Hunting Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #3

by Harper, J. K.

  Irritated at himself for not being focused enough to have scented her approach, he reined himself in. She was still mad at him, anyway. Not to mention she was the reason he was stuck in town. Guarding her while she worked at that store of hers she loved so much.

  “Did you just walk across the street by yourself?”

  Rielle slid into the chair across from him. Her intoxicating sweet smell came over the table to him, and he inhaled it with every sense he had. His wolf rumbled with great approval.

  “Lily was watching me from the store. You know, she might actually make a pretty good sales associate.” Rielle smiled and let her fingers stray to the small turquoise stone in the silver necklace she wore. Caleb's eyes followed the movement and caught on the beat of her pulse in her throat. He swallowed and forced himself to look at her eyes again. “I actually left her in charge for a minute. She's helping customers try on clothes right now.”

  Caleb tried to picture his butt-kicking Guardian sister plucking frilly blouses or something equally girly from the racks and holding them up against herself to demonstrate how wonderful they would look on a customer very willing to be parted from all her money. “Right.”

  “They didn't kill a child, you know.” Her voice became low and very serious, and she gave him a stern look. “He was quite young, but that's an inaccurate description.”

  “Ree. He wasn't a Guardian, or even in training to be one,” he said, also keeping his voice down. He knew she could hear the frustration in it, though. “He was still in his teens.”

  Rielle reached out a light pink fingernail to tap the screen. “History is about accuracy. I'm not surprised Alpha is having you rewrite your report.”

  He let his dander get up—whatever that meant, anyway—and decided to spar back with her. He liked how feisty she got when she talked about history. Actually, he liked that she was talking to him at all, given the tension between them ever since he'd botched a perfectly good kiss. Okay, a kiss he remembered to its every last detail, especially the fact it had made him forget everything. Including, unfortunately, his manners at the time.

  He sighed. Then, nonchalantly, he said, “Maybe with your help, oh Pack Historian, I could pretend I know how to write a decent sentence and make this report sound better.”

  He expected that annoyed look on her face and a snarky answer, which he seemed to bring out of her. To his surprise, she said instead, “Maybe. In return for something.”

  “What sort of something would that be?” he asked, slightly suspicious but intrigued. Very intrigued. His wolf pushed toward the surface, very aware of the sweet little dark wolf who'd been snubbing him for the past several days.

  She took a deep breath. Those soft brown eyes stayed serious, with a touch of uncertainty framing her expression. When she spoke, her words were so quiet they were almost lost in the bustling background sounds of the coffeeshop.

  “Another date. With me. So we can, um, start over.”

  Caleb sat up straight. Oh, yeah. Things just got really interesting.

  Color flooded Rielle's cheeks but she boldly continued. “I think we've really gotten off on the wrong foot with each other. And Caleb....”

  He thought he might pass out from holding his breath waiting for her answer.

  “I haven't been very honest with myself. Clearly, I like you.” Pink covered her cheeks, and he knew she was remembering their kiss. Her soft cocoa-colored eyes searched his. “And I've been a little rude with you. Okay, I've been very rude.” Her rueful smile showed how sorry she was about that, which instantly made him want to apologize for being a rude jerk himself. “So, I want to start over. If you want to, that is,” she finished on a suddenly hesitant note.

  A smile he couldn't control turned him into a grinning idiot. Wow. So he hadn't totally blown it with the one girl whose kiss he honestly couldn't get out of his mind. “That would be cool,” he said. She looked relieved. “I thought you were pretty pissed at me the other day. I didn't think I had another chance.”

  “You almost didn't,” she said, although a smile played around the edges of her lips. “But...” She sent a nervous glance to the tabletop, then looked back up at him with that shy yet intrigued expression that made his body want to do all sorts of totally wild things with her. “I really liked that kiss.”

  He held her gaze, letting the heat of it rise between them both. “So did I,” he said. He let his words hang there for a beat, enjoying the play of color across her face. She didn't drop her eyes again, though, which made his wolf rumble with approval and anticipation. “But a date right now might be a little awkward.”

