. That’d be problematic.”

“An influx of alphas who take what they want and damn the consequences,” Gavin muttered. Then he sighed, almost seeming to droop a little. “I’m too old for this.”

Keith smiled. “Never. You just need to let us do the heavy lifting.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “We found the man who brought the picture in and left it under Abby’s door. One of Matthews’, obviously.” He snorted. “Man. He’s a boy.”

Keith tensed, but he kept his tone casual. “Where is he now?”

“I took care of it.”

“Gavin—”

“I took care of it.” The alpha spoke harshly. He drew another deep breath and squared his shoulders. “There’s no love lost between Alan Matthews and myself. Everyone knows that. Outsiders will expect you two to go unpunished. I can’t let that happen.”

“I know.” He’d known from the moment Abby showed up at his door, frantic and terrified, that he would be punished for his actions. He closed his eyes and braced himself to ask one favor. “Just do one thing for me, Gavin. Explain it to Abby. She’s going to think it’s her fault I’m in trouble, and she has enough to deal with.”

“Explain it to her yourself,” Gavin shot back, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’ll have plenty of time, since I’m stripping you of the rest of your responsibilities for a while. You too, Mitchell.”

Joe lowered his gaze, but Gavin ignored him and took another step toward Keith. “Abby’s one responsibility you have to keep. You started this, and it would only hurt her more to make her find someone else. If she even would.”

Relief made him dizzy, and he barely kept himself from thanking Gavin. Instead he nodded shortly. “I’ll do my best for her, Gavin. I promise.”

Gavin eyed them both for a moment and smiled. “And maybe, since you two have nothing better to do now, you can join me for some…informal discussions about how to deal with these blasted rogue packs.”

Joe stared straight ahead, but elbowed Keith in the side. “Think you can pull yourself away from Abby long enough to help me plan a war?”

“Maybe,” Keith allowed in a dry voice. “Unless you’re too busy making big eyes at her sister.”

Joe’s immediate, profane objection spoke volumes. “Fuck you, man. I was not making eyes at her.”

Gavin groaned. “Get out, both of you. Wait.” He pointed at Keith. “Sam’s going to talk to Abby about the bonding, see what she wants to do about it. What about you?”

Mine. Once again, he had to clamp down on his instinctive response. Abby wasn’t his, at least not yet. And even if she accepted him as her Guide… The memory of her shocked-looking face when he’d dragged her to her feet in the bank would haunt him for a long time. She’d seen him at his worst, covered in blood, dealing death with a casual disregard for the men he killed. Bad men, granted, but that didn’t make him any better for not regretting their deaths.

He cleared his throat and forced himself to speak calmly. “Whatever Abby wants to do. If she—if she’s not comfortable with me anymore—” The words felt like broken glass in his throat. “It’s her choice.”

Gavin’s eyes flashed with sympathy. “I think I’ll be seeing you both this afternoon. Before moonrise.”

“I hope so.” Keith lifted his hand to rub at the back of his neck. “I’m going to go clean up and change. If A—if anyone needs me, I’ll be in my room.”

“Sure.”

Joe held the door open for Keith, then punched him on the arm. “That wasn’t funny, you know. Abby’s kid sister is pretty messed up. I’m not that much of a bastard.”

Grateful for the distraction, Keith waited for Joe to fall into step next to him. “Let’s be glad we got her out of there before they did more than scare her.”

“Yeah.” Joe shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned. “What are you gonna do with your downtime?”

Keith shot him a disbelieving look. “Like we’re really going to get any. He’s going to work us three times as hard, just so we don’t think this is a vacation.” The thought should have bothered him, but the weariness that had plagued him only a week ago was gone. Maybe because he’d remembered what he was fighting for.

They reached the street, and Joe held up a hand. “I’ll see you guys tonight.”

“Later, Joe.” He reached out and caught Joe’s hand, clasping it. “And thanks, man. I know I sort of emotionally blackmailed you into helping, but thanks.”

“Hey, you know me,” Joe demurred. “Can’t resist a pretty face. But I don’t mind.” His grin got even wider, and he turned away. “At least I got to blow some shit up.”

***

An hour in Dylan’s company had done wonders for Brynn. A good meal and a shower had helped too. Dylan vacated the room upon Abby’s arrival, leaving the sisters privacy to talk. Brynn sat on the bed, tugging a comb through her wet hair, and even managed to give Abby a shaky little smile as she closed the door. “Hey, bossy lady.”

“Hey, bratty kid.” Abby curled one leg under her as she settled on the bed. “How are you feeling?”

Brynn dropped the comb and leaned into Abby’s side. “Like I just lost twelve hours of my life. Everything’s sort of blurry, Ab.”

