Wolf on a Mission: Salvation Pack, Book 6 (3 page)

“Anny Conrad owns this house. I just rent it.” Sue took a sip of her coffee. He noted her hand shook slightly as she set the mug back on the table. “We were friends. Good friends.”

She stared off into the distance, her eyes fixing on a spot just where the path ended and the yard began. “Billy and I were living with my folks then. We were coming out for a visit and lunch. Anny didn’t answer when I knocked.”

She clenched her fists and her shoulders tensed. Elias knew whatever she was going to tell him wasn’t going to be good. “I left Billy in the car and came around to the back door.” She took a deep breath. “I found her lying on the ground. I thought she was dead. There was so much blood. She’d been mauled by an animal.”

Elias was unable to stand her distress without doing something about it. He shifted his seat closer, reached out and covered her hand. It was so much smaller than his own, but strong and capable. “Did she die?”

Sue shook her head. “She was alive. I called the sheriff’s office and they sent help.” Sue took a deep breath. “Anyway, it was touch and go for a while, and she actually died for a couple of minutes, according to the doctors. She had a horrible fever. They said it was from some kind of infection. She pulled through and then checked herself out of the hospital almost immediately.”

Sue shook her head. He hated the pain and bewilderment he heard in her voice and saw in her eyes. “She hadn’t been home a day when she disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” It was impossible to keep the sharp tone from his voice.

“She just up and left. She called a few times. Said she had to get away. I can understand it. They said she was attacked by a wild dog or wolf. Some said it was a cougar.”

“What did Anny say?” If it was a wolf that had attacked and left the woman for dead, was it part of the Salvation Pack? And if so, did he want his nephews anywhere near a pack that would do such a thing?

“That’s just it. She didn’t say much of anything. She quit her job, put her house up for sale and pretty much disappeared. The house didn’t sell right off, so she decided to start renting it instead, and it was available when I needed a place. She calls occasionally and emails, but it’s not the same.”

Sue had lost her friend that day. Elias knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. It never got easier. But Anny wasn’t dead. She’d simply walked away.

Anger welled inside him at this unknown woman even as he had empathy for her. “How did you come to be living here if the place holds such bad memories for you?” Elias found himself wanting to understand Sue.

She slid her hand out from under his. “I’m sorry. I’ve probably said more than I should. I just wanted to warn you against wild animal attacks. There’s been nothing since that day, but you need to be extra careful.”

Her past was none of his business. Got it loud and clear. That didn’t keep him from wanting to know more. “I can see why you were so upset when you stumbled on Billy with Reece.” That had to have brought back a ton of memories for her, none of them good.

She pressed her hands against her stomach. “God, for a minute, I was terrified the wolf that had attacked Anny was back.”

Reece padded over to her side and laid his head on Sue’s lap. He whined once and licked her hand. Sue gave a wobbly laugh and ran her hands over the wolf’s flanks. “I didn’t know you then, did I? You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”

Reece gave her a wolf grin and then padded back to sit with Sage and Billy. Sage was keeping the young boy occupied with his toys.

“I’m sorry about that,” Elias told her. He hated the thought of her being so frightened. “So they don’t know for certain what kind of animal attacked your friend?” He hated to have to make her talk about it, but he needed all the information he could get.

Sue shook her head. “The authorities settled on a wild dog, as there aren’t any wolves around here. They hunted for days but found nothing. The consensus was it was a wild dog that moved on after the attack.”

“And yet you live here.” He really wanted to know more about her.

“I do.” She stood and started loading the mugs and glasses back onto the tray. “It’s past Billy’s bedtime,” she announced.

As much as Elias wanted to stay, he knew it was time to go. He stood and motioned to Sage. “Come on. It’s time we got back to camp.”

“Do you need a flashlight?” she asked.

Elias wanted to hug her. She was such a generous woman. “No, we’ll be fine.”

She hesitated and then hurried into the house. “Wait here.”

Sage stood and brushed off his jeans, and Billy had his face buried against Reece’s fur. Neither of the twins wanted to go any more than Elias did.

Sue returned with a plastic baggie filled with oatmeal cookies. She handed it to Sage. “Just in case you get hungry later tonight.”

