Reese Read online

  My wolf was panic stricken. You let her get away? How could you? We had best get her back. “Can I see for myself?” I wasn’t sure I trusted her.

  “Come on in. Take your time looking.” She said with a look of pure dislike.

  I knew it was a waste of time, but I walked through the house quickly. She was gone. I didn’t know how they had gotten her out or where she was, but I would find her. Stan and I headed to my office. Even though it was late, I had my team meet me there. I told them who I wanted found and I knew it was just a matter of time. None of them asked any questions, they were disciplined like that. They knew if I wanted them to know, I would tell them. Now we planned our search. I had no doubt we would find her.

  *****

  Dad came home and boy was he mad. I knew he had every right to be. I had been foolish. His anger made me feel like I was a young kid again. He wasn’t home long before he noticed a truck parked down the road. He said he recognized it as the one driven by the overseer’s second. He called his beta and they snuck me out the back of the house and to my Aunt Charlotte’s house. They had me wear a strong perfume to cover my scent. Hopefully I would be gone a while before anyone noticed. The longer it took, the less chance that he could track me. I didn’t understand why he would be causing all this fuss over a human. It wasn’t like claiming a mate. He was an attractive man so I knew he had no trouble getting someone to have sex with. Why would he want me that much?

  I’m at my Aunt Charlotte’s house working on my computer. I have a small accounting business that I used to pay my way through college. It makes enough to keep me going, but I have plans to do more now that I’m out of school. I majored in business and minored in accounting. I have some big plans and being some alpha’s play toy isn’t one of them. I don’t even want to be some alpha’s mate, at least not yet. I need to avoid this problem and then I’ll avoid Howlington altogether until I’m ready for a mate. Tomorrow my Uncle George will be here so he can sneak me out of this town. I’ll miss my family but they will have to just come see me. Aunt Charlotte’s making me very nervous. She keeps looking out the windows. She’s worried but I hope there’s no reason to be.

  Uncle George comes in the middle of the night. Okay, it’s early morning but the middle of my night. He wakes me up to take me away. Once I’m out of sight, I’m sure I’ll be out of mind. I don’t know as much about wolves as one might think since I was raised in a wolf pack, but I’ve heard that males like him are all the same. Once I’m gone he’ll move on to another female.

  I was kept away from most of the male wolves well before puberty. Dad is strict like that and Mom says he’s a bit of a stick in the mud at times. Of course she agreed with keeping the males away from me. It was all for my own good you know. Sometimes it just didn’t feel like it had done me any good. I was in college before I was able to go on a date. It was flattering the way the guys fell all over me. I found out what they wanted quickly enough. They call wolves animals? At least male wolves are honest about what they’re after.

  My first time became my last time because it turned me off sex completely. He was handsome and seemed sweet. He was so busy trying to get the deed done that he didn’t take the time to ease into it or prepare me properly. He slammed it in and I thought I would die. I screamed and cried. I pushed against him but I was no match for the sex crazed monster he had turned into. At that moment the only thing he wanted was to cum. Afterwards he rolled off me with a loopy grin on his face. He was so proud of what he had accomplished. I tried to hold back but I was so angry. I punched him right in the mouth. I split his lip and returned to him some of the excruciating pain he had given me.

  I wasn’t going to become any male’s plaything. I learned the hard way that good looks and charm do not a good lover make. Besides, the overseer only had good looks. He had as much subtlety and tact as a herd of charging rhinos. I could just imagine the rough kind of lover he’d be. With his personality he was probably a Dom or something. I breathed a sigh of relief. It didn’t matter anymore. Uncle George pulled up at my house. I gave him a kiss on his cheek, promised to keep in touch, grabbed my bag and went into my house. Home sweet home with no males in sight. It was my sanctuary.

  I was too worked up to go to sleep so I turned my computer on. While it warmed up, or whatever the term was for the ten minutes it took to get ready to work, I fixed myself a cup of coffee. I relaxed a little so I could make plans. I needed a new computer and some other office supplies. I intended to expand my accounting business to support myself. It did that now, just not very well. I was out of college and ready for more. The computer was finally ready so I sat down getting to work. I had about fifty tax forms to fill out. They were all late filers, most of them students.

  Many of them hadn’t bothered to file since they had started college. They didn’t realize they could get most, if not all of the taxes withheld from their earnings back depending on whether or not someone else claimed them as a dependent. I had filed a return for one of my classmates who had gotten a large refund. He had soon told everyone he knew about it. That was where most of my late filers had come from. I thought that I would do his return free next year as a thank you. I would get all of these done and then I had the summer off. It would be the last free time I would have because in August I planned to take my business to a new level and make it a year around concern. For now I was just thrilled to have three months off to decide what I wanted out of my life.

  Most of the returns were straight forward and were taking ten minutes or less. I had fifteen done after a little more than two hours but I was also worn out. I took a nap now that I was tired enough to sleep. I had just gotten to sleep when my cell phone rang. I just couldn’t seem to catch a break. It was Mom calling to see if I’d gotten home and letting me know that she thought the overseer was still hunting me. I wasn’t too worried since I was living in an apartment over my office. My office was under the name of the corporation I had started for business purposes. I couldn’t imagine that he would be willing to go to the kind of trouble it would take to track me. I felt pretty safe. Once I calmed Mom down, I took another try at sleeping.

