The Hungry Wolf Ch. 03

"Becky, ..."

"We should get going, dolcezza," Damien said from the doorway. "Darian and Eva are expecting us." He hated interrupting her call. From what he could hear of Becky's part of the conversation, her friend was pushing her to stay. He would have preferred to give her friend more time to talk to her.

"Is that him?" Becky asked.

"Yeah. I've got to go. We're having dinner with his brother and sister-in-law."

"Oh really?" Becky snorted. "Sounds like he thinks it's just a casual thing."

"Beck, really, I have to go."

"Put him on."
"What? No!"

"I want to talk to him. Put him on the phone."
"Are you in junior high?" She looked up to find Damien standing in front of her smiling. "Youdo notneed to talk to him. I have to go," she continued with a sigh, "but we will continue this conversation another time." She clicked off the phone and handed it to Damien. She stood to put her jeans on, her cheeks hot, knowing he heard a good deal of what was said.

He had just put the phone back on the cradle when it rang again.

"This is Damien," he said, watching Charlie shimmy into her pants.

"It's Becky. I want to talk to you." No preamble, no niceties. Just right to the point. Damien felt a begrudging respect for her.

"Talk."

"Okay," Becky took a deep breath. "So, I know a bit about you, but since you don't know anything about me I feel I should fill you in on a few points: 1 – I am loyal to a fault; 2 – my friends are my family and I love them beyond reason; 3 – I am crazy protective of my family."

"I see," Damien said, trying not to sound amused. "Perhaps I should let you in on a couple points our mutual friend didn't disclose?" Charlie was staring at him, eyes wide as she realized who he had to be talking to.

"Please."
"1 – I would die protecting those I care about; 2 – I care about her more than I care about anyone else. Period." Charlie relaxed a bit at that, smiling gently. She took the towel off her head and went back in to the bathroom to hang it up and put her hair up in a clip. She came back in to the bedroom and slipped into her Keds before taking the seat by the window, watching Damien talk to Becky.

There was a pause before Becky finally spoke again. "Don't let her leave."

"How?"

"Do whatever you have to do, but don't let her leave."

"I would like nothing more," Damien said quietly. He looked at Charlie and felt his gut clench at the thought of her leaving.

"Look," Becky said with a sigh, "you probably won't believe me, but I can tell just by her voice...she needs you. Don't let her run."

"I will do my best."

"And one more thing? If you do hurt her, I will make you a eunuch. Are we clear?"

"We are," Damien said, smiling widely. He liked this friend. It made him happy to know Charlie had someone that loyal and protective.

"Good." With that, she hung up.

Damien put the phone back on it's cradle and turned towards the door. "Come, dolcezza," he held his hand out to Charlie.

"Sorry about that." She walked over to him and took his hand.

"Sorry about what?" he asked, leading them down the stairs and out of his apartment.

"Becky can be a bit over-the-top." She smiled at him sheepishly. "Sorry you had to deal with her."

"I didn't mind at all," he brought her hand up to his lips and brushed them over her knuckles, smiling at the way she shivered. "She seemed pretty straightforward and no-nonsense."

"Yeah, well, she is that." Charlie said as Damien led them into Darian and Eva's apartment.

"We're here," he called out, leading Charlie through the living room to the kitchen. Darian was prepping some of the biggest t-bone steaks Charlie had ever seen while Eva sat at the counter watching.

"Damien, Charlie," Darian said, nodding at them as they entered. "I was just getting ready to throw the steaks on the grill."

"Are those yours?" Charlie asked, looking at the steaks closely. "I mean, from your cattle?"

"Yeah, they're Triple D."

"They look delicious. Great marbling." Eva smiled at her and motioned for her to take the stool next to her. Charlie walked around the counter and sat.

"How do you like your steak?" Darian asked.

"Medium if you can. Medium well is okay, too."

"Why do you even bother asking?" Damien asked his brother. "Every steak you cook ends up being practically raw."

"Not true," Darian protested.

"Yes it is," Damien and Eva said in unison.

'Go help your brother with the steaks,' Eva sent to Damien.

'I don't need help,' Darian grumbled back to his mate.

'Yes you do. And I would like to talk to Charlie,' Eva countered.

"Come on, Darian, I'll show you how to properly grill a steak," Damien said, taking the plate out of his brother's hands and heading towards their terrace.

"I really don't need any help," Darian grumbled, following his brother.

"He does. He really does," Eva sighed and watched the men. She turned towards Charlie and gave her a warm smile. "So, how are things going?"

"Things?"

"With Damien? Between you two?"

"They're...uh...things are good." She looked at Eva warily. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, to be honest Charlie, he's...different...since he met you."

"The smiling and laughing thing?"

"Well, yes."

"Can I ask what that's about?" Charlie looked around to make sure the two men were still out of the room. "So many people have brought this up to me. Is it really that big a deal?"

