Wolf Six's Salvation: A Shifter Love Story (4 page)

Jackson turned, the pile of paperwork on his desk offering him only a boring excuse to fill his time. What he wanted was to find that girl, and smell that wonderful, relaxing and yet stimulating scent again.

He eased himself into the rickety chair, and pulled a beat-up laptop from a case on the floor. It wasn't a pretty computer, but it had been modified by his squad during the last tour and he knew he would never get another one like it. The computer could search more databases and crack security codes faster than Jackson had even thought possible. He could practically perform magic with the upgrades his squad had given him.

It booted quickly and as he waited for the search engine screen to show, he closed his eyes and tried to remember any details about the woman in the Records Room that would tell him who she was. Nothing came to mind except her age and that there was a local college nearby. It was as good a place to start as any, and he navigated to the Hudson University student directory.

His fingers flew across the laptop, searching through possible candidates and names until he finally stumbled across her picture. It was almost more luck than skill. She was photographed next to a microscope on the homepage for the Genetics Department.

Chloe Madison. PhD Candidate for Human Genetics.

The corner of his mouth twitched up at seeing her face before dropping into a frown. What was a genetics student doing breaking into a secure military facility to steal some old medical files? Perhaps she needed something for her research? But if that were the case, there were official channels to go through that would legitimize her work.

He looked down at the stack of paperwork next to his computer. It was only nine in the morning. Coffee at the student coffee shop suddenly sounded like a much better use of his time than going through old intelligence reports.

J
ackson sat next to the corner window overlooking the main quad. From his position he had a clear line of sight to the library, the science building, the student center entrance, as well as the rest of the coffee shop. The coffee was warm in his hands and he had surprised himself by ordering it with cream and sugar; he usually liked it black.

He didn't look out of place among the students. Slightly older, perhaps, at twenty-eight years old, but there were enough graduate students that he didn't stand out. Watching the freshmen working feverishly on their projects at the table next to him reminded him that he had gone a very different path. West Point with a degree in Psychology was not the easiest course load through college, but he had done it. It was how he had gotten to where he was now.

The door chimed and he turned from the window to have his world flooded with golden warmth. She was here. Chloe walked up to the counter to order a coffee to go. He tried not to stare, but he wanted to take in every detail about her. He took it all in: her purple scarf tucked neatly into the gray wool coat, the damp snow clinging to the bottom of her jeans, the knitted black hat she had over her ears, even the snow melting on her shoulders. She was so beautiful he was surprised that no one else in the coffee shop was staring.

Her voice sung in his ears as she ordered a coffee, pausing to decide if she wanted cream and sugar. She decided to go with yes, but only one of each. Her laugh was like tiny bells as she giggled at the comment by the barista that her coffee was actually starting to look like coffee rather than caffeinated milk. She dropped her change in the jar by the register and stepped out into the main quad.

Jackson had to count his heartbeats in order to still them. Blood was rushing through his ears and he was sure his eyes were golden. He couldn't control the effect she seemed to have on him, but he didn't want it to stop either. She was barely half-way across the quad when he stood from his seat and tried his best to nonchalantly follow her into the library.

She waved to a librarian on her way in and promptly headed up the main staircase to the second level. There were enough students that he was able to follow her without attracting any attention. She turned at the top of the stairs and walked down a short hallway with study room doors on either side. She glanced about before closing the door to room number three behind her.

He found an overstuffed chair by the window that he could sit in and watch the door. He pulled a random book from the nearest shelf, opening it on his lap to give him the appearance of studying. The title was something about the history of Romulus and Remus and the building of Rome.

His fingers gripped at the edges of the pages, but he didn't see the words.
What am I doing here?
He asked himself, unable to come up with a reasonable answer. Somehow, tracking a beautiful girl because her scent is intoxicating seemed too stalker-ish, even for him. Scenarios played out in his head of him entering the study room, pretending to be a student and starting up a conversation. Her imaginary laugh as he said something witty made him smile before he realized he was daydreaming about something he should never have.

He was dangerous. He had killed people. He should have been dead himself. There was a wolf living inside of him, threatening to emerge and destroy everything. Memories of the terror he had wrought in Afghanistan at the destruction of his squad flashed like grenades across his vision. The damage he had caused. The crackle of the fire he had set to cover it up. He was a creature of nightmares.

He cursed quietly. There was no way a beautiful, intelligent woman like Chloe would ever chose to be with someone like him. Yes, he had military rank, but the drive to climb higher had been killed with Wolf Squad. He was broken and battered. Some people in previous wars had called it Shell Shock, or the Thousand Yard Stare, but now they called it something else. PTSD. Hell, he still had to report to a physical therapist and a psychologist once a week. The physical therapist was amazed at his near miraculous recovery and he lied through his teeth to the shrink. No, she deserved someone better than him.

He set the book down on the armrest of the chair, telling himself that leaving and forgetting she had ever existed was the best thing for both of them. He would only end up hurting her, possibly even killing her. If he wanted to do right by her, he needed to leave and never think of her again. His hand trembled against the book as he stood. Somehow leaving a woman he had barely met was breaking his heart.

He carefully replaced the book back to its original position on the bookshelf, closing his eyes for a moment to say goodbye. With a deep breath he turned to find the stairs, but the scent that hit him made his hackles rise.

A well-built man in his late fifties had ascended the stairs and was walking straight for Chloe's study room. Jackson didn't know how he knew it, but he could smell a wolf.

The hair on the back of Jackson's neck stood upright as he watched to make sure this new werewolf really was going into Chloe's room. The man entered study room three without a pause. Jackson growled softly, fear for her safety flooding through him. She was trapped in a room with someone like him. The fact that there was even another like him was barely registering against the concern that she was alone with him.

