Legacy Found

Chapter Five

Tension thrummed through James. He didn’t know what had just happened to frighten Shelley, but something sure as hell had. Maybe it had something to do with the guy at the gas station and maybe it didn’t. All he knew is Shelley wanted to get away from there so he drove.

The farther away they got, the more relaxed she became.

“You want to tell me what that was all about?” He kept his tone mild, sensing that she was close to the edge. Sweat was beaded on her forehead and her hands were shaking.

“You’re safer not knowing.”

Her words cut him like a knife. She was trying to protect him. He wasn’t having it. He was male. He was alpha. It was his job to protect her. “I can take care of myself. It’s you I’m worried about.”

She shook her head and he had the urge to shake her until she told him what had just happened to frighten her. Not that he’d give in to it. There’s no way he’d ever lay a hand on her in anger. He was very afraid she’d had more than her share of that kind of treatment in her life.

“Talk to me, Shelley.”

She licked her lips and seemed to draw herself inward, all her earlier pleasure in her new clothing gone. That made him even angrier. Someone or something had stolen that joy from her.

James sighed, knowing that Shelley wasn’t going to tell him anything. Not now. Not until she felt safe.

He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as they left Nashville behind them and headed toward North Carolina. There had to be something he could do to get Shelley to open up to him. All he needed was time.

Why it was so important to him that she do so was something he didn’t want to look at too closely, but he forced himself to. A man didn’t reach his age without learning a thing or two about himself and about life. And James knew without a doubt that he couldn’t let Shelley go. Not now. Maybe not ever. She was important.

There had to be something he could do to convince her to stay with him. He pondered everything he’d learned about her in the short time he’d known her. He shook his head in wonder. It was less than a day, could be measured in hours, yet he felt as though he knew her, knew her soul. He damn sure wanted her.

He shoved aside the fantasies of having her naked in his bed, her body undulating under his as he fucked her hard and fast. They were only making him tense and causing his clothing to be uncomfortably tight.

Being around Shelley made him feel alive in a way he hadn’t felt in decades. Not since Leda, his mate, his wife, had died in childbirth all those years ago. The nightmares of those days smothered the sexual fantasies in a hurry. He couldn’t go through that again.

James rubbed a hand across the back of his neck, trying to release some of the tension gripping him. His immediate problem was Shelley wanting to leave.

He ticked off what he knew about her in his brain. She was independent. She didn’t like owing him money. Not that he thought she owed him anything, but obviously she did.

She was also afraid. The way she sometimes cowered before she caught herself doing it was a sign that she’d been abused. That knowledge ate at James’s gut like acid. He’d like to find whoever had hurt her and rip them limb from limb. Females were to be protected. They were the hope, the heart, the future of their people.

He glanced at Shelley, but she was staring out the window, her body pressed as close to the door as she could get it.

He turned his attention back to the road and his problem. In spite of everything she’d been through, Shelley was strong. She was a survivor. She was also a caretaker.

Trying to protect him. He still couldn’t quite wrap his head around that one. As alpha, he was the one who did the protecting. To have a female try to do so went against the natural order of his world.

Caretaker. The word tumbled through his mind as he turned over the problem, searching for a solution.

Shelley needed a safe place to stay for a while and she also needed to earn some money. She obviously didn’t have much. Then there was the question of her heritage. She knew nothing about being a werewolf. Maybe she was a half-breed. There was no way of knowing. But either way she needed to learn about who and what she was.

It came to him then and he smiled inwardly. It could work. It would work, he assured himself. It had to. There was no way he was going to drop Shelley off and leave her at some bus stop like she wanted.

“How would you like a job?”

That got her attention fast. He could feel her eyes on him. He sent a quick glance in her direction and, sure enough, her dark brown eyes were watching him intently.

His body reacted predictably, his cock jerking, seeking her attention. He ignored his erection and pressed onward.

“I recently moved into a big house. What with business and family concerns, I haven’t had the time or energy to keep it up. It’s a mess. I need a housekeeper.”

“A housekeeper?” She said the words as though she didn’t quite understand them.

James pressed his case. “You’d be responsible for cleaning and cooking and the laundry. You’d have your own room. Or you could stay with my daughter. Alex would love to have you.” He hated making the last offer. He wanted Shelley with him, in his home. But he was smart enough to give her a choice. If she opted to stay with Alexandra, he’d live with it. At least she’d be close.

