Wolf of her Own

by N. J. Walters

  Mikhail ambled over to the table and joined the other men. “Why?”

  Reece dragged his fingers through his hair. “Damned if I know. He wants to reconnect with Hannah.”

  “What do you need from me?” Whatever they needed from him, he’d do. “And what does Jacque think of this?” The alpha couldn’t be pleased with this new development. He wasn’t fond of bringing strangers onto pack land.

  “Jacque told Troy he has to come alone. He can’t bring other members of the pack here.” Sage rubbed his brother’s shoulder, offering support.

  “I need you to keep an eye on the bastard while he’s here.” Reece placed his forearms on the table and leaned inward. “I don’t trust him.”

  “You’re angry with him because he abandoned Hannah when she was eighteen,” Sage pointed out.

  “Damn right I’m angry.” He fisted his hands. “He claims he did it in order to protect himself and Hannah from his former pack, but he left her alone.”

  And the world was a hard place for werewolves on their own. Mikhail knew that, and so did his sister. She’d been driven to leave their pack in order to save herself, and he’d washed his hands of them when he’d learned what they’d done to her. Mikhail didn’t blame Reece for being angry.

  “When is he coming?” Mikhail figured the men of the pack would want to get together and discuss security concerns.

  “Tonight.” Reece looked disgusted. “Bastard waited until he was close before he called Hannah.”

  Mikhail found it curious that the man hadn’t given much advance warning. It wasn’t going to win him any favor with the alpha of the Salvation Pack. And that wasn’t smart, not if he was truly hoping to forge a new relationship with his daughter. “How does she feel about his visit?” It couldn’t be easy for her to face her father.

  Reece wrapped his hands around his mug. “Scared. Excited. Upset. Depends on the minute.”

  Mikhail figured this was not going to be a fun-filled, happy reunion. “I’ll watch him.” He imagined all the men would keep a close eye on the situation.

  Footsteps sounded outside, and all three of them swiveled their heads toward the door. It opened, and a blast of cold air rushed in, followed by Rina and Hannah. They both stamped their feet on the mat outside before stepping in and sliding off their boots.

  Sage jumped to his feet and went to his mate. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Thought you ladies were going for a walk.”

  Rina went up onto her toes and kissed her husband. “We were, but we decided you two”—his sister glanced his way and smiled—“or rather you three, would only spend your time worrying about Hannah’s father, so we figured it was better for us to join you.”

  Reece shoved away from the table and stalked over to his mate. Hannah was a beautiful redhead with blue eyes, and she was more than able to handle Reece Gallagher. Hands on her hips, she glared up at him. “Everything will be okay.” Mikhail wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince, Reece or herself.

  Reece pulled her roughly into his arms and buried his face against the top of her head. “Of course it will, sweetheart,” he assured her.

  Restless, Mikhail pushed to his feet and went into the kitchen. Not that it gave the couples any privacy, but it was the illusion that counted. Hungry, he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs, a package of cheese, and some mushrooms. “I’m having an omelet. Anyone else want one?”

  “Not for me,” Sage told him. “Rina?”

  She shook her head. “I’m good.”

  Hannah also declined. “I can’t eat.” She pressed her hand against her stomach. Mikhail could tell she was nervous about her father’s visit.

  Before he could crack an egg, a phone rang. Reece reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. “Yeah?”

  Mikhail paused and listened. All werewolves had excellent hearing, but his was better than most. He could hear Jacque on the other end. Knowing he wasn’t going to get his omelet, Mikhail started putting the food back in the fridge.

  Reece confirmed his suspicions when he ended the call. “Meeting at the alpha’s house. Now.”

  Hannah bit her bottom lip. “It’s about my father, isn’t it?” Her normally rosy complexion was pale. “I should tell him not to come.” She looked to her mate.

  Reece wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. “No, I think it’s better to let him come here and see for himself that you’re happy.”