He balled his hands into a fist, debating desperately with himself with what to do. She didn't know him and he couldn't just barge into her study room and call out the other man. Who knew what the other would do when faced with another wolf? But he couldn't just stand there and let her be alone with a dangerous killer. His eyes flickered golden for a second at the thought of losing her.

He began walking to the door. He didn't know what the other Were wanted, but he wasn't about to let Chloe find out the hard way what a wolf could do.

C
hloe had finally dozed off about an hour after getting home from the diner, her hair spread out against the pillow like a halo. She twitched once as she settled into a dream, her mouth curling up into a smile.

***

S
he was in room lined with red velvet. There was a bed and a window, but the most important part was the fact that there was a man in the room with her.

He was shirtless as he looked out the window. The muscles on his back were long and lean and begging her to run her fingers along them. A small, thin scar ran along his flank, but it didn't detract from his sculpted perfection; rather, it added to it.

He turned as she stepped forward, a smile brightening his handsome features. Dark hair and dark eyes pulled her toward him like a magnet. She smiled back. She knew him. She loved him. She had always loved him. He was her Captain Wolfe.

The man reached for her, his fingers threading into her hair as he pulled her into his lips. She pressed her body against his, desperate to feel his touch. His muscled chest was warm against the thin fabric of her tank-top. An unbearable tightness began to form between her legs. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.

He broke away from the kiss, smiling at her as though he knew exactly what she was thinking. With a sensual finger, he traced the line of neck and down her shoulder, pushing off the strap to her tank-top. She felt a delicious surge of want and he touched her bare shoulder, his eyes glowing golden for a moment.

The man leaned forward to her shoulder, kissing her bare flesh and sending shivers of delight down her spine. She moaned softly as he nibbled her. She wanted him to devour her. She kissed his ear, and he made a sound that made Chloe's blood heat in the most delicious fashion. Her hands went to his shoulders, her right hand finding the rough skin of a scar. It didn't surprise her; she somehow knew it was supposed to be there.

With a low growl, the man picked her up and tossed her on the bed. She giggled as he came at her on all fours, his face fierce with want. He kissed her again, his body pressing down on her. She could feel the hardness growing in his pants, the need to have her.

She fumbled with his belt, her fingers working to free him from his clothing. It only took a moment, and then the pants were gone. Her clothing was gone as well. She reveled in the sensation of their naked bodies pressing against one another.

She dragged her nails gently down his back, grabbing his perfect ass at the bottom. A low masculine moan reached her ears, feeding a fire building deep in her belly. His erect member pressed against her leg, seeking entrance to her warmth. She spread her legs willingly, guiding him into her.

He pressed into her velvet folds, his breath catching at the same time hers did. She had never felt such want. Such need. He filled her to the brim and still she wanted more. She wanted every inch of him.

She cried out with pleasure as he rocked his hips, sending bursts of sheer bliss deep into her body. She writhed and moaned beneath him, hands tracing the curves of his arms. He was so strong. She arched her hips, aching to take even more of him. Every nerve was on fire with want. She knew he was the only one who could satisfy her.

His pace quickened. His perfect ass tightened under her fingers as he worked himself against her. She could feel the rise of her own desire threatening to wash over her. He looked down at her, his crooked smile full of desire and love.

His eyes turned golden and he rocked into her, filling her with himself. She cried out as her own pleasure climaxed, mixing with his and sending them both to new heights. Her core tightened and spasmed, lights and sounds blurring into nothing but pleasure.

He was breathing hard when she looked up, a smile of pure happiness across his features. She touched his cheek, feeling the rough stubble on her fingertips. He was so handsome she thought her heart might break.

He kissed her softly, his eyes slowly losing their golden glow and returning to their rich brown. She wasn't sure which she liked better. They were both his and she loved both. Her breathing was returning to normal, but she wasn't ready to stop dreaming yet.

He smiled as she licked her lips, silently asking him for more. He kissed down her jaw, down her collarbone, stopping to kiss her nipples until they pebbled and ached for more. With slow hands he worked his way to her hips, finding the wet place between her legs. He touched her, watching her face as pleasure coursed through her system again.

He gave her a wolfish smile as he moved down to taste her. She groaned with pleasure as he began to work her body. He was taking his time and she knew they had all night...

***

C
hloe sipped gently on her coffee as she hurried across the quad to the big library. She felt strangely refreshed, especially given the dreams she had all morning. It was as though she had gotten laid and had a great night's sleep. She had still stopped to get coffee before heading to the library though.

She had a strange sense of warmth as she walked across the quad, but she gave credit to the coffee in her hands. It tasted different than she remembered. She chalked it up to changing tastes and the black coffee from the night before. Maybe she was finally turning into a grown-up coffee drinker!

She bounced up the library steps to the study room, hoping that Dr. Turner would know what the Lycan gene was. If he did, then she was one step closer to finding her brother. She opened the door to study room number three and glanced about, unable to shake a feeling that she was being watched. With a shrug, she stepped inside and spread out her stuff on the table in the center of the room.

Chloe opened her computer and checked her email as she waited for her professor to arrive. She was a little early, but that just meant she could catch up on her never-ending emails and required readings. It seemed as though she had barely gotten through the first batch of emails when the door opened and Dr. Turner walked in.

He was an older man, probably in his late forties or early fifties, but he moved like a man of twenty. She had collided with him on more than one occasion in the small lab space, and she knew he was solid as rock. Kind brown eyes dominated his square face, with short gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore his typical brown pants with stains on the knees and white lab coat. Several of the other students thought he was a bit strange, eccentric they called him, but Chloe loved his easy going nature. Nothing ever seemed to faze him; he reminded her of her brother and she had specifically requested to have him as her adviser.