LEGENDS OF CASCADIA

Seattle, Washington, 1996

Layla Warden pulled her brand new BMW into her spot in the parking garage. She'd just gotten the parking spot and the big raise that paid for the flashy new car at the financial firm that'd hired her straight out of college three years before.

Getting out, she headed to the bank of elevators and smoothed down the skirt of the suit she'd picked up from Brooks Brothers the weekend prior. Her hair was perfectly cut every six weeks, without fail, and her manicure was flawless. Layla Warden had a ten-year plan and things were going quite well.

No one she worked with had the slightest idea that she turned furry and ran through the woods hunting rabbits every few weekends, and she planned to keep it that way. Humans tended to get a bit shirty when confronted with the existence of werewolves. Most werewolves she knew weren't very out about it. It kept them all safer.

Her human life was kept separate from her life as a member of the ruling Pack family. Most of her social life was with her Pack and family while her work life was absent that altogether. Her family was not incredibly pleased with the distance she kept her professional life from the Pack. They wanted her to hook up with a male from the Pack and settle down. They felt she could do that better if she worked for one of the Pack businesses. And she could understand their wishes. Who knew what her other sisters would end up doing? Tracy was a wild child at just fourteen and the twins, Megan and Tegan, had decided at eighteen to become part of their older brother Lex's Enforcer guards. Clearly their parents looked to her to continue their line. But they'd have to wait.

The last thing Layla wanted right then was a mate. Ugh. She didn't want that intense connection to anyone just yet. Werewolves didn't just marry each other, they mated. They had an intense chemical and metaphysical bond to their spouse. At some point in the future that would be what she wanted but right then, Layla had plans! Those plans did not include bossy werewolf males meddling in her day-to-day life. She had two domineering, control-freak brothers and enough other male relatives to know that life mated to a werewolf male would not be easy.

She loved her freedom and she liked dating around. Because she may be button- down on the outside, but Layla did love sex, and the thought of getting from just one guy forever? That didn't appeal at all.

Still, she appreciated her roots and her upbringing and she wasn't ashamed of being a werewolf, she just didn't make it her entire life like her oldest brother Cade, the Pack Alpha, did.

"Good morning, Ms. Warden."

Layla smiled at her secretary and took her mail into her office. Her new, bigger, corner office. That hadn't even been due to happen until year five of the ten-year plan and here she was at year three. Booting up her computer with a satisfied sigh, she checked voicemail, looked through her mail and then began to go through her emails.

It was ten-thirty by the time she finished playing catch-up and could launch into her work for the day.

She worked through lunch, as she often did, and left the office at six. She was supposed to meet her best friend for dinner and drinks but she was tired. Still, she had a feeling Tia wouldn't let it go, and she was right.

When Layla got to the front doors of her building, Tia was waiting there, already dressed up and looking amazing, as always.

The petite blonde narrowed her eyes at Layla and put a hand on her hip. "I knew you'd try to get out of tonight. I can see it in your face right now! But we both need the distraction so I'm here to bug you mercilessly until you give in."

Sighing, Layla rolled her eyes and waved Tia through the doors after she'd unlocked them. "How much can I pay you to go away?"

"Shaddup. You're coming out with me tonight. You work ten hours a day! You need to play a little. You're too uptight as it is. So let's see what you have in your closet. I'll pick out an outfit for you while you shower." Tia shoved her into the direction of her bathroom and then headed off to root through her closet to find what Layla was sure would be the most revealing outfit she owned.

Even as she thought it she laughed. Tia Mathers had been her best friend since third grade. They'd gone to college and roomed together and basically shared just about everything. It helped that Tia and her family were part of Cascadia Pack too.

The best thing about Tia was that she knew a side of Layla most people didn't. People thought of Tia as the fun-loving one while Layla was the serious one-they didn't know that Layla had a fun side too. It just got a little lost sometimes, especially since she'd gotten promoted at work.

Going into her bedroom after the shower, Layla saw that on her bed lay a pair of leather pants and a tank top.

"Are you kidding me? That's a Halloween costume!" Layla had gone to a party as Catwoman two years before and probably hadn't worn the pants since. "I'm sure I will not be able to get my ass into them now."

"Oh stop crying and try them on. They looked good on you then and hell, woman, I'd be surprised if you even ate today. You're getting skinny since you work all the damned time."

Giving in, Layla tried the pants on and Tia was right. They fit quite well and Layla had to admit she looked pretty sexy in them.

"Okay, okay. But no tank top. I can't wear a bra with one. You know how I hate when straps show and goodness knows me without a bra is a challenge to gravity."

"Fine. Wear this one." Tia tossed her a bright red, shimmery, short-sleeved blouse that was tight across the bodice but loose around the waist.

By the time they'd left the condo, Layla's hair was tousled in a sexy style and she wore red lipstick to match the blouse and teetered on spiky heels.

"Before you complain, we're going to Nautica. I made reservations for us."

Nautica was a werewolf hot spot. Members only. Tia loved it, Layla tolerated it for

Tia.

