Tempering Steel

by Lea Barrymire

  Zeke shook his head. “You are one amazing human. You just take it all in and roll with it.”

  She shrugged. “Yeah, well. Whatever. Can one of you get our friend here some rice, grilled chicken or pork…um…a few slices of bread and a bowl of lukewarm water?”

  Connor looked pointedly at the other man until Zeke huffed and nodded. “Okay, I guess that would be me. I’ll be right back.”

  “Thanks.” She turned back to the wolf and saw the quizzical tilt to his head. “Yeah, I’m the vet and no one decided to let me know about shifters until a week ago.”

  Skip snorted and shook his head in amazement. “You read animal body language better than most of us.”

  She shrugged again and stifled a yawn. It wasn’t late but she felt as if she hadn’t slept in days. Too many nights with little to no sleep. When Cammie had been going through her psycho ex-boyfriend crisis, Margie hadn’t really slept. And having Zeke in coyote form living in her kitchen, whining like a baby all the time, hadn’t helped her to rest either.

  “You should go home.”

  If she’d had more fight in her she would have argued, and that seemed to be what Connor expected, but she really didn’t want to start more trouble. He was still warm and strong against her side, his fingers drawing little circles on her shoulder. She didn’t want to fight with him. Nope. She wanted to crawl into his lap and snuggle her head under his chin like some damn kitten.

  “Not yet, but soon. I want to see him eat and keep it down, then I’m going to go home, take a shower and crawl into bed.”

  Chapter Six

  The words were on the tip of his tongue. He could easily have said, ‘Do you want me to come with you?’ But instead he just nodded, rubbing his chin against the side of her head. Holding Margie in his arms settled something in his chest. Almost if on cue, they both let out a soft sigh. He chuckled and looked down into her soft green eyes.

  “You know, this is really nice. I like not arguing with you.”

  She smiled back and wiggled against his side. “I like it too.”

  “Okay, you love birds, enough of that.” Skip’s words drew Margie’s attention but she remained under his arm and he nearly cheered when her small hand smoothed along his back and cupped his other side.

  The Alpha must have seen some sort of strange expression on Connor’s face, because the man paused for a moment then shook his head. “Margie, what do we need to do for this man and how long does he have to wait before shifting? I think we’d all like to know who he is. And I’m sure he has questions for us.”

  His little lady leaned in to his body for a moment before speaking. Sometimes he could almost hear Margie’s brain working. She was brilliant, and knowing she really took the time to ponder the questions before answering made him like her more. She cared for her patients, no matter whether they were really animals or not. Strong, smart, caring and wickedly tempered. Yep. She was adorable and prickly.

  “Okay. He shouldn’t shift until that incision starts to itch. I don’t know how fast that happens for you guys. And, um, if he eats this meal and is fine after thirty minutes, he can eat again. I’d like him to wait until I come back in the morning for anything more than chicken and rice.”

  And with true Margie flair, she turned her sharp gaze on the stranger and continued. “And you. No fighting, no gnawing on your stitches, and if you want to remain sedative-free you’d better behave. If I have to get out of bed to come here and tranquilize you, I’ll be mighty pissed.”

  Everyone nodded or chuckled, including the wolf. The spitfire seemed to grow in size as she instructed the males. “Sure. Yuck it up, boys, but I’d shoot each and every one of you. If I come back here tomorrow and anything at all seems out of order, y’all are under the gun. Literally.”

  With her final words, she shrugged off Connor’s arm and turned toward the door, flipping them all off over her shoulder. He laughed even as he raced after her.

  “Hey, wait a minute, Margie.”

  When she turned and waited by her open truck door, he nearly stumbled. The sun was setting behind her, bathing her in reds and oranges. Her hair caught the light and it looked like curls of flame were caressing her cheeks. God, she’s gorgeous.

  “Wha…what did you say?”

  Fuck. He’d said that out loud. He gulped. Fine. He could own up to this. He wanted to try dating her, right? “I, uh…I said you’re gorgeous.”

