MadMoon Page 2

  He frowned. “Of the Colorado clan?”

  The shifter network was strong. Of course he’d heard of the Snow Wolf Clan and her father. “Tomin Vronski is my dad.”

  A sandy brow went up and he cocked his head. “What the hell are you doing in Texas, Miz Vronski?”

  Lana might live to regret it but hope, at this point, was about all she had left. She gave him a long, steady look then went to her knees on the ground. Lowering her eyes, she bent her head to the side and bared her neck to him in the ancient act of submission. “I’m looking for sanctuary, High Alpha. Please, help me.”

  Chapter Two

  Mad took in her submissive stance, noting the fairness of her skin under the filtered light of the moon. Protective instincts rose savage and sharp within him as he nodded. The odd sensation he’d experienced in Joe’s tonight reappeared as his body seemed to hum with energy. Damn, if he didn’t have a strange reaction to this woman.

  “Please rise. I promise my protection and the protection of this pack. Don’t know what’s going on with you but when we have some privacy, you can talk and I’ll listen. I can straight out tell you that I don’t want any trouble with your father. He’s a powerful Alpha in Colorado. Even out here in the boonies, we’ve heard of him.” He paused, focused intently on her. “You understand what it means to receive sanctuary from a pack that’s not your own, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I belong to you now, until you say otherwise.” When she stood and looked him square in the eye, his admiration for her grew. He sensed her discomfort. She was either tragically desperate or really brave. Could be she was a mixture of both. It all remained to be seen.

  He nodded then turned to face the Rogues. “I want each and every one of you at my place in a couple of hours and we’ll discuss what happened tonight. Two of you are in deep shit with me so this order especially applies to you. Do what you need to do then come over. Don’t be late. Now get the hell on out of here.”

  The pack members who’d hunted tonight turned, shifted back into their wolves and raced off in search of their vehicles and pants to cover their bare asses. Mad watched them go then turned to find Lana wearing an uncertain look. Sympathy for her situation swept over him and he instantly went to her. “It’s going to be all right. You’ll see.” Impulsively, he draped his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. He’d protected a lot of wolves in his lifetime, even before he’d been named High Alpha, but there was something different about Lana. He didn’t quite know what that made her unique but he aimed to find out. “Come with me and I’ll get you something to put on.”

  The ground was rough. The she-wolf made a sharp little gasping sound and he didn’t hesitate but swung her naked body into his arms. Every lush curve she possessed pressed against his bare flesh and he almost forgot to breathe. A sweeter body had never been born but he fought back primal urges as he carried her over the rough terrain and into a clearing where he’d parked his truck.

  That bad feeling he’d had upon leaving the café tonight proved to him, once again, that he had pretty good instincts. At first he’d considered going straight home but instead he’d doubled back and driven past the café parking lot. Finding an abandoned black handbag on the ground near a small car prompted him to head out to the nearby woods and hunt down his pack. It wasn’t the older wolves who worried him but the younger ones. They were unpredictable. Mad knew they wouldn’t have been allowed to hurt the female but the whole situation would lead to a fight amongst them, he knew. Mad wanted his pack strong and united. Not divided by this kind of crap.

  When he halted by the driver’s door of his truck, he set the woman on her feet and picked up his abandoned clothes from the ground. He handed Lana his old tee shirt. “Put this on.”

  Once she’d slid it into place and shot him an apprehensive look, he pulled on his remaining clothes and his boots. She looked awfully cute wearing his shirt. It was several times too big for her and something about the sight amused him. His lips twitched. “I’m Madden Moon.”

  She cocked her head and arched a brow. “Moon, huh? Considering what you are, that’s pretty cool.”

  The harassed look was finally gone from her face and he was happy about that. Obviously greatly relieved that she was safe and sound now, she’d relaxed enough to tease. That was good, and damn if he didn’t love a smiling woman.

