The Finding

by Nicky Charles

  She shrugged yet again. “I guess not. It’s just that...well... Suppose after years of believing you’re a werewolf, someone told you that you weren’t. That you were human. Even though you know they’re right and there’s evidence to prove it, a part of you doesn’t want to give up your original belief. Sort of like learning there’s no Santa Claus.”

  “Okay.” Bryan supposed he sort of understood what she meant. “So being able to teleport made it ‘real’ to you.”

  “Uh-huh. Even though I suggested the idea, I think a part of me was hoping it wouldn’t work because then it might mean some big mistake had been made. I was still just a normal human girl living a boringly normal life with a poorly paying job, a messed up boyfriend and too many bills.” She laughed lightly through her tears. “Why I’d want to hang on to that I don’t know. Lots of girls would think being a werewolf was more exciting.”

  “Well, I must admit that I think it is. Pack life is nothing like what you’re used to. There’s always someone around. You don’t have to worry about bills. We all help each other out.” He ducked his head to look her in the eye. “I think you’ll like it, once you give it a chance.”

  “Maybe.” She gave him a faint smile then stepped away, wiping her face. Inhaling deeply, she squared her shoulders. “So I managed to teleport once. I guess I should try it again, right?”

  He reached out and ran a finger down her cheek. “Sure. And I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

  *****

  By time evening arrived, Cassie had a better grip on her emotions, deciding to deal with them at a later date. Right now, she had to concentrate on mastering teleporting so she could rescue Kellen. Once she got the hang of it, it wasn’t too difficult to do. In fact she was feeling rather pleased with herself. She’d managed to teleport from one suite to another several times and had even gone from the lobby to the fifth floor where their rooms were located by strategically hiding behind a potted plant while Bryan watched to ensure no one noticed her disappearing act. She’d wanted to try going from the parking garage to the rooftop restaurant, but Bryan had overridden her saying she was too tired and needed to rest for tomorrow.

  He was right, but she hadn’t liked to admit her weakness, especially not in front of the other werewolves. The teleporting—converting her molecules into energy and then sending them through space—was exhausting. Her head pounded, her legs felt like cooked noodles and her entire body ached.

  Still she’d tried to project a strong image when they’d reported to Ryne. Bryan had said she’d impressed him earlier with her rant against Kane. She didn’t want to change his opinion. If things progressed the way Bryan planned, Ryne would be the equivalent of her ‘boss’ in the near future. Cassie wasn’t too keen on the idea and still hoped to find a way out, but just in case, felt the need to hedge her bets.

  “So Cassie, how do you feel about moving to Canada?” Mel sat beside her at the table in the restaurant and had kept up a stream of idle chatter throughout the meal. Ryne and Bryan had indulged in conversation related to pack business as near as Cassie could determine; something to do with renovations to one of the wings of the main house. She hadn’t really paid too much attention; it had taken all of her concentration to keep her eyes open and her head from falling forward in her plate.

  “Um... I’ve never been to Canada.” She gave a vague answer and looked at Elise who sat across the table from her. “Have you?”

  “No. Kane keeps talking about flying north to visit Ryne, but there always seems to be some mini-crisis occurring that keeps him tied to Smythston. I’m surprised he managed to tear himself away long enough to come here.” Elise smiled, but there was certain bitterness in her voice and Cassie wondered what was going on. Kane and Elise had seemed a bit on edge with each other earlier on and now Kane wasn’t eating dinner with them. Apparently another call from his Beta had come in. In fact, except for a brief conversation when Bryan announced the success of her teleporting, she hadn’t seen the since her outburst about his over-zealous ‘help.’

  “I’m glad our pack is still small.” Mel said. “Ryne is busy, but he still has time for himself too.”

  Elise sighed looking a bit repentant about her earlier words. “Kane tries, he really does, but the pack is so big.”

  “Would it ever subdivide and become two smaller packs?” Cassie asked, pleased the conversation no longer focussed on her.

  “Kane’s talked about it, but we’d need to find another territory and then see which families would be willing to move.” Elise picked up her wine glass and took a sip. “Whether it will ever happen remains to be seen.”

