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  He gave them a moment to get out of the area before following them out. Although it wasn't a

  full moon, the wolf inside of him was desperate for a run. Hopefully it would clear his head.

  He walked around to the back of the house. It faced the woods, suiting his purposes perfectly.

  Wolf Town was full of wolves at any given time, but Marrok generally preferred his privacy, unless he was on guardian duties. The wolf was a lot like the man. Both of them enjoyed their solitary runs.

  Quickly he stripped and shifted, leaving his clothing in a pile. He took off with no clear

  destination in mind. The night was cool, and it felt good against the heat of his body. Throwing his head back, he howled for the hell of it, enjoying his freedom more than ever. With the research facilities hanging over their heads, it made him appreciate his life in a way he never had before.

  He ran for an hour or so before slowing down to a trot. He was near the Amish settlement,

  someplace he had no desire to be. The month before, their leader had made it clear they desired no involvement with the werewolves. He hadn't been there, but he'd heard about it later. The wolves had been caught bare-assed when they were met up with by the Amish. He chortled at the thought.

  Panting heavily, he stopped near a tall oak tree. The forest was dense here, the trees extremely old. It was completely silent and serene, perfect for a few moments of peace before he returned to Wolf Town. He was no closer to a solution to his problems, but at least he had run off the excess energy.

  Problems always seemed to fade somewhat when you were drained. He still had a long ways to go

  before he reached that point, but he did feel better.

  Marrok was powerful, and he took pride in it. His body was honed and well-conditioned, his

  bloodline ancient and strong. He would make a loyal provider for his mate, a faithful and devoted one.

  Why couldn't Taylor appreciate that?

  His body was burning with the need to possess her. If she didn't yield soon, he wasn't going to simply have blue balls. He was going to have balls set in stone. Frustrated, he pawed at the earth with his large feet and nails before ramming the tree with his powerful, hard skull. For good measure he did it twice, attacking the tree with a vengeance with his massive body.

  The tree wasn't as old and heavy as the ones surrounding it, and it swayed and shook from his

  actions. Something stirred within the thick, green foliage, as Marrok paused and looked up curiously.

  His head tilted to the side in bemusement as the movements within the leaves grew in intensity.

  A male's voice muttered, “Oh shit,” an instant before a heavy weight came crashing down

  through the branches. Marrok jerked out of the way and watched as Connor landed hard on the ground, stomach first.

  His round, pale ass appeared to glow under the light of the moon. Marrok wrinkled his snout,

  utterly repulsed by the sight, before throwing his head back to howl in disgust. “My balls,” Connor screeched out in agony, his voice rivaling the best soprano singer. “My balls are broken. Stop howling, asshole, and help me.”

  Marrok rolled his eyes, but he did stop howling as he lowered his head back down to look at

  him. Would Connor's antics never seize to amaze him?

  Connor was completely nude. He rolled over, his hands clenched around the area between his

  legs. When he did, Marrok saw the large rock he had landed on and cringed. Leave it to Connor to land on a rock balls first, completely bare-assed, in the middle of the woods.

  Marrok quickly shifted, crossing his arms as he stared down at Connor. “I'm a little scared to ask this, but what in the hell are you doing out here in a tree, naked?”

  A pair of binoculars fell out of the branches, landing about two feet away from Connor. Marrok stared at them, arching his dark eyebrow, meaningfully. “You pervert,” he told him, in a disgusted voice. “You're spying on Amish woman now?”

  Connor sat up, still holding his manhood with two hands. His black curls were dirty with twigs and leaves. Always pale, his features were now stark white, at least from what Marrok could see underneath the dirt mask.

  “Shut the fuck up, Marrok, you bastard. Thanks to you, I'll never sire offspring. What in the hell are you doing out here, ramming a tree like an idiot? Who in the hell runs around doing that? I'm surprised the damn tree is still standing.”

  He struggled to get to his feet before continuing, “If you must know, I was bird watching. At

  least, I was, until you came along. Then, the next thing I know, I'm having to hold on for dear life as you try to murder the tree. Now, my balls have been busted on a rock, thanks to you. Next time, find a different tree to hunch on.”

  Marrok snorted. “Bullshit. I wasn't born yesterday. You were watching something all right, but it sure as hell wasn't birds. What kind of mischief are you up to now, Connor?”

  “Fuck off, Marrok,” Connor replied, bending over painfully to grab his binoculars and put the

  strap around his neck. He walked a few steps, bowlegged, before stopping to glare back at Marrok.

  He couldn't help it. The sight of Connor, hunched over and walking with his legs widened

  impossibly, was too much for him to take. He threw his head back and howled with laughter. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he managed to get out, “All these years, I've had to put up with your bullshit and antics, but this has made every moment worth it. As long as I live, I'll never forget this. I guess it's really true. Payback is a bitch. I wouldn't have missed this for the world.”

  Holding his sides and struggling to stop laughing, he watched as Connor shifted into his wolf

  form. He walked away with a clumsy, hobbling gait, his rear legs moving stiffly. Marrok busted out in a new round of laughter when he realized it was the wolf version of a bowlegged walk.

