Was the matebond any different? She tried to remember what happened when wolven relocated to a different pack. Sucking the edge of her bottom lip between her teeth, India touched the link that connected her to her reluctant mate. When moving, wouldn’t the old Alpha have to remove the packbond before absorbing them into the new pack? Like a silken cord threaded with steel, the strength of the matebond surprised her. As did the sensitivity of it.
When he moved, she felt the shift in direction. Huh. Her own personal lodestone. No wonder he’d been able to track her so easily. Chase’s irritation hummed along the matebond. Probing further, she could feel his concern and worry. For his pack? Certainly not for her. She was no doubt the cause of his annoyance. Without warning, the emotional aspect of the bond stopped cold. As if an off switch had been flipped from the opposite end.
India opened the restroom door, unsurprised to find him standing in the hallway. His arms crossed over a magnificent chest. Her traitorous libido forgot that the mating heat had passed weeks ago. Involuntarily, India’s eyes were drawn down the sleek tapered line of his body. Remembering what it had felt like to wake up safe and cuddled up against all that warm, muscled hardness.
Suppressing a shiver, India curled her lip and pushed past him. “Did you decide to hold my hand while I went to the potty after all?” She tossed the words behind her, squaring her shoulders while he followed her back to the table. Silence set an icy mood at the table while they waited for the food to arrive.
At last, the waitress emerged, loaded down with Styrofoam containers. “Here is your order.” With a bright smile that belied the obvious unease in the human female’s scent, she set the food between India and Chase. “Is there anything else you need?” India caught the extra emphasis in the waitress’s question. She shook her head in a definitive no, letting the waitress leave. Already, she’d involved the human too far. And what about Betty, her conscience prodded. God, she hoped that Reggie left as instructed, immediately and without dragging their friend further into their problems.
Since India and Chase ordered the same thing, she reached for two of the four containers. Wolven metabolism operated on a much higher level than a normal human’s, requiring them to consume larger meals, more frequently. For India, two complete burger meals was average. Chase, she imagined, was holding back. Most of the males, Reggie included, could literally wolf down three or four of the same. Her mouth watered. The tantalizing aroma of cooked beef and fried potatoes that permeated the building was now in front of her. Opening the box, she lifted out the hamburger, smiling at the first bite of cholesterol laden goodness. “Mmmm.” She closed her eyes, enjoying the mix of fried hamburger meat, bacon, and cheese. Swallowing, she reached out to grab the salt before dousing her fries. The first bite of that was heavenly too. India sighed.
“So.” Chase interrupted just as she finished wadded up the wrapper from her burger. He pushed his now empty containers aside. Resting his arms on the red topped table, the wolven male laced his long fingers together, all his formidable attention now focused on her. India paused, her hand on the second Styrofoam container, sending him a curious glance. His features gave away nothing. The matebond offered no clues to his mood. “Have you figured out how to undo the bond?”
“No. I’m not sure how I did it in the first place.” India lowered her eyes back to her meal. She opened the box, picking through her fries while she tried to find a way to explain. “We were on the run for months with the Hunter almost on our tails. I couldn’t let anyone Change. Then, when we stumbled into that place,” A glance up verified that he understood that she spoke of their dream forest. She shrugged. “I didn’t think you were real at the time.” She hadn’t wanted him to leave her behind.
“How long do you think it will take?” He sounded cold and uncaring, staring over his drink cup with those amber eyes fixed on her. His cell phone vibrated, saving her from answering. Not that she had an answer for that one. She had absolutely no idea how long it would take to do something she’d never done before to undo something she hadn’t intended to do in the first place.
She stared at the thumb Chase used to flick the phone open. “Talk to me, Jude.” Those capable hands had held her safe last night. She’d definitely lost her mind. How could she both want to stay and crawl into his lap and run as far away as possible?
Despite the cell phone being pressed against his ear, her wolven hearing picked up the conversation as well as if all she’d been in the room with both participants. “You said the Hunter wasn’t gonna come after us.” The caller’s fear came though clear. His whining tone coupled with the frantic pants made her imagine a small creature holed up in an earthen den. “He got Terrence, warden.” Anger bled into the Were’s fearful speech. A little bit of backbone that made Chase’s lips peel back from his teeth in an unconscious snarl. “That Hunter got my brother. What’s gonna happen to the rest o’ us?”
