by Kate Douglas
Trak sat back in his chair while Evan righted the one that Manny had knocked over. “Well,” he said. “That was interesting.” He glanced toward the closed door. “My gut tells me that you need to come clean with your women, but impress upon them the importance of secrecy. At this point, that’s about the best advice I can offer, but if the four of you, and that’s including Manny and Drew, work this out, that leaves just Evan and me in search of women, and we’ve got three more weeks of guests before we shut down for the season.”
Lawz leaned back in his chair. “What are we gonna do with the place afterward? We’ve put in a really nice lodge, and we’ve made a killing on it in just this one year alone.”
“That we have. We’ll think of something. It’s too nice a facility not to use it.”
A car pulled up in front. Evan walked to the door to see who it was. “Hey, it’s Cain and Brad and Cherry. They’re back!”
“Thank goodness.” Trak shoved his chair back and stood. “Maybe Cherry’ll have some kind of idea on how to get us out of this mess.”
“Or maybe Cain will.”
Tuck winked at Trak, a not-so-subtle reminder to cut Cain some slack.
Trak smiled and nodded. “Reminder understood,” he said as his longtime nemesis walked into the bar.
CHAPTER 10
Now that the guys were busy at their meeting, Dar took the lead. “First of all, whatever we discuss here does not go beyond the four of us. Okay?” Once everyone nodded in agreement, she said, “Anyone here not believe in werewolves?”
No one raised their hands, but Meg laughed. “That would explain so much. They’re just too blasted perfect. I mean, Trak’s just a friend, but if I didn’t have Zach, it would be hard to pick which guy I wanted.”
Jules merely shrugged. “Which is probably why I have two.”
“Jules!” Elle had a huge grin on her face. “Okay. So maybe I’m just a bit jealous, though I wouldn’t trade Tuck for anyone.”
Dar nodded emphatically. “I called Lawz on the werewolf bit last night, and he didn’t deny, but said he had to talk to the guys.”
“Tuck said the same thing. When I asked if that meant he had to talk it over with Trak, he got flustered. He’s so cute when he’s flustered, big guy like that.”
“ ’Cause Trak’s their alpha, right?” Dar shot a glance at Meg. “Did you know?”
“Not entirely, though I’ve sensed all along that the wolf sleeping next to me reminded me of Trak. Not sure why. And I’ve always just assumed he was their boss. No reason. He’s not bossy, but …” She grinned. “Guess he just walks the boss walk.”
“They smell the same,” Elle said. “Tuck and his wolf—they both have that fresh forest-cedar scent that I love, like fresh air and mountain breezes.”
Meg turned to Jules. “Why so quiet, Jules?”
Laughing, Jules spread her hands. “Just paying attention. I’ve got two of them to deal with, remember?”
“Rough job, right?” Dar’s dry comment had all of them laughing.
“Have any of you seen them shift?” Meg glanced at each of them.
“No, but I imagine we will.” Dar planted her hands on the table. “Think about the position they’re in—they’ve kept this secret for as long as their kind has existed, and that secret has kept them safe. They’ve got to be terrified we’ll give them away. Can you imagine the nightmare that would cause? News crews and nuts, coming here to the preserve and creating trouble for everyone. Whether they come clean or not, none of us are ever to speak about this to anyone else.”
“You can tell me.”
Meg whipped around in her seat so fast she almost fell out of it. An attractive dark-haired woman in faded cargo pants and an old Stanford sweatshirt stood in the doorway to the dining hall.
“Hi.” She gave them a little wave. “I’m Cherry Dubois. I live here. I just left the guys at Growl.” She laughed. “They’re all aflutter, discussing what you know. I told them I’d rather meet you than worry about you.”
“Can you shift, too?” Dar focused on Cherry, and Meg held her breath, waiting to see if Cherry would lie to Dar or tell the truth.
“I can now. But I couldn’t when I first got here. May I join you?”
“Please,” Meg said. “We are dying to know what’s going on, but we don’t want the guys to be afraid we’ll tell their secret, and they’re not talkin’.”
