A Wolf's Deception

by Tl Reeve

  “Yeah, I know. It’s what makes this a tougher pill to swallow.”

  “True.”

  With a lift of his hand, he exited the office and headed back to his truck. The irritating itch of knowing he had to tell Elle clawed at the back of his neck. Nevertheless, he had no clue how to even broach the subject, or if, like Shawn supposed, he should keep it to himself, and never tell her. Though not a lie, if she ever found the photographs, or if by chance Miss Kathy ever told her, she’d know he kept it from her, and it’d hurt her more in the long run. The catch-22 he’d been put into stung like a bitch. So, he needed a plan. He needed a way to strengthen their foundation, to lessen the blow of this major breach of trust on Rupert’s part. He had to show her, no matter what, she’d always been worthy of love—his love. Not some criminal asshole’s.

  Getting into his truck, he tucked the paperwork into the middle seat console then started the engine. He pulled away from the curb and headed back to the ranch. Today, they’d go for a run.

  Chapter Nine

  The time she spent with Lily, Fawn, and Gabby had done Elle some good. However, she waited for the guilt to overwhelm her. To drown her in contrition. Though she felt horrible about not telling Kizzy the truth, Ryker was right—the safety of the pack came first. She wanted to talk to Graham about that. Maybe they could find someone for Kizzy. Happiness filled her. She knew a couple of wolves right up her alley who could make her as happy as she was.

  The sense of rightness beat back any negative feeling she might have had over sleeping with Graham, even though she’d taken off her engagement ring and they were, for all intents and purposes, mates.

  The mark at the juncture of her shoulder and neck tingled. Mate. A peacefulness washed over her.

  “There it is,” Fawn teased. “That smile.”

  Heat suffused her cheeks. “What can I say?”

  The door opened a few minutes later, and Graham stepped over the threshold. Tension rode his shoulders, before that easy smile of his slid into place. He pulled his hat off and hung it up then strolled over to where she sat.

  He held his hand out to her. “How would you like to go for a run?”

  “Right now?”

  “We’ll stay on the property. We have plenty of trails here, and some even lead back into town.” He helped her up then guided her through the kitchen and out the back door. Once they were away from the house, they started the hike out to his favorite trail. “Finally, we’re alone.”

  He shucked his clothes first then called to the wolf within him, allowing the shift to come over him. His bones displaced then realigned. When his perspective changed, he sat and waited while Elle shifted.

  He padded to her and rubbed his side against hers. With a yip, he took off, following the trail toward the creek. It had been the one place they could be alone before everything in their lives got turned upside down.

  They climbed the ridge, zigging and zagging between the trees, never pushing too hard. So many good memories had taken place there. They stopped beside one of the giant spruce trees. Moss clung to the rocks at the banks, while pine needles and sprigs of grass poked through the wet fertile ground. The sunlight shimmered on the crystal-clear water, giving the area a majestic glow. While they stood their together, he knew with a deep-seated conviction he had to tell Elle the truth. He’d love to keep the bullshit Shawn’s guy found away from her for the rest of her life, but she needed to make a clean break. She deserved to know, she hadn’t done anything wrong, and each moment of her life in Charlotte had prepared her for this.

  After lazing by the stream watching the minnows catching flies and the bees dance from flower to flower, pollenating them as they went, Shawn led them on their way home. The sun touched the horizon when they finally stepped up onto the porch once more.

  When he pulled open the door, the cheerful greeting from his family assailed them. At some point, Gabby had showed up with Kru in tow, and Lily had started dinner for them. He knew they might be overwhelming Elle, but she needed to get used to it. They were all about family. His parents wouldn’t demand any less. In fact, they’d be pretty damn proud. They’d also be overjoyed to see she lived.

  Chapter Ten

  Elle woke to the sensual kisses Graham placed along her shoulder blade. The decadence had her skin tingling and her body heating to his touch. Last night had been a ball. After dinner, they grabbed her things from Kathy’s place then went into town for a little get-together Drew had insisted the pack needed in order to connect with one another. He’d been right.