“Tell me what happened.”
“I done tole you. Terrence is dead. I think maybe we ought to move.”
“Dammit Jude.” Chase’s eyes gleamed red as his temper spiked. Prickles of supernatural energy rolled off of him, chasing goosebumps up India’s arm. “Don’t you dare.” His impatient growl set off a round of whimpers from the caller. India imagined he was already packing his bags. She held out her hand. Chase narrowed his glare to heated slits. Raising her eyebrows, she wiggled the outstretched digits expectantly. With a huff, he handed the phone over.
“Fine. But if he runs, I’m taking out of your hide.”
India smiled sweetly. She batted her lashes before putting the phone to her ear. “Hello, Jude, is it?”
“Uhhhh. Yeah.” The change had the desired effect. Curiosity ebbed some of the Were’s fear. “Who’re you, girlie?”
“My name is India. Could you tell me a little about your brother?” She only heard a scratchy sound that she refused to imagine the source of. “Please? Tell me about Terrence.”
“That rat-bastard kilt ‘im.”
“Yes.” She glanced at Chase as he slid to a comfortable slouch in the molded plastic seat. His boot encased feet crossed at the ankles while his arms crossed over his hard chest. He raised one eyebrow, sarcasm steeped in the singular movement. Thankfully, today the waterfall of gold that flowed over one shoulder distracted her from checking out the lines and valleys of musculature. Instead, one portion of her brain fixated on the color as her fingers reminded her of the memory of the sleek texture.
“I’m very sorry for your loss, Jude.” India cleared her throat. Her voice lowered with emotion. “I’ve lost loved ones to the Hunters.”
“Silver in the ribs. Bastard held my brother until enough melting to kill ‘im.” Psychics ran to plain and sedentary, their ‘gifts’ more than making up for any physical lack. The vast majority of humans didn’t have enough body strength to wrestle with supernaturals, even a Were. Whatever combination comprised the Hunters, made for a creature that scared the living hell out of most supernaturals. The highest on the food chain, dragons, vampires, and wolven, avoided confrontation with Hunters, but would defend their territories. Those like Jude, would run and keep on running until he was certain the Hunter had lost interest. “Made it look like a drug deal gone bad. Now the po-leece have Terrence. What am I s’posed to do now?”
What indeed? Her mind whirled with the possibility of the coroner stumbling onto the differences of Were and human physiology. “I’m so sorry.” At home, before the Hunter took everyone out, the Alphas had contacts, even a wolven in the coroner’s office to deal with these kinds of sensitive issues. Hopefully, this pack was just as equipped to deal with potential discoveries. Chase’s quiet nod assured her that they did. She was sure that he was one of those contingencies in case something went awry. He was a warden. That’s what his kind did. Protect the pack at all costs.
“Terrence did some breaking and entering.” Jude’s emotional dam broke. Soft snuffles of sorrow punctuated his words. “Usually, rich humans on vacation
. Stole a car or two. But we don’t have no truck with dealin’. That was old Garrick and his trash. Ain’t none o’ our kind been tied into dealin’ or pimpin’ for forever. The wolves’ll eat your ass alive for that.”
* * * *
Watching and feeling the play of emotions his would-be mate broadcasted took ten kinds of bad-ass out of him that it took to hide his own feelings behind a wall of iron will. Iron will that she turned to mush with her special brand of innocence and ferocity. Once more he felt himself reach out through their link to offer a gentle push of the comfort and security she desperately needed. Absorbing his offering without comment, hell without noticing, she pushed the long strands of her inky hair behind one small, shell shaped ear. Chase couldn’t take the torture anymore. He leaned forward, taking the phone out of her hand, then stood up.
“Jude. You still with me?”
“Uhhh. Yeah, wolf. I’m here.”
Pulling his wallet out, he dropped the ticket and a couple of bills large enough to cover both the food and a tip at the gas station register. “Good food,” he muttered the cashier’s surprised expression before heading out the door. “Listen up.”
