“What are you doing here?” Kamari asked in disgust.

  “Offering my aid to a female capable of making her own decisions.” Rafael lifted his brows in challenge.

  Kamari grunted. “You’ve changed your mind? You wish to claim her now?”

  “Hailey doesn’t have to be claimed. What she needs is an alpha.”

  “What do you know about being an alpha?”

  “More than you.”

  Kamari narrowed his eyes to slits. “You’re a fool who would only get Hailey and her friends killed.”

  “We’re not a bunch of helpless pups,” Hailey cried out. “You’ve seen us hunt. You know what we’re capable of.”

  “You’ve only left our territory on extended hunting trips a handful of times, and all with the supervision of me or your parents.” When Hailey pursed her lips, Kamari growled and jabbed a finger in Rafael’s direction. “You would put your trust in him—a male who rejected you.”

  The bastard couldn’t seem to say the word enough times. It was cruel and unnecessary and licked fire across Rafael’s chest every time he caught Hailey wince with dejection.

  His decision not to mate had nothing to do with Hailey’s desirability. Unlike Kamari, Rafael wasn’t selfish. He knew he couldn’t fulfill the pureblooded female’s needs. Better to set her free.

  He turned and faced her, expression softening as he shut Kamari out. “I will teach you to be your own alpha, and once you are ready, your life will be yours to lead in whatever direction you wish.”

  Hailey’s lips parted. Eyes locked on his, she gave a slight nod. “Thank you.”

  Kamari puffed out exasperated breaths of disbelief, then seemed to suck them all back in. Chest inflated, he ground his teeth together and shot Hailey a narrow-eyed glower. “I cannot promise to wait for you, Hailey.”

  “I don’t expect you to,” she answered solemnly.

  “An alpha should have a mate and offspring.”

  “I understand.”

  One moment Kamari was as stiff as a log; the next, he seemed to cave in on himself. Tears filled his eyes as his head and shoulders sagged. “You have no idea how much I care about you, Hailey,” he said in a watery voice. “My heart is yours. There is no one else.”

  Rafael rolled his eyes in private. It was as though he had disappeared from sight when tears tracked down Hailey’s cheeks.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said in a voice that broke. “But this is something I need to do. You know I’ll come back. I want to see my family again, and you—even if you’re mated when I return.”

  When she took a step toward him, Kamari jerked away, turned, and stormed off.

  “Kamari, where are you going?” Alarm filled Hailey’s voice.

  “Home,” he grumbled without turning around.

  “But—”

  “There is no reason for me to wait until morning.” The words sounded like an accusation.

  Rafael sprinted forward, catching up to Hailey and jumping in front of her. “Let him go,” he said gruffly, irritated to see her running after the other male.

  Hailey tried to peer over Rafael’s shoulders. She leaned forward on her toes, not noticing her nipples brush his chest. He noticed. So did his cock.

  “He should wait until morning and make sure no one wants to go back with him,” Hailey said stubbornly. “He should at least say goodbye to the members of our pack staying behind and to our hosts in Wolf Hollow.”

  Rafael’s throat quaked with possession. “Let. Him. Go. You’re mine now.” He was pleased to see Hailey turn her full attention where it belonged, meeting his stare—even though her upper lip curled back in anger.

  “I’m not yours,” she snapped.

  “As of this moment, I’m your new alpha.”

  “You said you would teach me to become my own alpha,” she said accusingly.

  “And I will, but until then, you will obey me.”

  With a growl, Hailey lifted her hand, but before she could slap him, Rafael spun her around and captured her wrists behind her back. Gasping in outrage, Hailey thrashed and tried to buck him off, reminding Rafael of her wolf’s eventual submission. His cock seeped at the tip in anticipation of a joining that would never come.

  “I have a duty to keep you alive and make you strong,” Rafael barked at her. He had to channel his rage before his lust took over and he ended up mounting her. Once he crossed that line, there was no retreating. He would pump her full of seed, then guard her for the rest of their days. Neither of them would ever be free again.

