A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing

Chapter 16

Bjornolf was surprised as hell when Hunter called sounding as if he was ready to roast him alive for upsetting his sister.

“Why in the hell did you call Finn and accuse Meara of deleting my messages?” Hunter growled.

Bjornolf never—at least that he would admit to—made mistakes. And he still was damned sure Meara has been involved in the message fiasco, despite what Hunter said. But then again, maybe he was wrong.

“My mistake,” Bjornolf said, without meaning it and unable to let go of what he thought was the truth.

“Next time you have an opinion about something that concerns her or me, bring it to my attention.” Hunter hung up.

Not expecting the confrontation to end so quickly, Bjornolf was reminded of a squall abruptly appearing on the ocean during one of their SEAL missions and then disappearing just as suddenly. Bjornolf didn’t care much about most people’s opinions, but Hunter and the rest of his team had long ago earned the deep-cover operative’s respect because of all their successful missions. And although Bjornolf didn’t like admitting that he’d done anything wrong, he felt unsettled.

Then again, that might have had something to do with watching Finn standing on the deck with Meara as he slipped his hands up her shirt and began to caress her breasts, speaking low in her ear, his body pressed provocatively against her backside, and undoubtedly trying to win her favor.

Observing them through the screen of pine trees, Bjornolf frowned. Meara was softening under Finn’s touch, but when he said something more to her, she balked. Bjornolf smiled cynically. She wouldn’t be won over easily. Finn wasn’t as charming a talker as he thought he was. Meara definitely wasn’t buying his attempts to smooth things over with her.

Finn suddenly grabbed her up in his arms without her permission and headed for the house like some damned medieval warrior bent on taking the woman for his own whether she approved or not.

Bjornolf scowled. They were just the moves he would have made if he’d had the chance and a soft touch wasn’t working.

Hell, it was a mating for sure.

For the first time since he’d been turned, Rourke was truly enjoying himself. Not that he had a news story to report, but he was really getting into investigating what he could concerning Hunter’s final SEAL mission. One thing he thought odd: quiet, unassuming Chris Tarleton had seemed unduly on edge when Rourke talked to Meara about the Knight of Swords. It wasn’t like the information was top secret or anything. And she had a right to know what was going on. Then he realized what it was all about. Chris didn’t want Meara looking into the matter because she was known for lunging into situations that could get her into real trouble. Hell, now he wished he hadn’t told her about it.

Rourke did another search on the Internet, breaking into areas that were classified but that he had a knack for getting into. Purely for research. If he’d wanted to be one of the bad guys, he probably could have made a lot of money at it. But he was cursed with wanting to do what was right—even down to stopping at a yellow light because it might turn red when he was in the middle of the intersection.

Thankfully, Hunter had enough faith in Rourke to allow him to remain unsupervised in his own apartment. And if Rourke could, he’d break this case for Hunter and stop whoever it was from trying to harm any of the rest of the SEALs or Meara. He wanted in the worst way to be an important pack member, someone others could rely on.

He chewed on his bottom lip and scrolled down the page some more. And then he figured he was going about this all wrong.

He called Dave, the other sub-leader, and when he answered the phone, Rourke said, “Chris gave me some of the information about the hit on Allan and the Knight of Swords card left behind. What do you know about any of it?”

Dave gave a grunt. “That’s Chris’s business. He’s the one who’s been looking into it. I’ve been busy with all the other pack troubles that come up. Don’t know a thing about any Knight of Swords card. Why would you need to know, Rourke? You’re not working on a new story, are you?”

“No. But this is what I do. Investigative reporting. Except the only reporting I intend to do is finding out who is behind this and giving Hunter the news so he can deal with it.”

Dave didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he let out his breath with a heavy sigh. “Really can’t help you with that. With petty wolf squabbles and one teen runaway, I have my hands full. Talk to Chris. If he believes he can trust that you’re not going to put this in the paper, he’ll fill you in. Good luck.”

“Thanks, Dave. I want to help solve this if I can.”

“You’re all right in my book, Rourke, and don’t let anyone tell you any differently.” Then the phone clicked dead.

Rourke was so surprised Dave would say so that he just sat staring at his computer monitor, absorbing the praise for a moment. Then he smiled—and then he frowned.

He wouldn’t get anywhere questioning Chris. If Chris wanted him to know something, he’d tell him. Otherwise, he’d say nothing to Rourke. If Chris had been taking notes about the investigation concerning the hit on Allan, where would they most likely be? His desk at home? Bedroom?

Chris didn’t have a human job. Running the pack with Dave kept him busy. Now he had to oversee renting Hunter and Meara’s cabins. That was where he was right now, dealing with two disgruntled renters.

