Beta's Mate (Siberian Volkov Pack Romance Series Book 8) (3 page)

“She’s fine, they all are. They’re having lunch at the wharf and will return as soon as they finish. Esme did say she thought something bothered Brenda when they first arrived, but she seems fine now. Esme assumed Susan got on Brenda’s nerves. You know how Susan can be.”

“No, this felt like Brenda was afraid for their safety. This wasn’t about Susan.” Granger shook his head.

“Well, whatever it was, they are fine now. Relax, they’ll be back before you know it.” Jared picked up the papers on his desk and began to read.

“There’s a storm due in tonight. They are expecting it to produce a lot of snow by tomorrow morning. Strong winds are possible. Dad is letting everyone in the pack know.”

“Do our elderly pack members have enough wood if we lose electricity?” Jared asked, lowering his papers once more.

“All wood piles are full. Everyone should have more than enough. Make sure Brenda knows where to get wood if she needs it.”

“Will do. Why don’t you go sketch something, or read a book. I’ve got work to do and I can’t do it if you sit here and fret,” Jared said.

“I never ‘fret.’ I am concerned. I’ll let you get to work. I need to check the snowmobiles and make sure they’re ready for service.” Granger got up to leave. He might be able to stop worrying if Brenda would just once reach for him with her mind through the mating bond.

“Granger.” Jared’s voice stopped him at the door. “I know this is hard on you. It’s going to be all right. Brenda will come around in time. I’m sure of it.”

Granger nodded. Now, if only he could believe it. He headed outside to the metal building housing the pack’s snowmobiles, pausing briefly to smell the air. Tonight’s storm smelled like a good one. Thank goodness the women would be back before it hit.

§

“All right, anywhere else you want to stop before we head back to the Alpha’s den?” Brenda asked, as she climbed into the Jeep’s driver’s seat.

“I’m good,” Susan said, climbing into the backseat. “I am so full, all I want is a nap.”

“That’s not surprising considering you ate crab, lobster, and shrimp, and all the sides that came with them,” Esme said, getting into the front passenger seat.

“Good thing lycans have a high metabolism. Now I can eat whatever I want and I won’t get fat,” Susan said. “Did you see the waitress’s face when she came back and the plates were clean? I almost laughed my head off.”

“I’m not sure that was a good thing, Susan,” Brenda said. “You know we aren’t supposed to draw attention to our differences.”

“Oh, lighten up, Brenda. Don’t be such a kill joy. You wouldn’t know fun if it bit you in the butt.”

“That’s not fair, Susan,” Esme chided. “Brenda is trying to look out for you. Stop hassling her so much.”

“Me hassling her? What about her hassling me?”

Brenda glanced at the rearview mirror to find Susan glaring at her. Was she really a kill joy? The twinge of pain near her heart made Brenda catch her breath. Esme and Susan were her lycan sisters, connected to her by blood. The only family she had in the world. It hurt that Susan thought badly of her.

A sudden flash of gray in the mirror caught Brenda’s attention. Gone were the worries about Susan. They were being followed again.

§

“Hey
, cherie
. What’re you doing in this old shed?”

Granger looked up from the snowmobile engine to see Margot Martin leaning against the door. Margot was a blond bombshell who most men thought was easy. Granger knew that underneath all that sex appeal was a little pup looking for love.

“Hey, Margot. You okay, little wolf? What brings you to this side of the mountain?” Margot had a tendency to ignore her lycan half.

“I wanted to talk to your
Maman
. Can I ask you a question? Did I ever have a chance with Jared?” she asked, walking up to Granger.

“No, you never did. Jared looks at you like a little sister or cousin. He never thought of you in a romantic sense.” Granger crossed his arms.

“What about you, Granger,” Margot asked, running her fingers down his bare arm where he had rolled up his sleeves to work. “Did you ever think of me that way? You could be an Alpha if you wanted to. We could start our own pack.”

“Margot, you know I don’t want my own pack. I like being second to Jared. He’s my best friend.” Granger wouldn’t have time for his art if he was Alpha of his own pack.

“Not even if it meant mating with me?” Margot leaned into him, her breast brushing against him.

“Honey, the mating bond snapped into place for me while I was in England,” Granger said. “I have a heartmate. But, so you understand, I don’t want to be Alpha, even if it meant mating with you. Now, I’m not trying to be cruel. You’re a fine looking woman, and one day you’ll find your mate, or he’ll find you. There is a pack in Paris, and one in England, looking for mates. I don’t think you would like Siberia, but the males from that pack are strong. Jared talked about having an Alpha gathering from all around the world to talk about the breeding problems in Europe, among other things. Maybe you could find a mate then.”