“I don’t know ….”
“No. You listen.” He growled into the phone. India dogged his steps to the SUV, making a nuisance with her feminine scent. “First, send the females and young ones to a safe place. If you don’t have a safe place, yell and I’ll find a place for you to head to.”
“You’re ….”
“Shut up and listen.” He could practically hear Jude bobbing his greasy head. “I still need your eyes and ears. Just keep your head down and stay downwind of the Hunter. Stay away and out of Terrence’s mess. Don’t try to claim the body or clear his name.”
“But.” One growl silenced the Were again. “Okay.” Chase hung up the phone, tossing it into the catch-all tray between the seats. All these weeks of playing the waiting game he’d hoped the Hunter would get bored and move one. Hoped, because he didn’t believe.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as India leaned against the passenger door. Her pensive gaze and the worry filtering through their link telling him more than anything that she fretted over her absent packbrother. Or did she worry that he’d find that stray sniffing after her?
The idea of her trapping some other poor schmuck into a matebond cramped in his gut. He needed to focus. The desire to try Tank’s cell itched at him, but he ignored that. He’d already tried it once this morning and his bud wasn’t answering. He’d be damned if he was going to leave messages on his friend’s voicemail like a stalker girlfriend.
Putting the vehicle into reverse gear, he backed out of the parking spot, then shifted to pull out onto the highway. Unease skittered up his spine. He could excuse his feelings all he wanted. But the fact remained that as long as he put off bringing India to the safety of the pack, he put them all at risk. The phone rang as he reached for it, the vibration in the plastic tray more ominous than the distant prodding he felt to answer. Sometimes being a part of a pack was almost like being psychic again. Some things pertaining to the pack, you just knew. For one brief second he wanted to turn the SUV around and just drive, taking him and his mate far away.
Instead, he answered the phone like a good little packwolf. “Hey, bossman.”
“Time to come in Chase.” He could feel the Alpha’s Call. No more messing around. The summons wasn’t just for him, but everyone to regrouping at Packhome.
“Yeah. The Hunter’s on the move.” He explained about his Were contacts and the dead wereraccoon. With one eye on the road and one on the growing horror and betrayal in India’s lovely black eyes, he told his Alpha about his mate’s exterminated pack. By the time he reached the main business area in Palestine, she’d retreated to gaze out the window. The coldness in the set of her shoulders matched the iciness of wall she’d blocked their matebond link with.
Leaving her to her brooding, he touched on the special bond he shared with his Alphas. Their worry and alarm weighted his foot on the gas pedal. The bitter taste of Adam’s disappointment bothered Chase. Suddenly, his small rebellion over his independence, his privacy as he sorted out the situation between him and India seemed petty and selfish. Whatever happened between him and India, the safety of the pack as a whole came first. “I’m on my way.” Even if Diana couldn’t accept her into the pack. He hesitated a breath before trusting Adam. “I’m bringing my…mate with me.” There, he’d said it out loud. Out of the corner of his eye, India made no response. The matebond was cold and silent.
“I know. It will all work out.” The problem was, Adam didn’t sound or feel completely certain about that.
* * * *
Forty-five minutes later India dared to look at Chase as he slowed down on the highway, pulled off onto one of the many breaks in the pine trees that meant the presence of another narrow black-topped county road. “Where are we?” Without a map, her sense of direction told her nothing. She was somewhere northwest of the tiny town of Grapeland, where they’d lunched at. As far as she could tell, they were west of Frankston. How far, she had no idea.
“Packhome.” Chase’s curt answer told her nothing. They were on his pack’s home property. Big deal. The vehicle was going much slower now. If she jumped and ran, would he pursue? Or were his pack’s problems big enough to make him choose them over her?
She didn’t want to think further on that line of thought. He may have called her his mate to his Alpha, but she had no illusions that he still wanted the link between them severed. What would happen if she did manage to cut their tie to one another. Memories she usually suppressed of her dead pack members flirted darkly in her mind. Survivors of the mated pairs had suffered horribly at the sudden loss of their other half. Their pain and confusion had made them easy targets for the Hunter. A few tried to hunt the Hunter for vengeance. Another type of suicide, India had thought at the time. But there had been no reasoning with her packmembers’ loss.
