her.
Neither of us wants you hurt, that’s all.”
“You think I can’t handle a bitch who has the gift? Is that it?” He yanked open the front door, filling the small living area with frigid air and the smell of pine. “I’ve lived 32
Far From Innocent
with you two in this tiny den for months, and you and I have run together most of our lives, Dante. The gift is nothing new to me.”
It had never been discussed between them before. And truth be known, he wasn’t sure what all Dante could do. Dante and Moira made others nervous though—other werewolves that Juan guessed also had the gift. The way Juan saw it, any special powers that any of them had just made them who they were. Not any better or worse a werewolf than the rest of them.
“If Dimitri and I fight, it will be to the death.” Dante stood slowly, his pale eyes searching Juan’s face. Or more than likely, digging deeper and probing into places his littermate didn’t belong. “Would you mate with a den if they killed your littermate?”
Moira’s jaw dropped and she looked ready to say something.
Juan shook his head. “You won’t die because you won’t accept the challenge. I don’t need the gift to know your mind, Dante. Leading a pack would tie you down and that’s not in your nature.”
He didn’t wait for his littermate’s response. It was the truth and both of them knew it.
Closing the door behind him, he headed to the truck. A mountain chill attacked his flesh and the smell of werewolves hung heavily around him. Adrenaline attacked him as he thought of getting a bit wild tonight. Cutting loose might help the soul.
Going into Valle, the nearby town that was predominantly werewolves, was an option. But his pack hung out on the mountain, and he’d possibly find a few willing to head out on a run. Kicking some energy loose sounded like a damned good idea. A willing bitch or two might not hurt either.
Maybe he’d get Erin out of his system.
He stuffed his fists into his coat pockets, leaving the truck and opting for a quick hike instead. He picked up his pace, already hearing voices and laughter through the trees. Erin might be with them.
Juan blew out a breath of cold air. “No other bitch is going to get her out of your system,” he muttered.
He sniffed the air, struggling to pick out her scent although he was still too far away to smell anything more than the fact that werewolves were nearby. He could fuck every available bitch in the pack tonight. None of them would take away his craving for one little, hot female who’d crawled under his skin and stayed there.
Werewolves and bitches hung around one of the dens alongside the mountain. The smell of cooked meat and beer were invitation enough. Juan stepped into the clearing, his scent quickly picked up as most of them turned, growing alert for only a moment before recognizing him.
“Juan Anthony. Do you come alone?” Josef Failo, the new member of their pack, held a beer in his hand and sniffed the air.
33
Lorie O’Clare
“He’s alone. Have a brewski, Anthony.” Perry Zammit had his arm around his mate Claudette. “The cooler by the door is full of them.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Juan nodded to Perry. He’d worked with the werewolf building a few of the dens and he smelled like a male to be trusted.
“You going to be part of the challenge?” Josef asked.
Juan pulled the lid from the cooler and stuffed his hand into the ice. He pulled out a longneck and twisted the lid between his teeth.
He spit the lid on the ground, staring at the large werewolf. Josef had some kind of foul smell to him. Maybe it was just too many stuffed emotions. Every single one of them had some bad experiences behind them since leaving Malta. He sauntered over to Perry and Josef, ignoring Josef’s beady eyes that followed his every movement.
“Politics aren’t my thing.” And discussing who was strong enough to kill whom didn’t appeal to him either.
“What exactly is your
Neither of us wants you hurt, that’s all.”
“You think I can’t handle a bitch who has the gift? Is that it?” He yanked open the front door, filling the small living area with frigid air and the smell of pine. “I’ve lived 32
Far From Innocent
with you two in this tiny den for months, and you and I have run together most of our lives, Dante. The gift is nothing new to me.”
It had never been discussed between them before. And truth be known, he wasn’t sure what all Dante could do. Dante and Moira made others nervous though—other werewolves that Juan guessed also had the gift. The way Juan saw it, any special powers that any of them had just made them who they were. Not any better or worse a werewolf than the rest of them.
“If Dimitri and I fight, it will be to the death.” Dante stood slowly, his pale eyes searching Juan’s face. Or more than likely, digging deeper and probing into places his littermate didn’t belong. “Would you mate with a den if they killed your littermate?”
Moira’s jaw dropped and she looked ready to say something.
Juan shook his head. “You won’t die because you won’t accept the challenge. I don’t need the gift to know your mind, Dante. Leading a pack would tie you down and that’s not in your nature.”
He didn’t wait for his littermate’s response. It was the truth and both of them knew it.
Closing the door behind him, he headed to the truck. A mountain chill attacked his flesh and the smell of werewolves hung heavily around him. Adrenaline attacked him as he thought of getting a bit wild tonight. Cutting loose might help the soul.
Going into Valle, the nearby town that was predominantly werewolves, was an option. But his pack hung out on the mountain, and he’d possibly find a few willing to head out on a run. Kicking some energy loose sounded like a damned good idea. A willing bitch or two might not hurt either.
Maybe he’d get Erin out of his system.
He stuffed his fists into his coat pockets, leaving the truck and opting for a quick hike instead. He picked up his pace, already hearing voices and laughter through the trees. Erin might be with them.
Juan blew out a breath of cold air. “No other bitch is going to get her out of your system,” he muttered.
He sniffed the air, struggling to pick out her scent although he was still too far away to smell anything more than the fact that werewolves were nearby. He could fuck every available bitch in the pack tonight. None of them would take away his craving for one little, hot female who’d crawled under his skin and stayed there.
Werewolves and bitches hung around one of the dens alongside the mountain. The smell of cooked meat and beer were invitation enough. Juan stepped into the clearing, his scent quickly picked up as most of them turned, growing alert for only a moment before recognizing him.
“Juan Anthony. Do you come alone?” Josef Failo, the new member of their pack, held a beer in his hand and sniffed the air.
33
Lorie O’Clare
“He’s alone. Have a brewski, Anthony.” Perry Zammit had his arm around his mate Claudette. “The cooler by the door is full of them.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Juan nodded to Perry. He’d worked with the werewolf building a few of the dens and he smelled like a male to be trusted.
“You going to be part of the challenge?” Josef asked.
Juan pulled the lid from the cooler and stuffed his hand into the ice. He pulled out a longneck and twisted the lid between his teeth.
He spit the lid on the ground, staring at the large werewolf. Josef had some kind of foul smell to him. Maybe it was just too many stuffed emotions. Every single one of them had some bad experiences behind them since leaving Malta. He sauntered over to Perry and Josef, ignoring Josef’s beady eyes that followed his every movement.
“Politics aren’t my thing.” And discussing who was strong enough to kill whom didn’t appeal to him either.
“What exactly is your
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