“That may be for the best.” She wrapped her arms around Brynn and rocked gently. “We’re here and we’re okay, and that’s all that matters, right?”

“Yeah, except…I don’t even know where ‘here’ is.”

“Red Rock.” Abby could hardly believe that, just a few days ago, she’d had no idea what that meant. “It’s a safe place. A place where people like Alan Matthews can’t hurt you.”

Brynn digested that in silence before pulling away. “So, you’re a werewolf. And Dylan…and those two guys who rescued us? Everyone?”

“Keith and Joe, yes. But not everyone.” She stretched out on the pillows and patted the bed beside her. “I can try to explain, but I don’t know how much good it’ll do.”

Her sister moved stiffly, giving Abby another reason to have to fight her temper. But Brynn looked surprisingly calm as she curled up on her side with her hand tucked under her chin. “I think I’d feel better if you did. Even if it doesn’t make sense.”

“I can tell you what I know.” But where the hell do I start? “Most of the cities and a lot of the smaller towns in the country have werewolf packs. Some of the alphas are like the one here, Gavin. More of them…are like Matthews.”

Brynn chewed on her lower lip in a nervous gesture Abby hadn’t seen from her in years. “Okay. So this is what? Some sort of neutral territory?”

She tried for a reassuring smile, but it felt tremulous. “It’s a sanctuary. A place where being a werewolf is about community, not serving the alpha’s interests. It’s—” Abby drew a deep breath. “I’m going to be staying here, Brynn. For a while, at least. Probably longer.”

“With Keith?”

Her heart pounded at the thought. No matter what Sam said, it wasn’t a certainty. “I think so, yes. He’s going to be teaching me things. Helping me learn how to handle this new life of mine.”

Brynn nodded finally. “Good. That’s…good.”

Abby shivered. They needed to talk about Brynn’s future. “It might be a mistake to bring this up right now,” she started slowly, “but I need for you to understand some things. You can’t go back to Helena. Not for a while.” If ever.

Her sister didn’t look particularly surprised. “I sort of figured as much.”

“You can stay here, though. With me.” She grasped Brynn’s hand and blinked hard. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

“I know you will, Abby. You always do.”

Not always. Tears burned the backs of Abby’s eyelids, and she shuddered. “I won’t be around tonight. The moon’s full. I’ll be…” She swallowed. “Are you going to be all right? You won’t be alone, I promise.”

“The woman…Sam? She said someone was coming over to stay with me.”

Abby nodded, even though Brynn’s eyelids had fluttered shut and she spoke in a quiet, sleepy slur. “One of the non-wolves here in town.” The light filtering through the blinds was bright enough to make it noon, at least. “I need to go, sweetie. I have some things to take care of before tonight.” Like making sure Keith still wanted to take on the responsibility of teaching and guiding her. “Dylan will be here, and then someone else.”

“Okay.” Brynn reached out and squeezed Abby’s hand. “I love you, Abby. Thank you.”

Don’t thank me. “Just rest, okay?”

Dylan leaned against the wall outside, a lit cigarette in one hand. “I got it from Gavin.” He flashed her a sheepish look. “I know, it’s gross. But what’s it going to do, kill me?”

She had no idea if werewolves got cancer. Keith had said she didn’t have to worry about illnesses, but did that include everything? There was so much to learn. “I have to go talk to Keith. Brynn—”

“Brynn will be fine,” he interrupted. “She’s tough, Ab. Double tough. Just different from you, that’s all.”

So was Dylan. “I guess you’d know, huh?”

He smiled a little. “Yeah.” He dropped the cigarette and scraped the toe of his boot over it. “Go. Figure things out with your Guide. I’ll keep watch over Brynn.”

Part of her almost wished she could stay there. “Thanks, Dylan.”

“Don’t mention it, Abby.”

Abby tucked her damp hair behind her ears and raised her hand to Keith’s door. She stopped with her knuckles just shy of the wood, cursed herself and knocked firmly.

It’s silly to be nervous. She shoved her hands in her back pockets and stared at her feet. It’s silly—

The door jerked open with enough force to make her hair flutter around her face. Keith’s power flowed over her, a nervous energy that made her skin prickle. “Abby.”

He wasn’t wearing a shirt. Abby forgot to breathe as she stared at the broad expanse of bare skin. It struck her anew, the absurdity of their situation. She’d had sex with him, was getting ready to bond herself to him for the next three months…and she’d never even seen him naked.

He moved, and she lifted her gaze to his face with a start. He leaned in a little but froze, so she took a deep breath. “Can I come in?”

“Yes.” His voice was low and a little hoarse, but he stepped back to let her in without looking away from her. “How’s your sister?”

