Wild Wolf

by Karen Whiddon

  His turn. Fitting his larger frame inside would be much more difficult, but doable.

  After much scraping and grunting, he finally made it. Dropping to the floor, he turned to find Raven eyeing the motorcycle. In the dim light, the black bike looked more like a beast and less like a machine.

  “What is that thing?” Raven whispered. “I mean, I know it’s a motorcycle, but I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

  “Hellhounds.” Circling the bike, Simon couldn’t contain his awe. “That’s a Ducati 900 Supersport. When Zach mentioned he had a motorcycle, I had no idea. This thing must be his pride and joy. I’m surprised he’d even offer to let us borrow it.”

  From the house, they heard a dog barking. Someone shouted at the animal to be quiet.

  “We’ve got to get out of here.” Simon grabbed a helmet from the metal shelves on the back of the garage. “Put this on.”

  Grimacing, she did as he asked, fastening the strap under her chin while he did the same with the other helmet. “Are you sure you can ride this thing in the snow?”

  He hadn’t driven a motorcycle in years, not since he and a friend had gone dirt biking as teens. Of course, he didn’t tell her that. Instead, he told her the truth. “It won’t be easy, but we don’t have a choice.”

  “What about the keys?”

  Simon pulled them out of his pocket. “Right here. The trick is going to be getting the garage door up and taking off without them shooting at us.” He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Are you ready?”

  Gaze never leaving his face, she slowly nodded.

  “We’re going to crouch low, so hold on to me, okay?”

  “Less of a target?”

  He grinned. “That, and it’ll give us more speed. Let’s hope it starts.”

  Punching the garage-door opener, he jumped on the bike, depressed the hand clutch and turned the key.

  The engine roared to life.

  “Thank the hounds.” He gunned the engine. As soon as the garage door, which moved far too slowly, made it halfway up, they shot forward.

  Three men, ran out of the house and into the garage. One came out of the front of the house. He had a gun.

  Simon turned east as he drove the motorcycle out of the garage. If the guy squeezed off a shot or two, he missed them. They roared off into the snowfall and the rapidly approaching night.

  Knowing Twenty-eighth Street would turn into US 36, Simon lucked into every streetlight. If the bad guys got into their van meaning to follow them, Simon saw no signs. Maybe they honestly believed he’d meet them at Folsom Field in two days, with both Raven and Cee in tow.

  Glad of their warm ski jackets and gloves, despite the helmet shield, Simon’s chin soon felt frozen. He hunched into his coat, snuggling under the collar, which felt somewhat better. Behind him, Raven tucked her face into his back, hopefully keeping warm that way. As they roared onto the toll road to get them through Denver, the snow tapered off, then stopped.

  On I-25, they stopped in Castle Rock for coffee and warmth. Though Raven’s nose looked red, she seemed none the worse for wear. And, Simon thought, cute as hell. Limiting himself to a quick kiss on the cheek, he drank his coffee.

  “What time does the office open?” Raven asked, watching him over her cup. “And where are we going to spend the night?”

  “We’ll get a motel,” he told her. “There are several right there on the interstate once we get into town.”

  She nodded. “That way we can get a good night’s rest.”

  But the image that came to mind when he thought of a hotel room involved tangled sheets and Raven naked beneath him. He swore under his breath, belatedly remembering he’d meant to get condoms.

  Her slow smile told him she’d read his mind.

  “Sometimes I think I can hear your thoughts in my head.” With a groan, he dragged his fingers through his shaggy hair. “That shouldn’t be possible, can’t be possible. Unless…”

  “Unless what?”

  “Never mind. We need to sleep,” he told her, his heartbeat speeding up at her wicked smile. “Nothing more.”

  She nodded. “You’re right, of course.” Standing, she walked gracefully over to the trash can and dropped her cup in. Simon couldn’t take his eyes off her and, despite his still-chilled state, his body stirred.

