Wolf Mountain Peak Complete Series, page 77
part #1 of Wolf Mountain Peak Series
“You’re his brother?” Raul squinted at him, as surprise washed over Dean’s face. “How can I be sure you’re telling the truth? And why weren’t you in his clan?”
“Because I lead my own clan,” Damian’s comeback came very fast, as if he anticipated this question. “Unlike him, I never liked to terrorize my crew. They’re with me, because I’ve given them a lot more than fear. They respect me. They would die for me, and I would die for them. I never liked my brother. But, that doesn’t mean I wanted to see him dead.”
“Your brother was going to slaughter the entire town,” Raul growled, furrowing his brow, as he let his beast peer out of him. “You didn’t expect me to sit by and watch, did you?”
“Humans are inferior creatures. They’re our food,” Damian claimed, his own eyes dimming, as he halted right in front of Raul. “I was expecting a superior creature like you to understand our need to feed. You proved me wrong. But, what’s done is done. I came here to tell you we’re at war. I wasn’t going to sneak up on you or your pack, the way your witch did to my brother’s clan. I have honor.”
“Honor my ass!” Dean’s stentorian voice roared like thunder, his eyes blazing with unmasked anger, as he leaned over towards him. “Is that why you sent that fucker to kill Kate?”
“Bill Saunders was instructed to convey the same message I’m trying to convey to you.” Damian’s face remained calm, despite Dean’s outburst. “The fact that he’s missing tells me that his zeal was his undoing.”
“You’re goddamn right it was,” Dean snarled as his breath got heavier by the second and he felt his blood boiling in his veins.
“Take it easy, big man,” Raul urged, using his elbow to push him aside. “What’s with this ‘war declaration’ crap? Get your clan here. Let’s settle this score, once and for all.”
“Oh, no,” A snort of derision escaped Damian, as a sarcastic smile burst upon his lips. “What, you really thought I was going to do this the old fashioned way? No, Bradford. This isn’t going to be your typical war: no fists; no jaws; no muscle. I’ll be seeing you.”
The vampire tossed a malicious glare at Raul, just as he finished his sentence. He turned around, leaving the trio in confusion. Damian Redfield did not seem like their typical foe. So far, their adversaries had used the “charge head-on” method: Marianne McIntyre razed their workshop to the ground; Dominic’s pack challenged them; the demon Azazel tried to murder Helena in cold blood; and Tom Riker had brazenly abducted Ray. Dean believed that at some point in the night, Damian’s clan would show up. Still, his expectations were proved woefully wrong. He was all alone. Moreover, there were no other vampire scents in the air, not even faint ones, which was more evidence of his solitude. Dean followed his brothers back to his Alpha’s truck, struggling to comprehend Damian’s threat. To his disappointment, neither Raul nor Ray uttered a word. They seemed lost in their thoughts, as if they shared the same feeling of unease that had brushed across the senses bequeathed to them.
Chapter Six
The following morning, incredibly enough, Dean’s brothers did not mention their meeting with Damian Redfield at all. As soon as they entered their workshop, they both chose to focus on their job. Perhaps they were in denial. The news of an entirely different clan, threatening them with annihilation was not easy to take in. How could they believe that a group of vampires, bound by love for one another, were willing to eradicate them? Maybe Raul and Ray had selected to ignore them. The Bradford’s only knew one type of war, and Damian had suggested there would be something completely unknown to them. How could they preoccupy themselves with guessing what he meant, especially with such an excessive workload? How could they plan their next course of action, when they had no idea of their enemies’ whereabouts or their intentions? The answer was simple. They couldn’t. So, he preferred to follow their example, and keep his thoughts to himself. After all, they had so much work to do that bringing up Damian would only distract them. They couldn’t waste time over discussing possibilities.
The night found Dean wandering about in his yard, as Kate readied herself for yet another trip to New York. Unlike the other day, he was not interested in attending her performance. Too tired by work, and drained by what had transpired the night before, he was in no mood to leave his birthplace, let alone drive for two-and-a-half hours to the big city. Still, the same could not be said for Julia and Melissa. Much to his liking, their cheers and their squeaky voices could be heard from outside, as they dressed up and put on their makeup. They both sounded thrilled to go to the Big Apple, and watch their dear friend mesmerize her fans. Dean breathed a sigh of relief, as he realized that, even though he wouldn’t be with his beloved Kate that night, she would have the protection of two, strong shifters. He didn’t need to worry about her safety. Her good friends would not let anything bad happen to her.
