by Gale Stanley
She wrapped a thick terrycloth towel around her body and used another to dry her long hair. A pile of clean clothes waited for her on the bed, sweats, shorts, underwear, even a pair of thongs. Why was Karin being so nice? She didn't deserve it. She felt like crying again. What in God’s name was wrong with her? She hadn't cried this much in fifteen years. Since she’d become pregnant, her emotions had been all over the place.
She sat down and put her head in her hands. Where would she go from here? Maybe Malcolm would lend her some money for a bus ticket. A ticket to where? How would she take care of this baby on her own?
She sighed and went out to face the music. Karin stood by the stove warming up something that smelled delicious. Malcolm sat at the table. He gestured for her to sit, and Karin set a plate of meat loaf in front of her.
"Thank you, it smells great."
Karin looked at her funny. "What's that on your neck?"
"A collar." She lowered her eyes.
"Oh, my God." Karin's shocked voice made the tears flow again. "Malcolm, we can't send her away like this. She needs us."
"I'll take it off after she eats. Then she's going." Malcolm spoke as if she wasn't even there.
Sable wolfed down the meal, and Karin put more in front of her, telling her she was eating for two now. She cleaned the plate and looked up to find Malcolm staring at her.
"Come out to the barn with me, Sable. I'll find something to get that thing off your neck."
The barn was his workshop, the place where he constructed the furniture he sold online. His creations were beautiful, something else she took for granted when she lived here.
She sat on a bench and watched while he rummaged around in a toolbox until he found what he wanted.
"This should do the trick. It's a wire rope cutter." He straddled the bench and looked at her neck. "Hold your hair back."
It hurt that he didn't even want to touch her, but she couldn't blame him. She did as he asked, making sure she covered the scar on her neck. It struck her that she felt no physical attraction to him. Well, things were different now. She had a real mate.
"Don't move."
When she felt the collar give, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Malcolm." She rubbed her neck. "You can't imagine how good it feels to get that off."
He nodded tersely. "I want to talk to you without Karin around."
Okay, now he would tell her to leave. He had helped her more than she deserved, and he wanted her gone.
"Do you have anywhere to go?"
She shook her head. "I'll figure out something."
"Karin wants you to stay here. At least until we know you and the baby will be okay."
Her jaw dropped. She couldn't get a word out.
"I don't like it, but I agreed to let you spend the night."
"Malcolm, you don't have to do this."
"This is Karin's doing, not mine. If you hurt one hair on her head, I'll kill you. Do you understand?"
"Yes," she whispered. "You have my word."
"For all it's worth," he spat. "There's one other thing. We're going back in the house, and I want the truth out of you. Who put that collar on you for starters? Understand?"
"Yes, Malcolm. You need to know."
"Save it until we go back. Karin deserves to know what's going on, too."
They walked outside, and the afternoon sun felt good on her bare neck. She could shift if she wanted. A run on four legs would be heaven now, but she owed them an explanation before anything.
The Outlaws would never stop hunting her, and if Jude died, Jonas would want her life in exchange. He wasn't stupid. He would track her to Malcolm's door and wonder why they were helping her. Eventually he'd figure it out, and Malcolm would be in danger. He and Karin had to know the position she'd put them in by coming here.
She felt like she was on a witness stand. Karin and Malcolm sat on the couch. She sat across from them on a chair. "I feel so much better. I don't know how to thank you. Both of you. I don't deserve it."
"No. You don't," Malcolm said gruffly. "Pregnant or not, you're only here because Karin insisted."
"Malcolm, please," Karin begged. "We all make mistakes and we all deserve a second chance."
"Karin, if it was up to her, you wouldn't have had any chance at all."
"He's right. I almost killed you and the baby." Sable lowered her head. "I don't want to make any more trouble for you. I'm going to leave. If you could do one more thing for me." She hesitated and looked at Malcolm. "Lend me some money for a bus ticket."