  She had the damndest effect on him. And he realized as long as he could be around her, he didn’t want to ever feel normal again.

  Draining the last of his coffee, he stood and followed her outside into the cold night.

  The sky started spitting snow as they neared the city limits. Pulling into the parking lot of the first motel they saw, Simon left Raven with the bike. He went into the office, paid cash and got a key to a room with two double beds.

  Rejoining her, he pointed to a door midway down the building. “We can walk. I’m bringing the motorcycle inside. Zach would never forgive me if someone stole this thing.”

  After he unlocked the door, she helped him brush off the snow and wheel the bike in.

  “What about the carpet? Should we put a towel under the tires?”

  “No.” He pointed at the ancient green shag. “Nothing could make that rug any worse. Don’t worry about it.”

  Once the door had been locked and the chain pulled, he pointed to the double beds. “We each can have our own.”

  Raven nodded. Avoiding eye contact, she strolled around the small room, turning on every light. Finally, she turned and faced him, her beautiful face a perfect mask. “Two beds? Why? I thought we could…”

  He swallowed. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t want you, because you know I do, though you have no idea how badly.”

  “Then why?”

  The vulnerability in her eyes made him ache to take her in his arms. But he knew he couldn’t touch her, so he kept his hands at his sides. “Raven, I didn’t have time to get protection. We can’t take that chance.”

  Her sudden smile lit up the room. She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a packet. “Remember that second condom you put on the nightstand? I didn’t want to leave it there for Zach to see, so I stuck it in my pocket.”

  Struck speechless, he still couldn’t move.

  She sashayed over to him. “Let’s put this thing to good use, shall we?”

  The next morning Raven woke, sated and pleasantly sore. When she opened her eyes, she realized the bed was empty. The sound of the shower told her Simon had gotten up before her.

  Knowing he’d wake her, she snuggled into the covers and tried to drift back off to sleep. But though her tired body could use more rest, there was too much at stake this day. Finally, she abandoned the attempt and sat up, using her pillow as a bolster. Clicking on the television, she saw the top news story was an out-of-control fire at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Her heart caught as she recognized the blazing building. She ought to, as she’d spent several years of her life caged there. The professor’s laboratory was an inferno.

  Simon emerged from the bathroom just as the program cut to a commercial. She filled him in and both watched silently as the news program came back on.

  “A total loss,” the announcer said. “Firefighters are trying to keep the flames from spreading to any other buildings. We’ll keep you updated as developments occur.”

  Raven switched off the TV. “I wonder if Ross had something to do with this?”

  Pacing, Simon nodded. “I think he did. I’ve been trying to understand his rabid interest in the professor and the shifters he’d tortured. It has to have something to do with the professor’s experiments.”

  “Now that the lab is gone, any evidence of whatever the professor was working on will be destroyed.”

  “Unless Ross got it out first.”

  Raven pushed herself up out of the bed. “Speaking of Ross, I want to get this show on the road. After my shower, let’s grab something to eat and then head over to meet him.”

  He grinned. “Once an Alpha, always an Al
pha.”

  She couldn’t help but grin back. “Old habits die hard.” Passing him, she gave him a cheeky wave and patted his butt. “I’m going to jump in the shower.” And she closed the door behind her, but didn’t lock it. Being around Simon kept her aroused. Ever hopeful, she thought, shivering deliciously at the idea of sex in the shower.

  Inside, her wolf yawned and stretched.

  Simon knew he couldn’t join her in the shower, though his full erection begged to differ. Instead, he clicked the television back on and got dressed, hoping his arousal would subside by the time Raven finished.

  The news program had moved on to something else.

  His wolf, always vigilant, had begun to pace. He supposed he could go outside and see if there was a safe area to change, but he didn’t want to use the energy. For now, he wanted to focus every fiber of his being on the upcoming confrontation with Ross.