  Her brow furrowed, which was a trait that was beginning to actually grow on him.

  He shuffled his feet under the table. “We'll need a chaperone.”

  Face wrinkling, Rielle started to open her mouth, but he quickly went on. “Rule of three right now. So it will be me, you, and someone else from the Pack.”

  “Oh. Right.”

  She looked so deflated he scrambled his brain trying to think of a way out of it. Think! He commanded himself. His wolf whined, as blank as he was.

  “That's okay,” she said. She let her fingers nervously crush a napkin. “Maybe after everything is—solved.”

  There was a short silence, during which Caleb pictured finding the rogues and killing them not only for being rogues, but because now they were ruining his chances of ever showing Rielle he could be an actual gentleman for one evening. Or at least not quite as much of a clueless guy for once.

  “Beside,” Rielle continued, forcing a bright smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, “I have plenty of history reading I can catch up on while I'm at the den. Your mother's asked me to help her with a project in the library. Maybe you can fill me in sometime on some of your experiences as a Guardian. It will help round out my knowledge.”

  She somehow looked like a sexy librarian when she said that, and Caleb's mind spun off in a few directions he definitely wasn't going to share with her.

  At least, not just yet.

  Then her words registered. He sat bolt upright and snapped his fingers. “Ha! I've got it. You'll love it. Well,” he amended, looking at her carefully, “I think you'll love it. It's not exactly a real date, but I think you'll like it.”

  “Really?” She sounded a bit doubtful. Her teeth absentmindedly nibbled at her luscious upper lip. Caleb swallowed hard again.

  “Yeah,” he forced out calmly. “No, really. I promise.”

  Still looking uncertain but definitely intrigued, she nodded.

  “Tomorrow night,” he said. “We'll leave at seven.”

  Chapter 7

  As the car wound up the mountain, passing blanketed slopes of pine trees and serrated peaks jagging up toward the sky as far as the eye could see, Rielle finally voiced the question she'd been burning to ask.

  “Where on earth are we going?”

  Otsana Bardou chuckled from the back seat. Her presence as the “chaperone” had surprised Rielle, not to mention made her uncomfortably aware of their last conversation. There was almost no way to mute the attraction between Rielle and Caleb when in the confines of a vehicle. As much as she tried to tamp down her attunement to his every move and word, the spark that flared between them was too strong to hide when they were this close to one another.

  Thankfully, Otsana had not said a single word about it, nor had she even offered any knowing glances. If she had, Rielle was fairly certain she would have flung herself from the car to run back to the den in wolf form, mortified tail between her legs the whole way.

  Of course, they'd have to chase after her to keep her safe, which would be awkward. Although the thought of Caleb chasing her...hunting her down with his dark blue eyes focused and gleaming with that stalking grace every predator possessed...then capturing her to kiss her again.... And then probably more.

  “Silverton,” Otsana said, effectively breaking Rielle's seriously blush-inducing thoughts about Caleb coming for her with all the power of
a male wolf wanting a female.

  Perplexed, Rielle wondered what the tiny mountain town could possibly hold of interest to her. “Oh?” Her polite response sounded a little faint. The long evening light cast a gold glow on the mountains and seemed to create a filmy quality to the hot summer air. The effect was stunning.

  “Wait till we get there, Ree. You're in for an awesome surprise.” Caleb's voice rumbled through the car and seemed to vibrate its way through Rielle's skin and into her very bones.

  Unable to pry any more information from either of them, Rielle finally relaxed back against her seat and enjoyed the scenery that unfolded with greater drama around every wind in the road. She also tried very hard to not think too much about kissing Caleb. Sort of.

