Broods Of Fenrir

chapter 9


Stretching the muscles of his back to ease the tension building in his shoulders, Brand climbed the stairs to his bedroom. He needed to unwind before the moon peaked, or he"d probably start tearing at the walls.

If he had his way, Dagny would never know how much he had risked in taking her from his brother"s brood. Ansvarr might not be as powerful as Brand, but he was well respected.

As far as the members of their breed were concerned, Brand was at best an eccentric to be tolerated and, at worst, a rebel that should be routed.

Sliding into bed, he listened to Dagny and Alice talking downstairs. The sounds of their voices floating over the loft railing soothed him. He sighed and began a relaxation exercise.

Picturing a rocky stream through a dense pine forest, he conjured the smells that belonged there: mud, moss, sap, grass.

Next, he imagined the sounds—water burbling over rocks, wind rustling the branches, birds calling.

Instead of the mattress below him, he felt dirt under his paws and wind ruffling his fur. His conscious mind floated free, and the wolf passed into a dream state.

He ran over the loose rocks at the foot of a steep climb further into the mountains. His four feet were steady over the uneven terrain, though he jogged at a quick pace. An elk had used the path not long before.

Inhaling, he filled his nose with the scent of his prey.

Flesh, musk, and fur combined to form an image—a big bull, not far ahead. Prey as experienced as the one he followed wouldn"t give in easily; it would fight. Most wolves would use pack tactics to bring down such a large foe, but he didn"t have a brood to help him. The battle would be life-threatening and exhilarating.

Stalking the elk over miles of rugged ground, he closed the distance between them. Finally, he heard the sound of its passage and the snuffle of its breath. He turned a corner around an outcrop of rock and saw the prey in front of him, pawing through the snow to reach the roughage below. The elk"s winter coat grew in thick, dark patches around its head.

The rack of dangerous antlers stretched four feet from tip to tip.

Crouching close to the ground, he took cover in a patch of scrub. His dark coloring made him easy to see on bare, late fall hillsides. With the infinite patience of one who had hunted for centuries, he would wait until an opportunity presented itself. The low call of another wolf came from beyond the elk, and its head came up with a snort. The elk"s tufted ears flickered back and forth, then the huge animal bolted back in his direction.

The confusion lasted only an instant before he recognized the other wolf. She had joined him in the hunt. Her presence felt so right that he had no question she belonged with him. He heard her quick steps driving the elk toward him.

He dashed from cover and took two bounding leaps before launching himself at the elk"s neck. His sharp teeth punctured the thick hide over the large blood vessel that fed the brain. He clamped his teeth together in a firm bite. Rich 82

blood splashed over his tongue with a burst of intense flavor.

The power of the elk surged through him. The wound was mortal.

The elk stumbled, and then tossed its head before continuing forward at a run. The elk"s muscles lurched, dragging him along with the huge strides over the rocky ground. Blood poured from the wound and into his mouth, propelled by the animal"s tremendous heart. His she-wolf nipped at the elk"s heels, driving it ever onward toward death.

The bellowing breath came faster as the chase wore on.

Spittle dripped from the nose of the large mammal. The prey slowed, and his she-wolf grabbed the left rear leg in her teeth.

Determination radiated from her.

The heavy animal lurched forward, but recovered, dragging both wolves. By its stuttering inhale, the elk knew it was done, but continued to fight. After another few bounds, the elk began to fall. At the last instant, Brand leapt clear of the heavy weight that would crush him. The ground shook when the elk came to its final rest on the cold earth.

Jumping forward, not willing to let such a magnificent animal suffer a second longer than necessary, he fastened his jaws around the windpipe of the elk and applied pressure. He used his power to soothe the elk as the last bit of life drained from the hulking body.

His she-wolf came to stand beside him, her dusky gray fur brushing his. He released his hold on the elk and turned his muzzle toward her. Her silver eyes glowed in the darkening twilight. He licked at the rich blood of the elk painting her snout. She pressed closer to his side, her body warm against his.

He needed no other.

Brand came out of his wolf"s dream confused by the conflicting sensory input. Dagny nestled against his side in the bed, as she had in the dream. Her hand rested on his chest. The scent of her filled his room. Her breath tickled his skin.

She shifted sluggishly, her hand gliding over his stomach. His skin heated where she touched him. Her face 83

nuzzled against his shoulder until he moved his arm around her and tucked her against him. She made a sleepy murmur into his chest, and he smiled.

His wolf had never invited another into his dream.

