To Tempt the Wolf

Chapter 17

SEARCHING FOR THE GOLD IN THE AREA BEYOND the house, Tessa tried to settle the way her stomach flip-flopped. Thankful Judge Graydon had obtained Michael's release and agreed to try Sheriff Wellington for Bethany's murder, she still felt badly for Ashton, who was torn between hating his father and still loving him. But now Devlyn Greystoke was speaking privately with Hunter inside her house about Hunter making Tessa his mate without her cousin's permission, and he was pissed.

Tessa hoped to god the two could settle the matter without bloodshed, but she was annoyed they'd dismissed her like she didn't have any say in the matter.

Although, secondary to all that was the fact Hunter was still perturbed with her for biting her brother and changing him. As if she'd go through life without sharing it with her brother.

She took a deep breath of the salty air and of the sea kelp rotting on the beach she normally despised. But if it hadn't blanketed the rock where Hunter had fallen, he probably wouldn't have survived. Where Yoloff and his brother had fallen, the tide had cleaned the rocks, leaving them bare and deadly. The police had eventually found Andreas's body on a different beach, thank god.

She poked around the tree roots of a massive pine, the water and unusually high winds having washed away a ton of soil, the snow long since melted away and something had drawn her attention. Metal? Something shining in the pale light of the moon.

The gold!

Footsteps approached, crunching on the fallen leaves and she looked up to see him--Devlyn. Their mutual great-grandfather, Seth Greystoke, was known in these parts as the gray devil wolf, and Devlyn had taken after him. Right now, he looked fearsome enough to hold the title. A strap of leather tied back his coffee-colored, shoulder-length hair, his equally dark brown eyes studying her, no hint of a smile on his stern face, as rugged as Hunter's, and he had the same kind of sturdy jaw. Tall and just as broad-shouldered, his unyielding posture gave her the impression he was a commanding alpha, not one to disobey.

His eyes raked over her and his gaze focused on her hair, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. But then the scowl returned. "It appears I'm too late to take you under my wing, dear cousin." His words were tight and terse.

She stood and brushed the dirt off her hands, faced him, her chin tilted up, although to look him in the eye, she had to anyway. "I'm Hunter's mate," she declared to make it very clear she had no intention of leaving him. Not that she guessed she could, according to what Hunter had said about their kind.

"In our way, I'd be compelled to deal with Hunter, wolf to wolf, for taking you without receiving my permission when he knew damn well I'd ordered him to keep his hands off you."

The thought anyone would have ordered that of Hunter made her smile inwardly, but outwardly with Devlyn, she steeled her expression. "I'm sure Hunter took your order under consideration, but my life was in peril and you weren't here to protect me."

Devlyn bowed his head slightly. "In truth, I didn't believe either Hunter--after what Leidolf told me about him--or you, would mind me. And now Hunter tells me you've turned your brother?" He raised a brow, his look still feral. He tsked. "I don't envy the task Hunter has cut out for him. But Bella is dying to meet you when she can travel. With triplets on the way, she's confined to her greenhouse and home."

Before Tessa could respond, Devlyn stalked toward her and hugged her soundly. "You and Michael are my cousins. If you ever need me or my pack for anything, we're family and you only have to call. Come see us. You're welcome anytime."

Family. The sound was like the caress of the waves stroking the beach, comforting, encompassing. First, Hunter and his family, and now Devlyn. "We'd be happy to visit with Bella and the rest of your pack."

Even though she hadn't been sure that she could fit in with the world of werewolves and their ilk, as long as her brother was along for the ride, and Hunter was her mate, she was one happy lupus garou. She glanced at the kitchen window and saw Hunter watching her, protective as ever. She guessed he and Devlyn had made tentative amends, but she could tell Devlyn wasn't totally satisfied.

Hunter kept an eye on Devlyn through the kitchen window, not liking that he'd hugged Tessa in a warm embrace, even if they were cousins. The word "distant," came to mind. Very distant. And his own mate was a redhead... so, Hunter just didn't care for it one bit.

"Come on, Meara. Change into the wolf so I can paint you," Michael said, following her into the kitchen.

"Hunter," Meara said, waving a magazine, "Uncle Basil advertised in this and said that's where he gets most of the reservations for the cabins. There's nothing in the advertisement encouraging alpha males to come here. I mean, there's no indication that they'll find me here. Hunter, are you listening to me?"

