Callie's Captors [Mountain Men(7)
Pete’s story wasn’t an unusual one. Often, a human mother couldn’t raise a werewolf child that had somehow transformed without becoming a full werewolf. Seeing their child shift was too hard, and soon, they’d find a way to be rid of them. Many of the children who hadn’t changed yet ended up being raised by the human social services system while others, like Pete, were cast aside to fend for themselves.
Blue was good at solving problems and Pete envied his older adopted brother’s quick and logical mind. “Good. Then like I said, I’ll stick around and watch over her.”
Raine shoved him. “Why do you get to stay? Haven’t you always claimed to be the fastest runner? As such you and Blue can use your considerable speed and make it quicker than I ever could.”
Pete wasn’t falling for the flattery. How many times had Raine boasted that he could outrun them? “No thanks. Besides, I called it first. I’m sticking and you two are hoofing it. Now get going. I don’t like the idea of hanging around here any longer than I have to.”
Blue arched an eyebrow. “Hang on. Who knows when The Cursed might get back? I’ll stay with you in case they do.”
Raine narrowed his eyes, but he knew he’d been outmaneuvered. “Damn. I wish I’d thought of that. Fine. I’ll go to the camp and fetch our clothes.”
Pete hated it when Raine used canine references. But knowing that Raine had probably done it just to get on his nerves, he refrained from showing his irritation. Raine didn’t mean any harm, he simply liked to joke. “Then get moving, bro.”
Raine took a deep breath and looked longingly in the direction of the hole. “You guys promise not to do anything, even talk to her, until I get back?”
“We’ll do what we have to do. Who can say what that will entail?”
Pete liked that Blue was ready to give Raine a taste of his own medicine. “Yeah. If we have to jump in and snatch her into our arms to keep her safe, then that’s what we’ll do. After all, someone’s got to make the sacrifice.”
Raine snorted his derision. “Some sacrifice. She’s so hot I’m surprised steam isn’t rising from there.”
Pete could see the lust he felt on his brothers’ faces. “She is that. Do you think she’s taken?”
Unlike werewolves outside The Hidden, werewolves inside didn’t get an immediate and physical connection to their future mate. Instead, it was more like a longing, an empty place in their hearts that suddenly felt filled whenever they discovered her. Many of them went outside The Hidden to find their mate while others stumbled upon her before ever discovering the shifter sanctuary. But only a few had ever had their mate come to them while inside their treasured forest.
“If she is, he doesn’t deserve her. As soon as we get back, I want to find out why she’s out here all by herself.”
Blue was right. A lone woman in the Montana mountains didn’t make sense. “Agreed. Like I said, Raine. Get going.”
Raine grumbled then shifted into his wolf form. His eyes glittered with amber as he twirled in a circle then darted through the underbrush toward the camp.
“So, brother, are we going to keep our word and stay away from her?”
Pete couldn’t suppress a smile. He didn’t want to, that was for damn sure. But they still had the problem of having no clothes. “Unless you think she’ll welcome two butt-ass naked men joining her down there, I think we have to.”
* * * *
Blue couldn’t help himself. He had to watch her. As he’d done several times already, he eased closer to the pit, careful that she didn’t catch him peering down at her. She sat on the ground, her head bowed as she rummaged through her backpack.
He liked her spirit. Most women would’ve broken down into sniveling crybabies at the sight of three wolves. Then to have one of the wolves jump into the pit with her? Even then she’d held her own. He’d smelled her fear, but she hadn’t cowered. Instead, she’d been ready to fight with a pitiful knife as her sole means of protection.
Her dark hair spilled around her shoulders, making his palm itch. It would feel soft against the calluses of his hand, like the smooth belly of a newborn wolf. Although they were hidden now, he remembered the firm swell of her breasts. Her long neck had dragged his gaze from her breasts upward to her pouty lips and her big eyes. Her features had been open, filled more with curiosity than with fear.
“Blue,” hissed Pete.
He stepped back, once again heeding his brother’s warning to get away from the hole. Dragging in as much of her scent as he could gather, he slunk back to the tree line. “Don’t go getting your fur up. She didn’t see me.”