Touch of Desire (3 page)

Cora shuttered. “I couldn’t imagine two of them. Although Graham is a beta.”

“Believe me, he can alpha up when he wants or needs to.”

“One Torin is enough for me.” Cora’s laughter faded as she caught the scent of the wolf in question. Glancing over her shoulder, she spied Torin crossing the nursery courtyard, on a direct course for her.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Keegan arranged a job for me. I start today.”

Cam smiled as she looked at her. “I know. Alec told us last night at dinner. Congrats. It’s perfect for you.”

The other female’s praise and confidence in her made a lump form in Cora’s throat and her heart swell with pride. She hugged Cam. “Thank you. It’s so good to hear it from you.”

Cam returned her hug. “It’s true.” She released Cora. “Now go before your male grows more impatient.”

Feeling a little less anxious, Cora turned and met Torin halfway. “Hi.”

He kissed her on the cheek and took her hand. “Morning. Did you eat?”

“Yes. Cam and I ate with the kids.”

“Good. Are you ready to go meet your team?”

Excitement and anxiety swirled the butterflies in her belly, but she took a deep breath and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Come on then. I have to run into town for Alec first.”

“Sounds great.” She drew in a deep breath and released it as she followed him to his truck. This was going to be one long day.

****

Torin white-knuckled the steering wheel as he pulled into the main entrance of Ashwood. Cora’s lily scent filled his truck, driving him and his wolf insane. It didn’t help since she barely said a word the whole trip into town and back. Instead, she had her attention focused on her tablet.

“Alec is really impressed with your design ideas.”

“Really?”

He shook his head. He brought up their task, and she paid attention. Okay, he could work with that.

“Yep. It’s all he talked about this morning with your team. I tuned most of it out because it started to sound like a foreign language.”

She laughed, soft and song-like. “I guess it could be to someone not familiar with it.” She turned off her tablet and closed the cover. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a terrible companion this morning.”

He relaxed. He reached over and squeezed her hand. “I know you’ll be great.”

She turned to peer out the window to hide the fact she was blushing. “Thank you.”

Releasing her hand, he pulled into the gravel parking lot next to the office complex. He hopped out of the truck and took a deep breath, trying to clear her from his senses. She needed space. She needed to be able to come to him on her terms. Damn. What had already been hard now seemed impossible.

So, he would give her twenty-four hours. One day where he wouldn’t be breathing down her neck and pushing her wolf further into submission.

He walked around to the passenger side and opened her door. She smiled and hopped down, avoiding his attempt to assist her. He suppressed a growl and followed her inside the building.
She’s nervous
.

Before he opened the door to the security room, he studied her. She clutched the tablet to her chest and scanned her surroundings. He’d noticed she performed the same perimeter search every time she left the comfort of her friends.

He traced her jaw with a finger, and she jumped slightly. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

There was a tremor in her voice as she responded, but he didn’t tease her about. Instead, he opened the door and gestured for her to enter ahead of him.

The first thing he noticed inside the room was how relaxed the atmosphere felt and how comfortable everyone appeared. Alec, Tanner, and Ana huddled in front of the computer monitors while Robyn and Gina sat at a small round table a few feet away, drinking tea.

Robyn met his stare. “Gina still gets tense around the enforcers so I made her a charm to relax everyone around her.”

Torin studied the mutant Hayden and Christa found hiding out in Hunter Ridge. The female was more human-like than other mutants. Since arriving to the Pack, she’d had her excess body hair removed to fit in better. Unfortunately, no magic could fix her cat-like snout or the fangs sticking out of her top lip. A result of the serum Felix used to turn humans into mutants.

Although Felix had made a mistake with Gina. She carried two strands of shifter DNA in her bloodline. She was currently working with the Healer from the Birchwood Pack—a wolf Pack that had recently formed an alliance with Ashwood. Sven wasn’t only a Healer by birth, the wolf was also a genius in medicine and genetics.

“Hello, Gina. How are you?” Torin watched the female look at the floor.

“I’m well. Thank you.”

Cora glanced at him, eyes narrowed slightly, then walked over to Gina, holding her hand out. “Hi. I’m Cora.”

