To Tempt the Wolf

Chapter 14

"OUCH,"TESS A SAID AS A STAB OF PAIN SHOT THROUGH her ankle while Meara helped her settle on the couch in front of the fire.

"If Hunter changes you, it won't take as long for you to heal." Meara sat down on the chair opposite her.

"I thought you didn't care for me much." Although if Cara had spoken the truth, Meara admired Tessa somewhat and had given her stamp of approval behind her back.

"I really have no choice, do I?" Meara offered her a wicked smile.

Tessa couldn't tell if she was teasing or being truthful. Maybe a little of both.

"Hunter will be changing you. Then you'll be our pack leader's mate. So..." Meara shrugged. "I'll have to live with it, or give you a hard time. And believe me, I'm very capable of it. Just ask Hunter. Are you alpha enough to take it?"

"I'll have to be, won't I?"

"So you're going to be one of us?"

"I don't see that I have much choice." Yet if Tessa could have had a semi-normal life with Hunter, she would have jumped at the chance. Marriage meant getting along with the relatives though, but mixing it up with the personalities of a werewolf pack?

The doorbell rang and Tessa glanced back at the door. Please be Hunter and Leidolf.

"I'll see who it is," Meara said.

Tessa's heart sped up. "Wait, let me come with you." She tried to stand.

"No, you can't walk on that foot."

"You stay put, Tessa," Ashton said, hurrying into the living room, zipping up his jeans, his chest bare.

Meara crossed the floor and peeked out the security hole. "Oh, hell."

"Who is it?" Ashton asked.

"Uhm, three guys I know. If Hunter catches them here, they'll be dead meat." Meara opened the door. "Go home before my brother finds you here."

"Come on, Meara. We're planning on heading up to Idaho for a change of scenery. Come with us."

"Leave," Ashton said, joining Meara at the door, his voice as threatening as Tessa had ever heard it. "Now."

He might be a pushover when it came to Cara, which made her wonder if Bethany had had the same effect on him. But when it came to most men, except for Hunter, he could get pretty physical.

Tessa couldn't see the other guys, but she was dying to get a look.

"Are you going to make us? One lone male?"

"Two," Rourke said, looking pale still as he made his way to the front door, a little unsteady on his feet. "Oh hell, they're three of the ones Hunter and I smelled down by the beach. Why don't you leave before the two alpha pack leaders return and rip you guys to shreds?"

One laughed. "Like there'd be two alpha leaders chumming together."

Her head bandaged, Cara walked into the room and grabbed the rifle. "Here, Ashton. Want to go hunting?"

"Hmm, maybe you'd like to go with us," another male said.

"I've got a mate. He's the one now holding the loaded rifle," Cara said. "So maybe you ought to run along like everyone says."

"Do they know anything about the gray Ashton saw? My stalker?" Tessa asked from the couch.

"A stalker, you say, little lady?" one of the men said. "We might know something about it. Got some beers?"

"Oh, no. You guys just get out of here," Meara warned. "If my brother catches you after you encouraged me to leave our cabin, no telling what he'll do to you."

"If any of them know about my stalker, I want to talk to them," Tessa said, trying to make it off the couch. "So let them in."

"No, we can't." Meara shook her head at Tessa. "Believe me, you don't want to see what Hunter will do if he finds them here."

Tessa sat on the arm of the couch and scowled. "Let them in now, or else."

"It is her house," Cara conceded.

"Then I'm leaving." Meara folded her arms. "I won't watch Hunter kill them."

"I'll go with them, we'll talk, and then return. All right with everyone?" Jeesh, Tessa couldn't believe she would have to leave her own house to interrogate possible witnesses.

"Then Hunter would really kill them," Meara said. "No way are you leaving with them."

"She's not one of us?" one of the men asked, trying to look around the wall of people at the door.

Tessa caught a glimpse of the man who appeared to be in his midtwenties, black beard and shoulder-length hair, dark brown eyes. Cute. No wonder he had enticed Meara to go with him.

He whistled. "I've never heard of a human in a lupus garou pack."

"Come in and tell me what you know about my stalker," Tessa commanded and would have dragged him into the house, if it hadn't been for her blamed ankle.

