Lesser of Two Evils (6 page)

He looked tired. She wondered how
long it took him to find her. The wolf had crawled under a tree, and since she
was brown, she was camouflaged well. It did a good job of hiding, but even then,
Kerry worried that it would be too good. The hunters were out there though, and
since she was unable to go any farther, she’d let the wolf decide what was best
at the time.

Looking back, it was a good call.
They’d stomped by at one point looking for her, but they hadn’t seen her. That
would’ve been tragic. She didn’t really remember Ethan finding her, and wasn’t
sure that he had, but she was sure that she’d tried to bite someone when they
dragged her from the hole under the tree. At the time, her only thought was
that the hunters were back.

Ethan was snoring softly. His
breath puffed over her hair, and every once in a while a growl would rumble
softly from his chest. She liked that noise. Her wolf liked it especially. Her
leg hurt. It was a dull ache now, but she knew it had felt like it was on fire
not long ago. She heard a door click closed, and her wolf urged her on. It was
afraid. The Alpha was sound asleep. Kerry tried to relax, but an old wolf came
into the room carrying a black bag. The sky outside the window was starting to
lighten, and she wondered what time it was. It seemed early for someone to
visit, and strange for them to just walk into the Alpha’s den.

“You’re awake. That’s good,” he
whispered and winked. “I can give you a shot for pain, and it will make that
wound numb. Do you want it?” Kerry’s brow knitted. “Yea or nay?” He had the
needle at the ready.

“Stick her, doc. She’s still in
pain,” Ethan said without opening his eyes. The doc pushed the needle gently
into her thigh, and Kerry’s mouth quirked. That wasn’t the most pleasant of
feelings. The doc winked again.

“That’s the last one you’ll get.
How does it feel? Hot?” She shook her head. “Good. Now you need to eat, and you
need to shift, and do it several times. You’ll be tired, so eat first. Clear
broth for now, meat in a few hours.”

“Bacon?” Kerry asked, perking up.
Ethan laughed softly.

“I was thinking steak, but whatever
you fancy, as long as it stays down. You should bathe, too. Clean this up as
best you can with plain soap and water. I’ll leave the salve. Smear some on
after you bathe and that should be the last time. If you need me, Ethan has my
number.”

“Thank you,” Kerry said, and she
meant it. He smiled softly, then waved goodbye. She heard the door click closed
a few seconds later. She looked up at Ethan’s face. His eyes were closed, and
he still looked tired. He had a strong jaw and sharp cheekbones. He had a cleft
chin and black stubble covered his jaw His hair was dark, thick, wavy, and
short. Eric’s was a lot longer. This wolf still had her trapped against him,
but she didn’t try to escape, because she felt safe and warm. She wondered what
that stubble felt like and if he would mind her touching it.

“Now tell me what you were thinking,
little one, when you took off into the woods without a hunting partner and
without being shown around first.” Ethan’s silver-blue eyes opened on her. She
loved those eyes. The color was a lovely shade, and she silently hoped her pups
would have those eyes.

“There were turkeys, and you didn’t
have any, but you said that you liked it. I wanted to get it for you.” She kept
her eyes lowered out of respect for the Alpha and because she was submissive.
She had no wish to challenge or anger him, but she stole a look just to gauge
his mood.

“Ten seconds for all of them?” He
raised a brow, his eyes clear and intent on her now. She swallowed nervously.

“I think it was two minutes for the
biggest one.” She dropped her gaze again, and he lifted her chin with a finger
until she was looking into his eyes once more. His expression said that he
wanted more information. “She had me lost within ten minutes and shot within an
hour or two, I don’t remember.” She tested her leg and found that she could
move it without wincing. “Then it took too long to get back, and she started to
stink.” He gave her a slow, appraising look. “I won’t do it again.” She lowered
her eyes, feeling ashamed.

“I’ll show you around, and we’ll go
out with the pack if you want to hunt. I don’t want you out by yourself. Ever.
Again.” Lifting her chin again, Ethan kissed her chastely.

“Okay,” she said softly.

“You put yourself and the pack in
danger.You were nearly exposed, and worse, you were nearly killed. No one slept
last night because they were looking for you. You were selfish.”

