He returned a few minutes later with the brush and a can of no-tangle spray that one of his cousins found for him, and sat there and watched as Katrina carefully detangled her hair.
When she was done, he said sternly to Heather “You know I told you, and all the other cubs, to stay out of this end of the house.”
Her face fell, and he caught Katrina giving him the stink-eye.
“What does B U L L Y spell?” she said, her tone sweet but her gaze sharp with annoyance at him.
Too bad. He was the Alpha, and his rules were made to be followed.
Heather waved her hand frantically in the air. “I know! I know! I can spell! It spells bully!”
“Very good. I knew you were smart. You must be adopted.”
Heather looked puzzled. “What’s adopted?”
Maddox interrupted. “Go find Aunt Caroline and tell her that I want you to spend the night at her house tonight.”
“Okay,” Heather sighed. Then she asked hopefully “Can Katrina come with me? She’s my friend.”
Katrina leaped in and gave him a graceful out. “Oh, I wish I could, honey, but I have some work to do.”
“What kind of work? I could stay and help. I’m a good helper.” Heather shifted from one foot to another, twisting and untwisting her hands.
Katrina favored her with a gentle smile. “Oh, boring grownup work. Homework. Experimental quantum mechanics with a theophysical application.”
Heather’s little face screwed up like she’d just sucked a lemon. “That sounds hard. I’m going to go find Aunt Caroline.”
She left the room.
“Experimental what?” Maddox asked. “I thought you worked for your pack’s catering company.”
“I do. Totally pulled that out of my butt. I figured it would send her running.”
“That was nice of you,” Maddox said.
“I’m always nice to cubs, unless they need their butt swatted. She’s a lovely cub. Surprised that she came from your pack. I’m sure you’ll ruin her soon enough.”
He didn’t bother to respond to the insult. He’d almost certainly be killing her stepfather some time soon; that was response enough. “Need anything while you’re in here?”
“A set of skinning knives.” She gave him a fierce grin and let her fangs descend partway.
He found himself ridiculously turned on. Damn. What a feisty little fireball. If she’d been a member of any other pack but the Mordhaus pack…
Well, his life would be very different.
“Nothing, then. Hope you get lots of reading done.” He turned and walked out of the door, shutting it behind him and sliding the massive deadbolt into place. He heard something thud against the door, and suppressed a smile.
He walked down the long hallway, and through the doorway that led into the main house. The floors were flagstone, and the enormous living room had a huge fireplace and several groupings of leather sofas and chairs. Two story floor to ceiling windows opened out to views of the dense green pine and fir forests that bordered their lands, and the looming Gore Mountain range in the distance. The sky was the clear blue of the ocean, and strings of white cotton clouds floated around the mountain’s saw tooth peaks.
Maddox waved at several of his pack mates who were playing a game of pool, and headed towards the front door. He need to find Bruce and put his paw down once and for all – stop drinking and take care of his daughter, or he’d be out of the pack.
It might sound harsh, but shifters lived a harsh life. Everyone had losses; you grieved them, and honored your dead’s memory by living an admirable life and contributing to your pack. You didn’t drown yourself and drag your family under with you.
As Maddox stepped outside, he scented Lula before he saw her, and stifled a growl of impatience. Several months ago, they’d had a few brief dalliances. Before they’d mated, he couldn’t have been more clear about the fact that he had no interest in anything permanent. He’d found out quickly that she only heard what she wanted to hear – which was apparently imaginary voices in her head telling her he wanted to marry her.
She was standing on the front porch, wearing a cleavage-plunging halter dress and sandals. She’d gone heavy on the perfume and makeup today. She’d clearly been standing there waiting for him. He kept walking without acknowledging her.
She turned and scampered after him. “Maddox! Wait!
“Sorry, Lula, I’m busy.”
“I thought you could take a little time off. To relax.” She quickened her stride to keep up with him.
“Lula, I’ve told you. I’m not interested.” Tact had gotten him nowhere; he’d have to be more forceful.
