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Darkest Magic

Copyright © 2014 by Eva Lefoy

ISBN: 978-1-61333-718-9

Cover art by Syneca Featherstone

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

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Decadent Publishing Beyond Fairytales

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Darkest Magic

By

Eva Lefoy

A Beyond Fairytales Adaptation of

Grimm’s The Blue Light

Prologue

Nicodemus felt a tug on his cloak and looked down to find a very small boy. The lad had been at the performance he’d just given and appeared eager for more. “Yes? What is it, my lad?”

“Please, I’ve come from far away.” He wiped his nose on his sleeve. “I want you to tell me another story before I have to go home.”

Nicodemus studied the well-worn clothes and the lack of sturdy shoes on the boy’s feet and his heart softened. “Where’s home?”

“All the way in Pinkerstown, sir.”

“Hmm. That is far. You wish a tale to take with you, one you can recall on the long journey?”

“Yes, if you please, sir.”

“Well then.…” Nicodemus stroked his chin. “Let me think.” He’d been talking all day and was already tired. But he knew so many yarns, he had only to pick one to satisfy the boy. Ah, but he’d been young a very long time ago. Stymied, he shrugged. “What did you have in mind?”

The boy’s eyes widened and his mouth formed a mischievous grin. “Something with danger and magic and witches!”

Just then a wave of magic rippled the air around them and Nicodemus turned to view its source. So did the lad. A large party entered the fairgrounds. Not a noisy bunch—it wasn’t sound drawing onlookers to gaze at them, but the invisible force of their inherent power. The group moved slowly, bearing an element of unnatural grace. They emitted a relaxed confidence with a hint of underlying danger. The crowd held its collective breath as they passed, and the creatures of the woods stilled. The boy pulled at his cloak again.

“What are those?”

“Wolves,” he answered plainly, for he was not the least bit afraid.

“Wolves?” The boy opened his mouth to say more but stopped. Behind the initial pack followed a couple, a pregnant woman with bright golden-brown hair and a dark-haired man with his arm around her waist. They walked separately from the rest, smiling, their heads bent together as though sharing a private joke. The lad pointed. “Are those wolves, too?”

“Oh yes.”

He scrunched up his nose. “They’re different.”

“Yes, they are. How perceptive of you to notice.” All of the sudden, Nicodemus knew just what to say. “Would you like to hear their story? It’s a tale of good and evil, witches and magic, and the deep, dark secrets of the forest.”

His eyes lit up. “Would I? Oh, yes. Please!”

“Then come here.” He patted his knee. Again, today, he’d become a storyteller, the job he most loved to do. “I shall tell you the yarn of the blue light and how it changed the world of two special wolves forever. Are you ready?”

The boy nodded.

“All right. Once upon a time, in Fairwood Forest….”

Chapter One

Many years ago in Fairwood Forest…

Caroline inhaled Nik’s woodsy scent and longed to rub herself against his flannel shirt and jeans. The man was gorgeous to look at. His dark hair swept low over his brow in an effortlessly sexy style. The stubble on his chin and cheeks lent him an outdoor-rough manly appeal few pulled off as well. She sighed and desire flooded her from head to toe. But, as usual, the desire left her unfulfilled. After all these years, Nik still hadn’t made a move on her.

Frustrated, but ever hopeful, she rounded the corner of the woodshed and pretended to bump right into him. He caught her easily, his warm, gentle hands circling her waist. For a few seconds, their bodies touched from chest to hip. The tingle zinged through her like an electric charge. Oh, God, how she wanted to give herself over to the wave of lust washing over her. The trouble would be getting Nik to go along for the ride. “Nik,” she breathed, raising her arms and putting her hands behind his neck. She slanted her mouth upward, lips parted in a blatant invitation. She sensed the instant his cock went hard. It pressed against her mound firm as an iron rod, making her womb clench. “Sorry for intruding,” she murmured.

His mouth sank toward hers until it hovered tantalizingly close then abruptly stopped. He released her and backed out of her reach, running his fingers through his hair as though trying to make sense of something. She missed the touch immediately and resisted the urge to fist her hands and scream. Nik’s hesitation more than exasperated her; it made her want to kick him in the ass.

“No problem, Cari.” He flashed her his usual conspirator’s smile. “What kind of trouble are you getting into today?”

She huffed, gritting her teeth as she slapped her thighs. “Nothing, really.” But I’d like to, if you’d only cooperate, you infuriating man. Taking another chance, she stepped close enough to whisper in his ear, “But if you have any ideas, let me know.”

Nik tilted his head back and gave a light chuckle. She took the opportunity to touch his chest, swiping her fingers across his solid pec. When he brought his head forward once more, his smoldering eyes set the region between her legs on fire. Oh yes, please, Nik. Please.

“What’s this?” her father’s voice boomed.

Both of them jumped, though, as wolves, they should have heard him coming. Apparently neither had been focused on their surroundings. She ducked her chin and glanced at her father from under lowered lashes, both perturbed and anxious lest she rouse his ire.

Nik kept his head down, too. “Nothing, Eli. Just taking a break from chopping, is all.”

“You can take an even longer one and go into town for me.” Eli handed him a list. “This should keep you busy till dark.”

Nodding, Nik took the scrap of paper and left. He didn’t even glance her way. But she’d been so close. “Nik, wait.” She took a step after him and her father’s hand clamped around her arm like a vise, stopping her in her tracks.

“You stay here.”

“But I can go along and help him. Besides, I need to do some shopping of my own.”

Her father’s eyes glowed red, and a vein pulsed in his neck. Knowing she’d aggravated him, she tried to twist out of his grasp but only succeeded in squirming under his unrelenting gaze.

“What do you want with him, anyway?”

Want? “Father, don’t you know? You of all people should realize….” She caught a flash of red hair a few seconds before Eli’s wife, Petrina, appeared in full view. Instantly, she recoiled. Petrina’s green eyes were glistening and as changeable as a stormy sea. The creepy woman made her flesh crawl. “Please, Father, let me go.”

“Stay away from Nik,” he growled. “This is your last warning.” He released her roughly, pushed her away, and went to join the woman he’d married after her mother had died. A poor substitute, in her opinion. Father had made a mistake marrying this one.

Once freed, she didn’t walk, she ran. Fled into the forest around their homestead where nothing but pine trees and birds could touch her. Caroline sprinted until she panted like a mad beast. When she finally stopped, she sank to her knees and pummeled the dirt with her hands. She stifled scream after scream as she beat the woods—for with their excellent wolf ears the pack would surely hear her—but didn’t bother hiding her sobs. Without Nik, her tears were all she had left.

* * *

A faint rustle of leaves betrayed Eli’s presence. That, and his scent. It stank of magic, these days, and Nik suspected the source. He scrunched his nose so as not to take in more of the all-too-familiar odor than absolutely necessary. The threat of impending violence permeated the sweet forest air around him, spoiling its natural purity. Less than a half-mile behind him, Eli paused and howled. The deep, hollow-sounding warning rattled through the pine needles like a battle cry, settling low and heavy in his gut. Oh, fuck. What’s his problem? I didn’t even touch Caroline.

Hairs standing on his neck, he turned his head, dropped, and shifted, careful not to bare his teeth while his claws sank into the soft sandy soil. Showing them might set Eli off into another of his frenzies. Though his beta, he wasn’t immune to the alpha’s anger, but he’d borne more than his fair share of the beatings this past year. Sparing the rest of the pack was one thing, deliberately pissing off the alpha only asked for trouble.

Eli’s wolf came to a stop four feet from him, his white fur peppered with gray moving softly in the breeze. His delta, Petrina, and two fighters took up position at his flanks. A veritable army come to visit.

Shit. What’s wrong? Are we under attack?

He watched Eli shift to human; his alpha’s silent demand he change tingled under his skin, entreating his own wolf to follow.

Nik shifted slowly, hesitant to give up his fighting form but Eli could force the shift if he desired, an even less-favorable outcome. A few seconds later, they stood man-to-man, alpha to beta. He kept his head slightly bowed but swept the area with his senses. No other wolves were around, but in the alpha’s choice of greeting party, and in his stance, he smelled trouble.

“Nikko,” Eli soothed, using his favorite diminutive for him—a name he hated. “We need to talk, and I thought it best we do so out here.”

None of the other wolves sat. All remained at attention. The hairs on his neck didn’t just stand, they marched. Every nerve he possessed readied for a fight. His wolf clamored to get out. He kept his eyes low, his speech careful. “What’s up? Is the pack in trouble?”

“Trouble?” Eli threw his head backward and his massive chest out and laughed. “There’s no trouble. In fact everything’s perfect.” He motioned toward the smaller, red-coated wolf beside him. “Petrina’s pregnant.”

The only sound he heard was his own long inhale. None of the other wolves moved or twitched. Why was it a big secret? “Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”

Eli nodded and smiled as he closed the distance between them. “And it’s time for you to go.”

“Go? Go where?”

“You’re done, Nikko. I don’t need you anymore.”

He flinched at the hand clapped on his shoulder. Though they’d been close as brothers while the alpha’s first mate was alive, things had deteriorated steadily since her death. This was probably the first time he had simply touched him and not hit him in over two years. It struck him as weirdly unreal.

“You’re out of the pack. Get your things and go.”

His brain went into freefall. This makes no sense. “But…I’m your beta.”

“Were. I don’t need a second anymore, Nikko. Petrina’s child will be my successor. He will rule by my side.”

A pack without a beta? Who had heard of such a thing? Or did Eli fear he’d one day try and take control, if things got bad enough with the Eli and Petrina circus? Oh hell, that’s it. He’s worried about maintaining his power. He knew in his heart the alpha was right. If he had the balls, he’d challenge the alpha and get it done and over with. An even more insane Eli was the biggest threat the pack faced. They’d unravel bit by bit from the inside, not be done in by an attack from a neighboring pack. Still, he found himself shaking his head, his loyalty as a beta too ingrained to simply let go, his allegiance to the pack too solid to let him up and walk away. Besides, he was a born follower, not a leader. He had no ambition to run the pack himself. Eli had to listen to reason. “He’s not even born yet. Without a full-grown second, the pack will be vulnerable, unstable. You need me—now more than ever.”

“Untrue. Petrina has assured me we will be safe, and these men have already sworn allegiance to my son. I’ve got it covered, bro.”

A slippery feeling crept up his spine as he risked a glance at her malachite wolf eyes. The change in their leader had started when he’d mated her two years ago, bringing her into the pack suddenly and unannounced. An outsider, no one knew of her or the pack she claimed to hail from. Though her unknown origins weren’t a serious problem, her demeanor had always made him wary. He trusted her about as much as a knife at his throat. But his allegiance continued unbroken, for better or for worse. “Look, if you want me to swear a pledge as well…?”

“Not necessary. You’re gone, Nikko. Time for you to get on your way.” The wolves padded forward silently to hover at the alpha’s side.

He wasn’t scared by the obvious act of showmanship. He’d faced off against most of these wolves before, knew their strengths and weaknesses. But the fact his own Alpha thought he needed them here caught his attention. Eli was the biggest wolf in the pack. He didn’t require the other wolves’ protection. Therefore, they were there to convince him to go peacefully. Why?

Nik sniffed the air and caught a hint of scent, one he’d kill to protect. Caroline. From the faraway quality of her smell, Caroline was currently at the compound. With her father acting strangely, was she safe there any longer? Worry skittered through him. If Eli was crazy enough to make his as-yet-unborn child beta, what would he do to his daughter by his former mate? He raised his eyes to his alpha, his protective instincts for Caroline surging to the surface so fast and hard he could barely contain them. He’d touched her, damn near held her in his arms and kissed her, a few hours ago. The memory burned through him with a new intensity that wrenched his heart.