  They laughed and danced and talked about the old ways, and the new ways. They remembered those they’d lost—which had her thinking about her friend and the lie hanging between them. Though she knew the whys and hows, she hated not telling Kizzy the truth. She trusted her friend. No matter what. Yet, without a mate, her friend couldn’t join her. Determination filled her. She’d fix this. Like she’d fixed everything with Graham.

  Rolling over, she greeted her mate with a smile. His heavy-lidded gaze seared every inch of her as he peered down at her. Her wolf languished in his attention, finally feeling whole again, and not the broken soul she’d become. Elle hadn’t realized in the years she’d been gone, she’d actually hurt herself. She’d hobbled her wolf to the point, the first time she shifted, it felt like all of her bones snapped in two. The sheer agony of it had her crying out for relief as everything inside her realigned. By the time she returned to Miss Kathy’s house, she’d dreaded the shift back to her human form but knew the momentary pain would ease and she’d never ignore or abuse her wolf again.

  “Good morning.” She reached up to cup his cheek. “Did you sleep well?”

  He gave her a lazy grin, and wrapped his free arm around her middle, tucking her to his side. “I did. Even better waking up next to you.” He dipped his head and took her lips in a passionate kiss. He teased her. Tempted her. Their tongues tangled together as a soft moan fell from her lips.

  Shifting their positions, he fitted his hips between hers. The gentle rock of his body fanned the embers of her arousal, setting her ablaze within seconds. The plea to take her, give in to the hedonistic pleasure, sat on the tip of her tongue as he lined himself up, and thrust deep within her in one stroke. Her back arched and a surprised whimper fell from her lips. He stretched her so perfectly, reaching every inch of her, mind, body, and soul.

  The easy glide of their body hadn’t been too fast or too slow. It consumed her. Freed her. The grip he had on her hips tightened as he whispered her name with a groan. Face buried in her neck, the soft grunts of pleasure he made were like pinpricks of desire dancing along her nerve endings, ramping up the need flowing through her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and trailed her fingers up and down the tensed muscles of his shoulders. Yes, she was exactly where she was meant to be.

  “So fucking perfect,” he murmured against the shell of her ear. “I’ll never get enough of you.”

  “Nor I, you.” She placed a kiss to his shoulder.

  Their lazy pace continued, until they grew frantic. The knot of bliss wound tighter in her belly, threatening to consume her whole. The planes of Graham’s face grew fiercer, while the apples of his cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink, enhancing his freckles. The wolf stared down at her. His slate-blue eyes stunned her with their captivating hue. The veins at his neck were corded with the strain at which he held himself back.

  Elle fingered his nipple, and a shudder worked through him. She knew he battled himself, making sure to take care of her first. She kissed and licked the mark she left on his neck the first night of their mating. His thrusts became unhinged. His pace erratic. He lowered his face again and nuzzled her neck, mouthing the sensitive area. Electricity sizzled and spread outward, like fingers of need. He did it again then growled. The minute he bit down, she did as well. Her release shot through her, stealing her senses and leaving her reeling. Above her, he shivered and continued to rock into her body, extending
their pleasure.

  When he finally gathered her in his arms, he placed a kiss to her temple. The way he held her had her sighing. Always strong and always protective of her. “We need to talk.” He kissed her again. She tensed in his embrace. “I promise we will be okay.”

  She pushed up to stare down at him. “What’s going on?”

  “Stay here.” He slid out of bed, giving her a glorious glimpse of his ass before he covered it with his jeans. He opened the door to their room and disappeared. A few minutes later, he returned, a package in his hand. He closed the door behind him then crossed the room to her side. “What you see in here is in no way a reflection of you.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that.” She took the manila envelope. Her stomach soured.

  “If I had it my way, you’d never see it.”

  All the peaceful, intimate feelings of a few minutes ago were gone. Her heart hammered. Her brain raced, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. She opened the envelope and dumped the contents on the bed in front of her.

