Challenged (19 page)

“This is Ali.” Suddenly she wasn’t sure what to say. “I need to speak to Stone.”

“Hi, girl. I’d let you, but he isn’t here. He took off on a run, and I’m not sure he’s in

a mood to go after him.”

Oh God. He wouldn’t take off, would he? She wouldn’t be able to bear it if her sire

was right, and Stone truly was no good.

Hairs prickled down her back, raw emotions too intense for her human body to

handle, surfacing.

“Do you know where he went?”

“Ali. Sometimes you just have to let them go. Stone is experiencing something I

don’t think he’s ever felt before.”

“What’s that?” She was scared to ask.

“He’s in love.”

A lump swelled in her throat so quickly she couldn’t breathe. “Pamela. You know I

love him,” she managed to whisper.

Pamela chuckled. “Yeah. I’ve guessed that.”

Glancing around her, she was grateful that Cook had given her privacy. No one else

was in the back part of the kitchen.

“Letting him go just isn’t something I can do. If he didn’t want me, he’d tell me so.”

She had to believe that. Her heart wouldn’t allow any other truth to surface.

“Knowing Stone, he probably would.”

Ali ached to run, her bones popping while she stood there on the phone. “Please.

Pamela. Do you have any idea where he went?”

“Tip forbade him to go up into the region where Stone killed that werewolf today.

But they could have headed up one of the other trails.”

“They?”

“Gabe and Stone.”

Ali’s mouth went dry. If Stone was serious about sharing her with his twin, she

might be running into more than she bargained for. Nervous excitement rushed

through her and she was grateful for the smell of cooking meat for covering up the

smell of her mixed emotions.

More than anything she wanted Stone. Life would never be dull with him by her

side. He offered adventure to her rather tame life. And she knew she would make a

good mate for him. No other Cariboo had ever made her feel inside the way Stone did.

But if he was serious, and she believed that he was, then taking Stone meant having

Gabe too. He would truly unite them as a den.

“Pamela,” she said, hesitating. There was no way she could organize her thoughts

into words. Her heart raced too hard to focus.

“Go. Find them.” Pamela sounded firm about it. “And Ali?”

“Yeah?”

“Welcome to our den.”

Pamela had understood. There was so much Ali wanted to talk to her about. But the

line went dead. Slowly Ali hung it up, knowing what she had to do. Her legs were like

jelly though. And there was no way she could walk back through the tavern, enduring

the pack staring at her, whispering about what might happen.

Quietly she slipped out the back door, the intense smell of garbage hitting her hard.

She ran across the back parking lot, remembering how Stone had touched her there. He

was such a master, his knowing hands touching her in just the right places.

Ali took off in a quick sprint, allowing just enough muscle to put speed to her run.

Keeping to back streets, she hurried to the edge of town and toward the mountains. All

she could do was head to the McAllister den, and go from there, doing her best to sniff

out their trail.

Cold night air slapped against her cheeks, making her ache to be in her fur. It

wasn’t safe to change yet though. She felt the strain in her human muscles as she started

hiking up the narrow trails that she knew so well. Running in her fur would be so much

easier, but she wouldn’t allow the change to consume her until she was far away from

all humans.

Moisture clung to her flesh, clashing with the chill that surrounded her. She wasn’t

cold though. Her body burned with a need that surpassed anything she’d ever

experienced before. She was going after Stone, making him her werewolf.

Goose bumps crept over her flesh when she thought of how she might find him—

what mood he would be in. Hell. There was no guarantee that he would be happy to see

her. No matter the scenario her overworked imagination managed to create, she

couldn’t picture him sending her away. Too much hard evidence pointed to him

wanting her. He’d come back to Banff. He’d sought her out. He’d come to her when she

asked him to. Stone wanted her. Every inch of her body demanded that be the truth.

She began panting as she hiked over rocky ground, the incline becoming steeper the

further into the mountain she climbed. A good hour passed before she reached the

McAllister den. She couldn’t guess the time, but all lights were out. Either Pamela had

left, or gone to bed.

Stripping out of her clothes, the night air wrapped around her cruelly. She shook as

if a fever consumed her, stretching her body, looking up at the glimpses of stars that

peeked through the tall firs that did little to block a cold breeze. Her blood boiled

through her. She arched her back, her senses growing more acute with every second as

the change grasped her. It took over, allowing her to see through the darkness, smell the

variety of scents around her better than any human could.

