Wolf Fever (Alpha Project - Book 1) (9 page)

Even though Ryder may not have been a man she would have sought out before, between her wolf and the wanton woman she’d found inside her, it would take a natural disaster to keep them apart. At least, for as long as he’d want her.

She grabbed the bar of soap. After rubbing it on a white wash cloth until it was thick with suds, she turned to him. She washed Ryder’s smooth toned body. What a body it was. Not a single ounce of body fat resided on his torso. And those abs. Dear lord. They were a thing of beauty. Her mind started to wander while she scrubbed her way down his body.

Moving to care for her parents had been the first thing she’d done not in her five-year plan. When she’d been called about the sleep study, she’d been so careful. Yeah, careful. What a joke. She’d researched the whole process until she felt comfortable it was safe. For someone who led such a perfectly ordered life, to wake up with an animal inside was strange enough. But add to that a desperate need to have sex, and this was not just strange, this was her very own alternate reality.

She made her way down his body until she was satisfied he was clean, taking special attention with his cock. Pumping it repeatedly.

“Raine…”

Her wolf yipped in happiness at his renewed aroused state. Having a horny animal inside was going to take some getting used to.

She passed him the soap and grinned. “My turn, big bad.”

He lifted wet brows and smiled. “Big bad?”

“Yep. You are my very own big bad wolf.” She grinned when he started laughing.

“I think Theo’s going to love that.”

She bit her lips, watching him slide the washcloth down her breasts, squeezing her nipples with the soapy material. “No. That’s just between us.” She shut her eyes, enjoying the feel of his calloused fingers caressing down her body. “Nobody but me gets to call you big bad.”

“Whatever you want, sweetheart.” Then, he kissed her. Gave her a soft light feathering over her lips. Her body melted into his as they stood under the warm spray. Water sluiced the soap off.

“I think what I want is to see what else we can do on that enormous bed of yours.” Where in the world did this sex fiend come from?

He helped her dry and lifted her in his arms. “I can help you figure that out.”

A sense of freedom to be whoever she wanted to be, without worries about what he’d think of her sexual deviance, made her smile. He dropped her on the soft blankets and patted her ass when she flipped over.

“Where are you off to?” He grabbed her by the ankles and tugged her down the bed.

She squealed. Tried to shake him off. He slapped her ass, the soft tap making her moan. Instant arousal gathered in her sex.

“Like that, do you?”

She nodded and shoved back until her upper body was splayed on the bed—ass high in the air.

He kissed the cheek he’d tapped, nuzzling his face on her hip. She whimpered, hoping he’d do it again. Fire lanced her pussy, adding to the throbbing currents shooting down her body. He caressed the other cheek before slapping it as well. Her breath hitched. Moisture dripped from her slit. Now she knew she needed therapy for sure. He was tapping her ass, and instead of alarm over the stinging on her cheeks, she was getting wetter and wetter.

“Fuck, sweetheart.” He kissed the spot he’d just tapped and trailed a finger down her crack and to her slick sex. “You are so sexy.”

Lust gathered tight, jerking the reins on her control. He dipped two fingers into her pussy. She groaned. Using his slick fingers, he made a wet trail up to her asshole. Circled the dark entrance. “Oh, baby. Tell me you like this.”

His voice sounded hoarse, rough. She panted. Glanced over her shoulder. “I’ve never tried it before.”

Straight-laced Raine would’ve never allowed a man to lick her puckered hole the way Ryder was doing that very moment. With the sheets in a white-knuckle grip, she pushed back, into his delightful tongue.

He moved his face away from her ass. “We’ll wait until you’re ready.”

She wanted to order him to do it now. Disappointment filled her, but she bit her tongue. Instead of complaining. She waited. He slid into her in a lung-pounding drive. Goosebumps broke over her skin. The feel of his cock stretching her from behind and hitting her in a new angle made her body tense. She whimpered. Small rockets went off in her pussy in mini orgasms.

Shoving her face into the bedding, she propelled into each of his thrusts, bringing him deeper into her sex. His fingers bit into her hips, holding her tight as he slammed into her.

“
Mmm
. You feel so perfect.” His voice was deeper than before. The sound made her nipples ache.

“Not as good as you feel inside me.” She groaned.

