Wolf in his Heart (Salvation Pack)

by N. J. Walters

  When Sage had mentioned his pack included half-breeds and humans, she’d figured they were weak wolves banding together for protection. Both men she’d met so far could have challenged any alpha for power, especially the one who was still watching her.

  “Come on.” Sage took her hand and tugged her toward the same path his uncle had taken. “You need to meet everyone. You’ll love Gator’s cooking. He’s the best. Although don’t tell the women I said that.”

  Gator? What kind of name was Gator?

  Rina didn’t have the reserves to run. For better or worse, she was here. This place and this pack were her fate, at least for now. She reached for her pack, but Sage shook his head. “You’re dropping on your feet. Let me carry it for you.”

  Let me help you. She heard his unspoken plea. Why was he helping her so much when he barely knew her?

  They rounded a bend in the trail and a beautiful log home came into view. It was a sturdy bungalow with a large porch on the front. Several chairs were placed invitingly on the covered deck. Through the trees, she could glimpse several smaller homes. She craned her neck around wanting to see more.

  “I’ll show you around later,” Sage promised. He pointed off to the left. “The home I share with Uncle Elias and Aunt Sue is off that way.” Before she could get a good look, he was pulling her up the stairs.

  The door opened and yet another big and powerful male filled the entrance. This one had shaggy, shoulder-length brown hair, but it was his eyes that had her halting in her tracks. The golden-brown gaze studied her intently, and she fought the urge to bow her head.

  He was a commanding presence, and she knew in her heart this had to be the alpha. She inclined her head in respect. Her entire body quivered with the need to run, but that would be the worst thing she could do. A running target was prey, and she was no coward.

  Sage squeezed her hand, reminding her she wasn’t alone. Although that hardly mattered considering any of the males she’d met so far could easily kill them both. They were all full-blooded, deadly werewolves.

  “Jacque, this is Irina Matheson. Rina, this is Jacque LaForge, alpha of the Salvation Pack.”

  Yup, she’d been right about that one. Small compensation when she was facing the most powerful wolf she’d ever come across. Not even the alpha of her home pack had terrified her this much. Perhaps that was because she’d known him all her life while Jacque LaForge was a total stranger, but she didn’t think so.

  Power clung to the man like a second skin.

  “Come on in.” The alpha stepped back. Rina really didn’t want to go inside where she could sense other wolves waiting. But the scent of bacon wafted by, and she almost swooned at the delicious aroma.

  Sage wasn’t giving her a choice, in any case. He tugged her behind him up the stairs and into the house. It was darker and cooler inside. She had a glimpse of dark, sturdy sofas and a fireplace before he pulled her into the sunnier dining area just off the kitchen. It was really all one room with only a breakfast bar separating the cooking area from the large table.

  Several other people were waiting. The fact that three of them were women was encouraging. Of course, some females were even deadlier than their males. She sniffed and her gaze fell on a blonde woman sitting next to Sage’s uncle. If she wasn’t mistaken, the woman was full human. She had to be his aunt.

  “I’m Gwen. Welcome to our home.” Her attention was pulled to another woman. This woman was also blonde, but her hair was shorter. The alpha stood beside her with his hand on her shoulder. This was the alpha female. Rina respectfully lowered her gaze.

  “That’s Sue next to Elias.” Rina had been right. The woman next to Sage’s uncle was his aunt. “And that’s Sylvie.” Gwen pointed to a beautiful woman with long black hair and a scar on her right cheek.

  “Sit down and eat, then you can tell us everything.” An unknown man set several large platters on the table. One was filled with bacon, the other with pancakes. The deadly looking male had black hair and tattoos running up and down both arms.

  It startled her that he was giving the orders and not the alpha. She glanced at Jacque, and he inclined his head. “Best do as Gator said. He doesn’t like it when his food gets cold.”

