01 Taming the Wolf - Anna Avery Page 4

  “Ready?” Elle asked and we nodded. “Go!”

  I slammed the first shot and then the second. The tequila burned my throat, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from winning. Joe was on his third shot. I slammed shot three and four down, took a moment to breathe and then attacked the last two. Joe and I reached for the sixth one at the same time. I slammed the glass right before Joe and the pack cheered.

  “You’re pretty fierce, little one.” Joe laughed as he clapped me on the back.

  “That’s what they keep telling me.” I smiled in return.

  “Excuse me, but I believe I owe the woman who kicked your ass a dance,” Sawyer said, grabbing my hand.

  “So long as she saves one for me,” Joe replied.

  “I don’t know. I wouldn’t want you to break a hip.”

  Joe tousled my hair and I laughed. He and I always went back and forth with the banter. He was like the brother I never had but always wanted.

  I allowed Sawyer to drag me onto the dance floor. The line dancers were gone and couples filled the space. (Kissed you) Goodnight by Gloriana played. Sawyer placed his hands on either side of my hips, his fingers warm against my skin, and drew me towards him. Placing my arms on his shoulders, I let him guide me along the dance floor. I rested my head against his chest and inhaled the scent of him. It’d been so long since I’d been with a man. Sawyer may have been rough around the edges, but he was a good man. I had fun getting to know him and being in his arms made me feel safe. My body reacted to his masculinity, heating up and ready for him. I was proud I was stronger than my urges, but it frustrated the hell out of my libido.

  “You feel so good in my arms,” Sawyer spoke softly.

  “I was just thinking the same thing.” I smiled up at him, loving how his eyes sparkled when he looked at me. Ever so slowly, he lowered his head towards mine and with the softest brush against my lips, he kissed me. My fingers trailed up his neck and ran though his hair as our lips grew more eager.

  Realizing we were surrounded by multiple witnesses, I withdrew and looked away with a fresh blush to my cheeks. A smile stretched across my mouth as Sawyer twirled me out and back to his chest. As we moved, Adam watched us with too much interest. He was always watching me. I ignored his gaze and enjoyed being close to Sawyer.

  When the song ended, a man walked up and asked, “Mind if I cut in?” He was very much human and my wolf sneered at his approach. I tamped down her disapproval and tried to appear like she wasn’t attempting to break free.

  Sawyer looked at me, and I looked at the man. He was young, around my age, and had a buzz cut. His skin held quite a few blemishes and his clothes looked like they’d been picked out by his grandparents. Overall, I was impressed at his courage.

  “I’d love a dance,” I told him with a smile.

  “Are you sure, Anna?” Sawyer asked in a warning tone. Everyone knew I had a hard time keeping a lid on my inner beast, but I was determined to get a handle on her. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my weekends stuck in the house while my pack went bar hopping.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I told Sawyer and accepted the young man’s outstretched hand.

  “I’ll be right over here,” Sawyer said as he walked off the dance floor.

  “I’m Tim,” the man said as he curled his arm around my waist. As he made contact the hairs on my arms stood on end and my gums became sore as my wolf pushed forward. I closed my eyes and resisted the change. When my wolf settled a little, I opened my eyes and smiled at Tim.

  “I’m Anna,” I told him. “Sorry, I’ve had a lot of drinks and the room started to spin. I’m fine now though.” My lie for my bizarre behavior fooled him. He nodded as if he understood and began to move with the music.

  Although Tim wasn’t my taste, I wasn’t a mean girl. Before I became a wolf, I would’ve enjoyed dancing with him, but now I could hardly stand to be next to him. I smiled and laughed while he made small talk, but keeping a handle on the wolf was distracting as hell.

  “I’ll take it from here,” a masculine voice interrupted one of Tim’s jokes. I smiled apologetically, but was thrilled to be free of him. Tim stared at Adam and lowered his gaze as he scurried away. He may have had the courage to ask a girl to dance, but not enough to refuse a man like Adam.

  Adam and I stood in the middle of the dance floor as people danced around us. We stared at one another for a few moments. I’d forgotten to lower my gaze and worried someone in the pack would realize I was staring down our alpha. I dropped my eyes and stared at my boots.

