A Fey's Wolf Read online

  The sight of the huge mountain lodge came into view. He still wondered why she’d returned but hadn’t contacted the pack, or why the Fey hadn’t told Niall. Payton and the other Fey who began gathering on pack lands in the last couple years were working to fortify the wards, ensuring all who came to Mystic would be safe. A haven of sorts, which Niall and Zayn were still trying to wrap their heads around. None of them had planned to increase the pack, only wanting to protect those within the small family they had. However, the Fey had other plans.

  He signaled for the turn, letting his nose and wolf lead him to the woman who called to them. Their mate. Goddess, he hoped like hell she felt the pull too. Torq didn’t think he had the strength to allow her to leave him again.

  The road leading from the main lodge wasn’t as smooth, clearly it’s wasn’t one the guests used, making him regret not bringing his truck. He slowed his Harley, easing over the ruts and holes. His wolf banged against his skull as the sight of the small cabin came into view. The Harley rumbled to a stop several feet from the porch. He took a deep breath, taking in all the scents around him. An overly perfumed female had been there recently as well as several males, making both he and his wolf snarl. Their scents clearly a day or so old, while he knew for a fact Talia had only returned to Earth this morning. In his head, he thought of the reasons for the others presence at his mate’s cabin, but then, common sense had him shoving jealousy aside. Being a new employee, maybe they’d come to clean, move shit, or whatever hotel employees did for managers.

  “Fuck,” he growled, looking up through the trees.

  “Are you going to sit out there all day and be snarly, or are you going to come inside?”

  Torq had to push his animal side down along with his dick, which was pressing at the zipper of his jeans. “Good afternoon, Talia,” he said, taking in her appearance. No longer did she look like a waif who’d fall over in a stiff wind. Goddess, he had no clue how gorgeous she truly was. Although admittedly, she was stunning even when she wasn’t at her best. “You look well.” Such an understatement.

  She tilted her head to the side, the dark hair, which had hints of blue when the lighting hit it, flowed over her shoulder. He kept his fingers around the grips of the handle bars lest he jump off the bike and do what he wanted, and that was wrap those silky tresses around his fist and hold her head in place while he kissed her.

  “Come inside. I think we have much to—discuss.” She turned, her ass encased in a pair of denim that lovingly cupped a heart shaped bottom he really wanted to explore.

  Before he realized what he was doing, he’d already dismounted his bike, keys stuffed into his pocket as he strode the few feet to her porch.

  Once he was at the door, he paused, taking a calming breath followed by another. He couldn’t do what he and his wolf wanted. Mark and claim her for all to see. No, he’d need to tread lightly. Damn, he was going to be taking a lot of runs and cold showers. “This is a nice place,” he remarked from the doorway.

  Talia nodded. “It’s even nicer inside.” Her shy smile made his heart jerk. She was nervous.

  His lips tilted up in a wry grin. “Want me to take my boots off?” They didn’t have any mud or shit on them, but he thought he’d be a gentleman and offer.

  “Please, just come in and stop treating me with kid gloves. I’m much older than you or any wolf on this mountain. Trust me, I’m not a fragile fucking flower that’s going to wilt if you—be you.”

  Her gruff words had him moving forward, encroaching into her personal space. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like a fragile anything. I just don’t want to scare you.”

  Chapter Three

  Talia glanced at the man destined to be her mate but wasn’t sure if she could trust her instincts. However, this wolf was so much different than the last. A bastard she wasn’t going to allow into her mind any longer. As far as she was concerned, she had a sperm donor who helped her create the two most beautiful beings in the realms. Taya and Taryn, her daughters. Goddess, she was a lucky Fey. Now that she was back on Earth, she wasn’t going to screw it up by allowing her hormones to lead her.

  “I’m sorry for coming off brash. I’m painting you with the same brush as others. Can I offer you a drink?” Thanks to her Fey abilities, she could conjure up anything he desired. The word desire had her body heating.

  Torq’s nostrils flared. “Water would be great.”