  Sometimes it seems that everything is against you. I had just started to drift off to sleep, when there was a loud banging on my door. I was only in an oversized T shirt, but everything was covered so I went to the door. It was my good friend, Shania. She had come by hoping I was home. Shania was a sweetie, but she was a party girl. She liked to party, but hated to go alone. She knew I hated clubbing, so I was at the bottom of her list of people to call to go with her. Apparently, tonight she had hit bottom and I was it.

  “It’s only Thursday Shania. Why don’t you wait to go out tomorrow night?”

  “It’s ladies night at the Big Dipper. The drinks are free for ladies until nine p.m. You can’t pass that up, can you?”

  “It’s just eight a.m., aren’t you a bit early?”

  “I’ll come back to get you around six thirty. Dress appropriately.”

  “You mean slutty, don’t you?

  “Whatever works honey.”

  Shania giggled as she hurried out the door. She was probably headed for her next victim, I mean friend. She never went out with less than three girl friends with her. She might enjoy partying but she followed certain rules for safety. It was a dangerous world out there to begin with, but at bars and clubs, the danger was even greater. Shania might be a wolf, but she was no fool. She knew a wolf could be drugged as easily as anyone else. By going with a group of friends, the girls would watch out for each other.

  I looked longingly toward my bed even though I knew I was once again too revved up to sleep. I went back to my computer and this time I kept at it until nearly twelve. I had all the returns done, the invoices sent so I would get paid and once they paid, they would automatically get their forms sent to them. Once again, I tried to take a nap. This time I was successful and slept until four. I was groggy when my alarm went off. I think I could have slept until the next morning but
I had to get up to get ready for Shania. After I took a shower, I felt much better. I looked in my closet to find something sleazy enough to please her. It wasn’t easy since I didn’t dress that way. I found a dress in the back of my closet that Shania had given me for Christmas.

  I hadn’t worn it because it was her idea of the LBD. That ultimate black dress that gets the attention I normally avoid. It fit like a second skin. It just barely went low enough to cover my underwear. I was certain I would be tugging it down all night long. It was low enough in the front to show an excessive amount of cleavage and it was off the shoulder. It was a soft material I was unfamiliar with, but I liked. If Shania didn’t approve of what I wore, she would just go through my closet until she found something acceptable, or even worse, take me to her house to find something in her closet. Oh, the horror of it. Her closet looked like an advertisement for sluts are us. She really wasn’t that promiscuous, she said she just liked to feel sexy.

  I matched the dress with sky high heels, a sexy perfume, sultry make up, shoulder duster earrings, a matching necklace and bracelet, then finished it with a small black clutch. I opted for my sexy underwear since I rarely had reason to wear it. I had a set of matching fire engine red bra, panties, and garter belt to hold up my sheer black stockings. I’ll admit I felt like a sex goddess. Maybe Shania was on to something. I would wait to decide once I saw if we made it out of the club unravished. There was a knock on the door. Shania was here to take me away.

  *****

  “What the hell do you mean you can’t find her?” I said as I slammed my fist onto the top of my desk. I had developed my self-control over the years and rarely did something like that anymore. The desk developed a crack. I really needed to stop doing that or I’d have to get a new desk, again.

  “Take it easy Reese. We’ve got a private detective on it. It’s just a matter of a day or two before we know where she is. She’s just a human, is it really worth all this effort to get your rocks off and get a little revenge on the alpha?” Stan asked looking more than a little confused.

  I knew he’d had never seen me looking so upset. This little human had me twisted in knots. It was almost funny that a human of all things, could have this effect on me.

  “It’s not revenge. Sure, the alpha and I push each other’s buttons but it’s always related to our positions. It’s never personal. All I know is I have to have her.”

  “I agree she’s a pretty sweet little thing, but you’re going a little overboard.” Stan said shaking his head with disbelief.

  I knew what he was thinking, I was the overseer. I didn’t let my libido get in the way of my life, at least I never had before. Why did everyone suddenly question my orders?

  I turned my attention to other matters that needed it. Even though the alpha usually negotiated treaties, it was my place to enforce them. One of the neighboring packs was making forays onto our pack lands and attempting to forcibly mate with the she wolves. Those were both serious offenses. The culprits could easily lose their lives for messing with Howlinton’s females. Trespassing was less serious but could result in fines or having the crap beat out of them if they were caught.

  My beta comes back in. He doesn’t speak, waiting for me to acknowledge him. I let him sweat for a little while. He needs to relearn his discipline. I expect unquestioning loyalty from all my wolves. When I’ve decided he’s waited long enough I asked, “What do you want Stan?”

  “I’m worried about you. You seem a little obsessed with the human female. You wouldn’t really force her, would you?”

  I can’t stop the cold smile that comes to my face. “That’s more than a little insulting. When have you ever known a female to say no to all this?” I gesture towards myself.

