by Terry Spear
She would discover the truth. The murderer would pay dearly for the wolves’ deaths.
The crunch of footsteps coming toward her instantly caught her attention. Her skin prickled with awareness and her body chilled even further.
She turned off her flashlight and quickly headed down a lane of trees. She moved away from the footsteps, her own steps light and soundless, like a wolf’s.
Without warning, a stout, black-haired man stepped in front of her, towering over her, his fleshy fat cheeks red. Her heart did a flip. Flashlight in his gloved hand, he pointed the beam of light into her eyes.
Blinded, she squinted, her heart still racing.
“Stealing a tree in the middle of the night, are we?” he asked gruffly. He was wearing gray pants, a brown coat smudged with dirt, muddy work boots, and a black knit ski cap. He looked like someone who might work on the farm.
Her spine tingling from surprise, she felt a lot more rattled than she liked. She took a deep breath to smell him and couldn’t detect that he was a wolf. Once he lowered the flashlight and gave her a really good look, she saw his eyes were blue. Not a wolf then.
She might look like a cat burglar ready to steal the family jewels. A tree thief? Hardly.
“Stealing a tree? No. Nathan, my nephew who works here, called and said he’d lost his watch out here. He said he was getting ready for bed when he realized it,” Anna smoothly said. “I told him I’d come and help him look for it. You know his parents died last year, right? His father gave it to him on his sixteenth birthday and he’s really torn up about it.”
“So where is he?” The man didn’t take his cold eyes off her.
“I don’t know. I couldn’t find him, so I thought I’d hunt for it myself since I was here already.” She looked down at the ground again as if she might still be searching for the watch. “He said he lost it out here where he’d taken us to look at the trees earlier today.” She flipped on her flashlight and waved it around the area. “He dropped off the tree we bought at our house. We weren’t home at the time. Then he came back to look for it, and when he couldn’t find it, he called me to help. I thought he’d still be here.”
“In the dark.” It wasn’t a question.
“We were afraid one of your sleds would run over it during the day and ruin it. And it’s supposed to snow more. It’s not waterproof. I figured I’d check since I was here already, and I might just see it. You know how kids are. They can never find anything on their own.”
The man narrowed his beady eyes at her. “I’ve never seen him wearing a watch.”
He was bluffing, watching her for a reaction. How would he know whether Nathan wore a watch or not? Not that Nathan did. Lupus garous didn’t wear watches or other jewelry because it was too much of a nuisance if they had to shift quickly.
“Why are you out here alone tonight?” he asked, taking a step closer.
Her heartbeat sped up. If he grabbed her, he’d find himself flat on his back, but she didn’t want to get physical with him and make him even more suspicious.
Footsteps from behind her sounded. Expecting another guard on duty protecting Christmas trees, Anna turned and saw Bjornolf headed in her direction, his steely dark eyes focused on the man questioning her. He looked like he was still on the jungle mission, ready to protect her and kill any man who threatened her.
She took a breath in relief. In the jungle, they took down the enemies. No problem. In a case like this, the man was harmless. She couldn’t do anything but try to provide a cover for herself and not look like she was a thief.
The man took a couple of steps back. A bit of warmth seeped into her bones as Bjornolf drew nearer.
“My wife isn’t alone.” Bjornolf slipped his left arm around Anna’s shoulders and she leaned into him a little, savoring his protectiveness and warmth. He extended his right hand to the man for a handshake in greeting. “Bjorn and Anna Jorgenson.”
The man hesitated, looking as though he doubted that they were just Nathan’s relatives. He didn’t take Bjornolf’s hand but instead said, “Lemme see some ID.”
Bjornolf released Anna and dragged out a wallet, then pulled out a driver’s license and gave it to him. The man flashed the light over it, then nodded and handed it back. “Yours?” he said to Anna.
“Former cop?” she asked, caustically. She knew he wasn’t, knew he was taking the proper precautions after having come across trespassers in the dark, but she didn’t have to like it. She didn’t have any ID that showed she was Anna “Jorgenson,” either.
