by Lauren Dane
“Tonight is the full moon. Someone from the Pack will be here to help him but he’ll need to stay here for another few days,” Dr. Molinari assured Stoner.
“I thought you did that?” Stoner looked to Lex.
“Normally I would. Two of my men will be here in my stead with our Third. Tonight is also the first time Nina will change. As her mate, I will be with her.”
Stoner looked quickly at Nina and then covered his surprise. “I didn’t know you were a werewolf, too, Ms. Reyes.”
“It’s a recent thing, Detective Stoner.” Nina didn’t elaborate further. What could she tell him without getting the Pack into trouble?
He gave her a long look that she knew was taking her measure, putting things together and trying to work out just what was happening. She also felt, instinctively, that Detective Ben Stoner was a man that could be trusted to do the right thing. And Nina truly believed that the Pack needed to talk straight with Stoner regarding the whole virus thing. But she wasn’t on her own anymore and she didn’t have the right to say anything until she’d spoken to Lex.
It should have chafed more, she’d been on her own for a very long time. Instead, it felt okay, comfortable even, that she had other people to consider. It wasn’t the weight of dependency like it had been with Gabriel. Rather, the cooperative nature of the Pack. She felt a part of it instead of responsible for it. It dawned on her then, that she was accepting both her wolf and the fact that she was a part of the Pack. It still hurt, but it was something she was making room in her life for.
Lex watched her out of the corner of his eye. He could tell she wanted to elaborate and steeled himself, but she stayed quiet after answering Stoner’s question very simply. Will wonders never cease? He stifled a smile at her nature and focused on the conversation again.
“So, you have any idea how this virus ended up in the guy in the next room?”
Lex had debated this with Cade earlier and with himself over and over. The way this information was dealt with was crucial to them as a Pack and also to interspecies relations with the humans for years to come. Some things couldn’t be hidden and now that a human had been involved he was going to have to take a leap of faith.
Nina squeezed his arm and nodded ever-so slightly and he exhaled. “Can you come out to the house, Detective? There are some things we’d like to show you.”
Stoner looked at him carefully for several long moments and finally nodded. “Let’s go. I can’t wait to hear this one.”
Lex nodded and looked toward Dr. Molinari. “I’m going to order two men be stationed here and I’ll send Eric over immediately. We’ll usher him in and offer him a place in the Pack if he wants one. If he wakes up please tell him that I’ll be in to speak with him tomorrow and that his presence is welcome with Cascadia.”
Dr. Molinari inclined her head and left the room with one last nod to Nina. “I’ll see you this evening, Nina.”
Nina nodded, surprised.
“I know where the house is, Mr. Warden. I’ll be there within the hour,” Stoner said shortly. “This had better be worth my while.”
“I hope so, too, Detective.”
Stoner left with the human doctor and Lex grabbed the phone and made arrangements for Pack members to come and help with the newly changed werewolf.
On the ride back home Nina looked over at his face, which had tense lines etched into it.
“He can be trusted.”
“I hope so, Nina. If he can’t, I’ve just thrown the Pack into chaos and made it dangerous for us all.”
“You have to tell him. You’ve involved humans in this whole thing and more than just with one crazy Pack member getting into a bar fight. This is essentially terrorism against them. If you don’t deal with the human authorities you’re going to turn them all against you.”
“Against us,” Megan said from the backseat.
“Uh, yeah. About that, Molinari says she’s going to see me later tonight? Just what does this thing entail?”
“It’s a ceremony. Most of the Pack will be there to welcome your wolf.”
Nina stiffened and shut up. She didn’t want the rest of the Pack there. She wasn’t sure she even liked the rest of the Pack.
“Nina?”
“Not now. We’re here and you need to deal with Stoner.” Her body language was sending him the message not to mess with her and he warred with himself for several moments.
“Will you accompany me when I brief him? You have some information that we need to share with him and you can explain it better than I can.”
“Don’t sound so enthusiastic.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight? I’m trying to include you.”
Megan heaved a sigh from the backseat. Lex pulled into the garage and jammed the car into park. He turned to face his sister and Nina scrambled out of the car and into the house. “Do you have something to add?” he demanded of Megan.
“Lex, you are one of the smartest people I know. You’re compassionate and generous but you are so stupid when it comes to women!”
“What does that mean? Why are you all so damned mysterious?”
“We aren’t! You are so dense. Lex. Nina is really intuitive. Haven’t you noticed that? She doesn’t just blather on like so many people. She watches and listens even as she disarms people and keeps them off balance with her sharp comments. But she’s very observant. I bet you she can tell you what everyone in that hospital corridor was wearing, whether someone was walking with a limp or not, if someone was hiding something.”
“I know that. That’s why I asked her to be there when I briefed Stoner. I thought she’d be pleased I was including her.”
“Lex, the voice you used was tense and you were annoyed as you said it. Have you not noticed that despite her tough exterior, Nina is a bit insecure?”
“I was annoyed because she wasn’t telling me something. And she’s not insecure, she’s defensive. I never know where I stand with her.”
