by Marla Monroe
“You’re not here for some part or something, are you?” she said.
Evan shook his head. “No, we’re here to find out if there are more HAS members here now. It used to be that only Marquand had a lot of HAS members. Now there are just as many in Cascade. We want to see if they moved from here to there, or if there are still members here, as well.”
“It would be nice if we could find out what they’re up to or if we can find any to talk to.” Lee squeezed her hand then let it go.
“That’s dangerous, isn’t it? Won’t they figure out who you are, what you are?”
Evan nodded. “Yes, but not if we don’t pry too much. We know what we’re doing.”
“So, I’m supposed to sit in the motel room all alone and wait to see if you come back or not?” She shook her head. “Nope, not doing it.”
“If you come with us, word could get back to your father of where you are. If one of us stays with you, it puts the other one at risk. It’s safer for both of us to snoop. If we’re worried that you won’t stay in the room, one of us will stay with you and put the other one in danger. Your safety comes before our own,” Evan told her.
“That’s not fair.” Shay rubbed her face with both hands. “Okay, fine. I’ll stay in the motel room while you’re out snooping. If you aren’t back by two in the morning, I’m leaving. Something tells me to stick with you, but I’m not making any promises.”
Evan nodded. “Fair enough.”
* * * *
Lee hated leaving their mate alone in the motel room, but they needed to find out what they could about their enemy so they could go home. Shay would be safer on Shoewater land. At least he hoped so. They had no idea how their Alpha would handle her being their mate. It burned in his gut even as he sipped at a beer in the first bar they went to.
It doesn’t matter what the Alpha thinks, she’s our mate and I’ll fight for her.
“There aren’t a lot of people here yet,” Evan said.
“It’s still a little early. Most places don’t get busy till around ten.” Lee nodded toward a table in the back where three men sat huddled, talking. “What do you think about them?”
“I noticed them when we first got here. They have something going on. It could be who we’re looking for or they could be talking other kind of business. I’ve seen drugs passed in places like this.”
“Two guys just walked in and seem to be looking for someone. Let’s see if they find them.”
Lee took a swig of his beer as they two men walked past them toward the back table. They greeted the other men and pulled up chairs. A waitress swung toward them to take their drink order.
“Looks like more business,” Evan said.
“Yeah.
“Wonder what kind it is. I don’t think drugs with that many in one place. I’m betting they’re HAS. Let’s see if we can hear them.”
Lee stood up. “I’m going to go look at the jukebox. I might be able to hear better from there.”
“Maybe, but the music is so damn loud I can’t hear them over here.”
“Stick here anyway while I try from over there.” Lee walked over to the machine and looked through the labels while straining to hear what the five men at the back table were talking about.
“…damn varmints…eliminate them all.”
“I…shifters…trouble.”
Lee could only get snatches of the conversation. He needed to get closer but wasn’t sure how to accomplish that. Then he noticed the single human female sit down at a table right next to theirs. He smiled and picked out three songs before returning to his and Evan’s table.
“I can’t make out much, but they are talking about shifters. Let’s see if we can strike up a conversation with that woman over there and sit with her. We’ll be able to hear from there.”
“Good idea.” Evan stood up and followed Lee.
“Hi there. Are you waiting on anyone?” Lee asked.
“Um, no. I was just getting a drink before I head home.” The female smiled up at them.
“Mind if we join you?” Lee waited until she nodded and sat down. Evan sat on the other side of the table.
Lee figured she was cute for a human, but no one held a candle to their mate. This one had blonde hair and was thin compared to their female. Still, she was serving a purpose, and they would make her feel good about herself.
“I’m Lee, and this is my brother, Evan.”
“I’m Terri. It’s nice to meet you.”
“How come someone as cute as you are is all alone on a Friday night?” Lee asked.
“I’m picky. Most of the men around here are either married and playing around or rude.”
“Can’t blame you for holding out for the right one,” Evan spoke next.
“How about a dance?” Lee stood up and held out his hand.
When she stood up to join him, he nodded at Evan. He would be able to hear what was being said while he had Terri out on the dance floor. Then they would switch up. That way it wouldn’t look like they were eavesdropping on the back table’s conversation. When it was his turn, Lee peeled at the label on his beer while Evan danced with Terri.
“I’m telling you that Wayne is trusting this guy too much. I don’t like witches any more than I like shifters.”
“He’s a warlock, not a shifter. Wayne knows what he’s doing. He’s been in charge of district four HAS for two years, and we’ve found more shifters than we did the five years before. Using a witch or warlock is smart. We can catch them easier now.”
“They caught on, though. They took out Will and the others and took the other witch we had last month. What’s to prevent them from finding this one and taking him out?”
“That was their own fault. They got too bold and didn’t cover their tracks. The shifters have a very good sense of smell. They shouldn’t have set up camp that close.”
“All I know is that we’ve lost the edge we had before. This warlock or whatever the hell you call him is going to help us get it back. He’s already started working his magic and breaking down the protections that seem to be on their land. Then we’ll get close enough to take them in their homes.”
