Grange groaned as he fought his way back to consciousness. Pain is what he was first aware of and then he became aware of the soft warm body cuddled up against his own.
He breathed in Dawn’s scent and smiled. She was alive and well. He opened his eyes and looked down at her. Her face was squished against up against him and her drool had begun to pool on his skin.
He tried hard not to laugh but she moaned and shifted slightly as several chuckles slipped free and rumbled deep in his chest beneath her face.
Grange pulled up the blanket around them and looked down at her legs. Someone had sewn them up and from what he could tell they were healing nicely. Now that the trauma was over her body could focus less on the baby and more on healing herself.
Grange took a deep breath and realized they were still in Faugrimm’s castle. He had no way of knowing how long they had been in this bed but judging by the way his stomach wound seemed to be healing beneath the bandage it had been a good solid day.
Their bodies had been badly injured and needed that time to heal themselves.
Grange moved his gaze back to her face and saw her brow furrow as she shifted. He wondered what she was dreaming. He loved to watch her. To look at her. All that soft, pale skin. Those curves and dips of her body that were like a map to all his favorite places. Maps to his own personal Eden.
She had her top leg propped over his legs and her arm was lying across her hip. She looked so gentle. So innocent. But there was more to Dawn than what met the eye.
His tough little mate. How foolish he’d been to be upset when he’d first met her. He had thought she would be fragile, soft and useless when it came down to the hardships of being an alpha wolf. He hadn’t thought she’d have what it took to survive in this kind of life. But now?
Grange ran his knuckle tenderly over her pale, lightly freckled cheek and felt his heart do a slow roll in his chest.
She was stronger than ten thousand men combined. She had the guts to do what it took to survive and the strength of both body and mind to handle any situation she was put into. She was his mate. His alpha female. His wife. His best friend. All he had ever wanted yet had never dreamed existed.
“What are you looking at so hard?” Dawn whispered as her lips curved into a smile and her eyes fluttered open.
“Your drool.” Grange replied with a grin. A deep red blush covered Dawn’s cheeks and she quickly pulled away, wiping the drool from her face with the back of her hand and then using the blanket to dry his chest.
“I wasn’t drooling.” she argued quietly and Grange’s smile grew. Dawn felt her heart beat just a little faster at the sight of that lopsided grin. It seemed Grange’s smile could always send her heart fluttering. Even after she’d given him a nice little drool bath.
“No of course not.” he agreed. Dawn stretched and then winced at the tightness in her calves.
“Ouch.”
Grange hugged her tight and pressed another gentle kiss to her temple.
“You’ll be sore for a while. You were one little ball of fighting force to be reckoned with. For somebody so tiny you sure took care of business real good.”
“I wasn’t going to let anything happen to our baby.” Dawn replied simply and Grange laid his hand gently over her bare stomach. He could smell that tiny life still nestled safely inside her and his heart filled with loving pride.
“Have I told you yet how happy I am that I found you? How happy I am that we have our pack and are starting a family?”
“You could always tell me again.” Dawn replied, arching her back as she stretched and then curled up tighter against him. “Just so I don’t forget.”
“Oh, I’ll make sure you don’t forget.” Grange growled before covering her mouth with his. The kiss was hungry and desperate.
The wolf and man in him had been too long without his mate and was eager to claim her yet again. To feel his body and hers joined together and moving as one.
They were both still dirty, though someone had cleaned away the blood while they’d been sleeping and their bodies and muscles were sore but those things were forgotten as Grange flipped Dawn onto her back and covered her body with his.
He lowered his mouth to her breast and closed his lips around the tight peak before pulling away with an angry growl when a knock came to the door.
“What?!” he snapped as Dawn rose up and nibbled at his neck.
“I take it you’re both awake?” Nickolai’s voice came through the heavy wooden door. Grange looked at his reflection in the gilded mirror above the dresser across from them and nodded.
“That would be a pretty safe guess. Now leave.” he replied gruffly and Dawn laughed lightly, her breath teasing his skin and setting his blood on fire.
“Actually, Brie wanted to check your wounds…..” Nickolai replied and Grange shook his head.
“We’re fine. Is everyone else okay?”
“Yes everyone is fine. Grange…..”
