Haley wished she could hear what they were whispering to each other, but their body language said it all. Hunter pulled Katie to him and kissed her on the lips. It was a French kiss where he buried his tongue down her throat as he had done with her. It was a gentle kiss. A kiss you give to a girl on her first date, but clearly this wasn’t Katie’s first date, or her first man. She wrapped her arms passionately around Hunter’s neck.
Envious of the kiss between them, Haley wanted to rush through the patio doors, and ask him what he was doing. But before she could do that, Katie stood and gestured that she had to go back inside. No doubt before anyone missed them especially Devin.
Adrienne came back just in time to see Hunter and Katie parting. She knew what was happening because of her experiences with the Samsa brothers. But this wasn’t the life she wanted for her sons, where they would share Katie. Hunter wasn’t made like that. She knew that if he accepted sharing Katie that he would come to despise her and his brother.
Hunter’s experiences were different from his father. Wilder and his brothers were threatened by extinction. There were no heirs to a vast werewolf fortune.
They had no pack and it was their burden as Samsas and as Alphas to keep the peace within the packs. How could they do that with just three of them? Now because of Adrienne there are eleven males, and with Mena’s werefemales, and Katie there could be more Samsas.
“It’s all arranged. You leave for the airfield tonight. Just take a few things. I will see that some of the money your father left you is at your disposal. It’s a large sum and the rest will be made available when you’re twenty one. Do you have any clothes other than those jeans and shirt?”
“No. It’s a long story.” Haley didn’t have time to tell Adrienne what happened otherwise she wouldn’t have let her go. Adrienne did this all without informing Wilder. She didn’t think she had to tell him and she didn’t.
“Please don’t tell Hunter where I am.” She glanced at Adrienne. “Promise me you won’t tell Wilder either.”
Adrienne didn’t want to keep secrets from Wilder or the brothers, but she felt it was between two woman who are humans, and the Samsa men would understand because they have kept werewolf secrets from her. So she didn’t see anything wrong with one little secret. One lie.
Adrienne will learn that one secret will put Haley in harm’s way and may cause a rift in their family.
Chapter 27
Hunter woke on the floor near his bed. He recognized the surroundings. His bedroom had remained the same when he was kidnapped by the werewolf Bane. A bunk bed which had a car painted on the frame. He glanced over at the picture of a black Porsche. When he was a teenager he liked fast machines.
Pictures of cars and motorcycles dotted every inch of Hunter’s bedroom walls. Instead of pictures of rock stars or young models Devin had covering his room.
Looking around, he thought, I need to get out of here. I’m no longer that person. I have to buy another phone and make arrangements to buy a company, and get another house. He loved the house near the Pacific Ocean, but it was no longer safe since the lion shifter had tracked him to his door.
The days were getting longer and it was warming up. He would go for a ride on his motorcycle to get his mind together. There was a lot of soul searching he had to do before he agreed to share Katie with Devin.
The first thing would be to go into town and buy a smartphone. Hunter opened his closet. He tried on the clothes and they were too small. He didn’t have time to buy any clothes and the only ones he had were in San Francisco, and they were suits.
After a shower, he sneaked into Devin’s room with a towel wrapped around his waist and his chest bare. A nurse coming out of one of the pups’ room appeared shocked and then surprised because she recognized him. She had been his nurse when he was a pup. She smiled and passed him and went on her way.
In Devin’s room and in his closet he found every named expensive pair of jeans a young man could want if he was a rich Hollywood celebrity. Devin had taken to imitating that life style. Hunter never suspected Devin of being a clothes horse.
Embracing that human part of himself, he thought as he pulled a pair of jeans off the hanger. They still had tags on. He stepped into the jeans and zipped them up. Reaching for a shirt, he slid one on to find out that it was too tight across the chest and arms.
The muscles in his chest had made a six pack and his shoulders were overly wide which had been built up from swimming, hunting, and cutting down trees for firewood during the time he had to survive the Alaskan winters.
Instead of a shirt he found a white tee that stretched to fit him. However when he raised his arms, it rose up showing his waist.
Not aware he was barefoot, he closed the door to Devin’s room and sauntered down the stairs to find something in the kitchen. He smelled bacon and eggs and he knew his mother was eating in the dining room. He walked in to see her sitting. Lycell sat across from her and she was laughing. When Lycell saw Hunter his expression changed.
Lycell placed his knife down after eating half his raw steak. “I’ll let you talk to your mother alone.” Hunter walked to the buffet and Lycell moved passed him and then stopped. He and paused and said, “One word to the wise is enough. You wouldn’t listen to me in regards to Katie.” And Lycell looked at him and walked away.
Hunter filled his plate with eggs, bacon, and ham. And sat across from his mother.
“Since when did you start eating cooked meat and that?” She gestured to the toast.
“I figured I had to exist in a human’s world and why not find out what I’m missing. Isn’t that what you wanted? And besides, I had gotten tired of eating beef all the time. Now I eat this. That is until I purchase a house. Then I’ll hunt and fill the fridge with food I can eat in private. Living at that hotel leaves a lot to be desired.” He glanced about.
“Where’s Haley?” Hunter said looking behind him. I thought she would be down for breakfast by now.”
“That’s why Lycell left us alone. I have to talk to you.”
“I know what you want to say. I haven’t made up my mind to share Katie with Devin. I’m thinking I’m considering Haley as a possible mate.”
“Listen to you. Do you think she will wait until you make up your mind?”
“I believe she will. She’s in love with me but she is so young.”
“So are you. You just matured faster, but you are closer to her age than you know.”
“But I feel so much older.”
“That’s because of your experiences in Alaska. That has forever changed you. We all changed. I never thought I could be the mother to grown werewolves and all those pups.” She smiled.
“I’m not happy about you sharing Katie with Devin. He doesn’t want that either, but to keep peace, he’s willing to allow it.”
“But Devin said he was good with it.”
“That’s because he feels guilty. He knew you loved Katie and yet he went after her and eventually she fell in love with him.”
“She says she loves me and that’s why I’m considering it and because Haley is so stubborn, young, and unpredictable.” Hunter’s mouth fell into a disagreeable curl downward.
“So was I. I was all those things, but it took you and Devin to make me grow up and a few other things.”
“Where is she now? Where’s Haley?”
“She left last night when you were trying to make up your mind.”
“No. Why did you let her go?”
“She’s nineteen. I couldn’t stop her.”
“But mother she’s in grave danger. I brought her here to protect her.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Where has she gone?”
“I promised her that I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Does father know about this?” Hunter said. Hunter stood and walked in a circle in the middle of a silk Chinese rug. A worn pattern could be seen in the center from Wilder walking the same outline over and over.
/> “What is it, Hunter? I’ve never seen you like this.”
“There are lion shifters after her, and they will come here looking for her. I didn’t get a chance to warn father to stay nearby. I need to speak to uncle Lycell?”
“He probable left to meet Wilder. Wilder disappeared after the wedding. They’re supposed to go to this cabin in Oregon and meet with some important werewolves from all over the US. They’re going there to discuss the problems facing werewolves.”
“So that leaves Drayton, me, and your six pups,” Hunter said trying to calculate their odds of surviving what’s coming. Adrienne’s eyes opened wide.
“You can’t mean my sons will be able to help you if the lion shifter comes.”
“How many shifters are there?” Adrienne questioned.
“No more than two.”
“Then you don’t need my babies. You, Drayton, and Lycell can take care of them yourselves and I’ll contact Wilder and tell him to come home. ”
“They aren’t babies any more, mother. They are tough. Lycell made sure they’re ready.”
“Ready for what?” She watched with a questioning eye at him. “No. You can’t be serious?”
“But I am, mother. We were born and taught to defend our pack. Didn’t father tell you having werewolves were a risk to a mother? The werewolf mothers understand this. You have to understand it, too.”
“I can’t Hunter. You can’t bring my young sons in the middle of this war.”
“They are Samsas. They will always be in the middle of something. Now where is Haley?”
“She made me promise not to disclose where she is.”
“You have to tell me for her own good,” he said standing over Adrienne.
“I’ll think about it.”
“You have two hours. I have to go into town to get a phone and some clothes.” Hunter turned to leave.
“I forgot. Christine asked about you. I hope you haven’t had anything to do with her. She has a bad reputation around town. And that detective what’s her name, you know the one. Lycell says she’s a werepanther.”
“You mean Claire...”
“Yes, that’s the one. The one with the tan skin and black eyes. Beautiful girl. Stay clear of her too. She looks dangerous.”
“I’ll remember that, mother.” Hunter knew he couldn’t stay under his mother’s roof and he knew he had outgrown Samsaville.
Finally Adrienne let him go with a number of don’t do this and don’t do that. He walked out to his bike and started it up and zoomed down the driveway and on to the road, and then the highway leading into Samsaville. He reached there in fifteen minutes.
There were few cars going in and out of Samsaville. The town had been built in the middle of a forest. It started out as a small town with only a few humans at first and with their families wanting a better life, and if they were educated, all the businesses around would employ them. From the newspaper to the hospital, everyone in that town had a job, and it was all because of the generosity of the Samsas.
As Hunter slowed and looked at all the humans and the majority of shifters, they began to stare at him. Before the town contained nothing but humans, but because of Devin taking the reins when Hunter was gone, the once small town was overrun by shifters. Some good and many bad. It was difficult to tell one from the other until they were caught committing crimes.
The police force wasn’t large enough to control the lawless behaviors of the new inhabitants.
Hunter pulled the motorcycle up to the front of a Verizon store and parked. He was stepping up to enter the store when a tall blond shifter stood in the door way. He was as towering as Hunter, but looked more menacing.
Hunter said, “Excuse me.”
“You’re excused, but you need to wait until I’m out of the way.” It appeared that the shifter was trying his best to intimidate him. He had seen this attitude before. It was with a lion shifter, but he didn’t think there were any in Samsaville because most of the werewolf shifters and smaller shifters were uneasy whenever a lion shifter was around.
Hunter glanced up at the shifter. He looked into his amber eyes and they were cold, blank and wild. This was the sign of a shifter who wasn’t used to living in a town with others where he would have to cooperate. He was a lone rogue shifter. Maybe a mountain lion.
This shifter didn’t know or care about civility. He was hard and cruel and his face showed it.
When Hunter opened his mouth to answer him, a young man walked passed him and said, “Mr. Samsa, I had a great time at the wedding.”
“I’m glad you came and enjoyed yourself,” Hunter said smiling. He shot the shifter a warm smile, and continued walking to the diner next door. When the shifter heard the Samsa name, he stepped out of the door way and gave Hunter a thin smile. But Hunter had avoided him. He looked back at Hunter, as he strolled confident across the street to the department store. Hunter watched him from inside the electronics’ store.
When Hunter purchased his phone, he walked across the street to the department store. He took the escalator to the third floor and found shoes and jeans. He carried a stack of jeans in his arms and laid them on the counter. A woman looked up.
“Will that be all?”
“Yes.”
“But don’t you need shirts?”
“Probably. But for now put these on my account.”
“And you are?’
“Hunter Samsa.”
“I thought I recognized you. You must be a twin. I know your brother. We were good friends until he decided to get married. I hear he had to marry her,” Hunter grimaced at her, his thick eyebrows making a V. “Well that’s what he told me, Mr. Samsa.”
“I wouldn’t listen to everything my brother says.” Hunter didn’t like Devin sharing his personal business with the girl at the counter. She was pretty, thin face with fine features, and he could see why Devin may have been attracted to her. She had a sexy way of talking and walking, which would attract Devin, but he couldn’t see how he would ever choose her over Katie.
“We have some nice designer boxers,” she said pulling a pair out of a small box. “Just right for a werewolf that’s well endowed,” and she gave Hunter a wicked smile and her eyes sparkled.
“I’d love to do both of you,” she said with a throaty low voice. Her tongue moist slid over her top lip, “if you know what I mean.”
Hunter ignored her. “Pick out some flannel shirts and have them brought to the Samsa ranch.” Hunter strode away heading in the direction of the escalators. The young woman counting the items looked up from the counter.
“What about the boxers?”
He turned just as he was ready to step down on the escalator steps. “I don’t wear them. Ever.” She watched as he disappeared down the escalator.
Chapter 28
Haley stepped off the plane in San Francisco. The limo would take her to St Thomas University. She wasn’t excited about the name. She had never heard of it at least not in San Francisco. The name had all the appeal of a place where they turn girls into nuns. She knew she had to find some way to ditch the driver and get away. Now that she had arrived back in San Francisco and had control of her money, she understood what she had to do.
“Stop at the nearest store.”
“I was told to take you directly to the college and wait until you’re checked into the dorms,” the Chinese driver said. He was middle age with a bald spot and wore a black traditional Chinese suit. His voice had the sound of American, but his manner was that of old world Chinese where women were subordinate to men.
“I have a problem.”
“Your problems can be taken care of when I take you to the admissions office. Then you can do what you want, Miss.”
“I have a female problem,” Haley emphasized.
Men don’t usually like to discuss a woman’s time of the month. At least most men, unless they are interested in when they will be able to gauge when they will be able to have sex again, Haley’s mind told her.
Haley gazed into the car mirror and she saw the driver’s face turn chalk white from embarrassment. He angled the car and drove off the highway and down to a gas station with a store.
Getting out of the car she said, “I have to take my bag with me. It will involve a change of clothes. This will take a while. I have to wash out my...”
“Ok, Miss.” He stopped the car and jumped out and opened the door. Haley bounded out and the driver reached and handed her the small back pack filled with some of Adrienne’s jeans, tee shirts, and the money Adrienne gave her in confidence.
She had enough money for everything she needed. That’s probably why Adrienne said to make sure that Haley was deposited at the school’s admission office, and he shouldn’t stop anywhere. Haley took the backpack and hung it across one shoulder and headed in doors. When she walked inside, she looked around and to the left she saw another door and a couple of big rigs parked outside near the door.
When she saw her driver enter the limo, she ducked down and went through that door to the outside. The driver of the rig climbed into the cab and was ready to leave when he noticed Haley sitting next to him.
“You can’t ride with me. It’s against my company’s rules.”
“What if I pay you?”
“You still can’t ride with me unless you’re family and I get permission.”
“How much do you make a year?”
“What does that have to do with anything? You still can’t ride with me. And how old are you anyway. You look like you’re fifteen.”
“It’s the genes. I look younger than I really am. I’m nineteen.” She pulled out a picture ID she made in the Samsas’ computer room, and showed it to him. “Now can I ride with you?”
“How much are you paying?” he asked this time more receptive to her offer.
“I’ll give you ten thousand dollars to drop me off at the Millennium Hotel in San Francisco.”
He glanced at her and then he said, “What the fuck?”
“Just what I was about to say,” Haley said to him and she slid down in the seat. She watched as the driver of the big rig pull around, and she saw the Chinese driver on the phone. He was distracted and didn’t see her.
Insatiable: Moon Tide Book 6 Page 17
