To Protect His Mate (2 page)

“When I first got him locked up, a few weeks before my accident. Then when I lived in Mississippi, just before I moved here.” She knew how bad it sounded, even as the words left her mouth, but the current shade of Sarah’s face screamed, “
Run!”

“Why the
hell
are you just now mentioning this?” she snarled.

“Technically, I mentioned it shortly after we met. I always look over my shoulder, Sarah, just in case. I’m not necessarily running from anyone, more like hiding, just in case.”

“That’s splitting hairs, and you know it.” Sarah paced the small kitchen for a few moments before turning back to Stephanie. “Well, it’s a good thing we’re about the same size because I’m staying the night.”

“That’s fine…”

“
Every
night, unless you’re staying with Abraham or he’s staying here.” Her arms crossed over her chest, and her stance declared her decision was final as clearly as if she’d screamed it.

“Sarah, I appreciate you wanting to protect me, but I’ve seen you get injured, so I know that you aren’t exactly invincible,” Stephanie pointed out as she pulled the bread out and fixed their plates.

“That blade was silver, and that cheating bastard used it on purpose because it’s harder for us to heal from, but not impossible. Not to mention that if these people coming after you aren’t werewolves, they’re unlikely to use silver.” Stephanie made to argue, and Sarah put her hand up. “It’s me or Abraham. If you let me stay here with you, you can wait until after this weekend to tell him about the threat. But you
will
tell him.”

“Fine but what will Erik think of you staying here? Won’t he pout if he can’t get any this weekend?” Stephanie made a pouty face and watched as Sarah fought a smile. “I’ll be safe enough at the clinic. It’s public, and I doubt they’d want to put on a show, so they shouldn’t be coming for me there.”

“Yeah, that seems logical, but most psychos aren’t thinking logically. I’ll follow you in and follow you home to see if you’re being watched. You won’t see me, but I’ll be there.” A devilish grin split Sarah’s face before she added, “While you’re at work, I’ll go take care of my little hound dog and gather some of my things.”

“You mean your horn dog.” They both snickered and made their way to the table. “Well, let’s eat. I don’t want our girls’ night ruined by an asshole who’s several states away.”

“It’s not him I’m worried about. His asshole friends could be just miles away.” Sarah watched as Stephanie’s hand went to the small of her back under the guise of pulling her pants up. “Still toting that gun, I see.”

“Never leave home without it,” she quipped. “Besides, it’s not like I don’t know how to use it.”

“No, you definitely know how to use it.” Sarah smiled. “I was really glad that you have excellent aim, too.”

“I’m working on my quick draw now.” Stephanie giggled. “Some of the guys at the range have even told me I scare them.”

“No doubt! Most men are terrified of a woman with a gun, but one with
your
aim?” Shaking her head, she added, “I’d love to see Abe’s face if he went to the range with you. He’d shit bricks.”

“I doubt that. He was a SEAL
and
a sniper, for crying out loud! I’m sure that he’s a much better shot than I am.”

“But, honey, you’re self-taught. He was trained by the military and has been practicing for years. How long have you been shooting?”

Sarah knew Stephanie was still learning, so Stephanie knew her friend was trying to make a point. “Just since the accident, when I ended up completely alone.”

Sarah inhaled, taking in a deep breath before she asked, “Why are you nervous?”

“I’m not.” Her denial might have worked a little better if she’d made eye contact or managed not to squirm in her seat.

“I can scent it, Steph.” Sarah sighed. “I was just trying to point out that you have an amazing talent.”

“I’ll admit I’m a little uneasy about Abraham learning how well I can shoot. I’m sure he probably thinks I got lucky with that shot I got in with the wolf, and I kind of like that he feels protective of me.” She looked down, pushing her food around her plate. “It makes me feel feminine, and I’ve missed how it felt to have someone care about me like that.”

“Trust me, you’d be hard pressed to get rid of him. Ever.” Sarah plopped back in her chair. “Which brings up another question, why haven’t the two of you completed the mating? I can tell that you love him.”

“I do.” That wasn’t the problem.

“But?”

Damn, she was persistent. “He hasn’t said the words.” Sarah’s silence prompted her to explain. “I refuse to enter into a serious commitment without love being a prominent emotion on both sides. Lust, while nice, goes away once the newness wears off, and I need more.”