Nevertheless, as he watched them drive away from the estate, a massive urge to talk to his brothers surged within him. Without his mate, the night would be long and very lonely indeed. Tormented by ugly thoughts, Dean would not find peace of mind, not before Kate returned, the next day. Sadly though, a visit to his Alpha was not an option. It was almost 9 p. m.; his daughter could be sleeping, and he doubted whether he could keep his voice down. Therefore, he decided to head over to Ray. Halfway towards his cabin however, his younger brother stormed out of his cabin, with a sullen look in his eyes.
“Whoa!” Dean exclaimed, as a wave of surprise washed over his face. “What’s the matter, kid? Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“I just got off the phone with Raul,” Ray stated, as he strode past him. “I told him I wanted to talk to him about last night. He’s waiting for me.”
“Oh, thank God,” Dean sighed in relief, starting off behind him. “What about the baby? Is she awake?”
“Monica’s over at Helena’s,” Ray announced, staring down at the knob on his brother’s front door. “I’m going crazy, man. I’m still thinking about last night.”
Dean smiled bitterly to himself, upon hearing his confession. He wouldn’t dignify it with a rebuttal. There was no point in continuing this conversation; soon, they would discuss their situation with Raul. Ray grabbed the door handle, and literally barged in, only to find his Alpha relaxing on his couch, with a can of beer in his grasp.
“Hey, boys,” he winked up at them, as Dean stepped beside his brother. “You look worried. What seems to be the problem?”
“He’s got to be stoned,” Ray whispered, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Jr., if you had kids, you’d understand how precious these few, free moments are” the Alpha replied in a commanding tone, as he eased the can down on the table.
“I can understand your need to relax,” Dean interjected, as he began towards him. “A baby can be a handful, but, right now, we can’t afford to relax.”
“Really?” Raul spoke, a touch of irony in his tone, as he rose from his seat. “Says who?”
“Says the bloodsucker who declared war upon us last night,” frustration was lingering in Ray’s voice, as his face tightened. “Don’t you think we should be out there looking for him and his clan?”
“Where?” Raul emphasized that single word that came out of his mouth, as the calmness on his face vaporized. “Lockhart forest; Shandaken; Wolf Mountain: where should we go first? Maybe we should go to New York; how about that?”
“All I’m saying is that we need to think more and do less,” Dean clarified, attempting a softer tone. “There’s nothing much we can do, anyway.”
“If by ‘think’, you mean ‘speculate’, then thanks, but ‘no, thanks,’” Raul went on, losing the irony that had crept into his voice. “What do you want to do, guys? Spend our night coming up with theories as to what that prick meant? It could be pretty much anything. Anyway, I’ve doubled the guard at both town limits. If the boys see or smell anything weird, we’ll know right away.”
His brother’s mockery did not bother Dean. Raul always used to scoff at whatever he thought was nonsensical or even absurd. Still, his rant put him in a difficult position. The Alpha had taken the necessary precautions. Their town was safe, at least for now. Theorizing would inevitably lead to even darker thoughts, frustration and helplessness. Dean didn’t like to speculate, but he was so upset that he would resort to that. Thankfully however, Raul’s reluctance prevented him from doing so.
“There’s one thing that’s been bothering me,” Raul’s baritone ripped through the silence. “Before, we’ve had to face crazy witches, territorial packs, a demon, obsessed ex-husbands, vicious vampire clans… Now, we’re going to war with a group that’s not that different from ours. They may be bloodsuckers, but it sounds like we have a lot in common. And they’re going to fight us, because their Alpha just happened to be that tyrant’s brother. What a waste.”
“Don’t tell me you feel sorry for them,” Dean spoke, as a sarcastic smile formed on his face.
“Nah…” Raul rejected that notion. “It would just make it easier for me to kill them, if I knew they were ordinary vampires. That’s all.”
