Heart of the Wolf

Chapter Ten

AS SOON AS DEVLYN LAID BELLA ON HER BED, THE email butler on her computer said, “You’ve got mail, Madam.”

Devlyn growled, not wanting any distraction to keep him from fully claiming his mate. “You didn’t shut your computer down.”

“Sorry. By the time you return, I’ll be ready for you.” He kissed her lips with feral possessiveness and then ran his tongue down her neck. “Better be.”

Unbuttoning his shirt, he strode out of the bedroom, but when he reached the computer, his fingers poised to turn it off, a message from Argos caught his attention.

Bella, I haven’t returned to Portland. I found someone had sent a message from my computer saying he’d meet you there, but it wasn’t me. Argos Devlyn cursed under his breath and typed in a reply.

This is Devlyn. Who had access to your computer? We’re safe for now, but I need to know who sent the message. He added: Who knows her home address? Dev

The message came back quickly. Thank God, you’re all right. I’ve been sitting at the computer all night waiting for your response in the hope all was well. Argos Who was it? Volan?

Volan’s the only one I can think of. I might have left my computer on when I ran some errands.

Poor old Argos. He wouldn’t do anything on purpose to hurt Bella. I’m not turning Bella over to him. I want you to know that. Devlyn rubbed his chin, waiting for an answer, respecting Argos above all others in the pack.

Bella approves, I suspect?

Yes. Tapping his bare foot on the floor, Devlyn waited for his response.

You’ll have to fight Volan to the death. Yes.

I always knew it would happen, Devlyn. You’re following in my footsteps and, yes, I approve.

You and Myrta? Devlyn couldn’t believe the old codger had fought to be pack leader over a female, too.

Yeah, can’t see it, eh? The two of you watch your backs. Volan’s not one to play fairly if it means losing Bella and his pack leadership all at the same time. He’ll be out for your blood.

Devlyn was glad to know Argos was on his side. Does Volan know Bella’s address?

No. She’s always had a P.O. box address. I don’t know where her home is.

Is Volan there now? Devlyn hoped it was a ruse, a veiled threat that he was coming for them if Devlyn didn’t bring her home to Colorado.

No. According to others, he left sometime this afternoon.

Devlyn breathed in the subtle fragrance of Bella behind him. A red lupus garou has been killing here. We’re trying to discover who he is. We’ll be returning later than we planned. In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye out for Volan.

Devlyn ... be careful.

“Is something wrong?” Bella asked, her sweet voice stirring him when she walked into the office. Her voice was threaded with worry, but seeing her wearing her red lace panties and bra forced the breath from his lungs. “Sinfully sexy” described his Bella. Just catching sight of her bra pushing up her already full-sized breasts ... just a bit more and the top of her darkened nipples would be exposed.

He stood up from the desk chair quickly. “Yeah, something’s wrong. Argos returned to Colorado and is still there. The message we thought he sent must have been from Volan.”

Bella’s face paled.

Wrapping his arm around her, he nuzzled his cheek against her neck. “Argos assures me he doesn’t know where you live.”

She shook her head.

Argos typed in a final message: Bring her home, Devlyn.

You have my word, Argos. D The next message made the hair on the nape of his neck stand on end.

Dear little Bella, I sent trusted members of my pack to bring you home, but it seems Devlyn has other ideas. I should have killed him years ago. No problem. Now is as good a time as any. Unless you agree to be my mate. Think on it, angel. A life for a life. Meet me at the club and agree to be my mate and I’ll let him live. Volan

Devlyn cursed under his breath, sure Volan’s message would shake Bella’s faith in his abilities. Shutting off the computer, he tightened his hold on her, hoping she wouldn’t discourage what he craved to do with her next. He kissed her cheek, but she seemed deep in thought, not responding to his attentions.

He couldn’t stomach the thought that she’d want to cool it with him now. Not when he’d convinced her he was the only one for her. “Bella honey, you haven’t changed your mind ...”

