Hunger of the Heart (Wolves of Ravenwillow Book 1) Read online

  Damn. Had she always looked this bewitching when he pissed her off? His contemplating thoughts were cut short when one of her small fingers began stabbing into his chest above his heart.

  “What do you think you are doing?” she hissed out between clenched teeth. “Why would you go setting your daughter up for her hopes to be dashed?” a flash of pain swam in her eyes.

  “I did no such thing.” He denied with a smug grin.

  Her hands tightened into tight fists at his smugly spoken words. “Liar.” She bit out with a cold glare. “You knew I wasn’t staying and yet you told her anyway.”

  “If you think I lied to my innocent daughter, then by all means go tell her the truth. That you intend to leave and will never be coming back.” he dared, waving his hand toward the stairs. When Rebecca bit her lip with hesitation, Eric stepped closer. Cupping the sides of her face with both of his hands he titled her head up to look at him. “Call it a battle strategy. I am simply using the weapons most effective on you.”

  Jerking her face from his hands, Rebecca scowled up at him with confusion. “You make it sound like we’re at war.”

  Grasping the back of her neck as his other hand cupped her bare buttocks beneath her skirt, Eric jerked her towards him. His lips claimed hers in a rough kiss, stealing the breath from her lungs and her gasp of surprise along with it. Squeezing her against him, he smiled against her lips when her hands shot up to claw at his chest and shoulders, grappling to hold on to something as he dominated her mouth.

  Pulling away nearly as quickly as he’d snatched her, he murmured, “We are. It’s just a war you have no chance at winning.”

  14

  A half hour later, Rebecca found herself standing in front of the stove, smears of pancake mix on her cheeks as she worked to ignore Eric. He stood at the kitchen counter directly behind her. Despite her best efforts; it was impossible to ignore the heat of his eyes against her back. She felt hypersensitive. Every hair on her arms and at the back of her neck stood on end at knowing he was watching her so intensely.

  Ignore him. She told herself. You’re just going to make one last breakfast for Emma and Travis and then disappear.

  It only it would be that simple. She knew with the way that Eric was watching her that it would be nearly impossible to slip away from him.

  Reaching for the bowl of pancake mix, she moved to pour another into the skillet in front of her. When strong arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind, startling her, she jumped and poured a half of a pancake over the edge of the skillet and onto the stove.

  “Eric!” she hissed out in anger as she set the bowl aside.

  Without a word, his arm tightened around her, pulling her back tighter against his body. Even through the borrowed drawstring sweats she wore, she could feel his hard length stabbing at the curve of her buttocks. Instantly, her body warmed to the feel of his solid frame. Between her clenching thighs she could feel her clit pulse with need at his near proximity.

  Wasn’t last night supposed to get rid of this need of him? She trembled against the need to fight what she was feeling…craving in that moment. She had to get away; away from him and whatever he was doing to her mind and body. Fighting to ignore him, she shoved at his hands, but nothing happened.

  “Eric, let go of me before I toss the rest of these pancakes on you.” She threatened, praying that her voice didn’t shake.

  With a chuckle, he rested his chin on the top of her head. “Go ahead. But know that if you do, you will be cleaning it off of me; one way or another.” His voice dropped an octave at the end of his words with meaning. Instantly the image of her tongue on his neck and chest had Rebecca’s breathes escaping in harsh pants as her sheath rippled in reaction. Swallowing past her sudden tight throat, she reached for the spatula to flip the misshapen pancake.

  “What makes you think I would be interested in doing such a thing?”

  “You forget I can tell when you lie to me, Rebecca. The thought of your mouth on me excites you as much as it does to me. Just as you were so excited last night when I was between your thighs that you shuttered like you do now.” one of his hands shifted from around her stomach to slide down to her sex, cupping it through the thick material of her sweats.

  “Eric!” she cried out with embarrassment as he caressed her so openly. What if the children walked in? Heart racing, she dropped the spatula to grip his wrist tightly. “Stop it.”