  “Looks like you're going to have a long walk back home, old buddy,” Marrok called after him

  in amusement. “What will the hopefuls do without you for the next few days?” The hopefuls were the single females of the pack, and they had voracious sexual appetites. It was well-know around Wolf Town that Connor could often be found there, when not at work.

  Connor looked back at him and bared teeth, his binoculars hanging from his neck. After several seconds he moved away, his movements unsteady. Marrok was still grinning long after he was gone.

  Connor would heal quickly, but he was going to be mighty uncomfortable until he did.

  He looked back at the Amish settlement in the distance. All was quiet there, with just the odd lamp lit here or there. The majority of the residents were already in bed, used to rising early. He couldn't understand what Connor found interesting out here, but he was willing to bet it wasn't anything good. There was no common ground between the Amish and werewolves, and they were best left

  alone.

  Could it be possible Connor had found a female Amish lover? It would explain the binoculars,

  and the odd way he was acting. After a moment of debate, he pushed the thought aside. It was too fantastical to believe, even for Connor. Maybe the idiot really was birdwatching. After all, stranger things were known to happen, especially when it came to the supernatural.

  Chapter 5

  Taylor walked beside Carole Anne down the cobblestoned sidewalk, enjoying the

  companionship. The two women had become fast friends, and it had eased the transition into the wolf pack a lot. She smiled in response as the other woman talked, but her thoughts remained with Marrok.

  Things had been strained between them since the day they'd almost made love. Marrok hadn't

  tried again, in fact, Taylor was sure he was trying to avoid her. They'd hardly spoken all week, both of them making a concentrated effort to remain out of the house as long as possible. It was what she had wanted, or at least, what she thought would be best for him, but she couldn't deny that she missed Marrok. A lot.

&
nbsp; Her emotions were still numb. The monthly shot did its job extraordinarily well. In a way it was a relief, though. Losing Marrok was hard enough now. How bad would it be when there wasn't any buffer from the pain?

  She turned to Carole Anne, her thoughts reflective. “Could you tell me what a wolf mating

  really is?”

  Carole Anne stopped in shock, her attractive face surprised. “You mean you don't know? I

  assumed after that night in the living room you knew.”

  “No,” Taylor responded softly, shaking her head. “I was guessing that it's something similar to marriage, but I don't know for sure. I wondered what it entails?”

  Carole Anne looked at her watch. “I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry. Let's stop in the restaurant and get something to eat. I'll tell you all about it.”

  “All right,” Taylor agreed, checking her pocket for money. Two days before, there had been

  several hundred dollar bills lying on the kitchen counter when she'd woke up. It was thoughtful of Marrok to leave it, despite the unhappy state between them. “I'm actually hungry myself. I'm going to have to start watching what I eat. I've gained quite a bit of weight in the last week.”

  Carole Anne winked at her. “That's the great thing about werewolves. They love their women

  with a little padding on their bones. I used to worry about the same thing, but Alexander has left me with no doubts that he prefers a more voluptuous woman. Werewolves are very powerful lovers, with a great deal of stamina.”

  Taylor took the information with mixed emotions. It would have been welcome news if she had

  any intentions of staying. She didn't, though. Each day she remained was just putting the wolves in more risk of getting caught in the crossfire. In another life, things might have been different. If only she'd hadn't been taken, her life could have been spent with Marrok. There was no going back and erasing the past, unfortunately. She could only move forward.

  She followed Carole Anne into the restaurant. It smelled heavenly, the air fragrant with the

  aroma of herbs and baking bread. An older wolf seated them, smiling broadly. It was still a bit early for lunch, but several of the tables were already taken. The building was peaceful and homey, the seating comfortable.

  “This is amazing,” Taylor said, smiling broadly at Carole Anne. “Wolf Town is absolutely

  delightful, and so is this restaurant.”

  “I know, right? I felt the exact same way when I came here. It's like a fairytale, come to life, and I was lucky enough to win the handsome king.” Carole Anne smiled. “Let's get back to some juicy girl talk.”

  “Okay,” Taylor agreed, eager to learn all there was about matings.

  “A mating is similar to a marriage, but it's so much more. A marriage can be ended. A mating

  can't.”

  “How does a wolf know who their mate is?” Taylor asked in puzzlement.

  “It's instinctive,” Carole Anne replied. “A werewolf knows immediately, usually from scent

  alone. It's like falling in love at first sight, only intensified a hundred times. A mate is vital to a werewolf. They live for the moment they meet theirs, then after that, they live for their mate. Fate predestines who their mate will be. I've never seen an unhappy, mated couple. It's like they were created for each other, perfectly. The same can be said for Alexander and I.”

  “So Marrok thought I'd done all this with a werewolf at the research facility?” She asked,

  shaking her head in disbelief. “I don't understand him at all.”

  Carole Anne bit her lip, before saying carefully, “Marrok is interested in you, and I can honestly say you're the only woman I've seen him interested in. I haven't even heard of him visiting the spa, which is unheard of in a single wolf.”

  “What is this spa?” she asked the other woman curiously. “I've heard others here mentioning it as well.”