"And go where?" Karin blurted. "You're pregnant for God's sake. How will you take care of a baby?" She turned to Malcolm. "We can't let her leave. There's something else. This might be the only other baby with Lycan blood. Think of it. Junior will grow up with a friend who's like him. He won't be alone."
"I want more children, Karin," Malcolm said quietly.
"I know. So do I. But what if it doesn't happen. And even if it does, they need more, Sable's baby needs more."
"You're right. I was alone for fifteen years. I don't want my kids to ever go through that." He looked at Sable. "The baby is half-human right? The father isn't Lycan?"
"No." She shook her head. "I don't know of any others like us who are still alive."
"Sable." He hesitated. "Do you really want this baby?"
"How can you ask me that?" It hurt, but of course, he had good reason to ask.
"You called my son a half-breed and said he didn't deserve to live. You almost killed him," he snarled at her. "And you wonder why I believe you don't want a half-human child."
She hung her head. "I should never have said those things."
"You're in no position to raise a child, especially one who's half-human. I can find you a place to stay and help you financially."
Would he really do all that? For her?
"And after you give birth, Karin and I will adopt the baby. Your life will be easier without a baby to care for, and we'll give the child a good home."
Her heart twisted. Give up her baby. Never.
Even Karin looked shocked. "He doesn't mean it."
"I do mean it, Karin. It would be the best thing for all of us."
"I'm not giving up my baby, not for anything. I'll find a way to take care of him—or her."
"You won't need to. We're going to help you." Karin grabbed Malcolm's arm. "Aren't we?"
He glared at Sable. "It's time you tell us who the father is."
"Jude."
Karin looked shell-shocked.
"Jude?" Malcolm thundered. He rose and stood over her. "How the hell did you get involved with him?"
She cowered at the look on his face. Malcolm and Jude had a bad history. At least now, knowing who fathered it, he wouldn’t try to take her baby away.
"Malcolm, can't you see how upset she is?" Karin looked pale as a ghost. "How did you meet him?"
"They trapped me," she confessed. "Him and his brother. They kept me at their ranch."
"Son of a bitch!" Malcolm growled. He started pacing. "They raped you."
"Not exactly," she whispered, embarrassed. "I was in heat."
"Just as bad. He took advantage of you. Gods, I'll kill him, both of them."
"Malcolm. Please." Karin turned back to Sable. "How did you escape?"
Bit by bit, she got most of the story out. She didn't change a thing except the identity of the baby's father. If Jonas knew the baby was his, nothing would stop him from taking it. Jude wasn't like him. He would never let Jonas experiment on his child.
"He might already be dead." Gods, please don't let it be true.
"Do you care?" Malcolm yelled.
"Yes," she whispered. "He's my mate."
"Impossible!"
"Why? Karin is your mate."
"That's different."
"How? How is it different?"
"It just is. We love each other. This man didn't take you out of love."
"I know." It hurt like hell to hea
r Malcolm say that. She loved Jude, and she wished he felt the same. "But he does care about me. He bit me. I felt the bond. But..."
"Finish it. What else?"
"I bit Jonas." She lowered her head again.
"That's just great! I suppose you think he's your mate, too."
Her heartbeat raced, and she crumpled against the back of the couch.
"Gods, what a mess." Malcolm shook his head.
"Is that even possible?" Karin asked.
"It's not unheard of," Malcolm admitted. "Our people lived in a closed community. The men outnumbered the women, and we're a highly sexual race."
"Really." Karin smiled at him.
He returned a small smile before his face got serious again. "We were always encouraged to stay with our own kind. Our elders told us we couldn't reproduce with humans. Obviously, they were lying to keep us from going outside the clan and diluting our blood. Some formed triads." He paused. "Some found human partners anyway."
"Like your sister," Sable said bitterly.
"Yes." Malcolm sighed. "Like my sister. Who knows? Maybe there are more of us out there, married to humans and hiding what they really are. You're not the only one who's made mistakes." He shook his head ruefully. "But I don't think the Outlaws are looking for a mate. And I don't particularly want them in my family."
