Feral Seduction (Feral Protectors 2) (5 page)

“Wolves can swim?”

He recalled his unexpected trip down the river the previous day and chuckled. “Most of the time.”

Her smile lit up her eyes. She was so beautiful. In another life, he’d love to meet someone like her, but in this life, he’d never love again. It was a self-imposed penance for his carelessness and he accepted his fate.

He pushed the sad thoughts away. He wanted to focus on the good times he’d had with Leah. “I was paddling around in the water. The sun’s reflection was shining so brightly that I didn’t see her at first. But when I did, she was like an angel.”

He paused as the vision of her ethereal spirit in the river flashed in his mind. He shuddered. As much as he liked to believe she was at peace, he wasn’t sure. If she was truly at rest, then why did he still see flashes of her in the forest? Why did she still haunt his dreams?

Brandy reached for his hand. “Are you okay?”

He interlaced his fingers with hers. “It’s just hard to think about her. After we met, we started spending every day together. I knew she was a human and that we couldn’t be together. But at the end of the summer, I couldn’t bear to lose her. She begged me to change her. I tried to tell her that she could never go back to being human, but she didn’t care. She said she’d die of a broken heart if we weren’t together… so I changed her.”

“I wonder what it would be like to have a love like that.”

He laughed bitterly. “Trust me, it’s not worth it in the long run. I thought we’d spend the rest of our lives together, but eventually she left me. I was going through a rough time in my life and I was an ass. When she left, I deserved it. I should have gotten my shit together. Now I’ll never have the chance.”

“I’m sure you can still work things out with her. There’s always more time.”

He bolted upright. “No. That’s a damn lie. You never know when that time you think you have will disappear in an instant.”

Brandy released his hand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

He climbed over her and stepped into the center of the room. “She died a few months ago. We hadn’t been together for a long time. I thought maybe we could reconcile, but we never had the chance.”

Brandy sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her look of concern surprised him. He’d practically roared at her and she hadn’t even flinched. She almost seemed used to being yelled at. How many times had her father screamed at her? Enough to make it a normal form of communication for her?

He instantly regretted his outburst. “I’m sorry. I’m just—”

“The wounds are still fresh. I get it.”

He sighed. This was exactly why he couldn’t get close to someone. He wasn’t anywhere near being ready. He’d never put his heart on the line again. Losing Leah had destroyed his heart. Another loss would destroy his soul.

“Come, sit with me.” Brandy patted the bed.

The gentle look on her face made him feel even worse. He wanted to apologize more, but he also owed her an explanation for his rude behavior. “I know this doesn’t excuse my outburst, but I want to explain why I lost it for a second.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

“Okay, but come sit next to me.”

He padded across the room and sat beside her. He struggled with how to begin the story and finally decided to stick to the highlights. She didn’t need to know every sordid detail of what had led up to Leah’s death.

“Six months ago, a serial killer attacked a woman in the woods. My best friend, Ryker, rescued her and tried to protect her. Leah and Diana, the woman being hunted, were hiding here.”

“In this cave?”

He nodded. “I thought they were safe. I thought they knew better than to leave the cave, but the killer attacked them. Leah died on the beach below. I found her hours later.”

Brandy pulled his upper body into her lap. He rested his cheek against her thigh and took a breath. It felt good to be held by another person. He’d spend months in seclusion away from the other wolves, and far outside the reaches of civilization. With nothing but nature to comfort him, he’d forgotten how a simple hug could make some of the pain go away, even if only for a few minutes.

Brandy said, “I’m so sorry that happened to you. I can’t imagine losing someone like that.”

He fought back the tide of tears threatening to overwhelm him. A total stranger understood him in a way his pack never could. The other wolves had complained that he spent too much time mourning. They had demanded that he forget about Leah and move on. What did they know about loss? They’d driven him away with their total lack of respect for his relationship with her.

From the time he was a pup, he’d been told that an alpha couldn’t appear weak. But he wasn’t weak; he was broken. And he couldn’t put himself back together again. No amount of cajoling would make things different and he refused to return to his pack until they treated him with respect.

He sighed. None of that mattered right now. He was taking Brandy to town in a few hours and wouldn’t ever see her again. At least someone had finally acknowledged his pain. He tightened his arms around her waist and relaxed for the first time in months.

Chapter 5

Brandy stood at the edge of the forest as the last rays of sunlight died on the rooftops of the town of Full Moon Bay. She turned to Stryde. “I’ll never forget what you did, saving me from that man. I hope… I hope you find peace. Even if your heart bears scars from your lost love, as long as your heart is beating, you can go on and find someone else to love.”

“Thank you.” His half-smile tore at her heart. As she stepped onto the road, Stryde grabbed her arm. “Wait.”

“What?” A tortured veil of sadness descended over his face. Her heart lurched.

“I wanted to… oh hell.” He pulled her tightly against him and kissed her. His lips pressed against hers until she parted them. As his tongue melted against hers, she moaned. By the time he broke the breathtaking kiss, she swayed to keep her balance. No man had ever kissed her so intensely. Figured that it would be a man leaving her. Just her luck.

Stryde whispered, “Goodbye.”

