Legend of the White Wolf

Chapter 22

HER HEART RACING, FAITH HOLLERED TO KINTAIL THROUGH Chris's locked door, "Cameron's hunting down the other killers. You've got Lila back. You can take care of how to deal with the cleanup/cover-up, whatever you want to call it. But Cameron and his partners are all returning to the Northwest, and I'm going with them. So like it or not, that's what's going to happen." She wasn't sure about the woman he called Elizabeth, so she left her out of the equation on purpose.

She halfway expected Kintail to act civilized. To let them alone. But when the cedar chair that was sitting on the front porch crashed through the picture window, she realized he didn't mean to play by her rules at all. She considered the cane. If she swung it just right, she might be able to knock him out. But then again, what if he was expecting her to do something like that? Not like when she hit the wolf with the snow shovel the last time. He hadn't expected it. Kintail most likely would.

She glanced at Chris's gun. As soon as she lunged for it, Kintail jumped through the window frame as a wolf. She screamed, but grabbed the gun and didn't hesitate to shoot him, at the same time as she heard footsteps at the back of the house. Kintail knocked her down, the dart not putting him out like she'd hoped. But she didn't dare shoot him again and risk killing him with too much tranquilizer.

Kintail's front paws pinned her chest down, his weight suffocating, but she couldn't see who was running down the hall. What if it was a Dark Angel?

Kintail looked back.

Cameron swore under his breath. "My bullets might not be silver, but they're like Gavin's. They can give you some heartburn. So move away from Faith, and I'll pretend this didn't happen."

She swore Kintail almost smiled. Maybe because Cameron didn't take any crap off him? She wasn't sure. But he did step away.

Afraid he still might leap at Cameron, she held her breath. Would Cameron shoot him? She suspected he would.

"You've got to take care of Lila and your pack. Take care of this mess so your wolves aren't blamed for it," Cameron said.

Kintail looked back at Chris. And then he turned and jumped out the window, stumbled outside and landed on his belly, the drug finally taking effect. Hilson and Whitson hurried out of the pickup and with Trevor, the three of them managed to carry their wolf pack leader out to the truck.

"You all right, Faith?" Cameron asked, his long stride eating up the floor to get to her.

"I'm fine. Where's David and the other woman?"

Cameron pulled Faith off the floor and into his arms. "He runs faster than we do. He chased Matt down and dropped him. The woman stayed with him. Think he's found someone to call his own. The blond guy? He took off in the ATV."

"What will we do with Matt?"

"Turn him over to the police."

"Adams and Whitson? But they're Kintail's people."

"Officer Adams is out back. He's willing to turn Matt in to take the blame for the killings, saying that they were fanatics who murdered some of Kintail's men. None of them can prove werewolves exist, and the police department needs to resolve the crimes."

"What about Chris?"

"Kintail can say his wolves were protecting him. Lila okay?"

"Sleeping like Owen… and Kintail."

Gavin hurried into the house with David and Elizabeth, Faith guessed, still in wolf form, and Leidolf and Sarge. "Owen all right?"

"Sleeping," Cameron said. "Let's get him into the SUV. Leidolf?"

"I'm staying a while longer to ensure there are no more of them." He patted Sarge on the shoulder. "He's going to help me."

Sarge looked as though he was going to be terminated at any minute. She wondered, given Leidolf's expression, if he recognized the man hadn't been turned. If so, he'd be up on murder charges also.

"Gavin?" Cameron asked.

"I'm ready to get back to Seattle and the job. Think we could rent a bigger SUV and travel that way instead of by plane?"

Faith wrapped her arm around Cameron. "As far as I'm concerned, that's the only way we should travel, considering."

"A woman after my own heart," Gavin said.

"Only she's got mine," Cameron said, giving her a comforting squeeze. "Help me lift Owen, and let's head back to the lodge. You can make the reservation for a full-sized SUV for our return trip. Leidolf, we'll see you around?"

