Savage Urges (The Phoenix Pack, #5)(61)

Greta spoke. “You’re wrong. The extremists aren’t smart enough to stay away. I’m telling you, we’ll have trouble on our hands again.” She threw Makenna a dirty look. “Surely there’s somewhere else you could—”

“She’s staying here,” Ryan told the old woman.

Cheeks reddening, Greta said, “How can you want that hussy, Ryan? I told you why she was banished from her old pack, and you’re still with her! You’re worth more and you deserve better!” She smacked the table with her hand. “She’s a danger to us, and you swore to protect your pack!”

Hiding her amusement, Makenna shrugged. “Sure, but it’s not like he signed anything.” Wow, Greta looked like she wanted to lunge down Makenna’s throat.

“You might want to know,” began Jaime, stifling a smile, “that Rhett uploaded my photos onto his blog. There have been a lot of comments from shifters and humans. They’re outraged by the extremists’ behavior. I mean, a net and a wasp knife . . . that’s beyond cruel.”

“I agree,” said Dante, glancing at his cell phone. He looked up. “Taryn, Gabe just sent me a message; he said your uncle’s here to see you.”

Ryan’s jaw tightened at the amused smile on his mate’s face. “Don’t say it.”

She raised her hands. “I wasn’t gonna.”

He grunted, not the slightest bit convinced.


Later that day, Makenna was sprawled out on the warm grass, enjoying the sun on her skin . . . and cursing inside her head. All in one day, she’d been attacked, lost her job, and been evicted. Her landlord had called ten minutes ago with that delightful bit of news. She’d argued that it wasn’t legal to throw someone out of their home when they hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d said that he needed to know his tenants were safe, that he couldn’t guarantee that if she were there.

He was right. And so she didn’t fight his decision. But it meant she had no home. Still, things could always be worse. Remy or Deanne had wanted to cut her off from Madisyn and Dawn—the only family she had. That would have hurt like nothing else could.

Hearing a slight rustle in the grass, she looked up to see a magnificently beautiful wolf. His fur was pure black, with the exception of the fur on his face, neck, and the inside of his ears, which was a creamy blond. Ryan, her senses told her.

He’d left her an hour earlier, told her he needed to do a perimeter check. But she’d suspected he wanted some time alone in his wolf form. Wanted the calm and solace that came from it.

The wolf padded over to her and licked at her jaw. She petted the dark, thick fur of his flank, making him release a satisfied growl. Smiling, she playfully shoved at his muzzle, expecting him to pounce in an equally playful move. Instead, he just looked at her.

Makenna rolled her eyes and sat upright. “So you’re as serious as Ryan, huh?” Her wolf would make him play, but her wolf would also brand the shit out of him—something that wolves shouldn’t do unless they were mates. Makenna needed to be 100 percent certain that Ryan was hers before she laid any such claim on him. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair to him.

The wolf nuzzled her throat, so she lightly shoved him again and wagged her finger. Again, he just stared at her. “I want to play.” After the shitty day she’d had, she needed some downtime. Playing with her favorite wolf would definitely give her that. “If you’re not going to play, you have to leave.”

He growled, eyes flashing human. Ryan—unlike the wolf—understood her words.

“Grouchy.” She dived at the wolf, wrestling him to the ground. He squirmed and struggled free of her grip. Righting himself, he looked startled. Confused. A little lost. She shoved at his muzzle with a playful snarl. He swiped at her shoulder, claws sheathed. Ooh, progress. She lunged again, knocking him to the ground. He got up, looking exasperated. That was better than him looking lost.

“I need to up my game here, huh.” Makenna jumped to her feet and took off. The wind whipped her skin and the branches abraded her cheeks and arms as she ran through the trees, the wolf fast on her heels. Birds and other wildlife scattered.

Sensing the wolf closing in on her, she put on a burst of speed—racing into a clearing, where she spun to face him with a growl. Skidding to a halt in front of her, he bared his teeth. She snapped hers. And . . . he wagged his tail. “That’s it.”

They tussled, wrestled, and pounced until Makenna flopped to her back, out of breath. The wolf stood over her, triumphant. Bones cracked and popped as his body shifted shape, and she then had a very naked Ryan on top of her. She wound her arms around his neck. “Your wolf played with me. He’s fun.”

“Only with you.”

She moaned as Ryan kissed her, twining his tongue with hers. Within moments, she was just as naked, and he was giving her exactly what she needed, pounding into her at a feral pace that soon had them both exploding.

In the aftermath, she snuggled into his side as he lay on his back. Sated and riding her post-orgasm buzz, she said, “This territory is pretty awesome.” Her wolf was utterly relaxed, surrounded by the scents of Ryan, pine, grass, and sun-warmed earth. The only sounds she could hear were those of wildlife and water trickling in the near distance.

Cupping her chin, Ryan lifted her head to meet her eyes. “Then why do I hear a little sadness in your voice?” He didn’t like it. Wanted to fix whatever was wrong.