Reluctantly Lycan (Dakota Wolves Book 1)(12)

"At the full moon, she will save them."

"What does that mean!?" Kaden screamed, the wind picking up. The leaves  began to form into a whirlwind, blocking his path and vision when he  tried to step toward the prophet.

"Run to them." The words faded into a barely audible whisper. When the violent weather abated, The Wanderer had disappeared.

Kaden didn't need to be told twice. He ripped off his clothing as he ran  and shifted. The sun rose higher in the sky as he pounded through the  forest at break neck speed. The village was no place for his family to  be alone with the possibility of a traitor in their midst.





9


What am I doing? Taylor asked himself as he shoved his luggage into the  overhead compartment and took his window seat. His investigative nature  wouldn't let go of the mystery of Marala and her ex.

After his trip to the massage parlor, he'd called his buddy and had him  run the license plate number on Kaden's Jeep. The vehicle was registered  to an address in Tennessee. Taylor had never been there, but since  Marala had a light drawl, he figured he was on the right track.

He had a great plan. Make sure she was okay, no domestic violence or  anything going on, snoop around about the wolf stuff, take some pretty  pictures of the scenery, and then get his ass back home. What harm could  it do?

An attractive woman slipped into the seat beside him. "Hi," she said shyly.

Like all women, she was immediately drawn to him. All women except for  Marala. Maybe that was the real reason he had to find her. The opposite  sex did not reject him and he was not about to give up without a fight.                       
       
           



       

~*~

"Hello?" Then a strange pecking sound.

Mara groaned a little. Why is someone at the door so early? Disoriented,  she opened her eyes to see a man staring at her through the driver's  side window. A scream caught in her throat, but then she recognized him.  He'd stepped back and she opened the car door, climbed out, and threw  her arms around his neck.

"Levi!" Seeing one of her former foster parents made her happier than she'd expected.

Jak opened his door, looking groggier than his mother. He rubbed one eye with his left hand and yawned.

"You haven't aged a day." Levi's gaze locked on Jak. "I'll be damned. He  looks like a young Kaden. And a little of you, too." He smiled at Mara,  releasing her from the hug and walking over to Jak with an extended  hand.

"I'm Jak Dakota." He shook the hand firmly, just as he had when he'd met his father.

"It's an honor to meet the next pack leader."

Mara sighed. "You don't know he'll be leader."

Levi shrugged while Jak looked on with a pale face. "There has been  trouble, so he may not be. Either way, Kaden will be leader for a long  time. Speaking of which, I was on my way to town to speak with some  people. He told me to call and tell you not to come."

"Go figure. Wants me to bring Jak home and then changes his mind. All  he's ever cared about was himself." As her mother would have said,  Marala's face turned red as a pickled beet. Both men sensed the fury  emanating off her and Jak wasn't even a wolf yet.

"Miss Mara," Levi called her as he had when she was a child. Never  scolding, always soothing. "It would be best if you left. The leader is,  well, volatile."

Jak looked directly at his mother and shook his head. "No. We stay." He pointed at the ground for emphasis.

"He's right, Levi. As much as I hate to admit it, it's time we returned."

"Of course." The wolf gestured to his truck on the other side of the log  barrier. "Let's gather up your things and I'll give you a ride to the  village. Afterward, I'll return your rental car. It is a rental, right?"

Mara nodded. "Yes."

She hefted a couple of trash bags out of the car, dodged Levi's offer to  carry them, and tossed them into the bed of the rust bucket of a truck.  Jak did the same. When the items had all been removed, Marala took a  seat in the cab and Jak climbed into the back.

"The wolves will give him a hard time since he's a city boy," Levi said  when he slid onto the torn leather bench seat and shifted the truck into  gear. It groaned in protest.

"I know, but he's from a respected line of wolves. He'll be fine."

"Your bloodline is not as... revered."