Abby nodded as she walked past him. “Brynn’s doing okay. Sam’s introducing her to some of the local non-werewolf population so she won’t be alone tonight.” Her gaze fell on the bed and she shivered. She could still almost feel…

She bit off a curse and turned abruptly, her nails digging into her palms. “You’re mine,” she told him softly.

The door slammed shut. A second later, Keith had his hands on her face, tilting it up to his. He kissed her, hard and demanding, with his fingers curled in her hair and his tongue driving between her lips, as if he meant to conquer her with nothing but that kiss.

Abby clung to him, her hands kneading his chest. Heat and need mingled and streaked through her, and he drank in her short, helpless cry. She pulled her mouth from his as her hands eased around to his back, drawing him closer. “I’m yours,” she whispered, the words muffled against his jaw.

“I know.” Those strong hands skated down her back and under her ass, and he dragged her up against him. “Mine. Mine.”

The wolf, so close to the surface now, mere hours before moonrise, rose up, testing the claim. Abby’s head fell back, baring the soft, vulnerable curve of her throat as she arched against Keith with a whimper.

He didn’t disappoint. His fingers tightened on her ass, grinding her against his body and the hard ridge of his cock, and his mouth landed on her throat. He licked over the pulse that beat frantically beneath the skin and closed his teeth with a low moan that rumbled up and made his chest vibrate.

The wolf settled, pleased, and Abby shuddered. The swirling heat coalesced between her thighs, making her wet. She reached down and pulled at the button on his jeans. “Let me touch you. I need to…”

Keith’s fingers tightened in her hair, tugging her head back. “Wait. Wait, Abby—”

“What is it?” Her own fingers tightened on the denim. His heart pounded as loudly, as erratically, as hers. “Don’t you want this?”

“Yes. God, yes, Abby—” He took a deep breath and his fingers covered hers, coaxed them open so he could step back. “Too much. I have to concentrate so hard to help you, and it all flies apart when you touch me. But if we wait for the bonding spell—” He groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m not explaining this right.”

She fought the urge to reach out to him. “How does the bonding help? Will it make it easier for you?”

“It’ll make it easier for you.” He dropped his hands and buttoned his jeans again. “I can sense you, help you, without it…but it’s hard. I have to concentrate, and it only goes one way. The magic in the spell makes it all subconscious. Effortless. We’ll balance each other without having to think about it.” The corner of his mouth ticked up. “It’ll be a lot more fun for both of us if I don’t have to think so much.”

She returned his smile, affection overwhelming the desire in her belly. “I don’t want you thinking at all.”

Keith made a low noise and jerked around to face away from her. “Yeah, see, I’m already not thinking that much, and that smile isn’t helping.”

“I apologize, then,” she said, not in the least bit sorry. In fact, her smile widened. “Should we go find Gavin and Sam now?”

“Yeah. Yeah, we really, really should.”

Abby laughed. “Get dressed, and we’ll go.”

Gavin turned away from the pool table as soon as they walked in. He didn’t look surprised, but he whistled anyway. “You two move fast.”

Keith arched an eyebrow. “Five hours until the pack meets for the full moon. Did you want us to have a tea party?”

Gavin grinned and cocked an eyebrow. “Is that what you kids are calling it these days?” He motioned to one of the other men by the table and handed off his pool cue. “Sam’s in the back. Are you ready?”

His attention was focused on Abby as he asked the question, and she knew what he really meant. Are you sure? “I’m ready, Gavin.”

He nodded. “Come on.”

Keith’s hand fell to the small of her back as they passed between the tables, the gesture vaguely possessive. His energy filled the space around them, a warning to the men nearby.

They found Sam in a small office in the back. The desk had been cleared off and covered in a black tablecloth. Three fat candles were already in place, and Sam set a fourth one down, forming a perfect square. Next to the candles sat a long, thin strand of what looked like intricately braided leather, each of the four pieces dyed a different color.

Sam glanced up and smiled at them as she bent over and picked up four small goblets. The goblets matched the colors in the braided leather and the candles. Sam placed the black goblet in front of the black candle and nodded to Keith. “I forgot the wine. Run and grab a bottle from behind the bar, would you?”

Keith’s fingers tightened around Abby’s waist for a second, then slid away. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” She studied Sam’s movements and the table. “It looks a little complex.”

Sam laughed as she shifted a white, opaque goblet a little until it was perfectly in line with the candle. “Yeah. And for all I know, we don’t need any of it, but it’s not a chance any of us feel like taking.” She held out a forest green goblet and nodded to the green candle. “Set that down there, would you?”

She did so carefully and watched Sam do the same thing with the red goblet. “What do the colors mean?”

