Dark Wolf (Spirit Wild)

7

Sebastian took a last glance at the website, added a few final comments to his notebook, turned off his tablet, and glanced at the media screen on the wall. He’d left the large monitor running while he hunted for information on his tablet, though he’d turned the volume off some time earlier.

He stared at the images on the big screen a moment, but at first he couldn’t place what he saw. Enlarging the picture, he recognized the face of a local newscaster in the corner of the screen as an overhead camera focused on a large, raucous crowd gathered downtown. Familiar landmarks placed the action near the Civic Center.

The camera zoomed in on a striking silver-haired man on a raised dais surrounded by what appeared to be half a dozen large bodyguards. Sebastian turned up the volume just as his father raised his arm and the crowd fell silent.

There was nothing Aldo Xenakis loved more than an attentive crowd. The microphone amplified his already mesmerizing baritone voice, carrying his words out to the spellbound group gathered about him like fans at a rock concert.

Except his father’s form of entertainment was spewing hate, railing against the Chanku shapeshifters, blaming them for yet another death. The man was nothing if not consistent.

Staring at the screen, at the hatred on the faces of so many idiots standing in the crowd, hanging on to their exalted leader’s every word, Sebastian thought of Lily. Lily and her flashing aura and her beautiful spirit.

He thought of Lily with his father’s filthy diatribe in the background. At that moment he realized how much he hated the man. Hated him for his arrogance and sense of superiority that apparently made him think he had the right to incite a crowd of mindless fools to violence against a people who meant them no harm.

Without any proof beyond his own xenophobia, Xenakis encouraged bloodshed. With that mesmerizing, almost poetic cadence to his voice, he blamed the Chanku for the rapes and murders, pumping his fist in the air as he threatened revenge for the deaths of innocent young women.

“You bastard.” Disgusted, Sebastian reached for the controls to turn off the flat screen, when one of the bodyguards in the background shifted his weight. It was more than obvious the man was injured. Sebastian zoomed in for a closer look. The man was huge—heavily muscled and quite tall, but he wore a walking cast on his left leg. Curious now, Sebastian used the controls to move across the row of bodyguards until he saw what he was looking for.

The one on the far left had his right arm in a sling. Sebastian skipped back to the first bodyguard, the one with the cast, and zoomed in on his face. A deep cut ran across the bridge of his nose. It was mostly healed, but he’d heard that Chanku healed faster when they shifted.

The same nose Lily had slashed with wolven teeth? The leg he’d snapped with powerful jaws? And the other one’s arm. It couldn’t be mere coincidence, but what were Chanku doing with his father, a man who hated the species? And why would the same ones who had attacked him and Lily the night before be part of the half dozen men guarding Aldo Xenakis?

He had to call Lily and tell her what he suspected. She’d said last night that she didn’t know the wolves, but she’d recognized their scent. A scent associated with one of the murders.

Was his father aware of the fact his employees were behind the rash of killings? Could he be directing them? No. Sebastian shoved that thought aside, but it didn’t disappear. Not entirely.

Damn, but he needed to talk to Lily. She was smart and levelheaded, and she knew more about shapeshifters than anyone else possibly could.

He wished he’d stayed for that talk they’d promised each other. Wished he’d done a lot of things differently, but it was too late for misgivings. He needed to call her, but an idea had taken hold and wouldn’t turn him loose, so he shut down the monitor, grabbed his tablet computer, and headed for his room at the back of the house.

At least he knew he’d have a few hours before his father returned home. Time enough to try a spell he’d come across that might take him to the astral plane. He was certain his answers lay in that mysterious space out of place, but he’d never managed to access it before. His father drew a lot of his power from the astral. Not all—Aldo claimed he had other sources as well.

Sources he wouldn’t discuss with his son.

Damn, he really needed to talk to Lily.

Reaching for the phone, Sebastian thought of the sense of unclean magic clinging to his father. He had no proof, so he wasn’t in a position to accuse him of the murders, but he needed to find some answers, and damn it, as much as he needed to talk to her, he didn’t want to involve Lily.

Not yet.

He stared at the phone in his hand. Slowly, he put it down. He’d try once again to access the astral. See what he could find on his own.

Then he’d call Lily.


The flight had been smooth, the trip from the airport to the Chanku estate with her mom giving her a chance to talk privately about her feelings for a guy who might or might not be the one.

With her parents’ curiosity appeased for now, it was time to visit Eve. Hopefully, she’d find answers with the goddess, but even if Eve didn’t know a thing, Lily could kick back and relax.

