Pack 11 - Wolf Whisperer

by Karen Whiddon

  Opening his mouth, he started to speak, then apparently thought better of it. “Go on.”

  She sighed, forcing herself to continue. “The binding is irrevocable. If the vows are broken, death is the result. That’s simply how it is. And this fact has caused many a sleepless night among my people, let me tell you.”

  “Why did Maggie never tell me? And why is this not known by the Pack? I read nothing about this in the literature I was given.”

  “It’s a closely guarded secret among our people. It’s forbidden to tell anyone, unless you are bound to them.”

  “How can you live with that?” he asked.

  “We do. Like I said, we have no choice. It’s just one of the myriad ways we are different than the other shifters, than your Pack. Like Healers, Tearlachs are bound by their own rules, created by nature. We have been since our kind came into being.”

  Studying her, he didn’t move. Gradually, the bleakness disappeared from his eyes, replaced with…nothing. In turn, she studied him back, searching his face, hoping for something—anger, relief, confusion—any emotion rather than this blankness. To her, it felt as though he was shutting her out.

  “I’m not,” he said, startling her. “Instead, I’m trying to calmly consider our situation. Give me a moment.”

  So she did, though each breath felt like torture. She thought she knew now how the accused might feel in court, waiting for the verdict to be read. Even though she knew she was not guilty of anything, what the jury—in this case, Mac—decided would determine everything.

  Because in the end, the binding went both ways.

  Finally, he spoke. “So you’re saying that we’re bound together for real, you and I? That we’ll actually die if we’re separated?”

  “Yes.” Holding her breath, she waited for his response. Would he curse and rage, yell and storm off? Or would he retreat from her with icy indifference, trying to pretend this had never happened?

  In the end, he did none of those things.

  Instead, he gave her a wry smile. Then, while she was still puzzling over that, he hugged her, holding her tightly and giving her a quick kiss before he released her.

  “If that’s the case, then you’re absolutely going to love what I have to reveal,” he said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll tell you. But first, unlike you, I need about a gallon of coffee and some protein in the form of bacon and eggs before I can even think about it. Are you ready to get something to eat now?”

  Stunned, she managed a nod. She let him take her arm and they continued to the coffee shop, sliding into the booth that the hostess gave them.

  Immediately, Mac requested coffee. The waitress brought a carafe and two mugs, telling them she’d come back once they had time to decide what they wanted.

  While Kelly pretended to peruse the menu, she instead studied Mac, cataloging the features that she increasingly found so compelling, so masculine and beautiful. She’d dreaded telling him the truth for what seemed like an eternity and couldn’t get over his nonreaction to her news. She wasn’t sure if she should press him or leave well enough alone.

  Partly, she had to admit his response worried her.

  She truly didn’t understand why he hadn’t had much of a reaction at all. The only reason she could come up with was that he really didn’t believe her.

  Not believing her could have deadly repercussions if he were to decide to put it to the test.

  Closing his menu, he gave her a lopsided smile that tugged at her heart. “Have you decided? I need nourishment. Now.”

  She nodded. “Double bacon and a three-egg ham-and-cheese omelet with hash browns.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m ordering.” With a grin, he leaned across the table. “I don’t know if I can ever get used to this mind-reading stuff.”

  She couldn’t help but smile back. “Not entirely. All true mates do that. And we can’t exactly read each other’s minds. It’s more like an impression.”

  “So you have no idea what secret I’ve got to reveal after we eat?”

  “No. And I have to admit I’m more than a tiny bit curious to hear whatever you have to tell me.” Whatever it was, he hadn’t yet dropped a single hint, though she suspected it had to do with whatever Ian had said to him.

  As if thinking his name brought his attention to them, her cell phone rang.

  “Ian again,” she told him. Then, before Mac could speak, she pressed the button to refuse the call. “No more of his crap until we get this sorted out.”

  Mac rubbed his temple like his head ached. “I agree.” He signaled for the waitress, who hurried over. Once he’d placed their order, he poured them both fresh cups of coffee.

  “Are you going to tell me now?” she asked softly.

  “Impatient again?” he teased, making her think whatever it was, it mustn’t be too serious. But then, his smile faded and his expression hardened. “You won’t have much appetite if I tell you right now. Enjoy your breakfast, then we’ll do a little shopping and find us a new vehicle. Okay?”

  Since she didn’t have a choice, she nodded, waiting impatiently for the meal to arrive. When it did, she dug in, devouring her bacon with an intensity that woke the wolf inside her.

  As the beast paced and tested the boundaries, she pushed it back down. She’d need to change soon and she knew if she felt the need this strongly, Mac most likely did, too.

  Once the plates had been cleared and the check arrived, she waited for him to speak. Instead, he put the cash on the table and got up, holding out his hand to her.

  Slipping her fingers into his, she realized how perfectly their hands fit together. Once they straightened this mess out, they’d be doing this for the rest of their lives.

  This thought pleased her. Until she remembered the alternative. If they failed, they would die, and not necessarily at the same time.

  Once outside, she saw that the heat had ratcheted up considerably higher. “I’ll bet it’s close to ninety out here,” she said, trying to make conversation.