  “You’re a wretch!” Hailey shoved her back against him, but all it did was bring her firm cheeks flush against his cock.

  He snarled at her, as though she were the one holding him down. “And the world is a wretched place. Better to learn that from someone who cares whether you live or die. It might be hard for you to believe this, but I want you to succeed. Purebloods need to have each other’s backs. We don’t have to be mates to be loyal. I will teach you everything you need to know to survive in the wild, but first I need you to submit. Without a claim, there can only be one alpha. Are you able to submit to me?” A mate was an equal, and he could not risk putting her in that position. He turned his question into a command. “Submit.”

  Hailey struggled for several more heartbeats before going still. “Fine,” she said begrudgingly. “Since I’m such a threat to your highly prized independence, I submit.”

  Body slackening, Hailey got onto all fours, her rear in the air, to demonstrate with her body what her words had stated.

  This wasn’t what he had asked of her. It felt more like a taunt than surrender and it took all of Rafael’s self-restraint to stop himself from mounting her on the spot.

  chapter thirteen

  DIEGO TOOK SEVERAL steps toward Lacy, then slowed as though wading through rushing waters. She still clung to her friend’s side. His female, if he could call her that anymore, was obviously angry with him. Diego had ignored her pleas not to run after the bear shifter. But he’d done it for her.

  This bear had barged in twice now. There was no turning off Diego’s instincts to take on a threat head-on.

  Maybe Rafael was right about the danger of claiming a mate. Like their father, Diego would not hesitate to run straight toward certain death, all for a female.

  What Rafael did not understand was that it was already too late. Diego was in love. Lacy could change her mind and still he would stay until he was certain the bears weren’t returning.

  Casting a last forlorn look at Lacy, he lowered his head and trudged westward into the woods. There was less foot traffic in the direction of the hollow’s Forest of the Ancestors. Sasha had a cave she had kindly offered up after Diego announced his intentions to claim Lacy. The pureblooded female had figured Diego was used to a lot more privacy in his travels.

  “I’m staying with my mate in his cabin, so the cave’s all yours if you want,” she had said.

  Sasha had figured right.

  Diego trekked that way now. He had hoped to share the cozy enclosure with Lacy after their claiming. Now he wasn’t sure of anything. The cute blonde was an anomaly as mysterious as the cosmos. Sides of her he had never expected emerged daily. She was sweet, but also spunky. Bashful one moment, passionate the next. Shy, then forward.

  When Hailey first arrived and practically announced herself as having come to claim a pureblood, Lacy had revealed another layer. She had grabbed Diego’s arm and narrowed her eyes at the Glenn Meadow’s female in a manner that could only be described as possessive. It had pleased him.

  But the thrill of Lacy’s attachment was short-lived.

  Gone was their playful banter. The teasing and flirting ceased. Lacy had appeared upset and directed her ire at him.

  Diego did not know what to do or say. Lacy was a virgin, and he had never engaged in a relationship outside of sex.

  So he trudged over the forest path, the darkness filling his mind and movements with gloomy weight. He left behind the camaraderie of the group to mope in silence.

  A pair of glowing eyes watched him approach from a tree branch above. As he passed, the owl’s head swiveled, keeping Diego in its sight. He looked back and saw it still staring at him.

  A fallen leaf got stuck beneath his foot. Diego stopped and pulled it off, then continued. The canopy of trees made the path look like a dark tunnel leading to the cave. Sasha’s quarters were a fair distance from the glade. Diego wasn’t sure he wanted that much privacy. Maybe he should turn back. There was a nice fire burning in the glade, and old Jager had brought over a batch of his moonshine to help calm nerves.

  The hoot of the owl made Diego’s heart take off at a gallop.

  “Mierda.” Diego wasn’t usually one to feel spooked.

  He turned and glared in the direction of the owl. To go back to the glade felt craven. Diego lifted his chest and chin like a true master of the wilderness. He was not afraid to be alone. He just didn’t like it, and he couldn’t understand how his brother would get by on his own.

  A memory of their mother came back to him like a spirit descending from the stars. A beautiful gray-and-white wolf watching her pups play.

