Maura

Beck’s wolf is powerful.

I don’t know how long we’ve run through the woods, but clearly long enough for more than one low-hanging branch to swat my skin raw. But the longer I cling to him, the more my body hums for him in a way I’ve never experienced. With my arms tightly around his neck, my thighs squeezing his sides, every ripple of his muscles as he moves rubs against me, jolts into me but not in a strange way. It’s comforting, intoxicating…alluring.

Everything about Beck screams safety. My body melds into his fur, and every so often, I can close my eyes and just breathe without panicking. Nuzzling into his fur, I also can’t help but want to know what feeling him connected to me in human form would be like, and it makes me shake my head a little, trying to clear the thoughts.

This isn’t what I need to worry about. Right now, the goal is staying alive, not thinking about the men who saved me in weird ways.

As Beck picks up his pace, his body tilts vertically as he climbs a large hill. I don’t have a choice but to cling tighter to him, squeezing my legs into his sides so I don’t slide off and go rolling down the damn hill to my death. Every move he makes jolts his body into my core, sending waves of heat through me, and a sheen of sweat breaks out on my skin.

What is happening, and why does this feel so good…so right…?

Ugh, Maura, stop thinking like that!

When his body levels out, I risk sitting up some, and my jaw drops a little as a beautiful wood cabin comes into view behind a large set of gates. The lights are soft and glowing. It’s the most beautiful home I’ve ever seen, and far better than anything I’ve ever stayed in. The gates are open, and both wolves go right through, sliding to a stop in the middle of a huge opening before the house. A smattering of people, mostly men, come out from inside and behind the house as I climb off Beck’s back. They’re all ages, some young and some elderly, but they all smile at the two men like they’ve hung the moon. Even the men seem happy to see them back.

The moment my feet hit the ground, I step back and shiver, missing the contact from being wrapped around Beck. A dull ache hits my chest, and I wrap my arms around myself. It’s strange to stand here and not be holding on to him. Everything in me wants to climb right back on him and hide my face in his fur where I feel safe.

As the thought passes, though, Beck and Alejo shift back to their human forms, and Beck’s eyes find mine. The connection to him, the pull, the hum that ran through my body the entire time here is still there like a cable between us. He moves toward me, and I keep my eyes on his. Even if I wanted to look away, I’m not sure I could. The only thing I can do is stare and try not to show him the errant thoughts running through my head.

His smile is soft, and he winks. “Welcome to the Crescent Ridge pack house, Red.”

Crescent Ridge?

Godrick’s men have mentioned them before. I swear, I’ve heard the name more than once. He hates them, maybe more than he hates most others. They’re nothing but rebels and half-breeds—according to my former pack. It’s wolves like these he always says need to be taken out, so they don’t continue to “infect our kind.”

I’ve always thought Godrick was the type that needed to go.

Standing back from the group, watching Beck and Alejo talk to everyone, they don’t seem like what the rumors say. No one is disheveled or crazy-looking; everyone comes off as nice and concerned with each other, especially with how close they’re all standing together, random arms and hands touching or holding the person closest to them.

Beck and Alejo are both standing and talking in all their naked glory as if they’re fully clothed in a business meeting.

Ugh. Why do I even care?

It’s not like I haven’t spent my whole life seeing both men and women naked. We’re wolves—it’s part of life and nothing to be sexualized in any way. But with Beck and Alejo…everything about them seems to make me warm all over, my thoughts moving to things they never have before. It’s overwhelming, but I can’t deny that they’re more attractive than any two men should ever be, and if they were arrogant, everything about them would support that attitude.

Alejo is all thick muscle like a wall of a man. His skin is perfectly tan, his chest broad and tight, and his shoulder muscles ripple as he moves, even slightly while he’s talking. Beck is his perfect counterpart—lean muscle, agile-looking, with washboard abs and that perfect V at his hips… And both are well endowed enough to make me blush.

It’s strange having two Alphas so in tune, though… There’s usually only one.

I’ve only ever met Godrick as far as Alphas go, and I’ve sworn that if the rest are even remotely like him, I want nothing to do with them.

“Wait, so both of you lead this pack?” I ask.

Beck and Alejo, along with several people who are around them, stop talking and turn to stare at me, their expressions like a rainbow of different emotions.

Beck smiles, though, as he moves toward me. “Yes, we’re—”

“It’s none of her business,” Alejo snaps, and immediately, my eyes go to the ground. “The less she knows, the better. Last thing we need is Godrick being able to get information out of her.”

My eyes snap up and meet Alejo’s, a coldness running through me despite my pull toward him and Beck. “I already told you. I’ll die before I go back.”

“Die?” an older woman pushes her way through the people and almost scurries to my side, grabbing my hand with wide eyes as she stares between her two Alphas. “You can’t let her die!”

“Beth, calm down,” Beck says with a smirk on his lips.

“No,” the woman snaps again, shaking a finger in his face. “She’s a beautiful female of breeding age! Now, sweetheart.” She turns to me and gently moves my hand in hers to pat the back of it. “Come on over here, and let me get a good look at you.”

Beck and Alejo both stare at her and me with wide eyes, and my insides tighten.

Breeding age?

Oh, no…what if they’re just like Godrick?

***

Beck

My whole body is tense as I watch Beth talk with Maura. The old woman is like a grandmother to all of us, and she’s tender with the young woman, carefully touching her skin and moving slowly and deliberately. She doesn’t have to say anything for me to know it’s so she doesn’t scare her.

Beth could’ve used better wording, though.

The fear in Maura’s eyes when Beth mentioned breeding was so fucking clear it made my wolf growl. Alejo tensed, too, but stayed silent. The moment Beth said it, my eyes couldn’t stop scanning Maura from head to toe. The pull, the energy, between her and me is strong. I’ve been with human women here and there, but it’s been forever since I’ve bedded another wolf.

A low rumble starts in my chest as I really look at Maura again, letting my gaze linger in a way I hadn’t been able to before. Even with the bruising and tattered clothes, she’s beautiful. Fair skin, vibrant hair, small but tight body…

“Don’t even think about it,” Alejo says next to me, interrupting my thoughts. “She’s a distraction we don’t have time for.”

“Yes, we do,” I say with a ghost of a smile, my eyes still on her.

Alejo grumbles. “Look around, Beck. If she leads Godrick to us, it won’t be a battle. It’ll be a fucking slaughter. We’ve got one chance to take him down. One. If he beats us this time, we’re over. Our pack, our bloodlines…everything. Gone.”

“What does that have to do with Maura? She’s not Godrick, Alejo, and I doubt she’s going to lead him here.” I finally turn to him, taking in how his eyes are tight, his aura both angry and unsure. “I believe her when she says she’ll die before going back. That’s not a woman who’ll betray us. She’s scared.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Alejo snaps, tearing his eyes away from watching Maura. “I don’t know this woman. Neither do you. I’m not callous, Beck, but I’ve got no plan to die for her. And I sure as hell won’t sacrifice our people for her, either.”

He walks away before I can say another word. Instead, I turn my attention back to our little wolf.

There’s just something about her…

I don’t think I’ll be able to stay away.