  Rina practically fell into the chair Sage pulled out for her. He set her pack by her feet and took the chair beside her. Now she knew what a man named Gator looked like. He wasn’t a man she wanted to cross. He went back to the kitchen and returned with two more platters. One with eggs and the other with ham.

  Rina had died and gone to heaven.

  She sat back to wait until the others had filled their plates. That was only good manners, and she had no position here in the pack. Sage, however, had other ideas. He grabbed the bacon platter and loaded a half dozen pieces onto her plate. Before she could object, he’d passed the plate to his aunt and was already adding ham to her pile of food.

  Rina checked to see how the alpha was responding to this. As if sensing her confusion, he simply motioned to her plate and then picked up his fork and dug into his own food.

  The delicious smells were too good to resist any longer. Rina grabbed her knife and fork and began to eat. The ham was sweet and succulent and the bacon pure heaven. But the pancakes, the pancakes were light and fluffy and the best she’d ever eaten.

  Rina ignored the conversations going on around her. It was rude, but savoring her meal took all her attention. She never put one thing on her plate, but it never seemed to get empty. Sage kept adding more as soon as she’d finished what was there.

  Finally, she could eat no more. If she did, she was going to be sick.

  She sighed and sat back in her chair. Everyone was watching her. Self-conscious, she set her utensils down and placed her hands in her lap. “Thank you for the wonderful meal.”

  “You’re welcome, chère.” She knew it was Gator who’d spoken, even though she wasn’t looking at him.

  Beneath the table, Sage covered her hand with his. In spite of her desire to stand on her own two feet, she turned her fingers into his.

  Jacque pushed his plate aside, drawing her attention. “Now, Rina. Why don’t you tell us everything.”

  It was an order, not a suggestion. She swallowed and a sick feeling permeated her entire being.

  Sage wanted to take Rina away from here but knew Jacque wouldn’t allow it. He was grateful they’d let Rina eat before questioning her. Not that he’d expected anything different. The males of his pack were very protective of females, especially those in trouble.

  She licked her lips and took a sip of orange juice before answering. “I was working at a diner and renting a room by the week at the local motel. There aren’t any apartments nearby and the guy who owns the motel also owns the diner.” She ran her finger over the condensation on the glass, sending several droplets of water down the side.

  “I hadn’t shifted in months and needed to.” Sage hated the guilt he heard in her voice. He didn’t understand the urge to shift. Couldn’t. But he did know what Reece and his uncle went through. The need to shift was a powerful thing.

  “I thought I was alone. I went out to the woods behind the motel and shifted. There was someone watching me.” She shivered, and Sage gave her fingers a squeeze. He really wanted to put his arm around her. Hell, he wanted to set her in his lap but didn’t think she’d let him, not with the others watching.

  Pride was a big thing for her. He understood that, but sometimes a person just needed a shoulder to lean on. Didn’t make them weaker. If anything, having someone beside you made you stronger.

  She cleared her throat. “I didn’t know until the next morning. I went to work and he was sitting there. He was a regular, but I don’t know his name. He told me he’d seen me shift and that he’d tell everyone what I was if I didn’t leave with him.”

  Several of the males growled, and Rina pressed back against her seat. She kept he
r head down as she finished her recitation. “I told him I’d go with him. Then I went back around the counter to return the coffeepot I was holding. I went straight to the office, grabbed my knapsack and ran. I ran all day. I made it to the park and hit the trails. When I realized he was following me, I headed off the beaten track.” She shrugged and reached for her glass. After a fortifying sip, she shrugged. “I kept going, but they kept on my trail.”

  “They? I thought you said it was one man.” There was suspicion in Jacque’s voice. Sage growled, but the alpha ignored him.

  “It was one to begin with. He must have called his brothers. He’d threatened to if I didn’t go with him.” Her hand was shaking when she set the glass back on the table. “Then I ran into Sage. He came out of nowhere.”

