To Trust a Wolf

by Kate Steele

“If you get sick, we’ll play doctor until you’re all better,” Logan teased with an exaggerated leer that had Bryn laughing.

  Logan opened the car door and Bryn carefully settled herself inside. Something was definitely wrong. Her movements felt halting and unsure. Her hands shook as her coordination began to deteriorate. She was having trouble with the seat belt and as Logan leaned near to help, her wide eyes met his with growing distress.

  “Hold on, sweetheart, I’ll get you home,” he soothed quietly.

  Bryn nodded as Logan closed her door and rounded the car. A tremor shook her body as a strong cramp gripped her stomach. She swallowed hard, mortified at the thought of throwing up in Logan’s beautiful car.

  “Hurry, Logan,” she pleaded. “I’m really starting to feel sick.”

  “Try and relax, Bryn. Put your head back and close your eyes, we’ll be there soon.” He strove to keep his voice calm, his worry hidden.

  Logan drove with quick efficiency, the lateness and absence of traffic easing their way. Slowing only long enough to determine the way was clear, he passed through red lights and stop signs.

  Bryn broke out in a cold sweat, and soft moans unconsciously passed her lips as she fought to maintain control. She was oblivious to her surroundings.

  Unbeknownst to her, her sudden illness had raised Logan’s suspicions. He pulled out his cell phone and made a call.

  The car slowed and pulled into a long, winding drive. Bryn opened her eyes and fought to focus. “This isn’t my house,” she murmured, as the partial brick and stone façade swam into view.

  “No, it’s mine. It was closer, sweetheart, and Dr. Maigrey’s on his way.”

  Disoriented and fighting her stomach’s imminent eruption, Bryn made no protest as Logan gently gathered her in his arms and carried her into the house. The weightless, swaying motion she experienced as he carried her was almost her undoing.

  “Bathroom, hurry,” she croaked.

  She held on tight as he took the stairs two at a time, depositing her in the bathroom just in time. Bryn went to her knees in front of the toilet and lost her struggle. Several minutes later she realized that Logan was still with her.

  “God, Logan, get out of here,” she gasped as another cramp hit.

  “Not a chance. Just let it go, baby. I’m staying right here.”

  Bryn felt his arm encircle her middle, his hand splayed on her midriff, lightly rubbing. His other hand held back her hair. He crooned soft, comforting words as she fought her way through each spasm.

  When her paroxysms finally slowed, Logan grabbed a washcloth, soaking it with cool water. Bryn closed her eyes as he ran it carefully over her face. Her eyelids and lips were slightly swollen, her complexion waxen pale. When she opened her eyes he smiled sympathetically.

  “This has got to be the most humiliating experience of my life,” Bryn revealed. She was exhausted, her thoughts muddled.

  “Logan!” a strong male voice hailed from downstairs.

  “Dr. Maigrey,” Logan explained, squeezing her shoulder. He walked into the bedroom to yell down, “Up here, doc.”

  Dr. John Maigrey entered the bathroom with an air of calm confidence. “What seems to be the trouble here?” he asked, and listened as Logan explained. He watched Bryn, observing the pale clammy skin, dilated pupils and unsteady movements. As he leaned in to listen to her heart with his stethoscope, he caught a faint, but familiar odor.

  “Have you taken any prescription or over-the-counter meds in the last few hours, Bryn?” At her negative response he prepared a syringe. “I’m going to take a small blood sample,” he explained.

  Eyeing the needle, she felt her stomach tighten again. “Go away for a minute, please?” she pleaded.

  “Young lady, I’ve seen just about everything the human body can excrete. You go right ahead and do what you need to do.”

  Helplessly, Bryn turned and greeted what appeared to be her new best friend. Afterward Logan again wiped her face. “This is turning into a real red letter day for me,” she quipped in spite of her discomfort. “I’ve now thrown up in front of two handsome men instead of just one.” Slow tears of helpless frustration trickled down her pale cheeks.

  “It’s all right, baby,” Logan soothed, gathering her close and slowly rocking her as he rubbed her back.

  “Don’t rock, Logan,” Bryn begged, as she struggled to get herself under control. “It’s like being on a boat. I get seasick, too,” she warned, as Logan urged her to sit on the rim of the tub.

