Not My Wolf by Eden Cole Page A

to let everyone else know what he was beginning to accept himself. Devin and he belonged together.
    “We only want what belongs to us,” the leader said. “The land.”
    Corey ignored his statement. “Were you the one who hurt Devin?”
    The man waved a hand. “You should be focusing on this conflict, and how to end it. I know I am.”
    “Did you or did you not—hurt—Devin?” Corey repeated.
    The man smirked. “He cried like a little girl.”
    Corey growled. “No one interfere.” He shifted as he ran for the Alpha. They met in the air, each gnashing with his teeth, clawing, and trying to get the upper hand. Corey was in such a rage, he didn’t feel pain when the other wolf’s teeth came down on his shoulder. He shook him off, rolled with the other animal’s body, and pinned him beneath his paws. Corey went after his neck, but he missed. His opponent flipped him off and bit down on Corey again. This time he did feel the pain of teeth tearing at his muscle. He yelped. Just past the wolf’s shoulder, he saw Blaine ready to join the fray, but Corey growled at him. Blaine stayed where he was.
    The thought of Devin cold and injured in that cave renewed Corey’s strength. He butted the other wolf into a nearby tree, making him dizzy. Corey took the advantage and jumped on his back. He forced the wolf down to the ground and this time got his teeth around his neck. Corey shook his head hard as he clenched. The wolf’s head flopped, and he went silent. When he stopped moving, Corey let go and backed up. Slowly, the other Alpha began to shift back to his human form. His head hung at an awkward angle. He was dead.
    Corey wasted no time changing and running toward the cave. Any fights now would be few and halfhearted. The other pack’s leader was gone. The battle was done. He entered the dark cave and picked up on Devin’s scent immediately. Toward the back a pile of blankets lay, and at first Corey didn’t think Devin was among them, but then he moved. Corey hurried inside and fell to his knees. His big, stubborn mate lay with a hood over his head, secured by a rope around his neck. Corey unknotted the rope and yanked the hood off. Devin’s eyes were closed. His hair was tangled about his head, and arms bound. Dried blood stained his side and forehead. His wide, bare chest rose and fell steadily.
    When he couldn’t easily get the rope loose that bound Devin’s wrist, Corey called for a knife, and Blaine brought it. He cut through the bonds and lowered Devin’s arms before gathering him up to his chest.
    “He okay?” Blaine asked.
    “He will be,” Corey said, pushing the words out and just wanting to be left alone to care for his mate.
    “I’ll call ahead for a vehicle,” Blaine offered. “You’ll have to carry him to the nearest road.”
    “There’s nowhere I wouldn’t carry him if he needed me.” Embarrassed at his sappy words but knowing they were true, Corey turned from his best friend and stood up with Devin in his arms. He began the two mile walk to where someone would pick them up and take them home.

Chapter Six
     
    Corey stood in the jamb at his bedroom and watched Devin sleeping. His wounds had all closed and healed, and there wasn’t much left as far as discoloration—the perks of being born a shifter. He’d watched over Devin for the last few days at his house. As far as he was concerned, Devin wasn’t living anywhere but here from now on.
    His lover shifted in the bed and threw off the comforter coving his head. “Hot,” he said. “How long do you plan to watch me sleep?”
    Corey shrugged. “Until you stop faking and tell me what the hell you thought you were doing leaving my protection.”
    Devin’s face colored for the first time that Corey could see. He sat up and threw his feet over the side of the bed. His cock rested against his belly, tempting Corey. He made no move to cover it again, and Corey didn’t pretend he didn’t like looking.
    “I thought I was proving to you