Eric didn’t tell Sarandon where he was going first either. He wanted to know for himself if Pepper or her people had anything to do with the illegal marijuana plants.
When he arrived at the campground, Eric felt a bit apprehensive. He wanted more than anything to clear Pepper and her people of any wrongdoing. He didn’t smell any of the wolves who had been at the growing sites. He suspected if Waldron’s or Pepper’s packs were involved, they now knew that one of the park rangers was a wolf. They might have begun wearing hunter’s scent, but it was too late for that. He already knew the culprits’ scents. At least five of them.
He only found the same scents as before when he reached the first of the cabins. No one he’d smelled at the marijuana sites. The second cabin, same thing. But as he reached the third cabin, he saw Pepper hiking up the trail, looking as surprised to see him there as he was to see her. Now how the hell could he get himself out of this one? And what was she doing back here?
“Fancy seeing you here,” she immediately said, looking wary. “I thought you were going home to bed because you’re sick.”
“I am, but I wanted to make sure no one was camping here illegally since you vacated early. Sometimes we have folks who will try to use a cabin if the renters leave earlier than expected.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It hasn’t happened here while I’ve been working, but it did up north at another national park. Besides that, I wanted to learn all your people’s scents in case I run into them later. I smelled Waldron around here, checking out the area.”
“I noticed.”
“Did you leave something behind?”
“A pack member said one of her son’s favorite action figures was left at the cabin because we were in such a rush to leave. Since I was already close to here, I told her I’d check. I hope you won’t report me for using a lockpick on the cabin where her boys stayed so that I can look for it.”
He shook his head. “Unless you want me to use mine so your search will seem more legit.”
“I’ll take you up on that. I wouldn’t want to do anything illegal in front of a law enforcement officer.”
He unlocked the door to the cabin, then let her go in first. She headed straight for one of the bedrooms while he smelled around the place, trying to locate any scent of a wolf who had been up at one of the marijuana patches. None smelled familiar, and he felt a hint of relief.
She came out of the bedroom smiling and waving a golden-armored action figure. “Pauline didn’t think she’d hear the end of it last night, so she’ll be delighted to know it was still here.”
Eric was glad Pepper had a legitimate reason to be here. Not that he didn’t, but he still felt guilty about checking up on her and her people when he really liked what he’d seen of her.
“Are you returning home now?”
He swore she wanted to tell him she’d call his superiors—his pack leaders—if he didn’t go straight home and rest. He smiled. “Yeah, I’m done here.” And he was glad he hadn’t found anything to tie her pack to the illegal drugs.
“Thanks, Eric.” And then to his surprise, she took hold of his arm and kissed him on the cheek very quickly, pulling away before he had a chance to react.
“Hell,” he said, smiling down at her, “I’m glad I came back to check the cabins.”
She laughed. “Well, it won’t happen again. I just…wanted to thank you for everything.”
Now he was feeling guilty again. If she only knew why he really was here. He wished he could just accept the kiss as a sweet gesture and nothing more, but, damn it, he wanted something more to come of it. But what if she was trying to bamboozle him into thinking she was all sweet and not doing anything illegal so he would be too stuck on her to arrest her? His law enforcement training was telling him to be careful before making any mistakes he’d later regret.
His wolfish side said screw that, she was the kind of woman he wanted in his life. And if she was doing anything illegal, well, he wasn’t going to worry about that now. He just had to prove who was planting the seeds and harvesting the plants and hope that had nothing to do with her pack.
“Eric? Where did you park your truck? I didn’t see it at the site where we parked ours before. Is there another official-use road near here?”
“Yeah. That’s where I parked when I carried Susan to the camp.”
“Oh, okay. I was going to give you a lift because you look so flushed, but you’re probably parked closer than I am.”
He was touched by her change of heart and glad he had invited her to share lunch with them. Maybe that had convinced her that he and Sarandon were just offering friendship as wolves in the vicinity.
“Thanks. I would have taken you up on it, but you’re right. I enjoyed visiting with you and loved hearing your lecture. I was trying to pick up some tips from you to teach our kids, but maybe instead you could talk to them sometime.”
“I’d…like that.” She shrugged. “It’s part of my job.” She waved the action figure. “Got to get going. Nice seeing you again.”
“Likewise.” He watched her head out as he locked up the cabin. Despite feeling drained physically, he felt a little lighter-hearted about having seen Pepper again.
But when Eric made a wide loop around the last of the cabins, he smelled the scent of one of the wolves who had been at the first marijuana site he had found. He began to explore the area again, hating that he’d found anything that could incriminate her pack. Maybe the wolf wasn’t one of her pack members. Maybe he or she was like Waldron, just snooping around.
But what if the wolf was in her pack?
When Eric arrived home, he took a shower, careful not to get his bandages wet. He pulled on a T-shirt and gym shorts, ready to retire to bed when Sarandon arrived.
“How are you feeling?” Sarandon asked, bringing in two sacks of food.
“Like I need to be sleeping.” Even though all he wanted to do was investigate this business with the cannabis further and prove Pepper wasn’t involved. “Soup smells good.” Eric sniffed at the air again and smiled. “Silva made me chocolate mousse pie?” Now that sure brightened his evening.
