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  His lips wavered as if he were fighting a smile. “I don’t think you’ll do that.”

  She wanted to scream. Instead, she lowered her voice and spoke slowly, hoping it would penetrate his thick, Neanderthal skull. “Try me. Now, let go.”

  He continued to hold her arm. The strangest thing was, he wasn’t holding onto her tight enough that she couldn’t break free. He wanted her to pull away. But damned if she’d do what he expected. He’d thrown down the gauntlet, dammit, and she was going to stand firm until he backed off.

  He inhaled deeply, then met her gaze. She rocked back on her heels at the intensity of his eyes. More golden than green now, narrowed slits that were filled with a palpable passion that shot between her legs. She moistened, desire seeping from her slit and wetting her panties. Her pussy throbbed deep inside, her breasts swelled, and her lips parted as she struggled to find her next breath.

  “You don’t wear perfume,” he whispered, lazily running his thumb over her palm, then entwining his fingers with hers. “I can smell your sweet scent. You’re aroused.”

  He could do no such thing! It wasn’t possible. She didn’t want these thoughts in her head, didn’t want her body to react the way it was. “No!” she cried. Giving up on her earlier mental challenge, she pulled her arm away and turned from him, desperate to return to the hotel so she could slide into the safety of her car and go home.

  Home, where he wouldn’t follow, where she could get her head on straight, and get her body in line with the here and now. What the hell was happening to her?

  Not bothering to turn to see if he was following, she hurried toward the hotel. As soon as she crossed the main entrance, she signaled for the valet to bring her car. She released the breath that she’d been holding, then finally turned around.

  Max was nowhere to be found. He hadn’t followed her, nor was he still standing on the corner where they’d spoken.

  Where was he? She looked around, but couldn’t see him. It was late, and the French Quarter was never empty. Still, he stood out enough that she should be able to easily spot him among the tourists.

  She had no idea where he’d gone. Frankly, she didn’t care. The only thing she felt was relief that she’d managed to extricate herself from whatever weird spell he’d cast on her.

  The valet brought her car and she slipped inside, locked the doors, and sped away, opening the sunroof for some air. She hoped the drive to the condo she shared with Kaitlyn would help clear her head. Her sister would know immediately that something had happened, unless she emptied her mind and her emotions of everything having to do with Max Devlin.

  She drove out of the city and into the secluded part of town where she and Kaitlyn lived. She loved the cooler feel to the heavily wooded area, and even though she lived in a complex with hundreds of other people, she still enjoyed the dense trees and secluded forest.

  Pulling quickly into her parking spot, she stepped out, then froze as she heard a rustling in the trees behind her. With a quick turn, she scanned the area. The parking lot was well lit, but the forested area beyond was pitch black.

  Instinctively her thumb searched for and found the panic button attached to her car alarm. Ready to punch it if she saw someone coming from the trees, her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of a quick moving animal darting briefly out of the woods.

  It stopped right outside the tree line. Shannon’s heart pounded against her ribs. What the hell was it? Some kind of dog?

  No dog had yellow eyes. Eyes that glowed, and seemed to be staring straight at her. It had a long snout and gray and white fur, but that was no dog. She couldn’t move, afraid the slightest movement would cause the animal to strike. A low growl emanated from the creature, and it took one step forward toward her.

  She hit the panic button and the shrill car alarm sounded. In her hazy panic, she barely even registered the earsplitting sound.

  At least it scared off the animal, who turned and bounded into the woods, disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared.

  She punched the button and silenced the alarm, her pulse speeding so hard it made her dizzy. Flopping back into the front seat of the car, she fought for control over her breathing, trying to settle her nerves.

  When her legs felt steady enough to stand, she got out of the car, set the alarm, and walked briskly to the front door of her condo.

  During the short trip to the front door, she felt as if the wolf still lurked within the trees, watching her. She could actually feel its eyes on her, but refused to turn around and look.

  As if she hadn’t had enough turmoil today, now she had to face the fact that she’d nearly been attacked by a wolf.