Megan shook her head at him. “Did you notice the way she reacted to the news that the whole Pack would be there tonight? Lex, the Pack stood there while someone tried to kill her. No one helped her. While you’ve explained it and she has accepted the Pack way for the most part, she can’t have the warmest of feelings for us all because of it. Oh and hello? She’s going to transform into a wolf for the first time in a few hours. That may be just a teeny bit stressful.”
She got out as he did and put her arm around his waist as they walked toward the door. “And you do know where you stand with her. She adores you, Lex. I’ve never seen you this happy, even your agitation is happy. She’s your equal and she’s not afraid of you like those other females were. You’re not insecure or you wouldn’t pop off to each other the way you do.”
He rolled his eyes as he opened the door. “Damn it, Meg, you’re the smart one.”
“Yeah, I know.”
He chuckled and headed in to deal with his mate.
* * * * *
When he walked into his office he saw her there, back to him, looking out the window. He crossed and stood behind her, his body barely touching hers. He bent and kissed her neck and she sighed sweetly.
“I do really want you to be here when I talk to Stoner. You’d be helping me,” he murmured into her ear.
She turned into him and put her head on his chest. His arms closed about her body. “How much do you want me to say?”
“Just follow my lead. Cade will be here as well.”
She tried to move back but he pulled her tighter against him and kissed her forehead before letting her go.
* * * * *
Ben Stoner approached the house with a casual air but it was clear he was taking in every detail. Lex appreciated that about the man. He was observant without being outwardly judgmental.
Dave led him into the office, where they’d set out some beverages at the table rather than have Lex sit behind his desk. Now was not the time to make anyone feel like they were trying to outrank anyone.
<
br /> Cade, Lex and Nina all stood and Stoner snorted and waved them all down. “Let’s cut the shit, shall we? Get to the point.”
Lex smiled and they all sat and he laid out the basic story about Carter, the gambling debts and the now-missing vaccine.
“We have our own problems with crime, Detective Stoner. He’s absconded and has given something very important to less than trustworthy elements in our society. Nina has gone through his computers and we’ve got a basic idea of what happened, but where we are right now is finding out who’s got the remaining vials of the virus and getting them back before anything else happens.”
“I can’t believe you have organized crime.” Stoner’s voice was laced with disbelief.
Cade shrugged. “You have your criminal element, we have ours. It’s not something we like to advertise. I hope you understand that our telling you all of this entails a great deal of risk and trust on our part. We do it to protect weres and humans too.”
“Last week, I had to attend a conference on murder crime scene investigation in Portland. I can’t begrudge you a few criminals when we’ve got so many of our own. Unless and until it becomes an issue of safety, I will keep as much of this as I can to myself.”
“We appreciate that very much.” Lex inclined his head in the way the other Pack members did to him to show respect.
Lex then went on to outline what they were doing to locate the virus and the wolves who’d stolen it. They had trackers on it as they were all speaking.
“I want to be there when the final takedown occurs.” Stoner leaned back in his chair.
“Detective, it could be very dangerous to any human in the area. I give you my word that we’ll notify you the moment we capture the wolves responsible,” Lex cautioned him.
“Don’t make the mistake in thinking that was a request, Warden.” Stoner turned to Nina. “And I think you’d want to be as far away from this as possible after what happened to your house and shop.” He narrowed his eyes. “And your brother. Where is he, by the way?”
Lex growled when he saw Nina’s slight wince, but she held it in well. “It’s okay, Lex,” she reassured him. “Detective, I believe my brother is dead and I believe the wolves who torched my house and shop are responsible. I think he heard something or they thought he did. In any case, I’m not letting go until they’re held responsible for what they’ve done.” She held her head high and her voice was steady as she said it.
“Fair enough. I apologize for upsetting you. But if you don’t mind my asking, why did you become a wolf after all they’ve done to you?”
“Detective, what matters now is that I am a wolf. I am Second in this Pack and these wolves are my responsibility. I don’t shirk my responsibilities.”
Pride surged through Lex at her answer, at the way she accepted not only that she was a wolf but her position as well. He noted Cade’s posture straighten in response too.
“Duly noted, Ms. Reyes. I can respect that.” He turned back to Lex. “I’ll be expecting a call before any takedown of these wolves takes place or I may feel like you haven’t held up your half of the bargain.”
Lex narrowed his eyes and finally nodded his agreement.
Stoner stood, they all shook hands and he left.
* * * * *
Lex checked in with his people at the hospital and those investigating the whole Carter mess. When he finished up some hours later, he went to look for Nina. He found her in Cade’s room.
His adrenaline surged when he first caught sight of her curled in his brother’s arms but he met Cade’s eyes above her head and saw the anguish and concern there. He heard the soft sounds of her breathing and could smell her tears in the air.
“She’s asleep,” Cade murmured.
Lex crossed the room to where they were sitting. “What is it?”
“She’s scared, Lex. Worried she won’t do a good job as Second. Unsure of her transformation. She doesn’t want to fail. Not you, not me, not the Pack.”
