Chapter Eight

Hunter I could have cheerfully shoved my fist down their throats. Drawn and quartered them. Randal’s partner had left those photos out on purpose to gauge Erin’s reaction and he got a hysterical woman who couldn’t stop vomiting for his answer.

“What the fuck? You did that on purpose and now how is she supposed to get those images of her friend out of her head? How is she supposed to sleep at night, you fucker?”

I could hear my wolf coming out and there was no way I would be able to control his rage if I didn’t keep a lid on myself. I wanted to let him go so he could reap Erin’s revenge, but it wouldn’t end well. We’d have another bloodbath.

I took several deep breaths and brought things down to a more controlled place. Erin was the important one right now. I could rip these idiots a new one in their boss’ office later. Right now, we needed to get a handle on things, finish this circus of an investigation and get out of here so Gage and I could help Erin find the real answers. Gage, oh hell. If someone hurt his baby girl, there would be no holding back his animal instincts. I had to defuse. I wasn’t good at that. I riled people up, he defused. One thing was clear; she was coming home with us.

The officers seemed a little embarrassed, but that didn’t appease me at all. Erin hadn’t looked at anyone since she’d calmed down and stopped puking. I suspected she was trying to pull herself back together. Gage had taken better photos than these. More of the crucial details were already the topic of the first meeting yesterday and today as well. His security guys were good and what they thought about what had happened would have sent Erin running into the hills and I couldn’t let that happen. So I didn’t disclose my findings. Not yet.

“I apologize for the error in judgment. Okay, Ms. White let’s start from the beginning and tell me everything that you think might be associated with this incident early yesterday morning.”

That was good. Erin was reacting well to the professional, sweltering manner the officer had. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking right now if anything. She seemed to hear the questions, but was really in another space in her head. Staying with my sister would have helped calm things down. Suzanne was accomplished at most things she did and when the occasion called for it, she could be a good listener. By the looks of it, my littermate had done just that. But those photos…

Suzanne had given me a knowing look when I showed up at her house to pick up an imp who had disobeyed me. Being the alpha of our pack meant I didn’t have to deal with disobedience often. Gage, the beta, expected the same response. Erin was her own woman and I liked that about her, but she needed to obey the men in her life.

I recalled what my sister had said when I arrived to pick Erin up earlier. “You already have feelings for her. I can tell. Gage snapped my head off when I said she left on her own.”

“If she weren’t human, she would have made a perfect mate. If she turns out to be a human hybrid, we will go full steam ahead,” I told her.

“I think you’re committed and don’t know how to accept it. Erin is too, but she won’t believe that you two would want her, that she can stay with you.”

I shook my head. “She’ll stay if she is supposed to stay.”

Suzanne smiled. “Okay, let me tell you this much. She has mating urges as I did. Except I had already shifted by the time I felt the call. She describes the same body urges and physical pull as I did. Think about that.”

I kissed my sister’s cheek and headed out the door. What I did know, was if we were to have any chance at a relationship, I would need to address her disobedience later today. I was indecisive and that drove me a little crazy. I couldn’t answer Suzanne’s questions about how significant Erin was to me, to us, because I didn’t have all the answers yet, and partly because I didn’t want to explore some of those questions. Not now.

Gage might have been more open to exploring the options. I needed more time. I was as confused now as I was in the early hours of yesterday. I acknowledge how glad I am to alpha an older pack because there were plenty to nurture the younger females. Suzanne had benefitted from that. Erin would too if we could find a way to claim her. My wolf yipped his approval. Again. I couldn’t mate without my wolf so we would have to find the compromise. I was ready to admit defeat.

It was generally believed that a wolf knew their mate on sight. The chemistry spoke to them and the urge was strong. Sometimes they would go on a run and then discover that special someone or find their intended after another littermate brought her in. Females had the choice of one or several lovers. The human world would have taken exception to such bonding practices, but since there were fewer shifters than ever before, if a male wanted to life-bond, especially betas or omegas, they would often need to share a woman. Gage and I always knew we would.