“Go away, Nickolai! If you don’t I’ll be forced to kill you.”
“There are some things that require your attention…” Nickolai countered and Grange would be damned if he didn’t hear amusement in the other man’s voice.
“Dammit, Nickolai!” Dawn suddenly yelled out, startling laughter out of Grange. “The man said it can wait!”
“Yes ma’am.” Nickolai replied with a chuckle and then they heard his footsteps disappear down the hallway.
“Well you took care of him.” Grange said approvingly and Dawn smiled as she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.
“I know how to play the alpha female role when I need to.” she replied. Grange grinned.
“Is that right?” Dawn bit her lip and then shifting her weight, flipping Grange onto his back and settling down on top of him. His shocked expression quickly turned to a hungry one and Dawn smiled as she pressed her lips against his ear.
“Yes, that’s right.”
***
Grange and Dawn made love hungrily and then washed each others bodies with water from a tub beside the bed. This of course stirred their passions once again and this time the lovemaking was slow and tender.
When they finally dressed, (in clothes that someone had laid out while they’d been sleeping), and followed the scent of the pack downstairs and into a kitchen, they were both so hungry that they attacked the bread, ham, cheese and grapes lying on the table.
“Worked up an appetite, did you?” Trig asked as he tilted his head and grinned. Dawn smiled.
“You’re looking much less twitchy.”
“Well thank you.” Trig replied and then he closed the distance between them and wrapped her in a tight hug. “Am I damn glad to see you again.”
“I’m glad to see you too.” Dawn admitted, hugging him back. Then she noticed the four unfamiliar people in the kitchen with them. She scented the air and realized they were all wolves. Three men and a woman. They were all on the skinny side though Dawn was sure they looked much better than they had…. How many days ago?
“How long were Grange and I asleep?”
“A day and a half.” Nickolai replied with a shrug. “Trig and Farrah slept nearly as long once they settled into bed. Brendon left shortly after the final battle. Brie and I weren’t injured and so we saw to everyone’s wounds and kept everyone fed.”
“So it’s the middle of the day?” Grange asked, the wolf in him restless in this windowless castle with stale air and heavy walls. He also wished that Brendon would have stayed around until he’d awaken. He wanted to thank the man, though knowing Brendon he had left quickly just to avoid that very thing.
“Yes.” Nickolai replied.
“Let’s eat and then we’ll go home.” Grange stated and Farrah nodded.
“I hate these walls.” she replied with a shiver. “They close in.”
“Who are they?” Grange asked, as if noticing the other wolves for the first time.”
“Faugrimm’s prisoner. Or what’s left of them.” Trig replied with a shrug. “Most everyone had families, homes or mates to go back to but these four have no such place.”
“And?” Grange asked with dread as a frown creased his brow. The woman stepped forward. She had short black hair that looked as if it had been hacked off with a knife and she was tall and willowy. Her green eyes were sad and yet somehow hopeful as she looked at Grange.
“We would like to join your pack.” she admitted. “We came from the same pack and one day Faugrimm and his men showed up, killed our alpha, our families, our mates…. But we were merely injured and so he took us as prizes.”
“Of course you all are welcome to join our pack!” Dawn said happily. “The more the merrier!”
“Dawn, love, can I talk to you for a moment?” Grange ground out between clenched teeth. Dawn shook her head, her smile was kind as she looked at the four prisoners but her eyes were stern as she looked at Grange. “I don’t see what we have to talk about.” she replied simply. “They need a pack and if this all taught me anything it’s that you can never have too many pack members to have your back. I think it will work nicely.” She looked over at Nickolai. “What do you think?”
“I think you are the alpha’s.” he conceded diplomatically as he took a step back.
Grange sighed. He knew what that look on Dawn’s face meant. It meant she was going to get her way is exactly what it meant. Damn her and how cute she was when she stuck up her chin like that.
“Names?” Grange asked as he looked at the four wolves in turn and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Anika.” the black haired woman replied.
“Jacques.”
“Blain.”
“Thompson.”
“Okay, Anika, Jacques, Blain and Thompson. Here’s how things are going to work. We do not cause any harm to mortals. Or I should say innocent mortals. If I feel a mortal needs to be dealt with then it will only be done under my direct orders. Other than that I don’t care what you do just so long as you don’t expose us openly.”