Gavin leaned against the wall. “The black represents the Guide, and the white is the Initiate’s color. The other two are for the alphas, male and female. Red and green.”

Abby shivered. “I don’t have to cut myself and bleed into any of these cups, do I?”

“No, hell no.” Sam snorted. “I’d be pretty pissed if I had to bleed every time we did this. No, the most anyone has to sacrifice is a few strands of hair. Thankfully we’re all still in possession of plenty of that.”

Gavin chuckled. “Lord only knows how long that’ll last for some of us.”

“Speak for yourself. I’m not planning on going bald for a century or more.” She winked at Abby and moved around the desk again. “How’s your sister doing, sweetie? Your friend seems to have gotten her calmed down.”

“Brynn likes Dylan. She trusts him.” Abby glanced at the alpha. “She’s going to stay here for a while, if that’s okay. There are people here who’ve been in her shoes—”

He waved a hand. “We were hoping she’d want to spend some time here in town. Weren’t we, Sammie?”

“It’ll be easier for her,” Sam agreed. “There aren’t a lot of therapists who can cover ‘I was kidnapped by a crazy alpha werewolf’. We actually have a psychologist here. He was born a werewolf, like Keith, but he went out into the world and studied. Came back two years ago.”

“Will I be able to talk to her about things?” Abby knew she sounded nervous, but she couldn’t help it. “I mean, do I have to keep the stuff I learn a secret, or can I share it with her?”

“Hell, yeah. The secret’s sort of out of the bag, honey.” Sam smiled encouragingly. “As long as she’s not planning on going on any cable news shows. There are humans who live here with us, and they get on just fine.”

“Okay.” She heard Keith’s footsteps and closed her eyes. After the bonding, she should be able to feel him. The thought excited and terrified her.

The door whispered shut and she felt Keith standing behind her, close enough for his chest to brush her back. “Are we ready?”

Sam glanced at Gavin, who nodded. “We’re ready.”

Keith held out the bottle of wine to Sam and then slipped his hands onto Abby’s shoulders, coaxing her to step forward. “You stand here. With the white candle.”

“Don’t fuss the girl, Keith. She knows.” Sam pulled a corkscrew out of a drawer in the desk. “The wine’s special. We make it ourselves, according to a ritual that’s been passed down more years than any of us can count. We’ll drink half of it before we start and the rest when we’re done.”

“Ritual,” Abby repeated softly. She peered down at the white pillar. “I guess I have a lot to learn about the traditional aspects of all of this.”

“And plenty of time to learn it.” The cork came out of the wine bottle with an audible pop and Sam moved to stand to Abby’s right, in front of the green candle. Gavin mirrored her position to the left, in front of the red. “There’s usually more formality to this when we do it as a ceremony,” Sam explained as she filled her goblet and passed the bottle to Keith. “But I’m going to skip the speeches and lectures.”

Keith filled his goblet and passed the bottle silently to Gavin.

Gavin poured the wine, then regarded the bottle as he spoke. “Sometimes, the wolf has demands.” He glanced at Keith. “You want to guide. More than that, you need to. I remember what that’s like. Do a good job.” He turned his gaze to Abby as he handed her the bottle. “You have a job too. Listen. Let him teach you.”

“Okay.” She filled the white goblet and stood there, unsure of what to do with the bottle. “I, uh…”

Sam reached out and took the bottle. “The ritual is simple.” She set the bottle on the floor and rose. “After we drink half of the wine, we’ll light our candles in turn.” She held up a small box of wooden matches. “The green candle faces north, and symbolizes the strength of the earth. The red candle faces south. The power of fire and passion. We’re your alphas. Our strength and power shelters and protects both of you, even as you shelter and protect each other.”

Gavin picked up the explanation. “Sammie goes first, then me. You’re next, Abby. East to west, like the path of the sun.”

“There’s some very stirring poetry about the sun’s journey through the sky,” Sam said, the corner of her mouth quirking up. “About how it rises with no knowledge of the day and sets full of new experience. You’ll light your candle and Keith will light his. After that, all you have to do is wait for Keith to hold out his hand, and put yours in it. The rest is up to me and Gavin.”

Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest. It was all so formal, even if Sam had said it wasn’t. The particulars of the ritual and its meticulous steps, obviously rooted in old traditions, struck her. It was ceremony, something solemn and yet not.

It felt like a joining.

She raised her cup.

Across the desk, Keith echoed the gesture as his gaze found hers.

The ritual proceeded in silence. Sam nodded, and she and Gavin lifted their cups in perfect unison. The wine tasted sweet, robust, and it made her skin tingle as soon as it touched her tongue. She felt Keith’s power, a strong mirror of her own.