The bed squeaked loud. With each thrust, the backboard slammed on the wall with a thud. She moved a hand down between her legs, flicking a finger over her pleasure bundle.

“
Oh-oh-oh-oh.
”

Her body tightened so fast, it caught her off guard. She was hurled into an orgasmic wave of bliss. She stiffened. Took her time riding the ecstasy cascading through her body. Bursts of pleasure continued to spark with each hard thrust. Aftershocks rocked her. Shaking her, making her weak in their wake.

He choked out her name, did a final harsher drive, and stopped. Heat from his release filled her womb.

Both panted on the bed. She couldn’t move. Her body felt boneless. Sated. She was glad when he threw a blanket over them and curled into her back. She fell asleep with the thought that it felt nice to have him hold her.

Chapter Seven

“So where exactly does this Jessa live?” Raine peered out of the passenger side window of Ryder’s pickup, noticing the thick trees and desolate area. His hand over hers on her lap had her turning to him. Smiling.

“Her father’s the alpha for the central pack.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm.

Butterflies took flight in her chest. She gulped. The beast inside her wasn’t the only one ready to lie on her back and show off her stomach for him to pet.

“Thanks again.” Dryness took hold of her throat.

“What for?” He watched the road, but continued to hold her hand while he drove.

“Coming home with me, and waiting while I showered and changed into clean clothes. I appreciate it.”

He met her gaze with a smile. “Whatever you need.”

Whatever? She gulped and wondered if that meant she had all access of his body. Full use of his body any time, any place, sounded incredibly generous to her. “So, does she live far?”

“Not at all. We’ll be there in a few.” He turned the pickup into an old dirt road.

Tall, thin trees created a narrow passage for vehicles. Long minutes later, they reached an opening to a private house. The large house rivaled Ryder’s cabin. As he stopped the truck and shut off the engine, the redhead, Jessa, exited the house. Wind whipped her beautiful hair around her head. She wore a pair of jeans and black T-shirt. If Raine didn’t have enough curves to share with a few, she’d have felt jealous of the voluptuous woman. Her green eyes focused on them as she closed the distance between them.

Raine hopped out of the truck. The sun beat over her head, creating instant perspiration on her upper lip. Ryder marched around the vehicle to join her at the passenger side the same moment Jessa reached them.

“Any word on Quinn?”

Raine frowned. She could scent and feel Jessa’s pain. She felt like an intruder in someone’s personal emotions, but she wasn’t sure if she could stop from scenting Jessa’s distress. Whatever had broken her and Quinn up had not diminished her feelings for him. Raine wanted to hug the other woman. Her pain was deep, strong.

“No. James is missing also.” Ryder grimaced and twined his fingers with Raine’s.

Jessa’s eyes widened, the green turning a deep shade of emerald with emotion. “What?”

Raine struggled to keep from going to the other woman who was in distress.

He gave a sharp nod. “We’re trying to figure out if there was any other place they could’ve gone to other than the north side of Tenam Forest. I came to see if there was anything else you might remember.”

Jessa bit her lip. “No. Our last conversation wasn’t good.” She gulped. “I… He said he needed to think. That running in Tenam was the best way to do that. To clear his head.”

Raine watched Jessa’s eyes water. Raine squeezed Ryder’s hand in her grasp. He released her fingers and curled his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. A man walked out of the house, making his way down in unhurried steps.

“What about James, did he mention if he was with him?” Ryder’s voice softened.

“No, but you know they were always together. Have you had any luck contacting the southern packs?” Jessa’s voice wobbled. She blinked the tears away and took a deep breath. “If anyone knows where he is, it would be one of those guys.”

“Thanks. Theo is checking on them now, but I still wanted to make sure there was nothing you might have missed.”

The other man closed the distance and stopped beside Jessa. “Ryder.”

“Pete.” Ryder stiffened beside her.

Pete placed his arm around Jessa’s shoulder and tried to hug her to his side. “Everything okay?”

“Yes.” Jessa stepped out of his grasp. She glanced at Raine. Discomfort. It was clear in her eyes.

Raine watched the man take liberties touching Jessa. Touching she clearly didn’t approve of. Pete’s wrinkled forehead and thinning white hair spoke of advanced age, but it was the slick smirk he sported that made her wolf snarl inside.

