The Finding

by Nicky Charles

  “Your attitude had better change once we get back to Canada. Our Alpha will be taking you to task himself if you even try a stunt like that on him.”

  “Canada!” Her voice squeaked as she spoke the word.

  He nodded, pleased she was at least talking now, rather than cowering in fear. “Uh-huh. That’s where the pack is located. Under the Finding clause, you’re now a member. We’ll be heading back just as soon as I can finalize the arrangements.”

  “Finding clause? Arrangements?” The words came out as little more than a bewildered whisper.

  “Yep. Rogue or lone werewolves such as yourselves can cause a lot of trouble so when one is found we usually hunt them down—” His cell phone rang at that moment interrupting his explanation. He patted his pocket, before realizing it was on the dresser. Leaning forward, he found he couldn’t quite reach and grunted in frustration.

  For a moment he hesitated, eyeing the woman beneath him. The phone rang again and he sighed heavily, then issued a warning in his sternest voice before climbing off her. “Don’t do anything stupid like trying to leave because if you do, I’ll just track you down again and the consequences won’t be pleasant. Stay right here while I get my phone.” She didn’t move when he stood up, only her eyes followed his progress as he backed towards the phone, reluctant to let her out of his sight. For some reason he didn’t trust her sudden acquiescence.

  He picked up the phone without even looking to see who was calling. “Hello?”

  Mel’s voice sounded in his ear. “Bryan?

  “Yeah? What’s the matter? I’m sort of busy right now.” He answered her absentmindedly, his thoughts more on the girl before him than his Alpha’s mate. Cassandra Greyson was a bit of a puzzle, scared yet defiant. How had she survived for three years on her own? Keeping her wolf in check with no one around to guide her couldn’t have been easy...

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I...I’ll call back later.” Mel’s voice sounded wobbly, as if she were on the verge of tears. That grabbed his attention and snapped him back into focus.

  “No! Don’t hang up! What can I do for you, Mel?”

  “Oh Bryan, I...” She paused and sniffled.

  A sound from the bed caught Bryan’s attention and he looked up to see Cassandra was now sitting on the edge of the bed. She had her arms wrapped around herself and was staring at the floor. Her whole demeanour projected a feeling of defeat. He grimaced, thinking he’d been too harsh with her. The girl had had a rough go of it, no doubt. Being a lone wolf was no fun...

  “Bryan? Are you still there?”

  “I’m here Mel. I just got distracted for a minute. What’s upsetting you?” He turned his body slightly away from the bed, in an attempt to help himself concentrate on Mel.

  “You know how you saw me at the computer the other day, and I was acting sort of strange?’

  “I remember.” A quick glance over his shoulder revealed that the Greyson girl hadn’t moved. He relaxed a bit and listened intently to Mel, trying to think of what the problem could possibly be. Mel wasn’t the sort to fall apart over nothing, though since she’d gotten pregnant her moods were a bit unpredictable.

  “Well, I’ve been getting some correspondence from—”

  A sound behind him had Bryan starting to turn towards the spot he’d left Cassandra when pain exploded in his head. He gave a brief cry, felt his knees buckle and then the carpeted floor seemed to rush up to meet him.

  *****

  Cassie stood frozen, staring at the results of her actions. Bryan was lying on the floor, a thin trickle of blood seeping from a cut on his cheek. She couldn’t believe she’d actually knocked the man out! Sure it always worked in the movies, but this was real life. Using the lamp had been an act of desperation and now that she’d been successful, a queasy feeling was filling her stomach.

  She swallowed hard, forcing herself to look around for her shoes. Her purse was by the door and she breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Bryan had brought it along. All her ID was in there and even though it was technically all fake, they were the only documents she had at the moment. The irony of her thanking her kidnapper for not losing her purse struck her and she gave a derisive snort before resuming the search for her shoes. Even though he was unconscious now, she didn’t hold out much hope that he’d stay that way for long. After all, he’d admitted he was a werewolf and they were purported to be quick healers. Heck, who was she kidding? She’d seen the phenomenon herself; her own minor cuts and bruises always faded much faster than would be considered normal.

