Pack of Trouble

by D. M. Turner

  “Saved by the bell,” Colin called to Ian’s retreating back.

  Annoyed, he snatched up the phone and hit the button to accept the call. “What?”

  “Uh… hi… it’s Jeremy.”

  Ian took a deep breath and forced a calmer tone. “What’s up?”

  “I just wanted to let you know the pack’s latest member has arrived. Kelly had the baby about an hour ago. A very healthy baby boy. They’ve named him Adam.”

  “Good.” Finally, good news to distract from all the talk about mates, difficult women, and dark fictional heroes. “How’s Kelly?”

  “Doing great. She came through it like a real trooper. I never cease to be amazed at what God has empowered women to handle.”

  “Thanks for calling to let me know. I’ll tell Colin and Tanya since they’re here. Call the rest of the pack when you get a chance.”

  “Will do.”

  After hanging up, he stared at the phone. Brett was a father. The confirmed bachelor for over two hundred years. Settled with a woman and a father for the first time. Things had changed so much since their days as bachelor wolves. Ian married, a father, then a widower, alone with only memories for company at night. Brett married with a new son, contented and happy.

  “Oh, for pity’s sake, stop it. Those women are right about you,” he muttered and returned to the kitchen, carrying the phone in case Brett tried to call.

  * * *

  After Colin, Tanya, and Duncan went home, Sophia yawned and stretched. Time to retreat to the guestroom. It was either that or sit in awkward silence with Ian, who hadn’t said a single word to her since he’d gone to the kitchen earlier. He sat in the chair at the other end of the couch, staring at the empty fireplace.

  “I’m going to bed.” Read for a while. Maybe if she read more of Ian’s stories, she’d understand him better. That couldn’t be bad, right? “Thanks for taking me hunting.”

  A faint half-smile appeared. “You’re the only female I’ve met who doesn’t hesitate to eat raw meat.”

  “Really?” She cocked her head and raised her brows.

  He nodded. “The others only like meat raw when they’re pregnant.”

  “How odd.” She frowned, perplexed, then shrugged and smiled. “Maybe it’s because I’ve always had a taste for steak tartare. That’s one aspect of being a wolf that’s never bothered me.” She sighed. “Well, goodnight.”

  “Night.”

  At the hallway entrance, she glanced back.

  Ian still sat where she’d left him, staring at nothing in particular.

  Why do I feel like I’m abandoning him? Ridiculous. She shook her head. Go to bed. She forced her feet to carry her to the guestroom.

  * * *

  Ian listened to her retreating footfalls and felt her gaze rest on him for a few moments. He forced himself not to look at her or ask her to come back. She desired to leave soon. He couldn’t and wouldn’t stand in her way.

  Thankfully, the dark moon had set and had no more derogatory comments to add to the mix. Not that it mattered. Its accusations lingered long after it had disappeared over the horizon.

  Then there was his son…. Colin was young. He hadn’t experienced the losses Ian had. He had no idea what he was asking Ian to risk.

  No, I’ve had my love of a lifetime. No one gets more than that. Alison…. For the first time in years, thoughts of her didn’t pierce his heart with renewed pain. He straightened in the chair. What did that mean?

  Chapter 16

  So much for good intentions. Sophia had gotten absorbed in the next three of Ian’s stories instead of getting much-needed sleep. No wonder the man still missed his long-dead wife. His heart had shone through those stories.

  Alison had rescued him from the darkness left in the wake of World War II. She’d been bold and fearless in a way Sophia couldn’t even fathom. Even the loss of a child hadn’t held her down long.

  Thirsty, Sophia set the book on the nightstand and padded down the dark hallway to the kitchen, a hand on the wall to guide her. After a couple of wrong ones, she found the right light switch for the fixture over the double sink. It took a bit of searching through cabinets to find glasses. She filled one with water from the tap and stared blindly at a dish cloth draped over the middle of the sink as she assuaged her thirst.