Her mouth opened and closed and he pressed harder. “Of course, there’s a salary.” He named a number, figuring it was better than she’d been making at the diner. “No strings attached. Try it for a week and see if you like it. If at the end of the week you want to leave, you’ll have some more money saved and I’ll take you to the nearest town.” The last was a bit of a lie. He’d do his damndest to talk her out of leaving. But if she was set on going, he’d drive her wherever she wanted.

“Plus, you can take the time to talk to Alex and her husband. You can learn what it means to be a werewolf.” He pushed the one final thing he thought might entice her to say yes. “Maybe we can even figure out who you are and where you come from. What do you say?”

Shelley was too stunned to speak. James was offering her everything she needed. It was too good to be true. It had to be.

Yet it was tempting. Like chocolate cake, she wanted it even though she knew it wasn’t good for her.

Everything he said made sense. It would give her a week to plan and to make certain Steve Macmillan wasn’t anywhere around. She could save some money, while finding out about her heritage.

The knot in her belly grew. Did she really want to find out about her family? Did she really have a choice?

She knew she had to uncover the truth, no matter how bad it might be. Maybe they had abandoned her. But maybe they hadn’t.

That small voice of hope she’d thought had died years ago rose up to haunt her. It had been years since she’d dared to imagine that she hadn’t been abandoned, tossed away like garbage. That someone had missed her, searched for her.

She could easily do the job. She’d had years of experience keeping house for a man. A shudder of distaste wracked her and she suppressed those negative memories.

The real question was, did she really want to spend that much time with James? The feelings he stirred within her confused her enough now. What would they be like a week from now?

She straightened in her seat. She was strong enough to fight the emotions swirling within her. She could do the job without allowing herself to get closer to James.

At least she hoped she could.

James confused her. There was no doubt he was a dangerous man. Physically, he was tall, his shoulders wide, his body lean and hard. He moved with a grace that was unusual for a man his size. Or maybe it was normal for a male of her kind. A werewolf.

How would she know? The thought was bitter and left a foul taste in her mouth. The only male she’d ever met had only wanted sex with her. And she hadn’t refused him. Her body had been out of control.

And after he was done with her, Tom had shot the male with a tranquilizer dart and dragged him away. She wasn’t sure what he did to the male, but she’d heard screaming for hours and finally a loud howl that was suddenly cut short. She shuddered, remembering how Tom had worn the fur of the male wolf as a coat for days afterwards.

Then Tom had settled in to watch her. She’d felt her body change. Her skin had itched and she’d scratched at her arms and legs until they’d bled. She’d felt wild. Out of control. As though something inside her was trying to break free. She’d been feverish for days, fighting whatever it was within her.

In the end, she’d lost. The wolf had been stronger. When the change had begun, she’d thought she was going to die. Her bones had cracked and reformed. Her body contorting as it changed. Fur had pushed through her skin, covering her entire body.

She’d tipped back her head to scream, but a long, low howl had emerged instead. She’d been herself, yet not. Something else was with her, sharing her mind and body. The wolf.

Shelley rubbed her hands up and down her arms, feeling a chill in spite of her coat and the warmth in the cab of the truck. She’d feared she’d never be able to change back. That she’d be stuck in that form forever.

Then she’d prayed that Tom would finally kill her.

He hadn’t. Instead, he’d watched her for hours. Finally fear and exhaustion took their toll and she’d curled up and slept. She woke hours later in the midst of another change. When it was done, she was herself once again.

Tom had warned her to keep her mouth shut about what had happened. Who was she going to tell? His buddies? They all thought he should have killed her years before.

It took her months, but she’d managed to learn to control her wolf. She hadn’t shifted in years. The change always brought out the worst in Tom. After the first time, he beat her every time she allowed her wolf to come out.

“Shelley?” Concern laced James’s voice. She’d been silent for quite some time, lost in memories. Nightmares really. Daylight was quickly fading into dusk. Night closed in early in March.

“Okay. I’ll do it,” she blurted. Shelley hoped she was doing the right thing. “But only for a week,” she added. She was leaving if she didn’t feel right about the situation.

“Fair enough.”

As though he sensed she didn’t want to talk, James leaned forward and flicked on the radio. Country music rolled out of the speakers. “You have a preference?”

“Not really.” She’d been listening to music at the diner for months, but Gus had kept it on a country station. Tom hadn’t listened to music at all. She didn’t even know what other kinds of music there were.

