by Gwen Knight
Leif whipped a hand through his hair with a low growl. “Lucy…it wasn’t like that.”
“Sure it wasn’t.” I lifted my chin a notch. I was such a fool. Here I’d thought there’d been something between us, but he’d orchestrated everything. I wouldn’t fall for that again.
“Let me explain—”
“No need. I get it. Reagan and Jerrik were the ones who were supposed to be there. That was your chance to confront him finally, wasn’t it? Only, they backed out and sent me, instead. Not that you’d let that stop you. Why not take Reagan’s best friend out for a spin, right? Make a connection.” My inner wolf seethed at the idea of being used so thoroughly. “Tell me something, Leif. What was your plan? Ask for an introduction afterward? Force your way into my life until you finally made your way to Jerrik?”
A tic leapt at his jaw.
Hearing it all laid out downright pissed me off. I didn’t appreciate being used. And now we had a much bigger problem at hand.
“That isn’t why I slept with you. I’m not the sort of man who beds a woman just to get what he wants.”
Bitter laughter slipped past my lips. “That’s exactly why someone people fall into bed with each other.”
His exasperated sigh fogged the wintry air. “You know what I mean. Yes, I went to the charity event to confront Jerrik. But when I saw you… I knew who you were, I won’t lie about that. But I didn’t con my way into your bed with the hopes of getting closer to Jerrik or Reagan.”
I wasn’t sure I could believe that. “Why did you sleep with me, then?”
“Do you remember what I said in the elevator?”
I thought back to that moment. I remembered the feel of his lips against mine, of his fingers in my hair…
“I said I knew the moment I saw you. You want to know why I slept with you?” He crouched in front of me and took my hands. “Because the second I laid eyes on you, I knew you were my mate. I felt it deep in my bones. I didn’t tell you then because I didn’t want to scare you. I wanted to give you time to realize it yourself and come to me. I’ve waited a thousand years to find my mate, waiting a little longer wasn’t going to kill me.”
Even though it was minus ridiculous out, I suddenly felt my temperature spike. His mate? He had to be kidding, right? No one knew that quickly. That instantly. Except…Jerrik and Reagan had. The way she told it, she’d known the moment their eyes had met. She’d fought the attraction, denied the possibility, but her wolf had always known. And our wolves were never wrong.
Holy shit.
I couldn’t breathe. I slumped over and placed my head between my knees. Mates. Oh, my God. This couldn’t be happening. My wolf had come alive the second I’d laid eyes on Leif. She’d pranced around in my head like she’d won the jackpot. I hadn’t put it together then. Hadn’t been willing to.
“Hey,” Leif murmured. He brushed his thumbs along my knuckles. “It’s all right. Take a deep breath.”
“No,” I mumbled from between my legs. “It’s not all right. I don’t want a mate. Never had.”
Mates were complicated and messy. Not that our situation was perfect. But the emotions, the dedication…I’d never wanted that.
“It doesn’t matter,” I forced out before he could respond. “Only one thing matters right now.”
“And what’s that?”
I pushed to my feet and stared down at him. It was now or never, and I chose now. “I’m pregnant.”
I wasn’t sure what reaction I’d expected. A dramatic gasp? A sudden panic-induced rage? Him insisting I was lying? Or worst-case scenario, him leaping off the patio and vanishing into the darkness. But I’d never considered humor. So, when his entire body started to shake with laughter, I was the one left blindsided.
He was laughing. What the hell was so funny?
I planted my hands on my hips and glared at the bastard, silently daring him to keep laughing.
“Sorry. I thought you said you were—”
“Pregnant,” I growled. “I did say that. Because I am.”
The laughter slowly died, and his grin slipped from his face. “Wait, what?”
Not so funny now, hey, chuckles?
He studied my face, his eyes slowly widening. “You’re not kidding.”
“No, I’m not. I’m eleven weeks.”
I watched his mental gears kick in. “Eleven weeks…meaning…”
“Meaning, I’m pregnant, and you’re the father. Congratulations.”
