FMR

by SL

  real gentleman."

  "Uh-huh." Mary Lynn's eyes appeared to shimmer in the

  fluorescent lighting. She lowered her voice. "Ya know, some folks

  aren't all they appear to be." The blonde flashed her a smile; the

  expression not quite reaching her eyes.

  "Thanks. I'll remember that." Jac had managed a weak smile.

  Mary Lynn pivoted on her heel and headed behind the counter to the

  kitchen.

  She didn't know what the waitress was alluding to, but it was

  obvious Mary Lynn was jealous. Jac shrugged it off and returned her

  attention back to the computer screen.

  Now, it was late in the afternoon and, taking another sip of coffee,

  she glanced out the window. There was an inch of powdery snow on

  the ground. Jac reached into the jacket pocket, pulling out a scrap of

  paper with Ray's cell phone number written on it. She smiled,

  recalling how his sister had insisted she have it.

  "If you need a ride back to the hotel, just call him. I'm sure Ray

  won't mind. Really." Megan had grinned, handing her the scrap of

  paper.

  Even though she'd love to see Ray again, Jac thought against it.

  He's probably snuggled up by the fireplace somewhere. Besides, she

  resolved, I'd rather walk back to the hotel.

  Looking out the restaurant window, she marveled how the small

  town looked like a picture postcard, covered in a thin layer of

  powdery white snow beneath a soft, gray sky. Smiling to herself, Jac

  stuffed the phone number back into her pocket with a dreamy sigh and

  repacked her laptop.

  "Not leaving so soon, are ya?" The cook angled his head, grinning

  at her over the counter as he took the bill and money.

  "Oh yes." She returned his smile. "I'm walking back to the hotel."

  "Best be careful, miss. There might be some ice out there," he

  added with a nod.

  Assuring the cook she'd be fine, Jac buttoned the denim jacket and

  pushed open the glass door. A sharp snap of cold air instantly stung

  her cheeks. Muttering a curse under her breath, she searched for the

  sidewalk under the crunchy layer of snow then headed up Main Street.

  When she was about a block from the restaurant, Jac's boot slipped

  in a small patch of ice. A tiny yelp escaped from her lips as she

  struggled for balance. Fortunately, she remained upright, but her

  heart was doing summersaults.

  "If I fall, my computer's done for." She shook her head, clutching

  her laptop to her chest. "Maybe I should call Ray."

  Before she could reach into the oversized pocket of the jacket, a

  low growl echoed through an alley close to where she stood on the

  sidewalk, frozen into place. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck

  bristled. Jac swallowed hard, turning her gaze to the narrow space

  between the buildings. No streetlights. Just pitch darkness.

  Once again, a low, throaty growl echoed off the brick walls. Then,

  she saw something move in the inky blackness. A pair of amber eyes

  gazing at her, moving closer.

  "N-nice doggie," Jac uttered, taking a step back. "I-I'm not going to

  hurt you."

  The snarling creature stepped out of the shadows. It was a wolf ...

  an angry wolf with its ears erect and tawny-color fur bristling over its

  body.

  Every fiber of her being said to run, but fear overwhelmed her. Jac

  shook from head to toe, her gaze locked on the wolf. She was

  petrified, afraid to look away as the wolf arched its back; its sharp

  front teeth catching the light.

  Summoning up her nerve, Jac attempted to slide another step away

  from the approaching wolf. Holding her breath, she slowly inched her

  foot back. There was a harsh snarl. The wolf dashed at her, its

  incisors bared as it leaped straight for her.

  There was no time to scream. Oof! The breath swooshed out of her.

  She fell back hard onto the sidewalk with her laptop bag shielding her

  from the full weight of the wolf.

  Instinctively, she threw up an arm, blocking her face from the

  wolf's snapping jaws. The thick denim ripped as the large predator

  tugged viciously at the sleeve. Reacting in a blurred haze, Jac bent

  her knee and thrust a kick upward.

  The wolf yelped releasing the jacket sleeve as her blow knocked it

  a few feet away onto the icy pavement.

  Jac scrambled to her feet, running for her life in the direction of the

  restaurant. In the distance, a pair of headlights beamed, coming down

  the street.

  "Help me!" she wailed, not looking behind to see if the wolf was on

  her heels or not. Her foot slipped on a patch of ice. Jac's wayward

  skid brought her to her knees and sent her rolling into the street until

  she stopped, flat on her back.

  A low groan escaped from her lips as bursting stars of pain clouded

  her vision.

  Everything around her went black.

  * * * *

  "How are you feeling, Jacqueline?"

  The woman's voice was soft and melodic. Jac blinked, attempting

  to get her bearings. Her body ached as she propped up on her elbows

  and glanced around the room. She was stretched out on a medical

  table beneath a high-powered light. The woman was wearing a white

  coat with a stethoscope around her neck and a worried expression

  upon her face.

  "I'm ... sore," she managed, although her throat was dry. "May I

  have a drink of water?"

  "Certainly," the woman replied, crossing to the water cooler on the

  far side of the room. "I'm Doctor Allison Browne and you're at the

  urgent care facility."

