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  “Did you miss me, wife of mine?”

  Julie began struggling as she fought down the bile that rose in her throat. “Get off me.”

  Ivan moved his body across hers to better pin her down. “You’ve been a bad wife, Julie, letting that animal rut between your legs. I can still smell his stench on you.”

  That answered one question. They had definitely found an alpha to change them. “I’m not your wife anymore. And I wish I’d never have met you. You disgust me.”

  A growl erupted from his lips a moment before the blow came. And the stars returned. Julie blinked several times as she tried to focus. The copper tang of blood coated her tongue and she could feel the swelling stretching the skin near her mouth.

  “You little bitch. I gave you everything. I made you.”

  “The only thing you made me was miserable.”

  Ivan gripped a hand full of her hair near her forehead and lifted her head off the ground. He slowly retreated, dragging her with him. “You’re coming with me. And I’ll enjoy teaching you a lesson about being a proper wife.”

  No way was she going to allow him to drag her off. He’d kill her. Slowly. And that wasn’t going to fly. The grip he had on her hair was painful but she let him pull her to her feet and waited for her opportunity. She kicked out, aiming for his crotch. Her foot collided with his thigh as he avoided the blow, but it was enough that his hold loosened and she was able to fall backward away from him.

  “Fucking bitch!”

  Julie didn’t waste time. She shifted quickly and started to haul ass. That familiar chorus of voices filled her head, and she added to it quickly. Help!

  A howl tore through the air and Julie knew it was Luken even as his voice filled her head.

  Where are you? I’m coming.

  She could hear Ivan in pursuit and she began bobbing and weaving between trees, trying to evade him. On the west side. Ivan is chasing me and someone with him shot Jasmine with a tranq dart and took her.

  Just hold on, Julie. Can you lead him south?

  Julie yelped as Ivan nipped at her heels, and she made a sudden turn, trying to bring him south. Headed that way now, but he’s right behind me.

  Another wolf burst through the tree line and had Julie putting on the brakes and cutting to the right. Instinct told her he was with Ivan. All four legs pumping hard, she bolted away from the pair. Shit! Now I have two of them after me.

  Scott’s voice boomed in her head. I’m close and headed that way.

  I won’t be far behind. Do you have anyone with you, Scott?

  No, the others were taking the wounded back to medical.

  Please hurry. Julie skirted another tree and kicked up snow as she dug her paws in and darted in a new direction. Heading down hill, Julie gained momentum, but so did Ivan and his crony. They must have moved away from the fighting because the sounds of skirmish seemed to fade more and more into the distance.

  Julie glanced around, trying to gauge Ivan and his partner’s position. She noticed that they were trying to flank her. And then the unknown wolf made a move, leaping through the air, teeth bared, heading right for her. She screamed inside her head and cringed, preparing for the contact against her body, but another wolf appeared at the last minute, sinking sharp teeth into the evil wolf’s hind leg.

  Got him!

  Oh thank you, Julie thought as she cut to the right and led Ivan in another direction, away from where Scott engaged in combat with the other wolf.

  Growls and the gnashing of teeth filled the air, but Julie focused on the landscape in front of her. Ivan was closing in. Luken!

  It was all she got out before teeth sank into her back leg and she went down. The wound burned and the pain had her resuming her human form. The cold wet snow stung against her skin and her breaths left her in pants as she pulled free of Ivan’s teeth. She scrambled backward, trying to put distance between them, but Ivan continued to prowl forward, blood dripping from the fur on his chin. He was white with a little light brown fur in patches. His yellow-green eyes gave her the same cold chill as his regular stare.

  Her back came up against a tree and she tilted her head back, praying Luken would arrive. A low growl that made her shiver came from behind her. The sound both warmed and frightened her, for the timbre was menacing.

  Ivan stopped his advance and dug in, his hackles rising. Julie closed her eyes and sighed as Luken’s wolf brushed against her side. He’d come.

  She watched as the two of them circled each other, exchanging snarls and growls. While she was concerned for Luken’s safety, she also knew that Ivan would be no match for him. Luken had been in this existence far longer and knew how to fight better in it. But Ivan tended to always fight dirty.

  In the next second, both of them charged, connecting in a whirl of limbs and lightning-quick strikes of teeth. A yelp sounded, followed by a growl. They rolled across the snow, each fighting for a top position. Blood sprinkled the ground, the crimson drops stark against the white blanket. But she couldn’t tell who they had come from.

  And then it was over. On a whimper, Ivan released his last breath, and Luken relinquished his hold on Ivan’s neck and stepped away from him.

  When Luken turned, and his gaze met hers, there was stirring inside her chest. His scent filled her nose and she wanted to bathe in it.

  He shifted. His hand went to his chest as ragged breaths burst from his mouth. The corners of his lips pulled up in a slow smile as he crossed over to her, gripping her hand in his and placing it over his heart. “Mate,” he rumbled.

