The Wanted Werewolf

Hey readers! This book is a complete stand-alone, however Elena's brother Thorin does have a big role in several of my other books! If you are wondering where in the timeline this story fits in, it's right after Kelly's book "The Alpha Queen's Chosen Mate." Thank you to all my readers for sticking with me on this amazing writing journey! You guys are awesome! :) Happy reading! - - - - - - - - Elena My heels clicked against the concrete as I took my place on the corner of the coveted block. Snow fell, melting on contact. If the temperature dropped anymore, it would freeze - a problem for later. Wrapping my arms around myself, I waited. And waited. And waited. The tall clock on main chimed midnight. A set of headlights came into view. I let my fur shawl hang a little lower as it approached, then continued past. Damn it. He should be here by now. Igor Makarov. A rival of my father's - and one of the filthiest men I knew. A regular. A predator. I met him in person once, though he wouldn't have remembered. He was too focused on searching for my father. And no one actually knew who I was. Yaroslav made sure of it. Suddenly, a black SUV came whipping around the corner. It was the most expensive car I had seen all night. This had to be him. The car pulled up to me - the tinted window rolling down - revealing my target, Igor. Just as ugly as I remembered - just as fat too. Odd, for a man in his line of work. Then again, Igor let others do the dirty work. "Hey gorgeous, want a ride?" Plumes of rancid-smelling smoke flew out of the SUV. He was high. Perfect. Strutting over to him, I leaned onto the passenger window, letting him get a good view of my cleavage. "That depends. Do you think you can afford me?" I said in my most seductive voice. "Get in the car." His smile was anything but friendly. I flashed a sultry smile and got in. Igor raced through the city streets, his hand wandering up my skirt, skimming my skin as he headed for his hotel. I swatted his hand away playfully. "Cash first." "All business, eh?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Fine. Have it your way. I'll have my way soon enough." Ten minutes and a lot of flirting later, we arrived in front of the hotel. Igor wrapped his arm around me possessively as we headed for the entrance. Alexei opened the door for us, not batting an eye at the fact that Igor had his hand down my shirt. He couldn't afford to - my father killed anyone who botched a mission. Igor tossed him his keys - no words exchanged. Just like we had hoped. We hardly got in the elevator before Igor's mouth crashed into mine, nearly knocking my teeth out. "Excited are we?" I laughed - though I wanted to gut him. "It's not often that I get a taste of someone so... exotic." His fingers traced my skin. My very brown skin. A perfect mix of my mother's dark color, and Yaroslav's pale one. Dad's greatest weapon - and his biggest failure. To people like Igor, I was exotic, which would work in my favor tonight. But to most in this Goddess-forsaken land, I was an outsider not to be trusted. The elevator jolted to a stop. My stomach flipped. The doors opened - two guards, armed to the teeth, were waiting for us. Igor shoved me forward. I let myself stumble in my heels. He passed his men, head held high. "Can't be too careful." Standing up straight, I fixed myself, feigning annoyance. His men promptly searched me and, lucky for me, came up empty. My hair - which was a beautiful mess of curls - was the perfect vessel for hiding things. An asset or a curse? It depended on the situation. Pleased, Igor swiped his key card and let us into his suite. "Oh my goddess-" I clutched my chest, mouth agape. As if I hadn't been here before. "You like?" Igor asked smugly. "I love." It looked the same as the last time I was here; sleek furniture, massive bed, beautiful chandelier, crisp white bathroom and clean white carpet. "Good. Now get on the bed." He untucked his shirt, moving to the buttons next. Pursing my lips, I shook my head. "Is that anyway to treat a lady?" He huffed, stealing a glance at his watch. "You have somewhere more interesting to be?" "I have a meeting." "At this hour?" He didn't deign to answer, instead he pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket and threw it at me. I caught it midair. "Will this cover it?" I pretended to count it, thumbing through the bills, nodding slowly. "And then some." When I looked up, he was already sitting on the couch, pants around his ankles. Searching the room, I spotted a glass bar cart loaded with everything and more. I strutted over to it, discarding my shawl and top along the way. Igor's eyes were burning a hole in my back as I plucked up two glasses and a decanter of bourbon. My hips swayed as I moved toward him. "Drink with me," I