Joel glanced at his friends and sighed, shaking his head in defeat. I cleared my throat and took Tammy's wrist, ready to steer her away from the Lawless Brother Pack for good.

  “He's damaged goods,” Joel muttered, grunting when Tristan smacked him in the arm.

  Sitting down, the straight-haired joker picked up his discarded brownie and started to eat it again. My heartbeat pounded as I waited, torn between leaving or staying to hear Fender's story.

  “What?” Joel said to the twins. “She deserves to know what she's getting into. He always asked us to keep him away from women if he got too attached.”

  Shivers danced over my skin, raising the hairs on my arms. I was definitely going to stay to hear what Joel had to say. It was too important... and too intriguing.

  “Why doesn't he want to get close to anyone?” I asked, sitting next to Joel.

  Tammy moved to talk to Tristan, drawing him and his brother away so we could talk in private. I was grateful, I didn't want them to read my facial expressions when Joel told me the gory details.

  Swigging from a bottle of water, that just happened to be sitting next to him, Joel smacked his lips and prepared to talk. “Fender's wolf is wild.” Lowering his voice when Tristan glanced in our direction, Joel went on. “He fell in love with a girl when he turned eighteen. His pack forbade it because she was the alpha's daughter, destined for another... even though no mating bond had been triggered by either man.”

  Tucking my fingers into my palm, I clenched my teeth, slightly disturbed by how relieved I was that he hadn't mated with anyone. What was going on with me?

  Joel ran a hand through his hair and looked at the ground as if recalling a memory. “They continued to meet in secret until she got pregnant and he was banished from his pack.”

  Wow. My stomach churned and I almost shot to my feet. Fender had a child?

  “He tried to return when the baby was born and was confronted by several pack members. When they told him that he wasn't welcome there, and that his daughter had died, his wolf exploded from him and killed two of the men. One of them was the girl's brother.”

  “Shit,” I hissed, unable to comprehend the loss of a child, even one I'd never met. “That must have been so tough.”

  “He wasn't a killer, not at heart.”

  He'd also slain members of his own pack. It was no wonder he was a shut down Lawless Brother, not giving a fuck about anyone and anything. He'd lost his love, his child, and his pack, who had turned him into a beast with their cruelty.

  “Freya,” I whispered, remembering the watch on his wrist.

  Glancing at me sideways, Joel blinked away the mist that covered his eyes. “His love begged the pack to allow him to live, even though he'd committed treason. She met with him for one night, to tell him that she'd named the child Freya before she'd passed. They buried the baby together and parted ways, never to see one another again.”

  My throat closed and I had to cough to clear it. Emotions flooded my body, almost drowning me. The tale was tragic. Fender had suffered a horrendous trauma and no doubt, he'd been reckless and carefree since.

  “I... I can't even imagine,” I muttered.

  Shaking his head, Joel got to his feet. “We've all been burned by our own pack one way or another, hence why we promised to never get involved in another pack's battle. That's why he's so against helping you. His own shit is blocking what he's feeling for you.”

  “And what's that?” I asked, wishing I could suck the words back when Joel narrowed his gaze on me.

  “He's besotted,” he said, “more than I've ever seen him. He's afraid of that. Petrified. You have your pack, he has his. And no matter what, he's going to protect his heart long before he protects anyone else. Including you.”

  Chapter Ten

  My feet crunched on the dry leaves as I strode towards the bathing cave. Joel had left me to sit and contemplate what he'd told me. Fender had lost control of his wolf and killed people. That scared me. Any werewolf in their right mind would be terrified of an out of control shifter. They were known for causing torment and pain to many people, human and supernatural. However, Fender's story spoke to me, drew me even closer to him. Which was why my feet had brought me to the entrance of the cave. Would he be inside? The forbidden werewolf who could end me in a second.

  Taking a deep breath, I clenched my shaking hands and entered the cave. The darkness was lit only by candles flickering in mounted lanterns. The orange glow lit the way through a small narrow tunnel that opened up into a big cave. To the right, I could make out changing cubicles, no doubt stolen from sports facilities. To the left, there were two small deep pools and a bench. The pools were full of water that bubbled vigorously, invitingly.

