She hadn’t got much done beyond several new sketches of Louis. He’d filled her thoughts as she’d gone back and forth about her decision to go with him to meet his pack. One minute she’d decide she’d been right to agree to go with him, the next she’d been trying to figure out a way to get out of it.
In the end, she’d known she’d have regrets if she didn’t meet his family. Not willing to risk the hunters coming back and maybe breaking into the house while she was away, Gray packed up her laptop, sketchbooks and valuables. She’d tossed the knapsack in the car before they’d left. She’d even stuffed a change of underwear and a clean top into the bag in case she decided to stay the night, but she had no intentions of telling Louis that.
Louis. He was the reason she was here instead of halfway home. “I’m obviously out of my mind,” she told Shadow. He made a grumbling noise that sounded suspiciously like agreement. It made her laugh.
She stopped petting Shadow and placed that hand over her pounding heart. Louis had gotten too close too fast, but there was no point in closing the barn door now. That horse had already run. She was emotionally involved whether she wanted to be or not.
A parking area was just ahead, and it already held six vehicles. She tightened her fingers on the steering wheel. Gray carefully pulled her vehicle into an empty spot beside Louis’s truck, turned off the ignition and sat there, not quite ready to take that next step. Louis climbed out of his truck and walked toward her. No, he didn’t walk. He prowled. There was a fluidness to his motions that reminded her of a predator.
“I’m not sure about this,” she told Shadow. The big dog put his head on her shoulder, heaved a sigh and patiently waited. She knew he’d do whatever she wanted. Louis, on the other hand, wasn’t quite so willing to let her have her way.
He opened her car door and held out his hand. She looked at that big tanned hand. It had touched her gently and brought her the most exquisite pleasure. She also knew he’d killed others of his kind to protect his pack.
“Trust me.”
He had no idea just what he was asking of her. She met his gaze and saw a deep longing that went far beyond the sexual.
She reached out and put her hand in his. He steadied her as she stood, and Shadow took the opportunity to climb out behind her. The big dog shook his entire body, wiggling his butt several times before he settled next to Gray. The animal’s tail began to thump back and forth and his eyes were on a group of thick trees just beyond them.
The nape of her neck began to tingle and her stomach lurched. Whatever was watching them was lethal. She could sense it. She would have jumped back in her car and driven away if Louis hadn’t been holding on to her. As if he sensed her unease, he clamped his hand down on her wrist like a manacle. Not hurting her, but she wasn’t going to escape him without a fight.
“It’s Cole,” he told her.
As though he’d simply been waiting on Louis to acknowledge his presence, a giant wolf strode out from between two oak trees.
Gray didn’t even have enough moisture in her mouth to swallow. She’d thought Louis was big in his wolf form. This animal was massive. The huge brown and blond body moved toward them slowly, as though the wolf was trying not to frighten her.
Shadow whined and lay down beside her. She had to fight the urge to do the same thing. She squared her shoulders and met Cole’s green-eyed gaze. There was a sharp intelligence in those eyes that studied her carefully.
Sweat gathered between her shoulder blades and her heart beat erratically, but she didn’t look away. The big creature glanced at Louis and then turned his back on them and disappeared down a dirt path.
Gray released the breath she’d been holding. “Well, that was…” She trailed off at a loss for words.
“Intense,” Louis supplied. “That’s Cole.” He tugged on her hand and pulled her down the path. “Come on. We’re almost there.”
She heard pride in his voice, but something more too. Longing. He wanted to share his home with her, wanted her to like it. She’d always trusted her intuition and knew in her gut she was right about what he was feeling. It stood to reason he could probably pick up on her unease as well.
Most men claimed not to understand women. Louis’s instincts would give him an edge a human male would never have.
Gray glanced over her shoulder to find Shadow right behind them. The dog was showing no trepidation about entering the wolves’ den. She could do this. If Louis or the others had wanted to hurt her, they could have done so at any time.
Usually, she loved being out in nature. Her fingers would itch to sketch or take photos to turn into paintings at a later date. She barely noticed her surroundings now. All her attention was on Louis and the path before them.
They rounded a curve and a lovely log home came into view. It blended almost seamlessly with its surroundings. A long porch with comfortable chairs invited a person to sit and gaze out on the landscape. It was rustic but beautiful.
“We built it ourselves,” Louis told her. He’d stopped when she had and let her take it all in.
“It’s amazing.” No need to feign enthusiasm. The place tugged at her heart.
“It has two bedrooms and an office. Each bedroom has its own bath.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she leaned into him. “Kitchen and eating area and the living space all flow into one another.”
The front door opened and a man stepped out onto the porch. A wave of sheer power smashed against her, and she took a step back. She’d thought the big wolf who’d met them had been intimidating. Cole had nothing on this guy.
Alpha. The word echoed in her mind. This had to be the leader of this pack. He was a big man with shaggy brown hair that fell around his shoulders, a prominent nose and full lips. But it was his golden-brown eyes that made her shiver. He didn’t just look at her, but through her and into her very soul. He also looked too much like Louis for it to be a coincidence.
“That’s your brother.”