“I see.”

I see?
That didn’t sound good. “See what?”

“Honey, most men are no better than slightly evolved cavemen. They take a woman back to their cave, provide food, protect us, beat their chests and expect us to swoon.”

“Great, so I guess I can forget about those three little words.” Stephanie sighed in resignation. “I’m not going to chain myself to a man and think that my love will be enough for both of us. Not again.”

“They’re fairly short words. I’m sure his vocabulary can expand that much.”

Both girls dissolved into fits of laughter while continuing to pick on the general male population.
This
was what girls’ night was all about. Relaxing and cutting loose with a friend you knew you could confide in.

Chapter Two

Stephanie had to be at the clinic by six-thirty in the morning, so at ten o'clock, she was getting ready to turn in. She pulled out some clothes for Sarah, along with a set of PJ’s, then headed back into the living room. She stopped, however, when she heard what Sarah was saying on the phone.

“Everything is fine, Erik. I’m just going to stay over and make sure that it stays fine.” There was a pause. “Yes, I’m aware there’s bad weather coming in tomorrow. We’ll get everything settled here, and I’ll be home in the morning after Steph heads in to work.” Stephanie had forgotten about the winter storm heading in. “I love you, too. I’ll see you in the morning, but don’t forget I’ll be staying here again. No, I’m not going into any details unless she’s all right with me telling you. You’ll just have to trust me.”

“Sarah?” Stephanie said, announcing her presence.

“I knew you were there,” Sarah called back.

It was impossible to sneak up on these guys. If they didn’t hear you, then they could scent you. Stephanie had a lot of fun with that, too.

Abraham’s brother, Adam—the brother that she enjoyed picking on—had a cabin outside of town and was widely known for his ability to train and tame dogs. He also helped out in town every once in a while with unruly animals. One day, Stephanie and Sarah had decided to put deer urine all over the bed of his truck as a prank. Sarah, with her nose just as keen as Adam’s, had needed to hang back while Stephanie gloved up and did the dirty work.

Damn, the look on his face had been priceless. Adam’s sense of smell was heightened as a werewolf, and so the deer urine had been exceptionally bad to him. He’d doubled over, retching and cursing while his two wolves had run back into the cabin. He was still trying to come up with a way to get them back. He was a lot of fun to pick at and gave as good as he got. Stephanie enjoyed their little jibe sessions, and she was pretty sure they amused Abraham, too.

“So,” Sarah said, cutting into her thoughts, “Erik reminded me there’s a nasty storm coming in tomorrow, so we need to move all your loose furniture and stuff off the porch and stick it in the garage until it blows through.”

“All right, let’s get that done with. I’m ready to crash.” Stephanie gave Sarah an apologetic look as they walked out onto the porch. “It’s really fine if you want to go home, Sarah. Between the stressful hours at the clinic and the anniversary of the accident, I’m just flat out exhausted. I’m sorry that I’m not very good company.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Sarah moved to a coffee table situated between two chairs. “Come help me get this table. I’d hate to have your neighbors wondering why I’m carrying sturdy wood furniture by myself when I’m just a tiny woman.”

Stephanie laughed. “Yeah, let’s not get the rumor mill going.”

She lifted her end of the table and was facing Sarah, who was walking backwards down the steps, when a car slowed in front of the house. Stephanie had just enough time to see it was a newer black Town Car before the passenger window lowered and the barrel of a gun appeared.

Sarah turned to glance back, and Stephanie shoved the table, knocking her off balance and sending her crashing to the ground, just as the
pop-pop
sounded from the gun.

Pain, sharp and intense, immediately drew her attention. She wasn’t able to look at herself, though, before she was jerked off her wobbly legs and rushed into the house.

Stephanie hurt. Her chest on the left side just at the top of her breast and her ribs on her right side throbbed. Sarah set her on the couch and stood before her.

“Are you all right?” Stephanie asked, knowing that even if Sarah was injured she was fine. Hell, Sarah had carried her inside, hadn’t she? Right now, however, she remained silent, just glaring as she took several slow, even breaths.