Her bones popped, stretching while her muscles grew around them. No longer did

the cold torture her flesh. Her beautiful fur covered her body, warming her, clearing her

head so that everything around her seemed crisper.

Dropping to all fours, she sniffed the air around her. Her heart soared. There were

werewolves, and they were nearby. Leaping through the air, she hurried through the

trees, the rocks and boulders that blocked her path no longer a trial to climb over or

work her way around.

Branches snapped, the small wildlife that inhabited the area darting out of her way.

She was at the top of the food line, the predator of all predators. Invincible and in

charge of her destiny. Energy rushed through her, giving her new life. Tonight Stone

would be hers. One way or another, with or without her den’s blessing, she would have

the Cariboo of her dreams—her soul mate.

A sudden change of the smells in the air brought her pause. Caution consumed her,

quickly followed by fear. There were more than two werewolves ahead of her. They

were galloping toward her, indifferent to anything around them as they tore at the

earth, the smell of them as rich as the scent of the fir trees around her.

Ali slowed her pace, moving cautiously around a large boulder instead of leaping

on top of it. She lowered her head to the ground, her hackles rising down her spine, as

she sniffed for emotions.

Are you part of my pack?

She didn’t recognize their smells. More so, the way they galloped toward her, with

purpose and drive, didn’t resemble the frisky run of a pack of werewolves enjoying the

clean mountain air.

Several of them barked at each other—a warning.

Something wasn’t right.

Ali looked down the mountain she’d just climbed. It wouldn’t be more than a five-

minute run back to the cabin. Her clothes were there. It was her only safe haven.

She jumped when a large Cariboo barked from the other side of her. They were

ambushing her and her own fears had prevented her from smelling them out.

It was run with all her speed, or risk the unknown. And their aggressive barking

and snarling was indication enough that the unknown would probably not be pleasant.

Pushing herself with all the muscle power she possessed, Ali leapt through the air,

tearing down the hill with enough speed to send her toppling. Falling paws over head,

she rolled halfway down the hill, feeling the sharp rocks tear at her hide.

Their barks were mean, nasty, cutting with angry tones as they cussed each other

out. Suddenly the air filled with anger.

Ali was in serious trouble.

Regaining her footing, she managed to dart down the rest of the mountain, with

one of them right on her tail. His mean slicing growls chilled her blood.

What the hell did I do?

She roared into the darkness, screaming at them while hurrying to the safety of the

cabin. Ali almost slammed into the door of the cabin.

One of the Cariboo leapt through the air. She barely had time to register that he

would land on top of her when she dared to look over her shoulder. He crushed into

her, forcing all air out of her lungs. Large teeth pressed dangerously into the thick flesh

at the back of her neck. She felt herself being dragged backwards before she could make

sense out of what was happening.

Stop it! Let me go! I haven’t done anything! Her cries were more like pathetic yelps as

she felt her throat crushing closed, while the Cariboo dragging her held on tightly to the

back of her neck with his deadly teeth.

Ali barely had time to acknowledge a loud crashing sound when two large and

fierce-looking Cariboo tore down the mountain and flew through the air, landing on

several of the Cariboo and sending them flying.

The Cariboo who had her pinned by the back of her neck let her go when one of the

Cariboo who’d just appeared tackled him to the ground.

Ali scrambled out of the way, reaching the door to the cabin where she’d left her

clothes.

“Get in here. Change! Get in here now!” Pamela hissed through a barely open door.

Ali looked wide-eyed at the fight going on right in front of the cabin. She

immediately smelled Gabe and Stone, and they were taking on four mean-looking

Cariboo she didn’t recognize. Stone tore at one of the werewolves’ necks like a rabid

werewolf, sending the poor sap flying. The werewolf stumbled over himself, blood

smearing his white coat, until he fell sideways, landing and resuming his human

form—dead.

Stone took only a minute to turn his attention on her, lunging at her with all teeth

bared. His fierce growl was a very simple order. Get your ass inside now!

“Come on. Now!” Pamela pleaded through the small crack of an opening. “I’ve

called for help. Get in here.”

Ali took one last look at Stone, and then reached down and grabbed her clothes in

her mouth. Pamela opened the door far enough for her to enter, and Ali leapt inside,

allowing the change to consume her immediately.