  “Are you ladies finished?” Ryne interrupted the conversation, pushing his chair back from the table. “We’re done eating and Kane hasn’t made an appearance yet so there’s no point in waiting any longer.”

  “I’ll just have room service bring him up a plate.” Elise said as they walked to the elevator. “You know Mel, you haven’t even seen Kane face to face, yet.”

  “I know. Maybe tomorrow after all the excitement.” Mel sighed and rubbed her rounded belly. “It should be...interesting to finally meet him.” A faint worried frown appeared on her brow.

  Ryne chuckled and put his arm around her shoulder. “Once we get this mess cleared up, there’ll be plenty of time for visiting.”

  “I wish you’d let me go along, Ryne.” Mel looked at her mate and ran her hand over his chest.

  “Nice try Melody, but you’re carrying my pup and I’m not risking either of you being near Marla or Aldrich.”

  “I could wait in the car. Please?” She batted her eyelashes at him, but he just laughed.

  “Tell you what, you spend the night trying to convince me.” He grinned down at her. “But in the morning, don’t be surprised if I haven’t changed my mind.”

  Mel made a face, but seemed resigned to her fate.

  They all parted ways in the hallway and headed to their respective rooms. Cassie approached the door to her...their...room with trepidation. She’d temporarily forgotten that she and Bryan were sleeping in the same room. True, there were two double beds, but it still seemed rather...intimate. Behind her, she could feel the warmth generating from his body as he waited for her to open the door. Her wolf murmured happily over the situation, but Cassie’s stomach clenched nervously.

  She stared at the door knob, not wanting to touch it, trying to put off the inevitable as long as possible. Her breathing grew rapid, and she felt almost lightheaded as she contemplated the night ahead...

  “Come on, Cassie. I’m tired.”

  Obviously growing impatient, Bryan reached around her, plucking the key card from her hand and opening the door himself. His arm brushed against her breast and her whole body flushed with awareness. Oh God, how was she going to get through this?

  *****

  “Are you sure Meredith?” Franklin gripped the phone tightly, nodding as his old partner repeated her message. “All right.” He rubbed his forehead thinking quickly. “Okay, I’ll need you here. Get the first flight you can, let me know your arrival time and I’ll pick you up at the airport. By then, everything should be in place. See you then.”

  He hung up the phone and stared thoughtfully across the kitchen, not really seeing the old plaster walls and aged wooden beams. His eyes stopped at the large fireplace that usually had a cheery fire burning within, giving the Estate kitchen a warm, homey feel. The hearth was cold and empty now, just as the Estate was. It needed a family to fill it, children running up and down the halls, being shoed away from the fire and scolded for sneaking bits of cookie batter just like Miss Cassie used to do. At one time he’d thought Cassie’s children might help fill the rooms and bring life back to the rambling old building but now...

  Rubbing his hands over his face, he turned to face Mrs. Teasdale, knowing she was anxious to hear the latest information.

  “It’s bad news, isn’t it Franklin?” She tried to keep her voice calm, but Franklin could see the trembli
ng of her chin.

  “I’m afraid so. Meredith just saw a report on the news. A dead body was found in a dumpster in Las Vegas.”

  “Not Miss Cassie’s friend, Kellen?” Mrs. Teasdale grabbed the back of a nearby chair.

  “No.” Franklin sighed heavily. “It’s Eddie Perini. He was shot last night and left to bleed to death.”

  “Perini? Who’s that?”

  “He managed Dollar Niche, the company that lent Kellen Anderson money. And Dollar Niche is owned by Aldrich which was how Miss Cassie was blackmailed into returning to Chicago.” He shook his head. “I don’t know if this is related or not, but the Dollar Niche office was trashed. Police report that it appears someone was going through the files and they’re speculating that Perini walked in on the individual. A fight ensued. Perini was shot, thrown in the dumpster and left to die.

  “Do you think it was made to look like a break-in gone wrong to throw off suspicion? Perhaps Aldrich ordered Eddie Perini killed to keep him quiet about his plan?” She quirked a brow, obviously trying to make sense of the situation. While Mrs. Teasdale had never been a part of the Service, her late husband had, and she’d picked up quite a bit over the years.

