Whole-Hearted: A Malsum Pass Novel

by Kimberly Forrest

  Connie grimaced. Was he listening to one of those female wolves right now? The thought was bound to ruin her weekend so she vowed not to think about him at all. This weekend, she was going to celebrate one of her best friend’s engagement and she would have a great time.

  Pushing up off the bed, she took a deep breath and then joined Tanya at the window. “Isn’t it exciting?” Tanya asked with a grin. “Couldn’t you see us moving here? Can’t you just feel the energy?”

  Tall buildings all around, narrow streets full of yellow cabs and pedestrians, horns blaring; it made Connie’s inner wolf feel caged. No, absolutely not. She wouldn’t be able to live like this, but she could enjoy an occasional visit. With every intention of doing just that, Connie smiled, “I can’t wait to see Vic. Let’s get ready.”

  Tanya let out a low whistle as the cab (Connie’s nerves couldn’t handle any more driving) pulled up in front of the hotel that was hosting the party. A valet, dressed in a red jacket with a gold emblem on the breast pocket, extended a gloved hand to assist them from the vehicle. “Swanky,” Tanya whispered as they got out. “I wonder how much this place set Mr. Fancy Pants back.”

  “Look at this, Connie,” Tanya added, waving to the red runner beneath her feet. “We’re on the fricking red carpet. Where are our adoring fans?” She snickered as she looped her arm through Connie’s and gave a tug. “Smile, there might be paparazzi who mistake us for actual celebrities. We could be in the tabloids tomorrow.”

  Connie snorted out a laugh as Tanya fluffed her hair, struck a regal pose for a beat, before strutting through the door dragging Connie along. Tanya did look fabulous. Unlike the night they had gone to the club where Tanya had worn a gold, body hugging spandex sheath that had shown off her considerable attributes, tonight she had donned a long, black, Grecian gown that was pure elegance. Her blonde hair, streaked liberally with low-lights, had been pulled up high with a fancy jeweled clip, the fall of hair curled into large spirals that fell past her shoulders.

  Connie thought she looked pretty fabulous as well. The gown she had borrowed from Sherry, fitting her perfectly. Her own hair curled and then each curl pulled up and pinned with what seemed like a thousand hairpins. The end result resembled a bouquet of champagne roses. Dressed, make-up artfully applied, and hair done to her satisfaction, Connie had presented herself for inspection. Tanya had let out a wolf whistle before saying, “Damn, girl, if half the men there tonight don’t try to take you home, then there is just no hope for mankind.”

  While Connie had absolutely no intention of using this evening as a means to meet men, no matter how much it would please her mother, the compliment was still nice to hear. She felt good. She felt beautiful, and while she wouldn’t be opposed to some male appreciation and flattery, tonight wasn’t about her, it was about Vic and her fiancé.

  As soon as they entered the ballroom, a glorious display of polished brass and black marble sparkling under crystal chandeliers, Victoria spotted them and waved. Tall, rail thin with skin like porcelain and shiny jet black hair to her waist that had been blunt cut and straightened. Vic was rocking a stunning red gown that set her apart from every other woman in the room. Tugging a man who could only be the fiancé with her, she carefully hugged both Connie and Tanya so as not to muss their appearance. “I’m so happy you guys made it!” Vic exclaimed. Despite Victoria being born and raised in Vermont, living in New York for the last few years, she had managed to pick up the accent.

  Turning with a huge grin to look at the man beside her, she introduced her fiancé, Francoise Rousseau. He wasn’t much taller than Victoria, but with his dark brown hair, soulful brown eyes, and five o’clock shadow, he was indeed quite handsome, and cut a dashing figure in his tuxedo. When he softly smiled, uttered “bonjour”, and kissed the back of both Connie’s and Tanya’s hands, Connie thought Tanya was going to melt into a puddle on the floor. She actually fanned herself before whispering loudly to Victoria, “If he has brothers, I call dibs. That accent! Damn, girl. How are you not constantly ripping his clothes off?"