  Shoot, she forgot shifters had an incredible sense of smell. Her interest in him as a woman would be apparent, especially a woman who hadn’t been with a man in too long. Instead of waving her hand, she turned, putting the small counter between her and the all too tempting wolf. Inside the fridge she found a case of spring water that someone had thoughtfully stocked, along with fixings for sandwiches. “Are you hungry? I have lunchmeat and more than likely bread around here.”

  He nodded, stepping up to the counter and taking a seat. His larger than life presence taking up more space than an average man. Heck, Torq was over six feet four if she were to guess, and that was if he was barefoot. With his boots on, he had to be closer to six and a half feet tall. The thought should’ve intimidated her, but Talia only felt comfort. “Are you an empath or some other comfort shifter?” She wasn’t sure what the terminology was, hadn’t needed to know in her hundreds of years. Holy buckets, she was officially a cougar. Or what would the term be for a woman who wanted a cub?

  “My brother is the Omega of the Iron Wolves. I have the same ability to an extent, but I lean more to the protector side than the healing. Although, he has scary abilities that most don’t realize.”

  She watched him speak, noticing the way his eyes lightened as they spoke of his sibling. “You and your brother—are you close?”

  White teeth flashed in a dazzling smile. “We are.” He nodded. “Even though miles separate us, I know I can count on him for anything and vice versa. How about you? Do you have any siblings?”

  Sorrow hit her like an anvil. She turned back to the fridge, grabbing the meat to make a sandwich for each of them. Strong arms came around her. “I’m sorry, farfalla.”

  Her breath whooshed out of her at the word. Butterflies were things of great beauty. They came from such ugliness, only to emerge into a delicate, yet beautiful creature.

  “What did I say that’s made you tense up and now has your scent—offended?” Torq stood with his front to her back, his arms holding but not caging.

  “My parents weren’t blessed with more children, only me.” She shifted, hoping he’d take the hint and release her, although she knew at any moment she could escape him.

  “They were blessed to have one such as you for a daughter. Had they had Arynn and I, I promise they’d have asked for a refund,” he joked.

  Talia moved to the side, making his arms drop. “I believe my parents would’ve preferred you and your brother to me. Now, about that sandwich, do you want anything on it?”

  Torq slashed his hand in the air. “Explain, farfalla.”

  She slammed the ingredients she held onto the counter next to the fridge, turning to face him. “My parents were high ranking Fey. Sort of like what you humans consider royalty. I was the daughter who broke all the rules and was sent off to charm school, sort of, to become the proper daughter.” She made air quotes around the last two words. She’d excelled in magic and had been able to transport from one place to the other as a baby, something she’d heard was unprecedented in the Fey Realm. As she’d gotten older, her powers grew greater than both her mother and father, making them fear her instead of cherishing her as parents should.

  “Farfalla, you forget, I’m not human, so royalty don’t mean dick to me. I have an alpha and his mate who are the top of the chain, followed by the second. After that, I don’t give two fucks what the chain of command is. I’ve protected everyone just the same, until finding my mate. Then she and our cubs become the top priority in my world.”

  “See, you keep calling me butterfly. How do you know about that?” F
ear had her moving farther away from him, closer to the butcher block holding a set of knives. Not that it would harm the wolf, but it could slow him down until she could flash away.

  “Stop, Talia,” he ordered. “I’m not going to hurt you. Not now, not ever. Farfalla is a term of endearment, something I see as you. You’re like this butterfly, the most gorgeous one in the forest, flittering around with your iridescent blue and black wings. It’s how I pictured you in my head, in my dreams.”

  A gasp escaped her as she covered her mouth with one hand. “You dreamt of me as a butterfly?”

  Torq nodded. “It was hazy, but I remember running through the forest as wolf and looking up onto a tree branch. There, sitting on one was this gorgeous butterfly with colors that reminded me of your hair when the sun or lighting hit it. When I moved, the little creature moved with me, until we were traveling between towering trees that no longer looked like the ones here. I can’t explain it. It was unlike any forest I’ve ever seen in real life.”

