Wolf in his Heart (Salvation Pack)

by N. J. Walters

  “You struck out on your own after your family and pack turned on you. And you survived.” He brushed the backs of his knuckles over her cheek. “I think you’re amazing.”

  “I need to find something else to do. Figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.” It was time to stop simply existing and to truly live. She’d been coasting from one job to another this past year instead of putting down roots somewhere.

  It was past time. But first she had to get rid of the trouble following her.

  Sage stilled with his hand still touching her face. “Plenty of time for that. Right now, it’s time for breakfast.”

  Her stomach growled at the suggestion. “I could eat.”

  Sage leaned down and nibbled on her neck. “I could eat too.”

  Rina laughed. “I meant breakfast.”

  “Me too.” He growled and playfully nipped her shoulder. “Would you like to get a shower before breakfast?”

  She was suddenly conscious of feeling sticky. “I’d like that.”

  They headed back toward the path. “We should shower together. You know, to save time and conserve water.” Sage winked as he made his outrageous suggestion.

  She just gave him her most serene smile. “Maybe we should.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Sage was feeling relaxed when he and Rina joined the rest of his family for breakfast. Uncle Elias was pouring coffee, Sue was standing at the stove scrambling eggs, and Billy was setting the table when they finally made it to the kitchen.

  The shower had taken a little longer than expected. He’d had to wash her entire body. Twice. Once when they got into the shower and again after he’d made love to her. Just thinking about Rina all slick and soapy made his jeans uncomfortably tight.

  His uncle shook his head and handed him a mug of coffee. He could tell Sue was fighting to hide a smile. And Billy might be fully human, but the teenager was too observant for Sage’s liking. He gave Sage a sly smile. “Sleep well last night?”

  “Well enough.”

  Rina looked uncomfortable and slightly embarrassed. He handed his coffee to Rina, and she gave him a grateful smile before taking her first sip. Sage grabbed two of the mugs from the counter and kept one for himself and gave the other to his cousin. “Here, drink this.”

  Billy laughed but took the offering. “Thanks.”

  Sue dumped the eggs into a large serving bowl. Then she opened the oven door and pulled out a metal pan filled with eggs she’d already cooked and added them to the bowl. “Put this on the table, please,” she told her son. Billy set down his coffee and took the bowl.

  Elias reached into the oven and pulled out a warming platter of bacon and another piled high with toast.

  “I think that’s everything.” Sue cast her gaze around the kitchen one final time before going to sit at the table. She smiled warmly at Rina. “Sit down and dig in.”

  Rina glanced at him and then slid into the nearest chair. He took the one next to her.

  “What are your plans for today?” Elias asked.

  Sage waited until Sue had put some of the eggs on her plate and then took the platter from her. After he’d piled some on Rina’s plate, he handed it off to Billy. Once his cousin was done, he handed it back to Sage. Only then did Sage take some for himself before passing it to his uncle. They had their own pack hierarchy, and the women and children were always fed first. He and his uncle were smart enough not to say that out loud, though.

  Sage shrugged. “I thought we’d work in the gardens.” In other words, he planned on keeping Rina close to home. “I’m behind,” he told her. “I could use the help if you wouldn’t mind.”

  She gave him a look that said she was well aware of what he was doing but she was okay with it. “That’s fine. I’d like to help.”

  He offered her some bacon, and she slid four slices onto her plate. The conversation turned more general. Billy was planning on joining Cole in the workshop. The older wolf was teaching the teenager woodworking over the summer and the boy loved it. He had quite an eye for detail work. At this point, Sage didn’t know if his cousin would go away to college when he finished high school or if he’d simply start working with Cole full-time making custom furniture.

  “What will you be doing today?” he asked his uncle.

  The older man grunted. “Gator found some downed trees in the eastern and southern quarters. We’re going to haul them in later. Cole will decide if he wants any of them for his furniture projects. The rejects, we’ll chop and store for the winter.”

  What his uncle didn’t say was that they’d be patrolling while they were out there as well. That was a given.

  “I plan on spending the day sewing with Sylvie and Corrine.” She turned to Rina. “While they’re quilting, I’ll be sewing sachet bags for the herbs I’ve dried. You should have a look at the drying shed later. I can show you or Sage can. Whatever works best for you.”

  Sage was reminded why he loved Sue like a second mother. She was innately kind and giving. She was trying to include Rina without doing anything to make her uncomfortable.

  Billy finished shoveling in the last of his food. “I gotta go. I’m working on a harvest table.” The teen grabbed his dishes and put them in the dishwasher without being told. He stopped long enough to kiss his mom and wave to the rest of them on his way out the door.

  Sue laughed. “You’ll have to excuse my son. His attention is totally focused on the workshop and what he and Cole are making there.”

  “No problem. It’s wonderful that he loves it so much.”

  “He does.” Sue sighed and shook her head. “He doesn’t get it from me. I can’t hammer a nail. And he certainly doesn’t get it from his father.” Sue gave a little shudder of distaste. “My ex would never have sullied his hands with physical labor.” She smiled at Elias. “He must get it from you.”

  Elias grinned. “What can I say? I have many talents.”