  “Don’t know how cool it is, but it’s sure enough my name. Most of the Rogues call me Moon but you can call me Mad if you want. You’ll be staying at my place and I don’t stand on formalities.” He watched the wariness seep back into her expression and knew she must be worried about what kind of demands he might make on her. It had taken a huge leap of faith for her to even request it, but hell, he wasn’t some kind of monster. She’d find that out soon enough. “Get in and we’ll pick up your things.”

  With only a nod, Lana climbed into the cab of his truck. Once back at the café, he retrieved her purse and a single small bag from the trunk of her car, then called Joe to deliver Lana’s car to his house in the morning. They drove the rest of the way to his place with little comment.

  Despite the fact she seemed tired to the max, Mad saw her interest as they drove through the tiny town of Sweetridge. There were only four or five stoplights on a Main Street that featured shops, a bank, a couple of bakeries and a lunch spot or two. Several churches occupied coveted corner lots. Beyond Main sat quiet little neighborhoods where folks seldom bothered to lock their doors and kids played without worry. It was a nice little town where wolves blended seamlessly with the human population. Mad always figured folks would flip the fuck out if they knew there were wolves in their midst but the secret had been safe for as long as Sweetridge had been a town. And that was a helluva long time.

  The high school sat at the edge of the city limits and Madden drove past it then continued on for another half mile before making a left turn down a lonely paved road. “I live out here.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  Nerves seemed to consume her. He could practically feel them vibrating through the cab of his truck. Country music played on the radio as they drove along but her fear was getting to him. They needed to have a little talk. He pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the tunes before leaning in to focus on her. The dashboard lights illuminated her face and he hated the flash of fear that suddenly came to life in her eyes. Impulsively, he reached out and cupped her cheek. She sucked in a quick breath but maintained eye contact.

  Yeah, she had courage. He admired that a lot.

  “Listen to me, Lana. I know the rules and so do you. Anyone seeking sanctuary is beholden and basically, according to ancient rules, bound to the Alpha until he says otherwise, but I want you to know that I won’t hurt you. You have no reason to believe me but it’s the truth.”

  “I believe you.”

  “You’re awfully quick to say that.”

  “You saved me. A bad guy wouldn’t have done that.” She dragged a deep breath into her lungs and shut her eyes for a second before opening them again. “My dad always said I was stupid and naïve but that’s not true. I trust my instincts about people and you showed up and helped me when I needed it most. If you’d wanted to hurt me, if you were cruel, you could have let those two assholes do whatever they wanted. I’m a stranger. You don’t know me but you helped anyway. That has to mean something.”

  Mad smiled, warmed by her little speech. “That’s a whole lot of words all at one time. Anyone ever tell you that you talk a lot?”

  Laughter bubbled from her and her eyes crinkled at the corners. She was a beauty and one little sexy package of dynamite. He looked forward to seeing more of that spunk once she’d rested up a bit.

  “Pretty much all the time.” The smile slid from her face. “I’m tired, scared, relieved and full of nerves all at once. Just let me get my bearings and help me find a bed before I fall over, okay?”

  “All right then.” He nodded. “Let’s head on.” After starting the truck
again, he gave her a glance. “By the way, your dad sounds like an asshole.” Lana didn’t respond to that last comment but then he hadn’t really expected her to. Mad put the vehicle in drive and headed deeper into the country. When he pulled into the garage of his two-story house, he glanced over to find she had gone limp against the leather seats and her eyes were closed.

  Suddenly they popped open.

  Not asleep.

  He turned off the ignition and looked at her. “I need to find you a bed.”

  “Sooner the better.”

  “Hold that thought.” He got out, walked around to her side of the truck and reached in to haul her into his arms.

  “Hey! I can walk.” Though she protested, she wrapped her arms around his neck, hanging on. She was soft and warm and his brain registered that fact about two seconds after his body did. It had been a long time since he’d had a woman and his libido revved in reaction to the feel of her cuddled against him. Lana Vronski was one delectable armful of woman and he was honest enough to admit that if circumstances were different he’d have her under him in bed quicker than a man could say fuck me, baby.