She passed over her driver’s license, waited for the man to say something, and was prepared with an answer about her last name being different from Bjornolf’s.
He cocked a brow, looked at her, and said, “Says here your name is Anna Johnson.”
Bjornolf grinned. “We’re newlyweds.” He gave Anna a squeeze, either for show or reminding her that she was supposed to remember the role she was playing.
She instantly said, “I’m not changing my name.” She smiled up at Bjornolf. “Woman’s prerogative. It’s too much of a hassle. What if the honeymoon doesn’t last?”
“Oh, honey, it’ll last.” Bjornolf gave her a look like he would show her just how much so, once they were back at the cottage. She swore he wasn’t playacting, either. And she had to admit his comment made her wish he wasn’t just playing a role. “Come on. I know Nathan’s upset about this, but we can return at daybreak and see if we can locate it then.”
She gave him another smile that said, “Right.” Then she looked at the man. “Your name is…?”
“Everton. The owner. Tell Nathan if he wants to make arrangements to have his kinfolk come look for something of his in the middle of the night to get permission first.”
“So… can we have permission?” she asked, trying to sound sweet and innocent.
“No. Come back in the morning when we’re open.”
She looked up at Bjornolf, slipped her arm around his waist, and said, “Guess we ought to go home to bed, then.”
“Exactly what I had in mind, honey.”
They turned to leave and had taken a couple of steps, when the man said in a surly, commanding way, “Wait!”
Bjornolf stiffened beside her, his eyes narrowing as they faced the man.
“I didn’t hear you calling Nathan’s name. If you were looking for him,” Everton said.
“She was. She has a soft voice,” Bjornolf growled as if he didn’t like that the man was questioning Anna’s story, and if they needed to take this to a physical level, he was game.
Anna loved him for it. She expected the man to ask why he didn’t hear Bjornolf calling out Nathan’s name and she stiffened a little.
“Anything else?” Bjornolf asked the question as though the man had better not pose another one.
Everton slid his gaze from Bjornolf to Anna, his expression irritated. He looked like he didn’t believe them. “Nah. Just don’t come back here again when we’re closed.”
Anna was dying to ask Everton why he was wandering around the property in the middle of the night. Bjornolf quickly said good night and escorted her off the farm.
She had to admit Bjornolf was good for a rescue. She was also glad they had their own vehicles at the Christmas tree farm. That way she didn’t have to hear his guff the whole drive back to the cottage about why she shouldn’t have gone alone tonight.
What she didn’t expect was for him to escort her through the parking lot, walk her all the way to her car, pull her into a hard embrace, and kiss her like they were newlyweds. Long and penetrating, hard and gentle, and every kind of delicious kiss in between. He finally released her and dragged in a breath of cold air. His heart was pounding furiously, his breath short, puffs of white vapor floating between them.
The kiss was nothing short of miraculous, full of feeling, and she wondered if he’d been worried that a bad guy might have taken her out. Any team member wouldn’t want to lose their partner, but his concern for her seemed like it w
as much more than that.
“Damn but you taste good, Anna,” he said softly, his eyes dark with feral need as he rubbed her arms. The heat sizzled through her blood beneath the jacket and sweater she wore.
“He better be watching us,” Anna warned in a whisper, but she didn’t mean it. She loved the way he kissed.
Bjornolf gave her a devilish smile and a quick kiss on her cold nose, his mouth hot against her skin. “Follow you home, honey.” He pulled her door open, and once she climbed in, he closed it for her. She waited for him to enter his own vehicle and start the engine before she drove off.
She hadn’t needed to wait for him, but something in the back of her mind nagged at her. Bjornolf had come to watch over her. What if someone tried to take him out and the only one who could save him was her? Not that they were in a jungle environment fighting drug-running terrorists here. But who knew what they were really up against?