“You’re mated, too?
Zut
, why are all the good ones taken?
Ta mère
said I should stop fooling around with the human males. Do you think I should stop?” Margot bit her bottom lip, giving Granger her cute look.

“Well, you might find yourself mated to a human, and then you’ll never be Alpha female of your own pack,” Maybe that would scare her enough to stop. “You might want to listen to
ma mère
.” Not that Granger really thought Margot would listen to anyone.

“But, I get so lonely, and the human men make me feel special. They fall all over themselves trying to impress me. Lycans don’t do that. I don’t actually have sex with the men. I touch them to see if the mating bond will appear. I can’t help it. I need to find my mate and I like the attention.” Margot got attention all right. One of these days she’d get the wrong type of attention.

“Now see, that’s where you’re wrong. If the heartmate bond snapped into place for you, your lycan mate would do everything in his power to make you his. But, he might not like it if you have a bunch of males around you, human or otherwise.”

“I suppose you’re right. I wouldn’t want a man who wasn’t a little possessive. Maybe I should lay off the humans for a while. I could convince Daddy to send me to Paris for a vacation. I wouldn’t mind finding a mate there.”

“Good hunting, Margot. I’m sure the perfect mate is out there looking for you right now.”

“Do you think so?” The note of hope in Margot’s voice made him want to cringe. Mates were hard to find, even for the women sometimes.

“He’d be a fool if he wasn’t. I think
ma mère
is in the kitchen at the Alpha’s lodge.” A feeling of uneasiness washed over him. His thoughts immediately went to Brenda.

“Okay, see you later, Granger.” Margot turned around and walked away.

Granger thought Margot was trouble with a capital T. What drove her so hard to find a mate? She was only twenty five, she had time. Heaven help the male who heartmated her. She would try to rule him. If she was lucky, she would get a man who could put her in her place. She’d never respect someone who let her get away with her mischief.

Looking at his watch, Granger wondered why Brenda wasn’t home yet. He reached for her and came up against a barrier in her mind as strong as a brick wall. She wasn’t far away, and was probably on her way back to the pack property. The hair on his neck lifted and his inner wolf whined. Something wasn’t right.

Not stopping to figure out what it was, he headed for his truck. He gunned the gas and swung around to the front of the Alpha’s lodge. Jared ran out the door and jumped in. Granger didn’t blink, if Brenda was in trouble, so was Esme.

“Where are they?” Granger asked, pushing the truck to speeds on the mountain road just short of suicidal.

“They turned on Hwy 327. Someone is following them in a gray sedan. Brenda contacted you?”

“No, I’ll speak to her about that after I know she’s safe.” Granger clenched his teeth. Brenda was by far the most stubborn woman he knew.

“She is a stubborn one. Esme tells me Brenda spotted the tail when they stopped for lunch. When she checked a little later, they had gone. It wasn’t until they headed out of town that she caught sight of them again.”

“Who would be following them? Do you think the Doctors for a Better Humanity found them?”

“I doubt it, as far as I know, no one knows they’re here,” Jared said.

“Well, when we catch up to the sedan, we can ask them. How far away are they?”

“Maybe twenty minutes if you keep up this speed. Keep a lookout for the
Sûreté du Québec.
We don’t need to be stopped for a ticket.”

“They seldom patrol this road, and I’m not stopping for anyone. Make sure your seatbelt is secure.” Granger pushed harder on the accelerator.

§

“Oh God, Esme, I’m sorry,” Brenda said, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. “I should have told you at lunch. It looked like they had left. I didn’t want to worry you over nothing.”

“I don’t blame you, Brenda. Though Jared and Granger aren’t very happy with us right now,” Esme said, gripping the dash.

“They’re staying about the same distance back,” Susan reported. “Do you think it’s those crazy doctors again?”

“Jared doesn’t think so,” Esme said. “You haven’t contacted anyone have you, Susan?”

“Well, I did email a couple of military friends. I never said where I was staying. As far as they know I’m still in Scotland.”

“Could they have found us, Brenda?” Esme asked, her face pale.

“I don’t know, maybe,” Brenda said, checking her mirrors as she went into a turn. “Let’s be ready for anything. Remember, as lycans we’re stronger than a human male. If they don’t drug us, we have a fighting chance. Bullet’s won’t do more than slow us down, as long as it’s not in the head.”

