He looked at her speculatively for a second. The muscle was at work in his jaw, and she thought for a moment that he wasn’t going to say anything.
“I’m not like other men you’ve known. I’m not a man at all.”
“What does that mean?” He wasn’t making any sense and her heart pounded as she stared at him.
He sighed. “It’s better if I show you.” He got up off the bed, and as she watched in horrified fascination, his muscles pulsed under his skin and his bones snapped and cracked. She wanted to yell at him to stop and closed her eyes so that she wouldn’t have to watch anymore.
There was silence in the room, and when she opened her eyes again, a big, black wolf was standing by the bed where Ben had been. Shock went through Lana, so strong and gut-wrenching that all she could do was sit there, frozen. This could not be happening. She was trying to wrap her mind around what her eyes were telling her.
She squeezed her eyes shut and, after several moments, a male hand came down to rest gently on her arm. Her eyes flew open and she shrank back from him. “You’re a…”
“A werewolf.” He said it simply and matter of factly, as if it was an everyday occurrence to sleep with a man who could change into a wolf.
“I think you should go.”
A look of hurt flashed through his eyes before he quickly masked it. His face was closed as he moved away from her and reached for his clothes. He quickly dressed and went toward the door. He turned to look at her with his hand on the knob.
“I know it’s a shock and you need time to come to grips with this. Just know that I’m the same man who came to you tonight and that I would never hurt you. If you decide that you can be with someone like me, you know where to find me.”
And with that, he opened the door and walked out. Lana curled up in a ball in the center of the bed and tried to wrap her head around the fact that the man she wanted more than any other wasn’t a man at all.
12
Ben
Ben walked into Shadowbrook, the weight of what happened between him and Lana heavy on his mind. How could he have lost control of himself to the point that he let his true nature show through his eyes? He had known the truth would have to come out at some point if he was going to continue seeing her, but it would have been better if he’d had time to prepare her for it. Now he didn’t know if she would ever want to see him again.
“What’s wrong?” Josh looked over at him, probably reading that something wasn’t right from his expression, and that reminded him that he had bigger problems than Lana knowing what he really was.
“Gather the pack in the great hall. I have something to tell them that they need to know.”
Ben made his way to the great hall as he turned the ultimatum Rebecca Canergie had presented him with over in his mind. If it were up to him, he would fight the humans who wanted to rip their home away from them. But it was not up to him. It was up to the pack if they wanted to take such a risk, and he would lead the pack in whatever decision they made. Too much was at stake for him not to let each and every member have their say.
The pack walked into the great room, and Ben’s eyes roved over each one. They were his family, and it was his job to protect them. He’d pledged to protect them with his life, and he would do just that if it came down to it. But they were at a crucial point in their existence, and he could not make the decision to run or fight on his own.
Once everyone gathered inside and all eyes were focused on him, he drew in a deep breath. What he said now mattered, and he wanted to be careful with his words.
“The danger we have all been feeling has presented itself to me. Rebecca Canergie approached me today.”
The air felt like it had been sucked out of the room as the collective members of the pack drew in a gasp of surprise. They all knew what the name Canergie meant. Ben lifted his hand for silence as a murmur of fear went through the crowd.
“The Canergies want to take back Shadowbrook. They claim that it is rightfully theirs, and they have given me a deadline of three weeks to vacate everyone from here. If we stay, she promises that blood will be spilled.” Ben blew out a slow breath as he contemplated his next words. “I am putting the matter to you. Do you want to do as the Canergies say and leave here to start a new life somewhere else? Or do you want to stay and fight for our home? Make no mistake, it will be a fight, and until I know the size of the force we are facing, I cannot guarantee that it will be one we can win.”
A roar of noise went up and Ben stood there patiently while he waited for the pack to absorb what he’d said. He didn't have to wait long.
To his surprise, Derek stepped forward. There were bandages on his throat where Ben’s teeth had penetrated his skin. Ben tensed for a moment, wondering if the younger wolf was determined to cause trouble yet again.
“Shadowbrook is my home. It was the home of my parents and grandparents. This territory does not belong to the Canergies no matter what they might say. I will abide by whatever the pack decides and I will stand behind my Alpha, but I for one am prepared to fight to keep my home.” Derek bowed his head towards Ben in a show of respect, and some of the tension he’d been holding inside eased away.
“We’ll take a vote. Those of you who want to stay and fight for our home, say aye.” A chorus of “ayes” echoed in the room. Not a single member of the pack stayed silent. “It’s settled then. We fight for our home!”
A chorus of howls rose up inside the room. Once the pack calmed down, Ben dismissed everyone except Josh and Derek.
“I want the two of you to coordinate a search for the Canergies. I want to know where they are holed up, and I want to strike at them before they have a chance to gather their strength against us.”
A look of pride crossed Derek’s face. “I won’t let you down, Alpha.”
