Page 24 of Feral Mates (Ruthless Instinct #1)

S avannah

By the time we made it to my parents’ house, it was very late. Well after two in the morning.

I’d convinced the wolves that we should stay hidden, waiting to ensure we weren’t followed again.

At this point, I’d speculated that it was possible my license plate had been taken.

It was also plausible that we hadn’t been the ones the police had been looking for, but taking a single chance would prove even more dangerous.

Fortunately, there’d been no other issues. There’d also been no other breaking news on the local radio.

We were in the dark about what had happened at the laboratory.

And Carl had yet to return my call, which made me even more anxious.

The wolves and their shifting abilities could soon become the center of attention. What if the media managed to get ahold of the discovery? That could cause panic. That’s something Dr. Blackwell wouldn’t allow.

I still couldn’t reconcile what my brain already knew.

That the three men beside me had shifted more than once. There was no hiding behind everything I’d learned about species composition.

Weary, I headed toward the door in the darkness toward the house, the others keeping a close distance.

A single crack in the woods on the outskirts of the property immediately drew their attention. All three snarled with Apollo puffing up. With the electric hum in my ear, I sensed they were close to shifting into their wolf forms.

“It’s okay. Most likely a deer. My mother feeds them.” I’ll be damned if one didn’t appear in the moonlight filtering through the trees. “See. They’re very friendly.”

The deer was absolutely beautiful, her long ears flicking back and forth as she silently stared at us. I’d sensed instinctively she was a doe, perhaps protecting her fawn.

Apollo moved closer until they were standing only a few feet apart and instantly, both species froze. They were studying each other. He crouched down with one hand placed in front of him. As a predator would do just seconds before striking.

“What’s going on?” I asked in a hoarse whisper. “He better not hurt her.”

“Tonight, she is not our food. He’s asking if the woods are safe,” Roman said, chuckling under his breath.

As men, the deer no longer saw them as predators. The entire exchange with no words was fascinating to watch.

Abruptly, the deer jumped backward, disappearing into the trees. Apollo rose to his full height, keeping his gaze locked on the trees for a few seconds before returning. His eyes were glowing, mesmerizing in their amber grandeur.

“There are no human predators close,” he said. “She will keep watch for us.”

“Why would she do that?”

The way Apollo slowly turned his head was almost unnerving. “Because I told her to.”

“Ah, and everyone follows your commands without question.”

“Yes.”

Something dark stirred in my loins. Instead of falling prey to his authority, I ignored him, concentrating on getting inside.

Motion detectors.

The light over the porch clicked on before I’d taken the last step and I cringed a little bit inside. It was one of several security measures my father had installed after purchasing the house a number of years before.

As the bright white light of the LED shimmered across my mother’s prized Italian planters, I took a deep breath, inserting the key into the lock.

The sharp click of the lock as it turned was enough to startle me. I’d unlocked the door of my parents’ house countless times and had never experienced this kind of reaction before.

Maybe because up to this point, I’d never been so terrified of my life being placed on the line. Or on the chopping block.

Logic had always prevailed over fear, even as a child. At first, I’d been the typical kid worrying about monsters under the bed. However, after my father, an analytical man himself, had explained why there were no such things as vampires and werewolves, I’d been satisfied.

Sleeping the nights through like a baby.

Somehow, I doubted I’d ever get a good night’s sleep again.

Not because I’d been made aware all those nightmares I’d had years before were real or that shifters did exist. But because the real monsters were humans meddling where they shouldn’t.

All under the guise of science.

Everything I’d adored about my job and profession, the feeling of being a part of finding new aspects of life and development had been challenged.

I tried to remind myself that jumping to conclusions was a terrible idea, but the rational side of my brain continued to pinch me asking what other evidence I needed.

I’d seen three wolves turn into men right in front of me.

This place was a safe haven. My father had made certain it would be for himself, my mother, and for me if necessary.

He’d been through enough in his life he deserved peace and protection.

Dad had been certain some criminal he’d arrested and helped send to prison would eventually hunt him down seeking revenge.

