Wicked Wolf Read online

  Tears pricked at her eyes, and she shook her head. “You and your Dad need to stay at your place so you can finish getting better. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

  Jesse stopped his perusal of the house and turned toward her. “But you’re all alone. Can’t you stay with us for one night? That way you aren’t sad anymore?”

  She swallowed hard and opened her mouth to say something, but Quinn stepped in.

  “I think that’s a great idea, Gina,” he said, his voice low. “That will give us some time to get to know one another.”

  She searched his face, wondering what the hell he was thinking. She didn’t know if she could do this. She might have been strong, but she wasn’t sure she could handle being near him and not falling for him.

  How was she going to do it when he was living with her?

  “Just one night, Gina,” he said softly. “Just to see.”

  If she could handle one night with him and not fall, she’d be okay. She could do this. She could find a way to make it work. That balance between heaven and hell was right at her fingertips. She just had to find a way to make it work.

  “Okay. Let me pack a bag.”

  Approval shone in Quinn’s eyes, and he smiled. “Sounds good to me.”

  “Yay!” Jesse rushed at her and grabbed her legs in a hug. “I can’t wait. I love sleepovers.”

  She ran a hand over his head. Sleepovers…with Quinn.

  Oh, boy. This was going to be her own personal hell.

  She’d make it work though. She’d chosen her fate. Now she had to live with it.

  * * * *

  “You’re kidding,” Quinn said on a laugh. He took a sip of his beer and shook his head. “How long did it take Finn to figure it out?”

  “Well, the smell got pretty bad after a week. He found the moldy cheese in his closet soon after.” Gina grinned. “He wasn’t happy, but hello, he told Matt that I had a crush on him, so I had to get back at him somehow.”

  He snorted then shook his head. After Jesse had invited Gina over to stay the night, they’d quickly packed her a bag and headed back to the Talon den. He’d done his best to make sure she felt comfortable, but he wasn’t sure how she was doing. They spent a few hours together each day, but other than the fact that Jesse treated her more warmly than he had before—which was saying something since the kid had latched onto her quickly—they hadn’t really done anything differently.

  Seeing her in the home she’d chosen for them had shocked him. He’d known it was coming and had given her the reins since he hadn’t been able to do anything else for her. The home, however, felt like he could have moved right it. It wasn’t huge but had a warm feeling that pulled at him, even if nothing was truly unpacked. He liked the fact that she was waiting for him to do the rest. It was as if she wanted to make sure they were part of it. It wasn’t just them moving into her home. It was the three of them moving into their home.

  Things sure changed fast as hell, but he was beginning to find his footing. Telling the Talons that he was leaving had almost killed him, but they’d been supportive. They understood the sacrifice Gina had made and hadn’t judged them for it. Or at least, he hadn’t caught on to it. He’d always hold the Talons in his heart. They were the Pack of his family, his ancestors, his son, but he wouldn’t go into the Redwoods without them knowing he’d be handing over his allegiance.

  It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was something he had to do. He at least had that much honor left.

  “You’re really close to your brothers then,” he said, bringing his focus back to the matter at hand. He wanted to get to know Gina. It scared him how much. He might have gone into his mating, this partnership, thinking he would hide himself from her, but he didn’t know how much longer he could do that. The mating bond pulsed between them, bringing him closer to her, even as he tried to deny it.

  He wasn’t sure what was coming or even how they would travel the path they’d made for themselves, but he knew he couldn’t go on trying to act like he wasn’t affected. His wolf wanted her; he wanted her.

  Could he one day love her?

  If he could let go and face the chance of pain, yes, yes he could. She was strong, worthy, funny, brilliant, and beautiful. Everything he wanted in a mate. Or at least, everything he thought he’d wanted in a mate before he’d met Helena.

