Treeland Pack Tales 3: A Trace of Ivy (17 page)

Minutes later a young male announced dinner was ready. Chet
gave her his elbow. She threaded her arm through Chet’s and followed their
hosts into an airy dining room with a view of a wide patio and a secluded glade
with its emerging spring foliage and drifts of daffodils gilded by the lowering
sun.

Chet seated her in a sturdy upholstered chair at a handsome
wooden table.

“Nervous about meeting the pack?” Daniel asked.

Ivy kept herself from fidgeting with an effort. “A bit, sir.
Is tonight’s gathering strictly to introduce me? ”

“No. The fourth Friday of the month is a regular meeting.
Sometimes there’s a business discussion afterward, but it’s mostly social.
You’re attending as our honored guest.”

Scarlet arranged her napkin and nodded to the young male. He
began serving by setting a plank of salmon on the table. A dizzying selection
of crispy ginger slaw, garlic bread, golden new potatoes, and grilled asparagus
whirled past.

Jitters kept Ivy from doing more than sampling the bounty.
She forked a bite of raspberry tart, chewed, and swallowed the taste of heaven.
“The dinner was amazing, Scarlet.”

“Thank you. I’ll pass your compliment to the chef.”

“Oh I thought…” Ivy glanced at Daniel.”

Scarlet snickered. “Anything more involved than spreading
Nutella, and I’m hopeless. Daniel is more skilled, but Marcus is the real chef
around here.”

“Time for us to go.” Daniel stood.

Ivy tilted her neck to Daniel as she’d seen Chet do. “Thank
you for a lovely evening.”

“It’s not over, little Beta.” The pack leader smiled at her.

“Thank you for a wonderful dinner, chef or no chef.” Chet
patted Scarlet’s shoulder.

Daniel prodded him along. “We’ll see you at the pavilion,
GQ.”

The drive was over too soon. Chet parked and ushered her
toward another one-story building, much like Scarlet and Daniel’s house, only
without the walls. Massive wood pillars supported the graceful structure.

“Good turnout,” Chet rumbled, sounding pleased.

Amanda slithered toward them on an intercept course.

A few hundred pairs of eyes turned to watch.

Ivy shivered and then reminded herself she’d survived a pack
of rogues. She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin.

The stylish bitch blocked Chet without bothering to
acknowledge Ivy. “A dormant? Is that really the best you could do?”

“Let us pass. You are an embarrassment to the pack,” Chet
warned.

“Fine, the little whore is all yours.” Amanda turned and
spit.

Ivy sidestepped the blob of hateful spittle. “Refined.”

A rash of nervous titters and a couple of guffaws crackled
from the crowd as Amanda raced from the gathering.

CHET HANDED OVER her coat and pulled her closer. “Are you
all right?”

“Yesterday, I met your boss and the competition. Now I’m
being introduced to your pack—your family. At least one of them already hates
me.” Ivy shivered in her lace dress and muttered, “No pressure.”

“Thank you for trusting me. You have no competition, and I
will always have your back, sweet torment.” Chet positioned himself directly
behind Ivy, curving around her to keep her warm and shielding her from anyone
stupid enough to hate his female. He appreciated the cool night breeze under
the pavilion. Like all werewolves, he ran hot. His normal body temperature
ranged between 105 and 107. She twisted to stare at his mouth and whispered,
“You look amazing in that suit. You’re so debonair—I have trouble remembering
how dangerous you are.”

Pride in her courage and the flair of her arousal thrilled
him far more than the compliment.

“You are gorgeous in anything and even more gorgeous in
nothing.” He hadn’t exaggerated. In the lace dress and the pretty shoes she was
so delicately feminine that she outshone every other female at the gathering.
In skin, well, he was one lucky male with no intention of sharing that
spectacular view.

Ivy gave his bow tie a small tweak to the left and then
smoothed the silk with a gentle pat. “Now you’re perfect.”

The way she took care of him totally devastated him. He had
to clear the lump of sheer sappiness out of his throat before he whispered,
“Thank you.”

Envy from the other enforcers, watching and keeping a
respectful silence, bore into his hide. He took comfort from the unmistakable
scent of his bonding mark wafting from Ivy. The fragrance was a blatant warning
to every werewolf in sniffing distance that she was taken.