  Jac gave a relieved sigh and slowly sat up, taking the cup of water

  the doctor offered.

  "Glad to see you've come to, Jacqueline. You had a nasty tumble,

  but nothing's broken and no sign of serious injuries." Doctor Browne

  flashed a thin smile. "However, I feel you're going to be sore for the

  next couple of days."

  "Oh!" Jac was now fully alert. "D-did they catch the rabid wolf?

  Please, God, tell me they did." A shiver rippled down her spine as the

  memories came flooding back.

  "There, there," the woman reached over, gently patting her hand.

  "You're going to be fine."

  "Fine? Fine?" Jac snatched her hand away, her eyes wide with fear.

  "How can you say that? I nearly had my arm ripped off by a wild wolf

  on ... on Main Street!"

  Her stomach was churning.

  Doctor Browne didn't reply. Instead, she crossed to the door and

  partially opened it. "She's awake now. I think you should come in,"

  she said to someone on the other side.

  The door swung fully open. Jac's heart leapt in her chest at the

  sight of Ray entering the room.

  His handsome face was pale and drawn. In two bold strides, he was

  by her side.

  "Are you okay, Jac?" His brows knitted with concern.

  "Ray, you look as bad as I feel." Jac smirked, yet she reached out,

  taking hold of his hand. His roughened yet warm touch instantly

  calmed her. He enclosed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  "Damn, I've been worried sick about you." His voice was thick with

  emotion. "You've been out cold since
they brought you in."

  Jac was so enraptured by Ray's appearance she barely heard the

  doctor excuse herself and closed the door.

  "Ray, have they found the wild wolf that was chasing me? It

  attacked me near the alley, but I managed to kick it off and run, but

  the ice ... it was slippery and ... "

  Her voice trailed off as Ray straightened his stance. "Bruce was the

  first cop on the scene. He's already filled me in on all the details of

  your attack." Jac could have sworn she saw a flicker of anger in his

  eyes. His jaw tightened into a hard line. "Lucky for you, you're one

  tough woman. It took some balls to ward off that crazed wolf."

  "Balls? I was scared shitless, Ray." Jac shivered recalling the

  struggle.

  "Well, don't worry. The wolf will be taken care of soon ... I

  promise."

  "Thanks, Ray. That makes me feel better." She smiled up at him.

  He brought her hand to his lips and placed a feathery light kiss

  upon her knuckles. Jac blushed as a warm rush of heat washed

  through her body. For someone she'd just met, he made her feel all

  warm and fuzzy on the inside.

  Like a bolt of lightning, a worrisome thought flashed through her

  mind.

  "Oh! What about my laptop?" she exclaimed. The last thing she

  remembered before her tumble was clutching it to her chest. "My

  story notes and interview were on the hard drive!"

  Ray gave a heavy sigh, slipping his hand from hers. "Your

  computer's still in one piece, which is more than I can say for the

  jacket I let you borrow." His expression darkened.

  Jac recalled the wolf's snapping jaws and the ripping of the sleeve.

  Her stomach tightened. "Oh geez, Ray, I'm sorry about your jacket.

  I–"

  "Hey," he stopped her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders.

  "The jacket's just a jacket. The important thing is you're not hurt."

  The tenderness in his voice opened the floodgate to her emotions.

  Tears of fear and frustration swelled in the corners of her eyes.

  "Ah, come here," he gently coaxed, pulling her into his comforting

  embrace. She buried herself in his arms and let her tears silently

  trickle down her cheeks.

  "Everything's gonna be fine now, you'll see." His voice was

  reassuring as he ran a soothing hand down her back. "You're going to

  be okay, aren't you?"

  Jac gazed up into his eyes and nodded. "Sure, I'm all right." She

  sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.

  "Everyone needs a good cry now and then," he replied with an

  empathic smile.

  Jac nodded in agreement, trying to remember the last time she'd

  cried. It seemed like a long time ago ... and there had been no one

  around to comfort her.

  "Thanks, Ray."

  "For what?"

  "For, you know, holding me. Letting me cry." She smiled up at

  him. "I needed that."

  Before he could reply, the examination room door cracked slightly

  open. Someone cleared their throat. Regretfully, Jac backed away

  from Ray's embrace and straightened on the edge of the table.

  "Ray, we're going to have to finish up with Jacqueline," Dr.

  Browne said as she re-entered the room with a nurse. "Would you

  please wait in the hall?"

  "Certainly," Ray politely nodded to the ladies, then returned his

  attention to her. "I'll be waiting for you outside."

  Ray stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him and drew

  a deep breath. Damn! His sithech-senses were amped up just from

  holding her close. Control, he warned himself. I must stay in control.

  Every fiber of his being knew the moon was swelling to fullness, even

  from behind the looming snow clouds.

  His desire quickly turned to anger as he thought of the attack on

  Jac. His hands balled into tight fists at his side. It's enough to make a

  good wolf go bad, he thought, briskly heading toward the exit. If I get

  my paws on the wolf that did this I'll–

  "Ray!" A voice pierced his thoughts. "Ray, hey, hold up!"

  He quickly glanced over his shoulder to see Ernie jaunting down

  the corridor in his direction. Finally, Ernie caught up. "W-we need to

  talk," he puffed, clearly out of breath. "In private."