“But…we used condoms.”
I gave a haughty shrug. “Guess that didn’t matter.”
A sudden silence crashed over him, his unblinking gaze locked onto me. I gave him a few seconds. Then a few minutes, until finally, a wintry chill began to creep into my bones.
“Say something, would you?” I insisted.
No response. I’d had all day to somewhat adjust to this news, and even I wasn’t quite there yet—I could spare a few minutes for him. But soon, the cold became unbearable. Sure, we were werewolves, but we’d been outside long enough for me to feel Jack Frost nipping at my nose. I lifted my hands to my mouth and blew warm air over my fingers.
Eventually, life slowly returned to Leif. He released a long, shuddering breath, then blinked.
Thank God. A response.
“You all right?” I asked.
“Sorry. You…caught me a bit off guard there.”
“Welcome to my life.”
He shook his head as though to clear the cobwebs, then met my gaze. And right before my eyes, he started…smiling. “You’re pregnant.”
I blinked, stunned by the sight of his grin. My eyes flew wide, shock rendering me useless. What the hell? I’d expected panic, fear, maybe anger. Not…excitement.
Without any warning, Leif wrenched me into his arms and swooped in for a kiss—a reaction I’d never even considered. The second his mouth covered mine, my body went boneless, and I found myself gripping his arms for balance. The feel of his tongue stroking mine awoke my wolf. She rose to the surface with a contented rumble, her eyes all for me, as though gauging my reaction.
Of course, that was the moment fate decided to intervene—the nosy bitch.
Chapter 8
“Lucy, we need to—oh.”
I broke from the kiss and blinked open my eyes to find Reagan hovering in front of the door, arms crossed and her alpha stare in full swing. The sight tickled me pink—as though she were some mama bear about to defend her cub. The thought was downright hilarious, and I burst out laughing.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I gestured toward her. “Leif, meet Reagan. My best friend. Reagan, this is Leif.”
She didn’t budge from the door. Instead, she trained her unflinching gaze on him. “I thought you were supposed to be talking. I hate to rush you, but we have places we need to be.”
Heat rushed through my cheeks. “Right. Sorry. Shall we go inside, then?”
She shook her head. “Gabriel just called. He needs Jerrik and me at the scene immediately. The police have finished, and the coroner is waiting for us now. I’m afraid the reunion will need to wait for another night.”
“Probably for the best,” I commented. Who knew how Leif and Jerrik would react to seeing each other again. It certainly didn’t seem like the sort of situation that would blow over in a few minutes.
“What scene?” Leif demanded.
Reagan lifted her chin. “Not your concern. Lucy, you’re coming with us.”
“What?” A murder scene was the last place I wanted to go.
“We don’t know anything about him.” She waved a hand toward Leif. “We know he’s here to find Jerrik, but not why. And we don’t know how you fit into all this. No way in hell I’m leaving you alone with him.”
I snorted. “You think he’d hurt me? After what you just walked in on?”
“I don’t know what to think. That’s the point. We don’t know him.”
“Reagan.” I rubbed the back of my hand against my brow. “I’m not a child. I can tak
e care of myself.”
Her fiery glare turned to me. “I know you’re not a child. But—”
“And I’m certainly not going to follow you to a murder scene. What good would I be?”
“A murder scene?” Leif’s gaze danced between us.
“Lucy, I’m not leaving you here alone with this guy! And I can’t stay here. Gabriel wants us to try and track these vamps down tonight, so—”
“Exactly! I would only get in the way!”
A deep growl scraped past Reagan’s lips. “Stop being so stubborn.”
“I’m not the one being stubborn here!”
“Whoa! Time out.” Leif stepped between us, hands raised. He shot Reagan a glance. “Did you say vampires?”
“Back off,” Reagan snarled. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“Unfortunately, it has everything to do with him,” Jerrik’s deep voice interjected.
