by Dena Garson
Isabelle dug through memories. “Yes, I believe she did. Do you know her?”
Drew’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why are you so interested in that particular wolf?”
“I’d like to find out if she’s okay and if she suffered permanent injury from the trap. I did the best I could for her, but I’m no doctor. I also wanted to confirm my suspicions.”
Drew’s brow rose in question.
“That she is a shifter and belongs to a pack I am unfamiliar with.”
“What made you think she was a shifter?” Betty asked.
“First of all, I left her sedated in a cage in my lab for the night. When we found her missing the next morning, I pulled surveillance tapes to make sure no one had taken her or done something to her. The tape showed a young girl with a pronounced limp leaving the building.”
Based on the looks Betty and Drew exchanged, she would bet money they knew the girl.
“There’s more,” Wyatt added.
“While she was sedated, I implanted a tracking chip in her shoulder,” Isabelle confessed.
“You what?” Drew roared and sat up in his chair.
Wyatt leaned forward and tried to place himself between her and Drew. She patted him on the shoulder to reassure him that Drew’s outburst didn’t bother her. She was used to loud, dominant men. She had grown up around two of them and, thanks to her father’s friends and business partners, she’d learned how to deal with them early in life.
But it was sweet of him to be concerned for her. “It is common practice in my field to use tracking chips because it’s a fast and easy ways to collect data on animal movement,” she explained.
“You did it even though you suspected she was a shifter?”
“God, no.” She gave Drew a disgruntled look. “If you’ll recall what I said, it wasn’t until the next day that I had any reason to suspect she was anything other than Canis lupus.”
Wyatt smiled.
Drew grunted in response.
“Once Mother confirmed the likelihood of the wolf being a shifter, I kept tabs on her movements through the chip. I tracked her as far as the Black Hills, but then the signal died.”
Betty frowned. “Wait. How did your mother learn she was a shifter?”
“From the blood I took from the wolf.” She held her hand up to stop any yelling Drew might do. “Again, before I suspected anything.” She looked at Betty. “Years ago, Mother found an anomaly that showed up on certain DNA strands that all wolf shifters have in common. It’s quite small and, unless you know what you’re looking for, you probably wouldn’t notice it. After seeing the video footage, I sent the blood I had taken over to Mother.” She shrugged. “If there was a chance of her being a shifter, I didn’t want it getting mixed up with any of the other lab specimens.”
“Is this anomaly something anyone with access to our blood and microscope could see?” Betty asked, alarmed.
“No. It’s too small to be seen with a regular microscope. It takes special equipment to be found and, like I said, you’d have to know what you’re looking for. Besides, this isn’t something Mother has published a paper about. That is a well-guarded secret. Very few people have seen her research. I have only seen the marker a time or two, and that was after Mother isolated and magnified it. I doubt I’d be able to find it on my own.”
“But this wolf you found had it?” Drew clarified.
“Yes, she did.”
Drew leaned forward in his chair. “What does someone’s DNA tell you about them?”
“Well, DNA can tell you who is related to whom, like parent to child. It tells whether or not the subject is male or female, a great many physical characteristics like hair and eye color and whether the subject is likely to develop certain diseases.”
Betty’s eyes widened in surprise. “All of that?”
Isabelle nodded.
“What about insanity?” Drew’s voice was just above a whisper. “Can it tell you whether or not you’re prone to insanity?”
Isabelle looked to Wyatt. He nodded for her to continue. “Er, not that I’m aware of.”
Betty put her hand on Drew’s and squeezed.
“So, now what?” Wyatt prompted.
“Now, I want to hear what she plans to do with the information she has collected about our pack,” Drew said.
“I hope you realize that I have not been studying your pack and have little information on it as a whole. Being a shifter myself, and daughter to our pack leader, I understand the need for privacy and security for the safety of all. I can assure you I have no plans to do any formal research on you or your pack members.”
Drew started to say something, but once again, she held her hand up to stop him. Wyatt grinned from behind his cup.
“As a scientist, I cannot help but observe and collect data. But that doesn’t mean I will use the information for anything more than my own curiosity. Now”—she paused—“that said, if I found the information could be used to benefit both of our packs, I reserve the right to bring it up to both parties.”
Drew narrowed his gaze. “What do you mean?”
“I mean if I observe some environmental factor that could impact either of our packs negatively, then I would think you would want to be informed of it. Am I correct?”
“Absolutely,” Drew said.
“Okay, then.”
“So, you’re not going to write a research paper on us then,” Betty confirmed.
“Certainly not. But, with your permission, I would like to be able to speak to my mother and father about you and your pack.”
Drew’s gaze narrowed. “Why?”
“For starters, to make them aware of another pack’s existence. Father has contacts in most of the packs along the East Coast. I think he would be excited to meet you. Allies are a good thing. And you never know when a partnership in a new venture could be formed.”
“Let me think about that,” Drew mumbled.
“As for Mother, she’s always looking for bright new talent for her research team. If any of your young people show an aptitude in the sciences, she has established scholarships in exchange for their agreement to work on one of her teams or in the main laboratory.”