"What do you want, Sable?" Karin asked quietly.
"It doesn't matter what I want. Malcolm is right. They don't want a mate. Jonas only wants a baby so he can study it. I won't put my baby through that."
"No, of course you won't." Karin's mouth tightened.
"But I don't want them coming after you and Malcolm either. What if they find out Malcolm is a Lycan? They might come after your baby. If I leave now I can throw them off the track."
"It's too late for that. You already left a trail they'll have no trouble following. Damn!" Malcolm ran a hand through his hair.
"Malcolm?" Karin looked on the verge of tears. "What are we going to do?"
"You will go to the city and stay with your mother. I'll stay here with Sable. We can handle the Outlaws if they show up."
"No! No way," Karin stated adamantly. "I'm not leaving you, not ever again."
"I won't come between you and Karin, and I don't want anyone hurt on my account. If they come looking for me, I'll go with them."
"You can't go back there." Karin cried.
"Don't worry. I won't let that happen," Malcolm snarled.
"Malcolm?"
"What is it, Sable?"
"I won't let you have my baby."
"Good!" He offered her a tight smile. "I'm not going to raise an Outlaw. Besides, Karin's right. A baby belongs with its mother."
She sighed with relief.
"I have an idea," Karin offered. "Sable will go to my mother's house. You can drive her to the airport. There are enough Jeep tracks around here to confuse a trail."
"But they'll still come here," Sable protested.
"We'll tell them you showed up on our doorstep, and we felt sorry for you. We took you in and fed you. Then you ran off without a word and we have no idea where you went."
"It could work." Malcolm nodded. "We don't have another option."
"What will your mother think?"
"She would never turn away a woman in trouble, especially one who's pregnant. There's just one thing." Karin looked embarrassed. "She doesn't know Malcolm is Lycan. We thought it safer that way— for her as well as for us. You couldn't shift there."
"I understand."
"Good. I'll call my mother and pack a few things for you."
"And I'll check the flights," Malcolm added. "We should do this as soon as possible. I want to be back home before anybody shows up here."
"I'll keep Ralf and Wolfie by my side. We won't open the door until you're back," Karin promised.
Chapter Fourteen
Jude put his feet up on the ottoman, leaned back against the leather seat, and groaned.
Jonas shook his head in disgust. Jude put on a good act, but he didn't buy it. When he found his brother lying unconscious in the dirt, his heart just about stopped. His siblings were all he had in the world. But he couldn't let Jude take advantage of that and play on his sympathy forever.
Jonas had to let Sable get away in order to take care of his brother. Jude's head wound had already stopped bleeding, but Jonas couldn't take any chances. A head injury was not something to mess around with. Fortunately, he had his cell phone on him, and he made a quick call to their doctor. Jude came to, woozy but able to walk, and their doctor met them back at the ranch. Despite an impressive-looking goose egg, the injury wasn't serious. Doc prescribed an ice bag and aspirin. He told Jonas to keep an eye on Jude for signs of a concussion, but he didn't think there'd be any. Jonas sat up with his twin all night, and fortunately, there weren't any problems.
Once he knew Jude would live, the anger took over. His brother hadn't listened to a damn thing he said. The next day he went back and followed the trail to Connor's house. He forced himself not to knock on the door. He needed a plan before he did something stupid.
"It's been two days, Jude. You can stop faking it." He went to the cherry wood bar, threw the doors open, and reached for the Glenlivet.
"Did you see the size of this thing on my head? It hurts like hell." He fingered the dressing that covered his injury. "I'm lucky to be alive."
Jonas felt his patience snap. "You're not out of the woods yet."
Jude stiffened under his withering glare. "I'm sorry, Jonas. I should have kept a closer watch on her."
"Damn it. What were you thinking? Oh, I forgot. You weren't thinking."
