"No." Tank drops his gaze. "I don't mean disrespect. I protect the pack."
Authority acknowledged, my wolf backs down. I clap him on the back. The difference between me and my dad is I know when to be a hardass and when to be a friend.
"You and me both. I'll never risk the safety of my wolves over a human. This one is under my protection, but that's all. My wolf took a shine to her." Shit, that sounds even more suspicious. My wolf has no business sniffing around a human. Shifters mate shifters. End of story.
I crack my knuckles again, rubbing my tattoos. Full moon makes me antsy. I'm not a newbie who has to shift, but the desire is there.
"I'm heading out. Tell Trey and Jared no after-work party, or they'll be on dish duty for a month."
"Right, boss." Tank tilts his head, showing his neck a little in deference. He doesn't argue, or point out that my explanation of who Amber is and what she means to me falls short. Wolf packs aren't democracies. My word is law. All the more reason not to be an asshole like my father.
But Tank was right to give his warning. We all know the rules. Outsiders can't know about us. In the old days, there was only one way to deal with a human who'd learned the shifter secret.
If Amber knows what I think she knows, she might have to die.
~.~
A long, winding ride does nothing to calm my wolf. All too soon, I find myself striding down the hall of my apartment building straight to Amber's door.
My phone buzzes, and I pull it out. There's a text from my sister with lots of happy face and palm tree emojis. Arrived in San Carlos. XXOO.
I shake my head, fight a grin as I refocus on the matter at hand.
An outsider knows our secret. My wolf doesn't think of her as an outsider, though. He wants to protect her as much as I want to protect my sister.
Leaning close to the door, my skin tingles as I pick up Amber's sultry scent. Inside, a TV is on low, and I hear her moving around. Amber must have dropped off her friend and come back here. There's no other scent.
I knock on the door. The apartment falls quiet.
"Amber."
More silence.
"I know you're in there. It's Garrett. I need to talk to you."
Her scent grows stronger. There's a slight rustle just behind the door. I realize I'm gripping the doorknob and pull my hand away. I don't need to crush another thing this month.
"Open up." I lower my voice. She's right there, on the other side.
She doesn't answer.
I throw some authority into my voice. "Amber, open the door."
"I'm busy."
"Open it. Now."
"Go away. Or I'll call the cops."
"No." I splay my hand on the door, as if I can feel her through the wood. "Calling the cops would seriously piss me off, and believe me, little girl, you don't want to see me mad." True story: I don't want her to see me mad. "Now, open the door."
"Go to hell. I'm not afraid of you."
The corners of my lips tug upward, despite the seriousness of the situation. I love her bravado. She's so fucking cute. "Right. So, if you're not afraid, open the door." When she doesn't answer, I ball my hand into a fist. "Open it, or I'll bust it in, Amber."
"I'm calling the cops."
"No cops. Door. Now." I'm not used to being disobeyed-by my wolves or by humans. Usually, when I show my authority, people jump.
She moves away. Is she calling the cops?
Fuck. I'm so used to people following my orders, I didn't think she'd actually go through with her threat. I angle my ear to the door but don't hear her speaking. Instead... dammit. That's the sound of her balcony door snicking open. Where is she going?
The image of her attempting the crazy and dangerous gymnastic feat of leaping to the neighboring balcony to escape throws me into full shifter protection mode. My fangs punch out to defend her from the invisible enemy of gravity. I race back to my apartment and run out to the balcony.
Fuckity fuck fuck!
The crazy little human has climbed over the edge of her balcony and is inching her way to the fire escape ladder.
I swallow the shout that chokes my throat, not wanting to scare her. She's obviously already terrified if she thinks climbing off her balcony is a better option than facing me. But, yeah, I guess finding out your neighbor is a werewolf would scare the shit out of most humans.
I dash to the stairwell and take each landing in one leap, skipping the stairs altogether. On the first floor, I bang the door open and jog around to the back of the building. Adrenaline pulses through me, bringing on a partial shift. My skin ripples before I take a deep breath and settle. My night vision sharpens.
There. Amber, still in her little skirt and blouse from the club, her hair in her usual bun. She's climbing down the metal rungs of the fire escape, barefoot. Her foot slips a little, and she yelps, clinging to the railing. She's going too fast.
I race over just as she loses her footing again and slips. With a little scream, she falls the rest of the way-about a story and a half-right into my arms. I catch her easily but soften my body to cushion her landing, letting her knock me to the ground. A grunt escapes as I hit the cement. For a second, I just lie there, cock growing hard at the feel of her in my arms.
She's breathing, heart racing. Her scent, sweet citrus and spice, makes me dizzy. I rest a hand on her back, encouraging her to lie still, her breasts pressed against my chest. Maybe she'll take the hint and relax into me.
No such luck. She pushes up, straddling me as she stares down.
Oh, honey. Not a good idea.
My cock thinks it's a fabulous idea. It strains against my jeans, wanting more contact. "That was a stupid-ass move."
She scrambles up, but I catch her, coming to my feet to swing her over my shoulder. I'm halfway to the stairwell when she starts to struggle.
"Put me down, Garrett! I will scream."
Interesting she hasn't already screamed. Just like she didn't call the cops. Maybe she obeys better than I thought.
