Mary and the Bear

Chapter Five

Mary Elizabeth danced with a man named Eric. He was tall, built on the lean side, and handsome in that preppy, college-boy kind of way. He was a too young for her taste, but he was a really good dancer. He held her close, but not too close. From the way he was looking at her, she could tell he really liked the outfit she had on, or more specifically, the cleavage she was revealing since his gaze rarely traveled above her chest.

She didn't really pay much attention when she felt someone come up behind her. It was a house party after all, and space was limited. Then someone placed their hands on her hips and a very aroused male body pressed against hers. His action pushed her against Erik, whose hands were already on her waist. Erik took advantage of the situation by pulling her in even closer, until with each movement, her chest brushed against his and his erection rubbed against her stomach.

She'd never been sandwiched between two horny males before, but she was handling it fine until she felt Erik's hands began to inch toward her breast. At the same time, the hands on her hips glided toward the hem of her skirt. Oh, boy! Things were getting out of hand. What to do now? Babs would know what to do, she thought sadly. She was so out of her element. Sliding her hands from around Erik's neck, she brought her elbows down in an attempt to force some space between their bodies. She'd barely finished when the male body plastered to her back vanished.

She heard a low, menacing snarl behind her that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. At the sound, Erik turned sickly pale and jerked his eyes from her chest and his hands from her body. He held his hands up in the universal symbol of surrender to show he was harmless while backing slowly away. Once he had enough room, he turned and disappeared quickly into the dancers crowded on the floor.

Not really wanting to know who or what could cause that kind of reaction in a grown man, Mary Elizabeth took a step forward only to be pulled up short by the big, heavy hand that landed on her shoulder. Really not wanting to know who was behind her, but recognizing that she didn't have a choice in the matter, she slowly turned.

Hugh was standing behind her, but it was Hugh she'd never seen before. He was larger, more aggressive, almost scary looking in his anger. And what was with the growls rumbling from his chest? The hand on her shoulder slid to her upper arm and spun her the rest of the way around. His other hand dropped to her hip and jerked her forward into his body. “What the hell are you thinking?"

Any gratitude she might have been feeling toward him for getting her out of an awkward situation disappeared when he yelled at her. “Excuse you?” The ice in her tone should have given him frostbite. No one spoke to her this way, except maybe her mother.

"And what the hell are you wearing? Where are the rest of your clothes? What, you advertising now? How much for an hour? Maybe we can deal."

She sucked in her breath sharply, his words shocking her. “Are you implying that I look like a hooker?” She put both hands against his chest and shoved hard, while at the same time twisting her body out of his grasp. The combination of actions caused his hold to loosen enough for her to get away. “Screw you!” She turned and stalked off, not noticing the attention they were drawing.

Cursing violently, Hugh came after her. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and pulled, using her momentum to swing her body around and into his arms. He locked an arm around her waist and slid his hand into her hair, using it to pull her head back. Then he kissed her. Well, some might call a kiss. She called it a macho, he-man stamp of ownership. She hung there limply in his arms while he pressed his mouth against hers.

When he tried to force his tongue into her mouth, she got violent. She pulled back foot, and kicked him in the shin—hard. She was really glad she'd let the sales lady talk her into these boots. These bad boys were capable of doing some serious damage.

Hugh jerked his mouth from hers. “Ow! What was that for?"

"For manhandling me. I'm surprised you didn't just whip out your penis and pee on me. Put me down. Now!” What was it with men? First she had to deal with Charles, and now this.

He loosened his hold and she slid down the front of his body before her feet touch the floor. He allowed her to take a step away from him but his arm around her waist kept her from getting too far away, and he still had his hand in her hair. “Manhandle? All I did was kiss you. I was trying to apologize."

"No, that wasn't a kiss. A kiss is what happened between us last week. This was you pissing on me like a dog marking its territory. You men are driving me crazy! First Charles went off the deep end, and now you!"

"Charles! Who the hell is Charles?” He was shocked into releasing her.

"None of your business.” She turned on her heel to stalk off, but that was as far as she got before Hugh grabbed her again.