“Good.” She walked to the bar, poured a cup of coffee, and took the empty chair next to Elle. “Because that would be bad. For all of us. First of all, I started here as a guest of Feral Passions, just the way you have. My sister and her friend and I came here together, and we all met guys. My sister and her girlfriend are bi, and I was just flat-out repressed.” She laughed and took a swallow of her coffee. “By the end of the week, I’d figured out that the two guys I’d fallen for were the same wolves that were sleeping in my bed most nights.”
“How’d you know?” Meg hadn’t been all that sure about Trak, though she’d suspected, but she didn’t know why.
“I’m a computer nerd. My life is all about algorithms and statistics, and statistically speaking, there were an equal number of green-eyed wolves to men with green eyes, same with brown, and with blue. And one guy has absolutely sparkling, almost turquoise eyes, and so does one of the wolves. But the wolves and guys with matching eyes were never together.”
“That’s part of what gave it away for me. I’m Jules, by the way, and I’ve got two guys sharing my bed, one with blue eyes and one with brown, but the weird part of it is that I knew the first time I saw the wolves that they were the guys, and I didn’t even know one of them very well in his human form. Two wolves came to my cabin at bedtime, and I just automatically called them Manny and Drew. I knew they were men, but I don’t know how I knew. It was just bizarre.”
“That explains their behavior.” Cherry laughed, but she shook her head when Jules questioned her. “Their tale to tell.”
“I’m Elle, Cherry. How do you handle it? Your guy shifts and races off into the woods to do his wolf thing. How do you deal with waiting for him, knowing what an amazing experience he’s having?”
“I go with them.” At least she waited until the collective gasp died down. Smiling, she said, “Werewolves only have male offspring. They don’t make their first shift until they’re about thirty. They find their mates among the human population after they shift, but wolf law has forced them to keep their existence secret. It used to be until after they fell in love and mated. Then they’d bite their poor, unsuspecting wife and turn her into a wolf.”
“I can only imagine the pillow talk after that little episode.” Dar’s comment even had Cherry cracking up.
But Meg stared at Cherry, this absolutely beautiful and obviously brilliant young woman who was saying she was a wolf as well. For whatever reason, shifting had absolutely no appeal at all to Meg. “I think I’d freak,” she said.
But not Elle, Jules, or Dar. They were grinning at one another as if they’d just discovered all the packages under the Christmas tree were theirs.
“That’s the only thing I worried about.” Elle grabbed Cherry’s hands. “Girl, that is the best news in the world, because I have fallen hard and fast for that big, sexy veterinarian, but all I could think of was how jealous I’d be whenever he went furry and left me home.”
“Won’t happen if you and Tuck end up mates.” She squeezed Elle’s hands. “Look, the guys are a bit shaken up, to put it bluntly. They’re so afraid of their story getting out. If you and Dar and Jules end up staying on as mates, that’s not an issue, but I know they’re worried about any of you who don’t, which I would bet is going to be just you, Meg. Is this a secret you can keep? If word ever gets out, it would put all of us in danger.”
Meg glanced at Dar, Elle, and Jules. “The four of us have been friends since we were five years old. We’ve held secrets for one another all our lives. There’s no way we’d ever talk about something that could jeopardize any of us, mu
ch less the people we’ve met here who are so wonderful. I don’t think that’s an issue, but I do think we should let the guys lead the way on when they want to say anything. I hadn’t really thought how frightening this must be for them.”
“Thank you. Now I’m going to grab my men and my luggage, and we’re going to go up to our apartment.” She laughed as she stood. “I’m exhausted. We drove all night when the guys realized you’d figured them out. They sort of flipped a bit. Trak asked us to come home early.”
She yawned and stretched, but Elle stopped her as she turned to leave.
“Cherry? Is it as cool as it sounds? Shifting and running like a wolf?”
“So much cooler than you can possibly imagine. The pine needles beneath your feet, flying down trails faster than you ever imagined moving under your own power. Standing on a mountain peak and howling at the moon? Ya know, it’s something I will never grow tired of.”