  “Perhaps. Maybe Perini was going to turn the tables on Aldrich and try to blackmail him.” Franklin frowned and rubbed his chin. “Though usually any death associated with Aldrich isn’t ever called a ‘death’ at all. Aldrich makes people ‘disappear’ without a trace. This doesn’t have Aldrich’s touch to it.”

  “Could someone have a grudge against Perini or possibly be trying to make points with Aldrich by getting rid of someone they thought was a threat to him?”

  “From what Meredith has been able to find out, Perini didn’t operate in the most exulted of circles but he was mostly bluster with very little action. Killing him was probably unnecessary.”

  “Interesting, but what does this mean for us?”

  Franklin paced the room and rubbed the back of his neck. He hated to give in when they were so close to Cassie finding a real home, but he’d promised Anthony Greyson that if anything ever happened, he’d keep the girl safe. “If someone is starting to kill people over this, it’s getting more dangerous than I ever expected. I think it’s time we pulled Miss Cassie out.”

  Mrs. Teasdale looked troubled. “You’re probably right, but it will interfere with her chances of becoming part of the pack the young man represents.”

  “Possibly.” He shook his head, regretful at this turn of events. “But at least she’ll be alive to try again.”

  Squaring her shoulders, Mrs. Teasdale straightened to her full height, or at least what there was of it. “What do you want me to do?”

  “First of all, we need to find where Cassie is staying. Call around to all the motels within the city and see what you can find out.”

  “She might not be registered under her own name.”

  “Right. Meredith found out the name of the young fellow she’s met up with by tracing his rental car. It’s Cooper. Bryan Cooper. Try his name as well.”

  “Done. Anything else?” The woman’s cheeks flushed slightly at the excitement and Franklin smiled lightly. Life had been dull around the Estate with just the two of them and a few occasional maintenance workers. It was good to have something happening though different circumstances would have been preferable.

  “Meredith is flying in first thing in the morning. She’ll need a suit—something suitable for a government official—and perhaps a brief case.”

  “I’ll see what I can find.”

  “And I’ll need you to watch Netty.” Despite the seriousness of the situation, Franklin had to bite back a smile at Mrs. Teasdale’s expression. Ever since the fat little dachshund had absconded with one of her roasted chickens, she’d proclaimed the dog was a menace.

  Despite her animosity, the cook nodded. “What’s your plan?”

  Franklin grinned, feeling the old adrenaline rush he’d used to experience when he was still on active duty. “We’ll try bluffing our way in to see her. Claim to be IRS and we’ve tracked her down for tax evasion. People usually don’t question the IRS when they show up asking for information.”

  “If she’s with a werewolf though...” Mrs Teasdale frowned, “do they pay taxes?”

  “They do now.” Franklin nodded emphatically, hoping his crazy plan would work.

  Chapter 20

  “I’ll...um...get ready for bed.” Cassie stood in the middle of the room not sure what to do with herself. She’d shared a home with Kellen for three years and never felt this unsettled in his presence. Why was sharing with Bryan so different?

  Because he’s hot and sexy and has a delicious little edge about him; not enough to make him obnoxious, just...interesting.

  Cassie inhaled ready to scold the wolf inside her, when she realized those were her own thoughts, not the animal’s. She clamped her mouth tightly shut, exasperated with herself.

  “Sure. I’ll use the bathroom after you.” Bryan was flopped on his bed and seemed more interested in surfing the TV channels than her activities.

  Sparing the briefest of glances to admire his exposed muscular chest—he’d removed his shirt and thrown it on the back of a chair before lying down—Cassie grabbed her bag and headed to the bathroom.

  Once inside, she pressed her hands to her face, chagrined to feel the heat coming off her cheeks. She hoped Bryan hadn’t noticed she was behaving like some virginal teenager. She sucked in a deep lungful of air and let it out slowly, before giving herself a pep talk. First of all, she wasn’t a teenager and secondly she wasn’t a virgin. Well, barely not a virgin. Her one time with Kellen hardly qualified her as an expert, but in an official sense she wasn’t pure as the driven snow.

