Tempting the Wolf (Black Hills Wolves Book 13) Read online

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Tempting the Wolf

  Copyright © 2015 by Lia Davis

  ISBN: 978-1-61333-804-9

  Cover art by Fiona Jayde

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

  Look for us online at:

  www.decadentpublishing.com

  Black Hills Wolves Stories

  Wolf’s Return

  What a Wolf Wants

  Black Hills Desperado

  Wolf’s Song

  Claiming His Mate

  When Hell Freezes

  Portrait of a Lone Wolf

  Alpha in Disguise

  A Wolf’s Promise

  Reluctant Mate

  Diamond Moon

  Wolf on a Leash

  Tempting the Wolf

  Coming Soon

  Worth Fighting For

  Promiscuous Wolf

  A Wolf Awakens

  Also by Lia Davis

  Ravished Before Sunrise

  Imperfect Mate

  Dedication

  To the love of my life, who’s a wolf in denial.

  Tempting the Wolf

  Black Hills Wolves

  By

  Lia Davis

  Chapter One

  The calm before all hell breaks loose. The halls of the Rapid City Regional Hospital ER were empty and too quiet. The tension in the still air put Bastian on edge. A whisper of unease teased his senses as he stopped in front of the nurses’ station. The sense that the hushed, clean ER was about to change washed over him.

  You’re being paranoid, Bas.

  His grandmother had always said he possessed an “open soul.” Whatever the hell that meant. Sure he had an empathic sense, but he cared for others. It made him a great doctor. She hadn’t been the most stable person, but Bastian loved her anyway.

  When he met the serious gaze of the RN on the other side of the counter, his earlier awareness was confirmed. Anger, sadness, and anxiety drifted from the nurse as she hung up the phone and hurried around the counter wall. “Rescue is bringing in a sixteen-year-old male with a GSW to the abdomen.”

  Gunshot wound.

  Heart hammering, Bastian quickened his steps as he followed two other nurses as they darted into the closest room, preparing it for the teen. He washed up and had one glove on when the EMTs wheeled a gurney with the victim into the room. Blood soaked his blue T-shirt and the sheets covering him.

  Instinct and years of medical training kicked in. Bastian rushed to the boy’s side, checking vitals as the paramedics briefed him. “Gunshot wound to the abdomen. Blood pressure is one twenty-five over ninety and pulse is one hundred, five beats per minute, but he’s been unconscious the whole trip over.”

  Giving a short nod, Bastian gripped one side of the sheet the kid lay on and helped the EMT lift him to the bed. One nurse drew blood while another cut the teen’s shirt open. Bastian cursed at the sight of the angry, bloody bullet hole. The entry wound was smaller than he expected, as if the boy had started to heal. The long hours had finally caught up with him because people didn’t heal that fast. “Prep him for surgery, now.”

  A moment later, a dark-haired woman stormed into the room. The door slammed against the wall as she headed straight for their trauma bay. Her bright blue glare fixed on the boy, and her lips were set in a thin line.

  Annoyed, Bastian stepped in front of her. “Miss, you can’t be in here until I remove the bullet from his stomach.”

  She faced him and narrowed her eyes. He swore he saw a slight color shift before she glanced away. “He’s my son, and he can’t be here.”

  Forcing himself to calm down, he held her narrowed-eyed glare. “I’m afraid your son may need surgery.”

  “He can’t stay here,” she repeated, shaking her head and darting her gaze to the door.

  “Your son has been shot.” He kept his tone low. “I can have a nurse show you to the waiting area.”

  The muscles in her temples flexed as if she clenched her jaw. She glanced around, fixing a stare on the few people within listening distance, then returned her gaze on him. The blue in her gaze brightened slightly, confirming his earlier thought of seeing them change. What the hell? The double doors to the ER opened, drawing his attention to a large man stalking down the hall, ignoring the staff as they tried to stop him. When the kid’s mother turned to glare at the newcomer, Bastian swore her pupils reflected the lights.

  The man had dark brown hair, a shade lighter than the woman’s, and he stood at least three inches taller than Bastian. His navy-blue eyes narrowed on Bastian as he spoke to the woman. “Alanna, grab the kid and let’s go.”

  “I ran into a situation.” She spoke through her teeth as she locked gazes with Bastian.

  The man leaned in and whispered something into her ear. She shook her head. “Can’t.”

  “Damn it, Alanna. I’m going to get Cody.”

  When he stepped around her, she blocked him and placed a hand on his chest. “Go wait for me in the truck.”

  They stared at each other for several long moments, and Bastian wondered what the deal was with the two of them. He shook his head. Not my business. “Look. Both of you can have a seat in the waiting room. I’ll come out as soon as I have word on your son’s condition.”

  The man glanced from him to Alanna and smirked. “I’ll be out in the truck. You two have fun.”

  “Cody comes with us. You will allow me to take him and won’t remember we were here.”