  “If it weren’t for the fact that we aren’t alone; I’d have you on the counter right now.” a whimper escaped her lips. At the sound, she felt Eric’s embrace become tender. “Are you sore from last night? Perhaps I should give you a hot bath to …soothe you.”

  Knowing that he was looking for anyway to tease her, she pressed her lips together in a hard line. “Don’t concern yourself.” She hissed out. “I’m fine.”

  “I want you to stay here today and tonight as well.”

  Shoving her hair from her face, she turned to look over her shoulder at him. “Why should I? There can never be more than what last night was, Eric.”

  “Oh, my little prey, it was much more than that.” he said with a firm nod. “And I intend to prove it to you by holding you tonight, kissing you, touching you. If you are so adamant about leaving and going to hide in your small apartment, don’t be surprised to find me there with you. Because I for one know that I am not capable of letting you go.”

  Heart stilling in her chest, Rebecca found herself shaking her head slightly at his words. They were confusing and bewildering to her, but at the same time; they were almost…romantic? Just when she thought she had him all figured out, Eric went and showed a different side of him that surprised her.

  Like a bucket of cold water dumping over them, a sharp knock at the kitchen door had Rebecca’s gaze springing away. Huffing out a breath she turned away from him. How easily he had nearly gotten under her guard with just a few sweetened words. Could she be more pathetic? Shaking off his hold on her, her head turned toward the door as another insistent knock followed. Moving away from the stove and Eric, she turned to look at him with a calm resolve that she prayed wouldn’t waver.

  “Forget it, Eric. It won’t be happening.” She whispered, lifting her chin at him.

  His familiar cold gaze looked down at her as if he was preparing to fight. “One would think that you’d learned not to underestimate me.” As each word left his mouth, he took a several steps towards her until she found herself pressed against the fridge with Eric looming above her.

  When the constant knocking finally ceased, Rebecca’s gaze shot to the side as Jason and Chris came striding into the house. Uncaring that they’d just let themselves in, their expressions were dark and full of foreboding as they sought out Eric immediately. Though both saw how close she and Eric stood, neither batted an eye at it. Instead, both forced a smile at her that didn’t quite reach their eyes.

  “Morning, Rebecca.” Jason greeted.

  Returning his tight smile, Rebecca shoved some space between her and Eric until she was able to move out from her trapped position. Hesitantly glancing away from her, Chris turned his concerned gaze back to Eric.

  “Alp—Eric,” Chris stuttered out, glancing briefly back at Rebecca with worry, he stepped closer to Eric before continuing in a hushed tone. “We need to talk.”

  Not blinking an eye, Eric responded coolly. “Let it wait till tomorrow.” His cold eyes returning to Rebecca’s stubbornly set expression.

  “With respect, Eric,” Jason interjected with a meaningful tone to Eric’s name. “It can’t wait.”

  Rebecca watched as Eric stood in silence, his lips pressed together so firmly that she was surprised that his whole face didn’t facture from the intensity of it. It was obvious that whatever Eric’s fellow werewolves had come to discuss wasn’t for human ears.

  Losing patience with the macho male staring contest that Eric was participating in, she hissed out. “Oh for goodness sake!” her outburst seemed to break the spell between the duo
and Eric the second she’d uttered the words, drawing their startled gazes to her face. With a huff of exasperation, she strode closer to Eric. “It’s obvious you need to discuss business that you don’t want overheard, so I will just get Emma and Travis fed and get out of your hair.” She stated with a matter-of-fact tone.

  If Eric’s scowl could deepen further, it did at her calmly spoken words. Turning back to the counter with enough time to simply grab the platter of pancakes, Rebecca slipped past the men and headed toward the dining room all the while attempting to ignore Eric’s stern gaze. Her heart shuttered in her chest a moment later as she was roughly jerked to a stop by a heavy arm coiling around her waist. Her body pricked with familiar awareness as she felt Eric press into her from behind, his hand pressing possessively over her lower stomach. With deliberate slow movements, Eric lowered his lips to her ear.

