Eric waited until the truck was out of sight and the sheriff’s car was going in the opposite direction before he turned on Gemma. “Are you crazy?” He stomped toward her, grabbing the shotgun out of her hand.
“Yes,” Larry answered for her.
Ignoring Larry, Eric glared down at Gemma who seemed to be holding on by a thread. He could see her shaking, saw the uncertainty in her eyes as everything came crashing down on her. It was then his respect for the woman grew as she collected herself before him. The shaking calmed to a complete stop, and her eyes cleared as they narrowed.
“Screw you.” She pushed past him and rushed away.
Eric stared at her, holding the shotgun. “A thank-you for saving your ass again would be nice!” Eric yelled after her with a shake of his head.
“Don’t hold your breath on that.” Larry snorted as he headed back toward the enclosure, seemingly unaffected. Eric couldn’t help but wonder if this was a regular occurrence.
Shaking his head, Eric watched Gemma disappear behind the trailer. His eyes then roamed to the enclosure holding the wolf who stood staring at him. “We’ll talk later,” he told the wolf, then headed toward Larry. If he knew anything about women, and he did, Gemma needed a cooling off period. But soon they would be having a long talk.
Chapter 5
Gemma lost herself in work like she always did when things were bad, but this time it wasn’t as easy. It had been at least two hours since the confrontation with Lance, and she couldn’t brush it off. No, this time someone had been there to stand up for her, and what did she do? Yell at him for his trouble.
With a sigh, Gemma left the enclosure after giving Ari his medication. Closing the gate firmly, she leaned against it feeling more tired than she ever had in her life. Her eyes scanned the property, and she briefly wondered if it was all worth it. Was the battle she faced every single day worth her feeling as if she were well in her fifties rather than her twenties? She was tired, so very tired.
Her gaze landed and stopped on Eric’s SUV still parked in the same spot. She shouldn’t have reacted to him in such a way after he’d defended her. She knew that, but she wasn’t used to being protected so had reacted horribly. Figuring he was with Larry, she went in search so she could apologize.
Hearing his quietly spoken voice, she headed in the same direction and found him with the new purebred wolf in the enclosure. She stopped and watched as wolf and man became familiar with one another. She couldn’t quite make out what Eric was saying, but the wolf watched him with such intensity that Gemma would have sworn the wolf knew exactly what was being said.
Her feet shifted, causing a stick underneath her boots to snap. Both Eric and the wolf turned their attention toward her. With her cover blown, she headed their way.
“Seems you’re making better progress than I was.” She nodded toward the wolf, her eyes shifting away from Eric’s watchful gaze. “Can you tell if he’s injured?”
Eric stared at her for a minute before answering. “He’s fine.” Eric slowly stood from his crouched position. “Are you okay?”
For some reason, those words coming from him were too much. No one ever cared if she was okay, except maybe Larry, and that was just because he needed his job. She felt the tears she had refused for so long threatening the back of her eyes. Tears showed weakness, and she couldn’t be weak. Her grandfather always told her that tears solved nothing and made your nose runny. He was right, but damn, she suddenly wanted nothing more than a good cry. Screw her nose. They clogged her throat to the point all she could do was nod. Her head bowed so all she saw was dirt, until a splash of one tear splattered against her dusty boot. Her nod became a shake of her head.
She heard the gate open and close. Through her tears, another pair of boots came into view, and she was totally afraid of losing every ounce of control she had left.
“Gemma.” Eric’s voice was soft with a demanding edge. He clipped her chin gently and brought her face up to his. “I will make sure nothing happens to you or your wolves. Do you understand me?”
He was a blur, so his expression was hard to read, yet his voice filled with promise, making it hard not to believe what he said was true. “Why do you care? You don’t even know me.”
Eric hesitated before answering her. “I know you better than I think either of us realize.” Her vision cleared and she witnessed a puzzled expression on his face before he wiped it away.
Before Gemma could ask him what that meant, Larry came up. “Hey, everything is finished.” Larry looked closely at Gemma. “Are you crying?”