Before she could respond, he’d sprinted into the forest and vanished behind a wall of trees. She touched her fingers to her lips. As long as she lived, she’d never forget that kiss. It had sparked something inside her that had been slumbering for too long.

Once she got out of this mess, she’d search for someone like him. Even if it took her the rest of her life, it would be worth the wait.

She turned and strolled down Main Street. She hadn’t been to town in at couple of years but it was as if time stood still. Lamps flickered on to cast a yellowish light across the street. She’d often wondered why they weren’t white until her father had explained that they were better for navigating the fog.

She glanced toward the end of the street, where the town’s small harbor lay hidden behind a thick fog bank. As a child she’d spent hours on the fishing boat with her dad. He’d taught her everything about different types of bait and tackle. Just off the coast, she’d caught her first and last fish. She couldn’t stand seeing the beautiful creature flopping in the bottom of the boat.

Even now, the memory of that fish made her stomach churn. She couldn’t imagine being so helpless in the face of a predator, and completely unable to escape.

She shook her head. Hopefully her uncle would be able to stop the man hunting her. With his help, she wouldn’t end up like that fish on the end of a predator’s line.

Most of the shops closed at sunset, but a few stayed open to capture the last few customers. As she passed Caroline’s Sweet Shop, she inhaled the sugar-laden air. Inside the shop, families with frolicking children feasted on everything from chocolate candy bars to milkshakes.

She envied their carefree lives. Had she ever been that happy? Maybe. Maybe when her mother was still around, before her family fell apart, it might have been possible.

The front window showcased the large cotton candy machine she’d worshiped as a child. It magically spun threads of gossamer sugar into her favorite summer treat. Her mouth watered at the sight of it, but she didn’t have time to stop. She vowed to come back after her stalker was captured. Only then could she celebrate.

She hurried past the shop, past darkened windows decked with the latest fall fashions. Main Street was only a few blocks long. When she reached the end, she turned onto the small oceanfront promenade and headed toward her uncle’s house.

The tall Victorian sat on a slight hill directly across the street from the harbor. Brandy had always thought of the house as the queen of harbor. The regal home overlooked the bay as if it were one of her subjects.

Lights glowed in several windows, including the kitchen and living room. Good, he was home. She’d been afraid she’d have to wait on the porch until he arrived.

She walked up a stone-paved path that curved through a bright flower garden. A series of wooden steps led to the front door. As she reached for the doorbell, she took a breath. Finally, she’d have someone on her side.

She pushed the bell and waited. Seconds later, a woman who couldn’t be more than twenty-five years old opened the door. Clad in a white tennis outfit, she looked as if she’d just stepped out of a high-end catalog.

Brandy said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I was looking for my uncle, Sheriff Watkins. He used to live here.”

The woman gave her the once-over before replying. “He’s not home yet, but he will be in a few minutes. And you are…”

“Brandy, his niece.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Luna, his girlfriend.”

Brandy tried not to raise an eyebrow. Her uncle was only thirty-two, but he always seemed a lot older, wiser. She was surprised he was dating someone so young.

“Please, come in.” Luna stepped back to allow her to pass.

As Brandy followed her into the living room, the subtle scent of very expensive perfume trailed behind Luna. The house was very different from the last time she’d visited, two years ago. Instead of the casual, bachelor-style mismatched furniture and decorations, the house looked as if it had been dressed by a professional decorator.

A coastal-style, cerulean-blue-and-white striped sofa and chaise sat in the center of the room. A seafoam-green throw rug covered part of the glossy wooden floor, and matching pillows decorated the sofa. A navy-blue wingback chair and ottoman pointed toward a huge wall-mounted television.

“Wow, the place looks so different.” She perched on the edge of the sofa, suddenly self-conscious about how dirty she must be from running through the forest.

“Can I get you something? Tea? A mint julep?”

“I don’t drink alcohol, but I would love some tea.”

While Luna disappeared for a few minutes, Brandy tried to figure out how to tell her uncle about her stalker. She decided to start from the beginning. He knew about the accident and trial already, so she just needed to tell him about the threatening phone call.

As Luna returned, her brown ponytail swung behind her. “I forgot to ask if you want sugar.”

“That would be great.”

Luna turned just as the front door opened.

“How is my naughty little tennis master?” her uncle called.

Luna blushed slightly and bounced across the room to greet him. After a passionate kiss and hug, she waved her hand toward Brandy. “Guess who’s here?”

Her uncle smiled. “I had no idea you were coming.”

“I didn’t have a chance to call.” She’d been in such a panic that she’d left without telling anyone.

“Let’s go sit in the back garden. Honey, can you bring me a glass of lemonade with just a hint of extra pep?”

Brandy frowned behind his back as she followed him to the backyard. She hated being around people who drank. But, her uncle wasn’t anything like her father. Ben could actually hold his liquor. She often wondered if the difference was just a case of genetics. She hadn’t even known about her uncle’s existence until four years ago.

On her deathbed, her uncle’s mother, Joyce, had confessed that she’d had a secret child when she was sixteen years old. The child, Brandy’s father, had lived less than ten miles from his biological mother and he didn’t even know it.

