Rebel Wolf

by Lowe, Anna

  Chase went right on holding her, showing her he didn’t care. “So that’s what you meant by being prepared. Stocking up. Bad habits being hard to break.”

  Her gut knotted as she nodded. Yes, yes, and yes. Would Chase hate her for that?

  “That’s what you meant about seeing the good things in life,” he murmured.

  She held her breath, awaiting his verdict. So many people judged her by her family. Surely, Chase would be the same?

  But he just shrugged, looking at her, totally unfazed. “My father is a total deadbeat. Who cares about that?”

  Sophie squeezed her lips together. It was one thing to have a deadbeat dad. It was another thing to have a father like hers. So she tried once again.

  “Did you hear what I just said?”

  He nodded. Twice.

  She stared. “And?”

  He shrugged. “That’s someone else. It’s not you.” He scooted closer, erasing the distance she’d unconsciously created between them. “I know you. You’re kind. You look out for people. You’re one of those rare people who really means it when you say, ‘Have a nice day.’”

  She stared. Was he really going to let her off the hook that easily? She’d spent years living with guilt. But Chase just dismissed all that in the blink of an eye.

  “You rescue dogs. You plant flowers. You’re a good person, Sophie.”

  She wanted to believe that — desperately. But a corner of her mind kept reminding her of her links to the monster who had preached so much hate and caused so much trouble.

  Chase hugged her. “My dad’s a jerk, too. Doesn’t mean I’m one.”

  His voice was muffled against her hair, but she could hear the stark determination in it.

  “You really don’t care?” she asked, pulling back to study his face.

  “I really don’t care. Though I have to say, I’m curious what records he was after. Or shouldn’t I ask?”

  She grimaced, and he spoke up immediately. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter.”

  But somehow, it mattered to her. If she and Chase were going to get serious, she had to tell him the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but.

  Her mouth went dry, and her hands were all jittery, but she plunged ahead. “He was obsessed with the supernatural. He thought the government was developing the ultimate soldier, and he wanted to get ahold of those plans for himself.”

  Chase stiffened. “What plans?”

  She took a deep breath. This was the tricky part. “He believed in shifters. You know, like werewolves and stuff. Crazy, huh?”

  Other than the pulse showing at his neck, Chase could have been a statue.

  “Maybe not so crazy,” he finally murmured.

  Sophie’s mouth had never felt drier. “It’s not,” she admitted in a whisper. “I saw one.”

  Chase’s eyes went wide. “A shifter?”

  “Just before I left home. My stepfather was in prison, but his brother, Mike, was obsessed with the idea of shifter power. That would make the militia nearly invincible, so he refused to give up on the idea.”

  “What idea?” Chase asked in a scratchy, uncertain voice.

  “To try to find shifters. To learn about them. To become as strong as they are, because then they’d be unbeatable.”

  Chase paled. Damn. He had to be thinking she was totally insane. Still, now that she’d started, she wasn’t going to stop.

  “Mike became obsessed with the subject. When he discovered the Pentagon didn’t actually have any real intel on shifters, he decided to try a new tack. He went out, searching for natural-born shifters.”

  Chase looked genuinely alarmed. “But—”

  “I know, it all sounds crazy. But the thing is, he succeeded. Mike found a bear shifter, and he even got the bear to bite his arm on the theory that he would gain that shifting ability for himself.”

  “Is he nuts?” Chase looked genuinely alarmed. Almost like he knew about shifters or something.

  Yes, she wanted to say. He was.

  She sighed. “Mike believed it. You know, like the old stories. Being bitten by a werewolf and all that.”

  She’d never seen Chase look more incredulous. “It’s not that easy.”

  She looked off into the distance. “As a kid, I heard the stories. I even thought it would be cool to be a shifter. You know, to change into an animal and sniff around on four feet.”

  At that point, Chase’s expression changed to hopeful, and she wondered why.