  Tears filled her eyes, making her vision swim. She could feel him—inside her she could feel him. She reached up with her free hand and cupped his face. It had happened. The bond. Joy filled her and she went into his arms, whispering against his neck. “My mate.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “This is big cluster fuck,” Konrad said.

  Julie snuggled in tighter to Luken’s side. Only hours had passed since the attacks and now all four alphas stood inside a small home near Konrad’s pack. His pack had taken the smallest hit in damage since it lay to the west. Brock’s had taken the biggest. His pack had been hit first.

  “What did you find out from the wolf you captured, Tyson?” Luken asked.

  This was the first time she’d met Tyson, the other alpha in the area. He was tall and lean. His dark hair was short and cut in a sexy style. Toned muscles covered in tan skin covered his chest and arms. His face was very pleasing to the eye, well, at least when he wasn’t frowning the way he was now.

  “This Arik character has been a busy bastard. He’s already run over six packs in the north. Those who weren’t killed were given a choice to join him or die. Of course the submissives fell in line quickly. But some of the stronger wolves in each pack joined his ranks. Arik wasn’t low on men before these raids either. And from what I understand, your mate Luken knows more about that.”

  Julie gave a nod. “He is a very influential man. And he has very deep pockets.”

  “According to the wolf we caught, Arik wants to breed an army. That’s why he targeted so many females with those tranq darts,” Tyson added.

  “But he took a few males too. What are his plans with them?” Konrad asked.

  Julie cringed, knowing that two of those males were Javin and Kendall, and she sent up a silent prayer for their safety, as well as Jasmine’s. God only knew what Arik was doing to them. The slimeball sure as hell wasn’t above torturing them. She shivered.

  “He was unsure of why they took the males,” Tyson replied.

  That answer didn’t give Julie any comfort. Sometimes the unknown could be worse.

  “We need to work together to get our pack members back,” Luken stated.

  “I agree,” Tyson replied, and the other two alphas nodded in agreement.

  “We also need to address the media nightmare,” Tyra said.

  Julie turned her gaze to her friend, glad she had come out of the attack okay. They were the only two females p
resent. Luken and Konrad had refused to leave them alone so soon after the attacks and the other two alphas were unmated so they had shown up alone.

  “Yes. A few videos have been leaked with wolves fighting and even a few of our new enemies shifting in the open. Now, of course, there are a lot of people who will call it a hoax, but then there are the others who won’t brush it off so lightly. Keeping our existence a secret has always been a priority, but these new guys are not like us. They don’t give a shit about peaceful living.”

  “And they won’t,” Julie added. “I expect it to get worse in fact. Arik is an arrogant man and now he is on a big power kick. It wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t have his mind set on world domination.”

  “Shit,” Brock humphed under his breath. “This is going to change everything about the way we live. I say fuck this asshat. I want a piece of his hide, and if he wants to change the rules of our ways of life, then I will twist and break the fuckers if that’s what it takes to tear into his hide.”

  “We’re all angry, but we can’t let that rule our next choices.” Konrad let his gaze roam over each person in the room. “We work together. They may have larger numbers, but we have skill and experience on our side. We’ll find out where he is hiding and we will each have our pound of flesh in the end.”

  “We’ll keep in contact, but now I think it is important for us to be with our packs. Damage still needs to be assessed,” Luken said.

  The others nodded and they all exited the small house, heading in the direction of their homes.

  Julie climbed into the truck and waited for Luken. When he closed the door she scooted over and snuggled into his side. The need to be close to him was overwhelming. He put his arm around her and held her, kissing the top of her head as he started the engine.

  They traveled the distance in silence. Their lives had been disrupted by this terrible change in events, but at least they still had each other. A few pack members weren’t as lucky. The death toll was small in consideration. Wolves could take a lot more damage than regular humans and make it through. Kele had tears of joy skating down her checks when Julie had walked into medical earlier. Rodney would be okay, but his injuries would keep him down for a while. It was the faces of the others, loved ones and friends, who now mourned. Those were the tears that tore at her soul.

  They pulled into the driveway and went into the house. When Luken closed the door, Julie could no longer hold back her own tears.

  Luken wrapped his arms around her. “Shhh. It’s over.”

  “I just feel so bad. I feel like I brought this down on everyone.”

  “No. It’s not your fault there are bad people in this world. Yes these people came from your past, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve happiness.”

  “The others. They will eventually point the finger our way. And it will affect you. I brought a nightmare here.”

  Luken pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. “Don’t. Their anger is directed in the same direction as ours. Where it needs to be. Arik will pay and he will pay with his life. I love you, and nothing will change that. You are my mate. You’re connected to my soul and I wouldn’t change that.”

  “I love you.”

