SEAL Wolf In Too Deep (19 page)

“Sarah told Rose she was coming in a few weeks,” Allan said.

“I didn't know she was coming. She had gotten in touch with me about my pack, sent me a letter and her new phone number. I had talked to her about it. I thought between you and Paul, because you were SEALs, you could set her on the right path. She never got in touch with me to say she was coming or had arrived. I just thought the dead woman was someone else who had come to check out the pack. Or a random wolf in the area.” Franny swallowed hard. “I jeopardized the whole pack. She said she was leaving Lloyd. She never told me she had turned him. If she had told him about our pack, I believe Otis would have tortured her until he knew her contact.”

“What if she told him you were the contact? And that's why he tried to kill you?” Debbie asked.

Franny chewed on her bottom lip. “Why didn't he try to coerce the truth out of me then?”

“Maybe he planned to but we came upon the accident scene too quickly,” Debbie said.

“Did you see him stop, then leave?” Allan asked.

“No. I was trying to get myself unbuckled and get out of the SUV because it was filling up fast with water. I was upside down, I think I was unconscious for a few seconds. I don't remember the SUV flipping, just the rough ride down the slope. After I managed to get out, I was attempting to open the back door to reach Stacy. I don't believe I was thinking straight at the time. Now, I realize I should have crawled between the seats and released her. It didn't even come to mind.”

Allan could relate. “That's understandable. You were hypothermic and in shock.”

Franny nodded. “He might have figured we had drowned when I didn't leave the car right away, and then he left when he heard or saw you coming.”

“Do you have any idea where he might be staying?” Debbie asked.

“We all went camping together. Lloyd and Otis might not be wolves, but they know survival training from their time in the military and growing up. Otis is a survivalist. He might be staying at some rundown motel, or he could be living off the land.”

“It's damn cold out there,” Allan said.

“He's originally from Alaska. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all this before, but I didn't even know Sarah was the one Otis had killed. When I learned about it, you seemed to already know everything I did. I…didn't want to talk about it.”

“We're a pack,” Allan said. “That means sharing any information that could lead to protecting our pack.”

She nodded.

“Why would you want her to join the pack when your mate didn't like her?” Allan asked.

“She seemed so lost. I worried about her. I really thought you and Paul could help her.”

“Do you want to have lunch with us?” Debbie asked cheerfully.

Allan and Franny looked at her. He was as surprised as Franny looked.

“I'm hungry, and I'm fixing lunch.” Debbie got off the couch and headed for the kitchen.

“I should get back to Stacy. I didn't mean for Emma to have to look after her for that long.”

“Nonsense,” Debbie said. “From what I've heard, Emma and her quilting friends can't get enough of taking care of babies. They are all adopting the little ones in the pack.”

Allan smiled. He hadn't thought Debbie liked babies all that much. Maybe just not the idea of having her own.

When Franny left after lunch, Debbie took Allan to the guest room where he'd set up both their computers. “I want to check all the rundown motels in the area.”

“I'll call Paul and ask if he can put someone on the detail. You can't go anywhere.”

“I know, but that's what I would have done if I could have. What if they assign you another dive partner while I'm ‘recuperating' from my injuries?”

“The sheriff knows I'm here taking care of you and I'm not going anywhere.”

She was glad to hear it. She figured if the sheriff found another female diver for Allan to work with, she wouldn't be able to control her wolf half one bit.

“Why did you end the interview with Franny and serve lunch?” Allan asked.

“She had told us everything she knew. She felt bad her friend had died, and she felt she was responsible.”

Allan pulled Debbie into his arms and hugged her. “Women are so much better at some things.”

She smiled up at him and hugged him back. “I was afraid you'd be mad at me.”

“No. I was surprised, but women and men think differently. I could tell you made a real friend in Franny this afternoon. And that's a good thing.”

“She felt guilty that her actions could have resulted in Sarah's death.”

“I think now she understands she has to keep the leaders informed if something might affect the pack. You got a lot further than I would have with her. We make a good team.”

* * *

That evening, Tara came over with her brother and mother, Lori and Paul to Allan's cabin to discuss why she had been running as a wolf and what had happened to her.

Tara wrung her hands as she sat on the couch next to her mother and Everett. She reminded him of the way Franny had acted earlier—guilty, beta-like, anxious.

“I…know I shouldn't have done what I did,” she said so demurely, Allan felt bad for her. Everyone had wanted him to date Tara, but she was so mousy, she just wasn't his type. He did care for her like a sister, and at that moment, he wanted to give her a hug and tell her what she had to say was significant.

By doing what she did, she had jeopardized all of their lives, not just her own. They wanted to understand her reasoning and ensure no one else was tempted to do anything like it.

“Everyone is important to the pack,” Tara continued. “But me. I wanted to do something to help. I thought if I could draw him out, I could stop him. Not that I thought I could stop him in what he was doing exactly, but maybe I could locate his vehicle and learn where he was staying locally.”