  Adam stepped closer, and my wolf howled in excitement. His fingers curled around my waist, sending waves of heat through my skin, and drew my body towards his. Lady Antebellum’s song I Need You Now played mimicking my thoughts. Despite my better judgment, I did want him, need him. He affected me in a way Sawyer didn’t. I wanted to lose myself in his embrace and drown in those cobalt eyes, but our pack was present and I had to play the good submissive pup.

  Resting my head on his chest, I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat.

  “Have you thought about what I asked?” Adam whispered.

  “I don’t need to think about it, that’s not who I am,” I spoke against his shirt. His muscles tensed.

  “I don’t like Sawyer touching you,” he said almost hesitantly. I smiled at his unease about admitting his weakness. Jealously wasn’t something an alpha werewolf felt for someone other than his alpha mate. Something they shouldn’t feel for anyone else.

  “Shoulda thought about that before you promised me to him,” I paused. “I don’t like Eve touching you,” I admitted and then cringed at allowing my lips to voice my inner thoughts.

  Adam’s fingers dug into my side as he drew me even closer, a noticeable bulge growing between his legs. His breath stirred my hair and a low growl echoed through his chest.

  “Be mine, Anna. Visit my bed; let me claim your body.”

  I groaned in frustration. My libido was revved up and ready for action, but I couldn’t allow it to control me. I would not become a mistress or allow Adam to think so little of me. I deserved his full attention, not just when he wanted to get his rocks off.

  I pulled out of his embrace and began to walk away. “I can’t,” I told him sternly.

  Adam grabbed my arm and tugged me back. “What do you want from me, Anna? Eve is my alpha mate. We vowed ourselves to each other.”

  I snorted. They may not have been married, but the pairing of an alpha couple was serious business. Adam and Eve were born wolves and their pairing had been set in stone since birth. Something about uniting two packs. Eve, from what I heard, came from a pack in Montana. Since she was mated to Adam, the Montana pack was considered our brother pack. It was a bunch of political crap that I didn’t’ have the patience for. No matter how much Adam stirred the fire within me, I wouldn’t allow myself to give into it.

  An alpha could only pair with a true blood, not a made wolf like me. All he could ever offer me was a romp in the sheets from time to time. Realization that the attraction I felt would never amount to anything was painful.

  “If I can’t have all of you, I don’t want any of you,” I whispered and then broke free of his hold. He didn’t try to stop me this time. I could feel his eyes drilling into my back, but I ignored it. I caught Eve’s glare when I stepped off the dance floor. Annoyed, I headed to the restroom.

  When the door shut behind me, I leaned against the wall and grumbled in aggravation. My life was a lot more complicated now that rules dictated my life and tempting men tested the boundaries of my willpower.

  The door slammed open, causing my wolf to perk up and growl. Eve strolled through the bathroom and headed straight for me. The clacking of her high-heeled boots was menacing. Her short auburn hair bobbed up and down as she marched directly for me. When I stood up straight, she shoved me against the wall.

  “Care to tell me what you and my mate were so chatty about?” Her voice dripped with venom while her nails dug into my shoulder. I winced a
gainst the pain and wanted nothing more than to break her hand.

  “He was giving me tips to interact with humans,” I lied. “I had a difficult time controlling myself with the man I danced with.” Part of that was true, and I hoped it covered my fib. While my wolf begged for Adam’s attention, she didn’t like Eve at all. Although we respected her, that didn’t mean we liked her—especially when she was sleeping with the man we wanted.

  “Just make sure you don’t get any ideas. I’ve seen the way you look at him,” Eve snickered. “Like an alpha would waste his time on a mutt.”

  I looked up and held her gaze. Surprise contorted her face when I didn’t cower under her stare. A smile crawled on my lips, and my wolf bristled at our show of strength.

  “Um, I don’t mean to interrupt, but Adam needs to speak with you, Eve,” Elle said behind us.

  Eve sneered for a few more seconds before she pushed against me and strolled out of the restroom. My anger seethed at being confronted by Adam’s mate. Turning around, I punched the wall as hard as I could. The tile cracked and fell to the floor. My knuckles broke open and blood trailed down my hand.