  Thirty minutes later, they pulled up in front of an old Victorian house tucked away on one of Silverton's sparse streets. With its turrets, spires, and wraparound porch, painted in pastel blue with a mauve trim, the place resembled a fanciful Disneyland castle. An old mining town that had been partially shaped by the decisions made by the Black Mesa Pack over the years, Silverton's history had been part of Rielle's studies. She'd not spent much time here, though.

  Caleb hopped out and zipped around the car to the passenger side. He first very courteously opened the door for his mother, who exited with a quick smile for him, although her eyes immediately went to the large house before them. Then he opened Rielle's door and extended his hand to her. Slightly surprised, she took it. That delicious tingle raced from him to her and back again. By the sudden darkening of his eyes and slight jump in his hand, he felt it, too.

  Nervously licking her lips, Rielle decided making light of the moment would be best. “Well, this is very dashing of you. Thank you, kind sir.” She bobbed her head to him as she stepped out of the vehicle.

  He huffed out a tiny breath of amusement. “I am trainable.”

  Rielle giggled just a bit at the solemn expression on his face, even though he then belied it by winking at her.

  The door to the house opened before they reached it. A man probably in his 70s, face creased by a lifetime's wrinkles, stepped out and gestured them in, smiling broadly. “Come in, come in. The tea's boiling, scones are out. There might even be a nip or ten of brandy for you, my fine fellow,” he said directly to Caleb.

  Rielle looked on, a little taken aback, as the old man reached for Caleb's hand and pumped it vigorously, then pulled him in for a backslapping hug. A truly delighted smile lit up the crags and lines of the man's face, one mirrored by Caleb. The man's white hair, neatly combed in place, was as thick and luxuriant as someone less than half his age. When he reached out also to hug Otsana, Rielle drew in a quiet, startled breath. Most wolves didn't mingle that closely with humans, to know them well enough for a hug. This man must be quite familiar with both Bardous. Yet she had never seen him before.

  Not that she necessarily would have, with the distance she usually kept between her and the den, she realized with a dart of guilt. Her wolf murmured at her, leaving Rielle with slightly disquieted.

  The man's welcoming smile turned full force on Rielle. Despite her confusion at the situation as a whole, she found her responding in kind to his infectious delight.

  “And you must be Rielle Amoux.” He flawlessly pronounced her name in the French way, although it was lightly accented from another language even Rielle's sensitive ear couldn't quite decipher. She found herself warming to him every second. Several members of the Black Mesa pack came from French roots originally, although few of them actually spoke the language these days. Well, except the Alpha and his mate, though they rarely used it. “Enchanté, mademoiselle.” He sketched a courteous bow and made a show of kissing her hand.

  Giggling a bit, yet flattered by his obvious sincerity, she said, “Thank you. Ah, sorry, but I don't know who you are? They didn't tell me where we were going.” She looked back and forth between Otsana and Caleb, who each appeared very pleased to have her meeting this stranger.

  He straightened up and, still holding her hand in his, said, “My name is Kurtis Tunstall. Please call me Kurt.” He gently urged her inside. “And I, my dear, live in what is basically a library. I understand you are an aficionado of books? I'm certain you will love my collection. I have some wonderful first editions, as well as an extensive array of tomes on southwest Colorado history. By the way,” he chattered on as he tucked her arm under his and escorted her into the rambling house, “that dress is divine on you. If Caleb doesn't remove his head from his posterior soon, I might be forced to woo you.”

  Otsana gave a delicate snort, while Caleb muttered something about wringing a man's neck, his elder or not.

  Kurt awarded Rielle such a radiant smile as he kept ushering her into the house, she couldn't help but keep smiling herself. Even though her ears were surely a flagrant red from his words. He was so suave and courteous, though, she couldn't help but instantly feel at ease with him.

  “I...” she faintly began, unsure exactly how to respond. But he shook his head, giving her a hugely exaggerated wink.

  “Caleb knows where the dining room is. Please pour a drink for us all, young man.” He nodded grandly in the presumed direction of the dining room. Caleb rolled his eyes, but he grinned at Rielle before heading that way. “You, my dear, are to see the library toute de suite. Otsana, I have acquired a new Blankenship title. And,” he dropped his voice to a dramatic whisper, “it's signed.”