  The TV announcer cut in with a break back to the fire at CU. Firefighters had been unable to keep the blaze contained and the conflagration had engulfed several other buildings. Chemicals inside the science labs, the professor’s building, had caused several small explosions and police were now evacuating nearby dormitories.

  Thus far, they were unaware of any injuries or deaths from this fire.

  From the bathroom, the shower cut off. Simon tried like hell not to picture Raven naked, toweling herself dry. Failing completely, his erection surged back full force.

  A few minutes later, he heard the blow-dryer.

  Finally, Raven emerged, fully clothed. Though she gave him a quizzical look, she said nothing, only coming over to check out the TV. Once again, they were reporting on something else—the stock market and the price of a barrel of crude oil.

  Raven smelled of scented lotion. Delicious, he thought, then groaned.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  Wordlessly, he shook his head. As if on cue, his stomach growled.

  “I’m hungry, too.” Raven laughed. “Are you ready?”

  He nodded, struck dumb by her laughter. Standing, he wondered if he could walk. “Give me a minute,” he growled. Heading toward the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face, trying not to notice the fragrant, moisture-scented air.

  Once he thought he had himself under control, he rejoined her.

  “Let’s go.”

  Outside, the cold air and gray day threatened more snow. Side by side they walked to the motel coffee shop and took a booth. Since the place wasn’t crowded, a waitress appeared immediately, brought them coffee and took their order. Both of them ordered steak and eggs.

  Though the plates were huge, they both cleaned them. The restaurant clock showed eight-fifteen as he paid the check.

  They wheeled the motorcycle outside. She waited while Simon returned the room keys, then they climbed aboard and took off.

  In less than thirty minutes, they pulled into a large parking garage.

  Once they’d parked and dismounted, Raven pulled off her helmet and shook her hair free. “Are we there?”

  “Next door,” Simon said. “This garage is connected by a bridge, though the other side has a guarded gate. Headquarters has restricted entry into their lot. The doors are card-key coded, too.”

  She frowned. “Why didn’t you mention that little detail? How are we going to get in?”

  His turn to pull a surprise from his pocket. Grinning, he did just that. “I still have my card. As long as Ross didn’t deactivate it, we shouldn’t have a problem.”

  And he was right. On his cell phone on a loud and obviously personal call, the guard at the end of the bridge squinted at Simon’s card-key and waved them through impatiently.

  At the exterior door, Simon glanced at her. “Now the true test.” Sticking his card in the slot, he waited.

  The light flashed green. Removing the card, he waited until the door buzzed. “We’re in!”

  Raven leaned close. “What’s the point of all this?”

  He shrugged. “Because no one, and I mean no one, has ever even tried to breach the Society’s headquarters, our security has apparently gotten a little lax.”

  She raised a brow. “A little?”

  Inside, they stood in a lobby. Windowless, locked doors were set in three walls.

  “Which one do we want?” she asked.

  He pointed. “That one. Let’s go.”

  As he inserted his card, the door buzzed immediately, letting them through. Ahead lay a long hallway punctuated by doors.

  “Act like you have a purpose,” he whispered to Raven. “Stride though the hall with me as if we’re a couple of coworkers here to pick stuff up on our day off. Pretend you belong here.”

  Immediately, she lifted her chin. Head held high, her expression confident, she transformed into exactly what he’d asked.

  In awe, he stared.

  “You, too,” she ordered, a faint smile on her lips. “And hurry up, someone’s coming.”

  Two men, bent over some papers, approached them.

  Simon could only hope they didn’t recognize him, or want to talk about one of his recent cases. He wished he had a notebook or clipboard, something he could pretend to discuss with Raven so they wouldn’t seem so obvious.

  But he’d worried over nothing. Engrossed in their conversation, the two men didn’t even glance at them.

  “How many floors?” she asked as they approached the elevator. “Are all of these occupied by the Society?”

  “Yep. The entire building. Ross’s office is on the sixteenth floor.” Simon punched the up button. “By the way, there are cameras everywhere. They have an entire floor of people watching monitors. That’s the security department.”