  Rafael knocked Diego over on his back. Diego kicked at the air, batting at his brother while they nipped at one another. Their mother dashed over, joining their play, nudging Diego and taking gentle nips at him without biting. Diego squeaked and kicked, egging them on. He grabbed hold of his mother’s neck when she dipped down, letting go as she batted him with her paw. Diego jumped to his legs and raced around in a circle as his mother and brother pursued him.

  He rolled onto his back and barked, loving the attention. His mother bounded over, springing over the meadow grass. With gentle nips, she grabbed at Diego’s short, flailing legs, then moved to his side as he rolled over.

  Rafael mimicked their mother, except that he actually did bite with his sharp little teeth. Diego barked at him. Mother pushed Rafael away. Once they’d settled down, she slathered their faces with her tongue, her eyes beaming with pride and all the love in the world.

  The stars blurred through Diego’s watery eyes as he looked up at the sky.

  “Te quiero, mama.”

  The endless sprinkle of light overhead seemed to pulse as though the galaxy containing them was quaking. Head tilted back, Diego watched, transfixed. A shimmering sensation filled his soul. It had been too long since he had revisited his mother. Unlike his brother, he chose to hold on to the happy memories. Rafael held his fist around her final fate.

  Diego wished he could have known what his mother looked like in human form—wished he could lay eyes on the woman she’d been just once. But he and his brother had been too young to shift, and their mother had kept to the same form always.

  He had seen his father transform into his human skin—a man crazed by grief. The cruelty Diego witnessed still shook him to his core. Their father had taught them one final chilling lesson before deserting them in favor of death.

  He had taught them to fear mankind.

  DESPITE THE SMALL fire he had built up near the cave’s entrance, Diego shivered. He still couldn’t get over the fact that his brother would be spending evenings like this after he took off. The bastard had better come back and visit him. Maybe he would make a friend along the way.

  Diego sighed. If only Rafael wasn’t committed to his unhappiness. Pureblooded females were scarce. Finding one who was the right age, single, beautiful, and good-tempered was rarer still. Rafael was a fool—a damn stubborn fool.

  With a shake of his head, Diego turned his back on the forest outside and edged his way toward the belly of the cave. A nice sandy spot had blankets arranged for a peaceful sleep away from all the night sounds and packmates yipping and whimpering as they dreamed at night curled up in wolf form.

  The arrangement would be comfortable in either shape. Diego took a seat in the center of the comfy nest and sprawled out on his back. He was just deciding whether to remain this way or shift for the night when the sound of a small rock hitting a larger one jolted him upright.

  In the opening of the cave, he made out Lacy’s silhouette. He could see her clearer as she paused beside the fire, hair pulled back into a ponytail.

  “Diego?”

  Chest warming, he stood and stared at her, filled with elation and a wariness that she had changed her mind about their claiming and come to deliver the news away from prying ears.

  “What’s going on, Lacy?” She twisted her fingers in her hand, avoiding his gaze. “Are you having second thoughts?” Diego demanded, having reached the end of his patience—done with the guessing games.

  Her arms dropped to her sides and blue eyes locked onto his. “No! Are you?” There was fire in her voice and a tremble in her chin.

  “You’re the one who has been avoiding me.” He took a step forward, but hesitated, unsure whether to stand his ground or go to her. It was so hard to tell what she did or did not want from him.

  Lacy provided no help when she cast her eyes downward, pulling her blonde rope of hair over her shoulder and studying the ends. “I thought maybe you wanted me to back off.”

  “Why the hell would I want that?” Diego hadn’t meant to yell, but Lacy was so far off the mark, it was as though they were speaking in different languages.

  Lacy stopped fiddling with her hair and flung her arms out to her sides. “So you could woo the pureblooded female.”

  Diego blinked rapidly. It felt like smoke had gotten into his eyes. “I have no romantic interest in Hailey.”

  “You were smiling and laughing together,” Lacy accused.

  Diego reared back. “So you’re saying you don’t trust me?”