“I assume you mean as a researcher, not as a lab specimen,” Betty said with the lift of one brow.
“Of course. Mother has a division devoted to the development of medicines and products for our kind, and it’s a requirement everyone be either a shifter or a descendant of a shifter.”
“Did you inherit your Wolf from your father’s line?” Drew inquired.
“Both my mother and my father.”
“I did some research on you and your family when you showed up,” Drew said without remorse. “If you think he’d be open to it, I would like to meet your father. He’s made some impressive changes with his spin-off companies. I wouldn’t mind talking with him about how he’s managed to grow his business while maintaining pack security and secrecy.”
“I’ll let him know.”
“What about you? Surely, you have questions,” Wyatt suggested.
“Actually, I do, if you don’t mind me prying,” Isabelle admitted.
Drew gestured for her to proceed.
“Based on your reactions, I’m guessing the wolf I found belongs to your pack. What was a young girl doing so far from home? And alone, no less.”
Drew looked at Wyatt then to Betty. He took a deep breath, then said, “In a nutshell, my father.”
Isabelle’s brow drew up in question.
“It’s a long sordid story what my father put this pack through. Suffice to say abuse was rampant and several pack members ran away.” Drew tapped his finger on the table. “I believe the wolf you found was indeed one of ours. Her name is Lucy. A scout found her and her mother in Iowa and encouraged them to return home after reassuring them that Magnum was no longer in charge.”
Betty picked up the story. “Lucy left with her mother a few months before Magnum was killed. There’s no telling w
hat the poor woman went through. Her husband had been killed, and back then, women without a mate were, well, vulnerable.
“Lucy said they had been staying with her mom’s aunt and uncle when the change hit her for the first time. Poor thing. Her mom was so tangled in her own issues she couldn’t help Lucy.” Betty looked at Wyatt then Isabelle. “We believe it was only a couple of moons later when she became caught in the trap you mentioned.”
“Oh poor thing,” Isabelle murmured.
“Not that it was a good thing, but it scared her mother enough to return. By then, Magnum was gone.”
“Is Lucy all right now?” Isabelle hoped so.
Betty nodded. “Yes. We sent her to a doctor soon after she and her mother returned and we learned of her injury. We were assured that because she was young and still growing, there would be no lingering damage.”
The tension she didn’t realize she had been carrying eased. “Good.”
Drew spoke up. “The doctor also told us that had she not been let out of that trap and the bleeding stopped, there would have been lasting damage. And if she had shifted while still in the trap it’s likely the major artery that runs down the leg might have been damaged and she could have bled to death.”
Betty added, “Basically, you saved Lucy’s life.”
Isabelle’s heart leaped.
“And for that we are grateful,” Drew said. “Our pack isn’t as large as yours and our young ones should be treasured. That is something I am hoping to stress to everyone in Los Lobos.”
“Would it be possible for me to see her?” Isabelle asked hopefully.
Betty and Drew exchanged looks.
“I don’t see why you can’t,” Betty finally answered. “I’ll talk to her mother and see if we can arrange it.”
Isabelle smiled. “That would be great.”
Now that they had resolved the sensitive topics, they were able to relax and enjoy dessert. By the time they left, Isabelle felt as if she wouldn’t have to tiptoe around Wyatt. And perhaps he would be candid with her in return.
Chapter Thirteen
After lunch, Wyatt and Isabelle returned to her trailer. Wyatt walked the perimeter of her campsite to make sure they had plenty of privacy. Satisfied they were alone, he took a seat under her canopy.
She handed him a bottle of water. “So, what did Drew mean when he asked if you would take responsibility for me?”
“You heard that?”
She nodded. “My sense of smell may not be what it should, but my hearing is great.”
After taking a deep breath, he explained. “In Los Lobos, if a pack member brings a human in and accepts them as their mate, the human must promise to keep pack secrets. The pack member is required to accept responsibility for them.”
She took a seat next to him. “But I’m not human. Does the same rule apply to me?”
“To a certain degree.” He tapped the side of his bottle. “You’re a shifter, so you understand the need for secrecy where humans are concerned. But you aren’t a member of the Los Lobos Pack, so there are still some things that should remain secret.” He sighed. “And while you’re here you would be expected to follow pack rules.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Does that mean you have to watch me at all times?”
Wyatt frowned, unsure of where her question might be leading. “It means if you break any pack laws, then punishment will be delivered to me.”
“So, you made a commitment to your Alpha?”
“Yes.”
“About me.”
“Yes.”
“Without talking to me about it first?”
“Er….” It occurred to him he was on shaky ground.
“What exactly does this commitment involve?” she pressed.
“It can be whatever we want it to be,” he suggested.
“You don’t have to ask your Alpha?”
“No. This is between you and me.”
She got up and walked to the edge of the canopy and looked into the thickness of the surrounding trees. He couldn’t see her face and worried what she might be thinking.
“So, I could return to Atlanta as long as I promise not to tell anyone other than Mom and Dad about the pack.”