Lee worried about what he was hearing, but on another level was relieved to know that the other witch couldn’t be Shay since it was a warlock, which was a male witch. He’d known deep down she couldn’t be the one, but they hadn’t had any other possibilities to give their Alpha.
Now they did. When Evan returned from dancing with Terri, he signaled that it was time for them to leave. They thanked Terri for sharing the table and dancing with them then left. They didn’t talk until they were back in the truck driving toward the motel.
“So, they have a warlock instead of a witch, and he’s breaking down our protections in the land. That goes along with what the Sylphies said. We need to call Aaron and Levi once we’re back in the room. They may tell us to come home.” Lee pulled into the parking lot of the motel.
“I hope so. I want our mate on our land where we can protect her better.”
Lee nodded. “I agree.”
They climbed out of the truck and walked over to their room. Lee knocked twice then waited and knocked twice more. He could hear Shay walking across the room, then the door opened as far as the chain. When she saw that it was them, she closed the door and slid the chain off to let them in.
“Did you find any? Are they getting ready to hunt?” Shay wrung her hands as she sat down on the little loveseat.
“We found them and aren’t sure what their plans are right now. They’re using a warlock to help them hunt us.” Lee had no qualms telling her what they’d found out. She was their mate.
Evan sat on the edge of the king-size bed. “Whatever their plans are, ultimately, they’ll try to move on us. Lee, go ahead and call Levi to let him know what we found out.”
Lee nodded and pulled out his cell. He quickly filled the other wolf in on what they’d found out but left out the fact that they’d found their mate there and had her
in the room with them. They’d end up punished for keeping so much from their older brothers and the Alpha, but it wasn’t the time to reveal Shay’s presence in their lives just yet. That would come when they returned to the mountain.
Chapter Eight
Shay listened as Lee talked to his older brother. Evan had warned her to be quiet that they would be able to hear her over the phone.
“Don’t forget that we have excellent hearing,” he’d told her.
Now she waited until the conversation was over to ask questions. Why didn’t they want their brother to know about her, and what would that mean to her if she went back with them?
I don’t know anything about them, and they’re shifters. Why do I want to believe them? It feels right to be here, but how do I know I can trust my instincts where they’re concerned?
Shay needed more answers before she’d commit to anything.
“Aaron and Levi want us to stay one more night and see if we can find out anything more. More than likely the same men will be at the bar again tonight. They’re worried about this warlock business. If we can, we need to figure out where he is. He could be in Marquand or Cascade or even one of the other little communities surrounding Shoewater land.” Lee sighed. “I don’t like this one bit.”
“Neither do I. How can we fight something we don’t know anything about or where to even look?” Evan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Maybe we can learn something new tonight. We need to stay until they leave this time.”
“You’re going to leave me here all night?” Shay didn’t like staying all alone in the room.
“The bar closes at two, so we’ll be back soon after unless they leave earlier than that.” Lee stared hard at her. Shay fidgeted under his gaze.
“We’d take you with us, but you don’t want word to get back where you are, do you?” Evan asked.
“No. I’m just bored sitting here all night. I can’t sleep with you out there. I don’t know why.”
Lee nodded. “It’s a natural feeling when your mates are not near you. Mates need to be close to each other. The fact that we haven’t physically claimed you doesn’t stop the need, only dims it.
“What do you mean, physically claim me?” Shay wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that.
“We’ve claimed you instinctually, but to be complete mates, we have to have sex with you and bite you,” Evan hurried to explain when her mouth dropped open and she stepped back with wide eyes. “We don’t bite you as a wolf. It’s done during sex in our human form.”
Lee reached out and touched her shoulder. “We’d never do anything to harm you. We want you to understand that if nothing else right now. Our wolves would go crazy if anything happened to you. I promise we’ll keep you safe, but you have to stay here to avoid someone remembering that you were in Marquand.”
“Okay. I don’t know why, but I believe you.” Shay nodded. “I’m exhausted. I’m going to bed. I’ll sleep on the loveseat since I’m shorter than either of you.”
“No. You’ll sleep between us so we know you’re safe. We won’t force you into anything, Shay. This has to be mutual, and you’re not ready yet.” Evan steered her toward the bed. “Do you have something to wear to bed, or do you want one of our T-shirts?”
Everything was moving so fast and yet it dragged at the same time. “Um, I have PJs. I’ll change in the bathroom.”
Evan chuckled. “PJs? That’s cute. Put on your PJs, Shay, and come to bed.”
She closed and locked the bathroom door out of habit. She really didn’t think they’d crowd her by bursting into the bathroom on her while she was changing. Something deep down inside of her trusted them, so Shay was going to go with it.
She brushed her teeth, washed her face, then pulled on her PJs. They had been part of her defense against her cousin. He gave her the creeps and constantly crowded her when he could get away with it. It sickened her that he was constantly touching her and walking in on her when she was changing. When she’d told her father what he was doing, he’d told her she was imagining things and to stop trying to cause trouble.
