Wolf: A Military P.A.C. Novel by KL Mabbs Page A

I’m here until the spring thaw.” Michael sat on the floor, near her head where he could look at her or touch her, kiss her if the need arose.
    “Leave Faelon?”
    “No, beloved. That’s part of the decision. If you want to stay until spring, I will. We should be safe here, for that time. But I have to leave to hunt my enemies.”
    “Doctor your enemy?” Faelon said.
    He watched her awareness, the glint of colour in her eyes that shifted with her thoughts. She remembered everything. “No, no, I think his family—his pack—was threatened, so he would do what my government wanted.”
    “Government?”
    “The leader of my pack.”
    “Must do what leader does,” Faelon said.
    “What if the leader is wrong?”
    “Then fight alpha.”
    “My leader is many alphas and they do things to make themselves right.” Faelon’s confusion returned. “There are so many to the human pack that . . . a small pack has a leader, a larger pack has another leader. All of these packs work together, one alpha taking orders from another.”
    “Humans get nothing done this way?” said Faelon.
    “Surprisingly, yes. But, not as much as could be done. Many of the packs fight for what they think is right, regardless of the alpha involved.”
    Her brow crinkled more and the lines around her eyes turned into crow’s feet. “Faelon follow Michael.”
    “Humans won’t understand Faelon being a wolf,” Michael said.
    “Then, be wolf always.”
    “In some places that would work. In many, no. Faelon must be human sometimes. Wear clothes, eat like human. And even fight like human.”
    “Faelon fight good.”
    “Show me.” Michael stood up. Faelon leapt from the couch to stand on her feet. A move not possible for anyone normal, and if they could pull it off, it wouldn’t have the same grace. “No teeth, no claws. Humans fight with fists, feet, elbows, knees.” He pushed the furniture out of the way.
    “Fist?”
    Michael curled his hand up in slow motion, making sure to show the proper position of the thumb.
    “Ah, like trap place.” Faelon said.
    A twinge of guilt assailed him, and then Michael felt the impact to his jaw before he saw Faelon’s movement. Too fast, way too fast. He fell backward.
    “No teeth, no claws,” she said.
    “I guess I deserved that.” Michael rubbed at his jaw. He felt lucky it wasn’t broken; with Faelon’s strength that was a likely outcome.
    Faelon cocked her head at him.
    He got to his feet, feeling clumsy next to his mate. “This time, move slow. You’re stronger than a human, beloved. Stronger than me.”
    “ Michael alpha.”
    “Still. I’m going to show you what is called a Kata. It’s a series of fighting movements. Watch. This one is against a single opponent, one facing you.”
    Michael went through the motions. He emphasized force and fluidity when it was needed. He stepped back from Faelon. “Now you do it.”
    She moved with a stunning surety, her actions an almost a perfect match to his.
    “Damn. It took me a month to learn a Kata that well.” He shook his head. “I’m going to use the attack on you now, Faelon. With no strength involved. Please do the same.” He rubbed at his jaw again.
    “Okay , Michael.” Her feral grin was back. Her weight rested easy on the balls of her feet, a mirror of his stance. He threw a punch. She blocked it. He swept her feet out from under her; she landed on all fours like a cat, then pivoted on one arm and returned the move. Michael rolled backwards into a crouch, braced himself, and kicked out at her. She wasn’t there. A punch landed in the small of his back. He blocked her arm back, twisted, and then palmed her chest, pushing her backwards. She flipped over and landed on her feet, the grin never leaving her face. Michael side stepped to the right and threw a left-handed punch at the last second. Faelon blocked it and slammed a punch into his ribs. They would have broken had she used all her strength. He hissed in his breath, dropped