"Find a pack to join, Cameron. You can't do this on your own as newly turned lupus garous."

"I guess this means you owe me a diamond ring and marriage license, Cameron, if we're going to make this official," Faith said.

"No jewelry, no weddings," Leidolf said, his voice slightly amused. "We can't wear jewelry. It's too difficult to shift quickly if we're wearing rings and the like. And we don't marry, we mate. That's why you need to be with an established pack, so you can learn our rules."

Faith glanced at Sarge. "What about Mary?"

"Mary McNichol? Chris's aunt? She's harmless, a big believer in Bigfoot and that's why she was running around with our gang. But she never was one of the Dark Angels, didn't believe in werewolves, no matter how many times we tried to convince her they were real. That's why we never let her in on the killings. She would have turned us in. She just wanted to be with us in case we spotted Bigfoot. And Chris, especially, hoped she'd change her mind."

Faith sighed, glad to hear the older woman hadn't taken part in the murders. "Why did you do it, Sarge? Why kill them?"

"We thought we were doing the world a good deed. That's what we thought. Then we figured if we could get money, it would be even more of a good thing. We didn't think we'd get caught."

"What about the trees cut down on the trails?" Faith asked.

Sarge shrugged. "We were trying to create a mess for Kintail's people. Harassing maneuvers."

"And Charles?"

"Hell," Sarge said, scowling, "he's either one of Kintail's people, or he helps them conceal who they are. So he is one of them, no matter what. We just wanted to give him a wake-up message. Watch out who your friends are. Could be dangerous for your health."

Faith hoped the bastard didn't turn, and he was tried for murder. Someone as evil as that didn't deserve to be in Leidolf's pack, or anyone else's.

Leidolf's expression was revealing though. The more he listened to Sarge bury himself with the deeds they'd done, the darker Leidolf's face became. Then he turned to Cameron and said, "I told Gavin he could have my room for the night, share it with David and Owen. I'll be sticking with Sarge until I'm assured we've finished with business here. And, Faith? You're one of us, even though you'll be with an Arctic pack. But anytime you visit your father, you're part of my extended pack."

Faith pulled Cameron close. "And Cameron and his partners?"

Leidolf gave them an elusive smile. "Sure, as long as no one plans to stay long. Only one alpha leader per pack. Anything else would cause real problems."

Faith wondered how that would work with Cameron and his partners. Owen and Gavin both seemed to have real leadership tendencies. She wasn't sure about David, but he might be more the emergent kind of leader when the others weren't around to take charge, he'd step right in. None of them seemed very beta to her.

"I'll see you again soon then," Faith said with promise, because she had every intention of seeing the woman her father had hooked up with and making sure he really was all right. Although as soon as they returned to the lodge, she was calling him.

"Let's go then," Cameron said, and he carried Owen out to the SUV as David and Elizabeth trotted next to him, and Gavin got the door.

Faith slipped into the driver's seat and Cameron looked at her, his eyes a little rounded.

"My rental SUV, and last time you drove, you were speeding. I thought you were an Eagle Scout and always obeyed the laws." She started the engine.

He smiled and buckled his seat belt. "Always. So no diamonds, and no marriage license, I guess. Uncomplicates things and makes for a cheaper union."

She hmpfed. "We're getting married. I can see Leidolf's point about the jewelry. I suppose in a few years if we've got the shapeshifting business under control, you can get me a ring then. But there's no reason we can't get married." She drove back to the lodge, at the correct speed.

Cameron chuckled. "I told my partners I'd never get married. Ever. Not after all the girlfriend problems I've had. I really thought I'd be keeping my promise."

"There won't be an engagement if that will help."

He leaned against his seat and smiled.

Gavin said, "I was wrong, Cameron. First time ever. If I had a woman like that, I wouldn't hesitate to make her mine."

The horrible notion slipped into Faith's brain that they had an outsider in the vehicle who had to be changed. "What are we going to do about Gavin?"