  The memory of watching her skin knit itself back together before her very eyes made her uneasy. She didn’t want to be a werewolf and anything that reminded her of the fact was upsetting.

  “Bryan? Bryan!”

  A voice—a female voice—could be heard over the phone and Cassie paused in her search for her shoes. Bryan had indicated he was popular with women; was this one of his girlfriends? He’d called her Mel. Was that short for Melissa or Melanie? Not that it mattered.

  Cassie bit her lip wondering if Mel was a human or another werewolf. If the other woman was human, maybe she should warn her about her boyfriend. She quickly dismissed the idea. Escaping was her priority at the moment. Besides, the person on the other end likely wouldn’t even believe her.

  “Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?”

  Ignoring the frantic sounding voice, Cassie peered under the bed, grunting happily when her shoes came into view. Pulling them on, she stood and stared at Bryan again. He was breathing steadily, so no real damage had been done. Perhaps she should tie him up? Eyeing the bed sheets, she decided against it. It would take too long and probably wouldn’t slow him down significantly. The power of his body had been more than revealed to her when he’d had her pinned to the bed. Muscles seemed to cover every inch of the man. Muscles and... Her gaze drifted to his crotch.

  Their struggle had aroused him. She’d felt the evidence pressing against her and the beast inside her had responded, her panties growing moist. The smell of his body, heated from their exertions, had filled her nostrils and she’d had an overwhelming desire to nuzzle against him and lick the strong column of his throat. Thankfully he hadn’t noticed and she’d been able to project a defiant facade.

  But a facade was exactly what it was. The creature inside her was fighting to get out like never before. Hot, wild thoughts kept racing through her mind; images of naked, sweaty bodies twisting and writhing together. Even now she could almost imagine what it would be like to have her legs wrapped around his hips; to feel his hands gripping hers...

  The man on the floor gave a light moan and Cassie jerked back to reality. Her breathing was rapid and there was an ache between her thighs. Oh God, this was crazy. Here she was contemplating sex with a werewolf! With a cry of self-disgust, she turned and fled the room, anxious to put as much distance between them as possible.

  Once she was outside the motel room, she looked around getting her bearings, trying to calm herself enough to think logically. Luckily, the place he’d taken her wasn’t that far from her house and it was on a public transit route... And there came a bus! She sprinted across the parking lot, arriving just in time to climb on.

  Settling in her seat, she breathed a sigh of relief. She could have walked home, but this was faster and she wanted to put as much distance as possible between herself and that werewolf.

  His motives for searching her out were puzzling. While she’d been more intent on escaping than listening to what he was saying, a few of his words had sunk in.

  He’d said something about finding her and that she was now a member of his pack. And he was going to take her to Canada! She shivered, thinking how just a few days ago she’d been contemplating the fact that she’d need to move away from civilization before the animal inside her caused any harm, but Canada! It seemed a bit extreme.

  She wondered how he’d found her if he was from such a faraway place and, for that matter, why he was even looking for her. It made no sense. She f
urrowed her brow and then opened her eyes wide as she recalled his arousal. Was he looking for a mate? Some of the websites she’d visited had said werewolves hunted for mates, but was that true or a myth? The idea frightened her human side, while the animal within squirmed in delight.

  Yes, our mate! And a pack in the wilderness!

  Cassie grimaced at the creature’s excited response and squashed the beast down. She needed a clear head right now, not crazy thoughts about...mates; a shudder of distaste ran through her at the very idea.

  Nibbling her lip, she considered the situation. Possibly, Bryan was somehow connected with the werewolf in Chicago. Most definitely, he wasn’t the same wolf she’d seen on the estate. That beast had been a dark haired man before it had shifted, but perhaps Bryan knew this other werewolf? There’d been mention of a pack, but Canada and Chicago weren’t that close together... Her head began to pound as the situation became more and more muddled.

