The Wolf Siren

by Karen Whiddon

  “How would you know?” Bronwyn didn’t bother to disguise her dismissal, as if she was delivering an unspoken message that Lilly should leave things to the professionals.

  As Kane watched, his little Lilly lifted her chin. “How would I know?” she asked, her voice silk and steel. “I think I’d know better than anyone else what kind of crazy those people are. Especially since I was their prisoner for fifteen freaking years.”

  To Kane’s amusement, Bronwyn’s stiff, military demeanor vanished. She inclined her head, conceding the point to Lilly. “I apologize,” she said quietly.

  “Apology accepted.” And Lilly smiled, making her appear radiantly beautiful. Again Kane had to battle with the urge to pull her against him and publically claim her as his. Which of course she wasn’t. And could never be.

  To his horror, Bronwyn appeared to pick up on this. She studied him intently. “Are you two...mates?”

  Mates. The word he’d managed to avoid even thinking.

  “No,” he answered quietly, the ache in his chest making him feel like a liar. “We’re not.”

  Bronwyn and Lilly exchanged a glance, the kind two women do when they’re having a private conversation. Except this one didn’t even have any words.

  “What else?” he barked. “Surely you have more to tell me than the sad fact that six trained Protectors can’t locate three crazy cultists?”

  His sharp tone didn’t appear to faze her. Slowly, she shook her head. “Nope.”

  “What’s the plan?”

  “We’re going to stay awhile. I need you to clear this with your parents. A few of us are going to try and get jobs in town, and see if we can blend in. We’re betting the perps will surface eventually.”

  Behind him, Lilly made a sound low in her throat. “This is going to take a while, then?”

  Both Kane and Bronwyn turned to look at her.

  “It would appear so,” Bronwyn said, her sharp gaze missing nothing. “I know you’re probably ready to get out of the boonies, aren’t you?”

  “Yes,” Lilly answered, way too fast. The pink flush on her cheeks told Kane she was lying, though he couldn’t understand why.

  “Hey, you’re not insulting me,” he told her softly. “I get stir-crazy if I spend too much time here. I don’t blame you for wanting to get out.”

  Bronwyn cleared her throat, making him realize he and Lilly had locked gazes.

  “I’ve filled you in, so I’ll be going.” Bronwyn’s amused smile told him she’d noticed. With a casual flip of her hand, she took off.

  As they watched her go, Lilly’s pensive expression made him wonder.

  “Sorry.” He went past and held the cabin door open for her. “There’s nothing I can do about your being stuck here with me, at least not until all of this is over with.”

  Pushing on past him, she didn’t respond. Once inside, she headed directly to the kitchen, where she began rummaging in the cabinets as though looking for something to cook. The small frown line between her perfectly arched brows told him she still wasn’t happy.

  “Lighten up,” he told her, fed up and surprisingly hurt, too. “For all you know, it might only be a couple more days.”

  Her head snapped up. “Do you think?”

  “No.” Passing deliberately close to her, he retrieved a soft drink from the fridge and popped the top. He took a long drink, set the can down on the counter and looked at her. “What’s wrong, Lilly?”

  “Nothing.” But she wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  “It’s only natural to be afraid.”

  “I’m not.” Defiance blazed from her eyes. “I’m angry. I don’t understand why they won’t leave me alone. Why me? Haven’t I suffered enough? Why can’t they just go away and let me live my life?”

  “I don’t know.” Though he wanted to gather her close, he resisted, sensing she wouldn’t welcome his embrace, at least not right now. “But you’re getting stronger, every single day. I think it’s been good for you, being here.”

  Briefly, she lowered her lashes. “It has. I’m just feeling restless, that’s all.”

  He thought he understood. “Ever since you learned the three Sanctuary doctors were in the area.”

  “I guess. I can’t help thinking it’s safer to go on the run.”

  “And then what?” Taking another drink of his cola, he sighed. “You can’t spend the rest of your life fleeing.”

  Though she nodded, he could tell she wasn’t entirely convinced.

  Kane’s cell rang. Caller ID showed his brother Kris’s number. “What’s up?” he asked.

