Wolf Creek Ghosts (Texas Pack 3) (Wolf Creek Werewolf Shifters) (7 page)

“Olivia, you’re taking some powerful meds, and I think it’s the drugs speaking. They’ve loosened you up. You had morphine yesterday and codeine last night. As much as I’d love to make you my mate, I couldn’t stand it if you felt like I’d trapped you. But, as soon as this drug is out of your system, you’re mine.” Running his cheek up against hers, he smiled. “When I claim you, I don’t want anything in you but me.”

Olivia jammed her elbow into his stomach and heard an oomph as his breath whooshed out of his lungs. Pulling free, she strode to the bathroom and turned in the doorway. “You blew your chance wolfie. Now I’m gonna’ make you beg.” She grinned evilly.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Devlin cursed as he stomped from her room. Arriving in kitchen, he saw Lisa and Melanie having coffee.

“Whoa. Who put the burr under your saddle? Oh, I understand, never mind.” Lisa winked knowingly at Melanie. “Mate trouble.” She nodded her head wisely.

Devlin poured himself a cup and sat between the women. “Welcome back Melanie, is Ian around?”

“Wow, baby bro, you said that and barely opened your mouth. You could be a ventriloquist.” Melanie’s grin widened as Devlin stared at her, resigned. She reached around and hugged him before whispering, “You can’t kill or maim me bro, you may need me.”

Devlin snorted, “No, but I can maim your mate.”

Ian walked in, and his eyebrows rose in question. “I know I didn’t hear you threaten me because our parents didn’t raise us stupid. Need to work out a little aggression baby bro?”

That was just what he needed, Devlin decided. He nodded at his brother. “Let’s go for a run.”

Melanie waited for the guys to leave before speaking. “So, do we like her?”

Lisa laughed, “Yes, we do, but I’m not saying anything else. I can’t wait till you meet her.”

They didn’t have to wait long before Olivia strolled into the room and went straight to the coffee pot, grumbling under her breath.

“Aw crap, she’s an amazon,” Melanie said.

Olivia turned and looked over at the woman sitting with Lisa. “Aw crap, she’s a pixie.”

Melanie sipped from her cup as Lisa broke out laughing. “Y’all are gonna’ get along great. Olivia meet Melanie, Ian’s mate.”

Olivia watched warily as the pixie, okay Melanie, came over and hugged her. She stood stiffly and looked over to Lisa in confusion.

Lisa shrugged. “She’s a touchy, feely kind of girl too.”

Melanie stepped back and looked her up and down. “You are beautiful, your aura is simply glorious. If I were into girls, I’d do you.”

Olivia sputtered, barely managing to keep from spitting her coffee all over Melanie.

Melanie grinned and said, “Come on, I’m just messing with you. Come and sit down and tell me where you bought that dress. And those shoes! How do you walk in them? Those have to be at least three inch heels.”

Olivia looked down at her peach sundress, which emphasized her long legs by flowing just a few inches above her knees. She loved the sleeveless number with the cutouts at her belly.

“Um, Neiman Marcus. The shoes are Louboutin, and I’m wearing them to make a statement.” Olivia sat down with the women.

“This should be good,” Lisa said, leaning closer. “I’ve never seen Devlin look so frustrated, he’s usually the happy go lucky one. He must have done something really bad. You’ve got that Grace Kelly look going on. You know the one, I’m a princess and I’m blessing you peons with my presence.”

Olivia gracefully crossed her legs and held her foot out so that she could admire her shoe. “Let’s just say I’m in the mood to torment him a little.” She looked up to grin at the women. “I am so glad I didn’t sell these when I hit the road.”

Melanie gasped, “Sell them? Oh no, never. I’d expect to be emaciated from hunger before I’d sell those.” All three women nodded in agreement.

Lisa stood and rinsed her cup in the sink and looked at the clock. “I have to go, I have a class this morning. Olivia, if you get bored, I’ve got some books you could read.” Now she grinned. “They’re somewhat racy, if you know what I mean. Anyway, there’s some on Devlin’s desk in his office.”

Olivia grinned. “He reads women’s erotica?”

Melanie smiled. “We sort of have a book club, and Devlin was mocking our taste in reading. So Lisa told him he wouldn’t get anymore of her homemade chocolate chip cookies unless he read some of them, and was able to contribute at our club meeting.”

