He fisted his hands and tried to distract himself. Brandi. She was beside him. Why not focus on her, on the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of pages turning.
She shivered and he opened his eyes, noting she was just wearing a t-shirt. Goose-bumps showed on her bare legs and arms.
“Get under the covers.” The words came out more gruffly than he’d intended and she shot him a nasty look.
“Reno, this is hardly the time—”
“Brandi, I feel like a bag of shit. I’m not trying anything. You’re cold. Get under the covers.” He gave her a level look and she eyed him for a moment before nodding.
Slowly, she pulled the blankets back and scooted underneath, carefully ensuring she was on her side of the bed.
He gave a grunt of approval and closed his eyes again, though he kept his ears alert to the sounds she made. After a few minutes, he heard her exhale softly, felt the bed jiggle as she adjusted her position and once again noted the quiet flick of a page turning.
Slowly, the heat from her body crept across the space separating them. Her presence beside him was comforting, providing him with a sense of peace that had escaped him these past few months. Cautiously, he allowed his tense muscles to relax, his jaw to unclench. He thought of her curly hair and soft skin, inhaled the sweet scent that was uniquely her.
Eventually, he fell into an untroubled sleep and when he woke in the morning, she was lying wrapped in his arms. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to kiss her.
“Reno?” She looked up at him with sleep laden eyes, a soft smile playing over her lips.
“Shh… It’s still early, I think. Go back to sleep.”
She murmured something, then closed her eyes and snuggled in closer, her thumb idly stroking back and forth across his chest. It felt so right being with her like that, feeling her soft warm body pressed to his, her rhythmic breathing feathering over his chest. He inhaled deeply, her sweet heady scent filling him. His eyes drifted shut just as his wolf raised its head, suddenly alert.
Still half asleep himself, Reno didn’t bother to remind the beast who was in charge. He was tired and it felt good just to drift along as an observer. Without even being aware, he began to stroke Brandi’s back, cupping her hips to pull her closer. She whimpered softly and nuzzled him, her tongue licking at his collarbone before gently biting down.
A pleased rumble rose from his chest and he rolled onto his back taking her with him, enjoying the feel of her blanketing his body. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he raised her head to kiss her and she responded with enthusiasm, gripping his shoulders, then caressing his chest. His groin stirred to life as she wiggled on top of him and then worked her hands beneath the waistband of his boxers. He found the hem of the t-shirt she was sleeping in and slipped his hand underneath.
The need to connect with someone—with her—surged within him. She felt so soft and warm while inside he was cold and empty. Lately it had been like he was only half alive, as if something vital was missing and now, with her in his arms, the lifelessness was fading.
He ran his hands up and down her back, relearning the feel of her, the curve of her hips, the sweetness of her breasts. She straddled his thighs, pleasuring him with her hand while he kneaded her soft buttocks. It felt so good…
Like an inferno, a sudden frantic need seemed to burst to life inside both of them. Clothing was pushed aside and a frenzied coupling began. It was wild and fast and unrestrained. Flesh hitting against flesh, panting breaths, moans of delight. Tension coiled low in his belly then her body clamped down hard around him. Her cries of ecstasy sent him over the edge and he gripped her hips tightly, thrusting hard and deep before spilling his seed with a groan of pleasure.
When he came back to himself, she was sprawled on top of him, her hair spilling over his chest, her legs entangled with his. The contrast between her creamy skin and his darker tan seemed incredibly erotic and unexpectedly he felt himself hardening yet again.
“Hey,” he whispered.
“Hey yourself.” Brandi lifted her head up to look at him with a glowing expression, curls damply clinging to her face. “That’s quite the way you have of starting the day.” A smile played over her lips as she gently traced the bridge of his nose with her finger tip.
“Yeah, well I’d hate to be boring and just say good morning like everyone else.” He quirked a smile at her, all the animosity of their last meeting having faded away. Instead a cocoon of comfort had wrapped itself around him. Lightly he ran his hands up and down her back, enjoying the feel of her warm silky skin.
“I’ve never associated the word boring with you.” She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, then studied him with concerned eyes. “How are you doing this morning?”
For a moment he was lost in the green depths, then the question brought the previous day’s events slamming home to him and he felt a heavy sadness settle on him, erasing the delightfully sated feeling brought on by the morning’s activities. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine. I’ll be fine.”
She watched him for a minute while making idle patterns on his collar bone. He sensed her waiting for him to expand on his statement, but wouldn’t give in to her silent expectations. Sharing his feelings wasn’t something he did easily and he’d exposed himself more than enough last night. Finally she nodded and sat up, sliding off him.
“Good.” Her clipped tone let him know she was hurt by the way he’d suddenly shut her out. For a moment he considered telling her his emotions were still raw at the memory of what had happened. That he still blamed himself. That the mother’s words still echoed in his ears. He even opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He was an Enforcer. Enforcers couldn’t afford to have feelings or show weakness.
Looking around she found her t-shirt and slipped it on. “Do you mind if I shower first? I have to get to work.”
“Work?”
