by Meg Ripley
“His papers seem perfectly legit, and none of my sources have heard anything about him. That’s a good start, but I’m not completely convinced. He could be a spy from one of the other packs.”
Audra felt a shiver at the back of her neck and the threat of her lupine coat to spring out from her skin. “Do you really think so?”
“If I were attacking another pack, I’d certainly send a spy into their midst,” Nate reasoned. He turned to her suddenly. “I think you could find out for me.”
Something twisted inside Audra at the thought of spending more time with Flint. “Me?”
“I didn’t miss the way he looked at you. Any guy with eyes is going to find you attractive, and a man is much more likely to reveal his colors in front of a good-looking woman instead of a man who may become his Alpha. You could spend a little time with him, see what he’s all about.”
Her stomach did another twist. Audra wasn’t the type to get nervous, and she sure as hell didn’t need to be nervous around some strange wolf who wanted to join their pack. But Flint was different. He’d practically pulled her in with those steely blue eyes of his, his dark and wild hair, and cocky grin.
Then there had been the way he’d acted around Randy. Flint made her nervous, but not in the sense that he was going to do anything to harm her son. He’d shown genuine interest in the boy. If the situation had been different, it would’ve been endearing.
Audra had no intention of getting involved with someone, but when it came down to helping her pack, she was all in. “Sure. I can do that.”
Nate nodded as though he’d known she would say yes. “Just be careful. We don’t know this guy.”
“I can handle myself, Nate. Just call me when he comes back to the pack house. I’ll be here.”
It didn’t take long for the call to come. Audra left Randy with her parents, who were more than happy to take him out for ice cream, and headed for the pack house.
She stepped inside and said a brief hello to Richard before finding Flint sitting at the island in the kitchen. Flint had helped himself to a sandwich and was just polishing it off as she came in, his eyebrows lifting in surprise as she leaned on the opposite side of the island. “Hello again.”
“Hi.” She smiled. For a moment, on the drive over, she hadn’t been sure she was up to the task. But Flint was easy to flirt with. “I was wondering if you might want to take a walk with me.”
He eyed her warily. “A walk where?”
She gestured vaguely toward the back of the house. “Just a walk. I need to get out, but with the assaults on our members, I have strict instructions not to go anywhere on my own.”
Flint pushed the plate aside but remained seated. There were plenty of wolves who wanted to fulfill that bad boy role, but Flint absolutely looked it. The way his arms bulged from the tight sleeves of his shirt, the way he watched everything in the room, and even just the way he moved implied that he’d seen a lot in his life. “And do you always do everything your brother asks?”
Was that a challenge? Did he know that Nate had put her up to this task? She’d just have to take her chances. Was that look in his eyes a dare, or did it mean he was just as intrigued by her as she was by him? “When it’s convenient for me.”
Another long and steady gaze met her eyes before he answered. “All right. I’ll go.”
Audra felt a small thrill shiver up her spine. Damn. Maybe if he wasn’t so hot, this would be an easier task. She could get him alone, flirt a little, get some sort of confession out of him, report it to her brother, and move on with her life feeling that she’d done something good for her pack. Flint wasn’t going to make things that easy.
Fortunately, she knew the paths behind the house like the back of her hand. She had that to keep her steady even if Flint’s proximity made her want to giggle like an idiot. She was keenly aware of his presence next to her on the narrow path that wound up into the hills, which was just big enough for two people to walk side by side. His arm brushed against hers, and she swallowed the ball of tension in her throat. “So, why don’t you tell me a little more about yourself.”
“There’s not a whole lot to say that you haven’t already heard. I’m out of the military and just looking for a place to be.”
“It seems to me that you could have picked almost anywhere in the world. I don’t know why this area stuck out to you so much.” To Audra, it was a place she’d known since her earliest memories. It was beautiful, but she’d often had the sense that she was looking for something else.
“The mountains definitely do it for me.” He looked around, appreciating the wilderness that surrounded them, but Audra had the feeling Flint never let himself get too distracted. “Of course, the more time I spend here, the more reasons I find to stay.”
