Fate's Savage pull-Luna's Claws

WE OWN THE FANGS

SHORT 1- WE OWN THE FANGS

CHAPTER 1

PRESENT- 6 DAYS EARLIER

Buchi groans. "Because they like to torture me. I reacted once—now I'll never hear the end of it."She chuckles. "You guys seem close.""We have to be. Comes with the job."She hesitates, then blurts, "I misjudged you when we first met. You have to admit, though, 'we work in security' sounds like a bad pickup line coming from four good-looking guys."Buchi stops abruptly. She takes another step before realizing and turns to face him.His expression shifts-surprise, then amusement. "Did you just call me good-looking?""Like you don't know."Huh." He scrolls back to a walk. "My friends are, but nobody ever calls me hot.""Weird," she says absently. "Maybe they would if you didn't scowl so much.He catches her wrist, his fingers curling around her skin. The touch sends a jolt through her, a pull she isn't ready for. She flinches, but he doesn't let go. "Why do you pull away?" His voice is lower now, rough. "You feel this too, don't you?"Her pulse stammers. "Yes. But I'm not looking for something meaningless."His grip tightens just slightly, enough to make her focus. "Neither am I.Then he's hauling her close-fast, impatient. One hand cradles her jaw, the other settles at her waist, tugging her against him as his mouth finds hers.The kiss is unrefined, almost desperate. His tongue grazes hers; the rhythm's all wrong, but something hot and restless starts to coil low in her stomach. She bunches the fabric of his shirt into her fists, her nails raking at his back as a small moan breaks through her throat.Abruptly, he pulls back.Sommy exhales, dazed.Buchi's lips are swollen, his breath uneven. "I like you."A slow grin stretches across her face—until yesterday's encounter flashes in her mind. Her stomach knots. "Tell me the truth. Was that female wolf from yesterday a mate?"Buchi's jaw tightens. "She wants to be. But it's not right." His hands glide up her arms, his touch sending a delicious shiver through her.FASHBACK-"Sommy!" The call is across the baggage claim area, and she manages to turn just in time to see Jessica striding toward her, legs impossibly long, blonde waves bouncing like she just stepped out of a salon ad. D*mn it. Still gorgeous. Of course, she didn't expect that Jessica would let herself go-she actually enjoys running, like, for fun, marathons and all. Sommy might hate her if she didn't love her so much.Ignoring the groan of the ancient conveyor belt as the luggage begins to appear, Sommy runs forward. Jessica swoops in and wraps her in a bear hug, swinging her clear off the ground. Sommy squeals as she's spun like a rag doll. "Put me down!Jessica finally does, twirling one of Sommy's curls around a manicured finger. "I've missed you! And your hair-ugh, I love it! I told you a bob would look amazing." She steps back to give her a once-over. "Whew! Still hot."This is why Jessica was her best friend in college: no matter how self-conscious Sommy felt about her curves, Jessica always made her feel like she owned them.Sommy links arms with her. "Missed you too. Where's your luggage?"Jessica waves it off. "Didn't make the connection. They'll deliver it to Lago Creek later.""That sucks. You know you can borrow my stuff."Jessica grins. "I was counting on it."How long till Elena and Zain get in?" Their two other college roommates, both human. Sommy, a werewolf without a mate, had always been the odd one out, even more now that they'd all graduated and moved away.Jessica checks her phone. "An hour."This outing was the four of them, Jessica's idea, of course. Sommy would've much rather done a beach somewhere, but Jessica, on her master's in education, had a budget. Sommy was cool with roughing it; however, she had to draw the line at tents and backpacks. There was no way she'd spend nights in woods in human form, not with her friends clueless about what she really was. The RV wasn't up for negotiation."Good," Sommy says. "Let's get coffee while we wait."They find a place offering every caffeine variation imaginable. As Jessica launches into a story about her students, a scent cuts through the air—familiar, unmistakable. Werewolves. Sommy stiffens, stomach tightening. Then comes the sound of laughter, deep and easy. Jessica stops mid-sentence, turning to stare."Holy hotness at one o'clock," she murmurs.Sommy already knows she heard. Of course, she did. She risks a glance. Four of them. Their eyes flick over.Great. Just what she needs.Jessica chuckles. "Not your type. Big, muscular, cocky." She nudges Sommy playfully. "But maybe it's time you let