Gina glanced from Cora to Ana as if unsure. Ana gave the female a warm smile and moved to stand next to her. After a brief hesitation, Gina took Cora’s hand. Cora stiffened at first, but relaxed as Ana spoke.

“I’m Ana, but I guess you know that. Gina is an example of what happens when a shifter’s animal is trapped or suppressed. She’s stuck in mid-shift, neither fully human nor cat. She is unsure about everything, but takes direction well.” Ana nudged Gina playfully. “Plus she can kick ass when she needs to.”

Gina smiled shyly and shook her head. Then Cora did something unexpected. She wrapped the mutant into a tight hug and whispered something Torin couldn’t hear from where he stood. Whatever it was made Ana snap her gaze to his, and a tear slid down Gina’s cheek as she returned Cora’s hug.

What the hell
?

Your female can’t shift.
Ana’s voice filled his mind. Apparently reuniting with her father and joining the sentries allowed her to communicate telepathically with the rest of them. Something only the Alphas, enforcers, and sentries could do thanks to their bond with Keegan.

Why not?

Her wolf is dying
.

Cora hated being around the sentries and enforcers for one reason. They always spoke to each other in their heads—especially when around the “civilians” of the Pack. It was annoying as hell and always left her feeling as if they were talking about her.

In this case, her secret was being passed around like a new toy, and she was pissed off. She fisted her hands at her sides and glared at Ana. “I can’t work with you.”

Alec stood from his seat, but Ana held up her hand. “She does have bite.” Sighing, she walked toward the door. “Come, Cora. I want to talk with you in private.”

Cora’s heart pounded, and her sudden spike of bravery turned into dread. Ana may have been raised by the enemy, but she was still part of the leopard Alpha family. Disrespecting her was viewed as an insult.

Torin stepped in front of Cora, his arms crossed as he spoke to Ana. “She’s not going alone.”

Ana shrugged. “Then come with her.”

Torin twisted to face her and held out a hand. Cora blew out a breath in frustration. Oh, hell, when would she learn to control her temper? She pushed pass Torin and followed Ana out into the hallway.

Once the three of them were outside the room and the door was closed, Cora glared at both of them. “I don’t like to be talked about while I’m in the room.” She faced Ana, annoyance rising again, making her braver than usual. “You have no right telling him anything I shared with Gina.”

Torin stiffened. “Then it’s true? You can’t shift?”

Cora dropped her shoulders and leaned against the wall. “Haven’t been able to since my parents died.”

“Have you tried?” Ana asked, drawing Cora’s attention again.

Tears blurred her vision, and her nose tingled. “Many times. My wolf doesn’t want to. She doesn’t talk to me.” Taking a breath to swallow her tears, she studied Ana for a moment.

“I’m sorry.” Ana frowned.  “But Torin has to know. He is your mate, and your wolf is so sad and broken. He could help….”

“How do you know the state of my wolf?”

Ana looked away. She took so long to speak Cora thought the leopard wouldn’t answer. “You know, or at least Torin does, I can control the elements. What most don’t realize is I can connect with
all
five elements.”

Torin stepped closer to Ana as if trying to crowd her in a show of dominance. “What’s the fifth element?”

“Spirit. I can’t control anyone’s free will or his or her mind. I can sense their spirits, especially shifters’ animal spirits. I know Torin’s wolf is stronger than most and likes to be upfront with everything he does. Luna allows her wolf to the surface more than she should. Jared….” She shuddered. “Let’s say that is one angry jaguar. And Cora’s wolf is disconnected from the Pack. She’s depressed and suffocating herself.”

Cora hugged her waist, trying so hard to ignore Torin’s body heat as he closed the small distance between them. He kissed her temple and said, “Let me in, Cora. Please don’t shut me out.”

Her heart ached, and she was tired. Tired of fighting this alone. Tired of being alone.

“I’ll try.” Straightening, she lifted her chin. “Come on, we have a security system to plan and implement.”

Ana smiled and drew Cora into a hug. “It’s a pleasure to work for you. Your design is brilliant.”

A lump formed in Cora’s throat. “Oh, stop kissing up to the boss.”

“I have to get my brownie points in somehow.” Ana released her and laughed.