  “Don’t even think for a second that this is over, Rebecca.” He warned in a low voice. “I don’t plan on letting you out of my sights long enough for you to escape me for long.”

  Tossing him a stubborn glare over her shoulder, she shrugged off his arm before heading to the kitchen table. Placing the platter of pancakes beside the pile of plates and utensils that waited, she found her reluctant gaze returning to seek Eric out once more. She shook her head when she saw he appeared to already be arguing with Jason and Chris about something. His clenching hand slashed through the air with the force of his heated exchange with them.

  It didn’t take long for Emma and Travis to be drawn from their cartoons to the table by the scent of pancakes and breakfast meats. Waiting until both were seated with their plates filled and cups of milk in front of them, Rebecca reluctantly took her seat as well. Curiosity getting the better of her, Rebecca found herself studying the trio from across the large space to the kitchen. What was it that had them so concerned and Eric so upset? Taking a breath, she tuned out the idle chatter of the twins and focused her attention solely on the hushed voices that drifted from across the room. Despite their best efforts to keep their voices low, Rebecca was able to pick up bits of their conversation.

  “Your scheme isn’t a secret anymore, Eric. The elders know.” Jason hissed out with a look of foreboding.

  “How the hell is that possible?!” Eric’s face flushed with anger, a low guttural growl surfacing from his lips. “And how the hell did you two find out?”

  “You’ve got bigger problems than that, I’m afraid. Not only do we know, but the elders know and they’re not happy about your little human either.”Chris said, flashing Eric a knowing look.

  Eric fisted his hands at his sides. The tips of his claws beginning to emerge from his curled fingertips. “She’s got nothing to do with this!” he snarled.

  “Are you ready to put your life on the line for her, Eric? Because that is what it’s come to.” Jason’s voice asked in a soft tone. His eyes were gentle with compassion and pity.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Chris shifted around to Eric’s other side. “There’s been talk amongst the members of the pack, Eric. The elders believe that you’re not fit to lead anymore. You and your pups could be in danger.”

  As the voices grew more hushed, Rebecca found her breakfast becoming devoid of taste, bite after bite as her inner thoughts swam. What was Eric’s scheme they were referring to? The elders knew? Knew what? Just as the thought arose in her mind, so did the answer.

  They knew…

  Sweat broke out over her body as her fork clutching hand shook. Had she been discovered? Did Eric know too? Had Damon betrayed her? Eyes flickering back and forth in the space in front of her, she thought back over what she could have done to give herself away, nothing came to mind. But recalling Eric’s behavior and his words this morning had her chest tightening with fear.

  “It’s just a war you have no chance at winning….My little prey.”

  At the memory of Eric’s voice in her mind, Rebecca barely noticed when her fork fell from her limp fingers to clatter against her plate loudly. Emma and Travis sent her a confused expression but both quickly turned back to their breakfast without a word.

  How could she have been so naive, so stupid? Earlier, Eric had first sought for her to tell her more about her parent’s deaths. At the time she’d just dismissed it as idle curiosity, but now she saw he had been trying to glean what she knew of that night. She’d also thought that his countless offers for her to spend the day there was just some day-after attempt to spend more time with her. Could it be that he simply wanted her here when Jason and Chris arrived? Eric had warned her before that she didn’t know what he was capable of when it came to her. How ruthless would he be when it came to protecting his secret?

  “I look forward to your execution. None of my kind will let you live now. Others will come for you and you will never know mercy from my kind.”

  The haunting words of her attacker taunted her as her fear began to climb. She had to get out of there and run. With no where left to hide and no one to trust, she was now running for her life.

  Shoving her chair back, she was surprised when Travis slid from his chair as well. At her questioning look, he grabbed his empty glass.

  “I want juice.”

