Wild and Fevered

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Chapter 1

Mariska, Flying K Ranch

Mariska Morning Star, wolf and former Traveler, slid into the water and submersed herself. The other occupant had warmed the cool pond and, despite the heat of the day, the balmy liquid felt like silk on her skin. Rising up, she pushed the damp hair from her face and then sank back against the sandy bottom. One true perk of living on the ranch were the hidden grottos and clean pools. Immersing herself again, she let the water muffle the world. Swimming, soaking—hell, just the quiet—were usually enough to calm her agitation, if only for a short while.

When she surfaced, however, and locked gazes with the redhead on the other side of the pond, her wolf clawed at her insides. Dizzying pain and frustration raked her bloody and left her scowling.

Bad day? Scarlett Kane, Cody’s sister and wife of Marshal Sam Kane, stared at her with unblinking green eyes.

It’s a day. Don’t fight with her. Don’t fight with her. Don’t fight with her. Pushy interference had been Scarlett’s manner from their first introduction. She didn’t like Mariska and never seemed able to disguise her disapproval of Cody’s choosing her. After a handful of very verbal disagreements, Scarlett had begun to avoid her.

Or maybe she was simply busy with her children. Fresh anguish lanced through Mariska’s middle. The woman already had two children—a daughter by blood and a son she and Sam had adopted after his mother perished to the Fever. Now, she was pregnant with her third. The bitch got three and Mariska had none.

She wanted to scream. Turning her back abruptly, she waded to the opposite side of the pond. Maybe if she ignored Scarlett, her sister-in-law would ignore her.

Mariska. Or not. She’d known of Scarlett’s presence before she’d chosen the bathing pond, but Cody wouldn’t follow her to where the other women bathed. So, she had only herself to blame.

I’d rather just soak in the quiet, if you wouldn’t mind. Polite. Civility Scarlett seemed to lack at times. No, the other woman blurted things out. It was easy to tell she’d been raised around boys. She could be as obnoxious as her brothers, but Mariska didn’t want to fight.

What she wanted didn’t seem to matter because Scarlett said, I understand, but I never see you alone. Right now, we’re alone and I think I need to say something to you before the situation grows any worse.

Groaning, Mariska pinched the bridge of her nose and then leaned against a sun-warmed rock. Desperate for anything to quiet the rapidly escalating tension in her spine and the inaudible growl rumbling in the back of her throat, she closed her eyes. What. Do. You. Want? It came out as hostile as she felt.

I want you to stop rolling over and letting Cody stampede you. I want you to be the strong woman he and Kid both told me you were supposed to be. I want you to be strong enough to sit him down when he takes on too much.

Well, Mariska had asked.

Jerking her eyes open, she glared across the pond. I want you to stay out of our lives. Hadn’t she put up with enough from her? Didn’t Scarlett already have everything she wanted? Cody’s wolf had grieved Scarlett so deeply, Cody claimed he’d wanted to kill Mariska at first. Scarlett didn’t want him, so… Why can’t you leave him alone? We’re mated. We’re a pair. You cannot make me go away.

I can’t stay out of your lives. He’s my brother. I care about him. I know him and what you’re doing—

You know him? Mariska scowled and straightened. You’re his sister, you told him you didn’t want him—you rejected him and his wolf. He nearly died because of you and you know him? Why don’t you worry about your husband and leave mine alone. Her wolf thrashed beneath her skin. Everything in her wanted to burst free and, between one blink and the next, her vision flattened. Her wolf was slipping out. Dammit, I cannot hurt her. If she did, Cody would be angry. Besides, although Scarlett might be spoiled and self-involved, she couldn’t understand how hurtful her words actually were. Why am I making excuses for her?

Scar is Scar, Cody would say. He would shrug it off. She’s got a temper and a big mouth. Ignore her. The advice didn’t seem to be helpful at the moment.

Scarlett swam to the center of the pond, but she didn’t come any closer. If Mariska’s wolf eyes bothered Scarlett, she didn’t show it. Blessed Mother, the woman flinched from nothing. But she was a Morning Star—chances were good she had seen worse. Flames danced in Scarlett’s eyes. Seen worse and done worse.

