Heart of the Wolf

Chapter Fifteen

BELLA LISTENED BUT DIDN’T HEAR ANY FURTHER sounds. Slipping out of Devlyn’s arms, she was surprised he didn’t wake. Her heart beating hard sent the blood rushing into her ears.

Maybe she’d dreamed she heard something. Maybe a branch scratched at the window out back. So why had it sounded like a key in the front door?

She pulled on her jeans and a T-shirt and then seized the 9 mm from her bedside table drawer where she’d hidden it again, minus two bullets. Silver or regular? She growled low under her breath but reminded herself that Volan could be dead.

Taking a step out of the bedroom, she listened with her fine-tuned hearing and sniffed the air for any sign of an intruder. Nothing. She turned in the direction of the kitchen. The house remained dark, although she could see like a wolf in the middle of the blackest night.

Her heart thundering, she crept closer to the kitchen. She sensed something, a hushed word, a faint rustling, something out of the ordinary. Then the smell ...

She tilted her chin up, readying her weapon. It wasn’t Volan’s smell. His remained imprinted on her memory forever. She sniffed again. A red? But the scent confused her. More than one? Damn, the three of them?

Alfred entered the living room from the kitchen. Ross and Nicol came from the dining room. All three paused when they spied her gun.

“Silver bullets,” she said, loudly, hoping to wake Devlyn. She didn’t want him to know she had a gun loaded with silver bullets, or at least what she thought had been silver bullets. Wolf to wolf combat was the way they settled things. However, she had no choice at the moment. “They were meant for Volan if he ever found me. But I have enough to use on the three of you also.”

But in truth, she didn’t want to waste the bullets on these three—silver or otherwise. She knew Devlyn could make them leave.

She listened behind her for sounds of Devlyn stirring. Poor old gray. She’d worn him out. Wake up, Devlyn!

Alfred inched toward her.

“You don’t believe me?” She continued to speak loudly. Devlyn!

“I believe you, Bella, because you’re scared of the gray, Volan. But I don’t believe you’d use the bullets on one of us. We’re your kind, no matter how much you choose to deny it.”

He could see through her better than she’d hoped, and she didn’t feel he would listen to reason. She tried another tactic. “One of you might be the killer of all those women,” she lied, knowing none of their scents had been in the murdered girl’s apartment. Then again, any one of them, or all three, could be covering for the bastard who killed her, which was just as bad. “I’d be doing the rest of our kind a big service if I ended his life.”

“But which one, Bella? Which one of us would you choose? Surely you wouldn’t want to kill two innocent lupus garou. Two of your own kind.” He repeated the last words, attempting to sway her. “Of course, that’s saying that one of us is the killer. It could be any of my pack, or even a lone, rogue wolf. No doubt some are living here. Why, look at you, sweet thing.” Alfred’s lips curved up. “Who would have ever thought we had a female right under our noses, living as a rogue for all of this time?”

“But we found evidence of her in the woods when we ...” Ross said, but Alfred waved his hand to silence him.

He continued to cross the floor at an easy pace, his step shortened, trying not to force her into a corner where she might use the weapon on him. The others waited. He was the alpha male. It was his business to take her, to make her obey him. To force her to tuck her tail, whimper, and bow her head.

Having no intention of giving in to the red’s words or actions, she lifted her chin and drew herself up as tall as she could. Then, remembering the gold necklace she found in the woods, she pulled it out of her pocket. “Recognize this?”

Alfred stared at it but didn’t say a word. Nicol looked a little green.

“Never saw it before in my life,” Alfred said. “What of it?”

“The killer dropped it after murdering one of the women. Sure you don’t recognize it? Nicol seems to.”

“That’s a lie,” Nicol snarled.

Something wasn’t right. Did he know the killer? The girl the red had murdered?

She shoved the necklace back in her pocket. “Well, it’s evidence that will put the killer away. As for the three of you, I want you to leave my home this instant.”

Alfred sneered. “We can’t, Bella. You belong to our pack now. Most important—you belong to me. I thought I’d made that abundantly clear.”

The thought that she’d be Alfred’s soured her stomach. “I thought we had a date later today, to bring you the fur sample.” She took a step back toward the hall, hoping to keep him talking until she could wake Sleeping Beauty.

Alfred cast her a sinister smile. “I’ll have the sample now. And you along with it.” His darkened brown eyes suddenly focused on the hall behind her.

She thought she heard it, too. The sound like the shifting of a body on a mattress from the direction of the bedroom.

For a second, Alfred hesitated. Then he directed a deadly glower at Ross. Under his breath, he growled, “I thought you said he wasn’t here.”

“Listen, Alfred, Nicol, and Ross,” she said, hoping that, if Devlyn heard her conversation with the reds, he’d realize they had three to handle. “I’ve already told you. I’m Devlyn’s mate.”

Then, as if worried the big gray would soon be more of a threat than Bella with her silver bullets, Alfred lunged at her.