  Kris’s voice rang with amusement. “You’d better come up to the main house. There’s someone here to see you.”

  Kane sighed. “I don’t have time for games.”

  “Games?” Kris sounded indignant. “This isn’t a game, I promise. You really do have a visitor. Someone you haven’t seen in a long time.”

  “Just spit it out. Who is it?”

  “Anabel Lee.”

  “What?” Kane groaned, remembering Shawn Ferguson’s claim that Anabel was on the prowl for him. He glanced at Lilly, also remembering that Shawn had said Kane would have to publicly claim her.

  “Yeah,” Kris continued. “She’s in the kitchen, chatting it up with Mom. She acts exactly the way she did back in high school, when she used to come over and wait for you to get home from football practice.”

  “Just send her away.” Kane didn’t bother to keep the annoyance from his voice. “I don’t have time for this.”

  “I’ll try.” Still chuckling, Kris ended the call.

  “What’s wrong?” Lilly asked softly.

  “My old high school girlfriend is here.” He sighed. “I have no desire to reconnect with her.”

  Her blue gaze roamed over his features. “Why not? Are you still in love with her?”

  He couldn’t help laughing at that. “Not hardly. But she’s what they call a drama queen. I can only imagine she’s here to make trouble.”

  “If you say so.” She didn’t appear convinced. “How long has it been since you’ve seen her?”

  Trying to remember, he shrugged. “I don’t know exactly, but it’s been years.”

  “Listen.” A shrill, feminine squeal came from outside.

  Kane grimaced. “Hellhounds. I know that sound.”

  He went to the window and cursed. “I was afraid of that,” he said, as Lilly joined him. “Somehow, she talked Mom into telling her where I was staying.”

  Anabel wore a long black dress and a huge purple hat, the brim completely shadowing her face. She’d always favored an eclectic style of dress, but from what Kane could tell, she looked downright...old-fashioned and frumpy.

  “But why is she circling your car?” Lilly asked. “And making sounds like that?”

  “Apparently she likes red corvettes. As to the pig-squealing sound, she’s always done that. It used to drive me insane.”

  Lilly grimaced. “Is she a witch? I don’t mean the Wiccan kind, but the other, dark type. Assuming there are such things.”

  “Hey, there are vampires, werewolves and fairies,” he said. “So I’m pretty sure there are a few of our kind who practice the darker arts.”

  “Scary.” She shuddered. He couldn’t tell if she was joking. “Though I don’t think they have anything on the torture artists at Sanctuary.”

  Again he wanted to hold her. And once more, he understood he could not. “What the hell am I going to do? I want to send her away, but we need to be careful not to make any enemies in Leaning Tree.”

  She shot him a rueful look. “I guess you’ve got no choice but to go out and greet her.”

  He muttered a curse word. “Only if you come with me.”

  Smile broadening into an all-out grin, Lilly shook her head. “I will. That’s what best friends do.”

  Best friends? Though Lilly claimed she couldn’t handle a relationship, he wasn’t sure he liked the idea of her thinking of him as a friend, best or not. Yet one more
thing he’d have to get over.

  “Come on then,” he growled, holding out his arm before he changed his mind.

  Taking it, she laughed again, apparently amused at his gruff expression. “Do you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend?”

  Though her tone suggested she was kidding, he decided to take her seriously. “Yes. More than that, actually.” Hesitating, he bit the bullet. “I need you to pretend to be my mate. Shawn tried to warn me that night we ate at his place. She’s pushy, but even a woman like Anabel Lee won’t try to come between mates.”

  * * *

  Though Lilly had readily agreed, hearing Kane use the word mate did strange things to her equilibrium. The term seemed fraught with meaning, more intense than a mere fiancée, wife or spouse, suggesting a lifelong commitment that had been predetermined at birth.

  Worse, hearing it applied to her and Kane...the word mate fit somehow. Which was not only a foolish thought, but a dangerous one, as well. A man like Kane could never be saddled with a woman like her. He’d pity her if he knew how badly she wanted him.

  As Kane yanked the front door open and pulled her outside, she had to admit she was curious about what kind of woman Kane had dated in the past.