Mara had heard that before. A red headed, fair-skinned, and green-eyed  woman among a bunch of wolves descended from Native Americans stood out.  "Just because my ancestors were not native to America does not mean  they were not a loyal and loved bloodline."

Levi nodded. "I didn't intend to disrespect your lineage. Just reminding you of how some of the pack feels."

"I shouldn't have to remind you I was chosen."

"I remember. How did that work out?"

She held her tongue, knowing the fatherly figure meant well. "It's yet  to be seen." What she meant by that, she didn't know. Her intention was  not to play the "chosen" card, especially so early, but if it kept  people off Jak's back …  so be it.

~*~

Her scent nearly knocked Kaden out of form. The lusciously natural,  sweet smell told him The Wanderer had been right long before he saw  Marala. He burst forth from the forest and crossed his small town  swiftly, charging straight for his front porch. The wolf, so stealthy in  the dark, stood out like a large black shadow in the sunlight.

Marala, Jak, and Levi had been sitting on Kaden's front porch in wooden  rockers while they waited. When Kaden growled, Levi jumped out of his  chair and moved it in front of him as if the chair would stop the wolf  from attacking.

Kaden sniffed at Mara. She smelled of fear and like Levi. Another threat  vibrated in his throat and he took a step of warning toward his  second-in-command.

"I'll leave you alone. Things, uh, to do." The beta lowered his eyes,  not turning his back on the pack alpha until he was far enough away that  he would be able to shift and maybe make it to his house in time if  necessary.

Kaden nudged Marala toward the door with his nose. She twisted the  handle. It was unlocked. He was glad the stubborn woman knew better than  to argue with him in his territory, his home turf.                       
       
           



       

"Dad?" Jak's voice came out barely more than a whisper. In his rage,  Kaden hadn't paid any attention to his son. The wolf's eyes softened a  little, shocked by the moniker. He may have been Jak's father, but he'd  yet to prove he was any sort of dad.

"Everything looks the same," Mara said softly when she walked inside.

Kaden had no interest in redecorating his parents' long time home. Even  if it was his house now. There were no small critters preserved by a  taxidermist. Only a rival of equal strength was worthy of preservation  in the house. A massive, black wolf, strikingly similar to Kaden, had  been stuffed and mounted. The imposing creature stood in the corner of  the living room. It was a constant reminder of the brutal deeds  performed to maintain stability within the pack.

The rest of the house had normal cabin décor. Wooden furniture, deep  maroons and greens rounded out the color scheme, and tons of photos. At  the top of each doorway and window dreamcatchers hung. Not the kind from  the flea market either. These were made by the female wolves of the  pack with reverence and respect for the spirits.

Kaden scoffed before shifting into human form and walking stark naked to  his bedroom without a word. Marala and Jak exchanged glances.

"Don't worry. The wolf in us doesn't always think logically," she said to her son.

"Yeah. I'll never be that aggressive." He gulped.

"Probably not."

Jak grimaced. "Not too thrilled about everyone seeing my equipment hanging out either."

"Obviously your father has little qualms about nudity." She rolled her  eyes, but found herself envisioning Kaden's tight butt as he walked down  the hallway.

~*~

The lack of sleep and grimy feeling from not having showered made Kaden  crankier than usual. And that horrible scruff was getting far too close  to a full on beard. He scratched at it angrily before pulling out a  razor.

He cleaned up and then shaved slowly, careful to get rid of even the  tiniest stray hair. As a wolf he could deal with being a mangy creature,  not as a human. The aftershave burned, but he barely noticed the  sensation. He inhaled a little, deciding he smelled presentable for his  mate. Not that his natural aroma didn't send her up the wall. He knew  the effect it had on her. Hers did the same to him.

Hastily, he jerked on a pair of boxer briefs, relatively clean jeans,  and a red sleeveless flannel patterned shirt which he left open in the  front. His hair would have to air dry on its own because, even for  Marala, a blow dryer was out of the question. He didn't own one.