A heartbeat later their power was challenged, then eclipsed. It was only in that moment that she realized how carefully Sam and Gavin controlled themselves. Magic rose between the alpha pair, joyful and glorious, and swept out to curl around Keith and Abby. The power tasted of love, of emotions so much deeper that there were no words for them. She set the goblet down, unable to tear her gaze away from Keith.

Sam’s voice filled the room, low and husky and with an edge of sensuality that tinged the power with sexual heat. “For the north.”

She struck a match and held it to the wick in front of her, and the energy in the room strengthened when it flared to life. She held the box out to Gavin, and the heat between them rose considerably when his fingers brushed against her hand.

Gavin’s voice was just as low, and the pure masculine strength in it sent a shiver down her spine. “For the south.”

Abby accepted the matchbox from Gavin and struck one with trembling hands. “For the east.” She lit the short white pillar and held the matches out to Keith.

His fingers closed over hers, warm and reassuring. He smiled again and took the matchbox from her. His hands were steady as he struck a match. “For the west.”

The minute the fire touched the wick, all four candles flared. The slight tingling along her skin intensified, raising goose bumps as power surged. Keith offered her an encouraging smile as Sam and Gavin once again moved in unison. In a perfect mirror image, each lifted their right hand and tugged free several strands of hair.

The three strands of Sam’s long auburn hair hovered over the green candle as Gavin reached out to hold the shorter strands of his own hair above the red candle. The unpleasantly pungent smell of singed hair filled the room as the alphas lit the hair on fire and extended their hands. The burning bits of hair drifted down to land on the multicolored strip of leather as Sam and Gavin clasped their hands together.

The energy in the room spiraled inward, a slow, lazy twirl that grew faster as more magic gathered. The room itself almost seemed to be in motion. Strands of Abby’s hair tickled across her face, teased by an invisible wind. The flames on the candles flickered dangerously.

Keith reached out to pick up the leather cord. It lay across his palm, his knuckles resting against the clasped hands of the alphas. He nodded at her once, and she reached out, sliding her palm to rest over his.

Sam and Gavin began to speak—began to chant, the words sounding vaguely like Latin. Their voices twined together, and Abby gasped as the power swirling in the room coalesced into an almost visible shimmer around their hands. The candles flared so high she thought for a second that the flame would reach their arms, but in the next heartbeat they went out.

The energy between them exploded outward, washing over Abby in a wave of pleasure. Peace followed hard on its heels, the first true peace she’d had since her change. She felt balanced, as if she’d finally found firm footing on ground that had shifted under her feet for too long.

Sam and Gavin fell silent, and their hands dropped away, leaving Keith clasping her fingers with the small leather band caught between them. He looked at her, and she felt it, felt the warmth of affection, the strong need to protect her and, underneath it, pure desire. “It’s done,” he whispered.

“It’s done,” Sam agreed. She looked around. “Shit, I knew I forgot something. The knife. Gavin—tug open that drawer and get me my scissors.”

Instead, he reached in his own pocket and pulled out a knife, thumbing it open before handing it to her. “Here, Sammie.”

Abby barely noticed the exchange, only peripherally aware of anything but Keith. The energy inside her and between them felt like a faint echo of the power that poured off of Gavin and Sam whenever they looked at each other or touched. “How long will this last?”

Sam reached between them and plucked the leather cord from their hands. “Until we burn this and return the power. Or if we don’t, it’ll probably fade on its own in a year or so. Maybe less.” She folded the leather in half and slipped the knife into the loop, jerking up and cutting it in half. “You each wear half of it, as a symbol of the bond. When the Initiation is over, there’s another ceremony. A simpler one.”

Keith took half of the cord from Sam’s hand and wrapped it around Abby’s wrist, his fingers gentle as he tied it off. Sam extended her hand with the remaining piece, and Keith held out his right hand.

Her hands still shook, and it took Abby two tries to tie off the cord. She let go as her heart began another round of almost painful pounding. It was done. They were bonded.

Gavin lifted the red goblet and flashed them all a lopsided grin. “To beginnings.”

“To beginnings,” Sam echoed, holding up the green goblet. The teasing, wicked look in her eyes was all for her husband. “The good kind.”

Abby felt a blush steal over her cheeks, and she cleared her throat and drained her cup. She widened her eyes at Keith, hoping he would get the hint.

If possible, he looked more disturbed than she felt. He raised his glass and swallowed the wine in one gulp, and she swore his cheeks heated a little when Sam’s rich laughter filled the room. “That’s right, children. Run along. You’ve got a few hours before the pack gathers, and I find myself in need of a little time alone with my husband.”

Abby finished her wine. “Gavin, Sam, thank you. See you later. Bye.” She set the goblet on the desk with a thump and hurried for the door, the sound of Gavin’s laughter following her.