“Jared and Granger will be here in about ten minutes. Hopefully, whoever it is will leave us alone until then,” Esme said, her voice calm in spite of the situation.

“No one’s taking me back to that lab,” Susan said, a tremble in her voice. The acidic scent of fear filled the cab of the Jeep. Brenda gritted her teeth. She’d fight to the death to keep these women safe.

“They’re gaining on us. Hurry, Brenda. Go faster,” Susan screamed.

“Calm down, Susan. I’m going as fast as I can. The Jeep wasn’t made to race.” Brenda saw the straight part of the road ahead.

“They’re pulling alongside us!” Susan yelled.

“I see them. They’re trying to force us off the road. Get ready, I’m going to hit the brakes and take off across that field. If we get to the tree line, we can hide in the forest.”

Brenda waited until the sedan was right beside them. Two men were inside, one had a gun. She slammed on the brakes as the car swerved into their lane. As the sedan shot across the line, Brenda turned the other direction and the Jeep bounced across the ruts in the field. Brenda’s insides were turning to mush.

“When I stop, run into the trees!” Brenda shouted over the sound of the Jeep hitting each depression in the ground, her head jostling up and down.

They plowed through the field, and were almost to the trees, when Brenda saw the water ditch. She slammed on the brakes, but not fast enough. The Jeep slammed into the gulley. The airbags deployed as they were thrown against their restraints. For a minute, Brenda saw nothing but black.

Granger’s voice swelled in her head, thick with panic
. “Hold on, baby. I’m almost there.”

Granger slammed on the brakes of the truck and jumped out in a flash. The gray sedan raced down the road toward Quebec City. The front of the Jeep was mangled and Granger feared he would find his mate in the same condition. He ran to the driver’s side and ripped the door away. Brenda sat, her head against the steering wheel and the deflated airbag.

Granger reached in and released the seatbelt before gently lifting the woman into his arms. Blood flowed down her face from a cut on her head. He carried her against his chest out of the ditch. He knew he should return for Susan, but he couldn’t do more than hold his mate in his arms.

He sat on the ground and flooded her mind with his essence, sending her strength and love. With her being only semi-conscious it was easy to find the key to unlocking her walls. He knew the way, now. She wouldn’t be able to block him again. He found her spirit weak but still holding on.

“You will shift! Right this minute, Brenda! There will be
no more
of this barrier between us. We are connected! Mind to mind and heart to heart. Do you hear me? I won’t lose you. I won’t! Now, SHIFT!” White lights swirled around Brenda’s body as her wolf spirit rushed forward. In moments a gray wolf lay in his arms.

“Granger, hey man, I think the whole pack heard you,” Susan said, climbing up and sitting beside him. “I’m okay, in case you’re wondering. Only a little bruised from the seat belt. I’ll shift when we get home. Jared’s on the other side of the Jeep with Esme, acting almost as pathetic as you. I guess if a girl wants attention around here, she has to have a mate.”

A twinge of regret made Granger realize how alone Susan and Margot, as unmated females, must feel.

“Sorry, Susan. I was going to get you as soon as Brenda shifted. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

“Hey, I get it. The whole heart to heart and mind to mind thing. I hope my guy is as attentive as you and Jared. I don’t feel slighted, well … not much.”

“
Granger,”
Brenda’s voice sounded in his mind.
“You can let me go now.”

Granger leaned his head against Brenda’s neck and growled low in his throat.
“I am never letting you go.”

§

Brenda sat on the passenger seat of the truck in her wolf form, while Granger drove. He came for her and helped her shift, when she was too rattled to do it herself. She trusted him, she did. Then he got all wolfy, growling at her. She refused to speak to him, and stared out the window.

Jared sat in the back seat with Esme, in her wolf form, sprawled across his lap. Brenda admired the easy way they were with each other. Esme was well loved by her lycan mate. Susan sat next to them in the back, also staring out the window.

The five of them weren’t any closer to knowing who the men were in the gray sedan. Brenda had to admit, she felt safer with Granger, than without him.

Storm clouds filled the sky, hiding the sun. The weather report on the radio talked of “
centimeters
” of snow falling tonight. Brenda shivered. What would have happened if Granger and Jared hadn’t come after them? Granger rested his hand on her neck, petting her fur. She thumped her tail in acknowledgment before she remembered not to respond.
Dammit
, her inner wolf wanted her mate.