Slowly aware something wasn’t right, Devlyn had sensed he no longer wrapped Bella securely in his arms. His eyes shot open. As groggy as he was, her harsh words, spoken loudly in the living room, forced a surge of adrenaline to spike his blood, readying him instantly to face the threat.

All that raced through his mind was saving Bella. He heard her say the reds’ names, warning Devlyn that the three had broken into the house.

Naked, he rushed out of the room and down the hall. Before he reached his mate, Alfred lunged at her, shoving her hand up.

Devlyn’s gaze pivoted to the gun she held. What the hell?

Alfred forced her to drop the weapon, and in the ensuing struggle, kicked it underneath the sofa. Instantly, Devlyn dove into Alfred. Knocking him aside, Devlyn broke the red’s grip on Bella’s arm.

Alfred jumped back. In a flash, he yanked a knife out of a sheath attached to his belt. Taunting Devlyn, he waved the weapon in front of him. He struck and then retreated.

With agility, Devlyn withdrew from him, away from Bella’s direction, allowing her to escape. Facing the others, he ensured that they couldn’t strike at his back in case they had the cowardly notion to do so.

Neither advanced for the moment, waiting for their leader to take care of the gray, as any pack should do.

“You can’t do this,” Bella screamed at Alfred. “You have to fight each other in your wolf form. It’s our way!”

“He’s too much of a coward,” Devlyn goaded the red on. “He can’t get you any other way.”

Alfred’s face reddened and his eyes narrowed to angry slits. His lips formed a thin, grim line as he growled. Without warning, he slashed at Devlyn.

Devlyn jumped out of the path of the ten-inch blade. Bella gasped. Even now, Devlyn could smell the red’s putrid fear. The red hunched over, like a lupus garou who knew he couldn’t win. Yet, Alfred couldn’t show his pack that he was unable to triumph over the female he had chosen for his own.

In an attempt to rile Alfred, to rattle him so that he’d make a fatal mistake, Devlyn provoked him further. “What’s the matter, Alfred? Can’t convince a human girl to agree to be your wolfmate?”

“You can’t pin those murders on me.”

Nicol advanced on Bella in two bounds. She dashed toward the kitchen. Both Nicol and Ross tore after her, forcing a splinter of ice down Devlyn’s spine. They wouldn’t endanger her, just take her for their own. That thought sent another charge of adrenaline through his system, urging him on to eliminate the threat.

Alfred sliced the air with the knife, aimed at Devlyn’s chest. Devlyn dove out of his reach, the blade whooshing past his ear.

A drawer drew open in the kitchen and then slammed shut.

Alfred stabbed at Devlyn’s throat. He dodged the blade. But Bella’s situation distracted Devlyn. Not liking that he couldn’t see what was happening to her, he backed toward the kitchen.

She growled. Nicol yelped. After what sounded like a chair crashing, Bella reappeared in the living room, brandishing a bloodied carving knife. Nicol and Ross followed some distance behind her while she backed away from them, her weapon readied.

Blood dripped from Nicol’s arm, but he and Ross approached her anyway, one on either side. Checking on Bella, Alfred turned for an instant.

Devlyn grappled for his knife. Alfred swung at him again. Leaping out of the way, Devlyn narrowly missed the blade cutting his torso.

Bella waved her knife between Nicol and Ross. “Give it up,” she snarled. “I don’t want to hurt either of you.”

“Volan will never let you have her,” Devlyn said, hoping to talk some sense into them. He would never let them have her, but he hoped maybe the threat of two grays wanting her would make the reds cease and desist. When Alfred continued to attack at him, Devlyn realized he had only two choices. Either he took Bella home to his territory where he assumed the reds would leave well enough alone, not wanting to fight a pack of larger grays, or he had to kill the reds at the first glimpse of the moon, when they all could appear in wolf form, here in their own territory.

Ross grabbed for Bella’s arm. Nicol hesitated on her other side, favoring his bloodied arm. As soon as Ross seized her wrist, she struck at him with the knife, slicing across his arm. He screamed in pain, released her, and jumped back.

Devlyn couldn’t help the swell of pride that filled him. In the same instant, he pounced on Alfred, knocking the red to the floor.

Alfred’s head hit hard against the carpeted concrete. An “oof” from deep within his chest escaped his lips from the jolt. A string of curses followed.

Devlyn pinned him to the floor with his bigger frame. He grappled with Alfred’s arm, trying to free the knife from his hand, but it slipped and cut the red across the abdomen. Alfred squawked.

“Don’t make a move toward them,” Bella warned Ross and Nicol.

Managing to bend the red’s wrist back, Devlyn pressured so hard that Alfred’s thumb could no longer grasp the handle. Devlyn yanked the knife out of Alfred’s hand. Bella waved her weapon at Nicol and Ross. “I didn’t want to hurt you. Any of you. But if you don’t leave now—”

“He can’t have you,” Nicol said, backing off. Ross followed him. “The gray can’t have you.”