“Yeah. Not only do we have to explain why three families suddenly decided to move from the area without a word to anyone, but we now have several deaths to explain.” She pulled her hair back from her face and frowned. “Perhaps we can say the three families moved to start a joint business venture—”
“Two. Not three families. Two. I missed one, remember.” He pointed the fact out, bitterness rising inside him.
“Well, it’s three now. The remaining members of the third family will be secretly airlifted out so no one will know they didn’t leave together. I’ve already fabricated a story to explain the death of the Alpha. A rumour will be spread that it was a chainsaw accident. He was clearing trees in his woodlot and his family is having a private funeral out of state. Closed casket.”
“And the dead father and injured boy?”
Brandi shook her head, her brow furrowed as she became lost in the intricate web of lies she was spinning. “No. They won’t be mentioned. We’ll let people assume—”
“What do you mean, they won’t be mentioned? They’re more important than that bastard of an Alpha!” He sat up and stared at her, uncaring that the blankets had fallen from his hips. The heat that had hardened his body just moments ago had been replaced by ice water as he listened to her callous words.
“They’ll be in our official report to Lycan Link, but to the human world, they’ll have just moved away.”
The story soured his stomach. That a murder and the assault of an innocent child could be swept under the carpet as if it had never happened was wrong and he said so.
“So the local human population will never know what a bunch of bas—”
She cut him off. “That’s right. They’ll never know. That’s how it’s done, how it’s always been done. You know that as well as I do, Reno.”
He climbed out of bed and pulled on his shorts. The topic of conversation had ruined the sense of intimacy between them. “It still sucks. These weres—the ones that stood by and did nothing—will continue to live in the community and their neighbours will never know what scum they are.”
/> Brandi sighed and tried to explain again. “This is the best way to handle the situation, Reno. Mentioning the father’s death and that a child was injured brings too much publicity. When an adult dies, it can be passed off any number of ways, but when a child’s involved, people start to ask questions, and we can’t let that happen. Lycan Link will be apprised of the situation and the remaining pack members will be dealt with appropriately according to our laws. I shouldn’t have to tell you that.”
By now she was standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. Vaguely he noted how cute she looked with tousled ringlets cascading around her face and the short t-shirt she wore exposing her legs, but the issue between them cancelled out any appreciation he might have had for the sight.
Instead, some devil inside—his own guilt perhaps—pushed him to keep questioning her, arguing with her reasoning. He knew she was right, but at that moment he couldn’t let the matter go. In the end, he stormed out of the room cursing DCs and went in search of Damien.
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
A month later, Brandi sat in her small apartment, her arms wrapped around her knees, rocking back and forth. Tears streamed down her face, punctuated by the occasional hiccup. Oh God, this couldn’t be happening, there had to be some mistake. There was no way she and Reno had made a…
She couldn’t even get the words to form in her mind, let alone say them out loud, yet all the evidence pointed that way. The emotional roller coaster she was on, the trouble she had sleeping. Her stomach clenched again and she fought against being sick but it was a losing battle.
Racing to the bathroom, she heaved into the toilet, the meagre contents of her stomach exiting in a disgusting swill. By the time the ordeal was finished, her limbs were shaking and her skin felt clammy. She flushed away the evidence then stumbled to the sink to wipe her face and rinse her mouth of the foul acidic taste. Damn. Why did her stomach have to be her weak spot? Whether she was excited, nervous or scared, the pernickety organ made itself known, usually in a most inelegant way.
Leaning against the wall, she slid down to the floor, allowing the coolness of the tile to creep into her. The stark whiteness of the room was somehow soothing and the forest green towels lulled her with the impression of nature. Eventually, her breathing slowed and the clammy feeling was replaced by a more normal temperature.
When she was sure the risk of being ill had passed, she made her way back to the living room. The springs of her cheap sofa creaked softly as she sank down onto the cushioned surface, reminding her that her rookie wages didn’t allow for luxuries yet. Just a few weeks ago, she’d bemoaned having to budget but what did that matter in the face of a situation such as this?
Pulling her legs up, she returned to the comforting fetal position she’d assumed soon after arriving home from the clinic, and continued to ponder her fate.
At first, she hadn’t been able to figure out what was wrong. The stress of exams and a new job had possibly thrown her off-kilter, but after several months, that explanation had worn itself out. And now… Well, the evidence was right there in front of her.
She flicked another glance at the paper on the table. It was crumpled and partially stained on one side—evidence that in a fit of panic she’d thrown it in the garbage and pushed the container into a corner. However, after circling her small apartment several times, logic had prevailed and she’d fished the page back out of the trash. It was childish to think that not looking at the evidence would solve the problem. What was done was done and she had to face up to it.
The blood test was positive. At her insistence, the Lycan Link doctor had double checked the results. There’d been no mistake, no lab error. Thankfully, he was bound to keep the information confidential; it wasn’t the sort of news she wanted spread around. Wouldn’t the office gossips have a field day if they ever found out?