  Would Ian ever be ready for another woman in his life, or would he spend the rest of his possibly very long life pining for the woman he’d lost? The pain he’d endured—

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  The barked question startled her. She spun around, the glass slipping from her fingers to shatter on the floor. Her hand flew to her chest as her gaze met Ian’s. “Are you out of your mind, scaring me like that?”

  He scowled. “What are you doing in here?”

  “I was thirsty.” She lowered her gaze to the shards of glass sparkling all over the floor then raised both hands, allowing them to fall against her thighs. “Great. Look what you made me do.” She knelt to pick up the pieces.

  “Be careful. You’ll cut yourself.” If he hadn’t sounded so irritated, she might’ve actually believed his concern to be genuine. He opened a tall cabinet just inside the kitchen and retrieved a dustpan and hand broom.

  “I’m perfectly capable of picking up broken glass, thank you very much.” She lowered a bare knee to the floor to reach a piece, only to gasp as a sliver cut into skin. Lovely. Tired and annoyed, not the best combination. Had made her careless as well as jumpy and irritable. After a glance, she grimaced and pulled out the glass. Not deep, but it sure bled like it. Great. Ian would think she was totally inept.

  He growled, stepping over glass as though his feet weren’t bare. Before she could respond, he scooped her up and sat her on the counter next to the sink. With a brief glare, he grabbed a paper towel, dabbed the wound, and studied it. “You shouldn’t have been in here to begin with.”

  Sophia yanked the paper towel out of his hand and pressed it to her knee. “I got thirsty. What did you expect me to do? Have a drink from the toilet like a good little doggy?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Ian scowled and bent to sweep glass into the dustpan. “All you had to do was ask me.”

  “Oh, right. Because I’m so totally incapable of getting myself a glass of water that I needed to wake you up and get you out of bed like a small child who can’t reach the sink.”

  He emptied the dustpan in the trash under the sink, threw it and the hand broom back in the cabinet, and slammed the door. “You don’t belong in here.”

  Sophia studied him. “You can’t be serious!”

  He stared at her without comment.

  She tossed the bloody paper towel into the sink. “Are you honestly being territorial about a lousy kitchen?”

  “You should know something about that.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “After all, you are an Executive Chef.”

  “I was an Executive Chef. I don’t have a kitchen anymore, in case you’ve forgotten.” Why did he find her job title so threatening? And just minutes before, she’d felt sorry for him losing the woman he loved. She shook her head. “So much for that.”

  “What?”

  “Feeling sympathy for you.”

  His brows joined between his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  “Nothing. It’s irrelevant now.”

  Ian stalked across the kitchen and grabbed the paper towel out of the sink. “There’s blood running down your leg.” He dabbed at the trail of fluid.

  Sophia swatted his hand away. “I’ll live.”

  “You need that tended.”

  “Why? It’s not like I have to worry about infection. Give it a few more minutes, and it’ll scab over. I’m a fast-healing monster, remember? Just back off!”

  “Why are you mad at me? I’m trying to help.”

  “Yeah, right. I wouldn’t even be hurt if you hadn’t come in here acting like a territorial jerk.” She pointed to her knee. “That is your fault.”

&nbs
p; He glared back, his jaw flexing.

  Fed up and wanting to go to bed, Sophia hopped off the counter, only to yelp and shift her weight onto one foot. Great. She’d landed on another piece of glass. “You missed one.” She turned, lifted the wounded foot behind her, braced one hand on the counter, and used the other to pull a chunk of glass out of the ball of her foot. The glass tossed in the sink, she yanked the paper towel out of Ian’s hand and wiped blood from the new injury. So not my night. Could he possibly have made it any clearer that he didn’t want her there?

  “How bad is it?”

  “What do you care?”

  “You don’t need to snarl at me.”

  “Me? You’re the one who came in here snapping and growling like I invaded your den.” She shook her head. “I haven’t seen someone be so territorial about a kitchen since I accidentally put one of my mentor’s favorite mixing bowls in the wrong cabinet.” She put the bloody paper towel and the chunk of glass into the garbage can under the sink. Wash your hands. Go back to bed. Maybe he’ll be less temperamental in the morning.