Her darkened gaze shifted from his chest to his face. Tears pooled in her eyes, striking a chord in his heart. He kissed her lips, trying to stir her compulsion to mate. Once she was his, there was no going back. No acquiescing to the alpha leader.

He breathed in the peach smell of her hair, focusing on everything about her that urged him to take his relationship with her all the way. “I’ll kill him, Bella, before he can have you. I swear it.”

“We can’t do it, Devlyn.”

Unable to curb his anger, he growled, “Because?”

“Because of Volan!”

Grinding his teeth, Devlyn cast her a knife-edged look. “You still think I haven’t got what it takes? That I can’t best him?”

“I’ve seen what he’s done to others who tried to take over the pack! I know how impossible he is to beat.”

Devlyn took her hand and kissed it, attempting to get his rage under control, trying to persuade her to give him a chance.

She pushed him away.

Instantly, the bloodlust surged through his veins. “If all it takes for you to agree to be my mate ...” He clamped his lips tight and stormed out of the office.

“Devlyn, wait! What are you going to do?” He refused to give in to the panic in her voice. He’d come too far to back down now. “I’ll kill him, Bella. That’s what I’m going to do. I’ll end this once and for all.”

“No!” She grabbed his arm, but he yanked it free. “Wait for me, Bella. I’ll take care of him and be back shortly.”

She didn’t say another word, and when he climbed into the SUV, he glanced at the reason for his actions— Bella, his chosen, her eyes misted with tears, her lips pursed in anger.

Volan was as good as dead.

Bella watched Devlyn back out of the garage, her knight who’d get himself killed. She’d never share his love, have his children, be able to return to the pack.

The garage door shut, becoming an impenetrable wall between them.

“Damn it, Devlyn.” He’d forced her hand. She raced back to her bedroom, dressed, and yanked her gun out of the bedside table. She would end it once and for all.

After calling a taxi, she paced across the living room, waiting for the cab’s arrival, her blood on fire. Could she kill Volan if she had the chance?

The image of him ripping her dress, trying to force himself on her, came to mind. She slung the leather purse over her shoulder. She could do it.

A yellow cab honked outside, and she hurried to meet it.“Papagalli’s Dance Club,” she said to the driver, her words rushed.

“Yes, ma’am. Hot date?” the driver asked, black dreadlocks jiggling when he talked, his voice sounding Jamaican. Steel band music thumped on his CD player while he tapped his thumbs on the steering wheel in perfect sync with the tune, his body rocking to the beat. “Somebody’s dying to meet me,” she answered, jumping into the car.

“Lucky guy.”

“Thanks. I need to get there fast to put him out of his misery.”

The driver flashed a set of straight teeth, his dark skin making them appear ice-white.

On the way to the club, she pulled out her money but fought leaving her gun in her bag.

A few minutes later, he announced, “Here we are, ma’am. Fastest time I ever made.”

She gave him a generous tip. “For your trouble.”

“No trouble.”

But she was already out the door. The heavy beat of the dance club music filled the parking area, vibrating the ground. Except for the soft glow of street lights, the businesses on either side of the street were dark and closed for the night, making the area the perfect place for a lupus garou to stalk its prey. The temperature had dropped several degrees, but it was the worry about Devlyn fighting Volan that turned her blood to ice. Before she reached the club entrance, movement to the east caught her eye.

She whipped around.

Volan. His black eyes glittered with a mixture of anger and unfulfilled lust. His grim look indicated that he meant business.

So did she.

She fumbled to extract the gun from her purse. He ran across the parking lot to intercept her. Damn it! She knew she should’ve pulled the gun out already.

Her skin grew wet with perspiration. The breeze carried the smell of her fear to him. He’d like that. The notion that she was afraid of him always empowered him. She yanked the gun free.

His eyes wide, he froze a few yards from her. “Put the gun down, Bella.”

Dressed in all black, he was the picture of death. The breeze tugged at his raven-colored hair hanging loose at his massive shoulders. Everything about him was larger than life. His thick neck, angular jaw, huge chest, and large hands. Unbeatable.