No one moved. Meara and the rest still blocked the three guys from entering. Ashton still held his rifle ready.

"Fine." Tessa hobbled to the front door. "Let me out and I'll speak with them on the front porch."

Rourke grabbed her arm so she could lean against him. "You don't even have your coat on."

"Well, someone get it for me."

"Oh hell, let them in." Meara raised her hands in resignation. "If they're too stupid to recognize the danger..." She shrugged and returned to the living room and collapsed on the recliner.

"Are you sure?" Ashton asked, still keeping the men at bay on the front porch.

"Let them in," Tessa said. "It's my house and my business. Besides, if Hunter learns you sent them away and they had information about the guy who's trying to turn me, he'd be even more furious."

The black-haired guy nodded. "I told my friends I thought that was what this was all about. Either that, or a pretty lupus garou female lived here on her own. Although we smelled a human female and suspected the gray got himself hooked on one of them instead."

Rourke lifted Tessa in his arms and carried her back to the couch. "Might as well let them in, Ashton. Tessa's right. If they know something about this gray and his brothers, and we chase these guys off, Hunter's bound to be furious with us." He cast Meara a sympathetic look. "Guess we'll just have to hope he doesn't kill them afterwards."

"Maybe we can get whatever information they have out of them quickly, and they can be on their way," Cara suggested, sitting beside Tessa on the couch.

Ashton motioned with the gun. "Get inside. You're letting all the cold air in."

"Like it's our fault," the black-haired guy said. "Jessup's the name. These are my friends, Redmond, on account he's got a red lupus garou in the mix way back when, otherwise he's all gray. We try not to hold the other against him." He gave Redmond a sly smile. "And Butch, cuz he chopped off all his hair, although we haven't figured out why he would do that now in the dead of winter."

Looking cross, Meara cleared her throat. "Now that you've made your introductions, tell us what you know about this guy and his brothers and then get your butts out of here."

Redmond stood next to the fire, warming his backside and grinned at Tessa. "I can see why he's got the hots for you. So, are you the one who's getting her?" he asked Rourke.

Meara gave a haughty laugh. "He might want her, but my brother is the one who's claimed her. Quit changing the subject and tell us what you know."

"Thought we might have a beer while we're talking." Butch's pale green eyes speared Tessa.

"No." Tessa wondered why the guy seemed so familiar. The courthouse! His hair was cropped short now, not long like when she had seen him at the trial, she was pretty sure. And he stood a little taller now, not as sloop-shouldered. But the eyes... she was sure they were the same eyes that had watched her so closely. "No alcohol in the house." Tequila, but not for the likes of them. "What do you know about my stalker?"

She noticed Rourke surreptitiously taking pictures of the three men using his phone. She knew if he put his heart into it he would make an excellent investigative reporter.

"He and his brothers aren't from around here," Jessup said. "Like most unmated males, they're looking for a female. He saw you sometime and decided you were the one for him."

"Have you met them? Talked to them? Know who they are?"

Jessup tipped his head to the side. "Yoloff is the one who wants you. The one with the broken leg, he's Andreas, and Ren is the other. They're from Arizona, not looking to settle down here. Too wet. I talked to Yoloff. He didn't say what he was doing here exactly, but I knew it had to be over a woman. They plan to return to Arizona once they've finished their business here."

Or Hunter finished with them. Tessa looked over at Butch. "How come you were at my brother's trial?"

He stared her down as if he was trying to intimidate her, then finally shrugged. "Why would I be at a human's trial?"

"I don't know. Why?"

Waiting for his response, everyone watched him. Either Redmond and Jessup didn't know their friend had been at Michael's trial, or they pretended innocence.

Butch gave her a smirk. "Don't know your brother, why he'd be on trial, or where it was held either. You must have mistaken me for someone else."

"You wouldn't have been at my house at some time or another, would you have? As an electrician? Plumber?"

He didn't say anything.

Then Rourke jumped into the fray. "The three of you were at Bethany's house. Why?"

Butch smiled in an evil way, turning his attention from Rourke to Tessa. "I thought we were discussing your stalker, Miss Anderson."