“We will serve you well, sir.” Jacques stated submissively as he tipped his head. Grange rolled his eyes and popped a grape into his mouth.
“And none of that.” he added. “My name is Grange.”
“But you are our alpha. We are duty bound to respect and honor you.” Anika argued, though she now kept her eyes on his feet. Grange growled and looked down at Dawn.
“One more remark like that and they’re out.” he warned. Dawn smiled understandingly and patted his arm.
“Yes, dear.”
***
“I can smell home.” Dawn said with a sigh as she breathed in deep from atop Grange’s large horse. Grange had not let her out of arms reach in the days since they’d awaken at Faugrimm’s castle and honestly Dawn wasn’t bothered at all. She had always liked the possessive and protective side of Grange.
Grange nodded and then the cabin and barn came into view and Dawn noticed his shoulders sag with relief.
“Where will we stay?” Jacques asked as he took in the tiny house.
“There is a hotel in town.” Grange replied simply. “I’ll pay for your rooms.”
“We plan on building a bigger place. Or maybe several smaller cabins near ours so we can all be closer together soon.”
“We do?” Grange asked with a frown and Dawn just nodded in response.
They dismounted their horses and stretched out their stiff muscles. Grange and Nickolai were leading their horses to the barn when Brendon came out of the cabin.
“What are you doing here?” Grange asked suspiciously and Brendon shook his head.
“I left the castle before you all because I was worried about what would be going on here. I remembered that we made a mess in the woods before we left.” Brendon replied and Grange thought about the two dead wolves they’d left lying on the forest floor. “And we left a lot of tracks back to your cabin and well the sheriff ain’t no fool.” Brendon pulled a cigarette and matches from his pocket.
Dawn cast a worried glance at Grange who appeared to be living out one of his worst nightmares judging by the look on his face.
“What are they saying?” he asked.
“So far as I can tell it’s just the sheriff. He found the bodies and he realized they led to your cabin. Far as I can tell he hasn’t told anyone else his suspicions but I believe he’s wanting to talk to you.”
“Okay.” Grange said simply. “Dawn, Brie load up all the belongings we will need in the cart. Clothes and the canned fruits and vegetables. We can hunt for meat. Nickolai, you can come into town with me. Trig and Farrah, shift and stand guard.”
“What about us, sir… I mean, Grange.” Thompson asked. Grange shrugged.
“Can you shift and stand guard as well? Anika, you can help Dawn and Brie.” The four new wolves all nodded.
“Grange, I’d rather come with you.” Dawn argued quietly as she pulled him to the side. Grange shook his head.
“This could go very bad in town, Dawn, and I don’t want you near it. Plus the women need their alpha female here to give them strength.”
“Do you think we’re going to have to run?” Dawn asked nervously and Grange shoved his hand through his hair.
“There’s a pretty good chance of it.” he replied honestly.
“And are you going to have to kill…. Someone?” Grange closed his eyes and rubbed his face roughly.
“I hope not.” he replied, the tension suddenly back in his posture. Dawn knew she had to be brave and strong for him despite how weary and tired she was.
She just wanted life to be simple. Grange, their pack, their child, their cabin and her bakery. No more running for their lives, no more battling foes that wanted them dead for whatever reason…… Just simple simplicity.
Dawn rose up on her toes and planted a gentle kiss to his tense jaw.
“I’ll make sure the cart is loaded and ready to go.” she assured him. Grange nodded and then without another word he and Nickolai mounted their horses and were gone.
“I’ll help you ladies, ma’am.” Brendon said with a tip of his hat. “By the way, you didn’t happen to remember to bring my coat back did you?” he added.
Dawn rolled her eyes. Men could be so stupid sometimes, regardless of exactly what breed of men they were. She walked to Grange’s horse, opened the small saddlebag and pulled out the long black duster coat, which was covered in her own blood and Granges.
“It’s dirty.” she stated as she tossed it to him. Brendon just shrugged and slipped it on, a big smile on his dimpled cheeks.
“That’s quite alright with me, ma’am. That just gives it character.” He slipped on the coat despite the heat of the day and Dawn sighed.
“Well let’s get on with it.”
“No rest for the wicked.” Trig agreed with a wink.