  Helena had been striking. She had been one of the most beautiful women in the entire den. He’d liked the way she’d laugh or try to joke around more than anything. She didn’t take much seriously, which he’d thought had helped him calm down after a shift or long day spent dealing with wolves who tried to prove their dominance to him. The Pack had been much different before Gideon took over, and the transition had not been easy. Coming home to Helena had been nice because she just wanted to play or have sex. Easy.

  Then she’d gotten pregnant, and things turned to shit.

  Now that he thought about what he wanted, he knew it wasn’t a woman like Helena. Yeah, she was beautiful, but looks only went so far.

  He didn’t like comparing Gina to her, but he couldn’t help it.

  Gina wasn’t the same kind of beauty as Helena. While Helena was all ice and Nordic features, Gina was warmth and strength wrapped up in a sultry aura. She also was much more dominant than Helena had ever been. The way she fought back and fought for herself turned him on more than he’d thought possible.

  He liked that, while he could protect her if needed, she was just as capable of protecting herself. He hadn’t known he’d wanted that until she’d shown up in his life.

  And now they were mates, and she wasn’t going away. Not that he wanted her to.

  His mind whirled.

  He didn’t want her to go.

  He wanted her to stay.

  What the hell had happened in these short days since they’d been mated?

  He’d seen the true side of her courage and had finally, what? Said it was okay to risk being hurt again? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he couldn’t hurt Gina in the process. He couldn’t be the asshole he’d been. Not when she’d done nothing wrong but been herself.

  “Quinn? You aren’t listening to me. What’s going on?”

  He shook his head and cleared his thoughts. “I’m just thinking. It’s not a big deal.”

  She frowned. “Thinking about what? You looked really serious just then, like someone had sucked the air out of the room.”

  He set his beer down then cupped her face. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t move away. Progress.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  She closed her eyes. “Don’t thank me, please.”

  Quinn lowered his head so he was only a whisper away from her lips. “I have to. Thank you for taking a chance on us. I…I like you. I admire you. I want to know you more. Do you think you’ll let me do that?”

  She opened her eyes and sucked in a breath. He could feel the heat of her skin on his, but he didn’t move. He couldn’t.

  “I want to know you, too.”

  He growled softly then took her lips in a kiss.

  She moaned under him, and he brushed his tongue against hers, deepening the kiss. She tasted of sweetness and promise, and he wanted more of her. Craved more.

  She shifted and ended up on his lap, her core right above his dick. He groaned then pulled back, trying to catch his breath.

  “I actually wanted to talk,” he said on a laugh. “You know, find out who you are beyond the blessed Redwood wolf and witch.”

  She cupped his face and grinned. “I want to know you beyond the father and scarred wolf that everyone sees.” She swallowed hard. “I had thought you wanted nothing to do with that when I came here before.”

  He would regret that day until he died. He’d acted rashly and might have ruined a chance at healing, at a future. That was, if he could make this work with Gina. Hope never worked without the inherent risk, and he knew he had to be prepared to make that happen.

  He brushed her hair away from her face. “I
think we went about this the wrong way, and we should start over.”

  Her eyes widened. “Uh, Quinn? We’re already mated. Your son is sleeping in the room behind us, and I’m currently straddling your legs. I mean, I can feel your cock under me so I know you’re not unaffected.”

  He let out a hoarse chuckle. “Damn right I’m not unaffected. What I’m saying is, we should look at what we’re doing and what we have in front of us without worrying about what happened before.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You…you’re serious?”

  “I think…”

  He didn’t get a chance to say what he was going to. Instead, his wolf went on alert as the scent of someone who should not have been anywhere close to him invaded his senses.

  Gina stiffened. “Quinn? What’s wrong?”

  His eyes widened then he looked toward the front door as the one person he never wanted to see again walked through.

  “Helena,” he growled.

  Gina sucked in a breath but didn’t move.

  Helena grinned at him, her bright blue eyes filled with something he couldn’t decipher, and her long blonde hair blowing in the breeze.

  “Quinn. I’m back.”

