Free Taken by the Pack (Werewolf Romantic Erotica) by Soichiro Irons Page A

didn’t believe him; Kelso was well-known for his list of prior conquests, and more than one of those had already been claimed by another member of the pack. Instead of arguing about it, though, I nodded. “That was the plan. Leave me be so that I can go through with it.”
    Kelso’s eyes lingered on my future mate for an instant longer than was appropriate. Before I could protest, though, he was gone…moving out of sight as quietly as a breeze.
    His scent lingered in the air and I could have followed him had I wanted to. At the moment, though, I cared nothing for the older wolf. My attention redoubled on the woman by the river; amazingly, she still hadn’t noticed me. Thank heaven for small favors.
    I closed my eyes and allowed my tense muscles to shift. There were many ways to attract a mate, but I wanted to at least give her a choice . That seemed to be the most humane option, after all.
    The transformation complete, I took a deep breath before stepping out of the woods and into the cool water of the stream.
    ***
    I was just turning to leave when I saw him appear out of nowhere.
    At first, I thought that he was my husband – who else would be walking around naked in the middle of the woods? We’d just made love less than an hour ago and I hadn’t seen him get dressed before I’d gotten up to make breakfast. It wasn’t like John to be nude in public, but we were on vacation after all. Maybe he’d come to finish me off…wouldn’t that have been nice.
    A second glance, though, told me that it wasn’t the man I’d been married to for the last eight years.
    For one thing, the newcomer was gorgeous. My husband was still attractive, yes, but the silver-haired man who stepped out from the bushes was like a runway model. His shoulders and arms were firm with concealed muscle, and his thighs and calves looked as they’d been carved from stone. Without a doubt, he was strong – but it was the kind of strength that came from running and carrying, not body-building.
    His eyes, though, were what really caught my attention. They were the color of rich amber and almost glowing in the mid-morning sunlight. They were focused directly on me, and I found myself unwilling to look away.
    “Can I, uh, help you?” I said, though the words sounded distant in my own ears. I still couldn’t take my eyes off him. “Are you lost?”
    The man opened his mouth…but nothing happened. Experimentally, he lifted and shut his jaw several times before grimacing and starting again.
    “I…am not lost,” he said…or, at least, that’s what I think he said. His voice was raw and hoarse.
    “Are you hurt?” I said with a note of concern. “You sound awful.”
    “No. I’m…sorry, I haven’t spoken much in a long time.” His eyes were earnest as they gazed at me, and I could almost feel the intensity of his glare. “I...I wanted to talk to you.”
    “I…I really shouldn’t be here by myself, not with a…well, you’re naked,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant about it. “I don’t think that my husband would appreciate that very much.”
    I wasn’t sure what I had expected; a touch of embarrassment on his part would have been appropriate, I supposed. Even a little nervous laughter would have been acceptable, all things considered.
    What I received, though, was silence – along with a sly sort of smile. There was something off about the way he glared at me…he was like a dog eyeing a piece of steak.
    “You already have a mate,” he said. It wasn’t really a question.
    “Y-yes, he’s back at our camp…just over the ridge there.”
    I lifted my hand to point back over my shoulder. My eyes were still locked on his as if captured by some mysterious magic. Perhaps they were , I thought to myself skeptically.
    “I know where he is,” he said. His words still sounded like growls, but he was getting clearer by the second. “I know that he has already marked you less than an hour ago. I am unconcerned by this.”
    A flood