Legend of the White Wolf

Chapter 17

AFTER AN HOUR, CAMERON REACHED THE BLACK BEAR DEN with Gavin, but the place looked lifeless, deserted, just as he and Faith had left it. His heart in his throat, he hurried to enter the cabin, smelled Faith's sweet fragrance still lingering in the air, but there was no indication she had returned here.

"Maybe she's watching us from the shelter of the woods," Gavin said, glancing at Faith's soiled clothes in the garbage sack.

Maybe. But Cameron figured she'd show herself now that he was here. Maybe Gavin was the one who scared her. Hell, sure he did. He'd shot the wolf that had attacked Cameron, and then pointed the freshly fired gun at Faith.

"Listen, Gavin, why don't you go up to the main lodge and see about Charles's condition. Say that Cameron's asking, but don't tell anyone I've returned."

"Are you sure? I know that look in your eye. You're going off investigating Faith's disappearance on your own. Why don't you let me come with you? If nothing else, I can watch your back."

Cameron shook his head. "She may be afraid of you after you shot the other wolf. Just check on Charles. I'll return to this cabin after a while. You can meet me back here."

Gavin looked a little worried, but Cameron motioned to the lodge. "I'll be fine. See you in a few minutes."

"All right, but if you're not back here in half an hour, I'm coming for you." Gavin trudged off, muttering under his breath about friends and not keeping secrets.

Cameron got back on his snowmobile and hurried off toward his own cabin, calling out Faith's name. But she wasn't at his place either, although unless she'd shapeshifted, she wouldn't have been able to get inside. Then he thought of Hilson and his place. Damn, why hadn't he thought of him before? Cameron raced toward the Porcupine Cove cabin, but was in sight of Leidolf's place when the man opened his door and waved to him to come inside without saying a word.

Faith. Cameron parked and jumped off his vehicle, then rushed up the steps to the deck.

Before he could step inside the cabin, Leidolf warned, "She's here and she's sleeping. But we've got problems."

Hell, tell him something he didn't know. Cameron shoved past Leidolf into the cabin and headed straight for the bedroom. "On your way out, run by the lodge, will you? My partner Gavin Summerfield's there, but I want him to know where I am and that I'm with Faith, the woman, so don't want to be disturbed."

Leidolf gave him a knowing smile and didn't seem to be offended that Cameron was ordering him about, then closed the door to the place and locked it from the outside. He strolled on past the window in the direction of the main lodge.

Thank you, Cameron said silently, and opened the door to the bedroom as quietly as he could. Faith looked like an angel, sleeping soundly on the bed, her shoulders bare. Hell, she was still naked? Leidolf didn't give her anything to wear?

The place was comfortably warm though, and she looked like she was sleeping well. Still, he wanted her to know he was here now, and although he was pissed that Leidolf had had to rescue her, he was glad he had done so and seemed to have her best interests in mind.

Cameron sat next to Faith and leaned over and kissed her cheek, his hand caressing her shoulder, wanting to make the contact, wanting to assure himself she hadn't come to any harm. "I'm here," he said, his voice soothing, low and dark, not wanting to wake her, but just to reassure her he was with her again.

She stirred, her eyelashes fluttering. He ran his hand over her hair and kissed her lips this time. Her eyes popped open, her expression startled, and then she smiled, the most delightful smile he'd ever witnessed. Then she frowned and reached out to take his hand, her fingers grasping his protectively. "Are you all right? You were injured."

He sighed and stroked the nape of her neck. "Seems the werewolf genetics heals minor sprains and twists quickly enough. Why didn't you keep following me?"

"I didn't think I could keep from shifting again. I couldn't chance it. I barely made it to Leidolf's cabin. Where's your friend Gavin? He didn't see me shift, did he?"

"No. If he had, I'd never have heard the end of it."

Frowning, Faith touched Cameron's cheek. "We're in trouble. Officer Adams and Whitson? They were following us and were injured when Adams' snowmobile plowed into a hastily constructed barricade across the trail, and Whitson slammed into him right afterward. They'll live, according to Leidolf, who got the news from Charles's cousin, George, but they both were injured pretty badly. Broken arms, legs, Adams has got a concussion. And the worst of it all?"

"They want to arrest Gavin and me?" Cameron couldn't believe this could get any worse.

She shook her head. "They were trying to catch up to us to tell us Kintail needs us on the investigation. Whatever it takes, he would like us to find out who the killers are, and then he'll deal with them. And he wanted us to stay here at the cabins while we're doing the investigation."

Cameron cursed under his breath. "Kintail fancies having you. And if he wants both of us on the investigation, why did a wolf try to kill me in the woods just a half hour ago?"

Faith's cheeks turned a little pink. "That most likely had to do with me and nothing with Kintail's orders."

"You?" Before she could say what she meant, he cursed again. "Hilson. Hell, the ex-boyfriend scorned?"

"Yeah, well, he's an Arctic wolf, too, although I had kind of guessed he might be, after I learned they existed and that their kind, well, our kind wouldn't want to be exposed and that was the reason he stole my father's research. But what will we do about my father? We have to make sure he doesn't try to put another paper together about werewolves or our kind will most likely kill him."