Gemma snorted, shaking her head. “No, when have you ever seen me cry?”
Larry gave her a sideways look before glancing at Eric, then back at Gemma. “Listen, I can cancel my date….”
“Oh no you cannot.” Gemma shook her head. “I’d have to hear about that for months. Everything is fine here. Go have a good time, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
Still not looking sure, Larry looked at Eric. “You leaving?”
“No,” Eric stated without explanation.
“Okay, good.” Larry turned and left without another word.
“You don’t work for Kentucky Wildlife Association, do you?” Gemma eyed him closely.
“No, he doesn’t.” A male voice came from the enclosure behind them.
Gemma jumped at the voice as she turned. Her eyes narrowed. “I knew you were a shifter.” She then looked up at Eric in surprise. “And you knew it too.” Holy crap on a cracker. Was Eric a shifter also? Her mind spun with the realization. Just because a wolf walked into her opened enclosure that offered shelter, food, and water didn’t mean it was a shifter. It took them shifting for her to know for sure.
******
Eric’s shock wore off quickly. Everything that had just happened finally made complete sense. “You’re her.” He stepped back to stare at her.
“I’m no one,” Gemma stated quickly. “Just Gemma Stone, owner of Stone’s Wolf Sanctuary.”
“It’s her,” the naked shifter, who’d just moments ago been a wolf, said as he walked out of the gate.
“In the trailer is a change of clothes that should fit.” Gemma rolled her eyes but kept them averted. “Please get dressed.”
“What? Don’t like what you see?” the man said, leaning close to her, but was shoved by Eric. “Hey!”
“Get dressed before I show you who’s alpha again,” Eric growled, which sent the man toward the trailer. Before he could calm himself down from seeing the man flirting with Gemma, his gaze drifted to her. She was looking at him oddly. Shit! He knew she was going to ask questions he wasn’t prepared to answer.
“You a shifter?” Gemma glanced his way.
Yeah, Eric was not ready to answer that question. He didn’t know who the hell this woman really was and what her motives were concerning shifters. “What do you know about shifters?”
“Answering a question with a question is quite telling.” Gemma cocked an eyebrow. When it was evident he wasn’t going to take the bait and talk, she sighed. “This Sanctuary has been helping shifters for as long as I remember, but I’m sure you already knew that, didn’t you?”
“Actually, no, I didn’t,” Eric responded, crossing his arms. “We’ve only heard stories, rumors, not realizing they were true.”
“Well, now you know the rumors are true.” Gemma shrugged her shoulder. “After my grandfather died, I moved back here from LA to keep his dream alive. Helping wolves was his love, his passion, and he passed it along to me. Once I graduated, he wanted me to live life to the fullest because he knew one day I would be back here to continue his legacy.”
Before he could respond, the man came out of the trailer fully dressed and headed their way. “Sorry about the way I acted earlier today. I wasn’t sure I was in the right place. You sure don’t look like a Howard Stone to me.”
Eric watched a bright smile break over Gemma’s face and sucked in a deep breath. She was radiant.
“That
was my grandfather.” Her smile saddened. “Guess word hasn’t spread about his passing.”
“Actually, it has. It is said that a woman with the hair of fire is who we should seek for shelter until we can get on our feet.” He nodded. “Name’s Alex. I appreciate you not letting that bastard shoot me.”
Gemma shook Alex’s hand. “If you guys are hungry, I can fix something up real quick,” Gemma said, looking at the two.
“Sure. I can always eat.” Alex grinned. “I’ll help out around here to pay you back in some way.”
“I won’t turn that down. I can always use help around here.” Gemma accepted his terms for food. “How about you?” she asked Eric.
“Yeah, I need to make a quick phone call first.” He pulled out his phone and walked away, still trying to wrap his head around everything he had learned.
Walking toward his SUV, he looked over his shoulder to see Gemma and Alex walking toward the run down house beside the trailer, which surprisingly made him a little angry. It was as if Alex were treading on his territory, and that territory was Gemma.
