Wolf in his Heart (Salvation Pack) (3 page)

Sage reached out and gripped the back of her neck. His broad hand was hot against her skin. His gentle touch shackled her as firmly as iron chains. Maybe even more so. She would fight the chains but had no resistance to his tenderness. He lowered his forehead until it rested against hers.

Rina closed her eyes and swallowed heavily. A few hours ago, she’d been running for her life. She was still running, but Sage had offered her the gift of his kindness and his presence. She’d never forget him.

“You can’t come with me,” she told him. No way was she bringing that kind of trouble to him and his pack.

“Why not?” If he’d demanded to know why, she might have been able to work up some anger and indignation, but his quiet request almost broke her.

“I have human hunters after me. I wasn’t careful when I shifted and one of them saw me. Now he and his brothers are after me.” It was ugly, but it was the truth. She waited for him to put her aside and disappear into the dark woods.

He sighed and kissed her forehead before raising his head. “My truck is about a four-hour hike that way.” He pointed off to his right. “Let’s go.”

“Didn’t you hear me?” Clearly, he couldn’t have understood. “I have hunters with guns after me. They know what I am.” Secrecy was drilled into pups from the cradle. No humans could know what they were and live. Truthfully, she should be hunting them, but she just didn’t have the skills to take on three at once. Her instinct had been to run instead of fight.

Another indication that maybe her former pack had been right to banish her. She was weak and a danger to them.

“I have no idea what you’re thinking right now, but whatever it is, you need to put it out of your head. We need to get going. Those hunters might rest or they might decide to keep going if they have flashlights.”

Sage was right. “If you could take me to the main road, I’d appreciate it.” She wasn’t about to lure him into her mess, but it wouldn’t hurt to walk with him as far as the road. She could hitchhike from there to the nearest town. They’d undoubtedly have a bus stop.

He stared at her, his eyes glowing in the darkness. The obvious sight of his werewolf heritage made her homesick. But the home she’d thought she had didn’t really exist. It was a figment of her imagination. Her parents hadn’t hesitated to join the pack in banishing her. She’d do well to remember that.

If she couldn’t trust her family, she certainly couldn’t trust a half-breed she’d just met. But she could walk with him a while.

He shook his head and sighed. “Let’s go. Keep your eyes and ears open just in case.”

Rina nodded and glanced over her shoulder before she started following Sage. The faster she could get away from the men following her, the better. If her trail went cold, they’d hopefully give up and go home.

Johnny Bellamy crouched and panned his flashlight over the uneven ground in front of him. “Shit, we lost her.”

“I’m still not sure why you’re so fired up about this girl.” Charlie stood next to him, cradling his rifle in his arms. “It’s a hell of a hike back to the road.”

Johnny stood and turned his light in a circle. “I told you. I saw her change into a wolf.”

“You sure you weren’t drinking or smoking too much weed?” Ralph asked.

He loved his brothers, honestly, he did, but sometimes they were a pain in the ass. “I told you, I followed her home. She’s skinny, but she’s got some fine tits on her. I figured I’d ask her out.”

“Yeah, right.” Charlie snorted. “You just wanted to get laid.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Johnny demanded.

“Nothing. In fact, that’s what I’d like to be doing right about now instead of trekking through the woods at night. We’re on park land now,” Charlie pointed out.

“So?” Johnny smiled when he saw a cracked branch. “That’s never stopped us before. Our family was running through these woods long before the park service claimed them.”

“We need to go back or stop soon.” Ralph stepped into the light of Johnny’s flashlight. “I don’t want to step in a hole and break my neck looking for some girl Johnny has a hankering for.”

“Just a bit longer.” He didn’t know why this particular waitress had caught his eye. Maybe it was because she’d seemed to be alone. No one knew who she was or where she’d come from. No one would worry about her if she disappeared either.

He still wasn’t quite sure what he’d planned to do when he caught her. He only knew he wanted to fuck her. If he closed his eyes, he could remember what she’d looked like naked.

She was too skinny, but her ass and tits were firm and full. Her skin had glowed in the moonlight last night. Then her body had begun to change. Local lore was full of stories and legends of strange creatures, but he’d never expected to see one for himself.