  Enough with the shit already. He stepped into her space to stand almost nose-to-nose with her. “This is my ER tonight and my rules. I will operate on the kid and will not allow him to die on my watch. Are we clear?”

  One side of her full lips lifted. “Oh, I’m starting to see things much clearer. I do apologize for this.”

  Before he could ask for what, she slammed her palm to his forehead and everything went dark.

  ***

  “Fuck. Fuck. Shit.” Alanna paced the small living room of the cabin she owned several miles outside Los Lobos—the run-down town where her pack lived. She’d kidnapped a human and put him out, something she hadn’t done in years. The doctor was supposed to be among those she mind-wiped like she did all the others in the ER, but she couldn’t penetrate his thoughts to erase she and Cody from his memories.

  However, the snatch and grab was only half of her problems. The male’s scent called to her Wolf, setting the animal on alert. Damn. The last thing she needed was a mate. Especially a human mate.

  “So, why can’t you clear his memory?”

  “I don’t know,” she lied, not wanting to have this conversation or any other with her brother right then.

  “How long will he be out?”

  “Not sure.” And she wasn’t. She hadn’t used her ability to put anyone to sleep since she tried it on her stepfather. At the age of twelve, she hadn’t realized how much her emotions affected her telepathic gift. God, she hoped she didn’t kill the human.


  “Look, I think we need to call Drew and see if he knows anyone who can cut that bullet out of Cody.” Brock shifted nervously from foot to foot. “Then we need to figure out what to do with the human.”

  Alanna whirled around and faced Brock, a low growl escaping her throat. “No one touches the human. I’ll talk to Drew when I’m ready.”

  If she was lucky, she wouldn’t have to mention any of it her Alpha. Fuck. How did shit get so screwed up? “Can’t you force the change and let his Wolf heal him?”

  Brock folded his arms and shook his head. “No. The bullet needs to be removed first.”

  “I was afraid of that. Look, can you go to town and get some supplies? I’m going to have the doctor remove the bullet.” Turning to the sofa where Brock had laid the doctor, she watched his chest rise and fall in slow waves. He was a handsome man with short light brown hair and his wired-frame glasses.

  When he stood in front of her at the hospital, she’d noticed his broad shoulders and strong arms under the white coat. Sighing, she knelt down beside the couch and touched his forehead and concentrated on waking him. His body heat seeped into her skin, sending tingles of electric current up her arm. She ignored them.

  He wasn’t her mate. Couldn’t be.

  He was human.

  “Doctor, wake up.” She frowned at how lame that sounded. The ability to control minds had always been wiping and replacing memories. The whole putting people out of business wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal. Yet, she possessed the gift. She’d done it one other time to her abusive stepfather. He never woke up.

  The doctor’s lashes fluttered opened, and his pale green gaze met hers.

  She offered him a weak smile. “Hi.”

  His brows drew together, and he pushed himself up to a seated position, pressing his hand to his head as if he had a headache. “What the fuck did you do to me?”

  She stood and walked to stand near the entrance of the hallway, but didn’t answer his question. Guilt tightened her chest at the idea of causing him discomfort. “Would you like some tea? It could help ease the headache.”

  He snapped his gaze to hers. “Just water.”

  She studied him for several moments before walking over to a small cooler and pulling out a bottle of water. After tossing it to him, she returned to her post by the hallway, listening for Cody. “It’s unopened.”

  Glancing at the bottle, he twisted the cap off and took a drink. “What’s your name?”

  “Alanna,” she whispered.

  “I’m Bastian.”

  “I know. I looked at your ID.”

  The scent of annoyance reached out to her Wolf senses, but she didn’t allow it to affect her. “I need you to remove the bullet from Cody.”

  His green gaze darkened and narrowed on her, his scent intensified. “I was going to do that at the hospital. In a sterile environment.”

  “I just need you to fix him. Okay?”

  “Then what? I leave.”

  She glanced down the hall again. “No, I can’t let you leave.”

  Chapter Two

  One hundred fifty, one hundred forty-nine, one hundred forty-eight….

  Bastian chewed on his lower lip and dropped back against the couch, scanning the small room. He guessed the woman had brought him to a cottage or cabin. The walls were covered in some kind of cheap wood paneling. The furniture appeared a little dated and worn, but who was he to judge? He lived in a studio apartment that consisted of a single futon and TV.

  At one time, he’d valued material things. He had the large house on the hill with a maid and a gardener, Italian tile flooring, marble countertops, and the picture-prefect trophy wife. The Ken-and-Barbie lifestyle crashed and blew the fuck up when he found out his perfect wife had cheated on him. He hadn’t asked why or fought her for anything, just gathered a few clothes and left.

  “Bastian?”

  Alanna’s low voice brought him out the past. Flicking his gaze to her, he studied her for a few moments. Her black hair hung in a thick braid, the tail draping over her shoulder. He had the oddest urge to pick it up and unravel it so he could run his fingers through the silky strands.

