Werewolf Rage Book #2 in the Taming The Wolf Series (2 page)

Cyrus smiled down a
t her and ran his hands over her long wavy dark blond hair. “I’m not sure how to break this to you Ava, but I’m a werewolf. I can sense the emotions of other wolves. The question is, do you want him to try?”

Ava looked up quickly, frowning at Cyrus as she wrapped her arms around his strong waist.
“You know the answer to that. I don’t care how many cute werewolves show up in Paskell. There’s only one I love.
You
,” she said simply.

Cyrus’s eyes turned warm and liquid as he tilted her chin up with his finger.
“And that’s why I didn’t rip his throat out. I have faith in our love. If he can steal you away from me, then you were never mine in the first place,” he said somberly looking deep into her eyes.

Ava stared back and smiled slowly, her eyes warming
. “You know, you’re the only werewolf on earth I think I could love. What do you think would happen if some macho werewolf tried to throw me over his shoulder?”

Cyrus’s face broke into a wide grin.
“Knowing you, you’d have the poor man begging for mercy within a half an hour.”

Ava grinned back.
“You’re the new generation of male werewolf. Kind, loving, thoughtful and fair.”

Cyrus winced and shook his head.
“Just don’t tell Cole that. Hearing it put that way, makes me seem more Beta than Alpha.”

Ava crinkled her nose at Cyrus and grabbed his hand leading him to the lake.
“Let’s go for a swim before it gets too cold.”

Cyrus raised an eyebrow and glanced around.
“You brought your swim suit?” he asked.

Ava nodded and lifted her t-shirt to show her swimsuit underneath.
“Didn’t you?”

Cyrus shrugged. “I must have forgotten.
Turn around and I’ll go in first.”

Ava did as she was told and ended up staring at the hill Perry and Cole had walked over.
She stared at the bushes for a moment as she thought for just a moment she’d seen two eyes staring back at her. She frowned and tried to block out everything, focusing on the movement and sound she was picking up.

“I’m in! Hurry up Ava, it feels great.”

Ava ignored Cyrus for another moment and then shrugged it off. Now that the hybrids were gone, the animals were slowly beginning to return to the lake. It was probably a raccoon or something, she thought before lifting her t-shirt over her head and pulling it slowly off. She leaned over and slipped her cut offs over her hips and kicked off her flip flops. She stood there in a very modest tankini but felt almost naked for a moment. She shivered and rubbed her arms and then looked sharply at the bushes again. She gasped when she saw a movement and the shape of a black wolf leaping away. She had been watched. She frowned and felt goose bumps form on her arms as she turned to look at Cyrus.

He was staring after Cole too with a dark, hard look on his face that made her nervous.

She walked into the water and dove in smoothly, appreciated the cool water over her
heated limbs. She surfaced close to Cyrus and smoothed her hands over her hair.

“Hey,” she said softly, as he finally turned his head to see her.

“He
wanted
to be seen. He just challenged me,” he said in a soft lethal voice that had no trace of Beta.

Ava swallowed nervously.
“I was modestly covered with a swimming suit. No harm done. Now if I’d been skinny dipping like you. Then we’d have a problem,” she said, trying to get him to smile.

Cyrus flicked his head, sending water flying as he snarled softly.
“Cole and I are going to have a little talk very soon,” he said and then dove under the water.

She watched him swim back and forth over the lake as she floated lazily around in a circle and frowned knowing their date was now ruined.
Cyrus was a firm believer in not letting the animal side of their nature take over. Some days it was a tough battle.

Ava and Cyrus returned home an hour later. They walked in the kitchen to find Patricia preparing dinner for them.

“Hey Mom,” Cyrus said, going to his mom and kissing her on the cheek.

Patricia smiled and then did a double take at her son. “What in the world happened? You’re so tense and angry,” she said, immediately turning and looking at Ava with raised eyebrows.

Ava held up her hands.
“Oh no, don’t look at me.”

Cyrus sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he went to the fridge and grabbed a water bottle.
“We have visitors in town. Do you know a Perry and Cole Jansen? Niece and nephew to the Vaniers?”

Patricia frowned as she leaned up against the counter.
“Actually, that does sound familiar. I think I remember them coming for a visit about ten years ago. They borrowed our canoes for a few days, remember? You would have been around fourteen or fifteen I guess. Perry is older than you. She must               be about thirty now. Her brother Cole is maybe a year or so younger than you. Bill and Joan must be so happy to have them here,” she said smiling.

Cyrus drank his water and stared at his feet.
Patricia’s smile faltered as she looked back and forth between her son and Ava. “
Wait
, are you mad at Perry and Cole? Did something happen?”

Cyrus took another drink of water
, looking away moodily. Ava sighed and rubbed her temples briefly. “Cyrus thinks that maybe Cole might be interested in me a little bit,” she said, embarrassed as Cyrus speared her with a mocking look.