"I'm not biting him," Cameron said. "He'll just have to live with us and pretend everything's the way it was."

Gavin shook his head. "Faith can bite me, as long as she's gentle."

Cameron pressed his hand on Faith's thigh. "She wouldn't do any such thing."

Gavin folded his arms across his chest. "I guess I'll just have to keep the secret then."

He sounded a shade disappointed. Faith figured either Leidolf or one of his people would turn him, but it was probably better if they were all the same kind of wolf, in case they tried to do what Kintail had done in Maine, pretend the wolves were his pets, one big happy family.

"Leidolf won't like it," Faith warned. "When he learns none of us ever turned Gavin, he'll probably do it."

"Then Gavin will stay home when we visit your father."

That seemed to be the end of the matter, but Faith suspected it wouldn't be. "What if there's already a pack in Seattle?"

"I thought of that. We'll just have to open a business in Tacoma, or somewhere else. Maybe move to the coast of Oregon. I always liked the beaches down there when I visited. Leidolf said it was a nice place and might be just our kind of area to relocate. We'll just have to see what happens."

"And hope that we don't run into major problems," a deep male voice that she didn't recognize said from the backseat.

Faith glanced in her rearview mirror. David had shifted. The blond, bearded man with vivid blue eyes reminded her of a Norseman as Gavin quickly pulled off his parka and gave it to him.

Yep, their little band of werewolves was going to have fun with this shapeshifting business. She could see it now—all five of them vying to get into the washrooms on a plane home when they all had an uncontrollable urge to shift. Good thing they were driving home.

Kintail woke to find himself naked in bed with a nude Lila curled up against him, sound asleep. He brushed his hand through her golden hair, breathed in her special fragrance, assumed that whatever trauma she had experienced in the past, she was ready to deal with. But he'd take it slow and easy with her in any event.

"Kintail," she whispered to him, her eyes still tired.

"Sleep the drug off, Lila. We'll talk later when you're more awake."

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her hand on his chest, and he could have sworn her touch was possessive, but the tranquilizer kept her from having the force she might have used. Her eyes drifted closed. "You're mine." Even though her voice had a sleepy, drugged quality, her announcement pleased him.

He leaned her back and kissed her forehead. She lifted her lips as if asking for a kiss there. Chuckling darkly, he pressed his lips against hers, but she wasn't awake enough to respond. "Later," he promised, then slipped off the mattress, pulled on a pair of black denims, and headed downstairs to the great room where he heard Trevor talking to Whitson and Adams.

"Evening," Kintail said as he reached the bottom step.

His men nodded in greeting, but no one said anything. Probably trying to figure out if they had an alpha female pack leader now.

Both Whitson and Adams's bruises had faded to mere shadows of what they'd been. Hilson was chowing down at the kitchen table, having a midnight snack, so he seemed to be feeling better also.

"What's happening with the investigation?" Kintail asked, stalking into the sitting area, while a fire roared in the fireplace, and the wind stirred the snow in little eddies outside.

Adams spoke first. "Matt's in custody and will be charged with first-degree murder in the cases of Sutter and Larson. The blond dude we chased in the ATV, survived the accident and he's up on charges also. Apparently," Adams smiled a little as he spoke, "the group was heavily into drugs. Anyway, there's tons of evidence to prove they were and now it's their word against ours that they were tripping out when they spied the werewolves. A woman, Mary McNichol, never believed in werewolves, according to Sarge. I questioned her, but she seems sincere, so for now she's off the hook. But we'll keep a close eye on her. Sarge is staying with Leidolf until he turns into a red wolf. So far Leidolf hasn't seen any evidence of a change. Probably too soon. Leidolf said he'll take him into his pack. Although if he gets out of hand, Leidolf said he'll either take care of the matter personally, or hand him over to you for disposition."

Kintail gave a small smile. "He didn't mean it."

"No. He was trying to emphasize the importance of the guy obeying him while he spoke to me in front of him. He might kill him, that much was evident. But he wouldn't turn the responsibility of the job over to you."