  That thought made her frown and the animal inside whined pitifully. Would it matter to Bryan that she’d been with Kellen? Perhaps. She frowned and worried her lip. Werewolves seemed sort of old fashioned... Wait a minute! Why was she even concerned about that? Sleeping with Bryan wasn’t part of the programme. Yes, she thought he was sexy and yes she liked him, but once this adventure was over, they’d part ways, right?

  Unless, she decided to stick around for a few days, Cassie amended. She’d never known any others of her kind and it might be nice to talk with Mel and Elise a bit more. Learning more about herself would be like research and, if in the course of that research she ended up spending more time with Bryan, it was just coincidental. It had nothing to do with predestined mates. The course of her life wasn’t going to be directed by a recurring dream and old werewolf folklore. When the time came—a time of her choosing—she’d bid farewell to Bryan and the others and head out...somewhere.

  Staring sightlessly at the mirror, she wondered how Bryan would react to her leaving. His wolf seemed drawn to hers; not that the wants of the animals inside really counted for much, she added. But Bryan—the human Bryan—did seem to be physically attracted to her. Hadn’t she felt his arousal pressed against her?

  The thought had a rush of warmth developing low down in her belly and she shifted uncomfortably, hoping he wouldn’t scent her...er...interest in him when she left the bathroom.

  In her mind, she played out a scene where Bryan was so overcome with desire for her, that he pinned her to the bed and ravaged her while she struggled helplessly. The idea seemed very erotic and soon had her heart pounding. Embarrassed by her wayward imagination, Cassie splashed cool water on her face, trying to douse the fire that grew within her and return to a more practical mindset.

  Pulling off her clothes, she changed into a t-shirt and sleep pants, berating herself the whole time for her silly fantasies. Bryan was older and likely an experienced male. He wasn’t going to jump her just because she was sharing a room with him. It was utterly juvenile to think that way. He might notice she was physically attractive, but he wouldn’t act on it.

  The thought should have been comforting, but somehow it wasn’t. She pursed her lips and wondered why. Perhaps because of the whole ‘mates�
�� thing, she expected more attention from him? But that was ridiculous because she didn’t want to be his mate, did she?

  Yes, we do, the wolf inside her insisted.

  No we don’t she argued back. If anything, I want a nice normal man of my own choosing, a house in the suburbs, a white picket fence, and a few kids.

  We can have that with him!

  Could she? Cassie forced herself to think about it while she brushed her teeth. Bryan wasn’t ‘normal,’ though at the moment, normal didn’t sound that exciting. In fact, it sounded rather...dull...whereas Bryan... Well, they’d butted heads a few times today and it had been rather exciting to see the latent power he wielded, to feel the pull of his personality. Okay, scratch ‘normal’ from her list of what she wanted. But it should still be her own choice, shouldn’t it?

  And what about her house in the suburbs and the white picket fence? From the way Bryan spoke there was a pack house which housed several wolves; definitely not her dream house in the suburbs. And as for a white picket fence, hadn’t she overheard Ryne and Bryan discussing a security fence with video cameras? Cassie pulled a face. That sounded more like a prison camp than a home.

  And don’t forget about children, she reminded herself. Would she give birth to a litter? She thought about Mel’s swollen stomach and wondered how far along she was. Was there one—what had Ryne called it?—‘pup’ inside or more? Frowning, she thought about the other female she’d met. Elise only had two children and they were a few years apart, so perhaps werewolves didn’t emulate their animal cousins when it came to reproduction. Her shoulders slumped in relief over that fact. The idea of a litter of children seemed overwhelming.

  “Are you all right?” Bryan knocked on the bathroom door and Cassie gave a start. She’d been lost in thought much longer than she realized.

  “Yes!” She called out, rinsing her mouth and stuffing her possessions back in her bag. In her haste, she knocked over her bottle of pills and they rattled against the plastic side of the container as it rolled off the counter and onto the ground. Bending over to pick it up, the door burst open and Bryan stood staring down at her, a frown on his face.