said as I straddled his lap. I poured a knuckle full, kicking halfback before offering the heavy glass up to his lips. "It's not often I am in such an exquisite place." Igor smirked, polishing off the glass. His mouth was on my breast before he even finished swallowing. His hands gripped my hips, grinding me down. I moaned - unintentionally - heat flooding my cheeks. I took a few deep breaths. He couldn't know I wasn't experienced in... this. "What do you do that requires you to have meetings in the dead of night?" I asked as he flipped us around, pinning me to the couch. "Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about." He groaned, licking my neck. "It's men's work." "Humor me." I goaded him, stroking his length. "Perhaps I could join you, keep our night going." "Your offer is tempting." He grunted as his hips flexed into my hand. "But my meeting is far from here, in an exclusive bar, not meant for someone like, well, you." He chuckled. "Try me," I said, licking his lips. He tasted like smoke. "The Rogue Hideaway." "I haven't heard of it. Do they always host late-night gatherings?" "No, only for me. I'm the boss after all." His fingers pinched my n*****s to the point of pain. I gasped, fighting another blush. So close. I was so close to getting the answers I needed. "You own the place? So who is so important that you would cut our time short? Surely they would like to join our fun." "Sergei Morozov." He said, pulling down my skirt. Thank goddess I wore tights. "But that doesn't matter, because I never share." "And I never put out." I smiled sweetly, then reached into my curls and drew the stiletto pin. A swift jab behind his ear - clean, silent. Just a droplet of blood. He slumped over me like dead weight. Eyes open. Lifeless. He never saw it coming. Shoving him off, I grabbed my clothes off the floor, dressing as I searched the room for anything of value. His wallet was filled with cash, a nice perk for me, and a few business cards. I pocketed those and snatched his phone up next, powering it off and taking the SD card out. There was a double tap at the door, followed by a beat of silence and then three more knocks. Alexei. Perfect timing. I was halfway to the door when it swung open, my guard splattered with blood. The two guards lay dead in the hallway. I quickly helped Alexei drag them into the hotel room, the final step of most of our missions. "You get what you needed?" he asked, surveying the body. "And more." I nodded, winded from moving the bodies. "Good." Alexei's shoulders relaxed. I paused. "Why?" "He is waiting for you." Damn it. "How long?" I asked, already racing towards the door. "Twenty minutes ago." "Twenty minutes?! Why didn't you come sooner?!" "Because you nearly bit my head off the last time I did!" he huffed. Alexei ate up my steps as if they were nothing. At least a head taller - and a decade older. Strong. Fast. Cunning. And for reasons I still didn't understand, he kept sticking his neck out for me. "And we both knew what would happen if you didn't get whatever information he had you reaching for this time." "Don't remind me." I grumbled, the familiar sick feeling returning. We drove in silence back to my father's warehouse. Even with Alexei speeding, it still felt like it took forever. My leg bounced violently - Alexei looked stiff. I prepared myself for the worst. My father was an evil man, one who was hard to escape. Very few have ever made it out in one piece. Thorin, my half-brother, was the only person I knew of who dad never killed after the fact. He might change his mind one day. Either way, I was in less danger doing his dirty work than I was trying to escape. The man knew no bounds, he had no soul - no love for anything but control and power. I never understood how my parents ended up together. Mom - from what I remember - was kind and gentile, and not from around here. A stark contrast to my bastard father. Mom died when I was seven, leaving me to fend for myself. Not that my life has changed much since. My father still beat me, I still lived in a s**t hole, I was still a disappointment. The parking lot came into view. Alexei hadn't even fully stopped the car before I hopped out, heading for the garage door. To anyone passing by, it looked like an outdated mechanic's shop. Old, rusted cars littered the lawn and parking lot. A faded sign hung haphazardly off to the side. A few alley cats hung around, often getting into brawls. It was the perfect cover for all the operations going on behind closed doors. Bogdan, one of my father's henchmen, lingered near the garage door, smoking. "He's asked for you twice," he said between puffs, a smirk pulling at his lips. The bastard was as smug as he was bloodthirsty. "Can't rush perfection." I shot back, walking through his cloud of