"Leidolf's too much of an alpha for that," Kintail said. "What about Gavin?"

"Leidolf said he'd be turned."

"All right. And Kenneth O'Malley?"

"Already changed, so no more problems with him giving lectures on werewolves, unless he uses old mythologies in his talks."

"Good. Chris's body will have to disappear."

"Done. By the time the spring thaw comes, he'll be nothing but worm food. Matt didn't see what had happened to him. We cleaned up all the evidence that anyone had been killed in the house. We'll be sure to concoct a good story about how Chris went out on one of his crazy werewolf hunts, without his partners, got lost, froze to death, and the animals in the wild found his body a delicious smorgasbord of sorts. Sarge will go along with it, since he was one of his best friends. Believe me, about now the guy is willing to say or do anything to keep on breathing."

"Any other loose ends?"

"Leidolf's making sure there aren't any, and we've got a couple of men with him to help watch his back. But other than that…"

A silky feminine voice called from upstairs. "Kintail."

Everyone turned their attention to the stairs.

Maybe Lila didn't need any more time to get over her past. "Good job, men," Kintail said. "Keep me informed." But the way he said it, he was certain his people got his meaning. Don't disturb him unless the building was on fire.

Then he headed for the stairs, ready to take a mate. For the first time in years, he felt lighthearted and ready to conquer the world.

Thankfully, Cameron, Faith, and Gavin were able to sneak David into Leidolf's room at the lodge without anyone seeing him half naked, only wearing Gavin's parka, his legs and feet bare, while Elizabeth ran beside David in her wolf form. And Cameron carried a still knocked-out Owen, in wolf form, inside.

"Have any trouble, you know our room number," Cameron said to David and Gavin.

"I can see now why Lila was pissed that Kintail was interested in Faith." David smiled at Faith in a congenial way, sitting down on the bed, still looking a bit wiped out. Although even so, he managed to take down Matt just fine.

Elizabeth was sitting next to him still in her wolf form while he stroked her back.

"I'll get Elizabeth a change of clothes in a minute. I don't think Kintail was too happy with me once I shot him with a tranquilizer dart." Faith smiled and wrapped her arm around Cameron. "There's only one wolfish guy for me."

"You should see what she did to Cameron's snow mobile. The rental people weren't too happy about it," Gavin said, "but Cameron, being the big sport he is, said it was his fault when he was trying to stop the guys who stole the machines."

Faith chuckled. "Yeah, Cameron was just afraid what the clerk would think if they knew he had such a violent girlfriend."

Cameron headed for the door with his arm around her waist. "Which is just the way I like you. I get into a fix again, you can rescue me."

David and Gavin laughed. "And us," Gavin added. "Wouldn't hurt my feelings none to have you save my butt."

"I'd say she's been approved as one of the partners." Cameron opened the door. "When Owen wakes, let him know."

"He'll be agreeable," David said. "We're just glad to be kicking for another adventure." He glanced at Gavin. "What are we supposed to do about you?"

"He won't talk," Cameron said.

Gavin shrugged. "I told Faith she could bite me, but she didn't want the job."

David laughed. "The lady's got selective taste." He rose from the bed. "I'll go with the two of you so you don't have to make another trip down here with clothes for Elizabeth."

"Night all," Cameron said to the others, then closed the door. The situation with Gavin could be resolved another day, or left the way it was. All he cared about was being alone with Faith and getting on with the really important business that awaited them.

As soon as Cameron, David, and Faith headed down the stairs, Cameron said, "You know the rules about mating for life, right, David?"

"You're talking about Elizabeth and me?" David shook his head. "We've hardly gotten to know each other. We'll take our time." He raised his brows at Faith as if intimating that Cameron might want to do the same with her.

"It's a done deal where we're concerned," he said, although officially it wouldn't be until Cameron got rid of David. Not wanting to delay the inevitable a moment longer, Cameron hurried Faith to their room.

