The Bad Wolf (18 page)

She sighed as his fingers continued to explore her body. Not knowing what to do with her own hands, she rest
ed them against his chest.

“You don’t have to do this, not if you aren’t ready,” he whispered against her hair.
His words were soft, but there was honesty in his voice.

“Ryan, I…” What could she possibly say? No, she wasn’t ready, but the words died before they slipped past her lips.
She lowered her gaze and feared the worst.

Ryan tipped her chin up to look her in the eyes. Humor danced across
his features. “There’s no rush. I want it to be special for you.”

Bang, bang, bang!
The sound came from the front of the building and rattled the glass windows. Chloe scrambled up then cast a frightened glance at Ryan. He started to get up, but she held out her hand to stop him.

“Stay here,” she said then hurried out of the exam room.
A million what ifs played in her mind, each one more terrible than the first. Had her mother suspected something was amiss and come to check on her? What if Mackie had somehow tracked him back to the clinic?

Sh
e smoothed her rumpled clothing as she rounded the corner. The first thing she noticed was the blue hatchback parked out front. Then Coach Lewis passed by the window. He cupped his hands against the glass then leaned forward to peer in.

Chloe
didn’t unlock the door or invite him inside. “What do you want?”

“Where’s
Karen? I need to talk to her.”

Feeling terribly protective of her mother, Chloe
said, “I think you’ve said enough. Leave her alone.”

Coach reached for the door. The cuff of his jacket slid up to reveal an angry
wound on his arm.

“What happened to you
?” Chloe asked.

He jerked his hand from the door
handle then adjusted the sleeve of his jacket to cover it. “Nothing.”

“Do
esn’t look like nothing to me.”

“I got bit by a dog,” he said in a huffy voice. “Where’s Karen?
I really want to talk to her.”

“Like I said, she isn’t here,
” Chloe yelled through the glass.

Coach frowned then nodded as if he was thinking hard about something. “She wasn’t at h
ome either.”

“She’s out attending to clients.” Chloe watched him move a few paces away. His shoulders were slumped and his hair stuck up in odd little spikes all over his head. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“Will you tell her I stopped by? Tell her that I’m really sorry.” He didn’t look all that sorry. In fact, he looked as if he was biting back a smile. “I didn’t mean to upset her.”

“Sorry, Coach,” Chloe said in mock sympathy. “She doesn’t want to see you anymore.
I think it’s best if you give her some room to breathe.”

He pursed his lips and gave her a hard look. Finally, he turned to go
. Quick as anything, Coach Lewis turned and smacked his palm against the door. Chloe shrieked them stumbled backward.

Ryan
rounded the corner and her heart swelled. Her protector, her beloved.

Fearing Coach would see him, she held out her hand and in a frantic whisper, said, “Stay out of sight. He’s leaving.”

Coach dropped into his car and backed away from the building. Within seconds, he rocketed down the drive in the little car.

Chloe glanced at the clock then sighed. It was getting late and her mom
would probably be home soon. “I’d better go.”

Ryan caught her wrist and pulled
her toward him. “Be careful.”

“I’m going to find Travis.” She smiled up at him, despite the heartache she felt. “I’ll use my gift. If he’s in wolf form, I mi
ght be able to track him down.”

Ryan’s arms tightened, crushing her against him. “The pack cannot find out about your ability,
Chloe. They won’t understand. They’ll hate you even more.”

She tucked her head beneath his chin then sighed against his skin. “Then I won’t
tell them about it. Jenna and I will form a search party.”

“I’d rather you didn
’t get involved.” His hand stroked against the back of her head, smoothing the hair.

Chloe pushed away from him
, but still gripped his arms. “And I’d rather you were cleared of suspicion. If we can find Travis, he can straighten this out and clear your name.”

“How do you know he isn’t dead?” Ryan challenged. “You may only find a
body, if you find him at all.”

Chloe twirled a lock of hair tight a
round her finger. The way he’d said that…

Seeming to understand her alarm, he clarified. “Why would someone kidnap him and not ask for
some kind of ransom or make demands? Travis has made several enemies in town. I’m not the only one who thinks he’s an asshole.”

She backed away from him and bit her bottom lip.
“I’ve got to go,” she repeated.

Ryan grasped her hand then brought her fingers to his lips. He kissed her knuckles then allowed her hand to
fall away. “See you later.”

She nodded then hurried out the door. Just as she twisted the key in the lock, headlights lit t
he front of the building. Crap!

Karen tooted the Outback’s horn and Chloe ran to th
e passenger’s side and slid in.

“Did y
ou have any calls or business?”

“Nope, none at all.” Chloe stared out the window as a pla
n of action formed in her mind.