Finally, Stephanie looked down at herself and gasped. Her shirt was stained red over her heart and under her right breast. Still, she knew that she wasn’t seriously injured—

“Paint balls,” Sarah spat through clenched teeth. “I can smell it.”

“It was probably just a prank.”

Sarah was in Stephanie’s face so fast Stephanie pressed herself back into the sofa cushions. Sarah’s eyes appeared to be lit from inside, and the amber glow was startling. She was
pissed
.

“A prank?” she growled. “No. A prank involves toilet paper or eggs. This was a threat.”

Stephanie tried for a calm approach, much as she would use on her patients if they seemed capable of becoming threatening. “It’s all right, Sarah. They obviously wanted to get my attention, to scare me, and it worked.” She drew a deep breath, but it hitched when her bruised flesh protested the stretch. She groaned. “I’ll tell Abe.”

Sarah’s gaze softened. “No. I’ll be here, so you can wait until you feel up to it, emotionally. He’s not a really emotional person, from what I can tell, so we’ll spare him that—and you, too.” Sarah’s lips curled into a small, teasing smile. “I think if he saw you cry, he’d need more comforting than you would.”

“I don’t think any man knows what to do with a crying woman.” Stephanie half-chuckled, half-groaned, and Sarah turned serious again.

“Let’s see where you got hit.” Sarah reached for Stephanie’s shirt, but Stephanie swatted her hands away. “What?”

“I can take care of it. I’ll just get some ice and a dish towel.”

Sarah scowled. “It was a fairly close shot, Steph; your yard isn’t that big. It’ll probably leave a few nasty welts on you,” she warned.

“It’ll be fine.” Stephanie didn’t want to expose her body to anyone if she could avoid it.

“What are you hiding? Has something else happened?” Eyes narrowed and nostrils flaring, Sarah was working her way into a royal snit.

“No, nothing has happened besides the phone calls, I swear. It’s just that I have stretch marks from my pregnancy. They’re not exactly cute.” And not something she liked having people see.

Stephanie knew she had an otherwise nice body. She just avoided clothing that showed too much of her stomach. Her stretch marks were faint and situated low, so as long as her pants came to her bellybutton, she could swing a halter top every now and then.

“Lots of women have those, Stephanie,” Sarah chided. “It doesn’t matter.”

“But normally, they have a child. All I have are the battle scars of pregnancy…” Stephanie let her voice trail off when she felt tears threatening.

Sarah must have sensed that Stephanie needed a moment and turned to the door. “I’ll go ahead and finish up out here. You stay inside and lock everything up.”

“I don’t think they’ll come back. They’ve made their point clear, and I’ll remain extra cautious from now on,” she promised.

“And what ‘point’ do you think they were making?”

“That they’re here, they know where I live, and they can get to me.” Stephanie looked down at her shirt again and began to shake. “They could have killed me.”

“They won’t.” Sarah’s statement was made with such confidence Stephanie couldn’t help but give a watery smile. Sarah’s smile, however, was decidedly nasty. “They don’t stand a chance against five werewolves, honey. Not to mention that Abraham was a Navy SEAL, and has a horrible temper. If he finds out there’s a threat to you, these bastards won’t be able to hide, no matter how far they run.”

“Surely, he wouldn’t…”

“Don’t underestimate him, Stephanie,” Sarah warned. “There’s nothing more precious to our kind than our mates. He would move heaven and earth to keep you safe. Never doubt that.” She sighed then said, “Why don’t you go clean up and get some ice. I’ll finish up and be right back inside. I’m going to check around the house, too, just to be sure that there are no more surprises tonight.”

Stephanie peeked down the neck of her shirt and winced at the sight. “I don’t think I could deal with any more surprises tonight.”

Sarah nodded before slipping out the front door.

Chapter Three

After a somewhat sleepless night, Stephanie awoke to a seriously sore, very colorful body.

Yup, it was going to be a long day. Just like last night.

Sarah had located two outside windows that had been tampered with, nailed shut actually, and had insisted they file a police report on the incident.

Gus, the town’s sheriff, had been really sweet and considerate. He’d agreed with Sarah about Stephanie not staying alone and had set up a patrol to drive by her home regularly. They were also on the lookout for the Town Car. After dusting the windows, but coming up with no prints, he made sure that the nails were removed and made a systematic check of her home.