Hunter would give Rourke hell if he knew the reporter had left the apartment without Chris’s okay, and even worse if he learned that Rourke had searched Chris’s house for evidence about the crimes against Hunter’s team without permission. But Chris wasn’t an investigative reporter. He might be sitting on the evidence that could prove who the mastermind of the whole operation was and never know what he was holding onto.

Rourke turned off his computer and grabbed his keys. If he could prove who was behind this, he had to do so. Lives were at stake. And this was a job he could do.

Meara couldn’t believe what she thought Finn had in mind as he carried her to the master bedroom. “But we’ve been staying in the guest bedroom. Shouldn’t we use the same room? Someone else should use this room.”

“No. You belong in here with me.” He smiled down at her as he put her on the bed.

“You said you wanted a heart-to-heart talk.” She was fairly sure that if they didn’t begin a conversation soon, it would quickly dissolve into something else.

“The chemistry between us is remarkable.”

“The chemistry.” If this was just about the sex…

“I’m not a romantic kind of guy.”

She smiled, not thinking that was true in the least. There was romance in castles with brawny Highlanders, and then there was romancing a SEAL. They were two entirely different scenarios, and she was over the moon with the SEAL.

“You’ve said so already. Although I’d have to graciously disagree with your claim.”

“I can’t compete with the heroes in your romance novels,” he said.

“Hmm, you’re right.”

He raised a brow, and she got the distinct impression he thought she should have argued with him over that.

“You make a passable hero,” she said, staring up at him with wide innocent eyes, although inside she was smiling with amusement as he towered over her next to the bed.

“Passable.” He snorted. “You want a mate, someone who’s an alpha. I’m not giving you up to anyone else, Meara. So that means—”

“Wait a minute,” she said, sitting up on the bed and figuring they’d better get the real issue out in the open before lust ruled their minds and bodies. “You would be just about right for my mate except for one thing. Your job.”

He didn’t look worried that she’d object to his line of work, which thoroughly puzzled her. But she wasn’t going to let that stop them any longer. She continued, “So here’s the deal—if you want to be mine, you’ll have to—”

“Give up my job?”

She wasn’t certain she wanted him to. That was one of the things she loved about him. His adventurous spirit and his desire to save the world and right wrongs where he could. How could he do that sitting on a beach with her for the rest of his life? She just couldn’t see him helping her with renting out the cabins. He’d feel chained to her, obligated to give up his life for her.

She shook her head. “No, I was actually thinking of—” She sighed, sure he wouldn’t go along with her idea.

“Of…?” he prompted.

“Well, you could still go on your missions, only I’d go with you. As your wife.”

A slow smile spread across his face.

She frowned at him. “I’m serious.”

“You’re not trained.”

“I could be. I could be as good as Anna. Maybe even better. And I’d be your mate, so we could be a team.”

“I’m tired of living out of a suitcase, Meara. I’m tired of sleeping out in the open or in rundown motel rooms, of waking in the middle of the night and not even knowing where I am.”

“I like to go camping and sleep out in the open,” she said, looking up at him, seeing the sincerity in his expression, and loving him. “I’m really an outdoors kind of girl.”

“Now that kind of camping, I can do. Snuggling in a sleeping bag built for two, watching the stars sparkle like white crystals on a midnight backdrop, and lots more s’mores… yeah, I could definitely get into that kind of camping. Steaks… and shrimp on the grill. It could work.”

“You wouldn’t miss all the danger and adventures?”

“From what Hunter told me while you were taking a bath, he had a whole truckload of danger right here on the Oregon coast once he moved the pack up here. And you were right in the middle of it.” Finn shrugged. “Danger and adventure are what you make of them. I’m sure I can find all kinds of trouble to get into right here.”

“You’re really serious?”

“I couldn’t be more so. But I want you to know one thing—Hunter is the one who contracted most of our missions after we left the Navy, not me.”

She gave him a slow smile. “I know.”

He frowned at her. “You were always giving me hell for getting the contracts.”

“Yep.”

Then he smiled evilly. “I told the guys you were only giving me a hard time so you could have a final word with me. That was the only way Hunter would permit you to see me. And he always give me a sinister smile afterward, glad you gave me hell instead of him.”

“Men are so—clueless,” she said.

“Clueless, eh?” He laughed and began removing her clothes.

“There’s no going back for us.” Meara pulled off her shirt as he tugged her pants off.

“There isn’t going to be.”

She enjoyed the way his breathing quickened, his pheromones stirred with lust.