  Dr. Maigrey smiled at her comment as he took the blood sample, then filled another syringe with a small amount of fluid from a little bottle. “I’m going to give you a shot that should stop the nausea,” he explained.

  “Bless you,” she breathed sincerely, wincing only slightly at the pinch of the needle. Relief loosened her tense muscles.

  “That should do it, dear. I want you to rest. Drink plenty of fluids as soon as your stomach settles. You need to recoup some of your losses,” he ordered kindly.

  “Thank you, Dr. Maigrey,” Bryn replied, her gratitude plainly apparent. “I really appreciate you helping me. I didn’t think doctors made house calls anymore.”

  “Well, Logan and I go back a few years and I owe him a favor or two. You take care of yourself, Bryn. I’ll let you know the results of the blood test.” He surreptitiously motioned for Logan to follow him out of the bathroom.

  “I need to talk to you,” John explained softly as he headed toward the bedroom door.

  “Let me get Bryn settled and I’ll be right down,” Logan agreed. “Help yourself to a drink or raid the kitchen if you like.”

  He smoothed the frown from his face and returned to the bathroom to find Bryn still perched on the edge of the tub. He knelt in front of her, smoothing back her hair. “Feel better, sweetheart?”

  She nodded tiredly. “Yeah.” Her eyes looked huge in her pale face, and were accentuated by the dark circles that had formed under them. She reached out with trembling fingers and softly brushed the warm skin of his cheek. “Thank you.”

  Logan felt touched to his very soul at the depth of meaning conveyed by her eyes, the gesture, and her simple words. He engulfed her cold hands in his, transferring his warmth to her. “I’ll always take care of you, Bryn,” he promised.

  She smiled. “Are you going to take me home now?”

  “No, baby, you’re staying here where I can keep an eye on you. And you may as well save yourself the trouble of arguing. It’s non-negotiable,” Logan warned her with gentle determination.

  She considered her options and gave in without a fight. “Okay. Do you have a toothbrush I can use?”

  Logan grinned and chucked her playfully under the chin. “Smart girl.” He chuckled as she stuck her tongue out at him. He supplied her with the toothbrush and disappeared into the bedroom, reappearing with a t-shirt and the robe his mother had given him one Christmas that he rarely wore.

  “Thought you could use these,” he explained, laying them on the counter by the sink. “Do you want to take a bath or shower before bed?” At her nod he pulled a couple of clean towels out of the cupboard. “You should take a bath,” he suggested. “You might get dizzy standing under the shower. Or,” he paused, trying to look innocent but failing utterly as a wicked smile graced his lips, “you could wait for me and I’ll shower with you. Just to make sure you don’t fall,” he qualified.

  Bryn frowned. “You’ve already had the privilege of seeing me barf,” she intoned sarcastically. “There are only so many intimacies I’m allowing in one day. Get out.”

  Logan felt relief at her ability to banter. She was feeling better.

  “I’ll go,” he conceded, placing a kiss on her forehead. “But be careful.”

  As the door closed behind him, Bryn sank to the tub’s rim, her knees unsteady. Gathering her waning strength, she brushed her teeth and slowly undressed. Adjusting the water temperature, she stepped under the shower and sighed as the warm water cascaded over her aching body.
Her mind detached for a moment and she caught herself swaying. The thought of what Logan would say if she pitched out of the tub galvanized her into finishing quickly. She dried herself and pulled the t-shirt on, shrugging over her lack of clean underwear. The soft hunter green tee fell almost to her knees. Wrapping herself in the robe, she emerged from the bathroom into the bedroom beyond, and wondered where she would be sleeping. Unwilling to just jump into what might be Logan’s bed, she settled into the comfy wingback chair by the window and almost immediately dozed off.

  * * * * *

  Downstairs in the kitchen Dr. Maigrey was applying himself to a roast beef sandwich when Logan entered. He saluted Logan with his sandwich and swallowed. “Trust a lupine to have the best beef. You got this from Dave Newberry over in Sheraton County, didn’t you?”

  “Guilty. Nobody raises beef like Dave,” Logan acknowledged. He seated himself at the table across from John. “Tell me.”

