Elder Wolf (Wilde Brothers Ranch Book 1; Tate Rock Shifters) Read online

  He wiped away the tears on his cheeks and slowly slid from the bed. He slipped on a fluffy white bathrobe and found the room service menu tucked with the other brochures on a counter under the mirror. He quietly called room service and ordered everything on the breakfast menu, charging it to his credit card.

  Cheyenne slipped from the bed and wrapped her arms around him as he finished the call. He turned to her and enveloped her naked, curvy body in his arms. The feeling of her against him was like coming home. And he never wanted to let her go. But she kissed him on the cheek and slid away with a cheeky grin, slipping into her own bathrobe.

  She disappeared into the bathroom to freshen up before the room service arrived. He tipped the waiter and rolled the cart into the room, transferring all the food to the table by the window. They sat together, sipping coffee and orange juice and feasting on Belgian waffles topped with strawberries, savory sausages, bacon, and eggs over easy. The lake glistened in the morning light, and the promise of spring glowed in the warming sun.

  “How do you feel about the idea of moving to Fate Rock?” he asked, popping a piece of bacon into his mouth.

  “Nothing would make me happier than to move back home.”

  “What about your job?”

  “My job is a dead end. I’m tired of trying. I have a condo that is almost paid off. A fat 401(k). I can cash out and do whatever I want.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Honestly? I’ve always wanted to be a mother.” She chuckled. “I never imagined I would be stuck in corporate middle-management, overlooked again and again for my C-level position. Aside from that, I told you about my hobby of making jam. And I think, when I move here, that’s what I’ll do.”

  “And the mother part?”

  “You know, I’m a forty-year-old human female.”

  “That shouldn’t make any difference.”

  “Unfortunately, it does.”

  Austin thought long and hard about this. He wanted a family. A big one. But time had marched on despite them and what they desired. He had a solution at the back of his mind. He would just have to run it by her first. Considering all the issues she had with her family, he wasn’t sure she would agree to it. Nevertheless, he wanted her no matter how many children they could have or not have. It made no difference to him, really. He and Cheyenne could live a long, happy life together. And nothing would change that.

  “I think I have some ideas about how we could help that situation a bit,” he said.

  “Oh?”

  He was just about to suggest his solution to her when his cell phone buzzed. He glanced at the text message. It was from Gunner.

  “We got another one of those nasty letters.”

  Austin growled. Those jokers were going to make things more difficult than they already were. He wasn’t going to let them steal his happiness. Not again.

  “What is it?”

  “Another letter arrived from your brothers. Threatening us.”

  “Austin, I’m sorry.”

  “This isn’t your fault.

  “I should do something.”

  “It isn’t your responsibility.”

  “But it is. They’re my brothers. And I must make it clear to them that I’m not going to allow them to run my life. I’m not a teenage girl anymore. They can have whatever opinions they want. But threatening my mate and his family is crossing a line.”

  “I don’t want you to be on bad terms with your family just to be with me.”

  “They’re making that decision for me, Austin. They are setting themselves up and forcing me to make the choice. It’s not a choice I want to make. But I will make it. And I choose you.”

  He reached across the table and took her hand, squeezing it gently, looking deeply into her eyes. He loved her more every second.

  “Come on. Let’s get cleaned up and ready for the day,” he said.

  She smirked as he led her into the bathroom and turned on the shower in the massive tiled enclosure. They slipped out of their bathrobes and stepped under the rainwater showerhead. He was already stiff at the sight of her. Her beautiful curves were what wet dreams were made of, and he remembered having quite a few of them when he was younger, almost all of them about her. She had changed since she was a skinny little teenager but in all the best ways. He found her even more desirable than he had back then—now she was gorgeous and full of ripe, womanly possibility. He wanted her so much. He wanted to plant a child in her womb. And he wanted to give her everything she’d ever wanted.

  She washed her hair as she smirked at him and then began to rub soap over his chest and his cock with her delicate hands.

  “You’re so dirty,” she teased.

  “I am. But not as dirty as you.” He grabbed her, turning her around and pressing her chest against the shower wall. “You’re a dirty girl,” he growled into her ear. “And I’m going to fuck you.”

  She gasped as he plunged inside her, splitting her open. He groaned as he plunged hard and fast into her lusciousness, pulling her against him, her flesh bouncing. He reached around her and flicked her clit, and she came, hot and wet and throbbing, on his cock.

  “Oh fuck,” he growled, barely holding back from coming himself.

  His canine teeth descended in his mouth, and he brushed them over her throat. He wanted to claim her now. He wanted to make her his. But he knew the timing wasn’t right. They both wanted to go back to the cabin. He wanted the night to be perfect, exactly the way it should be. He held back, driving all his desire into the movement of his hips.

  She growled, loud and sexy, deep from her throat. He turned her around and lifted her up, pressing her back against the wall. She gasped at the feeling of being held by his strength, as if she wasn’t expecting him to be able to hold her. But she felt weightless in his arms as he plowed into her, making her come and moan over and over. He finally let go, and the pulsing throbs of her pussy gripped his cock. He then slipped away and held her under the hot stream.