The muscles in her neck tensed and the back of her tongue throbbed. This man had some interesting effects on her, ones she hadn’t experienced before. She felt such a pull toward him, and yet she knew she had no reason to trust him. “Was it the jacuzzi tub? Or the fridge full of steaks?”
“Those don’t hurt.”
Audra made a turn on the trail that would take them further up into the mountains. There was only so far they could go before they’d be on state land, but she would take him as far as she needed to accomplish this mission. It was more difficult than she’d imagined, and now she just wanted to get it over with so she could forget this ruggedly handsome stranger and the way he made her feel. The distance they were putting between themselves and the clubhouse was like a physical presence, reminding her of just how alone they were about to be.
“What about you?” Flint asked. His voice was deep and smooth, and it reached straight inside her, even with such simple words. “Why are you here?”
“What do you mean? Nate is my brother. Why wouldn’t I be here?” She frowned down at her boots as they worked away at the trail. Audra was supposed to be finding out about him, not the other way around.
“Sure, but from the sound of the conversation the other night, you just got back into town. Where have you been wandering off to?”
Of course. Randy had been asking about where they would stay that night. “You’re observant.”
“One of my specialties.”
She refrained from asking him what the others were. Too many chances for innuendo. “I don’t really want to talk about it.” Why should she feel embarrassed about her failed marriage when talking to Flint? He was just some random member of the pack who might be a spy. What did she care if he knew?
But he wasn’t going to let it go that easily. “Come on. You could’ve asked anyone to go for a walk with you, if that was what you really wanted. You brought me out here to talk, and it’s only fair that you do some of the talking yourself.”
She paused under the wide branches of a pine, its shade protecting them from the sun. Flint was watching her. His gaze was so intense, burning into her. Even with that casual look on his face, like nothing really mattered, she had the feeling that he wasn’t the sort of man who just let things go.
Audra cleared her throat. “I was married. Now I’m not.”
“Really.” It was a statement, not a question, as he took a step closer. His eyes drifted down to take in her jaw, her neck, her hair, and then shot back up to her eyes. “You’re telling me some man had you for his own and actually let you go? Willingly?”
She backed up as a tingling sensation broke out over the surface of her skin. Audra had underestimated his effect on her. As he drew closer, she noticed just how much taller he was, practically towering over her as his stare continued to burn straight into her soul. She’d only realized how far she’d moved from the path when her back met the rough surface of a tree’s trunk. “Easy for you to say when you don’t know me.”
“Fair enough,” he admitted, leaning back ever so slightly but still keeping his focus locked on her. “I don’t really know you, but I’d certainly like to.”
The actual reason for this walk in the woods sud
denly came rushing back to her. She slipped away from the tree trunk, carefully avoiding Flint’s body as she stepped back onto the path. There was too much of a chance that she’d lose what little control she still had on her wolf otherwise. “I’d rather know more about you, first. You’re the one who’s a stranger in town, not me.” Audra hesitated for a moment as she decided which way to go. To the right would bring them further up into the mountains, further away from the rest of the pack back at the house. They could disappear into the woods, and no one would know what might or might not happen. She could easily see herself tumbling down onto the pine needles with Flint, his mouth covering hers, his strong hands exploring the curves of her body. Even just imagining it made the tingling sensation of his skin against hers almost real in her mind. Her ribs seemed to be crushing down on her lungs, and she headed back toward the pack house instead. She’d just have to figure out what Flint was really there for some other time.
5
Life at the pack house wasn’t any less oppressive than living in his apartment or staying in his hotel room. Flint could appreciate the open floor plan, the ridiculously huge television, and the private bath that adjoined the bedroom Nate had given him. He knew he should also appreciate the fact that he was surrounded by other wolves for the first time since before he’d enlisted. But he couldn’t really enjoy any of it when he knew he didn’t belong there.