  She gave up trying to figure out the how and why of Bryan finding her. It was more important to plot her course of action. Having escaped him once, she wasn’t sure she could do it again, so running was essential. All the money she’d saved for an emergency was going to be put to use now.

  As soon as she got home, she’d pack a few things and head to the bank. She’d close the account, go to the airport, and get a seat on the first flight out. It didn’t matter where it was headed. Any place would do.

  But what about Kellen? Cassie clenched her hands in her lap. She couldn’t leave him behind, despite her earlier anger over his gambling. It was too dangerous and Kellen was her family. The werewolf knew where she lived. He’d find Kellen and most likely kill him, assuming she’d shared the secret of werewolf existence.

  Well, she’d take Kellen with her. Hopefully he’d be willing to go. Given the debt he’d run up locally, she didn’t believe he’d protest too much. A fresh start would be good for him.

  Cassie crossed her fingers, hoping Kellen wouldn’t question her impulsive desire to relocate. He liked adventure, so maybe it would appeal to him...

  The bus was approaching her stop, so she gathered her purse and made her way to the door. It only took a few minutes to reach her house. Vaguely she noted the day was clear and hot, much warmer than was typical for Las Vegas at this time of year. The sun was high in the sky, so it must be about noon. Kellen should be home from wherever he’d spent the night. If he wasn’t, she didn’t know what she’d do. She couldn’t just leave him behind to face Bryan’s wrath, yet how would she find him?

  As quickly as she could, she walked down the street not wanting to draw attention to herself by running, but eager to get home so her escape plan could be set in motion. Over the years, she’d played out a scenario similar to this so she’d be prepared if the time ever came Of course, she hadn’t expected to be kidnapped by a sexy werewolf, nor thought of Kellen possibly not being home...

  Her house was before her. She trotted up the walk, grabbed the front door, and breathed a sigh of relief as the door knob turned under her hand. Kellen was home. There’d be no need to try to track him down. The door swung open and she stepped inside.

  “Kellen? Kellen, where are you? I’ve got something to tell you...”

  Cassie dropped her purse on the coffee table, peeked into the kitchen, then hurried down the hall towards the bedrooms. Kellen’s door was ajar and she could see him standing by the dresser, staring at a piece of paper. She ignored it and looked at him instead.

  “Kellen, I have a surprise for you.” She’d decided to tell him they were going on a vacation, that one of the women at work had to back out of a trip and she’d taken over the tickets. It wasn’t a very strong story, but she hoped he’d be too excited to question her. Once they got to wherever they ended up, she’d probably have a better story concocted. Right now getting away was the most important thing.

  “Hmm?” He looked up at her distractedly. “Oh. Sandy. Good. I was hoping you’d be home early from work. I need to ask you something.”

  Damn! She’d forgotten all about work. Mr. Bartlett wouldn’t be happy that she’d missed her shift and not called in. Oh well, if she was leaving town, she supposed it didn’t really matter.

  “You can ask me later, Kellen. I’ve got great news. We’re going on a vacation today! I got tickets really cheap, but we need to get to the airport right away. Just grab the bare essentials and we’ll head out.” Cassie infused her voice with an excitement she didn’t feel, talking quickly, and giving him no chance to ask questions. She saw a duffle bag on the floor and tossed it at him. “You start packing and I’ll gather up a few of my things. Won’t this be exciting?”

  She left the room and hurried to her own, a sense of urgency coming over her. There was danger coming, she just knew it and they needed to leave quickly. All but running into her room, she pulled a small carryall from her closet and moved to the dresser. A movement near the door caught her attention. Kellen was standing there.

  Cassie smiled at him brightly, trying to hide her exasperation. Why wasn’t he cooperating? “Are you packed already?”

  “Um...Sandy,”

  A corner of her mind noted that Kellen seemed to find saying her name awkward. That was strange...

  “I need to talk to you.” Kellen looked sober, like there was bad news in the offing. A sinking feeling formed in her stomach. She tried to push it away and began shoving underwear into her bag.