He wanted Rina more than ever.

He lifted the flashlight and panned the trail ahead. Then he set out again with his brothers grumbling behind him. He knew they’d follow him. At least for now. They might head home tomorrow, but he wasn’t giving up. One way or another, he’d find her.

Chapter Three

Sage was worried about Rina. She was dragging behind him, which told him just how exhausted she was. A werewolf could run for hours without tiring. The fact she was practically asleep on her feet meant she’d been running hard and fast for a long time.

She might not appreciate it, but he couldn’t keep going any longer. “You okay?” He stopped and waited for her to catch up.

“I’m fine.” She glared at him, but there was no real bite to her words.

“No, you’re not.” Sage looked back at the path behind them. “We need to stop so you can rest for a bit. We still have a couple hours hard walking before we get to the trail, and another half hour after that to get to where I left my truck.”

Fortunately for her, he’d hiked these hills for years and knew exactly where they were. “There’s a small cave just up ahead. You can catch a few hours rest and we can be back on the trail and at my truck before those hunters break camp in the morning.”

He glanced up at the sky. The stars were like diamonds scattered across the sky, and the moon was only a day past full. It was a beautiful sight, but not nearly as lovely as the bedraggled woman beside him. He knew it was well after midnight. They’d been walking for a little over two hours. It was taking them much longer than he’d anticipated because Rina was starting to drag.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders. “Come on. It’s not far.”

“I don’t need to stop,” she snapped. She pulled away from his hold and started walking in the direction they’d been headed.

Sage growled and went after her. He went in low, scooped her over his shoulder and turned toward the cave. Rina was deadweight on his shoulder for all of two seconds, then she exploded. She kicked her strong legs, trying to emasculate him. He wrapped his arm around her knees, effectively hobbling her. She reared up and tried to throw herself off his shoulder. He pressed her back.

“Settle down before you hurt yourself, or me,” he added. “We’re just going to rest for a bit.” It was a struggle to keep his footing on the steep path with her wiggling like a fish on a hook. He staggered to the top of the small hill and lowered her to the ground. She growled and backed away from him.

He took heart from the fact she hadn’t used her claws on him, because she could have done some real damage. Sage motioned to the entrance of the cave. “It’s not very deep or big, but there’s enough room for both of us. I don’t know about you, but I could use something to eat and some shuteye.”

He could walk all night, but if she needed an excuse to stop, he was more than willing to give it to her. If that meant he had to appear weak in front of her, so be it.

She muttered something about half-breeds under her breath and then ducked into the cave. Thankfully, there hadn’t been any animals using the cave recently and it was fairly clean.

“Hang on a sec.” He untied his sleeping bag and spread it over the ground. He sat on one end and indicated she should sit on the other. Sage was no fool. He’d taken the space closest to the entrance. If she decided to run off, she had to go over or through him.

Rina eased down onto the sleeping bag but didn’t remove her knapsack. He’d have to work on that. No way could she rest properly with that bag on her back. He dug through his own pack and brought out the remains of his food. “Help yourself.” He motioned to the jerky and trail mix. All the protein bars were gone as he’d dug out the last two about an hour ago and they’d both eaten one.

“Are you sure?”

He could practically feel her hunger and nodded. She reached for a baggie filled with trail mix, opened it, and dug in.

“Where you from?” He wanted to know all there was to know about her. There had to be a reason that a full-blooded female werewolf was running around on her own without a pack. Hunted by humans instead of being protected.

Rina stiffened and stuffed another handful of trail mix in her mouth. Sage sighed and offered up a condensed version of his past. “I was born in Michigan. My father was a full-blood, my mom a half-breed.”

She stopped chewing and swallowed. He knew he had her attention. “I have a twin brother too.”

“I have a brother,” she offered. “Mikhail.”

He nodded and kept talking, hoping if he did she’d offer up more of her story. “My parents were killed when we were still teenagers. An explosion in a multi-vehicle pileup on the highway.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.” Even after a decade, Sage found it hard to talk about. “We had Uncle Elias though.”

