"Stop it, you two!" Allora yelled. I shivered when her voice echoed through the trees. “There are more important things we need to discuss.
"Is that why you're here?" Did something happen? The black wolf's warning pulsed through my mind.
More will die. More will die...
“I read in the paper that the full moon was officially over and Frances didn't need me on the farm, so I came here to surprise you with what I found out. Only I was the surprised one.
"Alora, I…"
“I don't even want to hear it. This whole conversation was disgusting. I'm not just a puppy mill that you can trade like businessmen discussing stock options. I have my own needs and desires. Allora glared at me with such venom, the hairs on my neck stood on end. I could feel my cock shrink back into my body. She turned her gaze to Caleb. "You just found out you have a real living relative, and the first thing you do is challenge him to a fight?" Hardly the protective, familiar alpha I'd hoped for.
Caleb started to say something, but Allora held up her hand for silence.
"I'm no one's mate to be traded," she said firmly. “Let's clear this up now. And that goes for you two. She looked at me. Shame burned my face. “I didn't agree to be anyone's mate, despite what may have happened in the heat of the moment. Now, can you two stop with that ridiculous macho competitive stuff for a minute. We need to work together.
"Who put you in charge?" Caleb scoffed at her. I knew he didn't intend to stop, not at all. "And why do we have to work together?"
“I put myself in charge because I'm clearly the only one mature enough to take responsibility. And we're going to work together because I found out something about your family from the paintings your grandmother left in the cave. A wolf did not kill that child. It was a priest, and my suspicion is that it was one of the Peyton family men.
"You mean the Lowes were innocent all along?" I demanded. I couldn't believe it. My mind spun with emotions. My family was innocent of the crime. My father carried the guilt of the family's shame for nothing. He had suffered a lot, wondering which of his brothers had attacked the child. He went to the grave believing that his family carried a dark secret. But it wasn't true, and I could never tell him that. A lump rose in my throat, but I pushed it back. My veins hummed with rage, with a savage sense of injustice.
All that guilt my father had carried for so many years. The shame of bearing the name Lowe…it was all for nothing.
Allora nodded.
“I told you that last night, but from your expression, I can tell you've fallen asleep.
- That is true? Caleb demanded. "Aren't you making this up?"
“I'm an archaeologist, not a storyteller. I'm sure I'm right, I just need to prove it.
- Why? Caleb's eyes narrowed. "What's in it for you?"
"You mean, besides helping you two clear your family name?" Allora looked at him and then at me, her face confused for a moment. “I know that you wolves are not inclined to believe that humans can have altruistic motives. But there's something…” She paused.
“Ah-ha.” Caleb took a step forward. "I knew there was a 'but.'
“These paintings are not tens of thousands of years old, as my teacher and her graduate student think. And I intend to prove it, without revealing its secret to the world. But to do that, I need to find out exactly what's going on. Now…” Allora walked over to Caleb and held out her hand. - Keys.
"Don't touch her," I growled. Caleb shot me a filthy look, but he dropped my keys into Allora's hand. She walked over and handed them to me.
“As much as I love you like this…” She smiled, running her hand over my bare shoulder. “Time to get dressed.
"I love it when you get bossy," I growled. I pressed my mouth to hers, pulling her body against mine. My cock hardened as she kissed me back, her hands gripping my shoulders. When her tongue glided over mine, all my desire for her welled up inside me. It's been two long, agonizing days without her skin next to mine. I needed to remedy this, ASAP.
I turned Allora, pressing her against the side of my truck. My hands grazed her body, rubbing her hard nipples through the thick fabric of her shirt and thermal vest. I grabbed the bottom of her shirt, preparing to rip her clothes off and take her right then and there.
"Josh, no," Allora protested, her hands squeezing mine. “As much as I'd like to, we can't do that here.
- Why not?
“On the one hand, I might be very tempted to join in. Caleb appeared behind me. My body shook with fury. Why couldn't he just walk away?
"And we have a little journey to make." Allora held up the keys. I took them off her and unlocked the door, looking around in the backseat until I found my clothes and boots. I pulled on my jeans, tucking my very insistent cock inside. Allora patted my arm.
"Later tonight," she said, her smile inviting. - Perhaps.
“I don't know if I'll last that long,” I growled back.
“I'll make it worth your while. ’ Allora’s touch lingered on my arm. The familiar sparks of our connection flared between us.
"You two make me sick." Caleb grabbed the driver's side door and climbed in. - Where are we going?
“You two will go back to the site, to guard the cave against any other wolves that might show up there. Allora pulled out from under my arm and headed toward the road. “I'm going to DownMoor. I have some research to do.
**
allora
“Anna—” Josh tapped on my car window. I knew he'd followed me back to the Mini, but I was too upset to turn around and look at him. Annoyed with him, yes, but also irritated with myself. I couldn't believe how I acted earlier, falling into Josh's arms as soon as he touched me. I shouldn't do this. I was supposed to yell at him until he understood that he couldn't treat me like his property. But one look into his green eyes and I melted like ice cream in the Brighton sun.
Embarrassed, I looked down at my jeans and turned the key again.
The damn car picked a good time not to start.
— Allora! Josh growled. “Open this door so we can talk.
- Not now. “I kept my head down. I didn't want him to see how red my face was. “Take Caleb back to camp.
"And just parade it around in front of everyone?" What do I say to Frances?
“Tell her he's her long-lost werewolf cousin who tried to kill her last night and wants me to fuck him, even though I've never seen him. I don't know, Josh. Do something.
“I won't let you. There's another wolf out there. He says he's already killed... Another wolf. It was only getting better. I held the steering wheel.
- That's not my problem. I'm not in the mood to be around you right now.
— You're upset.
- I really am.
The engine started once, then shut off again. I clenched my teeth.
This is ridiculous.
“Because Caleb and I were fighting over you?
I nodded furiously, still avoiding looking at him. In fact, it had been kind of flattering. I've never had two guys this hot want to sleep with me before. But that didn't make what he was doing right.
— And because you were there talking about my life, my future, as if I didn't matter.
“But you were flirting earlier.
He looked downcast. Good.
— You were naked. And your cousin was there. It wasn't appropriate to express how angry I am.
“What we did in front of him wasn't very appropriate either. You are very confused.
"You've never been with a woman before?"
I turned the key again. The Mini gasped and revived.
"Can't we just talk?"
- No. I walked away, my head over my shoulder. I pulled hard on the steering wheel. Josh pulled away as the Mini bounced across the rutted road, dangerously approaching the wide ditch. At the last second, he straightened and I stumbled towards DownMoor, Josh's abandoned face haunting me in the rearview mirror.
Fuck him with his caveman attitude. I couldn't believe the way they were acting, fighting over me like I was the last piece of steak on the barbecue. I thought the best way to solve their problem was to have them work together to protect the family legacy. Besides, it would be good to get some distance from Josh now that he was human again. My body still throbbed with desire for him. I wanted nothing more than to walk around the car and go back to him, begging him to take me hard over the hood. But then I was just telling him that acting this way was completely normal, and it wasn't.