Free Savage Satisfaction by Lila Dubois Page A

brought the scent of deer—so strong he could
smell it even as a human—and Christoffer stopped.
    “What is it?” William asked.
    “I can smell the deer.”
    “They’re kept inside a fenced area. They’re a protected
herd.”
    Protected? Now was probably not the time to tell William
he’d killed and eaten one the first day he was here.
    “Though a carcass was found a few days ago. Tell me, would
you be able to smell another predator?”
    William looked over his shoulder as he asked the question,
and something on Christoffer’s face must have given away his thoughts. William
sighed and said, “Do not kill any more deer. The last thing I want is someone
reporting this to the Environment Agency.”
    “I was hungry.”
    They trekked for another five minutes before William
stopped. Christoffer was vibrating in anticipation. All around him were things
that he couldn’t make out as a human but could as a wolf. He wanted to
experience the forest the way he was meant to—on four paws.
    “I’m going to climb up there,” William said, pointing to a
hide—a hunting platform—about ten feet up in one of the trees. “I will watch
you from there.”
    “You will not be able to see much.”
    “I warned you not to run from me.” William’s hand rested on
the strap of the gun.
    “Whoa, don’t shoot. I’m saying that you won’t be able to
pick me out. As a wolf I’m nearly invisible in the forest.”
    “You’re not small. I’ll be able to see you.”
    “Think so?” Christoffer smiled. “How about a game? I’ll stay
near this tree, and every time you see me yell ‘bang’ and point at where you
think I am. I’ll try to get as close to the tree as possible without being
seen. If I get within, say, two meters, I’ll howl. Whoever gets the most wins.”
    “And what’s the prize?” William slipped the wooden icon
between the emblems of Christoffer’s collar and it popped open. William took it
from Christoffer’s neck. The skin-to-skin contact sent shudders through the
younger man.
    “Doesn’t matter,” Christoffer said with a shrug. He pulled
off his shirt as he toed off his shoes. William hadn’t given the direct order
but it was implied, and Christoffer couldn’t wait another minute. “But just to
make it interesting,” he said as he shucked his jeans and boxers, “let’s say a
kiss.”
    Grinning, he dropped to his knees and changed.
     
    William stepped back as the baseless wind swirled around
them. The golden-haired boy melted away and in his place was a massive wolf
with pale-blond legs that darkened to a gray back and muzzle.
    The wolf nudged William’s hip with his head, then bounded
into the woods.
    William shook his head as he climbed the ladder onto the
circular hide. It had been years since it was used—to hunt a deer that had been
injured escaping the fenced-in area and needed to be put down—but the wood
held.
    A kiss? He’d begun to suspect that the boy had feelings for
him—romantic feelings. That made him uncomfortable for several reasons. He’d
spent one morning researching Stockholm syndrome, afraid the boy was “beginning
to identify with the captor”, but somehow the situation didn’t seem to fit.
    More importantly, William was straight. The boy’s crush was
doomed to disappointment. He was not, and never had been, interested in men.
Knowing how the boy felt made William uncomfortable. He wanted to say he was
flattered and dismiss it, but couldn’t make himself discuss it.
    He was afraid what that discussion might lead to.
    Christoffer was a strange mix of outrageous Continental
gigolo and rock-steady soldier. William had been so sure that the wolf would be
the greater problem, especially after his first meeting with Christoffer, that
he was still thrown by the relationship developing between them.
    Relationship wasn’t the word he wanted. That
implied…something. Something William didn’t want.
    He’d yet to bring up Christoffer calling him “Alpha”. He
knew