Beasts as strong as his seldom did. It had developed an attachment to her, and such a connection wasn"t trivial. As long as Dagny lived, the wolf would not accept another.

The moon crept closer to full. He rubbed his hand over her back as they lay together, almost but not quite sleeping. The rumble of her stomach startled him out of his near-doze.

“I have to go out for a while.” He kissed the top of her head. “Stay here.”

He got up and began to dress. Despite his best efforts, his eyes kept drifting back to the appealing shape curled up in his bed. Twice, he almost abandoned his plans to hunt down something for her to eat, but he managed to escape the room.

Brand pushed open the door to the butcher shop and was surrounded by the mouth-watering aroma of fresh meat.

The man behind the counter looked up from trimming a pork roast and smiled when he saw Brand. Though he was elderly, there was no mistaking the strength in his arms attained through decades of lifting and shaping large cuts of meat. “Nice to see you again. Been a while.”

Brand nodded and looked through the offerings in the glass showcase. “Don"t suppose you have any wild elk?” The white paper hat twitched when the old man shook his head. “Only farm-raised, but it"s just in today. It was on the hoof a week ago.”

“A full rack of rib steaks, bone-in, please.”

“Sure, it"ll be a minute while I cut that up.” He scrubbed his hands under the sink and then turned toward the thick plastic curtain leading into the refrigeration room.

An image of Dagny"s jaws clamping onto the elk"s leg 84

came to him, and he couldn"t have repressed the smile that came to his face if he"d wanted. “If you"ve got a shank, I"ll take that, too.”

A toothy grin lit the butcher"s face. “Surely do.” He disappeared, leaving Brand to peruse the delectable array of meat on display with a rumbling stomach.

To her credit, Dagny hadn"t mentioned his poor hospitality, but he wanted to make the slight up to her. Brand paused in his pacing. It was unusual for him to dwell on such old-fashioned sentiments. He supposed it had to do with the new brood bonds and a sense of responsibility for both Dagny and Alice.

Thoughts of them reminded him of the danger he"d placed them in just by linking to them. Brand"s eventual death had been a near certainty since he"d killed Geir.

He"d slain his sire for the most basic of reasons, because the brutal son of a goat had killed his mother. Taken away by Ingrid months before, he"d been unable to protect her and no one else had raised a hand in her defense. Why would they? Geir had never taken a mate. His sire preferred to keep a harem of females that he treated like trash. When he killed one, no one was surprised, and no one said a word. It was expected, even encouraged, for the leader of the Broods of Fenrir to behave in such a way. Everything the king did was calculated to emphasize the fear of him because, if his subjects didn"t cower before him, they would tear him down.

Years later, as he stood over the shredded corpse of his sire, Brand had sworn that he would never become what Geir had been. He would not be king or allow his beast to reign over him.

Though he"d resisted the craving for companionship for centuries, once he"d felt the familiar connection after he"d Called Alice, he couldn"t fight the temptation any longer.

The butcher came through the plastic curtain with a large wrapped parcel and a pleased expression. Brand paid the 85

man and offered his thanks.

The door opened before he had to use the hand scanner. Dagny had managed to find a change of clothes that fit her, more or less. His gray sweater hung almost to her knees, but Alice"s leggings only went to mid-calf.

He held up the parcel. “I brought you some real food.” A smile quirked her lips. “That"s where you were?” The expression was so alluring that he had to touch her.

He rushed forward and put an arm around her back, lowering his head to rub his cheek against hers. She tensed for an instant, then relaxed into his embrace.

She sniffed twice before she laughed. “Elk? Where did you find that around here?”

He backed away and grinned. “Secret hunting grounds.

Perhaps I"ll show you some day.” Her answering smile filled him with a sense of ease. Taking her hand, he led her into the kitchen. He seared a half-dozen of the steaks, cooking them only enough to char the outside.

After a while, Dagny spoke up from behind him. “I didn"t think you could cook. There was nothing in here when I looked earlier.”

He gave her a sidelong glance. “Not bothering and not knowing are two different things. I didn"t have anyone to feed until recently.”

She chuckled, a throaty, delicious sound. “I"m flattered.”

Brand served her and was pleased to see her dig in as soon as the plate touched the table. A strange feeling of excitement tickled his stomach while he watched Dagny eat. He had hunted with her, and he let her eat first. He"d always made fun of other males when they behaved so traditionally. Since he"d met Dagny, he understood all too well why they deferred.