smoke, mustering my courage before stepping inside. I dodged tool boxes, spare tires, and barrels of goddess only knows what, heading for the vehicle on the car lift. Next to it was a set of stairs that I quickly descended. At the bottom there was a small room meant for oil changes - the walls were littered with bottles and greasy-looking tools. But hidden among all the chaos was a secret door leading to the heart of it all. Cigar smoke greeted me, and the hue of a red light. The door clicked shut behind me and I waited for my que to approach. "You have good news for me, Elena?" Yaroslav called from the far corner. He had one leg crossed over the other, his arms splayed across the back of the leather couch. A cigar rested in one hand, a drink in the other. "Sergei Morozov," I answered, stepping forward. I placed his SD card on the coffee table before him. "Igor was the owner of The Rogue Hideaway." Dad smiled, his eyes hazed with something. A chill went up my spine. Something was wrong. Anytime he had that look on his face, it was never good. "Good girl," he polished off his drink. "Do you need me to get more intel?" I asked, hoping to get out of here as soon as possible. "Or is there another target?" He took a long drag of his cigar, blowing out slowly. I shifted my feet, clasping my hands together at the same time to avoid fidgeting anymore. "Neither. I have a new mission for you." "Alright." I swallowed, preparing for the worst. "Do you have a file?" "We will talk tomorrow. Get some rest." he butted out his cigar in the ashtray that was resting on the coffee table in front of him. My heart stopped beating. He never dismissed me so soon. Not without another project. "Okay." I lingered a moment longer than necessary, praying he would just come out with it and tell me what my next assignment was. He didn't. I left before I came to regret it. Alexei and Bogdan were just inside the garage locked in a heated discussion when I came back out. The echo from my heels gave me away, silencing them immediately. "What is it?" I looked between both men. Alexei clenched and unclenched his hands while Bogdan smirked at him like a damn cat. "Nothing, go home Elena." Alexei bit out. He pushed past Bogdan, spitting at his feet in passing. "Enjoy your freedom while you still have it," Bogdan laughed. He flicked his cigarette butt to the ground, crushing it with his foot. Alexei was already tearing out of the parking lot when I looked back. That was one tree I wasn’t barking up tonight. I was tired, grimy, and stressed. I didn't have the patience to try and figure out what Bogdan said this time to piss him off. Instead, I made my way over to my bike parked on the side of the garage under a small awning. Buckling my helmet, I shooed a few stray cats away, hoping they didn't spray my bike. Revving the engine, I took off into the night. I only lived a few miles away, in a crappy part of town. My father didn't care where I lived, so as long as I showed up on time - and fast - whenever he called. I used to live in the warehouse in a small, drafty room in the back. But as soon as I turned fourteen and had enough money saved, I was out of there. I've lived alone for three years now and have loved every minute of my precious, scarce freedom. The lights were off when I pulled into the driveway, going all the way to the back. My apartment was located in the attic of an elderly woman's home. She needed the money and I didn't care what the place looked like, so as long as I was left alone. It was a win-win. Up the squeaky stairs, I headed to the attic. It was nothing more than a big open space. The ceiling was exposed, there was no insulation, but there was some electricity. I kept an electric heater running most days. My bed was tucked in the back, past Irina's few forgotten boxes. I was allowed to go downstairs to use the bathroom, and I was allotted some fridge space, though things did go missing sometimes. Occasionally, I would do a wellness check on Irina, but mostly we kept to ourselves. Peeling off my heels, I let them drop to the floor, the clank echoing in the empty space. I changed into pajamas - no shower tonight. Tomorrow I'd put myself back together. Tonight, I was done. I crawled into bed, pulling the covers high, and stared out the tiny circular window near the roof's peak. A sliver of moonlight cut through the dark. I let myself wonder - just for a moment - what life might be like if anything were different. If I had a father who gave a damn. If my job didn’t make me feel so... It didn't matter. Things didn't change. Not unless I wanted to end up six feet under. - - - - - - - - "Yaroslav, you wanted to see me?" I asked, letting myself into his office. It wasn't often that I came here. Dad never wanted me to be seen by any of his... colleagues. And