"I thought you said I was supposed to play tonight? Now I'll be hounded by

power-hungry males who want to fuck their way into my family."

"Oh my god! Lay! Have you looked at yourself lately? You're fucking gorgeous. They want to fuck you. Some of them are hot to be married into the Warden family but most of them want to bed you because you're beautiful, sexy and have a good job."

It was an old argument and on most days Layla could believe Tia, but it was hard being from an influential family. People assumed things. They assumed she got her job through her connections instead of the fact she'd graduated at the top of her class, interned and then worked part-time at her company for three years. They assumed her money was family money. There was money there but it was all tied up in trusts. What she and her siblings had they'd all earned.

"Okay. Fine." She knew she was being selfish and she gave in. Tia didn't date too many humans. She didn't think it was fair to have to hide such a large part of herself from them. Werewolf-only clubs like Nautica were the few places she could meet wolf males their age.

"Good. Life would be so much better if you just agreed with me from the start and I didn't have to argue with you. Because you know I'm right."

Layla rolled her eyes when they pulled into valet and flashed their membership cards. "It's 1996! What is up with the mullets?" Layla whispered this quietly to Tia before they got to the top of the stairs leading into the restaurant and lounge area.

Tia looked back over her shoulder at the group of male wolves clustered near the front doors, several with the short on the top, long in the back hairdo that puzzled both

women. "Werewolves and their mullets! I don't know, but I'm sure glad Cade got rid of his. Your brother is hot stuff but man did he look stupid."

The two of them dissolved into laughter and the hostess just smiled at them as if they were a bit soft in the head as she led them to their table.

One thing Layla did like about the place was that due to the sheer number of wolves on site, they piped a neutralizer for pheromones through the air circulation system. So there wasn't a whole lot of sniffing going on. She thought it was tacky when some guy she'd just met started sniffing on her.

Across the room, Sid Rosario watched the tall, very busty redhead enter the room and sit down. Her hair was tousled around her shoulders like she'd just rolled out of bed and very big china-blue eyes took in the room around them. And damn, but the woman did leather pants well enough to make him want to lick her like a giant ice- cream cone.

"Who is that?" Sid asked his cousin Adam.

Adam peered around Sid's shoulder and smiled. "The tall one with the red hair is Layla Warden. The petite one is Tia Mathers. Layla is Pack royalty. She's the oldest daughter. Tia's just smoking hot."

"I'm not interested in her pedigree. But I'd sure like to get to know her better. You know either one of them?" Sid could not take his eyes from Layla Warden's mouth with that shiny red lipstick painting it. His cock throbbed in anticipation as a picture of red lipstick marks at the base of it flashed through his mind. Lipstick kisses on his cock, yeah, that worked.

"Ah, it's like that, is it? Well, many have tried and failed. She's a bit cool. But yeah, Tia and I dated a few times. Let's go. I'll introduce you." Adam stood up and Sid followed.

"Ah, so soon?" Tia murmured to Layla. "Adam Rosario. I have very fond naked memories of him. And who is that with him?"

Layla looked up from the menu and locked gazes with tall, dark and dangerous. The man just oozed rebellion. Short black hair, a row of earrings in his right ear. Nautica had a strict dress code but despite the black jeans and the button-down shirt, she was sure the guy lived in ripped jeans and Clash T-shirts.

So utterly not her type. This thought seemed to escape her as she looked into those big hazel eyes.

"Tia, gorgeous. Long time no see."

Tia smiled up at Adam and batted her lashes a bit. "Hi, Adam." "Hey, Layla. You look great too. Can we join you?"

Tia accepted before Layla could speak. But she wouldn't have refused anyway. Mr.

Rebel made her all tingly. And it had been a while. Four months to be exact.

"This is my cousin, Sid. He's visiting here for a few weeks. Sid, this is Tia Mathers and Layla Warden."

Sid shook hands with Tia and smiled at her, but it was fleeting compared to the full- on, deep, soul-shaking look he gave Layla. Taking her hand, he kissed the knuckles and the warmth of his lips shot straight to her pussy.

"It's very nice to meet you, Layla. I like that name. Is it..."

"Yes. My parents were big Eric Clapton fans when I was conceived. Let's speak of it no more."

Her smile was flirtatious and Sid smiled back.

"So what are you doing while you visit? Where do you call home?" Layla felt like she couldn't get enough of looking at him.

The server came and took their orders and Sid watched as she sipped her drink.

He cleared his throat. "I'm doing a mural-I'm an artist. I live in Tucson. And what do you do?"

"I'm in financial services. I do portfolio planning." His eyebrows rose.

"What? Too Yuppie for you?"

He laughed. "No, not at all. I love smart women. I'm impressed." She relaxed.

All through dinner she felt herself pulled under his spell. Each time he reached out to grab the salt or his beer, he'd touch her in some small way. His total attention was on her at every moment. His voice was low and seductive, an aural caress. When she spoke, he listened intently, clearly interested in what she had to say.