"People here care about Damien, Charlie. And since he's met you, he's different. He's happy."

"What happened, Eva? What made him so unhappy?"

"He was hurt. Pretty badly."

"Mira?"

"Oh, no," Eva said with a laugh. She got up and got a bottle of red out of the wine cabinet and handed it to Charlie with the opener. "Would you mind opening that for me? Mira was nothing to him. Believe me." She got four glasses down and lined them up.

"Then why has she been such a bitch?" Charlie asked, concentrating on the wine and missing the expression that crossed Eva's face.

"She's insecure, I think. She sees Damien finding his happiness in you, and it reminds her she has yet to find her own." She moved to the fridge and got out a large bowl of salad and a bowl of cut fruit, placing them on the counter.

"Let me get those for you," Charlie said, sliding off her stool and going to the counter. "Where do you want them?"

"In the dining room," Eva said, pointing the way. Charlie walked through an archway at the far end of the kitchen and placed the bowls on the large golden oak table. Eva followed with the wine, glasses, plates and silverware. "Would you bring the condiments and stuff I put on the counter?"

"Sure." Charlie went back to the kitchen and gathered the dressing, steak sauce, salt and pepper from the counter. On a whim she went in to the fridge and grabbed the Dijon mustard before heading back to the dining room. She put her load in the center of the table and looked at Eva. "So tell me, who hurt him?"

"That is not my story to tell, Charlie. But you have only to ask him and I am sure he will tell you himself." Eva held out a glass of wine, and Charlie took it gratefully. "Let's go sit in the living room while they finish grilling."
"Alright," Charlie said, following Eva through another archway to a cozy room with two plush couches and a low table. The walls were lined with curio cabinets and bookshelves. "Oh wow, that's beautiful," Charlie said, spying an acoustic guitar on one of the shelves. It had an exquisite mother-of-pearl inlay made to look like the full moon on the face of the guitar.

"Do you play?" Eva asked, moving next to Charlie.

"I know a couple songs."

"Please," Eva said, taking Charlie's glass on the table, "Darian hardly ever plays anymore, and it makes such a beautiful sound." She took the guitar out and handed it to Charlie.

"Are you sure?" Charlie said, taking it from Eva gingerly.

"Positive."

Charlie moved to the couch and sat carefully, placing the guitar on her knee and plucking at the strings, tuning it and humming along. "That's a gorgeous sound." She smiled at Eva and ran some chords, loosening up her fingers. "You sure Darian won't mind?"

"Not at all," Eva said with a laugh.

Charlie smiled and closed her eyes, her fingers effortlessly finding the notes she hadn't played in years and Jewel's 'You Were Meant for Me' took shape around her. She tapped her foot in time with the song, her body following her hands and making her sway slightly as she began to sing along.

Damien and Darian heard Charlie start to play from where they stood by the grill. As her voice reached them Damien turned to watch her.

"She's quite good," Darian said, taking the steaks off the grill and putting them on a plate.

"Yes, she is," Damien glanced at his brother with a smile.

"When are you going to tell her?"

"I need to." Damien ran his hand through his hair. He was still watching Charlie through the glass doors. "I nearly shifted this morning when we were making love."

"She didn't notice?" Darian asked as he ran a brush along the grill grates. Damien shook his head. "That was very lucky."

"I know." He sighed, looking at his brother forlornly. "I am afraid she will run from me when she knows."

Darian looked at his brother and shook his head. "She won't. Not if she's drawn to you like you think she is." He turned off the grill and picked up the plate with the cooked meat, and they head back in. Charlie had moved on to Loretta Lynn's 'You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man', her voice clear and sweet as they came inside. Darian paused to look at his brother, noting the leer on his face and nearly predatory way his eyes locked on to Charlie.

'Do it soon, brother. Your wolf is almost showing,' he sent with a snicker.

Damien nodded but didn't respond, walking towards the living room. He stopped at the entry, watching Charlie as she played and sang, entranced by the way her body seemed to dance with the guitar. She finished the song and looked back at Eva, holding the guitar out to her and unaware of her audience.

"That was wonderful, Charlie," Eva said, standing and taking the instrument from her. "You have a beautiful voice."

"She certainly does," Darian said, coming in to the room. "How long have you been playing?" he asked, moving to Eva to take her hand and lead her into the dining room.

"I actually don't," Charlie said, startled by Damien's hand on her shoulder. She turned to find him smirking at her. "What? I know a few songs, but I can't read music or anything." She stood and took his offered hand, letting him lead her to the dining room.

"Feel free to borrow the guitar anytime, Charlie. I'm sure you'd be able to teach yourself in no time," Darian offered as they took their seats. She glanced at him before turning her gaze to Damien.

'Easy, Darian. She is still thinking she will be leaving soon.'

'Sorry. I forgot.'