Behind them the pack’s soldiers stood guard, except for
those currently patrolling the grounds. Each soldier wore an armband
designating his current tour of duty—ground’s personnel green bands,
headquarters security gold, trackers red, and general patrol black. Beyond the
military troops, a few hundred civilians filled the pavilion and spilled onto
the grounds.

Gas torches wavered, and the crowd parted for Daniel. The
pack leader made his way to the head of the gathering. Ben and Sin made room as
Scarlet slipped into the front line next to Chet. She reached out and squeezed
Ivy’s knotted fingers.

Ivy returned her friendly touch, with a grateful smile.
Tension eased from her neck and shoulders, giving Chet yet another reason to
appreciate Scarlet’s support.

“Tonight we honor a brave female—the first to escape a rogue
pack.” Daniel beckoned for Ivy and Scarlet to join him on the dais.

Pride puffed his chest, and Chet’s focus stayed locked on Ivy.
She straightened her spine, swayed gracefully across the small distance, and
then ascended the single step. When she turned to face the audience, her eyes
locked with his.

Pride in their mate brought his wolf so close to the surface
he sensed his eyes glowing brighter than the torches.

Daniel stood between the two females, holding Scarlet’s
hand. “Please join us in welcoming Ivy Weathersby to the Treeland pack.”

The enforcers started the round of applause. The troops
behind them joined in a half second later, and then the civilians added their
approval until clapping thundered through the gathering.

One of the grounds patrol soldiers signaled Daniel.

The pack leader waved Chet over and whispered, “Take over.”

Chet leaped smoothly onto the dais and stuck out his elbows.
After Ivy and Scarlet had both latched on, he gave the crowd his best Arnold
imitation. “He’ll be back.”

The group laughed.

Motion caught the corner of his vision. Chet glanced over at
Daniel. The pack leader shook his head no.

Scarlet leaned closer, pitching her voice low. “The problem
is serious. He’s not coming back, and he needs us with him.”

Chet dipped his chin at Daniel and addressed the crowd.
“Sorry, urgent pack business. The bar is open, and snacks are being served at
the rear of the pavilion. Enjoy.”

He stepped down from the platform, steadying Ivy and then
Scarlet as they negotiated the step in their stilettos. Both of them stayed
silent and kept close while he steered them to where the pack leader waited
with his soldier.

After Daniel reeled his mate in until they touched from
shoulder to hip, he said, “Adam brought me a message from Jeremy. He was on his
way to the scene of a second fatal animal attack—another dead young man with a
missing girlfriend.”

The fine hairs on Chet’s nape prickled. His wolf rose at the
new potential threat to their mate. His upper lip curled to expose canines
already lengthening.

Scarlet spoke softly, filling in Ivy. “Jeremy is a pack
member and a detective for the Treeland Police Department. Lauren’s boyfriend
had been mauled too. The official finding was death as a result of an
unspecified feral animal.”

Ivy’s face paled as white as the lace overlaying the nude
silk of her frock. “Another girl has been taken by the rogues.”

“We don’t know these are the same males that held you.
They’ve always headed north before. This could be a new rogue pack.” Daniel
spoke with a firmness that seemed to steady her.

A second pack in their territory strained his credibility,
but Chet didn’t contradict Daniel’s well-meant reassurance to Ivy.

His pack leader aimed his game face at Chet. “Do you have a
clear scent memory of the rogues who held Ivy?”

Chet’s claws started to extend. “Only traces of the male I
picked up from Ivy.”

“Easy.” Daniel squeezed his shoulder. “I trust your
secondary exposure over anyone else’s direct contact.”

Chet bobbed his head to acknowledge the compliment. A whiff
of fear from Ivy made him leash his wolf.

She clasped her trembling hands, squared her shoulders, and lifted
her chin. “I know exactly what every one of those rogues smell like, and I want
to help.”

Daniel looked at Chet with can-you-handle-that written
across his face.

The idea of letting her anywhere near those insane bastards
chilled his blood. He opened his mouth to make some lame-ass excuse why Ivy
couldn’t go, other than admitting the thought of her in danger scared him so
much he wanted to tuck his furry tail between his hind legs. He spoke to her
very softly so Daniel and the rest of the crowd would pretend not to hear. “I
can smell your fear, sweet torment.”

“I know you’ll keep me safe.” She pressed closer to him.

Her absolute trust humbled him. He couldn’t refuse her this
opportunity to help slay the monsters still invading her head, so he prayed for
the strength to protect her from harm.

Daniel accepted his silent agreement and nodded reluctantly.
“I don’t like the break in their pattern. Ivy’s our best shot at figuring out
if we’re dealing with the same pack.”

His pack leader was right. Chet still didn’t like putting
Ivy anywhere near those bastards.

“There’s only one reason I can think of for them to come
back.” Daniel’s scowl deepened.

“They want me.” Ivy’s voice shrank.

“Not happening while I’m breathing,” Chet growled and cupped
her neck.

Scarlet pressed against her mate’s side, calming him.

“Don’t worry, Red. I’m not going to try to fix the broken
monsters.” Daniel pulled her against him tighter and refocused on Chet. “You
aren’t going anywhere without backup, GQ. Give me your cell. I’ll put in
Jeremy’s number, and then you can pick your team.”

“Can you spare Gun?” Chet handed over his phone.

Daniel arched a brow.

“Yeah, I know, but he’s a killing machine.”

“Gotcha.” Daniel handed back his cell. “I’ll give Gun a
head’s-up he’s riding shotgun.”

“Hell, he can drive. I can’t wedge a team into the Bentley.”

Daniel shook his head. “Why didn’t you bring the SUV?”

Chet met his old friend’s gaze squarely and arched his brow.
“I came for dinner with friends and a friendly pack gathering to introduce my
mate, not a damn tracking assignment.”

“Fair enough,” Daniel grumbled.

“I’ll stay in touch.” Chet angled toward Ivy. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

Ivy’s fear still pinched his nostrils. The sharp scent was
mixed with enough sheer determination to reassure him she wouldn’t break
easily. His brave Beta was a lot tougher than she looked.

Newly bonded males were touchy about other males anywhere
near their mates. Naturally they were notoriously protective of those same
females. Chet appreciated the dangers of the bonding phenomenon from an
entirely new perspective. He didn’t want even Ivy’s feelings bruised. His wolf
rumbled in complete agreement. At the same time, he wanted an entire army of
enforcers between her and danger. When it came to Ivy, there was no such thing
as too secure. Keeping her intact wasn’t the current issue. The next challenge
would be preventing him from going off the chain at the first whiff of threat.
“I will protect you. Promise me exactly as you did at the mall, for the rest of
the night you have to stay close and keep me in line. This will be far easier
if you avoid Gun.”

“I WILL.” IVY wanted to ask Chet why she needed to keep away
from Gun in particular. But another male prowled up to him before she had a
chance to form a question. The newcomer had changed from evening clothes into a
black jumpsuit with lots of pockets. Still she recognized him as one of the
enforcers who had stood near them during Daniel’s introduction. Even among the
gorgeous enforcers, he stood out. Not the largest, but definitely the most
frightening. Thick black hair cropped slightly longer on top swept straight
back, highlighting a sharp widow’s peak against his pale skin. If not for the
slashing eyebrows and heavy beard shadow, his sensual mouth and long curling
lashes would have made him too pretty.

As he approached, his gaze slid over her, focusing on
something behind her.

“Gonna introduce me to your lady?” The male’s tone held an
edge of challenge.

Chet’s taut body tightened with new tension. “Ivy, this is
Gun.”

She swallowed and offered the scary enforcer a hand to
shake. “Pleased to—”

Chet whipped her behind him so fast the rest of her reply
was lost in the wind.

One side of Gun’s mouth twitched up in a wry smile. “Sweet
Beta bitch.”

“Meet you.” Ivy angled around Chet, determined to finish her
reply.

Chet growled a warning at Gun.

“Dormant?” The other male asked.

“She is not your concern.” Chet glowered.

For half a second Ivy glimpsed hurt in Gun’s black eyes
before his cynical sneer slipped back into place.

“Whatever. Rig’s parked out front. Joe’s keepin’ it warm.
Holt’s available, unless you have someone in mind. Your call.”

“Joe and Holt are good choices.” Chet rumbled. “Did you
clear them with Daniel?”

“Duh. You wanna change before we roll?”

Chet shook his head. “The faster we get there, the fresher
the trace. Holt can run over to the boss’s place for Ivy’s coat.”

“I’ll get it.” Gun took off without waiting for either
approval or confirmation. In seconds he was out of sight.