  A warm presence at her back came with a shift in the air that surrounded her with Ian’s scent. “I’m sorry.” The soft, gravelly apology raced along her spine.

  Sophia shut off the water and dried her hands on a fresh paper towel. Then she just stood there. Was he crowding her intentionally?

  He stepped close enough that his chest brushed her shoulder blade. Was he sniffing her hair?

  Desire tightened her gut and coiled outward, replacing anger and hurt. She closed her eyes.

  “Sophia?” His gentle, rumbling tone sent a shiver through her.

  * * *

  Her scent shifted, anger vanishing under a wave of arousal.

  Ian suppressed a groan. Did she feel even half what he did? He leaned close enough to almost nuzzle the side of her head, absorbing her scent in a slow, deep breath. So much for good intentions. He’d planned to keep his distance, but…. God help him, he wanted her, to explore every inch of soft skin. “Sophia, look at me.”

  The rich aroma of desire intensifying, she tensed.

  Gently gripping her upper arms, he turned her to face him. She resisted only for a moment. When she met his gaze, amber rimmed green irises. Despite the fact she glared hard at him, there was no anger in her scent or body language.

  Ian smiled. “You’re doing it again.”

  “What?”

  “Trying to pretend you’re angry. You can’t fool a wolf’s nose.”

  For a moment, there was no response. Then she shook her head, lowered her gaze, and let tension leave her shoulders. “I don’t want to fight.”

  “Are you sure about that?” He half-grinned.

  She glared at him, annoyance spiking through desire. “Of course. I just want to go back to bed to get away from a particularly jerky alpha wolf.”

  He chuckled softly. “I can’t help being an alpha or a werewolf, but I don’t mean to be a jerk.”

  “Yes, you do.” Her eyes narrowed. “I think you enjoy it.”

  “No.” Ian framed her face with both hands, allowing humor to fall away. “I don’t want to be difficult or annoy you. There are other things I’d much rather do.”

  Sophia’s eyes widened, and she swallowed hard before she whispered, “Like what?”

  He smiled then gently touched her lips with his. A fire that had burned low and steady since they’d met flared high and hot.

  Her arousal intensified, drawing him closer.

  Ian moved one hand around her to rest at her mid-back and pulled her against him, deepening the kiss. Sensations rolled through him that he’d never expected to feel again.

  Sophia matched his low groan with one of her own and kissed him back.

  He let go of reason and just allowed himself feel.

  * * *

  Lungs cried for air, but Sophia ignored them. She’d never in her life felt anything like the physical sensations Ian evoked with nothing more than the movement of his mouth. How was it possible to feel so much and not fly apart in a million pieces or burn to ashes from the heat?

  Without releasing her mouth, Ian gripped her waist, lifted, and set her on the counter, putting her lips level with his. He moved to stand between her knees, shoved the fingers of one hand into her hair to cup the back of her head, and pulled her forward against him with the other at her back.

  Every inch of skin tingled, making her squirm.

  She whimpered when he drew back, panting for breath.

  He stilled and cocked his head then scowled and stepped away. With one last look, he turned and trotted from the room.

  The ring of a phone broke through the haze of her mind.

  “What?” he barked from the living room.

  Sophia slid carefully to the floor, gripping the counter to keep wobbly legs upright. She raised shaky fingers to passion-swollen lips and closed her eyes. How could she act so… wanton? If he’d wanted her, she’d have let him take her. Do you have no self-respect or pride? Thank you, Lord, for that phone call!

  “Who is she?” Ian asked the person on the other end of the phone.

  She? Sophia went to the far counter and studied the alpha standing so rigid and unhappy in the living room. Was he mad that they’d been interrupted? Or as relieved as she was?

  She was relieved. Right?

