Wolf's Valentine

Chapter Three

Jana stayed very still as Malcolm's fingers ran down her back and through her long brown hair. His eyes were hungry and sent shivers through her body. This was the mating—this is what she'd dreamed of during her lonely years. Together, they would undertake a ritual not spoken of except between mates.

"You are so beautiful. Looking at you is like having the gates of heaven open for a moment to prove there is eternity."

She reached up to stroke the side of his face and he closed his eyes. Rubbing his whiskers, she stroked him like she had his ears earlier when he'd been a wolf. Shifters loved touch—loved to give it and adored receiving it—and it had been too long since she'd had anyone to share small pleasures like this with. She got the impression from his reactions that Malcolm was as touch starved as she was.

"What happens now?"

Malcolm's eyes flew open and he laughed. "Ha. I don't know about the actual ritual but the rest of it, the mating, I think we both can sort of imagine what that is."

"That we can."

Pulling his head down to hers by the back of his neck, she moaned as his warm lips met hers. Malcolm tasted like the night. Wind-blown and secretive. The longer they embraced the more she noticed the smell of embers on his scent and the ferocity of the woods. He was everything she'd waited for and more.

"You are such a miracle to me. I thought to walk alone through time waiting for my mate, that I was somehow unworthy of finding my other half as I was so small during the destruction and others had waited longer. But there you were standing in that lobby and I knew my soul would never again be empty. An angel had been sent to fill it."

"Oh, Malcolm." Jana rubbed her head against his chest, gently biting him. He pulled her closer. "I was alone long enough for the both of us."

The sadness in his voice made her heart weep, and she wished she could climb inside of him and take away any hurt he had ever endured before they met. What must it have been like? To be raised on Westervelt in the shadow of the destruction? Knowing from early childhood what his father did to his mother? Her own youth had been so joyful, full of pack and easy days.

Back then, Kendrick had seemed like their benevolent leader, the Alpha who would never let them down.

Jana's body felt anxious, warm, uncomfortable, and expectant like she was no longer satisfied in her own skin and needed to join with him to make her whole again. Malcolm's mouth met hers, this time his kiss demanding and declaring ownership. That was fine with Jana, she would be owned by Malcolm, and would own him back in return.

Reaching between them, she ran her hands through the thick, dark hair she'd been teasing since their shift and let herself indulge in the feel of his maleness. His body was so different than hers. Hard in places she was soft and she'd never thought fate would grant her the opportunity to mate.

"When you touch me like that, I want to throw you down on the ground and lose all my good intentions of being gentle and slow."

Jana bit her lower lip. This was fun. "I'm sure you can control yourself, big strong shifter like you."

He growled and bit her shoulder. She shuddered under the very welcome assault.

Inside her wolf howled with pleasure. Malcolm knew how to appeal to her as a woman and a shifter. Both of them were falling for him, hard.

Malcolm traced his finger from her navel up to her neck and she shuddered. Another second of this, and she was going to beg him to make good on his threat of doing it fast and furious. She wasn't sure she could survive slow and easy. Not if what he was doing was what he considered those two words to mean.

Reaching down, she took his strong manhood into her hand and cupped it. He groaned and closed his eyes, laying his head down on her shoulder. She felt his body shake as she rubbed him gently.

"Careful, Jana, I've been hard since I saw you a month ago."

"That's a long time to be so uncomfortable. Why didn't you show yourself earlier?"

"By nature, I'm cautious. I wanted to make sure revealing myself wouldn't place you in more danger, and I was under the mistaken impression that Theo didn't want us to stop taking the herbs under any circumstances." He sucked in his breath. "Damn, you are killing me."

Jana eased the pressure.

"You haven't had as much time to know me as I had to know you, beautiful lady."

His voice sounded husky and hard. It made her insides feel, if it was possible, warmer to know she'd done that to him. "I've done very little but watch you for the last month."

"I didn't know you were my mate—despite your valentine—but I did know I was more obsessed with you than I've ever been with a human before. I thought maybe my wolf was relenting on the human rule."

He planted kisses up and down her shoulder blades and on the top of her breasts.

"Human rule?"

"My wolf made it very clear early on in my forced exile from Westervelt that she would not consider taking a human as a mate. She said there was no way a human could keep up with her and she wouldn't settle."

Malcolm snickered. "No, she just knew I was coming and evidently decided to keep that information from you."

I had a pretty good idea he was a wolf.

Rolling her eyes, Jana smiled. Why should she be surprised? Her wolf had made somewhat of a career of keeping things from her.

This time when they met, lip-to-lip, she felt as compelled to hurry things as he did.

