Page 21 of Feral Mates (Ruthless Instinct #1)

K ai

“What the fuck was with all the flashing red and blue lights?” My question was met by a laugh coming from the backseat.

“Emergency vehicles. Specifically in this case, they are from police cars who are currently on a chase or hunting down a suspect or even a person exceeding the speed limit as allowed by the laws of the United States.”

Roman’s response brought a quick snort from Apollo.

“A walking, talking encyclopedia,” I muttered as I drummed my fingers on the dashboard. My legs were jammed against the console, my muscles aching. Savannah’s vehicle was too damn small for the four of us.

“You asked. I answered,” Roman quipped.

“I know what they are. We all do since it would seem our host had difficulty maintaining the speed limit. I meant why are there so many of them flying down the road.” It was night, the moon yet to lift to the center of the sky. Timing was entirely different as humans than as wolves.

Apollo leaned forward. “They’re also hunting.”

“For the people responsible for killing the hikers.” I glanced toward the front of the store.

A Walmart. According to Dr. Wheeler, the store was third-class trash.

I took that as a derogatory statement against those who’d shopped here.

“Only they won’t find anything but additional bloodied and broken bodies marked by wolves. ”

“You don’t know that,” Apollo said gruffly. “I smell other animals.”

“Yes, I do as well.”

I didn’t bother acknowledging Roman. What was the point? I couldn’t care less about any other beasts. We had enough to deal with. “Where the fuck is she?”

“She’s still inside.” Apollo was suddenly flippant about his reaction where he’d been entirely too possessive before. I had a feeling his brusque personality scared her more than what Roman and I had displayed. However, the woman had fire in her belly.

I’d felt her fear, not just when facing us both the first and second times, but about the situation around her. Yet she wasn’t the kind of woman to back down to anyone. Every question racing through her mind had added to those sticking icepicks in mine.

Had we been chosen for a reason? Because we were pack leaders? Because of our strength and agility? It was another mystery that likely couldn’t be solved. Maybe it didn’t matter at this point.

“I don’t like this. I’m going in after her.” I threw open the door just as she appeared in the doorway, several bags in her hands. The bright light illuminated her perfectly. Including that she realized I’d been ready to go after her.

Now she wore an annoyed expression, her mouth twisting as she hurried toward the car. She tossed the bags into the back, grumbling under her breath, but I could hear every word. We all could. Perhaps she didn’t realize how keen the hearing of a wolf was. Our range was four times that of a human.

What is it about possessive wolves that makes them think they are in charge? Bullshit.

A grin immediately flashed across my face and both Apollo and Roman shared a laugh.

“What’s so goddamn funny?” Her demand was as adorable as the wrinkle of her nose.

I leaned over as she started the engine. “To answer your question. That’s because we are in charge.”

Immediately a warm flush swept across her jaw. She was even more beautiful when she blushed. Which was often.

“Damn you. All of you.” She pressed down on the accelerator with enough force our bodies were jerked.

“Careful, little mate, or you’ll be taught another lesson in obedience.” Neither my words nor my tone were well received. She hissed in return.

“Put the clothes on. Your nakedness bothers me.” While she was being facetious, her words were factual. Her body heat was already increasing. Her scent was also much stronger, my attraction to her both physical and instinctual. I’d sensed Apollo’s concern about the three of us losing control.

The timing couldn’t be worse.

Clothes were tossed around and within seconds, the three of us realized there was no way for big, muscular men to dress inside a tiny car.

“You’ll need to pull over,” Roman told her.

“Why?”

“So we can get dressed. Maybe find a bigger car.” My answer was met with a snarl.

“Don’t you dare make fun of Bitch.”

“Bitch?” Instantly, I laughed.

The look she gave me could easily burn a hole through me. “Humans often name their cars. This one is after my personality. My real personality.”

She also didn’t appreciate our laughs, cursing under her breath once again.

“Nice,” I said in a daring way.

“You really can’t get dressed in the car?”

“No, we can’t.”

Her head shifted back and forth. “I’m stopping at a bank branch up to the right. I’ll park as far away from the lights as possible. Maybe we’ll get lucky and no one will be around. There are some trees behind the building. For God’s sake, stay in the shadows until you’re dressed.”