She could just picture how everyone would huddle around the photocopier, whispering about the juicy tidbit of news. And then they’d scurry off to tell someone else, spreading the sordid tale like an insidious plague until every employee at Lycan Link knew what had happened. People would stop and stare at her as she walked down the halls, each one wondering what Reno had seen in her, how he’d react, and who would be brave enough to tell him.
And what would Reno do when the news finally reached him? What would he say? Would he hate her? Fly into a rage? Think she’d tried to trap him? The idea of facing his anger had her curling into an even tighter ball, fear spiking her nerve ends into hyper-sensitivity.
She rubbed her temples and tried to stay calm. Maybe he’d be pleased. You never know, there was always a chance his reaction might not be negative. The corners of her mouth curved into a small smile at the idea of Reno looking at her with the light of happiness shining in his eyes. He’d suddenly realize this was what he’d wanted all along and sweep her into his arms…
Brandi snorted. Was her brain completely fried? There was no evidence to support such an idea. The chance of Reno being happy about this turn of events was negligible. He was a career Enforcer after all. No ties, no pack. There was no room for her in his life.
She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Okay, he might not be happy but, what if by some miracle, the news didn’t horrify him? How did she feel about it? Did she really want to be joined to him like this for the rest of her life?
By his own admission he was a potential rogue and for all that she might scoff at the whole ‘rogue mystique’ there was more than a grain of truth to it. True rogues didn’t form lasting bonds. They didn’t integrate with a pack. They were loners who clung to the edges of society more comfortable in their wolf skin than their human. And rogues could be extremely unpredictable and dangerous. She’d read about that and viewed the evidence with her own eyes when she’d toured Langstaff. The damage Reno had inflicted there had made her shudder. Mind you, there’d been good cause but still…
The kettle she’d put on earlier started to whistle and she got up and made herself some tea, hoping the soothing beverage would help. Cradling the cup in her hand, she wandered to the window and stared out at the gloomy day. Everything was grey and dull and muddy. The were empty, many of the shops already closed for the day. There were no people to watch, nothing to distract her from her problems or perk up her spirits. With a sigh, she turned away from the depressing scene and stared around the empty apartment. If only she had a roommate to talk to.
No sooner had she completed the thought, than an idea popped into her head and she hurried over to the phone. Tabi! They hadn’t talked in months, but she’d been there when this whole mess with Reno had started so maybe…
Impatiently she listened to the phone ringing and gave a sigh of relief when someone picked up.
“Hello?”
“Tabi? It’s Brandi.” She tried to sound normal, to keep the worry from her voice. Small talk first and then she’d broach the subject.
“Oh, hi! I was going to call you this weekend but here you are!”
Brandi found herself smiling as the other girl’s bubbly nature came through in her words. “Well, I—” She didn’t get to say anymore though as Tabi kept right on talking.
“You’ll never guess what happened! You know how I got a job at one of Lycan Link’s outposts? Well, first of all it’s so dull here; the only excitement is watching the corn grow. And their computer system is totally ancient. I couldn’t believe it the first day I walked in but I guess that’s why they needed me here. Anyway, I’ve been working all this overtime with this other guy named Finn. He’s such a nerd but… ”
Rolling her eyes, Brandi took a sip of her tea. Same old Tabi, talking a mile a minute. One guy after another. Was it possible to say a wolf had the morals of an alley cat? Oh well, at least she had a good heart and when Tabi broke up with a man, she wasn’t left with a permanent reminder!
“So, do you think you’ll be able to come?”
“Pardon?” Brandi realized she’d missed something important
.
“To the bonding ceremony. Finn and I are going to be mates.”
“What?” Shocked at the news, she didn’t know what to say. She’d never pictured Tabi settling down, at least not so soon. “Oh. Well… That’s… um… That’s fantastic news.” She tried to inject some enthusiasm into her voice but knew her tone didn’t match her words. Thankfully, Tabi didn’t seem to notice.
“Isn’t it? It was so romantic, the way he proposed. And you won’t believe this, but we’re waiting!”
“For what?” Brandi blinked having no idea what her friend might be referring to.
“To blood bond, silly. I know it’s hard to believe, but Finn’s sort of traditional and wants a proper ceremony overseen by an Alpha first. It’s been really hard to control myself but… ”
Brandi fought back a new wave of nausea. This was so not what she wanted to hear about right now. She was glad for her friend; however stories of ‘happily ever after’ were just too much to take at the moment.
Tabi chattered on and Brandi made what she hoped were the appropriate responses, but all the while her thoughts were in turmoil as she compared her own situation to her friend’s.
It wasn’t fair. Tabi was the flighty one, going from man to man while she worked her butt off, always following the rules, staying focussed on the future. Shouldn’t there have been some kind of pay-off for her dedication? Not that she wished bad things for her former roommate but how could life be so cruel?
Blood bonds. Just hearing about it made her throat tighten with unshed tears. Something so personal, so sacred, the thing every female werewolf dreamed about with stars in her eyes… Well, her stars were well and truly burnt out now, nothing but bits of scorched rock. There’d be no fancy bonding ceremony for her, no giggling conversations with girlfriends about what it would be like to finally be one with the man you loved.