  Sue laughed. “You certainly do.”

  Rina had her head down eating, but Sage caught the smile she was trying to hide.

  “Have you had enough?” Sue asked. “I can make more toast or scramble a few more eggs. Honestly, Billy seems to be a bottomless pit these days.”

  “I’ve had plenty,” Sage told her.

  “Me too,” Rina added. “Thank you so much for the meal.”

  Sue waved off her thanks. “You’re very welcome. If you get hungry anytime before lunch, help yourself to whatever is in the refrigerator or cupboards. There’s plenty of fresh fruit, cheese, crackers, and things like that to snack on. Lunch is at Gator’s at noon. He said last night he was making a couple of vats of soup and a mountain of sandwiches.”

  “Sounds good.” Sage pushed back his chair, stood, and grabbed his plate. Beside him, Rina began gathering dirty dishes. “We’ll handle cleanup since you cooked.”

  “I appreciate it,” Sue told them. “I want to get as much as I can done before it gets too hot to work.” She paused by him and he leaned down so she could kiss his cheek. “Wear sunscreen while you’re out working.”

  “We will,” he promised.

  “Have a good morning, Rina. We’ll see you at lunchtime.” Sue hurried down the hallway to gather her things, leaving the two of them alone with Elias.

  “I’ll walk Sue over to Gator and Sylvie’s. That’s where they’re set up,” his uncle told him. Not surprising. It was one of the larger homes and they’d turned one of the bedrooms into an arts and crafts room. The kids spent a lot of time playing in there too.

  Sue returned lugging two big totes filled with fabric. His uncle took them from her. “Remember lunch is at noon,” she reminded them.

  When they were alone, Sage dropped a quick kiss on Rina’s lips. They worked quietly and efficiently and had the kitchen back to rights in no time. “Your aunt and uncle seem really nice,” Rina offere
d.

  “They’re the best,” he told her. “Uncle Elias sacrificed everything for us. Reece and I were glad when he found Sue.”

  “Even though she’s human?” Rina sighed and leaned against the counter. Sage noted that she was wearing jeans and the same white tank top she’d briefly worn last night. They’d have to get her some more clothing. “I don’t mean it as a criticism,” she continued, “but you can’t deny that their relationship comes with a lot of problems. She’s human. She’ll age and die long before he will.”

  Sage tried not to think about that day. “They’re both aware of that, but they love each other so much it doesn’t matter.”

  “That’s beautiful.” Rina rubbed her hands up and down her arms. He knew it wasn’t cold. The sun was already gaining strength. All the windows were open and the cross breeze was warm.

  He went to her and placed his hands on the counter, caging her in on either side with his long arms. He wanted to kiss her, to drag her back to his room and keep her there all day. While he’d definitely enjoy that—and so would she—there were other things Rina needed more.

  “Their love is very special. It was the same with my parents, and it’s like that with every other couple here.” He wondered how Miss Elise felt at times being the only single woman in their small pack. He leaned down and rubbed his cheek over Rina’s. “Love is the most powerful force on the planet.”

  She shook her head, and he knew she was thinking about her parents and her pack. He couldn’t let her judge him and his pack by their actions. “What they did? They wouldn’t have done that if they’d truly loved you.” As much as it hurt him to have to say it, he knew he had to.

  The pain in her eyes nearly brought him to his knees. “I know,” she whispered. “And that’s what hurts the most.”

  She knew. She knew that her pack hadn’t loved her. He’d thought he was breaking some new fact to her. What an idiot he was. Of course she knew. She was an intelligent and sensitive woman. She had to have known it while she lived with them too.

  “I’m sorry.” Totally inadequate to express what he was feeling, but the words were the best he could do.

  “It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault. It took me a long time to accept there was nothing I could do to make my parents love me. They loved one another. And Mikhail. They really didn’t want another child by the time I came along, but there was nothing they could do about it. Don’t get me wrong. I was fed and clothed and looked after. I wasn’t neglected or abused.”

  She didn’t see it that way, but he did. Neglect wasn’t always about the physical needs of a child, but the emotional ones as well. How much had it hurt her to know her parents didn’t love her while realizing they did love her brother? They were capable of caring, they’d just chosen not to.

  “You didn’t resent your brother?” It struck him that he was asking her the exact same question she’d put to him early this morning.

  “Resent Mikhail? No. Never. He was so good to me.” Her smile was genuine and filled with love. “He made me feel special.”

  Sage couldn’t hold out any longer. He leaned down until their lips were a hairsbreadth apart. “You are incredibly special,” he told her. Then he kissed her.

  She tasted sweet and spicy. Like coffee and bacon. A winning combination. He teased her mouth, and she touched her tongue to his. She pushed away from the counter and placed her hands on his chest. Once again, he resented his clothes. He wanted her hands on his bare flesh.

  He tilted his head and deepened the kiss. Rina made a small sound of pleasure deep in her throat and returned the caress, touch for touch, thrust for thrust. The refrigerator hummed and the sounds of people talking drifted in through the open windows.