"Give me a break, bro. I feel bad enough as it is," Jude whined in an injured tone. "Get me a glass while you're over there."
Jonas filled two glasses, handed one to Jude, and clinked it with his own. "To what might have been." He sat on the other chair and downed his scotch in one large, hurried swallow. "You should have called me when you knew you were close to catching her."
"Everything happened so fast, I didn't have time to go for my cell phone."
"You're supposed to go for the cell before you jump in feet first. You should have called me before you grabbed her." He walked back to the armoire and refilled his tumbler.
"Don't worry, I'll get her back." Jude took a small sip from his glass. "I'm going to the house. She'll listen to me."
"Are you crazy?" Jonas choked on the scotch. "Connor won't let you near her. And if he did, what would you say?"
"I'll apologize." He shrugged.
"Just like that. I'm sorry I hunted you down and kept you locked up in my house." Jonas laughed. "And they'll invite you in for tea—after they call the sheriff."
"They're not calling anybody. Sable doesn't want the sheriff sniffing around. She'll be worried somebody else might find out what she really is."
"Maybe so, but she probably told Connor she's running from somebody, and he'll be waiting for us with a shotgun." Jonas took another big swallow. "The man has no love for you after that fight at the refuge."
"He gave as good as he got."
"So you're looking to let him finish what he started?"
"You got a better idea?"
"I say we keep an eye on the house and trap her again. She can't stay inside forever."
"What makes you so sure she's still inside? She might have taken a runner before you tracked her to the house."
"I'm not sure. I was busy, remember. I had to take care of your sorry ass." His voice got louder. "You had to go camping, like you were on some kind of date. Stupid son of a..." He tried to calm himself before he popped a blood vessel. "Bad enough you let her get away, then you land flat out cold trying to bring her in." Jonas took a deep breath. "Forget it. I'm not going there again. What's done is done. But I need to have her back. I can't finish my research without her."
"Why don't you just ask her if she'll cooperate? Maybe if you didn't treat her like a lab rat she'd work with you."
&nb
sp; "Right. And do you think that cooperation will extend to having my baby. Or yours?"
"Maybe the baby thing isn't such a good idea."
"I've come too far to give up now."
"Then let me go over there and find out what's going on."
"No way. If Connor doesn't shoot you, his dog will tear your throat out. Too bad you didn't finish him off in the spring when you had the chance."
"Hey, I wasn't aiming to kill somebody's dog. I thought it was a wolf."
"Wolf, dog, whatever he is, he must have recognized your scent. No wonder he attacked you. You're damn lucky you were out cold, or he might have torn you apart."
"It was a bad break, him being in woods. Sable fights like a she-devil, but I almost had her."
"All right. We have to make a move, and we don't have much choice. If we stake out the house and she's there, she'll sniff us out. If she's not there, we're just wasting time, and she's getting further away. I don't see any other way. I'm gonna have to go over there."
"Wait a minute," Jude interrupted. "I'll go with you."
"No. The man has no love for you, and he might feel like we're trying to strong-arm him if two of us go over there. He doesn't know me well. Maybe he'll talk to me."
* * * *
Jonas didn't try to be quiet. He pulled right up to the house and parked his ATV next to the Jeep. As soon as he got out, he heard a dog barking—maybe more than one. Before he had one foot on the porch, Malcolm had the door open and stepped outside.
He didn't look happy to see him. The dog came out and stood at his side. Hackles rose on its back, and it growled, showing lots of sharp teeth. Another yappy dog came out to join them. It looked like a little feather duster.
"Yes?"
He'd never actually met Malcolm before, only seen him in town. Up close, he cut an impressive figure, tall and muscular. Not someone you'd want to mess with. He gave Jude credit for standing up to him. "I'm Jonas Outlaw."
"What can I do for you?" Malcolm crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the threshold. His easy stance didn't fool Jonas. The man looked like an animal eyeing its prey.