Eli’s nostrils flared, his pupils glinting with the golden hue of his wolf’s rising ire. He wasn’t one to stand for even an iota of defiance.

He gritted his teeth and all but thrust the unspoken claim to her resting in his heart into the open. “What about Caroline?”

A flash of cold, dark ice went through Eli’s eyes and Nik’s concern for her welfare ratcheted to stark fear. He instantly knew her fate would be death. The alpha would kill his unborn son’s only rival to ensure his complete, everlasting rule. His stomach twisted into a knot as a strong hit of adrenaline flushed him hot.

“She won’t be needed either.”

The second the words left Eli’s lips, Nik’s body began the shift without thought, without hesitation. He lowered as he transformed, and then, using his hind legs, sprang up and forward with claws out, teeth bared in full attack. His goal: rip Eli’s throat out. The reason: daring to threaten Caroline.

At the exact same instant, the alpha used his superior power and shifted from standing, matching him claw for claw, fang for fang. The scrape of tooth on tooth echoed through the forest, but drawing blood was the only thing Nik cared about. In his lust to hurt the man who’d threatened Caroline, he lunged, fangs extended and reaching for Eli’s throat.

The alpha rebuffed his attack with a powerful bone-shattering head butt, sending him crashing to the earth, ears ringing.

Snarling, he rose to his paws and hurled himself toward the gray wolf in front of him. Blind to anything but his own rage, he snapped his jaw shut but was too late to sink his bite into Eli’s neck. He snagged only a mouthful of fur. Before he could move away, needle-sharp fangs clamped onto Nik’s shoulder. When the alpha shook his massive head, the skin tore and the joint instantly dislocated. Wracked with pain, no longer able to stand on all fours, Nik sank once more onto the dirt, his breath ragged.

Above him, Eli growled and pranced in a circle, asserting his superiority in a gloating show that only made Nik more livid. Blood ringed the alpha’s snout, but any injuries he’d sustained were already healing.

For reasons he could not explain, Nik’s weren’t. His wolf howled in frustration but, even after several more seconds had passed, his pain didn’t lessen. Anxiety crept in. Stopping the fight wasn’t an option. If he turned tail now, a wolf seeking the beta position might see his retreat as weakness and attack, eager to attain new standing in the pack over his dead body. More dazed than he cared to let on, he lay still and let his weight sink into the dirt, conserving his resources for one more assault. Then, when Eli was several yards away, he leapt, using his three good legs, and made one last attempt for the alpha’s jugular.

Eli must have anticipated his move. He spun and dove, hitting him full force in the side with his big blocky head.

Nik grunted from the impact and spun, nipping at Eli’s neck, hoping to do damage, searching for a way to make him feel pain. But the other wolf moved faster than his fangs could connect. Frustrated, he pounced onto his alpha’s back, the impact taking both of them to the ground. They thrashed their claws as they rolled, each of them seeking to attain dominance. Dirt and leaves flew around them. The other wolves had to scoot farther away to give them room, but all knew better than to interfere. When Eli at last emerged on top, Nik sank his teeth into the alpha’s foreleg and tried to drag him back down. But his hold wasn’t deep enough. Eli shook him off and danced away. Frustrated, Nik came to all fours and snarled, his curling lip exposing his fangs.

Eli met him muzzle to muzzle and growled a warning so low and deep it would have made every wolf’s hackles rise. This particular sound the alpha used only when about to kill an enemy. The forest went completely still. None of the other wolves breathed. All signs of life ceased.

Nik shook his head, amazed. His original battle plans had turned into a fight to the death. Wounded, half-blind with pain, he did the only thing he could do to live another day and protect Caroline. He lowered his gaze and his snout toward the ground and stood there panting, hoping the alpha would accept his surrender. After all, he was still technically his beta. He’d served him well for years. Killing him had to be out of the question. Or was it? Eli had threatened to kill his only daughter. The thought sickened Nik’s stomach and his loyalty strained. His desire to pummel the alpha rose again. The battle wouldn’t truly be over until she was out of danger.

Eli shifted to human form. When he waved his arm, Nik felt the pull. His body obeyed, shifting to human without his permission. Eli grinned, raised his fist and punched him in the face. He forced himself not to retaliate. It was all he could do not to let his clamoring wolf take control. But Eli’s power was too solid, his force too brutal to overcome. He could not win. And if he wanted Eli to accept his surrender, he dared not retaliate.

His alpha’s next blow broke Nik’s jaw in two. Before he could recover, Eli jumped him and pinned him to the ground on his belly. Fists pummeled his back, breaking ribs, smashing his head into the dirt. All the while he laughed, sounding inhuman, insane. Finally, he rolled Nik over and rose.

He tried to stand but his shins were broken, their healing slowed to a crawl by some weird, unnatural force. In his blurry daze, he saw Petrina lingering a little ways from the rest of the group, her eerie green eyes trained directly on him. Malice laced her gaze, tinged with a kind of evil he couldn’t name. It only stopped when her mate went to stand next to her, petting her ruff.

“If you didn’t get the message, Nikko, my associates will be glad to deliver another.” The other three wolves closed around them, forming a circle that promised more pain. With Petrina at his side, the alpha turned and walked away, never looking back.

Nik watched him go but didn’t move a muscle, though each breath caused considerable pain and he wanted nothing more than to writhe in agony and whimper. The slightest sign of motion or disagreement and he’d have to fight three more wolves while injured and unhealed. His former packmates snarled and nudged him with their snouts, trying to get enough of a response out of him to justify an assault. He didn’t give them one, not because he didn’t want to, but because, in his current condition, he couldn’t afford to. Eventually, when the moon took residence above, they lost interest and sauntered off, heading home to the compound without him. He longed to follow them but could not stand.

Alone and helpless as a lame duck, he kept his ears pricked, listening for any sounds of battle coming from the compound. But he heard nothing. Perhaps Caroline was safe for the night. But what about tomorrow? I shouldn’t have attacked Eli tonight. I shouldn’t have lost my temper.

Now he was lying in the forest beaten and wounded, easy prey for any wandering predator. It would be just his luck to have to fight a hungry cougar. His wounds hadn’t even begun to heal. He still didn’t know the reason, but Petrina’s evil gaze gnawed his guts. She was behind this. She had to be. Why else would Eli threaten to kill his own child and keep hers? Lying in the bed of soft pine needles, he snarled softly. He wouldn’t let harm come to Caroline, even if he had to fight an army and die in the process to keep her safe. He only hoped he could heal first, and to do so, he needed a safe place to hole up and more time.

Swallowing the burn in his throat, he pushed himself up on a semi-healed arm. Every joint and limb ached in protest but he wasn’t dead. Eli had tried to rip him to pieces, but he hadn’t succeeded. Maybe, deep in his heart, he wanted his daughter to live and knew Nik would save her.

Nik had always cared for the golden-haired wolf. All through her younger years, they’d been close confidants. She’d relied on him for comfort and support, and he’d relished providing it. Then, as she got older, growing into a fine young woman, they’d become even closer. Their attraction palpable. He’d assumed one day they’d become lovers—if not true mates. But her puberty and first shift had come and gone. Though his feelings for her hadn’t changed, his wolf had not been aroused to claim her. Confused by the mixed signals, he’d eased off his advances. Caroline hadn’t. Eli had frowned upon their continuing closeness but not directly interfered. Until now. Gritting his teeth, he knew he had to do the impossible. Even if they were only friends, best friends didn’t let each other get killed.

Hand over hand, he pulled himself along the dense pine needle carpet blanketing the forest floor toward the nearest defensible, sheltered position then wrapped his arms around himself and slept fitfully—his wolf always on alert—until dawn.

Chapter Two

The next morning…

Sunlight trickled through the thick leaves, leaving a dappled pattern on the forest floor. Along a game trail, Nik shuffled, half-dragging one leg with an injured tibia. Under his right arm, he used a thick branch as a walking stick to support his aching body. His healing instincts still hadn’t fully kicked in. Something kept blocking his wolf’s magic. Sure Petrina had used some strange force on him, he narrowed his eyes and cursed. “Fucking bitch. I’ll kill her if I ever get the chance.”

“Watch your language, young man.”

He whirled toward the voice. An older woman stood bent as a crooked cucumber a little way down the path. Birds could have found a fine perch on the giant warts covering her chin.

“Um, excuse me, but who are you?”

“Estrella. Who the hell are you?”

He squinted, confused. “Nikolai Epperstein. I thought you said no swearing?”

She pointed a rough, long finger at him. “No swearing for you.” She pointed to herself. “However, since I am older and wiser, I’m allowed to say whatever I damn well want.”

“Fucking a—” She strode up and cuffed him in the ear. He thought he’d hissed it quietly enough she wouldn’t catch it, but apparently her hearing was better than he’d imagined. “Hey!” This wasn’t the pack, but if she wanted to establish pecking order, he’d show her a thing or two easily enough.

“I said no swearing. For you.” She fixed him with a stare. “Now, what are you doing here?”

He ground his teeth. “Just visiting.”

The witch raised an eyebrow and let out a snort. “Don’t be such a lying ass. It’s not very becoming.”

“Look, Estrella.” He had about reached the end of his patience. “I haven’t really had a very good night. Do you mind just letting me pass?” Beating up an old lady wouldn’t make him feel any better, and sadly enough, he wasn’t one hundred percent sure she couldn’t lay him flat in his current physical state.

“What’s the trouble, sonny? You look like you got the living hell beat out of you.”

“I did. Let me pass. I have things to do.”

The old woman crossed her arms and settled her weight on her heels, giving the impression she was prepared for a good, long chat. “Things like what, for instance?”

“Save a girl,” he growled, “and rescue the pack from danger.”

“Those sound like difficult goals to achieve. How are you ever going to accomplish them in your severely injured form?” She swept a hand down his frame.

He glanced at his shredded, blood-covered clothes and winced. I look as bad as I feel. “I don’t know. I need a minute to think of a plan, that’s all.”

“Uh huh. You need more than that, sonny.”

Nik rolled his eyes. “Stop calling me that! I’m not your son.”

“Listen here, you little fucker. I’m trying to help you. The least you could do is accept it with gratitude.”

His jaw fell open. Both from her cursing and from the ludicrous idea she could be of any assistance to him. “Look, Estrella, just let me go on my way, okay? I’ll figure this out myself.”

Estrella narrowed her eyes. “It won’t be easy to get Caroline past Eli, but I know someone who can.”

What. The. Fuck. He cringed, fearing he’d said it out loud, but when she didn’t strike him, he calmed down. Sort of. His heart sped in his chest, doing double time. “How do you know about her? How do you know about the pack?”

She waved her arms. “Look at me. I’m a witch you dummy. I can know anything I care to know.” She circled him. “I bet I know more than you ever will.”

Great. He was being taunted by an old woman who could either read his mind or had some kind of wicked knowledge about this forest he couldn’t comprehend. Things had improved drastically since he’d gotten his ass kicked last night. Sniffing the air, he took a good, long look at her. Magic prickled his skin. But it felt lighter than Petrina’s and lacked the heavy scent of evil. Who exactly is this woman?

“Ah, now your brain’s kicking into gear. About time. You need to up your game, sonny. Eli’s gonna kill Caroline tonight.”

“What?” The whole fucking world screeched to a halt. His heart crashed so painfully against his ribs he thought it would burst right through them. “You can’t…he can’t. Hell.”

Smack.

The sting on his ear brought him out of his shock so well he nearly thanked her for it. “I can’t waltz into the camp and fight them like this. What exactly is your suggestion?”

The old woman pointed to her right. “There’s an old dwarf who lives in that tree. He has a magical blue light capable of granting any wish you ask. If you can convince him to help you, you’ll have Caroline safely here tonight.”