“Yep, just for you. Sorry the word has spread, but several pack members asked me if you needed to hunt down the wolf who attacked you. Now that we know it wasn’t a guard wolf and he’s causing trouble for Pepper’s pack, we might need some backup to handle it.”
“We’re not getting involved. Not unless she asks. Although I did ask CJ to see if he could run down a wolf pack in Boise, Idaho, to check if that’s where Waldron and his pack are from. And if Waldron and his pack members are involved in the production of marijuana, I’ll need our deputy sheriffs to help me catch the culprits.”
“So you think he might be involved?” Sarandon poured the soup into two bowls, then paused and looked up at Eric. “It’s okay if I share this with you, isn’t it? She made enough for six.”
“Six?” Eric brought out spoons. “Yeah, of course. I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Not after his brother had gone to the trouble of ordering it and paying for it. Eric normally loved his brother’s company, but he knew where the conversation would be headed and planned to change the direction right away. “But, yeah, it’s possible. The Fairhaven teens wouldn’t say what kind of a job Waldron has. So what if pot is his business here? And he thinks that if he takes over Pepper’s lands, he can make a real mint off growing weed.”
“As far as Pepper goes, it sounds like the perfect setup to me—for you. She’s not mated and has her own pack. You need a mate and would be the perfect coleader. You’ve always wanted to be one. If Darien hadn’t taken over the pack, you would have, and done a damn good job.”
Eric wondered if things would have turned out differently if his father had been the pack leader. He thought about telling Sarandon that he had to consider Pepper and her pack as suspects too, but he wanted to
know what he was dealing with first and not just make wild assumptions.
“It wouldn’t work out. She said she doesn’t want anyone in her life.” Even though she had kissed him, it was purely a thank-you, and despite wanting to read more into it, he knew better. “I’m sure she’s used to running her own pack. She doesn’t need a male sharing the responsibilities. She may believe I’d be a threat to her position.”
“What about to have children? From the sounds of it, she has none of her own.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want any.”
“Maybe.” Sarandon sighed. “But you’d be happy either way, wouldn’t you? So what are you going to do about this Waldron? Surely you’re not going to let him get away with stalking her.”
“Sarandon, she doesn’t want my help. I’m sure she thinks all I’ll do is replace Waldron in his quest to court her and take over her pack.”
“You’re probably right. Though I can’t imagine you giving up on her so easily.” Sarandon served a couple of beers. “You know they say beer and baked potatoes—well, or chicken soup—make you feel better when you have the flu. If you had the flu. With the fever. You know what I mean.” Then he took his seat across from Eric. “Despite what you think, I could tell she liked the way you were with her: not pushing her to go to lunch with us, just offering her your card in case she, or anyone in her pack, had trouble in the park. That showed real restraint on your part. I didn’t know you had it in you.” Then Sarandon frowned at Eric. “It’s not because you’re feeling so poorly, is it? Hell, that’s probably it. The fever, the pain from the bite.”
“It’s not the fever. I want to give her space. Besides, I’m really not in the running for a mate right now.” Not that Eric wouldn’t be damned interested if Pepper was, but the rest of his pack didn’t need to know that. He took another spoonful of the tasty chicken soup. “Silva sure makes the best soups.”
“And pie. When I called, she didn’t have any left. So she baked you a fresh one and wished you all the best. I have to warn you, CJ and Brett are dropping by in a few minutes.”
“Ah, hell, Sarandon. I’m supposed to be resting.”
“Yeah, but they’re our brothers and they want to see for themselves you’re all right.”
“I’m all right.” Eric felt like hell, but by tomorrow morning, he was sure he’d be feeling fine.
The doorbell rang and Sarandon hurried to get the door. “Hey, CJ, Brett.”
“How’s he doing?” Brett asked, sounding concerned.
“Grouchy. Which means he has to be feeling better.”
CJ was carrying a box of chocolates. “From my mate’s aunt’s chocolate shop. She sent them especially for you,” he said as they entered the dining room. “You look like you’re on fire.”
“Have you eaten?” Eric asked them, suspecting they might not have, since Sarandon had picked up enough food for six people. Eric should have known.
CJ shook his head. “But we don’t want to impose.”
“There’s enough for six.” Eric finished his bowl of soup and took another swig of beer.
“So what’s the deal with the wolf?” CJ asked, sitting down to eat with the rest of them. He took his job seriously as a deputy sheriff, and if any of the family was injured by an outside wolf, he and the rest of the sheriff’s department would take care of the situation in a heartbeat.
Eric explained what had happened and how he didn’t want to get involved unless Pepper asked for his help.
“Ah, now I got it.” Brett was a reporter for their local newspaper, and he loved people and stories. “You are the reluctant hero.”
“How do you figure that?” Eric couldn’t help being annoyed. “If she needs me, I’ll be there pronto. But I don’t want to butt in where I’m not wanted.”
Brett and CJ stared at him.
Sarandon saluted him. “Yep, I told you guys Eric had turned over a new leaf.”
“I wonder how long that will last,” Brett said, chuckling.
