A Wolf's Mate (11 page)

“Have
you been there yet?” asked Lucas.

“No,
I haven’t,” said Ava.

“It’s
close to where my parents have their place and it’s so peaceful,” said Maisey.

“No
wolves hanging around I hope?” asked Ava.

She
looked directly at Nick. He had a feeling she was up to something.

“Why
don’t I take you
there
tomorrow night and
you and you can check it out for yourself,” said Nick.

“I
would love to.”

“And
speaking of tomorrow, I have to get up early for a long distance business
call,” said Nick finishing the last of his cake.

“Can
I use the bathroom before we head out?” asked Ava.

“Sure,
let me show you
where
it’s at,” said Maisey.

The
two women left and Nick stood as did Lucas.

“Shit,
that was a close call earlier,” he said.

“I
didn’t think this was a great idea, but you know Maisey,” said Nick.

“You
know me what?” she said returning to the living room.

“Do
you really think it’s a good idea to take her to the shower tomorrow?” asked
Lucas.

“I
have everything under control,” said Maisey.

“You
think she suspected something when she saw the photos of us?” asked Lucas.

“I’m
not sure but thank God she finally dropped the subject,” said Nick.

“Shit,”
said Maisey.

“What
is it now?” asked Lucas.

“I
just thought of something. If she heads out the other door from the bathroom
and into our bedroom,
I
have that photo
of us as wolves, the one where I had
our
engagement
engraved in the silver frame.”

Chapter Twelve

She
tried to entice him into coming into her new motel room. She knew something
wasn’t right. The wolf fur, all the running, and those photos she’d seen, but
pumping him for more information wasn’t her only motivation for getting him
over the threshold.

He’d
won her over and at this point, she didn’t care what he was. Tonight she was
horny. Had been all evening sitting opposite Nick, looking at his handsome
face, feeling his muscular thigh brushing against her own. She’d been tempted
to put her hand on it, work her way up to his
cock,
but she’d been able to control herself thinking that sex would be on the menu
for later. Now it was clear it wouldn’t be.

Ava
stripped off her clothes, pulled on her
T-shirt
and got under the covers. She actually liked this place, this room better than
the previous one, so maybe being politely asked to leave had been for the best.

She
flicked off the light thinking about what she’d seen. The photos of the wolves
whose eyes looked familiar and very much like Maisey and Lucas. She hadn’t
noticed it until she’d sat talking with him while Nick and Maisey had been out
in the kitchen.

Werewolves…did
she even believe they existed? If Nick was one too, how come he’d not bitten
her? Had it been a full moon in the last week or so?

Imagine
if this was true. She knew that her supervisor had thought he was sending her
on a
dead-end
case. One that no other
agent wanted, and now she was going to blow the lid off all the paranormal
stuff that was really happening. Werewolves and most likely werebears were
living in Western Montana. She’d be the star. The
person her father
could
finally
be proud of. Okay, he would have probably have preferred that she catch one of
the guys on the most wanted list but this could be her scoop.

She
looked up at the ceiling. But what if Nick and his friends were rounded up?
Locked up, experimented on? What if she never saw him again? She bit her lip
not wanting to think about them being herded up and ridiculed. She knew what
humiliation was like.

An
image of Nick sprang to mind. She grew wet just thinking about him and before
she realized it, she was stroking her clit. She caressed it harder, thinking
about him touching her down there. The wonderful orgasms. Her climax washed
over her. Not a satisfying one like the type Nick gave to
her,
but it would have to do.

She
rolled onto her side. She’d dig a little deeper tomorrow when she went to the
shower, and then when she went to his cabin. Deep in her mind she knew it might
come down to one of
two
things—her
career
and a possible promotion, or Nick.

There
was no such thing as a woman having it all.

Chapter Thirteen

Ava
had rushed out to buy
a last
minute gift
for the shower. The snow had turned to sleet and she followed behind Maisey as
she made her way to a house whose front door had a paper
stork
attached to it. It was open and both of them
headed inside and wiped their feet. A pretty young woman with a little girl
sticking close to her side greeted them.

“Hi,
Maisey.”

“Hi,
Lilly. I’d like you to meet Ava Spencer. Ava, this is Lilly Renner, Charlotte’s
sister-in-law. She’s married to Christopher Renner. And this is their cute as
button
daughter, Kaitlin.”

“Hi
Lilly,
hi
Kaitlin.”

The
little girl smiled at Ava but then hid behind her mother

“I
think she’s a little overwhelmed with so many people in our house at one time.
Come on through. We’re waiting for a few more guests and we’ll get this party
started,” said Lilly.

Ava
followed behind the two
women as
a man
and a Pomeranian passed by them.

“Christopher,
this is Ava. Ava, Christopher Renner.”

“Hi,
Christopher.”

“Nice
to meet you. And this is Barney.”

The
dog barked twice.

“We’d
love to stick around and chat but we’re going for a run while you ladies take
over the house.”

“Daddy,”
said Kaitlin tugging on his jacket.

“Honey,
you want to come with me or stay for the party?”

She
looked at her mother and then to her father. “I want bear cake.”

“Then
you have to stay with us,” said Lilly.

“Save
some for me,” said Christopher, attaching Barney’s leash to his collar.