Besides, Eve always had the best food and wine, though where it came from remained a mystery. No matter what, it felt so good to be home. The air was fresh and clean, and the big Montana sky an absolutely perfect shade of blue. Lily drew in a deep breath as she closed the door on her small cottage at the edge of the woods. Walking quickly, she crossed her mother’s beautifully landscaped gardens that set her parents’ quarters apart from some of their packmates’ houses.

Damn, but she’d missed coming home. Missed her own kind. No matter where she was, Lily knew she always had the pack, but it was so much better when they were close by. She drew on them, on their strength, their strong sense of family.

Since birth, she’d been surrounded by people who loved her, who wanted only the best for her. Family. Always here. Always looking out for her.

Sebastian had never known anything like that. No wonder the guy had issues, but issues or not, she missed him. She hardly knew the man, and yet . . . she missed him.

That made no sense. None at all.

It was quiet this afternoon. Babies must be napping. Not everyone lived within the main compound, though all the original families now had homes on the same huge piece of property her father had purchased years ago. Many of their children remained, and some had their own homes on site. Others, like Lily, kept small cottages where they could come and go at will.

She sometimes wished things were still the way they’d been when she was small, when so many of them lived in the main house, except for her adopted older brother Oliver and his mate, Mei Chen. She’d loved their little cottage, just across the driveway, but all of that changed after the fire.

None of them would forget the terrible fire that burned much of the forest almost three decades ago. The original house and Oliver’s cottage had burned to the ground. That fire had been a defining point for the entire pack. The fire and the fact their existence—a closely held secret until then—had suddenly become public knowledge.

In one single, unexpected event, in less than a heartbeat, they’d gone from legend to reality when one of their own shifted from man to wolf in front of dozens of network news cameras. The fact he’d shifted publicly to prevent a terrorist attack on a group of young people—including the president’s daughters—outed the Chanku in a totally positive manner, but once their secret was caught on film, there was no turning back.

That event had forced a decision they’d been vacillating over for ages—to live closer to one another, to become a single, united pack rather than continue on as separate family groups scattered about the country. There was safety in numbers and a chance for the children to develop in a society where they never felt alien, were never alone. Unlike their parents who had grown up isolated and unaware of their Chanku birthright, this new generation had been raised with pride in their amazing heritage, surrounded by others just like them.

They’d been free to explore their shapeshifting nature, to know their roots. From the very beginning, they had existed as they were meant to exist—shifting from human form to animal whenever they wished, with thousands upon thousands of acres of forest and meadowland set aside for their use.

Lily appreciated the beauty of her upbringing, the freedom she’d known, and the opportunities she’d been given. She’d blossomed in freedom, and her magic had grown as a natural part of her development.

Magic that had nothing to do with being a shapeshifting Chanku. No, according to her mom, Lily’s magic was all her father’s fault, a gift from his Romanian ancestors, though in Lily, the innate power of her magic was nothing short of miraculous. Still, it meant that, like her father, Lily was of the pack and yet separate. She was special and she knew it—Chanku, and more.

So much more, even Lily realized she’d not tested her full potential. That alone set her apart. And maybe that was why she couldn’t get Sebastian out of her mind.

He was the first man she’d known with magic as strong, if not stronger than her own. He challenged her in every way, but the connection she’d felt with Sebastian reinforced the fact that there was no future for her with Alex Aragat, no matter what their parents wanted.

She grinned as she thought of Alex. Who wouldn’t? He was adorable, but no matter how cute and sexy and smart he might be, Alex lacked the strength to stand up to her, the will to challenge her. He was a strong alpha male in his own right, but not where Lily was concerned. He’d deferred to her his entire life. That wasn’t going to change. She’d run right over the poor guy, just as she’d done all their lives, and they both knew it.

Sebastian, on the other hand, would stand toe to toe with her, and she’d be lucky to come out unscathed.

Did she really want that?

The shiver along her spine and the sudden coil of heat centered in her womb confirmed that, yes, she really did.

“Hey, Lil. Your folks said you were home. I’ve missed you.”

She jerked to a stop and laughed. “Alex! Me too.”

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her hard and fast. “You ready for ‘the talk’?”

“Hell, no.” She rolled her eyes. “Why? Did you just get nailed?”

He nodded. “You, Lily Cheval, are a paragon of all things Chanku, and I’m a bloody fool to let you slip away.”

Laughing, she flipped him off. “Sorry, big guy. I can’t help it if I’m a paragon. I am what I am.”

“Well, it would help if you’d screw up a little. Do you think you could work on that?”

