The Mating

  While in Kane’s office, Marla accidentally took a report off Kane’s desk, which she later returned. But was it an accident? And what purpose would the report serve for her?

  Marla had been out most of the night last night and had come back this morning, looking a mess and with mud on her clothes. She said she’d been out for a run, but this was unusual, since she didn’t embrace her wolf as most of the pack did.

  Marla might have been in the red car last night, since it had dirt in it and smelled like Marla’s perfume. Ryne might have been with her.

  Elise frowned at the list. Was there anything else? Oh yes, Marty’s girlfriend named Marlene. Marla could be posing as the on again-off again Marlene, but why? What would she get out of that? Marty hardly seemed her type. And ‘Marlene’ wanted to learn about cars, but would Marla need that knowledge for anything?

  Scrutinizing the two lists, Elise felt something was missing, so she began to make notes entitled ‘Random Ideas and Occurrences.’

  First of all, Northern Oil wanted to drill test wells on pack land. They were offering a substantial sum for the rights.

  Most of the pack didn’t want to sell the land, though a few expressed some interest.

  There was an oil spill near the lake, which had temporarily ruined their drinking water and was costing a large sum to clean up. Was someone, maybe the oil company, trying to force them to leave? Or cause the pack to become financially in debt and in need of money?

  A study had been commissioned to prove that Northern Oil shouldn’t be allowed on the land, but the report wasn’t as strong as Kane had hope and now the oil company wanted to do their own study. Hmm… Marla had ‘accidentally’ taken the report, but had she actually changed it? It was possible, but what did she have to gain from that? Even if she’d done it for Ryne, what was his motive? Was it only revenge? Could he be working for the oil company and having Marla do his dirty work? But why would Marla help a man who threatened her? It just didn’t make any sense!

  The phone rang then and Elise picked it up, pleased to hear Helen’s excited voice. Carrie and John had a son and while there were a few minor complications, mother, and child were doing well. Helen wouldn’t be home until late and Elise assured her that was fine. She asked her to pass along best wishes to the new parents and told Helen yet again, that she’d manage to make her own meals. Smiling, Elise hung up and wandered toward the kitchen all the while wondering what it would be like to have a pup in the house.

  Staring into the fridge, she eyed the various selections. What should she make? It would just be herself and Kane for dinner; maybe an intimate meal would be a good way to start her confession about Bryan. Pleased with the idea that was forming in her mind, she picked up the phone. She’d just call Kane on his cell and see what time he expected to be back and then she’d plan the meal accordingly.

  Kane answered almost immediately. “Kane here.”

  “Hi Kane! It’s Elise. How are things going?”

  “Busy—we’ve been out here all day. What about you?”

  Elise hesitated. She didn’t want to tell Kane over the phone, nor worry him. “Not bad. I really want to talk to you though.”

  “I miss you, too.”

  Well, he’d misinterpreted that, but now wasn’t the time to explain. “Oh, John and Carrie had a baby boy.”

  “Really? That’s great!” She could hear the excitement in his voice. He partially covered the phone and called out the news to the others before turning his attention back to her. “Give them all my best and tell them that I’ll stop by to see them as soon as I can.”

  “When do you think you’ll be home?”

  He sighed heavily. “I can’t say for sure. Probably not until late—don’t wait up for me.”

  Darn! There went her plans. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t really have time to explain right now. I’ll fill you in when I get back. Listen, I’ve got to go. Take care.”

  “Sure. You too.” Elise slowly hung up the phone. So much for a romantic meal followed by a heartfelt discussion. Suddenly eating wasn’t overly appealing and she settled for heating up a can of soup instead.

  The night dragged on, the Alpha house seeming to be overly large and very lonely. She was inexplicably restless and unable to settle down. Half-heartedly she looked at the lists she’d made earlier, but couldn’t concentrate. Grabbing the remote, she tried to lose herself in a romantic comedy, but found herself becoming too worked up over the love scenes. When the male lead kissed his partner, Elise felt her own desire skyrocket and found herself shifting uncomfortably on the couch, her panties becoming damp, her heat racing…

  Leaping up, she began to pace the room, desperately looking out the window for any sign that Kane was coming. Running her hands through her hair, she then wiped the sweat from her upper lip and tugged irritably at her clothes. They felt tight, uncomfortable, and the tag at the back was suddenly irritating her endlessly.

  Heading upstairs, she stripped off her clothing, threw on a light cotton nightgown, and the turned to look out the bedroom window. Kane was out there somewhere and she needed him now. A growl rumbled up from her chest as her frustration mounted. She spun away from the window and paced the room, halting when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her pupils were dilated making her eyes seem almost black, and her face was flushed. Licking her lips, she noted how her breasts rose and fell rapidly with her agitated breathing, her nipples pebbling under the light material of her clothes.