I felt a small trembling hand slip into mine and I stepped out of my overactive brain and concentrated on what they were asking her. Still the same questions. She must have felt it too; the redundancy and the stress of rehashing her employer and friend’s death when she wasn’t there at the time. I squeezed her hand and placed my arm around her shoulders. She relaxed her taut muscles even as the officers frowned. She leaned onto my shoulder and I inhaled her spicy exotic scent. I was falling for this woman as Gage had said I would.

Since I never thought about any particular female before on a bonding level, I never gave the practice much thought. But now with Erin, I would not be able to share my female with anyone but Gage. We had enjoyed females together, but this was the only time we both clicked on one woman and she with us so strongly. That had to mean something.

I leaned down to talk to her while they left to regroup. “How are you holding up?”

“I want to go home. Hunter, why do they keep asking the same questions? I only have the same answers. I like watching cop shows, I don’t want to be in one. Can’t we just go?”

I couldn’t resist kissing the top of her head. “It will end faster if we wait them out. Can you do that?”

She sighed. “Of course. Hunter?”

“Hmm?”

“How upset are you with me?”

“Ah, well, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m not a man who likes to be defied. You do a lot of that.”

“I know, but I don’t like anyone telling me what to do. I can handle my life myself.”

“We’re going to have to find a compromise, aren’t we?”

“Could we?”

“Well, if Gage can find his niche in your life, I’m sure I can too. Don’t worry. We’ll work it out. You’ll see.”

As the officers returned, she nodded and sat up. I returned to my thoughts when it was apparent they were rehashing things again.

After Gage and I ran last night, my evening was very productive. I wrote up several lucrative deals, which I already had my realty staff putting into motion first thing today. My portfolio was growing again. All was back on track this morning. I could almost eliminate the gorgeous Erin from my every thought. Almost. But when I walked into Suzanne’s kitchen today, it slammed me like a freight train, and I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to hold it off. Not when she smiled at me so sweetly or when she was afraid or brave, like now. Hell, all her expressions got to me. Her lush hips and bouncy breasts were just a bonus.

My daydreams were interrupted by a lyrical voice answering another question.

“As I told you last night, I’m a graphic artist and Joey is… sorry, was my employer. Are you sure it was him? I mean, it might not be… you can’t tell with all the… blood.”

“Did he live with anyone else?”

Her shoulders dropped. “No.”

“Have close friends?”

She shook her head. “I think he only had a few along with some online ones. I was the only one he talked to in person regularly.”

“It seems rather odd that he was killed when people were trying to get into your house.”

“That’s when he died? At the same time someone was outside my door?” The officer nodded. “Close to your 911 call is our best guess without forensics. They couldn’t have been the same people.”

I knew that the carnage that happened in Joey James’ house was not from just anyone. It was likely to have been a creature like a Hellhound on contract. Hellhounds were the Fae world hitmen among other things.

“I can see how that might seem odd. I think it must be connected,” said Erin. Her forehead was wrinkled in thought.

“We do too.”

“Like there’s a group of them?” Her petite hand slipped into mine again and my chest expanded. I squeezed and her shoulders relaxed. I pressed my tongue against my teeth. Nope, no shifting was going to happen right now. Not that I didn’t usually know when it was about to happen, but Erin had me off-kilter. “I mean, we are talking Joey James. He does great graphic novels, but who kills a person for that?”

The officer seemed ignorant about graphic novels and I had never really understood the purpose of them, but they were popular with the younger crowd. The information didn’t send off any signals. Nor did he delve deeper into the subject matter, which I thought she was too relieved about, making it one of my prime areas to revisit after this interview. I anticipated she wouldn’t tell me what she knew without some work, either. I almost salivated at the opportunity to spank her perky ass in punishment before ravaging that too lush body. Fates and fairies, I needed some relief, but I couldn’t even consider myself with anyone but Erin.

Her voice was heavy with anxiety. “They must have followed me home, but why? I don’t even know if he has a family. Well, I know he has a mother still living in New Mexico somewhere, but that’s it. Was that even his name?”