  “She was drugged,” John stated baldly. “Did you notice that faint tangy odor?” At Logan’s nod he continued. “It’s a special mix of certain drugs and herbs. It’s been making the rounds of the younger lupine set, who use it for a buzz. For our kind it’s relatively harmless, considering our resistance to addictive substances. But for a human? Well, you saw the result.”

  “Son of a bitch.” Logan’s quiet wrath spelled trouble for the party responsible. John could almost feel sympathy for them. Almost.

  “Luckily, it made her sick before it was completely absorbed into her system. Judging by the dilation of her pupils and the general disorientation and loss of motor function, I’d say that if she hadn’t gotten rid of the contents of her stomach, that young woman could have been in serious condition right now.”

  Logan rose and began to pace the kitchen. “I’m going to kill that bitch,” he swore.

  “Who was it, Logan?” John kept his tone steady. He’d never seen Logan so close to losing control. The thought of what could happen was not good.

  “Lillian Adair.” He spit the name out like an oath. “She showed up while Bryn and I were having dinner at O’Neal’s. She dropped her purse toward the end of her oh-so cordial visit. That had to be when she slipped that stuff into Bryn’s tea. The rest of us were distracted picking her crap up off the floor. She and her friend Reece Cofield were the only other weres in the place, and he never got close enough to do the job, I’m sure of it.”

  “This is serious, Logan, but you can’t go off half-cocked,” John advised. “To make that kind of an accusation with no proof will bring nothing but trouble.”

  “I know,” Logan conceded. “But I can’t let this go unpunished.”

  “You’ll think of something. For now, stay cool and use your head.” He sighed and gathered up his bag, heading for the door. “I’m taking myself home to bed.”

  Logan clapped John on the shoulder. “Thanks, Doc, I really appreciate you coming.” He paused thoughtfully. “And for the sound advice.”

  “No problem, Logan. Keep an eye on Bryn for the next couple of days. The only problem I anticipate may be stomach upset, and I left some pills upstairs on the nightstand. Keep her close just in case.”

  “Oh, I intend to keep her close,” Logan grinned. “She’s mine, my mate.”

  John was delighted. “Congratulations! She’s unmarked. I had no idea.”

  “Neither does she. Yet,” Logan confessed with a nervous laugh.

  John chuckled. “Good luck, buddy. I get the feeling when she’s more herself she’s a feisty one.”

  “Oh yeah,” Logan agreed. “My Bryn can be a real firecracker.”

  “Good for her. That just adds to the excitement.” John paused, then solemnly intoned the formal words, “May you both enjoy the chase.”

  “Thank you, my friend,” Logan replied, bidding John goodnight.

  Logan locked up and returned upstairs, anxious to check on Bryn. He found her sound asleep in the wing chair in his bedroom. Quietly approaching her, he was pleased to see the return of faint color to her cheeks.

  As he bent down and lifted her into his arms, she stirred, grumbling in irritation.

  “Why didn’t you get into bed, baby?” he asked softly.

  “I didn’t know where you wanted me,” she mumbled, yawning.

  “Under me would be good,” he muttered.

  “Hmm?”

  Logan grinned. Good thing she’s so sleepy, he thought. He put her down, sliding her out of his robe and into his bed. Turning the lights out he quickly undressed and joined her. A deep sigh of satisfaction passed his lips as Bryn immediately snuggled up to him. He gratefully acknowledged his body’s willingness to let her presence in his bed go without having to fight off its normally insistent sexual urges. The worry he’d suffered, along with his protective instincts were apparently keeping his libido in check. He nuzzled his face in her hair, drifting off to sleep with the certain knowledge that Bryn was well and right where she was supposed to be.

  A few hours later he wasn’t so sure. Bryn began to squirm around and he woke, immediately solicitous. “Are you all right, baby?” he whispered, leaning over her. She pulled at the t-shirt she wore. “Hot, don’t want this,” she muttered as she struggled with it.

  “Hold on, sweet, we’ll get it off you.” Logan took a deep breath and got the shirt untwisted, neatly pulling it over her head.

  Bryn immediately quieted, drifting back to sleep. Logan immediately got a hard-on.