  The young man took the laptop bag from his shoulder and gingerly

  handed it to Ray.

  "What's wrong?" Ray's sithech-senses flared, picking up a

  disturbing simmer in Ernie's aura.

  "Let's head on outside." Ernie angled his head to the exit door and

  swung it open before Ray could reply.

  They stepped out into the frosty night air. A blanket of pure white

  snow draped the surroundings, on cars and in the soccer field beside

  the center. The clouds had briefly parted, making the silvery

  moonbeams sparkle on the freshly fallen snow.

  "What the hell's going on, Ern?" Ray frowned turning to face his

  friend. "Talk to me!"

  "It's about your lady-friend." Ernie swallowed hard. "I did what

  you asked, I was checking to make sure her laptop wasn't damaged."

  "Yeah, go on." Ray nodded.

  "Well, it seems she's been asking questions uh, about wolves ...

  wolves in Heather Grove."

  "To whom?" Ray arched an eyebrow.

  "J.T. White at the town hall, that's who!" Ernie exclaimed. "She's

  writing a story for her magazine about –

  "Ernie! Have you been snooping through Jac's computer files?" Ray

  growled through clinched teeth.

  The young man's eyes widened. He took a giant step back from

  Ray, holding up his hands. "Whoa, man, it's not like I was being

  nosy. Just checking to make sure nothing was damaged, but I came

  across the article."

  "And, naturally, you read it." Ray sighed.

  "Yeah, it caught my attention." His eyes narrowed. "Especially

  when it mentioned what happened last Halloween."

  He glared at Ernie, but was speechless. The blood simmering in his

  veins had suddenly gone cold.

  "Take a look at this," Ernie continued, pulling a newspaper clipping

  from his jacket pocket. "It was in one of her research folders."

  "Sheez! You went through her folders, too?" Ray shook his head in

  disbelief as he took the scrap of paper from Ernie's extended fingers.

  Squinting under the parking lot lamp, Ray skimmed the article. His

  stomach tightened as he recalled MacDonald's lunatic attack on

  Megan and Derek during the Samhain full moon.

  "This story was retracted the next day," Ray replied. "It took some

  doing, but our town hall connections managed to squash any rumors

  about werewolves running wild. I wonder how she got a hold of this."

  He frowned.

  "Your lady-friend is a journalist," Ernie reminded him in a solemn

  tone. "It's her job to dig up the dirt for those supermarket 'rags'."

  Ray unzipped the laptop bag on his shoulder and dropped the

  clipping into a battered folder. He let out an exasperated sigh. "You

  might have a point there, Ern."

  "Sorry, Ray, but you're one of the pack guardians." He shrugged. "I

  thought you should know."

  Ray strolled over to his truck and swung open the creaky door.

  Gentl
y, he placed the laptop into the floorboard, then slammed the

  door shut. As he walked back toward the entrance where Ernie was

  waiting, his mind was spinning.

  "So, what was J.T.'s answer to Jac's questions?"

  "According to her notes, he was being very vague. She even jotted

  down he seemed angry about the clipping. And, get this," Ernie added

  with a chuckle, "Old J.T. even swore on his family Bible there were

  no werewolves in Heather Grove."

  Ray wasn't smiling as he gazed into Ernie's eyes. "Jessie Theodore

  White's a quarter sithech," he mused out loud. "And Jac made him

  angry, asking his questions about us ... about the pack."

  The young man's eyes widened at the same time something clicked

  in Ray's brain.

  "H-he didn't attack her, did he?" Ernie stammered. "I mean, I know

  the moon's almost full and all, but–"

  Ray had already unclipped the cell phone from his belt and

  depressed a number stored in memory. "I don't know, Ernie, but we're

  going to find out."

  CHAPTER 6

  "Ah, come on, Ray, Jessie's as harmless as a pup." Although Bruce

  had a good point, something bad was gnawing at Ray's insides.

  Seated in the warmth of the truck cab, Ray gripped the cell phone

  tightly to his ear. "Still, all the same, I think you should check it out.

  Just to be sure."

  There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone, followed by

  a pause. "All right, bro. If you're getting bad vibes from this, I'll do it

  ... but only for you."

  A grin spread over Ray's face. "Thanks, Bruce. I owe ya one,

  man."

  "What about Ms. Hamilton? How are we going to get her out of

  town? Her car's still in the shop and more nasty weather's on the way."

  "We're not, but I think she'll need to be kept safe."

  "What do ya mean? Ray, you're not going to do anything you'll

  regret later, are you?"

  Ray sighed, shifting in the driver's seat with aggravation. "I'm just

  planning to keep her safe ... and that's all. She's scared, bruised and a

  bit confused at the moment."

  There was another pause. Ray felt his fellow sithech psychically

  nudging his mind.

  "Get out of my head, Taylor," Ray warned. "Or I swear I'll–"

  "You're taking her back to your place," Bruce interrupted, reading

  his mind. "Damn it! Don't make this situation worse than it already is,

  man."

  "Lay off." Ray snapped. "I know what I'm doing. Now, check out