  Her first up-close glimpse of Anabel Lee made her think someone had taken being named after a character in an Edgar Allen Poe story a bit too seriously. Her raven colored hair was long, almost to her waist, and straight. Anabel also wore a floppy purple hat and flowing black dress that might have been patterned after one from an earlier era.

  She turned with a flounce as Kane and Lilly approached, removing her hat and flipping her hair back over her shoulder in a gesture as antiquated as her appearance. Her heavily mascara’d brown-eyed gaze devoured Kane. She ignored Lilly completely.

  “Kane!” She uttered a shrill squeal before throwing herself into Kane’s arms.

  Luckily for her, he managed to catch her. Holding her at arm’s length, he shot Lilly a look so pleading she almost laughed.

  Instead, she sidled up to the two of them and cocked her head. “Hello,” she said, looking Anabel up and down and hoping her expression appeared friendly enough. What Kane had said made sense. They didn’t want to risk alienating anyone who might come into contact with the Protectors or the doctors from Sanctuary.

  Anabel straightened her spine and collected herself as Kane released her. Dusting off her arms where he’d held her, she gave Lilly a narrow-eyed, appraising look. “Who are you?” she demanded.

  “I’m Lilly Gid— Er, Green,” Lilly said, relieved she hadn’t inadvertently blurted out her real name. She considered holding out her hand and then thought better of it, inclining her chin instead. “And you must be Anabel Lee.”

  “I am.” Anabel glared at her. “What are you doing here?”

  “Lilly’s my fiancée,” Kane put in, ever helpful, though Lilly couldn’t help but notice how he kept his distance from both of them.

  “Fiancée?” Anabel went completely still. The way she’d outlined both her eyes in heavy black eyeliner gave her a racoonish appearance. Kane’s words appeared to stun her. Pain flashed across her face. She looked from Kane to Lilly. “That’s not possible. Kane, you can’t marry her. You’re my mate. You belong with me.”

  For one stunned moment, her words seemed to hang there, bald and unbelievable. Anabel winced, apparently aware that now she’d just exposed her inner emotions without warning, she’d also set herself up for the possibility of being hurt.

  Lilly felt a stab of sympathy for her.

  “Anabel.” Kane lowered his voice, sounding oddly gentle. “I haven’t seen you since high school. We only dated casually in our senior year. You know we aren’t mates. We never were.”

  “Liar.” Anabel’s eyes filled with tears, smudging her mascara and eyeliner. “I’ve waited for you all these years. Ask anyone.” Her voice rose. “I gave Kathy letters once a week to send to you.”

  “Letters?” Now Kane blinked with bafflement.

  Anabel narrowed her gaze. “Don’t tell me your sister didn’t give them to you.”

  “Of course she did,” Kane responded quickly. Since even Lilly could tell he wasn’t telling the truth, she had no doubt Anabel could, as well.

  “Why didn’t you ever write back?” The plaintive note in her voice was both disturbing and, for whatever reason, tugged at Lilly’s heart.

  Kane shook his head. “Enough, Anabel. I really think it’s time for you to go.”

  “I just got here,” Anabel screeched. “I wait years for you to return to me and you finally come home, but you bring this...” Swallowing back a sob, she gestured at Lilly, her hurt and angry expression letting them know whatever term she eventually chose, it wouldn’t be pretty.

  Yet despite all this, the raw wretchedness in her face made Lilly want to comfort her. Crazy? Maybe. Or just confused. Whatever she might be, her raw sense of loss appeared palpable, as if she honestly believed every word she’d said.

  As Lilly stared at her, at a complete loss for words, Anabel’s wolf became visible, like a projector image superimposed over her face. It snarled and lunged at her. Lilly took a step back, right into Kane’s arms.

  She would have moved away, but he held her in place with a steel grip, shielding her in case the other woman did something crazy.

  Meanwhile, Anabel covered her face with trembling hands and sobbed, giving voice to her sense of loss. “First my David goes and leaves me, and now you.”

  “Anabel, I’m sorry for your loss. But I really think you need to leave.”