And she couldn't deny she was fascinated by him. Watched his hands move expressively while he talked about his work. Saw the delightful light in his eyes, making it clear he loved what he did. He flattered her and made her laugh.

There was no doubt for either of them that they'd end up in bed. She liked that his surety wasn't smug or smarmy. He was a sexy guy in town for a few weeks-the perfect fling. She certainly had no plans to stop the inevitable.

Walking out to the cars, he pulled her aside. "Can I give you a ride home? Or would you like to come back to my hotel?"

The salt air of low tide tickled her senses along with his scent. Male werewolf did indeed smell hella good to her, and nary a mullet in sight.

"Where are you staying?" "The Alexis."

"Let me just tell Tia. I'll be right back."

He watched as she walked over to her friend and hugged her goodbye. Tia winked at her, and Layla gave her the finger, amusing him.

"Let's go."

Adam nodded discreetly and Tia offered him a ride home.

On the way to the hotel, Sid asked if she minded him smoking a clove cigarette. She shrugged.

"I like the smell in small doses."

And it seemed to add to his spice, the very alluring masculine scent of him. God, she had it bad. She wanted to rip his clothes off and climb on his cock right there on First Avenue.

He must have noticed her near-panting and the glaze of desire in her eyes because he took her hand and kissed the fingertips. "I know. I want you too."

She shivered at the near growl in his voice, and when they arrived he tossed the keys at the valet and they headed inside quickly.

"I can't touch you yet," he said in the elevator. "Once I do, it's over."

They walked side by side, just barely not touching as they hurried down the hallway to the door of his room. Which he opened up in record time.

Taking a deep breath, Layla walked inside and he followed her, careful to put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door before he shut and locked it.

A long look settled between them until suddenly he was there, hands on her body, lips on hers. Everywhere he touched, her skin warmed and tingled.

His lips, lush and soft, devoured her in kiss after devastating kiss. Lust and desire drowned her, pulled her under, and she went willingly, giving in to the exquisite sensations.

When his tongue stroked in between her lips like a lover, a deep shudder broke through her. Her nipples hardened to the point of pain and her clit throbbed. His taste, warm and spicy, slithered through her, marking her senses. Her entire body began to vibrate with need. She'd never felt anything like it before. It was overwhelming but amazing too.

Needing to ground herself in him, her hands slid up the wall of his chest and began to unbutton his shirt. He hissed when she brushed against bare skin as she shoved it down his arms. Like most werewolves, he ran very warm and she felt the heat of his skin when his shirt was stripped off. His muscles bunched and relaxed under her palms. Her hands skimmed up his neck and she allowed herself a moment to glory in the feel of the silk of his hair sifting between her fingers.

Stepping back, she drank him in as she reached down and pulled her blouse up and over her head.

He was tall and lanky. Not skinny really. Lots of upper body power there. Lean muscle roped tightly over his chest and arms. His stomach was flat and she grinned when she saw it was tattooed.

"What? Am I your first bad boy?"

"Is that what you are, Sid? I can't wait to see just how bad then." She laughed then and delighted in his gasp as she shrugged out of her bra and ran her hands up her stomach and over her breasts.

"Would it please you to be my first bad boy?"

"Honey, you please me. I couldn't care less if you had a line of fifty bad boys at the door because you're here with me right now. And good god your tits are amazing."

Smiling again, Layla ran fingertips around her nipples in slow circles, catching her lip between her teeth for a moment. "My sister would love that tattoo."

"That so? Well, I think I'm with the right Warden sister just now." Taking two steps back to her again, he reached out and pulled her hands away, replacing them with his own.

Her breath caught at his intimate touch as he slowly brushed his palms over the sensitive flesh of her nipples.

"Well, that's good. She's fourteen anyway. But all she talks about are tattoos. And that topic is over now." Her head dropped back as his lips slid over the column of her neck and across her collarbone.

The sound of her zipper sliding down rang through the room and up her spine. He moved away from her neck and stepped back.

"Okay, I'll get my pants off, you get yours off. Meet you back here in a few seconds."

Laughing, Layla shoved her pants-not an easy feat with leather-and her panties down, pulling them off once she'd kicked out of her shoes. By the time she was naked and looked back to him, he'd just tossed his jeans and briefs to the side.

"Well." Her breath rushed out of her as she took him in. Long, lean and powerful muscle covered his body from head to toe. His cock stood so hard it tapped his flat belly. She wasn't sure but she thought she might have made a cartoonish gulp.

Which seemed sort of odd to her. He was so not her normal type. She liked her men in suits and ties. This man was all artsy and tattooed. Still, she was quite sure she'd never needed to have sex with anyone more than this man right then.

"If you aren't touching me very soon I might die," she whispered and then he was back against her.

"Oh god!" His words were nearly a moan as their naked bodies touched, skin to skin. If he hadn't taken a fistful of that lush red hair, he was sure his hands would have shaken with desire. Need roared through every single cell in his body. He had to have this woman and he had to have her right then. Tipping her head back, he dipped down for another kiss, this one far less controlled than the last. This one was barely leashed desire as mouths strained against each other, tongues sliding, his imitating the in-and- out motions of sex. Teeth caught bottom lips and breath mingled along with soft sounds of pleasure.