Devlyn let Alfred up. He would have killed them all for trying to take his mate, but only if they’d been in wolf form. As humans, they were bound to obey human law. As wolves, the law of the jungle prevailed. The strongest and most cunning won. Survival of the fittest.

“You can’t have her,” Alfred said, standing, his face flushed and his eyes haunted. “She’s a red and in our territory.” His words were dark and menacing, but he bowed his head like a beta wolf in front of the alpha male, defeated and not willing to be whipped any further, submitting to the gray, no matter how much it hurt his male wolf pride.

“We fight like wolves the next time,” Devlyn said, his gaze intense, forcing the reds to agree.

Even if Alfred and his followers didn’t like the idea of dealing with him wolf to wolf, their failed attempt at taking Bella had wounded the red pack leader’s pride too deeply to try again. Plus, their injuries would need time to heal. Then the moon’s appearance would tell all.

They would make their stand in the wilderness, Devlyn against Alfred at first and then facing the others. Whoever desired the female red would make his move.

“By the next moon,” Alfred said, clutching his stomach, the blood soaking his shirt, his eyes hostile but his face turning pale. He glanced at Bella, who was still holding the kitchen knife at the ready. “You’ll be mine, sweet thing. Be ready.” He staggered toward the front door with the others trailing behind, clutching their bloodied arms.

“They must have followed us here,” Bella said when Devlyn locked the door behind the reds’ hasty flight. “They must have had lock picks like you carry.”

Nothing mattered to him for the moment except the gun she’d wielded and the secrets she’d withheld from him. “Where did you get the gun, Bella?”

She headed for the bedroom, her hips swaying suggestively with her walk, her buttocks covered in the tight jeans, tantalizing him. But she refused to answer him.

He hastened after her, wearied from sleepless exhaustion and fighting with the red. The hyped-up adrenaline that readied him for danger started to drain as the threat vanished. Yet a new energy stirred, a deeper, more primal urge.

He chastised himself. They needed sleep more than anything else.

His gut clenched with irritation. He would kill Volan, proving to Bella and to the pack that he served as the alpha male, no other. In the ancient way they had to end this. Not with a manmade invention. Besides, only fictional tales stated that a silver bullet in the heart or brain could kill a lupus garou. Nothing in ancient lupus garou folklore made reference to such a thing, although many of his kind believed there might be a thread of truth in the fictional stories.

He combed his fingers through his unkempt hair as he entered the bedroom. Standing before the bed, Bella pulled up her T-shirt slightly, her eyes averted, her fingers unzipping her jeans.

Hell, she’d probably end up wounding herself and never get a shot off at the wolf.

“Bella,” he said, drawing closer as she pulled off her pants, invading her space. “What kind of bullets are in the gun?”

She glared at him.

Silver bullets. He knew it. Just the way her eyes darkened and narrowed into dagger like slits. Damn her. She couldn’t take down Volan. He had to. What the hell was she thinking? “You can’t use them on him, Bella. He’s mine.”

She took a deep breath. “If he comes around and you’re not here to save me, he’s mine.” She yanked off her shirt.

She wouldn’t win this argument. He would be the alpha male of their pack. The gun and its deadly bullets would have to go.

Instantly, the sight of her perky breasts, the nipples already hardened and darker from her exertion, the quickened pace of her breath, and the redness of her cheeks turned him on. She glanced down and frowned at his erection, beckoning to her to give it release.

At once, he throbbed with a deep-seated primal lust, inspiring him to take her again. He couldn’t help that the sight of her sent his blood rushing south. She could feign being mad at him all she wanted. But the way she licked her lips and folded her arms under her creamy breasts ... the way her heated eyes took in every inch of his body, she wanted him, too.

“What if they return?” she asked, her gaze shifting to his eyes.

Just the opening he was looking for.

“They won’t, sweet Bella.” God, how he loved her. “Alfred and his gang will wait for the next phase of the moon. As lupus garous, he and the others must honor this.”

“But they’re afraid of you. They’re worried about some legend to do with a gray. Do you think all of them will be honorable enough to hold up the bargain?”

“Their wounds would put them at too great a disadvantage. They wouldn’t risk it.” Devlyn frowned. “What was the legend they were concerned about?”

She ran her finger around his nipple and he sucked in his breath.

“That some big gray got rid of a red leader who was bad for the pack.”

“Ah.” His lips curved up. “My great-grandfather.”

“What? The gray couldn’t have been your great-grandfather. He killed Alfred’s great-grandfather, so he must have been from this area, not Colorado.”

“Alfred’s great-grandfather?” Devlyn shook his head. “Ever hear of the Gold Rush?”

She tilted her chin down, giving him a look as if she knew better. “In California, not Oregon.”