  Shaking his head to clear the wave of desire flooding his system, he stood and pushed past her to go search for Cody. He would deal with the fact she believed she could hold him without an explanation later. His first priority was the kid. He’d deal with Alanna later.

  She stepped in front of him. “What are you doing?”

  He lifted his brows. “I’m a doctor, and I’m going to check on him.”

  She hesitated, glancing over her shoulder at the closed door then up into his stare. She held his gaze for several moments before dropping her shoulders and stepping aside. He entered the room and instantly went into doctor mode. Cody lay on the bed, his skin a little paler than when they arrived, and his breaths labored.

  When he lifted the sheet, she gripped his wrist. “What are you doing?”

  He dismissed the nervous tone as concern from a mother for her son. He took a deep breath and spoke in the calm, soothing voice he often used with frantic parents. “I need to see the wound and clean it.”

  She started to shake her head then cursed low before releasing her hold. The spot where her fingers wrapped around his wrist tingled slightly, but he filed it away with the other weird shit that had happened since the kid showed up in ER. “Thank you.”

  He lowered the sheet. Disbelief hit him as he stared at the small hole that appeared to be days old. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, he noted it hadn’t been that long since Cody came into the ER.

  Impossible. He couldn’t be healing already.

  Alanna had disappeared then returned holding a small bowl of water and a washcloth. He took the damp cloth from her and cleaned the blood from around the wound.

  Bastian glanced up at her and fought the urge to offer comfort. She watched Cody with sorrow in her eyes while her hands fisted on the sheet. Taking a deep breath, he pushed away the feeling that he’d walked into something he had no business to be in. He had a job to do.

  Alanna inched closer to him. She shifted from foot to foot as she peered over his shoulder. Finally, she asked, “I’ve never seen him sleep so sound.”

  Bastian shook his head. “He’s lost a lot of blood.” Glancing around the room, he frowned. “I wish I had my medical bag or a sterile knife.”

  “My brother went to get you some supplies.”

  “Was that him with you at the hospital?”

  She nodded once. Clenching his jaw, he turned to her, about to demand some damn answers, but the front door opened and slammed shut. A moment later, her brother walked into the bedroom and shoved a black bag at him. His brown hair ruffled slighted, and his blue-eyed gaze bored into him, untrusting.

  “Alanna, I need to speak with you in the living room,” the man said before pivoting around and exiting the room.

  She hesitated before dropping her shoulders and slowly walked out. Not his concern. The faster he removed the bullet the faster he could get the hell out of there. Alanna confused him, made him want things he hadn’t in so long—and didn’t need.

  Opening the bag, he sighed in relief at the local anesthesia, scalpel, gauze, and other supplies inside. At least he didn’t have to revert to war-era surgery on the kid.

  ***

  “What the fuck are you thinking, Alanna?”

  Alanna winced at Drew’s harsh tone and lowered her head. Despite the fact she was a dominant female, Drew was her Alpha. “Cody needs the bullet removed. I couldn’t leave him in the human hospital.”

  “Yet, you bring a human this close to the pack lands.” Drew shot a glare to Brock, then to Alanna. “Why didn’t you erase his memory? Brock could have removed the bullet. Hell, I could cut the damn thing out myself. The boy is young enough his Wolf would heal him the rest of the way.”

  All the points he’d made were true, and it had been her intent to do all the things mentioned. Except for one thing. “I can�
�t read the human or alter his memories. I tried and ran into a wall.”

  The Alpha’s hands fisted at his side, and he began to pace. She could feel his growing annoyance with each step. Even Brock grew uneasy beside her. As did her Wolf, falling into a submissive stance inside her.

  “Have you tried again? Maybe you were stressed over Cody or something.”

  Unable to stop the fury knotting in her gut, she took a step toward Drew and met his hard stare, even though her Wolf whimpered. “I never lose control over my gift. I’ve spent too long training my mind and body to control that part of my life. Because, believe me, my Alpha, I don’t want a repeat of what happened to Peter.”

  Tears filled her eyes. Even though her stepfather deserved to die a thousand horrific deaths, the fact she’d killed him still haunted her. She was a protector not a killer.

  The power in the room eased, and Drew took her hands in his and placed them over his heart. “That was a long time ago. You were a child protecting her mother in the only way you knew how.” With an index finger, he lifted her chin. “Try to read him again. If you still can’t, then find out what he knows about us. I’ll respect your judgment, but if he’s a threat to the pack, you know what must be done.”

  Her heart sank to her feet. She hadn’t told Drew Bastian was her mate. Or at least a possible mate. Her Wolf would mourn the loss of him even without forming a bond.

  Drew stepped away as the bedroom door opened and clicked closed. A moment later, Bastian entered the living room, blood droplets on his scrubs.

  Fear burned her gut, and she advanced to him. “What happened?’

  Bastian gripped her upper arms as she tried to walk around him. “He’s fine. No internal damage that I can tell. In fact, it seems like he’s already healing.” He shook his head. “Of course, I’m tired and out of my element here.”