that go. We're on vacation. Live a little.Jessica has no idea. Sommy blows out a breath. "Alright. We can sit near them." Not a generosity-strategy. If these guys were in town, she needed to know why. Their presence at this small airport raised questions. Questions she needed answers to before her human friends wandered too deep into werewolf territory.Jessica orders first and goes to find seats. Sommy waits for hers, rolling her eyes when she sees Jessica already chatting up the wolves. Some things never change.Her name gets called. She turns—"Whoa." A guy with shoulder-length hair elbows his bespectacled friend. "Buchi, did you hear that?"Sommy barely stops herself from groaning. The Shakespeare joke again? Really? The other guy—Buchi, apparently—shifts uncomfortably, nostrils flaring. He doesn't like it either.She picks up her drink and heads back to the table. Jessica beams. "Meet Stephen, Oga, Timothy, and Buchi-though they call him Romeo." She waggles her brows. "Star-crossed lovers?"Sommy forces a polite smile, though something about Buchi draws her attention. Not classically good-looking-his nose has definitely been broken-but his presence thrums with intensity. And the scowl on his face? Intimidating.Strange she should notice him at all. His build is solid but not showy, his shirt looser than the others'. Less of a peacock. His jaw twitches as he glares at her. What's his problem? Then she gets it. The thick musk of testosterone clogs her senses. Her wolf snaps to attention.She takes a scalding sip, hoping to drown out instinct before they scent it on her. The liquid burns and she grimaces. These guys are hunting. And Buchi? Not happy his friends are flirting with a human.Jessica, oblivious, continues talking. "They're camping near us, so I invited them to join us one night."Sommy nearly chokes. "You did?" Maybe that's why Buchi's mad. Some wolves weren't fond of human company. She side-eyes him, but his expression gives nothing away.Jessica waves off her concern. "They're all single. We're all single. Who knows?"That's exactly what Sommy's worried about. She folds her arms. "We don't know anything about them."Jessica smirks. "They're firefighters."Sommy scoffs. "Really. And who's putting out fires back home?"Timothy, confident, leans into her. "There's loads of us."Right. She's not buying it. But her wolf is less sceptical, stirring under her skin. She needs distance, now. Pushing back her chair, she edges to grab something from the counter-but miscalculates. Her foot catches the table leg, sending their coffees sloshing.She lunges to save them. Buchi does too. Their heads collide. Hard.Stars burst before her eyes. Scalding liquid spills. Buchi growls low and snaps his head backward, hand shaking.Jessica gasps. "Oh my God! Are you okay?" She handed him a napkin. "Did that burn?""No." His eyes cut to Sommy. "I'm fine."Jessica looked over at her. "You?"Sommy shrugged off the pulse of pain across her forehead. She sat held by Buchi's eyes unblinkingly. "It was nothing."Jessica lets out a sigh. "Great." She turns back to Buchi. "So, do you guys ever get hurt on the job?"Buchi's whole demeanor changes. He brightens under her attention. "If we do, it's worth it."Sommy bites back a groan. Really? He's into humans after all? Her wolf stirs. A text notification saves her.She checks it, then rises. "Elena and Zain are here."Jessica flashes the guys a grin. "You know where we'll be."She doesn't turn around as Sommy pulls her luggage behind her. She can be certain the wolves are watching. And she has absolutely no idea how she's going to avoid a night around the fire with them.

WOTF-2

Sommy was the bold one in their group, always taking charge, though they never let her have the final say on everything. So while Jessica had booked the RV, she'd given Sommy the wheel. Zain had snagged shotgun, leaving Jessica and Elena to sprawl out in the back. Honestly, they got the better end of the deal-sinking into plush couches while the scenery blurred past. They were far enough south of Lago Creek that the rhododendrons were in full bloom, bursts of magenta flashing by the windows.Their first stop was for supplies-food for the week, plenty of alcohol. A soda hissed as Jessica cracked it open, the fizz tingling on her tongue."I hope they get my luggage to me tonight," Elena grumbled, her fingers drumming on her knee. While she'd snatched the essentials that morning, a nagging anxiety of being so unprepared whittled at her nerves.Jessica nudged her. "You know we've got you. Borrow anything you need."Elena exhaled loudly and forced a smile. "Yeah, yeah, I know. i