  Jacque raised an eyebrow at him, so Sage picked up the story. “I was kicking back at my campsite enjoying the evening air and the night sky when I heard something that didn’t sound right. I figured I’d check it out to make sure it wasn’t a lost hiker or a bear.” He lifted her clasped hand onto his knee. “I found Rina.”

  “Did you lose the hunters?” Jacque asked.

  Sage shook his head. “I don’t know. We had to stop and rest for a couple of hours last night. There might have been someone close by when we left this morning. I can’t be sure. I do know that no one followed me here. But—” Sage hated to reiterate what he’d already told Jacque over the phone, but pack safety was of the utmost importance, “—a ranger saw us leave. One that knows me.”

  “So he might tell someone who asks.” Gator leaned back in his chair, resting his coffee mug against his stomach.

  “It’s possible.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring trouble your way. I’ll leave.” Rina started to stand.

  “Sit down.” Jacque’s quiet words struck with the force of a thunderclap. “You haven’t told us everything. While I wanted to know how you came to have hunters on your trail, I also want to know how a full-blooded female came to be on her own.”

  Sage wanted to know too, but he didn’t want to browbeat it out of her. He looked to Gwen for help, but she simply shrugged. He knew she wanted to find out as well.

  “I don’t think now is the time.” Sage stared at the alpha. “Rina needs to rest.”

  He heard her gasp and she dug her fingernails into his skin. “No. No, that’s okay. I’ll tell him everything.”

  Sage could have kicked himself. She saw his statement as a challenge to the alpha. He could smell her fear, and so could the others. He’d forgotten she didn’t understand their pack, that the one she’d been raised in would have been much different.

  “I was banished,” she blurted.

  Silence fell on the room. His Uncle Elias caught his gaze, and he saw the same disbelief he knew was in his own. What could she have done that was so terrible? Short of cold-blooded murder, he couldn’t imagine what else could merit banishment from a pack. Unless she’d fallen in love with a half-breed or a human, and given her attitude toward him when they’d first met, he didn’t think that likely.

  “Why?” It was Gwen, not Jacque who asked the question. The alpha female reached out and patted Rina on the shoulder. “It’s okay, honey. You can tell us.”

  Rina swallowed heavily and her throat rippled. “I…” She glanced at him, her eyes almost pleading with him to understand. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay. He knew this pack well and knew they weren’t judgmental.

  She straightened her shoulders and looked straight at Jacque. “I disobeyed a direct order from the alpha and my father. I refused to mate with the male they ordered me to.”

  Chapter Six

  Everything was out there. They knew it all now. Rina waited for the inevitable outcome—the order for her to be removed from pack land. A wolf did not disobey the alpha. Not without consequences.

  Her T-shirt stuck to her body. It was damp with sweat and grimy with dirt. Now that she’d eaten her fill, she was very aware of the dust on her hands and face. She hadn’t even cleaned up first before sitting at their table. It shamed her.

  The fine meal she’d eaten rolled around in her stomach and threatened to come back out.

  “Let me get this straight.” Jacque’s voice was hard, each word clipped. “You were banished from your pack, sent out into the world on your own because you refused to mate with the male your alpha had chosen for you.”

  She tried to speak but her throat refused to work. She nodded. God, she was about to be banished from another pack. There truly must be something wrong with her.

  “Where are you from? Who is your pack?”

  “Sitka, Alaska,” she managed to get out. Her limbs started to shake, but she released Sage’s hand and slowly stood. “Thank you for the meal. I’ll just be going.” She snagged her pack from the floor, but Sage tugged it away from her. “I need to leave.” She silently pleaded with him with her eyes to release her. She couldn’t bear it if Sage got in trouble for bringing her here. Rina didn’t think she could live with herself if he was banished.

  She wrapped her fingers around the straps of her pack and pulled, but Sage wouldn’t release it. She couldn’t leave without it. She needed her money and identification. “Please.” Rina couldn’t look at the others. It was hard enough to see the pity in Sage’s eyes.

  She was a wolf without a pack, an outcast in their world.