  Those horribly embarrassing words were well worth the blush heating his cheeks. The smile that lit up her face was absolutely beautiful. It was open and innocent but held a hint of mischief. He couldn’t help but smile back.

  “Oh my word, Mr. Manning. You actually smiled?” She gasped and mockingly fluttered her hand over her mouth. “What in the world has caused you to be so open with your feelings? Did the tranquilizer knock something loose in your grumpy interior?”

  “Why is everyone telling me I don’t smile? I smile all the time.” Even to himself he sounded like a teenager grumping about parents. Connor shook his head. Maybe he really had been too buried in his own head to realize how down he’d been lately.

  “Sure you do.” Margie nodded, sending her auburn curls bobbing around her face. “So what did you want? Not that I don’t enjoy the compliment. I mean, I really like that you think I’m pretty and all. I’m going to shut up now.”

  Even with the back-lighting of sundown, the blush coloring her cheeks blazed. He couldn’t help but take a few more steps toward her. “I wanted to make sure we’re still on for Cammie and Ian’s ceremony on Saturday. Tomorrow I’ll be tromping through the woods with the boys looking for more traps and I’m not sure I’ll have time to call you.”

  She gaped. Full mouth-open, crickets-sounding-in-the-background gawking. He stepped a little closer, leaning down until she had to look up into his face and their noses nearly touched. “Surprised? I’m done running. Somehow all this stuff we’ve gone through over the last couple of weeks has finally given me an inkling of how stupid I’ve been.”

  Leaning back away from her, he grinned and continued. “Margie. Would you do the honor of accompanying me to the mating ceremony this weekend as my date?”

  She squeaked the most adorable answer in the lifetime of all answers. “Really? A date? Really? Yes. Yeah. A date?”

  He pulled her in to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Whispering into her hair gave him a way to talk without her looking in his face. “I have a lot of history to deal with but I want to try with you.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him back. “Ditto.”

  He snorted and let her go. “Go home and sleep, Margie-girl. I don’t know if I’ll be here in the morning when you come to visit the wolf, but be careful.”

  She smacked him as she turned toward her open vehicle door. “Right. Like I’m not always careful.” She paused. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

  He smiled and nodded. “Eight o’clock. I’m looking forward to it.”

  She ducked her head, attempting to hide her pink cheeks. “Me too.”

  With that she started her truck and pulled out of the driveway. Connor stood there until he could no longer hear her on the road. “You don’t need to skulk around behind me. I know you’ve been standing there since she left.”

  Cammie scoffed. “I’m not skulking. I was waiting to see when you’d turn back. If you hurt her, Connor, I swear right now that I’ll have your pelt for a rug. I love that girl. She’s the only friend I’ve had who’s stuck by me.”

  Turning to the newly claimed female had him trying to keep the gruffness from his voice. “I know. I wouldn’t hurt her on purpose. Ever.”

  “But you have. Every time you’ve turned her down, turned her away, made her second-guess the attraction she feels. Each of those moments, she’s been harmed.”

  Well. Shit. He hadn’t thought about it that way. Now her behavior and lashing back at him made more sense. “I’m a freaking lunk-head.”

  “Yes you are. Now th
at we’ve come to that understanding, I think we’ll be okay. But remember my warning.”

  Cammie sauntered back into the darkness of the barn without another word.

  “Freaking feisty women banding together.” His friends had better have some sort of meeting to discuss this, because he wasn’t sure he could take being threatened by every female around. And he was taking on one of the fieriest of them all.

  Morning. Kill me now. Margie groaned as she rolled over and slammed her hand on the wailing alarm clock. She didn’t want to get up. Didn’t want to have to admit that it’d taken her hours to slow her thoughts and stop replaying the touching, sentimental moments with Connor before she’d left the barn. Nope. But now she needed to climb out of bed, chug some coffee and take a shower before heading back to Skip’s place.

  She’d stayed up partly to see if something happened and she’d be forced to go back over and sedate the mystery shifter. A surge of excitement got her moving. If his wounds were healed enough, he could shift.