  At Kane’s sharp tone, Anabel appeared to physically pull herself together. She wiped at her tears, swallowing back a sob. As she stared at Kane, a mocking smile hovered over her hot-pink painted lips. “I know what you’re doing here,” she said, her cool tone containing a subtle threat. “And while I don’t understand how you can break my heart just to protect her, I want you to know that I’ll continue waiting. For as long as it takes.”

  After delivering that pronouncement, Anabel spun around and marched away.

  Lilly watched her go in stunned silence. “What was that?” she asked, finally having the presence of mind to move out of Kane’s arms.

  “I don’t know.” His grim tone contained a note of worry. “Shawn told me she lost her husband six months ago in Afghanistan. Evidently the grief got to her and she’s gone slightly nuts.”

  “I feel bad for her.”

  “I’m more concerned with the way she claims to know who you are.”

  “She didn’t say that. She said she knew what I was doing here.”

  “Same difference.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “I need to fill the team in. Just in case Anabel turns out to be a threat.”

  “Don’t you think she’s too obvious?” Lilly sighed. “I saw genuine hurt in her eyes. If it weren’t for that, I would have thought the entire performance was an act.”

  “Hurt?” He shook his head. “She has no reason to feel hurt. None at all. She has to have some ulterior motive behind acting that way.”

  “She’s grieving. Sorrow can do awful things to some people.”

  “Maybe. But I still need to talk to the team. I also need to get with my brothers and some of my old friends in town. Maybe they can shed some light on to what’s going on with her.”

  “What about the letters she says she sent?”

  “Kathy will know if that part’s true or not.”

  Lilly cleared her throat. “From what I understand, if Anabel truly believes you’re her mate, there’s a very real possibility that you might be.”

  “No.” He didn’t even hesitate. “Anabel is most definitely not my mate.”

  Though the idea of him with anyone else made her entire body hurt, more than anything Lilly wanted Kane to find happiness. If Anabel might be his future, she had to give him a chance to find out. “I think you should go talk to her, just the two of you.”

  His eyes darkened dangerously. “Have you lost your mind? Why would
I do that?”

  Since she needed a good reason, she said the first thing that came to mind. “Because Anabel might just be the one person the ‘perps,’ as you call them, need to get to me. I think it’s better if you don’t make any enemies.”

  He cursed under his breath, but she could tell from his expression he knew she was right.

  “I’ll think about it,” he finally told her.

  “When?” she pushed. Then, because she couldn’t help herself, she took a deep breath. “I’d hate to be keeping you from your destiny.”

  At her words, he went absolutely still. “I don’t believe in destiny,” he snarled, then strode into the bathroom and closed the door.

  A moment later she heard the shower start up.

  Staring after him, Lilly knew he had to give Anabel a chance. Even if in the end, he wasn’t the man for her, the poor woman didn’t deserve to live with such sorrow and regret. During her time in captivity, Lilly had become intimately familiar with grief and an overwhelming sense of loss. She’d spent fifteen years mourning the loss of her brother, only to learn Lucas not only lived, but had believed her dead also. They’d found each other and in the process, Lucas had found Blythe, his mate. Lilly had been delighted at the happiness radiating from them. This sort of joy was exactly what Kane needed.

  And if Anabel might be able to give it to him, so much the better. If not, Lilly wanted to find a way to help the other woman move on, because there had to be something else over the next horizon.

  Now she sounded maudlin. Kane would order her to take off her rose-colored glasses and face reality. Lilly had spent most of her life staring a mean and painful reality in the eye. She was ready for a little happily-ever-after.

  Fine, Lilly decided. If Kane didn’t want to befriend Anabel, then she’d have to do it.

  Chapter 14

  That night, the raw sorrow Lilly had seen in Anabel’s brown eyes kept haunting her. Though she knew she shouldn’t take it personally, she couldn’t help but identify with the other woman. Maybe it was the simple fact that she, having suffered so much at the hands of others, simply could relate to pain.

  While she wanted Anabel on their side, she wanted to help her even more. And if by doing so, she could help Kane, then all the better.