Everyone froze. Then, slowly, Leif turned, his hands clenched into fists. I shot Reagan a panicked stare. No way this would end well. And an all-out brawl in front of my neighbors was the last thing we needed, especially when a crime scene awaited us. My neighbors knew I was a werewolf, but I fought hard to keep my dark side hidden from them. A battle of the alphas would destroy the peace I’d worked so hard to cultivate.
“All right,” I murmured, hands raised peaceably. “Everyone remain calm. This isn’t the time or place to fight.”
“Who said anything about fighting?” Jerrik asked.
But he wasn’t the one who worried me. Leif’s entire body vibrated with energy, his hands flexing as he glowered at Jerrik.
“I’m serious.” I laid a hand on Leif’s shoulder, not to restrain but to offer comfort. “Absolutely no fighting. This is my home, and I won’t see it destroyed over some pissing contest.”
Leif’s muscles bunched. “Pissing contest? Do you have any idea what he did?”
“No, but this isn’t the time—”
“He murdered his son!” Leif snarled, his accent thickening. “A boy I thought of as my own. He slaughtered our village. Turned me into this. Then he ran.”
My fingers flew to my parted lips. Holy shit. Reagan had said Jerrik had a complicated past, but this…
“It isn’t that simple,” Reagan said.
“Yes, defend him.” Leif stole toward the steps, his body rippling with tension. Reagan matched his movement, prepared to intervene should he suddenly attack. “He destroyed everything and everyone in sight. I still hear their screams to this day. But none so clearly as Baldr’s. Your son trusted you! And how did you repay him?”
“Leif…”
Rage contorted his face and brightened his eyes. “I was the only one who survived, and it wasn’t until the next full moon that I realized why. The others you massacred, but me…me you cursed.”
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of Baldr.” Jerrik bowed his head, his voice quiet. “Or wish that I could change what happened. But newly made werewolves are volatile. Especially ones bitten and not born. You can’t tell me you didn’t have the same problem.”
A bark of laughter exploded past Leif’s lips. “I was trapped in the middle of nowhere. With no way home. No crew to man my ship. And no one to help me through my first change.”
“I didn’t have anyone either,” Jerrik offered. “If I’d known you’d survived…”
“Don’t.”
“Leif, look at me.” I took his hand and squeezed. I waited until his burning gaze found mine before I continued. “I can’t imagine what you went through. What both of you went through. These sorts of stories are why Gabriel outlawed forcibly changing people. Werewolves are the most dangerous of creatures. Those who haven’t a clue what’s going on always lose control. You were out in the middle of nowhere, with no one left to hurt. Jerrik wasn’t so lucky. But believe me when I tell you it would have been a completely different story for you if someone had been there.”
His mouth thinned. “If you expect me to forgive him…”
“I would never ask that of you. I barely know you. But I know Jerrik. And I know the kind of person he is. I know that he saved Reagan’s life, that he loves and cherishes her. He’s carved out a life here. If anything ever happened to him, she’d be devastated. Destroying him means destroying my best friend as well. Two lives instead of one. Is that what you want?”
Gold swelled in his eyes. “That’s low.”
It was, but right now I didn’t have any other choice.
Leif closed his eyes and drew in a long breath. “Fine. I won’t hurt him.” His eyes opened, and he pinned me with a severe stare. “For now.”
“Good,” Jerrik chimed in. “Because we have bigger issues to contend with, like vampires. Don’t we, Leif?”
I turned my attention to Jerrik. “What does Leif have to do with the vampires?”
Jerrik fished his cell phone out of his pocket and held it up for all to see. “I was curious. So, I did some research. Information is key, after all. Turns out, Leif Erikson is quite the renowned hunter overseas. Most have come to know him by his other name, though. The blood wolf.”
“Blood wolf,” I repeated. “Like how you’re known as the shadow wolf.”
Jerrik inclined his head. “Except, I kept my real name a secret. Leif never was the humble sort.”
Snarling, Leif lunged toward the stairs.
Without thought, I threw myself between them and slapped a hand against Leif’s chest, his elevated body heat warming my palm. “What’s he talking about?”