  “That’s not what I’m saying. It just looked like you were interested.”

  “I just told you I wasn’t . . . I’m not.”

  Lacy yanked on her hair, loosening the tie holding it together. She clutched her head, fingers digging into the blonde locks covering her scalp.

  Taking a calming breath, Diego evened his voice into a soothing timber. “What’s really going on, mi cielito?”

  “What does that mean?” Lacy asked in a soft voice.

  Diego stepped closer. “It means my little sky . . . my heaven.”

  Glossy blue eyes stared back at him. He almost imagined he felt the waft of her breath emanating from the rapid rise and fall of her chest.

  “You’re so worldly and I—” Lacy shrugged. “I’ve never stepped outside Wolf Hollow, not even to go on a supply run.” She pulled her hair loose. Diego watched the silky, light strands of her hair thread between her fingers as she pulled it back up and secured it in a lopsided ponytail. “As you know, I have no experience, have never seen the world. You’re the first male I ever kissed. I am so afraid to disappoint you . . . scared I won’t be enough. That once you have me, you’ll realize it was a mistake.”

  “Mi amor,” Diego cried out. “Do not say such things. Do not even think them. “Te amo. I love you now and forever.”

  “I love you, Diego,” Lacy proclaimed with an iron will that left nothing open to interpretation.

  Diego stormed over and picked her up. Lacy squeezed her arms around his neck.

  “You could have died today,” she practically yelled at him. “I’ve never felt so scared.”

  With his female in his arms, gripping him tight, Diego’s breath came out in heavy exhalations. “You never have to worry about me,” he said, though it pleased him that she did. “I know how to survive, mi amor. Nothing can keep us apart. I will always protect you.” She moaned. “Mi vida. Mi reina. Cariño.”

  Their lips fused. Lacy rubbed against him and dug her fingers into his back as though his endearments had turned her feral. Her little gasps for air as Diego invaded her mouth made him as hard as the cave walls enclosing them. Waiting to claim his feisty little loba in body and soul was turning into a torturous interlude, but Lacy was worth every second of celibacy. He would respect her wishes. Treat her like a moon goddess. Be the best mate he could possibly be.

  Diego carried Lacy to the blankets, lowering them until they were seated in front of one another. Lips swollen and cheeks a devastating shade of pink, Lacy reached up to fix her ponytail.

  Diego ran his hands over her arms as he lowered them gently into her lap before slipping his fingers into her hair and releasing it from its binding. He set the stretchy tie onto a nearby rock, never taking his eyes off the beauty in front of him. With gentle strokes, he smoothed her silky hair over her shoulders.

  “Chica bella,” he murmured.

  They leaned forward at the same time, lips meeting halfway. He pressed his palms against her hips, sliding his fingers over her curves and up her sides until they reached her breasts. He cupped the small mounds, circling his thumbs around her nipples until they budded.

  Lacy gasped in a breath. Diego released her from their kiss to lower his mouth to her breast, wet the thin fabric of her dress with his tongue, and nip gently at the hard peaks. Moans filled his ears as he attended to her opposite breast with the same deliberate attention.

  A hand slipped beneath her skirt. Her pussy was already seeping, and it made Diego groan in satisfaction, for it was his duty not only to protect his female, but to bring her pleasure.

  There were years of neglect to make up for—not that Diego was complaining. To find a woman untouched in this savage world of theirs was like stumbling upon a blossoming utopia that had somehow escaped the apocalypse.

  “I wish to see you naked, mi cariño. Is that okay?”

  Face flushed, Lacy nodded. As he tugged up her dress, she lifted her arms, helping him free her from the garment. Diego fisted the fabric, his gaze soaking in every inch of smooth, light skin. She could use a little more meat on her bones, but she was perfect in his eyes, from her toes and long slender legs to the thatch of blonde hair between her thighs and perky breasts that taunted him beneath a sweet face that blushed profusely.

  “Bella. Eres una mujer muy hermosa.” He lifted her dress to his nose and inhaled deeply. Closing his eyes, he breathed again, her scent permeating the cotton.

 

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