  “I may not know much, but even I realize she’s not like your typical women. They don’t run away from you. What will you do if she says no?”

  “I will exert my considerable charm to convince her that I am irresistible. She’ll melt like ice on a hot summer day. She’ll melt all over me.” The visual of what I said gets to me and I heat up. It makes me need to find her that much more. No woman would turn me down. It just can’t happen so why worry about it?

  “I have a feeling you’ll need a backup plan. You’re long overdue for an ego adjustment. I’m just going to be privileged to have a front row seat when you get it.” He left laughing to himself.

  The joke will be on him when she falls all over me.

  I get back to weighing my decisions on what to do to the James Pack. They’ve been caught on Robert’s Pack lands a dozen times in the last two months. That is simply unacceptable. Half a dozen females have complained about unwanted advances and two were attacked but male relatives intervened before there was any damage to the she wolves. I should make a phone call to their head enforcer. His position was the same as mine except that he didn’t have the same power within his own pack as I had in mine.

  He would probably have to go to his alpha before he could take any action. The next male in their pack that attacked one of our females would be the recipient of my form of justice. This simply had to stop. The number of females in wolf packs was much lower than the number of males. Raiding females from other packs was not unheard of. If we allowed this to happen, we would end up with no females at all. Many wolves ended up mated to other supernaturals or the really unlucky ones ended up with humans.

  I wasn’t a racist even if I sounded like one. Humans just weren’t strong enough for the life we lived. I had seen a lot of heartache from wolves that had lost their human mates while they had many years left to live alone. They also had to put up with harsh treatment at the hands of other wolves who were racist. The children often had it the hardest, at least those who couldn’t morph. Those were often among the matings with grey wolves because they were the weakest bloodline. They had the least magic. I protected those that were bullied, I just didn’t want my own children to be among them, yet here I was pursuing a human. No wonder all my men thought I had gone mad.

  I received an update. She seemed to have dropped off the face of the Earth. My wolf howled with frustration and loss. How could we feel a sense of loss for someone we had never even met? A shudder ran through me. My wolf seemed to want her far more than he should. I was beginning to worry about that. What did he really want her for? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

  Chapter 2

  History Lessons

  I saw the car lights hit the window as Shania’s Mustang pulled in the driveway. I tried to look forward to tonight, really I did. I just couldn’t find the fun in going to a smoky, crowded bar full of men looking to get lucky. I was ready even though I wished I could stay home. I went out to meet them, glad Shania was letting me sit next to her instead of in the back with someone I didn’t know. Who wouldn’t prefer to ride shotgun? The two girls in the back were talking nonstop and giggling like schoolgirls which I guess they were since they went to college still. They looked familiar but I didn’t know their names. Shania said they were Alicia and Angie. They were sisters born a year apart, but they could have passed for twins. Especially since they kept finishing each other’s sentences. I could now understand why Shania had banished them to the back seat. They were so cute it was almost annoying. Okay, it was annoying.

  We pulled up to the valet parking. Shania said it was worth it not to have to walk in heels. Valet was free but Shania always left a nice tip. The place was posh, but I had never been here before since the club had only been open for six months and I rarely went out socially. As soon as I walked in I noticed the bartenders. They were three of the hottest guys I had ever seen. The whole place had an otherworldly sense to it. I couldn’t explain it but it just had more of everything. All the beautiful people seemed to hangout here. The dance floor was hopping. It was crowded but Shania insisted I dance with her anyway. She was a modern girl, why wait for a man to asked when she had a friend with her.

  Some of the dancers were putting on quite a show. They were all but doing the wi
ld thing right there on the dance floor. I was ready to go home, but Shania said I had to wait at least until the free drinks ran out. Two guys moved in and started dancing with us. It was alright at first, but the little bastards were all hands. It was too much even for Shania. We went to sit down with our friends but they were on the dance floor now. We ordered a drink and sat sipping them once they came. I was trying my best to avoid eye contact hoping no one would ask me to dance. Shania finished her drink and made me go back to the dance floor. She could be such a pushy bitch. It made us a target for males looking for dance partners and one approached me.

  He was sexy, tall and had the definite feel of a wolf about him. He approached as if he owned the place and everyone in it was subject to his whims. He was arrogant and cold, but it was the hint of cruelty that made me shudder and take a dislike to him before he even spoke to me.

  “Dance with me!” He said it more like an order than a request. Since we were already dancing I continued. I examined him now that he was close to me. His pitch black hair was contrasted by the palest blue eyes I had ever seen. His face was hard but handsome. His lips were full, almost too much so. He looked like a predator and he was reminding me in some ways of the overseer. They would be on opposite sides if they ever met, I just knew it.

  “I have information on your parents that you will want.” He said as he danced right up against me.

  “I know all I need to know about my parents.” I tried to move away but he grabbed me by my hips and pressed against me.

  “Your birth parents? I think you know little to nothing about them. Come with me and I can tell you everything about them, your family and your heritage.”

  “I don’t know you. For all I know you intend to lure me away to kill or rape me.”

  “This is a bar owned and run by wolves for the pleasure and entertainment of wolves. I could easily take you and no one would care.”