He checked his phone, seeing several missed calls from headquarters. No doubt it was Leona asking if he was getting enough to eat, Drake reminding him to stay on track for the mission, and Hudson demanding that he actually use the special cell phones his company had made and call them back. Flint cleared the notifications and put the phone back in his pocket.
It was time to get out of there. He’d gotten himself into this pack, but there were at least two others in the area. If he was going to do a good job, then he needed to see their side of things, as well. Most of the members who lived at the pack house weren’t around at the moment. This was as good of a time as any. Flint pulled his keys out of his pocket and headed toward the front door.
“Where ya going?” asked a small but chipper voice from the other side of the room.
Flint turned to see Randy’s bright face peeking up at him from over the back of the couch. Seeing the boy made him wonder if Audra was there. He hadn’t seen her, but just thinking about her set his skin on fire. “Just gonna run some errands.”
“Can I come with you?” Randy hopped down from the couch and came around it, looking up at Flint with those big, innocent eyes.
“I don’t think so. I’m sure it’ll be boring, anyway. You’ll have more fun here.”
“No, I won’t.” Randy’s argument was earnest, not petulant like he would expect from any other kid. “There’s no one to play with. I’m just staying here with Uncle Nate, but he said he’s got business to do. I’m bored.”
“Oh, I see.” Flint felt for the kid. The only people who stayed regularly at the pack house seemed to be single adults, not families with young children who probably had homes of their own. Whoever was supposed to be watching him wasn’t around. “What do you like to play?”
Randy’s face lit up at the question. “I like to play Army!”
“Yeah?” The kid’s attitude was contagious, and Flint couldn’t help but smile. “How do you play that?”
“I’ll show you!” Randy, as though he’d known Flint his entire life, grabbed the man’s hand and pulled him toward the back door. When they stepped out onto the deck, he let go of Flint in order to scoop up a small box of little plastic Army men, which he carefully lined up on the deck railing.
“I’m impressed. I didn’t know they still made these guys, and I figured kids these days didn’t like anything that wasn’t on a screen.” He reached his own hand into the box and helped put them on the railing. “Okay, now what?”
“Those are the bad guys,” Randy explained knowingly. “Really, really bad guys. This is the good guy.” He pointed to a lone soldier he’d left on the edge of the fire pit.
“Wow, that’s a whole lot of bad guys. How is he going to defeat them?” Flint knew he had more important things to be doing, but the little boy seemed so enthusiastic about having someone to play with, he couldn’t just walk away.
“He’s got a big gun. Like a really, really big gun,” Randy explained. “And he’s gonna knock them all off, like this.” He got down on his knees behind the lone soldier, squinting his eyes as he aimed at the bad guys, and made an explosion sound.
Flint obligingly flicked one of the villains from the railing.
Randy’s aim moved down the line, with every one of his shots sending a tiny green man falling to the ground below the deck. “Whoa, looks like he got ‘em all!”
“Yeah!” Randy held the successful soldier over his head. “I knew he would! He always does!”
“What does he do once he’s defeated everyone?” This kid was just too much. Flint had no idea how much fun he could have playing the same games he’d played as a kid, and there was something special about seeing that joy on Randy’s face.
The blonde boy tipped his head to one side as he held his soldier. “I think he needs a snack.”
Flint opened the door back into the house. “What kind of snacks does he like?”
“Goldfish crackers.”
“That sounds like the perfect snack for a soldier,” Flint agreed. He stepped into the kitchen and opened the pantry. “You know, I used to be a soldier.”
“You did? That’s awesome!” It took him several attempts, but Randy managed to haul himself up onto one of the tall kitchen stools. “Did you kill a lot of bad guys?”
Flint pressed his lips together as he dug around in the cabinet, finally finding a bag of Goldfish. How much could he really tell this boy? No one there knew who he really was, and in a sense, he could’ve looked at every member of this pack as a ‘bad guy.’ They were just the subjects of his mission, the group he was supposed to infiltrate. “I guess you could say that,” he finally said. “I worked with a lot of big guns.”