Lily glanced at the house, knew her dad still wanted to talk to her, but she really needed Alex right now. “I think I already have, Al. You got a minute?”

“What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“C’mon.” She grabbed his hand and drew him across the yard to a small pond built of native stone, shaded by twisted aspen trees. She sat on a stone bench and patted the spot beside her.

“Okay,” he said, still holding her hand. “Spill.”

“I think the days of the talk are coming to an end.” She glanced down at his long fingers wrapped around hers and wondered how Sebastian would deal with another man in their bed. She’d never give Alex up altogether. She loved him. She just didn’t see herself mated to him.

“You’ve met someone, haven’t you?”

Why in the hell did she feel so guilty? Lily nodded. “I have, but I don’t know if there’s a future for us.”

“He’s not Chanku?”

“Actually, I think he is. He shifts, but by magical means. Even so, my wolf recognizes a kindred spirit.”

There was a long silence. “Please tell me it’s not Aldo Xenakis.”

She burst into laughter. “Oh goddess, no. That man’s an ass.” Then she sighed. “Not Aldo. His son. Sebastian Xenakis.”

Alex’s harsh intake of breath told her more than she wanted to hear. “Lil, he’s on our radar. The guy could be our killer. Are you . . . ?”

“I know.” She squeezed his hand. “Last night I ran with him and some really weird stuff happened. I’ll give you the details later, but we were attacked by two strange wolves. I’m sure they were Chanku, but they’re huge. Even bigger than Uncle Tink—and I recognized their scent. They were present at one, at least, of the murder sites.”

Alex grabbed her hand. “Goddess, Lily. Do you realize that’s the first lead we’ve gotten?”

She nodded. “I know. I hope to have more to give you later, when I’ve got more time, but right now I’m on my way to check in with Dad and then go and talk to Eve.”

Alex squeezed her hand as she continued. “Sebastian helped me fight them off. I told you when you called this morning that I invited him home with me. He spent most of the night.”

“You said he was gone when you woke up.”

She nodded. “I really thought he’d be there in the morning. I wanted him there. I’ve never . . .” She sighed. “We had a pretty amazing night. Really amazing, but I haven’t talked to him since we fell asleep. Shit, Alex, he was gone before that girl was murdered at Fort Mason. I realize I hardly know him, but I just can’t see Sebastian Xenakis committing rape and murder.”

Alex slipped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. “I’m sorry, sweetie, but you said it. You hardly know him.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think it’s Sebastian. I wish I knew, but I can’t be sure. I do, however, believe his father is somehow involved.” She kicked at some loose gravel with the toe of her boot. “I also have a really bad feeling that it’s too late, as far as my heart is concerned.”

“One night with the guy?” Alex’s laughter had an unfamiliar bite to it. “He must be damned good in bed.”

“Oh, Alex. That’s not it at all. It was the connection, the mental connection we fell into so naturally. As much as you and I love each other and as often as we’ve made love, that’s never happened. Not the way I felt it last night. I want that. I want it for you, too.”

Alex leaned close and kissed her, wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss. Lily went with it, tasted his familiar flavors, and felt the same wonderful arousal that always built when she and Alex kissed.

But it wasn’t the same. Not even close.

He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you, Lily, but you’re right. We both deserve more. I just wish I could find the right woman.” He laughed. “One as smart and sexy as you who won’t beat the crap out of me.”

“Alex!”

“Teasing. Really!” He kissed her again. “I hope like hell you’ve found the right man. I don’t want you hurt.”

“Me either. But I wanted to tell you about him first, and I want you to let me know if you hear anything at all that can help me either exonerate him or prove he’s guilty. I need to know for sure if there’s a chance for us, or if he’s someone to stay far away from.”

“I promise.” He stood, held out his hand, and pulled her to her feet. “But for now, I need to get going. I’ve got a date in town and don’t want to be late.” He waggled his eyebrows. “She’s really hot, and she loves my body.”

Laughing, Lily covered her ears with both hands. Alex was never going to change. “I really don’t need to hear that, dear boy. And just because I can’t get pregnant by a human doesn’t mean you can’t impregnate a short-timer.”

Alex rolled his eyes in disgust. “Trust me. I’ve spent the last half hour hearing a detailed lesson in basic Chanku sex from both parents. Again. My head hurts.” He spun away, then glanced back. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

“Promise.”

He tipped her a quick salute. “Wish me luck. Maybe I’ll actually get laid tonight.”

“Alex, you are totally hopeless.”

“I know. And you love me for it.”

Lily watched him walk away. She did love him. She loved all kinds of things about Alex, from that sexy saunter in his walk to the way his jeans fit his perfectly shaped butt to the amazing man she knew him to be.