“That’s classic,” Olivia said laughing.

Lisa waved on her way out the door, “Oh honey, you have no idea how much fun it can be.”

* * *

Rafe joined his brothers as they ran through the woods, leading them as their alpha. After a couple hours, they ended up in their favorite meadow and plopped down to rest, panting harshly.

Rafe’s form shimmered as he shifted. “Someone want to tell me what’s going on?” He looked to Devlin as his brother sat up and pushed his hair out of his face.

Ian spoke before Devlin could. “He has mate problems.”

Rafe blinked. “Already? Is it the usual, ‘I’m not your mate, your crazy, stay away from me,’ kind of problem?”

Ian snorted.

“No, it’s the ‘I’m full of drugs but, hey baby, let’s do this thing since I’m horny, and all.’” Devlin groaned.

He waited patiently for his brothers to quit laughing. “Are you done? Cause I’m clueless.” Devlin jumped up to pace. “Practically overnight she’s changed her mind and accepts being my mate? It has to be the drugs unless she had a sudden epiphany and realized we’re mates. Yeah, I don’t think so.” He sat again and plucked at the grass.

“Maybe a ghost told her you were her one and only true love.” Ian’s sarcastic comment wasn’t helping.

Devlin threw a lump of dirt at his head.

Rafe broke in before they could start wrestling, and shrugged. “Talk to her. That Tarzan crap doesn’t cut it.”

Ian looked at Rafe in astonishment. “You’re one to talk. I seem to remember Lisa coming to visit Stephanie and ending up at our house.”

“I had to protect her,” Rafe said simply. “Anyway, ask her once the drugs have had time to wear off. The mate bond isn’t one way you know, she’s feeling it too. Let’s head back, the more time you spend with her, the stronger the bond.”

* * *

“I’m bored.” Olivia turned the TV off and dropped the remote on the table. “I wonder if Devlin’s had his guy work on my car?”

“We can go and find out. The guys have a garage here on the property they work out of, come on lets go.” Melanie led the way, pulling Olivia toward the back door.

Her car was up on ramps with a pair of muscled, jean clad legs sticking out the side. The man under the car rolled out and stood, wiping his hands on his shop rag. His eyes widened when he saw Olivia standing with Melanie.

“Hello, mo ghraidh,” Niall drawled, staring at Olivia.

Olivia heard the growl behind her and knew Devlin had returned. Smiling, she strolled forward, making sure to sway with each step before leaning into Niall.

“Niall,” she purred as she reached up to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for working on my car.”

Melanie looked back and forth between Niall and Devlin, waiting for the explosion she knew to be coming. Ian’s arm came around her waist, pulling her back against him.

“Damn, she really knows how to torture a guy,” Ian whispered in his mate’s ear. He raised his voice to be heard by Olivia. “You’re mean. I like that in a woman.”

Olivia’s innocently turned back to the brothers. “I don’t know what you mean. Oh, hey Devlin, I didn’t know you were back.”

Devlin knew intellectually she was trying to get even after he’d turned her down this morning. But his wolf was ready to rip their old friend apart. He nodded to Niall, “Niall.” He took his time walking over to her, making sure he had his fury locked down. Niall like to flirt, he knew that. Hell, they both enjoyed flirting with any female the way a chocolate addict loves cocoa. Taking her hand, he led her away.

“Wait, I want to know how my car is coming along.” Olivia tugged his arm to make him stop.

“He’ll let us know. Come along love, we need to talk.”

Olivia could hear Ian’s comments as she followed Devlin.

“Babe, think you could get yourself some heels like that?”

Ian grunted when Melanie elbowed him. “Sure, Fifi. I’d love a pair, and they only cost $700.”

Olivia snorted when she heard Ian’s exclamation.

Devlin sat her down on the sofa in his office, not releasing her hand.

“Niall’s a great guy, isn’t he? Always so nice and charming.” She watched his jaw clench and thought, just maybe, she had gone too far.

Devlin decided it was time to turn the tables. “Yes my love, he is a great guy. We’ve been friends for many years. In fact, I think he’d be a great third. What do you think? Should we invite him into our bed?”

Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “What? No!” She was practically stuttering trying to get the words out as she tried to scoot away from him.

