Christmas Moon by Loribelle Hunt Read Free Book Online

weird.”
    He reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. His expression never changed, but she felt comforted.
    “We consider that a valuable talent here, but you can see why you can’t approach any wolves you don’t know. Never know who they might be.”
    She took in a long breath, understanding why they’d ordered her not to approach any wolves last night. “There are more of you.”
    She’d thought it odd that Jackson, who owned many companies, lived isolated on this mountaintop, that the people around him treated him with such deference.
    Cain smiled. “There are many of us here. Everyone. Well, the males at least.”
    She frowned. She’d seen many women at Jackson’s and the small village Chloe had shown her around. What did they do with the female werewolves? For that matter, how did one become a werewolf? He must have seen the questions in her eyes.
    “There are no female werewolves. Our daughters are all born human. And no, you can’t be changed into a werewolf. You’re born one or not. We’re a different species entirely.”
    “So who exactly is Jackson? What does Abel do for him? And what do you do?
    He grinned and held his hand up. “Patience, sweetheart.”
    He stood, went to the stove, and flipped the bacon before returning. He took a deep breath, and a long silence stretched while he seemed to consider his words.
    “We’re a lot like real wolves. We’re organized in packs—this is the Appalachian pack. We have some visitors for Christmas from the Alabama pack. You’ll meet them later, since they’re staying with Jackson and Summer. There are other packs all over the country.
    “Like wolf packs, we have an Alpha and Beta. Jackson and Billy. We also have an Enforcer. Abel.”
    Jesus Christ, she’d managed to hook herself up with a pack of real werewolves. Alpha and Beta were easy enough to define, but what the hell was an Enforcer? It sounded creepy, ominous. And she’d slept with him, spent the night in his arms. Had felt safe. She squeezed her eyes shut, wondering if she was gullible or completely stupid to sleep with a stranger, especially after hearing all this.
    Cain squeezed her hand. “You still with me, Delilah?”
    She opened her eyes and met his gaze. Was she with him? That was the question, wasn’t it? She wanted to ask about mates, the word they’d thrown around so casually last night.
    “What’s an Enforcer?”
    “Someone in the pack who enforces the Alpha’s rules and fights for him if necessary.”
    She gulped, trying to concentrate on the danger he could cause more than the danger he could get into. “And what are you?”
    His smile was small, introspective. He lifted a hand and stroked the side of her face with his fingertips. It took all her restraint not to lean into it.
    “I was a Hunter until Abel met you. I retired. Finished my last assignment a few days ago.”
    She ignored the butterflies that took flight in her stomach, ignored the promise that wasn’t spoken but was in the air anyway. It was the perfect opening to ask what he intended with her, what they intended, what the significance of a mate was. She didn’t take it.
    “A Hunter?”
    His eyes gleamed. Somehow he knew she was avoiding the questions she really wanted to ask.
    “We hunt rogues. Werewolves who’ve broken pack law.”
    She nodded, not sure she wanted to pursue that, to know what those laws were or how they were punished. He let go of her hand, lifted her, and set her straddling his lap.
    He stared down at her. “Aren’t you going to ask why Abel’s meeting you would get me home?”
    She pressed her lips together. Shook her head. She sensed that conversation would represent a point of no return. He didn’t push her, didn’t start talking as she’d feared he would. Instead, he lifted his hands and palmed her breasts. Her nipples firmed into two hard peaks he could feel through her bra and sweater. She gasped when he squeezed them, her pussy flooding with moisture at the