Page 57 of Rogue Wolf

He planned to break that bloodline by turning Tamaska and bringing her into the pack. More than that, he soon planned to announce her as his mate. But first, he needed to explain what that would mean for her.

The female wolf rubbed her head under his neck. Her intentions were clear—she wanted to mate. Her pheromones hit his nose, a delightful temptation.

He could have mated with her. His wolf form wanted to.

But he didn’t. He remained loyal to Tamaska and their promising bond.

Not getting the hint, the female tried again to bury her face in the thick fur of Kodiak’s neck. He pushed her away, gently rejecting her, but she came back yet again. She clearly intended to try and to change his mind.

With a gentle swipe to her head and a warning growl, Kodiak expressed his annoyance and sent her away. The longer he remained in wolf form among his packmates, the more advances he’d receive. But he couldn’t go back to Tamaska just yet. He needed to be with his pack, and she needed to cool down deep inside before he could return to her.

It wasn’t official, but he already had a mate. He didn’t want it public knowledge—not until she was a full wolf. How he wished for that to happen. But he would have to wait. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on him, considering he always told Tamaska to wait patiently for the change.

Needing to run off his mounting sexual frustration, he gave his wolf the freedom it craved and started the run up Mount Solitary.

The climb was easy for him, but exhilarating, especially when he reached the top. For some reason, he could sense Tamaska there with him. His fur stood on end.

For a moment unease trickled through him, like feeling her was a cry for help. But he put it down to his thinking about her, their insanely strong bond.

He stood on the mountain’s edge, turned his nose to the sky, and howled a deep song, one that had been passed down from generation to generation. The unifying song had been designed to bind the pack together. His packmates began to join his song, with some following him up the mountain and others remaining where they were. Multiple voices added to the power of their song.

The sky began to lighten as the sun’s rays edged over the horizon, announcing its impending presence. It was nearing time for the night’s celebration and freedom to end.

Kodiak turned and hurried back to the hut. It was still his for the remainder of the night, and that’s where he wanted to be. There with Tamaska.

Will she forgive me for locking her in the hut?

He hoped so.

He figured she’d most likely hold a grudge against him for a few hours. He didn’t blame her. What he’d done to her wasn’t kind. But it was necessary for her own safety, to protect her from herself more than from the wolves or anything else out there.

He trusted the upgraded security to set off alarms if vampires entered the vicinity. The wolves would respond to an alarm, even if they were hunting or mating. So far, there had been no incidents. And he didn’t smell vampires.

But that didn’t matter. Kodiak didn’t want to leave her alone any longer. He missed her, needed her with a longing that floored him.

Hurrying down Mount Solitary, he moved as fast as he could, allowing his wolf to have its way. He practiced his agility, moving left and right to avoid bushes. His eyes remained sharp and hearing alert, his nose constantly scanning for scents.

Then, something heavy crashed onto his body, slamming him to the ground. He whimpered, more from the shock than the pain. His used a sudden rush of adrenaline to refocus. He breathed in.

Not vampires. His entire body poised to fight.

Wolf.

Kodiak got up. The wolf slammed him again from the side. He landed on his back, scrambling to keep the assailant from hurting him.

Teeth snapped at him, and he growled, pushing against the weight that pinned him down. Their scent announced the attacker’s identity long before Kodiak could properly see.

Moki.

Strength thundered through Kodiak, and he pushed through his shock.

His wolf side begged to end the feud once and for all. Kodiak let go of his careful control, allowing his wolf the freedom to fight. It wouldn’t be a fair or a good fight, but a fight to the death.

And Kodiak wasn’t about to lose.

Moki’s claws scraped across Kodiak’s back, and he restrained a pained whimper as blood quickly matted the fur on his back.

He growled, baring his teeth and sizing Moki up before returning the attack.

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