One Night with the Wolf Read online

  And Christian finally knew the truth.

  He’d always thought he wasn’t good enough, strong enough or smart enough. But being with Thorne—with Jade—had allowed him to see his true worth.

  “You were afraid I’d take the pack.”

  “Insolent son of a bitch.” Harper moved forward, shifting into his wolf on the run. The giant black beast crashed into Christian, tackling him to the ground. They both went skidding across the dirt.

  The wolf snarled, then thrust his claws deep into Christian’s belly.

  It was like the burn of acid. Christian coughed, tasted the hot metal of blood in his mouth.

  Jade’s scream echoed in his ears.

  Luna, no. Jade struggled to get to Christian, but the enforcer held her back. He ignored her pleas and curses.

  Her gaze stayed on Christian. Get up. Get up.

  The scent of his blood stained the air. Harper’s blow had gone deep. She willed Christian to rise. When the older man slashed his claws across Christian’s face, Jade’s stomach dropped away.

  She clutched at the man holding her. “Let me go!” She had to stop this.

  She’d marry Harper. She’d do anything to save the man she loved.

  Like he’d heard her, Christian turned his head. She saw a feral glint flash in his eyes. He launched up, thrusting Harper off him and shifting in the next instant.

  The two big wolves lunged at each other, meeting in a snarl of teeth and claws. But now Christian looked possessed, driven by something wild.

  He drove the black wolf back. Each lunge Christian made, Harper tried to avoid. Some of Christian’s strikes connected. The other blows slowly zapped the older wolf’s energy.

  They were both tiring. Jade bit the inside of her mouth. She saw their chests heaving, their paws dragging in the dirt.

  Then with a final vicious lunge, Christian rammed into his father. He took the black wolf down, his jaws wrapped around Harper’s throat.

  The universal sign of domination for a wolf.

  They shifted back, both naked, their jeans destroyed in the change. Harper was flat on his back—bleeding and breathing hard. Christian towered over him, fists raised, chest heaving.

  “It’s over.” Christian lowered his hands.

  “Finish it, you coward,” Harper rasped, his whiskey eyes molten hot. Blood ran down his chest.

  Christian shook his head. “I won’t kill you. I’m not like you. Death would be easier for you and I want you to suffer.”

  It was done. Air finally filled Jade’s lungs. Harper was defeated and Christian was fine.

  She broke from the enforcer’s hold and raced toward Christian. He sensed her coming and turned to catch her.

  “Christian…” She pressed her face against his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

  His hand tangled in her hair, his other arm banded around her middle, holding her so tight she couldn’t breathe.

  “You’re okay?” She pulled back to study him. And realized she was covered in his blood. “Luna, you’re hurt.”

  “I’m fine.”

  She gritted her teeth. “Don’t go all macho on me now.” She pressed a shaky hand to the deep lacerations on his stomach, then the claw marks on his face. “I need to treat these wounds.”

  He cupped her face. “Jade—”

  Someone moved up beside them. Jade spun, standing in front of Christian, ready to protect him. Harper’s second watched them with a steady gaze.

  “As second of the Bane Pack, it’s my duty to pronounce you alpha.”

  Alpha. Jade couldn’t breathe. She hadn’t even thought about the fact that Christian was next in line.

  “I was exiled,” Christian growled.

  Seth gave them a small smile. “From this display, I don’t think anyone’s going to challenge you for Bane.” Seth glanced at Jade. “Or for Ms. Thorne.”

  Lack of air made her dizzy. She was free to marry Christian, to claim her mate and secure a future for her pack.

  She’d gone from despair and fear to such incredible relief and happiness, she couldn’t quite trust it.

  When her legs failed, Christian scooped her into his arms and held her against his chest.

  “Welcome home, Christian,” Seth said.

  Christian nodded, then headed for the house.

  “We need to hold the Joining ceremony,” Seth added.

  Oh, Luna, a wedding. Jade closed her eyes and clutched at Christian. Was this real or just a dream—a much wanted, yearned for dream?

  “Tonight,” Christian said over his shoulder. “My mate looks beautiful in the moonlight.”

  He carried her up to the house and straight into her bedroom. He set her on the bed, but she scrambled up. “I need to clean those wounds.”

  After staring at her for a few seconds, he nodded and sank onto the bed. Jade found supplies in her bathroom and knelt in front of him.

  As she washed the blood away from his belly, she noted the deep claw marks. There could be internal injuries, the risk of infection.

  “They’re already healing,” he murmured.

  She’d come so close to losing him, and not just from the fight—deep down she’d known he wouldn’t stay after the Courting. Her hand trembled. “I’m sorry you were hurt.”

  His hands clasped hers. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” He fingered a lock of her hair. “I’m sorry my father touched you.”

  She reached up and brushed her fingertips against one of the claw marks on his face. They’d leave a scar. A permanent reminder of everything he’d suffered.

  “I need to make love to you, Jade. Here, in your bed, where I’ve imagined having you so many times before.”

  She realized he needed it more than he needed his wounds cleaned and bandaged. It was the way of mates to know what the other needed most. Maybe she needed it, too.

  When he removed her torn shirt, she trembled. When he pressed her down into the big soft bed with his body, her blood fired.

  He hovered above her, resting his weight on his elbows, his hands cupping her head. “Will you marry me? I have something to offer you now.”

  Hot anger tore through her. How dare he think she only wanted him because he now had a damn pack? She tried to push him off her, but he wouldn’t let her budge.

  “You had something to offer before…yourself. You may never have seen your true worth, but I did.”

  A smile moved over his lips. “I know. I didn’t mean the Bane pack.”

  She stilled. “What did you mean?”

  “Before you, I did think I was worthless. Exile ripped me open, left me doubting myself. But seeing the way you looked at me last night….” His smile was gone, replaced by an intense look. “You made me believe in myself again, Jade. And now I’m offering myself to you.”

  Her heart turned over. This proud alpha male was laying everything bare for her. “Christian—”

  “I’ll be a good alpha, although I’ll probably need your help. Diplomacy isn’t really one of my skills. I promise to do my best to be a good husband, mate and father.”

  The thought of children—of his dark-haired, golden-eyed babies—left her breathless. Mates were the most fertile union and usually produced twins and triplets. She’d never let herself dream of a family. It’d always been far beyond her reach.

  Yet here he was, offering her a way to protect her pack, offering himself, children…a chance to have it all.

  “But most of all, Jade, I’ll give you the love you deserve. Every day for the rest of our lives.”

  Tears gathered in her eyes. Could you die from happiness? “I love you, Christian. I want you. I want your children and I know together we can merge Thorne and Bane and make it a good pack.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her. When they broke apart, she smiled through her tears.

  “Now, didn’t you say something about making love to me?” she murmured.

  He growled, and the joy she saw on his face made her complete. He was hers. All she�
��d wanted was one night with her wolf and instead, she was getting a lifetime.

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  ISBN: 978-1-4268-8555-6

  One Night with the Wolf

  Copyright © 2011 by Anna Hackett

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