Sage took the bag, his gaze solemn. “Thank you.” Before Elias knew what his nephew was about, Sage wrapped his arms around Sue and hugged her. She hesitated and then enfolded the boy in her arms.

Emotion speared through Elias. He wanted to laugh and cry, to howl at the injustice of life and drop to his knees in despair. He did none of those things.

“Come on. Let’s go.” He walked down the steps and waited until Sage and Reece joined him. Sue stood on the porch with Billy clinging to her leg. “Goodbye. It was nice to meet you both.”

“Goodbye,” she echoed. He hated that it sounded so final.

With Billy calling his goodbyes to Reece and Sage, Elias led his small pack down the path and into the woods.

Chapter Three

“What are we going to do?” Reece asked. His nephew, back in human form and wearing jeans and an old T-shirt with the sleeves ripped off, sat next to the small fire they had lit and munched on one of Sue’s oatmeal cookies.

Elias snagged one out of the bag. At the rate they were disappearing, the cookies would be gone long before he and the boys turned in for the night. He chewed, enjoying the flavor of the treat before swallowing. Sue was a great baker.

He took a sip of the coffee he’d made over the fire. It wasn’t as good as what he’d had at Sue’s place, but it was coffee, and that was all that mattered.

“You two are going to lay low while I check out the Salvation Pack.” It was risky to go there alone. If the pack was hostile, he might not make it back alive. But there was no way he was taking his nephews anywhere near them until he’d determined if they were responsible for the attack on Sue’s friend.

“Do you think one of them attacked the woman who owns the house?” Sage asked. Elias wasn’t surprised he’d come to the same conclusion. Sage was quiet and saw and heard more than people realized.

“I don’t know, and that’s the problem.” Sticking to his policy of honesty when it came to his nephews, Elias elaborated, “If they’re responsible for attacking an innocent woman and leaving her for dead, they’re not the pack for us.” He believed it was the responsibility of the strong to protect those weaker. His brother had taught him that. Everett had raised his sons that way too.

Reece rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t like the idea of you going there alone.” He pinned Elias with a gaze so much like his father’s that it momentarily took Elias aback.

“I know you don’t.” Both boys were growing up with a protective streak. They were turning into men with principles and values that would serve them well. “But I won’t risk either of you. I promised your parents I would look after you, and I will.” This was not open for discussion.

“What if something happens?” Sage asked. The worry in his eyes hurt Elias. They should be normal young men, worried about school and girls, stretching their wings and testing their freedom. Instead, they’d been dealt more loss than a lot of folks ever experience. Their whole lives had been turned upside down.

“If something happens to me, you need to run.” He held up his hand before either of them could object. “That’s not a suggestion. It’s an order.” Reece’s mouth tightened, but he didn’t say anything. Sage turned away from the fire and stared into the darkness.

“You take the SUV and go. You have access to the safety deposit box I set up in Chicago. Go there, get everything out and use the fake IDs to start a new life somewhere else.”

He dumped the remains of his coffee on the small blaze. It sputtered and smoked before it finally died down, leaving them with only a few glowing coals. “But nothing will happen. Everything will be fine. If they’re not the right pack for us, we’ll just go somewhere else and start a new life together.”

“Couldn’t we do that instead?” Sage asked.

Elias had asked himself the same question a hundred times or more. “You’re safer in a pack,” he told them. “It’s not easy for wolves on their own.”

“You and Dad managed,” Reece pointed out.

“We did. We had your mother too. And then you two. But it was still hard.” Even though the fire was out, Elias could easily see both boys. The moon was shining bright in the sky and the stars glistened.

“Wolves are pack animals. It’s our nature to seek others of our kind. Plus, if you want to run, want to understand yourselves better, you need to spend time with other wolves.”

“Maybe it’s not in my nature,” Sage muttered.

“Doesn’t matter if you can’t shift,” Elias told him. “You’re a wolf through and through.”

“Yeah?”

The question and thread of hope in the boy’s tone almost broke Elias, and his voice was rough with emotion. “Yeah. You’ve got the speed, stamina and strength of any werewolf your age. Your vision and hearing are second to none. And you’ve got more. Maybe it’s because you can’t shift, but you’re very good at reading people, which gives you an edge in dealing with them. You’d be hell on wheels in the business world.”

“What about me?” Reece asked.

