Chapter Eleven

Gage She called me Daddy. Even though Erin protested about her reasoning for withholding her information, it was weakly presented. Our girl was tired. We decide, after I reassure her that we were stronger than before this all happened, that Hunter should take her home. He was the alpha, but he was vulnerable to her, we both were. I had no doubt he would be the one to explain what life with us would be like. There would be more tears, but she should know now. There was loyalty to a person or cause and there was blindly following regardless of the consequences. She’d learn the difference. Hunter will take care of that. I’m not sure he should tell her everything yet, but I’ll leave that up to him. I’m going to fly high on hearing ‘Daddy’ from her lips for a while.

It’s time I got down to business and puzzled this out. There was no doubt now that Hellhounds were behind this, but I would need to talk to the older members of our pack and get some background. I call Race and tell him I’m going for a run and to put an around-the-clock detail at Hunter’s disposal for Erin. He doesn’t ask. He already understands. I drop to all fours so I can clear my mind. I hit the forest and ran.

A couple of short hours later, I walked back into Erin’s apartment building. I wondered if Hunter would keep the building after all that has happened. I think it will depend on the outcome of this little adventure. It’s her old address now. She won’t be returning, even if she wanted to, which I don’t believe she does. Cú Ifreann, Hellhound. We haven’t seen one of their kind since Banff. It’s one of the reasons we left. That and business is so much better and life is freer here, fewer people. I supervised the last pieces of photo cataloging of the destruction while I grabbed a suitcase that I don’t want to grab and threw in clothes and bathroom items I’d just as soon rebuy.

I did it because I know it will make Erin feel better and that’s all I cared about. She was wrong to keep things from us, but I will always do what was best for her. I loved her. I didn’t have any doubt of that, and her needs will always take precedence. I contemplated leaving all underclothing here and decided I wouldn’t. She could wear them for now.

I looked to see if there are any important papers that she might need like birth certificates, and the like. I saw she had a binder and it seemed to have those things in it, so I grabbed it as well. I texted Hunter and asked where her photos and mementos were. I’m directed to a small box in the far corner of the closet shelf. I pray they’re still there and then wondered why that’s all she has. We’ll cover that later, too. Satisfied I’ve done the best I can, I left my guys to watch over the police and lock up afterward.

I’m impressed with our security and tell them so, but I needed to go so Barrett took over. He’ll close it all up and send the men home. I’m about to get up close and personal with our girl. It’s time we asked some prying questions and she needed to answer them. Then we’ll set some ground rules and let her know about wolf law and how we handled things. That is if she stayed and Hunter told her all.

***

Erin Hunter left me in a huge bedroom, nearly the size of my whole apartment. It was equipped with everything I needed to work except my easel for rough draft sketching. He came back at lunch and had one for me. It wasn’t mine, but it worked just as well. I knew Hunter and Gage had to have some money, but the extent of their wealth overwhelmed me.

They had a housekeeper named Jonna, a cook named Crystal, and Barrett, who drove when Hunter wanted a driver. He had been around the apartment building so he must have worked for their security company too. I had only seen them drive themselves and Barrett seemed to be around everywhere I turned, so not sure if his job was primarily a driver or my babysitter. I imagined he was a bodyguard, maybe one of several. I smiled.

If Hunter was the big bad wolf, he didn’t need a bodyguard. And if Gage ran the security the way it looked when I was there with Hunter yesterday, then Gage was the bodyguard. Barrett disappeared when Gage or Hunter was in the room unless they were all carrying on a conversation. We had already sat down to have dinner and Gage called to say he’d be home shortly. Gage promised to take care of my car when the police were done with it. Hunter complained that it wasn’t worth fixing up.

“Don’t fix it. I didn’t ask you to. I’ll get it repaired when I have enough money saved up.”

I didn’t have a clue how that would all work, but I wasn’t giving up any more of my autonomy or possessions. Hunter grunted. His standard answer when he didn’t agree, but wasn’t going to take it any further. I knew it was a short reprieve.

“What about my apartment?” I asked. Now that I felt safe, I was adventuresome.

Hunter finished his bite of salmon. “What about it?”

“Well, I have to go through it and get out what I can salvage.”

“Erin, what about the word ‘destroyed’ did you not understand?”

“Hunter, I have to get in and find out what there is that I can keep that wasn’t destroyed. I have a life, you know.”

“Yes and no, no small thanks to your efforts.” He spoke in a matter of fact tone, but he was still irritated.

“What are you talking about? I went to your sister’s, I called the police, and I told you what I knew, now I’m here with you. Believe me, it is taking immeasurable effort.”