“If everyone’s done with their soup, I’ll serve the pie and then we can let Eric get some rest,” Sarandon said.
“I thought the pie was for me,” Eric said, not being serious in the least.
“Now that’s the Eric we know.” CJ eyed Sarandon with the pie cutter, his plate readied for a slice.
At least Eric hadn’t meant to sound serious. Was he really like that?
Despite how rotten he felt, Eric was glad that his brothers had come by. He wasn’t sharing his box of chocolates though. When they left, he collapsed in bed, knowing Brett was wrong. To be a reluctant hero, he would have to be apathetic toward Pepper’s situation. He was anything but. He totally sympathized with her. And if she needed him, he would indeed be there without hesitation. Guaranteed. Nothing reluctant about it.
* * *
When Susan called, Pepper was afraid it was because of trouble with the pack. She wouldn’t be home for another hour and a half because she had to do some grocery shopping since Susan was staying with her for a couple of days.
Waldron had called, Susan told her. “Before you get angry with me for taking the call,” Susan started, “remember that you wouldn’t return his calls, answer them, or listen to his voice messages. Anyway, he said he now knows who the wolf he attacked is. At the time, Waldron thought the guy intended to do you harm.”
“Oh, give me a break.” The gall of the man! Did he really think she’d believe him? “By the way, I saw Eric today when I was giving my lecture. He and his brother Sarandon were also talking to the Boy Scouts about nature. We had lunch together. All three of us. Waldron had two teen boys from his pack spying on us. So I’m certain he’s upset over that.”
“Seriously? He’s a real case and a half. But, wow, you had lunch with Eric? Be still, my pounding heart. So how was it? What did you talk about? Have you set another date?”
“I’m not courting the wolf. And I only went with them because I was hungry and it would have seemed rude of me to decline when Eric had helped you out.” Pepper wasn’t about to mention running into him at the campsite again. She was still wondering why she had kissed him if she didn’t want anything romantic with him. “I thought you were going to call him and thank him, but I got the impression you hadn’t.”
“I didn’t. Sorry. I slept most of the day. My leg has been killing me.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Susan. I should have asked.”
“No problem. I know you’ve had your hands full dealing with Eric.” She laughed. “Okay, so Waldron knows Eric is a park ranger, I guess because of his spies. Waldron wanted you to know the ranger was probably just there on a night run, not there because he intended to bother you.”
“Yeah, like Waldron is doing. Did you ask why he was there last night?”
“No, but he told me anyway. I’m sure he wanted the news passed along to you. Anyway, he said he often runs in the park since he doesn’t have his own territory, and it’s normally safe. Then he saw this other wolf spying on you like he was ready to pounce.”
“Ha! Who’s the one doing the spying?”
“I agree. Now this is the real kicker. Waldron said if the other wolf is interested, you’d better let him know you’re not, because otherwise he could make it damn hard for the ranger to keep his job.”
“You’re kidding.” Pepper didn’t want to believe Waldron would do anything that underhanded. But then again, if he thought he had a chance to get her prime land…
“So now, what about Eric?” Susan asked.
“He was running a fever.”
“From Waldron’s bite? I will kill the wolf myself.”
“Yeah, and Eric didn’t want to disappoint the Scouts by not showing up.”
“He sure sounds like mate material to me. You know, Pauline won’t be upset with you if you decide to find another mate, Pepper.”
Pauline was Harold’s s
ister and had five-year-old twins. Pepper did wonder sometimes whether Pauline felt Pepper owed it to her mate’s memory to never take another mate. Not that she’d ever found one, but still, Pepper had also pondered if Pauline’s presence in her pack had anything to do with Pepper not wanting to change the status quo. She and Pauline didn’t get along all that well, but Pauline still needed a pack to help raise her twins.
“Well, what was he like?”
“He’s nice. Not pushy like Waldron. And he has a cute brother.”
“Oh, you’re interested in both of them?”
“No. Neither. They were just nice.”
“They’re too beta? I worried about that when Eric didn’t fight Waldron.”
“Eric thought Waldron might be my guard. He didn’t want to cause trouble with our pack.”
“Wow, he sounds perfect.”
“He’s not. He’s one of those all-alpha wolves. He’d take charge and I’d lose the pack.”
“You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“Yeah, I do. He wouldn’t be able to help himself. Even his brother said Eric stood up to their pack leader, who is a cousin of theirs, and to his dad, the sheriff. So yeah.”
“Well, here I’d hoped he would help us out with Waldron. What’s that in your pocket?”
Pepper glanced down at Eric’s business card, the edge poking out. She pulled it from her pocket and handed it to Susan. “Eric’s card. In case we ever have trouble in the park.”
“Are you going to tell Eric what Waldron said?”
“I don’t want to get him involved…but since this could affect his career, I need to warn him.”
“I wholeheartedly agree. On another subject, Pauline wanted me to remind you about the boys’ birthday party tomorrow.”
Pepper never forgot the boys’ birthday parties. She wondered if Pauline was subtly reminding her that her brother had been Pepper’s mate. Pepper realized she was probably making something out of nothing, but the thought of Pauline doing that still bothered her.