Feeling a little better, Cora turned toward the door, only to have Torin gently grip her elbow, stopping her. “I have to meet with Hayden and Luna. I’ll be back this afternoon.”

The silver in his eyes darkened slightly, sending a jolt of desire through her. What was she doing? Pushing him away and running from fate did nothing except drive a wedge between them. And if this male was the only one to get her wolf to react, then the woman needed to open up and let him in.

Rising to her toes, she kissed him softly on the lips. “I’m not doing anything tonight.”

He snaked an arm around her, pulling her flesh against his hard body. “Yes, you are. You’re having dinner with me.”

“Hmm…let me think about it.”

He bit her ear, stirring the hot desire in her belly and making her ache deep in the nether regions. “Behave, Cora, or I’ll have to punish you.”

Ana cleared her throat. “I totally get the whole mating dance thing. But we have work to do.”

Embarrassed and a bit giddy, Cora pushed out of Torin arms. “I’ll see you later.”

He growled before he turned to leave. Cora sighed. “He is one intense male.”

****

Torin entered Hayden’s home, not expecting to see Christa, the twins—Brenna and Bryce, and Luna there. “Hey, guys. What’s up?”

Luna looked up from her book. “Hi, dear. Have a seat.”

Uh-oh. When Luna used pleasantries with him—like she did with her natural-born sons—he was trouble. Or had done something to annoy her. He couldn’t think of anything he’d done lately to annoy her.

He paced to the sofa and bent to hug her and kiss her cheek. “Morning, Mama.”

She smiled, but there was no happiness in her expression. His heart sank to his feet. Something was wrong. He glanced to Hayden where he perched in an armchair across from them with his mate in his lap. “What is it?”

“I’m concerned for Cora,” Luna finally said after a long pause.

Torin ran a hand over his face and sat back on the couch. “Her wolf is suffocating, I know. I’m working on it.”

“How are you handling it?”

He sighed and rolled his neck. “I’m not sure yet. I just found out myself. Her wolf responds to me, a little.”

“You’re her mate. It makes sense she would.” Luna unfolded her legs from beneath her and stared at him as if in thought. “Take her for a run. Try to get the wolf to come out.”

He gave a nod. “I can do that. What else is up?”

Luna looked away while Hayden spoke.

“Jared found my uncle alive and sent word to him about my father’s death.”

“As his twin, would he know this?”

Hayden closed his eyes. The male looked tired. They all did. The war with Onyx had worn them down. With the rebuild of Ashwood, they had stretched their resources thin.

“Not necessarily. They weren’t close as kids, and, when Royce turned on his family and Pack, Raff took off. No one has heard from him since.”

“Until Jared found him.”

“Yes. I’m hoping he will return and aid in stopping Onyx permanently.”

Torin raised a brow at his adopted brother and best friend. “Why would he and how?”

Luna stood and answered his question. “Because Raff knew what Royce was doing and hated him for it. Felix stole his mate, raped, and killed her right after Sable was born.”

“Fuck.”

Sable was not only Felix’s daughter, but also Jared’s fated mate. The one he broke the mating bond with, which damn near drove him insane. To top off everything, the female had recently turned against her father to lead a shifter rebel group.

“Does Jared know?”

Hayden nodded. “It is why he convinced Mom to allow Raff back into the Pack.”

“Look, this isn’t public knowledge. We are only alerting the senior enforcers and a few sentries. I’ll deal with Raff if and when he arrives.” Luna turned to the kitchen. “Anyone hungry? I’m in the mood to cook lunch.”

Torin met Hayden’s gaze and shook his head. Luna either cleaned or cooked when bothered by something. When she was pissed, she let her wolf out and went hunting. She was definitely bothered by the mention of Raff. He tried to search his memories of the male and couldn’t remember any tension between him and Luna.

Then again, seeing him again could bring up a past she’d buried with her mate. “She’ll need us to stay close.”

Hayden glanced to the kitchen. “Yeah. I know.”

Cora walked through the door of the apartment she shared with Jasmine and her seven-year-old twin brothers. After a great planning session, Alec called it a day about an hour earlier than expected, so Ana drove her home to MoonRiver since she had dinner plans with her new family.