“What? Why would you ask that question?”

“Author?” I could hear the ‘duh’ in that one word. Naughty girl. I wanted to lay her down right here and have my way with her.

“We never considered it wasn’t his name. His driver’s license says, Joseph James.”

“Okay, good. I just never wondered until now.”

“Did he have any enemies?”

“He must have, look at what someone did to him!” Her pulse picked up as she shoved the flipped over pictures. My wolf crouched in readiness. She shook her head sorrowfully. “Honestly, I wouldn’t know. I have no idea why someone would want to harm, let alone kill Joey. He was kind of nerdy. In a nice way.”

She mused more to herself than anyone else in the room. Erin seemed sincere and almost resigned, but sitting with her on the same side of the table told more of the story. Her fingers were tangled, and her hands wrung tight. His little human was keeping secrets or not telling the whole truth and to Hunter, that was the same thing.

“Ms. White, what did you do while at work that last day?”

“I was doing what I always did, retelling his story only in comic form. Drawing cartoons, illustrating.”

“And Mr. James, what was he doing?”

“What he always did, tell the story in words. He sometimes did primitive sketches for me, so I had a starting idea of what he wanted or if I had a question. Those are the days we worked at his place.”

“So that’s what you were doing at his place the last time you were there?”

“Yes. He was discussing the direction for his book.” She fiddled with her hands. Something was off.

“Did you enjoy working for Mr. James?”

She nodded. “He was a card. I loved the fact that he wasn’t much of a talker so I could get plenty done during the day. He was kind and just fun to know. I stayed home at least half the time to work, but when he thought there should be some collaboration on the graphics, I would come over and we would work together. Sometimes, like the other day, we’d work side by side but separately. In companionable silence.”

“Were you in a relationship?”

“A relationship?” Her face wrinkled in confusion. “Like dating? No way. We were just a team and friends, but we never went anywhere together. We are… were teammates, but nothing else. I mean, the closest thing to going on a date was when he ordered take out for us if we were working late to get something finished.”

“Did anything out of the ordinary happen that last day?”

She considered her answer. “He seemed intent on finishing his book. Kind of like he wanted to end the series quickly, so we were working together steadily for the last week.”

“Was that unusual?”

“Not always. He’s… was a goal-oriented person.”

“Anything else you think was unusual?”

“I don’t think so.”

The officer leaned back in his seat and considered her for a moment before nodding. “Thank you. We’ll get back in touch. You don’t have any trips planned in the near future, do you?”

“To where? I’ve not left Alaska for more than a weekend, since I left the state of Washington.”

He grinned then. “Great. Don’t change your habits.”

That seemed to offend her as much as anything they had said thus far. Her spine stiffened and her demeanor changed. Her expression hardened. Officer Randal ended the interview and let her go home with a promise to contact her if he needed more information.

Her voice was raspy from crying when the officers began their questions, but they had already alienated her. I didn’t need to caution her about telling more than they asked because she stuck to short answers for the most part. As we stood to go, she turned and looked at the men who had taken an oath to serve and protect. She spoke loudly.

“I hope you got all you needed because I can assure you, I will never come back into this station under my own power. You have disregarded me, treated me like an idiot, given me devastating news like you were reading a menu. Then, instead of coming to me to ask questions, asking how I was doing or if I had a place to stay where I felt safe after the incident, you drag me in here. You pretend you forgot that you had the most horrific photos of my friend left openly on your desk so I could be traumatized again. I wouldn’t call this police station for help if I were bleeding out on the ground. I’d take my chances with a stranger. You disgust me. I can’t believe I pay taxes for this.”

And as we left the interview room and walked down the hall, someone was yelling the officers’ names in a way that left no doubt who was summoning them. I couldn’t have been happier and intended to file a formal complaint. Actually, I would submit the grievance on Erin’s behalf through my attorney.

When Gage saw us coming, he stood, and his half-smile changed at the look on her red face and trembling hands.

“Fuck, what happened?” He reached for Erin and she stiffened for about two seconds before she fell into his arms. I grabbed her backpack and we headed out the door.

