Loved by The Alpha Wolf (The Lone Wolf Book 1)

by K. T. Stryker

  Beth didn’t move, didn’t speak. She just kept staring down, although Jenny noticed a slight quivering as Beth drew in a long breath. What was the matter with her?

  “You’re going to be coming back to Rockshore with us, Beth” Jenny continued. “We’re leaving in the morning.”

  She didn’t know what else to say so she sat in the chair by the door, keeping a good distance between herself and Beth. Even though Jenny didn’t feel as angry as she’d thought, she certainly didn’t trust Beth at all. Sure, she had a broken arm, and that at least it meant Beth wouldn’t be able to shift for a while, which would give them the time they needed to try and get her to talk about Davidson and her brother..

  “How do you know my name?”

  Startled, Jenny glanced up at Beth, who was sitting up just a little more, her eyes clouded with pain and misery.

  "Luke told us," Jenny explained. "He recognized you and Stephen from when you lived here with his pack." She was surprised to see that Beth flinched when she mentioned Stephen’s name, as though the memory of him wasn't a good one.

  Beth lifted her good hand and pushed her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “Where is he?”

  “Who?” Jenny asked.

  “My brother,” Beth replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “Where is he?”

  Jenny frowned at the wariness in Beth’s eyes. “They didn’t catch him. He’s not here.”

  Something like relief flickered over Beth’s face, making Jenny wonder whether she was relieved because her brother had escaped or because he wasn’t here with her. A sudden pulse of anger ran straight through her, causing her to clench her hands in her lap.

  "Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice growing a little louder. "Why did you help Davidson? I just can't—" Realizing she was close to shouting, Jenny took a breath and tried to calm herself down. "I just can't understand why a shifter would help someone who wanted to kill us all. I know your sister died, but you can't really believe that it was shifters that did it!" She glared at Beth, trying not to let the tug of sympathy she felt stop her from pressing Beth with questions.

  Beth shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “You’re right about that,” Jenny replied tersely. “I certainly don’t understand what on earth it was you were thinking, getting involved with Davidson like that. You stood there with your brother and Davidson trying to get me to shift so that Davidson could shoot me in the head.” Her fists clenched tighter, and the nails bit into the soft skin of her palm.

  Beth shook her head. “I tried not to.”

  Jenny opened her mouth to respond but closed it quickly. Beth was right. She had tried not to get involved, but that wasn't a good enough reason to pretend that Beth's role in it was just going to be forgotten. Her anger cooled slightly as she looked into Beth's face and saw the pain and fear there.

  “Are they going to kill me?”

  Jenny shook her head, and Beth sagged back against the wall, evidently relieved that she wasn't going to lose her life on account of what she'd done. "I don't know what they're planning to do, Beth, but they want the truth from you. They want to know everything Davidson's done and where your brother might have gone. This little scheme is over, but we aren’t going to stop until they find Stephen. He’s too dangerous to be allowed to go free."

  Beth gave a tiny shake of her head, before putting her head in her hands. Jenny strained to hear as she mumbled something under her breath—something that sounded like “all such a mess.”

  “You’re going to have to talk sooner or later, Beth,” Jenny continued firmly. “You’re not going to have an easy ride. The White Fire pack aren’t going to just let you sit silently. We need to know what’s going on.”

  Wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, Beth sniffed once and looked up at Jenny with watery eyes. “What happened to Davidson?”

  “Dead,” Jenny replied firmly. “Ran off the edge. His own fault, really. Turns out he was a bit of a coward, running away and leaving you and Stephen to face the rest of us.”

  “I’ve always known that,” Beth answered, with a surprising amount of vehemence. “Underneath it all, Davidson was weak.”

  Thumping her fist on the arm of the chair, Jenny glared at Beth. “Davidson is dead and his entire plan for revenge has gone with him. Your brother has turned tail and run. You’re all alone, Beth. It’s all over.”

  There was no response. Beth resumed her silence, shaking her head at Jenny before turning her gaze onto the tray of food. Her hand snaked out and picked up a donut, setting it on her knee before pouring herself a cup of coffee.

  Jenny pushed herself out of the chair, confused and frustrated. Storming out of the room, she wished she could slam the door shut, hard, anger pushing her steps as she walked back along the hallway to find the others.

  “Anything?”

  Shaking her head, Jenny walked to the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee, ignoring the way her hands shook.

  “Hey,” Ross said softly, coming up behind her. “What happened?” His brow furrowed as he looked into her face, tipping her chin with one finger. “Maybe I shouldn’t have let you go and talk to her.”

  “I’m fine,” Jenny snapped, pulling away from him. “She just wouldn’t say anything, although she seemed relieved that Davidson’s dead.”

  “She did?” Surprise filled Ross’s voice as Jenny turned back to face him.

  "Yes, she did, but she's made it very clear she won't be telling us anything about where her brother might have gone."

  Very deliberately, Ross pulled the mug from her hands and set it down on the counter before pulling her into a hug. Jenny tensed for a few seconds longer before finally letting go and resting her head against his chest.