Keith was hard on her heels, so hard that he bumped into her when she paused just outside the door. He propelled her forward another couple of steps with a hand on her shoulder and tugged the office door shut. “Watching that is uncomfortably like watching my parents make out,” he muttered as he grabbed her hand and tugged her forward. Behind them, through the door, Abby clearly heard both of the alphas laugh.

“We should go.” She smiled, weaving her fingers with his. The wine sang through her blood, still not half as intoxicating as the thought of being alone with Keith.

“Already on it—” He pulled her through an archway that opened into a storeroom and hurried to another door. On the other side lay a small hallway, and Keith grinned. “Out the back. My room’s just across the street from here. If that’s where you want to go.”

She dragged him toward the exit. “My room is right next to it, anyway.” Her breathing quickened, and her nipples tightened. “Not that I care where we go.”

“Do you care how we get there?”

She arched an eyebrow and shook her head. Keith grinned, and the world spun crazily as he snatched her up and tossed her over his shoulder. She yelped and grabbed at his shirt to steady herself. “Is this really going to be faster, or is it some kind of macho manly thing?”

He kicked the door open with a laugh and planted his hand on her ass to hold her steady as he strode across the street. “Maybe it’s both.”

Abby wiggled and smacked the taut denim stretched over his ass. “Then hurry up!”

“You want me to trip and fall?” But his fingers tightened and his steps grew longer. “We’re making a scene as it is.”

She looked up and caught sight of a small group of onlookers at the corner. She waved, earning them amused looks and a few whistles. “I’m finding it hard to be embarrassed, honestly.”

“Good.” His boots thumped up onto the sidewalk and he shouldered open his door. “Because I think we might be ready to make some noise.”

She wiggled again and fought a moan. “Put me down so I can get naked.”

He kicked the door shut behind him and she saw the floor pass by as he hurried across the room. The world upended again and she landed on her back on the mattress.

Abby laughed as she bounced on the bed. “You can handle that part, I guess.” She stretched out and arched her back, relishing the way his passion spiked as he watched her. She felt a tiny, cold wash of nervousness, and she held out her arms with a smile. “Come here, baby.”

Keith toed off his hiking boots and socks before sinking to the bed next to her. “You okay?”

She brushed his hair back from his forehead. “Are you? You feel a little edgy.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Forgot it goes both ways now.”

“Mmm. It goes both ways now.” Abby kicked off her sandals before pushing him onto his back and leaning over him. Her hair spilled down around them, and she rested her chin on his chest. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” His fingers slid through her hair. “I just want to make sure I do this right. You deserve the best.”

She moved until she was on top of him, her knees on either side of his hips. “I have the best.” She licked his lower lip. The taste of him elicited a shiver and a sigh. “I figured out what I want. I want to make love to you.”

His surge of pleasure at her words nearly overwhelmed her. He smiled lazily and dropped his hands to her hips, but his fingers didn’t clench or tighten. “Okay. You can do that. You can do anything you damn well want to, sweetheart. Anything.”

Abby slanted her lips over his, guiding his mouth open with a gentle touch on his jaw. She moaned when his tongue slicked over hers, hot and hungry. Her hips rocked down, grinding against him, and she cursed the layers of clothing between them.

He obviously came to the same conclusion. His fingers brushed up her back, coaxing her shirt up with it. She broke the kiss and sat, impatiently dragging the shirt over her head. It landed on the floor, and she coaxed Keith’s hands to her breasts.

Her breath escaped in a long, slow hiss as he teased his thumbs over her nipples. She waited for the familiar, uncontrollable surge of energy to wash through her, but the only thing she felt was her pleasure and his, mingling into a single, undeniable ache.

He arched up against her. “See how much better this is? How much easier?”

“Feels less like a tutoring session.” She flashed him a slow smile and ran her hands under his shirt. “Sit up. I want this off.”

She gasped when Keith just laughed and tightened his fingers, pinching both of her nipples at the same time. “Even when the view is so good like this?”

“You don’t deal well with orders,” Abby observed, aroused and amused, and leaned down to bite his chin. “Pretty please?”

He sat up slowly, the muscles of his stomach flexing as he brought her up with him. His mouth found her jaw, and he bit her softly before moving his lips to her ear. “Requests have always worked better with me.”

She pushed up his shirt until her breasts pressed against his bare chest. She moaned at the contact and closed her teeth on his neck in a quick, primal caress. “I want to be naked with you.”

“Good request.” He lifted his arms and let her drag the T-shirt over his head. “Good fucking request.”

Abby threw the shirt aside and dropped her lips to his skin. “I know,” she said in between soft kisses. “I have more, but I thought I’d better pace myself.”