"Who is Charles?” He all but roared the words at her, his grip on her arms tight enough to prevent her from walking away before he had an answer to his question.

"What business is it of yours? It's not like we're involved or anything. Now let me go. You're causing a scene.” This last part was hissed at him as she noticed all of the stares directed toward them.

Noticing that they were the center of attention, he let her go and stalked off. He wasn't exactly sure what happened. One moment he'd been minding his own business. The next, he'd lost it. What was it about her that affected him this way? He never lost control, especially over a female. He stalked out of the house, the expression on his face fierce. A path cleared before him as though by magic. No one wanted to tangle with an angry bear. He walked around outside, hoping the cold air would clear his mind and help him see reason. The whole time he wandered around, one question ran through his mind. Who was Charles?

As far as Mary Elizabeth was concerned, the incident with Hugh was over and done with. The man had issues, serious issues. She just didn't understand his whole ‘I don't want you but I don't want anyone else to have you either’ attitude. He kissed her senseless, apologized and then spent the next week avoiding her. Well, to be fair, she'd been the one avoiding him. Then tonight, because someone else was paying attention to her, he went into a rage and pulled some jealous, he-man stunt. He couldn't have sent a clearer message if he'd hit her over the head with a club and dragged her off by her hair.

No man owned her. This macho crap had to stop. You liked the way he handled you and you know it. You love knowing he's jealous. She told the voice in her head to shut up.

Her life was finally her own and she was going to enjoy every bit of it. For once, she didn't have to worry about anyone but herself, and it was lovely. She walked out on to the deck at the back of the house to see what was happening out here. It was chilly, but not unbearable. Alex had strategically placed fires that provided heat and light. The bar was located out on the deck where there was more space. Once outside, she could see that what she thought was a deck was actually a porch that wrapped around three sides of the house. Nice. Very nice.

Her wanderings took her close to the bar. The bartender smiled and spoke to her. “Hey, pretty lady. What would you like to drink?"

She shook her head and laughed. “I'm not a drinker."

"Come on, it's a party. Live a little. I'll make you anything you want."

She spotted several people sporting cute glasses with umbrellas in them. “What are they drinking?"

He looked in the direction she gestured. “Oh, that's a Shifter Surprise. You don't want that. It's really strong. Let me get you something else.” He proceeded to rattle off a list of drinks that she might prefer.

She interrupted him, more interested in the drink he didn't want her to have than any of the ones he was listing. “What's in it?"

"What, a strawberry daiquiri?"

"No, I know what's in a daiquiri. I'm talking about the Shifter Surprise. How do you make it?"

He reluctantly told her. “It's a mixture of fruit juices and liquors, giving it a sweet and sour taste. But if you're not a drinker, it's going to be too strong for you. Let me make you a daiquiri."

His attitude was really starting to bother her. “I don't want a daiquiri. I want a Shifter Surprise. If it's too strong then I'll just eat some food with it."

Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. She hadn't eaten and drinking on an empty stomach was always a bad idea. Food would keep the alcohol from going straight to her head. Besides, with the kind of night she was having, a drink sounded really good.

The bartender made the drink and gave it to her. “The alpha's not going to be happy about this."

"You tell him that I insisted."

"Yes, ma'am. I surely will,” the young bartender told her.

As she walked back into the house to go get some food, Mary Elizabeth tasted her drink. Normally she didn't like the taste of alcohol, which was one of the reasons why she didn't drink. “Oh, this is good.” She took another sip, a larger one this time as she went into the dining area to fix a plate.

She had to hand it to Kiesha; this was quite a spread. There were cheeses, all kinds of meats, crackers, chips and dip, the makings for nachos, and of course, desserts. She loaded her plate with a variety of foods, heavy on the meat and cheeses, and found a quiet corner to sit and eat.

While eating, she people watched. It was hard to believe that the majority of them were shape-shifters. By just looking at them, she couldn't tell human from the non-human. They all appeared the same to her, except for that nose thing she'd caught some of them doing. They just seemed so normal. She wasn't sure when she made the decision to believe Kiesha's tale, or if she'd actually made one. She just trusted that her friend was telling her the truth, strange though it may seem.