“I know you won’t. You can go.”
Derek bowed and left the room. Josh looked after him speculatively.
“You’re taking quite a chance putting your trust in him after he challenged you.”
Ben was aware of that, but if Derek was going to put the loss of his challenge behind him, Ben needed to give him some more responsibilities.
“If I don’t show my trust in him, it will only breed resentment in him. The challenge is over and he lost. This is his home, too, and he has a right to fight for it. I am giving him a chance to help the pack to show him that his challenge to my authority is over. The Canergies are the bigger threat.”
Josh nodded, and Ben was about to turn away when he caught the penetrating look on his brother’s face. “Do you want to tell me what was really bugging you when you got here?”
“Isn’t the fact that our pack is under threat enough?” It should have been enough to fool Josh, but his brother was way too perceptive to think that the Canergie’s threat was all that was driving Ben to distraction.
“Why do I have the feeling that there is more going on here than just a threat to the pack? Does Lana have anything to do with the look on your face when you walked in here?” Ben fought to keep his face impassive under Josh’s stare. “Did you sleep with her?”
“No,” Ben said quickly, and not at all convincingly.
“Holy shit, you did. You slept with the bookstore lady!” There was a look of delight on Josh’s face and Ben gave him a shove.
“Keep your voice down! I don’t want this broadcasted to the pack.”
“No one can hear us.” A serious look crossed Josh’s face. “How are you going to tell her what you really are?”
“I don’t need to tell her. She already knows.” Josh’s brows climbed up his forehead and his eyes widened. Ben raised his hand to forestall any questions. “I lost control...after. She saw my wolf side in my eyes, and I had to tell her.”
“How did she take it?”
“Not well. And I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” He didn't want to hear any more of Josh’s talk about the possibility of Lana being his mate. The more time he spent with her, the more h
e suspected that it was true and that Lana was the mate Fate had chosen for him. He had no idea what that would mean if she couldn't accept what he was.
13
Lana
Two weeks after her night with Ben, Lana looked around at the grand opening party in full swing. She and Harper had worked their asses off to get the bookstore ready, but even with all the work she’d had to distract her, Ben was still in the forefront of her mind.
He was here tonight along with Josh, and judging by the way Harper was speaking animatedly with him, it appeared that her best friend was struck with him. It was almost like they already knew each other.
Lana swallowed hard as Ben separated himself from them and approached her. Her eyes devoured him as if it had been months since she’d seen him rather than weeks. While her head told her that he was dangerous to get tangled up with, her heart begged to differ. She’d almost gone to see him a dozen times since he’d left her that night, but she’d managed to stop herself.
“The place looks great.” He seemed genuinely happy for her as he looked around appreciatively. He looked back at her, and there was a hesitancy in his eyes. “I know I said I would leave you alone, but is there somewhere quiet we can talk?”
She knew that if she said no, that she had nothing to say to him, he would walk out of her life and never bother her again. The thought sent a shard of pain through her and she knew that she wasn't going to ask him to leave again. He’d gotten under her skin and into her head, and the ache in her chest made it seem like it no longer mattered that he was not what he appeared to be.
“We can go to my office.” Lana turned on her heel and led the way to her office at the back of the store. She was aware of the eyes on her as she walked away from her own party, but she ignored them. She needed to be alone with Ben and that was the only thing that mattered.
Once they were inside her office and he closed the door behind him, she took a deep breath and turned to face him.
“I need to apologize to you.” She clasped her hands together in front of her. “You can’t help being what you are and if I hurt you by reacting badly, then I’m sorry.”
He took a step toward her and unclasped her hands so he could hold them. “There is nothing for you to be sorry about. There was no way you could have known what I was. I should have told you before I slept with you, but as I’m sure you can appreciate, it is a difficult truth to share with someone.”
“Is that why you don’t trust humans? Is it because you’re afraid that they’ll learn your secret?” Lana licked her lips as she squeezed his hands. “You don’t have to worry about me telling anyone. I haven’t even shared it with Harper.”
“I know I can trust you, Lana. I wouldn't have changed in front of you if I didn’t.” He raised her hands to his lips and kissed the back of each one. “Can I take this to mean that you wouldn't mind continuing to see me?”
Lana took a step forward, put her arms around his waist, and settled her body against his. “I think I’d like to keep seeing you and see where this thing goes.”
A soft smile crossed his face as his eyes turned smokey. He slowly lowered his head, as if he was giving her time to change her mind. When he was only an inch away from her mouth, he spoke in a husky whisper.
“If you let me kiss you now, it means that you are mine for as long as this thing between us lasts.” There was a possessiveness in his eyes that spoke to something deep inside her. She knew that if she had a problem with what he was, then now was the time to speak up about it.
She had no intention of doing any such thing.
“It means you’re mine, too, for however long this lasts.”