  Ideas raged through the fog clouding her brain. A new guy. She wondered whether he’d be a problem, whether he was running from something like so many others she’d talked to. If he was running, would that bring trouble to the town? And what about that trap? Would they find more while they were out scouting? Who in the hell would be dumb enough to set traps on state land? And what would be the purpose?

  With her mind cataloging and sifting through meager information, she went through her normal morning routine. Shower first, then coffee, which thanks to a programmable pot was piping hot the moment she walked into the kitchen.

  Margie sighed and closed her eyes, and the heat from the cup in her hands seeped into her body. It’d been a rough few days. The silence of her home was wonderful. Between housing Cammie for a few days and then taking care of Zeke, she hadn’t had a minute truly alone in close to two weeks.

  Sipping the hot, dark, perfectly roasted organic coffee loosened the knot in her stomach. Everyone had made it through the night. She’d go to Skip’s for a few minutes to check on the wolf and then she could start to get her life back on its orderly track. Stocks and equipment needed to be checked at her office and she really needed to do a big grocery shop. And she’d have to see what she had to wear for her date—

  “Holy shit, I have a date with Connor tomorrow. What the hell am I going to wear?” Her calm was immediately fractured into excited disbelief that bordered on terror.

  When he’d asked her earlier yesterday, he’d been gruff and made it sound like a way to babysit her. But in the evening? That had been something completely different. He’d been soft and caring, cute and blushing. He’d asked her on a date. She giggled and slapped a hand over her mouth.

  “Enough of that. Coffee first. Then Skip’s house. After that you can worry about what you’ll wear.”

  She scoffed at her own words. As if she needed to hear her own list of priorities. With a shake of her head, she followed her own directive by downing the last of her coffee and grabbing her keys. For a moment she mentally went over the supplies she had in her medical bag and nodded. It would be enough to deal with the wolf’s issues.

  A thrill had her pulse spiking. Maybe Connor would be at Skip’s, waiting for her. Or he’s going to be out looking for more traps and the possibility of poachers, just like he told you yesterday. Yeah. Her internal diva wasn’t having any of that foo-foo shit. Probably good anyway, otherwise she’d be all girly or something.

  She snorted. “Yep. Going slightly more nuts today than normal. Talking to myself inside my head and out loud.”

  With a chuckle she clambered into her truck and headed to Skip’s. She hoped everything had been good overnight. No one in this town needed more trouble, especially Cammie. That girl needed this ceremony thing to go off without issues. She’d been through enough with her ex to last a lifetime.

  Chapter Seven

  Throwing the handful of traps he’d found into the back of his pickup punctuated the mood he’d slowly fallen into. The rattle of the metal and tinkling chains sounded like a dungeon. Seven. He’d found seven of the fucking things in the small area he’d taken from the map. Fuck. Each one had been hidden well, and only by scenting the metal had he found them. It had to be poachers. Had to be. No sane hunter placed so many contraptions that close together.

  The strangest part for him was the lack of human or shifter scents around the traps. Some had been set only days ago, yet nothing remained of the person or persons doing it. Which added another check mark next to the whole idea of poachers. But if they were looking for normal animals, would they have taken the time to do that? If they were dealing with shifter hunters—he shivered—that would be a completely different ball game.

  Zeke and Chuck came strolling out of the woods, each holding a bunch of traps and other things dangling and rattling in their hands. They looked grim. Shoulders hunched, hands clenched and their jaw muscles working. It didn’t take long to find out what they’d seen.

  “Fucking asshole poachers.” Zeke spat the venomous words as he threw his stash of traps into the truck bed. “Found five coyote traps and a fucking bear trap.”

  Chuck nodded and solemnly set his haul in the truck. “Six for me, and not a single scent out of place. Who the hell puts this much metal in the woods?”

  That was the trillion-dollar question. “Skip needs to have a meeting and we need to warn everyone about this. We can’t be losing pack to something like this.”

  Zeke and Chuck grunted their agreement. Zeke perked up a little—nothing kept the man down for long. “Heading to Skip’s now? Right? Bet he’s got something on the grill for lunch. And we can see what’s been going on with the wolf.”