  “But then I saw it with my own eyes — a man changing into an animal.” She swallowed hard. “Mike, I mean. It all happened over a week. He started acting strangely, like he was hearing voices in his head. Then he started changing — getting hairy, then going normal again. He’d scream and bend over, and his legs started changing shape. It was horrible.”

  Chase whispered so faintly, she barely caught what he said. “Horrible?”

  She closed her eyes, fighting away memories. “He was in agony. For two days, that kept happening — he’d shift partway, then shift back. I saw it with my own eyes. He changed into a bear — or came close. The whole time, he was moaning, like something was eating him from the inside.”

  It was strange, how the story didn’t seem to surprise Chase. But she was so caught up in it, she probably wasn’t reading him right.

  “It was monstrous. Unnatural. Like nature gone wrong.”

  Other than going totally white, Chase’s face was expressionless. “Unnatural?”

  She bobbed her head up and down, wishing she’d never brought up the subject. She puffed out a breath to steady herself and tried to sum things up.

  “Mike died a horrible death. My stepfather is in jail — all because they wanted to be shifters. David’s father took leadership of the group—”

  Chase’s chin snapped up. “David?”

  She nodded. “At least his father showed more sense than Mike and my stepfather. He forbade anyone from continuing the shifter project, and for a while, things settled down. I’d had enough of it all by then, so I moved to Vermont.”

  “What about David?” Chase asked, furrowing his brow.

  She frowned. “I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him in years. Why?”

  Chase stared off into the distance, thinking. A full minute later, he murmured, “Just wondering, I guess.”

  Sophie looked through the windows on the west end of the barn. The weather was blustery and cloudy, much like her mood. Had she ruined everything with Chase?

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, taking his hands. “I just had to tell you. I need you to know where I come from. What I left behind and why.”

  Chase nodded slowly, but he didn’t say a word. He didn’t even meet her eyes.

  She gulped. “I hope that doesn’t change anything.”

  Please, please, please, she wanted to say. Please don’t make me lose you over all that.

  Chase flashed a short, forced smile. His eyes were dull and listless, but his hands were tight on hers, almost as if there was someone out there, ready to yank her away. Mixed messages, in other words. But the words he uttered next just about knocked her out.

  “Nothing will change how much I love you.”

  It was just a whisper, but her jaw dropped. “You…love me?”

  His smile was equal parts sweet and sad, and she couldn’t understand why. “I’ve loved you from the start. I love you more than I can say.”

  As beautiful as his words were, something made her feel there was a but coming.

  “Your past doesn’t matter,” Chase went on. “You left that life behind for a reason.”

  Then…what? she wanted to scream. Why are we not dancing for joy right now?

  “But something is holding you back,” she said, almost choking over the words.

  He squeezed her hands. “I don’t mind about your family. The problem is my family.”

  She looked up, aching at the hurt in his voice. “Your family is great. And anyway, it doesn’t matter. Nothing will change how mu
ch I love you.”

  His eyes brightened then faded again. “So, I guess it’s my turn to tell you. About me, I mean.”

  She nodded eagerly. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t matter. The sooner Chase told her, the sooner she could assure him everything was fine.

  “So tell me,” she whispered. “Please.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  A heavy silence stretched between them, and Sophie waited impatiently for Chase to begin. Finally, he opened his mouth, ready to start, but then—

  His chin jerked up and to the side, as if he’d heard a phone ring. His forehead creased with deep lines, and his whole demeanor changed.

  “Damn it,” he muttered.

  Sophie blinked. “Everything okay?”

  His shoulders drooped for a second, and his hands balled into fists. “Yes. No. Shit. I have to go check.”

  He looked at her for a long, hard minute, and she could see him warring with himself. He stood, reaching for his clothes, then took her hand.

  “I’ll explain everything, Sophie. I swear.”

  He kissed her. She wanted to kiss him back, but her lips met thin air as Chase pulled away.

  “I swear, I will,” he muttered, pulling on his pants.