  Hell. No.

  She couldn’t be back. He wouldn’t have her back.

  Fate really fucking hated him.

  Hated. Him.

  Chapter Ten

  Gina slowly slid off Quinn’s lap, her body tight as a string. She refused to look at him because, if she did, she was afraid of what she’d see. Plus, she needed to keep her eyes on the wolf that had walked through the door.

  Helena.

  Quinn’s mate.

  In his home.

  What. The. Hell.

  Her wolf whimpered then thought better and growled.

  She didn’t say anything.

  She couldn’t.

  Instead, she stood there like a freaking idiot and watched the woman that Quinn had once loved—or maybe still loved—walk through the door like she owned the place. She knew Helena had never lived here, but that didn’t stop the woman from acting like she belonged.

  Belonged while Gina didn’t.

  Holy hell, there wasn’t a guidebook for this. She had no idea what to do. From the look on Quinn’s face, he didn’t either. That hurt her more than it should have. If he’d truly hated Helena like he said he had, he’d have done something by now. Yelled or thrown her out.

  Instead, they were standing there like they had something to say yet didn’t know how to say it, and Gina was breaking.

  Again.

  This was the woman who Quinn had chosen. The one he’d put his heart and soul into loving. Gina was the woman he’d been forced to be with. Helena was Jesse’s mother. Gina was nothing.

  She wasn’t sure she could handle much more. If things had been different, if Quinn had mated with her because he’d wanted to, not because he’d had to, maybe she’d have fought, but she couldn’t.

  Why bother?

  Who was this wolf inside her who had given up? Who was this woman who wanted to run away and not deal with the fact that the woman who had broken Quinn’s heart and left the Pack was now in Quinn’s domain?

  Gina didn’t, and she didn’t like who she was becoming.

  She was a dominant wolf. She should fight for what she wanted.

  Only she didn’t know what she wanted…she didn’t know what Quinn wanted. She might be mated to Quinn, but there was evidently a way to break the mating bond. If that’s what Quinn wanted…

  Bile rose in her mouth, yet still, she didn’t speak. She couldn’t be the one to do so. It had to be Quinn and Helena.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Quinn growled. His power swept through the room, and even Gina’s knees buckled under its weight. The hair on her arms stood on end, and she was determined not to kneel under the strength of his wolf. She would not kneel in front of Helena.

  The other woman whimpered then went to her knees, her head down as she bared her throat.

  “Quinn…please forgive me.”

  Quinn’s whole body shook, and Gina knew he was fighting for control. She didn’t know what she should do, but she knew she couldn’t let him tear Helena into small pieces—even though she wanted to do that herself. The other woman had almost killed Quinn and Jesse, the family she loved but shouldn’t.

  Helena deserved far worse than being torn into bits.

  Yet she was Jesse’s mother.

  Quinn’s love.

  “Get out,” Quinn snapped, and Gina shot her gaze to him, her heart pounding. Who? “Just get out. I don’t know how you got through the wards or who helped you, but they will pay for it.”

  “Quinn. I’m so sorry. I just needed space, and I didn’t know how to do it.”

  “Shut up!” he yelled. “I don’t care. You need to leave before I kill you, and I won’t have your blood on my hands. I won’t do that to Jesse.”

  Helena looked up, tears in her eyes. “How is Jesse?”

  The woman looked as if she actually cared about how her son was, but Gina couldn’t take those words at face value. Helena had tainted his soul and left. That didn’t give her the right to care about those she’d left behind. Yet Gina’s mind still fought itself over what she should do, whether she should stay. Quinn clearly needed to talk to Helena and find out what had happened, and she wasn’t sure he could do it with Gina in the room.

  She didn’t want to go…but maybe she should.

  Her heart raced, and she let out a whimper of her own.

  Quinn’s gaze shot to hers. “Stay,” he growled out, his eyes glowing gold. His wolf was right at the surface. This was one dangerous male, yet her wolf nudged at her, wanting his touch.