“Over seventy million dollars in gold was panned out of the Rogue River. My great-grandfather had the gold fever bad, but after he had the run-in with the red pack leader living in the area and because none of our kind lived there, he returned to Colorado to be with our pack.” Devlyn combed his fingers through Bella’s hair, separating the silky strands over her shoulders. “Who would have ever thought my ancestor was the one to set things right with this same pack. But it appears the bad seed continued through Alfred, and he managed to take over like his great-grandfather.”

Bella licked Devlyn’s nipple and his groin tightened. “Alfred would have a heart attack if he knew you were a descendent of the same gray.”

He chuckled. “Maybe we should send him an email and tell him so ... end his misery sooner.” Placing his hands on either side of her cheeks, he lifted her face to his. “I want you, Bella, more than I can say.”

Her hands swept down his sides, stirring him all over again. He moaned. How could a small red lupus garou female bring him so quickly to his knees?

Devlyn climbed into bed first and reached his hand out to Bella. When her fingers touched his, he wrapped his hand around hers and pulled her on top of him. His brown eyes, as dark as midnight, gazed into hers with the familiar longing of a wolf desiring the satisfaction only his mate could fulfill.

She leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth, loving him for everything he stood for. Brushing her lips over the rest of his mouth, she ended with a kiss on the other corner. He tangled his fingers in her hair.

“I promise I won’t use the bullets on Volan, unless—” His face darkened. He rested his hands lightly on her hips, adjusting her squarely on top of his rigid erection, and impaled her.

“Unless,” she continued, sucking in her breath as he penetrated her, stealing her thoughts briefly, “I have no other choice.”

“By no other choice, you mean that he has killed me. I won’t have you using the gun on him for any other reason.”

Damned male wolf pride.

She slid up his erection and down again, holding him tight within her, stroking his needs as he reached his fingers between her legs and began to stroke her.

She licked his nipple. “Yes, that’s what I meant.”

“That if I were dead—”

She clamped her mouth over his, not wanting him to say another word about the fact that he might die in this fated confrontation with the alpha gray.

“Make love to me, Devlyn, as if we haven’t another care in the world.”

She didn’t think either of them could manage to climax with as little sleep as they’d had, but his spinetingling strokes over her swollen nub sent her hormones spiraling toward a cataclysmic end. She nearly sank down, so close to reaching the climax, unable to think of anything else, and then the white-hot heat washed over her. The heart-stirring waves of completion clouded her mind with awe and deep satisfaction.

She would have curled up against Devlyn’s chest and drifted off to a dream-filled, wondrous sleep if it hadn’t been for his rolling her over and finishing her off. He felt so good, every inch of him diving into her, her own body still pulsing around him, clutching him and releasing, a vague awareness drifting to her that he had finished.

He released his warm, wet seed deep inside of her and collapsed on top of her with a tired groan. “You ...” he said, his words a heavy whisper, “are unbelievably wonderful.”

She wrapped her arms around him. He turned over onto his back so she could sleep with her head against his chest, one leg propped over his.

A wolf that exposed his belly gave the other wolf complete power over him. He was all hers, every inch of the hunky, muscular, very slick gray lupus garou.

His hand swept down her backside and then touched her wet folds from behind. He could have his way with her all morning long if that’s what he desired. She raised her leg up to expose herself to him further. He hummed his pleasure against the top of her head. He pulled her leg even higher against his belly. He groggily whispered, “Hmm, Bella, one hot little red wolf.”

“Ready anytime, Devlyn.”

He chuckled. “Making up for lost years, honey.” She wiggled against him. “Fill me up whenever you have the urge.”

His sexually hungry growl meant she wouldn’t have to wait very long, which suited her fine. She brushed her face against his cheek, smelling the spicy, male scent of him, hoping that nothing else—like red lupus garous or Volan—would disturb their sleep or other, stimulating activities they might wish to explore later that morning.

Yet she wondered what happened to Devlyn’s plan for her to stay with his cousin? Had he given up on that notion? Or would she have to fight him all over again when they woke?

Worse, the threat of Volan still hung heavy in her thoughts. Was he dead or not?

Early the next afternoon, Devlyn found Bella gone, again. Searching through the house, he found no sign of her. But the fresh, sweet fragrance of cut flowers sitting on the dining room table in a glass vase caught his eye. He glanced outside and saw the greenhouse door open. Then he noticed Bella’s silhouette against the green glass building, and the prickle in his gut dissipated. Stalking across the yard, he reached the greenhouse and, with a squeak, shut the door behind him as he entered the building.

He stared at the plants in wonder. Colorado wildflowers from alpine columbine and aspen daisies to scarlet paintbrush and fireweed.

“Do you like it?” Bella asked, watering a trough of violets, barely looking Devlyn’s way.

He considered Bella in the ankle-length robe she wore, the forest-green velvet clinging to her curves, her Heart of the Wolf265

hair dangling in a fiery display in contrast against the fabric, her feet bare. “What’s not to like?” His voice was already several shades huskier than normal.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and nuzzled his face in her hair. “You smell like a garden of flowers.”