His muscles tightened like a wolf ready to take down its prey. She gazed up at him and recognized the heat in his eyes. The testosterone filling his blood made him want her so badly that if she put a hand to his chest right now, she was sure she’d have a devil of a time convincing him she wanted to wait any longer.

“You’re thinking too much,” he said, yanking off his jeans and shirt and another pair of those semitransparent boxers. Did he know just how sexy those things were? Then he slid into bed next to her, his body warming hers instantly. He grabbed a handful of her hair and took a deep breath, lowering his body on top of hers, his mouth hovering over her lips.

She lifted her head to capture his tantalizing mouth, annoyed that he’d withhold the kiss, but he only smiled and brushed her lips quickly, then nudged her face over to kiss her ear and whisper, “I want to touch and taste every inch of you. I want to fill you and love you and make you mine.”

His mouth caressed her ear and her neck, all the way down to her throat, awakening a feverish desire to have him deep inside her, every nerve ending thrumming with need.

“Hmm,” she said and took his face in her hands and studied his heated gaze. “I want more.” And with that, she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. It was a tempestuous, heady kiss of yearning and passion, of pressed lips and tongues fusing, of heated breaths that left them panting.

“Damn, Meara,” he said grinning, and she laughed.

But she didn’t let up the assault and wrapped her arms around him, preparing for even more.

His hands slipped around her buttocks and she spread her thighs with willing anticipation. He pressed against her heat, hard and eager, rubbing her with incessant need, infusing her with a desire so strong that she didn’t think she could last.

Hunger mobilized her to explore every inch of his taut muscles as her fingers felt his back and buttocks and thighs. His mouth moved from hers to a breast and he suckled lightly, then more vigorously, and she writhed against him, wanting him to enter her now. Every inch of her was filled with fire as she moaned against the sweet things his mouth was doing to her breasts.

Until he moved away and his hand replaced his body, cupping her between her legs. His fingers stroking the outside made her crave his penetration even more. But she wouldn’t beg, fearing he’d just make her want more. Without permission, her body arched, forcing him to spread her feminine lips, enticing him to sink his fingers deep, making him smile just a little.

He was so maddeningly smug. Before he knew what she was up to, she reached between them and gave him a little back, stroking his penis with a firm, steady grip, and for a time, he allowed it. She could tell from the expression on his face that he was fighting giving in too quickly, and then he was pulling away and stroking her as if he was afraid she’d dissolve into an Oregon mist and fade away before he could finish this.

She closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of his fingers dipping inside her and stroking her outside until she had climbed so high, aching for the end, undulating to his touch, that the only thing that kept her from crying out when the climax hit was his mouth against hers, swallowing the sounds of joy.

Then he was inside her in one fell swoop, his hand lifting her legs around his buttocks for even deeper penetration. He was wolf-sized, the perfect fit, stretching her, filling her, the only one for her. Her mate, now and forever. And she knew the time had finally been right for the two of them, surrounded by unknown dangers but joined for life.

Finn had never thought it could get better than the sexual pleasure that he’d shared with Meara up until now. But this was something even he hadn’t expected. To see her aglow with their lovemaking and know that he’d brought her to climax, to see her desire it so much yet fight the urge to beg him to finish her off, when he knew that’s just what she was doing. He loved her actions; he loved her.

She nipped at his chin as he looked at her with wonderment. And then he gave her a smile and nuzzled her cheek, but his mouth soon reclaimed hers with rapaciousness as the fire in him burned. She was so incredibly desirable.

He still couldn’t believe she had been free until now to mate. He kissed her and deepened his thrusts, wanting to bring the mating to completion, to feel the heart-thudding bonding between mates, to glory in the mounting passion. And then with a burst of raw sexual completion, he filled her with his seed, barely aware that her hands were grasping his hips and she was moving against him with wicked delight.

“Damn, Meara, you’re good.”

“We’re good,” she said, licking his whiskery chin. “Damned good—together.”

He gathered her into his arms and pulled the covers over them. “Together,” he agreed, a kind of bliss he’d never truly felt surrounding him completely. “Hell, I should have retired and sought you out long ago.”

She chuckled against his chest. “You’re absolutely right. But I doubt either of us would have been ready before this.” And then they snuggled like two wolves, not caring for the moment what lay beyond their self-proclaimed den.

Although in the back of his thoughts, he knew he would be moving her to Hunter’s house before long to keep her safe.

When Meara finally woke again, she found that Finn had left the bed, probably worried what the others would think if they were alone together in a bedroom again before they announced they were mated. She shook her head when she saw his cell phone sitting on the bedside table. After she got dressed, she pocketed his phone and returned to the living room where she heard a heated discussion in the kitchen.

“Come on, Anna,” Paul was saying. “Everyone knows women make the best coffee.”