“I know,” Kerry said, her voice whinier
than she wanted it to be. “I won’t do it again.” She tried to move away, but he
held her still. Ethan waited until she looked up at him again, then continued.

“You need to do what the doc said.
Will you eat for me?” She nodded. “Okay, stay here and I’ll get you some
broth.” She crinkled her nose, and he smiled, got up and went to the kitchen. She
rolled off the bed and shifted, then shifted back several times. Her leg was
completely healed, no scar and working perfectly. She opened the jar of salve
and capped it quickly after sniffing it. The strong, herbal, medicinal scent
made her eyes tear. She put down the jar and went into the bathroom and turned
the shower on. She climbed in.

Feeling grimy, Kerry washed her
body, but didn’t have the energy to shampoo her hair. She knew it was gross,
but she really felt like sitting down. There was a bench at one end of Ethan’s
luxurious shower. She went to sit, telling herself she should stay off her leg.
It was beginning to stiffen, and she didn’t want it to hurt again, so the bench
was the smart move, she decided. She leaned back and let the warm water soothe
her.

“What are you doing?” Ethan
startled her awake. The water snapped off, and he wrapped her in a soft, warm
towel. “I said, stay there. The doc said to eat first.” Her eyes wouldn’t stay
open. “Oh no you don’t. Kerry! Wake up.” She blinked several times. “You will
eat before you pass out again. I mean it.” He put her down in the wing chair
and handed her the mug of broth. “Drink it.” He towered over her, scowling. He
was scary when he was angry. She sipped, then gasped. “It’s hot. Drink it all.
When I come back, it better be gone,” he thundered. His bedside manner sucked.

The woods outside were a flurry of
activity. Squirrels were bouncing and flying from tree to tree. Birds were
hopping about, and taking off. The raven was back and squawking, then she
spotted them. The turkeys. Straight out though the trees, five fat turkeys. The
wolf urged and pushed. The glass went suddenly white. She turned and he was
standing in the middle of the bedroom. His hands on his hips, a deep scowl marring
his brow, and anger rolling off him in waves. Realizing what she’d done, Kerry
nibbled her lip and went back to her chair. She needed to get control of the
wolf. She’d dropped her broth and her towel to walk to the window. Those damn
turkeys. He was in the middle of changing the sheets when she’d spotted them.

“Sorry,” she whispered and used the
towel to mop up the broth. “I don’t know what gets into her sometimes.”

“Sit. Stay,” he hissed.

“I said I was sorry.”

He nodded and padded from the room.
She watched his backside as he went. It was nice as far as backsides went. It
was nicer than Eric’s and she’d studied that one. Ethan and Eric were
definitely different. Eric was fun. He was always coming up with stuff to do,
finding things to chase, and water to splash in. He didn’t boss her around the
way Ethan did. Eric also didn’t look at her the way that Ethan did either. Now
that she thought about it, Eric never looked at her
that
way. She didn’t
want to disappoint Ethan, even though she kept doing it. It was time to let
Eric go, let him be past. He didn’t love her. Not that Ethan loved her, but
maybe if she behaved, he might love her. She wanted to please her new Alpha.

“Here.” He bumped her arm, and she
realized that she’d been sitting there with her eyes closed. “Drink all of it.
Don’t make me discipline you.” A shiver of fear went through her as she
wondered what that would entail. He finished changing the sheets and put the
dirty bed linens in a hamper. He came over and sat in the chair opposite her.
“When you see game outside, what happens in your head?”

She sipped her broth and shrugged.

“Do you have any control at all
over her?”

Concentrating, Kerry thought about
it. Did she have control? “I can make her go one direction instead of another.
Chase a buck instead of a doe, or one turkey instead of the flock.”

“But can you control her? Not chase
any turkeys and walk through the middle of the flock without reacting?”

Kerry swallowed more broth and swung
her head slowly.

Ethan sighed and put one foot up on
the opposite knee. He stared at the white window and tapped his finger to his
lips. He pushed the button on the remote, and the glass went clear. Her wolf
went on alert, looking for game. The window went white again. “I think it’s
because you grew up hungry.”

“My father made me hunt. I was just
a pup the first time I went out. He wouldn’t let me eat until I brought in
game. He said if you wanted to eat, you had to hunt. I was expected to help. It’s
not her fault.”