But she didn’t love Alex in the way of mates.

She never would.

The way she felt wasn’t even close.

And as that thought flitted through her mind, Sebastian’s dark features and teal blue eyes filled her thoughts.


Alex sauntered across the main street of old town Kalispell, thinking of Lily but checking out the girls. It was Friday night, and he knew just about every young woman in town. They were pretty interchangeable, as far as he was concerned, but tonight he was supposed to meet up with Jennifer Martin. She was hot, and she liked sex, but if it didn’t work out, he knew he could always go back and spend the night with Lily.

It really would make life so much simpler if he and Lily loved each other romantically, but it just wasn’t going to happen. Sex with Lily was always good, but it was more fun and laughs and the need to scratch the constant itch that was part of Chanku physiology than a love match. It worked for both of them, but it was going nowhere.

Just like his serial relationships with the human women he’d dated. As much as he hated it, he had to agree with his folks. A Chanku-human pairing wasn’t going to work.

Short-timers couldn’t offer what he needed, not when he wanted to run with his woman through the dark woods and hunt as a wolf, or fly when he took his eagle form. No can do when your date’s as earthbound as dirt.

“Hey, Alex.”

He glanced toward the front of the movie theater. Jenn was right where she’d said she’d be. “Hi, Jenn. Hope I’m not late. Ran into an old friend.”

She shrugged. “Nah. You’re okay. I’m early.”

“Good.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned close for the expected kiss, but before their lips met, voices from the alley around the side of the coffee shop intruded.

“Leave me alone.”

“What’s the matter, sweet thing? You think you’re too good for us?”

“I didn’t say that. I merely told you jerks to leave me alone. Get out of my way.”

“Jerks? Now, honey, you don’t mean that, do you?”

Alex tilted his head. Whoever those idiots were hassling was obviously outnumbered. “Jenn, stay here.”

She grabbed his arm. “Stay out of it, Alex. I know those guys. They won’t hurt her. They’re just teasing, but they’ll beat the crap out of you if you get in their way.”

“They’re scaring her. Wait here.”

Jenn hung on, but the sharp sound of a slap had him tearing free and racing around the building. Three huge men had a small, dark woman trapped against the side of the building. Her blouse was torn, but her eyes glittered. A palm print marred her left cheek. The sense of Chanku was strong, and from the fear in her amber eyes, he knew she was right on the edge of shifting.

Alex had to reach up to grab the closest man by the collar, and he hoped he wasn’t making the biggest mistake in his life. This idiot was massive. Jerking him back, Alex planted a fist in the guy’s face and he went down with blood spurting from his nose. The two others spun away from the girl with fists raised. Cursing, they both flew at Alex. He caught the larger of the two with a quick chop to the throat with his right hand and came up with his left fist to plant a solid punch in the second one’s belly. Both men folded, but then the one Alex had punched in the nose tried to stand. The girl he’d been hassling kicked him in the head, and he fell back, groaning.

Alex flashed her a grin, but he kept his eye on the three men. As big as they were, if they came after him together, he was toast, but instead, as soon as they rallied enough to get to their feet, they slunk around the back of the building. Alex watched them leave to make sure they were definitely gone before he turned his attention to the young woman.

“Thank you, Alex.” She pulled her torn blouse up to better cover herself, shivered, and wrapped her hands around her waist.

Frowning, Alex stared at her a moment before recognition finally dawned. “Annie? Annie McClintock? Damn. I didn’t even recognize you. You’ve cut off all your hair. You look totally different with it short.” Stepping closer, he said, “I like it.”

He took his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders as he talked, hoping his aimless chatter would help calm her down. The poor kid looked rattled, but she had every right to be upset. “I haven’t seen you in years,” he said, as if nothing had happened here, as if she wouldn’t have a huge bruise on her face by morning. “I thought you were still in England.”

He smoothed his jacket over her arms, patted her shoulders. When he felt her trembling beneath his coat, his heart clenched. He wished he could chase down the bastards who’d hurt her and hit them again. Instead, he took a deep breath and looked directly into her beautiful amber eyes. “Are you okay, Annie? Did they hurt you?”

She shook her head and touched her fingertips to her bruised cheek. “I’m okay now.” She let out a deep breath. “The big guy grabbed my arm and dragged me into the alley. The other two were already here, waiting. I didn’t know what to do. I was afraid to shift.” She grimaced. “Not with public sentiment so against us.”