Smiling, she headed toward the door as two men—equally as good looking as all the others they’d met—walked in loaded down with luggage. Cherry paused and kissed both guys. “Ladies, this bad boy is Cain, and this fella is Brad, and they’re mine. You may look but not touch. Boys, meet Meg, Elle, Jules, and Dar. Play nice. I’m going to get my bags.”
She turned and left. Meg sighed when she realized both men had barely acknowledged any of them at the table. Instead, they stopped in their tracks to watch Cherry as she went out the door, and Meg was certain that was a communal sigh she heard from her buds.
Did Zach ever look at her like that? She wished she could be sure. She’d give anything to know he felt that way about her.
Once Cain and Brad had settled back into their apartment over the lodge with Cherry, Manny hunted them down.
“Cain, you got some free time this afternoon?”
Cain grinned at him, and Manny could see why he pissed Trak off so badly. Cain always looked like he was looking for trouble.
“Depends. I’m still on my honeymoon.”
“Yeah, but you’ll like this. Ya know the guys logging that piece just north of the property? They’ve brought in some new contract labor that’s a bit questionable. Trak and I are convinced they’re poaching. We’ve found sign on this side of the fence, blood spatters on leaves, what looks like some chunks out of bark that might be from high-powered rifle shots. None of the wolves are missing, but the deer herd is skittish. We’re going to do a bit of reconnoitering this afternoon. Want to come?”
Cain’s grin widened. “I’d love it.” He caught Cherry for a kiss and planted one on Brad as well. “Back when the big guy turns me loose.”
“Knew you’d do it. Figure you’re probably looking for some ass to kick after two weeks without any trouble.” Laughing, Manny led the way out of the lodge.
“Actually …” Cain actually sounded sort of wistful. “Two weeks without trouble worked really well for me. I think I’m getting used to waking up to a mate on either side.”
Manny thought about that as they headed toward Growl, where they were meeting Trak. And he thought about Jules. And Drew.
By two or so, Elle and Tuck had made close to a dozen calls in and around the community of Weaverville. There’d been no talk of werewolves or shifting, but there were vaccinations to give and teeth to check and lots of people to stop and chat with.
He’d introduced Elle to everyone they met and said she was thinking of taking on the position as his assistant. She loved hearing that, and everyone had been so nice. Finally, they pulled into a quiet neighborhood, and Tuck parked under a big shady tree.
He didn’t immediately get out this time. Instead, he turned to her and smiled, and she melted inside just a little bit more.
“This is the last stop, Elle. Mrs. Yates has a Labrador retriever that tends to have large litters. There were fourteen in this last one. I’m just checking to make sure everyone’s getting enough to eat. The owner can’t be here with them all the time. She’s a nurse at the hospital in town, works some odd shifts.”
They got out of the truck, walked around the house, and went through a gate to the yard in back. A dark brown Lab lay in the shade of a large tree. She raised her head and woofed, but it was obvious she recognized Tuck because she lay back down again and stretched out in the grass. Pups tumbled all around, climbing over their mother and chasing each other.
“They look like little chocolate kisses!” Elle got down on her knees. The pups spotted a target and attacked. She was cuddling four of them while two chewed one of her hiking boots.
“Hey, Tuck. I was hoping you’d stop by.”
Elle glanced away from the puppies gnawing on her boots and curling in her lap. A tall, dignified-looking woman with her long white hair tied in a braid down her back stepped out of the house.
“Mrs. Yates, this is Elle, my assistant.” She nodded hello. “You’ll notice she’s protecting me from all those sharp little teeth.” They both chuckled when the pups suddenly took off and did a waddling run around the perimeter of the back fence. He reached down and pulled Elle to her feet. “These little guys are looking great. I don’t think I’ll need to make any more visits, at least until they’re ready for their shots.”
“That’s good. Thank you. I’ve got buyers for all of them. Look, Tuck, I’m glad you stopped by. We have an injured driver who was brought in about an hour ago. His car went off the road north of town, and he was still unconscious last time I checked. Paramedics couldn’t find a cell phone or ID, but clipped to a screen on the dashboard were directions to your place. The guy’s tall, about your age, with salt-and-pepper hair, average build. Works out, has good muscle tone. Sound familiar?”