  Elle rushed over and led me to the sink where she washed off my hand. “What was that all about?”

  “Eve thought I was moving in on Adam because he danced with me,” I said like it was the most ridiculous thing in the world.

  “You two did look pretty intimate out there, but she has no room to talk,” Elle snapped her mouth shut and focused her attention on my injury.

  “What do you mean?”

  Elle glanced up. “You can’t say anything to anybody, got it?”

  “Of course.” I was almost giddy about getting dirt on Eve. I restrained the smile that tried to spread across my lips.

  “I don’t know if it’s true, but I overheard Asher saying he thinks Eve is sleeping with another wolf,” Elle whispered.

  “What makes him think that?”

  “Don’t know, don’t really care,” Elle shrugged. “How’s about we get you another drink and sing some karaoke? I know the perfect song,” she waggled her eyebrows.

  I laughed and followed her out of the bathroom, all the while thinking about who the wolf was that Eve was seeing behind Adam’s back—if it was true.

  *

  When the D.J called Elle’s and my name, we strolled up to the stage. The pack whooped and hollered. Whistles from admiring men pierced through the noise. I figure those were more for Elle than me. The music for Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood started to play, and I laughed. I could relate to this song on many different levels. Elle started out and I joined in on the chorus. As we danced and sang on the stage, I caught sight of Sawyer standing next to Adam. I made a point to look at them both, but I winked at Sawyer. He screamed, “That’s my girl!” and Adam shot him a displeased look that made me to grin.

  Elle and I cat walked across the stage working both sides of the crowd like we’d rehearsed it. By the end of the song, we struck a pose and the place erupted in cheers.

  “Encore,” someone yelled. Elle looked at me, pursing her lips. I shrugged my confirmation, and the D.J began another song. This time he played Kerosene by Miranda Lambert. I started the song this time and Elle fell in behind me. When we finished, I had a thin layer of sweat covering my body and needed a drink.

  “Good job, you got some pipes,” Elle said, slinging an arm around my shoulders as we climbed off the stage. We made our way to the bar where we downed a couple cherry bombs. A hand slid around my waist and yanked me into the hard plains of a chest. Glancing over my shoulder, I smiled at Sawyer. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “You were so fucking hot up there.”

  Spinning on the barstool, I faced him. I caught a glimpse of Adam and Eve in the distance. She was plastered against his body, her arms slung around his neck as they kissed. Anger radiated through me. Drawing my attention back to Sawyer, I snaked my hand around his neck and pulled him towards me, where he willingly met my lips.

  “Okay you two, break it up,” Elle said beside us. I began to pull away, but Sawyer lifted me off of the stool and planted one last kiss on my lips. When he released me, I laughed at the hunger in his eyes.

  “Down boy,” I teased. It’d been over two years since I’d slept with a man, and only one before him. Having a revved up sex drive may be normal for werewolves but it was still an unusual feeling to a girl as inexperienced as I was. I could understand how some of the woman in our pack bent under the pressure of their desires. It wasn’t an easy thing to tame.

  “How’s about we head home,” Sawyer waggled his eyebrows and I laughed.

  “Sounds good,” I replied, my voice husky. When Sawyer’s eyebrows arched in surprise, I laughed. “You can take a cold shower, and I’ll go to sleep.” Sawyer’s excitement vanished and both Elle and I giggled.

  It was almost midnight and the night left me tired and angry. I had fun with Sawyer and Elle, but my interactions with Eve and Adam left a lot to be desired. With one quick glance in my alpha’s direction, I hopped off the barstool and followed Sawyer out to his truck. Someone grabbed my shoulder. I whirled around and full out growled. My wolf didn’t like being surprised, someone was liable to lose a hand. When I faced my assailant, I saw Tim. His eyebrows crawled up his forehead while his eyes shot wide. My wolf wasn’t happy to see the human again.

  “Hey is everything okay?” Sawyer asked.

  “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. You dropped this,” Tim stammered. I looked at the wallet he held out and grabbed it a little rougher than what was considered polite.

  “Thanks,” I turned on my heel and hopped into Sawyer’s truck.