“What about your pack?” She’d inched closer. Sage was sure she didn’t even realize it.

“We never had a pack. Oh, we called ourselves the Gallagher Pack, just the five of us. It was me, Reece, Mom and Dad, and Uncle Elias. Dad left his pack when he found my mom. He knew his pack would never accept a half-breed.” Rina glanced away but not before he caught a glimpse of pain and shame in her eyes.

“Anyway, after they died, Uncle Elias sold everything and we came here. He’d heard about a pack in North Carolina that was different. One that might accept a couple of half-breed teenagers. It’s a long story, but the pack took us in, and now we’re part of the Salvation Pack. My uncle mated, so I have an aunt. Sue is full human, and so is her son.”

“Full human.” Sheer disbelief colored her voice. “That’s unheard of. And the pack accepts her?”

Sage knew she was just spouting the beliefs she’d been raised with, but he was protective of his family. “Yes, they accept her.” His voice was hard. “And her son. Billy is my cousin. Doesn’t matter that he’s fully human.”

Rina really felt as though she’d entered an alternate reality—half-breed twins, humans living in a pack with half-breeds and full-bloods, and human hunters on her trail. She’d have thought it nothing but a strange dream except for the fact she was wide awake and totally exhausted.

Sage was loyal to his pack and family. She envied him that. She’d felt that way once. Then they’d banished her for what she considered no good reason. A woman should have the right to pick her own mate, not have one chosen for her. Too bad for her that neither her alpha nor her parents had felt the same way.

“Your pack is unusual.” That was one way of putting it. She’d never heard of any pack accepting outsiders, let alone half-breeds and humans. Maybe they were weak and needed all the members they could get for protection. After being on her own for more than a year, she understood safety in numbers.

“They’re the best.” The affection in his voice was all too real. He loved his pack. She only hoped they returned his feelings.

Sage leaned against the wall and stretched his long legs out in front of him. The night had cooled off from the intense heat of the day, but it was still warm. Rina was comfortable in the jeans and plain T-shirt she’d worn to work. She was grateful that Barney hadn’t required his waitresses to wear uniforms, only bibbed aprons with the diner’s name. She wouldn’t have been able to run as hard and fast in a dress.

Exhaustion weighed her down. She was afraid if she closed her eyes she’d sleep for two days straight. She’d never been this tired in her life. Fear and fatigue had sapped her reserves, leaving her totally depleted. She’d kept up on the first part of their hike, but Rina knew she couldn’t have gone much farther.

Sage knew it too.

He’d stopped for her. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe his claim of needing to rest. He was wide awake and there was a vitality surrounding him that was almost palpable.

She knew she should eat more but couldn’t summon the enthusiasm to bother. Her eyelids kept closing no matter how hard she tried to keep them open.

“Rest for a bit.” Sage’s voice washed over her like a warm and comforting blanket. “I’ll watch out for you.”

She believed him. Everything he’d done since she’d met him only hours before had been to help her. Rina leaned against the hard rock wall and stared at him. He was gazing out the cave entrance at the night. It really was pretty. She hadn’t stopped to notice until now.

The sounds of the insects and nocturnal creatures lulled her. They were alone. If the hunters were around, the night would be silent, all the animals hiding.

Rina watched Sage through her half-closed eyes. He was gorgeous with his broad shoulders and good looks. But he was more than just physically amazing. There was a steadiness, a kindness about him that drew her.

She swallowed and closed her eyes. She couldn’t come to depend on him. Their time together would be measured in hours. As soon as they left this cave, they’d hike to his truck, and then they’d part ways.

She’d never forget him.

Feeling safe for the first time in months, Rina allowed herself to let go and sleep.

Sage knew the moment Rina finally slept. Her entire body went lax and she slumped to one side. He waited a few more minutes, until he was certain she was deep enough that she wouldn’t wake. He eased her forward and slipped the straps of her knapsack down her arms. He set the bag next to her, knowing she’d want it within reach.

He knew he should just let her be, but he couldn’t. He lifted her onto his lap, going slow enough not to wake her. She snuffled once but settled right back to sleep. Sage eased her head onto his shoulder and wrapped his arms protectively around her.