Their room. Not his or hers any longer, but theirs.

Inside the room, Faith fished through her bag until she pulled out a pair of jeans and a sweater. "Will these fit Elizabeth all right?"

"She's about your size," David said. "It should be fine. And welcome to the team."

"Thanks, I look forward to helping you guys out. Guess I need to give notice in Portland. Tell Elizabeth I'm thrilled she's with us. She can teach us what we need to know."

Cameron hadn't considered that, but he agreed the woman could be a real asset to the group.

David said his good nights and with the door bolted, Cameron eyed Faith. She smiled at him knowingly. Ever since he'd seen the angel who had ended up in his room while he was taking his shower after he'd first arrived in Millinocket, he'd known what he wanted to do. Now, he was ready to actually act on that urge. He shoved the cart of cold salmon out in the hall, too late to order anything else.

"I'm going to take a shower, Faith." He wanted to wash the night's activities out of his mind and get a fresh start. Although he hoped Faith might join him.

She nodded and stared out the window at the Northern Lights, their spectacular display still lighting up the sky. He thought about what Charles had said about the magical wolves coming down from the streams of lights. Charles was right. They were magical, and despite being newly turned and not able to keep the shifting perfectly under control, he felt as though he'd always been this way, and he wouldn't give it up for anything.

He took his shower, longer than usual, hoping Faith would walk into the steamy room any minute, but she never did. Finally, he shut off the water, toweled dried his body, then began working on his hair and stepped out of the bathroom.

Just hanging up the phone, Faith had removed her boots and coat and turned to smile at him. "I called my father while you were in the shower. He's fine." He noted she'd been lying on the bed, the covers pulled aside, an open invitation to join her there. She motioned to the ice bucket filled to the rim, a couple of sodas, and two packages of chips. "Dinner. No room service interruptions this time," she said, her gaze taking in every bit of his body, and she looked hungry. He definitely was hungry, and for a hell of a lot more than paltry snacks from a vending machine.

She stood against the windows now where she'd left the curtains open, the aurora borealis still providing a brilliant blending of lights as a backdrop, their room dark otherwise, although he could see with his nocturnal vision as if the lights were on in the room. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

"Beautiful." But he wasn't talking about the lights. He stalked toward Faith just as if he was a wolf on the prowl. Only she wasn't some meek little prey. She was every bit the predator he was: just as clever, just as undaunted in her craving to come out on top. And she was all his.

Her eyes and lips smiled, but before he could pull her sweater off, she was jerking it over her head. He slid his hands around her back, lower to her sweet ass, but didn't feel any panty lines underneath the skintight ski pants. He raised his brows and smiled a little. Worked for him.

He slipped his hands under the elastic waistband, no zippers or belts or buttons to thwart him, and cupped her bare buttocks in his hands. Her sweet flesh was soft and malleable in his greedy grasp. Already, he was hard with need, just the smell of her, the willingness, the way she touched him in return, her fingers tracing his hard back, her body pressed against his. He pulled his hands free and slipped her shirt over her head, revealing a lacy peach bra, her nipples hardened to stiff peaks. Moving a little as if to tease him with her sexy body, her lace covered nipples brushed against his bare chest, her belly gently rubbing his arousal.

She was his, not Kintail's or Hilson's or anyone else who'd ever had the notion to be with the vision. And she was a vision—from her sparkling green eyes clouded with lust, her peach skin soft and sensuous to touch, her golden curls sweeping her shoulders, and the sweet fragrance of her desire for him, soliciting his further attention.

He lowered his mouth to hers as she ran her fingers over his back, her head tilted up, her lips readied for his kiss. And she kissed him back just as rabidly, and licked, and softly bit, then speared him with her tongue like he wanted to do with his cock between her legs. His hands molded to her lace-covered breasts, his fingers tweaking her nipples, her breath coming faster, her heart beating harder, and his own at virtually the same frantic rhythm. Then her hands slipped down his back. Lower, until she was squeezing his ass, and when she did, he unfastened her bra, dragged the straps down her arms and covered her nipple with his mouth. God in heaven, she was perfect.