“Thanks for your help, Jessa. I’ll keep in touch.” Ryder opened the passenger door for Raine. She sat down, watching Jessa’s sorrow-filled gaze. When Pete tried to grab her again, she jerked out of his grasp, glared at him, and headed back to the house.

Once Ryder was back at the wheel, she turned to face him, curiosity getting the best of her. “Who’s Pete?”

“Jessa’s father’s second.” Ryder frowned and gripped the wheel. “He’s been looking to take over that pack for a long time.”

Oh. “Whatever he’s done seems to be working.”

Ryder’s gaze drifted her way before focusing on the road. “I’m not sure. Whatever is going on there is the reason Quinn is gone.”

She nodded. “Where to now?”

“Let’s go check out that building you went to. Theo’s meeting us on that side of town, it’s not far from Tenam forest and not far from the area Quinn was supposed to have been running.”

When they reached the dead side of town, she gave him directions to the place she’d been summoned to. They passed multiple broken down buildings. Each structure sat in a drunken stupor, as if ready to fall over. Paint peeled from all the buildings. Some had boarded up windows, while others had dark coverings over them.

Now that she looked at this place without the desperate need for money, she realized she should’ve noticed there was something wrong the moment she stepped foot in this area. They’d driven a while and she still hadn’t seen a single person. While clothes hung out and over some fire escapes, she had yet to see a single child or animal playing outside.

“What’s wrong?” Ryder’s asked.

Frowning, she met his gaze before turning back to stare out her window. “This place is so…dead.”

He chuckled. “It’s why it’s referred to as the dead side of town. We’re almost there.”

Theo and a couple of other men waited outside the address she’d given Ryder.

A strange sense of foreboding crept over her as they got out of the pickup. Her attention was drawn by the door. She didn’t see the ‘Welcome. We’re open’ sign she’d seen when she’d last entered the building. In fact, the place appeared to have never been used.

“We opened the doors.” Theo held the glass door open for her. His brows dipped low, in a menacing scowl.

“Have you found anything?” Ryder’s voice was commanding. He placed a hand at her lower back, guiding her forward.

“See for yourself,” Theo muttered.

Raine staggered into the building. Her stomach lurched. The white walls were stark without the pretty painting she’d seen before. Some of the square ceiling tiles had been torn down and left on the ground. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Perspiration gathered in her palms. She wiped her shaky hands on the sides of her pants and walked down the hallway, visualizing the place she’d been taken to sleep. Her lungs constricted.

They passed multiple empty rooms. When they reached the one she’d been put to sleep in, nothing remained. Goosebumps broke across her skin. She swallowed the thick knot at her throat. The only thing filling the place was a stale stench. Her vision became blurry with tears. Her wolf paced, restless. Her distress, even though she tried to control it, was seeping into the animal.

Anger and anxiety grew inside her. The wolf was pushing at her skin, wanting to be let out. She jerked around.

Run!

Ryder caught her. “Raine!”

She shouldn’t be in there. Rage built into a monster of pain she couldn’t tamp down. She’d gone into the place thinking nothing of it. Was used as nothing better than a lab rat. Her mind whirled in a million directions, all of them wanting revenge.

Annoyed at being held back, she twisted in his grasp and slapped her hands on his chest, sending him flying across the room. The surprise in his face would probably have been funny at another time, but right now all she wanted was to get away.

Her body took on a mind of its own, dashing out of the room. Outside the building, she snarled at the men who headed toward her. They stopped in their tracks, shock visible in their faces. She needed to keep moving. Everything rushed past her in a blur. The wolf demanded to be let out.

Her gaze landed on the forest entrance at the end of the block. Instinct drove her to head for the trees. The closer she got, the more her skin burned. She glanced at her hands. Claws popped out of her fingers, replacing her nails. Her muscles stretched taut, aching with an intensity she’d never experienced. She dropped to all fours, continuing to run in an odd half-animal half-human lope. It took her a moment to realize her vision had sharpened. Her sense of smell heightened. She skidded to a stop at the edge of a cliff, looked down. She had paws. Fur and four legs had replaced her skin and arms. She wasn’t a monster.