I could taste her nervousness. While the sense of danger remained, it seemed further away, yet she wouldn’t know that with her constant internal processing.

She glanced quickly into the rearview mirror before making a turn, doing exactly what she’d stated she’d do. The car was blanketed by darkness. While we could see clearly, no one should be able to notice where she’d parked.

“I’ll be right back. Then we can head directly to my parents’ house. I should have enough gas.”

As soon as she was out the door, I exited the car, sniffing while I scanned the surrounding area. The stench of garbage covered up almost everything else.

“Let’s do as the lady asked,” Roman suggested.

I grabbed some clothes, not bothering to head toward the trees. What was the point? No one could see our position or what we were doing.

I’d just fastened the jeans when the wind shifted and I was able to detect her distinct fragrance once again. Something dark and possessive erupted from the depths of my being. For a few seconds I could do nothing but drink in her fragrance as it stained my nostrils.

Being pack leader at an early age had been challenging.

My father, the former alpha had been gunned down by a hunter who’d wanted a trophy, not food.

It had been the first and only time I’d killed a human.

I’d heard my father’s bloodcurdling howl.

I’d found him lying in a pool of blood with an arrow through his heart.

There’d been no stopping the moment of bloodlust and I’d gone after the human.

The attack and kill had taken less than two minutes.

There’d been no question I would become the pack leader. I’d simply taken over, leading the same way my father had. But in doing so, I’d alienated other wolves, which had left our pack smaller than I’d wanted.

With no mate.

Even over the years as we’d fought various enemies, forced to move our den more than once, I’d maintained control.

Now everything I knew and had learned had been challenged.

The fire of the woman, her sweet scent that infused my senses, and the fact she was in heat were driving me to the point of losing all sense of control. The way it lingered, a sweet haze of pure desire and savage animal magnetism had called to all of us.

But to me, it was a beacon that I’d believed would never occur.

And in truth, it scared me more than anything had ever done in my life.

Even still, the night of our awakening, her scent had been the first one that had drawn me out of a stupor. The draw to the source had been undeniable, her fragrance curling around me in sweet waves.

I’d lost all sense of worry about what we’d experienced, all the anger that had been building for weeks against my captor. I’d simply become focused on one thing.

Her.

Finding her.

Seeing her.

Tasting her.

All the restlessness had disappeared. Every sound had faded away with one exception.

Her voice. The soft lilt that had carried in the wind, igniting the same hunger I felt today. Even then when the ache had surfaced, I’d been lost in a fog of lust so powerful that my breathing had been labored.

Exhaling, I grabbed the shirt and inhaled, tamping down my hunger.

Yet the wind was unyielding, providing another scent, this one full of dirt, sweat, and urine.

Then I heard a sound, so slight that if I were human, I wouldn’t have heard it at all, but I did. Our mate was under attack.

The growl that erupted from my chest was the last thing the motherfucker was going to hear. I couldn’t risk taking the time to transition to a wolf, instead taking off running, sensing the other two were following. Only they’d shifted, the two wolves full of rage.

A hand was wrapped around her mouth, another holding a knife with the blade at her throat. Even as he was trying to drag her from the light, she was fighting him, issuing sharp punches into his stomach.

“Bitch,” he hissed, clueless that his life was about to end.

Her rage was battling her fear valiantly, but she was no match for the man. He finally realized his mistake, his eyes opening wide as he shoved her away. But it was too late.

His challenge to all three of us was ridiculous.

“Fuck,” he hissed. “What the fuck is this shit. Get your wolves away from me.” He swung the knife back and forth.

She refused to back down, tossing herself toward him.

“You fucking asshole.” When she threw a brutal punch to his face, I was amused more than anything. When she smashed two more, his lip split open, the man stumbling backward by a few feet.

Her rage brought out a significant spike in her scent, now so strong my cock pushed hard against the tight confines of my jeans.

He slapped one hand across his mouth, immediately acting as if he was going to lunge toward her.

Low-slung growls filled the night air.

“I suggest you drop your weapon,” I told him.