“That’s because we’re standing in a greenhouse full of them,” she teased, leaning against his chest, pressing against his heavy groin.

He took her hand and ran his nose over the silky skin. “Your hand smells like roses, and your hair like Persian lilac. You smell like a floral garden.” He nudged his cheek against her throat and she moved her head so he had better access. His hands dipped lower, to the tassel tie belted at her waist.

“I have work to do,” Bella said, but she didn’t stop him, either.

“The work will get done, but this can’t wait.” He pressed his arousal against her backside and she smiled. “If we keep doing it, I won’t be able to walk normally for a week.”

“Hey, just think if we were in our wolf coats.” Bella laughed. “Well, I’ve seen a wolf and his mate go at it, but ...”

“Half an hour at a time? Multiple times? Just know what you’re getting yourself into when the moon appears.” He pulled her robe open and slid his hands over her breasts.

She turned and smiled when she saw he was wearing jeans but was barefoot and shirtless. “You’re dressed. Kind of.”

“Easily remedied.” He tackled his zipper. “Afraid Chrissie’s kids might peek through a knothole in the redwood fence and see something they shouldn’t.”

“Good thinking. But I believe Chrissie’s the only one who might do something like that, particularly now that you’re around.” Bella kissed Devlyn’s chest, her hair dangling against his nipples, raising them into tight knots. She licked one and hummed.

Devlyn broke free and locked the door. Thankfully, the greenhouse windows were fogged up enough that only Bella and Devlyn’s silhouettes could be seen from the outside.

He yanked off his jeans and slipped the robe down Bella’s shoulders, exposing every inch of creamy skin. She was every guy’s wet dream and more.

After spreading the fabric over the mossy floor, he motioned to the makeshift bed. “My lady?”

She laughed. “So gallant.”

“Only for a minute.” Without further ado, he swept her off her feet, and she squealed.

“I hope Chrissie doesn’t think she needs to come to your rescue.”

He pressed a steamy kiss to Bella’s ear and then set her on the robe. Grasping her knees, he moved them apart, opening her to his touch. “My garden princess. I see you missed more than just me in our home in Colorado.” He kissed one shoulder and then licked the other.

She cupped his face and looked into his eyes, hers darkened amber gems. “I never ever thought my garden could bring me this much pleasure.”

He gave her a wolfish grin. “You always know the right words to say, Bella honey.”

“But you always know the right moves to ... ah, Devlyn,” Bella mouthed against his lips, his tongue probing hers, his fingers separating her womanly folds. The fragrance of sweet flowers scented the greenhouse, but Bella was the most irresistible flower of them all. Her hands shifted downward, pressing his buttocks, pressuring him to enter her.

With a single hard thrust, he impaled her, entering her secret garden, deeper with every movement, rubbing her mound, pushing her toward the top.

She matched his enthusiasm, rocking against him, striving for deeper penetration, until he found sweet release, planting his seed inside her, his body on fire.

Nipping his shoulder, she stifled a cry, her internal muscles clamping down on him, milking him for everything he had.

Totally spent, he rolled off her and pulled her on top of him. “I like this garden room of yours very much,” he said, his voice drenched in passion. He winked at her.

“I just bet you do. But I had lots of work to get caught up on and now I’m ... well, awfully relaxed.”

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “The work will get done.”

But it didn’t.

For an hour, they slept in peaceful bliss in the garden of flowers while a storm raged around them. A bolt of lightning crashed close by, shaking Bella from her state of slumber. She frowned at Devlyn, who opened one sleepy eye and gazed at her.

“I had work to do,” she groused.

His lips curved up in a wicked smile. “You sure did.” After helping her up, he grabbed his jeans and pulled them on.

When she slipped her robe over her shoulders, he pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her cheek with his. “What can I do to help?”

She groaned. What she wanted him to do was take her back to bed and ravish her all over again.

His eyes lighted with fire and he grinned. “Does my little red wolf need some more—”

She pulled out of his embrace before he talked her into returning to the house. “Here,” she said, handing him some gardening clippers. “Cut off the dead flowers. I’ll finish watering.”

After finishing the chores in the greenhouse, Bella and Devlyn made a wild dash through the rain to the house. Intending to wash their bed linens, she declined taking a shower with him for now or she’d never get the cleaning done.

“I’ll fix us something to eat as soon as I’m through here,” he hollered from the bathroom, the steamy spray muffling his words.

She finished stripping the bed. “All right by me.” But what she really wanted was a good four more hours of sleep. She dumped the dirty sheets on the floor and remade the bed with fresh linens. By the time she had finished showering and dressing, Devlyn was in the kitchen cooking—in the raw again.

She dumped the linens in the washing machine, started it, and then wandered into the kitchen, feeling as though she could move at only half speed. Sitting down, she leaned against the dining room table.

Devlyn glanced over from his cooking, the long German sausages sizzling in the frying pan for their brunch, filling the kitchen with the scent of spicy pork. Bella leaned her elbows against the table and rested her head against the palm of her hand. She cast a tired smile in his direction. He smiled back.