His gut clenched. “Yes,” he said through gritted teeth.
She looked at him. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
She closed the distance between them. “Do you plan to always be at your Alpha’s beck and call?”
He smiled. She wasn’t holding back, was she? “I’m not at my Alpha’s beck and call now. I am my own man. I don’t live in Los Lobos. I am not dependent on the pack for survival. I choose to support the new Alpha because he is a good man and I believe he can bring the pack to life again and repair the damage his father did.” He put the bottle on the table behind him. “I keep Drew informed of events that may impact the pack, and I warn him of possible dangers. But my day-to-day life is my own.” He took her hands in his. “Yes, I have family and friends in the pack but the reality is, I could move to Alaska and the pack would survive. So would I.”
“How do you feel about starting your own family?” she asked, then bit her lip.
Wyatt’s brain stalled.
His own family.
A beautiful wife. A mate for life. Young ones to raise and play with in the yard. His heart warmed at the thought. “I’d never allowed myself to think much about it.” He added, “Until recently.”
“But you may want that? Some day?”
“Yes. I would.”
“And, uh, what would you want in a mate?”
He pulled her into his lap and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “She’d have to be smart, spirited, witty enough to keep me on my toes. And she’d have to enjoy the outdoors.”
She tipped her head to the side. “What? No physical requirements like big boobs or flaxen hair?”
“A beautiful heart is all that matters. That being said….” He ran his hand down the front of her shirt then slipped it beneath the hem so he could feel the softness of her skin. “It wouldn’t hurt if she were flexible enough to get into some of the Kama Sutra positions I’ve always wanted to try.”
Isabelle gave him a sultry smile. “Like the lotus blossom, perhaps?”
“Is that the one where you have your legs crossed in front of you?”
She nibbled the side of is his mouth. “Uh-huh.”
“Yeah. That would be good to try.”
Isabelle whispered. “I do a lot of yoga. Advanced yoga. So I’m pretty flexible.”
“I’m very glad to hear that.”
She put her hand on his chest and leaned away. “Let me ask you this. If you found the right woman, would you chase her all the way to Georgia to be with her?”
“I’d follow you through the gates of hell.”
Her smile lit up her face. “Good because Georgia does get pretty hot in the summer.”
He put every ounce of feeling he had into the kiss he gave her. She was his mate. He had to make her see how much he wanted her. How much he needed her in his life. Now that he’d found her, he wasn’t about to let her go.
She shivered in his arms. “Wyatt,” she murmured against his lips. “Take me inside.”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the door. Since neither of them wanted to let go and neither was willing to take their lips off the other, he fumbled with the latch and they stumbled inside. By the time they found the bed, they were laughing between kisses.
They fell onto the mattress, pulling at each other’s clothes. Their urgency made it harder to get the barriers out of the way so they could be skin to skin. He finally grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. That only inflamed her.
She wound her legs around his hips as she nipped at his chin.
“Dammit, Izzy,” he growled. His control was close to snapping and neither of them was naked. “You get me so worked up.”
“It’s only fair,” she murmured again
st his neck as she licked and kissed what she could reach.
He captured her lips and pressed her into the mattress. When he released her he said, “Okay, I’m going to let go so you can get your clothes off and I’ll get mine. Deal?” He kissed her again.
She grinned. “Deal.”
God, she was sexy with her hair awry and her cheeks flushed with passion.
“All right. Go.” He rolled off her and pulled his shirt over his head. He sent it sailing toward the end of the bed, then went to work on his jeans. In record time, he had everything pushed off, including his socks.
He turned to grab Isabelle, but she flung herself into his arms. Flesh met flesh and lips found lips. He rolled her beneath him and did his damnedest to gain some foothold in their coupling but Izzy was having none of that. She squirmed and caressed and fondled making him wild with need.
“Now, Wyatt. I need you inside of me.”
“Not until you come.”
He scooted down the mattress, leaving tiny bite marks as he went. When he reached the area he wanted, he pulled her knees up so her bent legs pressed against her belly. There, he had the perfect view of her pussy. The bright pink flesh dripped with her desire. Knowing she was ready and anxious for him heightened his need.
With no preamble, he buried his face in her heat and licked in earnest. At the first touch of his tongue, she gasped and grabbed at the sheets. He showed her no mercy. There was no teasing and no feathery touches. He wanted to hear her greedy whimpers and to feel her pulling at his hair begging for more.
Back and forth he worked his tongue over her clit. When he closed his lips around it and suckled, she grabbed his head and clamped down with her thighs. Finally, she went stiff and the muscles in her legs began to quiver.
“Oh God, Wyatt,” she cried.
The taste of her filled his mouth. He lapped it up as if it were the sweetest ambrosia.
She was still ridding the tidal wave of pleasure when he positioned his cock at her opening and sank into her. Her tight channel quivered around him, pushing him closer to the brink.
“Open your eyes, Izzy,” he demanded.
They were only slits, but he knew she had complied. “You are my mate. Accept me. Accept my Wolf. We accept you.”