“Fuck you, buddy.”

Apollo and Roman circled the human, preventing him from trying to escape.

There were too many vehicles on the road, a few slowing down to see what was going on.

This was not something we needed at this point.

At least our mental tethering was strong, even though both beasts were eager to rid the world of scum like him.

“Stop,” I told her.

She directed her glare toward me. “I can handle myself.”

“Not this time. Back away.” My command was firm, calm enough she softened slightly. “Savannah. Don’t make me ask you again. Go to the car.”

Her nose wrinkled as she debated whether she would obey me. Instead of doing so immediately, she took long strides toward him, pitching her arm around the one holding the weapon, flinging it into the air. Then she reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a wad of money.

He made no move to attack her. For two seconds, I was able to read his intentions. He’d been sent to confront, not harm. As a test to see what we would do. That angered me even more.

“You made a mistake, buddy. A big mistake.” With her braid swishing back and forth, she headed back to the car as I’d directed. She continued to radiate heat and fire, her aggression stemming from everything she’d been through and her refusal to allow anyone to get the better of her.

Admirable, but she was incapable of understanding even this human could be dangerous. An important lesson she’d need to learn.

Now I could turn my full attention to the bastard who’d dared lay a hand on her. My entire body was electrified as I took a single step in his direction, wrapping my hand around his throat.

I had one thought in mind.

Protect.

The rest would come later.

“You should learn not to touch what doesn’t belong to you.” The two brutal punches I threw were all that was necessary.

I could feel the heat of the two wolves, their hunger spiking. Leave it.

He was sent to test us , I shot back.

Apollo snarled, swinging his head toward the fallen man. But just as I was leaving, he turned and padded away, remaining in the shadows.

Yet as I reached the vehicle, I had a sense of being watched.

Not from curious onlookers who had nothing better to do than to see a fight in action. Not from the police after a report of an attempted robbery. From an unknown entity that I couldn’t read.

Neither could Apollo or Roman.

Whoever it was had discovered a way to mask their scent. I grabbed the shirt and shoes she’d purchased, sliding into them and scanned the area one last time. The sensations faded. When I slipped inside the car, Savannah was already gripping the steering wheel, staring out the windshield.

“Did you kill him?” she asked. Now she was angry with me, with all three of us. But her anger was about my refusal to allow her to handle the human in the way she’d wanted to do.

My snort of amusement wasn’t well received.

“Did you?”

Sighing, I studied the others as they finally dressed. “No, little mate. I did not.”

“Please stop calling me that, Kai. That’s impossible and you know it. I could have taken care of myself.”

“Perhaps, but did you know he was also carrying a gun?”

Her mouth twisted, the fury she’d felt ebbing ever so slightly. “No.”

“He could have killed you, Savannah. That’s what humans like him do. But no, I left him unconscious. I managed to read his thoughts. He’d been sent to test us.”

“What?” Her eyes opened wide.

“Yes. And someone was watching the entire exchange.”

“Who?”

“His scent was masked.”

Savannah chewed on her bottom lip. “I was right. Dr. Blackwell has been watching me. I’m more certain of it now than before.”

“Perhaps the man hired will think about changing his profession. You’re still wondering and concerned that we are savages. Killers.”

She was uncomfortable, twisting her fingers around the smooth leather. “Yes.”

“All of us will do what’s necessary to protect those in our packs. Whatever it takes. Do you understand?”

“I’m not in your packs. I’m a human.”

“That’s where you are wrong. You are our mate. It’s time for you to accept it.”

“I’ll repeat what I’ve said before. I don’t know what’s happening.

I don’t understand why I feel so strongly connected to the three of you when that should be impossible.

I also can’t fathom how this works, but I will find out and when I do, I’m going to promise you that I’ll do everything in my power as a scientist to help you find your way back to your packs.

As wolves. I swear to God. Somehow, I will. ”

As the others climbed in, I leaned back against the seat.

It struck me that for all her fire and brimstone that even now caused her chest to rise and fall from continued rage and trepidation, she felt it too.

An unbreakable connection that had been forged from something not of this earth, but very much meant to be.

Whether the four of us liked it or not.