Free Wolf Tales IV by Kate Douglas

 
     
     
    Chapter One
     
    Running. Always running. Grass whipping face and chest, paws torn and bleeding. Searching for someone? Evading someone? Not sure. Never certain if running after or away from, only certain of speed. Constant, lung-bursting, heart-throbbing speed. Must run, faster… faster.
    Someone follows, someone … no. Something new, someone shadowing, someone strong and true, dark as night, heart pure as gold, running alongside, a safe, strong shadow, running close in the night.
     
    “Ouch. Meanie! That hurts.”
    “Stop complaining. I’ve never done this to a white girl before. Your hair’s so straight, it’s hard to braid! Maybe I should just quit.”
    “Please! Don’t stop now.”
    Anton paused outside the open door and smiled at Stefan when he heard the women’s laughter in the kitchen. Stefan merely grinned and shook his head.
    It was such an amazing sound, the soft lilt of Keisha’s laughter.
    He heard her giggle again.
    “Xandi, you say that all the time. ‘Please, Stefan. Don’t stop now. Please, Anton? Don’t stop, Anton. Oh… Anton…‘ “
    The last was said in a low, breathy wail.
    “I heard that.” Grinning so wide he felt like an absolute fool, Anton shoved the door open and walked into the kitchen. Alexandria sat on a kitchen stool, her tightly braided hair gleaming like polished copper, caught in a brilliant beam of morning sunlight. Keisha stood behind her, eyes twinkling as she braided one last row in Alexandria’s hair.
    “Heard what? This little girl whimpering ’cause I’m braiding her do a bit too tight? She is such a wuss.” Still laughing, Keisha tugged the strands tighter, finished up the last row and fixed a small, blue bead to the end of the braid.
    Alexandria shook her head and the beads adorning the ends of dozens of braids clattered together. Then she tilted her chin so the myriad colored beads draped to one side and smiled seductively at Stefan. From the harsh intake of the other man’s breath, Anton had a feeling she’d gotten the desired effect.
    “Damn.” Stefan walked around her, staring at the totally new look. “You did this, Keisha? It’s gorgeous.”
    “Thank you… of course, it’s all gonna fall out the minute she shifts.” Hands on her hips, Keisha stood back to survey her work.
    “I just wanted to see how it would look.” Alexandria forced a sulky looking pout.
    She couldn’t hold it. “Where’s the mirror? I wanna see!”
    Keisha handed her a small hand mirror. “It really does look good on you. Wish there was a way to make it hold through a shift, but it all pops right out. All that work and poof ! You end up tripping over a scattered bunch of beads!”
    Alexandria turned to Anton. “You haven’t said anything… what’s your opinion, oh exalted leader?”
    Anton cast her a sideways glance. “Exalted leader? Moi? I understood you were the Alpha bitch in this pack.”
    Alexandria snorted. “Yeah, right. C’mon. What do you think?”
    “I think Keisha’s an artist. You look absolutely beautiful.” He trailed his hand over the tight row of perfect braids sweeping back from her forehead. “You look just like a red-headed Bo Derek. Remember her in that old movie… 10 ?”
    “Oh, yeah…” Stefan nodded. “Now if she were wearing that same skimpy little bikini…”
    “You see me naked all the time. What good’s the bikini?”
    “I enjoy unwrapping the package.” Stefan moved closer and tilted his head just enough to catch Alexandria’s lips with his. She practically melted against him, all teasing suddenly lost in the lush sharing of lips and tongue.
    Anton looked over the two of them at Keisha. The laughter had disappeared from her face and her body trembled. Sending a subtle block to Stefan and Alexandria, Anton reached around them to lightly grasp Keisha’s hand and lead her from the kitchen.
    He closed the door softly behind them and grabbed her when she burst into tears.
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered,