by D. M. Turner
She gave him a knowing look. “He doesn’t smell dangerous.”
“Oh, that’s helpful.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.” She raised a brow in teasing disdain then smiled at him then Brett. “Wolves, to me, smell like earth, fur, and sunshine with a hint of blood. They smell like predators. Even when they’re not threatening, you can smell danger on them.”
Ian frowned, considering her words. Now that she mentioned it…. He nodded. “I never tried to put the scent into words, but you’re right.”
“Michael smells like all of those things except danger. He had blood on him last night, so I don’t know if the blood smell is part of the dangerous predator scent or something all its own.”
Brett nodded thoughtfully. “That would fit with what O'Neil told me about Michael being a true submissive. When one of us is hurt, threatened, or angered, we have to fight to keep the wolf under control. It wants to rise up and protect us or kill the enemy it perceives. Michael’s wolf retreats. O’Neil says that doesn’t mean he won’t fight if pushed into a corner, but basically Michael can be counted on not to cause issues in the pack or with humans he comes into contact with.”
“Why haven’t you and I heard about these… submissives before?”
“O’Neil said he’s only known one in the time since his Turning. He suspects they’re far more rare even than females.” A grin emerged again. Brett flicked his gaze to Sophia then away. “Some females are cussed enough to survive the first Shift. Apparently, the passive type of person that can become a submissive wolf is seldom able to survive the Turning, much less the first Shift. Also, the one O’Neil knew? He killed himself. O’Neil seems to think it’s even harder for someone with that temperament to accept having a monster in his head than it is for more dominant types like the rest of us.”
“So Jeremy and I were right about Michael not being a threat.” Confidence underlined Sophia’s words.
“It appears so.” Brett frowned. “The only problem is, Michael won’t come out of the vault in the basement. He was abused only when out of his cell at Brimfield’s, so he doesn’t feel safe outside a small room.”
Sophia growled. “That’s just wrong.”
Ian squeezed her hand. “Yes, it is, but we’ll help him. Somehow.” He shared an amused look with Brett. “That seems to be part of our pack’s mission—helping damaged wolves.”
“The ones we don’t have to kill, anyway,” his friend muttered.
“There is that, unfortunately.”
“There’s something else we need to discuss.” Brett’s brow furrowed. “Peter.”
“What about him?”
“According to Jeremy, Peter is well-known enough in the community that he can’t simply disappear without raising suspicions. You or me, it’d be no problem, but Peter is another story.”
Ian frowned. “I hadn’t thought about that. Jeremy’s probably right.”
“He suggested we have a funeral in town. He can arrange for cremation at one of the local mortuaries, so it’s all official in case anyone goes snooping. He apparently knows a guy who runs one of the places that does human cremation.”
“Not surprising, given he’s a doctor, I suppose.” Though Jeremy worked in family practice, sometimes his human patients developed serious illnesses like cancer and died. He, more than any of the pack, had reason to have contact with funeral homes. “If he can get Peter cremated without suspicions of an entirely different sort being raised because of the condition of the body, then we should have a funeral. Peter deserves that.”
Brett nodded. “I’ll ask Jeremy to take care of it then.”
“How’s Carlos doing?”
“Not good.” Worry wreathed his friend’s face. “He asked me to lock him up for the night then Shifted. I hadn’t realized how close he and Peter were. He’s still in the kennel downstairs, grieving the loss.”
Carlos and Peter hadn’t known each other anywhere near as long as Ian and Brett, but friendship was friendship. Ian wasn’t sure how well he’d cope if something happened to Brett. If it had happened before Sophia entered his life, he would’ve given up on life for certain. As much as he’d already been grieving past losses, the death of someone else close to him would’ve been too much. “We’ll have to keep an eye on him for a few days.”
“I agree. So…”—Brett grinned—“did you two call a truce?”
Sophia tensed. The scent of anger radiated from her in an instant.
Ian squeezed her fingers lightly and chuckled. “I suspect you already know the answer to that.”
“No more thoughts of suicide?”
“Not a one.”
“Good. I don’t need the indigestion.”
Ian snorted. “Well, you might have to deal with it for another reason.”
Brett’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Sophia goes into heat the first of May.” He glanced up at her, seeking confirmation.
She nodded.
“That’s earlier than the others, but… so?”
“So… the next full moon is the twenty-ninth. Ten days from now. Depending on the exact day her heat begins, you may have to lead the pack for the upcoming full moon and possibly keep an eye on them until after the next dark moon. I’m not about to make the same mistake with Sophia that I did with Alison. An in-heat female and her mate running with the pack is asking for trouble.”
“Great.” His friend grimaced then sighed. “Oh, well. At least it’s just a couple of weeks or so. I guess I can deal with it, if it means you not doing anything stupid like that time with Alison.” A sly grin peeked out.
Sophia growled softly.
Ian tugged her off the arm of the chair and into his lap. Pulling her close, he whispered into her ear softly enough Brett wouldn’t overhear, “Easy. He’s just teasing. It’s okay.”
She scowled at him but said nothing.
He returned his gaze to his friend. “I’d just as soon not repeat that particular mistake. The pain wasn’t worth it.” Alison had taken quite a chunk out of his lower shoulder and crippled him for a few hours.
Sophia sighed. Her shoulders relaxed as she released the breath then looked at Brett. “How’s Clara doing now that Brimfield is dead?”
“Not good. Their oldest son was among the dead, too.”
She gasped softly.
“That’s made matters worse. She said Brimfield raised their son to be just as evil as he was, so it’s good that he’s dead. But he was her son.”
Ian frowned. “I thought she had two sons?”
Brett nodded. “The other died attempting his first Shift last year. Apparently Brimfield almost beat her to death over that, accused her of producing weak offspring.”
Sophia scowled. “I know it’s not something a good Christian should say, but I’m glad he’s dead. He should’ve been put down a long time ago so he couldn’t hurt others like he has.”
“I agree.” Ian wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her against him. “But he’s gone now. He won’t hurt anyone again. Clara, Hope, and Michael are safe now. We just have to figure out how to convince Clara to live and Michael to come out of his cage.”
Sorrow settled over Brett’s features.
“What is it?”
“Did Jeremy tell you that Clara put me and Kelly down on the birth certificate form as Hope’s parents?”
“No.” That really didn’t bode well.
“Kelly’s convinced it’s a ‘just in case’ type of deal. You know, ‘just in case’ Clara doesn’t survive.”
“You don’t think that.”
“No.”
Neither do I.
Sophia leaned her forehead against the side of his head. Sorrow emanated from her. Apparently she agreed with both of them.
Chapter 34
Later that night, the house was quiet and dark. Ian rolled onto his side to gather his sleeping mate close, trying to sort through all that had happened over the course of the past week. He’d risen
Friday morning without the slightest notion that his life was about to radically change. Beginning with an innocent trip into Flagstaff to the bookstore. He inhaled deeply of Sophia’s scent. So much had happened. It seemed unfathomable that it had been only a week.
Every bedroom was occupied by pack members, in addition to Tommy snoozing on the couch in the living room.
Carlos, still in wolf form, remained in the kennel in the basement. Donna, Tanya, and Annie had made him a bed with several blankets and a foam pad they’d dug up somewhere, so he wouldn’t have to sleep on cold concrete.
Michael, of course, continued to take shelter in one of the vaults. They needed to figure out how to help him. Maybe Annie had some ideas. She’d certainly been helpful with Sophia, thanks to her knowledge of psychology.
O’Neil, Max, and Tanya had recovered fully. Everyone else, Ian included, had healed before morning. Though her wounds had healed, his mate still needed more weight. Time would rectify that. Time and food. He’d make sure she got both.
The faint hum of voices reached through the wall between the bedroom and living room.
He lifted his head to see if he could make out words.
A knock on the door was immediately followed by the door opening partway. Brett stuck his head inside. “Ian, are you awake?”
“Yes. What’s going on?” Ian gently set Sophia away from him, sat up, and turned on the bedside lamp.
“Clara’s missing.”
“What?” So much for wondering how long it would take her to make a move. “How long?”
“Kelly checked on her before we went to bed at nine-thirty. She just finished feeding Adam and Hope and decided to check on Clara before returning to bed, but she’s gone.” His frown tightened. “She left a note.”No need to question that last comment. Ian glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Almost midnight. The woman could’ve slipped out as much as two-and-a-half hours prior. “Is the inner gate closed?”
“No.” Brett grimaced and shook his head. “We’ve been going in and out so much the last couple of days, it’s still open.”
So she could have gone into the Preserve. A lot of ground to cover. Familiar ground, thankfully.
“Alright. Get Jeremy up, if he’s not already. He needs to go with us, in case we find her alive. Wake up Colin and Max, too. Tell them to Shift. They’re our best trackers, and no one knows the Preserve like Colin.”
“Will do.” Brett left, pulling the door closed behind him.
Ian forced himself off the bed, grabbed the clothes that were on the floor, and pulled them on. A horrible foreboding warned that the night wouldn’t end well. Lord, we really need a break from death and grief.
“You won’t find her alive.”
He turned to find his wife sitting up in bed, the sheet clutched to her chest. The illumination of the lamp revealed the sorrow on her face. “I know. If she’s determined to die, we won’t be able to stop her.” He dropped onto the edge of the bed to put on socks and shoes, grabbing the hiking boots he’d discarded days ago by the nightstand.
Sophia turned and lowered her feet to the floor. “I’ll get dressed.”
“No, you stay here.” He purposely softened his tone so she’d know it was a request and not an order.
“Are you sure?”
Ian nodded, got up, and rounded the bed to lean down and kiss her briefly. Then he headed for the door. “I don’t know how long we’ll be. It depends on how far she’s gotten.”
“I’ll be here when you get back.”
He turned, the bedroom door partially open and in hand, and smiled. Love, and hope for their future, made his chest feel full and tight. “You have no idea how much encouragement that gives me.”
The smile that blossomed on Sophia’s face stayed with him as he traipsed through the dark forest with the others. Even knowing the woman they searched for was probably beyond hope couldn’t erase the warmth surrounding his heart. A good woman gave that to a man. He’d forgotten that.
* * *
A few minutes after Ian left, Sophia gave up trying to go back to sleep. She’d fully expected Clara not to survive long, but it still unsettled her. Lord, I wanted to be wrong. I wanted her to be stronger than Mom was, especially since Brimfield is dead and can’t hurt her anymore.
Tossing aside the covers, she climbed out of bed, dressed, and slipped quietly through the living room, trying not to disturb Tommy any more than he already had been. She made her way into the kitchen, turning on the light over the stove, then glanced into the living room.
Tommy slept on without so much as a flinch as far as she could tell. That boy could sleep through a lot, apparently.
The faint scuff of a foot on tile pulled her gaze toward the hallway.
Kelly stood at the end of the breakfast bar, eyes red and puffy, nose red, face tear-stained. She clutched a piece of paper in one hand. Without a word, she closed the distance and offered it to Sophia, who accepted and looked at it. A hand-written note.
Dearest Kelly,
I know you won’t understand what I’m about to do, and I hope you can forgive me. Every time I close my eyes, I see Farley’s face, hear his voice, feel his hands on me all over again. No matter how far away he is, living or dead, he will never be out of my mind. I’m terrified to sleep because I dream of him. Every sound in the darkness is him coming after me. I can’t live this way. I’m sorry.
I love you, and I’m so happy for what you’ve found here with Brett. It’s obvious that he loves you very much and is a devoted husband and father. Cherish that as the rare gift that it is.
Be happy, and don’t hate me. Please.
Clara
Sophia blinked back tears then swept Kelly into a hug.
The woman burst into tears, sobs racking her form.
Gently rubbing her back, Sophia simply held her.
After several minutes, Kelly fell still and quiet, then she stepped back, pulling from Sophia’s embrace. Retrieving a paper towel from the holder by the sink, she wiped her face and blew her nose. Her gaze settled on the floor. “I’m sorry. I promised myself I wouldn’t do that.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind. You have good reason for tears.”
The woman leaned back against the counter, her shoulders slumped in defeat. “It’s my fault.”
“How do you figure?”
“When I first came here and joined the pack, I thought about going to get Clara. Rescue her from Farley. I didn’t do it.”
“That wasn’t your responsibility.” Sophia leaned a hip against the stove and crossed her arms over her chest. “The fact she came here now, of her own accord, proves she could’ve done it before. She chose not to. I think Hope gave her the courage to make the break.”
Kelly nodded. “I think so, too.” She sighed. “When she arrived, I thought if I protected her, she’d recover. She just got worse. Maybe I was too gentle with her.”
“Your sister was broken, badly. That many years of brutality….” Sophia shook her head. “I don’t think anyone could’ve helped her, to be quite honest. She’d lost all sense of self and her desire to live. Unfortunately, even loving Hope couldn’t give that back to her.”
Brett’s mate studied Sophia for a few moments. “She responded with strength when you dealt with her. Not like she did with me.”
“What do you mean?” Sophia cocked her head.
“When you basically ordered her to talk to the FBI agent, that’s the only time I saw any strength in her since she arrived. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you for pushing her. I’m sorry.” Kelly’s gaze fell to the floor again. “Maybe if you’d dealt with her, she’d have found the will to live.”
Sophia shook her head. “If someone can’t find that through their love for people who matter in their life, I doubt a stranger will be much help.” Then again, while they had still been virtual strangers, she and Ian had given each other a new desire for life. Both of them, by their own admissions, had contemplated death over the past several months. Somet
hing neither wanted any longer. She shrugged. “I could be wrong. I don’t know. It’s just… I’m not sure Clara had any strength left to fight the demons of the past. Even for you and Hope.”
Kelly wiped away fresh tears.
“Listen, when I’m stressed and can’t sleep, I bake or cook. I’m thinking cookies.” Sophia offered a small smile. “You want to help?”
“I guess so. Adam and Hope don’t need to be fed again for about an hour, so I’ve got time.” The woman pushed away from the counter. “I certainly won’t be getting any sleep.”
“Understand completely.” She nodded then opened one of her boxes. “I need to get this stuff unpacked.”
“We can do that, too, if you want.”
That could keep them both occupied for a while. “Sure.”
* * *
Friday, April 20, 2018
Light touched the south-facing kitchen window by the time voices outside alerted Sophia to the return of Ian and the others. Most everyone was still in bed, though Tommy had been increasingly restless over the past half-hour or so, on the verge of waking. Kelly had returned to her room to feed the babies.
Sophia scanned the kitchen to be sure everything was back in good order. With Kelly’s help, she’d unpacked her boxes, put away the contents, and broken down the boxes, which lay stacked on the breakfast bar, ready to be hauled off. Cookies were done. Ingredients and cookware put away.
There was a certain satisfaction in a clean, orderly kitchen.
Ian and Jeremy came through the front door, with Colin and Max still in wolf form. Their grim expressions clearly relayed the outcome of their search.
Brett wasn’t with them.
The wolves trotted straight through toward the bedrooms.
Jeremy followed them, head down, shoulders hunched, gaze on the floor. His boots scuffed on the tile, as though he barely had the energy to pick them up.
