He sighed again. “It was an accident. I saw the rock turn under your foot.”
So he had been watching me closely, after all. My heart wobbled.
“I suppose I’ll have to carry you.”
I stared at him. “You can’t.”
His lips lifted in a little smile. “Can’t as in you won’t let me or can’t as in lacking strength?”
“It’s quite a distance.” I couldn't tell him I wouldn’t mind being held by him. I didn’t even want to tell myself that.
“Ah. Well, we’ll see.”
And with that, he bent and picked me up, hefting me into his arms, one of them under my knees, one around my shoulders, pulling me close. I put one arm around his neck.
It was shockingly comfortable.
He stepped out carefully, and I could sense his strength. It was reassuring even though I knew where he got his strength, thanks to Grandpa’s ranting. I didn’t dare look at his eyes.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Ben didn’t answer. He walked along the trail, carrying me, barely getting out of breath. He did stop once, just settling on a rock for a bit, without putting me down.
“I’m glad you’re going home,” he said, after he started walking again. “Your grandfather is a dangerous man.”
“I… guess so.” My Grandpa had tortured him, so Ben was putting it mildly. I more than agreed with him. Theo was also a nasty, old-fashioned man with terrible ideas about women and society, and I was done with him.
He glanced at me in surprise, and I noticed that his eyes had gone dark brown. I bit my lip as that video flashed in front of my eyes again. He looked even more like the man who got killed.
“It’s all right,” he said, not specifying what he meant, and I decided to ignore his eyes.
“I packed my car this morning and left,” I told him instead. “I wanted to start the drive home after the hike.”
His relief was palpable. “That was a good idea. Except you won’t be leaving tonight.”
“My car is an automatic. I can drive with my left foot.”
Ben shook his head at me. “Even if you could drive, you won’t be able to stop and take care of yourself.”
I hadn’t even thought about that. He was right, of course. So I didn’t say anything, and he just kept walking. When we finally reached the bus, he told me how to open the door so he could carry me inside without having to put me down. He settled me in one of the rows, knelt in the one ahead of it and leaned against the backrest, keeping me in sight as he made the phone call to their headquarters. While he did, his eyes changed back to gray-blue.
“They’ll get here as soon as possible, no longer than an hour. I hope you don’t mind being stuck here with me.”
I shook my head. And then I could no longer evade telling him about the man and about that terrible video. My eyes filled with tears.
“I… I don’t know how to tell you this.”
Chapter 9
Ben
I could tell that Sylvia was upset and that it wasn’t about her ankle. In fact, she had been amazingly calm about her injury, although her plan to drive home despite it was clearly not well thought out.
“Just start,” I said, folding my arms on the backrest of that stupid row of seats and leaning on them. That bus offered nothing comfortable to sit.
“I… I’ll tell you the easier part first,” she said, biting her lip again.
I just nodded.
“Grandpa… he explained to me why you felt so ill that… that evening.”
“Tell me.” I had to know this, she was right. We all needed that information, because that poison had almost done me in.
“It was colloidal silver,” she said in a rush, and my heart almost stopped. They had found a way of poisoning us that we couldn’t detect.
“It… it doesn’t hurt normal people,” she went on. “And he put it into the water, so we all drank it. I’ve had it before, and you can’t even taste it.”
She was rambling now, while my mind tried to catch up with what she hadn’t said.
“Normal people?” I asked, fearing what else that man had told her.
I could see her reining in her racing mind, watched her refocus on me.
“He… he said you’re a werewolf. Because you reacted to the silver.”
“I see.” My heart went cold.
“He… called you a monster.”
She was sitting in the bus with me, after having let me carry her for half an hour. After her grandfather had told her what I was. She was trusting me with the information about colloidal silver, too, so she couldn’t be thinking of me as a monster. Could she? I would hate it if she did.
“Are you?”
“Yes and no.” I didn’t know what to say, and she looked a little annoyed at my evasion.
“Ben.”
I took a deep breath. She deserved an honest answer, especially since it would only confirm what she already knew. “Yes, I’m a wolf. No, I’m not a monster.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, gave me a trembling smile, and my heart started beating again.
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I managed an answering smile, and was shocked to see her eyes fill with tears again.
“There is more,” she whispered.
“Is there a way to make it easier?”
She shook her head and swallowed. “You see, Grandpa showed me a video.”
“Yes?”
Her tears spilled over and fell. “Of a man getting killed. Someone who looked very much like you.”
My heart missed a beat. I knew the Hunters loved that kind of video, it was the closest thing to a trophy they could have. Was there one about my father? It wouldn’t surprise me.
“Yes?” I said again, trying to be as calm as possible about it.
“He… his eyes changed when…”
I nodded. “It is one of the few visible signs of the wolf.”
“Like yours, dark brown.” She bit her lip again, and I was annoyed at myself. I hadn’t wanted her to see that.
“I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “I don’t mind. I’m just… I’m so afraid it was someone you know. Someone you care about.”