  Sage was gasping for air when he finally forced himself to pull back. His hands were still flat on the countertop, but the thick granite slab groaned beneath the force. He eased up and counted himself lucky he hadn’t gripped the edge of the counter. If he had, he’d be ordering a replacement, as he’d have ripped a couple of pieces out of the thick stone.

  It didn’t matter that he’d already had Rina several times in the past few hours. He still wanted her. He knew that he always would.

  He cleared his throat and was grateful she seemed just as stunned as he did. “I think you should call your brother.”

  Rina was lost in a passionate haze one moment and brought back to reality with a hard slap to her senses the next. She dropped her hands back to her sides and stared up at the man who’d just kissed her senseless. “You want me to call Mikhail?”

  He nodded. “Yes. You don’t have to tell him where you are, but you owe him a phone call. Even more so, you owe yourself. If he loved you as much as you think, you can’t throw that away.”

  She knew he was right. Damn him. So many times over the past year, she’d wanted to call her brother. She’d dialed his number several times but had hung up before he’d answered. Partly out of fear that he didn’t miss her, didn’t care she was gone, and partly because she’d been living in shelters and cheap apartments or motel rooms while working crap jobs. She hadn’t wanted him to find out about that for fear he would look down on her.

  The more she thought about it, the more she realized just how bogus that excuse was. The truth was she was ashamed of how little she’d managed to accomplish in a year. Here she was, fourteen months after she’d left home, with nothing—no home, no job, and only enough belongings to fill a knapsack. It was pathetic.

  “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I already know I don’t like it.” Sage pushed back from the counter and rested his hands on his hips. He was big and tough and yet so gentle when he touched her. He could be rough too, but not in a bad way. A sensual shiver slid down her spine as she remembered their shower. He’d lifted her off her feet, slammed her back against the tiled wall, and fucked her senseless. And she’d loved every second of it.

  He growled and his pupils contracted. “Now I definitely want to know what you’re thinking.” He ran the pad of his index finger over one of her distended nipples. They were both visible through the fabric of her top. “Your breathing quickened and your eyes got darker.” He moved to her other breast and rubbed the hard nub. “Then there are these beauties.”

  She swallowed heavily. “I was just thinking about our shower.”

  The sound he made was more reminiscent of pain instead of pleasure. “You’re killing me. We’ve got work to do, and you need to call your brother. I can’t just take you back to bed and keep you there all day.”

  Every nerve ending in her body buzzed. “Are you telling me or trying to convince yourself?”

  He sighed and dropped his head forward. “Both.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You really need to talk with your brother, and I really need to do some work. The others have been picking up the slack, but that’s not fair to them.”

  Rina straightened her shoulders and tried to ignore the sensual need vibrating throughout her body. “You’re right. Can I use your phone?”

  He tugged it out of his pocket and handed it to her. “You want to go into the living room and sit down?”

  She shook her head. “I want this done and over with.” Either way, she’d soon know how her brother felt about her. It was both scary and exhilarating.

  “Will you put it on speaker?” Sage asked.

  She knew he was worried about her. Hell, he’d hear her conversation anyway. He was close enough for his werewolf hearing to allow him to listen in. He wanted her permission to listen, wanted her to include him.

  She nodded and then punched in the familiar number and waited while it rang several times. On the fifth ring, she was about to hang up when a gruff male voice answered. “Yeah?”

  She almost dropped the phone. Her knees went weak, but Sage was right there to lend his support. He banded one strong arm around her and kept her steady.

 
; “Mikhail.”

  There was dead silence. Her heart started to break and she moved her thumb toward the button that would end the call.

  “Where the hell are you, Rina? Are you all right? Talk to me,” her brother ordered.

  Tears filled her eyes and overflowed. These were not the words of a brother who didn’t care. “I’m okay,” she promised. She sniffed and tried to blink back the flood of tears, but they wouldn’t be stopped. Not this time.

  “Where are you? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  She shook her head and then remembered he couldn’t see her. “You shouldn’t have done that. What if Mom and Dad find out?”

  The growl that split the air was low and mean. “I left the pack.”

  “You what?”

  “What the fuck did you think I would do when I discovered what they’d done?”

  A combination of shame and relief filled her. Shame that she’d doubted him and relief that her big brother did indeed love her. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have given up your pack.” She knew how hard it was for a werewolf to survive in the outside world. Although her brother was much better equipped to handle it than she was.

  “Where are you?” she asked.

  “Tennessee. I told you I’ve been looking for you. I traced your work record to a diner there. The guy who owns the place told me you’d ran out on him. Said you owed him money and had left your stuff behind.”

  Mikhail had been so close to finding her. If it hadn’t been for the human idiot who’d seen her shift, her brother would have found her. Sage tightened his arms around her, and she knew he was thinking the same thing. They’d come so close to never meeting.

  “I did run away, but I didn’t owe him money. I was paid up until today or tomorrow. I’m not quite sure what day it is.” She’d lost all track of time.

  “Doesn’t matter. I paid him and collected your belongings.”

  And he’d seen how pitiful little she had. “Thank you.”

  He gave a huff of frustration. “You don’t thank me for that. If I’d have been home when the shit went down in the pack, you would never have been on your own.”