Alex chuckled. “Yeah. Ripping out their throats probably wouldn’t make good press, but I bet it would have made you feel a hell of a lot better.”

She flashed him a quick, shy smile that hit him right in the gut. Damn, she was absolutely beautiful. He didn’t remember Annie as anything special. She’d been a tiny, shy little sprite with too much hair and not enough chest, but it wasn’t just growing boobs and getting a haircut that had worked wonders. He certainly didn’t remember thinking she was at all sexy, but damn. There was no denying the impact she had on him.

“Alex? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

Jenn stood close beside him with her arms folded tightly across her chest. He’d completely forgotten her.

“Uh, yeah. Jennifer Martin, this is Annie McClintock. Annie’s folks are good friends of my parents’. We’ve known each other forever, but Annie’s been studying in England for, what? About four years now?”

Annie nodded. “Six. I graduated from Oxford a couple of years ago, but I stayed on to finish up my masters in interspecies social dynamics.”

“I’m glad you’re back.” Alex glanced at Jenn. She glared at Annie. In fact, jealousy poured off her in waves. That made no sense at all. It wasn’t like he and Jenn were in a relationship or anything. They’d gone out a few times, but nothing serious. Even the sex had been her idea.

Even so, there was no way Alex wanted to deal with her now. Didn’t she care those guys had just scared the crap out of Annie? Had assaulted her? He returned his attention to the one who needed him.

“Annie, do you have a car nearby?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t been home long enough to renew my American license. I’m supposed to call Mom to come get me when I’m through. I had some errands to run and then wanted to see a movie, but I think I’d rather just go home.”

“I’ll take you.” He glanced at Jenn. “After what happened, I don’t feel comfortable leaving Annie here alone.”

Annie shook her head. “Alex, you don’t have to—”

Jenn interrupted. “I thought you wanted to go to the movie.” “Considering the circumstances, Jenn, I think getting Annie home safely is more important than a movie.” He turned to Annie. “And no, Annie. No arguing. Your dad would have my head if he knew I’d left you alone after what happened.”

“If that’s how you want it, Alex.” Jennifer swept a dismissive look over Annie and turned away. “Another time, maybe.”

“Yeah. Right.” Alex watched her as she stalked out of the alley and disappeared around the corner. It felt as if a huge weight lifted off his chest.

“I’m sorry, Alex.” Annie was looking at the ground, shaking her head. “I don’t want to come between you and your girlfriend.”

He slung an arm over Annie’s narrow shoulders. “She’s not my girlfriend. Just a friend, and obviously not a very good one. It’s really not a problem, squirt,” he said. “C’mon. I’m parked at the end of the block.”

Annie’s soft laugh stopped him. “I don’t know that the name still fits. You used to drive me nuts, calling me squirt. I’m hoping I’ve outgrown it by now.”

He smiled at her. Damn, she was something, but he wasn’t going to let her know what he was thinking. No way. “I don’t know about that. You’re not very big. As huge as your dad is, I’m amazed at how tiny you are. I think you still qualify as a squirt.” Annie fit perfectly beneath his arm. He held her closer than he probably needed to, but it felt right. She felt right, and he wondered why he’d never noticed before just how cute she really was. Cute and sexy and so feminine she made his chest feel tight. Not to mention his jeans.

“Please, not when we’re at the compound.” She poked him in the side. “I was hoping everyone had forgotten that horrible nickname.”

“I promise.” He leaned close and sealed his promise with a kiss. Her lips were full and soft against his, and he found himself lingering longer than he’d intended. When Alex raised his head, Annie stared at him with her brows wrinkled in a tight, confused little frown.

He hugged her close and took off walking. Annie fell into step beside him. His heart thundered in his chest, and his sensitive nostrils picked up the scent of her arousal.

He’d had sex with most of the other young Chanku women of his generation at one time or another, but never with Annie. She’d been so shy and quiet, he’d pretty much ignored her when they were kids, and everyone held her father in such total awe, that it hadn’t been worth the risk of making Tinker mad.

Alex was sorry, now, that he’d been such a coward, because, well, damn. Who’d have thought little Annie McClintock would grow up to look like this? To smell like this. To have a killer smile and perfect breasts and a body he wanted to taste. All over.

But damn it all, he’d have to tell Lily, and she was going to give him hell. He’d totally forgotten what she’d said years ago, that Annie was his perfect match. All he’d seen was the bratty little kid with the flat chest and frizzy hair who always had her nose stuck in a book.

Goddess, how he hated it when Lily was right. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just most of the time.

It was all of the time.

He grinned. For some reason, this time he actually looked forward to telling her she’d won another one.