“Alright,” Dean said on an exhale. “If anything comes up, you know where to find me. Goodnight.”
“Later, boys,” Raul dismissed his brothers with a quick nod. As he made his way out of his Alpha’s cabin, Dean smiled to himself. He had only just spotted a major difference between him and his brother: leading the pack required much more than just physical strength. They were both tremendously powerful, yet, it was simply not enough. Raul had just demonstrated to him that he had maintained his composure, even though they were going to war once again. He had shown to him that there was no need to panic, although they were facing something unprecedented to them. And it was that reassurance that set his fears at ease. Indeed, only moments afterwards, Dean was much calmer. That night, he went to bed, thanking his fate for having Raul as a brother and a leader.
Chapter Seven
A squeaky voice awakened Dean’s senses, later on that night. In a matter of seconds, his ears were filled with more of that annoying noise, and loud cheers. He recognized the voice in question immediately. There was only one woman in the family that squeaked like that: Julia. Still, Kate had told him that they would spend the night at her apartment. For some unknown reason to him, they were back. Curious as to why they had bothered to drive back to Paxton, he swiped the covers away. This was not like his mate. She valued those nights with her friends; they had tons of fun together. Yet, she had turned down their company. Kate had to have had a very good excuse for returning to their town.
Dean ran down the stairs, as the celebratory sounds grew louder. As he stepped onto the landing, the squeaks ceased altogether. And, when he hesitantly pulled his door open, he discovered why: Kate was in Julia’s arms, standing between Helena and Melissa.
“Ahem…” The witch cleared her throat. “I told you you’d wake him up.”
A glorious smile lit up his mate’s face, as she eased back out of her friend’s hold. Without uttering a word, she turned her body to the right. Dean watched, as she moved off towards him. But, instead of her usual, feminine walking style, she chose to sprint across the yard. Her right arm shoved the door back, as she jumped towards him. It flew open, and hit the wall behind it, as she knocked him off his feet. Dean tumbled down onto the floor, bumping the back of his head, as the three women outside burst into roaring laughter.
“Oh, man,” he grunted, squeezing his eyes shut, as he endured the pain. “You want to tell me what this is all about?”
“This,” she announced, reaching into her pocket. Kate brought her arm up, and then stopped her hand in front of his face. A small, blue card was in her grasp. It read:
Starlight Records
Ryan Alstead
CEO
“The guy came to my dressing room, after my show,” she added, as her eyes sparkled with excitement. “He said he’d been watching me for months. He loves my voice. I have an appointment with him tomorrow afternoon at the company’s headquarters in Manhattan.”
“That’s fantastic,” Dean commented while gazing up into her eyes, his lips curved into a blissful smile: “finally, some good news.”
“The girls suggested we stay in New York, but I couldn’t wait to tell you,” she uttered, her voice picking up volume. “I’m so happy.”
“You’re glowing,” Dean said with a grin, lightly kissing the tip of her nose.
“Go back to bed,” Kate urged, as she put her hands down on the floor. “I have to go say ‘goodnight.’”
“Alright,” he gave a short chuckle. This development lifted a weight off his shoulders. A while back, his mate had sacrificed a contract with a major record company in Los Angeles, just to be with him. The fact that she’d put her career on an indefinite hold – and possibly ruined it – had flattered him, but it had also filled him with guilt. Dean desired what was best for her, yet, it was their very relationship that had held her back. Now, though, Kate could at last realize the dream of recording her first album. Her days of driving back and forth from Paxton would soon be over.
Lying in bed, he folded his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes, as he imagined her perform in front of much bigger crowds than the two hundred or so people in “Tommy’s Pit.” All of her passion, her conviction and her presence would explode out of her, like lava, spewing from a volcano. Dean might be getting ahead of himself, but he couldn’t help it. Those thoughts had rushed into his mind automatically, and he was not going to send them away. It was good to dream about fame and glory; Kate’s fame and glory, to be exact. She deserved it, by all means.
“I hope you went to bed early tonight,” His eyes snapped open at her sexy voice. Waves of desire coursed through his body, as he noticed her standing under the doorframe, naked, with her hands on her waist.
“Why?” He asked, letting his gaze roam over her curvaceous body, as she closed in on him.
