Page 2 of Wild Wolf
Nolan buckled his jeans. “Bryce was going to do it, but said he’s feeling poorly. Dad feels bad for himbecause…”
His voice drifted off. For a moment, both fell silent. Jordan could have finished his sentence.Because of theaccident.
Bryce hadn’t been the samesince.
The hunting accident that injured Bryce had been ten years ago. Personally Jordan thought their alpha had let him get away with far too much. Bryce was eighteen, and not that young Lupine left with a scarredleg.
Bryce disliked her. Jordan always suspected he was jealous of the special relationship she and Nolanshared.
“You’re always the one doing everything for him when he says he isn’t feeling well simply because he wants to get out of real work, Nolan. It’s unfair. He needs to grow up. Your momma and daddy won’t discipline him. He’ll never grow up if you keep covering for him.” Jordan stared into her lover’s caramel gaze, knowing his compassionate streak would overcome any resentment he harbored for his waywardbrother.
“I’ll talk with dad tomorrow, after I return from the morning ride. Maybe they can send him to cousin Aiden’s for a spell. Aiden will set himstraight.”
Nolan kissed her again. Then he frowned. “I don’t like you walking up to the lodge alone. Wait for me, and I’ll walk youback.”
“I’m not the waiting kind,” she said lightly. “Try to stopme.”
He grinned, and her heart kicked harder at his sexy, boyish smile. “Try not to breakanything.”
The old saying he’d uttered to her from the time when she was six and had shattered a rare crystal vase as she’d reached for it on theshelf…
His father had spanked her with the leather belt for that one. Jordan refused to cry at the whipping, but when Nolan had tucked her into bed that night, she’d sobbed in hisarms.
Jordan went to the loft’s edge, leapt down, landing on her feet. Her wolf kept her agile and strong, even though she wasn’t as quick as other Lupines in the pack. “I’ll walk back alone. Be fine. Done it dozens of times. I don’t want your daddy seeing me here. He’s too smart,” she called up tohim.
Peering over the edge, he beckoned to her. “Jordan…”
But she blew him a kiss and was already headed out when his cell phone rangagain.
“Stick to the path,” he yelledout.
“I will,” she calledback.
A cool breeze brushed against her cheeks as she headed on the gravel path leading to the lodge on the hill. Night-blooming jasmine and freshly-mown grass scented the night mist. Stupid cell phone. Kept interrupting them. Nolan had shut it off while they made love, but it was never off for long. Always the dutiful alpha’s son, helping to run the winery and vineyard, making sure the pack business wasprofitable.
Lost in thought, she passed the fish pond and drifted into the thick forest edging the path. Moonlight dappled the overhead tree limbs, shadowed the thick elms andpines.
Although Lupines feared this section of forest where the local Fae lived, it never bothered Jordan. She loved walking through these woods, seeing the sprites fly amongst the treetops. The enchanting sight never failed to make hersmile.
She loved Nolan, loved him with all her heart. Maybe they couldmarry…
“No good outsider,” a voice hissed in the darkness. “Bitch.”
She went still, looking around. That voice, filled with malevolence, she knewit.
And then her wolf senses picked up other scents. Jasmine. And oddly enough,grapes?
Liquor as well. Hard liquor, as if someone had been drinking alot.
“You think you’re so special. We’ll show you. You’renot.”
Jordan hummed a loud tune to hide her fear. Dead leaves crunched beneath her boots. They wouldn’t try anything. Nothere…
“Little bitch needs to learn a lesson,” the hoarse voice soundedcloser.
Instinct kicked in, the human instinct to flee, overriding the wolf’s urgency to turn andfight.
Run.