Someone who looked like me. Caring about my feelings. Bloody fangs, she was hurting too much from it. And the only way out was the way through.
“Tell me all about it.”
Crying, trembling, sobbing, she told me what she had seen, and on impulse, I got up, squeezed into the row with her and pulled her into my lap. She buried her head in my shoulder.
“And then… then they called him McMullen.”
My mind went still. She couldn’t know, I had never told her my last name.
“He was so defiant. So brave. And they killed him. Just… like that.”
I held her close, while pride swelled my heart.
“Grand… Theo said they hunted him for three days. And shot him five times before they caught him. I can’t even imagine his pain.”
My father had died like a true wolf, and finally knowing about his fate and his immense bravery was a relief and almost a source of joy.
“Sylvie, it is all right.”
“How can you say that? He is dead!” She stared at me, and I knew I had a lot of explaining to do.
“He died protecting me and my siblings.”
She stared at me in pure horror. “So he was your father?”
“Quite likely. His name was Mal McMullen.”
“I’m so sorry.” Her tears flowed freely.
“There is no need to be sorry.”
“Don’t you miss him?”
I took a deep breath. Of course, I was missing him, and I would grieve for him. But how could I explain that he had chosen this end? That the manner of his death was not something to be shocked at? That I and my family would feel pride at his passing?
“Yes, I do. But you see, he was a true hero.”
She stared at me in complete disbelief. “How can you say tha
t? They murdered him.”
“Yes, they did, just as humans have murdered our kind for centuries. He gave his life for us, buying us time to flee. And among our kind, that is the highest sacrifice and honor.”
It started to sink in that my father was dead, and I felt something shift inside me. My pack leader had died, and I was no longer a pup. I took a deep breath.
“By telling me, you have done much more than you know, Sylvie. You’ve given me peace.”
“Really?” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and my heart went out to her.
“Yes. And thank you for grieving for him. That is rare.”
“I saw him die, Ben. I saw his eyes turn and… and…”
“Shhh. Let it go.” I wrapped her into a tight hug, and in order to distract her, I kissed her.
Her eyes flew open, and heat flooded me, unexpectedly. She kissed me back eagerly, her eyes intense, her body trembling, her scent suddenly filling my head, my heart joyfully opening to her. I had heard of this happening, and had always thought it was a myth.
It wasn’t.
It was shocking.
And it was the best thing I had ever experienced in my life.
Chapter 10
Sylvia
I lost myself in that kiss. It was much more intense than the one in the workshop, and even that had been better than any in my life.
This one, however, was life-changing. I felt our two hearts meet and meld, felt myself soaking up his essence and sharing mine.
It lasted forever, and not long enough.
I sighed when he lifted his lips from mine, looking slightly dazed. I felt the same.
“What was that?” I whispered.
He smiled softly. “Something very special. And it means we need to talk to Beth before we take this further.”
I blinked, feeling completely confused. “Who is Beth?”
“My boss.” He grinned.
“What?”
“And the closest thing to a leader I have right now.”
My mind jumped to all the stupid fantasy stuff I had read about werewolves. I reminded myself that it probably was all fiction.
“You may want to explain that.” I grinned back at him, still soaring from what I had experienced.
“She really is my boss. She owns the Swan Valley Guided Tours.” He tucked my head under his chin and sighed.
“And?”
“And she’s a wolf. She rescued me that night.”
I felt something else relax inside me. “I’m so glad you found help.”
“Yeah.”
Guilt flooded me. I couldn’t help it, even though reason told me I couldn’t have known that Grandpa… no, he would be Theo from now on, I wanted nothing more to do with that man. I still felt guilty, and shuddered at the memory of what they had done to Ben. To the man I loved.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
He just held me tight. “No, never, my love. You were the one who saved me.”
My love. I closed my eyes and soaked up those words. Yes, he was. “Say that again, please.”
“Say what?”
“My love.” I could feel my voice change as I said those words, because they came straight from my heart.
He sighed deeply. “My love. It feels so right.”
I closed my eyes and just breathed, reveling in his scent, his touch, yes, even his love.
“It does. I don’t ever want to let you go.”
He chuckled. “I don’t either. But our rescue team is pulling into the parking lot right now.”
“Oh.”
A man and a woman entered the bus just a few moments later, and the man frowned.
“No snuggling with customers,” he growled, while the woman rolled her eyes.
“It’s on the customer’s demand,” I said with a grin, while regretting that Ben was releasing his hold on me.
“It’s still against the rules.”
“Ease up, Greg.” The woman nudged him aside. “Let me check out that ankle. Sylvia, is it?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Barbara. Tell me what happened.”
I quickly told her the story while she unwound Ben’s bandanna and probed my ankle. I winced a few times.
“That doesn’t seem too bad, and it’s definitely not broken. I’ll put a wrap around it, and Ben can carry you to our car.”
“No…” The man glared at her.
“Shut up, Greg.”