  She’d seen him turn on soldier mode before, but never as abruptly as this. His voice was tight with determination, and his grim undertone scared her. What exactly was going on?

  One of his brothers had come by the previous evening, and Chase had come back in, looking preoccupied. I might have to check on some things in the morning…

  She looked around. What exactly had flipped that switch in him?

  Chase was already swinging a foot onto the staircase, looking more intent than ever. Maybe she’d missed a knock at the door or the ring of a phone.

  “Do you think there’s been some breakthrough in the investigation?” she asked.

  The curt jerk of his head could have meant anything, and his words had the same effect. “Let me go find out. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Her heart sank, but she forced a smile. “Okay.”

  He kissed her again, long enough for her to reciprocate. A deep, yearning kiss that pushed hope back into her. Whatever was wrong, it was with the outside world, not between him and her.

  “Okay,” she whispered when he broke away.

  Chase nodded once and stepped out of view. Sophie sat curled up in the sheets, listening to the commotion as the dogs stirred. The door creaked open, then slammed, and silence returned.

  She sat for another full minute, wrapped in the sheet, ready to cry. Then she forced herself to move. Crying didn’t accomplish anything, and for all she knew, Chase might return quickly with good news.

  So she descended, let the dogs out, and fed them, all while picturing herself and Chase having the morning she’d wished for. She looked around wistfully. Well, she’d start with breakfast, so when Chase returned, she’d have everything ready to go. Then she’d get dressed and do her hair — a waterfall braid — and then…

  She did all that, then waited, and waited a little more. Finally, the door opened, and she jumped to her feet.

  “Hi,” she whispered.

  “Hi,” Chase said, standing still.

  Sophie could have cried, because all the awkwardness they’d shed was back again.

  “Anything new?” she asked at last.

  He ran a hand through his hair, looking more tired than she’d ever seen him before. He opened his mouth then closed it again, fishing for words. “Yeah. Lots. First, we’ve heard from Officer Meli. The police have a suspect in custody. David.”

  She sank to the kitchen stool. Part of her had suspected all along, but she still couldn’t believe it. “David?” Was he really capable of trying to kill her?

  Chase nodded wearily. “I need to go to the police station to see exactly what they have on him. But, yeah. It’s David, all right.”

  “I’ll go.”

  Chase shook his head immediately. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Do you?”

  Sophie looked at her feet. What would she say to David? What would she do?

  “I guess not,” she admitted. When she looked up, Chase seemed more worried than ever before. “What is it?”

  He forced a shrug, which didn’t reassure her at all. “Another issue has come up. Nothing to do with you,” he added quickly. “A security issue with the neighboring estate.”

  She studied him closely, but his guarded expression didn’t give anything away. How serious an issue? What kind?

  “Anyway, I need to check on that too.” Chase looked over her shoulder, utterly glum. “Damn. You made breakfast and everything. I wish I didn’t have to go.”

  She wanted to slam the door shut and lock away the outside world. But that wasn’t the way life worked. Chase had a job to do, and he’d already devoted too much time to her.

  “I wish too.” She slid her hands over his arm. “But we can talk later. Right?”

  He bit his lip, and she wondered why he looked so torn. “Yeah. Later. Will you wait for me?”

  She rubbed her arms, thinking it over. She wasn’t actually scheduled to work that day, and since the dogs were there with her…

  “Sure,” she said, trying to sound chipper but failing miserably.

  They stood, looking at each other wordlessly, and Sophie felt a thousand regrets chug between them like a long train line. One after another, all chained to each other, stretching on and on. Chase shoved his hands deep into his pockets, not appearing the least bit ready to go. But a car horn beeped outside, and he looked up.

  “Okay,” he whispered, giving her a peck on the cheek. “See you.”

  “See you,” she echoed, watching him go. Then she closed the door and stood there for a full five minutes, hoping to hear his footsteps rushing back to her.

