The Keeping (48 page)

“Mr. Aldrich?
What’s going on? Where am I?” Mel rubbed her eyes and looked around
the room.

Satisfied that
she’d stay upright, Aldrich let go of her shoulders and stepped
back, assuming his usual pose of powerful arrogance.

“Where you are is
of no concern. Why you are here should be obvious. You didn’t think
you could defy Anthony Greyson and not suffer the consequences did
you?”

“Consequences?”

“Yes.
Consequences. It was decided that you represented too great a
flight risk and measures needed to be taken to prevent any such
action.”

“A flight risk?
I’m not some criminal out on bail, you know.”

Aldrich kept his
face bland while inwardly rolling his eyes. Even ill, the woman was
feisty. Why couldn’t things ever be easy? His weekend away was
being wasted arguing with a chit of a girl. “Yes. A flight risk.
Your background shows that in the past you’ve frequently moved
about the country. We can’t have you leaving without fulfilling
your obligations to Mr. Greyson first.”

“I wasn’t planning
on leaving. My friend is with me. We’re spending the week
sightseeing and shopping.” She rubbed her head and furrowed her
brow. “My friend, Lucy, she’ll be wondering where I am. I was
supposed to be meeting her back at my apartment for lunch, but I
don’t remember much after leaving your office.”

“I have no idea
where your friend might be. She is not my concern; the report is.
Now—”

Mel interrupted.
“Wait! I did leave your office. I remember walking into the
apartment building and someone called my name... It was Ryne; he’s
here in Chicago!” She looked around as if expecting to see him
lurking in the corner.

“Taylor is in
town? Now that’s interesting news.” Aldrich pulled at his lower
lip, puzzling over this latest bit of information. Maybe he could
use it to his advantage. Mr. Greyson wanted information on Taylor,
but would he be even more pleased to have the man himself? He’d
have to consider that point.

Chapter
34

Kane paced the
length of his office, running agitated hands through his hair. Ever
since receiving Ryne’s call, he’d been on the phone informing other
packs to expect an influx of refugees. That had been the easy part,
now he had to decide who lived...and who died. His mind skittered
away from that unpalatable point; for the moment he’d concentrate
on those who would be sent out first. Of course, the pups would be
spared, the expectant and nursing mothers too. Young families,
strong males... Each group would need a leader, someone they could
turn to during the difficult times ahead as they tried to
assimilate into a new pack, but who did he choose?

A few had already
stepped forward, volunteering to stay behind. Helen had been one of
the first; she was the wife of the late Alpha and, as she’d said,
her life was empty without her mate. Kane understood and agreed,
but the others... John, his beta, said he’d remain, but Kane had
refused. The man had a mate and a young son. Besides, John was a
good leader; he could easily handle being in charge of a group.

The door slammed
open behind him and he turned, ready to growl at the unannounced
intruder. Instead, his growl turned to a greeting. Elise stood
framed in the doorway, the sunlight streaming behind her, casting
her in an angelic glow. That was how he saw her; his angel, his
mate. She was the gentle softness, the comfort he turned to,
understanding, giving...

“What the hell are
you thinking, Kane? I won’t do it!” Her uncharacteristic venom
shocked him and he stared at her in surprise.

“Elise, I’m busy.
I don’t have time right now...”

“Then you can damn
well make time. We need to discuss this. You can’t just order me to
leave!”

It was then that
he noticed the piece of paper in her hand. She’d been out when he’d
gone to tell her to pack for the dispersal. He tightened his jaw.
“You’re pregnant. Of course you’re leaving.”

“And I don’t get
any say in this?”

Kane was tired,
stressed; he didn’t need an argument. He stared out the window.
“I’m Alpha. You’ll do as I say.”

“No. I won’t
go.”

A rebuke was ready
on his lips when he turned to look at her and noticed the watery
shimmer of her eyes. He stepped towards her. “Elise—”

“I won’t go, Kane.
I won’t leave you.” She had folded her arms tightly around herself,
but her chin was lifted in a sign of defiance.