Feelings of inadequacy threatened to smother her. Defiantly, she reached out and pressed one of the buttons. When nothing happened, she frowned.

“Like this.” James showed her how to search for other radio stations. And he did it in such a matter-of-fact way she didn’t feel stupid.

She stopped when she came across a slow, rhythmic song she liked. She tapped her foot and her body began to sway. James startled her when he began to sing, his voice low and deep.

Goose bumps broke out on her skin and a shiver raced down her spine. She wasn’t frightened or cold. Her body was reacting to James’s voice.

Her skin felt sensitive. Prickly. Her chest rose and fell, her breathing getting deeper. Her nipples felt tight and she pressed her thighs together to try to still the restless sensation low in her belly.

She was aroused.

It wasn’t unpleasant. Nor was it something she wanted to explore. She had too much on her plate without adding sex to the mix.

James’s voice pitched lower, weaving a sensual spell around her. Luring her. She wouldn’t give in.

Reaching out, she slapped at the buttons until the music stilled. Her breathing was loud and fast, the only thing she could hear above the whooshing sound in her ears.

The truck slowed and turned off the road. Shelley looked around, feeling frantic. A motel. James was pulling into a motel.

She clawed at the lock of her door and whipped off her seatbelt as he brought the truck to a stop. She had to get away. The cab of the truck was closing in around her.

“Shelley.” She heard him call her name as if from a distance.

Air. She had to have air.

She jumped out of the truck and stumbled, barely catching herself before she fell to the hard, cold ground. There were a few patches of snow clinging to the shadowy base of a tree just to the right of the entrance to the motel. It was a silly thing to notice. But she’d found that focusing on something sometimes helped her control her panic attacks.

This was the second one today. Not surprising, all things considered. But she didn’t like it. They left her feeling weak and helpless. And she was neither of those things.

James hovered next to her but didn’t touch her. A part of her was glad he was keeping his distance. Another part of her longed to have his strong arms around her like he’d done earlier today.

“It’ll get better, Shelley.”

She didn’t know who he was trying to convince, himself or her.

Minutes ticked by and finally she felt the vise loosening from around her chest. A bird called out in the distance and she could hear the rumble of traffic on the road beyond.

Slowly, she turned to face James. His eyes were narrowed and a muscle jerked in his jaw. He didn’t look angry, she decided. Not really. She couldn’t quite figure him out.

He reached his hand out, his movements slow and even. She forced herself not to flinch as he tucked a lock of hair around her ear. “Okay now?”

“I’m fine. I’m usually not this bad.” For some reason she didn’t want him to view her as weak, as a victim.

“Don’t worry about it.” He motioned to the truck. “How about we get our stuff and check in for the night. I don’t know about you, but I could do with a good meal and some sleep. I’ve been on the road for a week.”

Shelley realized just how little she knew about James. She knew his home was in North Carolina and that he had a daughter. Oh, and that he’d recently moved into a new house. That was pretty much it if you didn’t count the fact that he was a werewolf, one that she was physically attracted to.

She nibbled her lower lip. Would they share a room? Did that mean he wanted sex? She didn’t want to squander her money on a motel room, but she wasn’t having sex with any man again unless it was her choice.

Once again, James seemed to understand her fears. “Just sleep, Shelley. I’ll get a room with two double beds.” He stared down at her, his piercing golden-brown eyes unflinching. “I promise.”

Taking a deep breath, she made the decision to trust him. He’d kept his promises so far. He hadn’t hurt her. In fact, everything he’d done had been to protect her in some way.

“Okay.”

He smiled and reached in around her and dragged out her two bags of belongings and a leather case. He shut the door and locked it. “After you.” He tilted his head toward the door.

Shelley strode toward it, back straight, head held high.

The fluorescent light in the lobby hummed as they walked toward the counter. The place looked a little worn around the edges, but clean. Kind of like her.

The male desk clerk was efficient and, before she knew it, James was leading her outside again and down the walkway. He stopped in front of room 115.

She watched as he deftly juggled their bags and the keycard, fitting it into the slot. She would have offered to do it for him, but she’d never used one before and was tired of appearing ignorant around him.

James pushed the door open and ushered her inside. The walls were beige, as was the carpet and the drapes. But, true to his word, there were two double beds with a built-in nightstand separating them.