“I know, but now it’s a problem.
You aren’t safe alone out there, and she doesn’t get that. Are you finished?”
He nodded at the mug and Kerry looked inside. It was nearly empty, so she
finished it. “Good girl.” He took it and set it on the table. “Come.” He held
out his hand as he stood. “Did you shift?” She nodded. “No wonder.”

“No wonder? What?” she asked,
letting him lead her back to the bed.

“No wonder you’re so tired. There
are dark smudges here.” He gently pulled his thumbs under her eyes. “We’ll
sleep for a few hours, then I’ll fix us some lunch. Okay?” Kerry crawled into
the bed and lay down without answering him. Ethan cuddled up behind her, and
her eyes widened when she felt his hardness. She stiffened. “Sleep.” He pulled
her to him and kissed her damp hair. “Did you wash while you were in the
shower? You still smell like the forest.”

“Not my hair. I got too tired.”

“Later then.” His arms were wrapped
around her like steel bands, and he had her facing the bathroom door instead of
the window. She had the feeling that the window would stay frosted for a while.

***

Kerry woke to the most amazing
smell. There was bacon and steak. She got up to find her clothes. Tugging them
on as she went, Kerry hurried to the kitchen. Ethan was behind the counter in
just jeans. He stirred something in a pot, then turned steak over in a frying
pan. Kerry licked her lips. She heard his growl and popped her gaze up to meet
his. “I’d like to pretend that look of lust was for me, but you’re hungry,
aren’t you?” She nodded, answering his question. He reached into a cabinet and
put two glasses on the counter. “Can you make us drinks?”

Kerry took the glasses and filled
them with water at the sink. He watched. “There’s soda in the refrigerator if
you want it.”

She’d had that once at Eric’s
house. It was fizzy and burned her nose. They only drank water at her house,
and not the bottled kind. Her water came straight from the tap usually, but if
they couldn’t pay the bill, she had to go to the creek. She shook her head and
carried the glasses to the table. Ethan moved the steak to the oven and went
back to stirring the pot. She wondered what was in there.

Kerry perched on a stool at the
counter, and he got silverware from a drawer, then handed it to her. She
carried it to the table as well, placing it on paper napkins from the holder in
the center of the table. Ethan opened the oven and filled two plates with steak
and potato. He dipped his spoon into the pot and drizzled brown sauce over
everything.

“Homemade steak sauce.” He answered
her silent question. That wasn’t something they had at her house either. Her
mother considered herself fortunate to have salt and pepper to put on meat. Ethan
carried the plates to the table and waited for her to sit. Kerry looked at the
round steak with the bacon wrapped around it, then sliced into it. It was
perfect. Starving, she demolished it. Ethan had a satisfied look on his face
but said nothing. He finished while she poked around at the potato. “You don’t
like potatoes?” She tried some of it. It wasn’t like anything she’d had before.
“It’smashed try it at least.” He asked.

Kerry took a small forkful. It was
crispy on the outside and soft inside. She ate more, and finished it.

“It’s good,” she decided. He took
her plate and carried it to the sink.

“Did my delivery come before the
turkey incident?” She shook her head. “I was hoping that it had.” Kerry went to
the sink and washed the dishes by hand. “Here, you just put them in here and
the machine does it.” Kerry got out of his way and went back to the bedroom to
sketch. She tapped the remote to turn the window clear and curled up in the
wing chair with her pad. She opened the book and took out her pencil nub to
draw. A buck stood out under a tree, nibbling on something behind it  Kerry
began to draw him, but soon found herself at the window watching him. Her wolf
urged her. The glass went white then, and she spun around.

“This window stays frosted until
further notice,” Ethan said with a raised eyebrow. “And you are not to go out
into the woods alone. Ever. Do you understand?”

Her chin wobbled, but she agreed

“Look at your computer, okay? I
need to check in with Connor.” He handed her the laptop from its place on the
dresser. Kerry opened it and he left the room. She looked at the video site
that she liked, then downloaded a few free books. She began one of the classics
but got bored and closed the computer. Ethan had said that Thelma had a garden,
and she decided to go find her.