Her mouth felt so good against his, her body fit so right clutched against his that he thought it would be delightful to spend several hours doing nothing more than kissing her over and over. He wanted to spend an entire Sunday afternoon making out with Layla Warden.

But right then, his body demanded a hell of a lot more than long, slow, wet, drugging kisses. "I have to have more," he murmured and walked her backward to the bed, tipping her back onto it. He stopped, stunned at her beauty as he loomed above her. Big blue eyes blinked up at him, her hair spread around her head like a fiery halo, lips swollen from kisses.

He scented her desire and it wrapped around him with great force, nearly bringing him to his knees. He'd never reacted this way to a female, always prided himself in his slow, devastating seduction of his partners. But this one, god, he wanted to eat her up in three big bites.

On hands and knees, he arranged her on the bed so he could kiss down her neck and finally taste her nipples.

Layla looked up at him as he stared down into her face. The need etched into his features took her breath away. Her pussy bloomed, softened and slicked at his perusal. She could smell it, the spice of her arousal, and satisfaction took hold when she watched his nostrils flare and his pupils widen. She made him feel that way.

When his hot, wet mouth reached her nipples she thought she'd come right then. Each pull brought the sensitive flesh against the edge of his teeth and he came behind with his tongue, swirling over her nipple to soothe the sting.

She tried to reach his cock but he pulled off her nipple and looked into her face. "No. If you touch me I'll come. And I want to be in your pussy when that happens."

Before she could respond he was kissing his way down her stomach and through the sensitive crease where leg met body. Strong, work-calloused hands spread her thighs, opening her up as he stared.

"But first, I need you to be ready. Nice and wet for my cock."

"Oh!" Incoherence washed through her as he slid his thumbs through the furls of her sex, spreading her honey. "I...I'm wet now. You should fuck me. Oh god." If his thumbs, pressing up and over her clit, felt this good, what would his mouth feel like? She hoped to find out very, very soon.

His chuckle spread over her, warm and sticky. Her nipples hardened and her hips churned, needing him to touch her.

"You'll be even wetter when I'm finished." Leaning his head down, he took a long lick, dipping his tongue deep into her body and then up and around her clit. One of his thumbs slipped into her while the other slid down to stroke over her perineum and ever so lightly against her rear passage.

The tip of his tongue circled 'round and 'round her clit, getting closer to it each pass until he finally began to flick it with gentle, insistent strokes. That wet slide of flesh against her clit shocked into her body, making her back arch.

Layla's fingers dug into the bedspread as her thigh muscles began to burn from the trembling. Endorphins began to flow, her clit throbbed, orgasm was so very close. He

ate her pussy like a starving man relishes a meal. She wasn't new to the act but it had never been this good before. Never felt so completely all-encompassing. Never had it rendered her helpless against the sensation.

Low, feral-sounding growls trickled from her mouth, coming from deep in her gut. Her hips began to roll, grinding herself into his mouth. She needed to come. Needed this man to make her come.

And when he grazed his teeth over her clit ever so lightly and sucked it into his mouth, flicking the underside over and over and over, orgasm hit with near violent force. Her back bowed with electric intensity as pleasure swamped her, dizzied her, intoxicated her and made her limbs heavy.

Each time she thought it was over, another wave hit. His mouth wasn't even on her anymore and still the ripples of climax sounded through her.

Dimly, she felt him pick her body up and she blinked herself back to a basic level of attention when he plunged her body down on his cock in one movement. This set off another round of aftershock orgasms, little but deep. A pleasured cry ripped from her gut as ecstasy gripped her again.

When she came back to herself she was wrapped around him, her back against the wall as he fucked her while standing.

Each roll of his hips made his abdominal muscles ripple against her pussy and shudders worked through her.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. You feel so good. I don't know how long I'll last this way." His voice was tight with tension and desire. His cock sliced through her over and over, invading her body even as it welcomed him. She was so hot and wet, every muscle and synapse firing and absorbing the exquisite pleasure he delivered. His scent tickled her senses and drove her to writhe against him.

"Hey, fuck! I'm really not going to last when you do that."

"Potty mouth! And we have all night. Come now. Take the edge off and you can have me again. And again. And again after that." Her lips brushed against the sensitive flesh of his ear as she said it. "You know you want to come inside me. Mark me."

Wolves didn't carry STDs and she was on birth control. She loved the feel of his naked cock buried inside her and she knew without a doubt that she stirred primal werewolf instinct when she told him to come in her and mark her. She was playing with fire and the danger turned her on. She'd examine this completely out-of-character behavior when she got home in the morning but for right then, she'd ride it and him and enjoy it all.

"Oh you're going to pay for that, little girl. I'll enjoy every minute of it too." His voice had deepened and roughened as his wolf came closer to the surface. Layla's own wolf sensed it and stirred within her. Every nerve in her body lit up as their primal selves rose and stroked over the other's while their human skins did the same. Never in her life had sex been so intense and all-encompassing. She wanted more.