  A big pool of water stretched out in front of me, the back of it almost disappearing into darkness where it met the brown stone wall. A ripple in the water was the only sign that someone was swimming.

  Fender's head emerged as he stood and the water cascaded down his abs. My breath hitched in my throat and he froze, blinking away the water to look at me.

  “What are you doing here?” His voice was gruff and I had to steady the shudder that rocked me.

  Kicking my shoes off, I shrugged. “I don't know.”

  Next went my socks and leggings.

  “You're crazy,” he said, his whole gorgeous frame still as he stared, his eyes widening when my underwear fell down my legs.

  “I am crazy.” My words caught in my throat as I pulled my top over my head and unclipped my bra.

  He could see me. Almost all of me.

  “Take it off,” he ordered, rubbing a hand over his face.

  Licking my lips, I did as I was told, tugging the bra away and letting it drop to the ground. My amulet caught the reflection of a candle and glistened, reminding me of who I was. An alpha-heir. And yet, as my gaze met his, the embers in the pit of my stomach ignited and I knew I was lost.

  “Come here.” He had to clear his throat to push the words out.

  I had my forbidden wolf under my spell and there was no going back.

  “Beg,” I replied, hovering my foot over the first step down into the pool.

  A growl rumbled in his chest and he thrust himself closer. “I said... Come here.”

  The strength of his voice sent a chill down my spine and I stepped into the water. The warmth of the liquid lapped my feet, inviting me in. Anyone could walk into the cave and see me with the Lawless Brother, but I didn't care. I wanted to give myself over to him, to allow him to satiate himself inside me. The pull was too hard to resist. I had to soothe his troubled soul.

  “I will have you,” he said, clenching his jaw. “No more games.”

  Nodding, I swallowed as my hair brushed the bare skin on my back. “You can have me, all of me. And I'll ask nothing in return.”

  The water pulled on my legs, almost trying to hold me back, to warn me. It was too late.

  His nostrils flared and he reached for me, gripping the back of my neck with one hand and sliding the other around my waist. His lips were against mine before I could breathe, his tongue pushing into my mouth and claiming me.

  My arms wrapped around his strong shoulders as I slipped my hands into the back of his hair. He kissed me to my very core, igniting the fire that burned inside. Every inch of me tingled as he lifted me under the buttocks and encouraged me to wrap my legs around him. I did, gasping when his length nudged my core. His groan rumbled up his chest, vibrating through my breasts where they were pressed against his hard pecs. He held me tight as he walked us across the pool, his cock brushing against my thigh and increasing the anticipation. My breath were heavy as I squirmed, eager to feel him inside me.

  He pulled his mouth away from my lips and chuckled. “You’re like a sexy slippery fish.”

  “I can’t help it,” I breathed, “I need you.”

  Growling, he climbed two steps and slowly lowered me onto the top one. The cold stone was warmed by the hot water, welcoming my behind as it rested on the edge. Fender towered over me, his abs dripping water that landed on the trail of hair that led down over his stomach. I bit my lip as my gaze traced his long hard length. It reached up towards his stomach, inviting me to reach for it. He caught my hand and caressed my thumb, his breath catching as I relaxed back, spreading myself to get more comfortable.

  “Your blonde hair falling over your tits like that...” His hooded gaze devoured me. “...you look like a goddess, begging to be worshipped.”

  Arching my back slightly, I closed my eyes briefly, basking in his attention. No man had dared to chase me in the past. I had been alpha-heir, too dominant and intimidating to approach. Instead, I’d had fun with a couple of men who were safe, unthreatening. Fender on the other hand, he could destroy me in so many ways. And the first one was crushing my heart.

  “Worship me, then,” I breathed, opening my eyes.