He gave a growl of agreement as he moved his head down the last fraction of an inch needed to bring his lips to hers. The inner turmoil that Lana had been feeling for the past couple of weeks melted away as he moved his lips against hers. Being in his arms like this made the fact that he was not human seem unimportant.
He cradled her body against his, and she could feel the strength and power radiating from him. But she knew that he would never turn that power against her. There was a protectiveness in the way he held her, and she felt safer with him than she’d ever felt with anyone before.
They pulled back from each other, and she could see the desire she felt for him reflected in his eyes.
“Is there somewhere else we can go? I need to have you now, but I’m not going to take you here with a crowd of people on the other side of the door.”
She was about to answer him when a chorus of screams and shouts came from the main part of the bookstore. In a moment, Ben went from a dreamy lover to a fiercely protective alpha male as he moved so that his body blocked Lana’s.
“We have to see what’s going on!”
“I know, but no matter what, stay behind me.” He moved toward the door with a swiftness that threatened to leave her behind. But she was right behind him when he yanked open the door to see what the commotion was about.
There was a mass of confusion that greeted them as they came out of the office. Lana heard someone scream to call 911, and panic lanced through her at the seriousness of what that meant.
Ben pushed his way through the crowd and Lana followed him through the path that he created. She gasped and her hand went up to her throat when she saw what had caused the commotion.
Josh lay on the floor of the store covered in blood. Harper was cradling him, her hands pressed against his side, which must have been the source of his wound.
“What the hell happened?” Ben’s voice was a roar above the noise, and Harper looked terrified when she looked up at him.
“We were outside getting some air when we heard a gunshot. Then Josh fell.” Harper’s words came out in a shocked sob. “Someone shot him.”
14
Ben
For what seemed like an eternity, Ben sat waiting in the hospital for word of whether or not his brother was going to live. How the fuck had this happened? He knew that the Canergies were responsible, but he didn’t know how one of their assassins had managed to come into town without them knowing it.
He looked up as a pale-looking Derek walked into the empty waiting room. The rest of the pack was at Shadowbrook where they would be safe.
“Alpha, I don’t know—”
Something inside Ben snapped as he leapt at Derek. It took all of his willpower not to wrap his hands around the other wolf’s throat and squeeze until there was no life left in him. “You were supposed to find out where they were! They should not have been able to get the jump on us like this!”
“I know, and I’m sorry! Josh and I have contacted every other pack we know and looked into every possibility of where they could be hiding. But they’re underground!” There was remorse and shame deep in Derek’s eyes, and Ben could see that he was beating himself up over what happened to Josh.
Ben drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Allowing his fear over what might happen to Josh to override his better sense would not do anyone any good. This power move by the Canergies had been meant to inspire terror in the pack, and if he gave in to it, they would win.
“We need to find them. I want you to look again. They must have left some sort of trail; someone must have seen a stranger in town. We have to find them before they pick us off one by one.”
A look of determination crossed Derek’s face. “I’m sorry for challenging you. I arrogantly thought that I could do a better job leading the pack than you. I was wrong.”
Derek held out his hand and Ben took it in a firm clasp. “It’s forgotten. Just do whatever it takes to find the bastards who did this to my brother.”
Derek nodded solemnly. “I won’t let you down, Alpha.”
After Derek turned and walked away, Ben went back to the chair he’d just vacated. He buried his face in his hands as fear for his brother threatened to swamp him. Josh had to survive this. Ben didn’t know what he would do if he didn’t.
A gentle hand came down to rest on his s
houlder, and he lifted his head to see Lana standing beside him with deep concern in her eyes.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here; I stayed with Harper until she fell asleep. I’m sure you can appreciate how much witnessing your brother’s shooting has affected her.” She took the seat beside him and took one of his hands in hers.
If someone had told him a couple of weeks ago that he would be drawing comfort and strength from a human, he would have told them that they were crazy. But that was before Lana came into his life and he couldn’t send her away now. Her presence beside him was soothing, helping him shove away the fear and anguish for his brother that threatened to consume him.
“Has there been any word?”
“No. He’s been in surgery and they said they would let me know as soon as he was out of it.” Ben put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him. He rested his chin on the top of her head, and the truth hit him with the strength of a sledgehammer that this woman was indeed his mate.
And she couldn't have come at a worse time.
He shoved away the thought as they sat there silently, waiting to learn if his brother would live or die.
“Why would someone do that to him?” There was confusion in Lana’s voice. “Did someone find out what he is and think they could exterminate him?”
“An old enemy has come back to take out the pack.” There was a note of finality in his voice that he hoped she caught. He didn’t want to talk about the Canergies; he didn’t want to drag her into this fight.
She seemed to understand and didn’t ask any more questions. He held her close while they waited to hear what would happen to Josh.
Firefighter Wolves Shifters (A Paranormal Romance Series Boxset) Page 6