Elias chuckled. “Unfortunately, you’re more like me.” Both boys snickered. “You’re smart, but you don’t always stop and think before you act. That’s something you’ll have to work at.”

“Like you did.”

Elias nodded. “Yes, like I did. I was lucky. I had your father to help me. You have Sage and me. Now, it’s time to get some sleep.”

They all settled into their sleeping bags. Elias stacked his hands behind his head and stared up at the sky. He wondered what Sue was doing right about now. Was she asleep or was she lying awake in bed thinking about him? What did she wear to bed? Did she sleep naked? Doubtful with a young son to deal with, but a man could fantasize.

“Uncle Elias?”

“Yeah, Sage.”

“I really liked Sue and Billy.”

“Me too. But it’s probably better if we steer clear of them.”

“Why?” Reece asked. “They’re good people.”

“And it’s for that very reason we need to stay away. If the local pack was behind the attack, we don’t want to bring their attention toward Sue and her son. If we move here, you’re not going to be able to socialize much with them. Secrecy is everything with a pack.”

Reece huffed out a breath. “Sometimes being a werewolf sucks.”

“I know, son, I know.”

“Night,” Sage called and then turned onto his side.

Elias continued to look at the stars while he listened to the comforting sounds of the night. An owl hooted and some small animal scooted through the underbrush. Everything was normal and safe.

All that could change tomorrow after he made contact with the Salvation Pack. For the millionth time, he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Maybe he should just take his nephews and start a new life somewhere else. Just the three of them.

Then Elias remembered the conversations he’d had with Everett and Marcie. They’d wanted more for their sons. Wanted them to have the opportunities that came from being part of a pack. Marcie had never known what that was like, but she’d heard stories from both Everett and Elias. Pack life had its drawbacks, to be sure, but the camaraderie, the feeling of being among your own kind, of running wild in the woods with the pack was something the boys had never had. And only a pack could give that to them.

And they weren’t stuck here. Elias knew how to disappear. If the boys decided they didn’t like pack life, he’d whisk them away and take them somewhere they could start over.

Decision made, he relaxed. His thoughts immediately returned to Sue Walsh. She looked soft and gentle, but there was a core of steel in her as well. The way she’d protected her son and put herself in front of Sage would stay in his memory forever. She was also no stranger to hard work. That was obvious from the way she’d one-handed the tray.

His cock swelled as he wondered what she’d look like naked. She had a woman’s curves. His fingers automatically curled inward. Her hips were curved and her butt was firm and full. Not to mention her breasts.

No, he wouldn’t think about them. His skin already felt too tight as it was. His cock throbbed and his balls were trying to climb up into his body. He couldn’t exactly roll out of his sleeping bag, wander off and take care of the problem. Not with his nephews sleeping right alongside him. They’d wake the second he tried to leave.

If they found out why he was leaving, they’d never let him live it down.

He was stuck here.

He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax. His wolf chuffed, wanting to run. He clamped down hard on the animal side of his nature. It wasn’t the right time or place.

But hopefully, he’d soon be able to run wild. His nephews weren’t the only ones who needed that freedom.

* * * * *

Sue lay in bed and stared up at the dark ceiling. It had taken quite a while for Billy to fall asleep. He couldn’t stop talking about Sage and his wolf. She, on the other hand, couldn’t stop thinking about the boy’s uncle.

“Enough,” she muttered. She turned on her side and punched her pillow before settling down again. Morning came early and she had to be at work by six.

As much as she wanted to sleep, she was wide awake. Billy had finally drifted off around nine, but it was almost eleven and she was still up.

Today had been a roller coaster ride, starting with the call from her lawyer. She still couldn’t believe that William wanted custody of Billy. He’d never changed a diaper, never fed his son or walked the floors with him when he was teething. No, he’d walked away from Billy with barely a glance over his shoulder. While Sue could forgive him for leaving her, she couldn’t forgive him for the way he’d treated his son.

God knows, she’d tried to make up for the lack of a father figure in her son’s life. Her father had stepped into the void, spending a lot of time with Billy. But now he was gone as well.

A lone tear slid down her cheek and plopped onto the pillow. She swiped at her face, angry with herself for giving in to the sadness. She was bone-tired, but it was more of an exhaustion of the spirit. There had been so much loss and change in the past two years. And now this. Just when she was starting to get her feet back under her.