  She’d almost expected him to hand the glass to her to refill for him as she usually did, but instead he rushed toward the kitchen and to the fridge before she could offer. Off to the side she could still see that Eric was arguing with Jason and Chris. It was time. She didn’t care what Eric thought he was accomplishing with his head games with her, but she had to leave before ended up as the prey he’d named her earlier.

  Taking a deep breath she looked at Emma one last time. The cute little girl had her head bowed over her syrup smeared plate as she drew a smiley face with her finger through the sticky syrup. Out of all of them; Rebecca knew she’d miss Emma the most. Tears burning her eyes, she stepped away from the table and headed for the door without a backward glance.

  * ~ * ~ *

  “Your scheme isn’t a secret anymore, Eric. The elders know.” Jason hissed out, his shoulders tense.

  Eric felt everything in him freeze at the words of his beta. His interest in the missing shifters had been kept a secret for a reason. When he’d first expressed concern to the council of elders within his pack of the multiple disappearances of shifters from not only his pack but others as well, the elder’s decision had been firm. He’d been forbidden from looking into the issue and told that if shifters were missing it was simply an indication that they weren’t strong enough to survive amongst the pack. The reaction of the elders on the issue was the reason that he’d only trusted Mick and his long time friend, Mark with his secret interest.

  “How the hell is that possible?!” Eric’s face flushed with anger, a low guttural growl surfacing from his lips. “And how the hell did you two find out?”

  “You’ve got bigger problems than that, I’m afraid. Not only do we know, but the elders know and they’re not happy about your little human either.” Chris said, flashing Eric a knowing look.

  Eric fisted his hands at his sides. The tips of his claws beginning to emerge from his curled fingertips. It was obvious that he’d claimed her body last night. Her scent clung to his skin as his did to hers. However he’d yet to give her the mating mark that would bind her to him. It wasn’t possible that the two; let alone the elders, knew that she was his mate.

  His wolf rose up protectively at the subject of his unclaimed true mate. “She’s got nothing to do with this!” he snarled.

  “This isn’t just about her, Eric. You know how the elders and other shifters within your pack feel about humans. Are you ready to put your life on the line for her or hers too? Because that is what it’s come to.” Jason’s voice asked in a soft tone. His eyes were gentle with compassion and pity.

  “What are you talking about?” he said, attempting to appear nonchalant at the mention of Rebecca.

  Chris shifted around to Eric’s other side. “There’s been talk amongs
t the members of the pack, Eric. After the past few months there has been a small shift amongst the pack members. Like the elders, many of the pack members are displeased with your decision to unite with the Alpha of Darkwood Springs and your refusal to take a mate amongst your pack. Others believe that you’re not fit to lead anymore and you know what could happen if others became brave enough to strike out at you. You and your pups could be in danger.”

  The thoughts had Eric snarling with rage. No one was laying a claw on his children or his mate. He was the Alpha! He’d earned the title through bloody battles and his unyielding strength. It was time for the elders and his pack to see that he didn’t hide behind old traditions.

  Out of the corner of his eye he saw his son, head toward them and then straight to the fridge with a look of innocence shining around him. He’d once thought that nothing would come between his loyalty to his pack. Now he knew that nothing would stop him from protecting his family; his children and Rebecca; his mate. If the elders wanted to engage in a power battle with him, he’d leave them broken and bloody in the end as well as any others that got in his way.

  “Eric,” Jason began, holding out a beseeching hand to him. “At least let us get you and your pups to the lodge. There we can protect them better than you could here. One of us can stay behind and watch after Rebecca in case someone tries to target her, but your home isn’t built to be defended like the lodge is.”

  “Rebecca stays with me.” he whispered harshly. With his eyes glowing, his wolf echoed in his voice, making it deeper, rougher and terrifying.

  Once again he sensed movement from behind him. Turning this time, he spied Rebecca. With her head down, she seemed to be quickening her strides as she entered the kitchen and headed for the door. Did she think she could slink away from him now? Even if it weren’t for the fact that she was his true mate, he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight with his own pack turning against him. A frail human favored by a shifter was an easy target should anyone wish to strike out at him.