  Talia knew the forest he spoke of. The Dark Fae had tried to overtake the Fey at one time. Their enemies flocked into the heavily camouflaged trees, thinking they’d be able to hide. Talia and a contingent of warriors had pushed them back, making them flee once again. Many lives had been lost that fateful afternoon, but if they’d been allowed to push further afield, the Fey would have suffered even more. She’d been one of the first scouts, hiding within the body of a butterfly, zipping through the Dark Fae as they ghosted closer and closer to the edge of the woods. Talia had been the first to strike, her battle cry calling forth the other warriors. Her fingers twitched for the blade she’d lovingly created. Goddess how she wished she knew where she’d lost her Fey Blade, one of the only things known to strike and kill a Dark Fae, other than the fire from a dragon.

  “Th...the dark forest in Fey. I—I’m not sure how you could’ve seen it.” Oh, she’d heard of truemates sharing dreams, but only after they’d mated. She and Torq had barely spoken, let alone mated.

  He shrugged. “I got nothing.”

  Yeah, she didn’t either, other than the thought something dark and wicked was at play. “We need to tell Payton and the others and summon Jennaveve. I fear the Dark Fae are rising once again.”

  Torq wanted to howl. He didn’t want to do anything but spend time with Talia. However, the fate of his pack and Goddess knew what else could be on the line. As a protector, he had to push his own needs to the back. “I can contact Niall and have him ask for a meeting with...” he was cut off by Talia’s shaking of her head.

  “I can contact Payton. She and I are old friends.” Talia’s eyes closed, her body going still.

  Torq took the time to reach out to Niall, knowing his alpha would need to be informed as well. “Houston, we may have a problem.” He sent the message onto his link with Niall and Zayn, not wanting to alert the entire Mystic Wolves. Not until they had more concrete evidence, or when Niall chose.

  “And a fuck you to you too, brother. What’s up?” Niall’s tone was friendly.

  Torq figured the other man still felt badly for forcing his memories onto him. Yeah, that was going to be something he’d have nightmares about for years to come. The thought of Talia—not going there. Without wasting time, he explained what he and Talia discussed and her explanation.

  “Well, somebitch. Can’t a wolf catch a fucking break around here?” Niall growled, his tone as clear as if he’d been standing in the small kitchen with them. “I’ll see you both at Payton’s and Emerson’s place. I’m assuming you’re heading there now?” Torq opened his eyes to see Talia staring at him. “Are we heading to the Glades?”

  At her nod, he confirmed with Niall, then severed the link. “Want me to shift and run down while you blink there, or do you want to ride on my bike with me?”

  Her heavenly scent told him she liked the idea of both, but then she shook her head. “I’ll take us both.”

  “Does it hurt you to—do that?” He wasn’t sure if he’d enjoy being transported from one place to the other. Hell, he’d seen the Iron Wolf Alpha after one occasion of just such a thing. The big bastard looked like he was ready to hack up his lunch, which didn’t have Torq raising his hand for a free transport, or blink as Jenna called it.

  Talia’s cool hand landed on his cheek. “I’ll make sure your first trip with me is painless. I promise,” she said.

  Time to man up and not be a pussy. “Let’s do this.”

  “Oh, my goddess. You act as if I’m asking you to go get a vasectomy or something.” She slapped her hand over her mouth.

  Torq’s right brow winged up. “Baby, there’s absolutely no way I’d get that done, but if you wanted me to do anything else, I’d be game.” He winked.

  “You’re such a male.”

  Forgetting her fear of men, he pulled her into his body. “That’s one hundred percent true. And you, farfalla, are one hundred percent my mate. My unclaimed mate, but my mate just the same. I trust you with my life. It’s your life I’m worried about.” In that moment, he realized it was true. No matter what happened, he had full trust in Talia to do what was best for him and his pack, even at the expense of her own safety. His wolf rose up, banging in denial against his skull.