  “I’m the boss, remember?”

  “How could I forget? You keep reminding me.”

  Mad laughed. He pushed open the door leading from the laundry room into the kitchen and reluctantly let her slide down the length of his body until her feet touched the floor. A light above the oven cast a glow over the room illuminating a rack of copper pots that hung from the ceiling, and the scent of lemony cleaners clung to the air. The place was fluffed and prettified several times a week by one of the female pack members. Gods knew he didn’t know shit about that kind of stuff but he was thankful that everything was tidy for his unexpected guest.

  As Lana looked around the room, Madden wondered if she might be hungry until he remembered watching her inhale two giant burgers and a massive plate of fries at Joe’s place. She turned in a circle and self-consciously tugged the hem of her borrowed tee shirt.

  “There will be plenty of time to check things out in the morning. Why don’t you head upstairs to the first room on the right and I’ll get your bag.”

  He watched her walk from the kitchen and knew she’d spot the landing to the staircase with no trouble. Shamelessly he watched the way her sweet ass moved beneath that flimsy bit of cotton before taking in the long, shapely length of her legs. Wolves weren’t a particularly modest species and nudity was commonplace among them but he still recalled the way she’d looked back there in the woods. Her breasts were high and full, just a bit more than a handful. They were perfectly shaped, tipped with pink nipples that he was dying to suck. Her belly was slightly rounded and softly feminine enough to make his cock twitch. Madden’s gaze cruised further down her body, dredging up images of all the things he’d like to do to her delectable body.

  Oh hell yeah, he wanted to fuck her in roughly fifty different ways and he would if she gave him half a chance.

  His mouth went dry.

  Shit. Best not go there, not now.

  Thank the gods she couldn’t read the dirty scenarios that roared to life in his brain or she’d be hightailing it out the door. Mad sucked in a breath to regain his composure and shifted his hard cock into a more comfortable position behind the fly of his jeans. Finally he followed her upstairs to find her flipping on a lamp in the guest bedroom. Once he set her bag on the floor, he went into the bathroom to draw hot water in the tub.

  He returned to find Lana standing near the bed where she curiously studied her surroundings. “This is beautiful. It’s so feminine and girly. I wouldn’t have figured you for the flowery type.” When she turned to him and grinned, his heart skipped a beat or two. Everything about her interested him just a little too much.

  “Thanks. Don’t know much about decorating but I found a lady in Dallas who is an expert at this sort of thing. I built the house myself about ten years ago and had her come in to put things together for me. My mom used this room while she was still alive. I hope you like it.”

  She gazed at him, her eyes going all soft and pretty. “Who wouldn’t?” Smiling, she ran her hand over a dark-purple fur throw at the foot of the bed then picked it up to rub her cheek against it. Her eyes closed as a dreamy expression crossed her face. Mad’s belly tightened. Getting out of close proximity suddenly seemed like a fantastic idea. Finally she looked at him. “I’ll just unpack, clean up and turn in unless you want to talk with me.”

  Damn straight, there was plenty to discuss. He’d offered his protection without giving a thought to what or whom she might be running from and Mad figured he had a right to know what he was in for. But she looked as though she was about to fall over. “Don’t worry about it tonight. We’ll have a long talk after you’ve rested.”

  Lana surprised him by walking up and taking his hand. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  He could think of a thing or two. He surely could.

  Gritting his teeth was about the only thing he could do other than pull her into his arms and swear to her that she’d be safe with him. He knew that would be a lie. Every instinct he possessed told him to lay her on the nearest bed and fuck her until she screamed his name. That might be what he needed but it wouldn’t do much toward making her feel protected.

  Removing himself from temptation, he stepped away and headed toward the door. He had business to take care of tonight and it was best he remain clearheaded for what he intended. “Don’t worry about anything but getting some rest. I’m right next door if you need me. Good night, Lana.”

