Vivian Arend - Wolf Flight

Doug grunted. “Hmmm, you are good. So much potential, so much I’ll be able to do with you once you’re properly trained.” Doug loosened his grip for a second and slipped his fingers into her hair, tugging it hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Her blood pounded, her mouth suddenly gone dry, and she focused on making Doug forget her. She was nothing, she was nondescript. Reaching deep into the part of herself she had hidden away for years, she attempted to calm her Alpha. The ripping pull in her hair faded as he dropped his hands to his side and released her.

She kept her gaze on his face and continued to pour out calming emotions from her core, being sure to make them nonthreatening, noninteresting. Above all nonsexual because if Doug decided to claim her physically she’d be lost. She would shatter in a million pieces and never be free from him.

He turned away from her and her panic lightened, fear relaxing as he reacted to her stimulus. She drew in an uneven breath, preparing to step back and retreat from his presence. Suddenly, his hand shot out and wrapped around her throat, squeezing tight enough to hurt and she froze, physically and mentally. He snarled quietly. “Don’t attempt your tricks, little girl. You’re strong, much stronger than my brother was, so you were able to control him. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you can use your skills on me. I will kill you if you try that again.” He squeezed a final time before releasing her, his hand moving to cup her face as she frantically dragged in air.

His voice was a mere whisper, menacing in its softness, the polite trappings of civilization hiding the monster. “I’m a patient man, Missy. I waited until the opportune moment to take over the pack. I have maneuvered tirelessly to arrange deals that will soon bring in the financial resources I desire. I can wait for you until the timing is right. Since appearances are so important to wolves, I wouldn’t dream of taking you yet. I don’t want to draw any attention from the council. Even though you obviously are hurting, missing your mate.” His fingers trailed along her cheek and she shivered involuntarily. “Poor thing, everyone knows how devastating it is to lose a mate. It is fortunate I’m without a partner. As both Alpha and your brother-in-law, I’m the only one who can replace him for you.”

He dropped his hand away, sliding it intimately down her body.

If she had truly been mated, Doug’s words would have been true. The loss of a mate ripped something from within, and many never recovered. With the genetic similarities between brothers, and Doug’s strength as an Alpha, the pack would expect him to take Missy under his protection.

And into his bed.

Only she and Jeff hadn’t been mates. There had been no true connection between them other than a shared zeal to stay alive under the tyranny of an Alpha who controlled and conquered as he pleased. Jeff hadn’t survived.

She stiffened her spine, glancing into the common room to see if there was anyone nearby even watching the discussion that she might turn to for assistance. No one paid them any attention. A log popped and shifted at her back, a rush of heat flaring out and she took a deep breath. It was up to her alone.

Missy was desperate to escape, but Doug still held power over her. Still held her in check with the one thing that guaranteed her cooperation. She needed time to find a way to get out of this mess. “I’m scheduled to leave the pack for an extended period of time. My position with the research team has been—”

Doug waved a hand in front of her face. “I know. You’ll be traveling with the Lauren Group setting up weather stations. I believe the timeframe is four to five months for the work to be completed, correct?”

Missy swore inside. How could the bastard know the details of a personal contract she’d signed only days ago? She’d attempted to be extremely careful in keeping her information secretive, but his fingers were in everything.

“I will expect you by the end of February.” His dark eyes flashed at her. “Don’t make the mistake of delaying your return, Missy, or there will be consequences your sister will not enjoy.”

She stood rigid under his glare. “Leave Margaret out of this. She’s attending university in Vancouver, she’s not a part of this pack anymore.”

Doug shook his head. “No one is truly ever out from the protective watch of the pack, you should know that. I’m sure Maggie will be just fine as long as you remember your place in the overall scheme of things.” He leaned close and brushed his lips against her cheek, whispering in her ear, “Six months, my little Omega. I’ll give you six months as the code states. Then I’m taking you as mine and our combined skills will be the making of this pack.” He dismissed her abruptly, turning away to reclaim his chair, glittering eyes staring into the fire.

The enforcers gathered around Doug again as Missy backed away, eager to leave the sweltering heat that had nothing to do with the blaze in the fireplace. She forced herself to walk, not run, head held high. No indication that the devil himself had just announced she was to be his queen.

There was no way she would willingly join him in hell.

February, Haines Junction, Yukon

Tad leaned against the cold exterior wall as he watched the company helicopter settle on the runway. Loose snow flew around the large metal-clad building they used as a hangar for both the chopper and the small bush plane. He waved briefly at his business partner, Shaun, before hurrying back indoors. There wasn’t much time left and he had a ton of preparations to complete before the afternoon flight.

Maxwell’s Silver Hammer had landed a major contract to transport researchers to and from a camp at the base of Mount Logan. The money was great but the timing sucked. As he hurried through his checklist his mind wandered, concern for his sister distracting him. What the hell was he thinking, letting a deaf girl head into the backcountry alone? He was supposed to take care of her, not throw her to the wolves. He should have refused the contract and gone with her like they originally planned. He was lost in thought when a solid touch to his shoulder startled him.

“Holy shit, Shaun, warn a guy will you?” Tad cursed, his heart racing.

“You’re a fucking werewolf. Why the hell can’t you learn to scent another wolf approaching?” Shaun peeled off his flight jacket and threw it onto one of the chairs at the side of the shop. His cocky grin did little to relax the knot in Tad’s stomach.

“Piss off.” So his ability to smell sucked. There were more important things to worry about as far as he was concerned. “Robyn get away okay? Crap, I can’t believe I let her go on the trip without me. What if something happens to her?”

Shaun laughed, slapping him on the back roughly. “You’re too damn possessive about your sister. She’s fine. She’s a great skier and experienced in the bush. Plus she’s so freaking powerful that being stuck in close quarters with her nearly kills me.” He paused for a second, flicking a concerned glance at Tad. “You’ve got to tell her soon. I mean, you’ve known about having werewolf genes for a couple of years now. She needs to know so she can move on with her life, learn about her other side. She’s going to be the most gorgeous wolf when she gets her genes triggered.”

Tad grit his teeth together, his face suddenly hot, muscles tense. Not this conversation again. “Yeah, and I suppose you want the privilege of triggering her, right?”

Shaun wiggled his eyebrows a few times and grinned. “Well, it wouldn’t be a chore by any stretch.”

Tad slammed a hand into his friend’s chest, hooked his fingers into his shirt and lifted him off his feet. Blood pounded in his ears and Tad looked out through a sea of red. Shaun’s toes dangled off the ground, kicking a few times as Tad held him high in the air, arm stretched at full length.