Her lingering there had nothing to do with his kissing her, or pretending to be newlyweds if Everton was watching. Her duty as part of this new team was making sure Bjornolf had backup if he needed it, she told herself.
As his Land Rover followed her, she thought of the night she’d led him to the hotel where he’d finally tracked her down and gotten the best of her. She couldn’t help but look in her rearview mirror, watching his headlights and feeling a sense of déjà vu. Except that time, she’d thought he was an assassin. This time, he was on her team. Only it seemed as if he was looking for more than a temporary arrangement.
Yeah right, she scoffed. How much of that was her interest in him rather than his interest in her, and she was projecting what she wanted rather than what he truly desired?
Anna assumed that they’d talk as soon as she parked and Bjornolf followed her into the house. What she didn’t expect was that she’d wait for him to walk her to the door, even allowing him to take her hand as if they were wolves on a date.
What was wrong with her? With him?
They didn’t need to pretend to anyone here.
Bjornolf didn’t say a word, just held her hand possessively and escorted her to the porch. Then he unlocked the door and closed and locked it behind them.
“Did you want some cocoa?” he asked, as if he didn’t want the night to end.
She shook her head. “You have to go with Nathan to buy Christmas ornaments tomorrow.”
She saw a flash of disappointment cross his face. She was surprised he hadn’t said a word about her investigating the crime scene on her own.
She remembered the dog tags in her pocket and pulled them out. “I found these right before Everton came across me.” She glanced down at them and read the inscription. “Thomas Cremer. The other dead man, maybe?”
Bjornolf wasn’t looking at the dog tags when his gaze met hers. He’d been observing her face with a mixture of respect and astonishment. “Now I know why Hunter recommended you for this job.”
She gave Bjornolf a slight smile, appreciating his comment more than a little.
He took the tags and examined them, sniffing them. “The second dead body we smelled.”
“Yes,” she said solemnly. “The man had also been in the service.”
“I’ll let Hunter know in the morning. Guess we ought to turn in.” He looked hopeful that she’d say he could join her in her bed.
She gave him a quick smile and headed down the hall before she changed her mind. “’Night, Bjorn.” As a humorous touch, she’d called him by the shortened version of his name that he’d given the man at the tree farm.
“Night, honey,” Bjornolf said as if they truly were newlyweds and he’d be joining her in bed shortly.
She looked back over her shoulder and saw the wicked gleam in his eye, a challenge that said he wasn’t leaving the situation as it was for long. She gave him a sassy smile back, daring him to make her change her mind.
She walked into the room and was about to close the master bedroom door when she heard Bjornolf curse as he stalked out of the guest room. He began yanking off his shirt as he headed for the back door.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, framed by the doorway into the master bedroom.
“Nathan’s gone.”
Chapter 10
Nathan had left the house as a wolf and headed through the forest. For wolves like Bjornolf and Anna, Nathan’s trail wasn’t hard to find. He left paw prints in the half-frozen snow, and scruffs of his black fur snagged on tree branches. He wasn’t trying to hide his trail, which made Bjornolf suspect that the boy wanted to be followed.
He hoped that Nathan hadn’t gotten some clue concerning the murders and charged off to investigate on his own.
Bjornolf should have wanted Anna to stay back at the house so she would be safe from hunters and so he could work alone like he normally did. But he found he didn’t want to work alone and realized he was making up a hell of a lot more reasons why she should be with him. And that was a real change for him. He’d never needed anyone.
Having never seen Anna in her wolf form, Bjornolf took his fill of her as they paused to catch the trail again. Even as a wolf, she was petite, almost like a red wolf. Her face was more beige than gray, with a little white under her chin and a golden color framing her face. A small amount of gray dusted her cheeks, giving her a distinctive appearance.
Her ears were perked, listening for any sounds as the breeze stirred the pine branches. Peering into the woods, her amber eyes were soft with concern, but her tail was straight out behind her in alpha mode. Her slight body tense, she was ready to spring into action as soon as she caught Nathan’s scent again.
