A Wolf's Bargain Read online

She frowned. “Come back for dinner, then.”

  Little minx. Chris gave her a knowing look. “I’ll see what I can do.” He stepped over to the stove where Lily stood. “Thanks for lunch.” He leaned in and kissed her temple. “I’m sorry.”

  Her slate-blue eyes dilated with need. “Whatever.” Her sassy tone belied her demeanor.

  “Soon, she-wolf,” he growled low.

  He hated leaving her. Hated the fact he couldn’t stay and teach her a lesson. Couldn’t take her over his knee and spank her ass. Tie her up and tease her ruthlessly until she begged him for relief. As he entered the mudroom, he grabbed his vest then put his boots back on. With a last backward glance, he walked out of the house and headed toward his truck.

  Damn it, he could kick his own ass right now. What the hell had he been thinking? You weren’t. That’s the problem. He climbed into his truck and glanced at the house. So much for being smooth. About the best thing happening in his favor was Kalum’s go-ahead.

  He had to come up with the perfect plan. Something Lily couldn’t say no to. Well, you have time, asshole. Especially after today.

  Chapter Two

  Lily curled her lip. Why the hell had she kissed him at the Winter Solstice festivities? From the moment Chris had pointed toward the mistletoe then pressed his lips to hers, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Or, maybe, it was because he always seemed to be right in her way. She smacked the spatula against the pan a little too hard and winced. The whole time Chris ate his lunch, she kept her back to him, hoping to quell the need to rub up against him.

  Over the last several months, he’d inserted himself more and more into her life. After the trip to Hill City when she, Fawn, Gabby, and Alicia had been kidnapped by a biker named Player, Chris had been on her ass. Of course, it had made her feel a little more in control, though she’d never say as much to him. The idea of telling him anything made her pulse race. Not in anger, but with desire. She craved him more than she’d ever wanted anyone. More than she’d admit.

  “You know”—Kal took his seat beside Fawn—“he didn’t mean any harm. You should cut him some slack.”

  “You would stick up for him.” She turned and pointed the cooking utensil at him.

  “No, I’m not sticking up for him. I’m saying it because you were fucking rude to him.” It took an awful lot for him to curse. Even when he’d rescued them from Player, he hadn’t cussed.

  “Well, excuse me. I forgot teasing pack pups is a free pass. I’ll remember it when your child is born.”

  “Lily,” Fawn admonished, “you’re being mean. I don’t like it. In fact, you’ve been this way for months. Maybe longer.”

  She winced. Her anger, though on point, was irrational. Chris hadn’t meant what he’d said to Jordan, and they’d never let the boy starve, nor would Elle. Still, whatever motherly instinct she had deep down inside of her tripped at the mention of “scraps” if the boy didn’t hurry up.

  “Whatever,” she snapped. “He had no business teasing Jordan.” She pointed to the boy who sat happily eating his lunch.

  “If you’re upset with Chris, talk to the guy. He meant no harm.”

  He never did. “I realize this. Sometimes, he pushes buttons.”

  Her mated sister laughed. “Yes, he does. His heart will always be in the right place, and he apologized.”

  The anger subsided in Lily, and she sighed. “When you’re finished, Jordan, why don’t you see if Graham will saddle up one of the mares for you to ride?”

  His face lit up, and he practically bounced in his chair. “Really?”

  “Yes, really. You’ve been doing really well. I think”—she glanced at Fawn who nodded—“he’ll even take you through the pastureland to see all the cows.”

  He finished his lunch with gusto then cleaned his plate off and placed it in the sink. He gave Lily a quick hug then Fawn, whose rounded belly he rubbed before he hurried out the door.

  “He is a ball of energy.” Fawn laughed.

  “Yes, he is.”

  Once she had the dishes done, she joined Fawn in the living room. Gabby would be there shortly to plan their baby showers. She’d learned about the human tradition a few years after they moved away from the hills. Her mother had become quite the PTA parent, which meant invitations of all kinds popping up in their mailbox.