Nik sucked in a breath. The prospect sounded good, too good to trust. There had to be a downside. “What’s the price for his service?”

“You’ll have to ask him.” The woman spun on her heel and traipsed off the way she’d come, disappearing into a thicket of trees a few moments later.

He stared after her, not sure whether to believe the encounter one of sheer luck or a trick of fate. Whichever it was, he was in no condition to get Caroline out of there himself. No way could he overpower the entire pack alone. Plus, who knew if Petrina had already set some kind of trap for him? Maybe this strange dwarf was his only chance. Shaking his head, he hobbled toward the tree. “Okay, here goes nothing.”

“Uh, excuse me.” Nik stuck his head inside the tree and didn’t see anybody. Sure enough, it was a living space of some sort. Not a large one, but bigger than it appeared from outside.

“Yes?”

He smelled and heard a presence, but still saw no one. “Hello? Where are you?”

“Down here.”

He lowered his gaze and then lowered it some more. The little man in front of him must have been less than four-feet tall and he was kneeling on the floor, which made him appear smaller still. Dressed in a green velvet jacket and pants, he had a long, craggy nose and a gruff, scratchy voice. “Oh. Sorry.”

“What do you want?”

“I need help.”

“I can see that,” he snapped. “That’s pretty damn obvious.”

Nik backed up and put his hands over his ears, expecting another strike from the witch. “Oh no, not the cursing thing again.”

The dwarf stood, eyeing him curiously. “Who sent you?”

“Some old woman I met on the path.”

“Old? Ugly? Not very nice?”

“That’s her. She hit me, too. Said I couldn’t swear. She was a total bitch. Do you know her?”

The dwarf nodded. “She’s my wife.”

Mental. Head. Slap. This place is weird, really weird. How is it I’ve lived in this forest forever and never seen this?

“Because you didn’t need to.”

Eyes wide, he stared down at the green-clad man. “You read minds, too?”

“Yep. Gotta do something for fun around here.” He placed a candle on the table then sat on the wooden bench next to it. “How was Estrella. by the way?”

Nik ducked under the low doorway and went inside. The super-high ceiling almost as tall as the tree itself surprised him. He could stand up straight. “She’s a little feisty today.”

“Ah. Good to know. Believe me, you never want to see her angry.” The dwarf shivered then began hollowing out the candle, leaving curly white shavings on the table.

“She sent me here because she thought you might help me.”

The dwarf shrugged and kept working. “I might. What is it you need my assistance with?”

“I need to rescue a girl. Tonight.”

“A girl?” The dwarf put down the candle and hopped up to sit on the table, his tiny feet perched on the bench. “Tell me, who is she?”

“She’s my packmate. My alpha’s–ex-alpha’s–daughter. I need to save her from his insanity.”

“Yep, you do. But first, tell me, do you care about her?”

“Of course I do, or I wouldn’t be here asking for your help.”

The tiny man snorted and shook his head. “She’s your pack mate? Come on, that’s pathetic. Can’t you do any better?”

Nik resisted the urge to curl his hands around the dwarf’s collar and shake. Didn’t he recognize a matter of life and death when he heard one? “What do you mean?”

“Look, if I’m going to help you, I need a good reason. A really good reason.”

“I gave you one. This is urgent. I’m not kidding.”

He made a so-so motion with his hand. “It wasn’t so hot. I need more. Tell me, why does it matter to you if she dies tonight?”

“Because it’s unfair. She doesn’t deserve to die.”

As he uttered the words, the dwarf fell over on his side and dramatically slapped his head. “Ugh. That’s even worse. Try a little harder, you idiot. What does she mean to you?”

“Mean to me?” Oh, she meant plenty, but nothing he could put into words. He’d reined in his desire for Caroline for so long his true feelings had been subdued. But, inside, his wolf clamored, scratching at the edges of his cage, trying to escape. Shut up. You didn’t want her, remember? He rubbed his aching head. Perhaps their friendship had been so long-standing, he’d taken his feelings for granted all these years. Still, the dwarf’s questions were puzzling. “Why are you asking how much I care about her? What does that have to do with anything?”

The dwarf rolled from side to side as though in agony. “Do with anything? Oh, God, this is horrible. Worse than I thought. Please, somebody put me out of my misery! I can’t deal with idiots like this.”

Nik wanted to put an end to the dwarf’s melodramatic antics personally, but found himself too distracted by his own question to bother. How much do I care about Caroline? What are my real feelings for her? Is she just a friend or do I, in truth, care more?

“While you get this sorted out, I gotta take a leak.” The dwarf jumped down from the table. “Try and speed things up, okay? At the rate you’re going, this is gonna take all night and, from what you said, we obviously don’t have the time to spare.”

Nik stood by the table and blinked, dumbfounded. Not by the dwarf, but by the numbness of his own heart. Caroline. Of course he cared about her, so why couldn’t he share his feelings? Why was his heart so damn blank? He sniffed the air inside the little compartment. It smelled of old magic and ancient wood, like it had been there for ages. But though musty and well-used, breathing the musty air helped clear his head and senses. He wished the answers would come faster though. He needed them ASAP.

The dwarf returned. “Well, you’re making some progress, but let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” He dug around in a drawer and pulled out a blue velvet satchel cinched at the top with a silver cord. “Inside this bag is a blue light with special magical powers. The light can grant you anything you ask, if you speak from the heart.”

“Okay….” He clenched his jaw, a little tired of this tiny man and his strange demands.

“Yeah, same to you, buddy. Ask me for what you want. Be specific, okay? Can you do that for me?”

Nik rolled his eyes to keep from punching the dwarf in his big long, warty nose. “Fine. I want you to get Caroline out of the pack tonight.”

“Oh, brother.” The dwarf’s shoulders sagged. “You suck at this, you know? Try again. Be more specific. Put a little heart into it.”

“I want you to rescue Caroline tonight.”

“Because….”

“She’s in danger and she’ll die if you don’t.”

“Oh brother. Look, let me ask you this. Put your thinking cap on, Romeo. Think back to the good old days when she was growing up, before she had her first shift. Remember how you felt about her then? Okay. Tell me, do you still love her like you did then?”

Love her? Hell, he’d watched her grow from a gangly little girl to a beautiful young woman. They’d spent hours upon hours together in the forest, always hunting, searching, playing. He’d never been closer to anyone in his life. Caroline was everything to him. His best friend, his first crush, the woman he’d hoped to someday take to his bed. But after she’d had her first shift…. Wait. Puberty. Age sixteen. She’d experienced her first moon call. He remembered the details vaguely, but nothing after that. Caroline was eighteen. She’d turned sixteen two years ago. Two years ago. The same time Petrina arrived. Oh, God. No. It can’t be. Can it?

His stomach churned, rolling in on itself with a sickening motion. He doubled over, the sour taste of magic threatening to empty his belly right away.

“Hey now. Don’t go puking no funky spells on my floor. You get outside and upchuck that crap in the grass. You have any idea how hard it is to get vomit stains out of untreated walnut?”

Heaving, doubled over, Nik staggered outside and did his business without a second to spare. When his guts had emptied, he felt lightheaded, dizzy, as though he’d puked up half his soul and his wolf had abandoned him because of the stench. But it wasn’t only the aftershock of the magic making him tremble and his heart shake. The realization he’d been compromised hit hard. Holy fuck. What’s going on? Who did this to me?

“Petrina,” the dwarf said from the doorway. “The witch, you moron.”

“How do you know about her?”

“Um, duh. She’s a witch, my wife is a witch, and Estrella wouldn’t be much of a witch if she didn’t know the whereabouts of other witches, if you know what I mean.”

Acid still burned his insides, but he was able to stand up straight. “Damn it. She did this to me. Why?”

“Ask her yourself. You’ll get a chance to sooner than you think if you don’t hurry up and say what I need you to say.”

Holding his stomach, panting with pain, he reviewed the past, seeing it anew. Yes, he and Caroline were friends but they’d been on the road to becoming so much more. He’d waited for her first shift to confirm she was his mate. But it had passed without stirring his wolf’s mating instincts. Or had it?

Nik fought down another round of bile and focused on his wolf. Did it know something he didn’t?

Deep inside, his inner beast clamored. Its tormented howls vibrated through him, but gave no confirmation. The creature wanted to know as badly as he did. But if Caroline died, he’d never find out, and that couldn’t happen. He rounded on the tiny man and snatched him by the velvet green lapels.

“Get her. Get Caroline. Bring her to me alive, or I swear I’ll rip your tongue out. I have to have her. Please. I love her. Do this for me and I’ll pay your price.”

The blue bag glowed in the dwarf’s hand. Finally, the craggy old face twisted into a smile. “You love her, really? You’re sure?”

“Yes. And if you don’t want to go, then use that blue thingie and heal me. I’ll go for her myself. But we have to hurry!”

Shaking his head, the dwarf tutted. “It’s always hurry, hurry with you humans. But, no, I can’t use this to heal you.”

“You said it could do anything.”

“It can, but that’s not part of the plan. You’ll have to talk to Estrella if you want to get rid of some of your magic poison load. I, on the other hand, have a job to do. Good-bye.” He turned and skipped away into the forest.

“Bring her back to me. Alive.” God, please, alive. If the dwarf was even a second too late….

His knees buckled, and his stomach hurled again. He knew without a doubt Petrina’s evil magic was the cause of his sickness and the pack wasn’t safe until he’d rid it of her influence. As soon as he could get up again, he staggered in the direction he’d last seen the good witch. “Estrella! Damn it, get your ass back here or I’ll swear like a sailor!” There, that ought to bring her running. He waited impatiently for the smack.

He didn’t trust Caroline’s safety to one small man. He needed to get to her himself. If he could walk, that might fucking help.

Chapter Three

Later that night…

Caroline sensed a danger she could not see or smell. Taking her nightly stroll through the forest usually helped clear her head. But tonight, the shadows of the forest folded in on her, darkening the path. She jumped at every noise, heart leaping wildly like a spooked mare. Telling herself there was no reason to be frightened, she continued the short journey. But her fears didn’t ease.

She’d left camp after dinner. Couldn’t stand one more minute of her father and Petrina staring at her as though they knew she was pining for Nik. Nik. He’d never returned from the store. Where was he? She might find him, out here on the dark trail. It had always been his habit to join her here. He was so protective. But so damn cautious. She both loved and hated him for it.

Halfway along her route, she heard a crackling of the leaves behind her. Turning, she found no one there. A shiver ran up her spine. I should turn around. Go home. But the idea of home, of returning to her father and Petrina, held no comfort either. It was almost as if someone wanted to push her away from the pack, force her out here alone. Unprotected. Vulnerable.

Caroline wished for the hundredth time Nik had come. Even though he’d deflected her advances since her puberty, she knew in her heart he loved her. He had to. He always seems to know when I’m upset. Come on, Nik, where are you? Why are you hiding from me when I need you the most?

A cool wind whispered along her bare arms and she hugged herself, suddenly chilled. No good would come of this night, her senses screamed. That, and run. But to where? From whom?

Another snap of a twig and she spun, only to come face to face with her father. “Dad? What are you doing out here?”

“Caroline.” His eyes looked weird, glossy and red.

She took a step back, fighting the urge to flee, which would only entice the wolf in him to give chase. “Are you following me?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact, I am. I have something to discuss with you.”

A far away howl reached her ears. Long and sorrowful, it wrung her heart, heightening her senses. Every nerve on alert, she glanced toward the source of the sound and then focused on her father. “What do you want?”

“I’m afraid since Petrina is pregnant with our son, she sees no further need to have you around.”

Petrina, again. Had her father forgotten all about her mother? He acted as though he lived only to please his new wife these days. The thought he’d forgotten his first mate for love of this creepy one sickened her. She wanted Petrina out of the pack, out of their lives, forever. “What does she have to do with anything?”