Either way, I have the upper hand, and I intend to keep it.
I hoist her higher on my shoulder, cutting off her protests. I give her bottom a slap, which is a big mistake. It's got to be the cutest ass I've ever seen, and now that I've smacked it once, I'm dying for more contact. I want to squeeze it, stroke it, smack it again.
She sucks in a breath. I scent feminine arousal.
Oh, honey, it's on.
I carry her in through the back door, taking the steps two at a time. I blow past her apartment and slide the key into my lock, kicking open the door.
As I carry her inside, she starts struggling again. I shut the door and stride to the couch, where I plop down and pull her over my knee. Now that the idea's in my head, I can't let it go.
"Never, ever run from a wolf." I deliver three hard slaps to her tight little ass. How I keep from squeezing it when I'm done, I'm not sure.
"Ow," she yelps and kicks. "Knock it off."
Her wriggling only turns me on more. I can't resist three more spanks, just as hard. The scent of her arousal fills the room. The need to fuck hits me so hard, I have to pause with my hand splayed over her ass. And she waits, silent, draped over my knees like the good little submissive she is.
Got your number, princess.
I shove the short skirt up and nearly groan at the sight of her panties. Fucking pink satin. With tiny black bows at the bottom of each cheek. The curves beneath the fabric blush with my handprints. My wolf howls with satisfaction. "Oh that's pretty, baby," I murmur.
She starts to wriggle again, so I pick up spanking, slapping her panty-clad ass with slow, deliberate strokes.
"You never run from a wolf because it triggers our hunting instinct. You don't want to be caught by the animal, baby. Not a delicate little human like you."
She lets out a wanton moan and rolls her hips to and fro as I spank her pert little ass. Her hip rubs over my aching cock, torturing me with every small movement.
I pull her panties up into her crack, baring more of her cute ass. Her cheeks are already rosy from the punishment I've laid down, but, now that I've started, I'm in no mood to stop. Not when it feels so good to master her. Not when she loves to hate it. I can tell because the sweet nectar of her arousal fills the room, driving my wolf mad with desire.
I slap her bare cheeks, the sound laying down the beat for her vocalizations-the cutest little cries and grunts.
Only when one cry sounds a little too much like a sob do I stop.
Shit.
Did I go too far? Wolves are physical creatures. We're swift to issue consequences-usually physical. Females get spanked by their mates. But she's not one of us.
I rub her reddened cheeks, lift her up, and sit her on my lap. Her curves fit perfectly. "And do not let me catch you endangering your life like that again. You scared the crap out of me."
"I scared you?"
Her little skirt is up to her waist, bare thigh and panties filling my eyes. My cock aches, and I bite back the growl rising in my throat.
"Let go of me." She writhes as if she wants to get up, but when I lock my arms around her, excitement blooms in her scent.
My good girl likes being restrained.
I've never been with a human who likes rough play. Bedding humans is allowed-as long as we don't let slip who we are. But humans don't usually interest me. Too weak, delicate.
Not this little she devil. If she doesn't stop fighting me, I will pin her face down on the floor and take her hard from behind, make her scream for a different reason. A far better reason.
But I have the feeling fucking her wouldn't get her out of my system. Whoever this female is, she means something more to my wolf.
"Do you know what I do for a living?" she grinds out, still squirming. "I'm an attorney, and I will sue your sorry-"
"You're not going to sue me," I drawl.
"I will notify the police and file a restraining order and-"
~.~
Amber
"Shh," my neighbor-my werewolf neighbor-soothes. He runs his hand over my bare thigh. I go still. Part of me wants to rip his eyes out, but the other part of me holds its breath, trembling under his caress, waiting to see what he'll do next.
"You're not going to call the cops, and you're not going to file a lawsuit." He is annoyingly certain.
My bottom stings and tingles from the smacks he delivered but my pussy is molten. What the hell is wrong with me?
"You don't want to get into a battle of wills with me, because you won't win."
"Is that a threat?"
He chuckles, his hand slipping around the curve of my knee and sliding up my inner thigh. "No. It's a fact."
His arm hooks around my waist, pulling me close as I straddle his knee. His big hard thigh presses against my pussy. I rock down on it and let out a puff of air then immediately stiffen.
"You are so..." His eyes rove over me, lingering at the line of my cleavage. Damn this bra. "Cute."
I will sue you, buddy. Sexual harassment. Infringement of tenant rights. A litany of law marches through my head, but his next words scramble every thought in my brain.
"And naughty." He kneads my ass, still bare due to the wicked wedgie he gave me. A wonderful wedgie that also stimulates my clit. I rock my pelvis over his thigh, grinding down to stimulate the little nubbin.
Garrett barks out a curse, and his hands tighten on my ass. His eyes look more silver than blue. He flips me around to face away from him, as if I weigh nothing. My knees drape over his thighs, spread wide.
"You need relief, baby?" His voice is thick and growly. His fingers zero in on the exact place I need them, rubbing my clit over the satin of my panties. Garrett's other hand cups my breast, kneading and squeezing. My nipples pucker under my bra, breasts ache and pulse in time with my clit, which he circles with the pad of a finger. "I need you to answer me."