“Wait until we get to the car.”

Once inside the SUV Gage let loose. “Dammit, Hunter, you were supposed to watch her.”

“Watch it.” My wolf needed out and a tussle with Gage would feel good. My Alpha would not allow the disrespect to go too far. “Those idiots let her see some of the crime scene photos.”

“What?” Gage’s wolf almost appeared. In fact, if Erin hadn’t been snuggled in, sniffling, she might have noticed the voice change and the teeth and nails elongating.

“We are going to figure this out ourselves it seems.”

“I thought we were doing that already.”

Gage’s voice was losing some of its roughness and his nails were changing back. His teeth, however, were another story. He wanted to mark her, and I tapped him on the shoulder.

“Free will, remember that.”

It was the last thing needed for his teeth to reshape. “You have to have that information first,” said Gage in an almost accusing tone. Next, he turned to Erin. “I’m sorry, baby, but I have work to do. I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

She stiffened and pulled away from Gage. “Of course you have things to do. So do I. I’m going home to get my projects done. No time for dinner.”

The men fell silent and once the car stopped, Gage opened the door, extricated himself from behind Erin, and then leaned down to kiss her full on the lips, forcing her mouth open to inject his tongue. He pinched her nipple that had begun to jut out of her shirt. She moaned and before she could settle in for more, Gage ducked out of the car, put her in the front seat, and closed the door. He was gone.

Erin and I sat in the vehicle for a moment without moving back into traffic. I had work to do, but there were certain privileges with being the owner of several highly lucrative businesses and I seldom took advantage of them. I rarely had a reason to. Today, I intended to do just that. Working from home was something I often did because I liked the seclusion and if I needed a break, I could go running. This afternoon I would only be available by phone.

“Your apartment has been released. Should I take you home to get some things?”

Her hesitation concerned me. “Yes, thank you. I have work to do. I can stay there if they’re done with it.” But she wasn’t very convincing.

“I can take you back to Suzanne’s.”

“No, but she’s a nice lady. She adores you both.”

“Ah, little sisters usually love their older brothers. Even if we aren’t much older.”

“She told me you are very close in age.” She waited and I imagine she wanted me to fill her in as to how close. I don’t intend to tell her we were in the same litter. And we are so different, no one would believe triplets, so I left the unspoken question unanswered.

After some silence, Erin said, “Um, I have work to finish.”

“You mentioned that. How is that, though? Your boss is dead, honey.” For a split second I worry she missed that significant bit.

“I know,” her voice waivers and I feel rotten. I reach for her thigh and she puts her soft warm hand over mine. “But I have other freelance jobs.”

“Sorry, I thought that was your only employer.”

She shakes her head. “I like to stay busy.”

“Your security will be upgraded in the morning. If you don’t mind, I’d like to make sure it’s been prepped. The front door electronics were reconfigured as well and once the better door has been delivered my guys will hook everything up. I don’t want you there in the transition because things are more vulnerable. So, if you would feel safer to stay at Suzanne’s one more night, it is already available.”

“Nope, I’ll be fine.”

“Erin.”

Her confused look cleared. “Sorry, sorry. I would prefer staying at my apartment.”

I’ve already decided that she needs to stay out of this place, this building and not return until the upgraded security system is set up, if at all. I don’t like that she is vulnerable. She obviously doesn’t agree, but I have no intention of relenting. She doesn’t know about the alpha me or about the fact that my wolf has decided she’s ours. She knows that Gage feels that way because they had a beginning conversation the night before this all began. She doesn’t understand that it changes everything, including allowing her to put herself in a risky situation. She will.

Erin shook her head in disagreement. That behavior will change soon, but for now, I thought it was adorable she believes she has a choice.

“No, it’s important that I stay and work past my fear. No one actually got into my place so it’s probably my overactive imagination. Maybe a psychic connection at the exact moment of…” her voice dies off. “I’ve lived here for several years and I’ve not had any trouble. Really.”

