A pair of eyes met his, as the blanket was tugged down. His heart squeezed as he took in her fearful expression.
“Don’t worry,” he assured her, trying to smile more softly. “Nothing’s the matter. Connor’s a pretty good driver, so why not see if you can get some sleep? It’s been a tough few hours!”
“OK,” came the quiet reply. “Thank you, Ross.”
Her eyes fluttered closed, but he continued watching her for a few more seconds before sitting back in his own chair, now facing the road.
“Everything OK?” Connor asked, glancing at him. “If you’re tired, you should get some rest too, Ross.”
It was on the tip of Ross's tongue to say he didn't need to rest any more, but then he changed his mind. He was tired, and on top of that, Jenny was bringing out things in him he'd never expected. Yes, he wanted to protect her, but there was something more than that. When she'd been waiting with him for the truck to arrive, he'd almost kissed her. Thankfully, he'd caught himself in time before he'd acted on his impulse, which was completely ridiculous given just how little he knew her. He'd probably have scared her half to death as well, making a move like that. What on earth was the matter with him?
“Something on your mind?”
Ross rolled his eyes at Connor, wishing he wasn’t quite so perceptive. “No, not really.”
“Is that so?” Connor grinned, clearly not believing a word of it. “So that’s why you keep glancing back at our passenger?”
"I am not," Ross retorted, only just realizing that he had been doing exactly that. "I'm just worried about her, that's all. She's part of the pack now. It's my job to look out for her."
“Yeah, right,” Connor muttered, rolling his eyes. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting someone, Ross.”
“Will you keep it down, please?” Ross exclaimed, aware that Jenny could probably hear them.
Settling back in his seat, Ross tried to rest, even though his mind was full of Jenny and all the confusing feelings he was currently experiencing. Connor was right. There was something more than just protectiveness there, but then again, he’d never really had a new shifter in his pack for a long time, not since Sarah. Sarah had been a friend of the family for a long time, and there had always been something between her and Thomas, so it hadn’t exactly come as much of a surprise when they’d decided to get married. Closing his eyes, Ross tried to forget about Jenny, how she’d looked up at him in the hallway, so trusting and yet still afraid. His wolf growled low, settling down too. At least my wolf is happy with Jenny being here, Ross thought to himself. Maybe it knows something I don’t.
“Ross!”
Jerking awake, Ross stared around him before finally realizing where he was. "Oh, sorry. I must have fallen asleep."
“That’s fine,” Connor grinned. “I’m getting pretty tired, and it looks like we’re at our first stop.”
Yawning, Ross saw a sign for a café, his stomach growling right on cue. “Are we being followed?” he asked, turning around to look out of the back windscreen.
Connor shook his head, his face serious. “No, I don’t think so. Not yet, at least, although I don’t think it’ll be long.”
“Jenny?”
A slight chuckle escaped Connor’s chest. “Yeah, she’s still sleeping. Worn out, seems like.”
A rush of sympathy rose in Ross's chest as he glanced down at Jenny's blanket-covered form. Only her face peeped out from one end, and he could see just how pale she was still. "Exhausted, more like," he said quietly. "I doubt she'd have been able to sleep much when Davidson had her."
A grim look crossed Connor's face. "You're right about that. Hopefully, we'll have got away without him noticing. I'll call Ash once we've got something to eat."
The truck shuddered to a stop, and Jenny’s sleepy voice came from the back.
“Can I come out now?”
Ross turned around to face her, unbuckling his seat belt. “Sure. We’ve been driving for about three hours. Connor’s getting tired so we’re going to take a break.” Connor got out of the car and immediately pulled his cell phone from his pocket, ready to call Thomas for an update.
“Oh.” She sat up stiffly, pushing her hair back from her forehead. “I must have slept the whole way.”
Trying not to laugh at the way her hair was sticking up all over the place, Ross turned back to open his door. “You were tired.”
“You’re right about that,” he heard her mutter, opening her own door. Shutting it, she caught sight of her reflection. “Oh no!” Throwing open the door again, she hunted around for a small bag. “Can you give me a minute or two?” she asked, pulling out a small hairbrush. “I can’t walk in there looking like this!”
Ross laughed, unable to keep it in anymore. “Sorry,” he spluttered. “You’re probably right. Don’t be too long though. I’ll be waiting for you just over there.” He indicated the front door of the café, which had a few seats outside. There didn’t look to be anyone else around, which was probably why Ross was in a bit of a lighter mood. For the moment, they didn’t have anything to worry about.
Seeing her crimson face, which was followed by a sting of guilt, Ross followed Connor toward the café, leaving Jenny to sort herself out. He went inside to order and left Connor outside, not wanting to leave Jenny completely alone.
Jenny muttered under her breath as she attempted to comb her mob of unruly brown hair. It always seemed to have a mind of its own, and she’d not exactly been sleeping in the best position. In fact, her entire body was stiff from being all curled up on the back seat, and the itch on her back was making her crazy.