She’d even considered that her memory of him wasn’t accurate. That because she’d been smaller, he’d seemed larger. But no, he was even bigger now that he stood so close again.

She swallowed, but the moisture in her throat had evaporated. “Leave us alone, Volan, and I’ll let you live.”

Smiling the most malevolent look she’d ever seen, he ran straight at her.

She staggered backward toward the safety of the club and bumped into the back of a van. She couldn’t fire the gun like she thought she could. Heart hammering, she turned to run.

His heated body grew so close, it made the hairs on her arms stand on end. Stomping behind her, he stepped on one of her heels. Then he struck her in the back of the head.

The blow sent pain streaking through her skull. She fought the blackness that filled her vision. Fought giving into the bastard. Stumbling, she fell to her knees. He’d knock her unconscious and secret her away. He’d rape her like he’d intended so many times before.

Shoving her onto her back beside a bright yellow sports car, he reached for her arms. She held them up to him, the gun shaking in her hands.

His face hard with anger, he stepped back. “Put the damned gun down.”

She squeezed the trigger. Twice. Silence.

A hideous chortle erupted. “You’re coming home with me, Bella. Then you’ll do what I say.”

Again, he reached for her.

Only this time, she’d unfastened the safety catch. Two shots to the chest, the bullets slammed into his heart.

He grunted and clutched his chest, pain replacing his arrogant look. Like a giant redwood felled, he stumbled backward and collapsed on his back between the cars.

Her hands trembled. She eased herself up. For as long as she could remember, she’d feared the beast. She couldn’t stop shaking, sure he would pummel her again. Her head still ached and she felt dizzy.

With her stomach crawling, she poked Volan’s boot with the toe of her shoe. He didn’t stir. He couldn’t hurt Devlyn and he couldn’t hurt her now, but she felt sick over what she’d done. Glancing around the lot in a panic, she saw Devlyn’s rental SUV. She tore over to it and yanked on the passenger door. Locked. Her heart and head pounded as loud as the rock and roll beat blaring from the club. Racing around to the driver’s side, she pulled at the door. It opened, and she nearly fell on her butt in surprise. Trying to get her nerves under control, she shoved her purse containing the gun into the backseat and then slammed the door.

Returning to Volan, she grabbed his arms and tugged. His massive body wouldn’t budge. She dropped his arms and paced briskly next to his head, rubbing the back of hers where his iron fist had slugged her. Oh, God, what was she going to do with him?

She seized his arms again and yanked, her back and arms straining. He was more the size of a grizzly than a wolf, and she couldn’t move him even a fraction of an inch. She paced again. What in the hell was she to do? Get Devlyn to help her and undoubtedly have to face his anger, or pretend it didn’t happen and get him to leave with her?

The headlights of an approaching car blinded her. She dashed into the din of the club.

Alfred and his buddies danced with human girls at the edge of the dance floor, too preoccupied to see her. Where the hell was Devlyn?

But then the song ended and Alfred and Ross headed for their table; the only sound now was the noisy conversation all around her. Her skin prickled for an instant, but she could barely glimpse them, so she figured she was pretty well shielded unless the ceiling fans in the place circulated her scent to them.

Nicol hurried to join Alfred and Ross. Alfred started speaking to them, his voice raised as he slammed an empty glass on the table. She moved closer to hear what the red leader was saying, but so many people congregated around her that she was still obscured from the reds’ view.

“Which legend?” Ross asked, his eyes wide. Nicol pressed closer to the table. “You mean the one about the gray?”

“Yeah, just what I mean. The gray ousted our leader, what, close to three hundred years ago?” Alfred said, his voice heated.

Ross tossed down the rest of his drink. “Oh, yeah. Your great-grandfather.”

“Hell, yeah. So what if this is a case of déjà vu? What if this bastard is going to try and take me down and ‘cleanse’ the pack?”

Nicol shook his head. “He probably doesn’t even know about the legend.”