  A waitress arrived to take their orders, delaying Carole Anne's response. After she left, she

  leaned over the table. “The spa is a beauty center, but it's also a whole lot more. It's staffed by single, female werewolves. As you can imagine, their sex drives are extremely high. It's also a neutral place for unmated wolves to have sex.”

  Taylor was speechless.

  Carole Anne gave her a knowing look. “I know how you feel,” she said with a chuckle. “It was

  hard for me to wrap my mind around it as well. You have to remember that werewolves are different than humans. They are very free and uninhibited sexually. It's completely normal for them to have casual sex with one another. In fact, it's a way of life. The mated ones are different, though. You never have to worry about a mate straying. They have zero interest in another person, period, at least sexually.”

  The women were quiet as the waitress returned with their drinks. Carole Anne gave her a smile

  of appreciation. It was clear that the members of Wolf Town loved their queen. Carole Anne drank deeply before leaning closer and whispering, “Female mated wolves also have the option of utilizing the services of the sheik, at least during the initial heat phase. Each pack has one. He's unidentifiable and remains completely anonymous.”

  Taylor's eyebrow furrowed in puzzlement. “What does he do?”

  The other woman blushed, covertly looking each way to make sure nobody else was listening.

  The other diners were oblivious, completely involved in their own conversations. “The sheik is hard to explain in the average human way of thinking. You have to think in werewolf terms. Can you do that?”

  “Okay, I will try,” Taylor replied in a calm voice. Secretly, she was tantalized.

  “When a mated female hits her initial heat spell, it can be overwhelming. A werewolf mate is

  more than capable of handling it, in fact, he adores it. Sometimes he wants to give his mate a little extra, or sometimes, she just wants the added excitement of knowing there is someone else there.

  Having a second alpha male involved can be thrilling to a woman. It's not an ongoing thing, though. It happens once, possibly twice, then it's never thought of again. In the eyes of the wolves, the Sheik is a tool, nothing more. A male wolf is too possessive and jealous to ever allow another male into their beds. They don't view the sheik as competition, though, and the sheik makes every effort to remain invisible.”

  “Have you tried it?” Her voice was low and uncertain, not wanting to probe uncomfortably into

  Carole Anne's private business.

  “Once,” she replied, with a mischievous grin. “Alexander was up to the challenge of handing

  my heat all by himself, but I was determined to give him my oral attentions. I didn't leave him any choice. It was a fun experience, and it got me through my initial heat, but it wasn't necessarily a needed one. I swear, Alexander has the sex drive of five men.”

  Taylor smiled in response. It was obvious the other woman was well-loved and secure in that

  knowledge. Their was no doubt in her mind that Alexander adored his queen, and it made her wonder what it would feel like to be loved like that. Carole Anne was kind and funny, and she deserved it. The other woman didn't have a tainted past like she did.

  Taylor forced her thoughts back to their conversation. “If nobody knows who the sheik is, how

  do they make arrangements for his participation?” she asked, puzzled.

  Carole Anne shrugged. “Somehow he just knows where he's needed. It's a wolf thing.”

  Taylor filed the information away to think about later. It was just a reminder of how different werewolves were from human males. A human male would consider it a threesome. A devoted

  werewolf allowed it unselfishly, in an attempt to give his female the ultimate in sensual pleasures without lessening their bond. Her thoughts led her to another question. “How does a person know if they have mated?”

  Carole Anne chuckled. “Believe me, they know. It's a connection unlike anything you've ever

  felt be
fore. A male wolf will pursue his mate to the ends of the earth, if needed. They are persistent, creative suitors. In the end, they always win their mates.”

  A wave of sadness washed over her. The tiny hope she nurtured that she might be Marrok's mate

  died. There hadn't been any true pursuit from him. What lay between them was simple lust, nothing more.

  “I have wolf in me now. Do you think one day I might mate someone?” Truth be told she had

  little interest in doing so. The only man she'd ever been attracted to was Marrok. Unfortunately, he wasn't meant for her, though. There was no changing fate. One could only acknowledge it, accept it, and move on.

  A flash of something unrecognizable passed over the other woman's features as she considered

  her response. Finally she said, “It's very likely you will, but it might not come as easily for you as it does others. Physically and mentally you have been through a great deal of trauma, not to mention, you've been heavily drugged. Keep your heart and mind open, Taylor. Don't make any rash decisions that you might regret later on. Sometimes things in life aren't as clear as we would like them to be, especially in the beginning. When the time is right, you'll know it. Just don't burn the bridge before you ever get the chance to cross it.”

  The waitress arrived with their food. The hungry women immediately began eating, focused on

  their meal. Carole Anne's words had given her plenty to think about. She remained quiet as she thought about her life, and what the future held.

  Her time at Wolf Town was quickly drawing to a close. Nicole was healed, but her loyalty to her friend demanded she see her settled. She wanted to leave within the week, although she should have already been gone. Carlos had connections everywhere. Her freedom was not as free as she would have hoped it would be, and it was conditional. She was only free for as long as she stayed out of his hands.

  The rest of her life would always have to be spent on the run. She had no other options. As soon as possible, she would check on the small balance left in her bank account years from years before, if the account was even still open. It would give her a start, but she'd have to figure out a way to add to it along the way.