His hands rubbed and stroked all over her body, and she wished she were taller so she could be as attentive to his form as he was being to hers. Everywhere she could reach, she stroked and touched him. He groaned, kissing her harder, and she sighed under the strong feel of him.

Together, they lowered themselves down onto the ground. It didn't feel cold or wet on the grass, it felt like home. As if the earth itself welcomed their joining with open arms. The moonlight danced over their naked bodies, illuminating the field in shadows and silver rays of moonlight.

Jana kissed the bottom of Malcolm's chin. "My mate."

He nodded. "I am." As if he needed the confirmation as much as she did that this was real and not a figment of their mutual imagination.

He smoothed her hair out of her eyes. "Happy Valentine's Day, Jana."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Malcolm."

When they actually joined their bodies together physically, Jana cried not from pain but from the sheer joy of having Malcolm inside of her, a part of her body, his soul mingled with hers. She was complete for the first time in years—maybe ever, knowing she was joined to this strong male shifter who would be forever hers.

"Open your eyes, my mate." Jana obeyed his strong command and gasped.

Colors floated through the air, connecting them together. She could see his soul entering hers, color by color, piece by piece. The first piece of Malcolm to enter Jana was his extreme sense of loyalty. Colored red, she wasn't surprised to see it was his most dominant characteristic. He never would have been sent on such a dangerous mission if the Alpha hadn't been completely sure of his loyalty to them.

What did surprise her, though, was the tremendous loyalty he'd held for her even before they had met. Just the very idea of having an eternal mate had led him to make decisions he thought would make him better suited to a potential mate. Indeed, he had been correct, there was nothing she admired more in others than sheer undaunted love and loyalty to those who deserved it.

Next, she was filled with his sense of humor, his strength, and determination. He could be obstinate, but only when he was sure he was right—a decision he didn't come to lightly. In some ways, he was insecure. Younger than most of the other males on Westervelt he often didn't feel worthy, as if his youth had shielded him from most of the pain they'd lived with on a daily basis.

Each one of his character traits held a beautiful color. So dazzling, in fact, she forgot for a moment that he was receiving the same information about her. In her chest, her heart sped up. What did he see about her? The fact that she fought with her wolf and couldn't match a handbag with a pair of shoes if someone paid her.

Malcolm reached out and smoothed her hair on her head. The effect was so soothing that for a second she closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the sensations filling her body.

"I can see why no one talks about this. It's way too personal." Malcolm's voice was barely a whisper as if too much conversation or too loud a tone would destroy the quiet piece surrounding them. She stroked his chin.

"It's just us. It belongs only to us."

The last color whisked into her soul, where she became aware of it as it took hold. It was now as integral to her very existence as her liver. If someone took those colors away, she would quite simply perish. One mate followed the other to death. This wasn't just a foreign concept to her anymore, or something she'd once watched happen to her parents.

No, Malcolm was integral and if he went she would follow.

Malcolm pinched her nose and she yelped. "I don't know what you're thinking about but I can't imagine that with that look on your face that it's very pleasant. Knock it off, no worries right now." He paused. "Or at least let me worry about them for you."

Is that how it's going to work now? You're going to do all my thinking and worrying?

How gothic or Victorian of you, Malcolm.

He snickered, putting his head down next to hers on the grass. I can hear your sarcasm even over telepathy.

She sighed curling up next to him. They lay quietly for a second before she watched Malcolm sniff the air. Following his lead, she let her senses search the night for any scents that shouldn't be there.

Nothing attracted her attention but Malcolm's body had gone rigid, tense, and she knew he wasn't prone to fits of fancy. She sat up. "What is it?"

Shaking his head, he looked right and left. "Not sure, more of a feeling than anything else at the moment." He stood up and offered her his hand, which she took. His hand was callused and she shivered at the recent memory of what that hand had done to and for her.

Jana's cheeks heated and Malcolm grinned for a moment before his expression became serious again.

"Time to go, I think."

"On just a hunch?"

"Saved my life a few times."

Jana nodded. "Do we have time to grab our clothes?"

"With the way you run? Absolutely."

Malcolm took off first, shifting as he ran. Jana was right behind him for a short distance and then overtook him on the way back to their clothes.

He was playing it cool in front of Jana. If he turned out to be wrong, she might not trust his instincts so completely next time so it was better to act nonchalant and hope that this time he just overreacted.

Of course, he didn't believe that for a second.

If he'd learned anything over the last few years, it was that scent could no longer be trusted. If he could hide his smell from Jana and anyone else, Kendrick's wolves could do the same. They were on a dark field and he was with his mate whose incredibly gracious and capable soul he was now in possession of. There was no way in hell he was going to let a bunch of monstrous wolves get the jump on them. Not while they wiled away like they had all the time in the world.

