FMR

by SL

  "Oh my! They're wolves, too!" Jac's eyes widened. It was all so

  unbelievable, but she knew he was telling her the truth.

  Ray gave a light chuckle and nodded. "Yes, they're sithech, too.

  Bruce and I are also pack guardians and Ernie's in-training, if we can

  keep him away from the computer long enough."

  He turned from the window and took a seat on the edge of the

  mattress. Giving her a compassionate smile, he scooped up her hand

  and affectionately squeezed it.

  Ray's tenderness soothed her nerves. Clearing his throat, he

  continued. "According to statistics, twenty percent of Heather Grove's

  population is descendants of the sithech, Jac. Some have more or less

  of the blood in them, but they're all wolf."

  Silence fell between them a moment. Jac thought about a minute,

  then grinned, "Well, they say every small town has its secrets. Why

  should Heather Grove be any different?"

  "You have a good point," Ray returned her grin. "However, when

  the moon is full in this town, it magnifies the sithech-blood. All sorts

  of weird things happen. We jokingly call it the three-F's – fear,

  fighting and fucking."

  She felt her cheeks sting with color. Her stomach flipped a nervous

  flop. "Ray, about last night ... was that just, you know, fucking?"

  Ray's face went serious again. He shook his head. "No, Jac, it

  wasn't." He leaned closer, brushing her lips with a soft kiss. A

  familiar heat rose up her spine. She desperately wanted the kiss to

  deepen, but he drew away. "What we did last night wasn't just a

  'fuck', Jac. I'd like to believe we made love."

  Jac's lips formed a silent 'o' as he stood, removing his hand from

  hers. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest. Did he just say love?

  Jac's gaze followed him as he strolled back to the kitchen. He was so

  sure, so confident ... and she was flabbergasted. Stunned.

  She raised a palm to her forehead, her heart pounding wildly in her

  chest. Oh Jac! You're falling in love with a ... with a wolfman! It was

  so surreal, so unbelievable, Jac gave a nervous giggle.

  "Hey!" Ray called out from the kitchen, breaking through her

  rambling thoughts. "You'd better hit the shower soon. We're leaving

  for town in one hour."

  CHAPTER 9

  The ride into town was pleasant enough. Ray grumbled a bit when

  Jac had switched his classic Rock radio station to one that played retro

  80's hits. However, as he stole a glance over to her, shifting through

  papers in her battered folder in the passenger seat, he found it difficult

  to be grumpy with her.

  Damn, man, what happened to you last night? He'd always played

  by his own rules, but, for some reason, he'd given into her without too

  much protest. Ray pushed aside his nagging conscience and cleared

  his throat.

  "So, what are you going to tell your editor about the article?"

  Jac shook her head. "I don't know. So many things have happened

  in the past twelve hours or so, it's hard to tell." She shrugged.

  "You can always write an article about Heather Grove's tranquil

  beauty," he suggested.

  "It is a nice town," she nodded in agreement. "But my editor's

  expecting a story that will sell lots of magazines. It all boils down to

  the almighty dollar."

  "Humph. That doesn't sound creative or fun." Ray frowned. "Say,

  have you ever thought of writing a novel?" He smiled over at her,

  arching an eyebrow.

  "Well, I've thought about it. You know, writing the great American

  novel? Maybe one of these days, I will." Her soft dreamy voice

  tugged at his heart.

  "You should." He nodded as Jewel's appeared over the dashboard,

  straight ahead. Ray tapped the breaks and flicked on his signal,

  pulling the truck to a smooth stop in front of the diner's entrance.

  "Aren't you going to park?" Jac asked, stuffing her papers back into

  her laptop bag.

  "No, I thought I'd head over to the garage and check on your car."

  "Oh? Are you trying to get rid of me already?" Jac made a face, but

  he could tell she was just kidding.

  "No, not likely." He smirked.

  Jac flashed him a smile. It was her smile which had won his heart.

  She was such a beautiful, intelligent and funny woman. Just the

  thought of her leaving town filled him with an unnamable dread.

  Once again, pushing his doubts aside, he gestured to the diner door.

  "Why don't you go inside and set up your laptop? I'll meet you here

  after I'm done at the garage."

  "All right." Jac nodded, reaching for the door handle.

  "Jac?" She stopped in mid-motion. "I meant what I said back at the

  house."

  "What's that?"

  "You still could be in danger. So be careful and keep your eyes

  open. Okay?"

  "All right. Okay." She winked, then swung the door open and

  stepped down out of the cab.

  She flashed him a smile and slammed the truck door.

  Ray watched until she'd entered the diner before he put the truck

  back into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. His emotions were in

  mild chaos. No woman had ever affected him this way.

  But, this wasn't just any woman. It was Jac Hamilton. Deep in his

  gut, Ray knew she was his mate.

  There were only two problems. One, she was human and Ray

  wasn't sure if she'd be receptive to the idea of being a wolf-blood's

  mate. And, second, as far as he knew, another sithech was still trying

  to kill her. Ray exhaled a heavy sigh while he changed gears.

  Sometimes being a pack guardian really bites!