He’d been thrilled that I’d chosen science over the law, my other career interest a long time ago.

But that had also been for a very personal reason that had touched my family deeply.

What would he say now if he learned his daughter’s life might be in jeopardy?

Maybe that was crazy thinking, but the little voice inside my head refused to let go of the idea.

Especially since my files had been tampered with.

And the way Dr. Blackwell had been watching me.

Yes, I’d been working on a few tests that might be considered outside what I’d been asked to do, but I’d believed I was helping forward the project.

Right now, I had no evidence to prove he’d done anything wrong.

There was a chance he had no idea the level of breakthrough that had occurred and wasn’t aware Serenity Refuge was testing animals.

Without the wolves telling me what they’d been forced to endure, going out on a crazy limb would do no good.

I’d be labeled a kook. My only hope was that whatever Carl had given me would provide more details.

A light at the end of the tunnel.

Or a smoking gun.

“Let me go in first,” Roman said, immediately trying to move in front of me even before I had a chance to open the door.

Maybe exhaustion had stripped me of any coherent thoughts or a sense of common decency, but I was finally frazzled enough to snap.

“Do you honestly think the authorities managed to figure out who they were chasing, and find the identities of anyone even close to me that I might go to for help? I meant what I said earlier. This house is not on any register as belonging to my parents. They were very careful because they had to be.”

Was I just trying to convince myself we’d be safe?

The world as I’d known and studied my entire life had ceased to exist.

Roman tossed out another short, deep snarl. Was that his way of trying to keep me in line?

“I know we’re facing danger, but we’re safe here for a couple days until we can sort out this mess.”

He refused to budge. I pressed my palm against his chest. The reaction was immediate, tiny jolts of current shifting down both arms. I was immediately paralyzed as the raging face of need swept throughout my body.

It was becoming increasingly more difficult to shove aside the most basic carnal needs.

Physiological as in food, water, and sleep.

Safety.

And love or the sense of belonging. But in our case, the need was more carnal in nature.

Sex.

And breeding.

What they wanted to do was to breed me. While I still couldn’t wrap my head around the physical possibility, that didn’t change the growing desire that I was having difficulty pushing aside.

As he peered down at me, the color of his eyes slowly changed from the rich whiskey color to a bright amber, the glow no longer eerie, but sensual instead. His wolf was close to the surface.

“It’s okay, Roman. You can trust me. Come see.” I pushed open the door, taking his hand into mine and stepping inside. I punched in the code, breathing out when the green light flashed. I pulled him with me, moving further into the foyer so I could flick on a light.

Kai was the last one inside, immediately locking the door.

But not before I watched as he stood on the porch with his head raised and his nostrils flared. Every animalistic sound he made was a powerful aphrodisiac allowing another tickle of goosebumps prickling my skin.

The sound was so mournful and for no other reason than by the energy surrounding him, I sensed he was calling for his pack.

“We will need to check the house and grounds,” Roman said as if to distract me from Kai’s odd behavior.

“That’s fine,” I said, still shivering even as Kai finally locked eyes with mine.

All three of the wolves lifted their heads as I’d seen them do so many times before. They were using every sense to try to detect danger.

Apollo slowly scanned the room, his eyes darkening. “We can’t stay here long.”

“Where are we going to go?”

“We will find a place of serenity.” Apollo walked past me and my annoyance only grew. He was so certain we’d have no problems finding somewhere completely safe. I shook my head. As a wolf, his dominance might be revered, but as a human, the trait was an example of clear arrogance.

“Irritating bastard,” I muttered.

“Yes, he can be.” The lack of emotion in Kai’s voice made me laugh. He shifted his gaze from where Apollo was disappearing into the house to my face. “But he is a fierce warrior.”

“Yes. I get it, but right now we’re not in a war and you can’t use your wolf abilities on humans.

Not any longer. We need to stay focused,” I told him, uncertain what he wanted me to say or what would ease the tension between us.

“I know what you’re capable of. But you can’t simply go out right now and kill either humans or wolves. That will put targets on your back.”

“That sounds like you’d miss us.”