“I said that you’re going and you’re going. We won’t be gone long especially if you take us straight to him, a couple of days max. The pack needs your help, I need your help. So, would you please stop taking the damn clothes out of the suitcase as soon as I put them in there?” Dylan snatched a pair of jeans from her and folded them for the third time. When she reached into the case again, he slapped her hand. “Damn it Dylan! I said no!” Cami yelled and reached again. Dylan grabbed her hands and pinned her against the dresser. He stood over her snarling into her upturned face. She whimpered and dropped her gaze. “Okay…okay.” She whispered. “I’ll go. I’m sorry.” He nodded and went back to packing her clothes. Dylan shoved every article of clothing she owned into the case. Cami watched knowing that she was not ever going to sleep here again. He wasn’t packing for their trip. He was packing for her move to his house and surprisingly, she didn’t mind that one bit. He was her mate, he belonged to her, and she did not intend to reject him either. A smile curled her lips as she watched him fold her clothes neatly and place them into the beat up white suit case with care. “You need new luggage.” He folded the top over and snapped the buckles on either side of the handle. “I’ll take care of it.” He lifted it and looked around the room, not seeing anything else that she needed. He held a hand out to her. “Come.” She took it and followed him to the truck parked at the bottom of the steps. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Dylan. What the hell took you so long? All you got is one suitcase and you were up there for more than a half an hour?” Mike complained. “Oh maybe you were…” Dylan snarled and Mike dropped his gaze. “It’s hard to fill a bucket that someone keeps dumping out.” He looked back at Cami who dropped her gaze as well. Mike and Pete snickered as Mike started his truck. “She’s decided though that it’s in her best interest to go with me and to behave. Haven’t you?” Cami sighed but nodded. Pete turned his head to hide his smile thinking that Cami was exactly what Dylan needed. Sassy, bossy, challenging, and fiery, they were perfect for each other. Dylan started his truck and fastened his seat belt. Mike backed out of the way letting Dylan take the lead in their trip. Cami crossed her legs drawing Dylan’s attention. He was not going to last thirty minutes let alone the five hours that it would take them with her bare legs calling to him like they were. He shifted the truck back into park and got out. Everyone watched as Dylan dug through her suitcase and came back with a pair of sweatpants. “Put them on.” “I’m not cold.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t ask you if you were. I said put the sweatpants on. If you don’t, I’m going to have to pull over before we get out of town and fuck you. Put the sweats on.” Cami gasped and struggled into the pants quickly. “Really Dylan! There is no need to be crude.” Cami refastened her belt and stared out the passenger side window. He grinned and shifted it into drive again. Mike and Pete were laughing so hard in his rearview that he flipped them the bird out of his open window. They only laughed harder. Cami’s reflection was smirking in the window that she was pretending to stare out of. Dylan couldn’t help but grin as he drove out of town. God she was sexy. They didn’t speak for the first four hours but Cami had to break the silence finally when her bladder would no longer let her remain silent. “I need to pee.” “Hold it.” His eyes never left the highway. “I said I need to pee. If I could hold it, I wouldn’t have told you. Please find a restroom.” Dylan nodded and held up his first finger in the window. Mike nodded behind him. He pulled into a gas station and refueled while she went, as it turned out, everyone needed to go but Dylan. They pulled into Beau Ridge just after six. Mike got two hotel rooms facing the street across from Junior’s favorite bar. They hid the trucks behind the hotel so that they didn’t tip him off. “All this is not necessary guys. Just wait until seven and he’ll be there if he hasn’t left town.” Dylan carried her suitcase and his duffle up the stairs and opened a door with the key that Mike gave him. Pete and Mike would be in the room next door. “Where is my room?” She asked from the doorway. “You’re looking at it.” Cami stared at the queen sized bed in the middle of the room. She chewed on her lip. “It’s not like we haven’t slept together before.” He didn’t turn to look at her. Digging through the duffle he came up with new clothes. “Do you want the shower first?” Cami’s brows knitted. “Cami?” “I want my own room.” Her hands went to her hips in defiance. “No. Do you want the shower first or second?” Her chin quivered. Dylan came over and tugged her into the room then closed the door quietly. “Sweetness, I can’t keep you safe if I’m not with you. If you don’t want to have sex, we don’t have to. Believe it or not, I can control myself.” “What’s that supposed to mean? That I can’t?” She couldn’t believe that he was implying that she couldn’t control herself just because of what happened last night. What an ass! She watched the muscles ripple under his shirt. Okay so maybe she might not be able to control herself, but she wouldn’t admit that to him. “I didn’t say that. I said if you don’t want to, we won’t. Now do you want a shower or not?” She shook her head. “I do.” He pulled his tee shirt over his head and shucked his jeans then put them all neatly folded on the floor in a pile. Dylan texted someone then went into the bathroom and closed the door. “If you want join me, you’re more than welcome.” He called to