  The first couple of times they went, Lily and her mom sat there a little wide-eyed. The games had been somewhat outrageous like guess what’s in the diaper, or guess the baby food. Another game required them to slam a bottle of apple juice, and the one with the fastest time won. Then there were the gifts. Fancy baptismal dresses, even for boys. Cute little outfits, blankets, and bottles. Things for the moms. Baby swings and carriers. It blew their minds.

  By the third party, they were old hat at it. They didn’t feel so out of place. When they finally found their footing, they had a blast. She wanted Fawn and Gabby to have the same experience every one of the moms-to-be they knew had.

  “Knock, knock,” Gabby called out from the door.

  “This house is yours, too.” Lily got up to open the door. “You can always come on in.”

  Gabby laughed. “Well, I wouldn’t want to walk in at an inopportune time.”

  Though she’d stopped dying her hair, the faux-hawk remained. As did her funky clothes. The deep-purple, off-the-shoulder sweater she wore complimented her whimsical-print leggings. The spunky woman had traded her life for Lily, Fawn, Elle, and Alicia’s. Lily had been angry and scared leaving her behind when Player had kidnapped them. If she had to do it all over again, she would have taken Drew’s punishment for shifting in front of a human—which was a total no-no for the pack. It would have been worth it. Instead, they ran. Instinctively, she knew why Gabby did it. She was protecting the pack and her friends. But, sometimes, loyalty and saving one’s life weren’t mutually exclusive.

  “The men are out poking around, and Jordan is going for a ride. So, we’re all alone.” Fawn hugged her. “How are you feeling today?”

  “Mule kicked.” Her friend gave a breathy laugh. “These two are active little buggers.” She brushed the side of her belly with her palm. “Kru has already begun disciplining them, in utero. When they get too rambunctious, he presses his nose to my belly and growls softly.”

  Fawn chuckled. “Leave it to my brother.”

  “I think he might also enjoy seeing me pregnant.” She blushed a little. “Since morning sickness became a thing of the past, he’s been amorous.”

  Lily’s gut clenched as envy seeped into her system. “You’re positively glowing.”

  “Thank you.” Gabby gave her a shy grin. “Although I feel bad.”

  Lily narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

  “Here we are, all mated, and you’re alone.”

  She sat back, speechless. What did she say? “I’m okay. It’s no big deal.”

  Fawn sighed. “She’s resisting. She knows who her mate is.”

  “Chris?”

  Mortified, Lily crossed her arms. “Does everyone know?”

  “The kiss at last year’s Solstice celebration was pretty hot.” Fawn shrugged. “I guess we all figured you’d end up mated.”

  “Because of a kiss?” Her insides heated as she remembered the minute their lips had touched. Everything had gone silent. The festivities had disappeared. The idle chatter no longer existed. Chris deepened the kiss. Mate. Mine. She shook her head.

  “Yes,” Fawn answered.

  She snorted then shrugged. Grabbing her notepad off the table next to her, Lily changed the subject. “I’ve been thinking about things to do at your party.”

  “Deflection.” Gabby laughed. “You’re good at it.”

  Lily brushed off the comment. “I really wanted to give each of you a separate day, since your due dates are different, but I thought it would be more fun to have a double celebration, since we’re family.”

  “I have a concern.” Gabby’s tone turned serious as they got comfortable in the living room. “What about Alicia and Poppa? Not to mention Hombre and Black Jack.”

  When Gabby came to the hills, her family had followed. They’d settled in Hill City, and whenever she wanted to visit them, she did. But if they wanted to include them, they’d have to have the party outside the pack territory. “Why can’t we do it at their home? It’s not like we’ll go furry while in town.” She looked to Fawn for her approval.

  “Sure.” Fawn smiled. “I don’t mind. We’ll all be there, and it’ll give some of our friends a chance to meet your family. I’ll have Kalum let Drew know. I’m sure he won’t have a problem with it.”

  She blew out a breath. “Thank you.”

  “Of course,” Fawn answered. “No way Alicia can miss this. Those are her grandbabies, too.”

  “Since we have a location, what about—?”

  “Sorry I’m late,” Elle called out pushing into the house. “Things have been hectic with Brie.”

