Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

T he elevator doors closed, and River's wolf whined.

Ares' cologne lingered, making her body heat with desire. The past days without him had almost been unbearable. Her heart and mind had battled minute by minute as to whether she should go to him. Everything mixed inside her.

Her body and wolf wanted Ares. Wanted to feel his skin and taste his breath. But she couldn't trust the parts of her that wanted to explore every muscular inch of his form. An even more imposing and deliciously sexy form in his tight T-shirt and jeans.

His temper knew no bounds, and when he lost it, she couldn't help the terror that made her worry he might strike her or, worse, take her against her will.

"Are you okay?" Lachlan asked from the door of the suite.

She turned to him. "Where did Ares go?"

"Uh… I'm not sure to be honest."

"He wasn't dressed like he usually is for meetings."

"He doesn't have a meeting tonight. They finished earlier this evening."

River bit the inside of her lip. "He said he is leaving on a later flight than we are."

Lachlan nodded. "He has some meetings to finish up, Highness."

River sighed. "How many times have I told you not to call me that?"

"Thirty-six, Highness."

River snorted and momentarily glanced back at the elevator.

"Are you hungry?"

River shook her head. "No thanks."

Over the past few days, she'd gotten to know Lachlan, Isaac, and Zeke. Lachlan had played cards with her and taught her about the ways of the Lycans. Isaac had told her about the estate and what Montreal had to offer. Both had been her constant shadows, though somehow, in their presence, she'd been more comfortable than with Ares. Even so, despite being hot and huge, there wasn't one ounce of attraction to either of them.

Ares. Ares mate.

Yeah. I know.

They walked into the suite to find Zeke talking in hushed tones to Bianca. They stopped when Zeke spotted her. Bianca scowled, and Zeke sighed.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Bianca opened her mouth, but Zeke answered. "We're discussing the plan for your departure in the morning."

Bianca stared daggers into the back of Zeke's head and opened her mouth again to say something.

"Bianca," said Zeke. "You might want to start organizing the things delivered to our suite. Now would be the time."

She stood and huffed. He reached for her hand, but she whipped out of his grasp and bared her teeth. Zeke didn't so much as blink at her outburst. Something was up.

"I need River's help," she said.

Zeke looked between them as if trying to decide what to do.

"Prince Ares did say I, his beloved, could go where I wanted, didn't he?" River pressed, making sure to extenuate the word Prince.

Zeke's jaw worked hard for a moment. "He did."

"Lovely." Bianca gave a sardonic smile as she linked arms with River. "Then we will be on our way."

She turned, pulling River back to the suite door. Lachlan ran after them and got to the door first, pulling it open for them.

"Wait," said Zeke.

Bianca paused.

"I'll go with you,” Zeke finished.

"Well, if you are going, I don't want to sit here alone," said Lachlan.

"Hey," Isaac interjected. "I'm right here, dude."

Lachlan snorted.

"Wonderful," said Bianca. "Looks like it's a party."

The group went down one floor, with Bianca and Zeke refusing to look at each other. It wasn't until they entered the master suite that Bianca let loose.

"What is going on with you two?" River asked.

Bianca stormed over to River. "He doesn't want me to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Ares went out."

"And?" She drew out the word while waiting for the answer. "What, is he with a hooker or something," she joked.

"No," said Bianca. "But he might as well be."

All blood drained from River as a chill swept over her. "Where is he?"

"Clubbing."

River's wolf roared to life at the thought of other women pawing at Ares. Her Ares. She envisioned him grinding up behind them. His firm hands roamed their bodies. His lips on their skin.

Without warning, a growl escaped River as a possessiveness overtook her senses.

"Where?" she roared.

Twenty minutes later, River and Bianca left her room dressed to conquer. When they approached the front room, Lachlan's mouth fell open, and Isaac turned and spit his drink all over the floor.

"I want to go out," River announced.

The men stared at her as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Hellooooo?" said Bianca. "Did you hear River? She said she wants to go out."

"Dressed… dressed like… like that?" asked Isaac.

"Is there something wrong with my outfit?" River looked down at the black leather bustier and mini skirt covering most of her assets.

"Uh…" The men shared a look.

"Zeke went to grab some food. He'll be back any minute. We should wait for him," said Lachlan.

"I don't want to wait," said River.

"But it's for your safety, Highness. If anything happened to you, Prince Ares would have our heads."

"Do you know where he is?" River asked.

"Who?"

"Ares?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, find out and take me there. Surely you can't get into trouble if you take me to him. He did say to watch me only if I wasn't with him."

The men exchanged another look, and Isaac shrugged.

Lachlan stopped the sedan outside the club where River had first met Ares. She jumped from the backseat, her wolf a bundle of nerves. She couldn't settle between anxiety and complete rage.

River strode with Bianca to the rope, and Brutel turned their direction.

"Damn, River," he said with a huge smile.

River smiled as he opened the rope and let her in. "I've been told Prince Ares is here."

Brutel snorted. "Oh, he's in there all right. Why? You looking to get with a Lycan? In that outfit, I'm sure you're bound to grab the attention of every male in the place."