"It seems there's only two choices we have—change the person who witnesses the shift, or kill him or her."

"So will you bite him?" Faith asked, running her hand over Cameron's.

He took her hand in his and squeezed. "After biting you, I wouldn't want to be responsible for turning another soul."

Faith looked away from Cameron. "Hilson will live, too, according to Leidolf. He said he'll go off and lick his wounds and it might take a few days, but he'll be as good as new, as long as the bullets Gavin fired at him weren't silver."

"Unless there's something about Gavin I don't know, the bullets weren't silver."

"Hey, Cameron!" Gavin shouted outside the cabin, banging on the door.

"Damn it, Gavin," Cameron said to himself more than to anyone else and then added for Faith's benefit, "I'll be right back." He stalked out of the bedroom and closed the door, then headed for the front door.

Unlocking it, he scowled at Gavin. "I told you to wait for me. Leidolf was supposed to tell you—"

"A Trevor Hodges is at the main lodge. He said Faith wanted to talk about her father's research concerning Bigfoot." Gavin raised a brow, then gingerly touched his swollen jaw again. "Anything you want to talk to me about?"

Bigfoot, my ass. But then again, the hunter guide might know about David and Owen's location. And that was the leverage they needed. If Kintail turned over their friends, they'd locate the killers. Working as a team, they could do it. Except now they had a new partner, much prettier than the rest of his partners. And if Leidolf wanted to come along for the ride, he was welcome to tag along. "Tell Trevor to meet us at Faith's cabin. We'll be right there."

Lila fumed as she paced across the great room at Kintail's lodge. She'd just managed to overhear some of what Kintail and Trevor were speaking about and knew for sure now Kintail planned on taking that damned O'Malley woman for his mate. What did he think? That Lila would just go along with it? A newly turned lupus garou would become the alpha leader's mate?

She didn't think so. And she couldn't believe Trevor had overheard her crying when she'd talked to Katina. Wasn't anything she did private? At least she knew Katina hadn't said anything to anyone about her distress.

But how was Lila to thwart Kintail from taking Faith for his mate? Then again, Cameron was looking more appealing all the time. She smiled at the thought he'd put Adams and Whitson in their place. Once Kintail had gotten them on the police force, the two had thought they were better than anybody else, not accountable to anyone—except for Kintail. They knew where they stood when it came to the pack leader.

But damn it, before that, they'd listened to her, too. Probably because they'd initially thought she'd be Kintail's mate. Now they weren't sure.

She stalked to the picture window and stared out at the woods where a few of Kintail's men were still searching for David and Owen. Kintail might think he was in charge of those two, but she could have told him David wasn't so much willing to go along with the scheme of things as he put on. She knew that he wasn't being just thoroughly grateful that he was still alive after suffering a massive heart attack. They were a lot alike in many ways—she was openly honest about some aspects of her life, and secretly dishonest about a lot more. But she couldn't help it. Some of her past life, she just didn't want to expose and didn't want to deal with.

David seemed that way to her, too.

But Elizabeth? She never suspected the woman would turn traitor and run off with the men. Yet she should have seen the signs. She'd seen a glimpse of Elizabeth observing David when she thought no one was watching her. But Lila hadn't put two and two together. Too wrapped up in her concern over Kintail. Yet in Lila's heart, something stirred. A desire to be like Elizabeth. To do what the woman had done, defy an alpha pack leader to choose a man she wanted to be with. Not that Lila truly wanted anyone but the pack leader. But she just wished she could show that side of herself again—that she wanted him, no other, and would stake her claim. What if she lost him though? That's what she thought she couldn't handle the most. Another mate's death.

She glanced down at the statue of an Arctic wolf sitting on a chest—a gift she'd given to Kintail. She tried to show she cared about Kintail. He was the typical arrogant alpha male leader who ran the pack, made the decisions, was in total control of everything that went on. And that appealed to her. But her past thwarted her when it came to having any kind of a relationship with a man.

And she suspected he sensed that, maybe concerned she'd never grow to love him. Which was probably why he hadn't mated her yet since she joined the pack two years ago, despite the fact that although there were several available women, none of them was alpha enough to lead the pack like her. She'd hoped when Trevor had told Kintail on her, the leader would have understood her better when she was having a devil of a time explaining herself to him. Even though she hadn't wanted Trevor to tell him her secrets like that. But what did Kintail do? Said he was going to take Faith for his own anyway. She jammed her hands in her pockets and growled.

Cameron she liked. Instantly. There was just something she admired about him. And she wanted him. But what if it all had to do with that she didn't know him that well, and he didn't know her? What if it was that she could only want attachments that weren't real? That once she got to know him, she'd have the same difficulty showing any affections toward him as she did with Kintail, too?

She ground her teeth, irritated that she couldn't get on with her life. She just had to get rid of the woman who was a constant reminder that both Kintail and Cameron coveted the cute little forensic scientist. And neither desired Lila. Yet.

Eliminate one threat, maybe Kintail would come around and give Lila another chance.