  “We just started.” Lily grinned. “We have a location set. Now we’re going to go over games.”

  “Great. Where are we throwing this shindig?” She took a seat beside Gabby and gave her a quick hug.

  “Alicia’s house,” Gabby answered.

  “Great.” Elle pulled her pad out of her bag. “Since we figured out food last time, I went ahead and asked Miss Fern to make the cake.”

  “Perfect.” Fawn smiled.

  “I made a list of games I remember playing when we were in the hu….” Lily shook her head. “I mean, when we left here.”

  “You can say human.” Gabby shrugged. “There is a huge difference. Even I see it. Plus, I’m a human. Besides, I only get a little shifter in me when Kru is randy.”

  Fawn groaned. “
Such a bad pun.”

  Elle laughed. “Don’t let him hear you call him little.”

  Her cheeks turned pink. “Well, I do enjoy when he proves himself.”

  Lily sat back and watched her sisters interact. Tears blurred her eyes. What she wouldn’t give to have her mom here to experience this all with them. Even for one day.

  “Hey.” Fawn touched her arm. “What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head and wiped her eyes. “Nothing. It’s stupid.” She cleared her throat. “Okay, so, moving on.”

  “What were the games?” Elle glanced up at Lily, pen poised to make notes.

  “Guess what’s in the diaper. Then slam a bottle of juice. There is also a blindfolded taste test. Guess the size of the baby bump. You have to use toilet paper and see how many squares it’ll take to wrap around their belly. Pin the pacifier on the baby. Baby shower bingo.”

  Fawn’s brows furrowed. “How many should we choose?”

  “I think each one I went to had about four games then present opening and cake.”

  “Four games it is.” Gabby smacked her knee. “You’d think I would have participated in these things, but old ladies don’t invite sweet butts or the president’s little sister to their little soirees.”

  “What’s a sweet butt?” They’d never asked Gabby about her life before she came to them, especially after everything happened, but she was curious.

  “Well, let’s just say, they’re only at the club for the perks, not for the long haul.” She cleared her throat. “Sex. All the time. With multiple people. Whenever the guys want it. It’s worse at parties.”

  Lily frowned. The more Gabby opened up to them about her past, the more she disliked the people who were supposed to be her family. “This is your day. So, you’ve got nothing to worry about anymore.”

  “I’m also making the invitations tonight,” Elle stated. “Is there anyone else you’d like to add?”

  Fawn and Gabby shook their heads. If some of the females of the pack weren’t sure about going, they’d bring treats back for everyone, anyway. “Great. Then I think we’ve finally got everything organized.” She let out a satisfied sigh. “Last thing to do is get both of you to Rapid City.”

  “Why?”

  “To register for baby gifts. It’s a human tradition. It gives people an idea of what you want and in what colors. It’s supposed to be fun. Either the women go with their husbands or their friends.”

  Fawn gave her a curious glance. “When do you want to go?”

  Lily snorted. “Whenever your mates will allow you out of their grasps, and preferably when they’re busy and don’t know what we’re doing.”

  Gabby chuckled. “Good luck. Kru still won’t allow me out of his sight for more than ten minutes.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan.”

  Chapter Three

  A week had gone by since his incident with Lily. He hadn’t had time to think about a plan, let alone implement it.

  As Chris drove down the state route back to Los Lobos, he knew his time was running short. A mate is a mate, is a mate. Though he repeated the mantra, he couldn’t help but worry. Did he have it wrong? Could the kiss they shared be just a kiss?

  His wolf growled, the hackles on the back of his neck rising. The wild part of him didn’t agree with his assessment. Yet, the human side demanded he continue to take his time. He’d never force someone, let alone Lily, to do anything they didn’t want. Mating was a life commitment. An unbreakable bond. He’d seen it day after day with his parents.

  When Henry twirled his mom around in a circle after dinner the night before, he’d sworn thirty years disappeared right before his eyes. Shortly thereafter, he left, giving the mated pair the time they needed on their own. Chris wanted the same. Desperately.

  Didn’t Lily see the same with her brothers? Fawn’s mated sister? Didn’t she see the love in their eyes when they gazed at their mates? He did.