  Francoise chuckled low, amused by Tanya’s comment. “I am afraid I am an only child.” He murmured smoothly with his French accent. “But I have many friends and associates here tonight who would most likely enjoy you ripping their clothes off.” He finished with a wink.

  Tanya gave a small squeal of delight, but was distracted from finding said men when Victoria held out her hand for them to admire her engagement ring. The large square cut diamond sparkled brilliantly under the lights, as did the numerous channel set diamonds that surrounded it. While it was too big for Connie’s taste, it suited Victoria perfectly as she showed it off proudly.

  Connie was just about to compliment Francoise on his taste in Jewelry when someone called his name. The Frenchman angled his body and turned his head in that direction. Connie spotted a small tattoo on the skin of his head just between his ear and his hairline. It was no bigger than a dime, a symbol in black ink. It looked like a cursive Q turned backward, or maybe a backwards two, but Connie knew she had seen that symbol before. The question was, where?

  “Mademoiselle?”

  Connie jerked slightly, startled from her thoughts, she blinked to bring Francois back into focus. Embarrassed to be caught staring at her friend’s fiancé, even if she hadn’t actually been seeing him while she dug through her mind for an answer, she felt her cheeks heat. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I was daydreaming.”

  Francoise took her hand and patted it lightly. “There is no need to apologize. It is only a compliment that a woman as beautiful as you should choose to gaze upon me, even if she is merely lost in her own thoughts.”

  Connie felt her cheeks heat up even more at the flattery. Was it the words? The accent? Maybe it was the combination of both, but she actually felt like giggling. She was so happy her friend had found someone as sweet and charming as Francoise Rousseau.

  Another couple in evening finery drew up beside them to greet the happy couple, so with a promise to see Vic and Francoise later, Connie and Tanya made their way to the bar for a drink.

  Chapter Nine

  Connie would have forgotten even seeing the tattoo, she had been so thoroughly distracted, if she hadn’t seen it three more times that evening as guests made their way to the bar. Where had she seen it before? When she spotted another one on a man leaning against the polished bar to order a drink, she could no longer pass up the opportunity. As surreptitiously as possible, she snapped a picture with her cell phone. For some reason, whenever she saw the mark, she thought of Daisy, so she sent the picture off in a text with “Do you recognize this? It looks familiar.”

  Waiting for a response, Connie was biting her lower lip and staring at the display on her cell when a familiar scent hit her nose: wolf shifter. Putting her phone in her clutch, she looked around and inhaled again. She spotted him within seconds as he made a beeline straight for her. Holy crap, he was gorgeous. Dark brown, almost black hair clipped close to his skull, darkly tanned skinned, and a body that filled out his tuxedo to perfection. This was a man who would have fashion designers salivating to get him in front of the cameras modeling their clothing lines.

  As he continued to stride toward her, Connie saw his nostrils flair and his eyes light with realization and pleasure. Hazel eyes, she could see now that he was closer, with more brown than green. She wasn’t surprised he could scent what she was. While it was common practice to mask their scent when a shifter was away from pack, perfume gave her a headache, and body sprays weren’t heavy enough to fully cover. The man’s full lips turned down in a frown once he stood before her, looking slightly confused. “You are exquisite. Truly lovely. How is it that you are sitting here alone?”

  She hadn’t been alone all that long ago. Tanya had been with her, and as usual, had gathered a collection of men to flirt with and they’d all followed her to check out the offerings at the buffet. A few of them had attempted to flirt with Connie as well, but since she hadn’t been as responsive, they’d
turned their attentions back to Tanya who continued to encourage them.

  Connie used to be just like Tanya back in her school days, flirting, encouraging the attention of males, mostly to make Conner Pierce jealous. She’d even gone so far as to give her virginity to a boy who was friends with Conner, hoping to spur Conner into a jealous rage. She had been so naïve thinking that Conner would see her with another and finally claim her. He hadn’t, in fact, as far as she could tell, he had barely noticed, and now she could only think back on the experience with shame. She hadn’t wanted that other boy, had used him. The fact that that boy had then decided to tell the entire school about his night with Connie – in rather unflattering terms – only added to her humiliation. So, no, she didn’t do the heavy flirting, didn’t encourage where there was no interest on her part. She wasn’t that girl anymore.