Her father had taken Brandy to the beach across from his biological mother’s home for years. He had no idea that he’d been adopted, so he never had the chance to meet her. But he did meet his brother. It had been an awkward reunion, but in the end, Ben had embraced his half-brother.

After getting settled in a garden chaise, Ben asked, “So what brings you here? How’s your father doing?”

“He’s still in prison. Other than that, I don’t know.”

“You haven’t been to visit him?”

“No. I can’t bring myself to see him locked up. What he did was terrible, but he needs help. Locking him up like an animal won’t change anything.” Her heart thumped in her chest as she prepared to ask for his help.

“I haven’t been to see him either,” Ben admitted.

“I will, soon. There’s something else I needed your help with.”

Luna returned with the spiked lemonade. She handed it to Ben, then sat on the edge of his chaise.

Ben took a sip. “Shoot.”

“Well, this is probably going to sound a little crazy, but someone is stalking me.”

He lowered his glass. “What?”

“Someone left me a threatening message the other night and they’ve been chasing me.”

He sat up right with a look of intense concentration. “Tell me everything.”

She relayed the details to him, ending with being attacked in the forest. “…and if Stryde hadn’t saved me, I would be dead right now.”

Her uncle’s face darkened. “Did you say Stryde?”

“Yes, he mentioned that you know him.”

“Yeah, I know him.” He scowled.

“What’s wrong?” Brandy asked.

“Stryde’s dangerous. I know this is going to sound nuts, but he’s not… normal.”

“Because he’s a werewolf?”

Ben narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that?”

“He showed me. The stalker was right behind me and Stryde shifted into a wolf.”

Luna shifted in the chair, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Those wolves are disgusting animals. You should stay far away from them before they ruin your life.”

Ben said, “Honey, why don’t you go inside while we talk.”

“Okay, honey.” She kissed him on the cheek and left.

Brandy didn’t like where the conversation was headed. “The stalker almost killed me. I jumped on Stryde’s back and he ran to safety. I owe him my life.”

Ben stood. His tone took on a dark undercurrent. “You don’t owe him shit. He’s been warned about interacting with humans. I don’t want his kind around here. Stay away from him—he’s a feral animal.”

Stunned by the ferocity with which he spoke, Brandy bit the edge of her lip. “He wasn’t mean to me at all. In fact, he was nothing but nice.” And sexy, and filled with angst and longing… of course, she kept that to herself.

Ben said, “You can’t trust those
things
.”

She sighed. “Can we put that aside for a minute? I have a much bigger problem. Someone shot at me.”

“What were you doing in the forest, anyway? Why didn’t you drive here?”

“I was afraid to take the road over the mountain. I thought he might be waiting for me to run. I snuck into the forest. I didn’t even realize he’d followed me until he found me in the cabin.”

“What cabin?”

“I don’t know. I got lost in the storm and found it. I took shelter there and that’s where I met Stryde.”

His mouth turned down. “Are you sure the guy was tracking you and not that wolf?”

“Yes, and I think I know who it is.”

“Who?”

“Hugo Lorenzo, Annabelle’s father.”

Ben stopped pacing. “How do you know it’s him?”

“Do you remember the way he looked at me all throughout the trial?” A shiver zigzagged down her spine.

“He could hardly contain his rage, but that doesn’t mean he’s trying to kill you. Do you have any proof that it’s him? Did you save the message?”

She shook her head. “I panicked and deleted it. I know I should have kept it, but I wasn’t thinking.”

“Do you have any other evidence? A shell casing from the bullets?”

Anger flooded her veins. “I couldn’t exactly stop to collect any while he was shooting at me.”

He must have seen the rage in her face. He approached her and patted her shoulder. “All right, I’ll see what I can do about this tomorrow. Do you have a place to stay tonight?”

“I was hoping I could stay here,” she said sheepishly.

He looked away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t have you staying here if that wolf knows where you were headed. I don’t need that kind of trouble, especially now that Luna’s living with me.”

“I don’t have anywhere else to go.” He wasn’t going to make her sleep outside, or in the woods, was he? She’d be safer back at that cave with Stryde.

“I’ll get you a room at Ocean Front Motel. I’ll have a security detail make rounds tonight. In the morning, I’ll give Hugo a call and tell him to stop bothering you.”

“He’s not just bothering me, he’s trying to kill me.”

“So you say.”

“What? You don’t believe me?”

Her hands trembled in her lap. She couldn’t believe he was acting so nonchalant about the situation. This was a total nightmare, not at all what she’d expected. It was as if knowing she’d met Stryde had completely clouded his judgment.

“You have to see it from my perspective. You have no evidence, not the phone call, not the bullet casings, nothing. I can’t go off half-cocked until I have more information. Don’t worry, you’ll be perfectly safe at the motel.”

***

Brandy waved goodbye to Ben as he left the parking lot at the motel. He’d reassured her that he’d make some calls in the morning to see if the phone company had any record of the phone call. Even if they didn’t, he’d still call Hugo and talk to him.

She closed the door and pulled the chain lock across. She also locked the deadbolt. The exhaustion she’d been fighting for hours finally overwhelmed her. The room wasn’t much, but it was clean and safe.