When they passed through the gate to pack land, Wolfe’s Den Properties, Brenda saw the cameras mounted on the tall fence facing the road. No one would get in without being noticed. She sighed in relief. Could it really be Doctors for a Better Humanity after them? Did Susan’s emails lead the group to them here, in Canada? The organization should have been busy with the French police investigating the murder of Esme’s brother—not chasing two women turned into lycans against their will. Maybe, they didn’t want to give up their latest science experiment. The pack would have to be careful not to let Esme’s lycan status be discovered, or the crazy doctors would be after her too.

Granger pulled up in front of the Alpha’s lodge, but didn’t turn the motor off. “I’ll take Brenda up to the cottage. Did her things get moved, yet?” Granger asked, turning around to look at Jared in the backseat.

“They were moved this afternoon,” Jared answered opening the back door. “I think you should stay with Brenda tonight, in case those men decide to try something else. I’ll alert security. I want to know who those men were. I’ll make a few phone calls tonight and see what I can come up with. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Granger nodded and patted Brenda’s neck. Inside her furry wolf form, she grimaced. She didn’t want to be alone tonight, but she didn’t plan to spend the night with Granger either. Then there was the one small box and military duffle bag that held all her worldly possessions. It was rumored that Granger liked his clothes to be of the best quality. Tonight he wore nothing more than a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. His boots might be expensive, but his clothes didn’t scream designer. She wasn’t sure why she was worried, except a small part of her wanted Granger to be proud of her.

Granger pulled the truck back onto the road and headed up the mountain. They passed several driveways that Brenda knew led to other pack members’ houses. Between twenty and thirty different families were in the pack, all living on the private side of the mountain. Except for the night Esme, Susan, and Brenda were introduced to the pack, she hadn’t had a reason to interact with anyone besides the people at the Alpha’s lodge. Tomorrow, when she went to her new job on the ski patrol, would be the first time she could get to know anyone besides Esme and Susan.

Granger turned onto the last driveway before the road ended at another gate. “That’s the road to the resort. Press the call button and the guards on duty will let you through.” He drove slowly down the drive and took the right fork. “My cabin is down the left fork, but tonight I’m staying with you.”

Brenda growled low in her throat.

“Don’t worry. The cottage Jared gave you has more than one room. I’ll sleep in the guest room. You won’t even know I’m there.” Granger patted her neck again.

Brenda growled again and pulled from beneath his hand. Did he really think they could sleep in the same house and not know the other was near? Once she shifted and showered, she would kick his butt out. If he wanted guard duty, he could sleep outside the front door.

Feeling better about the situation, Brenda stood up so she could see her new place. Granger followed a turn in the road and the “Cottage” came into view. Even in her wolf form, Brenda’s jaw hung open.

In front of her stood a house reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright, and it wasn’t a cottage, it was a mansion built into the side of the mountain nestled between the trees. Granger pulled up beneath a cement platform that would be used as a patio for the upper story. He climbed out of the truck and then came around to open her door. She jumped down and ran around to the front of the house. Admiring the stone pathway, she sniffed the air and caught Granger’s and Jared’s scents, as well as several others she didn’t recognize.

She rushed to the front entrance, pawing at the door in her excitement. She couldn’t wait to see the inside. The house was fabulous and she couldn’t have asked for a more ideal place to live. It fit her perfectly. When Granger took his time getting the key out, she whined.

“I’m hurrying, honest. Give me a minute,” Granger said, chuckling. For some reason he seemed overly pleased by her reaction to the place.

Granger opened the door and Brenda rushed into the foyer, immediately falling in love with the many windows pouring light from the different levels. The stacked granite wall wrapped around into a living area with a huge stone fireplace. A hallway led back toward the mountain, while slate steps leading to the upper levels begged to be explored.

“The master bedroom is on the second level, if you want to go up. I’ll bring your duffle and box upstairs,” Granger said, picking up the items that sat by the front door.

Brenda hadn’t even noticed her things sitting in the front room. She had been too busy admiring the view. She rushed up the stairs, her tail wagging, as she peeked into each room. The second level had a kitchen and sitting area with a large balcony for eating outside at the front of the house. The final room on the back side of the house was a large master suite. It had a smaller balcony attached.