  Instead of answering, he led her back to the motel. They rode the elevator in silence up to their room.

  Once there, she busied herself making sure everything was packed away. “I assume we’re going to get a vehicle next,” she said, avoiding using the word steal. In her heart, she considered they were only borrowing, even if it was without the rightful owner’s permission. Again, it was another of those things where they didn’t have a choice.

  “Kelly?” Something in Mac’s voice alerted her, making her heart begin to pound. He meant to reveal his secret now.

  Slowly she turned. He beckoned her over and she went, conscious of each and every footstep. He patted the bed to indicate she should sit and she shook her head, preferring to stand.

  Mac’s eyes were dark when he looked at her, so dark she couldn’t read them. “When Ian asked to speak to me off the speaker, he offered to make a trade.”

  “A trade?” One moment, she didn’t understand, and the next, she understood far too well.

  “You for my children,” Mac continued. “I’m ashamed to say I actually considered it.”

  Though she should have suspected this was coming, hearing him say the words felt like a blow to the stomach. Had he actually considered it? Why had he waited so long to tell her?

  Somehow, by dint of sheer willpower, she remained upright, unmoving and expressionless. “And now?”

  Expression grim and unsmiling, he met and held her gaze. “Now, I’m actually positive that we should consider doing exactly that.”

  Chapter 13

  “What?” Open-mouthed, she gaped at him. If he’d meant to simply diffuse her angry disappointment, he’d certainly succeeded. Though she still felt faintly nauseated, shock trumped everything else. “Are you serious?”

  “Deadly serious.” His eyes glinted as he continued to hold her gaze. “Ian has no reason to believe that you’ve ever told me the truth about the binding. He’ll know we can’t be
separated and will think I’m not aware of that. We’ll set a trap and use Ian’s own offer to grab my kids. Once we have them, we’ll be free of them forever.”

  “Uh, no.” She discovered that resentment still simmered away inside her. “You’re forgetting about my sister and my cousin. And anyone else those two have taken, like my mother. Getting in and grabbing your children is a great idea, but there are more lives at stake than just theirs or ours.”

  He lifted his chin. “I understand that. No worries. We’ll just have to free them all.”

  Easy to say. Not so easy to actually do.

  “How? The only way to do that is to shut down Uncle Danny and Ian’s group.”

  “Again, to bring them to justice, we need to involve the Protectors.”

  “No.”

  He cocked his head. “Okay. Then what do you suggest—involve people, let the humans bring them to justice?”

  “Now you’re being ridiculous,” she told him. “Since all shifters are forbidden to tell humans anything, you know that’s not even a possibility. We need to infiltrate the group. Find out who we need to bring in to shut it down.”

  She could tell from his set face that he didn’t like her response. “Infiltrate? To me that suggests going undercover. Not only is there not enough time for that, but we don’t have any operatives.”

  She conceded his point. “Maybe that was a bad choice of words. Of course we can’t go undercover. But we do need to get more information about the group.”

  He frowned. “I agree. Right now, we know nothing about them, other than your uncle Danny appears to be in charge, with Ian as his second in command. We don’t have any idea how many people are part of this, and what type of elaborate operation he might have going.”

  Crossing her arms, she met his gaze. “Exactly. We need to find out everything before we go rushing in blindly.”

  “Again, we need the Protectors. We’re only two people.”

  “Two very determined people,” she said. “What we need right now is to talk to someone on the inside.”

  He straightened. “Do you know of anyone?”

  “Not this second, but all it will take is a couple of phone calls. Like everyone else, I have all the phone numbers programmed in my phone. Let me start making some calls. I haven’t enabled the GPS function, so no one can track me.”

  Finally, he cracked the bare beginnings of a smile. “Are you sure you didn’t study to be a Protector?” He sounded so irritated, she couldn’t keep from crossing the space between them and kissing him.

  “No, I did not,” she murmured up against his mouth.

  When the kiss ended, he held on to her, holding her tight. When he released her, he gave her a rueful smile.

  “I should have thought of that,” he said. “I’m the one trained in this sort of thing, not you.”

  “Cut yourself some slack. The reason you’re not thinking clearly is because you’re letting your emotions get involved. I think on some level, you know this, too.”

  “You might be right.” He sighed. Holding her gaze, he reached out and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “You know, the Protectors are very good at gathering intel. I really wish you would consider involving them.”

  “No.”

  He held up a hand. “Now who’s being emotionally involved? Will you really risk everything on the basis of an unsubstantiated murder? Think, Kelly. Really think. What would give us the best chance of success?”

  “I…” Finally, she sighed. “I’ll consider it, but only as a last resort. First, we’ll see what we can find out on our own. And you’ll need to let Ian know you’re considering using me as bait.”

  “And then what?” He sounded so disgruntled that she couldn’t hide her smile.

  “Then we’ll make our plan. I’m sure in the end, we’ll end up going with your original idea. I’ll willingly be bait.”

  “Yes, but without the Protectors helping us, I’m not sure about the safety of that. Like you said, I’m too close to the situation. I thought it was perfect,” he said, stressing past tense. “I thought it might work. In fact, I even went so far as to believe it couldn’t possibly fail.”