“He doesn’t need to know about the damned legend to do what happened before, damn it!” Alfred cast him an annoyed look and then leaned closer to his pack members. “Grays are not to be trusted, period. Particularly when one is after the pack leader’s chosen bitch.”

Nicol’s lips turned up slightly.

“What?” Alfred bit out.

“She hasn’t agreed to be your mate.”

“She doesn’t have to. Ancient pack law states that a lone rufus female in a red’s territory is game if the pack leader doesn’t have a mate.” He tilted his chin up, waiting for anyone to challenge him.

Ross nodded. “Yeah, he’s right about that. But if the rest of the pack begins to think of the legend ... it could go bad for you. You know, they could worry that the scenario might have the same outcome. Gray wolf kills red pack leader and removes the bad seed from the pack because the reds couldn’t do it.” He gave a slight sneer. Alfred moved so quickly that no one had time to react. He seized Ross’s throat and growled, “Better hope not, because if he kills me, you’ll still want the little red wolf, and the big gray will eat you alive.”

Bella’s skin chilled, and although she wanted to leave, she felt frozen to the floor. She hadn’t heard of the legend they spoke of—probably because the tale was relevant to the ones who lived here and the story hadn’t carried farther east. But it showed that the gray’s arrival concerned them in a deeper way than she had suspected. What else might she overhear between the reds? Who murdered the girl?

Alfred released Ross and sat back down. “Get us some more beers. I’ve got to figure out a way to eliminate this sorry gray before it comes to a real fight.”

He wouldn’t fight fair—that’s what raced through Bella’s mind. And she began to think that leaving the area might be the best thing after all. Then she smelled a trace of Devlyn’s scent and turned. From the direction of the restrooms, Devlyn stalked, his eyes full of fury, his face hard.

Until he saw her.

Surprise registered and then anger again. Legs shaking, she strode toward him, still fighting with her conscience which course of action to take. Get rid of Volan’s body or just leave him dead in the parking area and sneak out the back way with Devlyn. She wasn’t the sneaky type normally. But this was one of those times when she felt her life could depend on it.

Devlyn seized her wrist and pulled her toward the entrance. “What the hell are you doing here, Bella?”

“I came to ... to tell you I’d be your mate, but ...” She balked at going out the front way for an instant, still trying to decide what to do.

He stopped. “You agree to be my mate? Despite Volan?”

She nodded, tears threatening to spill.

“All right. You don’t have to worry about Volan, Bella. He’s a dead man. Just remember that.” He pulled her tight against his chest, warm and loving, which made her feel even worse about what she’d done.

“I ... we have to talk ... outside,” she managed to get out.

“What’s wrong, Bella?” Devlyn grunted. “As if I didn’t know. You’re still worried Volan will beat me.”

How could life be so damned complicated? She walked him outside but noticed a man and a woman standing where she’d left Volan’s body between the two cars in the lot. From where she and Devlyn stood, they couldn’t see Volan, but by the way the people were bending over, she figured they were checking him for vital signs.

She yanked Devlyn back inside the club. Too late to hide Volan now. “Too dark outside. Maybe too dangerous.”

“I didn’t see any sign of him, Bella. Volan, I mean. Listen,” Devlyn said, pulling her toward a table, “after I had a chance to cool down, I thought about my actions. Killing him as a human is a foolhardy proposition. Wolf to wolf is the only way to resolve this. Since we’re both here, why don’t we stir the reds up a bit? See if we can make any more headway with them.”

“I ... I think we should leave.”

He pulled her onto the dance floor and held her close. “I’ll protect you, Bella. He can’t hurt you here. Just play along with me on this and then we’ll go home.”

Volan would never return to hurt anyone again. Devlyn would take over the pack. End of worry. But she couldn’t shake the fear of getting caught. Not by the police, but by the one she cared for more than anyone else in the world, her true love who would hate her for what she’d done. But he’d be alive, she reminded herself. He’d be alive even if he couldn’t love her anymore.