She noticed his attention and met his eyes. Glancing down at his empty plate, she stopped chewing.

Brand smiled. “When you"re full, I"ll eat.” He felt the sharp edge of her shock, and then her affection for him an instant later. To feel that warmth from her all the time, he thought he might do anything.

She resumed chewing, then swallowed the mouthful.

“Alice?” “Nothing short of compulsion will bring her within ten feet of food when there"s a male present. I"ll make sure there"s enough left when I"m done.” Alice had been terrorized too long to conquer her fear, no matter how patient he was. He"d tried asking her, yelling at her, and even feeding her from his hand, but nothing would make her eat with him in the same room.

Dagny"s face became somber. “Why does it have to be like this?”

“Because no matter what happens around us, the Broods of Fenrir don"t change.”

She stared at him for a long while, food forgotten on her plate. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was a whisper.

“Can"t you change it?”

He stood and paced across the room. “You don"t know what you ask.”

“Then, explain it to me. You could be the king. Doesn"t that mean you can order them to stop?”

“A king only remains in command as long as his subjects fear him, Dagny. What do you suppose I would have to do to maintain fear among this lot of brutal animals?” She put down her utensils. “I hadn"t considered that.” He stared out the window, watching clouds race by the bright outline of the full moon high above. The moon felt so close, her song crowding every thought. The beat of his heart kept time with the song as his blood pumped through him.

Images from his youth crept into his mind, but he fought them back. “I watched what my sire had to do to 87

control them. I"ve had the years since I killed him to consider what it would mean if I took his place. More than long enough to know that I can"t do what would be required of me.” She came up beside him and rested her cheek against his shoulder. “I"ve upset you. I"m sorry.” A current of sadness flowed from her that tasted like old metal in his mouth. “Don"t apologize to me.” He didn"t mean it as a command, but it sounded like one.

Her face lifted, eyes narrowed. “I"ll do what I please.” With a quick move, he had her pressed against the counter. He clamped his hands around her wrists.

She made a small gasp, but didn"t struggle. Her pulse raced under his hands.

He lowered his face close to hers. “Is there anything you won"t defy me on?”

She shivered, but maintained eye contact. “You should probably get used to it if you plan to keep me around.”

“Oh, I intend to keep you.” He dove in and covered her mouth with his. He pushed her wrists back, pinning her arms behind her back. A warning growl made her lips vibrate. He smiled against her mouth, then backed off.

He stared down at her. She didn"t blink, deliberately provoking him. Fenrir"s teeth, she was amazing. Her wolf roused, lending her eyes the shine of silver. The brood energy sparked around her, heating her skin.

She pushed against his arms, trying to free herself. She fought with the tenacity of the best fighters he"d ever known.

Even so, the bite caught him off guard when her blunt teeth ripped open the side of his neck.

His blood hit her tongue, and a tremor shook him.

Every nerve seemed to come alive at once. He groaned as waves of sensation from her surged through him.

Dagny went limp against him with an incoherent moan.

He released her wrists and wrapped an arm around her to keep her upright, bracing his other hand on the counter.

She loosened her bite and brought up her head. A thrill 88

raced through him when she licked his blood from her lips. She had actually bitten him. Her audacity was unbelievable, not to mention exciting. He rushed in to kiss her again, threading his fingers through her hair.

Leaning into him, she raised her chin. Her arms came up around him as he lifted her onto the counter. He slid his hands up her legs, fingers pressing into the curve of her thighs.

Her knees parted, and he stepped into the space between them, pulling her closer.

The racing of his heart pushed searing heat through every blood vessel. His hands dug into her backside and ground her against him. The force of his kiss increased until he pushed her back against the cabinets. The beast inside him roared.

Panic seized him. Gasping, he pulled away from her.

Without even noticing, he"d almost lost control.

She jumped down from the counter and reached for him. “What"s wrong?”

How could he explain just how much of a monster he was? He could lose control and be unable to stop himself until she was bleeding on the ground. Loss tore through him at the idea of hurting her and he knew he couldn"t risk it. He had to get away from her.

“I can"t let it happen, not with you.” His voice sounded strangled to his own ears. He staggered down the hallway to the front door.

She followed after him. “What?”

When he reached the door, he pulled it open.

Bera stood on the other side, eyes glassy and red. The shock of seeing her on his threshold cleared his head. She rushed forward and closed the door behind her. He"d never seen her in such a state of near panic.

It took several attempts for her to say, “Erik is gone.”