Another howl carried on the wind, and her gut churned. It sounded like a wolf in pain, and the pitch and tone triggered her wolf’s anxiety. When it howled in return, the name bubbled up to the surface with shocking surety. Nik. He’s hurt.

Her father closed in, not making any quick moves, but the tension in his body threatening nonetheless. “She’s concerned about your presence here, Caroline. If you’re not mated to a pack member, you need to go. Your bloodline can serve no purpose but to dilute my power.”

She blinked, not certain she’d heard him correctly. Her father’s words made no sense. When had he become so political—and with his own family members? “Papa, you know Nik is my mate. Always has been. There’s no one else in the pack I could ever care for. Where is Nik? Let me go to him. We can settle this all tonight.”

“Nik is gone, honey.”

“Gone?” Her arms trembled, this time not from the cold. “What do you mean? He’s coming back, isn’t he?”

Her father didn’t speak but hell seemed to stir in his eyes as he hovered over her. “No.”

The one word answer turned her veins to ice. Nik couldn’t be gone. He had to return for her. If he didn’t…. “But…he’s my mate. You know I can’t…I can’t live without him.”

Eli sighed, shaking his head, but never took his glowing gaze off her. It pierced her soul like a sword, a look she knew only too well, but tonight it carried more than mere authority. She spied a personal threat lurking there, too. Hammered by fear, she tried to look away, but his power held her captive. “Yes. Living without one’s true mate is a torture best not experienced. I know what it feels like, how it can drive you to the edge of your sanity. But, sadly, that will be your fate, daughter. To live, to suffer without Nikko by your side.”

“No.” Wailing, she stepped away only to have her father reach out and grab her arm, stalling her progress. Tears choked her throat and blurred her vision. No, it couldn’t be true. “Did you make him leave? Why? Please, Father, bring him back.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t do that. He was no longer needed, either. He was a threat to the pack. So I destroyed him then left him for dead. I’m sorry, Caroline. It had to be done.”

Stomach twisting, she hugged herself tight. The pain of knowing her mate was gone forever stole the breath from her lungs, made her heartbeat sluggish and defeated. After all this, after waiting so long for him to show one little sign of love for her, she’d lose him? The horror of an empty life lay ahead. She’d never be able to love another.

Another howl split the night, and this one stopped abruptly, cut off in midstream. Her sorrow turned to panic. Was that Nik’s death cry or can he still be saved?

Eli let go of her, placed his hands on his hips, and settled his weight on his heels. “There’s nothing you can do, Caroline. It’s over. Nik will soon die of his injuries. His body will never heal.”

“What have you done to him?” She screamed out the words around rising bile in her throat, claws forming where her fingernails had been. Inside, her wolf demanded release. She struggled to restrain it. But if she attacked her father, she would surely die, and if she shifted and tried to escape, her father would only follow and run her down. What he would do to her, she didn’t want to find out. Caroline choked down fury and fear. “Where is Nik? Where is he, Father?”

He stood an arm’s length from her. “Believe me, I know how terrible you feel and there’s only one thing I can do to help. I promise your death will be swift and painless.” From behind him, he drew a long, crescent-shaped sword and held it just above shoulder height. The blade glinted in the moonlight, as did his ruthless killer’s eyes. He was going to murder her—his own daughter—with a sword shaped like a piece of the moon. He’d gone utterly insane. Or this was Petrina’s doing. Either way, it didn’t matter. She had no time to find an answer.

Acting on instinct, she fled at full speed toward the sound of Nik’s heart-wrenching howl. Even though she knew she could never outrun her father, she wanted to be near Nik if she died. Her wolf screamed at her to shift, but then Eli would, too. The idea of him tearing her limb from limb with his sharp incisors made her gag. The simple truth was, if he wanted to kill her, he would, in any way he could. There was no one here to protect her. No Nik.

Her feet pounded out the rhythm of fear on the forest floor. The sound stank of agony, of struggling, doomed prey. How many times had she heard it, thrilled to it, while hunting? But now she was the hunted, her beating heart desperate to stay alive.

Her father closed in. His hot breath seared her shoulder blades, his warmth and scent getting closer, closer. The muscles in her back twitched in anticipation of the agony caused by the metal slicing through her flesh. How many more seconds would it take? One footstep. Two. Three. Oh, God!

Wham!

Her life ended, but not from behind. Something big, blue, and fast hit her from the side, knocking off her feet. Swept along with it, her trajectory unknown, she looked behind her to find her father long gone. What the hell? What could be faster than a wolf? Nothing. It’s impossible. I must be dreaming. Already dead. Caroline closed her eyes and surrendered to an unjust fate. It’s over. Done. No more.

A few moments later, the movement stopped. She was placed on the cool grass. Her final resting place.

“Hey, lady. Do you think you can walk from here?”

She looked up into the face of a tiny, panting man dressed in green velvet, half bent-over with his hands on his knees. Impossible. I’m hallucinating. Shutting her eyes against the image, sure this was only her fertile imagination gone haywire, she focused on letting go.

“You’re not exactly light, you know. You could lay off the ice cream any time.”

She gasped and bolted to sitting. “What did you say? Are you calling me fat?” She did a brief check of her torso, arms, and legs. No, not fat. Was it possible she weighed more in death? Or was this little man merely a whiny wimp? After all, she was used to the strength of wolves. “Who the hell are you, anyway?”

He inhaled, puffed out his chest, and brought himself up to his full, rather stubby height. “Oren Thelonius Icapod Snodgrass.”

Her mouth fell open. She tried several times to blink the man away, but it didn’t work.

“They call me Otis, for short.”

“You can’t be serious.” Death was a lot stranger than she’d ever imagined. Astonishment and disbelief overrode fear. Still, she looked behind her, searching for any sign of her father. She smelled nothing of Eli on the light evening wind. It was as though he’d vanished into another world, another time. Or had she? “Where are we, Otis?”

“Nearly to my home. Come on. There’s someone waiting for you.”

She refused to move. “Who?”

“A certain wolf named Nik.”

“Nik!” He’s alive! Hope surged in her heart. She jumped to her feet, towering over the small man, and grabbed him by the collar. “He’s alive? Where is he?”

Otis squinted as he uncurled her fingers and brushed her hands away. “Why does everybody do that to me? Is it because I’m short?” Frowning, he started into the forest. “Come on. He’s waiting.” He paused and looked her way. “He’s probably not in very good shape though. The fight with your father did nothing good for him.”

“It’s not my father’s fault; it’s that witch. Petrina’s doing this. I know she is.” Relieved to know Nik lived, she focused on Otis’s comments. So Nik and Daddy fought. Over what? What’s Nik done to make Father label him a threat to the pack? Hell, what have I done to make him want to kill me? She wrapped her arms around herself to stall a shiver and longed to have the old Nik next to her once more, her friend and confidant. He’d help her sort out this latest round of her father’s vengeful mood swings. Though Nik had been present in the pack, their closeness had been missing for some time. Ever since her first shift…. Warmth seeped into her bones, reminding her the full moon would come in less than a week. She loved the power of the shift, how it made her feel complete, alive, fully a woman.

“Oof!”

Lost in her thoughts, she’d run right into Otis, not even noticing he’d stopped. “Sorry.”

Otis shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. We’re here.”

“Where’s Nik?”

Oddly, he pointed to a large tree trunk. “He’s right in there.”

Ducking low, she entered the small structure. Inside were a table and chair, and wedged in the corner, a bed. Nik lay upon it, covered in blood-soaked clothes. With a shriek, she ran to him, reaching out to touch any part of him she could, needing to verify he was alive. Needing to feel his life force. Not stopping at the edge of the bed, she crawled on top of him, straddling his hips. “Nik! Nik, can you hear me? Are you all right?”

He groaned and rolled his head from side to side.

She shook his shoulders, trying to get him to open his eyes. “Nik. Please. It’s me, Caroline.” If she couldn’t get him to wake up, couldn’t bring him around right this second, she’d scream. Seconds later, unable to stifle her pent-up fear and anxiety any longer, she did. “Nik!”

Nik woke with a raging hard-on and a woman sitting on his balls, shrieking his name. Not just any woman. Caroline. She was here, for real, in the flesh. He tried to laugh, but his ribs hurt. Instead, he grabbed her waist and held her steady, lest her wriggling crack his still-healing bones. Estrella had done her best, sucking as much of the poisoned magic out of him as she could, but his body needed a little more time to complete the process. As a shifter, he’d normally mend super-rapidly on his own, but Petrina’s spell had delayed his body’s natural reaction. Worse, Estrella had alluded to the presence of another spell she hadn’t been able to remove, dulling his wolf’s full power. He’d passed out from the pain when she’d tried to extract it.

As though he didn’t ache enough, the shock of seeing Caroline had nearly caused a heart attack. The urge to roll her over and fuck her right then and there assaulted him. God, she was beautiful. With her golden brown hair and delicate, creamy skin, she was the closest thing to perfect he ever hoped to see.

She rocked back and forth, her pussy notching against his hardening cock, turning it solid. He groaned, ready to beg for mercy. If she didn’t stop, he would take her as his mate, whether his wolf agreed or not.

“Nik, you’re alive.” Caroline threw herself onto his chest, hugging him.

He sucked in a wheezy breath and tried not to shatter. “Cari, easy now. That’s it. Be gentle with me.”

But she hugged the life out of him, her firm, petite breasts rubbing against him, her nice warm cunt snugged tight to his cock. Any second, she’d probably realize how close their bodies were and smell his arousal…feel his hardness pressing against her mound.

She raised her head and gasped. “Nik. You do want me. Oh, my God.”

Oh, my God was right. Fucking the alpha’s daughter was so not cool. Especially when he was no longer a member of the pack. Such behavior got one killed. But, damn, if he didn’t want her, and Eli wasn’t there.

“Nik.” She all but purred his name, one hand stroking his hair, the other cupping his cheek. Then she lowered her head and pressed her lips to his mouth.

Panic shot through him. At the same time, his groin arched up. God, he wanted to be inside her. Her taste made him forget all the pain. Part wild, earthy woods, part honeyed sweetness; her mouth was soft and pliant against his, yet demanding. Urgent. Making her desire for him wholly obvious. The scent of her teased his nostrils, the most succulent perfume he’d ever smelled. Need built inside him until he came close to popping the restraints off his control. But old duties died hard. She’s Eli’s daughter and her life is in danger. Shit.

She frowned as he gently pushed her kisses away.

“Sorry. I’m still pretty banged up. Besides, we need to talk.”

“Nik, I’m just relieved you’re alive. Dad told me he…I thought….” Her voice choked off.

He swiped the beginning of a tear track away from the corner of her eye. “I’m fine, Cari. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” She sat up, shaking her head from side to side. “Dad tried to kill me.”

He loved the way she sucked on her bottom lip until her top teeth pressed into its tender flesh. Was it still warm from kissing him? His erection ached to find out. “I know. He told me he was going to, right after he threw me out of the pack.”

“He what? Nik, I’m so sorry. You know my father’s not doing this. This is Petrina’s work. I know it. I can feel it in her evil gaze.” She shuddered.

“I agree, but there’s nothing we can do about her right this second. I had to get you safe first.” He stroked a hand down her arm and felt her shiver. “Are you cold?”

“No. Just…scared. What if Father finds us here?”

“Shh. We’re safe. At least for the moment. This place is enchanted somehow. He can’t find a way in.” Caroline lay down next to him, her soft hair against his cheek, her breasts pressed tight against his aching ribs. Though he found it hard to breathe deeply, he’d never experienced such bliss. He wrapped an arm around her and brought her close.