She suddenly lifted her chin and howled for Nathan. Bjornolf knew she was howling for the boy, but he envisioned her howling for him—calling him to her in the snowy woods.
Bjornolf also let loose a howl. His howl was deeper, not as musical as Anna’s, a command to come home. Their howls were a way to communicate with other wolves, to declare this was their territory, to gather the pack, or to locate a mate.
They waited for a moment, but when Nathan didn’t respond, Anna dashed off and Bjornolf raced after her. Glad to be running with Anna, panting, zigzagging across the snow-powdered earth, he tried to pick up Nathan’s scent as they moved farther away from the cottage.
Where was the kid off to? Bjornolf thought Nathan might have gone to the Christmas tree farm, but he hadn’t run in that direction.
Worse, it was one in the morning when they started out after him, and they’d been trailing him for two hours. It would be dark for several more hours, but if Nathan continued to run, eventually it would be too late for any of them to return home before it was light out. Anna and Bjornolf would end up having to hide in the surrounding woods or risk the long trek back home in daylight in their wolf skins.
They took a drink at an icy cold stream and then crossed it. The mossy rocks were topped with an inch of snow, and the bare-branch deciduous trees and evergreens were also coated with snow.
Bjornolf glanced at Anna. She was looking in the direction of Portland, her ears twitching back and forth.
A red wolf pack resided in Portland and the surrounding territory, led by a wolf named Leidolf. The city was still a long way off and Bjornolf was certain Hunter had never talked to Leidolf about SEAL business, the team, Anna, or himself. Leidolf would consider them encroaching on his pack’s territory and wouldn’t like it.
The day was gray, with clouds covering every square inch of sky. Dawn was creeping over the landscape, silent, exposing them to danger—hunter danger.
It had been light out for a couple of hours when they reached the relative safety of Forest Park, over five thousand acres of woods within Portland, stretching for more than eight miles over hilly terrain overlooking the Willamette River. Nathan’s scent was getting stronger. Bjornolf smelled the odors from the nearby zoo butted up against the park, heard a lion roar, and wondered if wolves that weren’t shifters were also penned up in there. Anna sniffed the air, her posture alert and eager as she kn
ew they were getting close to their quarry.
The park was already open. Any number of people could be running, hiking, biking, or horseback riding through here so they weren’t without risk.
Anna turned her head, listened for a moment, and then took off running. She was determined to locate the teen before he came to harm, which meant a lot to Bjornolf. As much as she’d intimated that she wasn’t into kid stuff, she wasn’t letting this go.
He took off after her, not liking the path they were moving on… toward a group of stately homes backed up against the park, mostly hidden by huge evergreens. One of them in particular made him frown and sniff the ground.
The scent of wolves was heavy here along the entrance to the path. Male, female, young, old. Bjornolf suspected it was a safe house for wolves who belonged to the pack but lived in the outlying areas and were visiting Portland for the day.
Anna loped down the winding path through the woods, eagerly sniffing the ground. Nathan had been here.
When Bjornolf followed her, he found her standing at a beige stone wall topped with snow. She was studying the wolf door in the redwood gate, calculating the risk of entering another wolf’s backyard. He was going to nudge her face, to let her know that he wanted her to stay here while he investigated the backyard and she watched for Nathan.
But she had already made up her mind.
Nearly making his heart stop, she dashed for the gate, pushed the wolf door open with her nose, then barged in.
Bjornolf shoved his nose through the door, raced around a wall of evergreens, and found Anna stopped at a patio filled with ornate wrought-iron café tables and chairs. The backyard featured a copper statue of two wolves standing together and a fountain displaying a group of wolves frolicking at the base while playing with butterflies in flight. The scents in the yard further indicated that this was a wolf-owned house.
Icicle Christmas lights dangled from the gutters around the house, while a Douglas fir tree inside filled the picture window, showcasing mostly red, green, and white Christmas ornaments and colorful sparkling lights.