Maybe she should try to sever the bond between them before their attraction completed the process. As a warden, he was vital to the safety of his pack and odds were against her surviving the Hunter’s pursuit. Besides that, Reggie was depending on her. If he’d gotten out of Frankston when she told him to, he’d be waiting on her to come for him. The poor guy wouldn’t be able to manage on his own for long.
“We’re here.” She’d been so lost in thought that Chase’s voice alerted her to the fact that the vehicle had stopped. Once side of his mouth tipped up in a wry smile as he tipped a nod at the palatial two-story log home in front of them. “We’re actually located in Tennessee Colony, but the school district is Cayuga. I’m not sure how, but the kids all go to Palestine.”
The front door opened and several people stepped onto the wrap around porch. Chase’s eyes grew warm with obvious affection at the site of his Pack, even though his voice held a wary edge for her sake. He glanced at her, the pure blue startling her with unnamed emotion. “That’s Adam and Diana Weis, my Alphas.” He held her gaze, trying to tell her with his eyes, when she wouldn’t relent on blocking the matebond. “I won’t let anyone hurt you Cleo.”
Instead of playing the coward, she opened the door at the same time as Chase. Lifting her chin, she accepted his hand and let herself be led forward all the while, studying the stern pair at the foot of the steps.
The male’s white blond hair and huge muscular build might have overshadowed another female of the same petite build as the one beside him. Her size and generous curves marked her as Psychic, confirming the rumors India had heard about the Anderson County Pack. The Alpha female’s hair was cut short, the pixie-like haircut only emphasized the fire spitting from her eyes.
Her small hands fisted, her aggressive stance held back by one of her mate’s big hands resting on her shoulder. India tasted furious psychic on the air. That fury, she understood. Sensing that the Alpha female was more wolven than the outside preternatural world gave her credit for, India let go of Chase’s hand and s
tepped away. She shook her head when he would have reached for her, taking control of the burst of fear that would mark her as prey.
In any pack, there was only room for one fully dominant male and one female to reign supreme. This woman, India recognized as queen. Eyes down, she shoved down her dominant nature, made more so by her months on her own and her responsibility to Reggie. India moved further away from what small protection Chase could have given her. This, she would have to do on her own. His small sound of protest made her feel marginally better. However played out, it was the inevitable rite any stray would go through. As a female, the final say would be pack’s Alpha female. Either India would be accepted or the woman would tear her to pieces.
The petite woman shrugged off her mate’s restraining hand. India stopped. Should she go to all fours and beg forgiveness? That action repelled her, stiffening her spine, so that the only submissive gesture left to her was remain still, eyes downcast.
“Are you growling at me?” Diana Weis’s soft voice was velvet wrapped around steel. Soft and pleasant to the senses, the hidden strength something only a fool would discount.
India attempted to smooth the snarl from her lips. “Not intentionally, Canis Matra.” Every hair on her body prickled with the dangerous energy radiating from the shorter woman. India kept herself still as Diana Weis circled around her, the hot energy rose to an almost painful touch against her skin. This was power the likes of which India Demos had never witnessed. A burst of insight, possibly psychically placed into her mind. Had India’s own pack been in the care of this woman, the Hunter would not have exterminated them. Diana Weis would have killed him the instant he revealed himself. This woman would have no qualms taking a pound of her enemy’s flesh for every one of her charges that he hurt.
“I could kill you.” Diana’s voice dropped so low that she doubted the others could hear. India nodded. She’d fight, possibly hurt the psychic. Unless, she scored a fast mortal blow, both Diana and her pack would kill her. The righteous fury in those brown eyes had not abated. The Alpha’s soft velvet voice was for India’s ears alone. “You’re not one of mine. You’ve brought danger to my family. You’ve tried to take what is not yours.” Diana’s emphasis on tried drove home the other woman’s belief that with India’s death, Chase would be free of her. Because the mating wasn’t complete, he’d be freed without the usual trauma.
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