  He yearned for the same. Could taste it. In those moments, he wanted to gather Lily in his arms and prove to her how good it could be.

  In the distance, town came into focus. Life carried on down there. Reborn in love, not hate. He had to convince his potential mate to give him a shot. Yet, no matter how many times his thoughts circled, he was no closer to an answer. Then a devious idea took root, and anticipation filled him. Sometimes, the best way to catch prey was to lay a trap. Oh yeah, there was no way in hell she’d ever be able to say no or ignore them being mates.

  Instead of going home, he turned off onto the main road into town. He didn’t think Lily, for all her sass and bluster, could be a full-time submissive. And, for all his Dominant tendencies, he didn’t think he could handle someone being dependent on him twenty-four hours a day.

  On the other hand, playing, making it fun, pushing boundaries; he was all for it. He’d make his saucy little she-wolf crave his touch. His adrenaline spiked and excitement raced through his body. Chris parked out front of the convenient store then got out of his truck.

  For his encounter with Lily, he wanted everything to be brand new. Fresh rope, a bandanna. Spring clamps. Sure, all of his purchases were a little modified, and, yes, he had everything he needed in his kit, but the life he had in Wyoming and the one he had here were two different things.

  Even though he interacted with the human world on a daily basis, it wasn’t where he belonged, so he’d shucked those things he’d procured there, and went with a simple pack life in Los Lobos. Here, he wasn’t Chris the Dom and veterinarian. He was Chris, son to Henry and Fern, and a vet.

  He waved to the clerk then made his way back to the hardware section in the store. He needed at least two twelve-foot bundles of rope, eight inches of beaded chain, and the clamps. On the way to the counter, he grabbed a light-blue calico-print bandanna. It matched Lily’s country charm. He placed his items next to the register and waited as the clerk rang it up.

  “Trying something new?”

  Chris quirked a brow. “I’m sorry?”

  “With Kalum’s cattle. I heard he had some wayward calves up there the other day.” The man continued to write down the prices of his purchases.

  “Oh.” He laughed. “Yeah, something like that.”

  “It’ll be seventeen dollars and forty-five cents.”

  Chris pulled a twenty out of his wallet. “Keep the change.” He grabbed the bag on the counter.

  “Good luck.”

  “Thanks.” He’d need it.

  He placed the bag into the utility box attached to the bed of his pickup then climbed into the driver’s seat.

  Before heading home, he thought he’d make a quick stop. He’d found out from Elle a few days ago Lily had started taking Jordan to the park in the afternoons.

  Jordan’s newest friend happened to be a precocious and cute-as-a-button six-year-old. Jessie hadn’t been a part of the pack for very long, but she sure had caught the attention of the other members and had Caleb Burrows, Hannah’s mate, wrapped securely around her little finger. Now it seemed, Jordan had been wrapped around the other.

  Caleb had even petitioned Drew for permission to build a small agility course for the kids—all Jessie’s idea. Within weeks a crew had cleared five hundred square feet near the center of town and installed balance beams, monkey bars, and rope ladders. Soon they would add pegged walls for climbing and over/under obstacles, perfect to help the kids learn how limber their little bodies were.

  He slowed as he came around the curve. Lily sat on the bench handcrafted by Brick Northridge, the pack’s resident carver and furniture maker. Hannah Burrows, one of the newer human packmates sat next to her. Some kids were climbing across the monkey bars while others played on the balance beam.

  Parked, he climbed out and strolled toward the playground, watching the kids as he went.

  “Come on, Jordan, keep up.” Jessie nimbly worked her way across the equipment.

  “I’m right behind you,” he growled, tapping her swinging foot with his own.

  The girl giggled as she quickened her pace. “Last one across is a rotten egg.”

  “Then you’re going to be stinky,” Jordan challenged.

  They jumped down and ran to the rope ladders. The way the girl kept glancing back at the boy with such adoration, as though he could do no wrong in her book, and vice versa, had him a bit curious. Mates knew mates. Nah. He brushed off the idea and strolled over to where Hannah and Lily sat.