  He grinned. “You might say they’re a bit paranoid.”

  “This seems kind of like the FBI or CIA.”

  “In a way, it is. The Society is the pack’s only intelligence operation. That’s why they’re so worried about security.”

  “Aren’t you worried?” She glanced at the conspicuous camera over the elevator doors.

  “Nah. If they recognize me, they’ll only know they’ve seen me here before. I’m guessing that the only people who know what’s going on are those close to Ross. His handpicked team of Protectors.”

  Though the wait for the elevator seemed to take forever, finally the chime sounded and the door slid open.

  They rode to the sixteenth floor in silence, mindful of the ever-present cameras.

  Once there, Simon pointed up the corridor. “His office is down there, near the end of the hall.”

  “Wow.” Raven gazed around, her expression stunned. “This is one endless hallway punctuated with doors. Don’t they have any open areas?”

  “Sure. There is a gym and a cafeteria, as well as a bunch of meeting rooms. Every floor has a couple of those.”

  She nodded.

  “Are you ready?” He didn’t take her arm, wanting both hands to be free, just in case. The fact that no one seemed to be in this hall didn’t escape his notice. He’d spent quite a bit of time here and couldn’t remember the floor ever appearing so deserted.

  After glancing in several of the offices as they walked past and noticing they were also empty, a niggling sense of doubt began to bother him.

  Had Ross somehow figured out their plan? Were they walking into an elaborate trap? The next second, he shook his head. No way. While Ross might run his own department with an iron fist, no way could he have involved the entire building.

  Finally, they reached Ross’s office. The door was closed.

  Simon glanced once more at Raven. She looked back at him, her gaze steady, then dipped her chin in a quick nod.

  He turned the knob and opened the door.

  Ross’s big chair faced the window. With his back to the door, he lifted his hand impatiently, signaling them to stop. Engrossed in a phone conversation, he continued talking, never once glancing up to see who would dare to interrupt him in his private sanctuary.

  He seemed to have aged year
s since Simon had last seen him. His dark brown hair, formerly only graying at the temples, was now liberally sprinkled with silver.

  They stepped inside. Simon closed the door, wishing the handle had a lock.

  Raven made a sound of impatience, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

  Her movement caught Ross’s attention. Still intent on his call, he finally looked up. His pale eyes widened, the only visible sign of his surprise.

  Without even saying goodbye to his caller, he dropped his phone back into the cradle. While he gave a quick glance to Simon, his gaze returned and remained on Raven, traveling up and down her slender body in a way that made Simon want to punch him.

  “Surprise,” Simon said softly.

  “I’m surprised you got in.”

  “I’m not. I still work here. We decided not to wait for Folsom Field.”

  “You only brought one?” Ross drawled, leaning back in his chair. Then, before Simon could speak, he continued. “Of course, there’s no way you could have gotten the younger one.”

  Raven stiffened, biting her lip.

  “What do you mean?” Simon kept his tone level, all too aware the other man was probably baiting them.

  Taking his time answering, Ross stood and stretched. Though he might try to convey supreme indifference, tension radiated from the way he held his shoulders.

  As he turned, Simon noticed he wasn’t wearing his gun holster, a definite plus for them. Casually, he glanced at the coatrack, seeing Ross’s jacket. The holster could be under that.

  Or else Ross, believing in his supreme invulnerability, didn’t bother wearing one at all.

  “What’s happened to Cee?” Raven asked, speaking for the first time. “So help me, if you’ve hurt her…”

  “Cee?” Ross frowned. “You mean the girl? She’s in Protector custody, that’s all.”

  “How? She knew you were looking for her. She was taking precautions.”

  “We decided to continue our search-and-retrieve mission.” The smile Ross flashed looked decidedly oily. “And as your friend Simon here can tell you, when we want to find something, we usually do. The girl was brought in at 6:58 a.m. this morning. We caught her trying to break back into the professor’s house.”