  That’s when it finally dawned on her. Her heat cycle had started and Kane was nowhere in sight. A sudden pain in her palms had her realizing that her fists were clenched, her nails digging into her flesh. She felt like she was going to crawl out of her skin, if she didn’t get some relief soon. This was not how it was supposed to be. When she’d decided to go drug free this time, she’d assumed Kane would be around. A growl formed in her throat. How dare he leave her at a time like this!

  What to do? What to do? She paced the room, chewing on her thumbnail. Helen had said it was waves, not constant, so maybe she could ride it out without going insane. How had females ever survived this before the advent of drugs? She gave a dry laugh. They mated on their first heat, that’s how.

  Heat—what a great name. It was so apropos. She felt like she was burning up. Maybe the age-old remedy of a cold shower might help. Peeling off her nightgown, she headed for the bathroom.

  Half an hour later, she emerged shivering, but feeling more in control. She hoped Kane would be home for the next wave,because that feeling of overwhelming need was definitely not something to experience by oneself. Crawling into bed, she pulled the covers up and closed her eyes, willing Kane to return as soon as possible.

  Chapter 26

  Kane didn’t come home that night. Elise’s sleep had been restless as she kept waking to check his side of the bed, only to find cool sheets and a smooth pillow beside her. As a result, she started the day over-tired and with a sense of impending doom. She hoped another wave of desire wouldn’t hit her while she was at work. It would be rather difficult to explain why she was hiding in the meat freezer trying to cool down when it was barely above freezing outside.

  She was also worried that she hadn’t yet told Kane about her meeting with Bryan, which increased the chances of him finding out from someone else. Nor had she talked to Rose. Checking her watch, she saw that there was still some time before she had to leave for work. Making a mental plan, she decided to stop by the infirmary to see Carrie and the baby first, then she’d go looking for Rose, Phoebe, or Zoe and set them straight as to what had happened.

  Just in case Kane came home while she was gone, she wrote him a note and taped it to the mirror where he was sure to see it. ‘Dear Kane, I need to see you and talk as soon as possible. It’s important.” She hesitated over the signature. Should she just put ‘Elise’ or ‘love Elise’ or maybe just some x’s and o’s for hugs and kisses? Deciding to go out on a limb, she penned ‘I love you, Elise?
?? and was surprised at how good it felt to write the words. Giving the note a kiss, she taped it to the mirror and went on her way.

  The stop at the infirmary was fun. Carrie looked wonderful—if a little tired—and had a definite glow about her. The baby, John Jr. was adorable and Elise found it hard to set him down. Sniffing, she inhaled the intriguing scent of new baby and marvelled at the strength of his tiny fingers as they clung to her own.

  “Oh Carrie, he’s just perfect.” She smiled as she handed the baby back to his mother. Immediately her arms felt incredibly empty and she knew that if by chance she became pregnant, she would have no regrets.

  Carrie nuzzled his soft downy hair. “I think he’s perfect, too.”

  Elise stayed and chatted for a little while longer, before saying her goodbyes and promising to visit again later in the day. Her next stop was Rose’s house. After ringing the bell and knocking several times, she concluded no one was home and turned, scowling in frustration. Darn, Rose! How dare she not be home? She was probably out there right this minute spreading rumours! Stomping down the steps, she headed to the right in search of Phoebe or Zoe. Hopefully, they’d at least be home and she could nip the rumour mill in at least one spot.

  She was so intent on her thoughts that she was surprised to suddenly find herself at Phoebe’s house. Her quick rap on the door was immediately answered, though gaining entrance was another thing.

  “Elise.” Phoebe greeted her coldly and made no move to let her in.

  Deciding to assert her authority, Elise stepped forward, pushing the door open. “We need to talk.” Phoebe looked seemed startled and ready to protest, but then acquiesced. Inwardly, Elise gave herself a pat on the back. Score one for her Alpha female authority!

  Once inside, Elise quickly took stock of the house. It was a typical family home. From her position in the entryway, she could see into the kitchen where the children’s artwork was on the fridge. A family room to the side had toys and a few newspapers strewn about and a basket of laundry waiting to be folded sat on the sofa.

  Gesturing awkwardly, Phoebe led her into the kitchen. Zoe was there and looked surprised when she realised who had been at the door. The atmosphere in the room immediately became thick and uncomfortable. Elise sat on the edge of the chair and cleared her throat. Deciding not to pussyfoot around the issue she jumped right in.

  “Okay, you two, I’m pretty sure I know why you were acting the way you were yesterday. It’s because of Rose, isn’t it?” She watched them shoot glances at each other, but didn’t wait for a reply before continuing. “She told you that she saw me in town with another male and that she saw us hug and—“

  “Don’t forget the part where you said you loved him.” Zoe interrupted spitefully.