"Seems you might know something about Bethany's murder, too," Tessa said, her blood stirring. "Where do you live? Why have you been in the area? Seeking mates, too?"

"Always." Redmond winked at her. "Can't blame us. When the urge hits us... Human females are one thing, but they're not quite as feral as our own kind. No offense, miss."

She wanted to say that Hunter seemed to be attracted to her even if she was human. And so was this Yoloff. But maybe Hunter didn't really want her. Sure, he had said that all along. Not permanently. She would scratch an itch, but not in the long run. She could never be as wild as their kind. It wasn't in her nature. Look at her bedroom attire even--soft, cuddly pajamas, or slinky nightgowns in summer, but he was probably used to his women naked. Not that she was inhibited about sleeping nude, but it just seemed... weird. Especially since she was alone. Well, even with a guy unless they were making love.

Everyone was waiting for her response. She was sure her cheeks were rosy red as hot as they felt.

"Okay, so what about my other questions? Where do you live? Around here? I've never seen you in town before."

"Farther west," Jessup said.

"So what brought you here?"

"Looking for mates. Redmond already said so. But we couldn't find any. Not until we caught Meara's scent. We were curious about you, too, because Yoloff wanted you. So we've been hanging around, trying to catch sight of you."

But Tessa knew it wasn't true because Butch had been at the trial. "Did you see Hunter fighting the other gray?"

"No, but if we had, we would have come to his aid."

She didn't think Jessup or his friends would have helped Hunter. Why would they? When he was sure to keep them away from his sister.

Unless that's why Jessup and his buddies were hanging around here. To get rid of Hunter and it had nothing to do with Tessa. Sure, and then one of them could claim Meara. Or try to, if she was all alone.

Although he would probably have a fight on his hands. But if Hunter had died and she was so distraught over losing him, Jessup or one of the others would come to comfort her. He might have gotten his way with her then.

Jessup cast a glance at his buddies, looking a little uncomfortable when Tessa didn't respond to his remark about coming to Hunter's aid when he fought the gray.

"What about Bethany?"

"We were curious about what had happened to her. Sometimes the police can't pick up clues that we can," Jessup said.

Rourke stood taller. "Why would you care?"

Jessup raised a black bushy brow. "We wondered if they had the right murderer."

"Why?" Rourke asked again. "If you're not from this area, and the killer wasn't part of your pack, what difference would it make to you?"

He shrugged. "Just curious. Like I said."

Before Tessa could ask them another question, everyone but her turned their attention to the front of the house. She didn't hear anything, but she assumed they must have.

The door slammed open and Hunter stood in the entryway, his face dark as he considered the three new men standing in Tessa's living room. Leidolf stalked in beside him and his expression was just as lethal.

Jessup, Redmond, and Butch's posture changed from arrogantly sure of themselves to ready to run out the back door as they moved closer together and took a step backward.

"Meara?" Hunter roared, although he kept his eyes on the three men.

"Uhm, I told them they'd better hightail it out of here, but your future mate insisted they come in for a chat, since they know something of Tessa's stalker," Meara said, her voice a little shaky.

Tessa imagined not much shook her up.

Hunter's expression changed subtly as he looked at Tessa, not as angry, but she couldn't grasp what he was feeling. He jerked his attention back to the three grays. "Start talking."

His voice vibrated with raw anger and a shiver even streaked up Tessa's spine.

"We already told her who the stalker is. Yoloff."

"So which one of you killed Bethany?" Hunter asked, his voice still threatening.

"You got it wrong, mister," Jessup quickly said. "Sure, we went to her house and checked the place out. We were looking for valuables. She wasn't there any longer to care."

"Thieves? You three are thieves?" Tessa asked, her voice rife with disbelief.

"We had nothing to do with her death," Redmond said. "We were curious about who might have killed her though. So we looked around for any evidence the police might have missed. But we'd never met the lady."

Tessa pointed to Butch. "Why was he at my brother's trial then?"

Hunter focused on Butch, and he shrank under the harsh scrutiny. "The lady is mistaken," he quickly said. "I told her so already. I wasn't there. Don't know anything about it."