Meara laughed to herself. She’d made a pot on occasion, but since she didn’t drink it normally, Hunter had to make his own. She wondered if Tessa made coffee now for Hunter.

Anna said, “I. Don’t. Make. Coffee. I. Don’t. Cook. Either.”

Paul shook his head. “It just isn’t natural—a woman who doesn’t cook.”

Meara was certain Paul was teasing Anna. And she was just having some fun back. Finn rummaged around in the drawers, then pulled out an instruction booklet. “Here are the directions.”

“Don’t you know how to make a pot of coffee?” Anna asked, sounding surprised.

Finn gave Hunter a conspiratorial look, then shook his head. “Bjornolf made it earlier.”

“But,” Meara said, looking from Finn to her brother, “I thought the two of you were having coffee earlier. And Hunter’s always trying to get me to fix it. He only makes it when he’s camping, using a saucepan and stirring instant coffee into a mug of hot water.”

Ignoring the directions Finn offered, Paul scooped coffee into the machine.

Anna smiled and folded her arms as Paul added water. Meara imagined that Anna refused to fix coffee for the men because to her way of thinking that made her less of an equal. Meara wouldn’t make it either, since she didn’t drink it, while Paul seemed to be guessing at getting the proportions right.

She figured Finn wished Bjornolf was here to make the coffee. Especially when she saw the puckered faces as Hunter and Finn took their first sips. Anna drank hers as if she didn’t see anything wrong with it. Meara was glad she liked tea, which she made for herself.

But just as they all walked into the living room to take seats, where Meara planned to ask what would happen next, a key turned in the front-door lock.

Anna immediately set her cup of coffee on a table beside a high-backed chair to free her hands and pulled out a gun. Finn moved to stand in front of Meara, his endearing posture one of protection. She’d never seen this side of him in earlier years. When he was getting ready for a mission with Hunter, he’d been all business. Although now that she thought about it, he had acted a little funny around her at times. Like he wanted to get the hell out of there before he’d seen too much of her yet enjoyed the way she tore into him about setting up the contracts and didn’t want to leave.

Hunter was his indomitable self. Meara swore he could look at a man and make him cower like a beta when the stranger had thought himself a steadfast alpha before the encounter. She imagined Finn was not much different in the way he affected people.

Pulling out his concealed gun, Paul moved into a position where Anna wouldn’t block his aim.

The door opened and Allan smiled grimly at the assembled group.

“Oh my God, Allan, you’re here!” Anna said, hurrying to the door while she quickly holstered her gun.

Meara relaxed, as did the guys. She had to admire Allan for coming to help his team.

His pale green eyes were assessing her and Finn, his broad shoulders wide and his back straight, as if he was going to confront Finn over her. He scanned the room, his gaze taking in everyone gathered there. Hunter, Paul, Finn. But then he focused again on Meara, half hidden by Finn’s tall frame. A smile cheered Allan’s face.

She smiled back at him, glad to see him so well after his recent injury.

“Meara, I’ve come for you,” he said, his voice bear-like, and he gave Finn an annoyed look as if he was in the way.

Her mouth gaped. Hunter shook his head as if declaring again that his sister had led his team members off course.

Anna glanced worriedly at Finn. But Finn didn’t seem bothered by the declaration. Maybe because he’d moved behind Meara, stuck his hand in her back pocket, and was groping her as if to say she was not anyone else’s but his. She didn’t mind, since no one else could see his action and she rather liked where his hand was. But what was good for him was good for her. She slipped her hand in his back pocket and gave his buttock a warm squeeze. He shifted his gaze from Allan to give her a seductively heated smile that told her if they hadn’t had company, he would have hauled her right back to bed.

Paul chuckled. “Welcome back from the dead, Allan.”

“Good to see you,” Hunter said. “Just like the old days.”

“I wouldn’t have been left out of the action, no matter what. What would you guys do without me?” Allan said. “So what’s the plan?”

“Finn’s taking Meara to my place, and he’ll keep her safe there. We’re getting the word out that the team is all gathered here.”

When Allan took a seat on the couch, Paul offered, “Airline food sucks. What can I get you to drink? Eat?”

“Glass of brandy, if you’ve got any.”

“It’s not even noon,” Finn said, teasing him dryly.

“We’ve got wine,” Meara said, hoping Allan wouldn’t mind and wishing that they had what he truly wanted to drink.

But everyone else looked to Finn as if he could conjure a bottle of brandy out of thin air. He finally pulled his hand out of Meara’s pocket and said, “I’ll get it.”