“Tell me what Joey wrote that makes this whole story make sense.”

He knew there was more. Of course, he knew that I’d kept things from the police, from him, but at least in my mind, I had fully disclosed now. Well, except I’d not said a word about what I had read. I didn’t really understand it yet. I mean, it was a story with so many new things crammed into it, that it was its own story, not a series installment.

“No idea.”

His silverware clanged on his plate. My chest hurt with unshed tears, regret, I didn’t know. Maybe it was desire. I was a total mess. I had the strangest sensation that seemed to race through my veins like molten silver. I wanted this man in the worst way and the need to touch him was too strong to ignore. I reached out my hand and he stabbed me with his now icy blue eyes, his hand holding tight to mine.

Never taking his eyes from mine, he almost pleaded. “Erin, talk to me. What’s wrong? What are you feeling?”

I stood up from my chair and walked over to him, sitting in his lap. He quickly made room for me, but it was obvious he was confused. The look on his face told that story. I needed to touch his skin, inhale his scent. I put my hand up and unbuttoned his shirt. Then I opened it enough to put my face against his chest. I breathed him in. His swift intake of breath told me he was affected as much as I was. Just the mere touch of him sent me into waves of need.

“Erin.”

I sniffed him again and my breathing increased. His cock grew longer, harder. It pressed against my bottom.

“Please?”

It was all I could get out. My skin was hot, my lady bits were not being very lady-like as they dripped with my need. I was almost gasping for air as my neck thrummed in beat with the tattoo of my heart. My chest pounded. My ears were full of pulsing. I wanted to go down on all fours and hike my ass up like a cat in heat, rubbing along his length, begging to find relief by someone. No, I didn’t want someone, I wanted Hunter. Gage. No, both of them.

“Erin, can you hear me?”

“Mm, yes. Hunter, what’s wrong with me?” My ears throbbed with the beat of my heart that played out in my pussy. It was as if I were possessed by something or someone.

“Well, sweetheart, I’d say you’re trying to answer your mating call.”

“What are you talking about?” A restlessness took over.

“Honestly, I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Give me your panties.”

I was in a ruby haze and licking his chest. “Sweetheart. I hate to do this to you, but you need a shower. A cold one.”

It was hard to talk or even think through the red fog in my head. I could hear the water but didn’t process it and then I was freezing! Cold water was drenching me and my libido, violently killing my need to be taken. Before I could do more than yell my shock, Hunter joined me.

“What the fuck, Hunter? Stop this. Please, get me out,” I begged. “I’m freezing.” He slapped my butt.

“Just a few moments longer. You need to turn off the mating call for now.”

I spent the next minutes trying to get out and he expended them keeping me in. Then we were out. Done. Hunter was drying me off. The room was almost too warm after the frigid shower. It worked no matter how mean it was, my uncontrolled urge to have sex had diminished and was certainly under control.

“I hate to say it, but that worked. Hunter, I don’t know what happened.”

“I don’t positively either and before I speculate, I have someone I can talk to.”

“You do? How strange is that? Is it the guy with the panty fetish?”

He laughed. “No fetish, but he does know his scents.”

“Eww, gross, Hunter. Give them back.”

“No, I need them. I promise it will help. Now, do you always feel this way during your estrus?”

“You mean menses? No. I mean I’m more likely to hook up if I did that, but since I have my trusty electric boyfriend, I don’t have any problems meeting the higher need.”

“Do you always have your menses during a full moon?”

“Hey, how did you know that? Gage asked the same thing. That’s a little creepy.”

“I’m putting together a puzzle, baby. Answer the question.”

“Not on the full moon exactly but over it. You know, a couple of days before and a couple after. It’s odd that I haven’t begun yet, actually. You’re making me sound like the werewolves I fantasize about.”

“Gage said you liked werewolves.”

“Doesn’t everyone?” I laughed now because there wasn’t another way to stop myself from succumbing to yet more tears. My emotions were on an out of control rollercoaster. One I had no power to stop. Hunter was serious. Gage was serious.

“Do you see better, hear better than others? Are they like your sense of smell?”

“Yes, how did you know about the others. I said I could hear better and smell more, but the rest? Suzanne?”

“Nope. I’m guessing here. How long have you known these things about yourself?”

She shrugged. “Forever I guess, but it was overwhelming when I turned sixteen.”

“When you started bleeding.”

“Um. Right.”

“On a full moon.”

“Well, my birthday wasn’t exactly on a full moon, but everything else, yeah. I didn’t notice at the time, though.”