“Oui. That’s Jacque.” Louis guided her forward and she stumbled for a step, her legs refusing to work properly. Then she got her footing and moved away from Louis’s hold. She automatically reached out for Shadow and closed her fingers around his collar. The dog leaned against her leg, offering her silent support.
She sensed Louis wasn’t happy with her for stepping away from him, but it had been instinct, honed over long years of being on her own with Shadow.
“Welcome.” The deep voice carried the same accent that Louis’s did.
She nodded, not quite knowing what to say or do. Was there some werewolf etiquette she should be following? She should have asked Louis about it.
Jacque walked down the steps and met Louis. The two men bumped shoulders. Jacque rested a hand on Louis’s shoulder. “How you feeling?” The obvious concern drained some of the tension from Gray.
“I’m fine,” Louis told him. “This is Gray Everson.” He reached out and pulled her beneath his arm. “This is the woman who saved my life.”
She was uncomfortable with the praise and thrust out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. LaForge.” Better to err on the formal side.
There was amusement in his gaze, but Jacque wrapped his fingers around hers and shook them. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. And please call me Jacque.” He glanced at Louis. “They’re all inside.”
Louis swore and then sighed. “Sorry about this, chère. I should have known they’d all want to meet you. I’d hoped you’d have some time with just Jacque and Gwen before the others descended on us.”
“Why do they want to meet me?” She was totally bewildered. The only people who usually wanted to meet her were people interested in her art. She knew why she wanted to meet his pack. They were Louis’s family and a connection to a part of herself she hadn’t known existed until she’d met him.
Jacque grinned, and it struck her how alike the two brothers w
ere. There was an intensity about Jacque that set her nerves on edge. Louis was a much calmer, more contained personality.
“Because you saved my brother from the big, bad hunters,” Jacque replied.
Gray couldn’t believe he was joking about such a thing. Louis could have died. She was about to blast Jacque for his glibness when she really looked in the man’s eyes and saw the pain in them. It was then she understood his joking was a way of dealing with his fear of losing his brother.
Louis laughed, taking no offense, and slapped his brother on the back. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Non,” Jacque good-naturedly replied. “Come inside. I promise I won’t let the others bite.”
Now she had the feeling he was laughing at her obvious unease, except she didn’t pick up any malicious undertones, just more teasing. Once again, she wasn’t sure how to deal with the situation. There was a primal wildness about Jacque and Louis. It was in their scent, in the way they held themselves and even in the way they moved. She saw it clearly. Sensed it.
Was it because there was a part of that inside her as well?
Shadow bumped against her leg, reminding her of his presence. “Is it okay for Shadow to come inside?” She wasn’t going anywhere without her dog.
“Absolutely,” Jacque replied. “He’s a beautiful animal.” He held out his hand and Shadow trotted right over to nuzzle his fingers. She’d never seen the dog take to people as quickly as he had Louis and his friends. It made sense on a basic level. The wolf part in him recognized the wolf in them.
They were half-breeds, she and her dog. Maybe that’s why Shadow had been drawn to her in the first place.
Louis leaned down and nuzzled her ear. “Everything will be fine. I promise.”
She found herself believing him and followed him up the steps with Jacque leading the way. The alpha walked inside, and she hesitated at the threshold. Louis hovered beside her on one side and Shadow on the other. Her own small pack. The idea popped into her head and made her smile.
Then she took a deep breath and a step forward. She was immediately assailed by the scents of the different people inside. They didn’t smell like most humans did. Good reason for that too. They weren’t human. They were more than that.
Gray stopped just inside the room and found herself under the scrutiny of a small pack of werewolves who were all standing in the living room area. The door closed behind her with a heavy thunk.
There was no going back.
Gray’s fear burned his nostrils. He hated the stench. Much preferred the sweet scent of her arousal and happiness. She wasn’t likely to stay overnight if she was afraid. In fact, she’d probably hightail it out of here as fast as she could.
He wanted to kick his brother’s ass for allowing the others to descend on Gray like this. She was standing still as a statue, her breathing quickening.
Louis caught Gwen’s eye and jerked his head toward Gray. Immediately, Gwen moved forward a smile on her face. “Welcome to our home. I’m Gwen Jones. I’m Jacque’s mate.”
He almost grinned when Gray’s gaze shot from Gwen to Jacque and back again. They did make a contrast in light and dark. Gwen with her blond hair, blue eyes and open smile, and Jacque with his dark looks and deadly vibe.
Gwen didn’t offer her hand and hugged Gray instead. “I’m really sorry for this,” Gwen apologized. “But the others were curious.” She laughed. “So was I.” She stepped back. “Thank you for everything you did for Louis.”
“It was really nothing,” she began.
Louis snorted, and Gray shot him a look that promised he’d pay for that later. Anticipation filled him. He couldn’t wait to get her alone again.
“Let me introduce you to everyone.” Gwen took Gray’s hand and led her forward. “You’ve met Jacque. And you met Gator, Armand and Anny yesterday.”
Louis trailed behind the women and watched Gray nod at the others.