Chapter
Twenty-One

Ryan ventured into the lobby to stare out at the night. A crescent moon hung low and didn’t provide much light. Even so, he wished he were out there prowling around. It wasn’t that he thought Chloe couldn’t be of help, but rather, he didn’t want her on the pack’s radar. If they even suspected there was something different about her, that she wasn’t just an ordinary girl, things might get dangerous. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to her because of him.

Headlights swept across the gravel road in front of the clinic. It took him a minute to realize it was another car creeping up the driveway. The car slowed to a cr
awl as the driver turned on a spotlight and tilted it toward the building.

Cursing, Ryan ducked behind the front desk. Thankfully it was stationary and was built into the floor. No
one would see him on this side.

The light swept across the big windows at the front of the building then turned to light the wooded area on the other side. Ryan carefully peeked around the massive desk.

Sheriff Mackie’s cruiser continued to roll past the clinic. Before it passed, the spotlight turned toward the building again. Had Mackie spotted him?

Ryan’s heartbeat leapt into his throat when he heard the car door
open. He pulled himself into as small a package as he could behind the bulk of the desk and took shallow breaths.

Mackie stood there with his nose pressed against the glass for what seemed like forever. Ryan held his breath, afraid the pack leader might somehow hear the inhale and exhale of air in his
lungs. His legs began to cramp and his body trembled beneath the stress of keeping so still.

After what seemed like an eternity, Mackie’s boots scuffed away from the window. He called out to whoever waited in the car, “Doesn’t look like anyone’s here. Let’s go up
to the house and check around.”

He dared to breathe a sigh of relief just before a new fear gripped hi
m. Would they confront Chloe? Mackie had a knack for sniffing out a lie. The slightest shift in body temperature, heartbeat or even the way she breathed might give her away.

Standing now
, Ryan found himself in quite the predicament. He couldn’t leave the clinic without tripping the alarm. Chloe hadn’t given him the password and if he opened the door, the thing would wail bloody murder and alert Mackie that something was going on at the clinic.

“Damn it!” he smacked his palm against the
desk and struggled to focus on what to do. Before he could gather his thoughts, the cruiser trundled back down the gravel driveway. This time, it didn’t stop to search the woods or building front. It just kept going until the taillights disappeared from view.

His heartbeat no longer pounded like a frightened rabbit’s. He even found that he could breathe easier. Tomorrow morning, soon as someone opened the door, he’d bolt. His heart lurched as if in protest, but he ignored it. He would do what he had to do to protect Chloe. Even if that meant he had to leave her and never see her beautiful face or hear her sweet laugh again. He’d rather live in lonely misery than with the knowledge that he’d
brought harm to her by staying.

With a heavy heart, he went back to the exam room and gathered the blankets. He made himself a pallet by the back door. Tomorrow, when someone came to open up the clinic, he’
d make his escape.

Ryan sprawled out and sighed. His leg was healing nicely. Another transformation probably wouldn’t hurt it too bad. Tomorrow, he’d run. Tomorrow, he’d begin anew, somewhere else. He only hoped Chloe would understand and that she’d wait for him to return.

Sleep came in agitated spurts. He tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable on the cold floor. The blankets offered very little padding and before long, his back ached. Knowing sleep would not come any time soon, he put the blankets back where Chloe had found them. He spent the rest of the night in Karen’s office, surfing the web.

Somewhere around three the next morning, he finally opened his email and typed in Chloe’s address. He stared at the blank screen for several moments, wondering just what he could say to make her understand.

***

The front door’s bell jangled and he heard the
beep
of the alarm being turned off. He stashed his shorts in a dusty old cupboard in the back then transformed. Within seconds, he was wolf.

His ears flattened against his skull and he had to force himself n
ot to growl as Mrs. Williams approached the back room. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of him sitting next to the back door. Even her heartbeat kicked out a couple extra beats. “Hey boy,” she said softly. “How’d you get out of your pen?”

Karen stopped at one of the drawers and delved her fingers into it. She withdrew a red collar and a matching leash. “We’ll just get this on you to make it easier to take you for walks.”

You’ve got to be kidding me!

A growl rumbled up his throat and he couldn’t stop the snarl that curled his lip. He didn’t have time to pretend to be a puppy on a string. He needed to get the hell out of there.

Limbs quivering with the effort it took to remain still and not run, Ryan eyed the woman as she approached. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he also didn’t want to be on a leash. She continued to speak in soft, nonthreatening tones as she crouched next to him.

“How’s that leg?” she asked
as she ran her hand over the top of his head and smoothed fingers over his ears. Keeping an eye on him, she examined the wound. Seeming to be pleased with how he was healing, she snapped the collar open and attempted to place it around his neck.

As her hands neared, he used his front paw to push her hands down and away. He stood, tail quivering with agitation.
Karen looked a bit surprised.

“Hey now,” she crooned. “You’
ve got to wear it. I don’t want you wandering off when I take you outside. Chloe seems to like you and I’d hate to tell her you ran away.”