Her parents’ estate had been settled and all the debts paid. What little that remained had gone into starting their new life. Her ex was never going to be able to get his hands on the trust for Billy’s education. Her parents had seen to that.

She rolled onto her back again and sighed. The rate things were going, she’d be getting up for work before she’d slept a wink.

She forced herself to take a deep breath and then another. “Think of something else,” she ordered herself.

Elias Gallagher popped into her head, and her entire body clenched. Not exactly a relaxing thought, rather one guaranteed to get a woman’s blood pumping. She’d steered clear of men since her divorce. Oh, she’d tried dating a few times, some nice men too, including Sam Owens who owned the gas station, but it hadn’t worked out.

Sue had a son to raise and little time for anything else. The last few years had slid by in a blur of hard work, responsibilities and commitments.

She pulled her thoughts away from the dark abyss of loss and focused on Elias. She might not be interested in a relationship, but she wasn’t dead. Elias would conjure hot fantasies in any woman.

Tall with broad shoulders and tanned skin, he looked like he belonged on the cover of some outdoor adventure magazine, the kind with the rugged males who scaled mountains with nothing more than their bare hands and sheer nerve.

His jeans had clung to strong thighs and a tight butt. A bead of sweat rolled across her collarbone and she kicked aside the light sheet covering her. The August night was suddenly a lot hotter.

She was wearing a light cotton nightgown with thin straps. The damp fabric clung to her like a second skin. She plucked at it, hoping to find some relief from the heat. Instead, the brush of thin cotton over her breasts made her nipples tighten.

Sue gasped and then moaned. How long had it been since she’d felt arousal of any kind? Probably since before Billy was born. More than five years. As inconvenient as her attraction to the handsome stranger was, it was nice to know she was still capable of having such feelings.

Her body had been in deep freeze for over five years.

All it had taken was Elias Gallagher to start the thaw.

The ache between her legs deepened. God, it had been so long since a man had touched her. Billy’s father had kept his distance once she’d started to show in her pregnancy. That should have been her first sign that something was wrong in their marriage. But she’d been young and in love and had believed William when he’d told her he was just being considerate, hadn’t wanted to risk hurting her or the baby.

Sue snorted. Yeah, right. More like he’d already been sleeping with another woman. But she had Billy, and she wouldn’t change that for anything.

Her thoughts drifted to Sage. Now there was an interesting young man. She pegged his age at anywhere between sixteen and nineteen. It was hard to tell, as he was solemn and self-contained. He’d seemed so much older when she’d first laid eyes on him. Some of it was his size. He had to be six feet tall and showed all the signs that someday he’d fill out to be as large as Elias.

She wondered where his parents were and why it was his uncle who’d taken him camping. Maybe Elias was giving the kid’s parents a break. But Sue thought there was something more to it than that. There was a sadness surrounding Sage that made her want to hug him.

“Not your business,” she reminded herself. Yes, they’d crossed paths tonight, but they were probably only in the area for a few days. The likelihood she’d see either of them again was low.

Unless they stopped at the diner for a meal. She ignored the sly voice in the back of her head.

It was probably better if they steered clear of town, especially with a wolf for a pet. All the locals remembered the attack on Anny, and it wouldn’t take much to have the hunters out in the woods again, shooting at anything that moved. There had been problems with some men hunting out of season. It always happened whenever anyone saw a large dog or what they thought was a wolf.

Sue didn’t want anything to happen to Reece. She still couldn’t believe how tame and gentle the large animal was with Billy. Sue could foresee a newfound interest in wolves from her son. He’d been totally enthralled with the large creature.

Which just went to prove her earlier theory—Billy needed a pet. Something he could bond with. And while a dog was out due to her work situation, maybe she could get him interested in the idea of a cat.

Sue snorted. Yeah, like that was going to happen now. The idea of a pet would have to wait until the memory of Reece faded away. Such a strange name for a pet wolf, but it somehow seemed to suit him.

Giving up on the idea of sleep for the moment, she rolled out of bed. It was so warm she didn’t bother with a robe or slippers. On bare feet, she padded out of the room, stopping long enough to check on Billy. Her son was sprawled across the bed on his stomach with both his arms and legs stretched out. For such a small guy, he took up a lot of real estate in bed.