  “Oh, that will be a treat to see,” Otsana said with genuine pleasure.

  Rielle, head still somewhat spinning at this strangest, most crowded date she'd ever been on—which would be about five total in her life, but who was counting—let herself be ferried along by Kurt as they sailed through the long, wood-floored entry hall, what looked like a drawing room complete with stately east-facing windows and a dark red settee, and then through a set of ornate wooden doors taller then Rielle's head by about five feet.

  Kurt gently released her arm, opened the doors, and made a flourishing motion with his hand. “Welcome to one of the best libraries in Colorado.”

  Rielle gasped as she stepped inside. The elegant two-story room was at least twenty-five by thirty feet. Floor-to-ceiling walnut bookshelves covered every single wall. No windows meant even more space for what had to be thousands upon thousands of books.

  “This is amazing,” she murmured, walking to the center of the room to get a better look. The floor was covered in a plush earth-toned rug that stretched almost from wall to wall. The room's coolness, compared to the warmth outside, immediately told her the space was climate-controlled. Kurt Tunstall, it seemed, knew a thing or two about keeping rare books.

  “Look around, Rielle.” Her gracious host gestured at everything. Scattered wing chairs, a long wooden table in the center of the room, and soft light invited much browsing and reading. “I need to show Otsana a particular title, but please feel free to examine anything in here. I know you understand how to properly handle books.”

  He smiled winningly at her, then bustled Otsana to the far end of the room, chattering away to her the entire time. Head still whirling a bit, she walked around and just stared for long minutes. Books of every size and shape graced the shelves, some behind glass, some open to the room. Vellum-bound, glinting gold, deep blue, vibrant green, and some bound in material Rielle's nose told her might have come from creatures more exotic than cows, the books displayed beautifully in the library. Clearly, Kurt Tunstall had some money. With the heart-thumping sensation of being allowed into an all-you-can-eat candy store, she let herself be charmed by the vast collection.

  Moments later, as she let the murmur of Kurt and Otsana's voices lull into background noise, engrossed in the titles of the books on the shelves, she didn't hear the door shush open. She did, however, sense the presence of the wolf who made her spine tingle. Her wolf rise close to the surface, a feeling that was happening more often in the past week. Caleb's woodsy, deliciously toe-curling scent came to her in an intoxicating whiff, which she
inhaled deeply before turning to look at him.

  Balancing a glass-filled tray on both hands, he very carefully headed for the table, intent on not spilling a drop. She couldn't help but smile at the concentration on his gorgeous face, even as she held her breath for a fearful moment, almost waiting for him to take a misstep and tumble tray and drinks to the floor. She felt a sudden swell of pride as she watched the large, fierce wolf, better suited to noisy battle, clutching a delicate silver tray in his large hands as he maneuvered his imposing frame into this place of learning and quiet contemplation.

  Caleb reached the table, set down the tray and looked at Rielle. A smile both triumphant and relieved washed over his face. Then he caught her expression. His smile slowly faded, to make way for a look of deep intent as he searched her eyes, his own suddenly dark and hungry. She felt the bolt of his sudden desire leap over to her, and it sparked tightness in her nipples, a shiver down her spine, and an abrupt rush of clenching need right between her legs.

  He drew breath as if to speak, but their host's voice interrupted anything he might have been about to say, much to Rielle's regret.

  “Ah! Tea and brandy is served, I see.” Kurt's voice carried across the room from the far end. He and Otsana began making their way back to the table, although they carried on a quieter conversation between themselves about the book they'd just perused.

  Caleb's lips turned up in another quick smile, this one a tiny bit rueful. “I know this is the weirdest date you've probably ever been on,” he said. Rielle began to protest, but he waved it off. “Sorry. But still—isn't this amazing? I knew you would like seeing this place. And Kurt's really cool, too.”