He dumped their bags on top of the low dresser. “You can use the bathroom to freshen up if you’d like. I’ve got to make a quick phone call and then we can go to the dining room and get something to eat.”

Shelley hurried into the bathroom and shut the door, more because she needed a few minutes alone than anything else. But, since she was there, she decided to take advantage of the fact. She used the bathroom and washed her hands. When she was done, she splashed some water on her face and finger-combed her hair. Thankfully, her hair was straight and she was able to make herself presentable enough to go to dinner.

Having done as much as she could, she reached for the door handle. Either James was finished with his call or he wasn’t. Curiosity ate at her and she wondered who he was calling. His daughter? Did he have a girlfriend? Probably not if he needed a housekeeper. In her limited experience, men always expected the women around them to clean up after them. Besides, he’d asked her to move in with him. She didn’t think he would have done that if he had a girlfriend.

She eased the door open and listened.

James waited until Shelley had closed the door behind her before pulling out his cell phone. He didn’t like how pale she was. The last panic attack had taken him by surprise. They’d been driving along listening to the radio when suddenly she’d been frantic to shut off the music. She’d been quiet for so long, obviously lost in thought for quite a while before the attack had struck.

He’d seen the motel and pulled in. She needed some food and rest. Not that his actions were completely altruistic. He wanted the opportunity to talk more with her, to get closer to her before he took her home.

He was under no misconceptions. The moment the word went out there was an unattached female under his roof all the unmated males in his pack would be sniffing at his front door.

A low growl broke from his throat.

Nobody was touching Shelley. Not without her consent. And maybe not even then. All his protective instincts were aroused. He’d only felt this way about two other females—his dead wife and his daughter. And the feelings he had for Shelley were anything but paternal. She was a sexy, strong female who’d obviously dealt with more than her fair share of hardships.

She was also a female lost and alone. It was his duty to protect her.

Having settled his mind, he placed his call, smiling when Alex answered. “Where are you? Are you close to home?”

James chuckled. “Slow down. Anyone would think you missed your old man.”

“And anyone would be right,” she answered tartly. “Seriously, where are you?”

He glanced around the room, doing his best to avoid looking at the beds. They reminded him of everything he wanted to do to and with Shelley.

He cleared his throat and ambled to the window. Pulling back the edge of the curtain, he looked out. It was almost full dark now, but he could see as clearly as if it were midday thanks to his preternatural vision.

“Dad?” Concern laced Alex’s voice.

“Sorry, honey. I got distracted for a second.” He let the curtain fall back into place. “I’m at a motel for the night. I’ll be home tomorrow.”

“Is anything wrong?” Now James could hear Joshua in the background demanding to speak to him.

Hoping to avoid causing any disharmony between his daughter and her husband, he hurried to reassure her. “Everything is fine.”

He started to tell her about Shelley, but hesitated. He heard the door to the bathroom open, but Shelley didn’t come out. He walked across the room and gently pushed the door. She stood there looking both defiant and slightly guilty.

He motioned her out. Alex’s voice filled his ear but he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. All of him was focused on Shelley. “Just a second, honey.”

He put his hand over the phone. Shelley raised her left eyebrow in question. “That’s Alex. Is it okay if I tell her about you?”

Shelley’s eyes widened and he knew he’d surprised her by asking. Normally he wouldn’t have, but Shelley was special. He wanted her to feel more in control of her situation. That was the key to keeping her happy and close to him while he untangled all the emotions and instincts she brought out in him.

“Sure.”

James put the phone back to his ear. Alex was gone and Joshua was on the line demanding answers. “Everything is fine,” he growled. “Just shut up and listen, Joshua.” He tacked on the last when Shelley’s eyes widened and she took a step away from him. She’d thought he was still talking to his daughter instead of his son-in-law. Not that she looked reassured. She sidled over to her bag, giving him a wide berth.

“Listen up, Striker.” James was going to beat his second-in-command when he got home if he didn’t close his mouth and pay attention. Thankfully, Joshua went quiet on the other end. “I got delayed and I’m bringing home a guest.”

“Who?” James could hear the caution in Joshua’s voice.

“A female I ran across working as a waitress in a roadside diner. She’s a wolf, but she has no idea where she comes from or who her family is.”

“Half-breed?”

That could be a problem with some of the pack, but not with most. Alex was a half-breed and his people had learned he would not tolerate any slight to her. “Don’t know.”