They all started in on their dinners, talking and laughing, going through four bottles of wine, taking their time to savor the food and company. Charlie relaxed completely, losing herself in the warmth of family for the first time in years. The gentle teasing, the mild discussions and the stories of the twins' childhood lulling her into a sense of belonging. After they had finished, they sat in the living room again, Darian and Eva on one couch, and Damien and Charlie on the other, laughing and talking over their wine. When Damien stood to go, pulling Charlie up with him, she was shocked to find it was after 10PM.

They said their good-byes and thank yous, and head across the landing towards Damien's apartment. He suddenly pulled her to him, wrapping her up in his arms and kissing her, taking the clip out of her hair so he could wrap his other hand in it. He put the clip in his pocket before grabbing her ass and pulling her to him, wanting her to feel how much he desired her and leaving her a bit out-of-breath when he finally ended the kiss.

"Hmmm," she purred, laying her head on his chest.

"I've been itching to do that for hours," he murmured.

"I've been thinking," she began, pausing to lean back and look at him. He looked at her, eyebrow cocked, waiting for her to continue. "You know when we were out on Hamlet yesterday?"

"Yes?"

"Well, I lost the back to my earring."

"The back to your earring."

"Right."
"The earring you were wearing.

"Yes."

"In your un-pierced ear."

"Exactly," Charlie said, smiling at him slyly. "So you can see why it would be very important to find it again. I mean, all things considered, I couldn't dream of leaving before I do."

"Of course." He smiled at her.

"So I was thinking, I would probably need to stay another few days at least."

"At least."

"I mean, it's important, you know, to have all your earring backs when you move to Oregon."

"I didn't know that."

"Oh, yeah. It's like a state law. I could be fined." She was smiling broadly at him.

"Wouldn't want that to happen, would we?" She shook her head before he continued. "You know, sometimes the moon is the best light to find things by."

"Oh?"

"Absolutely. Especially small, metallic, imaginary things," he teased, pulling her towards the back stairs.

"Is the moon bright tonight?"

"Very." They had reached the door and Damien had her in his arms again, nuzzling her neck.

"Maybe we should take advantage of that," she said, her voice husky.

"I intend to." He released her and pushed open the door, leading her past the barn to a narrow trail that struck off to the west. They walked the path, serenaded by crickets, hand in hand in the moonlight, until Charlie let go and struck off through a field of tall grass. "What are you doing?" Damien called, following her.

"Taking the road less traveled," she said, glancing back at him over her shoulder. She winked at him and then ran, her sudden speed surprising Damien and freezing him to the spot. His wolf pushed forward again, desperate to give chase and claim their mate – NOW – but Damien pushed him back.

"Oh dolcezza," he called, walking quickly. "If you only knew how much I will enjoy chasing you." He began to run after her, easily overtaking her and tackling her to the ground, twisting so his body lay beneath hers when they landed. She looked down at him laughing, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight, making them flash gold.

"If you only knew how much I will enjoy you catching me," she said. She leaned down and kissed him, sucking gently on his lower lip. She moved herself to straddle him, raising her head to look down at him as she rubbed herself provocatively on him. "This seems oddly familiar..."

"Don't tease, my love," Damien groaned.

"I have no intention of teasing," Charlie whispered. "I want you. Here. Now. In this field. Under this moon." She punctuated each sentence with a soft, lingering kiss, driving their need for each other higher.

"Dolcezza," Damien began but stopped short as the scent of two wolves – two very close wolves – suddenly hit him. He started to shift beneath her before he knew what was happening, barely registering her eyes going wide and the scent of her fear hitting him as his nose and ears elongated and he sprouted fur.

"What the FUCK?!" she cried, scrambling off him and standing up. She didn't notice the two huge wolves to her left.

"Dolcezza, please, I can explain," Damien said, sitting up slowly. He didn't want to spook her any more than she was. He could smell her fear edging to panic, and in his concern for her he had forgotten the two wolves.

"No." She started backing away, her eyes huge and her hands out in front of her. "That can't have just happened."

"Charlie - " Damien began, but she cut him off.

"No!" Charlie screamed as she turned and started running back towards the ranch house. She ran about fifteen feet when she was knocked down from behind and rolled onto her back to find herself pinned under a big tan wolf. She screamed and kicked, turning her head to the side when she saw an even bigger wolf, pure glossy black, jump at the one pinning her down. The black wolf snarled and snapped at the tan one, forcing it to back down and show its belly, before turning its attention to the woman beneath him.

Charlie was shaking as the black wolf stood over her and howled. She watched as he bent his head to her neck and tensed, expecting to feel teeth, and squealing when a wide, hot tongue licked at her neck instead. Her mind whirled when she saw the big black wolf change in front of her eyes and become Damien, and she barely had time for a thought to flit across her consciousness –can't be– before she went limp beneath him as she fainted.