  “Bring her to the house. We’ll sort it out here.” He dropped the phone on the end table. After a long moment, he turned to face her, his eyes narrowing. “Do you know anything about a strange female wolf O’Neil just found outside the front gate?”

  “No. Why would I?”

  His suspicious scrutiny chafed.

  She bared her teeth. “I haven’t had contact with anyone outside this house since I got here. Who could I possibly have told about the Preserve? Until I met you, I hadn’t met other wolves, anyway. Except the bastard who Turned me, and I haven’t seen him since the night he attacked me.”

  He continued to stare.

  Sophia shook her head. “Believe whatever you want. I don’t care.” She returned to the sink, wet a paper towel, and bent to clean blood off the tile floor. She tossed it in the garbage then stood and stared into the sink.

  “Yes, you do,” he murmured from far too close. His breath stirred the hair at her temple. “You do care what I think. You’re no better a liar that I am. We’ll find out who she is when O’Neil gets her up here.”

  She flexed her shoulder, trying to shrug off his scent. Despite herself, desire coiled inside her again. What would he do?

  “Relax.” Ian nuzzled the side of her head with a faint chuckle. “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to do.”

  Less than reassuring, given how his touch made her want things she normally wouldn’t even be tempted by.

  “I’m not interested in a short-term fling.” His body pressed against the length of her back, and he buried his nose in her hair. “No matter how tempting that might be at the moment.” His hands were gentle on her shoulders as he stepped back and turned her around to face him. He cupped her cheek with one hand and raised her gaze to his. “Besides, the wolf would never be satisfied with anything but a lifetime commitment.”

  And he didn’t want that. He couldn’t possibly have made that any plainer. Sophia forced down tears and straightened, raising her chin. “Aren’t you about to have company?”

  Ian frowned then nodded and moved away. “Yes. We are.”

  * * *

  With a sigh, Ian returned to the living room.

  Sophia didn’t want to stay.

  He’d provided an opening, and she’d rebuffed him. Anger, hurt, disappointment, and unsatisfied desire warred within him. The wolf wanted to pace and growl. Ian just wanted to crawl into bed and stay there until she left his territory.

  Alas, he couldn’t do that. He had to deal with yet another female wolf. Because his life apparently wasn’t complicated enough.

  Chapter 17

  With Ian brooding in the living room,
Sophia decided to stay in the kitchen. It was either that or retreat to the guestroom, lock the door, and refuse to come out for a few hours. Or days. As tempting as that was, she wanted to stay close to find out who the woman was that O’Neil was bringing to the house. She hadn’t met O’Neil yet either.

  The purr of an approaching vehicle drew her to the end of the counter where the kitchen led almost to the foyer. She leaned against the corner and watched the front door.

  Ian glared at her then headed for the foyer, stopping in front of the coat closet just inside the living room.

  Soon after the engine cut out, the front door opened.

  A blond, bearded man of average height pushed it open and guided a thin, pale, battered woman inside. If she hadn’t been hunched over, she’d probably stand a shade over five-and-a-half-feet. She held a bundle close to her chest. Wide, sunken eyes took in her surroundings with great fear. Bruises colored every bit of visible skin in black, dark purple, and blue. A few patches had begun to turn green.

  Who brutalized her?

  O’Neil closed the door then raised both hands when he saw Sophia watching. “Before you say a word, I had nothing to do with the condition she’s in.”

  Sophia looked away. Had she given him an accusing look without meaning to? Bruises like that most certainly hadn’t been inflicted in the past few minutes or even hours.

  Ian crossed his arms over his chest and straightened to his full height. “Who are you?”

  The woman shrank even further into herself.

  Sophia shook her head. Couldn’t he see the poor thing was already terrified? The last thing she needed was the full force of an unhappy, protective alpha interrogating her. With a sigh, Sophia stepped around him, cast him a dirty look, and then presented him with her back, focusing on the woman. “Never mind Ian’s attitude. He’s mad at me and being his demanding self. He seldom thinks about how big a jerk he can be.”