He walked over to
her and gathered her close, resting his chin on top of her head.
“Elise, you have to go. Think of our child.”

“Growing up in a
strange pack, without a father?”

“At least he’ll
still be alive.”

“But what kind of
life will it be? Another Alpha’s son won’t be easily accepted.
He’ll be viewed as an interloper, a potential threat. The others
will be wary of him.”

Kane rubbed his
hand over the slight curve of her waist. “As they should be. My son
will be an Alpha one day. He’ll lead his own pack... But only if
he’s given the chance to grow up.” He leaned back and touched
Elise’s chin, forcing her to look at him. “It’s your duty to ensure
our child survives.”

Elise bit her lip.
“I don’t want to lose you...”

“And you might
not. This could turn out to be nothing, but we can’t take the
chance.”

She ran her hands
over his chest and Kane closed his eyes, taking the moment to revel
in the exquisite sensations she could create with just the simplest
touch. How he’d miss this.

“Kane, can I at
least stay until the final call comes? It will be torture, being
away from you, not knowing what’s happening.” Her voice trembled as
she spoke and she tightened her fingers on his shirt until they
were clutching the material.

Kane groaned as he
opened his eyes and saw tears beginning to slowly drip down her
cheeks. He cupped her face, trailing his lips over the damp
surface. “Shh, don’t cry.” How desperately he wanted to tell her
that everything would be all right, that there was no need for
tears, but it would be a lie. His heart ached just as hers did; the
very idea of being separated from her was eating away at the core
of his being. He pressed his mouth to hers, offering his comfort
and his love, all the while hoping against hope that Ryne was
making progress.

*****

It was a stab in
the dark, but something had told Ryne to head to Greyson’s estate
if he wanted to find Melody and her boss. The city was too big to
search, so following his instincts seemed as good a course of
action as any. He informed Bryan of his plans and reaffirmed the
protocols to follow should he fail to check back in. Daniel was to
continue to search for information on Greyson and Aldrich; the
packs needed to know everything they could about the men they were
up against.

Satisfied that
he’d done all he could, Ryne hailed a taxi and gave the address for
Greyson’s estate.

As he sat in the
back, Ryne stared unseeingly out the window. The driver wove in and
out of traffic, the vehicle swaying slightly from side to side or
jerking forward when brakes were suddenly applied; shouts of
annoyance and coarsely worded threats were tossed between drivers.
Ryne let it all wash over him, lost in thought.

His wolf
desperately needed to find Melody; to know that she was safe. The
thought of her alone, going through the change with no warning, no
one to comfort or explain, ate away at his gut. Would her body and
her mind accept what was happening to her or would she fight
against the inevitable? What if she refused to accept it? Or if the
effects of the full moon forced her body to transform before it was
ready? Nadia said not everyone survived. The thought sent icy fear
washing over him.

Yet, did it
matter? The cold logical part of his brain forced him to examine
the idea. If she knew of the secret—if she’d already spread the
word—then she was as good as dead anyway. Wasn’t it better to die
from the rejected transformation than from his hand? Could he
actually look her in the eye and deliver a fatal blow?

He was Alpha. He
knew his duty and yet... Images of Melody danced before him. Her
big, brown eyes and long lashes, the way she’d lift her chin and
narrow her eyes before delivering some acerbic comment. Her quirky
humour, her knack for getting into trouble. The wonder in her eyes
as he pointed out the intricacies of nature. The way she looked
under him, lost in the throes of passion...

Ryne tightened his
lips. The throes of passion; there hadn’t been enough of that.
Twice he’d taken her; both times had been hurried, unexpected. How
he longed to have the chance for a slow drawn out mating. A chance
to explore every inch of her body, to taste her, to have her crying
out in need for the relief only he could give. He’d bury himself
between her thighs and sink his teeth into her...

That thought
brought him up short. A blood bond was out of the question. Mating
as well. He didn’t mate; he had sex. Mating implied something
permanent and he couldn’t see a city dwelling, coffee swilling
reporter type settling down in Stump River. Not that he planned on
asking her to, of course.