Leaning in, she took a deep breath where his neck met shoulder and bit down, hard. A deep growling moan came from him and his cock began to pulse deep inside her as he continued to thrust through his climax. His scent hit her straight in her gut. She wanted more of it. Needed more of it.

And it hit her as her wolf wanted to roll around with him all over the floor. It occurred to her just why she'd been so intensely attracted to him, and their eyes met as the bond began to form. Glimmering threads of connection drew their DNA and their hearts and souls together. She'd just been claimed. By her mate.

Sid Rosario, a man she'd met just hours before and had just wanted a brief, fun fling with, was her fucking mate. How could she not have known? The neutralizer in Nautica, the clove cigarette and her damned lust for this guy had totally blinded her.

"Holy shit," he said wondrously as his knees buckled and he stumbled back to the bed, collapsing on it, still embedded inside her.

"Holy shit?" She tried to move away but he wouldn't let go of her and her legs weren't working well anyway. "Is that all you've got to say? You've just claimed me!"

"Why are you so pissed off? You wanted me to fuck you, Layla. And thank god, because we've found each other."

"I don't want to be found." She heaved a sigh as she felt his feelings as acutely as her own. "I just wanted to have a fun few weeks with a hot guy from out of town. I have plans, Sid."

He frowned and annoyance burst through her as she found that attractive too. His frown changed into a wicked grin and she groaned. Damn it, he'd feel her through the bond. Know how much, even as she was livid, she wanted him to take her again and again after that.

"Oh ho! This bond link thing is pretty cool. Well, we can play the 'fuck the hot stranger from out of town' game all you like, honey. Because you can't buck reality. You're my mate. And I'm yours and you just got served!" He chuckled. "I wasn't expecting it either but I'm not going to lie and say I'm disappointed. You're beautiful and you smell heavenly. I look forward to getting to know my wife better."

Her legs had finally begun to work again and she scrambled away from him. "I'm not your wife!" She moved to grab her panties and her pants and began to get dressed.

"You are my wife. Look, Layla, I get that you're surprised. I am too. But you're a werewolf, you know the realities of our existence. You can't pretend away a mate bond. Especially not once the claiming occurs. Now that I've come inside you, we're united. You need my presence, I need yours. And we'll need the tri-bond to protect you."

The tri-bond? Oh hell no. He not only wanted to claim her entire life but she'd have to have sex with some male of his choosing too? "No, Sid. I'm not going to let this stupid metaphysical shit call a halt to my life. I like my job. I like my condo and I'm not going to move to Arizona, join another Pack and give up everything because I'm a female wolf."

"Layla, you don't have to move to Arizona. I realize your family is here. I'm a fifth son, it's not like I can't move. I paint, my life is easily transportable. And I'm not asking you to give up your life or your job. I haven't seen your condo but we may need to get something bigger so I can have studio space. I'm a male werewolf but I'm not a caveman. I don't want to take over your life. I want to share it."

Why was he so fucking reasonable? Their whole lives as they knew them were now over.

"Look, I need some time, okay? I need to think and I can't do it here."

She got her bra and shirt back on and pulled on her pants, unable to locate her panties. Needing to escape and think, she headed for the door, but he moved to it first. "Where are you going?"

"Home. I'm going to my condo. I need to think. Please." "Let me drive you."

"No. I'm not that far, I'll catch a cab out front. I know the number here, I'll call you.

Just give me some space."

"Space? Layla, you're my mate. The claiming has been made. This isn't something you can think away."

"Look," she struggled to speak without her voice breaking as her world crashed in around her. "I have plans! I can't think here with you...with your scent and your taste in my mouth. It's too much and I have to work this out. On my own." She looked up into his eyes. "Please."

His face softened and he pushed a tendril of her hair out of her face. "Wait," he ordered, and grabbed a piece of paper from the desk and shoved it at her. "Give me your address and your phone number. I'll give you until Sunday. You'll need the tri- bond. The longer you wait, the more dangerous it becomes. For both of us."

Sighing, she took the paper and wrote the info down. "I'm in Queen Anne, just like two miles away."

"I'm a very patient man, Layla, but even I have limits. Neither of us was expecting more than a brief thing, I know that. But you can't fight biology and if you look into yourself, you'll find you don't want to. I'm a good man. I don't want to control you, I want to share my life with you."

Kissing her softly, he stepped away from the door to let her go. She felt how difficult it was for him and before she could stop herself she reached out and caressed his face. "Thank you."

Quickly, before she could change her mind, she left and headed home.

* * * * *

And ended up feeling like shit all day as she didn't answer her phone and tried to think. But she couldn't think about anything other than Sid. The way he felt against her, the way his mouth felt on her, the way his cock filled her. More than the sex, she wanted to smell him, to be with him, to know him. And even though she'd showered off the scent of their sex, the claiming and their bond changed her essential scent subtly and each time she breathed in she was reminded of him.