The move felt like old times. How often had he held her when she was younger, comforting her through one problem or another? But they’d been merely friends then. Maybe he’d made a mistake, thinking they could stay friends, even if his wolf didn’t claim her. The strange little dwarf had made him see the light. He loved Caroline. Loved her with all his half-human heart. Fuck pack mating rights. He’d claim her as his, even if she wasn’t his wolf’s true mate. He’d claim her as a man. He sucked in a breath. The desire between them charged the air with hungry sexuality, and he couldn’t suck enough of her smell into his lungs to slake his thirst. Like an addict, he cherished every iota of it. The more of it he inhaled, the more of her he needed to sustain him. Unable to calm himself, he cupped her face and rolled toward her, intent on kissing her. He opened his mouth and paused.

Caroline’s face was pinched, worried. “But Petrina could find a way, couldn’t she?”

His longings crashed to the ground. Petrina had become a problem in more ways than one.

From beyond the door, the dwarf’s voice carried into the room. “She already has. She’s on her way here.”

“Shit.”

From far away, he heard Estrella. “That’s enough, young man.”

Suddenly claustrophobic, he sat up, taking Caroline with him. As much as he wanted to make her his, he sure the hell didn’t need an audience. “Honey, Caroline, you have to go. It isn’t safe for you to be with me right now. Please, I need you to shift and take off into the woods like we used to when you were young. Remember? We used to run for miles and miles, all day long.”

“I remember, but Nik….”

He stood with Caroline, petting her hair to soothe her. “Just pretend it’s you and me again, playing in the forest, and it will all be okay. As soon as I’m done with the pack’s business, I’ll come join you. I promise.”

Caroline pulled out of his embrace and crossed her arms. She stuck out her chin. “No. I’m staying. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

With a sigh, he leaned against the nearest wall for support. Caroline followed him, pressing herself distractingly against his chest, making the reason she couldn’t stay all the more obvious. “I can’t have you here, I can’t risk anything happening to you. Don’t you understand?”

“Of course. But there’s no way I’m leaving my mate.”

Mate. The word ricocheted through him, sending sparks of energy all through his body. Trembling, he dropped to his knees. The truth stole his breath, but it also set him free. The last tendrils of Petrina’s evil magical spell over him loosened. His wolf’s energy surged, his powers restored full force. Every wound he possessed instantly healed. Snarling, his enraged wolf tore through the witch’s glamour and howled so loudly inside Nik’s head, he was sure the entire world could hear it.

“Mate,” he repeated with reverence, his head and his heart swirling with completely unleashed love. His cock, standing at attention, had more practical needs to attend to, however. The mating urge demanded he take Caroline here, now, on the floor, against the wall, on every available surface. Sucking in a long breath, he steadied his nerves and savored her scent. Digging his nose into her hip and squeezing her close, he nearly fainted from desire and relief.

“Of course, I’m your mate. You knew that, right? I’ve known since my first shift.”

“No.” He shook his head, the act rubbing his face against her cunt. “Petrina. She used her magic and somehow blocked this truth from me.”

Caroline took a step back and he followed, not letting go of her for even one second. “She’s why you haven’t mated me? Fucking hell. That bitch. I’m going to kill her.”

Estrella stuck her head in the door. “Tut tut, little one. Let’s have none of that language….”

Caroline looked down at him, confused. “Who is that?”

“Estrella. The dwarf’s wife. A good witch, I think.”

“That’s Otis’s wife? You’re kidding me. What’s she doing here?”

“Good question.” Nik stood, his arms encircling Caroline and lifting her off her feet. “Get out, Estrella. Now.” Estrella and the dwarf certainly didn’t need to see this. Or maybe they’d seen this before. Or even done it. Eww. The mental picture made his cock want to shrink to dust. But one look at Caroline slammed it granite hard. He laid her on the bed and let his gaze feast upon her.

She was so beautiful, with her silken, golden-brown hair cascading around her, and the simple white tank top she wore accentuating the curve of her breasts. He wanted to lick, touch, and nibble her everywhere. The urgency of his need elongated his fangs, readying them to mark her as his own. Forever. Seconds later, he threw himself on top of her, spreading his scent greedily all over the woman he loved.

His cock ground against her mound and she mewled, a sound he captured with his lips. Again, her honey-sweet flavor mingled with his own, creating a mixture at once familiar and exotic. He kissed her until they panted into each other’s mouths, her hands gripping his shoulders as he writhed over her, his reasoning lost to some deep mating trance. Finally, he propped himself up so he could look at her again. “Mine. Jesus, I can’t believe you’re actually mine.”

“I always have been, Nik. Always.”

Deep in his heart, he knew it to be true. Petrina had hidden this from him, but she didn’t have the power to change fate. No, she just tried to have Caroline killed. A low growl worked its way up his throat.

Caroline placed her palm on his chest. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Petrina. She kept me from you. From my mate.” Two strong desires warred in him. Claiming. Protecting. Both involved Caroline. If he took her now, she would always be his. But if he rid the pack of Petrina, the witch could never interfere in any of their lives again. With Petrina on her way he needed to make a decision. Sighing through his teeth, he rolled off Caroline. No matter how much he wanted, needed to claim her right this instant, he would not. Could not. Mating would have to wait.

“I’m here now, Nik.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve got to do this first, take care of the wicked witch.”

“And my father, too?”

He heard the worry in her voice, and the unspoken question. Would he kill Eli or let him live? His wolf paced. He threatened my mate. Eli deserves to die. But his human side remembered Eli’s friendship and the strong leader he used to be.

Without Petrina’s influence, could Eli become a good alpha again, or was the man simply a liability? Too old? Too weak? A willing victim for any witch with a pleasant smile and a bag full of dirty tricks? He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I’ll deal with him after I deal with Petrina. I’ll give him a chance—one chance and that’s all.”

“Thank you.” Caroline wrapped her arms around him and held, raining kisses on his neck.

Her soft lips sent heat flaring through his core. “Stop, or I won’t be able to concentrate on anything but you.”

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing.” One of her hands slid down his chest, over his abs, and cupped the hard-on pressing against his zipper. Mine, his wolf demanded. Mine.

Before her next breath, he’d pinned her to the bed. His wolf snapped at the tethers of his control and it threatened to shatter. Later. His wolf snarled, as frustrated as he felt. We must protect her. Earn her, wolf.

He rose off her, his vision slipping into gold. From Caroline’s wide-eyed expression his wolf rode just below the surface. Ready to break through at any moment. Good. That’s right where he needed the beast. Turning, he strode to the door, opened it, and inhaled. He smelled the witch on the breeze. “They’re here.”

Caroline jumped off the bed and he spun, growling at her. She stopped dead in her tracks.

“Do not leave this tree house. If something happens to you, I will die.” His heart quivered, rattling in his chest.

Slowly, Caroline came toward him. She placed her palm on his chest. “So will I, if you don’t return to me this day. We’ve been kept apart for too long already. I love you, Nik. I always have.”

His legs and arms shook from the force needed to hold himself back. Her declaration of love seared his soul. “I would never leave you on purpose, Cari. I love you. I promise, I’ll return.”

Before he could change his mind he walked out the door and closed it behind him. On the other side her moist heat tempted him, making his balls contract and ache. God, how he needed her. But not yet. He inhaled deeply and looked down. The dwarf stood at his feet.

“Nik. We’ve got company. The witch is here.”

“I’ve got this, Otis.”

“No. You don’t. You just think you do. Don’t interfere until Estella or I tell you to, or it will mess everything up.”

“Mess what up?”

“You’ll see.” He tsked. “Silly humans.”

Grinding his teeth, his hands curling into fists, he stood and waited for the battle to begin.

Breath whooshing out in a rush, Caroline sagged against the door and laid a hand over her heart to keep it from exploding. Nik was hotter than she had ever dreamed. She’d have no problem accepting him as her mate. All this time, she’d thought him afraid of running afoul of her crazed father, but he’d been duped by Petrina instead. Holy hell, that witch deserves to die.

Petrina had done the pack serious damage, more than Caroline had realized. But then, she’d had never fallen under one of her spells. She’d suspected the woman’s dark intentions from the start and given her a wide berth, acting the subservient daughter. But Petrina wasn’t good enough for a grieving Eli, and could never come close to replacing her mother. The stupid witch needed to crawl back into the cauldron she escaped from and stay there. Give her father and the pack their normal life again. Even if her departure broke her father’s heart.

Her gut told her Nik had the ability to lead the pack. He possessed nerves of steel and a far keener intelligence than Eli’s. When she’d thrown herself at him, his control had strained, but not snapped. Nik would make a terrific alpha, an even better father, and one hot lover. If he survived the battle.

Anxiety had her chewing her index finger until the skin turned raw. Nik had to win, he had to. What her father said was true. Living without one’s mate would drive anyone crazy. Her mother’s death had broken her father. Little by little, he’d slipped from melancholy to madness and she didn’t want to suffer the same fate herself. Then Petrina had arrived, and she’d helped further her father’s descent. She’d also kept Nik in the dark about their mating bond. If only there was a way she could ensure Pertrina wouldn’t survive....

Hideous cries came from the woods. Was it Petrina howling in pain or the other witch? Unable to tell, she opened the door about an inch. Nik wouldn’t mind if she just peeked a little, would he?

Outside, the world had gone topsy-turvy. Patterns of spells and energy swirled over a thin, nearly-invisible barrier in the middle of the woods. The shield separated the two warring factions. On one side Petrina, Eli, and several of his soldiers. Otis, Estrella, and Nik on the other. Caroline cracked the door a little farther to get a better view. Her gaze locked with Petrina’s glowing green eyes. For several seconds, she could not look away. She went dizzy and clutched the wall to keep from falling down. When at last she blinked, everything had changed for the worse.

Her father had Nik trapped against the barrier, his fierce, long claws raking over his body, ripping him apart, shredding the flesh from his bones. Blood pooled at Nik’s feet, and his eyes rolled back in his head. He screamed her name before falling to the ground in a lifeless lump.

An echoing screech burned through her lungs as she raced toward him. Before she reached his side, Otis was there, pulling at her, not letting her get closer. He possessed a surprising amount of strength for such a little man. Though she kicked and hit him, she was unable to break free of his grasp. Sorrow pierced her heart. She needed to get to Nik. Why were people always keeping them apart? Desperate, she cried his name over and over, but he did not move. Nik was dead. Her one true mate gone forever. Tears flooded her vision as her heart crumpled. Even though they’d only spoken words of mating to each other and not physically joined, her soul prepared to die of sorrow.

The next instant, Estrella shrieked and flew above her and Otis. With her hair flying around her and magic zapping from her fingertips like liquid lightning, she made a fearsome sight. She crossed right through a bright, swirling, magical barrier and collided headlong with Petrina. The two witches screeched as they fought, their limbs tangling around each other in a whirl of motion so fiercely bright it hurt her extra keen eyes to watch. Neither witch drew blood, but their use of magic shook the shield, the trees, and the forest floor as though they would tear the entire world apart. A thunderous roar split the air and the partition shattered, exploding in a flash of white light. When the forest returned to normal, things appeared very different.

She pulled against Otis’s grasp and took a step toward where she’d seen Nik lay, only to find him no longer there. Instead, her father waited for her, head lowered, death-dealing hate burning in his eyes. If she’d have gone a step closer to him, he’d have torn her limb from limb with sharp teeth. She shuddered and slowly stepped backward so as not to arouse his wolf.

“That’s right. I’ve got you, honey.” Nik’s soothing voice coursed relief through her. He was safe and standing by her side next to Otis, holding her other arm. It was his strength that had prevented her from running toward the vision she’d seen. All of a sudden, she realized her mistake. She’d fallen for one of Petrina’s tricks and almost rushed headlong into her father’s attack. It might have cost Otis and Nik their lives if they hadn’t stopped her. Wracked with guilt, she hugged herself, shriveling under the promised violence in her father’s red eyes. She was his true target; she felt it in her bones.

