Rebecca's Wolves (Wolf Masters Book 6) Read online

His brow was furrowed, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was holding his breath. As she stood, Griffen righted himself. “Everybody ready?” He met all their gazes one at a time, finishing with Rebecca.

  A chill raced down her spine as he stared at her. His deep brown eyes seemed to hold a secret, and she was pretty sure she didn’t want to know what it was.

  Finally, as they started to walk, he spoke. “Did Sharon fill you in on our plans?”

  Rebecca nodded. “More or less. I’m easy.”

  He sucked in a sharp breath at those words. Didn’t he?

  And why did she have to go and say something so stupid?

  “We’ll cover about five miles this afternoon and then stop and camp. It’s rigorous.” He narrowed his gaze, glancing up and down her frame as though assessing whether or not she could make the trek.

  “No problem.” She was determined to show no outward signs of fatigue, even if she felt them. Hell, she would likely keep going with a rock in her shoe and a bloody toe at this point. No way in hell did she want this man or any of his brothers to think she couldn’t hack it.

  “Tomorrow we cover the next five miles to the summit, rest, and then head back down to the camping area. Sunday, we finish the last five back to the cars.”

  “Got it.” She lifted her gaze to take in the gorgeous day. Anything to avoid eye contact with the brooding hunk of man standing too close to her. She was looking forward to enjoying the summer vegetation on the hike—tall firs, pines, and wildflowers. She inhaled slowly, taking in the rich scent of pine.

  Sharon came up beside her brother and bumped her hip into his. “Jesus, Griffen. She’ll be fine. Stop trying to scare her and start hiking.” Sharon rounded to Rebecca’s side and rolled her eyes. “Sorry,” she mouthed.

  Rebecca didn’t know what to make of these brothers, but even if they were assholes, it would almost be worth it to watch their asses as they hiked.

  The first part of the trail was narrow, and Rebecca fell into step behind Griffen. Holy shit. He wore loose khaki hiking pants that fit him to perfection and made her drool over his firm butt and thick thighs. He should be illegal.

  She could hear the other three up ahead chatting among themselves. They seemed to be enjoying a private joke between them since she couldn’t hear their words, but they kept chuckling. She prayed it wasn’t at her expense.

  They had no reason, unless they all four predetermined she would be a hindrance to their weekend. The idea only gave her more motivation to ensure they understood her abilities, and fast.

  Sharon brought up the rear for the first fifteen silent minutes until Griffen stopped and turned around abruptly. He stepped off the path. “Sorry. Don’t know what I was thinking.” He gave a sweep of his arm so Rebecca and Sharon could pass. “Please. I’ll take the end of the line.”

  Ah, so chivalry was alive and well in the Masters family after all. Not that Rebecca needed or expected such chivalry, but it was nice to know Griffen had manners.

  Sharon passed Rebecca with another eye roll. “I’ll lead. It seems my other brothers have decided to dash ahead. Posturing no doubt.”

  Griffen grunted behind her. “Don’t bet on it,” he mumbled.

  It had been easier to hike behind Griffen, staring at his ass, than this new arrangement where he was now at her rear. Not that she was worried. Hell, she was usually very self-confident. She was in the best shape of her life. She knew men ogled her body, and she usually ignored them. Her legs were shapely, slender and long, but muscular. Her mother had envied them since she was about ten years old.

  She suddenly wished she’d worn the legs to her hiking pants. It was a warm afternoon, however, and she had on only the shorts for now.

  “Gonna try to catch up,” Sharon said.

  “Sounds good.” Rebecca could hear every tiny noise behind her. She knew Griffen was right on her heels. She knew when he breathed and when he wiped his brow, as if she had eyes in the back of her head.

  And he made her more nervous by the minute, even though she fought to ignore him and pay attention to the ferns and wildflowers at her feet along the rough, uneven path. The Flathead Forest was one of the reasons she chose to live and work in the area. The snowcapped mountains and towering trees were spectacular. They took her breath away even after two years.