Damn it! She didn't want to be subsumed into someone else's life. Okay, so she didn't want to want it. But now that she'd been with Sid, she wanted him in her life.

After a day of pacing and reaching to call the Alexis about a thousand times, she drove to Ballard and showed up on Tia's doorstep.

"Whoa! What happened to you last night?" Tia grinned and let Layla into her house. "You're not the one-night-stand type and oh fuck..." Tia's grin fell away and her eyes widened as she scented the bond.

"Yes. Oh god, Tia. What am I going to do?" Layla tossed herself onto the couch. "What do you mean? Did he treat you badly? That fucker, I'm going to track him

down and rip out his throat!"

Layla stopped her whining and looked at her best friend and started to laugh. "No! He's...he's great. Sweet, really good in bed, funny. He's good with the bond. He's happy about it even."

"Wait, you're bitching because of what, then?"

"Tia, I have plans! They don't include being mated to a painter! I need to mate with a stockbroker. We'll have two children and live in Maple Leaf or Ravenna. In like, five years." Even as she said it she knew she didn't mean it, never had, really.

Tia snorted and rolled her eyes. "Layla, those plans are not you. You think they're you because that's your own way of being different from the other Wardens. I've known you since we were nine years old. You're only button-down on the outside. Not that stockbrokers can't be hot, but your mate isn't one. God, some wolves wait twenty

years past maturation to find a mate and you find one at twenty-five and you're complaining? He's hot! And he's good with the bond? And anyway, how did you get away? 'Cause it's hard for me to see a werewolf male just letting you walk away. And oh my, the tri-bond?"

The tri-bond was a ritual whereby a third wolf, a relation of the male mate, or a Packmate who ranked higher than he did, formed a bond with the female. It created what was termed as an anchor bond for two important reasons. To keep the female from losing herself in the emotional and hormonal surge of the claiming and also to keep her alive should something happen to her mate. The bond between mates was so strong that should something happen to the male, without the tri-bond, the female would die too. It was sort of a stabilizing connection. Like a surge protector, her brother Cade always said.

Layla let her head fall back against the couch cushions with a groan. "I know! Look, I'm not saying a threesome with two hot dudes is a bad idea in general. But I just met Sid and now I'm going to have to have sex with one of his relatives or something? Ugh! Adam? No, no, no! I can't have sex with someone you've had sex with."

"Okay, so I get the point about Adam. But you know you need the tri-bond to anchor you. You know that. It's not random sex, the anchor is a necessary thing. Without him you'll slip into insanity and that's no joke. The longer you wait, the worse it'll get."

"Why now? God, Tia, I just got this promotion and my life is going so well. This just complicates everything!"

"Oh shut up!" Tia got in her face. "You are not this person. Stop whining. Accept reality. He's your mate. Period. And you need the tri-bond or you'll both be in trouble because once you go, he'll lose it too. And for what? This stupid, selfish tantrum?"

Layla looked up at her friend, stunned. Stung, she pushed up off the couch and headed for the door. "I shouldn't have come here. I expected you to support me."

"Support you in what? Being stupid? Not dealing with the thing you need to keep you from going insane? I am supporting you, Lay. This guy is your mate. You said yourself that he's funny, good in bed and nice. He's fine with the bond. You're lucky! Instead of dealing with it like you usually do, you're throwing a tantrum. You can't

change anything with this behavior. This drama queen thing is a sign." "A sign? What are you talking about?"

"The longer you go unanchored the less rational you'll be. Look at yourself! You're a take-charge person. You rarely ever whine about things. You deal. Period. I'm worried about you, Layla. You aren't yourself right now."

"I'm fine." Taking satisfaction in the sound of the door slamming behind her, she

left.

Layla stomped out to her car and drove away. She headed east and tried to think about everything that had happened. She'd worked so hard to advance at her job. It was difficult being taken seriously as a woman in her field. And she was young, another thing she'd had to overcome. A curvy red-haired woman who was young and attractive wasn't something she complained about being in her day-to-day life, hell, it opened doors for her, she knew that. But it was hard to get past in the corporate world.

Three days before she'd been focused on her career and there had been nothing but clear pavement between her and another promotion. But with a mate she now had to navigate around how yet another person would react to her choices. It was hard enough dealing with her mother who never stopped complaining that she spent too much time on her career and not enough time on her family. Now she had to deal with a man. Not a man, the man.

And here she was with a big old wrench thrown into her plans by that man! As it was, all she could think about was Sid Rosario. She wondered if he was upset or hurt by her running off. She didn't want this. She wanted her old life where she was free to stay late at work, free to work on a Sunday, free to get up and work in the middle of the night if she needed to.

She wasn't some human who had no idea what she was in for. She was born a wolf, had seen wolves around her mate and watched their lives change in revolutionary ways. Was she ready for that? Did she even want to be? Was she ready for the level of dedication and involvement from her mate? Her DNA was now altered with his claiming of her. She was changed forever.

Frustrated and frightened, she slammed a palm against the steering wheel.