That would be the first order of business when he got back to Wolf Creek. He’d talk to Shelley. Maybe he’d have Alex talk to her. She might open up more to another female. Anything she could remember about her childhood would help them uncover her past.

“Good enough.” That’s what he liked about his son-in-law. He didn’t waste words. There was no doubt in Joshua’s mind that she’d be staying. No decent werewolf would leave a female of their species alone and undefended.

“Let me talk to Alex.” He knew Shelley was listening to every word he said. Could probably hear every word Joshua spoke too. She rooted through her paper bag and dug out an elastic band and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. James frowned. He liked it down.

He heard Joshua murmur and then his daughter was back on the phone. “You’re bringing a woman home with you?” James smiled at her tone, a mixture of amazement and curiosity. “Who is she? Where did you find her?”

“Tomorrow, Alex. You’ll meet Shelley tomorrow.”

Alex sighed. “I’ll wait, if I must.”

“You must.” He smiled, easily picturing her teasing expression. “See you tomorrow.”

“Love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, honey.” He ended the call and tucked his phone back in his pocket.

Shelley was waiting for him, an expression of amazement on her face. “What?”

She shook her head and said nothing.

James shrugged. Who could understand the mind of a female? “How about we go and get some dinner?”

“Sounds good to me, but only if you let me pay.”

James shrugged. “We can talk about that after we’ve eaten.” No way was he letting her pay for his meal. He wanted to take care of her. That included making sure she didn’t go hungry.

He also needed some time away from those beds. A bead of sweat rolled down his back. Tonight was going to be tough. Sleeping near Shelley, but not able to touch her.

He wasn’t looking forward to it.

He grabbed the keycard from the dresser and swept out his arm. “After you.”

“What have you got for me, Red?” Steve Macmillan tucked his phone between his ear and his shoulder. He had a pen and a notebook ready.

“It’s registered to some sort of company. LeVeau Holdings. The company has been around about thirty years or so.”

“Do you have an address?” Impatience rang in his voice.

“Well, that’s the problem.” He could hear Red scratching his beard and knew the older man would talk in his own time. If it had been one of his own men, he’d have been yelling at him about now. But Red was an old friend of his father’s, practically an uncle. He was also one of the few people in the world that Steve respected, so he gave the man more leeway than he gave others.

“It’s registered to some fancy pants lawyers in Chicago.”

“Huh.” That in itself was interesting. There’d been a lot of werewolf activity in that city over the past year. “Get Sawyer on it.” If anyone could hack into the lawyer’s computer system it was Sawyer. “Have him do whatever needs doing. I want to find out who that guy was.” More than that, he wanted to know who his passenger was.

“I’m on it.”

“In the meantime, circulate that license plate number. I want to know if anyone sees that truck. I’m heading to North Carolina tomorrow. There have been some rumors out there. I’m going to do a bit of nosing around.”

“You want me to send anyone?”

Steve thought about it for a moment. “Yeah. Send Quinn and Mitch.” If shit went down, he wanted a front line of defense.

“Will do. You take care, boy.”

“I will, Red.” He hung up and tucked his phone away. His stomach growled. Time to get himself a good meal. He stood, grabbed his jacket and slipped it on. Maybe he’d stop into a local bar and see if he couldn’t find himself a willing woman. He was horny and tense. A night of fucking would go a long way toward alleviating both those problems.

He headed out, locking the motel room door behind him.

Quinn’s phone let out a jangle and he answered it before it could ring again. “Quinn.”

“Get your ass to North Carolina.” Red rattled off a motel address. “Steve will meet you there.” Red was the only one who called Macmillan by his first name. They went back a long way as far as Quinn could tell.

“I’m gone.” He hung up and stared out his truck window. He hadn’t even reached the apartment the hunters kept in Kentucky, where he was going to be stationed for the foreseeable future.

These guys seemed to have unlimited resources with apartments in many major cities. Quinn knew they also had isolated cabins all over the country.

“Fuck!” He slammed his hand against the steering wheel, ignoring the sharp pain radiating up his arm. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

He was bone tired and sick at heart. He’d been at this for so long he could barely remember what life was like before he’d joined the bounty hunters.

“Suck it up,” he muttered. He briefly closed his eyes, reaching out mentally, searching for that indescribable link he’d always had with his twin. Nothing. But Quinn knew in his heart his other half was still alive. That was what kept him going.

Putting the truck in gear, he started driving. It was going to be a long night.