her. Cami flopped on the bed and picked up the remote to push the channel button as fast as she could. She was hungry. They never stopped for lunch or dinner and her stomach growled loudly. Fishing in her purse, she found some quarters, grabbed the key, and went out onto the walkway heading for the vending machines. “Oh no you don’t.” Pete had her by the waist and carried her back to her room. You're not running off on my watch.” “What?! Put me down!” Cami kicked and struggled. Mike stuck his head out of their room laughing. “Dylan that unappetizing? I told you before, I’d love to show you a good time.” Mike grinned at her. Pete stuck her back inside the room and pulled the door closed. Cami screamed a few choice words at the door and threw her handful of change at the door. She went back to the bed and sat against the headboard with her knees drawn up to her chest. “What the hell is going on out here?” Dylan came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. “Cami? Are you okay?” Her chin quivered. “No.” She turned her head away from him. Dylan saw the change lying all over the carpet and figured out what had occurred. Her stomach growled angrily. “I’m hungry and they won’t let me have anything.” She sniffled. “We’ll go for dinner as soon as I’m dressed. Okay?” He eased down on the bed next to her. “Cami.” She sniffled again. “I’m sorry. I should’ve stopped. I’m not used to thinking of others when I’m on the hunt.” She nodded, her stomach growled again and he laughed. “I’ll hurry. Youcan take these sweats off now if you want to.” He patted her leg and went back to the bathroom. He smelled so good. How was she supposed to control herself if he was going to smell that nice? Cami wet her lips and turned her head to watch him in the vanity mirror. The muscles bunched and flexed in his back and across his belly as he combed his hair. She knew what those muscles felt like jumping around under his warm smooth skin. How silky that skin was under her fingertips. How the muscles hardened and softened as she traced them and squeezed them. He folded the towel now and hung it on the rack. She watched him then saw him watching her in the mirror. She blushed and turned her face away. You can look if you like Cami, I don’t mind. If it were you in the towel, I would watch you because I think you’re beautiful.” Her belly growled on cue. “Okay,” he chuckled. “I’ll hurry.” He picked up his phone and texted the boys then hurried into his fresh clothes. “Come on. Let’s eat.” He held his hand out to her. Cami hurried off of the bed to follow him. Mike and Pete were waiting on the walkway outside. “Cami, where is the best place to eat in town?” She pointed at the bar. “Do they have steak?” She nodded then gave Pete a nasty look. “Oh come on Cami. Don’t be angry at me, I was following orders.” “I don’t care what you were doing. I don’t like being manhandled and I don’t appreciate being convicted of a crime without being asked for an explanation first. So I am still mad at you and I’m staying that way.” She huffed and looked away. “You’re right. I could’ve handled it better. I’m sorry. I should’ve asked you where you were going.” You didn't even ask her?” Dylan turned to look at him. Pete shook his head. “No he didn’t. He just picked me up like a sack of potatoes and threw me in our room.” Cami marched ahead ignoring them until she heard the fight behind her. When she looked back, Dylan had Pete in a choke hold and was hitting him. “Stop it.” Cami grabbed for his hand. “Dylan, please?” Her voice was soft and cajoling. He stopped mid punch. “He didn’t hurt anything but my pride. “Please don’t hurt him.” Dylan let him go and faced her. “It’s okay. Really.” Dylan nodded. Pete was flexing his jaw but couldn’t keep the grin off of his face. “What the hell is so funny?” Dylan asked. Pete pointed to Junior’s truck. They hurried across the road to the bar. Pete and Mike took the back door entrance, Cami went in the front. “Cami, damn girl is that you?” She stepped up beside Hank and let him wrap his arm around her shoulders. “Where have you been?” “Fern Valley of course. Hank it was everything that you said it would be. It’s lovely. I got a job at Frankie’s, Turner’s, Betty’s and at the library.” He gave her a squeeze and ordered her a soda. Melanie brought her soda and gave her a hug. “There’s a last check for you hon, let me get it. Are you ready to come back to work?” Cami shook her head. “That’s too bad, we could use the help.” “I’m only here for the night, I wanted to pick up my check and speak to you Hank.” He sipped his beer. “Oh, why me?” He turned on the stool and patted the one beside him for her to climb onto. “I wanted to thank you. I found out a few things in your hometown and I wanted to share.” Melanie moved down the bar to fill glasses. Cami looked up into the toffee flecked hazel eyes. Hank was a wolf. It was easy to recognize now that she knew things. “I met a man, a wonderful man. He’s…” She grinned. “Who has lit your face up like that darling?” Hank grinned back at her. “His name is Dylan. He says that I’m his mate.” Hank nodded. “I just met him a few days ago but…well, you know.” He nodded again. “Anyway, as it turns out, he’s looking for you, he and his two friends have been scouring the country for you, and when I mentioned that I knew you well they…” “We hurried right over to see you Junior.” Dylan drawled from behind her. He towered over her with his commanding dominant tone that made her tingle. Hank didn’t flinch though. Several large men in the room suddenly stood and Dylan recognized them for what they were. “Sit them down Junior.” He turned and nodded at his pack. They sat but all eyes watched Dylan closely. “I know that you’ve been avoiding us but I’ve got to say, thank god we found you when we did.” Dylan sat on a stool behind Cami with his legs stretched out on each side of her possessively, one hand rested lightly on her hip. “Henry wants to talk to you pup. He found out that he has an aggressive cancer right after you left and we’ve been looking for you ever since. We want you to come back to Fern Valley and take your place as