  “I hope I wasn’t too rough.”

  “You know, most men our age aren’t even capable of being rough,” she laughed into his chest. She snorted and stepped away, grabbing the soap. “Now you really do need to get clean,” she said, handing him the body wash.

  He laughed and washed himself. And when they were done, they stepped out of the shower, wrapped in clean bathrobes and fluffy towels, and went out to the room to dress. Cheyenne slipped back into the bathroom to dry her hair. And when she came back out, she looked fresh and bright and like the experienced professional she was. He marveled at her beauty and her strength. He was the luckiest man alive. He leaned in and kissed her mouth.

  “I’ve got to get going. There’s a lot of work to do at the ranch today, and my brothers are waiting for me. I’m going to get the cabin ready for us. For our special night. I’ll make you mine forever, and no one will ever be able to stand between us again.”

  “Can it be tonight?” she asked with a sassy smile.

  “If you’ll be ready tonight.”

  “I’ve been ready for twenty-five years.” She giggled.

  “So have I,” he said, taking her into his arms and sighing into her hair. He took a deep breath of her scent and let her go. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “I’ll be there around eight,” she said. “I’m going to spend the day hiking and getting a spa treatment. I should be invigorated and prepared for the biggest moment of my life.”

  “Text me if you need anything, okay?” he said, slipping out the door.

  He was so happy and so sure that nothing could get between them that he whistled a tune to himself all the way back to his truck.

  Chapter 11

  Cheyenne felt a wash of happiness and excitement as she took the elevator to the lower level. She couldn’t wait to spend the day hiking around the grounds of Fate Rock Lodge. Although she’d enjoyed every minute she’d spent with Austin, she had been looking forward to spending this time alone.

  She needed
to get in touch with her feelings, how she felt about him and how she felt about herself. This was all so very new. She had believed he was married, and he had believed she was dead. They had a long way to go to absorb the change in their lives and expectations. But she was ready to move forward.

  Tonight, she would let him claim her. Then she would be his and he would be hers, and nothing would stand between them ever again. She stepped out the back door and onto the grounds. The day was warm, and the sun was bright in a clear blue sky. She started off down the path, making her way toward the forest.

  She breathed in the scent of spring, feeling the warm sunlight on her skin. Daffodils and tulips bloomed in the thawing spring ground. It felt so good to be out in nature, away from the noise and stress of the city.

  She needed this—the subtle crunch of her boots on the gravel path, the sound of the lark rising in the forest, the fuzzy buds of the aspen in bloom, the little white seeds rising like fairies on the spring breeze.

  She continued along the path, taking in the beauty of the day. She felt very much herself and very much at home. It was as if nothing had ever changed, and all those years of work and worry and wonder about what her life really meant fell away like so much sand through her fingertips. Now all that was left was real and tangible and lasting.

  As she crested the hill, the forest gave way to a view of the sweeping valley below. She could see the lake glistening under the spring sun and the conifers green and lush as they tipped toward the sky.

  A yellow haze hung over the valley. But above, the sky was as clear as her mind. She felt so much clarity that it was as if she was waking from a dream. She found a little bench that looked out on the view, and she sat down there. She closed her eyes as the sun kissed her cheeks and warmed her skin. She took several deep breaths and opened her eyes again. This was what life was all about: the simple, beautiful moments of peace and repose where everything seemed to fall into place just where it should be.

  Cheyenne’s phone rang in her pocket. She picked it up, expecting to find Austin’s caller ID. But instead, it was her brother. She answered.

  “We know you’re in Fate Rock, Cheyenne. Cavorting with that shifter of yours. You should know we won’t allow this to happen.”

  “You don’t have a choice, Randy. I’m not a little girl anymore. And you and the others can’t boss me around or intimidate me. I make my own decisions.”

  “You choose to disrespect our mother’s memory by consorting with shifters?”

  “Mother would want me to be happy. I don’t believe for a second she would disapprove of Austin. She loved Austin when she was alive. Just because she was killed in an explosion doesn’t mean that Austin changed.”

  “No sister of mine is going to be some shifter’s slut.”

  Cheyenne’s mouth dropped. She couldn’t believe the way he was speaking to her. She couldn’t believe that he would say those words. She didn’t know how to respond. But Randy didn’t wait for a response.

  “You need to come home. Now.”

  “I’m not coming back.”

  “Like I said, Cheyenne. No sister of mine will be some shifter’s slut. You come back here, or your boyfriend is going to be in a world of hurt.”

  “How dare you threaten him.” Her heart was racing.

  “This isn’t a threat, Cheyenne. It’s a promise. We have ways of making shifters hurt so that no one ever knows it was us and can never prove anything.”

  “Who are you? I can’t believe my own brother is saying this.”

  “We’ve done it before.”

  “You can’t do this,” she said, desperate to keep the life she’d believed she could have.

  “We want you back in Denver in twenty-four hours. If you aren’t back by this time tomorrow, we will come to Fate Rock. Your boyfriend will pay for what he’s done.”