Randy accepted the bowl of crackers and munched them noisily. He tipped his head again, which was apparently his habit when he was thinking. “Why aren’t you a soldier anymore?”
“Well, it’s hard to be a soldier for a long time,” Flint explained quietly, leaning on the breakfast bar and reaching into the bag of crackers. The little salty snacks were the epitome of childhood, something he’d never been very good at staying in touch with. There had been too much adult life between then and now, and there were plenty of memories he was better off leaving behind, anyway. “It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s not like what you see on TV.”
“I bet you were good at it.” The boy handed him a cracker from his own bowl.
Flint accepted it, wondering at Randy’s assessment. Was he good at being a soldier? His commanding officers didn’t always seem to think so, and neither did the other men in his battalion. He’d never fit in with anyone except the shifters he’d met during basic, the men who were part of the SOS Force now. They’d always accepted him for who he was, even when he was being stubborn and difficult. “I guess I was all right.”
“What do you do now that you’re not a soldier?” The boy took several Goldfish out of the bowl and arranged them on the countertop in a little scene.
Flint knew that he could lie to any of the adults in the pack. The story he’d told Nate and the others had rolled off his tongue easily. But with his simple, innocent questions, Randy nearly had him revealing the secrets of the Force. “I’m still working on that. And actually, I’ve still got those errands to run. I’d better get going.”
He expected Randy to protest, to demand that he play with him some more. Instead, the boy got up on his knees on the barstool. He took a fist full of Goldfish, leaned across the counter, and poured them in Flint’s shirt pocket. “Here’s a snack for the road.”
It was so unexpected and so sweet that Flint simply stood there and star
ed at him for a moment. “Thanks, kid,” finally came his reply. “Hey, is there someone here to watch you?” He was no babysitter, but he couldn’t just leave the boy alone.
“Yeah. Nick’s in the basement.”
“Okay. Why don’t you take your snack down there and hang out with him?” The last thing he needed was for Randy to choke on a cracker or fall off his stool with no one there to take care of him. He shook his head at himself as he watched the boy storm down the stairs, wondering when he’d gotten so sentimental.
With Randy gone, Flint finally headed out as he’d originally planned. He passed by the fallen soldiers just off the back deck and headed into the woods, waiting until he had a good distance from the house before he shook off his human form. He felt his bones moving and shifting inside him, a painful process but one that would give him the release of being in wolf form that he’d been craving more and more ever since he’d arrived. Flint didn’t know if it was because he was suddenly around shifters like himself again or simply because he was so uncomfortable in this place, but he needed to feel his paw pads on the rough ground and the fur exploding from his skin. He shivered in delight as he caught the scents of the trees and the wildlife around him, his sharp eyes suddenly taking in so much more than he could’ve seen as a man.
He loped off the path that he and Audra had walked, avoiding the space where she’d tried to dig out his secrets but had only ended up revealing her own. He shook his head, feeling his scruff move in response, as he tried to forget about her. Audra was only going to be a distraction on this mission, and a major one. She was too gorgeous, but she had a strange inner attraction that shone out through her eyes and made her completely irresistible. It’d taken all of his self-control not to pin her to that tree and show her just what he wanted to do to her. The woman made him wild inside, and he knew that if he’d been in wolf form, he probably wouldn’t have been able to control himself at all.
Flint made his way through the woods, sucking in the scent of the fresh mountain air. He ignored the flittering of birds overhead and the scrabbling of rodents as they avoided him. Anything else out there wouldn’t have known he was there as he padded along silently on all fours. Flint did his best to pull his mind away from Audra and concentrate on what he was actually doing. If there were attacks from other wolf groups on these shifters, then it only made sense to patrol the border of their territory and look for anything out of place. It could be something as simple as game cameras or campers too close to the state border. There was always a chance he’d find something much more sinister, but that idea enticed him. He found himself almost hoping there was a big plan in place, something truly worth making the phone call back to headquarters, so that he could distract himself from Audra.