  * * * *

  The diner was fairly busy. Jac found a vacant booth and slipped in,

  surveying the room around her. The scent of homestyle cooking was

  making her stomach growl. After she'd set up her laptop, she reached

  for a menu.

  "Well, hello there. I'm surprised to see you're still in town."

  Jac glanced up from the menu. Mary Lynn stood in front of the

  booth with her pen poised on her notepad.

  "Yes, I'm still around," she casually replied.

  "So, are you expecting someone else?" She gestured to the empty

  seat in front of Jac.

  "Maybe a little later." Jac shrugged, then placed her order.

  Mary Lynn flashed a lopsided smile. "We're a bit busy today, but

  your breakfast will be ready soon," the waitress assured her, then

  headed for the bustling kitchen.

  Jac returned her attention back to the screen. Damn. She shook her

  head. Her editor had emailed her over a dozen times. Maybe I

  should've called him after the attack. But, she didn't want Frank

  Collins to know she was having difficulty with her assignment.

  Drawing a deep breath, she decided to send Frank a quick email.

  I'll just tell him I'm still investigating the story, she resolved. Her

  fingers flicked over the keyboard then she paused. Her fingers

  hovered over the flat keys when the hair on the back of her neck rose.

  Someone was watching her. She knew it.

  She raised her eyes from the screen, glancing around the diner. The

  place was busy with the usual breakfast crowd. Nothing seemed out

  of the ord
inary, but then, Jac spotted a lone man seated at the counter,

  sipping on his coffee. He was a mature gentleman with thinning red

  hair. Dressed in a jacket, white dress shirt and tie, she deduced he

  was a business man.

  He glanced in her direction and met her gaze. The gentleman gave

  a lazy nod of his head in greeting. Jac blushed. Returning a nod she

  then lowered her eyes back to the computer screen.

  Damn it! I'm getting paranoid!

  A few moments later, she hit the 'send' button, satisfied her vague

  response to her editor's emails would pacify him until she could figure

  out what to do. After Mary Lynn brought over her breakfast, she ate,

  mentally pondering her dilemma.

  From all she learned from Ray and Megan about the sithech, her

  interview with Mr. White was worthless. Pretty much everything the

  older man had denied was, in one way or another, true. There were

  wolves in Heather Grove, but not ordinary animals. They were

  humans with the blood of wolves who were affected by the moon.

  Jac reached into her bag and pulled out the rumpled folder,

  scanning her notes. Surely there's something here I can create into a

  sellable story, she mused. A wave of sadness suddenly overwhelmed

  her as something dawned on her. When I get the promotion, then I'll

  have to stay in Charlotte.

  Sighing with frustration, she took a sip of coffee as her emotions

  toiled. She knew it was all so sudden, but her feelings for Ray had

  escalated during their short time together. And, if she left Heather

  Grove, then where would that leave their budding relationship?

  And he won't leave here. This is his home. He's also a guardian of

  his pack. Jac palmed her face, attempting to shut out the world

  around her and think. There's gotta be an answer ...

  "Uh, excuse me, miss." A deep, gravelly voice caught Jac's

  attention.

  Whisking her hand from her face, she gazed up. A gentleman was

  standing in front of her booth, smiling down at her. It was the

  businessman from the counter.

  "Are you Jacqueline Hamilton from The Inside-View?"

  * * * *

  Ray glanced down at his watch. He'd been cooling his heels since

  he'd got to the garage to chat with Derek. His brother-in-law was very

  busy. Derek stood out in the parking lot haggling with the scrap

  salesman over used automotive parts.

  Turning back to the garage, he decided to wait in the makeshift

  waiting room. The scent of freshly brewed coffee greeted his senses

  as he walked in, shaking off the cold. Ah yes! He grinned, grabbing a

  foam cup and filling it to the brim.

  A blast of cold air brushed his back as someone entered from the

  outside. Ray turned and smiled. "Hey, sis!"

  Megan was a sight in her hot pink jogging suit, which was in stark

  contrast to her flaming red hair. It was pulled back with a tie from her

  face, making her look like a teenager instead of a mature woman.

  "Hey yourself." She grinned. "You're just the person I needed to

  see." She stepped over, brushing a kiss to his cheek, then glanced

  around the room. "Where's Jac?"

  "She's over at the diner checking her email. I thought I'd swing by

  and check on her car." Ray paused, intently gazing at his sister.

  Something in her aura wasn't right. His gut tightened, the smile

  vanishing from his face.

  "Why aren't you at work, Meg?" he asked, gesturing to her jogging

  suit while she poured herself a cup of coffee. "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing's wrong, Ray." She shrugged. "I had an appointment this

  morning and took the rest of the day off."

  "Uh-huh." He nodded, not believing her. "Is that why your aura's

  doing strange things?"

  "Ray, I could never hide things from you." Megan snickered.

  "No, you can't," he frowned. "Now, what's going on?" He knew he

  was sounding firmer than he should. After all, he was her big brother.

  Megan took a quick sip of coffee, then set down the cup, clasping

  her hands in front of her. Her emerald eyes appeared to glow in the

  florescent lighting of the room. Ray held his breath, waiting.