  A wolf. She’d never heard of wolves prowling the woods here. Hell, she didn’t even know there were wolves in New Orleans.

  What a fitting way to end an already miserable day.

  Chapter Three

  Max watched Shannon make a frantic dash to her front door. Hidden safely among the dense trees, he knew he wouldn’t be seen by anyone who happened to investigate the shrill sound of her car alarm.

  Figured, no one even came out. Not that she’d been in any danger. He’d never hurt her. But it had been stupid to walk out of the forest like that. What had he hoped to accomplish? That she’d instinctively know who he was? That she’d come to him, embrace him in his wolf form and tell him that she wanted to be with him? Or even better, he could have partially shifted, leaving himself half human so that she could have recognized him. That would surely have endeared her to him immediately.

  Hey, babe, lookin’ for a hairy guy who likes quiet walks on the beach and the occasional piece of raw meat? Are you up for a little howling at the moon? And how do you feel about sex with a half man, half wolf? Pretty hot, huh?

  Damn, if that was the best plan he had, he was screwed, and not in a good way. The problem was she blew away his normally clear, logical approach to things. All he wanted to do when he saw her was rip her clothes off piece by piece, preferably with his teeth, and lick every square inch of her body.

  Twice.

  He kept his eyes on her as she slipped inside and closed the door. Probably tossed some furniture in front of it too, just for extra safety. He’d seen the look on her face when she’d spotted him. That wide-eyed fear in her eyes. She knew nothing about his kind.

  This was going to take some time. Gain her trust first, then revelations. Not the other way around. He was moving too fast and he knew it.

  Try telling his body to be patient. It wasn’t listening to his head. At least not the head located on the upper part of his body.

  No sense lingering here. It hadn’t been difficult to follow her home since she drove along the tree-lined streets. Not too far from the hotel either.

  After she’d run off at the restaurant, he figured he’d better give her some space. So he’d headed for the nearest wooded area and shifted, needing a run to clear his own head. And while he was at it, thought he might as well as try to pick up the scent of other packs.

  Problem was, the only scent he focused on was Shannon’s. He’d picked up her unique scent when she drove past him, and he’d followed, ending up in front of her condo, no doubt scaring the hell out of her.

  Enough. Pushing thoughts of Shannon from his mind, he took off in a run. The moonless night left him free to roam at will without the chance of anyone from the nearby roads spotting him. He ran for miles, stretching the travel kinks from his legs and breathing in the scented night air.

  He’d stop occasionally, sniff the area around him to see if he could pick up a pack’s scent. Nothing yet. But then again he didn’t expect to find many, if any, wolves in this area.

  The thought both excited him and punched him with a loneliness he hadn’t expected. He was alone here, and if he found a pack and challenged the alpha for leadership, then he’d have a new family. But his current family resided in Boston, and he had to adjust to the fact he was on his own now.

  His brother Jason had to do it whe
n he moved from the pack to follow his political career in Washington. And he’d adjusted just fine. Max would, too. Besides, they’d known this was coming from the time they were young pups. The Devlin family was well connected in politics and industry, and it was their prime goal to branch out in all geographic areas and establish dominance. This project in New Orleans with the Storm family was just what they’d been looking for as a means to gain a stronghold in the south.

  After wandering a bit, Max came upon a lake. While there were some heavily populated areas around the calm water, there were also plenty of places with dense trees and unoccupied land. He noted his surroundings and marked his scent. First off, to find it again, second, to alert any other packs in the area that there was a new wolf in town.

  He spotted a few houses along the way, nestled deep within the trees and no neighbors within visual distance. Skirting around the front, he noted the For Sale sign on one.

  There was a dense wooded area right behind the house. He traveled within, feeling at home with the smells and sounds of the forest. He picked up a scent of wolves, too. Faint, but there nevertheless. Whether they were still here or not he didn’t know, but at least they had been here once before.

