At five years old, Jeremy learned that lies shaped reality. It was the first night his father, or the man he would one day call his father, had brought him to Wolf Pack Run, the main Grey Wolf ranch, days after his mother’s death. That evening, around a campfire with the whole of the pack in attendance, James Lennon, then high commander of the Grey Wolf armies, had stood in the flickering orange glow of the flames and announced he had a son that he hadn’t known existed.
That son was Jeremy.
As Jeremy had stood with James by his side, the massive man’s hand wrapped around his tiny shoulders as if James were his father, as if he were proud of him, Jeremy had looked out at the faces of the Grey Wolf pack. Their expressions had been filled with affection, as if they’d found a long-lost family member in him. Every one of the pack members believed in him, wanted him, loved him. And in that moment, Jeremy had wanted James’s words to be true so ba
As Isabella monitored Jeremy’s pulse, she spent the next several hours alternating between watching the snow-capped mountains and memorizing the relaxed lines of his handsome face. There wasn’t much else to do inside the cabin, and she tried to reassure herself that was the sole source of her intrigue with him—but she was failing miserably.Every time she looked at him, especially in this relaxed state of sleep, the vulnerability and emotion she’d seen from him in the woods haunted her, softening her opinion of him. He’d been so stoic throughout her wound care, the perfect image of the hardened soldier, yet when she’d turned away, she’d heard him wince in pain.He was strong, fierce, brave, hardened by war. All the things he showed the world, yet…There was softness underneath it all. She’d seen it. And now that she had, she couldn’t bring herself to forget it.She shook her head. She should know
Jeremy had been about to ask where he’d heard her name before, but as he’d watched her pretty features become stricken with terror, he’d recognized her in an instant. He’d seen her once before in a photograph. A photograph inside a file at Grey Wolf command control back at Wolf Pack Run.A file labeled Wanted Wild Eight.“Isabella Beaumont,” he said, recognition flooding over him.The Wild Eight’s only physician.Which meant this woman who’d saved his life, who he’d held naked beneath him until he was aching with anticipation and pleasure…was his enemy.She dropped the empty basin in her hands as the fear in her eyes deepened.And then she ran.Shit.Jeremy raced after her. He couldn’t let this woman go. She bolted into the trees as he chased her, rounding pine trunks and leaping over mounds of snow. She was fast, but even with her head start, he gained on her q
Isabella was certain no other person—wolf, human, or otherwise—had ever infuriated her more than Jeremy Lennon. She’d always considered herself a mild-mannered person. Having grown up on a ranch in the Deep South, she’d been taught to be polite, accommodating, and generally pleasant. Sugar wouldn’t melt in her mouth, her mother used to say of her. Some would have called her bookish, shy even—when she wasn’t donning her lab coat overtop her cowgirl boots, that is.Yet, at the moment, as she looked into this cowboy’s ruggedly handsome face, all Southern hospitality flew out the window. Everything about him turned her tosalt instead of sugar. Who did he think he was, bossing her around and acting as if he gave a crap about her safety?The high commander of the Grey Wolves, that’s who.And now he was baiting her. Playing on her sense of curiosity with that dark, playful grin on his face. And she was falling
Jeremy had almost let her walk away.That thought haunted him as they rode down the mountainside atop Silver. The snow-covered pine trees and surrounding scenery passed in a steady blur. Or maybe he was too distracted by the enticing scent of a certain beauty’s dark hair inches from his face. She smelled of spring, of lemon verbena and sweet wildflowers, despite the cold winter air surrounding them. It was a warm, intoxicating mixture that made his cock ache.What had he been thinking? If he’d let her go, Maverick would have been beyond pissed, but that paled in comparison to what really vexed him. It was the thought that if he’d let her walk away, that would have meant he couldn’t guarantee her safety. This woman was an enemy to him, but all things considered, the thought of leaving her open to potential attack was torturous. He never showed an enemy mercy, yet he wanted to help her.And he hated it. He fucking hated it.The last
“Excuse me?”He’d surprised her when he’d let slip that he wanted to protect her. Help her. But…Isabella couldn’t have heard him correctly, could she?“I want to make it clear that our prior agreements still stand, and they have no relation to your decision. Regardless of my position, you have a choice, of course.”Maybe she had heard him correctly. He couldn’t possibly be serious. She gaped at him. Yes, there was heat between them. Tension. She sensed it, too. But she wasn’t about to admit that. Definitely not to him. She couldn’t risk another relationship with an alpha wolf—no matter how attractive and brave he might be, or how tempting the offer. No matter how much she wanted to see that softer side of him again.No. She needed to nip this in the bud before it got out of hand.She settled on being saucy. It worked with him, and that seemed to be the only way they could conver
“You seem distracted.” Dean stood inside the Missoula ranch barn beside Jeremy, a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other as he took inventory of the ranch’s supply stock.Distracted was putting it lightly. Jeremy had spent the morning on the subpack’s small training field running drills. Considering the Missoula ranch was only about a quarter the size of Wolf Pack Run, their training field was less than what he was used to. The Missoula ranch, though fully operational and similar in function to Wolf Pack Run, didn’t boast Wolf Pack Run’s underground training facilities and an additional training field like his men were used to, but they were soldiers and cowboys, so they’d make do.Even with the field cramped with men, the monotony of drills had left his mind far too much room to wander. After a short lunch break, when they’d regrouped for sparring, it’d become clear to Jeremy that, for once, his head wasn&rsq
The door to Jeremy’s private cabin burst open, allowing the cold to blow in. The fire in the hearth flickered, the flames briefly dimming to a steady burning ember before roaring to life again. Jeremy stared into the fire, his thoughts racing. The cold at his back sent a chill down his spine, but it wasn’t the wind that caused him to still. It was the feminine voice that accompanied it.“You wanted to see me, Commander?”It had only been two days, but her voice sounded throatier, deeper in timbre than he remembered, the kind of voice meant for late-night phone calls and meetings in dark corners of a hotel lobby.Austin held her by the arms. Her wrists were bound again, though he knew she’d been roaming around without handcuffs inside the guest cabin that served as her house arrest. She watched him with incredulous eyes, as if he’d had nerve to summon her. He’d missed that cheekiness, stubborn woman that she was.H
Isabella gaped at Jeremy. For once, she found herself at a loss for words.He believed her…when no one else ever had. That thought was enough to undo her. The tears came fast, pouring down her cheeks. They were a mixture of relief, gratitude, and regret that she hadn’t told him sooner. She’d never expected anyone to believe her, let alone the Grey Wolf high commander. And now…“You can’t possibly mean?” She whispered the words. It felt as if speaking at a normal pitch would cause the possibility to evaporate into the ether.Jeremy gave a hard nod. His jaw was drawn tight. “That’s exactly what I mean. You’re free to go.”“What about my testimony to the Seven Range Pact?” she breathed. “I’ll think of something.”Her eyes grew wide. He would do that? For her? “But it can’t be that simple. They’re expecting me to testify. If I don’t sho