Then again, she wasn't going to complain about getting a few hours rest. It was more than she'd ever had at Davidson's place since she'd always been afraid he was going to come down to get her and she'd wake up to a gun in her face.
Finally managing to tie her hair back, Jenny dug out some deodorant. She hadn’t even showered since she'd been pulled from Davidson's house, and she was pretty sure she needed one. Hopefully, they'd stay somewhere overnight, and she'd be able to shower and sleep in a proper bed. Smiling at the prospect, Jenny tossed her head, set her shoulders and walked toward Connor, who went ahead of her into the café, still on his cell phone.
To her delight, Ross had already ordered for her, although he was trying to apologize for not knowing what it was she'd like. Jenny just smiled before digging into the enormous plate of waffles on the table as the waitress came to pour them some coffee.
“This is so good,” she mumbled, through another mouthful. “Thank you, Ross.”
He smiled at her, but there was no laughter in his face. “That’s OK,” he replied quietly. “Connor’s just coming over with a full breakfast for us all, but I figured you’d be hungry.”
Touched by his thoughtfulness, Jenny reached out and touched his hand on impulse. He jerked a little, but his eyes lifted to hers and something unspoken passed between them.
“I mean it,” she murmured as sparks shot up her arm from where her fingers touched his. “I wouldn’t have been able to get away from Davidson without you all.”
“And we’re not even there yet.” He grinned as she picked up her fork again. “We’ve got a long way to go yet, Jenny, but we’ll get there.”
“I know we will,” she replied, trusting him completely. “I just hope we can stop Davidson completely.”
His face turned dark at the mention of his name. “Oh, don’t worry about that, Jenny,” he said, so quietly that she could barely hear him. “We will. I guarantee that we will.”
“Did someone mention Davidson?” Connor asked, walking toward the table with three plates filled with all kinds of breakfast foods. “Sarah had an interesting update for me.”
“Oh?”
Setting the plates down, Connor sat next to Ross. “It seems he did have a wife after all.”
Ross raised his eyebrows. “Did?”
“She died,” Connor said by way of explanation.
Jenny’s
hand came to her mouth. “When?”
"Around six years ago," Connor replied, gripping his fork so hard Jenny thought it might break. "We'd only just started setting up our agency at that point, which was probably why we didn't hear anything about her death."
“How did that happen?” Jenny’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Was he responsible?”
Connor shook his head, his jaw tightening. "She and Davidson lived out in the country somewhere, although it was only a few miles away from our town. Apparently, she was out walking in the woods one evening with their dog. The dog came back with deep scratches in its back. When they found her body, they told him she'd been mauled to death."
Silence crept around the table, their hearts growing heavy with the news.
“And somehow he’s made the connection to shifters,” Ross muttered eventually.
"Exactly," Connor replied. "That does leave the question about how he even knows about our kind and how he managed to make the connection between her death and shifters being in the woods, but still, Sarah thinks that might have something to do with why he wants to wipe us out."
Ross slammed his fist onto the table. “However he found out about us, he’s spent six years trying to work out who we are. He wants revenge for the death of his wife.”
“But you didn’t kill her,” Jenny exclaimed, her face sheet white. “I’m sure no shifter is responsible for her death! If she was out alone in the woods, it would have been your regular pack of wolves, not a shifter.”
Connor sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his eyes. “Sarah’s looking into it, Ross. Until we know more, we’ve just got to stay on track and keep going the way we are.”
"Agreed," Ross growled, trying to keep his anger under control. "Now let's eat and get out of here."
Chapter Eleven
Two days later and Jenny was beginning to get sick and tired of traveling in the back of a 4x4. They'd stuck to the back roads, which meant things were going to take a bit longer than if they'd been on the highway.
"Listen," she said, having unsuccessfully tried to get some sleep. "We need to take a break."
“A break?” Ross asked, glancing at her before turning his attention back to the road. “What do you mean?”
She sighed inwardly, aware that she had to be careful. There was no way she was going to tell the pack leader what to do, but she could sense that the two of them were getting pretty tired. On top of that, her wolf wanted to get out of her skin for a while. It wasn’t used to being pushed away for so long. “I think we could all do with a break,” she said again. “You’re both tired, and I’m getting fed up of being in a truck all day.”
"She's got a point," Connor muttered, flopping one arm over his eyes. "I know we keep taking turns, Ross, but neither of us is getting decent sleep."
“Or food,” Jenny interjected. The first café they’d stopped at had been amazing, but everything since had gone downhill, to the point that they’d not even tasted the coffee at the last place. “We’re going to be shifting soon, aren’t we?”
“We’re not being followed so far,” Connor added, calmly. “There’s no reason we couldn’t stay somewhere overnight. Maybe just get some proper rest and a decent meal or two?”
Jenny twisted her hands in her lap, hoping Ross would agree. As the leader, she would do what he thought was best, but right now, even Connor agreed with her.
“We’re definitely not being followed?” Ross asked, frowning.
Connor shook his head. “Not as far as I can see, although Sarah says Davidson’s left town. It does mean he might find us, but the chances are pretty slim. We’ve tried to keep out of the way. I think we’d be safe enough to rest for a day or so.”