“Plenty of time.” His large hands smoothed up her back again, hot and strong as they curled around her shoulders and dragged her down into the next rocking arch of his hips. “But the wolves are close to the surface now, Abby. I don’t know how much teasing I can take—”

She cut off his words with a hard kiss. “I’m not teasing.” Impatience colored their emotions. She knew most of it was hers, so she eased out of his arms and rose from the bed. It took her only seconds to open her jeans and slide the denim down her legs. “But I don’t want to rush you…”

“Rush me?” Keith was off the bed before her jeans hit the floor. His fingers dove into her hair and tangled in the strands as he leaned down until his mouth hovered just over hers. “Sweetheart, that’s not even remotely possible.”

Another wave of lust weakened her knees, and she stared into his eyes as she unbuttoned his jeans and dragged the zipper down. “It isn’t?” She watched his face carefully and reached into his pants to stroke his cock through the thin fabric of his boxers.

His expression went slack. He tilted his head back with an approving growl and thrust against her hand. “No.”

Abby answered his growl with a needy moan. Her hands shook, and she shoved at his jeans and underwear, trying to push them down and off. “Help me.” She let go and reached for her own panties. The damp fabric was a hindrance, a barrier between them that she wanted gone as quickly as possible.

“Shh—” He coaxed her underwear down her thighs. “What do you want? How do you want it?”

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she focused on the heat of his touch on her skin. “I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to talk about it. I just want us to feel…” She took a deep breath and peered up at him. “What do you want?”

“You.” He kissed her cheek, kissed her throat and her shoulder. He left a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses down the front of her body as he dropped to his knees, his fingers sliding down her legs as he guided her panties to the floor. He lifted one of her feet and then the other, and her jeans and underwear ended up draped over a nearby chair as he bit her hip softly.

Abby drove her fingers into Keith’s hair and trembled. He exhaled, his warm breath blowing gently over the sensitive skin of her hip and belly. “You couldn’t rush me, either. Just so you know.” He’d only have to move his hand up her thigh a few inches to feel the proof of how aroused she was, but she knew he could tell by scent and sound alone.

He touched her anyway. First with his fingers, slow gentle caresses that made her knees weak. One finger dipped inside her and ran up to circle her clit. Abby clutched at his shoulders. His other hand skated around to the small of her back and held her steady as he lowered his head. She fought to catch her breath, and his finger teased its way back inside as he dragged his tongue over her.

The soft touch coaxed a pleading cry out of her. She gave up trying to breathe and watched him taste her in long, slow licks. Heat and desire pulsed through her body, intensified by the need Keith mirrored back at her. It all combined, mounting with unbelievable speed, and Abby shuddered. “Don’t stop.”

His hand dropped lower, squeezing her ass as he intensified his caress. His moan vibrated against her, and the feelings between them sharpened. She could feel his need, not just for her body, but for her pleasure.

She tried to find her voice, to tell him how perfect it was to have him touching her, but all she could manage was a choked, tense cry. He moaned again and she came, squeezing her eyes shut as hot sparks shot through her. Scalding ecstasy radiated out from her center, making her quake under his hands and tongue.

He caught her when her knees gave out and lowered her to the edge of the bed. “That’s it…” His touch gentled as he coaxed her through the aftermath, his voice hoarse with restrained need. “I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of watching you come.”

“I hope not,” she panted, her hips still arching against his hand. She laid her hands on his cheeks and leaned up to kiss him softly. “I’ve never seen you come. I heard you and felt you, but I couldn’t watch your face.”

Keith smiled against her mouth and nipped her lower lip before rising to his feet. His jeans hung half-open, and he moved one hand and jerked the zipper the rest of the way down. His smile was easy, teasing, but his hot, gruff words made her shiver. “I want you to ride me.”

Abby tugged his pants down his legs. “Lie down. I can’t wait. I don’t want to.”

He kicked off his pants and knelt in front of her. “Like this.” He tugged her into his lap. “Easier to kiss you, and I really want to kiss you—”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and laved his bottom lip with her tongue. “We’re right back where we started.” She lifted her hips until she felt the head of his cock nudge against her entrance, and her mouth met his as she slowly lowered her body.

“Yeah.” One hand slid up her back to curl in her hair as the other splayed across her back. “But better. So much better.”

It was better, and not just because of the hard, delicious thrust of his cock inside her. It was the way he cradled her in his arms, the way he looked at her. The emotions filling the scant space left between them. “This is what I wanted.”

His fingers tightened a little, tugging her head back until he could nuzzle her throat. “I don’t think I can be just your Guide. I want more.”

The admission stole her breath, and she rocked against him, her heart pounding. “I’ve always wanted more,” she confessed. “I’m falling in love with you.”