"Police car just drove up in the driveway," Leidolf warned.

Someone yelled from the driveway. "Hello!"

"Deputy William O'Neal," Ashton and Rourke said at the same time.

"I'll take care of him," Rourke said.

Before he made it to the door, the deputy poked his head inside. "Is everyone all right? Sheriff got a call that Rourke's truck careened down a hill. We didn't find anyone so assumed everyone made it out all right, but I had to make sure."

"We're a little battered," Rourke said, "but otherwise okay."

"Good, glad to hear everyone's all right. I'll let the sheriff know. Road's still blocked the way you were going, but north of here has been cleared."

"Thanks, Deputy." Jessup inched toward the front door, keeping his distance from Hunter. "We'll be running along then."

"You were going to stay awhile and explain some other matters to us," Hunter said, with a warning look.

"Later. Got to run." Jessup gave Meara a long look and then rushed out of the house.

Redmond and Butch followed him, although Butch glanced back at Tessa. She was sure he had been at the trial. But why?

Hunter took a step toward him, and he dodged outside.

"We've got road crews clearing the rock slide and the rest of that tree, but it'll probably be another day or so before it's cleaned up. Is your electricity still out?" the deputy asked.

"Yes, it is," Tessa said.

"We're going to Portland," Hunter announced. "At least some of us are. The rest are going to my cabins up north of here. They've got generators at least."

"Oh and by the way, Bethany Wade's parents confirmed they had asked you to check her house for any evidence that would lead to finding the right murderer. They never believed Michael had done it. So you're welcome to go there anytime," the deputy said.

Tessa closed her gaping mouth. Hunter and Rourke smiled.

The deputy looked at Ashton. "Your dad wants you to report in, let him know what's going on. See you all later." He returned to his vehicle and backed out of the drive.

Meara took a deep breath. "Who's going where?"

"Can you handle Ashton and Rourke?" Hunter asked.

"No moon for a few days," Meara said. "They should be fine."

"I promise I'll protect the women," Ashton said.

Rourke seconded his promise.

"Okay, then. I want the four of you to go to our place. Meara, we have a couple of rifles there, plenty of food, and the generator will keep you warm. Tessa and I are going with Leidolf. We'll drop by the prison to speak with Michael and then head to Portland."

"You trust me to not run off?" Meara gave her brother a wicked smile.

"Yeah, since you know what a problem this is if I can't rely on you."

"You can count on me. So, when are you going to change her?" Meara asked.

"When the time's right. I can't now until the moon reappears, for one."

Meara gave Hunter a get-real look.

Tessa wondered what that meant, although she again assumed Hunter wasn't interested in being saddled with her. Why didn't he just "give" her to Leidolf or Devlyn then? Not that she wanted to be handed off to another lupus garou pack either, and she wasn't sure she could handle becoming a werewolf in any event. She hadn't any family anywhere else that she could run to. Still, if she could get Hunter to help free her brother, she might be able to disappear and...

But she couldn't leave her brother. What a mess she was in.

Hunter carried Tessa out to the Humvee. When he had her settled on the seat, he propped her foot up to ease the swelling and covered her with a blanket. Watching him change from hostile when it came to dealing with Jessup and his friends to tenderness when handling her, she wished he could've been a regular guy. But then again, the fact he wasn't was probably why she loved him so much. Love?

"Let's go," Hunter said.

He and Meara moved some of the gear to Leidolf's vehicle and after Hunter locked Tessa's place, they all loaded into the two vehicles.

Hunter motioned to Ashton to take off. Meara waved as they headed out.

"Are you sure dividing our forces is such a good idea?" Tessa asked, as Leidolf drove out of her driveway.

Leidolf chuckled darkly. "A lupus garou would know never to question the alpha leader's decisions."

Talk about male chauvinists. Tessa folded her arms.

Hunter smiled at her over the seat. "She'll learn."

"You and your kind may live in the Dark Ages, Hunter, but I'm not going there."

"Are you sure you don't want me to take her off your hands?" Leidolf asked.