Baker had missed his calling. She didn't know how he botched his assignment so badly, failing to kill Faith at their campsite, but he did. She ran her fingers down the condensation on the window and stared out at the snowy setting, the forest perfectly still. Not a soul in sight. The lodge itself was eerily empty. The few men who had been left here who weren't trying to locate the killers of their pack members were running around in the woods, searching for their escapees now.

Time for her to change into the wolf and see if she could somehow isolate Miss O'Malley away from the others and do what Baker had failed to do. She reached for her sweater when snowmobiles zoomed up to the kitchen on the other side of the lodge, and she hesitated. Should she stay and see what news the others had? Maybe they'd located David or Owen or both. She'd have a good reason to go to Charles's resort then in the event she ran into Kintail. With news of the men's recapture. Or news of their escape and continued success at evasion of being recaptured, if no one had gone in search of Kintail to apprise him of the situation yet.

She'd warned everyone who had seen Elizabeth take off with the men that the woman had been forced to go with them. Even though a couple of the men seemed reluctant to spread that tale, she'd finally convinced them that David had hold of Elizabeth's hand and was tugging her along. That she hadn't gone of her own free will. Kintail would forgive Elizabeth, if Lila asked him to.

David and Owen? They were another story. She didn't think he'd listen to her about them. Even though she'd speak up for them, again. Kintail didn't like it when she'd let Owen get away with phoning Gavin. But she thought maybe he'd get the message across that they were quitting the job and Gavin would let them go. Didn't work, but she'd tried to help.

A door creaked open to the kitchen. But she didn't hear anyone speaking, which she thought odd. Whoever they were noisily tromped on the tiled kitchen floor, and then loud male whispers reached her ears—but not of anyone she recognized. And no one she knew would have spoken in hushed voices at the lodge.

The hair on her neck stood on end. Kintail had one thought in mind when he arrived at Charles's cabin resort—turn Faith O'Malley before his brother did. When he focused on a single area of interest, he got results. Plain and simple. Until he reached Charles's lodge and saw Charles's cousin George, his eyes widening at the wolf sight of Kintail. George knew him, knew Kintail wasn't any threat to George and his people. But the expression on George's face meant Kintail could expect trouble.

Except not as much as he ever bargained for.

Silently, George waved for him to come into the lodge. Kintail loped inside, his temper already rising.

"In here." George motioned to Charles's office. "I'll get you a change of clothes."

Kintail paced. What the hell had happened now?

It seemed to take forever for George to return with a handful of clothes. He set them on the leather love seat by the window and then bowed his head slightly and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Kintail shifted faster than he thought possible, and quickly shoved on the trousers, not bothering with the shirt or sweater. "Come in," Kintail hollered, not liking any of this one bit.

George pulled the door open and hesitated to enter until Kintail motioned him to the love seat. "What's happened?"

George was Charles's younger cousin, definitely not an alpha, and if Charles wasn't still at the hospital under observation for the blow to his skull, he was certain, George would have much preferred Charles to talk to him. Kintail wondered where George's older brother, Michael was, who was always in charge if Charles was absent. Maybe he was with Charles.

"Tell me."

George took a seat and wrung his hands, his eyes avoiding Kintail's glower. "Officer Adams and Whitson were injured badly in a snowmobile accident. Michael took them both to the hospital. We couldn't wait to get word to you to send your people here to take care of them. But they'll both be all right, several broken bones, Adams had a concussion."

Kintail stared at him in disbelief. "How did it happen?"

George shook his head, still not looking Kintail eye to eye.

"Guess."

George's gaze flicked his way, and then returned to study the floor. "They were following Cameron and Faith. We think they might have run into a barricade."

"A barricade."

"Yes, hastily made on a trail through the woods. A felled tree had blocked the main road, probably dropped down by whoever is doing the same on other roads and trails in the area. It appeared Cameron and Faith took a trail into the woods to go around the obstacle. Adams said that Cameron was joined by another man. I later found out it was his partner, Gavin Summerfield."

"Where's Faith now?"

"She's at Leidolf's cabin, but she and Cameron are returning to the Black Bear Den to talk with Trevor."

The way George fidgeted, Kintail suspected there was other news. "What else?"

George rose unsteadily from the chair. "Your brother's been shot. He was in his wolf form and knocked Cameron from his snowmobile. Cameron's partner, Gavin, shot Hilson four times, afraid the wolf planned to kill Cameron. Hilson's resting in Charles's bedroom, feeling well enough to demand three meals already, but not in any shape to go anywhere. Because of the bullet wounds, we couldn't risk transporting him to the hospital and the questions that would follow."

Kintail clenched and unclenched his fists. Half the time he was perturbed with his brother, and he couldn't help being annoyed that Hilson had gone against his wishes, but when it came right down to it, he was Kintail's brother. Damn it.

Cameron and Gavin were dead men.

Kintail hated to ask, although he couldn't imagine anything else could have gone wrong. "Anything else?"

George paused at the office door, his gaze finally focusing on Kintail's. "Cameron's partners escaped your lodge. Elizabeth's with them."