Patricia studied her son shrewdly and smiled.
“Oh, I see. Okay, this is funny. Sorry, Cyrus but
it is. 
You’ve worked all summer long to make sure that women have a choice in who they choose as a mate. And now that you have, someone wants to give
your
mate a choice. Where is Tobias? He’s going to love this,” she sputtered, covering her mouth with her hands as giggles escaped.

Ava tried to stay serious, but she just couldn’t and ended up laughing along with Patricia as Cyrus continued to ignore them both.
Tobias entered the kitchen a big bear of a man. He looked very much like his son, but his chest and arms were massive. Underneath the scary exterior though, he was a teddy bear.

“
Mmm
, I smell pork chops don’t I?” he said happily, slapping Cyrus on the back as he walked by. “Patricia, why are you giggling like a five year old? What’s so funny?” he asked curiously, pausing as he stared at everyone.

Patricia continued to giggle while Ava tried to smooth her features out.
His gaze fell on his son and his eyebrow rose questioningly. “Have these women been torturing you Cy? You’re about to tear someone’s throat out.”

Cyrus put his bottle down on the counter and stood up.
“I’m going to go take a shower. I’m sure Mom will love filling you in as soon as she can stop laughing,” he said tonelessly before walking out of the room.

Ava watched him go with a wince and shook her head.
Patricia was right. It was ironic. But it wasn’t funny that Cyrus was so upset about it. She set the table as Patricia told Tobias what had happened. When she finished laying the last napkin down she turned to find Cyrus’s father looking at her seriously. Unlike Patricia, Tobias wasn’t finding the events very funny at all.

“What’s your take on Cole Ava? Is Cyrus right? Did you get the sense that this man was interested in you, even knowing that you were mated to Cyrus?”

Ava pulled out a chair from the dining room table and sat down before looking up at Tobias. “Cyrus made it very clear from the very beginning that I was his mate. That’s how he introduced me. He actually said
, this is my mate, Ava Paskell
. But it didn’t make a difference to Cole. He was pretty flirty with me.  After we thought they had left, Cyrus and I wanted to go swimming and he jumped in of course, but I wore a swimsuit. I could feel someone watching me, but I thought it was an animal or something. When I stripped down to my suit, Cole came out in his wolf form and walked away. He made sure we both saw him. He
wanted
Cyrus to know that he was looking at me,” she said quietly, feeling a sense of unease as she retold the story.

Tobias’s face went hard and his eyes cold as he leaned in the doorway looking at his feet.
“He has openly declared an interest in you in front of your mate. Before if that had happened, Cyrus would have every right to rip the guy to shreds. Now though? Cyrus is in a pickle. If he tears the guy apart, the whole town won’t believe a word he says about change.”

Ava’s eyes widened at the social implications and what it all meant for the town.
“Oh crap. So what do I do? Cyrus can’t intercede, but I have a right to pick my mate. I’ve done that. I chose Cyrus. Cole might not have to care about Cyrus but he’ll have to respect my wishes. That’s part of the new law.”

Tobias nodded and smiled slightly.
“Of course Cole has to respect your wishes. He can’t force you to leave Cyrus and go with him. But he can sure try and change your mind,” he said darkly.

Tobias turned to go back to the kitchen, but Ava held up her hand.
“What . . ., what um, happens if someone who has chosen a mate, picks a new mate? I mean, with the pain and the withdrawals? Wouldn’t it hurt to let go of one mate to pick a new one?” she asked curiously.

Tobia
s’s large thick eyebrows snapped together as he looked at her. “For the one who picks a new mate, there’s no pain. For the mate left behind, it’s excruciating. Some even die,” he said quietly before disappearing.

Ava felt a cold shiver flow down her spine and just the thought of causing Cyrus that much pain made her nerves jump painfully in her fingertips.
Cole could try all he wanted to but in the end, her heart belonged to Cyrus.

She stood up to get the water glasses for the table and heard the front door open.
She grinned, knowing automatically it was her father. She rushed through the doorway just as her father walked into the kitchen, smiling and looking excited.

“Dad!”
Ava called out as she walked into the kitchen. “How . . .” she let her sentence die off as she realized her father wasn’t alone.

“I hope you made extra Patricia.
I’ve brought two guests,” Harry Paskell said, moving aside so that two people could walk through the door.

Ava watched in horror as Perry and Cole walked through the door, smiling and nodding.

“The
Vaniers are out of town for a few days on a fishing trip and I know they’d want their favorite nephew and niece to be welcomed properly in their absence.”

Harry clapped Cole on the back.
“Cole you lucked out. Patricia is one of the best cooks in town.”

Ava looked at Cole coolly from under her lashes as he watched her.
“I’m a very lucky man. But out of curiosity, who is the best cook in town then?”

Harry laughed and pointed at her.
“Patricia is a close second, but it’s hard to outshine Ava when it comes to cooking. You’ll have to taste her Salmon Carpaccio while you’re here Cole. You’ll never want to leave,” he said smiling at Ava proudly before turning to say something to Perry.

Cole smiled at her slowly before stepping forward.
“I can’t wait,” he said softly.