“He’s talking about vampires,” Leif grumbled. “Back home, people pay me to hunt them down. And they pay me well. Those damn leeches are like the plague. When Gabriel drove them out of North America, they returned home, to the Old World, where they resumed their favorite pastime. So, I started hunting them down, and I made a name for myself. Over the years, people began calling me the blood wolf—a name to symbolize who I am and what I do. I never needed to hide my identity, though. Everyone already knows who I am.”
“Okay, so what does this have to do with anything?” I asked.
Reagan relaxed her stance. “Gabriel always taught me never to believe in coincidences. Leif shows up, and a few weeks later, we have vampires? What are the chances of that?”
“Slim to nil,” Jerrik commented.
Leif’s gaze leapt between the two of them. “Wait, you’re blaming this on me?”
“No one is blaming anything on anyone. Right?” I threw Reagan a hard stare.
“Not blaming, no.” She walked to the nearest chair and dropped onto it with a heavy sigh. “But we can’t pretend the two aren’t related. Centuries passed without us hearing about a single bloodsucker, and then right after you fly in, we have our first death. I can’t ignore that. So, tell me, Leif. If the vampires had received word that you’d left the country, would they have followed?”
Understanding dawned. “You think they’re here for him?”
“They came for a reason,” Reagan replied. “And he’s the only link. Leif isn’t on his home turf. Could be they think this is their best chance to kill him. But now they’ve killed one of ours. Which means, I can’t keep his presence a secret from Gabriel.”
“Reagan…”
“I’m sorry, Lucy. But this is out of my hands now. Marie is dead, and it’s our job to track down the murderers. You know how this works. I have to tell him.”
“You don’t actually believe Leif had anything to do with this, right?”
She lifted her head, her mouth a grim slash.
My shoulders slumped. I understood her logic—I truly did. But a part of me wished she weren’t so damn loyal to her father all the time. “Can we at least keep the rest of this a secret for now? I’m not ready for the entire pack to know I’m pregnant yet.”
She nodded. “I can do that. It’s not relevant to the vampires or Marie’s death. But you have to know you won’t be able to keep this a secret for long. Your scent won’t be the only thing th
at changes.”
“I know.” I released a long breath. “So, what now?”
Reagan and Jerrik shared a fleeting glance, then Jerrik nodded and started toward the car.
“We’ll bring Leif to Gabriel, but we need to check out the crime scene first. So, he’ll come with us, and then we’ll go see Gabriel afterward. I don’t want either of you to get your hopes up, though. Gabriel made an exception for Jerrik because of everything he did for me. I can’t imagine Gabriel will be quite as forgiving with Leif.”
I wrapped my arms around my midriff and contemplated her words. Leif and I might have only spent one night together, but the thought of Gabriel exiling him—or worse—made my stomach twist. Reagan was Gabriel’s one shining light amidst an ocean of darkness. She was his daughter and heir. I was nothing more than her best friend. He cared for me, as any alpha did for their pack, but nothing more. Without a doubt, I knew he wouldn’t take my feelings into consideration, not like he had Reagan’s.
“Let me help,” Leif suggested. “I know you don’t trust me, but you need me. It’s been a few centuries since Gabriel drove out the vampires, meaning you’ve never seen one. You have no idea what they’re capable of or what one even looks like. I’ve been hunting them for centuries.”
Hope bloomed in my chest. If Leif proved useful, maybe I could convince Gabriel to let him stay. I froze and blinked down at my feet, confused by my own thoughts. He’d said we were mates, but that didn’t mean he intended to hang around. Maybe he had every intention of returning home to Norway. It wasn’t like we’d had a chance to discuss this, after all.
“No,” Reagan said, her voice pulling me from my thoughts. “You’re right. I don’t trust you. And I make it a rule not to work with people I don’t trust.”
“Reagan—”
“I said no, Lucy. Once Jerrik and I are finished investigating the scene, we’ll escort him to Gabriel. Until then…” She rose, dusted off her backside, and faced Leif. “You’ll remain on your best behavior and keep your nose out of our business.”