Soft, pale blue sweats covered her curvy body. Already he was prepared to slip her sweats off and make love to her again. Only he’d done so three more times that morning, and the final time, when she rose from the greenhouse floor, she’d been a little stiff, like a cowgirl who’d been riding a bull too long.

Her eyes appeared blurry. She hadn’t had enough sleep, nor, truthfully, had he. Once they ate, he planned on taking a nap with her, although he feared to get any sleep he’d have to move to her couch. The memory of making love on the couch filled his thoughts, her tight bottom wiggling suggestively at him, the smile playing on her lips, the feel of her soft buttocks pressing against him when he entered her. He chuckled. Well, he couldn’t think of one place she’d be safe from his advances.

He poked at the sausages and then flipped them over. “Blueberries all right this morning?”

“Hmm-hmm.”

“Some sourdough muffins?”

This time she didn’t respond. He turned to look at her.

She cradled her head on the crook of her arm. Her cinnamon curls cascaded over the table, like a silken red waterfall. She’d closed her eyes, and her face appeared totally at rest. He chuckled.

But then a knocking at the back door just about unhinged him.

He stalked to the back door and peeked out the curtained window. Chrissie smiled back at him, her brows raised.

Growling under his breath, he opened the door. Her gaze instantly focused lower, on his nakedness. He motioned for her to come in. “Be right back. I’ll throw some jeans on.” Even though Bella was going to wash them.

“No need to on my account,” Chrissie said dreamily while he strode down the hall.

It didn’t matter to him that she saw him in the raw, but if he’d stayed that way with Chrissie in the house and Bella had known, that was another story.

After he yanked on a pair of jeans, he stalked back to the kitchen. Chrissie had served up the sausages and muffins, preventing them from scorching, thankfully.

“Did you want to eat with us?” he asked, assuming there was no polite way of getting rid of the woman. On the other hand, since she’d saved their butts the previous night, they kind of owed her.

Chrissie glanced at Bella. “Looks like you might have a time waking her to eat. What did you do to tucker her out so?” A smile appeared. “Forget it. I already know the answer.”

He ignored her, wishing Bella didn’t have such an intrusive neighbor. Leaning over Bella, he kissed her ear. “Bella honey, do you want to eat?”

She murmured something inaudible.

“Okay.” He lifted her from the chair and carried her down the hall to the bedroom. After laying her on the mattress, he hesitated. He didn’t want to disturb her slumber, but since they didn’t wear anything to sleep in, and he intended to join her after he ate breakfast ...

The decision was already made for him. He slid her sweats off, first the pants and then her shirt. He groaned to see her sweet body. Never would he get his fill of her. Hurriedly, he pulled the comforter over her. Then he strode out of the room, shutting the door behind him before he changed his mind and joined her.

When he reached the dining room, Chrissie had already poured glasses of milk for them.

“I would have gotten you some orange juice, but you don’t seem to have any.”

He downed the milk. “Milk’s good for growing bones.” Chrissie sighed. “And muscles. Don’t forget the muscles.”

“Do you often visit Bella in the morning, or did you have some news?”

“I didn’t mean to barge in on the two of you, but since it was later in the morning, I figured—” Chrissie’s cheeks reddened. “Well, I assumed you’d both be up and ready to face the day.” She buttered her muffin and lifted it from the plate. “In truth, I wanted to tell you that Henry called me earlier and said he’d talked to the police chief. The warrants for your arrest and Bella’s have been rescinded.”

Somewhat relieved, Devlyn nodded. “Thanks so much for all of your help last night, Chrissie. I don’t think we had the chance to express our gratitude.”

Fingering her muffin, she grinned.“Do you eat Wheaties?”

He stabbed a sausage. “Meat, and lots of it.”

“Ah. I’m sorry for making up a story so different from the truth. I worried that when Henry heard the real version, he would have been madder.”

“Well,” Devlyn said, lifting his forkful of sausage, “I’m glad it all worked out fine.”

He got the distinct impression something was bothering Chrissie, but he wasn’t used to having human friends or the way in which they were afraid to speak frankly. With lupus garous, if they wanted something, they normally came out and said it.

Dipping the butter knife into the blackberry jam, he coated his muffin, the smell of the wild berries tantalizing him. He envisioned Bella bending over to pick the strong, flavorful fruit in the wilderness, her denims hugging her buttocks. Licking the sweet, tangy jam off his muffin brought an image of the wild to him, creating the urge again to run through the brambles, to chase Bella through the woods on a carefree romp. The idea of finishing breakfast and joining her in bed quickly filled his thoughts.

He looked up from his muffin to see Chrissie watching him with adoration in her eyes. Or maybe a bit of lust. Inwardly, he smiled. She couldn’t handle a lupus garou, no matter how badly she thought she wanted him. “Is something bothering you?”