“So how did you find him? Or did he find you?” Paul asked.

“I followed six different hunters that day. All were armed with rifles, and I was careful to keep out of sight. They were hunting elk, and none of the men looked like the picture that you had passed around to the pack. I really didn't expect to find him that day. But I prayed I would. I'd been doing this for several days, really. Every day, I'd find hunters, follow them, listen to their conversations, then look for others, hear shots fired, and check them out.

“That last day, I slipped down to the water's edge to get some water to drink. I heard a person coming, only when I looked at first, I didn't think it was him. Until he said, ‘One less werewolf to hunt down!' And began shooting. I meant to bolt, but he shot so many bullets at me, I didn't think I could run away. Instead, I collapsed and played dead.”

Except that she'd stopped breathing and had nearly died. Allan remembered the horror of that day as if it had just happened. Debbie's eyes filled with tears. He took her hand and held it, but it wasn't enough. He tucked her under his arm and she relaxed against him. He could only imagine what she was feeling—that she had intended to put the wolf, Tara, out of her misery. That if he hadn't stopped Debbie, she would have killed her.

“All of you have worked so hard to keep the pack safe from other wolves, from rabid wolves in the past, and from humans who would kill us if they knew what we were. I…I just wanted to help. I'm so sorry. I know what I did was wrong, and it could have gotten us all in a lot of trouble.” Tara looked at Debbie. “I'm so sorry, Debbie. I don't know how you could be managing with all this thrust on you so suddenly. It's all my fault and I feel terrible.”

Debbie swallowed hard. “We're both alive and the man responsible is still out there. He's the one who's at fault. Not you.”

Tara's eyes filled with tears and she looked down at her hands, but then she turned her attention to Debbie again. “I'm sorry I got you involved in this, but for Allan's sake, I'm glad you're one of us.”

Allan rubbed Debbie's arm. “I agree with you on that.”

Lori then talked about protocols and how everyone was supposed to talk with her or Paul first before they ventured into something risky that might cause trouble for the pack.

Debbie was quiet and Allan wondered what she was thinking about all this. That she was living a real nightmare? He rubbed her arm and gave her body a reassuring squeeze.

With the pack leader business finished, Tara and her mother and brother left.

Lori said, “I hope we didn't upset you by having you join us in the meeting, Debbie.”

Allan knew Lori and Paul wanted to include her because she'd been so involved in what had happened, and Tara had wanted to say she was sorry. They had also wanted to impress upon her, as well as Tara and her family, the importance of the pack and how everything that might involve them had to be cleared through the leaders.

“No. I was glad to be able to tell Tara it wasn't her fault I was injured so badly,” Debbie said. “I didn't even realize she had felt she was responsible. I…felt awful that I might have killed her if Allan hadn't stopped me.”

“You wanted only the best for the welfare of the wolf, had it been strictly a wolf.” Lori took Paul's hand. “Are you ready to go home? I think I need to lie down.”

“That means I've got massage duty,” Paul said.

“Did anyone learn anything about any local medical facility taking care of a man suffering from a gunshot wound?” Allan asked.

“No. I wonder if he took care of it himself,” Paul said.

“Maybe he won't be able to shoot anyone else.” Debbie sounded hopeful.

“Infection, loss of blood, or both could really hamper his ability to do anyone any more harm.” Allan walked Paul and Lori out to their car. “Unless…”

“He's a wolf like us and his healing abilities saved his life,” Lori said. “Wouldn't that be ironic?”

“And not in a good way,” Paul said.

“I'm going to change,” Debbie said. “Night, all.”

As soon as she headed for her bedroom, Lori whispered, “Change for bed or shift into her wolf?”

“Shift,” Allan said.

“How are things between the two of you?” Lori asked.

“No courting or dating.” Then he smiled. “All that matters is a mating, so however we get there, if we do, it works for me.”

* * *

“Today, we're starting a new routine,” Allan said after the second week of Debbie's shifting. She was having a little more control over it as they approached the week of the new moon. He had seen how often she kept checking the lunar calendar he had bought her. She couldn't wait as she marked off the days in black Magic Marker. “We're going to have daily guests for a while.”

She grumbled. “I'm being treated like a new puppy that needs to be socialized with others.”

He smiled. She had often mentioned how she felt like a new puppy, learning all she could about living as a part-time canine. It had been like that for her to some extent, but she wasn't puppy age and she had her adult human perspective on life in general. She'd been really good about all the lessons, and he hoped this would help to show their pack unity and make her feel welcome. To start out, mostly just the members of the original pack visited: Paul and Lori, Allan's mom and sister and her mate, and Lori's grandmother. Everyone came at different times of the day on separate days and usually alone so Debbie didn't feel overwhelmed. Later, newer members of the pack visited. All had worked out well.