  “She’ll talk to us,” Ross promised quietly. “This was only the first attempt, and you actually got her to speak. Something is better than nothing at all, Jenny. Don’t let her get to you.”

  “It’s not that,” Jenny replied, her voice slightly muffled as she leaned into him. “It’s that I feel such a strange mix of emotions when I’m talking to her. I feel sympathy and compassion, as well as anger and frustration. I don’t want to feel those things. I just want to hold onto the anger. After what she did, I shouldn’t feel anything like sympathy for her.”

  Ross rubbed her back in slow circles. “Your instincts are probably right though, Jenny. You’ve proved that over and over again. Whether she deserved it, you’re sensing that there’s something more to her story.” Stepping back, he held her by the shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. “What do you sense from her?”

  Sighing, Jenny closed her eyes briefly. “Fear,” she said eventually. “She’s not afraid of us but afraid of her brother—and maybe she was even afraid of Davidson.”

  Nodding, Ross’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “Then that gives us something to work with,” he replied softly. “I’ll just have to tell Connor not to be too harsh with her.”

  “She did leave him with a few bruises,” Jenny smiled, her heart lightening as her anger ebbed. “I can’t blame him for being angry.”

  “Neither can I,” Ross replied, drawing her closer. “But your gentleness got her to open up just a little. Perhaps that’s what’s needed.”

  Practically glowing at the compliment, Jenny lifted her face to his, sighing as he kissed her. Finally, she felt completely at peace.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Connor had walked back to the truck, before driving them back to Rockshore, although the journey was quiet. Ross could see the distrustful glances Conner kept throwing at their passenger, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.

  “Will you stop?” he said quietly. “I know you don’t like having her here, but there’s not a choice in this. We have to find out what she knows and where her brother might be.”

  “Why couldn’t Luke and the East River pack do that?” Connor asked, his lips thin. “Why did we have to take her?”

  I
nwardly sighing, Ross shook his head. “We didn’t have to, but I made that call because Jenny needs closure—and because she might be the best one to get through to her.”

  Connor snorted. “Yeah, right.”

  A growl rattled in Ross’s chest. “She’s done an amazing job so far, Connor. Don’t start getting rude now just because you’re upset.” Ross was surprised to see just how much Connor had changed in the last day. Instead of the easy grin and ready quips, he’d become frustrated and angry, glowering at everyone. “On top of that, Luke’s got enough to manage with his own pack.”

  Letting out a long breath, Connor tried to calm his angry features. "Look, I'm just not happy about this but I get it. You're the pack leader, she's your mate—it's understandable."

  Something thudded into Ross’s chest. “You know she’s my mate?”

  Connor let out a harsh laugh. "If you've not realized that yet, Ross, then I can't help you."

  "No, it's not that," Ross replied, turning his head to look at Jenny who was sleeping soundly. "I just didn't realize it was quite that obvious."

  “Well, it is,” Connor replied without even a hint of a smile. “Thomas and Sarah will be thrilled, I’m sure.”

  Ross didn't know how to respond, unable to tell if his brother was being serious or completely ironic. Whatever had happened, Beth had really got to Connor, even though he hadn't been badly hurt. Ross didn't know what it was that was going on with his brother and wasn't going to pry any longer either. The was going to be up to Connor to sort out himself. Looking out of the window, Ross felt happiness fill his chest. When he'd left Rockshore, he'd been sure he didn't want a mate and certainly wasn't looking for one. Now he’d come back with his heart full of Jenny. He couldn’t think about what life would be like without her now, and he certainly didn’t want to go back to how things had been. She made his life better.

  “You’re back!”

  Ross allowed Sarah to pull him into a brief hug before shaking Thomas’s hand. “You guys have been invaluable.” Ash grinned as he shook Ross’s hand.

  “I feel like I’ve missed out on all the excitement. Staring at a computer screen hasn’t exactly been fun.”

  Ross chuckled, his eyes on Jenny and Sarah as they hugged, already talking between themselves. He was glad they already seemed to get on well. Sarah had been the only female in his pack for a long time, and he’d always known she hoped that would change one day.

  "We've got coffee and snacks waiting," Sarah said over her shoulder as she walked in with Jenny.

  Ross nodded. "Thanks, we'll be in shortly." He waited until Sarah and Jenny had gone inside before turning to Thomas, Connor, and Ash. "We need to decide what to do with Beth, but for the meantime, let's just keep her with us. I don't mind her overhearing our conversations since she's not exactly going anywhere, and I don't particularly want her out of my sight right now."

  Connor snorted. “She’s got a broken arm, Ross. She’s not able to shift. It’s not like she’s going to try and run away or something.”

  Slightly ruffled over his tone, Ross turned to Connor with a light smile on his face. “Good. I’m glad you think so. She’s your responsibility for the next few days, OK?”

  Connor’s mouth dropped open. “What are you talking about?”

  Ross couldn’t help his grin. “I think you’d be best to keep an eye on her, Connor.” Turning his attention back to Thomas and Ash, who were both chuckling quietly, he grinned at them both. “Right, let’s get to that coffee.”