  His mouth crashed down on hers and she opened to his seeking tongue. She moaned as his hand fisted in her hair at her nape, bending her head back so he could deepen the kiss. Desire bloomed inside her and rushed through her veins with a wonderful warm heat that made her tingle.

  That wonderful scent that was all Luken filled her nose and stirred her even more. She wanted to possess this male.

  Luken’s free hand found her breast and he teased her nipple with slow circles of his thumb. Wetness slid from her pussy and coated her lower lips as her core tightened and swelled, aching to be filled by him. Julie tore at the material of his T-shirt, ripping it from his body. She burned for him. Never had she wanted a man more than now.

  He released her mouth with a growl. “Mine!”

  Her lips found the hot flesh of his neck and her jaw began to ache. Before she could think, she’d partially shifted and sank her sharp teeth into the skin where his neck met his shoulder.

  Luken moaned. “Yes, my sexy little mate.”

  She licked the wound, not minding the coppery tang of his blood as it slid over her tongue. She’d marked him. He was hers and now others would know as well. This wolf was taken.

  “My turn,” Luken said in a deep husky voice.

  Before she could react, Luken had her turned around and was tearing the clothes from her body. The material bit into her flesh and made her wetter in anticipation. One of his powerful hands covered her breast while the other slid down her stomach until he cupped her sex.

  She moaned, titling her head back against his shoulder as his finger roamed through her slit, playing at her clit.

  “So wet, my love. So fucking hot and wet for me.”

  Julie could feel his thick, hard cock against her ass and she pressed tighter against his pelvis as he slid a finger into her cunt. “Yes.”

  “You’re mine, Julie. Never again will another male hear your passionate cries, or will they ever touch your sexy body.”

  “I don’t want anyone else. Only you, Luken. Please. I need you inside me.”

  His hand left her breast and she felt him undoing the fastenings of his pants. She moaned hard and loud as he withdrew his finger from her pussy and began to strum her clit. Luken guided her forward a few steps until he could bend her over the arm of the sofa.

  “I like looking at your fine tight ass as I take you. And tonight I will take you forever.”

  He continued to stroke her sensitive nub and she felt the approaching climax. The head of his cock caressed the crack of her ass and stopped at her pussy entrance. She pushed back, wanting so badly for him to fill her. But instead he teased the opening with the silken smooth head of his dick as he played a wicked game with his finger against her clit.

  “Please, Luken. I need you.”

  The low throb had begun in her core and she was seconds away from a glorious climax. As her pussy began to pulse she whimpered and sucked in a breath, calling out his name as he entered her, making her orgasm even harder.

  “I love the way your pussy grips me.”

  Julie fisted the sofa cushion in her hands as Luken’s solid chest covered her back. His lips skimmed the sensitive flesh of her neck. His hips pumped slowly and steadily against her ass, his dick touching all the wonderful places of pleasure inside her.

  She gasped and then moaned as he sank his teeth into her. Tears of joy filled her eyes. This mark would not fade. She was his.

  He gave a slow pass of his tongue against the abused skin before he whispered in her ear. “I love you forever.”

  “And I you.”

  He picked up the pace, fucking her the way she liked. Hard and deep. His hand slid down her thigh and he pushed it up, bending her knee and placing it on the arm of the sofa, allowing him to go even deeper.

  She screamed her pleasure as the waves of another orgasm claimed her. The slap of their skin filled her ears along with their moans of pleasure. She loved this man, more than anything, and he was the only one who could make her body feel this good.

  With a growl and a shout, he slammed into her cunt. Hot jets of cum filled her, and her pussy responded, milking him of every last drop.

  As she caught her breath, Luken wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to the floor with him, enfolding her in the strength and security of his embrace.

  Big storms were ahead, and even now she knew Luken would be planning their next steps. But she could brave anything as long as she was at his side. She would take those steps with him, and when he bared his claws and fought for his pack, she would fight with him. For this was her family. Her pack.

  About Virginia Cavanaugh

  Virginia Cavanaugh is a multi-published author of erotic romance. Her work covers many sub-genres as new characters present themselves to her every day. Afte
r working for years as a nurse in pediatrics, her love of the alpha hero sparked her desire to bring her own stories to life. When not playing housewife, mother, maid, laundress, taxi driver or just general all-around slave, she enjoys finding a quiet corner to read or work on her next story.

  Virginia welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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  Also by Virginia Cavanaugh

  Just for Tonight

  Magical Kiss

  Mixing Business with Pleasure

  Seductive Reunion

  The Fire Inside

  Print books by Virginia Cavanaugh

  Work and Play anthology

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing

  www.ellorascave.com

  When Lust Rules

  ISBN 9781419948398

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  When Lust Rules Copyright © 2013 Virginia Cavanaugh

  Edited by Shannon Combs

  Cover design by Willo

  Cover photography by Syneca

  Model: Angelo

  Electronic book publication September 2013

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.