  Yes, this place would be perfect. A huge two-story house, with a porch that surrounded the entire perimeter. Perfect. He’d come back, maybe even bring Shannon with him to see how she reacted. After all, wherever he set up house, she’d be living with him, so it was important she liked the place too.

  He returned where he had changed and hidden his clothes, shifting back to his human form. He’d made sure to shift into wolf form far beyond the busy French Quarter, leaving his clothes near a crop of trees that hid him from view. After a quick walk back to the hotel, he stepped inside and hurried to his room, ready for a shower and some sleep. He’d already prowled half the night away, and tomorrow he’d have to do battle with Shannon over their public relations program again.

  He couldn’t wait.

  Her aroma still clung to him, a musky flavor unique to her alone. She wore no perfume. He liked that, preferring to smell her natural fragrance. The rest of that expensive crap they sold in stores just hid a woman’s emotional state from him. With Shannon, he knew exactly what she was feeling. It showed in her eyes, her facial expressions, body movements and the primal scent she gave off that hardened him just thinking about it.

  Changing his mind about showering, he flopped naked on the bed and turned out the lights, preferring traces of Shannon to linger on him. He’d shower in the morning.

  The drapes were open, the stars and the glow from the street lights visible in the night sky. He propped the pillows up and looked outside, wishing he were still in wolf form and running alongside the lake.

  Restlessness still flowed through him. That and the smell of Shannon would keep him awake the remainder of the night, unless he got some relief. His cock rose, his balls heavy and tight. He was near desperate to mate, but the woman he wanted, the only woman he wanted, had run from him like the hounds of hell were chasing her.

  Sometimes he hated the way wolves mated. Once settling on a mate, she was it. No doubt about it, and no one else would satisfy him. He’d chosen Shannon…no, that wasn’t quite right. A mate was destined, a primal urge to be with one certain person. Shannon was that person and what was fated couldn’t be changed. Until she was ready, he’d have to do without.

  That would change soon enough, but not tonight. He fisted his rigid length and slid his hand over his shaft, wishing it were her cool, soft hands on his cock. He closed his eyes, imagining how it would be between them. She’d undress for him while he stood hard and waiting for her. He could tell from her scent that she was aroused, her slit swelling, opening to receive him, her clit revealing itself, standing ready for his tongue.

  Squeezing his shaft hard, he groaned as drops of pre-come slid over his fingers. Circling the head with his thumb, he spread the silken fluid over his cockhead, imagining the hot moisture was Shannon’s warm tongue sliding over the ridged tip, teasing him by flicking it around the sensitive head before enveloping him between her lips and sucking him, taking him deeper and deeper, over and over again until he couldn’t hold back and shot a torrent of come down her throat.

  Would she be docile in bed, a meek kitten who waited for a man to tell her what to do? Or would she be a voracious lover, demanding that he satisfy her, commanding him to plunge deeply inside until she screamed in ecstasy?

  He knew the answer. The latter. She was an alpha female, that’s why he selected her, that’s why they were to be mated. Only a strong female could lead a pack with him, could run alongside him and raise strong cubs.

  The movements of his hand increased, his mind awash in visuals of her naked body underneath him, her nipples glowing in the moonlight, standing up like hard, mountainous peaks and begging for his tongue to lick at them. Her turquoise eyes sparkled like hard diamonds, without words telling him what she wanted, what she needed.

  His hand moved faster over his shaft, stroking from base to tip. His balls grew tighter, hugging his body, throbbing, aching for release. Damn, he wanted his cock inside Shannon’s pussy, not in his hand. He wanted her on her knees, her bare ass spread before him, the lips of her cunt wet and ready for him to drive hard inside her. He needed to be inside her, and he would be. Everywhere. He’d take control of her and take her in every way possible.

  This wasn’t the way he wanted to do it, but he had no choice. Images of her doing the same thing took front and center in his mind. Suddenly, she was driving her fingers into her wet pussy and fucking herself as he watched. Her free hand roamed over her breasts, tugging at her nipples until they stood like sharp points. She thrust her hips against him, a silent invitation to take what he saw.