“Okay.” He dropped a quick kiss and stepped back. “I have to go somewhere. I’ll be back tonight or tomorrow. Gage will be here to watch over you.”

“And Barrett?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Watch it. I’m still spanking that ass when I get back. If you need another one before I go, I can handle that too. I’d love to accommodate.”

“No, no I’m good. Besides, I might need another cold shower afterward and that is not happening.” I exaggerated my shiver of remembrance and drew a laugh from Hunter. He was genuinely gorgeous when he laughed. My bits tingled and danced. Oh, no, here we go again.

***

Hunter I don’t know what exactly happened, but I could have sworn she was a were-animal the way she reacted to her estrus. It was time for her to consummate as well and humans, or at least full ones, didn’t mate as he did. Roughly. On cyclical patterns. Sex was sex, mating was creating. That’s another reason shifters liked humans, even mixed breeds or hybrids; they enjoyed the dance all month long. The most significant difference was humans could mate whenever. Not so in his world.

But this was the first time Erin had begged for it, he’d guess. Like she did in the office garage and even more at the dinner table. What triggered it, evidently, was when Gage had engaged in some heavy petting on the night the world went crazy. She had to be a hybrid, a human and shifter with paranormal abilities. And if so, why didn’t she know and why had she not shifted yet?

I waited for Gage to pull into the driveway. I wanted both men here with her, but Barrett had left to finish up a job. For the time being, Gage could handle it. I dropped a quick kiss of goodbye. She was verbally angry that Gage had to ‘babysit’, in her words. I loved it, even more, when I saw the way she nearly jumped Gage the minute he exited his truck fast on the heels of saying she didn’t need him.

I’d texted Gage earlier and let him know she was in season. Well, nearly. It was a matter of hours not days, in my opinion. When I called to her, an admonishment on my lips, she turned away from me abruptly, moodily, causing me to think I needed to assert my authority over her again. I was still the alpha whether she was a full human or hybrid or another were-creature. I would be treated with respect. I growled at her, letting my wolf come to the forefront.

“Just go away, Hunter. Go wherever you’re going. I can take care of myself.” Ah, she was upset I was leaving. Good.

“Be here when I get back, naughty girl.”

She didn’t respond which told me I needed to be firmer. I reached over and grabbed her at the waist and with no real effort pushed her toward the wall.

“Put your hands on the wall, sweetheart.” My voice definitely belonged to the big bad wolf.

When she made no move to obey me, I shoved her against the wall, yanked her yoga pants down and slapped her ass hard. That got her attention. I did it again.

“Now, hands on the wall.” She whimpered. Her breathing became shallower and faster. Damn, she was becoming excited again. Hell. My wolf-man strutted in approval because he was feeling the strain too and wanted to get the program going. I leaned in, my breath was hot, my voice coarse and full of gravel.

“I’m the boss, Erin. Don’t ever forget it.”

“You can’t always be the boss,” came her petulant response.

“I see you’ve forgotten already, baby.”

I landed two more solid smacks to her already darkening pink buttocks. She grunted. “I won’t forget, but I need more, Hunter.”

“I know, baby, it’s getting close, isn’t it?” My wolf was drooling, and my dick was stiffening from the constant semi-erect state it lived in since finding her, to solid granite.

I rubbed her ass and she moaned in pleasure. She was so needy. None of us will survive the full moon without consummating multiple times to satiate our needs. My baby liked it rough. Good because I was raw. Gage wasn’t rough except during full moon. I might be playing with her on the whole big bad wolf thing, but I really am he. If she was in danger, the entire fucking world should be on alert. She has never seen me or Gage shift to protect. We’ve rarely done it, but there are no survivors. I have no doubt that, after we claim her, if our Erin was in imminent danger, her fear would call our wolves out to protect. If we didn’t find the Hellhound soon, that was just what would happen.

She was beginning to get hot and bothered again. Damn, at least I was leaving her with Gage. He could take care of a naughty, needy girl. I have to talk to him before I go. I didn’t know if her inner self was attracted to anything with pants or just us. It was the full moon in less than two days. I couldn’t take her with me because if she wasn’t at least half were-creature, anyone there would devour her because she couldn’t know we existed.

I yanked up her pants. “Get some work done while I get this mess figured out.”

“You mean me figured out.”

“Yes, I mean you and drama doesn’t suit you. I’ll be back to finish your spanking and we’ll do it in bed, okay? Stay between the lines of acceptability or Gage will paddle that ass candy apple red. He’s likely to take your ass, too. He’s my muscle and my disciplinarian. I just like dealing with you myself. But have no doubt he knows just how to make you feel sorry for any intended infraction.”

Erin said nothing.