Today was special. They were having a mother and her twin five-year-olds over. This was the first time that Debbie would be exposed to the youngest members of the pack, besides Rose's and Franny's babies.

“Cindy Summerset is coming over with her twin girls after we eat lunch,” Allan said as they sat down to eat grilled cheese sandwiches he had made. That was one of his specialties and she loved them, so he loved fixing them for her.

He didn't know why he reminded her of the pack member visits every day. Maybe to help her mentally prepare herself.

“I'll be out chopping some much-needed firewood while you visit with them.” He'd tried to do a mix of visits, some where he was there with them, sometimes slipping out to give her more alone time with the pack members.

“They're going to be afraid of me if I shift. The girls, I mean.”

“Not at all. You'll be fine. And for the last two days, even though you had the urge to shift, you didn't. So you're making real progress.” He had seen the way Debbie had visibly tensed, as if she was holding back the urge to give in. Lori was visiting that day and quickly talked about swimming and diving at the lake anytime Debbie wanted. Though Debbie thanked her and seemed to want to do it, Allan noted that most of her concentration had been on forcing back the urge to shift. He'd seen the way she'd tightened her hands into fists and the strain on her face while he was cleaning out the fireplace.

It helped when a pack member talked away like nothing was amiss, though everyone could read the wolf cues. For Debbie to continue with the conversation and not totally freeze up said much about her gaining some control of her abilities. And that was a really good sign. Some newly turned wolves took much longer to adapt.

* * *

When the twins and their mother arrived, Allan made introductions and set the girls up at the table with milk and the homemade chocolate-chip cookies Debbie often made for pack visits. Rose had asked if she could sell them in her gift store along with the salsas and other things their mother made, and Debbie had loved being asked. And then Allan excused himself to chop wood.

Debbie didn't mind. She'd rather he didn't see her make a fool of herself if she had to shift all of a sudden when guests were here.

The girls were dressed in blue jeans and sweaters featuring flocks of fluffy sheep. The twins had backpacks, which they set on the dining table, unpacking coloring books and crayons. Debbie smiled. The twins were adorable. They glanced at her every once in a while as she and their mother talked, looking a bit curious.

“I started working out in Lori's martial arts classes. I have so much more confidence now than when I first began,” Cindy said.

Debbie wondered if Cindy thought that if Debbie took some classes, she'd feel better about herself. She already knew martial arts so that she could apprehend criminals if she needed to, or to protect herself. She hadn't had any confidence issues until she began turning into a wolf. Taking martial arts classes wasn't going to cure that.

“She has all
lupus garou
classes and some that are just for female students,” Cindy continued.

One of the girls, Eliza, was vigorously coloring large areas of her page with blue crayon. The other, Meghan, was carefully working on something small with a purple crayon.

Debbie wondered where Cindy's mate was, since they mated for life. She guessed she had lost him. All she knew was that Cindy had joined the pack and was raising the girls on her own.

“Do you take classes too?” Debbie asked the girls.

They both looked over at her. “Uh-huh,” they said in unison.

“Yes, ma'am,” their mother corrected them.

“Yes, ma'am,” they both quickly said.

Debbie smiled at them. They were sure sweet.

“Momma said you sometimes shift when you don't want to,” Eliza said. Her blond curls were a little darker than her sister's, and she was an inch taller and her cheeks fuller.

Her eyes widening, their mother looked horrified, and she opened her mouth to speak.

“Are you going to shift? Momma said not to act shocked if you did,” Meghan said matter-of-factly.

“I'm so sorry,” Cindy said, her cheeks flushed.

“No, that's quite all right. I don't feel like shifting right now. Sometimes it just happens when I least expect it.”

“Did you ever get stuck in your clothes when you started to change?” Eliza asked.

Often, but she wasn't about to tell the girls about those times.

“Oh, I did once,” Meghan interjected before Debbie could respond. “We shift when Momma does so we don't get into trouble.” Meghan's eyes grew big and she leaned toward Debbie as if she was about to tell her a big secret. “I wasn't listening to Momma when I was supposed to. She said we were to get undressed 'cuz we were going to shift.”

“You never listen,” Eliza said, coloring more of her picture blue.

“I do too.” Meghan stuck her tongue out at her.

“So what happened?” Debbie was getting a kick out of the twins and was so glad Cindy had brought them over.

Meghan sighed dramatically. “I had my purple socks on still.”

“That was funny,” Eliza said, nodding vigorously. “Whoever heard of a wolf wearing socks? I would have laughed, but I was a wolf too.”

“Yeah, then you tried to pull it off with your teeth and put holes in it. Then Momma got mad at both of us.” Meghan gave her sister a pointed look.

“I was just trying to help you take off your sock. I didn't know my wolf teeth would put holes in it. But then you grabbed it back. So they weren't all my teeth marks.”

“They were my socks and you were trying to take one away.”