The Wolf Watcher

Wolf Watcher Law: When offspring are conceived between a human and a Lycan, the resulting creation may only gain acceptance within their rightful pack by the act of becoming a Wolf Watcher. Hunting and exterminating rogue Lycans who have taken a desire for human flesh. Thus, they must prove not only their strength, but also their willingness to kill for those they swear to protect to the death. The Wolf Watcher stood on the sidewalk, staring through narrowed eyes at the silent house nestled among a bevy of trees at the end of the picturesque neighborhood street. His mood was dark, edged with impatience, muscles coiled with tension that wound tighter and tighter with each passing second. "Just get in, tell her and get the hell out," he muttered in a husky rasp, the nearly silent words lost in the gusting Maryland breeze, the heavy chill of autumn wrapping its arms around his shoulders like a coldhearted lover. It was a simple enough plan---and yet, Grant Carter knew there would be nothing simple about it. With any other woman, yes. But not this one. Letting out a slow, measured breath, he stepped beneath the ivy-laden trellis sheltering the front porch. The golden glow of an old-fashioned street lamp softly illuminated the deep shadows of the night. Heavy storm clouds smothered the silver rays of the moon, until only a few, pale streams of ethereal light filtered through. He concentrated on forcing the aggressive blend of rage and hunger that coursed steadily through his blood beneath a cool, untouched surface of indifference, and finally lifted his hand. With a sharp movement, he rapped his knuckles against the front door, his tanned skin dark against the antique white finish of the wood. With the rational part of his mind, Grant accepted the fact that he'd rather be anywhere in the world than standing there on Olivia Dunning's doorstep. Unfortunately, the dangerous, animal side of his nature, had other ideas, relishing the thought of being near the provocative Cajun once again. He had his first look at the mysterious human nearly two weeks ago, at the wedding of a fellow Watcher, Matt Dillon. And though Grant could appreciate physical beauty as much as the next guy, it seemed this woman was almost too beautiful, with that lush body, long black hair that fell in soft curls to the middle of her back, perfect features and dark blue eyes so big a man could get lost in them. Still, a pretty face he could have forgotten---but it was her scent that wouldn't leave him in peace. The autumn winds surged with a vicious fury, bitterly cold in the dead of night---and his nostrils flared as he caught a trace of that warm, peaches and cream fragrance that no store-bought product could duplicate. Suddenly, the cool air of indifference he'd struggled to maintain, bled away like the last flecks of snow down the side of a mountain, replaced by a blistering wave of heat. He imagined his features must look twisted with the madness of his emotions, his expression one of equal parts hunger and disgust for his weakness. He knew he'd be lucky if she didn't run screaming in the other direction the second she set eyes on him. "Not that I'd blame her," he grunted under his breath. While his partner Cade was most often described as the pretty boy of their group, Grant figured he was the equivalent of the intimidating guard dog. Big, mean and scary-as-hell were the adjectives most suited to his appearance, and he'd learned to live with them. He'd never wished to be anything different than what he was---he'd only wished he'd never set eyes on the sexy Cajun with a siren's smile, who was perfect enough to have any man she wanted. Look, there's no need to make it complicated. Just get in, deliver the news and get the hell away from her before that scent has time to screw with your head! He rubbed uneasily at the back of his neck, and a scowl twisted the scarred corner of his mouth, while he wondered what was taking her so long to answer the door. A dog barked down the street, and his gaze slid across the row of neighborhood houses, his frown deepening with unease. The uncomfortable feeling had Grant struggling for calm, and he locked his jaw, just wanting to get back to the peaceful quiet of the forest. Being in the city always set him on edge. The man in him hated the constant grind of the noise and crowds and irritating stares, preferring the isolation of the mountains where he and the other Watchers lived. The wolf in him found the endless sensory overload a constant source of frustration. It felt constrained, tethered, when all it wanted to do was throw off his human mantle and howl beneath the comforting, seductive pull of the moon. The continual fight against his primal, instinctual urges whenever a hunt took him into civilization made him restless, wearing him thin. And now he had to deal with Olivia. Not good. Not good at all. "You're tempting fate, just like your old man," he quietly grunted to himself. "The last thing in the world you need is to be close to her." As if to confirm what he already knew, his beast lifted its nose to search for a deeper source of that heady, mouthwatering scent that seemed to destroy him a little more with each breath. He wanted to moan, it was so good. Wanted to claw his way into her house, take her beneath his body and pretend he'd forgotten the reasons why he couldn't touch her. Claim her. Search out her delicate pulse and bite her. He wanted to sink his fangs into her slender throat, her warm flesh damp and deliciously tender beneath his mouth, and lose himself in the hot, carnal rush of her blood at the same time as he buried himself hard and deep between her thighs. His hands fisted at the dizzying thought, muscles locked in a paroxysm of agony, while he choked back a low, rumbling growl of frustration. He was a Wolf Watcher, the offspring of his human mother and Lycan father. A hunter of rogue werewolves. A protector of the Lycan way of life for the Silvercrest pack. But unlike his fellow Watchers, Grant knew in some ways, he was more monster than man. He walked a delicate balance between the two opposing worlds, and the woman inside this house, upped the stakes to a dangerous, deadly level. For too many months, his beast had been denied the physical pleasures that fed its soul, not unlike the way a wild kill fed his animal appetites. By the time he'd understood the dangerous effects of his self-imposed celibacy---it was too late. He hadn't dared to seek out a woman, even a Lycan one, because he didn't trust his human half to be able to master the savage urges of his beast. Then Olivia Dunning walked into his life, and Grant discovered what it was like to live in true fear----what it was like to live in hell. Every moment spent in her company took him one step closer to the crumbling edge of his control, until he could all but feel the fires of damnation licking at his skin. "You need to go home, grab a bottle of Jack and find a way to forget she even exists," he muttered to himself, squeezing his eyes tight as he lifted a fist and knocked harder, all but shaking the sturdy door within its frame, nearly cracking the wood. The wind grew savage, riffling through his hair, pulling the dark auburn strands across his face until he had to swipe at them with his hand. Drawing in another deep breath, Grant hammered at the door again...and again, feeling every bit the part of Big Bad Wolf getting ready to huff, and puff and blow her picture-perfect world to pieces. Finally, the lock on the door clicked, the handle turning, and Grant shoved his shaky hands deep in the pockets of his jeans, steeling himself to get what needed to be said over and done with as fast as possible. After all, he'd come tonight to tell the woman who'd become his secret obsession that she'd lost her brother---or rather, the brother she'd always known. The boy she raised was gone. Forever. "And you get to be the lucky bastard to tell her," he snarled, the whispered words so gutteral, they barely sounded human. Grant muttered a foul word under his breath, and with the rasping ease of an old, comfortable house, the front door quietly opened........