  “Right. I did say that. It’s all true. But what Rose didn’t know is that the male was Bryan and he’s from my old pack. We grew up together and he’s like my brother, not a lover.”

  “Oh!” The two ladies spoke in unison, an equally stunned expression on each of their faces. The expressions then changed to embarrassment as they realised their mistake. It was almost comical how alike the two were. They then began to fall over themselves offering apologies and explanations.

  “It’s just that we’re all so fond of Kane and hate the idea of him being taken advantage of,” Phoebe explained.

  “That’s right,” Zoe added. “Kane doesn’t show his feelings, but we all wondered just how hurt he was when Marla dumped him for Ryne; we just couldn’t bear the idea of it happening again. Mind you, it was a lucky escape in my estimation; you’re a much more suitable mate for Kane than she ever was.”

  Phoebe jumped in when Zoe stopped to catch her breath. “So when Rose told us about seeing you with another male, we wondered if you hadn’t really wanted to be with Kane and had just been putting on an act all along. It seemed possible that you might go back to an old lover… No offense intended, but it was an arranged mating and all.”

  “I know what you mean. Don’t worry.” Elise was so relieved, finally to be able to tell someone what had happened, that she didn’t hold any hard feelings. It had looked pretty bad, after all; her hugging another man like that, and telling him she loved him. “At one time, Bryan and I thought we had something between us, but then we realised it was just friendship. I’m happy with Kane.” She hesitated and then made herself say the words. “I…I love him.”

  Both ladies squealed with delight and hugged her, exclaiming how they knew it was meant to be all along. Elise wasn’t so sure about that statement, but let it slide. She was coming to realise that the two sisters were very different from their mother. Both were a bit flighty, but overall, basically harmless. In the future, they’d be fun friends though possibly not the type that she’d want to depend on in an emergency. Julia and Carrie seemed much more sensible.

  Reassured that all was well with their Alpha and his mate, Zoe now wanted to hear the whole story about how Elise had grown up with Bryan, and they spent some time discussing the young man and his future.

  “I just hope he’s making the right choice,” Elise confided. “It’s a big step, striking out on his own with another wolf he’s never met, and establishing a new pack won’t be easy.”

  Phoebe frowned. “I wonder who it could be that he’s meeting. It must be someone who is just passing through. No one’s mentioned a new wolf in the area and we usually know right away.”

  “It couldn’t be Ryne, could it?” Zoe proposed.

  Elise felt the colour drain from her face. Ryne? He was responsible for shooting Thomas! She didn’t want Bryan heading off with him. “I never thought of that. I’m going to have to try and get hold of Bryan and warn him.” Automatically she reached for her cell phone, but remembered that she had left it at home. She stood up quickly, almost tipping over her chair. “I’ve still got a few minutes before I leave for work, I’ll call his home and see if he’s still there.”

  She ran home and dialled the number with shaking fingers. “Hello? Sarah? Is Bryan still there? … He isn’t? … Do you know where I can reach him? … He’s headed to my town? Okay. Thanks.” Hanging up before Sarah could ask any questions, Elise quickly tried Bryan’s cell phone only to find that it wasn’t on. She checked her watch. Darn! It was time to leave for work. Maybe once her shift finished, she could try to find Bryan, though she had no idea of where she’d look.

  Her nerves were on edge the whole time she was working. Usually, the soothing ambiance of the restaurant made her feel calm and at ease throughout her shift. Soft music played in the background and numerous potted plants ensured the air was always fresh, while the burgundy and cream decor created a warm, hospitable atmosphere.

  Today, however, the smell of the food, the sounds from the kitchen, the murmuring of the patrons—everything seemed heightened and grated on her nerves. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, she inhaled deeply, pasted a smile on her face, and tried to look patient while her customer dithered over the cream of tomato soup and grilled salmon, or quiche and a roll. It was all Elise could do not to scream at the woman to hurry and make up her mind. Was this what being in heat was supposed to be like? Or was it just a combination of frustrated desire, lack of sleep and nerves about telling Kane and finding Bryan? It was with great relief that she hung up her apron at the end of her shift.

  There was a small area near the back of the restaurant, which housed the employee’s washroom, a place to hang coats and a few chairs for sitting. Elise plopped down and dug through her purse for her phone. First she called home, but Helen said Kane had just left. Chewing on her lip, she wondered if Kane had gotten her message and if he’d noted the ‘love’ at the end or not. Would he see the significance of it? She hoped so.

  Since he wasn’t home, she had a few minutes to try and find Bryan and discover who he’d met with. If it was Ryne, she’d warn him about how dangerous the other man was. On the off chance that Bryan had turned his cell phone on, she tried calling him again. It rang through a
nd she gave a silent cheer! Something was finally going her way!