During most of the drive, Hunter had seemed to be brooding about something, but Tessa didn't want to ask what the matter was in front of Leidolf. When they arrived in Salem, the sun had already set and visiting hours at the prison were over. If it hadn't been for all the ice and snow, they might have made it in time. Tessa brushed away useless tears, hoping to hide her distress. Both Leidolf and Hunter caught her action though.

Leidolf drove them to a nearby hotel. "Two beds, one room for safety sake?" he asked.

"Two adjoining rooms will suffice," Hunter said. "But drop by the hospital first, will you?"

Leidolf cast a questioning glance Hunter's way.

"To get Tessa's ankle x-rayed."

Leidolf found the hospital and when he parked, Hunter skipped getting a wheelchair for her and carried her in. Once a technician had taken her in for an x-ray, Leidolf took a seat in the empty waiting room while Hunter stood nearby.

"So what was that all about?" Leidolf asked.

Hunter looked over at him. "What?"

"Not wanting to turn Tessa until the next moon appears. You're a royal. You can shapeshift anytime it suits you, moon or no."

"I want her to be ready for it."

Leidolf shook his head. "She'll never ask you to change her. The idea of confronting Devlyn bother you? If I were you, I'd have doubts."

"I'm not turning her over to you and your pack, Leidolf, so quit suggesting it."

Leidolf smiled and sat back in his chair. "She's too petite to be a gray. She couldn't handle your pack when you're away, could she?"

Hunter looked back at the hall where Tessa had disappeared.

"Three newly turned lupus garous all in one pack make for an awful lot of trouble. What are you going to do about her brother? Ashton's father, the sheriff? What about Rourke? Has he got any family?"

Hunter tried to ignore him, but the truth of the matter was he had no idea how he was going to handle any of it.

"Ashton might not be very close to his father, which will help some, although his father seems to keep tabs on him. But, Tessa, you can tell she's really close to her brother."

Hunter would deal with it, damn it. All of it, somehow.

The sound of a wheelchair rolling along the floor down the hall drew closer and Hunter's spine stiffened.

A nurse pushed Tessa into the waiting area, but all that Hunter focused on was Tessa's smiling face as she held onto a pair of crutches, her enticing lips beaming, her green eyes sparkling, the dimples in her cheeks endearing. His frown evaporated and he let out his breath as he hurried to join her.

"The ankle's not broken," she said. "Just a bad sprain."

"Good show. I'll take her," he said to the nurse and wheeled Tessa out of the hospital.

"Want to get something to eat?" Leidolf asked, walking them to the Humvee.

"It's late and it's hard for Tessa to get around. We'll get room service."

Leidolf opened the back door for Tessa. "Sounds good to me."

When they returned to the hotel and got the rooms, Leidolf dropped off their bags and leaned Tessa's crutches next to the bed while Hunter deposited her on the mattress.

Leidolf bowed his head slightly. "See you both in the morning."

Tessa frowned. "You don't want to have room service with us?"

"No," Hunter said, and then gave Tessa a half smile as soon as he realized how harsh he sounded. "Leidolf drove all that way. I offered to relieve him while you were sleeping, but he won't let anyone drive his Humvee. So he needs his rest."

"I'd take you up on sharing a... meal with you, Tessa, but I believe Hunter is feeling a bit possessive." Leidolf shrugged. "It happens to the best of us from time to time. If you have any trouble in the middle of the night, don't hesitate to holler for my help. Just keep the adjoining doors to our room unlocked, and I'll come running. Good night." He slipped into the hall and closed their door.

"You should have let him eat with us," Tessa chastised.

The lock to the adjoining door clicked open.

Wanting to be alone with Tessa and not about to change his mind, Hunter removed Tessa's parka and didn't comment.

"Aren't you going to unlock our door for Leidolf?" she asked, her voice annoyed.

"Later." Hunter lifted the phone off the hook and called room service. "Two steaks, one rare, one medium, baked potatoes, everything on them, blue cheese dressing on the salad, water. Thanks." He hung up the phone. For a moment, he stared at her.

She folded her arms. "What?"

"Pajamas?"

"Of course."

He turned the heat on in the room and then he came over to the bed and began unbuttoning her sweater. "I like summer best."