Looking at the sky, he judged it to be about three in the morning. Valentine's Day was over and the moon was full. He wondered briefly if there was some sort of luck associated with that. Good or bad, Jana would be making it safely back to her apartment if he had to kill every wolf between here and Manhattan to get her there.

Penny for your thoughts? Jana was up ahead of him where he could watch her and cover her behind.

He smiled, his wolf grin appearing in the moonlight. Don't know if they're worth that much or not.

Funny. She paused, swinging around until she faced him in the grass. For such a tiny wolf, she could intimidate with the best of them. Don't avoid the question.

I think they're here, they're watching us, and they're disguising their scents.

Jana's ears flattened to her skull as she narrowed her eyes and growled. Swinging around, she challenged the darkness. He raised his tail; his mate was a force to be reckoned with. How is everyone doing that? How did you keep yours hidden for so long and on that subject why did you do that?

Malcolm ran up next to her bumping her side with his head. He wanted her to keep moving. She growled at him but picked up her speed. I'm told Kendrick used to dish out an extract made from some herbs to his chosen warriors. But we have this herb on Westervelt, that's where it comes from. It temporarily hides our scents, and mostly we use it to spy of Kendrick. Theo felt, given the nature of the assignment, that the warriors out looking for the made-wolves should be using it too. Hence, why I hid my scent from you for so long.

In his head, he heard Jana laugh. I always thought that was the stuff of legend. 'Be careful or Kendrick will come and get you, you'll never smell him coming.' Like the way we all spoke about Cullen. 'Watch how you behave or your parents will send Cullen Murphy to your room in the middle of the night.'

I never heard those stories. By the time I was a child, all the nightmares had come true. He paused, sniffing the air. There was simply nothing to scent and yet he knew they were there. As soon as they reached the clearing with their belongings, he was going to do something he never did in front of others and use his other ability to figure out who was out there.

We're here. Jana ran to her clothes.

Don't shift yet. I want to know how many of them are out there. They might just be waiting for us to go back to our human form so they can beat the hell out of us. He sniffed the night air. Still nothing. Damn.

How do you plan to accomplish this?

I have certain abilities. Sometimes I can see things other people can't see.

Like an extrasensory ability?

That's a good way to put it.

Anything I can do to help? She ran closer to him rubbing her midsection against his.

Just by existing you help more than you can ever know.

He knew he should probably be more suave than he was, but she was his mate and he felt no inclination to hide his true nature from her. Closing his eyes, he sent his senses searching. It was hard to describe to people exactly what it was that he was able to do. It would be like someone asking him to instruct them in breathing or swallowing. Malcolm had simply known how to do it since he was old enough to know how to do anything.

The night spread out before him like he looked through a digital camera. At first all he could see was what was close to him but as if he pressed a button to extend his viewing range, he could suddenly see more and more detail further away. The blades of grass seemed clearer, and the dust that floated on the wind was illuminated in the moonlight. Where were they? He gritted his teeth, he needed more power, more strength.

Pushing through the pain that had started in his head, he moved one more stretch of space.

He sucked in the air he breathed—hard. They were here and there were a lot of them.

Quickly, he did a head count of the wolves. Fifty at least. Damn. He wouldn't have thought they warranted that much attention but evidently he was wrong. The Alpha of the group, or at least that's what he assumed it was due to the sheer size of the wolf, stood up on its hind legs and shook its head. Slobber fell from its fur and Malcolm tried not to gag at the sight.

Pull back now. We need to save our mate from this fight.

Nodding, Malcolm listened to his wolf as he brought his focus back to their immediate surroundings. Jana ran to him, hitting his head with hers.

What the hell did you just do?

Unlike most of the males in our pack, I actually have a few magical things I can do.

In general, I don't advertize them because it's so odd amongst our kind.

Maybe I've just been away from the pack for a long time, but I don't really care what they find strange or odd. Did you just manage to somehow look into the darkness?

I did and now I know we need to get you out of here.

She shook her head. Get me out? Ha. If you think I'm the type of woman to be left behind while you go handle this, you're wrong. Out of the two of us, you're the one who got the crap beat out of him earlier. Not me.

Malcolm had to admit, he admired his mate's courage. But that didn't mean he had any intention of letting her fight anyone. In this case, they had clear-cut roles and his was to protect his woman.

A snapping twig was the only indication he got the attack was coming. He whirled around at the sound and Jana growled as the first wave of disgusting made-wolves plowed out of the bushes. He bared his teeth and leaped at the Alpha. If he brought him down, perhaps the others would crumble.