As she brushed her hair, she wondered again why he was so distant with her. Why didn’t he care about her like he seemed to care about her brother? Was it because she was a girl or something more? Maybe he blamed her for her mother’s death. She didn’t know why he would.
Shay finished up and walked out of the bathroom to find Evan in the bed with Lee sitting on the other side apparently waiting on her. He wore shorts and nothing else. She wasn’t sure she could sleep between them with so little clothes on. They were so virile, and she couldn’t help but be attracted to them. This was a bad idea.
“Come on to bed, Shay. We aren’t going to jump you.” Lee’s voice held a note of teasing.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. I hardly know you.”
Evan patted the bed. “We’re just going to sleep. If you don’t sleep between us, one of us will have to stay up and guard the door while you sleep on the loveseat where we can’t protect you.”
She hesitated a few seconds longer then walked over to the bed and slowly climbed on. She scooted to the center and lay down, attempting to take up as little room as possible. They were both big men and took up a great deal of space.
“Turn over on your side, Shay. We’ll fit better if we all sleep on our sides.” Lee climbed up next to her and turned to face the door.
Shay slowly turned to face Lee’s back and yelped when Evan wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her closer to him. It felt strangely intimate, jacking her heart rate and breathing up. She was sure they could hear how her heart pounded out a primal beat, but neither of them said anything and Shay slowly sank into slumber.
* * * *
They slept well into the morning. Shay woke when Lee turned over, making her aware that at some point in the night, she’d pretty much climbed on top of him with Evan’s face buried in the back of her neck. She was afraid to open her eyes as Lee extracted himself from her body and disappeared into the bathroom.
“You smell good, Shay. I could lie here like this all day and be happy.” Evan’s nose nudged her.
“I’d think you’d suffocate like that.”
“Mmm, what a way to go. Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“Yeah. I did. I think I slept better tonight than I have in a long time. I felt safe.”
He pulled back from her neck and lifted up on his elbow to look down at her. “You haven’t felt safe with your father and brother?”
“No. My cousin is a real pervert, and sometimes there would be others traveling with us. They’d crowd me and make me nervous.” Shay hated how her voice shook when she thought about all the times she’d had to push furniture in front of her door at night.
“Why didn’t your father or your brother protect you from that? It doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know. He always seemed too distant toward me. I’m not sure why. He wasn’t always like this. When my mother was alive, I remember him being happy and fun to be around. That all changed when she was killed.”
“I’m sorry. Unless the wolf was rogue, I can’t imagine why he would have attacked your mother.”
“I’m going to get up and get dressed once your brother is out of the bathroom.” She scooted out of Evan’s arms and sat on the edge of the bed. She didn’t feel comfortable talking about her mother right then.
The bathroom door opened and Lee walked out, dressed, with wet hair that he was toweling dry. They both had shaggy hair. It was something she’d found attractive when she’d first seen them in the grocery store.
Shay grabbed her pack and raced past Lee into the bathroom. She showered then dressed, blow-drying her hair in front of the mirror over the tiny vanity. It startled her when Lee took the brush and hair dryer from her hands and started brushing her hair as he waved the dryer, spreading heat over her hair.
“I can do that.”
Lee nodded at her in the mirror. “I know, but I want
to. I love your hair. It’s silky and so pretty. It reminds my brother and I of a mink with how soft it is.”
Evan showered and dressed and was out of the bathroom not long after Lee finished drying her hair. It felt wonderful while he brushed it. When she started to put it up in a ponytail, Lee stopped her.
“It’s too pretty to tie back, Shay. Leave it down for us. Please.” Lee ran his fingers through it.
“Um, okay. Since I’m not going to be doing anything, it won’t be in the way. I suppose I’ll watch TV while y’all are gone tonight.”
“I’m going to go get us hamburgers and fries. How do you like your burger, Shay?” Evan asked.
She gave him her order then settled on the loveseat. Lee sat on the coffee table opposite her. He just stared at her until she felt self-conscious with how he seemed to watch her with his steady gaze.
“What? Why are you just staring at me? It’s not comfortable.”
“Sorry.” Lee sat up straight. “I can’t get over how perfect you are. My wolf is gnawing at me to claim you. He knows you’re for us, and thinks it’s stupid to wait.”
“You talk about your wolf as if it’s another person.”
“He is. He’s my other half. He reasons and thinks, but not in full sentences. He says things like ‘mate,’ ‘mine,’ and ‘protect.’ He can make it pretty uncomfortable for me if I ignore him.”
Shay bunched her brows. “How?”
“It feels like he rakes along my insides when he wants something or to get out and run. Sometimes it feels like he’s biting at me.”
“When you’re a wolf, do you know what is going on around you, or are you all—I don’t know—primal?” she asked.
He chuckled. “We know everything going on around us. We’re in wolf form, but still aware and in control as if we were in our human form. The wolf is the instinctual part of us that helps us stay safe.”
“This is all too surreal to me. I can’t believe I slept with two shifters and am here talking to you about your wolf right now. Most people don’t know about you, and those who do, most of them fear you.” Shay shook her head.