“Hey,” his brother answered.
“My cover’s blown,” Eric growled into the phone. “You know the rumors we’ve heard about a place shifters on the run can go?”
“Yeah,” Cole said, and Eric could tell he was frowning.
“I found it,” Eric replied, then ran his hand down his face.
“Shit!” Cole muttered, then was silent a beat. “Okay, well just get as much information as you can. Just find out if the bastard has been through there.”
“Also, I need you to do a search on a Lance Cutter. E-mail all information you can get on him.” Eric rummaged through his bag, grabbing a clean shirt.
“Okay, no problem. Give me the name of the owner of the sanctuary, and I’ll do a run on them also.” Cole paused, waiting.
Eric actually put the phone down with a frown as he changed shirts. “I’ll take care of that.”
“And why would you do that?” Cole sounded suspicious as Eric knew he would.
“Because no one needs to know anything about my mate.” Eric hung up, cutting off Cole’s curse. Turning his phone on silent, he stuck it in his back pocket and slammed the back of his SUV closed. His phone began to vibrate, but Eric ignored it. He knew it was his nosey-ass brother trying to get info about what he just stated. He hadn’t meant to blurt that out, but there it was. Out in the fucking open, and soon everyone would know because his brother had a big mouth.
He knew deep down the first time he laid eyes on Gemma she was his mate. His wolf knew it first. The man, however, had tried to ignore it, but there was no ignoring the pull Gemma had on him. No other woman had ever affected him in such a way. He knew she wasn’t a shifter, but humans could feel the immediate attraction also.
Knowing he had some serious thinking and explaining to do, he headed toward the house where he could smell the grill smoke. He needed to get rid of Alex before he could discuss anything with Gemma, and there was plenty to be discussed.
Chapter 6
Gemma noticed that Eric was quiet as they ate. Alex had grilled the hamburgers and hot dogs while she’d supplied them with beer and chips. Her money situation didn’t call for juicy steaks; that was reserved for the wolves.
“Thanks for the food.” Alex finished off his beer. “If you don’t mind me hanging around tonight, I’ll work off my stay and food tomorrow with anything you need me to do before I’m on my way.”
“That’s fine.” Gemma nodded, then watched with mixed emotions as Alex jumped off her back deck and disappeared around the corner. She was now alone with Eric, and she didn’t know exactly how she felt about that. Well, nervous for sure, but there was something else she felt, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Nice guy,” Gemma said, then took a drink of beer.
“Does Larry know about shifters?” Eric leaned back, his stare intense, his food barely touched.
“No,” Gemma replied, her eyes shifting away from his. “Did you know that Alex was a shifter when you first got here today?”
“Yes.” Eric offered her a one-word answer.
“It must be nice.” Gemma shooed a fly away. “I never know until they let me know.”
“Why?” Eric’s eyes never wavered from hers. “Why do you do it? It’s dangerous. Not all shifters are like Alex, or me for that matter.”
“I knew you were a shifter and no, they aren’t,” Gemma agreed with a shrug. “But everything is dangerous nowadays. I could get killed going into the grocery store. I take my chances, and most of the time the wolf-dogs let me know when trouble shows up. I take their lead in how they react to a new wolf, especially purebloods.”
She paused a moment before forging ahead. “It’s my turn to ask questions.” Gemma knew she didn’t answer his question straightforward, but the truth was she didn’t really know why she did what she did. “Why are you here?”
“You didn’t answer my question.” His mouth quirked up in the corner.
“Caught that, huh.” Gemma went to stand and clean the patio table off, but he stopped her by placing his palm on her arm. His touch was warm, and she welcomed it to the point she wanted more, and it frightened her.
“That can wait,” Eric said before letting go of her arm.