  “Is Gregor Gribkov still alpha of the Sitka Pack?” Rina jerked her head around and stared at Sage’s uncle. All she could do was nod.

  Elias rubbed his hand over his face. “Gregor is a son of a bitch on his best days,” he told Jacque. “Real old school.”

  Jacque growled. “I know the type all too well.”

  “How do you know him?” Her fear began to mount. If he knew Gregor, would he contact him, tell him where she was? Not that it mattered. She was banished. It wasn’t like anyone was looking for her.

  “Sit down, honey.” Sage dropped her bag back on the floor, stood, and wrapped his hands around her shoulders. “You look ready to drop.” Somehow she was back in her chair without quite knowing how he’d managed it. She was in shock from this latest development. Her pack kept to itself. How did Elias know about them?

  Elias put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. She was fully human. Elias couldn’t be a friend of Gregor’s. The other man wouldn’t tolerate a human mate. That eased her worry, but only slightly.

  “I was born into the Denali Pack,” Elias told her.

  Her gaze flew to Sage. Did that mean he was also a former member of the Denali Pack? He held up his hands in front of him. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m from Michigan.”

  His reply was so startling and unexpected she laughed. Then she slapped her hand over her mouth. God, she was losing her mind. She was too tired to think.

  “I left my pack when my brother found his mate,” Elias continued. “She was a half-breed, and you and I both know that’s simply not acceptable in an Alaskan pack.”

  Right, Sage had told her about his mother. He was a half-breed. Of course, he hadn’t been born in the Denali Pack. She would have remembered that if her brain hadn’t been so foggy with fatigue.

  “Rina is exhausted.” Gwen looked at Jacque and got a small nod. “You should go lie down and rest for a while. You’re welcome to stay here.”

  She was welcome? She truly had fallen into an alternate universe. She didn’t think she’d rest that well, not surrounded by a pack of wolves she didn’t know. They’d been kind enough so far but she didn’t trust them.

  “I’d rather take her home with me.” Sage’s pronouncement was like a lifeline, but it wasn’t up to him or her, for that matter.

  Jacque slowly nodded. “That’s fine with me.”

  The alpha looked to Elias, who shrugged. “I’m good.”

  “You’re responsible for her,” Jacque told Sage be
fore turning his attention her way. “Is that what you want to do?”

  She nodded quickly. “Yes. Please,” she added.

  “Then it’s settled.” Jacque rose from the table. “We need increased patrols for the next while. No one shifts unless they’re one hundred percent sure they’re alone. Stay sharp.” The alpha took his mate by the hand and led her toward the front door.

  “Come on. Let’s go home.” Sage’s words made her stomach drop and her heart race. Home. If only she truly was going home. But this was just a temporary stop along the way. Still, she couldn’t deny she was looking forward to seeing Sage’s place and learning more about him.

  By the time she stood, he had her knapsack in one hand and held out his free one to her. It was so strong and capable. She slid her hand into his. It was familiar and comforting and bolstered her confidence.

  “I want you to meet my Aunt Sue.” She followed him around the table and stopped in front of a fully human woman. Faint lines radiated from around her eyes. Her skin was tanned and there was a healthy, vibrant quality about her that was appealing. “Sue, this is Rina.”

  Sue’s smile was gentle and filled with understanding. “I know you must be feeling overwhelmed right now, but everything will be okay.” The older woman reached out and hugged her. Rina might have been taller, but Sue hugged her like she might a child. Rina’s throat tightened and she could only nod, too afraid to try to speak.

  “Don’t be afraid to kick Billy out of the house if he’s still there,” Sue told Sage. “You rest and we’ll chat more later.”

  They were almost at the door when Rina remembered her manners. She turned to find Gator watching her. “Thank you for the meal. It was delicious.”

  He smiled at her and went from deadly to downright gorgeous. All the men of this pack were easy on the eyes, at least the ones she’d met so far. “You’re welcome, chère. You come back anytime. There’s always something to eat around here.”