  Finally, he broke the silence. “So, Sharon says you’re training for a Spartan Race.”

  “Yes. A beast. I’ve done a sprint and a super so far this year. Going for the trifecta.” See? I’m not a wuss.

  “Impressive. How far is that?”

  “Twelve miles.”

  “And that’s through mud and barbed wire and walls and shit, right?”

  “Yep.” She twisted to give him a grin, thinking he was perhaps not so bad after all.

  But her face fell when she met his gaze. Jesus, he didn’t look pleased. His brow was more furrowed than earlier, and to make matters worse, she stumbled while she wasn’t looking forward.

  Like lightning, Griffen lurched forward and grabbed her arm to steady her.

  Shit.

  She didn’t think she would have fallen. It was just a stumble, but she would never know after Griffen’s quick display of concern.

  “You sure about this obstacle course race?” He smirked as his chest ran into her side.

  Rebecca froze. Griffen still held her arm. His entire body seemed to wrap around her, enveloping her in his warmth. Time stood still while she fought to catch her breath. He sucked the oxygen out of the air.

  Instead of releasing her, he tugged her closer, his arm wrapping around her middle, holding her wrist. “You okay?” he muttered against her ear.

  “Yeah. Fine.” Her voice was breathy.

  Sharon turned around from several paces ahead. She cocked her head to one side in confusion. “Rebecca?” Her gaze shifted to her brother. “Griffen.” Her mouth fell open, and she shook her head subtly. “Shit,” she whispered as she stepped toward them.

  What was that all about? “I stumbled.” Rebecca tried to step forward and break contact with the enormous male presence at her back.

  But he held her firmly, her arm against her chest, his hand beneath her breast.

  “Griffen.” Sharon spoke the one word as though it were a command.

  His head shot up, separating his lips from behind Rebecca’s ear. As though he had been in a trance, he released her and stepped back. “You good now?”

  I was never in danger… Except perhaps of falling for you.

  Rebecca took two long strides forward. “I’m fine. Just tripped. It’s all good.” She shrugged and passed Sharon on the trail, picking up the pace. They needed to catch up with the others.

  She didn’t glance back as she hitched her backpack higher and made her way up the rugged path, paying closer attention to her footing. Neither Griffen nor Sharon said a word behind her. The silence was deafening.

  What the hell was going on? If Rebecca didn’t know better, she would say she’d fallen under some sort of spell. Was there such a thing as love at first sight?

  She blew out a breath. Sharon would have a fit if Rebecca fell for her brother. Besides, he was older than her. Thirty-two, Sharon had said. Why was a man as sexy as Griffen still single? Why were any of Sharon’s brothers single?

  Voices up ahead distracted her from the uncomfortable feeling that Griffen was staring at her ass. And God only knew what Sharon was thinking.

  Fuck.

  •●•

  Griffen needed to get a grip. He was quickly losing control of his emotions and his actions.

  And Rebecca was not unaffected by him. Her pulse rate shot up when he held her wrist. The feeling of her breasts against his hand as her chest rose and fell had nearly undone him.

  “Goddammit,” Sharon muttered behind him. It was hardly more than a whisper. Rebecca wouldn’t have been able to hear her.

  Griffen shot a glare over his shoulder, telling her without words to shut the fuck up. When it was clear he was in for a b
attle, he halted and turned to face her. “Don’t start.”

  “I can’t believe you,” she hissed.

  “You think I brought this on by myself?” He stepped into her space and gave a sardonic chuckle. “Trust me, little sister, this is not what I had in mind for today. I never wanted you to bring a human woman along on this trip in the first place. It’s not my fault you did so anyway.”

  “She’s my friend.”

  “She’s my mate.”

  Sharon blew out a breath, and her shoulders slumped. “Dammit,” she repeated. When she lifted her face to meet his gaze again, she held up a hand, palm out. “Please. Can we get through this weekend without you fucking her?”

  Griffen gasped. “Do I look like I’m an asshole?”