alpha. Before we go though, I want you to talk to Henry. It’s bad and I’m not sure that he’ll make it until you get there. There are things that he needs to say to you before he dies.” Dylan handed Junior his cell phone. “I can’t go back Dyl. I can’t take over as your alpha.” He pushed send on the cell and spoke to his father for quite some time. Dylan ordered dinner for their group after sitting Cami in a corner booth and calling the boys inside. Junior joined them at their table and another very large wolf walked over to stand at his side. Cami didn’t know him but he was huge and unfriendly looking. Funny, he looked a lot like Dylan that first night, all broad and mountainously big with bushy hair and a bushy beard. Did these guys think it was a good look? It was not sexy and it was not frightening to Cami. She gulped anyway because he was still gigantic and scary. “Is everything okay sir?” The big dark wolf grumbled looking Cami over. She would swear that he had to be as wide as he was tall. Dylan growled low in his throat when the wolf’s eyes appraised his mate. “Fine, if I need you, I’ll call.” Junior dismissed him not looking up. “Look, I’m the alpha here now. I have been for the past eighteen months. When I rolled into town, the alpha was old. I know the rules, I challenged him, and well, here I am. I sent Cami to you guys so that you would protect her. She was drawing a lot of attention here so I took her under my wing but there was a lot of interest in claiming her whether she knew she was wolf or not. This pack is still a little backwoods and they were not going to give her a choice in the matter. Cami’s a nice girl and I didn’t want to see her raped and dominated like that, it wasn’t how Pop raised us.” He was talking to Dylan who was nodding. His thumb stroked her hand under the table. “He’s always preached putting your mate on a pedestal.” Hank chuckled. “He was always real sweet to my mama. I knew that Cami would be safer at home. I knew that Pop would protect her.” He finished his beer and held the empty glass up to Melanie. “Shit.” Dylan finished his beer. “That means that I have to tell Henry…” “It means that you need to challenge your alpha and take over Dylan.” Hank’s eyes flashed amber and his tone was full of authority like Dylan’s was sometimes. Cami nibbled her lip wondering if this was going to turn into a fight. There were a lot of wolves in here that would be on Hank’s side. “I won’t challenge Henry. He’s dying for shit’s sake.” Dylan’s hand tightened on hers for a moment. Did he need reassurance that she was still there? Cami squeezed his back and rested her other hand on his too. “Let him go out with some pride. If you challenge him, he will be seen as a strong alpha that needed to be challenged but you as a stronger one. It’s not like he’s handing down the place in the pack to me. It’s not the same, it doesn’t matter that you grew up in the same house. You aren't blood so he can’t just hand it over. You have to challenge him Dylan, besides, just think how great it will make him feel if a strong beta like you bothers to challenge him instead of just hovering like a vulture. He can die a proud wolf.” Melanie brought a round of beers and told them that their food would be right out. She handed Cami a check. “I can’t go back tonight, I have some matters to attend to, but I will set out first thing tomorrow. Me and Pop have said our peace. We have worked it out if he can’t hold on until I get there. I told him that I forgave him and that I never stopped loving him. He sounded pretty weak guys so we can’t take too long.” Junior leaned over and hugged Dylan then shook Pete and Mike’s hands. “I’ll hurry, you guys do the same.” He got up and left the bar. Cami wiped her tears and sniffled. Dylan put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her to him. “Eat your dinner. I don’t want to hear your belly growling all night.” He kissed her temple. They ate in somber silence. Cami cleared her plate while Dylan watched amused. She really was starving. He would keep in mind that she needed a decent sized meal at least once a day, she was not a grazer. He liked that, there was nothing worse than a woman who always said she wasn’t hungry and picked at a salad while her gut rumbled. The boys clinked glasses again. They were done chasing Junior all over the countryside. Finally, they could get back to their lives. Mike was thinking that he’d start looking for his mate while Pete was pretty convinced that the she-wolf he was dancing with was his. Dylan wondered for a moment if the betas would share her later, they’d done it before. He didn’t care what the hell they did. His belly was full and he had a lush female cuddled into his side. “Dylan, I’m kind of tired. Would you mind if I went back to the room?” He gave her a squeeze. “My thoughts exactly, it’s been a long day.” He finished his beer and leveled a look at Mike. “Cami and I are going to turn in, be ready to go at five.” Mike nodded and turned his mug up as well. It was after eleven. He stifled a yawn and motioned to Pete that they were leaving. Cami followed Dylan out of the booth and took his hand when he offered it. She hugged Melanie good bye then followed Dylan across the street to the hotel.