  When the door closed, Lana sank to the bed in disbelief at what the events of this night had revealed. She’d never believed herself to be a particularly passionate woman and encounters with males of her pack had elicited very little interest. Now she knew, without a doubt, that she’d simply not met the right wolf; everything about this guy called to deep feminine instincts she had thought were absent from her DNA.

  Wow.

  Had she not run from her father’s harsh demands she might, even now, be chained and mated to a wolf she detested. Now here she was, living in the home of a man who exuded sex appeal from every pore. Sex on a stick. Yeah, Mr. Moon the High Alpha was ripped, bronzed, toned and so buff that her fingers itched to explore every dip and hollow of his body. When he’d walked into the bedroom, it had taken every ounce of self-control not to jump into his arms and cling like a monkey.

  Lana felt the press of her tingling nipples brush against the cotton of the tee shirt. The agonizing ache mirrored the pulsing pressure that centered in her pussy and, near crazed for relief, she pressed her thighs together. This was silly. Ridiculous. She’d just met the man but the attraction had been instantaneous, off-the-charts chemistry. It would definitely be a good idea to keep her distance. A man that raw, that seductive, no doubt had women lining up to sample anything he might have to offer. Heck, he might already have a woman and Lana didn’t poach. Though she was definitely feeling a little desperate to explore some hot, steamy sex with him, she was determined to keep things cool. The truth remained, she knew nothing at all about him except that he’d been kind and had saved her unlucky ass tonight.

  Releasing a pent-up breath, pushing thoughts of toe-curling sex to the back of her mind, she headed into the bath and then readied herself for bed. When she finally stood naked and as clean as a newborn baby beside the bed, she reached for Mad’s discarded shirt. Lifting it to her face, she inhaled. The scent of him clung to the soft fabric and, giving in to the urge, she pulled it over her head before crawling tiredly between the crisp white sheets.

  Within moments she was asleep, for the first time in days resting dreamlessly until angry voices caused her to sit up in her bed. Nothing was worse than being jarred from a deep rest. Lana blinked into the darkness then glanced at the bedside clock. Three in the morning. Tension sizzled through the atmosphere and her keen wolven senses acknowledged that something was going down. Violence simmered in the air, prompting her to come to her feet and he
ad toward the stairs.

  Lana took several hasty steps down then froze. A crowd of men filled up the massive foyer near Madden’s front door. The two young wolves who were in such deep trouble with their High Alpha stood in the center of the group facing him, anger etched on their faces.

  “This is fucked up! You can’t banish us from the pack because of some stranger. We don’t even know this bitch.” One of her would-be attackers fairly barked the words, his face flushed with rage. His buddy clenched his jaw and made a move forward but then Mad advanced on them. Lana couldn’t see his face but muscles bunched in his shoulders as he drew back a fist then landed a blow to the outraged wolf’s cheek. Blood splattered and ran down the youth’s face and a chorus of low growls added to the violent tension. The younger wolf fell to the floor and the other backed off, holding up both hands in surrender.

  “Hell, we’re going.”

  “Damn straight, you will.” The High Alpha turned his attention to the others. “Get these fuckheads out of town before I whip the shit out of them. Got it?”

  Lana held her breath as a shudder raced through her body. By nature, lycans were hotter blooded than most and she hoped those two fools got out of town quick. She suspected if they didn’t, they would regret tangling with their Alpha. When the men filed out, Mad glanced up and her gaze locked with his. His face was tight with rage and she knew in that moment that she’d never, ever want that anger directed at herself. His size was intimidating but now he seemed a giant to her.

  Savage, intense, feral.

  Finally, Mad stalked off, shrugging as if to shake off something foul. Lana paused, then, gathering her courage, hurried down the stairs just in time to see him walk through a door. No, she hadn’t been responsible for the actions of these two young wolves but she felt somehow at fault for the scenario that had unfolded tonight. She dreaded talking with him face-to-face while he was in such a temper but she pushed the worry away and stopped in the doorway of what appeared to be a large office. She’d faced her father’s rages far too often to let something like lycan testosterone run amok stop her.