As soon as his lips tugged at her nipple, she groaned and arched against him. That's when he released her and pulled her ski pants down to her knees, slipped his hand between her legs, and felt her drenched curls, every bit of her eager for him.

"Ready," he said as he reached down to pull her pants off the rest of the way, not willing to let another second go by without getting her to the bed. Then he lifted her under her buttocks, her legs wrapped around him, hugging him tight, her mouth opened to his. He kissed her again, his tongue spearing her mouth this time, and she moaned with pleasure. Her eyes closed and her hands gripped his back as if she was afraid he'd let her go.

But he didn't. Not even when he had her on her back on the mattress. He was between her legs now, her knees raised, her hands stretching out to him as her eyes watched him in anticipation. Her pink feminine lips had flushed to red, her center moist, and swollen with need. He knew she was ready.

Faith was all that mattered now. The feel of her satiny skin beneath him. The fragrance that was hers and only hers. The way she hmmed, and stroked his needs, and cared about him and no one else as he lathed his tongue over one extended nipple and then the other, her breasts swollen with arousal.

She spread her legs farther, inviting him in. And he obliged, filled her wet heat with his thickened shaft, stretched her and pushed and thrust as she gasped and moaned and stroked his back.

He kissed her mouth, felt her smile slightly beneath his lips, as he paused to thrust deep inside her again. And then she shifted a bit, raised her legs over his back, dug her bare heels into his ass, and welcomed him deeper.

Her face was flushed with pleasure as he dove deeper, her heart beating out of control. He shifted a bit to help her climax, inserted his fingers in her wetness and stroked her swollen nub. He wanted the bliss to last forever, but she suddenly gripped his shoulders and stifled a cry, her pelvis muscles throbbing. He watched her sigh and smile, and then entered her again. With wild abandon, he thrust deep inside her, nearing his own climax until he couldn't hold back any longer. He spilled his seed, once again without a condom. A tinge of panic sneaked up on him—what would happen if Faith got pregnant?

Gavin's comment about wolf pups came to mind.

He groaned as her own muscles contracted around his arousal, milking him for every bit of him, but Faith seemed perfectly content. Still connected, he rolled off her and pulled her onto his stomach, then stroked her back. He wasn't willing to join an established pack. But he did think maybe, just maybe, he ought to learn a little bit more from someone like Leidolf, who would give him one of those smirks. Yeah, the newbie lupus garous were clueless again. Then again, perhaps Elizabeth could be their resident adviser in all things werewolf.

Cameron held Faith close and stroked her back, feeling himself harden again as she licked his nipple and spread her legs wider over his, inviting his touch. "You know," he said, his voice still raspy, his hands sweeping lower to the tip of her spine, "we can live a very long time."

She rested her chin on his chest and looked at him with those luminous eyes of hers that said she was ready to eat him all up all over again. "Is that a promise, or a threat?"

He laughed. "A promise, this is only the beginning, Faith, honey. Just the beginning."

And Faith knew she'd done the right thing to come here to rescue her father's research from Hilson, even if nothing worked out as planned. She just didn't know that the man she'd wished were part of the amenities in the hotel room when she first found him would truly end up hers after all.

She licked his other nipple, and his hands drifted lower down her backside, his lips and eyes smiling. Yeah, he knew she didn't plan on letting him get any rest tonight. Maybe not for several nights. Maybe not for years. There was something that had changed about her. She still wanted to get up early, but now… she loved the night…

And she wondered how it would be running with Cameron through the woods as wolves, playing and cavorting as they explored them together.

"Good," he said as if reading her mind. "It'll be good."

"Better than good." She cupped his face in her hands as if he was the most precious person alive, and he was. She kissed his mouth, emphasizing how much she wanted him all over again. "Much better than good," she repeated, her voice taking on a silky quality. "It will be magical."