  “Austin hasn’t done anything!” she yelled into the phone.

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Cheyenne. He dared to associate with you. That’s enough. We won’t call again. Pack your things and head home, and your boyfriend won’t get hurt. If you make any other choice, it’s his funeral.”

  Cheyenne heard the phone go silent. She sat there, staring into nothing with her mouth wide open, unable to comprehend what had just happened. She had believed that her brothers’ hatred was just talk. But now she wasn’t so sure. All the way back to the lodge, she felt as if she was walking in some living nightmare.

  She stepped through the back door and made her way upstairs silently. The day had started out on such a bright note. But now she felt trapped. What could she do? She could not allow her brothers to hurt Austin. If anything happened to him, she’d never forgive herself.

  Randy had threatened Austin and his brothers, and she knew the threats were serious. She had to leave. There was no other choice. She stepped into her room, and the tears began to fall.

  “Why are they doing this?” she wept. “Why can’t I have my happily ever after?”

  She pulled her suitcase from the closet and began to throw her things haphazardly inside. Gone was her hope of the future and a family. Gone was her hope of starting her artisanal jam business. Everything that she’d believed she could have that morning was now gone. In the span of one phone call, Randy had taken everything from her. She would return to Denver. Continue her job in middle management. And slowly but surely, she would fade away until there was nothing left.

  Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she couldn’t stop them. She had to leave before Austin missed her. But she couldn’t leave without telling him goodbye.

  She picked up her phone and started to text. “I’m sorry for everything. But I have to go. Don’t ever contact me again.”

  Chapter 12

  The minute Austin got Cheyenne’s text message, he knew something was terribly wrong. They had promised each other they wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of their love again. So when she texted him telling him that she was leaving and never coming back, he knew it wasn’t really her saying it.

  He rushed to the truck, barely stopping to tell his brothers he was leaving. He hopped behind the wheel, peeling out of the driveway with a terrible sense of urgency dropping into his stomach. This was all wrong. He knew that Cheyenne would never choose this. Not on her own. She wouldn’t just walk away from their love. Something was going on. Something was not right. And Austin knew exactly what it was.

  He rushed across town, barreling down Main Street and back onto the freeway. He had to put a stop to whatever was happening. He had to speak to her and to understand what had changed her mind.

  He pulled into the parking lot of the lodge and hurled himself out onto the concrete. He rushed toward the front door, using all his shifter speed and strength. He sped through the lobby, not speaking to anyone. He was on a mission. He wouldn’t lose the love of his life yet again. Not now. Not ever. He needed an explanation. He needed to know what she was thinking.

  He made his way to her door and stood outside, panting. He was afraid of what he would find. Finally, he knocked, praying that he wasn’t too late.

  He was about to give up and walk away when the door to her bedroom finally slid open. She gasped when she saw him, and he rushed toward her, taking her into his arms.

  “Tell me what’s happening, Cheyenne. Tell me why you told me to leave you alone. Tell me why you said you’re leaving.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why can’t you, Cheyenne? Tell me. Tell me what’s going on.”

  “I can’t be responsible. I can’t let them hurt you.”

  “Who are you talking about?”

  She shook her head, despondent. Her eyes were red and full of tears.

  “Did your brothers get to you?”

  She sat down on the bed, her face in her hands. The tears began to flow. He hated to see her like this. Such a strong independent woman brought to tears over him. Her brothers needed to be stopped. Cheyenne should never be treated like this. She was a beautiful, amazing
woman. She deserved the best life had to offer, not to be made to cry with fear and panic.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I can’t let them hurt you.”

  “They can’t hurt me, Cheyenne. Not if you stay. We are stronger than they are. We have love on our side. They are just weak men who are full of hate. It’s all that matters to them. Men like that have nothing to show for themselves. They spend all their time and energy trying to destroy other people that have nothing to do with them instead of focusing on their own lives. They blame everyone else for their failures and disappointments.”

  “But I can’t let them hurt you.” Her voice was desperate and high.

  “I told you, my darling. They can’t hurt me unless you let them take you away from me. That’s the worst thing that could ever happen.”

  “Oh, Austin. I don’t want to leave. But they threatened you and your brothers. I always thought it was just talk before. But now I don’t know. I’m beginning to believe they really could hurt you. That they really could do something despicable and desperate.”

  “My brothers and I are not so vulnerable that we need you to sacrifice yourself and your own happiness for our safety.”

  “I know you’re not. I didn’t mean to suggest…”

  “You’re a good woman, Cheyenne. You’re scared. You’ve been scared by people who should care about you and your happiness. They should be there for you, trying to help you live a happy life. But instead, they seem more concerned about some ridiculous unfounded vendetta against men who were once their friends.”

  “I’m so ashamed of them, Austin. I’m so sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry about. You are brave and strong and true. Your first instinct was to protect me, just like my first instinct is to protect you. To protect us. But we belong together. And we can’t let these sick men, brothers or not, interfere with what is meant to be.”

  “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking.”