Tobias glared at Cole and Patricia looked alarmed as she looked back and forth between Cole and Ava. She made a squeaky sound in her throat, before she was able to form actual words form.

“Um, Perry? Would you like to freshen up before dinner?” she asked, trying valiantly to smile.

Perry smiled in relief.
“Thank you so much Patricia. I’ve been traveling for days and I would love to freshen up. Cole and I left,
um
. . ., at the spur of the moment and didn’t really pack anything to change into. I just assumed my aunt would have some extra clothes I could borrow,” she said, her pale freckled cheeks reddening in a blush.

Ava watched curiously as her father stared at Perry as if transfixed.
Ava blinked in surprise as she picked up on the cues that most werewolves could sense. Her father liked Perry. A lot.
Oh wow
. She looked at her feet, grinning slightly. She’d urged her dad to date for years. It looked very much like she wouldn’t have to encourage her father anymore.

She
could almost feel a pressure pushing against her and looked up quickly to see Cole staring at her intently. “I’d like to freshen up too. Can Ava show me where I should go?” he asked politely.

Harry nodded and waved his hand at his daughter.
“Of course. Ava, why don’t you show Perry and Cole to the guest bedrooms upstairs. Grab a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for Cole out of my closet.”

Ava swallowed nervously and glanced at Tobias and Patricia for help.
Her father had no idea what had happened that afternoon and he was throwing her into the lion’s den. Tobias stared at her hard, but nodded his head. Patricia nodded her head too. Ava gulped in a breath of air and turned to walk past Cole and her father to the hallway. Tobias and Patricia trusted her to put Cole in his place.

“If you’ll just follow me,” she said quietly.

Patricia must have changed her mind because she rushed past her toward the stairs. “While Ava is showing you your rooms, I’ll grab some clothes for you Perry,” she said, running up the stairs.

Ava moved to hurry after her, but Cole’s hand on her arm stopped her.
“There’s no hurry. We’re a little tired from our journey. I’d rather walk up the stairs instead of run if you don’t mind,” he said with a hint of humor in his voice.

Ava glanced at him and nodded.
“Of course. Sorry,” she said and tried to wrench her gaze away from his clear green eyes.
Whoa
. Her werewolf senses were pretty dull compared to everyone else’s in town, but Cole’s attraction to her was coming across loud and clear. It didn’t help matters that she found him attractive too. She closed her eyes and sighed. Dinner was going to be murder.

She turned to Perry and smiled.
“You’ll love Patricia’s clothes. If I was just a few inches taller I’d be tempted to borrow everything.”

Perry smiled tiredly.
“I’m not picky. Anything will do to be honest.”

“I’m glad you’re not three inches taller.
You’re just the perfect height,” Cole said in a warm voice as they reached the top of the stairs.

Ava frowned and glanced at Cole quickly as she gestured for them to take a left.
“Perfect height? Not here in Paskell. Everyone towers above me,” she said with a grimace.

Cole shook his head.
“I wouldn’t want you any other way,” he said with a half-smile as his sister looked at him sharply.

“
Cole
, I believe Ava is mated. You don’t want to cause any trouble here,” she said, sounding like any typical big sister.

Ava smiled at her in gratitude.
Cole just chuckled and shrugged. “That’s why we’re here isn’t it? Because the word flying around is that women here get to choose. And I for one, would love to be Ava’s choice,” he said reaching out and touching a blond strand of hair.

Ava jerked away just as Cyrus materialized in his door way, buttoning the last button on his white oxford shirt. As soon as his eyes lighted on Cole, they went from ice blue to lightening.
He lowered his hands and walked forward, never taking his eyes off of Cole.

“Well, what a pleasant surprise,” he said, in a voice so laced with violence, that Ava moved immediately to stand in his way.

“Cyrus, the Vaniers won’t be back from their fishing trip for a few days. My dad offered them our hospitality. They’ll be staying for a few days here and um, they’ll be joining us for dinner tonight,” she said, putting her hands on his chest, silently pleading with him to keep control.

Cyrus stared over her head at Cole and Perry.
He switched his murderous gaze from Cole to Perry and his face relaxed slightly.

“It’s good to see you again Perry.
I hope you’ll find everything you need. If not, please just ask,” he said just as his mother walked down the hallway with an armful of clothes.

“Here you go Perry.
Just use what fits. There’s time if you want to take a quick shower too. No hurry. We’ll wait dinner for you,” she said kindly.

Perry smiled tremulously as if she were on the verge of tears.
“Thank you so much for your kindness Patricia. I hope someday I can repay you,” she said and then disappeared in to the room, shutting the door softly.

Ava frowned, wondering what had put that look of fear and sadness in Perry’s eyes.

“What about me Cyrus? Isn’t it good to see me too?” Cole asked mockingly.

Ava felt a
woosh of adrenaline sweep through Cyrus’s body and she instinctively stepped back, letting her hand fall to her side. Patricia must have sensed the same thing, being so attuned to her son, and her face turned white as she stared at Cyrus with big pleading eyes.