Devlin pounced, pinning her down with his body on top of hers. His voice purred in her ear, “Good to know, my love. Had you answered differently, I would have had to spank that beautiful ass.”

Olivia stiffened beneath him. “Get off me you ass. You think you’re some kind of Dom or something? I think you’ve been reading too many of your sister-in-laws books.”

Devlin chuckled. “Didn’t you know? All male wolves are Doms. We just never felt the need to name it.”

Devlin leaned back and watched her wiggle out to sit in the corner of the sofa.

“I want to go back to Charlie’s and get to work.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no? You are not my keeper. I’m an adult, I make my own decisions.”

“You’re going to tell me what changed your mind. Yesterday you denied you’re my mate, today you wake up and suddenly come to the realization that you’re mine. So, no more games, why do you accept my claim now?” Devlin waited while she adjusted her dress and smoothed the lines out by running her hands down her thighs.

This would be much easier if he would just kiss her and shut up, she grumbled under her breath. She felt like a fool trying to explain her quick turn around.

“Umm, I had a revelation?” Crap, that was supposed to be a statement, not a question.

Devlin stared at her, unblinking.

“I feel it too, okay? You’re the one for me, the stars are aligned, the earth is on its axis, everything is right in the world, blah, blah, blah.” She sat back and crossing her arms, dared him to laugh.

He held his laughter in, barely as he inched closer to her. “My love, your declaration makes my heart soar.”

She tried to shove him back, but he didn’t budge. “Oh, shut up.”

Lifting her up, he placed her in his lap with her butt snuggled up to his groin. Sweet torture. Devlin blew the hair away from her ear and whispered, “Tonight. The medication will be out of your system by then, and I’ll claim you.” Olivia shivered.

“Afterwards, we’ll go down to the pond and you’ll accept your gift from the Faery Queen and become a werewolf. Normally our pack would come along to watch and celebrate with us, but I don’t want to wait for a formal ceremony. You’ll be stronger, live longer and heal faster.”

“Will it hurt?” she asked quietly as she snuggled into his neck.

“No, this is pure magic. No morphing because of the moon or cracking bones. The magic simply takes over and transforms you.”

Olivia relaxed in his arms, letting her worries fall away.

Willie woke with the expected disorientation, which seemed to be his new normal. Taking a moment, he looked around trying to figure out where he was. Oh yeah, now he remembered. He always woke up back in his crappy apartment.

He laughed knowing the residents in the building had no idea he haunted the place. The room had not changed at all, still dreary and dirty. He wondered if they would rent the place out eventually and thought of the fun he could have with any new tenants.

There was something he wanted to do, he knew. Thinking hard, he remembered. The pond. That place was incredible, the power embedded in the water called to him. He needed to get back there, but he was confused about how he’d found the pond in the first place.

Sitting on the edge of his dirty mattress, he pushed through the memories, trying to take hold and capture the pond in his head. That was the trick. Picture it and he could transport himself there.

A moment later he stood at the waters edge across from a castle. He stared at the monstrosity thinking some old couple probably lived there with more money than brains.

Walking into the water, he felt his essence absorb the energy. He felt godlike, indestructible. Dying wasn’t so bad. He could go wherever he wanted with no one to stop him.

Now, if he could find that last girl that had gotten away. That one still troubled him. There was something different about her, something he couldn’t get a handle on.

She’d been an easy target. He’d seen her talking on her phone as she left the student center, unaware he stood in the shadows, watching.

When he shot the electrodes from his Taser, she’d crumbled gracelessly into his arms. He had no problem pouring her onto his trucks bench seat with the electrodes still attached to her body. Bending her knees, he arranged her on her side and shut his passenger door before going around to the drive’s side.

Sliding in, he picked his Taser back up from the floorboard where he had placed it. He would need to shock her every few minutes to keep her down, he knew.

The parking lot was dark, courtesy of the BB gun he carried in his truck. He chuckled. No one realized the damage a simple BB gun could do. Quiet but powerful under the right circumstance.

He felt her head move against his thigh, surprising him, so he automatically shocked her again. This bitch was strong. His other victims had been crying and slobbering after the first shot.

He slowly rolled out onto the road, not wanting the attention of any police. The college was right off the highway which made getting away so much easier. He did not have far to go before he turned off onto a dirt track which led to an abandoned camper surrounded by dense trees.