A Werewolf Kind of Christmas Page 3

  He walked down the stairs to hear her talking softly to Scott.

  "You've lost your control too?"

  She let out a soft half breath of a laugh. "Yeah, I learned quickly to control my urges and emotions as not to let my wolf betray me."

  "How? I want that control."

  She was silent for a moment, and Tristan almost made himself known, but he waited just another moment.

  "You don't want to learn how I did. Your alpha, he's caring, and he doesn't want to hurt you just to teach control. He did what he did only to help you gain back the control you'd lost. My alpha? Would have left me out in the cold to bring myself back in."

  Anger filled him. Her own father would have done that to her?

  "Tristan isn't like that. He's a hardass, but he says he understands that all young wolves lose their control."

  "And he's absolutely right. No one is born with perfect control over the beast that they hold."

  Tristan peeked around the corner to see Erin snuggling with the young wolf and stroking his hair. For a moment he imagined that she would have made a wonderful mother. Calm, collected, soothing. Obviously features she hadn't inherited from her father.

  "Oh, hello Tristan." She looked over at him. "Coming to check up on me?"

  He stepped all the way in and gave a half shrug. "You and Scott. I'm surprised he's awake. It was a rough change back."

  Scott looked away, but Erin continued to stroke his hair. She smiled. "He's strong, but it helps that he was taken care of after his change."

  "Do you often take care of pups?" Tristan sat in another chair by the fire as he watched her. She barely looked up at him, and her eyes were all for Scott. For a moment he was a little bit jealous. Then he realized that she was probably trying to come up with an answer that didn't give too much away.

  "When I'm allowed to, yes," she finally answered, but still didn't look at him. "After a rough change, if they either change back alone or are forced back, they need rest, food, and reassurance."

  Scott snuggled into her, pulling the blanket around him tighter.

  Tristan nodded. "They come down here for rest. When we're sure they are rested, we bring them food. Normally I come down and talk to them, but it seems you've got it all covered."

  "Have you ever been left out in the cold to fend for yourself after a change?" Her eyes flickered to his, and he saw something haunting cross behind her gaze.

  He shook his head. "My alpha wasn't that cruel. He made sure we were all well taken care of and had perfect control before letting us out on our own."

  "That's how we learn in our pack."

  Something in her voice broke his heart. He wasn't going to send her back to that because of a stupid mark not appearing. He went to reach for her, but she stood. "I'll let you take over."

  Tristan glanced at Scott, then to Erin. Scott gave a subtle jerk of his head to the woman. Tristan pushed himself out of the chair, and she paused. "Why don't I head back up with you? You seem to have taken care of Scott, and we all know what he really needs is rest."

  "Okay."

  He didn't miss the hesitation in her voice. He walked up the stairs right behind her. She walked into the dining room without another word and sat down in silence.

  Molly stood. "I'll get you a warm bowl of stew."

  "No, it's okay. This one is still warm." She gave a small smile. "Thank you for cooking. I don't think I told you that."

  Molly sat back down and gave a slight laugh. "We all take turns cooking here. It's no big deal. It's just how things work."

  Tristan watched as Erin slowly ate her stew. She didn't look around at the others, and she didn't join in in the chatter. Occasionally she looked up at him but said nothing. He ate his own bowl and then stood. "I'm going to take a run. Anyone want to come?"

  "In the storm? You're crazy." Molly shook her head. "It's too cold even for my wolf."

  Erin stood and smiled. "I'll go with you. I'm not afraid of a storm."

  He chuckled. "You about fell on your ass when you stepped out of the car."

  "Yeah, because I was ill prepared for the amount of ice in your driveway. Have you thought about actually shoveling it?"

  He didn't miss the teasing in her voice, and he wondered what had just happened. "Well, I have a shovel if you'd like to do it."

  She shook her head. "Come on, let's go for a run."

  He walked toward the basement, already stripping his shirt off. "Race?"

  She raised a brow. "Little ol' me? I don't know my way around your woods, how would that be a fair race?"

  "You're a wolf, use your nose." He tapped her nose. "Loser makes dessert for Christmas."

  Her eyes widened. "I can't bake to save my life."

  "Then you better win, huh? First one to the giant knotted tree and back."

  ***

  Erin stared at him, trying to decide if he was serious or not. Bets like this didn't usually end well for her. The wolves in her pack demanded much more than baking a dessert, but there didn't seem to be any underlying threat in Tristan's words. "You're on."

  A sexy grin crossed Tristan's face, and he laughed. "Okay, you going to shift dressed?" He started to undo the buckle of his pants, and she blushed instantly.

  "No, I'm just not used to stripping down in front of anyone." She chewed at her lip. "Since I'm the alpha's daughter, I'm allotted a certain amount of modesty." She'd stupidly expected it to be the same here.

  He paused mid-motion in pushing his pants down and looked up at her. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

  She shook her head and removed her shirt. "No, it's okay. I'm just getting used to how things work here."

  "If you want modesty, it's fine. There's actually a small mud room that you can shift in and get right outside." He finished scooting out of his pants.