Brenda rushed into the room, taking in the king size bed, and the large closet doors, before moving to the bathroom. She entered the room and stood frozen in awe. The shower and backsplash were made of the same stacked granite as the walls downstairs. She jumped up, her paws landing on the basin, and water began to trickle down the wall, pouring over the stones like a waterfall, and then into the stone bowl. She jumped down and the water stopped. She wiggled in a little dance of joy, but stopped quickly when she heard Granger enter the room.

“Brenda?” Granger called, as he put down her possessions. “Oh, there you are. Here are your things. Don’t worry about me. I’ll get a fire started and see if there is any food in the house.” Granger turned to leave after giving her a saucy wink.

Brenda hurried back into the bathroom and nudged the door closed with her nose. She couldn’t wait to enjoy the shower and rinse the blood from her hair. Calling the change, white lights began to swirl around her like little bolts of lightning, as she visualized herself in human form.

Granger heard the shower in the master bedroom and smiled. Having Brenda in his house, and seeing her obvious enjoyment of the space, warmed his heart, and a spark of hope lodged firmly in his chest. Now if she would only fall in love with him, as she had the house he designed. Ideas of adding on rooms for future pups already danced in his head. He’d have to write them down before he forgot.

The wind picked up outside and the sky darkened as storm clouds moved in. Granger knelt in front of the fireplace and carefully lit the already waiting wood. He’d have to show Brenda where more wood was stored.

In the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator. He knew that two steaks and fixings for sides waited for them. He pulled out food and lined it up on the counter. Maybe he could cook his way into Brenda’s heart.

A little later, Granger retrieved the steaks from beneath the broiler. He turned, pan in hand, to see Brenda standing in the doorway. She wore a turtleneck sweater in a soft blue that complimented the color of her eyes, and soft knit pants. Her hair, still damp from the shower, hung around her shoulders. His wolf spirit rushed to the surface ready to claim his mate. Granger ruthlessly pushed it back. “I’ll have dinner served in a jiffy. Why don’t you see if there’s a bottle of wine you might like in the wine cooler. Glasses are in the cabinet above the refrigerator.”

Brenda immediately moved to inspect the bottles and Granger shuddered. He had to get a handle on his lust before he scared Brenda off. Luckily, she didn't seem to notice his discomfort. He went back to preparing their plates, forcing his body to comply with his wishes. Picking up the food, he went into the dining room, putting distance between them, so when Brenda walked in with a bottle of Merlot in her hands, he was able to smile serenely and pull her chair out for her. She placed the bottle and glasses on the table before sitting. Granger sat across from her.

“Everything smells delicious. I didn’t know how hungry I was until I smelled the meat cooking. Thank you for fixing dinner,” Brenda said.

Granger picked up his steak knife and fork, hoping to encourage her to eat. “I can’t cook like you. I can fix a meal now and then. Where did you learn to cook?”

“In Paris, believe it or not,” Brenda said. “My father was being deployed, so he sent me to cooking school. I think he was kind of desperate, it was the first time he encouraged me to do something creative. I was a teenager at the time. I loved it. I didn’t think I would at first. Then one day we were making soufflés and everything kind of fell into place. I realized I could really do this and do it well. It all backfired on my father. When he came home, I was so excited to cook some of the recipes I learned. He grumbled constantly about my
frenchie food, it was too rich, too fancy. Luckily, everyone else begged me to cook for them. I became the favorite hostess of all the officer’s wives. They even wanted me to teach them a few recipes at their monthly meetings.”

“Working ski patrol won’t leave you much spare time, but there are plenty of staples in the pantry if you feel like whipping something up. If there are any special pans or utensils you need, let me know and we can order them.” He would get online tomorrow and take care of it. Anything Brenda needed to feel at home, he would provide.

“Thank you for the offer. I can buy my own pans and things. I don’t need your charity.” Brenda put down her utensils and glared at him.

Granger put his fork down. “I wasn’t offering out of charity, I offered out of friendship. Won’t you at least give me a chance to be your friend?” He wanted to shake her. Why did she constantly push him away?

“I don’t want to be your friend!” Brenda said.

Granger rose from his seat. “Please, excuse me. I seem to have lost my appetite.” His heart aching, he picked up his plate and put it in the sink, before making his way to the bottom floor and the guest bedroom.

Brenda stared at the empty chair across from her and wanted to cry. Why was she being so mean? Granger had only ever offered her love and support. He helped her through the change from lycan to human, shouldering the intense pain and sending her his strength and reassurance. He came for her today when he felt her fear through the mating bond, even though she had tried to keep him blocked from her mind.