“He’s not conscious?”
Mrs. Yates shook her head. “No. Might be by now. He was unconscious when he was brought in a little while ago. My shift ended shortly after he arrived, so I’m not sure of his condition, only that they hadn’t ID’d him.”
“Any idea where he’s from?”
“Looks like Portland. The car’s registered to SeaSun Integrations, but there’s no name on—”
“Oh, shit!” Elle slapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, but did you say SeaSun?” When the woman nodded, Elle turned to Tuck. “That has to be Zach, Meg’s fiancé. He owns SSI. We have to go see him. Find out for sure if it’s Zach so we can let Meg know.”
“Tuck? When you get to the hospital, tell Jennie at reception that you might know our John Doe.” Mrs. Yates followed them to the gate. “Please let me know what you find out, and good luck. I know there must be people somewhere worried sick about him.”
“Poor Zach.” Elle stood beside his bed. Zach was still unconscious, though the nurse had told them scans hadn’t shown any sign of trauma or injury to his brain, and he’d awakened briefly a while ago. “I wonder what happened.”
The doctor who’d been in Zach’s room when they arrived straightened after checking the monitors. “We think he swerved to miss a critter. Animals cross the road there all the time on the way to water. It looks like he braked and then skidded, overcorrected, and hit the berm beside the asphalt. The car did an end over and then rolled, so stuff got scattered. A couple of guys just went out to see if they can find his wallet and cell phone. We were hoping to ID him, so I’m glad you’re here. Good thing he was belted in, because the BMW was trashed.”
“I’m going to call Meg,” Tuck said. “There should be someone in the office who can take the call and bring her out here.”
Trak was out doing something with Manny, so Evan brought Meg into town. The others stayed at Feral Passions, since Elle was waiting with Zach.
Zack here? But why? Meg’s head wouldn’t quit spinning. When Evan got the call from Tuck and found her out by the pool with Cherry and the girls, she’d been laughing and having the time of her life.
While Zach lay in a hospital bed just a few miles away, unconscious. She felt horribly guilty even though she hadn’t done anything, hadn’t known he was within a hundred miles of this place, but he was hur
ting, and she’d not known a thing.
Evan held her left forearm with his left hand, had his right arm around her shoulders, walking her down the long corridor like she was a little old lady, but as fragile as she felt, that was probably a good thing.
What in the world was Zach doing there?
“Here’s his room, Meg.”
She glanced at Evan and slowly nodded—it didn’t feel real, as if she walked through a waking nightmare—as he walked her into the room. Zach lay on the bed, both eyes bruised black and swollen shut. Elle’d been sitting next to the bed, but she leapt up and hugged Meg.
“He’s gonna be okay, sweetie. The doctors are terrific. Dr. Mabry said his injuries aren’t nearly as serious as they look.”
Meg nodded. She didn’t seem to have any words, but Elle took over Evan’s job and led her across the floor to Zach. Tuck pushed a chair beneath her, and she sat, trusting him to have it there. Hell, trust had nothing to do with it. Her legs wouldn’t hold her.
She wrapped her fingers around Zach’s hand, careful of the needles and wires anchoring him to way too much equipment all beeping and gurgling and whooshing. “Zach. Sweetheart … what happened?”
She’d missed him so much, wished he were here with her, but not like this! This was awful. And scary. She heard a shuffling behind her, soft voices, someone coming into the room. She turned, saw an attractive young woman in a lab coat. A doctor?
“You’re Megan Bonner?”
When Meg nodded, the woman held out her hand. “I’m so glad we’ve found Zachary’s people. It’s terrible to have someone here who’s hurting and not know who they are. It’s good to meet you. I’m Dr. Mabry. Angie Mabry. I’m not sure what Elle’s told you, but we weren’t certain how serious Zach’s head injury was when he was first brought in. He was unconscious when paramedics got to him, but we’re unsure how long after the accident that was. I doubt it was too long because that road is well traveled. A rancher spotted the wrecked car and said the engine was still steaming.”