  With a loud groan, he came in hard, quick spurts, visions of shooting deep inside Shannon intensifying his orgasm. Spent, he lay there panting, wishing she were there with him. He’d take her into his arms and hold her close, possessively, knowing then and there that she belonged to him.

  He stared outside, formulating his plan for the next several weeks.

  Sure as hell this scenario wasn’t going to work for long. The last thing he wanted was to sniff around Shannon during the day and come back here at night to release the sexual buildup. No, that was not how this was going to play out.

  He closed his eyes, hoping he could get a couple hours sleep before dawn. If he could keep his mind off Shannon long enough to drift off.

  And yet, visions of her invaded his mind. In her bed, cream silk sheets caressing her body, her sable hair fanned out on her pillow. He felt her, almost as if he stood in her bedroom.

  He’d never sleep tonight.

  * * * * *

  Shannon shifted, burrowing further under the covers. A thick fog covered her bedroom, revealing only the wrought iron bed upon which she lay.

  A dream. Clearly she was asleep and having one of those I’m dreaming and I know it but it feels real so I’m gonna enjoy it anyway kind of dreams.

  Funny how in one’s dreams all senses heightened. The cool sheets rubbed against her naked breasts, her nipples tingling in response. When she shifted, satin rubbed against her sex. Her pussy tightened, heated, that familiar and sweet sense of arousal making her wish she wasn’t lying alone in the middle of her bed.

  The fog began to lift. Okay, so she wasn’t alone in her bed.

  The wolf, the one she’d seen outside the condo, lay at her feet.

  “Go away,” she hissed, as if the very act of saying shoo would have an impact on a wolf.

  Besides, this was a dream, and in her dreams she was in control, just the way she liked her real life. It couldn’t hurt her in her dream.

  The wolf didn’t budge. Instead, a low growl emanated from its throat as if responding to her request to leave with I’ll leave when I’m damn good and ready and not a minute before.

  So now what? Were they going to have a staring contest? What the hell was the damn wolf doin
g in her dream anyway? Why couldn’t she be having fantasies of some rich, handsome movie star sneaking into her bedroom at dawn and fucking the daylights out of her?

  The wolf stretched, then stood, creeping slowly between her outstretched legs. Its eyes glowed an eerie green and yellow. Okay, that was unusual, and yet hauntingly familiar. Who had eyes that color?

  Oh, God. She knew.

  In the instant her mind made the connection, the wolf changed, becoming not quite human, yet no longer fully a wolf. And in that change she saw clear human characteristics that could only be attributed to one man. His face was more that of a wolf’s than a man’s, his elongated snout and long tongue licking at his very prominent teeth. But his body was a man’s, partially covered in fur, fingers more like claws, but definitely a man’s body.

  A man’s naked body.

  Max.

  Well, as weird dreams went, this one had to top them all. After all, it had been one hell of an odd day. No wonder her mind was filled with Max and the wolf. And in her warped brain cells, obviously the two had merged into one, creating this freaky apparition at the foot of her bed.

  Not a turnoff, either. In fact, the intense way he looked at her, the sight of him half covered in fur and half naked…okay, it turned her on.

  Big time.

  “You want me,” he whispered, his husky voice like secrets in the dark. Funny, he talked normally, just like Max, despite the fact his face was partially wolfen.

  “Yes.” Hell, why not? It was just a dream. If she couldn’t have some no-holds-barred fun in her dreams, where could she?

  “You like being in control, like dominating every situation.”

  Now he was talking. “Yes, I do.”

  “That ends with me, Shannon. I’m in control here, I will be your master in the bedroom. And what’s more…you’ll like it that way.”

  No fucking way in reality, but here…sure. She didn’t answer, figuring he wasn’t expecting her to. Besides, she couldn’t very well speak since her heart now lodged somewhere in her throat, pounding, swelling, cutting off her breath as he ripped the covers away, exposing her naked flesh to his gaze.