  “I’m aware what you think I am to you and what I think you are to me. And, before you say anything, I’m not denying you or us. I need—time. Not a lot, and I’m not using this as an excuse. I was hoping we could have lunch and get to know one another. This whole butterfly, Dark Fae rising, is a complication we must deal with. You and I’ll still be here, after.”

  “As long as we’re on the same page as that, ‘cause I need to warn you, Talia, there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. My wolf and I know who you are to us.”

  She licked her lips, making him wish the world could pause for an hour or ten.

  “Alright, let’s get this done,” she said with a determined light in her eyes.

  He shook his arms out, tilting his head to the right, and then the left, hearing his neck pop. “Okay, got any happy juice?”

  “You’ll be fine,” she promised.

  Torq wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but his first blinking trip was over before he’d been aware it was happening. His stomach, thankfully, wasn’t threatening to stage a revolt, which he thought was a huge point in his corner.

  “I see you made your first excursion via A La Fey without injury,” Emerson Glade said from a few feet away.

  He tensed, wondering how long he’d been standing in the same spot. Inhaling, he sifted through the myriad smells, taking in the other shifters gathered before turning around. Niall and Zayn stood with their mates in front of them.

  While Zayn’s mate Cora had been human before she’d been accidentally turned by Niall’s young son, she was an excellent addition to the pack. Not only was she an alpha female who protected the cubs, she was a veterinarian. If one of the wolves had an injury, she could help with the healing process. Niall’s mate was a shifter by birth, but she’d not grown up in their pack. Having lost his first mate, the memory of which still made Torq shiver, Alaina was more Fey than other shifters and was a member of the alpha’s first wife’s family. Torq didn’t envy the man for all he’d suffered, or the journey he had to go through to get to where he was.

  Although, most would say the same about him.

  For the past year, he’d known who his mate was and thought she’d been unattainable. For a shifter to be unable to form the bond that completed them, it could make them go rogue. Torq didn’t know how long he could’ve lasted. Just looking at Talia soothed the torn edges of his soul. If he were to lose her again, he knew he wouldn’t be able to survive.

  “Alright, children, thank you for coming.” Niall’s voice rang out, drawing everyone’s attention. “Talia and Torq have some news that I feel is important to all of us. I’ve requested a meeting with the Fey Queen, but she’s unable to travel right this moment. Seems her young are being difficult even before birth.”

  Payton
Glade stepped forward. “As the Fey who has been guardian of the Mystic Wolves for over a hundred years, I’ll act as the Queens ears.”

  “I’ll be adding more wards to the lands, letting them spread naturally so that they don’t alert anyone who might have nefarious intentions.” Talia gripped his hand tightly.

  “That’s a wonderful idea, Talia. I’ll also welcome you to the Mystic land tonight. Maybe we’ll meet on the corporal,” Payton said with affection lacing her tone.

  Although Talia was sure she and Payton were close to each other in age, Payton had always seemed older, wiser.

  Niall nodded. “Torq, would you or Talia like to explain what you told me to the pack?”

  Torq could see the devastation on Talia’s gorgeous features. His mate had suffered a great deal reliving the memory with him. He didn’t want her to have to go through it again by retelling his story. “I’ll try to explain. Understand, I thought it was a dream until I told Talia of it.”

  Niall raised both hands upward in a show of giving him the floor.

  He took a deep breath, then the words flowed from him, sharing as much detail as he could from the dream. Gasps from Payton and Adalynn, both Fey, were the loudest.

  “We know of which you speak,” Payton said.

  Adalynn moved closer to her daughter Alaina. “I’ve heard of the great battle that occurred there. If you saw it, then it must mean something big as you said, Talia.”

  Talia cleared her throat. “I was there during that time. Although it was more than a mere battle, it was a massacre meant to destroy all that was good in Fey. The Dark Fae wanted to rule the entire realm. When they didn’t succeed there, they clearly had a backup plan, one none of us had foreseen. If they are here on Earth, it spells nothing but danger for all of humankind.”