"Why's that?"

"Fewer clothes to remove." He grinned at her.

Her cheeks heated. She could just imagine he would be half-naked--no totally naked--all summer long. "As if it matters to you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She smiled. "I can imagine you don't wear much at all in the summer."

"You'd imagine right." He kissed her forehead and then unwrapped Tessa's injured foot. "I'll get some ice in the bucket for it."

He unlocked the adjoining door, then grabbed the bucket and headed for the door to the hallway. When he opened it, Leidolf had his hand raised, ready to knock. In the other hand, he was carrying a full ice bucket.

"For Tessa." He handed it to Hunter.

Feeling annoyingly humbled, Hunter gave him the empty one. "Order your meal yet?"

"Yeah, a rare steak. It's on it's way."

"Bring it over to our room when you get it." Hunter closed and locked the door, and then turned.

Tessa smiled at him.

"What?"

"Nothing, Hunter. Well, except you're a paragon of mixed messages. I can't understand why your people left you."

"They were mad about losing their homes in the forest. They have some notion that if they live in the city, or in the case of the others, down in the California vineyards, they'll avoid this tragedy again. It's understandable to an extent. But we've always lived on forested land. I can't imagine making do anywhere else. However, I don't begrudge them their choice. Pack members can leave any time they want."

"Except for Ashton, Rourke, or me."

"That's different. You're right. You'll need plenty of supervision for the first year at least."

"I don't like to be supervised, I can tell you that right now. I've always been responsible for my brother, the one in charge, the one who's had to deal with everything."

"Then it'll be a nice break for you." Hunter set the bucket of ice on the bedside table.

"I won't give up my independence, Hunter."

Someone knocked on the door. "Room service!"

Tessa folded her arms. "It's not something I do because I've had to. I'm wired that way. And not you or anyone else is going to take that away from me."

Hunter shook his head, grumbled something about another Meara under his breath, and opened the door. As soon as he did, he hesitated to let the man enter with the food. To Tessa's surprise, Hunter tried to shove the door closed in the man's face. But the metal cart blocked him and with a hard push, the server rammed it into Hunter's stomach.

He stumbled back, cursed, and tried to regain his footing.

But what happened next, chilled Tessa to the bone. Two wolves charged into the room, while the man with the cart brandished a large carving knife and taunted Hunter with it.

"Damn it to hell. They're royals," Hunter said.

The heavier-set wolf jumped onto the bed. Tessa grabbed one of her crutches. Swinging it at the wolf, she hit him in the side of the head with a whack. He yelped and jumped off the mattress and landed with a thud on the carpeted floor.

The other leapt up next, while Hunter seized hold of the food cart and rammed it into the knife-wielding menace. Tessa swung her crutch at the white-faced wolf, the one who had bitten Ashton, but he dodged her blow. And then he dove in again.

Unable to move the crutch fast enough, she dropped it and instinctively threw her hands to block him from ripping out her throat. She grabbed hold of his neck, his teeth snarling and snapping, but she was losing her grip.

Leidolf threw open the adjoining door when the wolf bit Tessa's arm. Hunter yanked the knife out of the gray's hand and plunged it into his neck.

For an instant, everyone seemed to stop in mid-motion. The man collapsed, holding his jugular, blood spilling all over the carpeted floor. The two wolves dashed out of the room. Hunter turned to Tessa.

Tears blurred her eyes and she held her bloodied arm.

He hurried to her and gave her good arm a squeeze. "I'll get a towel. Call 911, Leidolf."

"He's dead," Leidolf said, feeling the man's pulse.

Hunter let out his breath, grabbed a towel from the bathroom, and wrapped it around Tessa's arm. "Do you feel any differently?"

"Sick to my stomach." Tears trailed down her cheeks. "My arm hurts. And I twisted my ankle some more." But what distressed her the most was the sight of the dead man in their room. Why couldn't the men have left her alone?

Sirens sounded as emergency vehicles headed down the street toward the hotel.

"Guess someone else called the crisis in," Leidolf said. He pulled some yellowed newspaper clippings out of the man's pocket. "Are you sure you don't want to give her up to me?"