Leashed by a Wolf Read online

  Leashed by a Wolf

  Leashed by a Wolf

  Cherie Nicholls

  Published 2012

  ISBN 978-1-59578-897-9

  Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2012, Cherie Nicholls. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Liquid Silver Books

  http://LSbooks.com

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Blurb

  Mechanic Laney St. Clair doesn’t want much in life. All she wants is to run her father’s garage as she sees fit, her brothers to stop treating her like she is still their baby sister, and for Heath Marsterson to realise that under all the grease and overalls she is a grown woman, ready, willing, and able to show him just how talented her hands can be.

  Heath’s an alpha shifter who knows he needs a mate to help him rule. A strong woman who can stand with him and up to him when needed, a woman who can help keep his pack safe. What he doesn’t need is a fragile human whose family protects her as if she’s made of spun glass. No matter how persuasive little Laney-girl tries to be or how much he wants her, Heath knows she’ll never be strong enough to handle his true self no matter what she says, moans, screams…

  Dedication

  For my mum, my family, Tracy, Natasha, and for the UCW ladies, all of whom inspired me to be who I am and helped me to follow my dreams whether they realized it or not. They made me want to be a writer no matter who stood in my way, even if it was my own self-doubt!

  Chapter One

  Laney leaned back into the shadows and sipped her drink. She had been here an hour, hiding in the darkest corner of the bar. Tonight was a long time in the planning and she would let nothing ruin it.

  The door opened and Heath walked in. His slow, confident stride carried him over to the bar with a grace most catwalk models would have killed for.

  She had waited five years for this night. Five long years of cold lonely nights, dreaming of nothing but his shoulder-length white-blond hair, and that six foot plus, hard muscular frame. Taking another sip, Laney watched as he leaned casually on the bar and ordered a drink. Heath Marsterson had starred in all of her dreams since she had walked out of her father’s office and found him talking to one of her brothers.

  With one final sip she placed her glass down, pulled herself out of her chair and walked up behind him. She saw the second he caught her scent. His spine went rigid and his shoulders tensed. He always did that around her as if he were expecting trouble. Laney waited as he slowly turned to look at her.

  He opened his mouth to give her the lecture she knew he would deliver. She could practically hear him now. “Laney-girl, what are you doing here? Who did you come with? How are you getting home? Do your brothers know you’re here?”

  The words she knew he would have delivered if they hadn’t caught in his throat when his gaze finally fell on her.

  She was proud of the results an all-day makeover session had achieved. Gone were the trainers, jeans, and old T-shirt with a long-forgotten band on it. Her short brown hair feathered around her face and framed it like a picture, or so her sister-in-law had said when she’d finished working her magic. Her pale complexion was enhanced with neutral makeup that highlighted her ice-blue eyes. The only real colour was the cherry red staining her lips.

  Laney watched as Heath’s gaze stroked down her face to her body and the dress she had poured herself into. The dress was strapless, sinfully tight, short, black, and slit up the right side almost to the waist. She watched him swallow hard, take a deep breath, then growl low and deep.

  “Evening, Heath.” She smiled up at him. His eyes narrowed as he looked back at her. Laney willed her legs not to tremble when he took a step closer to her and leaned down to breathe softly into her ear.

  “Do you have a coat?” he asked in a low whisper. Laney’s breath caught. She had expected interest but she hadn’t expected him to move this quickly. She leaned back and looked at him. He seemed to be angry—really angry—if the tic in the corner of his eye was anything to go by.

  “No.” Laney shook her head.

  “Good. We’re leaving now.” Heath took hold of her arm and started to pull her towards the doors. Laney was in shock until the night air hit her body. Finally she realised he was heading towards his car.

  “Whoa, buddy.” Laney dug her heels in, her four-inch stilettoes not allowing her much stopping power.

  Heath didn’t miss a beat when he swung around and unceremoniously threw her over his shoulder.

  “Put me down!” Laney yelled, trying to keep the skirt of her short dress covering her butt.

  “You want down? Fine!” Heath dropped her on her feet.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Laney asked as she pulled her dress back into place. She let out a squeak when Heath dropped his leather jacket around her shoulders.

  “Not a thing.” Heath pulled the collar of his jacket closed around her. Leaning down, he looked into her eyes. “Who is he?”

  Laney looked back. She could see the caged animal just under the surface.

  “Who is who?” Laney was confused. This sure as hell wasn’t going as she had thought. Right about now Heath should be sweeping her into his arms and kissing her until she couldn’t remember her own name. She may not have dated much in the last few years, but she didn’t think she would get it this wrong.

  “The guy you got dressed up for. Who is he?” Heath asked again. Laney could feel the barely controlled aggression under his skin.

  “You think I got dressed up for some other guy?” Laney frowned. How could he think that?

  “I promise, Laney, I won’t hurt him. I just want to talk to him,” Heath assured her.

  Laney’s nerves hit her full force. What if he didn’t want her? Surely he had to know she wanted him. She’d wanted Heath from the second he’d moved into the area.