She let out a tinkling laugh and put her hand on his arm. “Now I know you’re lying. I smell your arousal.”
He cursed silently and wondered if Katrina had scented it too.
With a shrug, he shook her hand off. “It’s not for you.” Harsh, but necessary.
She broke into a trot, sniffing at the air, then stared at him. “What do you mean, it’s not for me? Who is it for? I scent another woman on you. Who is it?” Her voice rose in anger and dismay
He didn’t answer, just gave a growl of impatience as he headed in the direction of Bruce’s cabin.
“I don’t know that scent. Oh my God. Is it the hostage? That Mordaus bitch?” Lula stared at him in astonishment. “You can’t be attracted to her! How could you? I’m right here.”
“Yes, I see you. I’m not blind.”
Tears filled her eyes. “You are if you prefer her over me. I am absolutely perfect for you. I’d make an amazing Alpha mate. I’m an Alpha myself, after all.”
He restrained himself from saying what he thought – that she wasn’t an Alpha, she was a bully who backed down whenever she came up against real strength.
Instead he stopped walking, and leveled an ice cold glower at her.
“We will not be mates. This has nothing to do with our hostage, who will be returning to her pack shortly. You and I are not compatible, and this is the last time we’re having this conversation. I can have you moved to another part of pack property and ban you from the main house if I need to make my point any clearer.”
He turned and left her, ignoring her yelp of outrage.
Chapter Three
Katrina had no idea what time it was, but a glance through the window showed that the sun had risen and was bathing the forest outside in golden light. She paced the floor angrily. How long would she be confined here? What if all of this melodrama dragged on for weeks – would she be kept in here like a prisoner in a jail cell? She wasn’t used to sitting around doing nothing. At home, she was a whirlwind – up early, helping cook for the catering company, tending to her family’s herb garden, heading in to town to socialize and shop...of course, Maddox had ruined that for her.
When she heard the lock on the door slide open, her heart did a strange leap in her chest. Maddox had come back. Well, good. She was looking forward to insulting his ancestry and questioning his manhood.
Her heart fell when Carver walked through the door holding a dinner tray. The plate of pot roast and mashed potatoes smelled delicious, as did the hot apple pie, but she barely noticed it.
“Where’s your asshole boss?” she said, as he set the tray down on the table. “Is he scared of little old me?”
“He’s busy.” Carver’s tone was curt.
She glanced at the door. Carver followed her gaze.
“Don’t try it,” he said. “Or try it if you want. I run fast. And this area of the house is very secure, as is our entire compound.” Carver was a big, muscular slab of man. There was no way she could get past him, and they both knew it.
“Well, pass along a message to your fleabag boss. I expect to be able to walk around the property during the day. I am not going to sit in this room twenty four hours a day until Maddox gets his thumb out of his ass and decides to let me go. If those are your plans for me, I will chew someone’s face off or die trying. Capiche?” And she meant it. If she had to stay confined here, she’d go mad.
“Or, we could put the copper collar back on you and chain you to the bed.” Carver looked bored. “We don’t let our hostages set the rules around here.”
“Try it.” She bristled with anger and clenched her fists.
He just laughed and walked out of the room, as she glowered furiously after him.
What a dick, she thought. He was even worse than Maddox.
Annoyed, she sat down and dove into her dinner, which was delicious. Fine. So they had some halfway decent cooks here and they were feeding their prisoner well. She still hated all of them. Except for poor little Heather, who was obviously being neglected. She wished she could grab Heather and take her back home with her.
About half an hour later Carver came back. She’d thought maybe Maddox would come, but he didn’t. She felt a flare of irritation. Coward, she thought indignantly.
“Did you tell him?” she snapped.
“You’re welcome for bringing you dinner, by the way.”
“Did. You. Tell. Him.”
“Your manners are about what I’d expect from a member of the Mordhaus pack. Yes, he said that starting tomorrow morning you can have a guard accompany you out around certain areas of the compound. If you give us any crap, the copper collar is always an option.” His gaze was cold.