  Our gaze clashed and pure desire blasted through me, tingling down my nerves and pulsing at my core. Fender dropped to me, his mouth descending straight onto my nipple. He licked and nibbled, sending intense bolts of lightning over my skin. I threw my head back and groaned low in my throat. Fender held me around the waist, keeping my back from hitting the hard ground. Every part of my skin burned from where he touched it, sizzling as if his hands were flames. I revelled in it, enjoying the sting that elicited such pleasure.

  His free hand trailed up and over my knee, caressing my thigh until his fingers danced over my pubic bone. Lifting my hips, I pushed against him, impatient to feel him inside me. He didn’t need to check whether I was wet enough, I was soaked and ready.

  Nudging my legs wider, he pressed the tip of his length against my pussy. My heartbeat resounded in my head and I moaned, waiting on the edge of no going back.

  Lifting his head, Fender brought his lips to mine and feather kissed me before trailing his tongue to my ear. “Is this what you really want?” he whispered. “Once I enter you, I will own you. This wolf takes what he wants and never lets it go.”

  My sense flew out of the cave, forced out by the desire that bolted through me, making me grab at his hips and pull. Taking my squeezing hands as an invitation, he threw his head back and surged his hips forward, entering me in one swift stroke. My walls stretched around him as we both elicited a long low groan. The tingles that spread through my body made me shake. His head fell forward and our gaze met. The heat that exploded sent us into a frenzy. He pulled out and plunged in again, several times, taking exactly what he wanted. I clung to him, bucking wildly to meet every one of his thrusts. My head was full of him, my nostrils filled with the smell of us, which only added to the glorious sensation between my legs.

  “I need all of you,” I moaned, pinching his buttocks as he drove into me.

  He huffed and nodded, his eyes full of need as he dropped his head and kissed me deep. His cock slid in and out, faster and faster, until we had to stop kissing to breathe. The tingles started to build within me, stroked by his delicious length. Our breath was almost held as he gripped my hip with one hand and held me close with the other, thrusting so hard, I almost shot across the floor. I held onto him desperately, grunting and groaning as he hit me hard, going as deep as he possibly could. The pleasure raised and hit a crescendo, sending me over the edge. My head fell back and I cried out as my orgasm rocked me. Fender went still and roared, his breath rushing over my neck as he released deep inside me. I was suspended in pleasure, my eyes clenched shut as I basked in the orgasmic tingles that almost threw me into an out of body experience.

  The feather-light touch of his fingers stroking my cheek made me blink my eyes open. He looked down at me, his gaze soft as he smirked and cocked his eyebrow. “Are you still with me?”

  “Only just,” I murmured, smiling. “Only just.”

  We were lying on the hard ground, our limbs still intertwined. My whole body hummed with a vibration I had never felt before. His being called to me, begging me to reach out and connect. I blanched, afraid of what it could mean.

  “Don’t you love that afterglow?” His words reminded me of his nature.

  He’d made love to many women before, I wasn’t special. He probably knew exactly the type of moves to make to encourage a woman to bond to him.

  I didn’t reply to his question as the heat started to evaporate. The deep vibes I’d felt with him as our bodies connected were just an illusion, not something to read into. It was fine. I knew better than to fall for the forbidden wolf.

  “What made you come to me?” he asked, lowering himself next to me.

  I glanced at the thick muscle on his arm as he rested it across my waist. A part of me was tempted to tell him that Joel had told me about his past. If he knew that I understood what trauma felt like, he might realise that I was more like him than he realised. I held back, though. There was no point in trying to relate to him when I would be leaving him behind.

  My chest hurt as I looked away from him, not wanting him to see the pain that crossed my face. “I had to know what it was like to be with you,” I replied, swallowing when he nodded slowly. “Before I became alpha of my pack and left this crazy part of my life behind.”

  He had declared that I was his, but I knew that he had been in the throes of passion, wrapped up in the pleasure of it all. He probably used the same line with every female he’d had sex with. And there was a lot, I could tell.