“She didn’t find out anything more about the wife? Or how he knows about shifters?”
Connor shook his head.
Ross took a long breath, before agreeing. “OK, sounds good. Is there a bed and breakfast nearby?”
Pulling out his cell phone, Connor looked up a few things before jabbing at the screen. “Yes, there’s one nearby that backs on to a large forest. It’s really out in the sticks, so it might take us an extra hour or so to get to, but I think it would be worth it.”
Jenny’s wolf yipped, making a smile spread across her face. “That sounds amazing. My wolf is getting excited already.”
“It wants out, huh?” Ross asked with a smile in her direction. “Mine too.”
Jenny grinned, glad that she could talk to shifters who understood. “As soon as it’s dark, I’ll be out there.”
“That sounds good to me,” Connor agreed, winking at Ross. Jenny frowned, not quite sure what the wink meant, but shrugged it off almost at once. She was already growing excited at the idea of getting out of the truck and actually sleeping in a real bed for the first time in a long time.
“And this must be my room,” Jenny smiled, as Ross handed her the key with a “42” on it.
“I’m in 41 and Connor’s in 43,” Ross explained as Connor let himself into his own room. “Just to make sure you’re safe.”
A sudden rush of butterflies flooded Jenny's stomach as she looked into his eyes. They'd been traveling together for a few days now and she was already feeling as though she knew Ross better than before. He had a sense of humor, although he could grow quickly exasperated with Connor's constant quips. He was always thinking, always analyzing, always preparing for what could happen. Jenny sometimes wondered what he would be like as a more relaxed shifter. Would he laugh more? Or was he always this intense?
Letting herself into her room, Jenny threw down her small bag beside the small table in the corner before jumping onto the bed.
“Ahhhh,” she sighed, sinking into the soft duvet. This was wonderful. Knowing she’d probably fall asleep if she let herself lie down any longer, she got back on her feet and looked around the rest of the room.
"Where's the bathroom?" she wondered aloud, seeing another door. She opened it to see the toilet, sink, and a large bath. It looked so inviting that Jenny already mentally began to plan to have a long soak later that evening.
To her surprise, the door on the opposite side of the bathroom opened—and Ross stood, framed in the doorway, without a shirt on. His muscles practically jumped into view. A rush of heat crept up her spine and flooded her cheeks.
“Sorry,” he muttered, obviously a embarrassed. “I guess they forgot to mention it was a shared bathroom.”
“That’s OK,” she replied, trying to keep her eyes on his face. “I’ll just remember to lock your door when I’m in. Although, I was hoping to have a bath later. Would that be OK?”
“Of course,” he replied gruffly. “Just let me know so that I’m not caught short.” His tone was light, making her blush even further. For some reason, the thought of him joining her flashed into her mind, but she threw the image away almost immediately. Jenny had to remind herself that she was here for a reason. The itch between her shoulder blades suddenly came back with a vengeance, and she excused herself and walked back through to her bedroom.
A few hours later, Jenny felt much better. She’d slept for an hour or so and had dinner in her room. It was amazing what a full stomach and a good sleep could do!
“Jenny?”
Hearing Connor’s muffled voice, Jenny opened the door straight away. “Hi.”
“Hi,” he grinned. “Ross is just coming. Do you mind if I come in for a minute? I’ve phoned Sarah, and I need to give you both an update.”
“Sure,” she replied, holding the door open. Ross appeared, looking like he’d just woken up.
Jenny grinned. “Tired?”
He growled in response, rubbing a hand over his eyes. Jenny laughed lightly before shutting the door behind them.
“Have you both had dinner?” she asked, glancing at them both. “I could order up?”
“I’ve had,” Connor replied.
“I’ll have later,” Ross chimed in, still looking weary. “To be honest, I think I’d be more interested in
rabbit than a three-course meal!”
Jenny’s smile widened. “Sounds good.” She could feel the wolf getting restless, knowing it needed to get out and run. “Will we be safe enough to do that?”
“That’s what I was going to talk to you about,” Connor interrupted, sitting down in a chair by the table. “I called Sarah and Thomas. Thomas has been working hard on those sketches you gave him, Sarah. He’s found them both.”
Panic clawed at her heart as she looked at Connor’s phone, seeing the two familiar faces looking back at her. Numb, she handed the phone back and nodded. “Yes, that’s them.”
Ross rubbed her back, seeing her distress. “You’ve done really well, Jenny.” Turning back to Connor, he cleared his throat. “Who are they?”
Connor shook his head. “From what Thomas could find out, their last name is Damson.”
“Married?” Jenny asked, surprised.
"No, siblings, according to Thomas. That's possibly why you remembered them so well. They do have similar features."
She nodded , hating her memories of them. “They were close with Davidson.”
"So, they'll probably be on our trail along with Davidson," Ross said grimly. "Just three faces in particular to look out for."
Loved by The Alpha Wolf (The Lone Wolf Book 1) Page 6