  “We can talk on the plane, now go pack—”

  Kellen stepped into the room and grabbed her wrist, pulling her around to face him. She froze, a handful of lacy bras dangling between them.

  “Kellen?” His face was unreadable, but she sensed something was seriously wrong. Damn and double damn. They didn’t have time for this right now.

  “Sandy, you need to stop and listen to me. I...” He paused and flattened his lips, his eyes appearing tormented with some inner struggle. “Tell me about your life before we met.”

  The question shocked her and she blinked at him, not sure what to say. In all their time together, he’d never asked. It was like an unwritten rule between them. They didn’t delve into each other’s past. Here and now was what mattered.

  “Why do you want to know that now?” She kept her voice light and tried to pull away from him, but he tightened his grip on her wrist.

  “I was just wondering. I know that you said things ended badly, but before that... Were you happy? Was it a good life?”

  His question unsettled her. She didn’t think about her life with her uncle anymore. It was too painful. Twisting her arm, she managed to break free and dropped the bras in her bag. “Maybe. I don’t think about it a lot. Does it really matter?” Cassie turned her back and picked up some items off the top of her dresser.

  Behind her she could hear a paper rattling. “Yeah, it matters. I wouldn’t want you to be unhappy.”

  “That’s silly. How could I be unhappy? We’re leaving on a vacation any minute. That is, if you get your act together and start packing.” She turned, a teasing smile pasted firmly on her face.

  Kellen wasn’t looking at her. He was staring at a piece of paper again. Curiosity won out and she stepped closer to see what he was looking it.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she saw a picture of herself. It had been taken about four years ago when she’d gotten her driver’s license. She recalled the moment clearly. Her uncle had presented her with a sensible little car. It was bright red and he’d had a large white bow tied around it. Franklin had led her outside, her eyes blindfolded and then her uncle had given the order for her to finally look. Excitement had welled inside her and she’d been grinning happily. Cook—Mrs. Teasdale—had been there as well and snapped a picture of the event. Her uncle had seldom allowed pictures of her to be taken. A wave of sadness washed over her as she wondered what had become of Franklin and Cook; they’d always seemed old to her. Were they even still alive? Or had the werewolf attacked them as well?

  Not for the first time was she f
illed with guilt. Why had she only thought of herself? Why hadn’t she taken Franklin and Cook with her? If the werewolf had killed them, it was her fault. Instead of warning them of the danger that was lurking in the woods, she’d just fled. There’d been no mention of their fate in the papers. She’d checked the obituaries, but would anyone have even bothered to write one for them? Their fate was a mystery to her, yet she’d never dared make inquiries for fear of her own location being discovered.

  The memories brought a wave of pain as she recalled all she’d lost; her uncle, the two servants who’d been more like family to her... “Where did you get this?” Her voice sounded harsher than she intended, but she didn’t apologize.

  “I found it posted on a wall along with a lot of other advertisements. Sandy...er...Cassandra—I guess that’s your real name—you’re an heiress. You’re probably worth millions of dollars!”

  She blinked. On some level she supposed she’d always known her uncle was rich, but she’d never really thought of what had happened to the money once he died. Her eyes drifted to the flier in Kellen’s hand. It called her an heiress. Apparently her uncle left at least some of his money to her.

  A short, dark laugh escaped her. All these years of struggling to make ends meet and she was rich. Not that she cared. The money meant nothing. She’d much rather have her uncle back and be free of the threat of werewolves.

  Werewolves. That brought her up short. Bryan had to be conscious by now and was probably on his way here at this very moment. She returned to packing, talking to Kellen over her shoulder.

  “I’d never thought about it, but yeah, I guess I am worth a bit of money. Not that it matters. I don’t want to go back to that life.” She compressed her lips and blinked back tears thinking of how empty all the fine homes around the world would be without her uncle, Franklin and Cook. “Look, we’ll talk about it later. Right now, we need to get packed and get out of here before it’s too late.”