“Are you trying to convince me, or yourself, honey? Because regardless of the lack of determination and success on their part, someone was trying to get in and if they tried your car as well, it’s because they are looking for something. Whether it was in your vehicle, this apartment, or in your brain, there is something they want. Do you know what it could be?”

I stared hard at her and watched her display all the signs of hiding something: raised heart rate that caused that little flutter in her neck, a hot blush raced into her cheeks, eyes automatically averting, and now she was rubbing her hands on her pants.

“No. Maybe it really did have something to do with Joey. Maybe they thought whatever they wanted from him I might have.”

“And do you?” There it was, deer in headlights and then avert. I allowed my wolfman to drag her in. “Erin, what do you know?” I pull out into traffic, so I am not drilling her with my eyes that I am sure are lightening.

“I… can’t…” she shook her head. “Nothing, except something was wrong. He wouldn’t tell me what.”

I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed my eyes have turned light gray. I allow them to sharpen and take on that almond shape as I gave my wolf some lead. My teeth and nails were slightly elongated. My voice deepened to that Alpha tone.

“Erin, why do you think there was something wrong?”

She didn’t look at me. “Something must be wrong, or Joey would still be alive, and no one would have come after me, right? I mean it couldn’t be because of his books, right?”

“What do you know? Erin, you need to tell me now.”

I have just about had enough of her dancing around the issues. It’s obvious she doesn’t often lie because she is lousy at it. I like that about her. I didn’t mind my voice getting harsher and huskier with bits of my wolf coming out. She should learn just how unhappy I was with her sad tactics. She fell silent and we drove the rest of the way without another word.

My thinking was I would give her some time to consider her situation and she would tell me what I needed to know. I figured a day, tops. Her sense of honesty would win out. I thought back to that day I saw her for a few moments talking to Gage. She had tried to lie then, just a little distortion of the truth, but she couldn’t bear it. I was counting on that happening here.

She doesn’t know we have all but claimed her as ours and she doesn’t have any idea about who we are, but that will change soon too. As we pull into the parking lot, I reach over and grab her chin firmly. I lean down to kiss her bitten lips.

“Erin, I know you don’t have much trust in my ability to keep you safe, but that ability is greatly compromised when you won’t tell us what you know.”

“I appreciate your help and I’m glad I wasn’t at the police station alone, but I have lived my life without anyone caring for me or about me since I was ten. I don’t want to change that. It makes me too open to attack.”

“That’s a lie. You do have the information. I can see it. Another thing you will answer for later. I don’t imagine you will be thrilled in a few hours. And something else you need to think about. And the other? That’s a misconception, baby. Becoming vulnerable is necessary to connect with others.”

“I can’t risk it. I’ve lost too much.”

I wiped the tear that I’m sure escaped, also against her will. “It’s frightening, but you will have to make the leap and Gage and I are willing to make that leap with you. If you will only let us.”

I could see in her eyes she wanted to believe us. She just didn’t know if she could.

“You think about that. For now, something that will not only help with finding why your friend was killed, but also who is responsible, is you telling me what you know.”

“I don’t know any more than I’ve told you.”

I believed she understood she was in danger and things could get a whole lot worse. I was barely holding on to what I was willing to allow. Since I’m not a patient man, it wouldn’t take much for me to reach my limit. Gage was better at that part of a relationship and human relations in general. That’s the reason we agreed he would be the face and I would be the ass of the corporation; often quite literally.

“I’m getting impatient. You know more than you’ve told me and regardless of your misplaced loyalties, the man is dead. You could be next if we don’t find out what it is that prompted someone to end his life and come after you.”

She stared at me as though the little transformations I allowed through had just caught her notice.

“Let’s go upstairs and see where they are in the security upgrade.”

“I’m fine. I don’t need you or anyone. Please, please just go away. Go back to your life and let me go back to mine.”

“Since I came to this apartment building and found you in the middle of chaos, my life has been all you. In a few short hours, you have turned my world upside down. I haven’t been happier in my whole life.”

“I feel it too. I just can’t give you what you want. I’m a nobody with no primary job. I need to work, and I’ll need to leave as soon as things are settled here.”

