Free Ellis: Emerson Wolves ― Paranormal Wolf Shifter Romance by Kathi S. Barton

don’t you? You know just how strong he is and what he’s capable of?”
    “He’s an alpha in his own right.” Addie nodded. “Is he going to take my pack? I’d almost give it to him just so I can only be sheriff.”
    “He’d do a good job. But he won’t take it from you.” Mike nodded, almost relieved at that. “He won’t kill you, but he will hurt you eventually. Not that he’ll want to, but it will come to that. Pack will demand it of him. First blood, you know. That’s how it can only work.”
    “Blood for pack.” She nodded. “I don’t want to die, Addie. I love my family, and I don’t know…I can’t be without them. I’m not…I’ve not been happy as alpha for a while now. I’d rather…to be honest, the minute I realized what he was, I nearly bowed before him and pledged. Not a good thing to do right then, but it was hard not to do it. Does he have any idea?”
    “No. And neither does she. But I think that she’s been alpha-bitch to a few of your pack already. They’ve been…look around, Mike, and tell me what you see.” He did as she told him and didn’t see anything at first. Then he saw them. There were seven or so of his own pack just on the border of the land that separated hers from the pack land. “They would have killed even you had you tried to harm her.”
    He knew it too. When they disappeared into the dark woods, he turned to Addie. She was smiling at him in a way that made him think of a cat that had just eaten all the cream and knew where there was a good deal more of it.
    “You know what? I am almost as afraid of you as I am them.” She laughed. “I like you, Addie. Always have, but if you want me to help you, I’m going to need something from you.”
    “You have it.” He didn’t tell her what it was, but he had a feeling she knew already. “And a bonus if you make it look good.”
    “Look good? I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t hand me my ass.” She grinned again. “On a different note, because you’re scaring the big alpha here, what happens now? With the Combs? Because you know as well as I do that they’re never going to give up.”
    “Oh, I hope they don’t. Because this is going to be fun from now on. Starting with the house they live in. Back taxes are a thing you don’t want to fuck around with.” He nodded. “You should call off sick tomorrow, Mike. It might be a good day to go to the pond at the back of my property. There’s no signal back there, and I’m pretty sure that you’ll make a good day of it if you take your son with you.”
    Mike got in his car and decided that he might just do that. Little Mike had been asking him for weeks now if they could do something together, and this might just be the ticket. Addie told him just as he was leaving the grounds that the boat would be there for them to use as well. And to have a good time. Mike smiled. Yep, having her on his side was a damned sight better than having her as an enemy. Any day.
    ~~~
    Ellis lifted her body to his. He had to have her. Had to mark her now. When she wrapped her legs around his waist, it was all he could do not to take her right then and there, but he wanted her upstairs, in a bed, not in the living room where anyone could see them.
    “Hurry.” He growled at her, and she laughed. “I need you. Right now, and you’re taking too long.”
    Ellis pressed her against the wall and rocked into her as he ripped her blouse open. Taking her breast into his mouth, he bit down hard and nearly came when she cried out. He wasn’t going to make it to a bed if she kept this up.
    The bed was right there when he entered the room. He turned to shut the door and was trying to figure out the lock when she tore his shirt from his body. Her mouth was everywhere, and not long enough for him to really enjoy it. Lifting her higher so that he could get to her jeans, Ellis ripped them off her and then stood her against the wall.
    “I’m going to eat you first. I have to or you’re going to