  Who was she kidding? She was just a grease monkey in her father’s garage. There was no way he would want her.

  So you are giving up? Is that the St. Clair way, now? I don’t think so.

  No! No, she had waited too long to back away now.

  Laney took a deep breath and decided it was now or never. Leaning just a few inches forwards, she kissed him. Not a modest peck on the cheek like she had given him in the past, but the full-on, no-holds-barred kiss of a woman who knew what she wanted and exactly how to get it.

  *

  From the second Laney’s lips touched his, Heath’s body went up in flames. It had taken all his control not to pin her to the closest wall and take her the moment he had seen her dressed like that.

  Where had the tomboy gone? If you needed an engine fixed or a drain plunged you called for Laney; she was magic with a hammer and chisel. The woman kissing him now was so different. He always thought she was pretty under the dirt and grease she always seemed covered in, but this woman had nearly knocked him on his ass when he’d seen her.

  It had taken a minute for him to realise there was only one reason she was in the bar dressed like sin on legs. She was meeting a man, and with that one thought he had growled low, his anger spiking. His wolf fighting him for control had caught him off guard too.

  Whenever he was around Laney the stupid animal practically vibrated. He had ignored it, not
wanting to acknowledge what the animal was trying to tell him. But now his wolf was growling low at the thought of anyone else touching her.

  The man in him screamed for him to push her away, to remember this was sweet, innocent Laney. The wolf in him told his human half to shut the hell up and find the closest flat surface.

  He felt her hands run up his T-shirt clad chest and around his neck; such a simple touch, but the feel of it burned him, setting his blood on fire.

  He stepped closer still and pushed her back against his vehicle, trapping her with his body. Kissing his way down the column of her throat, he found the soft skin at the join with her shoulder. Gently he let his fangs extend and graze over her neck. The shudder that ran down her body made him want to howl at the moon.

  “Please.” She spoke softly but that one word made him realise who exactly he had pinned to his truck like a barfly. What the hell was he doing? This was Laney, for crying out loud!

  Heath took a step back from her warm, inviting body, growling low when she went to follow him.

  “Laney we can’t do this,” he said in one rushing breath. He watched the tempting little vixen take a deep breath of her own, grabbing for control before she looked up at him, the confusion and hurt clear in her eyes.

  “Why not?”

  It was a simple enough question for her to ask. After all it was barely a minute since he’d had her pinned up against the truck, but to answer her truthfully could lead to more, so much more than Heath could handle right now. Bringing Laney into his life would be dangerous for them both. The old Alpha—the man who he had ousted—was back and had started to cause problems for the pack. But he couldn’t explain that to Laney, at least not now.

  “Because we can’t, Laney. Do you know what your brothers would do to me if they found out I kissed you?” he said instead, making his wolf howl in protest as he pulled his coat more securely around her body.

  Just like that, Heath watched as the sexy, cool, well-kissed woman disappeared and the woman he knew, the rough-edged tomboy, came roaring back. Her eyes, full of cold fury, turned on him.

  Slowly she pulled both lapels of his coat out of his hands and stepped to the side away from him. Never once did she break eye contact with him.

  “I apologise.” There was nothing but contained fury in her voice. “I should have realised you wouldn’t do a thing without checking with every male in my family.” She snapped each word at him.

  “Now come on, Laney-girl, don’t be like that.” He reached for her again. He figured he had hurt her feelings and that didn’t sit well with him.

  “No, it’s okay.” She stepped back out of reach. “I understand if you’re not man enough to stand on your own without my family backing you up. I understand you’re scared of them. It’s okay.” She shrugged out of his coat and handed it back.

  “But you need to realise I am not some sweet innocent girl. I’m nearly thirty years old, and this is not the Middle Ages where only the married females have sex. I was away at college for four years and I know exactly what I like.” She ran her gaze down his body. “I thought that I liked you, that maybe you could help me scratch an itch, but I am woman enough to admit I was wrong. Have a good evening, Heath. I plan to.” Laney’s gaze wandered over him one more time before she walked back into the bar.

  Heath watched her go. For once both his wolf and his human were in agreement, and both were confused. Laney knew damn well he wasn’t scared of her brothers; he only had a healthy respect for them that any sane man would. But the one thing that seemed to focus both sides of his soul was her reminder that she wasn’t a child, that another man had laid hands on her.

  That’s where his confusion came from, because both sides had growled one word when she had talked about her past, a word he had never thought of when talking to a woman—any woman—until now.

  Mine.

  Laney had walked back into the bar, furious. Heath could smell her anger as it hit him full force. He took a breath before following her. He needed to stay in control. He knew Laney well; she would be out for trouble now, but he would put a stop to it.

  As he returned to the bar he watched her walk over to the table where he figured she had been hiding before he had arrived, and she caught the eye of the waitress.

  “Jack straight,” she said. Her request was met with raised eyebrows but thankfully the woman didn’t say anything and placed Laney’s order without comment.