River started for the door. "That's what I plan on doing."

Bianca ran to catch up with River as she entered the club and scanned the surroundings. She sniffed her surroundings, searching for the scent she wanted.

Weaving through the bodies, she hardly noticed the catcalls, whistles, and 'hot damns' aimed their direction.

She scanned the dance floor and a male stepped in front of her. Blocking her view. He placed his hand on her bare hip.

"Why don't you let me buy you a drink or ten, pretty mama?"

River glared at him. "Why don't you remove your hand before I break it?"

"Come on, babe. You can't come walking into a place like this, dressed like that, and expect to-"

River's wolf lashed out. She gripped the shifter's hand and twisted until his wrist cracked.

He cried out, and she bent into his ear. "I warned you."

She turned to the bar and ordered Bianca a soda from Jimmy.

"I'm sure Zeke will be here any second."

Bianca nodded, and a shifter smiled at her.

Uh… nope.

River spotted Isaac. "Take her to the VIP area and keep her there. Soda only or water until Zeke arrives."

Isaac nodded and took Bianca's soda before helping her through the crowd.

When they disappeared, River scoured the floor. In the middle, Ares danced, surrounded by four human females grinding on him and touching him all over.

River's wolf snarled as Ares moved in ways that would have made the Magic Mike dancers envious.

Minutes passed with her anger rising to a level she'd never known. Suddenly, his eyes popped open and trained right on her.

He stopped moving as she descended the steps. She squeezed through the throng of patrons and beelined straight for him. He watched her with the fiery gaze of a predator.

She shoved the first female off him. The girl cried out and stumbled to the ground.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked another female, helping the first off the floor.

The two women advanced on her, but River snarled at them.

"Back off, this one is taken." Every instinct inside her wanted to carve into their faces and gouge out their eyes for daring to admire Ares.

The girls backed into the crowd. River spun around and glared at the other two women, who backed off as well.

Breathing heavily, she trained her gaze on Ares. He didn't move for a moment, but then he reached for her. She swatted his hand away.

His eyes went black, and they continued to stare at each other, fighting for dominance. His aura pulsed around her, pushing her to look away, to submit, but she refused.

Finally, he stepped so close their bodies brushed against each other, and he slipped his bare arm around her hips, pulling her against his bulging erection.

"You're lucky I haven't ripped the heads off every male in this place for them daring to look at you or smell you," he said in her ear.

"And you're lucky I don't chop your hands off for touching those whores," she retorted.

He backed up a pace, but she fisted his T-shirt in her hand and yanked him back to her. "I didn't dismiss you."

He ground his hips into hers. "If it makes you feel any better, I only thought of you."

She leaned in an inch from his lips. "If you're going to lie to me, keep your mouth shut." Then she turned her back to him and pulled his hands to her hips. A rumble escaped him, and he ground into her harder, and she flung her arms around his neck. He bent down and inhaled her, sending shivers over her skin.

River wasn't sure how long they danced before Ares ushered her off the floor toward the VIP area. All she knew was she should never have gone clubbing in leather, and she never would again. The bustier made her itch, and the skirt clung to her thighs.

Santiago stepped out of the way and let them through.

Ares dragged her through the booths, past where Zeke and Bianca locked lips in a tangle of limbs, to the back of the room where Drew sat on a couch with a leggy brunette.

Drew jumped to his feet and ushered the female from the room.

The moment they reached the back, Ares's mouth clamped down on hers, but she shoved away from him.

"Sit," she commanded.

Like an obedient dog, he sat, his greedy eyes taking her in.

"What the hell are you playing at?" she demanded.

"Me?" he asked wide-eyed. "I'm not the one who came out in public dressed like that."

"And I'm not the one found being fondled by human skanks."

His nostrils flared.

"Say something," she said.

"Something."

She growled and stepped toward him.

He held up his hands. "All right. All right. Fine. The truth is, I didn't think you'd care."

She blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"You've made it clear you don't want this mating, and I needed to blow off some energy to keep my wolf from-"

Her wolf snarled at the idea of him with another female. "From what?"

"From forcing me to come find you and be near you."

“Are you saying it's my fault you went out and let other women be all over you?"

He didn't reply.

"Fine. I guess you won't mind if I go blow off some energy by letting guys caress me all over."

She didn't make it one step before he blocked her way, growling.

"So, it does matter."

"Only if you want to avoid a massacre."

"Why is it any different for you?"

He licked his lips. "I suppose it's not. But what if I went out there dressed in only underwear?"

"This isn't underwear."

He cocked an eyebrow.

River folded her arms over her breasts. "I wanted your attention."

"Oh, you got it, Sweetheart. The question is, what do you want to do with it?"

Her body heated. What did she want to do with it? The way he eyed her like he wanted to devour her tempted her to say something flippant or sexy. Instead, she said, "I… I like what we did before."

"Dancing?"

She nodded.

His arm snaked around her, and he kissed below her ear, sending goosebumps up her arms. "Then let's do that, Little Wolf."