  There, glossy black-and-white photographs showed Rupert and another woman standing outside some event. Another of them in a hotel room. Picture after picture, she saw what her heart had denied so many times. Had told her. She was foolish to believe a man like Rupert would never cheat on her. Well, he is, after all, only human. She knew the women in the photos. She’d worked with her before on some charity her ex-fiancé put together to keep her busy. She’d hated the woman instantly. Now, she knew why.

  I’ve been a fool. Why was she the one who’d worn his ring? Why did he have to choose her out of all the little hussies he obviously kept on the side? Is it because I’m safe? Unsuspecting? Stupid? Gullible? As she pushed the photos out of the way, she found a thick document below. “What’s this?”

  “An indictment. Did Rupert disappear for a time?” He didn’t touch her. Gave her room to process what she read, and see for herself. To form her own opinion of the situation. She loved him even more for it, but she couldn’t help the rage burning her gut. Her stomach churned.

  She thought back to the date listed on the documents. She and Kizzy had gone on a retreat. There had been some press surrounding Rupert, but she’d never given it a second thought—heck, she never paid attention to the press following him. When she returned home, he’d been there waiting for her. He’d asked about her weekend away, taken her to dinner, and never once gave a hint of what had happened or that he was in trouble. He’d also been a good liar. She’d never known. Or, she’d been so oblivious to it all, she hadn’t cared. God, she was a fool.

  “Probably. Kizzy and I went on a girls’ weekend on this date. I guess he could have been picked up while I wasn’t there.” Numbed by the infractions listed on the document, she felt like an idiot. How had she not known this? How had she been so ignorant to the news? She shook her head. Laundering. Bribes. Insider trading. Cheater. A regular good guy. She threw the indictment on the bed in disgust. “How did you find this?”

  “Shawn gave it to me.”

  “So, what? You went snooping when you knew I was engaged?” All rationality flew out the door. Even though she knew he didn’t have anything to do with Rupert being an asshole, he got the brunt of it. “Y-you thought you knew what’s best for me?”

  “Whoa.” He held up his hands. “I had no part of this. It was the matrons. They wanted you to know the truth. Shawn helped them, and I got this dropped in my lap. But I won’t say I blame them. He’s an asshole. He would have taken you down his depraved rabbit hole given half the chance.”

  “How do you know I’m not already down the hole?” How many of those charges could be pinned on her? How many on his family? Were they all corrupt? Questions swirled around questions. “Why in God’s name would the matrons do this? I was here. I came home.”

  “You also wanted to leave,” he countered. “You were ready to give it all up and be a human for the rest of your life or whatever the hell you were going to do.”

  “So they were going to push my life in the direction they wanted it to go?” She couldn’t believe them. So she’d been a little confused and thought she knew what she wanted when she’d arrived. She’d been gone for over ten years. What the hell was wrong with people?

  “I think they wanted to give you the other side of the coin and let you know what was going on. I don’t think they meant any harm.”

  She gathered everything and placed it back into the envelope. “Well, we’ll see about that.”

  Throwing the sheet back, she got out of bed and stormed to her bag. After grabbing her clothes, she stomped into the bathroom, uncaring if she didn’t have a stitch of clothes on. No way in hell she’d let those nosy women interfere with her life. She turned on the water and waited for it to warm. Though she hadn’t heard about this stuff till after she’d mated Graham, she didn’t like people meddling in her life. No matter what, a part of her had known she’d end up with him. Well, her wolf always knew, even if it took her mind a little bit to wrap about the fact he, too, lived and desired her.

  Stepping under the spray, she tried to calm the anger welling up in her. She tried to be rational about what they did. She owed Ryker her life. However, it didn’t mean Miss Kathy could stick her nose into affairs she had no business messing with.

  She soaped up her hair then rinsed and finished her shower. When she got out, a cup of coffee waited for her on the sink. Graham. God, she’d been such a shit to him, after he’d made love to her, and he’d been honest and showed her. She’d have understood if he’d burned the information instead.