She needed to run. Running always calmed her, and she felt her wolf begin to agitate within her, needing release. Maybe she could think of a way around this mess if she could get a little bit of calm and stop obsessing about Sid for a few minutes.

Pulling her car onto a side road near where Cade's new house in the woods was, she hid her things in the wheel well and went to the tree line to shed her clothing. The scent of the wild teased her senses, soothed her as she fell to her knees and let her wolf take over her body.

Her humanity slid away as her fur rose and the world was black and white and gray and yet sharp and vivid. The scent of her surroundings painted the air-the moss on the trees, the mushrooms in the dead tree trunk, the squirrels and the rabbits that scurried out of the way as they scented her.

Nose up, she drew in the universe through her senses and the world was suddenly right again. There, covered in a pelt coppery and fiery red and gold, things were simple again.

And she ran.

* * * * *

Sid hung up the phone, pissed off. He'd been trying to call Layla for the last day and a half and even had showed up at her place, and there was no sign of her. Her scent, now their scent, was cold enough that he could tell she hadn't been around since early the day before.

He paced, his wolf agitated and worried. He never should have let her leave. A newly bonded female wolf needed the tri-bond, and each hour that passed without it happening put her in danger and made her less rational. She was already surprised and stressed out and that would only be exacerbated by the lack of the anchoring bond.

He picked up the phone and dialed Adam, who told him where Tia lived and that he'd meet his cousin there.

Not knowing what to expect, Sid was happy Tia seemed so happy and supportive of the bond. He was less happy to hear about Layla's agitation and that it seemed so far out of her normal character.

It wasn't just that he wanted to protect her-he needed to protect her. As a male werewolf, the mate bond was the ultimate commitment. Her needs were paramount. Knowing she was out there somewhere, upset and agitated, tore at him.

"Do you have any idea where she could be?"

"She always runs when she's upset and Cade, my Alpha and her brother, has a big house on a lot of acreage. She may have headed up there."

"Will you show me? Adam, will you go back to my hotel? I'll need an anchor and I'd be honored if you were our tri-bond."

"No! Look, part of what had Layla upset was the thought of having sex with someone I've...had sex with. Do you have any other cousins or family members who could help? Any other Pack members who outrank you?"

"Oh, I hadn't thought of it that way." Sid looked at Tia and thought. "Adam, call Shane please. He's on break from school visiting Aunt Jennifer down in Portland. I just talked to him a few days ago. Will you ask him for me? I need to go and get her."

Adam agreed and said he'd arrange for their cousin Shane to meet them at Sid's hotel room for the tri-bond.

They took Tia's car and drove up to where she thought Layla may be, pointing out Cade's new house.

"She won't have gone up to the house. They'd scent her and know and make her deal. I'm going to take you down this back road here to see if her car is around. You'll have to do the rest. There're about forty acres of forest here."

"I'll scent her if she's here." He meant to bring her back and make her safe, one way or another.

Tia swore when she saw Layla's car. "There's her car right there. Do you want me to wait?"

"No. Because if she gets away from me, I'm going up to that house and enlisting her family to help me."

Tia laughed. "You're gonna be just fine, Sid. She's a good person. Strong. Her family is important to her. Be gentle."

"She's my mate. Of course I'll be gentle. And yeah, I can tell she's a good person.

Thank you."

He got out of the car and quickly disrobed, getting to all fours and letting his wolf surface. Nose up in the breeze, he caught her scent, spicy and rich, and tore off into the trees to track his mate down and bring her back.

Layla lay next to a small stream, breathing in the deep loam of the forest floor. The calm she'd had when she first ran was leaving her. As she'd run she'd thought. A lot. Realized that all her reasons, well, most of them anyway, for resisting the mate bond were work-related. And she realized she didn't want her life to be all about work any more than she wanted her life to be all about a man. There would be a way to find a middle ground. If anyone could, Layla knew she would do it.

Moreover, Tia was right. All of her whining and drama were not part of Layla's normal behavior pattern. Her grasp on things became more tenuous the longer she went without the tri-bond. And she missed Sid.

But despite knowing she needed to get to Sid and take care of the tri-bond, worry that he'd be angry at her and not want her anymore ate at her. The weight of the fear held her in place.

She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even sense his approach until he pounced, teeth at her throat to hold her still.

Panic filled her and her back legs levered up to push off any male but hers, until he growled, a mixture of comfort and warning. She drew in a breath and scented him. Her mate. Hers. She relaxed and he let go and licked over the spot where he'd bitten her.

A soft whine brought her head around and her heart pounded at the sight of him there. So large and majestic. The most beautiful wolf she'd ever seen. Reaching in, she rubbed her face along his and growled softly. The sound was filled with desire and longing.

He took her there, quick and feral. Large body over her smaller one. His need to have her and mark her as a wolf as well as a man overwhelmed her. After, they lay side by side, her muzzle resting on his back as they let the forest calm them.

After some time she transformed, human eyes looking up at him.