  She lifted her face to the trees. “I don’t know. I’ve never been in your shoes, but I’ve heard stories. Can you keep it in your pants or not?”

  “Of course.” He was uncomfortable having this conversation with his sister. “Can you keep your mouth shut?”

  “Do the others know?”

  “Yes.”

  “Shit.” She lifted one hand to chew on a nail.

  He turned away and hurried to catch up with Rebecca.

  The woman could move. She had set a brisk pace. He wondered if she was as shook up as he was. Did she have an inkling about what was happening between them? He knew it was possible for a wolf to find a human mate, but he didn’t know many who had. It was rare in his part of the country for some reason.

  A few of his cousins in Oregon had human mates. Hell, his cousins had also mated with more than one person, and that was almost unheard of. He hadn’t seen them in ages. Not since they were kids and life started getting in the way. That side of the Masters family ran a dairy farm near Corvallis. Griffen’s side of the family owned and operated a ski resort in northwest Montana.

  Normally, during the summer months, Griffen and his brothers led tour groups through the mountains for hiking trips. He looked forward to this weekend trip with his siblings every year in late July. Forty-eight hours of intense steep terrain at higher elevations than most humans enjoyed. It was a luxury for them to get away together and not need to play tour guide, and this arduous hike was his favorite for many reasons. Most importantly, it was less popular. Very few people could trek to the summit and back in one day. Wolf shifters were the exception. Even in human form, they were able to cover farther distances.

  There she was… Clipping along at a rapid pace. Was she trying to prove something or get away from him?

  He smiled at her back. Escaping him was not a choice. Granted, meeting his mate this weekend, and a human one at that, hadn’t been on the top of his list, but there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it but get to know her and hope she didn’t make him wait too long to possess her.

  Complicated was the best word he could think of to describe this situation. He would have to tell her about his family and their ability to shift. He was not looking forward to it.

  “Where’s the fire?” he asked Rebecca’s back as he got closer.

  She glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. “What do you mean? Just trying to catch up with your brothers.” She licked her lips as she finished speaking.

  Griffen was relieved when she turned back around as he fought against a moan. Her sweet tongue swiping across her lower lip and then circling up to reach the top lip made his cock jump to attention.

  It was going to be a long weekend.

  Chapter Four

  By the time they reached the campground, Griffen knew a lot about his mate. He had managed to act like a civil human for three hours.

  After they caught up with the rest of the family, Griffen had let everyone else take over and fire questions at Rebecca.

  There wasn’t much to learn about her current existence. She’d been a nurse for two years at the hospital in Cambridge, and she spent every hour of her free time training for Spartan Races. It sounded to him as though all she did was work and train.

  The race made him nervous. For one thing, it was difficult, and he imagined, dangerous. For another thing, it ate up a lot of her day, and he intended to start filling her time with himself. ASAP.

  “Where are you from originally?” Trace asked as they dropped their bags outside their tent to catch their breath.

  “Arizona. My parents are still there. And my brother is in college at Arizona State.”

  “What brought you to Montana?” Griffen asked, stepping closer.

  She giggled. “I know it’s weird. Who comes north? But I have always wanted to live where there are seasons. My hometown only has one season—hot. So I went to Montana State University, got my nursing degree, and decided to stay.”

  “Do you have a boyfriend?” Trace asked.

  Griffen’s gaze shot in his brother’s direction.

  “Nope. Haven’t had time. Why?” She gave Trace a coy look. “You offering?”

  Trace stepped back, putting both hands in the air. “No. Just asking.” He glanced at Griffen.

  Griffen wanted to choke his brother.

  At least Logan and Zachary had the good sense to back away, although Griffen suspected they were laughing inside their heads.

  “We’ll get us checked in,” Logan said over his shoulder as he and Zachary wandered away.

  Rebecca looked around, rolling her shoulders after the long hike. Griffen would give her credit for one thing—she was indeed fit. She didn’t seem winded at all from the quick pace in the high altitude. “This place is awesome. It’s so beautiful. What a set up.”