As he bit down into the rotting flesh of the animal that should never have been made, he swung around to check for Jana. She had three wolves approaching her yet she stood her ground, easily taking one of them out by diving beneath it, lifting up, and sending it skywards. He heard a yelp from the gross creature.

Don't worry about me. Focus on you.

Jana sounded exasperated and he supposed he had been distracting her by not paying attention to what he needed to do.

Crouching low, he lunged at the Alpha, biting it again. He'd learned from his last encounter with the strange creatures. They didn't fight like real wolves. While the Westervelt pack behaved like wolves when they were in their four-footed bodies, these

'animals' still attacked like a wild bunch of thugs. It was like they didn't know how to coordinate their movements.

That first attack had thrown him for a loop. But he knew better now. If they wanted to fight like humans with tails, he knew how to do that too. Every untrained pup in the pack started out that way. He would take them down like he'd been when he was still learning.

Reaching up with a paw, he swiped his claws at the attacking wolf, catching it in the eye. Screeching, the wolf jumped backwards, blood gushing from the open wound. If the mad canine lived through this encounter, Malcolm just blinded him in that eye. His wolf wanted to roar at the small win after the disastrous fight on the streets of New York earlier but he restrained himself, as he concentrated on taking the grey Alpha down to the ground.

Biting with his fangs and tearing with his claws, Malcolm lunged forward using his immense weight to force the other wolf onto its back. With its paws in the air, the monstrosity looked more like a tipped over bug than a canine with fighting abilities.

Tearing at his soft center belly, the Alpha howled.

Time seemed to slow down around them as the other wolves hearing that noise stopped their fight mid-stride. Malcolm's tail waved back and forth. He'd been right. This one was the Alpha and an injured Alpha would leave this group of misfits confused.

Raising his ears, he made a split second decision.

Jana, I'm capturing the Alpha.

You're what? Her voice couldn't have sounded more incredulous if she tried.

Azriel is studying these wolves—trying to help them, free them, or something. I bet he could use an Alpha.

Jana growled at two wolves in front of her and they yelped and ran away into the woods. How the hell are we going to get it back to Westervelt?

Biting the wolf once more to make sure it was still pinned down, Malcolm considered her question. We'll rent a car.

Oh heavens help me, I'm mated to a crazy wolf.

Ha. Think you could growl at the stragglers who haven't run off?

I can do that. But we aren't renting any damn car. Jana growled loudly and lunged at one of the distorted wolves. It yelped and ran off.

Malcolm gripped his opponent's head in his powerful jaws and slammed it on the ground, rendering the Alpha creature unconscious. Calling the shift on himself, Malcolm turned to Jana who was doing the same. In front of his eyes, she changed from a small petite wolf into the glorious shape of his woman, his mate, his life.

It seemed to him that she had been shaped from the soil in Fate's effort to create the perfect woman. How was it possible that one person could be everything to him? A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed it away.

"Malcolm, why are you looking at me that way?" Jana narrowed her eyes.

"I like to look at you Jana."

His heart pounded as in the darkness he could see her cheeks redden. "It's one of the reasons I took so long to reveal myself to you. There was just something so sensual about watching you for that month without you knowing who I was."

She raised an eyebrow. "And now that I know you, I bet you thought it would be super romantic to reveal yourself on Valentine's Day."

"Okay, there was that aspect to it too."

The wolf on the ground made a groaning noise and started to rise. Malcolm cuffed it with a swift fist, causing it to lose consciousness again.

"If you're not careful, you're going to kill that thing."

He shook his head. "They don't die so easily, unfortunately."

"So I mean it, we're not renting a car."

"Why not?"

She walked up to him and ran a hand down his arm. "Because we have something else to do."

Sensual images of Jana naked beneath him filled his mind and he swallowed hard. "I have a feeling you're not talking about what I'm imagining."

"If you're imagining the two of us going after my illustrious boss Carl, then yes, we're thinking about the same thing."

"Not even close." He paused to consider what she said. "Okay, then how do we get Alpha here up to Maine?"

Jana shrugged. "Get on your cell phone. If Az and the boys need an Alpha, let them come down and pick it up."

The idea of calling a Kane and demanding they come down and pick up this wolf made him snicker. Jana obviously had no fear.

As if reading his mind, she laughed. "It's one of the benefits of having grown up with Michael and Gabriel. It makes me older than our Alpha. I can still remember them all as little boys."

"And I guess you haven't technically sworn allegiance to the new pack yet."

"True." She ran a hand through her brown hair. "But I will."

Picking up his cell phone out of his pants pocket, he grinned. "Maybe I can demand they send down Cullen."

Jana's eyes got huge. "Even I wouldn't go that far."

"Woman, you make me feel like embracing danger."

Sniffing the air, he hoped his words weren't premonitions of things to come.