  “Good idea. See you guys there.” Connor hopped into his truck and headed toward his Alpha’s place. He’d have to check in with his office and make sure he hadn’t missed anything, but with the town mostly shifters, everyone would be keeping their calls to his office or the state police to emergencies only. Everyone wanted to know what was going on. Even the humans who weren’t in on the secret knew something was going on. They were only concerned about their pets and local livestock, but all the same the town was worried.

  The surge of disappointment through Connor’s chest when he noticed Margie’s truck missing from Skip’s driveway hurt. He’d spent more time than he should have thinking about the woman while he’d tromped through the woods. He would never admit to it, but he’d slept with the shirt she’d been pressed against so he and his coyote could breathe in her scent. It’d calmed his animal and had the opposite effect on him. He’d slept with a hard-on for most of the night. The full balls and tightness of his pants were well worth it, though.

  “Connor. Get your hairy ass in here and stop lollygagging. We’ve got a situation.” Skip’s voice was muffled but the demand was clear as day.

  “Fuck.” Connor took off at a run and entered the barn at a near-sprint. “What? What’s going on? Did the wolf attack—”

  Standing near the ‘war’ table was a very tall, very dark man. Even under the oddly familiar, ill-fitting clothes he was impressively built. Wide shoulders stretched the seams of the faded gray T shirt. Light gleamed off his shaved head, casting shadows over his face. Brilliantly white teeth gave away the silent snarl pulling the man’s lips into a grimace. He exuded power like an aura. He stood defiantly staring at Connor, eyes as dark as night and as intense as any he’d seen boring into his. Connor’s coyote wanted to go belly-up, and that reaction had him skidding to a halt.

  Skip cleared his throat. “Connor, meet Jason. He’s the Alpha of the Barron Corners’ pack downstate.”

  When Skip had started talking, Connor had done what he was supposed to—taken a step forward and offered the stranger his hand. Jason had instantly taken it and given it a firm shake. But when Connor would have released the man, Skip’s words filtered through his confusion. “Wait. You’d better not be here to challenge our Alpha, mutt.”

  “Easy, C. He’s not h
ere to challenge me. He’s going to fill us all in as soon as we head into the house.” After a pause, Skip continued with a growl in his voice. “Let him go, Connor. You will not harm someone I’ve given sanctuary to.”

  As if he’d been tasered, Connor dropped the other man’s hand and backed away. “Sanctuary?”

  Skip nodded and motioned to them all. “Let’s grab some drinks and chips. Jason here can fill you all in and we can start planning.”

  “And we need to discuss the poaching issue,” Connor threw out there.

  Skip nodded. “Yeah, that too. Shit, I was hoping for a couple of weeks free of drama.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair and over the scruff on his jaw. “Let’s hope one or both of these can be solved relatively quickly.”

  Marching into the Alpha’s house gave Connor a moment to get a grip on his coyote and on the situation. As a member of the pack, he had to defer to his Alpha when it came to shifter things, but as the sheriff of the town he was in charge of everyone’s safety. At time those two roles warred within him, causing his animal fear and confusion.

  Skip didn’t make anyone wait. Zeke and Chuck followed Connor into the den and they all sat together on an overstuffed leather couch. A united front against whatever was coming at them. Skip motioned to the still-silent wolf to sit in one of the leather chairs while Skip slid into his beat-up black monstrosity of a recliner.

  “Before y’all got back here, I had a few minutes to discuss what’s been going on here with Jason. He’s asked for sanctuary, which I’ve granted. And, no I don’t think the traps have anything to do with him, but I’ll let him tell his story.”

  All eyes turned toward the stranger and Connor could scent the discomfort rolling off the man.

  “I was the Alpha of a mixed pack of shifters in Barron Corners. We had about thirty of us living in the town, all contributing members of the pack. ’It was a quiet place…or had been.” Jason rubbed a palm over his scalp. “I was such an idiot.” He sighed. “About two years ago a family moved into town. Shifters. They were rougher around the edges than most of us, harder to get close to. Over time they integrated well and I thought they were happy.”