Cade stroked a hand over those chocolate curls and gave a wry grin when he caught Lex staring at the movement. “She didn’t want to worry you. She came to ask me about the transformation ceremony tonight. She just crawled into my arms when the tears came. Nearly broke my heart.”
Lex knew that a part of that urge on her part to seek comfort from Cade was that he was her Alpha, and that would have been reinforced by his also being the Anchor. Still, it wasn’t easy to see his mate in his brother’s arms, asleep and exhausted from her tears.
Cade stood easily and put her into Lex’s arms. She snuggled into his chest and sighed. “I wish I knew how to help her,” Lex said softly.
Cade chuckled. “You do. She’s yours. You’re hers. Just be her mate, Lex, and the rest will work out. She’s something so very special, but then you are too. Things will be easier after the transformation. It’s the unknown she fears. It’s ironic that you’d get a woman who is even more of a control freak than you are.”
“Ha, ha.” Lex rolled his eyes. “Hey, Cade?”
Cade tipped his chin up in response.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. If it weren’t for this pesky mate thing and you being my brother and all, I’d steal her away in a minute.”
Lex stifled a derisive snort. “You wish.”
Cade sighed and shrugged. “Yeah.”
Lex started to reply but thought better of it. Instead, he took Nina to their bedroom and tucked her into bed where she slept as he worked and kept an eye on her.
* * * * *
Warren Pellini stared at Jack Reed in horror. “You what?”
“We infected the human but he got away. My men weren’t watching closely enough. Before they noticed someone had called the cops and they’d picked him up.”
“You lost a drugged up transient human who’d been infected and beaten up? Who are these wolves of yours, Jack?”
“They aren’t anything anymore. There’s only one left alive and he won’t be for long. And the human was so tranked up that he won’t remember anything. If he lives at all, that is. We don’t know if it even took.” Jack tried very hard to repress any nervousness. They were both alphas in their own right but Warren Pellini was insane pure and simple. On top of that he was utterly merciless.
“I’m beginning to see just why Carter was so frustrated with you wolves, Jack. What kind of disorganized organization are you running here?”
Jack wanted to explain that his wolves were used to running small time crime—nothing like kidnapping and human experimentation! But he knew excuses would just make him look weak.
“It’ll be handled. I’ll see to it personally. This bum has nothing on us. Chances are he’s dead anyway.”
“And if he isn’t?”
“He’ll be a wolf and we’ll be sitting on a goldmine that will have the humans paying through the nose for years to come.” Jack smiled through sharp teeth.
Warren watched him through dead eyes, seeing him for the liability he was. “Get the human back, Jack. We can’t afford exposure at this stage.”
Chapter Ten
“Beautiful, are you ready?” Lex murmured, lips against her temple.
She looked at him in the mirror, meeting his eyes. She took a deep breath and nodded.
The house was filled with Pack. She could smell them all. Forest and loam. She scented power and family. Anticipation.
“I can feel them. Smell them.”
He smiled as he took her in, dragging his eyes down her body, now clad in a midnight blue silk robe that she’d drop once they got outside under the moon to change. She was all curves and sex. Her scent filled his nose. He no longer smelled Pack, he only scented her. His mate. The particular mix of musk and pheromones that was his woman. It was alluring and seductive. Heady and intoxicating.
“They’re here to welcome you home, Nina. I know this is hard for you. That you don’t trust them much. But they’re yours. I’m yours. Hell, even Cade is yours. Forgive them and they’ll follow you in
to hell itself.” He smoothed his hands down her arms, having to repress his urge to pull her down to their bed and make love to her for hours.
She took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll try.”
“You’re going to do just fine, beautiful. Your wolf knows what to do. It’s not hard or scary. Just let it happen.”
She heard a knock on the door and Cade opened it and walked in. He was shirtless, like Lex, and wearing low slung sweat pants. Man oh man, they were both so beautiful. He caught her appraising gaze and winked and they both laughed.
Lex made an annoyed sound and pulled her closer. “That’s enough of that.”
“You all should wear clothes then.” She turned and kissed him quickly. “Okay, let’s do this, shall we?”
Cade held out a hand and Lex another and she took both and let them lead her downstairs.
The entire Pack, minus the wolves who were at the hospital, was waiting. Anticipating their arrival. There was tension and excitement in the air and Nina felt slightly nauseated as her wolf stretched out inside of her body, readying to be freed.
As she passed the wolves all went to their knees. Cade and Lex led her outside and into the tree line that abutted the house. They stopped beneath a large maple tree and the Pack circled them.
Looking up into the clear autumn sky, Nina felt the pull of the moon. Felt the tidal sway of nature, felt her wolf respond.
“Let it happen, Nina.”
She looked into Lex’s eyes and watched as his humanity slid away. Watched as his wolf began to manifest. She felt a deep tug and looked to Cade, who watched her silently. He squeezed her hand and took a step back. Lex slid her robe from her shoulders. The evening cloaked her as the silver of the moon bathed her skin.