She looked back at her plate and then up at Devlyn. “I’m worried about this Volan. Henry showed me the picture of him and said that if the man came around my place asking about Bella, he wanted me to know what he looked like. He feared the man might get violent, considering how he left Bella naked at the zoo in subfreezing temperatures. He must have wanted her dead.” She watched him for his reaction.

“He’s dangerous all right.”

“There’s something else. I thought I heard car doors slamming in the middle of the night. As sleepy as I was, it took me a few minutes for the noise to register. Then I wondered who it would be that late at night. So I threw on some clothes and looked out the living room window, but I didn’t see a soul, only a jeep parked in front of my house. I watched for quite a while and then, figuring whoever it was wouldn’t be returning any time soon, I walked into the kitchen to get a drink of water. But I thought it odd that the vehicle was parked in front of my house. When I returned to the living room window and peeked out, the jeep had disappeared.”

Devlyn took a deep breath. “Maybe it was someone at the wrong house.”

“I instantly thought of Volan and called Henry, but I couldn’t get hold of him. I was going to come over here to check on you, but the house remained dark and, well, then the jeep vanished.”

“We must have been sleeping like tired, old dogs.” Chrissie grinned.

He got the impression she didn’t think they were all that tired, or old, or that they had been sleeping. Although about now he sure could use a nap. He grabbed his plate and pointed to her half-eaten breakfast. “Done?”

“Sure.” She jumped up from her chair.

He carried the plates into the kitchen. “We watched movies until way too late last night. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to join Bella for a nap.”

“Oh ... oh, sure.” Chrissie headed for the back door. “If you two need anything from me, be sure and holler.”

The door shut on her hasty exodus, and he returned to the bedroom only to find Bella gone. For an instant, the image of the reds ferreting Bella away flashed through his mind. He tore into the bathroom, hoping she was taking a shower, although he didn’t hear the sound of the shower spray or smell any dampness in the air.

As he suspected, she wasn’t there.

He stormed out of her bedroom, down the hall, and into her office.

Sitting in her chair with her chin propped in her hands and wearing her sweats once again, she stared at the monitor. Bright colors zigzagged across the screen, darting hither and thither against the stark blackness.

“Bella?”

She gave a start. “Oh, Devlyn.”

He crossed the floor and knelt at her side. “Bella, what’s wrong, honey?”

“I woke and didn’t find you with me. Then I heard Chrissie talking to you in the kitchen, but I was too tired to speak to her. I couldn’t sleep, and I wondered if I had any new messages to clue us in about the killer.”

He touched her cheek and then looked at the screensaver.

Sighing deeply, she nestled her cheek against his hand. “I guess I forgot what I was doing.”

“What you are doing is taking a well-deserved nap, now, with me. We’ll look at the messages later. We’re both too exhausted to make any sense of anything.”

She raised her arms to him. “Help me up.”

“I’ll do even better than that.” He lifted her in his arms, and she nestled her head against his chest.

“I see you put on some jeans.”

“I didn’t think you’d approve of Chrissie seeing me without.”

She gave a low growl. “You’re right. I can be awfully possessive.”

“All right by me.” He carried her down the hall to the bedroom and deposited her in the bed. “You shouldn’t have gotten dressed.”

She touched his zipper and instantly his arousal strained against the denim. No wolf could ever get him worked up as fast as Bella.

Knocking at the back door interrupted them and sent a ripple of anger shooting down his spine. “Now what?” Devlyn growled.

“If it’s Chrissie, I’ll take care of it.” Bella sounded grumpy and climbed off the bed.

Knocking sounded again, louder this time. “Maybe we should ignore her. I told her I was taking a nap with you.”

Bella’s lips turned up. “What did she say to that?”

“I think she didn’t believe we were going to nap.”

“Not with her pounding on the door every few minutes.” Bella swept her hair out of her face, and he wanted to kiss her pursed lips.

“I’ll take care of it.” Devlyn stormed out of the bedroom, figuring an annoyed male might persuade the woman to vamoose more easily than his mate would. Before he could make it to the back door, Bella’s feet tromped on the carpet behind him at a hurried pace to keep up.

When he turned to look at her, she smiled. “Didn’t want you to be too brusque.”

“Not me.” But he had the feeling that, if Bella weren’t so tired, her neighbor might see the darker side of Bella’s persona. Yanking open the door, he tried to quell the ire building in his own blood.

Chrissie gave a nervous smile. “Uh, I’m sorry, folks, to disturb you again.” Twisting a piece of her dark hair between her fingers, she looked quickly from him to Bella—who stood slightly to the left of his shoulder— and back to him again.

Wary that something was seriously the matter, he motioned to the living room instead of sending the woman packing. She glanced at Bella, as if asking if she approved. Smiling wearily, Bella nodded.

Devlyn linked his fingers with Bella’s and followed Chrissie into the sitting area.

“I’m sorry, Bella, Devlyn, but something’s been bothering me.” Chrissie took her seat on the couch.