  God, she didn’t know what to do, and that annoyed her more than anything. She made decisions and kept to them. She didn’t run away, and yet she felt as though she had to. This mating was killing her slowly, one inch at a time, and she didn’t see a way out of it. Didn’t see a way out of the pain beyond making sure Quinn and Jesse were happy.

  Why did she have to be the better person? Why couldn’t Quinn just love her and choose her?

  Why did there have to be a choice?

  “I should go,” she whispered. “You need time.”

  He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Stay,” he repeated.

  “Quinn? Who is this? Why is there a woman in your house?”

  Quinn roared. “Fuck you, Helena. You don’t get to ask those questions.” He turned back to Gina. “Don’t go.”

  “Daddy? Gina?”

  Gina’s eyes widened, and she turned to Jesse, who stumbled his way into the room, his eyes half closed.

  “Jesse,” she whispered.

  “Who’s that, Gina?” he asked then put his hand in hers.

  Her heart broke that much more.

  “Jesse…” Helena breathed.

  Quinn quickly stood in front of Jesse and Gina. “Get. Out.” He flared his power again, and this time Gina was forced to her knees. She held Jesse close to her, and he burrowed into her body.

  Gina heard Helena scramble away then Quinn’s footsteps as he followed her. She held onto Jesse, rubbing his back, and flinched when Quinn slammed the door shut.

  “Who was that?” Jesse asked, his voice shaking.

  Gina pulled back and cupped his face. “I’m sorry we woke you.” She wasn’t about to tell him about Helena. That would be Quinn’s job if he chose to do that.

  Helena had technically lost all parental rights when she broke the mating bond. She had no right to Jesse or to even see him according to wolf laws. However, that didn’t mean Jesse didn’t deserve to know. This was all about the boy.

  Everything Gina was doing was all about Jesse.

  Jesse scrunched his face then shook his head. “You didn’t answer me.”

  “That was no one,” Quinn said calmly.

  Surprised, Gina looked up at him.

  He shook his head then knelt beside them. “It was no one important. Now
, I’m sorry we woke you. Are you feeling okay?”

  Jesse nodded then held out his arms. Quinn smiled slightly then picked Jesse up. “I’m going to put him back to bed,” he said over his shoulder. “We need to talk.”

  She ran a hand over her face but didn’t say anything. She honestly didn’t know what to say at all.

  He frowned at her, looked as though he wanted to say something else, and then turned with Jesse in his arms. Jesse waved, and she lifted her arm, waving slowly back. Her eyes burned, but she blinked the tears away. It wouldn’t do any good to cry now. Her emotions were all over the place, and she wasn’t sure what to think.

  One moment she and Quinn were getting hot and heavy on the couch, actually talking about a future and what it meant for them to be mates, and the next the woman from his past walked through the door and Gina’s dreams were shattered.

  It didn’t matter that Quinn had told Gina to stay while kicking Helena out.

  Things weren’t black and white, and nothing was ever that easy.

  Gina had things to think about, and she wasn’t sure she could do it with Quinn in the same room with her. Her heart was already hurt before she’d come over that night, and her head had already been so full of confusing thoughts she couldn’t breathe.

  Now she was at the point where if she worried about one more thing she would burst.

  On shaky legs, she walked over to the notepad on the fridge and jotted down a note. It didn’t say anything about what she was thinking or what she felt, because, honestly, she couldn’t put any of that into words anyway.

  Instead, she said she’d see him in the morning and that she was leaving. Not forever.

  She hoped she was doing the right thing, but she wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

  As quietly as she could, she left the house and her mate behind and made her way to her car.

  “Gina?”

  She froze then looked over at Lorenzo, her fellow council member. He looked as if he was on a late-night run, and considering he was part of their security force, that made sense.

  “Lorenzo,” she said smoothly, surprised that her voice didn’t break.