Wolf Creek Enforcer (3 page)

“I don’t see her, Braeden.  You think she’s fae?  Cause man,
she ain’t here.  This sucks. I wanted to party with her, you know, show her a good time,” Krew grinned, rubbing himself.

Braeden growled as he shoved Krew
aside.  “Shut the fuck up and get in the car.  We missed our chance, dammit.  I won’t make the same mistake when we go after the other one.”   

Melanie was happy to see Krew leave, one less to worry about.  She cringed as Braeden moved closer to her, tucking her feet underneath her as he moved to stand near her rock.  She breathed quietly through her nose, reinforcing the shield directly in front of her. 

Braeden spoke softly, “Where did you go, kitten?  Your magic, it felt different, wonderful.”  He kept talking to himself, murmuring.  “Not witch, but fae, maybe?”

He kept circling the rocks and Melanie wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on.  Finally he turned toward hi
s car, glancing back once more.

“I’ve got a date
with another fae I can’t miss kitten, but we’ll meet again.  Don’t worry sweetheart, I’ve already got a plan to find you again.”     

Tires squealed as he floored the vette, jerking the wheel to get back on the road. 

Hearing them leave, Melanie slumped against the rocks as her magic dissolved.  Exhausted, she fought consciousness, but lost.

* * *

“Stop the pounding, I’m coming.”  Melanie rolled to her side, trying to push herself up and get out of bed.

Feeling dirt and rocks under her palms, she opened her eyes and saw the rock face she had been pressed against.

Remembering, she groaned and pulled her pack around and off her back, digging through it for some Tylenol.  Finding her water bottle, she downed two capsules, hoping they were quick release like they advertised. 

She knew she could not walk any further today, so she lay back down and used her pack as her pillow.  Reaching out, she patted the rocks as she would a dog and silently thanked them for their protection.
  The sun was setting in the west as the rocks cast a shadow over her body.  

By tomorrow, she would be rejuvenated.  This was a good place to rest, which was great since the
re wasn’t a town anywhere near.  Rolling her body close to the rocks, she hoped to absorb some of the day’s heat coming off of them.  She tugged her jacket tight against her body, determined to be more vigilant on her travels.  Now she knew to be wary, no wizard would get the jump on her again, she hoped.     

* * *

Melanie noticed her running shoes were a bit scuffed up, but she liked them that way.  They were well broken in and comfortable.  They were also a bright pink, of course.  Contemplating her shoes, it took her a moment to realize she could hear a vehicle coming around the curve. 

She’d hit the road as soon as she woke, feeling that urge to get up and go immediately.  Walking for over two hours, she was relived to know her journey was almost over.   

She glanced up and felt it.  A
shiver went through her body.  This was it!  She knew it.  This was good magic, no hint of evil anywhere.  Melanie stuck her thumb out so the driver would stop to pick her up.  She never imagined he would blow right by her.

* * *

Ian was enjoying the freedom of hardly any traffic on the highway so he opened her up and flew down the road.  There weren’t any towns along the way so he figured there wouldn’t be any cops hiding and waiting on speeders.  He had his windows open letting the cool air in.  It kept blowing his dark hair in his eyes, but it was worth it.  It was almost as good as riding a motorcycle.

Co
ming around a small curve, Ian reached up to move his hair from his eyes and saw a woman thumbing a ride. 

Flying by her, it took his body
a moment to catch up with his brain.  Ian hit the brakes and skidded to a stop.  Throwing the truck in reverse, he put his arm across the seat and stared out the back window while he backed up.  He didn’t try a U-Turn.  Reversing was much faster.

He saw the woman put her arm down and smile as he quickly backed up.  Getting closer,
he felt it.  My God, it was everything and more he’d heard about all his life, he thought.  The pull to be near her felt like a rope tugging him in.   

She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.  Her hair was a light brown with golden streaks
running through it.  Even though she had it up in a ponytail, he could still see highlights glistening in the sun.  Her tiny, diamond earrings sparkled in the sun.  Her eyes were violet!  He’d never seen eyes that color.  He quickly scanned her entire body.  She had a small waist he could easily fit his hands around and her hips flared invitingly.  She couldn’t be more than five two or three, he thought.  She seemed so tiny.  He was a full head taller or more than she was.  He’d always assumed his mate would be something like an amazon to match his size.  Fate certainly liked to screw with you.

Her shoes caught his eye
next.  You couldn’t miss them.  They were the brightest pink shoes he’d ever seen, along with the edge of a t-shirt he could see sticking out of her jacket.  His mind processed the information in a fraction of a second.

By the time he stopped, he gone from dumbfounded to furious.  She was a woman hitchhiking alone on a deserted highway with no help in site.  As she ran up to the passenger window, Ian fumed.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this.  He
wasn’t supposed to be furious when he met his mate. 

Ian tried to calm down but
he could feel his wolf pushing at his insides.  He wanted to growl at her and claim her at the same time.  Ian was taking deep breaths when she peered at him through the window.

“Hey wolf
-man.  I thought you were going to leave me beside the rode when you flew by me,” she grinned like a mischievous child.

Ian was shocked.  Did she know he was a wolf shifter or was it just a term she used?  Lisa had told him
the woman wasn’t a witch or a shifter so he was confused.  She tried to open the door but it was still locked.

“Are you going to unlock the doors or do I ju
st jump through the window? I may need a running start to leap up there since you don’t have running boards,” she said dryly. 

Ian
quickly pulled himself together and hit the button unlocking the door.  He got out and went around to assist her into the truck.  She threw her backpack into the back seat and then squeaked a little when she felt hands on her hips.  Ian lifted her and placed her on the seat.

“Thanks,” she mumbled. 

Ian stood in the open door staring down at her.  So many thoughts flew through his head.  He hadn’t said a word, until now.