Hunter continued to watch Devlyn as he spoke further to Tessa. He'd expected Devlyn to be madder about him taking Tessa for his mate without first getting permission. But Devlyn had revealed how he'd gone after Bella, the alpha leader's chosen mate, and for the most part, understood Hunter's feelings. Although an undercurrent of misgiving was still evident.

"Was he very mad?" Meara asked Hunter.

"Devlyn? No. Everything is as it should be." As long as Hunter had Tessa, nothing else mattered.

"Not until you find me a mate, dear brother." She shoved the magazine at his chest. "Fix the ad or else I will. And you never know what I might offer."

Michael said, "Meara, just shapeshift for a little while. Please? An hour or two? I've never seen a wolf who's as beautiful as you."

She rolled her eyes. "Michael, give it a rest. I've got better things to do than pose for a painting for several hours. Take a picture of me the next time I shapeshift and paint that."

"It's not the same."

Ashton, Rourke, and Cara entered the living room and Michael whipped around, targeting them. "Will you change into wolves so I can paint you? Just think, immortalized forever and--"

"Come on, Cara," Ashton said. "My father's home is mine now. I need to take care of some business there."

"How do you feel?" Cara asked him, her hand stroking his arm.

"Like it's all so unreal. I guess deep down I suspected Dad knew I was seeing Bethany, but I didn't realize how much he hated her."

"That day when you ran after Hunter and Rourke and left us alone--"

"I had to know if they'd discover who the murderer was. I felt terrible I left you, Tessa, and Meara to fend for yourselves, but I had to know." He glanced at Michael and raised his brows. "Bring your paints."

Michael grinned from ear to ear. "You bet." He hurried off to the office.

"Watch them, Cara," Hunter warned.

Hell, having so many new lupus garous under several different roofs... He shook his head. Yet, with Ashton's father's arrest, Ashton had finally become more of a man. The notion of being a Navy SEAL was forgotten though. Cara liked his long blond hair way too much, but he was looking into becoming a police officer. And Cara seemed to love him all the more.

Rourke joined Hunter and Meara as the others left the house. "I've got to run by the newspaper office and leave off some reports. We're taking Devlyn to the airport, right, Meara?"

Meara nodded. "He says four of his male cousins are unmated and might like to vacation here." She cast Hunter an interested look.

He grunted.

She stood straighter and folded her arms. "He said they manage his affairs when he's away. Although, Tanner, the one he mentioned most, prefers redheads."

Hunter took his eyes off Devlyn. "He's not coming here."

Meara gave him a devilish smirk. "Uncle Basil called and said he'd heard about our bad storms, but couldn't get through. He wanted to know if you took care of Tessa."

"Eliminated the threat. Right."

"Yeah. To her. He figured once the two of you met, you'd keep her safe. Not like he could."

Hunter shook his head. "Uncle Basil could have been less cryptic." He yanked open the back door and headed for Tessa and Devlyn.

Devlyn stepped back, a knowing look on his face, acknowledging the possessive alpha male who wants another to stay clear, no matter the familial connection.

"I found the gold," Tessa said, her face beaming, her green eyes sparkling like crystal gems. "But the greatest treasure of all is finding family and becoming your mate." She reached to take Hunter into her arms, but he moved to do so first.

And with one fell swoop, he lifted her in his arms and headed back to the house. "Meara says your flight leaves soon," Hunter said over his shoulder to a bemused Devlyn. "Better not miss it. And by the way, if your cousins are alphas, they're welcome to stay at our resort. All except for Tanner."

A small smile brightened Devlyn's face, and he even managed a dark chuckle.

"Why not Tanner?" Tessa asked.

"He likes redheads."

Tessa said her good-byes to Devlyn, although Hunter hovered nearby, menacingly threatening. But once everyone was gone, the house was nice and quiet--time to show Tessa how important she was to Hunter.

She headed for the heater and turned it on. No response.

She rubbed her arms while Hunter flipped on a light switch. "Electricity's working." He opened the closet and checked the circuit breaker. "Circuit breaker's tripped." He flipped it back, but as soon as Tessa tried the heater again, it tripped the circuit breaker. Hunter growled. "The brothers Grimm fixed it, right? So much for their being electricians." Hunter lifted Tessa into his arms and stalked toward the bedroom.

"Shoot, Hunter, at this rate you'll never get me out of those pajamas--not until spring at least."

His chuckle was deep and dark and silkily seductive. "In your dreams, sweet Tessa. In your dreams."

The End