Yes, I know him. I think I know you, too, because I used to be you. No one else here—no. Be quiet. She made a cutting gesture with her hand, slicing off Mariska’s unvoiced response. Her voice went deeper, huskier, and the temperature of the water climbed, but it didn’t scald Mariska. I will say this and you will listen. You can tell me to go to hell or mind my own business afterward, but you will hear me at least this once. I know what he’s doing to you because he did it to me. No one else will say anything, mostly because our brothers didn’t understand what he did and they were just as guilty in their own ways. Look at Buck with Delilah—he is very protective. Cody protects. It’s what he does, it’s who he is. But he will also smother you if you don’t push him back, if you don’t fight him and make him give you space.

Pausing, Scarlett gulped air and blinked. The twin flames in her green eyes flashed molten bright and then extinguished suddenly, doused by her tears. It killed me when I hurt him. I hated it, but he was always my brother and never a lover. I did not want that to change. Even if his wolf did, I’m sorry, he—the man—didn’t want things to change between us either. I understood the distinction, do you? Do you know what he sees when he sees you? His face, his attitude, everything about him softens and then he turns feral, possessive—pure wolf and man in one breath. He adores you and I am beyond grateful for what you give him—the chance to have someone who truly understands. But if you don’t learn to push him back, to keep him from taking over everything, you won’t be you anymore and he’ll still be alone. The ferocity and sadness in the other woman’s voice arrested the growl in Mariska’s chest.

Frowning, she struggled with the wolf’s innate violence toward Scarlett for infringing on Mariska’s territory. What…what are you talking about?

Exhaling a long breath, Scarlett seemed to relax. The action was minute, but maybe she’d been more concerned about Mariska’s reaction than she’d appeared. Cody loves you. I love how much he loves you, but…but my brother, he only knows how to keep those he loves safe. He wants them all in one place, where he can keep an eye on them, where he can face off against any threats, where he can make sure you’re happy by refusing to let anything get close enough to make you unhappy.

As aggravating as her wolf found Scarlett, Mariska focused on her words. It’s been a very tense time. No matter how much frustration Cody’s watchful attitude caused, she understood why he wanted to protect her. Since they’d met, she’d been in danger—first from the raiding party, then from her clan cutting ties with her and finally from the wicked wolf in the mountains. All that before she’d understood what he was to her and before her first shift.

It will always be a tense time. Scarlett submerged herself then came up. The temperature of the water remained warm, though it didn’t increase in heat. We are in a war. In some ways, we’ve been at war since I was a baby. I don’t know any other life. Neither does Cody. Maybe we’re on the ranch now and we have more people around us, but the goal is still the same. Keep our people, keep our family, safe. We may not like each other, Mariska, and I know I’m partially at fault for that, but you are a part of my family. If you don’t push him back, if you don’t make him slow down and give you room to breathe, he will never know rest because you will never be who you can be.

Silence stretched between them. Scarlett’s gaze went distant and she bit down on her lower lip. Indecision radiated from her, but Mariska didn’t press. She was still chewing over the idea that Scarlett wanted her to push Cody away. He was her mate, her husband. How could she be expected to hurt him?

When I was growing up, Scarlett said, her expression still remote, I was the youngest. I was also ‘the most dangerous,’ according to Wyatt because my gift grew unpredictable when I lost my temper. They wanted to protect me from the world and the world from me. She didn’t look in Mariska’s direction. Instead, she contemplated the trees. What they didn’t understand—what I didn’t understand—was that by protecting me, they caged me. They made decisions for me and about me. They not only prevented me from directing my own life, but from suffering the consequences of a bad choice. I couldn’t learn. I couldn’t learn to hold it in when I needed to and only release it at the right times. I understood the method, but I didn’t feel it—not in here. She fisted her hand and pounded it against her chest.

Scarlett turned her head and let her gaze find Mariska’s. A familiar loneliness and pain shimmered in her eyes. For the first time since they’d met, Mariska experienced a kinship with the fiery haired woman—one that breached the animosity they’d shared. I made a lot of mistakes and I still make them, but Sam lets me be me. And he supports me. Hell, he even spanked me once. But he’s not afraid of me, and that? It means more than you know. He’s not afraid of me or of letting me be me. Cody’s terrified of what could happen to you and I know you’re scared of hurting him. But if you can’t be you… She didn’t finish the thought.

She didn’t have to.

Mariska looked down at the water. Was Cody afraid of her wolf? The animal settled the moment he was near. He soothed her and, though he’d promised she’d gain some semblance of herself when shifted one of these days, it had not yet happened. Except when Olivia was in danger.

When Jason had been shot, Olivia struggled with her blindness and isolation.