The back door opened, and suddenly she was hurled in the air. Scorch’s manly scent surrounded her stopping the panic from rising up inside her. “Where is not a good place for a wolf to be?” he asked, sinking his head against his neck and breathing her in.
Closing her eyes she tried to hold back the moan. Mandy was smiling looking between them when she opened her eyes again. “You two look amazing together.”
“You hear that, Tori? We’ve got to get married. One of the women in my pack approves. We should strike while the iron is hot.”
She couldn’t stop the laugh at his teasing. “Okay, we’ll get married, and I’ll be your queen.”
He stopped smiling, cupped her face and stared into her eyes. “Be careful what you say.”
“Why? We were only joking around.”
Scorch leaned in close so his lips touched her ear. “I wasn’t.” He pulled away, heading toward the door. “Both of you should come out when the dinner is on. It’s cold, and I hear the kids conspiring that they’re going to snowball us.”
He disappeared out the door leaving a cold spell in his wake.
“I told you. You’ve made him so happy.”
“He’s talking about marriage.”
“Have you ever considered the fact your wolves are quiet when you’re together? Neither of you look put out or close to the edge. In fact, I’m sure I’ve heard you both purring in each other’s company.”
“Wolves don’t purr,” Victoria said, trying to deny the truth.
“Fine. I’ve heard you both growling lustfully at each other. I know what I heard, and I know the whole pack is looking forward to your mating. It’s only a matter of time before you realize the truth. Perhaps in wolf form you’ll see the truth glaring at you.” Mandy put the peels in the recycle bucket before heading toward the door.
“Mating, how do you know?” Victoria had never found a male who made her feel this way. There were times in Scorch’s company she just wanted to rub all over him. He made her forget about her weight issues and Chain. For once in her life she was able to feel without being terrified. Chain took everything away while Scorch gave her everything.
“When you find the male suited to you, you just know. I’m mated to David. He’s the love of my life, and I couldn’t imagine my life without him.” Mandy looked outside, staring at her man. “You’ll know. At the moment you’re holding yourself back from whatever pain is keeping you locked in its trap.” Mandy shrugged. “Take your time. I know the alpha is not going anywhere.”
She left the same way as Scorch did. Folding her arms underneath her br**sts, Victoria stared out of the window once again. Scorch was chasing after the children, making his hands out to be claws as they ran away screaming. She chuckled. They all clearly loved their alpha. There were no kids in Chain’s pack. The parents with children had disappeared the moment Chain started to show signs of changing for the worse. Her parents stuck it out believing their alpha would overcome the strong hold of whatever it was that held him.
All the children were wrapped up in coats, scarves, hats, and gloves. None of them had gone through the change as yet, so their temperatures were that of full blooded humans. The adults, the fully changed wolves, wore only jackets.
Grabbing the jacket off the rail beside the door she headed out toward the group. Several women stopped her to comment on her appearance. They were all embracing her, wrapping her within their warmth. Arms banded around her waist, and Scorch pressed his nose against her neck. She hadn’t gotten the chance to leave the group of women, and it felt like he’d come to claim her instead.
“I’ve been waiting for you to come out and play,” he said, breathing in deeply.
“Women like to talk.” Her pulse pounded against her neck as cream soaked her panties. He turned her on so easily.
They’d been spending time getting to know each other every morning. She’d tasted his cum on her tongue and loved how she got him to lose control. He never pushed her to do more. They touched, stroked, caressed and took the time with each other. Slowly, Victoria felt herself falling for him. His temperament and the way he treated her were so sweet she couldn’t help but fall. He was the complete opposite of Chain.
“I’m just taking her over here, ladies,” Scorch said, lifting her up and practically carrying her over to the group he’d been talking to. David had his arms wrapped around Mandy, and she saw several men smiling at them. “We’re talking about the next full moon run. It’s David’s turn to stay behind to keep an eye on the kids while the rest of us go for a run to blow off steam.”
“Do you mind staying behind?” Victoria asked.
“No, it’s my turn. We all take turns. Mandy did it last month, and before that Blake did. We all take turns.”
“Do you take your turn?” She turned her attention back to Scorch.
“Of course. My turn is not next full moon but the one after. I pull my weight. It’s my pack, and I’m not willing to give out orders without doing it myself. I don’t work like that.” His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close.
She loved the warmth from his body as they stood in the cold. “Then I’d like to help.”
“You can share Scorch’s day. He could do with the company,” Mandy said, smiling sweetly.
“Sure, why not?”
What about Chain?
He’s going to kill you if you don’t give him what he wants. He wanted Scorch distracted by his attraction to her so that he could kill Scorch easily. What did Chain really want to do with him other than kill him? Scorch didn’t pose a threat to any pack. The old fear her previous alpha had caused rose up.
She stared at the ground wishing there was some way out of what Chain had made her do.
****
Scorch felt her withdraw from the conversation. Her body tensed up, and her gaze stayed on the ground covered with snow. Glancing at Mandy he saw the concern in the other woman’s eyes. All of his pack was concerned with the woman in his arms. He knew they accepted her as his life-mate.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, whispering against her ear.
She turned her head, nodding. “Of course. Nothing is wrong at all. Everything is fine.”
“Tori, look up,” one of the kids said, calling her name.
A white ball of snow landed on her chest. She jumped out of his arms, collapsing to the ground in the snow. Scorch tensed expecting her to lash out and say something to upset the whole of the pack.