  “Is something the matter with Connor?” Ash asked. “He didn’t seem exactly pleased to have her dropped in his lap, but he hasn’t smiled once since he arrived.”

  Ross shook his head at Ash’s question, not sure how to answer. “She’s getting to him—Beth, that is—but I don’t know why. They had a long fight, and I think she surprised him with how strong she was.”

  Ash turned his head to glance at Connor, who was walking with his hand on Beth’s shoulder, leading her toward their house. “It’s not like him to be so…sullen.”

  “He’s not making any bones about the fact he doesn’t want her here,” Ross continued, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. “Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to get him to look after her, but I’ve just been getting so fed up.”

  Ash chuckled, his grin now firmly back on his face. “Don’t worry about that, Ross. He’ll get over it soon enough. Now we just have to work out where she’s going to stay!”

  Jenny sat with Sarah, a cup of fresh coffee warming her hands.

  “So, how are things between you and Ross?”

  Startled, Jenny turned wide eyes on Sarah. “What do you mean?”

  Sarah laughed. “Come on, the bond between the two of you is obvious.”

  “Oh.” Heat filled Jenny’s face as she looked away. “Well, I guess I love him.”

  Sarah’s smile grew even wider. “Then you’ll be staying around?”

  Jenny laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t know. We haven’t really talked about that!”

  “No time like the present,” Sarah mumbled, as the rest of the pack walked in with Connor at the end leading a tired-looking Beth. Jenny heard Sarah’s low growl but didn’t respond with one of her own. Beth was struggling with something and, despite her actions, Jenny wasn’t altogether sure that Beth had done it willingly. To her surprise, Connor picked up a mug, filled it with coffee, and handed it to Beth before gesturing to the corner of the room. Jenny noticed the surprise on Beth's face as she took the mug, glancing up at Connor's set face.

  “So,” Ross began, sitting down with everyone else. “We’re back.”

  “Without Davidson on your tail,” Sarah interjected. “The police here are still looking for him by the way.”

  “I doubt they’ll find him,” Jenny interrupted grimly. “That was a long drop.”

  There was a short silence as Connor walked over to them and sat, making sure to keep Beth in his line of vision.

  “And obviously we have Beth Damson, one of the shifters involved with Davidson. We don’t know where her brother is, but he’s still out there. The East River pack are alerting the other packs in the area, to widen the search. We’re going to find him.”

  “What are we going to do with her?” Ash asked, his eyebrows pulling together as he glanced over at Beth. “Is she staying here?”

  Ross nodded. “Yes, I think so. I’m just not sure where.” Beth wouldn’t be allowed to walk around their home freely.

  A sudden idea hit Jenny, making her gaze at Ross, her face suddenly alive. He noticed at once and lifted one eyebrow, waiting for her to speak.

  “I have a house,” she began slowly. The last thing she wanted was for this to be moving too fast for Ross, but it would give them a solution at least. “If you need a room for Beth, then someone could come live with me.”

  “Where is your house again?” Ross asked.

  “It’s only on the next street,” Jenny replied, giving him the address and trying not to feel the nerves coiling in her belly. “It’s not far.”

  “And it has brand new locks,” Thomas added, nodding at her. “We changed them while you were away.”

  Jenny smiled in thanks. “I have a spare room,” she continued, her words trailing off. “It’s just an idea, of course…”

  Ross abruptly got to his feet, making her jump in surprise. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  Stuttering, Jenny followed him. “Sure.” She threw Sarah a slightly desperate look, but only got a wide smile in response.

  Walking out of the door, she turned to face Ross, trying to smile. “Is everything OK?”

  He looked at her steadily. “You’re willing to give us your house?”

  She nodded. “Of course I am. I’m part of the White Fire pack, aren’t I?”

  His hand caught hers. “And what if I said that I’d like to come live with you.” Jenny felt her breath hitch as he moved a fraction closer. “I know this is pretty quick and you are welcome to say no
, but I’m not going to pretend that I like the idea of anyone else living with you.”

  “But what about the pack?” Jenny stammered, her eyes bright. “Will you be OK to live away from them all?”

  He shrugged. “It’s just a street away, and if we’re going to be together, I’d rather be with you away from everyone else. You’re my mate, Jenny. I—I love you.”

  Her smile was immediate. “I love you too, Ross. You’re right that this has been quick, but I guess when you meet your mate, you just know.” Her arms snaked around his neck as his hands slid around her waist. “I can’t tell you how much I’d like to live with you.”

  “Then it’s settled,” he murmured, his forehead resting against hers. “I’m sure Connor’s going to be thrilled to learn Beth’s going to have the room next to his.”

  Jenny laughed softly. “Then shall we go tell the others?”

  “In a minute,” he growled, his head lowering. “I’ve got something else to do first.”

  Jenny met his kiss with a fierce passion of her own, her heart beating almost in time with his. Through everything that had happened, Ross had always been her one stable force, her protector, and now her mate. Finally, everything in her life was falling into place.