  I ran through town on a mission. The wind whipped against my fur as I stalked closer to my prey. When I got to Weston’s, the parking lot was nearly empty. I sauntered over to the dumpster and waited for the one I came for. A few people stumbled out to their cars, and I itched to take them down. But they weren’t the ones I was after.

  The man I’d danced with finally emerged from the bar, and my wolf shot to her feet. I flicked a glance around the parking lot to make sure we were alone. When I was satisfied that it was just me and him, I trotted closer. He walked to his truck. He couldn’t hear my soft footsteps behind him.

  Saliva filled my mouth as I envisioned my teeth sinking into his jugular. Just as he stuck his key in the door, I jumped, landing on his back. He let out a scream that was like music to my ears. He shook his body from side to side to try and fling me off, but I was stronger than him. With one hard yank, I ripped his shoulder open, and he fell to his knees. He writhed on the ground, eyes wide and tears streaming down his face. Normally, I liked to take my time with a kill, but we were in public.

  Standing over him, I struck his throat. My teeth buried deep in his flesh until I felt bone beneath them. With a hard snap, I broke his neck and shivered in delight as the blood filled my mouth.

  I popped up in bed covered in sweat. My heart pounded from the vivid dream. The sun streamed into my bedroom and reminded me that it wasn’t real. I didn’t rip a man’s throat out and give in to my inner beast, or did I? Had it been my dream? Was my wolf side able to dream? She didn’t like Tim approaching us last night.

  “Anna?” Elle called

  Shrugging off my worries, I stepped out of bed and headed into the kitchen. Elle and Sawyer stood in the living room. Sawyer’s eyes smiled as they roamed up and down my body. Elle smirked and nodded towards me. Looking down, I was dressed in my bra and underwear. I must have shucked my clothes and hopped into bed last night. While the pack didn’t think nudity was a big deal, they knew I did. Granted I wasn’t naked, but I was close enough I felt uncomfortable under Sawyer’s hungry gaze.

  “Go get a dictionary and look up the word gentleman,” I told Sawyer as I padded back to my bedroom to get dressed. I slipped into a pair of sweats and pulled a t-shirt over my head. When I returned to the living room, Sawyer was reading something on his phone.

  “Gentleman,” he bega
n. “It says here on this thingamajig that it means a polite and cultured man that behaves with courtesy and thoughtfulness,” Sawyer said in a hillbilly voice and then looked up at me. “Why’d you wanna know? You trying to extend your vocabulary?” He cocked his head to the side and gave me his best confused look.

  I laughed. “You’re impossible,” I told him, and then set out for the kitchen to find breakfast. Sawyer and Elle followed me. Grabbing some leftover steak, I made my way to the table and sat. I was unusually hungry today; maybe the dream had awakened my appetite.

  “You know, showing appreciation to such a beautiful body could be considered thoughtful.” Sawyer’s eyes roamed the length of my body. “Just think of all the women out there who are ignored by their significant others.”

  “You’re not my significant other,” I said around a mouthful of food.

  “And I doubt you’ll ever be,” Elle chimed in. “Anna has taste.”

  Sawyer gave her a displeased look, and both Elle and I burst out laughing. Sawyer was a nice enough guy, but I wasn’t ready to settle down and have puppies—er babies—with him. I was only twenty-three and still getting used to my new life.

  “Aw, you know we’re kidding,” I told him to ease his mind.

  “Speak for yourself,” Elle muttered.

  “You’re just jealous,” Sawyer said to Elle and was answered with a kick under the table. Sawyer laughed, and Elle stood up to get a cup of coffee. I doubted Elle was jealous Sawyer was courting me.

  “Anyway, the reason I came by was to see if you wanted to go fishing with me. I’m headed up to Tie Hack.

  “You know I can’t. I have chores to do,” I told him with a smile. I only got one night off, and of course, it wasn’t on the weekend.

  “I’m sure Adam wouldn’t mind if you ignored your chores to go with me.” Sawyer winked.

  “What wouldn’t I mind?” a deep baritone asked. Sawyer and I turned to see Adam’s displeased look. His hair was slightly messy and his button down shirt was undone so his muscular chest was in full view. I trailed my eyes down his impressive physique and bit my lip when I saw the V his muscles formed by his waistband. A trail of dark hair led below his jeans.