  Seeking his gaze, I clenched my hands when he looked away, staring into the pool of water. His jaw tightened and his energy shifted, the softness leaving. “If it’s what you want, I’ll help you get your pack back.”

  “You will?” Sitting up, I grasped his arm. “Are you sure?”

  The mixture of excitement and sorrow made it hard for me to breathe. If the Lawless Brothers helped me to regain my title as alpha, it would be amazing, my dream. Wouldn’t it?

  “Yes.”

  His blunt reply made my shoulders drop as he got to his feet. The sting that left my skin cold told me more than I wanted to know. And as Fender retreated from the cave, shoving his shirt over his wet body, I hugged myself tight.

  Shit.

  I had caught feelings for the bastard Lawless Brother... and I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave him behind.

  Chapter Eleven

  My breathy huffs filled the air, sending a white mist around my snout as I ran through the woods. My paws thudded the dirty ground, the sound rhythmic with the others who ran beside me. The earth beneath my pads smelled familiar, homely. And yet, the grass, trees and fields no longer belonged to me. They had deserted me, along with my pack.

  When Fender had agreed to help me confront Tony, I'd wasted no time. Our love making had shocked me to the core, drawing me closer to the Lawless Brother. I couldn't have such ground shattering sex with someone and not feel connected. He was... incredible... and running right beside me, his huge frame towering me, even in wolf form. His dark black coat of fur blended with the shadows, making his bright white teeth stand out shockingly. His huffing was steady as we moved as one, heading straight for the sacred circle where all of my pack's ceremonies were held.

  Tammy flanked my left and the twins were beyond her. Joel had joined us, too, sticking to Fender's right flank and occasionally howling low in his throat.

  As we drew nearer to the trees, I slowed. The others followed my lead, quietening their breath as the flicking of a fire lit up the area. They were there, ready to allow Tony to oust me as alpha-heir. Their scents filled the air and their chatter was audible.

  My heart thudded and my chest squeezed. How had they accepted the fate of the pack so easily? Could they not have at least tried to fight for me?

  The echo of their voices fell silent as the clouds moved, revealing the almost full moon. No doubt Tony would try to harness the magic, just in case the wolf god tried to stop him. Well, tonight, fate would tell me exactly where I belonged in our pack.

  Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and willed my human self to return. My wolf spirit stroked my nerves as she slunk back into my soul, retracting her fur and fangs. If I needed her to fight, I would call on her again.

  My fingers were stiff where they clenched the amulet around my neck. My clothes were still intact, and once again, I thanked the witch who had gifted us with the ability to return back to our normal human form once we'd shifted.

  Fender rose to his feet beside me, his tall frame forcing me to look up. He had agreed to help me reclaim my throne, but a part of me was hesitant, almost sad. I'd just found my forbidden wolf, could I let him go in order to rule over a pack who clearly weren't that bothered about me?

  “Are you ready?” Fender whispered, checking that his men stayed just behind us.

  My heart filled with an unfamiliar emotion, a mixture of longing and sadness. It was as if it didn't want this night to end because it meant I would have to let Fender go. We weren't mates, thank goodness. Fated mates caused nothing but heartache, and I wasn't about to let anyone have that amount of power over me. However, my connection to Fender was clearly very strong. Maybe he could be my bit on the side.

  Nodding at his expectant raise of the eyebrows, I smiled. We'd spent the day apart, only coming together to plan the attack. The hours I'd spent alone at the hotel, I'd contemplated the best way to approach Tony. He hadn't given a shit about me, he'd clearly been after the alpha position since I'd been a child. If my mother had told me what he was like, I would've prepared to take him down. Instead, I trusted him... until he took what wasn't his when I blossomed into an adult. A defilement that I'd never forgiven or forgotten. And once again, he was attempting to take what was mine. No more, it was retribution time.

  Pushing forward, I trod carefully, trying not to step on the twigs and leaves that would give away my position. The wolves slowly moved, creeping to the side in order to protect me. They might not have been my pack, but I was learning that if you had their loyalty, they would do anything for you. Unlike my own pack, apparently.