  Unspoken was the hope that the man would then go home and stay there. Mikhail didn’t blame Reece for not wanting his father-in-law to hang around. Hannah and her father had a lot of unresolved issues.

  Mikhail didn’t know all the details, but he did know her father obviously cared for her. Troy was a full-blooded werewolf who’d left his pack to raise his half-breed daughter. Then he’d left her when she turned eighteen in order to protect her from his former pack. While he wanted to believe the man meant well, leaving Hannah on her own for years did nothing to endear the man to any of them.

  Mikhail glanced at Rina. He couldn’t imagine abandoning his sister. He’d almost lost his mind when he’d found out she’d run off on her own rather than be forced into a mating. He hadn’t rested until he’d found her. Hannah’s father and he obviously had very different ideas of what it meant to be family.

  “We better go.” Sage opened the door and waited while the women slipped their boots back on. Mikhail quickly grabbed a final mouthful of coffee on his way out the door.

  As the small group made their way toward the alpha’s home, Mikhail ignored his hunger as excitement built. If this was a pack meeting, Elise would be there. It didn’t matter that he’d seen her only hours before. He missed her.

  He wanted to go to sleep with her at night and wake with her in the morning. He wanted to take turns cooking breakfast and talk and laugh as they ate. All things the other mated couples took for granted.

  Cole and Cherise stepped onto the path. “Where’s Amy?” Rina asked.

  “She’s home with Grandma and Grandpa. We’ll fill them in later,” Cherise told her.

  Mikhail inhaled deeply, scenting others who’d passed not long ago. Louis and Gray were already at Jacque’s. He inhaled again and found the scent he was looking for. Elise. Knowing she was there, he fought the urge to pick up his pace.

  It might have only been hours since he’d seen her, but it felt like years. The door was open and voices spilled out into the morning chill. Everyone else had arrived.

  Mikhail allowed the others to enter first. Then he took a deep breath, walked up the stairs and into the house, and shut the door behind him.

  …

  Elise poured coffee and made a fresh pot when she emptied the first one. It was all in an effort to keep busy rather than keep glancing at the door, watching for Mikhail to arrive.

  Louis and Gray were already here, as were most of the others. The women were seated at the table with Gwen while their men stood behind them. They were talking amongst themselves, but Elise couldn’t settle.

  She was living two different lives—the normal one where she was mother and packmate, and a secret one where she felt every inch a woman.

  With the coffee done, she got down plates and set them on the counter next to the two apple pies she’d brought with her. She’d been up at the crack of dawn this morning, unable to sleep much after Mikhail left. She hadn’t made pies since their first date and had decided to make some. There were two lemon meringue ones sitting in her refrigerator for later. A surprise for Mikhail.

  “You okay, Mama?” Jacque wrapped his arms around her from behind.

  The pack had finally stopped worrying about her. The last thing she wanted to do was to cause them to watch her too closely again. She patted his arm. “Yes, just thinking about Hannah.” That much was true. She was concerned about the young woman. Hannah was strong in many ways but fragile in others. Elise could relate.

  Jacque dropped a kiss on her head. “We will protect her.�
��

  “I know you will.” Her son took his responsibilities as alpha very seriously.

  They heard the others coming and turned toward the door. She tried not to look but couldn’t stop herself. Rina and Hannah entered first, followed by Sage and Reece. Where was Mikhail? Was he not coming?

  Then he was there, filling the doorway and the room with his presence. He was wearing jeans that clung to his muscular thighs and a long-sleeved sweater stretched tight at the shoulders. His hair was pushed away from his face. No matter how many times she saw him, it was always a jolt to her system. His features were blunt and strong and wholly masculine in a way that made her heart race.

  Their eyes met briefly, and then he looked away and greeted Jacque. The butterflies in her stomach settled now that he was here.

  The irony of the situation didn’t escape her. She’d undergone a huge change in a short time. Only weeks before, his presence would have been the cause of her nervousness. Now he was the one who calmed her.