Ryne shifted in
his seat. Hell! Who was he trying to convince here? He was lying to
himself. He knew it. The fear that had gripped him since finding
Lucy was more than just fear of the Keeping. It was fear for
Melody, for her well-being. He grimaced. Admitting the truth to
himself was probably a mistake; it would only make things harder in
the end.

Sighing heavily,
he noted his surroundings. They’d left the city core behind some
time ago. Houses were spread farther apart and situated on
expansive lawns. He checked a road sign as they drove past; almost
there. A wooded area was coming up to the right. It seemed as good
a place as any. He signalled for the driver to pull over.

“This isn’t the
address you wanted.” The driver commented and glanced back at him
through the rear-view mirror. “Greyson estate is five miles up the
road. I’ve driven past it before, but never gone through the gates.
Apparently it’s real showy. You know that guy?”

Ryne grunted in a
non-committal way and handed over some money, choosing to ignore
the man’s question.

“Right. None of my
business. I’m just paid to drive.” The man tucked the money away
and shrugged. Once Ryne was out of the vehicle, he drove off
without a backward glance.

Ryne watched until
the cab was out of sight, thinking that in Stump River he’d have
been questioned to death about his motives. Big cities did have
their advantages after all, he thought wryly as he stepped into the
woods. Double checking that no one was about, he changed into his
wolf form.

His padded feet
made minimal noise as he ran through the small grouping of trees
that constituted a ‘woods’ in city terms. By Stump River standards
it was barely worth mentioning, but nonetheless, Ryne was thankful
for the cover it provided. Daniel’s research showed the Greyson
estate was walled on three sides; the fourth was comprised of this
long narrow strip of trees. Ryne was assuming there would be some
type of alarm or motion sensor along the perimeter, but his animal
form should be able to slip through undetected.

The trees were
beginning to thin when his nose picked up a familiar scent. His
wolf wanted to sing out with joy, but Ryne forced himself to be
silent. To the best of his knowledge the sound of a wolf howling
wasn’t common in Chicago and he didn’t want to alert anyone who
might be about. He inhaled deeply, revelling in the way Melody’s
scent wrapped itself around him. It made his heart beat faster, his
blood rush through his veins, bringing his body to life.

Slowing his pace,
he tried to pinpoint the exact direction from which the scent was
coming. It was a windy day. He hated the wind, the way it made the
scents swirl around. His nostrils flared as he tested the air once
again sorting, dismissing... There! It was coming from a structure
about half a mile away. It appeared to be an abandoned shed, almost
invisible due to being covered in vines and surrounded by overgrown
shrubbery. Ryne was certain she was in there, but...he analyzed the
air again. She wasn’t alone. There was someone else... The stench
of the male was unforgettable. A low growl rumbled up from his
chest.

He could exact his
revenge now; revenge for Lucy, for Melody. His wolf moved into
hunting mode, stealthily approaching the small building, carefully
gliding from shadow to shadow. His muscles were tensed and ready
for action. Every sense was alert, searching for signs of movement,
listening for clues as to what might be happening inside.

At first, the
voices were indistinct. One was lower pitched; obviously the hated
unknown male. The other was softer, hesitant, confused...Melody! At
least she was awake; that knowledge provided him with some small
degree of comfort.

Ryne returned to
his human form and pressed his body against the wall, carefully
peeking inside through a dirty window. He could see the back of an
elegantly dressed man and, just beyond him, Melody was sitting on a
bench. Her eyes were narrowed and she was frowning. Ryne focused on
the conversation, trying to determine what was going on.

“Come now, Ms.
Greene. Your scruples are going to get you into trouble. Life isn’t
simply black or white. It’s a myriad of shades of grey. Situations
such as this are so ambiguous. I totally understand how you might
feel some form of misplaced loyalty to Mr. Taylor, but think about
it. He reneged on your agreement, forcing you into this untenable
circumstance. There is no longer any obligation on your part to
uphold a verbal agreement. We can easily avoid any
further...unpleasantness, if you’d just be reasonable.” The
man—whether it was Aldrich, Greyson or some other player Ryne had
yet to encounter—was negligently leaning against a table.