  She had to resist licking her lips as she admired the defined lines of the muscles making up his body. It was a shame that wild instant lust didn't really matter in a mating, but she would be happy with a one-night tumble with the alpha.

  Erin looked away before he could catch her staring. He put his hands on his hips. "Like I said, there's a room that you can use."

  She shook her head and slid out of her pants. "No, that's okay. Just no catcalling."

  He lifted a brow. "Catcalling is trashy. I'm a gentleman. I'll compliment you in the best ways possible, if you want and only if you want."

  If her cheeks weren't red already, they were now. "You sure do know how to sweet talk a lady, even if she isn't your mate."

  "Don't worry, when my mate comes along, she'll be the only woman I talk to like that. She's doomed to have me for the rest of our lives, the least I could do is make sure I treat her as she deserves."

  Which was the way it was supposed to be and why many packs shunned or killed those who cheated on their mates. "Then she'll be a very lucky lady." She unhooked her bra and tossed it onto the pile of her clothes, followed by her panties.

  His gaze wandered her naked form, and she noticed that they hesitated on some of the scars that crossed over to her stomach. She met his gaze, daring him to ask about them.

  "The sun and earth should be jealous of your beauty." He smiled and then laughed. "Cheesy, I know."

  "Yeah, but sometimes cheesy is the best you can do. And it beats the hell out of "Hey sexy, come fuck me." "

  He stared at her for a moment. "Really? You get that?"

  "From pack members."

  He shook his head. "That's uncalled for. Women should be treated with respect, especially the alpha's daughter. Come on, let's go."

  He closed his eyes, and fur flooded out of his skin. His body hunched over as it molded into the shape of a wolf. A flawless and painless transformation, as it should be for an alpha. She closed her own eyes and called on her wolf. She could feel the creature just below the surface. It wanted out to explore
the new area and understood that they were a guest. As soon as her wolf form took over her human form, everything around her became sharper, the sounds, the colors, and the sensations, like tiny bits of electricity ran through her fur.

  She looked over at Tristan and jerked her head to the door. He went ahead of her to nudge it open. It gave easily, making her think it was intended just for that, shifting inside and then going out into the wild. This place was truly built for werewolves and not those who wished to cling to their human ways.

  The snow drifted down in big flakes, painting the area with an untouched white blanket that gave off a serene feeling. Her paws dipped down into the snow, and she relaxed a little. This was familiar, wanting to run and play in the cold and pretend to run away from the anxieties and fears that plagued her life as a werewolf.

  But here she wasn't running from fear, but failure. Failure to mate and have a chance to change her life and the life of her pack. She looked at Tristan, and he nodded at her before taking off. She raced after him, following the scent of the pack on their regular route. She shot past him and into the woods.

  The scent was easy enough to follow, and she knew that he was close on her haunches. Part of her wondered if he would hold up his end of the bargain if she won. Her paws beat into the ground as she ran, and the ice stuck to her pads and fur as she pushed herself further. She reached the knotted tree he had spoken about and stopped there, turning to wait for him. He came over the hill just feet behind her.

  He paused and then turned and shot back toward the house. She jetted after him, like hell he was going to change the rules on her. She caught up to him quickly, covering the short distance as the snow came down. The flakes grew bigger the closer to the house they came.

  She beat him through the door and shifted mid-stride only to fall on the title floor laughing. He fell on top of her, tripping as he shifted back. Tristan's gaze met hers, and he leaned down, kissing her as if his life depended on it.

  She ran her hands through his hair, parting her lips for his demanding tongue. She felt him grow hard against her as his hand skimmed down her body. She shivered under his light touch, and he hesitated and pulled back. "We shouldn't be doing this."

  He'd seemed willing earlier, what had changed? "What does it matter?" She looked up at him. "A one-night stand is nothing to be ashamed of." Of course, in her heart, she knew that there was something else. This wasn't just lust. If they slept together, it would be something more.

  He pushed away from her and grabbed his shirt. "Your father would kill me if he found out I slept with you and we aren't mated." Ah, that would put a damper on it.

  She snorted and tried not to let him see the disappointment in her eyes. "Who I sleep with isn't my father's business, and honestly, he probably expected me to throw myself at you the moment I got here." She walked over her to her clothes, her back toward him.

  "Your father doesn't think very highly of you. Does he?"

  Erin thought for a moment on how to handle the question. "My father thinks of me of the same way he thinks of any female in the pack." She put her bra on and then pulled her shirt up from the pile of clothes. "I just happen to get a bit more privilege since I'm the alpha's daughter."

  "And he had no sons. So really the success of the pack depends on you, unless he's killed."

  Then the pack would belong to the killer. "He had a son." She couldn't stop the hitch in her voice and knew that she shouldn't have said anything.

  "And what happened to him? There was no mention of him during negotiations for this meeting."

  She pressed her lips together trying to decide which version of the story to give him. "He was killed."

  "Pack squabble?"

  "You could say that." She sighed and pulled her pants on and turned to look at him. "This isn't really something I want to talk about."

  He nodded. "Okay, I can respect that. It's always hard to lose a loved one."

  She didn't respond to the comment. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night."