  The dogs looked at her mournfully, and all she heard was the wild rustling of the trees. A powerful wind had sprung up overnight, and the sky was a solid, mournful gray.

  “I guess the forecast was right,” she muttered.

  Half an hour ticked by, but it felt like hours, and eventually, she motioned the dogs to the door. She would go crazy waiting around.

  “How about we go for a short ride, guys?”

  As always, the dogs were game, and off they went, up the path to the driveway where her beat-up Nissan stood. Dell had driven it over the previous evening, helping her once again. The keys were in the ignition, so she shooed the dogs into the back and drove off as quietly as she could. David was in custody, so there was no danger, and since there was an issue at the neighboring estate, she didn’t want to disturb anyone. Besides, she needed some time alone in her special thinking place. It wasn’t far, and on such a blustery day, there wouldn’t be too many people around.

  She drove north and eased her car over the bump where the pavement of the Honoapi’ilani Highway gave way to unfinished road. Then she followed the narrow, winding lane and parked at the turnout to the blowhole. As she hoped, there were no visitors. It was just her, the ocean, and the whipping wind. She zipped up her windbreaker and headed toward the blowhole, where she found a flat rock and settled down. The dogs wandered around, sniffing bushes and puddles, leaving her to her thoughts.

  The problem was, her mind skipped all over the place, from heated memories of her night with Chase to the chilling news that David had been arrested. She wished she had asked Chase for more details. Was David accused of setting off the explosion and shooting at her?

  The offshore wind whipped at her hair. She pulled on her hood and hunkered down. That raw, exposed coast suited her mood perfectly, and she was in no rush to go. Although David had been arrested, she felt no relief, only a deepened sense of mystery — and sadness. She’d come to Maui seeking goodness and joy, but David has cast a cloud so thick, she wondered if she would ever get out from under it.

  Her locket warmed, and she brought it up to her eyes. At least there was that. Her aunt had insisted the little locket was a re
pository of goodness and love. And boy, did she need it.

  Waves crashed against the rocky shoreline, and the blowhole erupted, sending a plume of water into the air. Boris skittered over and hid behind her legs, shaking.

  “Don’t worry.” She rubbed his ears. “It does that all the time. Look.”

  A second, smaller burst followed the first, accompanied by a gurgling whoosh!

  “Nothing to worry about.”

  Poor Boris remained huddled, unconvinced. When the blowhole went off again a few minutes later, covering them with a fine mist, he shuddered the same way.

  “Stupid dog,” someone laughed.

  Sophie nearly jumped out of her skin. When she whirled to see who it was, she gasped.

  “David?”

  The noise of the wind and the waves had let him sneak up unnoticed. Darcy and Coco bustled to her side, growling.

  She jumped to her feet, clutching her car keys, wishing she had something more substantial to defend herself with. “What are you doing here?”

  “Aw, you know. Checking out the sights.” David’s eyes were fixed on her, not the blowhole, and a chill went down her spine.

  Behind him, three men in suits picked their way down the rocks, looking out of place. The wind pulled at their ties and the flaps of their jackets as they moved. David grinned and repositioned the long black bag slung over his shoulder.

  Darcy snarled, backing up until his rear bumped Sophie’s legs, forming her last line of defense.

  One desperate glance up to the road dashed her hopes — there was no one there to help. Just the dark SUV that David and the men must have arrived in, and no one else. Sophie stared. Who were they? What did they want? And whoa, wasn’t David supposed to be in police custody?

  When he stepped closer, she backed up, and he grinned.

  “Aw, come on, Sophie. You don’t have to be scared of me.”

  One look at his predatory eyes told her the opposite, and she kept backing away, splashing through the puddles left by the blowhole. Had the police released David? Had he escaped?

  “What are you doing here?”

  She glanced around, wondering how she might escape. The rock ledge only went so far before falling away into the crashing surf. Steel-gray clouds clogged the sky, and the wind dampened her cheeks with spray from a crashing wave.