  “And now?” she prompted, knowing he wanted her to.

  “Now I have my doubts. Tell me everything you know.”

  This time, she hid her smile. “First off, Ian is smarter than you give him credit for. Whether I’ve told you about the binding or not, he knows we can’t be separated too long or we’ll both die. All he has to do is keep me for six months and we’re goners.”

  Mac winced.

  “Or,” she continued darkly, “even better, not to mention quicker, he kills me and you die. Not a good situation, any way you look at it.”

  He moved restlessly. “Kelly, the more I think about this, the more I believe that we’ve got to involve the Protectors. They can help us. In fact, they’re our only hope.”

  “Not yet,” she said flatly, letting him see her annoyance. “Please stop trying to bludgeon me into agreeing. I told you, no Protectors unless it’s as a last resort. I’ll never trust them. They killed my father.”

  Grabbing her, he pulled her up against him, kissing her hard. “Have you ever stopped to consider that good old Uncle Danny might have actually done the deed? After all, he knew your father was talking to the Protectors.”

  “He wasn’t talking to them. He was avoiding them, just like the rest of our family.” She gave a halfhearted struggle, not really wanting to leave the warmth of his embrace, but knowing she should.

  “But he was,” Mac insisted. “I’ve seen the transcribed documents. He was trying to get help for his family. He was worried about someone, though he never said who. I’d hazard a guess it was Danny.”

  “His own brother?” Though she didn’t push him away, she didn’t really want to hear it. Voicing such a thing almost sounded like sacrilege.

  And yet…it kind of made sense, knowing what she now knew about her uncle. “Do you have proof of that?” she asked.

  “Not with me. But back at headquarters, there are tons of tapes. And yes, before you ask, your father knew his conversations were being recorded.”

  Unable to think coherently with him so close, she finally backed out of his arms. “I’ll consider it. This isn’t a decision I can make lightly. You’ll have to give me some time.”

  “Fine, but please don’t take too long.” His gaze searched her face. “I’m not sure how much time your cousin is going to give me before he reneges on the deal.”

  They checked out of the motel. Then, carrying their bags, they walked over to the discount store to purchase some basic supplies, such as deodorant and toothpaste. Even though it was midday on a weekday, the place was packed.

  Inside the crowded store, she watched the myriad humans hurrying about, some intent on keeping their children from destroying something, others on completing their shopping trip as quickly and painlessly as possible, rushing from aisle to aisle with single-minded intent, and was glad she was different. For the first time she could remember since childhood, she actually rejoiced in what she was, in her true shape-shifter, Tearlach nature.

  Inside, her wolf, who’d waited patiently since they’d eaten, made another attempt to break free. Though Kelly was successful in pushing her lupine nature back into submission, she knew she couldn’t wait too much longer before allowing the wolf to escape.

  An overwhelming urge to leave shook her, so hard she had to stop and refocus on her purpose. But now all she could think about was becoming wolf, of running free on four paws, guided by her instinct, her nature, wild and free. As animal, all her petty concerns fell away, and she was one with her body and the earth, using her astounding sense of smell to see more than her eyes.

  While she struggled with herself, Mac came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder as though he sensed her distress. “Kelly? Is everything all right?”

  Swiveling her head wordlessly, she let him see the wildness in her gaze. She watched as s
lowly his eyes shifted, turning almost yellow to match hers.

  His wolf wanted out, as well. Inside, her beast thrilled to this.

  “You need to change,” he said. “And so do I. Let’s hurry up and buy what we need and get out of here.”

  Unable yet to speak, she simply nodded.

  Moving quickly, they finished shopping and chose the self-checkout lane so they wouldn’t have to wait in line. Paying with cash, Mac carried their few bags out, then swore.

  “I forgot we no longer have a method of transportation,” he said. “What do you want to drive now?”

  “My Hummer,” she responded, only half joking. “Even though that’s not possible. So let’s take whatever we can find.”

  They settled on a late-model Ford F-150 pickup that was parked between the store and the motel, hopefully out of range of the parking lot surveillance cameras. The Ford was white and nondescript, exactly like five thousand other pickups on the road in the area. Again, Mac jotted down the license plate and tucked it in his wallet. She decided not to comment.

  They stowed the shopping bags in the truck and took off, all without calling attention to themselves.

  “We didn’t buy anything that will spoil, so let’s find a nice wooded area where we can change. Though,” he said wryly, glancing around them at the freeways and the traffic, “that might be easier said than done since we’re in such a congested area.”

  “Yes.” Testing her voice, she was pleased to see it had returned. “I remember reading in a magazine an article about the best places to shape-shift in urban areas. If I remember right, there are nature trails somewhere near here, in a suburb called Irving. If we can find those, that might be the best place.”

  He pointed to the GPS on the dash. “See if you can put it in that thing.”

  Once she got it running, she typed in a search for nature trails and, to her surprise, got back several hits, including the one she’d read about in Irving.

  “It’s near the monastery,” she said, surprised that there even was such a thing in the heavily trafficked area. She selected that and the GPS’s metallic voice began to give them directions.