  "Ray," you're going to be an uncle!"

  It felt as if a two-by-four had ploughed into his stomach. "I-I'm

  what?" He plopped the coffee cup onto the counter, its contents

  splashing over the side.

  Megan lowered her hands to her belly. "An uncle," she repeated.

  "Derek and I sensed it last week, but we had to be sure. I've just come

  back from the doctor's office. The results are positive."

  "Sis!" Happiness overwhelmed him as he swept her up into his

  arms. "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you ... for Derek! A baby!

  I'll be damned!" Tears stung in the corners of his eyes. Releasing his

  hold on Megan, he quickly swiped a hand over his eyes. "That's great

  news!"

  "I knew you'd take it well." She laughed. "Derek wasn't sure you

  were ready to be an uncle yet, but I told him you'd be just as excited

  as we are."

  Ray took Megan's hands, holding them tight to his chest. "I only

  wish Mom and Dad were around to share the good news," he replied

  in a gentle, yet somber tone.

  "Me, too," Megan nodded then smiled again. "I've already called

  Ritchie on the way over here. He's thrilled too."

  "Ritchie? Where is that wolf-hound, anyway?" Ray raised an

  eyebrow. For twins, he and his brother were nothing alike.

  "I don't know." Megan shrugged. "But he said he'd be back in town

  at the end of the month."

  "Oh, really?"

  She nodded with a wide grin.

  The garage's waiting room door swung open, accompanied by

  another gust of cold air.

  "Damn, it's cold out there," Derek cursed, slamming the door

  behind him, then stopped dead in his tracks.

  Ray met his gaze. The scent of sithech ... alpha male sithech filled

  the small room. He was feeling so much love for his sister, his wolf-

  senses were sending out a strong vibration of dominance and

  protection.

  Derek took a cautionary step back. "So, does he know?" the young

  mechanic asked Megan, yet his gaze didn't waver. Deep down, Ray

  respected his sister's mate.

  "I sure do, daddy." Ray grinned. The tension in the room

  evaporated in an instant. He extended a hand to his brother-in-law.

  They clasped hands in a hardy handshake. "Congratulations!"

  "Thanks." Derek smiled, relief shining in his eyes. The mechanic

  glanced to his wife. "Excuse me." Ray released his hand, allowing

  him to cross over to Megan. Derek encircle her in his arms.

  Ray smiled, watching the happy couple. Returning to his coffee, he

  took a big sip, but his mind was racing. In eight or nine months, there

  would be a baby in the family ... a new sithech in the pack.

  The cycle of life's truly amazing, he thought with a smug smile then

  another thought crossed his mind.

  "Meg, you know you won't be able to change during your

  pregnancy, right?" he reminded her in a gentle, yet firm tone.

  "I know. No going sithech until after the baby's born. It might

  jeopardize the pregnancy, but you won't have to worry about
me." She

  smiled. "Besides, according to the doctor, being pregnant will help

  control the 'full moon fever'."

  Full moon fever. Ray's thoughts immediately returned back to Jac.

  "Uh, Meg, could you stick around until I check with Derek about

  Jac's car?" He gave his sister a pleading gaze. "I need some, uh,

  womanly advice."

  "Sure, bro." Megan nodded, stepping out of Derek's embrace and

  laid a gentle hand on Ray's arm. "Anything for you."

  * * * *

  Jac's heart was hammering in her chest. She'd been so wrapped up

  in her own thoughts she hadn't heard the business man approach.

  "Yes, I'm Ms. Hamilton." She nodded.

  "My name's Cameron White." The gentleman extended his hand.

  As Jac took his hand, she felt a familiar warmth up her arm. It had

  been the same with Megan and Ernie, too. The man had sithech-

  blood. There was little doubt in her mind. She withdrew her hand.

  Cameron's polite smile never wavered from his face. He gestured

  to the empty seat. "Would you mind if I sit a spell? My legs aren't

  what they used to be, I'm afraid." His voice was rich and deep with a

  mesmerizing Southern drawl.

  "Sure, but only for a moment." She managed a thin smile. "As you

  can see, I'm busy."

  "Yeah, you must have a deadline eating away at you," he chuckled,

  settling into the seat across from her.

  "As a matter of fact I do."

  "Well, I'll get straight to the point, Ms. Hamilton. I'm a news man

  myself. Been so all my life," he said with a grin. "I've worked for

  The New York Times and with other big newspapers before I decided

  to come back home, back to my roots."

  "You're a journalist, too. How interesting," Jac mused out loud.

  "But, what's that got to do with me?"

  "You conducted an interview with my cousin, Jess White, the other

  day, didn't you?"

  Jac merely nodded, curious where Cameron was leading.

  "I've got nothing against those glossy, big dollar magazines, miss."

  The man's smile slipped away. "I would just suggest that you

  reconsider writing that story about our small town." He leaned

  forward and lowered his tone. "And about the wolves."

  The hair on the back of her neck prickled. Jac scooted back in her

  seat, attempting to put some distance between them. She suddenly

  felt claustrophobic in the confines of the booth.