If he knew Nik was her mate—if he’d known it all along—then he knew killing her would cause Nik the same pain he’d suffered upon her mother’s death. Suddenly, her father’s actions all made terrible, twisted, ugly sense. She wanted to tell Nik she was sorry for disobeying his command, but he was already pushing her behind him, protecting her with his own body.

“I have to go,” Otis said. “Have you got this?”

“Now? Where?” Nik’s voice was clipped and short. His focus fixed entirely on the alpha.

“With Estrella. She needs my help. But don’t worry, it’s part of the plan. See you later.” The dwarf let go of her arm, ran toward the battling witches, and jumped into the center of the fray. Otis and both witches vanished in a vortex of magical energy.

Her father, however, still lurked, dripping with evil venom. He growled, staring right at her, his eyes as twisted and evil as Petrina’s. The sound scoured her soul dry. He’d gone completely mad.

Without moving his gaze from Eli and keeping her behind him, Nik shoved her away from him and toward the tree house. “Go. Get in the house.”

Her father shifted and sprang. Nik shifted as well and dove at Eli. Without waiting to see what happened, she ran. When she closed the door she slumped to the floor and sobbed. If Nik died, it would be her fault. That was worse, way worse, than being blinded about your mate. It was life or death. She had no doubt Eli would kill Nik if he won. But would Nik kill her father or would he let him live?

Each second that ticked by increased her torture. This day would end in misery for her one way or another—she’d either lose her father, her mate, or both—and she had no way to stop the events already in motion.

Nik didn’t have much time to worry about the dwarf’s absence. His immediate concern was stopping Eli to ensure Caroline’s safety. He shifted, keeping a careful eye on his packmates behind the fallen barrier who were shaking their heads and looking confused. But Eli appeared more determined than ever, the madness still visible in his gaze. With Petrina gone, what would it take to bring the alpha to his senses? Do I have to actually wring his neck?

He hurled himself at Nik full force, taking them both down to the ground. This time, he was focused and prepared for the onslaught. He twisted and turned, staying just out of the reach of his former alpha’s razor sharp teeth. Eli growled as Nik moved quickly, his paws dancing in the dirt. Looking for a way to slow him down, he bit at Eli’s shins, managed to latch onto one, and sank his fangs in hard. With a shake of his head, he tossed his alpha aside to land with a thump in the grass.

Stunned for only a few seconds, he jumped up and attacked again head-on. Nik rose and met him in midair and the two of them collided. Eli jerked away and they separated, both crashing to the ground on their sides. Immediately, they got up on all fours and stood a safe distance apart, neither one making another full-frontal attack. For several minutes, they snarled and growled at each other, always circling, never letting the other one get too close.

Maybe he sensed Nik’s full power had returned, or maybe a part of him had changed his mind about the fight. Either way, his next assault was weaker than it should have been. He barreled full-speed toward Nik, who saw the move coming as if he loped in slow motion and easily swerved out of the way.

As the alpha passed, Nik jumped onto his furry back. Then he lowered his nose and closed his jaw loosely around the base of Eli’s neck. A warning. From this position, he could sever his alpha’s neck with little effort. Unless the alpha wolf could battle himself free, Nik had won the fight. Eli immediately sank to his belly in a show of surrender so uncommon for him as leader it sent chills up Nik’s spine. With the upper hand at last, he had a decision to make. Torn by lifelong duty, he hesitated.

Underneath him, Eli shifted to human. In this form, Nik need only rock his head from side to side and snap his alpha’s neck. It would only take a second. The pack would be free of his, and Petrina’s influence, forever.

“Do it,” Eli begged. “Kill me. Put me out of my misery. I don’t want to live.”

Nik loosened his jaw. He shifted, too, and flipped Eli over. The evil gleam in his eyes was gone. His alpha’s gaze held only sorrow and regret. Damn it. What the hell do I do?

Behind him, he heard Caroline’s footsteps pounding on the grass. She’d apparently seen the fight had ended and was heading out to intercept them. They didn’t have much time. He looked down into his former alpha’s face and recognized a glimmer of the man he’d once known. His old friend. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. He slipped into his beta role once more. But he was a beta with a new, sharper set of teeth. He had the upper paw here, not Eli. “Get up,” he demanded. “Apologize to your daughter and call off the rest of the wolves.” No more bullshit.

Eli’s gaze pleaded with him to carry out his request.

Locking his jaw, he gave a curt shake of his head. “We’ll talk about it later.”

Caroline embraced him, squeezing him hard enough to turn him into a diamond. He gave her a kiss and gently pushed her away. Rising up, he took her with him and then extended a hand to her father.

Scowling, he refused his offer and made his way upright on his own. As soon as he was standing, Caroline slapped him in the face so hard his head swung to the side.

“You tried to kill me!” God, she looked lovely when angry. The pink in her cheeks complemented her sun-highlighted hair perfectly. Her heaving bosom looked lickably attractive. Still acting as Beta he grasped her by the waist and pulled her behind him again, keeping her father well out of her reach. Just in case….

“I’m sorry.” Eli hung his head with a sheepish look. “I know I have a lot of explaining to do.”

“Don’t ever try to hurt Caroline again.” The second he’d said it, he smelled the change in the air. Using his peripheral vision, he noted the entire pack stood to his right. Watching. Waiting to see if he’d make this challenge bigger. To see if he’d attempt to take over as alpha. Several of the men drew closer. They likely had a personal score to settle with Eli. Everybody had suffered these last two years. Everybody had a bone to pick with the alpha. Even him.

Eli’s gaze flicked to the packmates closing in on them and growled. The tension around them jacked up a notch. But he had never been one to placate. Without saying another word, he spun on his heel and walked away, heading past the house and deeper into the forest.

The wolves murmured, rocking from foot to foot as though hardly able to restrain their need for vengeance. Their gazes silently asked, “Why didn’t you take him down while you had the chance?” He had no perfectly reasonable answer to give them. He could have killed the alpha, but hadn’t. He’d let him live another day on gut instinct alone. Besides, killing Caroline’s father in front of her wasn’t a loving mate thing to do. A younger wolf asked, “Where’s he going?”

Nik fixed a flat stare on the pack. He certainly had good reason to challenge Eli, but he didn’t desire the alpha position and wouldn’t suffer any more fur to fly. There’d been too much violence already. The pack needed to heal. “He needs to work through what’s happened the past couple years.”

“Is he coming back?”

“Yes. I know better than to think he’ll run from his responsibilities. So do you. Don’t even believe that for a second.”

One of the older wolves came forward. “He needs to pay for what he’s done.”

“And we’ll deal with things according to pack rules. In the meantime, everyone go home. The show’s over.” He stood silently, immobile, giving the message he would not budge. It took several moments for the wolves to begin moving, but eventually, one by one, they cast a last, long look in the direction their alpha had gone, then turned around and headed toward home base. Even Caroline made as if to follow. He reached out and grabbed her arm. “Not you. You and I need to finish something first.”

Pulling her along behind him, he all but ran to the tree house. Once inside, he slammed the door closed and plastered himself against her. She had nowhere to go. He had her trapped, or did she have him? Her smell intoxicated his senses, shutting off his thoughts and his words. Inside, his wolf howled, impatient to claim her. So was he.

He grabbed the end of her white tank top and dragged it up. Halfway to her head, he paused. Caroline wasn’t wearing a bra. Two perfect globes with berry-pink nipples appeared before him, ripe for the taking. Forgetting about the shirt, he bent his head and sucked one pert rosette into his mouth. The bud tasted so good, he wanted to keep sucking it, but forced himself to pull back and give the peak a lavish lick. Then, using his teeth ever so gently, he gave her firm mound a tiny bite.

Caroline’s shaky moan vibrated through her chest. If she wanted out, now was the time to say no, though he doubted she would stop him. Their mating had begun.

Marking this one small part of her made his hunger to claim her swell. His dick, already hard, strained at his zipper and leaked. Half lost to the mating haze, he slid his mouth to her other breast and nibbled there, too, before sinking to his knees on the hardwood floor. His fingers curled around the waistband of her jeans.

Caroline shivered at his touch. The perfume of her arousal permeated his nose, hitting him as intensely as a field of lavender. Greedy for a taste of her honey, he ripped open her jeans and dragged them and her panties down to her thighs. He thrust his head forward, right toward her slit. His tongue, firm as an arrow, slid between her lips to land right on her clit. He growled in ecstasy at her flavor and pressed his face deeper into her slick folds.

Her legs shook as she let out a keening cry. Caroline shoved her hips forward, her fingers winding in his hair.

Oh yes, you’re mine, he wanted to say, but refused to take the time. This was his woman, his mate. He would pleasure her the way she deserved until he’d made up for the last two years of his own idiocy. There would be time for talking later. Intent on making her come, he grabbed her hips and held them steady while he ravaged her tender flesh. Listening to each of her high-pitched cries was both sheer torture and heady delight. He kept up an unrelenting pace with his tongue until Caroline arched her spine and screamed.

Her juices spilled down his chin, full of her flavor, proof of her desire. Elated, he made her come three times, one right after the other. When she moaned and sagged replete, he let go of her hips and caught her as she sank toward the floor. Unable to control his lust a second longer, he swung her over his shoulder and took her to the bed. His wolf paced, would not be satisfied until he was sheathed within her. Neither would he. His mind told him the only way to protect her forever, from her father and any other wolf who’d want to start trouble, was to mate her. He didn’t care about the political implications. He was still beta, regardless of whose daughter he mated. For him, their union was no power trip.

His heart skipped a beat as he gazed down at her on the bed. Long repressed feelings returned, full blast. Closeness. Shared intimacy. Love. Yes, he loved her, both as man and wolf, and, as mates, that love would be everlasting. Without a second’s hesitation, he dragged her pants down the rest of the way and flung them to the floor. The bed squeaked as he pounced, landing on his hands and knees over her, his thick cock pointing down at her belly. “Caroline. Look at me. I’m going to mate you, and this cannot be undone.”

She stopped writhing and met his gaze. “Yes. You need to. You must.” She lifted her legs and placed her shins at his hips, opening herself to him.

Knowing she wanted this too, he positioned himself at her moist entrance. In one quick thrust he pushed past her barrier. If his actions hurt her, she gave no indication. Her wailing moan spoke of rapture, of bliss. Once fully inside, he too, howled. His cock spasmed as his balls emptied, filling her, marking her as quickly as possible. As his seed spilled into her virgin channel, the beast within him eased. It required only one more thing to cement the joining.

He pulled out and waited a few moments before entering her again. This time he melded his body to hers, smothering her tender peaks and valleys with his own hard planes, leaving her no choice to but to submit to his conquering. Sweat on their skin eased his way as he moved up and down her body, slowly at first, then gathering speed as passion swept over him. He could not look at any part of her without becoming overwhelmed with desire.

She parted her lips and he filled her mouth with kisses and breathed in her sweet moans. As his rhythm quickened, she shook underneath him, clutching his shoulders and mewling his name. He wanted this moment to last forever but her creamy, smooth neck was too tantalizing. Giving in to his wolf’s final demand, he lowered his mouth near her collarbone and bit, his fangs tearing the tender white skin.

Caroline seized under him, her lithe body rigid and her tight channel clenching all around him.

Trapped inside her, unable to move even his cock and driven by the sweet taste of her blood, Nik’s orgasm pounded through him, shaking his human brain senseless. He ceded control to his wolf, letting it take over and join with hers through the sacred bonding. His wolf’s triumphant howl filled his head and he swore he heard hers answer. Both their heartbeats grew louder and stronger, until they collided, becoming one steady rhythm. As their inner connection intensified, he wrapped his arms around her and thrust slowly, each movement causing another wave of ecstasy to wash over them and through them. They lost track of time in bed while caressing and murmuring each other’s name until they both fell into a peaceful slumber. When he finally opened his eyes, the sky had gone dark but an even brighter fire blazed in his heart.