He closed his teeth on the sensitive spot where her neck curved into her shoulder and growled his pleasure. Abby shuddered at the depth of his possession, and she lifted up and sank down, crying out when she ground against him.

“Mine.” The word whispered across her skin, unnecessary with the possessive hand on her lower back and the emotions filling the bond between them. He pushed up to meet her, and he bit her again. “Mine.”

She clutched his head and arched, rubbing her nipples over his hair-roughened chest. “Yes…” She stopped moving and ran her tongue up the strong, taut muscle in his throat. “Mine?” she teased, then licked him again.

He thrust up against her with another one of those growling noises that made her shiver. “Damn straight.”

Abby seized his skin between her teeth and circled her hips, groaning when the action rubbed against her clit and sent a bolt of pleasure stabbing through her. She slid her mouth over his and did it again and again, every tiny movement driving her higher.

His tongue stroked over her lips and plunged inside, twining with hers as he dropped both hands to her hips. He helped her move, and his pleasure sang out to her through their bond. They moved as one, felt as one.

It was perfect.

This time, Abby’s orgasm started slowly, with small twinges of bliss that curled her toes and built, one on top of another, until she dragged her mouth from Keith’s with a desperate cry. “Fuck!” Her nails bit into his shoulders, and she struggled to keep her eyes open and on his face. “God—oh, God—”

“Come on, Abby—” The hands on her hips tightened, and his voice sounded frantic. “God, yeah—come, baby—come—”

She tensed, her body squeezing rhythmically around his cock. “Yes, yes…” The tiny shocks crested in one wave of pure, unmitigated joy, a pleasure so profound, so flawless, she couldn’t even cry out. She could only ride out her release, drinking in the sight of his face as he watched her.

The pleasure didn’t get a chance to fade. His eyes squeezed shut and she felt that dizzying tension spike as he dragged her down one more time, hard, his hips grinding up against her. He swore as release pounded through him, and the pleasure danced up her spine, shared and magnified.

Abby buried her face in his neck with a hoarse cry, clinging helplessly as their orgasms faded. She shivered and panted, every nerve ending overloaded and sensitized, but she didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to let go.

She had no idea how much time passed before the world shifted. Keith rose to his feet and brought her with him. The next thing she felt was cool sheets against her back. He curled up in the bed next to her and tugged a light blanket over both of them. “Worth waiting for?”

She grinned and rolled into his embrace, tucking her head under his chin. “Without reservation, yes.” The rough leather braid encircling his wrist scraped over her skin, and she arched languorously. “What about you?”

“Hell yeah.” His fingers skated over her hair. “This’ll be your first full moon with a pack. Do you have any questions?”

She had a million. “What do we do? Just…run? Hunt?”

“We celebrate who we are. What we are. So yeah, we run and we hunt. We play. Sometimes we fight. Not often, but it happens. Dominance battles are a part of who we are, just like everything else. But it’s not as vicious here as it is in other places.”

A sudden longing overwhelmed her. “I want to learn about her. The wolf, I mean. I want to be…” Her brow furrowed as she tried to think of the words to express what she felt. “I want to stop thinking of her as someone else. I want her to be me.”

He nodded, his lips curling into a smile. “That’s what the Initiation period is all about, sweetheart. Learning to live in your skin again. Embracing both halves of you. I’ll help you.”

She kissed the corner of Keith’s mouth and traced circles on his shoulder. “We’re not breaking any rules, are we? If this is about more than my Initiation?”

“No.” His hand smoothed down to her lower back and over her hip. “The stronger the emotional bond the better, honestly. Sometimes a human chooses to become one of us because they’re already in love. Their partner serves as their Guide. The rest of the time, it’s easiest if there’s already friendship. Affection.”

She considered that for a moment. “I was scared last time. That’s all I really remember.”

“It’ll be easier. I can help you through it.” He slid his hand up and rubbed soothingly at the middle of her back. “The harder the change, the more difficult it is to remember. When you change against your will, the wolf can take over and the pain will scare her. Someone as strong as you…” He looked almost proud. “Most people can’t learn to control the change completely. But you’ll be able to. You’ll never have to change against your will again, unless you try to fight the full moon.”

“Good.” Abby closed her eyes with a smile. “Wake me when it’s time, okay? You wore me the hell out.”

He tugged at her until her head was resting more comfortably on his shoulder. “Sleep. You’ve got a big night ahead of you.”

“Yes.” She smiled against his skin. “I do.” She should have been nervous, but she couldn’t worry, not with Keith beside her. Instead, she found herself looking forward to the night and the moon’s call.

Tonight, she would run with him. Tomorrow, when the moon began to wane, they could make plans. They had time.

They had each other.