Devlyn and Bella sat on the loveseat opposite her. Immediately, Bella rested her head against Devlyn’s shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and squeezed.

“Henry told me not to say anything to you, but I think he mentioned it to me, hoping I would tell you. He really admires the way the two of you seem so much in love. He knows that Devlyn is only trying to protect you, Bella. But, well, something about your story didn’t add up.”

Bella kept her head on Devlyn’s shoulder, but her whole body tensed.

“What did he say, Chrissie?” Devlyn prompted, wondering if he would have to take Bella back to Colorado earlier than planned and forgo solving the red lupus garou killer mystery. Bella’s safety was tantamount, above all else.

“Can I have a glass of water?” Before anyone could respond, Chrissie hopped up from the couch and headed into the kitchen. “Sorry,” she hollered. “I’m a little nervous.”

Bella shook her head.

Devlyn kissed her forehead and gave her another squeeze of reassurance.

“Yeah, like that,” Chrissie said, pointing with her index finger wrapped around a glass of water. “He saw how caring you are toward one another. Refreshing to see.”

“What didn’t add up, Chrissie?” Devlyn asked, trying to curb his irritation.

She sat back down on the couch. “It was the zoo scene. Volan has never been sighted anywhere. At the hospital, the zoo, nowhere.”

“At the dance club,” Devlyn reminded her. “Yes, yes, of course. But that’s the first time.” Devlyn attempted to look unruffled by the revelation.

“Henry said he remembered Volan struck him.”

“That’s the problem. You and Volan are similar in build and have similar coloration.”

“No,” Bella said. “Devlyn’s hair is brown and Volan’s hair is black.”

“Devlyn’s hair is dark brown, and inside it looks nearly black.” Chrissie sipped some of her water. Her gaze shifted from Devlyn back to Bella. “The thing is, Devlyn is the one who’s always in the picture, not Volan. Then there’s you, Bella. But he’s trying to protect you. Henry understands that. He said he’s sure you told the truth about Volan as far as being afraid of him and what he’d do to you. But it’s the other part of the story that doesn’t fit.”

“What doesn’t add up?” Devlyn asked again. “Why didn’t Volan grab Bella at the hospital? If he’d already knocked out Henry and the cops, how come he didn’t get Bella? Where was he? The receptionist said she never saw the man. The police said they’d been knocked out from behind and had never seen who hit them.

“Henry believes it was you, Devlyn, fearing for Bella’s safety; you couldn’t explain the situation to the police adequately, so you knocked them out and stole her away.”

She paused, waiting for confirmation of what she said, but when they remained silent, she continued. “The real problem is the zoo. If Volan didn’t release the wolf and leave Bella in the pen naked, who did? Henry knows you wouldn’t have, Devlyn. You would never risk Bella’s life like that. The only conclusion he can come up with is that you’re protecting someone else. Maybe this Argos, your adoptive father? Maybe he’s a bit crazy and he—”

“No,” Bella said.

Devlyn rubbed her hand. “Why is Henry so sure Volan wasn’t at the zoo earlier? What proof does he have?”

Chrissie swallowed hard. “The police arrested Volan early this morning.”

Bella sat upright, her heartbeat racing. Chrissie studied her. “He had airline tickets.” Devlyn took a steadying breath.

“The airline verified that Volan’s flight was delayed in Denver, so he couldn’t have made it to Portland in time to free Rosa, the red wolf, or to leave Bella there. He was still stuck in Denver when someone rescued Bella from the hospital. Henry wondered if perhaps Volan had an accomplice. He figures if Volan flew to Portland and then showed up at the dance club, he really had come after Bella.”

“Is Volan still in jail?” Bella asked, her voice hollow. Already her cheeks had grown as pale as the fresh fallen snow of the Great Rockies.

Chrissie shook her head. “Once he could prove he had nothing to do with the zoo or hospital incident, the police couldn’t hold him any longer.” She sat forward on the couch. “Listen, I’ve known you for a long time, and I’ve never seen you so scared. I know what you say about this Volan guy is true. Henry believes it, too. But nobody can help you if you don’t go to the police and make a statement about what he’s done to you.”

Devlyn grunted. What had happened to Bella had occurred way before Chrissie’s grandfather was even born. “Oh, and Henry knows Volan’s connected to the zoo somehow, because he’d tried to get Rosa transferred to the Denver zoo. That’s why Henry mentioned that maybe you knew of an accomplice Volan might have had working for him.”

Devlyn couldn’t think of what to say. Bella’s hand turned ice-cold, and he rubbed it, trying to warm it.

“No one gave Volan any indication where Bella lived, did they?” he fairly growled.

“Henry wouldn’t tell the police her address. He feared someone might leak it to the press, to Volan, or to his accomplice, because he must have one. Unless ...” Again she swallowed hard. “Unless, the two of you freed Rosa and ...” She shook her head. “But you wouldn’t have left Bella to freeze to death in the pen. So what really happened?”