“Listen, I don’t know why I continue other than the promise I made to my grandfather to offer a place for unwanted wolf-dogs and shifters who need a place. I’ve learned that those without a pack need a safe haven once in a while, and that’s what my grandfather offered them. He had a certain spot in his heart for unwanted souls, and I guess, so do I.” Gemma said more than she’d intended, probably because she was irritated that he wasn’t touching her anymore. Man, she had to get herself under control. She would be begging him to touch her and, not just her arm… and, dammit, why was he so easy to talk to? Larry was the only person she felt comfortable talking to, other than her wolves, who knew her life story and then some. “Unfortunately, if Lance Cutter doesn’t stop interfering in my business, I won’t be able to continue.”
Eric stared at her for a long time before taking out his phone and then texting. Gemma took the opportunity to really look at him and realized she didn’t know this man at all other than he saved her twice and had helped out with chores. She had known deep down inside he wasn’t who he’d said he was, and it was time she found out who she sat across from.
“You’ll have meat delivered by the end of the week.” Eric sat his phone down. “Do you have enough to last you until then?”
“I think so, but how? Lance has his hands in every business twenty miles each way.” Gemma knew her eyes were wide with shock, her mouth probably hanging open making her look like an idiot, but how in the hell had he taken care of something she had always failed repeatedly at? She or Larry would always have to drive virtually out of state to get meat when Lance pulled his bullcrap.
“So do I,” Eric replied with a confident smile. “Now.”
“I think I like you.” Gemma laughed, not sure if it was the beer or just him possibly getting one over on Lance that made the laugh escape and her heart a little lighter.
“Good.” Eric grinned.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Gemma finally said. “Who are you and why are you at my sanctuary?”
Eric waited for a long minute before answering, his stare so intense that Gemma couldn’t look away if she wanted to. “I’m looking for someone.” He took his phone once again. “And we have information that he came through this way. When I heard about your place, my brothers and I wanted to see if he came through here.”
“Why are you looking for him?” Gemma had a feeling it wasn’t for a happy reunion from the way Eric’s eyes narrowed, his lips thinning into a frown at her question.
“He raped two members of my pack,” Eric growled. “No one comes in and rapes our women.”
Gemma’s heart sank at his words. She couldn’t imagine what those women went through and she prayed he found the p
erson responsible. “I’m sorry,” Gemma replied, not knowing what else to say. She was seeing this man in a new light. The vehemence in his voice tuned her in to who this man really was. He was an alpha who took his responsibility of protection very seriously for anyone under his care. She felt a little tug, wishing that maybe… no, wishing got her nowhere. “I know you’ll find him and make him pay for what he’s done.”
“Yes, I will.” Eric glared at his phone. “I’ve got a photo of him, but it’s not real clear. His name is Foster Manning, but I seriously doubt he would use his real name since he knows he’s being hunted.”
“Let me see.” Inside of wishing for what would never be, she held out her hand, hoping she could help. She took the phone as she asked another question. “Are you the alpha of your pack?”
“Yes.” Eric nodded, then frowned. “For a human, you sure know a lot about my kind.”
“Yes, I do,” she answered without apology. Her eyes landed on the picture of the man he was searching for. He was right; the picture wasn’t very clear, but she knew she hadn’t seen him. “I’m sorry, but he doesn’t look familiar.” She was relieved that she hadn’t seen this man, knowing what she knew about him. But she was upset that she couldn’t help Eric.
Eric grunted, taking his phone back. “It was a long shot.”
“How long ago did this happen?” Gemma glanced over at Luna’s enclosure. She needed to go check on her, but that could wait for a second.
“Close to a week.” Eric frowned as he also followed Gemma’s gaze. “Her time is close. You do know that, don’t you?”
Biting her lip, Gemma nodded. “Yeah, I know.” With that, she stood and began clearing the table. She was surprised when she turned in her small kitchen and he stood with empty beer bottles. They were so close with only the bottles separating them. Slowly, Gemma looked up, her eyes landing on his lips and wondered briefly what they would feel like against hers.
Wow, she must be crazy. She’d only met this man today, and already she wanted to kiss him. Was she that hard up? Yes. The answer to that question was a definite yes.
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