  When she’d gone off to cosmetology school and had met and become friends with Vic and Tanya, who both embraced their sensual sides, loved to go out and party, flirt outrageously, even take men home, Connie had worried that they wouldn’t like her because she was so uncomfortable with that type of thing. But she’d discovered something wonderful about those two women – it didn’t matter to them, they liked her anyway. They were also surprisingly protective of her; would close ranks if a man in their group would try to come on too strong with Connie. Vic and Tanya had become her own personal body guards whenever they went out. Ironic considering she was the one with the dangerous beast inside.

  Connie pulled her thoughts from the past, focused on the man before her, and smiled. “My friend will be back. She’s just gone to get a plate of food.” She inhaled lightly again, welcoming the comforting scent of another wolf mixed with a subtle aftershave with notes of citrus.

  “She?” The male asked stepping a bit closer. “Why does a woman as exquisite as you, not have a male on her arm? Were you mine, I would not let you out of my sight.” The last, was said on a growl that made Connie uncomfortable. She glanced around nervously at the assemblage of human guests. Now was not the time for possessive alpha bullshit. If he attempted to claim her, she would be screwed – quite literally. Her pack may be forward thinking, but she was well aware that some packs still lived by the old ways where males could simply carry off a female, seduce her, and claim her; willing to fight any challenger to keep her.

  Obviously sensing her growing distress, the male cleared his throat and smiled as he adjusted his cuffs. “It was not my intention to scare you, I apologize. Graydon Brooks,” he said with a slight inclination of his head, “but everyone calls me Gray.”

  Connie was still a bit wary, but she definitely didn’t want to provoke a scene that might make the man even more aggressive. “Connie,” she said with a smile, deliberately leaving out her last name and hoping he didn’t press the issue.

  “I would offer to buy you a drink as further apology, but since it’s an open bar…” He let the sentence drift off with a shrug. “But allow me to have the bartender refresh you. Rum and Coke?”

  Connie looked at her almost empty glass and frowned. His nose should have told him that there was no alcohol in her glass, but she supposed it was possible all the different scents at the bar were throwing him off. “Diet Coke.” She answered, gazing hopefully over his shoulder for a glimpse of Tanya or Vic or anyone who might distract the man and extricate her from this situation.

  “One rum and Diet Coke coming up.” He said, signaling to the bartender.

  “Just Diet Coke, no rum.” Connie spoke up with a tinge of exasperation.

  “Sir.” Another man stepped up beside Graydon Brooks and Connie jerked, startled. A quick inhale told her he was a bear shifter, a big one too, but he moved with the stealth of a cat.

  “Ah, Reed,” Graydon greeted the other male with a smooth smile. “Have you been enjoying yourself?”

  “Not particularly, sir.” The big man growled. He topped Graydon Brooks by a good three inches and looked like a bruiser with his incredibly wide shoulders and thick biceps straining the seams of his tuxedo. His hair was light brown, buzzed short like he might be military. His eyes would be considered quite pretty, a lovely shade of spring green, but they were set in such a harsh face, that it was easy to miss.

  “Your father wants a report.” The male called Reed said, and though it was obvious he was talking to Graydon, he stared pointedly at Connie. Was it her imagination or was that loathing she saw in his eyes? Whatever it was, it actually sent a shiver of fear racing down her spine.

  “Tell my father there was nothing of interest tonight.” Graydon said, picking up the glass of scotch the bartender had placed on a coaster before him.

  The big bruiser continued to stare at her and Connie’s palms began to sweat. “Did you hear me, Reed?” Graydon asked sharply. “Nothing tonight.”

  Finally Reed nodded and moved away, and Connie expelled a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

  Graydon opened his mouth to say something, but a familiar squeal had him wincing and turning to look behind him. That squeal was music to Connie’s ears as Tanya rejoined her with a plate of food. “Ooh, Connie. Introduce me to your new friend.”