“You don’t even know what I want. What we want.”

“Please don’t make me tell you.”

“Sorry, but we don’t have any choice. It’s your life at risk, now.”

At first, Erin gave me her version of the cold shoulder treatment and I have to restrain my urge to spank her ass for real. I should tell her what I’m thinking. “Erin, I’m not used to allowing disrespect or disobedience.”

She shrugged but she will soon watch that reality play out in front of her. My big bad wolf isn’t much more amused than I am.

“Enough. You aren’t staying here. I think they, whoever they are, will be delighted you don’t tell what you know or suspect. That way when they get to you, no one will ever know who killed you or why.” He hated saying it, but she needed a hard push in the right direction.

Her voice trembled. “I can’t. Besides, it doesn’t really matter what you think. It’s all about to go away. My life will never be the same again.” I want to lick her all over. She’s adorable in her feisty, brave, avoidant self, but it won’t help her today. I’m the boss and I won’t have any trouble handling a little human, even if she is a hybrid. My wolf agreed. “Look. I appreciate what you’ve done for me, really, but I’m a big girl and I know how to put on those big girl panties. So now that I’m home, I can take things from here. I’m not the girl for you. Either of you.”

I heard her words, those spoken and those left unspoken. She wants to be right, but she’s scared to be alone. Her fear permeates the interior of the SUV. I don’t want her there either and I’ve made it as clear as I can. If I have to, I’ll stay on her too-short couch or better yet, carry her kicking and screaming from the building. My wolf would love a tumble. I remain silent because she sounds like she’s spoiling for a fight in her present emotional state, as much as I am. I’m not a touchy feeling omega, and I’m not even the daddy Dom my beta is. I’m an alpha and I don’t do emotions. Not until Erin.

I fucking love her spirit though and I swallowed the growl that tried to claw its way out. I, no, we need to take her, and my wolf was running out of patience. So was I. She is all I can think about. Not to just have random sex, but full-on banna saoil: life-bond. I haven’t ever been so drawn and so opposed to taking a woman to bed. I’ve never wanted to make a relationship permanent with anyone and my instincts are clear; one time with Erin would never be enough.

I have to control the beast within before the teeth come out. And I can’t believe I have waited so long to pay attention to Gage’s request to meet her. It’s been months since he first said he was attracted to her and said he thought I should meet her. He will never let me forget the months I have wasted, and he’d be right. But that ends now.

Silently I parked, grabbed her bag, which she had the audacity to try to take right out of my hand, and gave her my best dominant look. “What are you doing, Erin?”

She hesitated. Smart woman. Then she tried to grab the bag again. Naughty woman. They could have fun together. I forced myself away from where that thought was leading me for now. I knew I’d have to taste her nectar again soon. My wolfman was gaining in strength and I was losing the battle for supremacy.

“Trying to carry my own bag. I’m a woman not an invalid.”

“Agreed. I won’t carry you, just your bag. Unless you want me to.” I make my best big bad wolf impression.

“But I can handle it.”

“Understood.”

“Fine.” I was glad I parked out of the camera view. As she turned to stomp off, I landed two firm swats on her bottom.

“What the hell?”

“Temper. Language. You have been warned. Now, I told you I was no longer accepting the word ‘fine’ when responding to me.”

“Oh!”

I continued walking forward and when she trotted up to walk beside me, I placed my right-hand low, just at the camber of her backside. I wanted to slide it further down past the arc of her ass and grab a fleshy handful of lower cheeks and warm them a little more for her mouthing, but I decide to bide my time. My inner wolf wanted to begin the manhandling, but my more socially acceptable side tightened the control and held things together. Barely.

As we walked up the stairs, I could smell a wolf and something else. More preternatural than supernatural or paranormal. Only one creature came to mind and that had my blood running cold and my wolf howling to protect. Did they come back?

“Stay here while I look around.” She nodded as she shivered. She turned to unlock the door instead of giving me the keys. Thank God she was fumbling with them. Just as she got them in hand ready to reach for the door, I stopped her.