Caroline was his.

Chapter Four

The next morning…

Nik had loved her until the wee early hours of morning, as if afraid to stop, lest she might disappear. But she’d never gone anywhere. Nik was the one who’d fallen prey to Petrina’s spell, not her. Except at the very end, when she’d almost walked right into her evil stepmother’s trap. She shuddered. What was with her father and Petrina anyway? Why had they been so desperate to keep them apart? It didn’t make sense. But their reasons didn’t matter. She sighed and adjusted her head on Nik’s shoulder. With her body curled against his, she’d slept soundly and peacefully for the first time in forever.

Next to her, Nik grunted and tightened his arm. She savored his body heat and the firmness of his touch. He’d been right—she’d needed him to prove he had returned from the land of the missing. Now that he had, she knew they’d never be parted again. The thought heated her cunt, which still bore the raw, sweet ache of last night’s lovemaking. She cupped his balls, hoping to give him ideas.

A knock sounded on the door. She froze in mid-caress.

Nik sprang up, motioning with his hand for her to stay put. She drew the thin covers up around herself and waited. When he opened the door, she heard Otis’s voice. They talked in low tones before Nik slipped out the door. I swear that man has no shame about being naked in front of anybody.

Herself, not so much. She hurried out of bed and reached for her clothes. In a few moments, she was dressed, though her hair likely had serious issues. She dug in her pockets for a band and had just put it in her hair when a brilliant flash of light entered the room. As soon as the intensity dissipated, Otis’s wife stood there. “Estrella?”

“Yes, dear. We need to have a short chat.” Estrella took a seat at the table.

Caroline slid onto a bench opposite the witch and eyed her carefully. Something was different about her. The hum of magic wasn’t as strong. She smelled…she smelled almost human. A bad feeling sank into her bones. Had Estrella lost the fight and her magic powers? “Um…where’s Petrina?”

“Gone. For now. That’s what I’m here to talk to you about.” Estrella adjusted her long, flowing robe and leaned closer. “I wasn’t always a witch, you know. I was a woman, just like you.”

Her eyebrows shot a mile high. “You’re a wolf?”

“No, just a regular human.”

“Then how did you become a witch?”

“I chose to.”

Caroline shook her head. Surely the woman was wacko. People chose to go waterskiing, they chose steak over fish, they didn’t up and choose to become a witch.

“Oh yes, they do,” Estrella interjected. “And you will face that decision, too, my dear. Very soon.”

“Me? How?” If she could have shrunk into the form of a small mouse and scuttled away, she would have. This conversation was heading toward the weird-out zone with no apparent hope of return.

“Do you love Nik?”

“Of course I love him. Why wouldn’t I? He’s my mate.” I’ll always love him. No matter what life throws in our path.

Estrella nodded. “Good. Because he has a decision to make, too. This battle isn’t over yet. The pack is temporarily rid of Petrina, but she’s not the only bad apple in the bin. Besides that, it’s time for Otis and I to hand over the mantle to a new generation.”

“A new generation of what? There are more dwarves?” Astounding. She’d always supposed dwarves existed, but Otis was the only one she’d ever seen in the flesh.

“Guardians. Those who protect this forest from evil. The responsibility comes at a great price. The guardians can never leave this place for long and they will, in the unknown future, be called upon to defend it for the sake of all creatures that dwell within it.”

Good for them, she wanted to say. “What does that have to do with whether I love Nik?”

“Otis is asking him to become a guardian, Caroline. It was part of the price of Nik accepting our assistance. If he chooses to comply, he’ll have significant responsibilities for the rest of his life. Whether or not you agree to become a guardian as well, your life, and your future children’s lives will be affected.”

She struggled to find words as the reality sank in. Without a doubt, Nik was the most protective, the most unselfish man she’d ever known. If offered the job of safeguarding the forest he would take it. She knew it in her heart. “What about my father? Would Nik have to fight him, too?”

“If he’s evil, if he threatens the sanctity of the forest, then, yes.” Estrella leaned forward, her robe rustling around her. “Good and evil never rest.”

“Then Petrina will return some day, won’t she?” She asked the question but in her heart already knew the answer.

Estrella’s eyebrows lowered. The witch looked worried, chewing her lip. “In one form or another.”

That was all she needed to hear.

“If you love him and want to remain with him,” Estrella continued, “you must be willing to sacrifice for the good of the forest.”

She thought about it for all of two nano seconds. Nodding her head, she swallowed. “I am ready.”

The witch vanished into thin air. Caroline watched her go, then stood from the table. Life with Nik wasn’t going to be uncomplicated, but she had hope their future would be happy if they stayed together. She took one last look around the tiny room and then, taking a deep breath, opened the door and walked outside.

Nik towered over the dwarf, his arms crossed just under his chest.

“It’s not like that,” Otis said. “Evil never fully disappears. Even children know that much. What I’m telling you is true. One day, Petrina or another witch like her will rear her head and cause havoc.”

“How does that relate to me?” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Caroline emerge from the tree house heading their way. His heart galloped at the sight of her. Inside, his wolf cried for more mating time. Down, boy.

“The forest needs a protector and Estrella and I want to retire.” He dug the blue bag from within the folds of his velvet green jacket. Holding it out toward Nik, he continued. “Take this and use it. It will give you all the power you need to do the job.”

“You mean you want me to become a dwarf?”

Otis snorted. “Of course not. I was born a dwarf, you jackass.”

Caroline came to stand beside him and his nerves settled. Having her near meant he could relax a little and focus on the subject at hand. Sort of. Her fingertips grazed the skin on his shoulder and, embarrassingly, his cock started to harden. Having it right at Otis’s eye level might prove hazardous. He cleared his throat and thought about tofu. “Look, Otis, as beta of a full grown pack of wolves, I have a lot of responsibility already. Why would I want to take on more?”

Otis didn’t seem the least bit bothered by his question. Lifting his chin, he said his next words looking at Caroline, though they were clearly directed at Nik. “Because of her.”

Damn it, the dwarf was right. They still hadn’t settled the mess with her father, and who knew how that would all shake out. He could use a place to hide her, and the power to protect her from her father if need be while he sorted out pack business. Plus…. An image of Caroline naked, pregnant with his child, burst through his mind. Was it a premonition? Having her here, protected, would be perfect, and he had the means to do it right in front of him. Before he could take the blue bag, Caroline squatted in front of Otis and took it.

“We’d be happy to help you, Otis.” She beamed at the little man, who actually turned a few shades redder. “We appreciate everything you’ve done for us and you and Estrella deserve some happiness, too.”

He marveled at her kindness, her soothing voice, and her bed-tousled long hair. Damn, his mate had beauty, grace, and wisdom in equal measure. She stood and handed the bag to him. When their hands touched, his skin sizzled. To his right, Estrella appeared.

“Thank you, little ones. We are glad you’ve chosen to protect the forest.” She winked at Otis.

He beamed. “It was always part of the plan.”

“And now it’s time for us to leave.”

The blue light felt not-too-heavy, not-too-light in his palm. He sensed the hum of its magic. Which left him wondering. “Wait. You can’t go. Caroline’s not a witch.”

Otis pointed to the bag. “She can be. All you have to do is request it from your heart.”

“And in my cabin is a spell book you’ll find quite useful.” Estrella beamed at her short lover. “Are you ready, Otis?”

He nodded and they both disappeared. The forest went quiet in their absence. Not a creature stirred. Beside him, Caroline moved close and put her arm around his waist, giving him a light squeeze. His dick responded, eager to jump at the chance to experience more of his mate’s body. I like the newlywed phase….

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his tongue easing between her sweet lips. For several seconds, he was lost in the taste of her. Then he heard a twig snap.

Eli stood a little ways away, running his hands through his hair. “Sorry. I….”

“You’re back.” He kept his arms around Caroline but held her at a respectable distance. From the embarrassment in Eli’s gaze, he wasn’t used to seeing his daughter in such an embrace with anyone, much less a man with a raging hard-on.

“Yeah. I was just headed to camp. I feel like I have a few things to say.”

His heart sank. Mating time was over. Work called. Like it or not, he was still the pack’s beta. “Already? You’re sure? From the looks of things, you’re going to face an angry mob.”

Eli sighed. “I know. That’s why I need you there with me. You coming?”

Duty and long-instilled honor had him nodding automatically. “Yes.”

“Ten minutes. See you there.” Eli shifted and went down on all fours, his coat soft and silky as though it had undergone a good brushing, or perhaps had been washed clean. He took off running in the direction of camp. Nik knew he’d have to follow.

“You’re going?” Caroline blinked.

“I have to. I’m still his Beta. He knows it, and I know it. And for what it’s worth, he seems a little more together than he was before.”

She shivered in his arms, gazing the direction her father had just vanished. “I don’t trust him yet.”

“I know. But it will be fine. Besides….” He turned her around to face the house. “We have our secret.”

Her smile was as warm and bright as pure sunshine. “Yes, we do.”

“Okay then. Let’s go.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and started walking toward camp. He’d gone about ten steps when he stopped and looked back. “The shield. I should put it up. Make sure this place stays hidden.”

He took the blue-lit object from the bag and raised it head-high. With no idea how to work it, he gave it his best shot. “Please put the shield up.”

Zap. Magic tingled around them and a very thin bubble of see-through material surrounded the area.

“Can we still get through?”

“I don’t know. Let’s see.” Holding her hand, he walked toward the edge and put his hand against it. It slid past the barrier. Caroline tried it, too, with the same result. It had worked!

When they stood back and viewed the bubble, it flashed one time. Gone were the tree house and any sign of the fight. All he saw was woods. And Caroline.

A gasp tore from his throat as she shucked her clothes. She did a little wiggle that made her breasts bounce, and his balls ache.

“Race you,” she taunted. Then, she shifted. Her coat, like her hair, had honey-blonde streaks in it. They shimmered in the sun. He’d forgotten how lovely her wolf form could be.

He placed the blue object in the bag and hung it around his neck, hoping it would stay there, and gave chase. The blue bag bobbed under his chin as he ran, threatening to hit him in the snout, so he lengthened his stride. His paws ate up ground. In no time at all, he caught up to Caroline and paced her, not letting her get ahead or fall behind. With the sunlight shining on her pelt and her long mouth grinning, she looked as happy as he felt. But as they neared camp, Nik sensed darkness ahead. When they reached the cluster of log cabins the pack called home, danger hit him smack in the muzzle, raising his fur.

Six wolves formed a semi-circle around Eli. They pawed the ground, snarling with anger and spoiling for a fight. Eli stood in his human form before them, unmoving and completely silent. Thank God, he’d had the presence of mind to shift before he’d arrived at the compound. The wolves could not attack him to challenge for dominance unless Eli assumed wolf form. For the moment, Eli’s control was safe. But the wolves were restless. They nipped at each other, never taking their gaze off their disappointing alpha, waiting for their chance to strike.

Very calmly, Nik put down the blue bag and padded to his former friend’s side. The wolves closed in around them. Still Eli didn’t move, and said nothing. Why didn’t he do something to respond to the pent-up anger and aggression of the pack? He understood their frustration only too well. The alpha they’d trusted and relied upon had been absent from them the last two years and he’d let them down, veering off course in some evil magical fantasy. The pack wanted retribution, for him to pay for his crimes. Nik couldn’t blame them. Revenge burned in his heart as well. But what could Eli possibly say to make things all right?