Moving to her knees, she reached out and ran a hand over his ebony fur, thick and soft. Putting her arms around his neck, she hugged him tight and breathed him in. Loved the smell of him. "Such a gorgeous wolf. I'm sorry I ran."

And only moments after she'd spoken, his skin was smooth and hard as he transformed back and held her with human arms. "It's okay. Shhh, it's okay. Let me take care of you, honey."

He pulled her against him, into his lap, and kissed her mouth. He felt like he'd come home in her taste. The way her hands felt as they slid up his arms and into his hair, against his skull, burned into him.

"I want to be inside you again. But we don't have a blanket so will you come back with me? To any place with a bed? We can talk afterward. We've got to get the tri-bond dealt with, and today. You understand that?"

She nodded, her eyes clear. "I was afraid you wouldn't want me anymore. That you'd be so angry because I ran."

Kissing her again quickly, he added, "Oh, honey. God, it's so good to hold you. I've been crazy without you. I'm not angry. I was worried, yes. And I'd have brought you back kicking and screaming if I had to. But there's no way on earth I wouldn't want

you. You got scared and things got a bit over your head. It's okay. I'm here and we're going to get through this together. From now on, we'll take turns freaking out so one of us will always be the strong one. You ready?"

And it was the most perfect thing he could have said. Sharing their burdens instead of shouldering them all himself-that last knot of concern in her gut eased from her softly.

"Yes. Oh yes." She allowed him to help her up and they changed again to run back to where her car was parked.

A short trip to his hotel and they practically ran to his door.

Turning on the hot water in the shower, she let his lips capture hers once again as she discarded her clothes and tossed them aside. A sense of deep rightness followed when his ended up with hers in the same pile. So odd that something so simple would make her feel her connection to him so deeply but it did.

"Come shower with me, I'm all dirty."

His lips slid into a naughty grin. "I like you dirty. It's my favorite."

Laughing, she pulled him into the stall with her, moving so he could share the hot water with her. His hands slapped hers out of the way as he took over the job of soaping her up from head to toe.

"My. I think I'll be the cleanest wolf ever when you're finished." "As long as your insides stay dirty, I'm fine with that."

"Yeah?" A soap-slicked hand wrapped around his cock and began to slowly ride up and down the shaft.

His eyes dropped closed as he lazily accepted her touch. She added a second hand. Each hand slid up from the root of him, over the crown and head, and as the other followed to make the same path the seeds of his orgasm were sown and sensation began to build. Her scent rose on the steam, tightening his body.

Her sole focus was on him and pride burst through his senses. This beautiful, vibrant woman gave herself to him, made his pleasure her goal, and he'd never felt more amazing.

"Honey, let's get into the bedroom." His need to be inside her ramped up and his control hung by a thread. Knowing he'd have to share her, even for something as natural and necessary as the tri-bond, drove his need to have her, mark her, before his cousin arrived.

She stepped out and toweled off as he picked her up. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she teased them both, sliding her pussy over his cock.

"Still naughty on the inside, I see." Sid tossed her on the bed and she laughed as she bounced.

"With you, I seem to have a limitless supply."

"Oh good. I'm glad to know I bring the goods into this relationship."

She held her hand out to him. "Come on then. Do me before I start going crazy."

Shaking his head, he fell to the mattress next to her. "Don't joke! Damn it, Layla, I was so worried about you. Tia told me where you were. She's worried too. My cousin will be here. No, not Adam. Shane. Shane is a good guy, probably my closest male relative other than my oldest brother. He spent many summers with us when I was growing up. My brothers are all much older than I am, Shane was one of my only other cousins who was near to my age. I trust him with my life, god knows he and I got into enough trouble as teenagers. His mom is human, his dad is a werewolf. He didn't really grow up in a Pack so my parents were sort of in charge of his education as a werewolf. It's a very long story but she-his mom-lives in Portland and he's been visiting her on break from school. He goes to medical school at UCLA. Anyway, he's on his way up from Portland. We've got some alone time for now."

Pushing him back against the bed, Layla rolled atop him and rained kisses on his neck and over his chest. "Okay. I'm not happy about this. I know, I know it's necessary

and all. I can feel myself losing my grip already. I'm more irrational than I normally am. But you know, I'd rather have a fun threesome, not some rigid, forced thing."

"Layla, after this, there'll be no more threesomes." His voice was a growl and the ferocity of it sent shivers down her spine. "You're mine. I don't relish the idea of you being with anyone else either. But it's our reality and what we need to do to keep you safe if something should happen to me. And so let's just make the best of it. I'll stay here if you don't mind. I can't bear the thought of it happening and not knowing."

Shimmying down his torso, she let her hair trail over his skin as she kissed and licked over his stomach. She surrounded his cock with her breasts and he groaned.

His hands slid through her hair and cradled her skull. "You're suddenly so important to me. Three days ago I didn't even know you and now you're everything."

"Hmmm. A girl could get used to hearing stuff like that." Moving down further, she licked the head of him, tasting the salty spice of his pre-cum.

"Oh yeah, well, a guy could get used to that too."