“This is Sylvie, Armand’s sister and Gator’s mate. And the big man by the fireplace is Cole, and the woman beside him is his mate, Cherise.”
Gray’s eyes widened when they landed on Cole. Louis knew she was trying to reconcile the big wolf she’d seen outside with the large man who currently had his arm around his mate.
“Why don’t we all sit down?” Louis patted a chair and Gray sank into it. “This is Shadow,” he introduced the dog. The big animal was in his element as he went from person to person, getting petted and praised. That drew a smile from Gray, and Louis was happy to see her shoulders relax and some of the tension leave her.
Jacque stepped forward and everyone fell silent. “You saved my brother’s life.”
Gray tensed all over again but nodded.
“You have my gratitude and that of this pack. No harm will come to you here, and you are always welcome.” Jacque inhaled deeply. “You are part wolf.”
Gray nodded. “So Louis tells me.” She glanced up at him and smiled.
Louis placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You’re a half-breed. On your father’s side from what you’ve told me.”
Anny leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees. “What does it feel like?” Then she stopped herself. “Sorry, that was rude of me. I blame the librarian in me that wants to know the answers to everything.”
“You’re a librarian?” Gray blurted.
Anny grinned and nodded. “I was.” She gave Armand a loving smile. “I had to give it up because of what happened. I wasn’t always a werewolf.” She gestured with her hand. “But that’s a long story for another day.”
Louis could tell Gray was curious and wanted to know more. He could have kissed Anny. Anything that made Gray want to stay, want to learn about them was a good thing.
“To answer your question,” Gray began. “I’ve always felt different. I didn’t understand that most people didn’t see things as clearly, as vividly as I did. That people couldn’t hear the same things I was. I was never sick and I’ve always been strong.” She shrugged. “It’s just the way I’ve always been.”
“You’ve never felt your wolf?” Louis wasn’t surprised it was Cherise who asked the question. She was a full-blooded wolf who couldn’t shift due to a childhood illness, an anomaly in the werewolf world.
Gray shook her head. “Not an animal or another entity.” She rubbed her chest. “Just a sense of wildness, of being different.” She shifted uncomfortably and reached out to pet Shadow, who’d ended up sitting almost on her feet.
Gray looked around at the sea of faces surrounding her and saw only genuine interest, felt only acceptance that she was here. Something long dormant inside her seemed to stretch and reach for the others.
Recognition. That was what she felt. The part of her that had always felt alone in the world recognized these people were like her. It was humbling and scary.
Louis stood beside her, his presence calming. He slid his hand up her shoulder and under her hair to squeeze her nape. “I think it’s time for coffee and maybe cake, if there’s any left from last night.”
Anny jumped to her feet. “Of course there’s some left. I hid one of them just in case.”
The group groaned and playfully groused at Anny. She simply laughed and headed to the kitchen with Gator right behind her. Gray was starting to get a handle on the dynamics of the group, but it wasn’t easy. Jacque was obviously the man in charge, but no one seemed afraid of him.
And none of the other men were subservient to him. They were all strong, powerful men in their own right. She’d have to ask Louis about that later.
“So you’re a painter?”
Gray had to think for a minute to remember the woman’s name. Sylvie, that was it. She was beautiful with long black hair and brown eyes, but a wicked scar marred her right cheek. It was hard to picture this delicate woman with the heavily tattooed and mean-looking Gator.
&
nbsp; Gray nodded. “Yes. I mainly do landscapes and wildlife.”
“Do you have any posted online?” Anny asked. It wasn’t surprising that the former librarian would ask her that.
“I have some on my personal website, and there are also some on the gallery site.”
Anny glanced at Armand, who immediately stood. “I’m on it.” There was something calming about Armand in spite of the scars that marred his face. He strode to a table in the corner of the living room and opened a laptop and began to type in some commands. “Got it.” He brought the computer over and set it on the coffee table so everyone could see.
The women crowded around the screen and the men hovered behind them. Gray was uncomfortable having so many people scrutinize her work at once. This wasn’t like a gallery showing. This was Louis and his friends and family.
She was nervous. It was surprising, considering her work was the one part of her life where she was truly confident.
Louis left her side and went to look. The rest automatically made a space for him so he could get a close-up view. He reached down and scanned the screen, clicking occasionally to enlarge an image.
This was worse than the first time she’d ever had a showing. Worse than even the first time she’d taken her portfolio to a gallery.
She put one hand over her stomach to try to calm the butterflies that were dancing inside. It didn’t matter what the rest of them thought of her work. But Louis…Louis mattered.
He raised his head and his eyes were filled with pride. The butterflies in her stomach settled. “Your work is amazing.”
She knew she had a big smile on her face but couldn’t help herself. “Thank you.” His praise warmed her to her very soul.
“It’s incredible,” Anny murmured as she leaned over Louis’s shoulder to have a better look.
“So lifelike,” Gwen commented.
Gray was getting uncomfortable with their praise even though she knew it was sincere. She could always smell the fake social praise she sometimes received at gallery showings. It left a nasty scent in her nose. “Thank you.”
Wolf on the Hunt Page 15