  She went to work pouring and distributing more coffee until Gator took the pot away from her. “Sit, Elise. I’ll take care of the rest.”

  She liked that the other members of the pack all called her by her name now instead of Miss Elise. It felt less formal, more like she was truly part of the group.

  “Sit next to me, Miss—” Reece shrugged and smiled at her. “Elise.”

  She laughed but slid into the chair he held out for her. “Thank you, Reece.”

  “You’re welcome, Elise.” He emphasized her name. “Is that apple pie I see?”

  He did love her pie. “Yes it is. Better get a slice before it disappears.” His eyes gleamed, and he nodded, but before he could help himself to some pie, Jacque held up his hand.

  At once, everyone fell silent and waited. Elise snuck another glace at Mikhail. He was on the far side of the room leaning against the wall. He was sipping a cup of coffee. Gator must have given it to him. As if sensing her gaze, his eyes flickered in her direction and then away.

  A sense of dissatisfaction filled her. She knew she was doing both of them a disservice by not acknowledging their relationship. And they did have one. It felt strange to be dating at her age, but that’s what they were doing.

  As he’d promised her, Mikhail was courting her.

  Jacque leaned back in his chair and addressed the group. “As you know, we’re going to have a guest later this evening.”

  They all looked at Hannah, who appeared totally miserable. Reece reached out and held her hand. “I’m sorry,” she began, but Jacque cut her off.

  “Non. You have no reason to be sorry. On one hand, it is natural for your father to want to see you. On the other, he left you alone for years, so why does he want to see you now?”

  Hannah shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I think he wants to see me and to meet Reece.”

  “He will be here for supper and spend the night,” Jacque continued. “Once we know more of his intentions, we’ll decide how long he stays.” He pointed at Gator and Mikhail. “You two take first watch. Cole and Armand will take the second. Louis and I will handle the third. Keep your eyes and ears open for other wolves. I don’t expect there to be any trouble, but I want to be certain. The women and children are our priority.”

  Most women would bristle at the implication they couldn’t take care of themselves. Gwen frowned at her mate but said nothing. Like Elise, she understood it was Jacque’s natural inclination to protect those that belonged to him. And as far as he was concerned, they all belonged to him.

  “I have a roast and a turkey cooking,” Gator announced. “So I’ll handle dinner at our home.”

  Jacque nodded. “All the children are with Joseph and Corrine. They’ll eat dinner with them as well. Billy will join them.” Sue’s teenage son was human, and Jacque treated him as though he was one of their own.

  “Elias, you and Cole will keep a watch while we’re eating. While I don’t expect problems, I’d rather be prepared for them.” The alpha had spoken. The pack nodded and waited. Jacque turned to Hannah, and his voice gentled. “Don’t worry so much. If you don’t want him to stay past dinner, he’s gone. If you want to spend time with him, he can stay overnight at least.”

  Hannah nodded, seeming relieved.

  “Any longer than that,” Jacque continued, “and we’ll have to draft a security rotation.”

  Elise knew their security was more relaxed now than it had been in the past, but there was usually one member of the pack patrolling at all times. Mostly it was Louis and Mikhail, but the other men all took turns, spending several hours a day prowling pack land.

  She realized she took the safety they provided for granted and hadn’t stopped to think how it impacted their family life. None of them ever complained. It was simply how they lived.

  With the meeting over, Reece headed for the apple pie on the counter, with Sage right behind him. The boys did love her pie.

  When Jacque finished speaking with Louis, she caught his attention. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  His gaze softened. “No, Mama, but thank you for the offer.” Then he looked over at Gator. “Maybe Gator needs help with supper.”

  “I’ll ask him,” Elise promised. Finally, she looked toward where Mikhail had been standing, but he was no longer there. He must have slipped away while she was talking with her son.

  Swallowing her disappointment, Elise went to the kitchen to speak with Gator.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Mikhail spent the afternoon prowling pack land. In his heart this was his pack. This was his sister’s home. It was also the home of the woman he loved.