  “Have mercy,” he groaned reverently, swallowing.

  Bryn lay stretched out in peaceful abandon. His superior night vision allowed him to see her quite clearly. Voluptuous was the word that came to mind. Her body was soft, rounded and curvy in all the right places.

  He reached out and lightly cupped the full, firm swell of one breast. The nipple instantly beaded, pushing into the palm of his hand. He let his hand trail slowly down her abdomen. Her skin was smooth and warm, silk and satin under the slow glide of his fingers. Stopping to graze the soft curls at the apex of her shapely thighs, he paused as she stirred restlessly.

  Hovering over her, he was mesmerized by her smell. His nose followed the trail his hand made as he breathed in the heady aroma of his mate. Arriving at her mound, he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. He imagined parting the delicate folds, his tongue laving the swollen lips and the nectar-filled inner tissues. A low growl issued from his throat, bringing him back.

  She’s been sick, she’s been sick, she’s been sick, he repeated over and over, and with a heartfelt groan he removed his hand, pulling the covers back over her tempting body. Logan turned on his side with his back to her, hoping the removal of at least the visual part of the temptation would help.

  His hope was short-lived. Bryn again nestled close. The twin peaks of her nipples burrowed into his back as her soft curves fitted against him. He could feel the brush of her pubic hair against his buttocks.

  “Dear Lord,” he groaned, and steeled himself to endure the rest of the night in frustrated torture.

  * * * * *

  Bryn woke abruptly, alone in the early morning. She climbed out of bed, groggy and confused, the vague notion of going home whirling in her brain. She shakily donned the robe that had been left at the foot of the bed and stood forlornly in the middle of the room, at a loss as to what to do next.

  Having heard the faint movements upstairs, Logan arrived to check up on her. “Going somewhere, little girl?” he questioned fondly. She looked so sexy and yet so sweet, all sleepy and disheveled.

  She ran an unsteady hand through her hair. “I thought I should go home…but I feel icky,” she complained pettishly.

  “Aw, baby, come here.” Logan approached, holding out his arms. Bryn drifted into his embrace.

  Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he settled her on his lap. “Do you hurt anywhere in particular?”

  “My stomach hurts a little,” she answered. “But I mostly just feel yucky all over.” Her head rested on his shoulder.

  “Doc left some stuff
for your stomach.” Logan indicated the bottle on the nightstand. “He thought you might need something. Let’s get you back in bed.” He lifted her up and reached for the tie on the robe she wore.

  “Hey, hold on now,” she said, taking an unsteady step back.

  “Bryn, you know you don’t like to sleep in anything, so you might as well shed the robe now,” he pointed out reasonably.

  She favored him with a fierce scowl. “I know I don’t like to sleep in anything, but how do you know?” As soon as the question left her lips, the memory of his warm naked body pressed against her own sailed into her head. “You slept with me!” she accused.

  “Yes I did,” Logan admitted calmly. He fixed her with a serious, steady look. “You may as well get used to it, because it’s going to be happening quite a bit from now on.”

  Her mouth opened, working, as incoherent noises emerged.

  Logan tilted his head. “You look like a fish.”

  “You…you can’t just say stuff like that,” Bryn gasped, outraged.

  “Well, honey, you were making fishy faces,” he deliberately teased, and began working his own mouth in imitation.

  “You know I meant that ‘sleeping together’ comment,” she hissed.

  Logan smiled, then considered her for a moment as she silently fumed. “Something special is happening between us, Bryn,” he declared solemnly. “I know you feel it, just as I do.” He waited expectantly for her acknowledgment. She nodded, a reluctant movement, but nevertheless an agreement. “I know this isn’t easy for you, baby. Betrayal is not an easy thing to recover from. But Bryn—” Logan took her face in his hands, “—if you’ll give me the benefit of the doubt, I’ll prove you can trust me, just as I’m going to trust you.” His lips tenderly brushed hers. “But for now, let’s see about getting you well. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she agreed. Bryn found herself entranced by Logan. His obvious care of her and for her was disarming, and she found herself more and more willing to believe in him.

  She took the pills he offered and drank them down with an entire glass of water, not realizing until then how thirsty she’d been.