Nothing. Any excuse Eli could offer would only show weakness and rile the pack more, giving them exactly what they wanted –a reason to kill. Nik sighed out his snout. Eli had never been a talker. He’d always led through his powerful presence, and crazy as it sounded, that was what he was doing. Standing there, letting the pack know he was back, taking the potshots thrown at him without responding to their attacks. It was a silent admission he’d been wrong, and a strong show of staying power. Nik looked up at his alpha and blinked, then sat on his rump next to his right leg and lowered his head.

Each pack member growled and lunged at him, trying to get him to break his position, but he would not. He sat there solid as a statue with every muscle frozen in a show of support as he silently reclaimed his rank and reaffirmed his alpha’s. Yes, he had made mistakes. Yes, he needed to pay. But they could work this out without more bloodshed.

To his surprise, Caroline strode past him in her human form, picked up the blue bag and went to stand on the other side of her father.

Immediately the wolves quit snarling and withdrew.

Through their bond Nik sensed Caroline still didn’t trust her father, but she’d seconded his choice of the alpha for his sake. For their future family’s sake. God, he loved her. Slowly, he shifted and took his place beside the alpha. The three of them stood alone naked before the pack.

“I know I’ve made mistakes.” Eli said. “I know I’ll have to pay.”

Another wolf shifted to human and stood. “Is Petrina still your mate?”

“No.” Eli’s rebuttal came out flat, as though the matter had been decided by him alone. But life would never be so simple.

Nik took a step forward. “If she ever returns, I’m sworn to kill her.”

Eli’s head swiveled toward him with one eyebrow raised, but he said nothing.

“And I will. I am sworn to protect this forest from evil. From within the pack as well. But what I won’t allow is to see us weakened by any more infighting. Either we stand behind our own, flawed as they may be….” He refused to meet Eli’s stare, lest it fire up a personal battle between them he sorely didn’t need, especially since he’d recently mated the man’s daughter. “Or we disband the pack and go our separate ways. What say you?”

The man who’d asked about Petrina looked begrudged, but he bowed his head. “I will stay, but Eli must prove his worth.”

“And he will,” Nik assured. He hadn’t the faintest idea how but that wasn’t his problem and the alpha could damn well come up with his own solutions. “I guarantee it.”

This time, the corner of Eli’s mouth quirked up in the first almost-grin anyone had seen in years. The remainder of the pack bowed their heads and, status secured, Eli shifted. He looked up at Nik and yipped, entreating him to join. But he shook his head. Crisis averted, there was only one wolf he yearned to be next to.

After the pack left to run off excess energy and hunt, he reached a hand out to Caroline and pulled her into his arms. Her hair still held traces of wolf, a scent he loved, so he buried his nose in her locks and inhaled. “Your wolf smells good.”

His mate laughed and pressed away from his chest, shaking her head. “You give him far too much latitude, my love.”

“Your father? Maybe. But you forget, I have the secret weapon. If the pack can’t get along, I can turn them all into toads.” He swept one arm under her legs and scooped her off her feet. “We’ll see how they do then.”

Her eyebrows rose. “You’d really do that, wouldn’t you?”

“Yep. I’m not fucking around.” He had started walking back toward the cabin but paused. “Except with you and I seem to recall I have two years of that to make up for.”

“If you had mated me two years ago you might be alpha now.”

He shook his head. “No thanks. I have enough on my plate with the forest and you. I don’t need more trouble.”

She dangled the bag in front of his face. “Well, then, want to race for it?”

He snatched the bag between his teeth and dropped her feet to the ground. Did he want to race? What kind of a stupid question was that?

Nik watched his mate seamlessly shift and found himself hardening. He had half a mind to mount her in wolf form before they reached the cabin. Smiling, he shifted as well and followed her. Along the way he lifted his snout to the sky and gave of howl of gratitude to Otis and Estrella—wherever they were—hoping they would hear it and know all was well once more in the forest.

***

Much later

Nicodemus watched the young boy scurry off with his parents, who’d come to listen in on the last part of the story. His duty fulfilled for the moment, he got up stiffly from the tree stump where he’d perched and walked around a bit to loosen his limbs. He, too, had a long journey home. First, though, he needed to fill his belly.

Following his nose, he found many good stews and bread, and a tankard of ale in the circle of tents forming the food court. As he sat amidst the crowd, his ears always scanned for new stories, half-truths, and rumors. One could always find a new tale if he listened. Or, sometimes, a new ending to an old one.

He raised his head and saw Caroline and Nik stroll by. He had no doubt there would be quite a future to their story but it might have to wait for the next storyteller’s tongue. Sighing, he got up from the table and headed toward home with his belly full of food and his head full of new story ideas. “Someday,” he said, “I shall write them all down, and they will become books.”

~A Letter from the Author ~

Dear Readers,

I hope you are enjoying the many retellings of Grimm Fairytales Decadent Publishing is offering. You can expect all kinds of genres and stories in this line and there will truly be something for everyone.

Thanks for choosing to come along for the ride!

Eva Lefoy

http://writery.wordpress.com/

Beyond Fairytales

www.decadentpublishing.com

A Riddle for Love by Lara Nance

Chapter One

Once upon a time in outer space....

Avar glanced up from his computer screen, his gaze traveling to the lovely female form supine on a shiny metal table. FC-ZM120 or Female Companion-Zeta Model 120. She represented the absolute pinnacle of android biogenetic engineering.

He sighed and rolled his shoulders. After years of hard work, the time had come to test his theory on her. The need for success bunched his muscles in stress. A silver metallic sheet covered his subject from throat to knees. Electrode patches dotted her from head to toe. He’d seen every inch of that glorious body over the past six months. As head biological engineer, he was the prime developer of this latest attempt by the Genetacept Corporation to produce a human-like female android suitable to perform as a companion, or even a spouse, if so desired. As far as he was concerned—mission accomplished.

Still, he couldn’t help thinking of his personal research project... Lily. He worked on perfecting her persona every night, every spare minute. Then, when he could afford a high-level body like the one on his table, he’d have the woman of his dreams, both mentally and physically. He needed that woman badly—a partner and lover to share his life.

“These last bio markers are right on target,” his assistant, Boron, said as he punched in data on the wall information unit. Despite the controlled diet of inhabitants in the Mars Community Habitat, his belly seemed to always be on the verge of popping out of his gray jumpsuit. “At first glance, even a doctor would have trouble detecting she’s not human.”

“Good,” Avar murmured, returning his attention to the numerical values flashing across his screen. A quiver of excitement left his hands shaking. “She’s almost ready for the persona insert.”

“I can’t believe it,” Boron said, grinning. “After all this time, we’ll finally be able to test your theory of Innate Personality Insertion.”

He nodded. IPI—his chance for a huge contribution to the advancement of artificial intelligence science following a lifetime of work. If his theory proved correct, this lovely android would have the personality and interaction ability of a typical woman. The theory and technology could be applied in any setting, including the military. He hoped it could eventually save lives by keeping human soldiers out of wars or putting androids in other dangerous jobs in order to avoid devastating accidents for humans—work like terraforming or exploring hostile environments. Of course, he worried about his invention being used for criminal activities or worse, but fortunately the Galactic League of Android Exploitation kept a firm hand on deviant use. They weren’t perfect, but no one was. His fingers itched to complete the sequence of commands that would initiate the insertion.

“We should name her.” Staring at the silver-draped form, Boron crossed his arms. “We’ve been together a long time. Seems like we should be friends or something.”

“She’s the first of the three prototypes to reach this stage.” He jerked his chin toward two identical androids stacked on metal shelves behind a locked glass door. “We could call her Una.”

“Una.” His assistant nodded, brushing unruly, black curls from his forehead. “I like it.”

Avar rose and strode to stand beside his creation. It would have been more interesting to build units with different physical traits, but for some reason, the customer wanted three totally identical units. Fortunately, he could stare at this beauty forever, so three only made his environment that much better.

Una’s alabaster skin shone under the bright lab lights and her full lips begged to be kissed. Honey-gold hair spread across the table and draped over the edges. He cleared his throat and glanced at his assistant. “It’s so odd looking at my idea of the perfect woman. I’ve dreamed about her for so many years.”

“Once your theory proves successful, you’ll make enough money to have one of her for yourself.” Boron adjusted the wireless generator’s controls to prepare for the transmission of data.

“I don’t know. I can’t imagine I’ll have that much money for a long time.”

The lab door slid open with a swish. A tall, thin woman with high cheekbones and a piercing gaze breezed in.

Avar stepped away from the table, irritation burning in his gut. Great. Kava Atmer, CEO and head bitch in charge. He couldn’t help thinking of her as a wicked witch. He didn’t need this right now.

“How’s it going?” A tiny frown between her brows, she glanced at the prone form.

“According to schedule,” Avar said, moving to block her view of his computer screen.

“Excellent. The client is most eager to pick up the trio, and our board of directors is even more eager to finally be in the black on this project. Make it happen.” She tugged the silver sheet a little higher on Una’s chest. “What’s the next step?’

“We’re actually ready for the persona insertion,” Boron said, rubbing his hands together.

Avar cleared his throat and gave his assistant a sharp glance.

“Interesting.” She used her hip to push past him and stared at his screen. “What’s this? University English Professor? No, no, no. We’ve discussed this, Avar. Insert Sexy Girlfriend. I don’t want the client disappointed. He won’t appreciate discussing literature.”

Avar gritted his teeth. “We can always upload another personality later. I just wanted to see what she’d do with a higher level interaction mode.”

Kava tapped her foot. “We don’t have time for you to live out your fantasies. Once we have this order complete, we’ll have more time to experiment with different models.”

He directed his gaze at the floor, unwilling to argue the point, but disappointed nonetheless.

She took a step toward him. “Come on, Avar, it’s not like she’s going to be your girlfriend.”

“Right. Whatever.” He moved to the table and pretended to adjust the wireless data port hidden behind one ear.

“Good. That’s settled. Make it happen, gentlemen. I have a meeting to attend or I’d stay for the show.” She turned on her heel, her black, bobbed hair fanning out in her abrupt swirl.

“Sorry, boss,” Boron said, averting his gaze. “I thought she’d be impressed we were that far along.”

He shook his head. “It’s all right. As she said, we’ll have opportunities for more sophisticated models once the money for this project is in the bank.”

Boron rolled his eyes. “I think she’s jealous.”

“What do you mean?’ He rechecked the brain electrodes.

“She’d like to look like Una.”

“You may be right.”

“Maybe she’d like to be your girlfriend, too.” Boron gave him a sly smile.

He grimaced, imagining hugging Kava to be like embracing an icicle. “You’d better not be right about that.”

His assistant chuckled. “Okay, boss, ready for the upload.”

With a last glance at the beautiful android, Avar returned to the seat at his computer screen and checked transmission levels one more time. With a twinge of regret, he switched the program to Sexy Girlfriend. His finger shook a little as he pressed the screen then swiped to the next screen. Two more entries and he reached the insertion activation screen.

“Here we go,” he said.

Boron crossed his fingers and stepped aside.

The gigabytes in the transmission sequence increased as the flow of data began. Avar’s heart thudded. Years of work and the finale took place as silently as a feather dropping to the floor. It seemed anticlimactic in a way.

He caught himself holding his breath and let out a puff of air. The data stream slowed then ended. He and Boron shared a glance. Operation complete.

“Ready for initiation of animation,” his assistant said, checking the wall info panel, which blinked with green, white, and yellow lights.

“Commencement of animation activation.” Avar tapped the screen.

Both men stared at the inert body with rapt attention. When her arms twitched, they jumped. Avar finally found the strength to stand. He took two steps toward the table, nerves on edge. Three more steps and he stood looking down at her.

Her eyes popped open, deep-green, sparkling pools, and her lush lips broke into a dazzling smile. “Hi, sweetie, I’m Unit One. How are you?”