Surprised Finn knew that the owners had any, she assumed he’d taken more of an inventory of their food supply than she had realized. A SEAL would take stock of provisions for a prolonged stay, she reminded herself.

Finn walked back into the living room with a glass and a bottle of brandy.

With a pointed glance in Finn’s direction, Allan said, “Actually, the sooner we mate, the better, before anyone else gets any ideas.”

Casting Paul an annoyed look, Finn poured some brandy for Allan, then handed him the glass, and set the bottle on the coffee table before him. “Meara was giving Paul and me a hard time and didn’t mean anything by it.”

Meara couldn’t tell if Finn and Allan were serious. Nor could she tell by the others’ expressions.

“I was teasing,” she said, trying to clarify her comments. “Paul and Finn were arguing over me, and well, since you weren’t here, I just said I wasn’t interested in either of them. Just you.”

Allan smiled again. “Ah.” He took a swig of the brandy and sank back on the couch. “Sounds like a Freudian slip to me, Meara.”

“You wish.”

“Actually,” Finn said, glancing at Hunter, “I wanted to tell you that Meara and I are mated, so no more bachelor alpha males will be signing up to rent the cabins.”

Hunter gave him a slow smile. “Tessa will be real glad to hear that. What about undercover contracts? Have you and Meara come to some sort of agreement concerning your work?”

“I’m retired,” Finn said, slipping his hand around Meara’s waist.

“At least for a while. If he decides he wants to do more contract work, he’s going to take me with him as his wife, and I’ll help him.” Meara smiled sweetly.

Everyone looked from Meara to Hunter to see his take on it. He shook his head. “She’s all yours, Finn. Take good care of her.”

“She wants to run the cabin resort,” Finn said.

Hunter gave him an agreeable nod. “My gift to the two of you.”

Meara beamed at him. “Thank you, Hunter. You won’t regret it.”

Finn gave Meara a warm embrace. “After you and Tessa finish your honeymoon in Hawaii once this business is over with, Meara and I are going on a cruise to the Caribbean.”

“A cruise?” Hunter said.

Meara smiled up at Finn, thankful he’d really been listening to her when she talked of a honeymoon cruise. “I’ve heard they have lots of great food.”

Hunter frowned at them. “What about shifting?”

“We’ll time it right. Besides, we have more control over it than that,” Meara said, annoyed. “At least I’m a royal, so with fewer human roots, I can change when I want to.” She looked at Finn.

He nodded. “Me, too.”

Hunter stood taller. “Even so, I can see a forced lifeboat drill, and here you are in your wolf forms in the cabin and…”

Meara snuggled closer to Finn. “He’s always like this. Didn’t I tell you?”

Finn kissed her cheek. “We’ll be fine, Hunter. Two weeks max, which will be plenty of time before the moon is full and the urge is stronger.”

Not looking surprised, Allan leaned back in the chair. “I take it I came to the party a little too late.”

“Yeah, me, too,” Paul said. Then he jerked his thumb at Anna. “She’s still available.”

Allan laughed. “Hell, she takes her weapons to bed. She’s a dangerous wolf for a man to have around. Especially, I imagine, in bed.”

“You better believe it.” Anna smiled deviously.

“And she doesn’t cook,” Paul reminded them.

“But she could save your hide if you needed it.” Meara smiled at Anna.

“Speaking of saving hides,” Finn said, “Meara and I need to leave.”

“With my blessing. Keep her safe, Finn,” Hunter said gruffly.

“Will do.”

“And I’ll take care of him, too.” Meara wasn’t going to be left out.

“Just don’t distract him, Meara,” her brother warned.

Paul and Allan looked like they wished they were in Finn’s shoes.

“Speaking of cooking, anyone up for lunch?” Hunter asked, giving Meara a hug before she and Finn left, and headed for the kitchen.

Finn grabbed his and Meara’s bags while she took the rifle. Anna nodded. “I can see what her priorities are. She could be one of us if she got some training. Never know.”

Meara gave her a hug. “Keep yourself safe.”

“You, too.” Then Anna entered the kitchen. “Here, let me help you with that. Poor Tessa. Hasn’t she trained you how to cook chicken right yet? The temperature’s wrong. The timer is wrong. Did you season it first?”

Sounded to Meara like Anna knew very well how to cook.

Allan and Paul looked like they also wanted hugs from Meara as they stood in the living room waiting. Finn’s expression told them not to even consider it. They laughed at him, slapped him on the back, and then joined Hunter in the kitchen.

“Ready to leave, Meara?” Finn asked.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” She hated leaving the team and her brother behind while she and Finn were safe and sound. Especially when the team could have used Finn’s help. But she knew Hunter and Finn wouldn’t have it any other way. “Let’s go.”