“What the hell were you doing hitchhiking in the middle of nowhere?” he bellowed.

“Don’t take that tone with me mister.  I can take care of myself.  Now, are you going to stand there yelling at me, or introduce yourself?” she demanded.

Ian glared at her then marched around and climbed into the truck.  He grabbed hold of the steering wheel and laid his forehead down against it. 

“You need to relax.  I can see you’re really tense.  I could teach you some breathing exercises if you’d like.  My brother swears by them.  Or he swears at me.  I’m never sure which it is,” she told him.

Ian groaned.  Dear God, his mate was an airhead.  Fate really did like to screw with him.

Ian heard giggling.  “An airhead?  Really?  That’s the best you can do?  I’ve been called much worse.”

“You heard that?” Ian asked hoarsely. 

“Well, you were growling it out loud,” she said.

“Wh
o are you?” Ian asked.

“
My name is Melanie Frasier, nice to meet you,” she said as she stuck out her hand for an introduction.

Ian looked at her small hand.  She seemed so tiny compared to him.  He’d intimidated people all is life.  For some reason, this small woman had absolutely no fear of him. 

He grasped her hand and felt that instant connection.  “I’m Ian Scott.  Want to tell me what’s going on?  Why you’re walking, alone, down this highway?” he asked.

“Oh wow, feel that
tingle?  It’s so cool.  Don’t you just love fate?  Pulling us both here so we could find one another, it’s just so romantic,” she smiled at him, no reservations at all about their strange meeting.

“Why do I get the impression you know a hell of a lot more about what’s happening than I do?” Ian asked.

“I don’t know more.  It’s just that I’m more of a go with the flow kind of girl and you’re uptight.”

Ian growled at her, “I am not uptight.  I just prefer to know the ground rules and not be thrown into something without knowing the layout of the land.”

“Isn’t the universe amazing?  Here I am a free spirit and here you are a,” she paused trying to think of a kind way to phrase what she wanted to say.  Melanie snapped her fingers, “A man with no pretense.”

Ian stared at her.  He was grasping around trying to understand her, and she just blithely went on with no worries. 

“I need a drink,” Ian mumbled.

“Not gonna find any out here.  How about we start driving.  I can’t wait to see my new home.  Where do you live
, anyway?” she asked.

Once again he was struck dumb
.  She wasn’t a wolf.  How did she know she was his mate?  Was this how his life was going to be?  Mated to a woman that reminded him of the hippies from the sixties? 

Ian hit the buttons to roll up the windows as he pulled back out onto the highway.  His plan was to find a hotel where he could question her when he wasn’t driving.  He pulled himself together and made his face blank as he spoke.

“I live in Wolf Creek, Texas with my brothers and my oldest brothers mate.  Wolf Creek is in East Texas.  We own several thousand acres where our pack lives.”

H
e knew there was no reason to hide what he was.  She obviously knew a heck of a lot more than he did about what was happening. 

“We live in a castle which is a replica of our ancestral home in Scotland.  Not as grand, but big enough for our needs. 
I’m the enforcer for our pack.  Do you know what that is?” he asked her.

“I believe so.  You’re like the police
for your pack, right?” she asked.

“Pretty much.  We guard the, uh, land from intruders,” Ian said.

Even though she was his mate, he was not comfortable telling her about the magical pond.  Ian did not trust easily.

“I’m going to drive until
I get tired, and then find us a hotel for the night.  Why don’t you tell me about yourself while I drive?” he asked. 

“Okay.  I was born to very loving parents.  I have an older brother that made it his mission to torture me when we were children,” she told him smiling. 

“I’ve never had a paying job.  Why take that away from someone who needs it?  I spend most of my time trying to help people.  Yes, I’m a do-gooder.  That’s what makes me happy.  I do not go to any charity functions as that is not who I am.  I do my work anonymously because I don’t need kudos from anyone.  I enjoy the feeling I get from the people I help that are sincere,” she said seriously.

“I’ve worked soup kitchens, disaster areas, pretty much anywhere people need help.  My favorite though is giving under privileged children
hot meals and school supplies.  The look on their faces when they don’t have to start school without the necessary supplies is priceless.”   

Ian was wrong.  She
wasn’t an airhead.  She was an angel and he wondered if he was good enough for her.

“I’m really tired from walking so far.  Wake me when you find us a hotel please,” she said
.

“Wait, how did you, umm, recognize me?” Ian asked.

“Oh, well, your aura screams big, bad, wolf.  I can read them you know.  There’s also the fact that the universe guided me here to meet you,” she said, then promptly closed her eyes.

Melanie restrained herself from reaching over and plastering herself to his body.  She slowly uncurled her fist and rested her palms on her thighs, barely stopping herself from running her fingers through his silky hair.  Lord he was hot
, she thought.  Even when he was yelling at her she just stared into those green orbs hoping he would shut up and kiss her.  That little growly noise he’d made didn’t scare her a bit.  The way his muscles tightened when he easily lifted her into his truck left her breathless.  She’d seen his Native American heritage in his high cheekbones and tanned skin.  Our babies will be beautiful, she thought as she drifted off. 

Ian was lost in his own thoughts. 
The universes, huh?  What would possess her to walk so far and not drive a car?  Ian had never been so confused and he didn’t like it. 

Ian drove for several miles, occasionally glancing over to watch her sleep.  He didn’t think he could ever tire of looking at her.  His biggest worry was that their personalities would clash.  He could sit for hours in silence, not worried about contributing to a conversation. 
Keeping his feelings to himself, he was not prone to explanations.  She, on the other hand, said exactly what she felt at any given time.  At least this was one woman that wouldn’t leave him clueless.  She pretty much said whatever she wanted.