Huffing a sigh, he sat and the tip of his tail twitched. Even if she did put the collar on
him, Ryan was sure he could still get away once he was outside.

Karen quickly secured it around his neck then snapped the leash into place. “There now, that’s not so bad. Is it?” She patted him on the head then stood. “If no one comes to claim you, maybe I can talk Chloe into keeping you.”

Claim him? Had Karen already sent out a notice that she’d found someone’s dog? This could be very bad.

He huffed again then turned to scratch at the door. The movement did just what it was supposed to do, test how strong Karen was. The leash jerked in her hand and she nearly dropped it.

She reached for the lock on the back door. Ryan watched in anticipation for her to turn the knob at what seemed like a snail’s pace.

He vaguely heard the front bell jingle. Someone called, “Karen? Are you here? I need to talk to you.”

Ryan’s ears twitched in recognition. He knew that voice. If Karen would just go speak with him, she might leave Ryan to his own devices. If she did, he’d open the door and run for freedom.

Instead, she tugged him along with her as she moved toward the lobby. He jerked on the leash, desperate to break free. He’d underestimated her strength because she continued to clutch the bright red leash in her right hand. Oh sure, he could get away, but he didn’t want to hurt her.
He wasn’t your average pooch and was much stronger. Instead of jerking away and possibly hurting her, he padded alongside her.

Coach Lewis paced the lobby. His blue wind suit made fun
ny swishing noises as he moved.

Karen said, “What do you want? I told you I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Coach stopped to look at her, an odd grimace on his face. “I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?”

Ryan’s nose quivered as he
caught a scent. Blood was the foremost aroma. His gaze drifted over the man and rested on his hand. A wound that looked like something had latched onto it and shook the crap out of him appeared just below the thumb joint. And there was something else. It was faint, but it reminded him of the unusual odor he’d found around his house and Chloe’s. It was musty, and smelled of something that once was an animal or had been in contact with animals. He cocked his head and tried to figure out what he was picking up.

Karen continued speaking. “Look, Mike, I just got out of a bad relationship. I don’t need another. I think you showed your true face the other night when you said those awful things. I’d appreciate it if you’d just leave.”

The coach’s face turned dark red and his fists balled at his sides. “I was just a rebound. Is that what you’re telling me?”

“I’m sorry,” Karen said softly.

“It’s okay. I understand.” He laughed then and there was a sudden change in Coach Lewis’s stance. “I don’t need you. You’re a whore.”

Ryan’s ears perked and h
is lip curled in a snarl. A low growl emanated from deep in his throat.

“Get out,” Karen yelled.

Coach’s face twisted into something ugly and he brought up his fist. He didn’t get the chance to strike. Ryan lunged upward, jerking the leash out of Karen’s grip.

Ryan’s front paws pushed against the coach’s chest and shredded the front of his jacket. As the man’s arm came around to swing, the wolf’s jaws clamped down on his forearm. Coach Lewis screamed out in
pain then jerked his arm away.

Allowing him to stumble backward, Ryan stood ready to pounce again. Another snarling growl made the coach’s eyes widen
.

Cradling his injured arm, he said, “Get control of that damn dog!”

“You have two seconds before I call Sheriff Mackie.” Karen didn’t attempt to grab the leash. Instead, she crossed to the desk and picked up the phone.

Ryan
couldn’t allow her to call Mackie. Surging forward, he snapped at the coach and sent him scurrying for the door. Ryan was hot on his heels, but reached the door just a fraction too late. The glass slammed shut and nearly clipped his nose. Behind him, Karen hung up the phone without dialing.

Ryan sat on his haunches and watched as Coach ran for his car. He dove inside then gunned the hatchback down the driveway. The small car hit a patch of loose gravel then fishtailed.

Within seconds Karen had crossed the room. She ruffled the fur atop his head then squatted next to him. “Good boy! You’re such a good, brave boy.” Then she planted a big kiss on his snout and hugged him tight.
Awkward!
Her fingers ran through the fur at his neck and shoulders and she continued to tell him that he’d done well.

All Ryan could do is withstand her fondness and hope that she’d stop squeezing him to death.

Karen didn’t put him back in the kennel. Instead, she allowed him to pad around the building. He even got her to take the collar off by trying to shimmy out of it and pawing at it every time he noticed her looking at him.

She tended to all the animals and even sent a few home that afternoon. Finally, he moved toward the back door and pawed at it. He wagged his tail like a good doggy and even whined.

“Need to go out?” she asked as if he could answer.

He continued to paw at
the door until she opened it. Soon as she did, he darted outside into the woods.

“Hey!” Karen called behind him. She even ran a few yards in pursuit. “Here boy, come back!”

Ryan ran until he could no longer hear her voice calling after him.