this room - located in the back of a fancy restaurant - was the most formal of all his meeting places. The clean-cut front that hid the deadly interior. "Yaroslav? Does your daughter not respect you enough to call you father?" a strange man asked. He had a familiar face. Tall, a scar above his brow. Muscular. He carried two guns I could see, and probably a third hidden in his boot. Tattoos on his hands. And from the way my father bristled, he was important. "I don't typically mix business with family," Dad said as he came over to me, tucking me under his arm. "She is beautiful, is she not?" "She is quite lovely." His eyes scanned me from head to toe in a way that made my skin crawl. Even Igor wasn't this bad. "I beg your pardon, you are?" I flashed as genuine of a smile as I could manage this early in the morning. "Vadim. Vadim Sokolov." Dread hit me like a punch to the gut. My knees nearly gave out as my eyes darted to his hands, focusing in on the small insignas of his gang. He looked younger than I imagined, only in his early thirties if I had to guess, but it was really him. A name no one dared speak out of fear of him finding you. Vadim Sokolov made my father look like a saint. Rumor has it that he tattooed a line for every life he took across his chest and back and that both were completely full. I schooled my features into neutrality like I had been taught in finishing school. The one area of my life that dad actually cared about. Even if he didn't want me, he made sure I was honed into a lethal weapon, and that I would never, ever, embarrass him. "It's an honor to meet you." I smiled, extending my hand. He gave me a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes and turned towards my father. "I will accept your deal." "Good man." My father beamed. My heart stopped beating. "I look forward to working with you." "What deal?" I asked. "At the next full moon you will have your shipment," Vadim said, both men ignoring me completely. "And I will have my bride." Bride?! "Until then," Dad said, dismissing him. Vadim strode out of the room, taking my breath with him. Dad was already back at his desk shuffling papers. "What did you do?!" I yelled, manners be damned. "I made a substantial deal. One that will pay for my retirement." "Which was what exactly," I seethed, slamming my hands on his desk. My father gave me a look that could kill, but I didn't care - I needed answers. "Vadim is in need of a mate-" "He has had many wives! Do you even know what happened to them?! Did they ever find any of the bodies-" My father grabbed my face - silencing me. "Do not interrupt me again." I fought him, but his grip tightened to the point that I thought he might break my jaw. Only when I had settled did he speak again. "Vadim has had many wives, but never a mate. He needs one in order to take over a new territory. We made a business agreement, one that will benefit both parties for years to come." He let go of me, sitting down again. "Both parties?! What about me?! I'm just supposed to go along with this?!" I was in tears, my hands shaking. A mate was the last thing I wanted. Especially one like Vadim. "You will do as you are told," he said, lighting another cigar. "You will be married and mated to Vadim at the next full moon." He kicked his feet onto his desk. "You are dismissed." "f**k you." I spat, and stormed out of the room. My breath came out in short rasps as I ran down the street - desperate to get away. I ran until my legs burned and then ran some more. He just sentenced me to death. Vadim has gone through at least a dozen wives, each mysteriously vanishing, never to be seen or heard from again. Probably at the bottom of the ocean. I heard a car coming down the road and pushed myself to run faster. I wouldn't go down without a fight. Not this time. "Elena!" Alexei called, pulling up next to me. "Hop in." I let out a shuddering sob and did just that. As soon as I climbed in, Alexei handed me a brown paper bag. Inside was a frosted bottle. I stared at it, numb, barely feeling the cold pressing into my palms. Twenty minutes later, we were sitting on the dock, passing the bottle back and forth in silence.. "How long have you known?" I took another gulp and handed the bottle back, staring out towards the water but not truly seeing. "I didn't know what exactly, but last night Bagdon said I was going to be relocated soon. I knew then that something terrible was going to happen." He took another big swig. "I just hoped it didn't involve you." "What am I going to do?" I whispered. "There isn't much you can do," Alexei sighed, looking down at the bottle. "Unless you are willing to risk everything." I stared at him for a long moment. Maybe it was the vodka, or maybe it was pure desperation, but I had to know. "What did you have in mind?"