  Before Connie could even open her mouth, Tanya was setting her plate on the bar and thrusting her hand in Graydon’s direction to make her own introductions. It didn’t take long before Tanya’s entourage of admirers rejoined her and conversation was once again flowing. Graydon Brooks continued to watch her, discomfiting her with the intensity of his gaze, but to her relief, there was no more opportunity for him to engage her in private conversation. Something was off about this whole situation. Maybe she was reading things wrong, or maybe being a country bumpkin in such a big city, she just felt out of place, and as a result was overreacting, but her instincts were screaming at her to get away. When she heard her phone ringing inside her clutch, Connie leapt at the opportunity to excuse herself and made her way to the restroom.

  Chapter Ten

  By the time Connie made it into the mostly empty powder room, the call had gone to voicemail. Pulling her cellphone out of her purse, Connie saw that she had missed several text messages from Daisy.

  Daisy: Fur trader! Where are you?

  Daisy: Call me! You’re in danger!!!

  Daisy: DO NOT WANDER OFF ALONE!!

  And then as she was gawking, open mouth at the display, another text came through.

  Daisy: ANSWER YOUR DAMN PHONE CONNIE!!!

  Connie felt sick to her stomach. The sudden recollection of where she’d seen that mark careened through her brain. It had been just this summer. Daisy and Alek had just returned from France and a successful mission. Several of the younger pack members, including Daisy and Alek, had gone swimming at a gorge not far from town. It was the first time she’d seen Alek without a shirt. He bore that mark on his chest, but his hadn’t been a tattoo. His was a brand, burned into his skin to mark him as if he was nothing more than a bull in a herd; given to him by the people who had killed his family and abducted him as a child – a group known as the fur traders. They’d tortured him in an attempt to break him so that they could train him as one of their assassins for hire. Now, since his release, he and others like him had been hunting the traders, in hopes of wiping them out entirely. And this party was crawling with them. There had been so many of them with that tattoo, even Vic’s fiancé. What had Tanya said? That Francoise Rousseau was involved in trade. That sweet, charming man who was marrying one of her best friends, was a fur trader.

  The phone rang and Connie nearly dropped it her hands were shaking so badly. Seeing Daisy’s name flash on the screen, Connie went into one of the stalls to answer. “Daisy?”

  “Connie, this is Alek. Where are you?”

  Connie told him the name of the hotel and then in a whisper, “There are so many of them, Alek.”

  “That tattoo you sent a picture of, that’s how they mark their humans, and humans won’t be able to sense if you’re shifter or not. Have you scented any shifters there tonight
?” Alek asked, his voice gentle in an attempt to soothe her obvious agitation.

  Connie closed her eyes and whimpered. Every horror story she’d ever been told about the fur traders crashing into her brain at once. “A wolf and a bear.” She managed to whisper, her voice breaking as a small sob escaped her throat.

  Alek let out a low growl and an expletive. “The bear would have scented you right away.” There was a muffled noise like Alek was rubbing his face with his hand, perhaps contemplating what to say next.

  She heard him take a deep breath and release it before he said, “Okay, Connie, listen to me. This is very important. Do not go anywhere alone. Stay in a group as much as possible. Did you drive there?”

  “No we took a cab.” Connie said with a sniffle as she wiped tears from her cheeks.

  “Okay, okay, good. That’s good. If they have any intentions of taking you, they’ll try to get you alone so don’t give them the opportunity.”

  Connie took a deep breath. She’d stick to Tanya like glue for the rest of the evening. Simple. She could do this.

  “I’m going to round up the team and get them on this, Connie. You just stick close to friends and stay safe, all right?”

  Connie nodded, then realizing he couldn’t actually see her through the phone she squeaked out a “yes.”

  “Forewarned is forearmed, Connie. Now that you know what to expect, they can’t take you by surprise. Call as soon as you get back to the hotel tonight, okay? Daisy’s sick with worry.”