Feral (Wolf Ranch 3)

I didn’t want the pack princess. Hell, I didn’t even know her name. I wanted Natalie, and I had no fucking idea how to make it work. I had shit to figure out if I was going to actually claim her when she was ready.

After it got dark each night, I shifted and ran in the hills to ease my mounting aggression before heading to my shower and bed. Alone. It was for the best because as the full moon drew closer, my urge to mark her grew stronger. But it wasn’t just that.

I wanted her here in this kitchen now. Part of the family. I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull it off, but it was impossible to doubt how perfect it would be.

Why would my wolf choose a human if it wasn’t meant to be?

“What’s going on?” I asked, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling it with ice and water from the dispenser in the fridge door.

“Picnic. We thought we’d have a pack potluck, so everyone could meet Natalie,” Marina said, chopping celery on a wood cutting board. “Audrey stopped by on her way back from the store and invited her.”

I paused, mid-drink. “Why would the pack want to meet Natalie?”

Maybe it was the low tone of my voice or the fact that I spoke very slowly that had Colton stepping in front of Marina, shielding her from me.

“She’s your mate, you dumbass,” Colton said. Since he was now out of the military, and he was getting it on the regular from Marina, my brother was more relaxed than I’d ever seen him. Except now when his mate was threatened.

I wasn’t going to hurt Marina. Colton knew that, yet still, his mate instincts were strong.

She pushed him out of the way. “I’m not afraid of the alpha. I’m armed, remember?” She waved the knife, rolled her eyes and went back to the celery.

“I know Natalie’s my mate. You four know. Clint, too. But I don’t want the whole pack to know. Boyd, you were at the meeting last week. You saw what a fuck-up that turned out to be.”

“We’re not telling anyone she’s your mate,” Boyd said. “She’s the new neighbor. And she’s old man Shefield’s great-niece. Most of the pack remember Mr. Shefield, and it’s neighborly to have her over. I’m sure she’d like to hear all the good things everyone has to say about her kin.”

When he put it that way, I felt like an asshole. I took a big swig of my water, then put the glass in the top rack of the dishwasher. Leaving it for Marina to put away would only make me more of a dick.

“You’re right,” I sighed. “That is a good idea. It would be odd if we didn’t.”

“I was thinking of having the Barn Cats come and play,” Boyd added. “Our wedding reception was cut short because of the storm. When I talked with Natalie on the phone before she moved, she said she was a concert violinist. You remember Shefield was a fiddle player. I’m thinking that was what she had in common with him—why he left her the place.”

That’s right. I’d spent a full week with Natalie, and she hadn’t shared anything about that part of her life. Sure, I knew she had thirty-seven freckles on her shoulder, and her left nipple was more sensitive than the right. Music? It hadn’t come up. She’d been as sidetracked as me.

“Call her, Rob,” Audrey said, setting her peeled potato in a bowl and grabbing another. She glanced at Marina. “How much potato salad do we need?”

“Ten pounds.”

“I thought this was a potluck,” she grumbled.

“It is. Keep peeling. The exercise is good for the baby.”

Audrey laughed, then looked at me again. “Call Natalie and tell her to bring her violin. Fiddle. Whatever it’s called. She could play with the Barn Cats. It’ll be fun to watch and a great way for her to fit in.”

I reached for my phone in my back pocket, then remembered. “Shit. No phone.”

“I’ve got her number.” Boyd pulled his cell out. “I called her last month before she moved with the update about Markle’s cattle.”

I remembered that fiasco well. Markle was a dick through and through, taking it upon himself to use Natalie’s grazing land without her consent.

“Great,” I said, holding out my hand for it.

He held the phone out of reach. “I’ll call her,” he said with a grin. “You’d better hop in the shower. You know how the pack likes to show up early.” He sniffed. “You smell like a horse.”

“Horse’s ass,” Colton murmured.

I gave my brothers a death glare.

“All right.” I headed up the stairs after whacking Colton on the back of the head.

“Hey, Natalie, it’s Boyd Wolf. You won’t believe how many potatoes Audrey’s peeling…”

I didn’t hear the rest of my brother’s conversation with Natalie. I just knew I’d see her again in a few hours. I got hard as I walked up the steps. Just thinking about seeing her turned me on. It was a good thing I was headed for the shower. I could take care of the problem. My fist wasn’t as good as Natalie’s pussy, or mouth… or ass, but it would have to do until later.