He
headed out the door as Ava continued walking until they got to a room at the
back of the house that overlooked a huge yard with lots of playthings including
a slide, swing, and playhouse.

There
had to be at least fifty women either sitting around
talking.
Others were in the kitchen drinking, and even more were outside
on the patio. Ava hadn’t expected the shower to be this big of an event.

“This
is Ava. Ava, these are some of the most wonderful people you’ll ever get a
chance
to meet,” said Maisey.

Ava
lifted her hand and waved.

“You
want to put your gifts on this table and we’ll have Charlotte open them once we
get started. Speaking of which there she is,” said Lilly.

Charlotte,
who’d she’d seen at Downward Facing Wolf many times, headed out from the
kitchen with three other women.

“You’ve
met Melanie but I don’t think you’ve been introduced to Emily Burgress yet? Or
my mom,” said Maisey.

“No,
I don’t believe I have,” said Ava.

Ava
immediately recognized the woman from the photos at the house.

“Ava,
Emily. Emily, Ava.”

“Nice
to meet you all.”

Two
more women arrived and hugged Charlotte before rubbing her belly.

“Okay,
we’re all here, so Charlotte you sit in our special chair over there, and we’ll
get underway,” said Lilly.

They’d
decorated a rocking chair with pink and blue streamers.

“You
changed your mind about knowing what you’re having?” asked Maisey’s mom.

“Nope.
Aiden keeps bugging me about it, but I want a big surprise on the day.”

“I
hear your doctor’s one
hugelious
bear,”
said an older lady.

“Sarah,”
said Emily slapping her hands.

“His
name happens to be
Bear
,” said Maisey
turning to Ava.

Was
she buying that, bears and wolves? But these women all looked like she did. In
fact, some of them looked more human than her.

“Let’s
start opening gifts and then eat some food,” said Lilly.

Charlotte
unwrapped the usual shower gifts—sleepwear,
bibs
,
Diaper Genie—and then she tore off the paper on Ava’s to reveal a box of
diapers.

“
Sorry,
it was sort of last minute,” said Ava.

“It’s
perfect. I don’t think you can ever have enough of these things,” said Charlotte.

“Open
mine, this one’s mine,” said Kaitlin carrying a package over to Charlotte.

“I
wonder what this can be?” asked Charlotte shaking it. She pulled off the tape
and pulled out a stuffed bear.

“
Oh
my, it
’s
the most beautiful toy I’ve seen and I know your cousin is going to love this
in his or her crib,” said Charlotte.

“Kaitlin
loves bears,” said Lilly. “She’s almost obsessed with them.”

“And
who can blame her,” said a
gray-haired
lady. “What’s not to love about us…”

Maisey
coughed close to Ava’s ear. She’d guessed she’d done it to block out
the us
bit
but Ava had heard it.

“Let’s
go grab some food,” said Maisey, pulling her up by the arm.

It
didn’t really matter because she’d heard enough. She knew the truth and she
also knew what she was going to do about it.

****

“You
have a thing for Ava don’t you?” Lucas asked Nick as they sat drinking coffee
after their run.

“You
know I don’t like humans,” said Nick, dragging his spoon through the froth on
top of the mug.

“I’m
sure that’s true but Ava’s your exception, right?”

He
didn’t respond. He’d learned in business that you never showed the other person
you really wanted something or that you had a keen interest in it because that
meant you had more to lose, and the price for acquiring it often went up.

“I
haven’t known you long but I could see the way you looked at her while we ate
dinner last night. A wolf knows when another one’s got deep feelings for
someone. I could also see the glances she was giving you. I might not be able
to read humans as well as I can wolves, but I’m pretty sure she’s smitten with
you.”

Nick
raised
his
hand. “Okay, yes, I do have a
thing for her but nothing can ever come of it.”

“Why?”

“She’s
a human and I’m a guy who’s from somewhere up there,” he said, pointing to the
sky. “And I happen to be part wolf. You heard what she said, dangerous beasts.”

“I’m
betting she likes dangerous beasts in her bed.”

Nick
smiled. Maisey had chosen a great mate. Humor was essential in a relationship
and Lucas would always make Nick’s favorite business partner happy.
 

“And
if she’s out to get us, then what?”

“If
she’s one of us I think she can hardly turn us in
do
you?”

“One
of us?” asked Nick.

“As
in fiancée or wife of one of the dangerous beasts,” said Lucas.

“You’re
saying I should ask her to marry me to keep her quiet.”

“If
you have to, would it be such a sacrifice for the group?”

Nick
had never thought that he’d be forced into matrimony to save the rest of his
kind.

“It’s
about time you settled down and had some kids.”

“She
already has a son.”

“There
you go, an already formed family.”

Nick
looked down into his coffee mug. He couldn’t. He’d heard what she’d said about
the bastard in high school tricking her. Making her think he liked her and then
basically taking advantage of her.

Nick
couldn’t hurt her like that again.

Chapter Fourteen

Most
likely it was all going to be out in the open tonight. The truth. Well, that
was as if he didn’t turn her into a werewolf first. She had her gun in her
purse if things really did go wrong. She glanced over at Nick. He’d told her
they needed the four-wheel drive to get up into the mountains where his cabin
was located.