The crowd shimmied to the heavy rock beat. Red, blue, yellow, and green lights swirled overhead and across the waxed dance floor. Women’s flowery perfumes and men’s spicy colognes couldn’t disguise the perspiration covering the humans’ skin while they worked their bodies to the music. But then the faint sound of a siren wailed in the distance. Bella’s heartbeat kicked up a notch.

She caught sight of Alfred again, dancing with a blond. Ross danced nearby with a brunette. Nicol, however, was nowhere in sight. The rear exit was clear. An easy escape.

With the music winding down to a slower paced dance, Devlyn pulled Bella close. “What’s wrong, Bella?” He moved slowly, drawing her into the mating madness. “You’re shivering.”

“I ...” She swallowed hard and moved Devlyn toward the rear exit.

He smiled and kissed her cheek. “I’m supposed to be the one leading, Bella.”

Heart thundering out of control, she stared at the entrance, watching for the police. “I wish,” she said against his ear over the sound of the loud music, “that you and I had no cares in the world.”

“We won’t, Bella, soon.” He kissed her cheek and moved his hands casually up her back and then to her bottom. Wedging his leg between hers, he pressed her against his hard thigh.

She rubbed against him, shamelessly, wantonly. The silk of her dress slid over her thighs when his leg stroked her most erotic spot. “I said I’d be your mate. Let’s go home.”

He cupped her buttocks with his large hands and lifted her slightly against his firm arousal.

“We’ve garnered the reds’ attention. We have to see how far we can take this.”

With her head pressed against his chest, she couldn’t see who watched them, but when she tried to separate from him to look, he held her tight. His hands roamed down to the small of her back. “We don’t want anyone to know we’re putting on this show for them, Bella. Just stay nice and close.”

Annoyed, she bit his shoulder.

He laughed. “Of course it’s not really a show. You know how I feel about you. I’d make these dance moves with you anywhere. In a subtle way, I’m trying to monitor the reactions of the reds.”

“We should go, Devlyn.”

“I’ve never seen a pack of lupus garous observe anyone so intensely. You sure have them worked up.”

“You have me worked up, Devlyn, but I really want to ...”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You can feel what you’ve done to me.”

“That’s why I’m ready to go to the SUV. To ... to relieve some of your tension and mine.” She moved her hands from his waist to his backside. “Are the reds angry?”

“Rabidly entranced. As if you were doing a striptease in front of them. If any one of them is the killer, I imagine you’re unraveling his resolve to keep his murderous intentions under control.”

“Devlyn, I’m really ready to take this to a more private location.” She rubbed against his steel-hard arousal, trying to induce him to agree.

“A little while longer.” His voice sounded husky and strained. He shook his head. “Damn, one’s coming in for the kill.”

“Devlyn?” Bella said.

Nicol joined them and, in a ragged voice, said, “I know you’ve claimed her for your own, although you told me you already had a mate.”

Devlyn moved his hands to Bella’s hips and parted slightly from her. “I had made my intentions toward Bella clear years ago. Except I had to convince her to agree with me first. But, she is my chosen mate ... no other.”

“You both have agreed to this?” Nicol asked. “Yes,” Bella said, and Devlyn leaned over and kissed her mouth. Responding with equal enthusiasm, she wanted there to be no doubt in the reds’ minds that she wanted Devlyn and no other lupus garou.

“May I ask her to dance?”

Devlyn hesitated and then asked, “Bella?”

“I think we should leave, Devlyn.”

For a second, he stared at her, as if he finally realized something big was bothering her. He whispered in her ear, “If we make any headway, we can end this here tonight.”

She glanced back at the entrance. No police, no more sirens.

Before she could respond, Devlyn kissed her lips and then left her with Nicol.

Disheartened, she held Nicol apart from her while Devlyn made his way to the table where Ross and Alfred sat.

“You must know, Bella, you’re about to give our pack leader a stroke the way you dance with the gray. I’ve never seen his face redder.”

“We can’t help it. We’re in love.”

“It’s evident.” He studied her for a moment, swallowed hard, and switched topics. “Another gray arrived here earlier. He spoke with us and then left. He appeared to be pretty angry he missed you.”