  "Yeah, me too. I'll see you at breakfast."

  She waited for him to leave before she turned around to climb the stairs.

  A dull light broke through the crack in the curtains as Erin lay in bed trying to get Tristan out of her head. The night before, he rejected her, and she wondered what was going through his mind. She'd been more than willing to tumble with him after their run. Though emotions did tend to run high after a shift, there were no doubts in her mind what she wanted.

  Her phone rang, and she reached for it on the nightstand. "Hello?"

  "Good morning, Erin."

  She cringed at her father's voice. "It's early, what do you want?"

  "An update."

  She closed her eyes. "There's no mark, but I'm going to stay until after the holidays, that's what we agreed to."

  "And I'd expect no less, but we'll not be waiting for the holidays. I have one more mission for you since there is no mating."

  She could only imagine. "And would that be?"

  "You're going to be attacked on the full moon."

  Her heart jerked. "What kind of mission is that?"

  "I have people there, they know what their job is, and they will make it look like the pack attacked you because of the failed mating."

  Her heart fell. "And you're going to use that as a trigger to start a war. You can't do that."

  "I can, and their territory will be mine. Remember, pack above all else, Erin."

  Her father had drilled that lesson into her. Telling Tristan would betray her pack who needed the extra land for the hunting area. They were growing far too big for their territory. This was the life of a werewolf pack. Grow and invade other territories. There was no time for happy romances as a werewolf. "You're setting up people to be tried for treason if you lose the war."

  "And that's the risk of war. Be prepared, but they have strict orders not to kill you."

  This wasn't the first time he's played her as a pawn. "Understood."

  "And, Erin, if I get word that you tried to warn Tristan, then you'll be the one tried for treason. And I will not let them take it easy on you just because you're my daughter."

  Ah, the wrath of her father and her alpha. "Yes, alpha." She hung up and closed her eyes. She had until the full moon to think of something, or she was going to be the wolf that started a war. She pulled herself out of bed and went to get ready for the morning. She had no idea if anyone else was up, but it didn't matter. Maybe she'd go for a run on her own for a bit. She looked out the window at the extra foot of snow that had fallen overnight. The snow would mask the scent of the wolves, so she risked getting lost without another wolf going with her.

  Running was out of the question. She grabbed her jacket and left her room. She needed to get a breath of fresh air if she was going to hide this new information from an entire pack. She had no idea who her father had working here, so there was no telling who was safe to talk to.

  She padded down the stairs and looked to see if anyone was lurking around, but the house was silent. Slipping on her boots, she stepped out front to watch the falling snow. The cold crisp air hit her lungs and was almost painful to breathe at first. She closed her eyes and let the cold wrap around her.

  The fleece jacket wasn't really enough to fend off the wind, but she didn't want to go back inside yet. She wanted to clear her mind.

  Warm arms wrapped around her, and she turned around and met Tristan's gaze. She tucked her head into his chest and just let him hold her in the snow.

  "I can sense your tension. What's wrong, lass?"

  She shook her head. There was no way she could risk telling him. It meant forfeiting her life. Though her wolf was howling at her, demanding she tell him because it would soothe the worry he had.

  Glancing at the house, she stepped away from him. "Take a walk with me? I'm not ready to eat breakfast yet."<
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  He quirked a brow but nodded. "Of course, I wouldn't want you wandering and getting lost."

  She relaxed at the thought that he might be catching on to wanting to be alone, and after last night, no one in the pack would suspect anything except their alpha going for a bit of sex. She wrapped her hand with his and led him away from the house.

  After a few minutes, he stopped her. "You're going to freeze."

  "I need to tell you something, and I can't risk the pack overhearing, but I can't just go on and not tell you." She looked down. "My father called this morning. He's going to declare war, but he's got people inside of your pack."

  Tristan snarled. "Who?" he demanded.

  "I don't know. He won't tell me because…because he's going to have them attack me to make it look like your pack started the war." The words rushed out of her, and she hoped they made sense. "He's going to frame your pack for attempted murder."

  He was quiet for a moment. "And you had no idea about this until this morning?"

  "None." She glanced up at him and saw his eyes bleed to the yellow of his wolf. "My father wants your territory at all costs."

  He nodded and paced in front of her, still not speaking. "War is coming no matter how this turns out."

  "You could send me home," she offered, but couldn't fight the shake in her voice.

  "Absolutely not. He'll know something is up if I do that. Plus, with the storm, there may not be a safe way to get you out."

  Maybe the storm could help them. "Then there may not be a way for him to get to the mountains."

  "And no way for the traitors to get out." He grinned and pulled her close. "Let's get you back before you freeze."

  She nodded and let him lead her back to the house. The snow wiped away their footprints as they walked in the muted sounds of the forest. Her cheeks and ears burnt from the cold, and she welcomed the warmth of the house.

  She kicked off her shoes and walked towards the fire and sat in front of it, watching the flames dance around. Tristan draped a blanket around her and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to go start breakfast, you sit here and warm up."

  Erin gave him a soft smile, but dread swirled in her stomach, making her sick. Had she done the right thing? Or had she betrayed her pack?