  Once she’d dressed and pulled her hair back, she headed downstairs to the kitchen. The place had cleared out. Even Fawn hadn’t been sitting on the couch. Shit. You’ve hurt everyone’s feelings. Well, maybe not their feelings so much as their hospitality. She felt like a piece of dried bull dung. Placing the half-empty mug in the sink, she headed out. She knew where the women were most of the time, but this early, she wasn’t sure. Knowing the walk to town wouldn’t take long, it gave her a chance to gather her thoughts. Just holding the evidence in her hand, made her sick to her stomach. Her gut knotted.

  Yes, a walk would do her good. As she stepped out of the house, Graham sat by the fence line on his paint mare. He looked sad. A bit mule kicked. Shit. She’d taken this crap out on him, and it wasn’t his fault. Hurrying to his side, she stopped in front of him. Running her hand along the mare’s nose, she gazed up at him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you. All of this is such an…upheaval, you know?”

  He nodded and dismounted his horse. “I know, honey. I know.” He wrapped her in his arms and his scent blanketed her, chasing away her wayward thoughts.

  Breathing deep, she nuzzled his neck. “Forgive me?”

  “Of course. There was never anything to forgive.” He tipped her chin up and kissed her. “I love you. You’re my mate.”

  “I love you. You’re my mate, too.” She kissed him again then untangled from him. “I’ll be in town. See you in a few hours.” She left Graham by the entrance to the pastureland and headed for town.

  When she was far enough away from her mate, her thoughts returned to Rupert. Maybe she should have known he was the kind of man described in the pages. Should have known about the case pending against him. But she never went to any of those fancy parties with him. She never stayed in that hotel where he screwed the girl by the window. She never had tons of jewelry draped over her body. Nothing. Yet she’d worn the ring. She’d agreed to marry him. And the entire time Rupert pursued her, she’d fought the truth—her heart and wolf belonged to one man. Her only excuse was believing she would never set foot in Los Lobos again.

  Yet, if she hadn’t gone to Charlotte, she wouldn’t have met Kizzy. She wouldn’t have lived a better life than what she would’ve here. She’d have been broken and battered. She’d have lived a life filled with fear and despair. No, each step she’d taken after the night she got on the bus was meant to bring
her back to her pack. Back to her home.

  So, should she be mad at the matrons? No. Miss Kathy believed she was doing the right thing. Elle appreciated it. But the mistakes of her life were hers. Thankfully, Elle had known nothing of Rupert’s business dealings. Whatever he got into, he did it on his own.

  As she came around the bend, Los Lobos laid out before her, a sense of calm washed over her. Though she understood the whys and hows, she still didn’t need the matrons sticking their noses where they didn’t belong. She was a big girl. She could take care of herself.

  She eased down the wooden walkway toward the only open door to Ginger and Kole’s store. She stepped inside. The ladies perused a rack of books. Elle glanced around until she found Miss Kathy to the right, reading the back cover of a book.

  “Well, you’re not hard to find.” She approached them.

  “We’re not hiding, dear,” Miss Fern replied.

  “You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?” She held out the packet to Miss Kathy. “Had to dig around.”

  She sniffed. “I was right, wasn’t I?”

  “It doesn’t matter if you’re right.” Elle sighed. “You stuck your nose in somewhere it didn’t belong.”

  “You would have hemmed and hawed over this for who knows how long, child.” She eased around the other side of the shelf. “You’d have continued to lie to yourself and to your wolf. You would have continued to deny your mate.”

  “No,” Elle retorted.

  “No?”

  “Whatever.” She swallowed the lump of guilt at her assertion.

  “Don’t sass,” Miss Claire admonished. “It’s unbecoming.”

  “We only meant to help you,” Miss Fern added. “We’re not trying to be mean.”

  She growled. “I know. I’m grateful for the information. I didn’t need it, though.”