“Because you’re not getting any more sleep,” Kate retorted, reaching both of her arms down to climb into bed. “Want to know a secret?” She said, her voice deepening to a raspy tone, her gaze locked on his, as she crawled towards him.
“Yeah?”
“I’ve never been more turned on in my whole life,” She whispered, her mouth less than an inch away from his, as she cupped the sides of his neck in both of her hands. Letting out a huff of arousal, Dean snaked his arms around her shoulders, as he welcomed her lips on his. He marveled at her energy. Kate had been working for hours, and through two, long drives, but she hadn’t let any of those discourage her. Splaying his fingers over her back, he pushed a few strands of her golden hair away, eager to feel her smooth skin. The passion in her kiss told him that she was not kidding, when she spoke about her arousal. The fine hairs in his beard rubbed against her chin, as he felt the tip of her tongue on the seam of his lips. Dean parted them just enough, allowing her in his mouth, as he traced his fingers across her back. Flexing his arm muscles, he pulled her onto him, the weight of her breasts on his chest lighting up his desire. He gathered a few of her tendrils in his hand, as his other one slowly traveled down her body. Kate’s gentle bite on his lower lip forced a low grunt from him, as she slid her hands up his neck. She feathered her right one through his beard, as his fingertips reached her ass cheek. Dean felt his blood pumping through the veins of his cock, as he squeezed her delicious flesh. Moving her lips down, she puffed her hot breath just below his chin, as she firmed her grip on his face. He knew very well where this was going. She would go further down, and eventually worship his cock. He might love it, but Dean wanted to keep her submissive. He wouldn’t allow her the initiative, especially upon her confession. Therefore, he tightened his hold around her, and rolled them over.
“No…” A helpless whisper escaped her, as he kissed the part between her lips and her nose. “Why did you do that for?”
“Patience, Siren. You’ll see,” He breathed, pulling his arms out from under her, as he felt the moisture of his cock on the fabric of his boxer shorts.
“Oh, yes, I will,” She whispered once more, as her eyes lit up with mischief. In a quick move, she rolled over onto her chest, and then tucked her hands under her chin. “Come on, Wolfy. Show me,” She urged, licking her upper lip, as she looked up at him over her shoulder. A massive shot of adrenaline rushed through his veins, as he laid his eyes on her gorgeous ass. In an instant, Dean found himself wondering what to do to her first. Whatever that would be though, he had to get rid of his underwear. So, he rolled out of bed, scanning the beauty that awaited him. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers, and pulled them down and off his feet, exposing his large, stiff cock, as she swiveled her head to the left to face him.
“Look at that body,” Kate whimpered, breathing heavily, as she settled her gaze on the defined ridges of his abs. “God, it’s so sexy. You should have let me…”
“I will, later,” Dean interrupted, lifting his leg to climb back into bed. Positioning himself behind her, he reached down, and grabbed her by the hips. A lustful sigh fled his lips, as she got up on all fours. She tempted him; yet, this was not what he had in mind. Sliding his hands up her sides, he bent his body down towards her. The feel of his cock between her ass cheeks made that temptation even harder to resist. However, if he wanted to carry out his plan, he had to force restraint upon himself. His hands stopped, just an inch from the underside of her breasts. Dean pulled her body up, letting the wonderful scent of her hair flow through him. Removing his right arm from her, he brought it up to her shoulder. He gathered her silky strands, and pushed them aside, as he tilted his head down.
“Oh, you bad boy,” she whispered, reaching her hand back, as he breathed down her ear. Her long whimper rang in his ears, as he flicked his tongue across her earlobe. She grabbed a fistful of his hair, as he gently pulled it into his mouth. Dean placed his hand back on her side, feeling every fine hair in her body rise under his sensual assault. Planting a fiery kiss behind her ear, he trailed his fingers up. He mapped out the skin of her breasts, as Kate’s hand crept around his head. Her long fingernails left tiny scratches on his face, as his fingertips encircled her nipples. She tilted her head back, as he nipped his way down her neck. By then, thick drops of precum were flowing down his shaft. Dean grabbed and squeezed both of her breasts at the same time, as his juices moistened her flesh.