Her heart pumped in overdrive.

“Something wrong? You look like you’re getting ready to faint. We’ll eliminate the gray, Bella, if he’s a problem. You don’t have to worry about him. He said you arranged to meet him here, but we told him you left with another gray. He didn’t seem pleased. After he left, Alfred said you had told him an older man planned to see you. Not someone who appeared to be in his thirties.”

“Argos. The man you saw wasn’t him. Volan serves as the gray pack leader and intended to have me as his mate.” Nicol stiffened. “He’s the one.”

“Yes. He sent a message to me pretending to be Argos. We didn’t learn of the deception until we returned to my apartment.” She noticed the flicker of interest in his brown eyes. If the red wolf pack searched for her themselves, they wouldn’t be looking for a house, but an apartment complex instead. Still, she clenched her fists, irritated that Alfred hadn’t used his men to eliminate Volan when they had the chance. Then she wouldn’t be in the hellacious bind she was in now.

“Alfred still wants you.” Nicol stated the words matter-of-factly.

It was as though she had no choice in the matter. She’d selected a mate, and it should have been a done deal, but the reds wouldn’t allow her to choose the gray. “But I’ve chosen Devlyn for my mate.”

“He’s not from here and he’s a gray. As far as Alfred’s concerned, the gray has no legitimate claim to you. You know, ancient law of the pack.”

When she didn’t respond, he took it that she didn’t know about it. “The ancient law, you know. Where an unmated pack leader can take a lone red wolf for his own if she enters the reds’ territory. Of course, the same applies if he has a mate already and one of his pack members needs one.”

She took a steadying breath. The sooner she and Devlyn left the red lupus garou territory and the sooner they got out of the club, the better. “What about you?”

Nicol smiled. “A pack leader can lose his position if a new alpha male emerges.”

She raised her brows. He didn’t seem to be the emergent leader type. A follower, like Ross—that’s how she had both of them pegged. “Like you?”

He shrugged. “There’s been no incentive ... until now.” That definitely could capsize the boat.

“And Ross?”

“He’s been brooding of late. No telling what’s going on in that dark mind of his.”

“He and Alfred were dancing with human females when we first arrived. They both looked happy enough.”

“That was before you showed up with the gray. As soon as you reappeared, they quit dancing and joined me at the table to watch.” Nicol tightened his grip on her hand. “I want you to dance close to me like you did with the gray.”

“I’m Devlyn’s mate, no other’s.”

He shook his head. “A red belongs with a red ... not a gray. No one here will sanctify your choice. As far as Ross goes, he puts on a good show. But, frankly, I wouldn’t trust him.”

“If you’re thinking of ousting Alfred as the leader of the pack and taking over, it seems to me you’re the one who can’t be trusted.”

He gave her a sardonic smile. “No one is to be trusted, Bella, with a rare red female in our midst, who looks good enough to eat. No one.” Taking a deep breath, his eyes darkened.

She assumed he could smell how Devlyn had aroused her, and Nicol’s own hormones would be thrown into turmoil. She glanced back at Devlyn, who sat speaking to Alfred and Ross but kept his gaze focused on her and Nicol. Devlyn’s face looked red and hard. If Nicol got too fresh with her, Devlyn would be at her side in a flash.

Right before the dance ended, Ross made his move. Fearing she would have to dance with every one of the reds, each trying to see if they could stir the same kind of interest in her that Devlyn did, she knew the police would stalk in any minute and arrest her, as guilty as she must look.

Nicol kept hold of her hand, reluctant to give her up. “Will you dance with me?” Ross asked her, ignoring Nicol.

“Of course, but remember, I’m Devlyn’s mate.” Glancing over at Devlyn, she frowned.

Ross’s nostrils flared slightly as his eyes burned with hatred at the mention of Devlyn’s name. Nicol snorted at her comment and then joined the others at the table.

“I thought the brunette you danced with was quite attractive. Have you known her long?” she asked.

Ross’s thin lips tightened and his brown eyes darkened to nearly black. “You have no business taking up with a gray.”