  Wearing an ankle-length wool skirt and a bronze sweater, Elise had looked good enough to eat this morning. As always, her hair had been confined, this time in a braid instead of a bun. Come to think of it, she hadn’t worn her hair in a tight bun in well over a week.

  He paused and listened, his furry ears twitching as they tuned in to his surroundings. Snow fell from a branch, and a small animal rustled beneath a nearby bush. He turned his head and caught sight of a rabbit before it hopped away. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing to be concerned about.

  So why was his gut warning him otherwise?

  He’d been born and raised in some of the wildest land on earth, and his wolf instincts were honed to a razor’s edge. He didn’t feel as though the pack was in danger from attack, but his wolf sensed some kind of threat.

  He padded over the snow, a silent wraith in the growing shadows. It was time to head back and get changed for dinner. He’d have another opportunity to see Elise. His wolf growled in anticipation. He planned to slip into her house later tonight after he did his turn on patrol. He was glad he’d been given the first watch. He’d be able to join Elise just after one in the morning. Plenty of time for some snuggling and loving.

  He grew aroused and tried to shake it off. This was not the time or place. He knew Louis was out here somewhere, and he’d scented Elias as well. None of them were taking security lightly.

  Quickening his pace, he made his way home. He had to force himself not to detour by Elise’s house.

  Mikhail shifted and held his arms wide, embracing the cold air that flowed over his skin. The days were slowly getting longer now that February had arrived. Wouldn’t be much longer until the first real signs of spring.

  He slid open the patio door that led to his room and stepped into the warmth. He wanted to slow winter down. Spring meant shorter nights and more pack members out and about at all hours. It would make it more difficult for him to spend time with Elise.

  He growled and headed to the bathroom, not liking his turn of thought. The hot shower did nothing to dispel his dark mood. He was still tense by the time he’d pulled on jeans and a sweater and shoved his feet into his boots.

  What he really wanted to do was find Elise, yank her into his arms, kiss her senseless, and demand they tell everyone about their relationship. He sighed and pressed his hands against the pat
io door. His warm breath caused a fog to appear on the cool glass.

  What he would do is spend several agonizing hours trying not to look at her during dinner with the pack. Then he’d spend several more hours on patrol before finally sneaking into Elise’s house in the dead of night.

  He hated the sneaking around. It felt like they were doing something wrong, when their relationship was all that was right in his world. But if it got him Elise, it was well worth it. She was blooming before his very eyes. She smiled and laughed more often and more naturally. Even better, she would sometimes disagree with him without thought.

  That alone told him just how comfortable she was becoming with him. They’d come a long way in a short amount of time. “Patience,” he cautioned himself. Elise couldn’t undo years of conditioning in a matter of weeks. The fact that she let him spend the night in her bed, let him kiss and caress her naked body, was a miracle.

  His miracle.

  His jeans were uncomfortably tight, but he ignored his erection and opened the door. He could tell from the lack of sound that the house was empty. Either Rina and Sage had already left for Gator’s place, or they’d swung by Reece’s to lend support to him and Hannah. Mikhail guessed it was the latter.

  Several of the men would be watching the main road, ready to escort their guest. Mikhail shut the door behind him and jumped off the patio. His boots scrunched lightly against the snow as he picked up his pace, eager to see Elise.

  …

  The entire pack was on edge. Or maybe it was just her. Elise was still wearing the same ankle-length wool skirt she’d worn earlier today, but she’d changed her sweater, pairing it with a green one that matched Mikhail’s eyes.

  She wished this dinner was over and done with so she could go home and wait for Mikhail to arrive later tonight. She’d spent most of the afternoon surrounded by other people. She’d chatted with some of the other women, peeled potatoes, and prepared vegetables for tonight’s meal. They had roast beef, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, carrots, and corn, along with turkey, stuffing, and gravy. It was a veritable feast.