YEAST OF EDEN

Jamela could do this. Fast and furious. In and out. Like a cat. She'd sneak up to the gate, drop her delivery and bolt like there was no tomorrow. Right. It was a plan.

She nibbled her lower lip as her small car crunched over the gravel driveway that led to the Wilder pack alpha's house. Or rather, Billy's house. Because of course she embarrassed the hell out of herself in front of the Wilder alpha. Of course.

She blamed the oversight on lack of sleep and pearl necklace laced cookies. Even now, the memory of Dianthe explaining such a thing to the alpha made her cringe. She was so not winning sister/mom of the year. Jamela couldn't even fall back on the "that's what shifter teens do" excuse like most the other kids in Wilder. Their little mongrel family unit was made of shifters and yet they weren't. And they definitely hadn't been raised in a shifter pack, pride, or clan.

Anyway, it didn't matter. She'd drop off her cookies and never see him again. Hell, if the pack was run like others they'd encountered over the years, she wouldn't even see him now. A quick drive up to the gate, a shove of boxes into the hands of Billy's sentinels and then away she'd go.

And if he ever came into the shop again... She'd hide. Cats did that when they were upset or hurt and she was upset so ergo, ipso facto, and all those other weird terms. She was gone.

She released a relieved sigh, happy now that she had a plan.

A single howl cut through the night, slicing into the darkness and sinking into her car with ease. The sound should have sent a tingle of unease down her spine. It should have concerned her-cats were not scared of dogs, just cautious-but it touched her in other ways instead. Other nipple-hardening ways and that was just wrong.

Wrong.

Then another howl joined the first, followed by a few yips and barks until that wolf released its moon call. With each passing moment, more and more added to the wolfen symphony until they overrode her radio. The more noise, the greater her concern-not fright-grew. The volume, the swell of howls, told her exactly what she was dealing with. Dozens of wolves.

But they're not after me. They're not chasing me home from school and they're not cornering me in an alley and they're not...

She rounded a final bend, slowing her vehicle as she approached a set of wide, wrought iron gates firmly shut before her. She brought it to a gentle stop, not wanting to make any sudden moves that would pique a wolf's interest.

Sure, the pack was out for a run, probably as a precursor to the party, but that didn't mean the entry was left unguarded. And hell, they were probably pissed at being left out of the festivities. She'd finally wiggled more information out of Dianthe and discovered tonight's gathering was a joint bachelor and bachelorette party.

Which involved semi-naughty cookies and an all-night run. And for wolves, an all-night run included an evening filled with hunting and sex. Or rather, hunting for sex.

Billy is out there... hunting, chasing, searching...

Jamela shuddered, a tendril of arousal and desire slinking into her veins. In her mind, it was her he chased, followed through the forest and finally pounced. The lioness being caught by the wolf.

With a shake of her head, she popped her car into park and remained still as one of the largest men she'd ever seen strode from the shadows. He was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, the fabric snug on his body, and she wondered if that was because he simply liked tight clothing or if his beast was on edge and threatening to break free. Jamela had experienced that sensation more than once in her life. Threaten her sisters and her lioness leapt forward, stretching the fabric and sometimes tearing it to shreds as her shift edged closer. Hate. Menace. Anger.

Her cat prowled, disliking the nearness of this wolf. It wanted out, wanted to protect itself and the extended threat he posed to their small cub. No matter Dianthe's age, she'd always be Jamela's cub. She nudged the animal back, fighting the ache in her gums and the stinging that encompassed her skin. The bitch was pushing hard, growing stronger the nearer this massive wolf came. The glow from her headlights fell on him, illuminating him in a brief flash, but it was enough.

Enough to see his amber eyes and misshapen jaw, the light dusting of gray fur on his cheeks and the growing nails on his hands.

Jamela's cat immediately reacted to the impending threat. Her skin rippled, a gentle wave that undulated through her and left golden fur in its wake. Her vision flashed, colors changing and the night slowly came into focus through her feline's eyes. Her gaze darted through the space, cataloging her surroundings in a rapid glance.

The wolf wasn't alone-at least four others lingered along the tree line. Two were wolves while the others remained on two feet, their claws reflecting snippets of moonlight.

Five against one. Great odds.

The nearer he came, the more uneasy she grew, her lioness pacing and snarling and she couldn't remain trapped inside her vehicle. She knew what was coming and cursed herself again and again for coming to the pack house, for not begging Emma to do it for her. Emma was human, she wouldn't have been bothered or threatened by the pack.

A lioness on the other hand...

Why? Why? Why?

Because I wanted to see him again...

God, she was such an idiot.

Whatever. She'd fought off more wolves than this in the past. Sure, the last time was when she was twenty-forever ago-but she could take them.

Had to take them.

Before he got too close, she threw her door open, leaving it wide as she took a step out of the vehicle. She tugged off her jacket and tossed it into her car. "I'm here at your alpha's invitation."

The large man halted for a moment, his yellowed eyes narrowing at her. "I know you. You're-"

"Mine," Billy snapped, emerging from the shadows.

The power of an alpha flicked through the air, unseen but no less powerful. The men who'd remained in the darkness retreated silently and the massive male before her froze in place. His gaze remained locked on Jamela while he tilted his head to the side. Not in submission to her, but the large, approaching male. The alpha's anger was hot and heavy in the air and her cat purred at the first hint of that scent. It knew the carefully banked rage wasn't at her but on her behalf and that had the lioness' motors running.