Her stomach constricted. Instinct compelled her to shove him away and tell him where he could go. She had every right to select a mate, and if he were agreeable, she and Devlyn would consummate the relationship, thereby making it a mating for life. Squashing her more violent wolf nature, she attempted instead to learn whether Ross was the killer. “I’m sorry there aren’t more reds around for—”

“You won’t be a gray’s bitch, Bella.”

She didn’t care for his tone, ominous and threatening, but she fought telling him off. She already had enough problems with zoo man Thompson, the police, and one dead gray pack leader. Plus the notion of finding and stopping the killer. No way did she need three horny reds compounding her troubles.

Devlyn sat on the edge of his stool, ready to pounce on any of the reds should they take their actions with Bella too far. Although neither Ross nor Nicol had treated Bella other than with great caution, he still didn’t like them touching her. They desired her, just as he did. As any of their kind would. Touching that soft, warm body, even with the faintest of brushes, forced his loins to react. He knew the same thing happened to them when they drew close to her. Yet he had every intention of learning who the killer was as soon as he could so that he could take Bella home to the pack.

“I’m surprised you didn’t make a move for her earlier. She’s lived here for three years. Or didn’t you know?”

Alfred’s eyes rounded, and his face reddened. “Shit,” he said under his breath. “I thought ...” He shook his head.

“She’s pretty good at keeping inconspicuous, mainly from dodging Volan all these years.”

“She should have been mine all this time.” Alfred rose from the seat. “My turn.” He didn’t ask if it was all right with Devlyn. He strode from the table like a pack leader does, knowing that everyone had better follow his lead.

Struggling to keep his seat, Devlyn clenched his fists.

“Man, is Alfred pissed now!” Nicol chugged his beer and then grinned. “To think she’d been in the area all that time and no one knew it. We thought she’d been here only a couple of weeks.” He shook his head in disbelief. “She’s sure fine.”

“What do you think about Alfred wanting her so badly?” Devlyn asked, trying to take his mind off Alfred’s hands on Bella’s hips.

When she moved them back to her waist, Devlyn smiled at her tenacity.

Nicol faced Devlyn. “I’d say you’ve got a hell of a lot of competition and a big fight coming if you want to keep her.”

The truth was out. “You’d fight for him so he could have Bella?”

Ross finally returned to the table, his face crimson. Devlyn glanced back at Alfred, dancing super slowly to the music.

“I’d fight any to have a chance to have her,” Nicol said. Ross glared at Nicol but quickly shifted his attention back to Bella and Alfred.

Steeling his composure, Devlyn watched every move Alfred made toward Bella, intent on ripping him apart if he did one thing that she didn’t like ... or that he didn’t care for.

“Hey, Ross, guess how long the little lady’s been in the area.”

Ross looked at Nicol, waiting for him to answer. Devlyn could sense the tension building.

“Three years. Can you believe it? Alfred’s really steamed over it.”

“Shit,” Ross said.

Nicol finished his beer and set the bottle on the table with a clunk. “I told Bella that Volan looked for her here. We didn’t know he was the gray leader who wanted her, though, or we would have done something about it.”

Hell, Devlyn must have just missed Volan. “We’re not through with him yet,” Devlyn said. “He won’t want to give her up.”

Ross faced Devlyn. “Did you bring the hair sample with you?”

Devlyn hadn’t even considered doing so. He shook his head. “We’ll rendezvous at the ice cream shop tomorrow.”

“We could follow you home tonight,” Nicol offered, with a sideways glance at Ross.

“Thanks, but no. Zoo man Thompson’s hot on our trail. The more of us there are, the more likely we’ll all be caught.”

“Maybe you ought to stay with one of our pack. We have several widowed females, if you’d prefer to reside with one of them,” Nicol said.

“We’re making other arrangements.” Ross growled.

Devlyn turned to see what Ross was watching. Two uniformed policemen. The same ones Devlyn had knocked out at the hospital. And both were showing sketches to club patrons.