Wild Rogues (third in lone wolf series)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Julian's legs sliced through the frigid snow. His breaths came out in labored pants but still he ran.

He had to stop Abbey as far from town as he could.

Raising his nose to the air, Julian breathed in deeply and caught her scent. It sent a jolt of awareness through his body to smell her wolf. It was still that summer rain scent but there was wild undercurrent mixed in that excited him.

It helped his tiring legs to move faster and with more purpose.

He knew that Marcus was running as well, chasing Abbey. Julian caught sight of them then. Marcus's jet black wolf running side by side with Abbey's snow white one.

Julian's steps faltered as he took in the sight of her. A solid white wolf was rare and it was breathtaking. His mate was breathtaking.

Those thoughts were pushed aside when Julian remembered that she was blood thirsty and heading toward town.

Quickly he intercepted her and slammed into her side, tackling Abbey to the snow. He hated doing that to her but it was the only way to get through to her wolf. He had to dominate her.

Abbey fought against him frantically but Julian knew a thing or two more about fighting than gentle Abbey and he flipped her onto her back before pressing his teeth tight against her neck.

Abbey's struggles ceased instantly while Marcus paced beside them, growling his displeasure at seeing Abbey in such a position.

Her tail was between her legs, her ears were back and she was whimpering with fear and submission.

(You could have done this when you first caught up with her.)

Julian reminded his agitated brother.

(No, no I won't do that to her.)

(You think I like it?)

Julian demanded. (But she has to know there are boundaries and lines she can't cross. It's either force her to submit now and clear her head or end up visiting her in prison once a week, or worse, the graveyard.)

Marcus just snorted and continued to pace around, scenting the air every few moments as if checking for threats.

When Julian was certain that Abbey was calm beneath him, he released his hold on her and stepped away. Instantly she sprang to her feet and tried to continue toward town. This time it was Marcus who stopped her when he snapped at her hindquarters.

She whirled to snap back at him and they faced off.

Julian knew that Abbey was still in there somewhere but she was having trouble focusing on anything other than the wolf's bloodlust and need to hunt and kill. This Samantha had obviously been Abbey's target and Julian and Marcus had to get her to focus on something else. When a person made their first change while consumed with fear and anger it was hard to find that person inside the wolf. The wolf tended to simply take over.

Julian should have known better than to leave Marcus in charge of Abbey in her current state. Julian loved his brother and he knew that his brother loved Abbey but what she had needed was a calm and completely tension free environment. Marcus was not good at dialing down intensity.

Julian used yips and body language to signal to Abbey that they needed to run the other way. He swatted his tail at her face to goad her into chasing him.

Abbey shook her head, snorted and attempted to turn toward town once again. Again Marcus snapped at her and disrupted her concentration.

Julian shifted to his human form and crouched down in front of Abbey, hoping that she would be coherent and human enough to hear his words, "Abbey, I know you're worried about the pups but they are fine. They are safe at Marcy's house. She closed the diner early and I locked them in myself. No one knows that they're there and Samantha won't find them."