“But…”
“Stop being so blind and get out of the way.”
I was grateful when she bustled Greg out of the bus, on the pretext of getting her medical supplies. Soon, my ankle was firmly wrapped in a bandage and Ben was stuffing his damp bandanna into his pocket.
“Greg, stay here and wait for the tour. I’ll take them back to headquarters and get everything sorted.”
The man sighed and took the keys to the bus from Ben. “You get all the fun.”
“Because I keep my eyes open.” She winked at him, and I realized they were just teasing each other.
Ben did carry me to the truck they had driven up here and Barbara slipped into the driver’s seat easily.
“Go on, snuggle in the back if you want.” She grinned.
So Ben helped me settle in the back and then pulled me into his lap.
“Thanks, Barbara.”
She smiled at us through the rear mirror. “Of course, Beth will have words, but eh. Like I told Greg, I have eyes in my head.”
Were we so obvious?
Ben snorted slightly and held me close throughout the drive. And of course, he carried me into the office building and followed Barbara into a back office with a couch. She grinned at us when Ben simply sat down without letting me go.
“I’ll get Beth.”
She must have seen me bite my lip because her expression softened. “Don’t worry. She’s the boss, but she cares.”
“I will not let you go,” Ben said, his voice a soft growl that sent shivers down my back. “Neither Beth nor Theo will separate us.”
“I have some income, if it matters,” I said slowly. “I want to go for my Master’s and just took time off from my job at a library. They understand summer breaks.”
“You have a degree?” He stared at me.
“History and Library Studies.” I shrugged. “Nothing to get rich on.”
He laughed. “Is it useful?”
“Somewhat. I can run a library if I have to.”
I heard steps in the corridor and an elderly woman walked in, her silver hair done up in a bun. When she saw us, she raised one eyebrow, sniffed and sighed.
“Your timing is awful, Ben.”
“I’m sorry. It’s not something we planned. I did try to stay away, but Sylvie booked a hike.”
Her face softened. “I understand. Would you introduce us?”
“Beth, this is Sylvia. Sylvia, meet Beth Minster.”
“You don’t even know her last name?”
Ben grinned a little sheepishly.
“It’s Mason. Sylvia Mason.” I swallowed as her eyes sharpened.
“Would your mother’s name be Erika?”
I stared at her in shock. “How do you know?”
Beth took a very deep breath. “Just like your father you can sure pick them, Ben. She’s Theo’s granddaughter, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” we said at the same time, and Ben chuckled while Beth’s lips tightened.
“Neither of you know how tangled your family history is, and you just made it much worse.” She frowned. “There is only one thing to do. I need to get you both out of here, immediately. Because Theo will be livid, and he will do his best to get you both killed.”
I stared at her. I knew he would try to kill Ben, but she seemed to mean me, as well. “Killed? I found out he’s horrible, but…”
“Your mother never told you, did she?”
I shook my head, feeling my heart sink.
Beth’s eyes met Ben’s. “Does she know about us?”
He nodded, and she sighed again.
“Theo told me first,” I said, catching her eyes and holding them. I really didn’t want her to blame him. “He also told me how he poisoned Ben.”
Her eyes sharpened and her focus was just as unnerving as Ben’s. I knew I was reacting to her wolf.
“Tell me.”
I explained about the colloidal silver, and she gritted her teeth. “That is diabolical,” she muttered.
“Especially as it has no taste.” I nodded. “But now it’s my turn. Tell me what my mother should have told me.”
Beth took a deep breath and sat down at the desk in that office. “This will be a surprise for both of you. You see, Ben’s father is originally from here. And long ago, he fell in love with a human woman called Emily.”
I nodded and felt Ben do the same.
“She was the sister of Erika and Ethan Morey, the oldest girl in the family.”
I gasped. Ethan was my uncle, Eric’s father. Which meant that Emily was my aunt, except I couldn’t remember much about her at all.
Ben frowned at me.
“My mother and my uncle,” I said quickly, and he nodded.
“When Theo found out, he beat her to death and told the police that Mal had done it.” Beth looked furious. “Mal had to flee.”
My mind reeled.
“Erika left, as well, with her entire family.” Beth nodded at me. “She should have told you before you came here.”
“I didn’t tell my parents about my plans. I only remembered Theo from when I was little, and I had planned to… reconnect. He was happy to have me when I called him. I had no idea…”
My heart was so heavy, and Ben pulled me closer to him.
“You didn’t know,” he said softly. “And your plans meant that we met. I cannot regret that.”
“Did they have what… what we have?” I dared to ask, not even sure what we had, just that it was special and important and deep.
Beth closed her eyes. “Yes.”
I saw Mal’s face in my mind, saw his defiance, saw his death, all over again.
“He’s dead,” I said, quietly, not bothering to hide my tears.
Beth growled at that.
“Theo has a trophy video that he showed Sylvie,” Ben explained. “From what she told me, we both believe it was him.”
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