  Heath kept out of her line of sight as she sat back to scan the room. If Heath didn’t know better he would say she was hunting. The wolf in him howled a greeting to her at the thought.

  Over on the far side of the bar he watched as she spotted her prey, an out of towner standing at the bar. She stood and smoothed her dress. Heath bit back a growl and moved quickly. He knew she hadn’t seen him; she was too focused on her prey. She walked straight into his chest

  “Where do you think you’re going?” He narrowed his gaze, letting her know he knew exactly what she was up to.

  “And that would be your business because?”

  He could see the message clear and bright shining back at him in her eyes. If he thought he could come in here and tell her what to do, then he had another think coming.

  As he leaned down Laney started to pant as he allowed his eyes to turn to wolf.

  “You made it my business, Laney-girl,” he told her, his voice almost a growl.

  Laney took a step back and in that second they both knew she had made a mistake. His nostrils flared, taking in her scent. Dropping his head lower, his gaze held her captive as he took a step towards her. “Where are you going, Laney?” he repeated.

  “What business is it of yours?” Her voice was barely above a whisper this time. Heath heard her breath catch as he reached forward and took hold of her chin. Slowly he leaned down and kissed her, a kiss so soft he could feel her melting.

  Heath took hold of her hand and led her back outside to his vehicle. He didn’t know whether it was a good thing that she didn’t fight him. Keeping silent, he bundled her into the truck before climbing in himself. He didn’t know why she had shown up tonight or why she’d decided to target him, but she had made her bed now and Heath fully intended for her to lie in it.

  Heath could feel the tension and excitement radiating from her. He knew Laney wanted this but he also knew she had no idea what she was getting into.

  “Do you know what I am, Laney?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.

  Laney turned, leaning back slightly on the car door so she could face him. “Wolf,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  “Yeah, I guessed you knew that about me, but what else am I?” He needed her to understand before they took that final step.

  Took the final step? He couldn’t believe he was sitting here having this conversation with Laney St. Clair. Someone must have slipped something into his drink or this was just a crazy dream. Heath took a breath and growled deeply. If it was a crazy dream, it was a dream that smelled so good right now.

  “Hmm. Well, other than the fact you can get real hairy, what else do I need to know?”

  Heath smiled over at her. She may be all dressed up but underneath she was still his smart-mouthed Laney-girl.

  Nudging her knees around so she sat forward again Heath tapped her legs apart.

  “When you are alone with me your legs are never to be closed.” He stroked his hands over her thigh.

  Laney looked down as his thumb stroked lazy circles by her knee, then back over to him. Heath felt her frown more than saw it.

  “I’m sensing that you getting furry is the least of my worries,” Laney ventured.

  “That’s because you’re smart, Laney-girl.” Heath gave her his best wolfish smile and started the truck.

  It took no time for them to get back to his home, a small cottage on the outskirts of their town. Heath cut the ignition and sat, looking out the windscreen.

  “You need to understand something before we go in there, Laney.” Heath lifte
d his hand from her lap and refused to look at her. He needed her to understand and make this decision on her own.

  “Here I thought I was nervous before,” Laney muttered.

  Heath gave a small smile.

  “I am the Alpha of my pack,” he told her. “I have to be in control of everything to make sure we stay safe. When Christophe, the last Alpha, let dissension set in I took on the Alpha role. Not just because it was the only way we could survive, but because of who I am. I control every aspect of my life. I am a dominant person, Laney.”

  Silence followed his little announcement. He turned to look at her, expecting shock and fear, but what he saw made his heart lift and his cock go harder.

  “You realise I will not let you chain me to the bed, right? Seriously, have you seen how pale I am? I will bruise like a peach,” Laney said as she held out her arm for his inspection.

  Taking her wrist, Heath lifted her hand for his kiss. “Trust me, sweetheart, I have never needed chains to keep a woman in my bed.” Slowly he licked a small circle around the centre of her palm. He watched as her breath caught and the pupils of her eyes dilated.

  “I think it’s time I introduced you to all of me,” Heath said as he climbed out of the truck. He hid his smile when he heard the breath whoosh out of Laney.

  *

  Laney had been to Heath’s house more times than she could count, but this was the first time she had felt nervous. Perching on the end of his overstuffed brown leather couch, she watched as Heath came back into the room carrying two beers.

  “I figured you would want a beer even though you’re dressed like a woman more used to drinking white wine spritzers.” He sat down on the far end of the couch from her. Taking a swig from his bottle Heath flicked a glance at her legs before he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. It took a second for Laney to realise she was sitting with her legs crossed at the ankles. She pushed herself farther back onto the seat and sat with her legs slightly apart. Looking back at Heath, she saw the small smile on his face.

  Cocky mutt.

  “So if you don’t tie people up to have your wicked way with them, what exactly do you do?” Laney asked. She had always thought that BDSM involved someone being stripped and tied to a bed with chains or ropes.