It felt right.

He banged his head lightly against the rock wall behind him. Stupid. It was utter stupidity to have feelings for a woman he just met, especially one hell-bent on leaving. Not to mention her less-than-flattering opinion of half-breeds. Not exactly a match made in heaven.

If he’d had a wolf, Sage figured the creature would be beside himself right about now, wanting to claim Rina as his own. He might not be able to shift, but he had a werewolf’s instincts. The emotions churning inside him were raw and powerful and new. Never had he felt this combination of caring and concern for a woman, and it was coupled with a deep-seated need to protect her. He’d kill for her.

That was a first.

The only other people he felt that way about were his family and pack. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them. But Rina trumped them all. It was startling to realize the only other person he felt this way about was his twin.

That made Rina both precious and dangerous.

There was nothing to be done about it now. The first order of business was to get her out of here. He’d work on convincing her to stay a few days with the pack. He needed more time to get to know her. He might not be aware of all she’d been through or why she was on her own, but he did understand she needed somewhere she felt safe.

He wanted to be the one to give her that.

He kissed the crown of her head and then her forehead. She didn’t stir. He shifted slightly and found the most comfortable position possible considering he was sitting on a hard floor with his back against rock. Then he closed his eyes. He’d catch a few hours and then they could make the final run to his truck. He’d worry about the rest after that.

* * * * *

Something nagged at Rina, a sense that she should be doing something, but she didn’t want to leave her bed, not when it was so warm and cozy. She nuzzled deeper into the warmth and sighed.

Something brushed her cheek, and she opened her eyes. It was much harder than it should have been. She’d always been an early riser, but for some reason, she was having a hard time waking.

She blinked and tried to orient herself. It was dark. If it was still night, what had woken her?

“We need to get going.” The male voice startled her. She started to jerk away, but he rocked her slightly. “It’s okay. You’re safe. Take your time.”

She knew that voice. Knew the man who had his arms around her.
Sage
. His name was a mantra that meant safety and comfort. “How?” She licked her dry lips. “How did I get in your lap?”

His smile was gentle, but his eyes were filled with mischief. “You must have crawled there when I was sleeping,” he teased.

She gave a snort of laughter. “I don’t think so.”

“No? Would you believe I put you here?” He brushed his fingers over her cheek in a light caress. She realized that was what had woken her. “You didn’t look comfortable leaning against the rock wall with your pack on your back.”

Her pack. She surged upright and searched frantically. Sage was already pulling the bag closer. “It’s here.”

She slumped against his chest. Relief made her lightheaded. Not that she’d expected him to steal her things, but everything she owned was in that bag. She’d lived for twenty-four years, and all she had to show for it was a grubby sack with a handful of possessions—money, identification, pictures, a few pieces of jewelry, and a couple changes of clothing. It was both sad and pitiful.

Her remaining possessions were back at the motel room where she’d been living. She wasn’t going back for them, so they were lost. She’d have a home again someday. She wasn’t afraid to work hard to make that happen. Of course, she had to survive first, and that meant shaking the hunters off her tail.

“I should get up.” She’d never wanted to linger in a man’s lap before. In spite of her age, she’d never been around too many men before, not on her own. Her father had been overly protective, keeping her pure for her mating. Upping her value. She’d always thought it was because he’d loved her, even though he was standoffish and appeared cold. Now she understood he’d only been protecting his investment to get the best return.

Mate her to the alpha’s brother and her father would gain in status and power—the two things that were the most important to him.

“No hurry.” Sage kissed the top of her head. “You slept a couple of hours. There’s still plenty of time before dawn.”

He shifted his arm so her head tilted back. Her new position gave her a great view of his face. He wore his hair pushed away from his face so nothing detracted from his strong features. She lifted her hand and ran her fingers over his wide forehead, down his high cheekbones and over his lips.

He parted them and playfully nipped at her fingers. Her smile turned to a moan when he bit down lightly on one of her fingertips before drawing the digit into his mouth. Her skin prickled, her breasts swelled, and an empty ache throbbed between her legs.