  Sharon dropped her pack next to the others. “Yes. It’s perfect. They have everything we need at this site. Keeps us from having to carry too much.” She pointed around as she spoke. “The tents are already put up. The dining hall has great food. The showers are wonderful after a day of hiking.”

  She was right. Griffen loved this site. They only had to carry a change of clothes, water, and snacks. The tents were provided by the campsite, each one sleeping up to eight people, and sleeping bags were available to check out in the dining lodge.

  Rebecca smiled and tipped her head up to the sky. “I’ll never be sorry I moved to Montana.”

  Neither will I.

  Sharon gave Griffen an evil eye and then dragged Rebecca away. “Let’s get a shower before too many people arrive and it gets crowded.”

  •●•

  By the time the six of them crawled into the tent that night, Rebecca was exhausted, and the hike had nothing to do with her bone-tired body. The stress of Sharon’s brothers, one in particular, made her head spin.

  All through dinner they regaled her with questions as though she were at a job interview. Everyone but Griffen. He brooded.

  And he sent her one mixed message after another. Half the time he glared at her as though she’d interrupted the most important weekend of his life with her presence. The other half he looked as if he wanted to strip her naked and devour her.

  She had no idea what to think.

  The guy was hot. All the brothers were, but for some stupid reason, she had her sights on the oldest. What the hell was wrong with her? She had no business thinking about the man in any terms other than as Sharon’s brother. In fact, Sharon had emphatically stated she intentionally didn’t introduce her friends to her brothers for this very reason.

  And besides, Rebecca had no time for a man in her life. Her current goals consisted of nursing, training, and sleeping. In that order.

  The tent was large. It would sleep eight. There were six of them, and that would have been fine if four of them weren’t huge sexy men.

  For half a second, Rebecca wondered if Sharon’s objective hadn’t been to set Rebecca up with one of her brothers instead of warning her against them.

  As they all settled into their sleeping bags, Rebecca stared into the darkness and wondered how the hell she’d gotten into this situation. She’d jumped at the opportunity to do a twenty-mile hike in the Flathead National Fores
t. She needed the strenuous workout, and that aspect of the weekend was perfect. Sharon and all of her brothers were indeed in excellent shape.

  She knew Sharon’s family owned the local ski resort. If all five siblings were skiers, it would stand to reason they would be in good shape.

  “You good?” A hand landed on her shoulder, making her flinch. She knew the touch by now. It was Griffen’s. Plus he was the only one of the brothers who had touched her. And he’d done so frequently.

  “Yes.” She wanted to shrug him off, but instead she found herself tipping her chin into his fingers, practically nuzzling his hand. She barely managed to keep from setting her lips on his knuckles. His scent filled her nose, making her heart beat faster.

  She gripped her legs together and turned onto her side as he cupped her cheek before slowly removing his hand.

  It was dark. No one could have seen the gesture, but she was wide awake thinking about the implications. Hadn’t his touch been unnecessary and lingered too long?

  She flopped onto her back and stared at the top of the tent, trying to breathe normally and willing herself to sleep. They had ten miles to hike tomorrow, first up to the summit and then back to the campsite. She would be dragging if she didn’t rest.

  As the minutes ticked by, she heard the sounds of deep breathing that accompanied sleep throughout the tent.

  Shit. Her bladder decided it needed release before she could relax. She finally gave up the fight to ignore it and eased the zipper down her sleeping bag as quietly as possible.

  “Rebecca?” The whispered voice was Griffen’s.

  She leaned in the direction of his head, seemingly strategically near her own to whisper back, “Bathroom.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  Rebecca grabbed her flip-flops with one hand, wormed her way out of the sleeping bag, and carefully stepped over the bodies between her spot and the entrance to the tent. She felt Griffen behind her. His hand landed on her lower back as she bent to unzip the tent.

  The touch was almost her undoing. She wore only a tank top and cotton shorts. The shirt had risen up so that his warm hand landed on her skin. There was a chill in the air, but she wasn’t sure she could blame the sudden goose bumps on the temperature.