She didn't know what time it was, but she noticed the crowd was thinning. A lot of the older people had already left. She watched as families herded their children toward the door. Now that there were less people, she realized she hadn't seen Kiesha for some time.

She finished eating and had drained her drink when she noticed something strange. When she arrived, men were swarming all around her. Now, although a few cast looks her way, none of them approached. Shrugging her shoulders, she pushed the thought out of her mind as her head bobbed to the music. The mood of the party changed. Someone dimmed the lights and hung a disco ball, creating a strobe effect. The music was hipper, and the beat more driving. Her toe was tapping as she swayed from side to side. The beat got into her soul, compelling her to move. She allowed the pulsing music to drive her onto the dance floor, joining the other gyrating bodies already there.

Hugh leaned his shoulder against a wall in a corner that gave him a good view of the room. He pinned his gaze on Mary Elizabeth, watching her every move. Whenever any man approached her, he growled possessively, knowing that the sound would carry. The wolves, recognizing the sound for what it was, steered clear of her, not wanting to risk antagonizing off an already angry bear.

He groaned as she danced her way onto the dance floor. He straightened, his posture aggressive as he physically dared any man to dance with her. Hugh watched as she strutted her stuff, mesmerized by the swaying of her hips. Her body called to his like a siren, and he was helpless to resist. He pushed his way through the crowd until he was directly behind her. Not wanting her to stop, he matched his movements to hers, easing closer a little bit at a time. He wanted her to become accustomed to the feel of his body against hers.

In some small portion of her mind, Mary Elizabeth was aware that it was Hugh she was dancing with. She could tell by the way that her body responded. She didn't react this way with any other male. She eased back into him, enjoying the feel of his body against hers. She made no complaint when he claimed her hips with his hands, pulling her firmly into his aroused body. Instead, she lifted her arms up and back until she could lock her hands around his neck.

This position thrust out her chest, causing a dangerous amount of cleavage to be exposed. She didn't care. She wanted him to see, wanted him to feel what she was feeling. The rhythm was pulsing, driving, sexual in nature. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the music, letting her inhibitions melt away. She wanted this man, needed him to assuage the ache building in her body. She spread her legs and arched her back, changing the movement of her body so that it rubbed sensuously against his.

Hugh swore under his breath as her action caused brown of her areoles to be revealed. A little bit more and he'd be able to see her nipples. He wanted to see them. He wanted to touch them and squeeze them, to put his mouth on them and see how sensitive they were. He wanted to know if he could make her come just from sucking on her breasts.

The woman was driving him crazy. The smell of her arousal was making him dizzy. She undulated against him, making his cock swell even more. Sweat broke out on his body as he fought back the urge to come. Hugh allowed his hand to move from her hips to rest low on her belly, the tips of his fingers mere inches from the hem of her skirt, which rose several inches as a result of her movements. The other hand he slid up her body until it rested just below her breast. Giving into the urge, he allowed his thumb to stroke her nipple through the soft leather. He wanted to pull the material down and stroke her bare breast. He was hanging onto his sanity by a mere thread.

Mary Elizabeth felt her panties drench, thinking of all the marvelous things he could do with those fingers, if he would just slide his hand down a few inches. Hugh laid his nose against her neck, rubbing it against her throat. Then he played with her ear, nibbling and licking on it until goose bumps broke out all over her body. The hand on her stomach pressed harder, teasing her with its closeness to her mound.

Grabbing him by the hair, she pulled his mouth to hers for one of his bone melting kisses. Then she slid her hand down his arm until it rested over the hand laying on her stomach. Linking their fingers together, she moved his hand and positioned it over her clit, and pressed down hard, demonstrating what she wanted him to do. Touch me, she thought as she rubbed body against their hands.

Hugh tore his mouth away from hers, groaning deeply. This was getting out of control. If he weren't careful, he'd fuck her where she stood, unmindful of the people all around them. Just then Mary Elizabeth let out a sexy little whimper of need, and gave an extra roll of her hips. Oh hell, he needed privacy and he needed it quick. If she came here on the dance floor, his control would snap. He'd throw her to the floor and bury his dick in her. They had to get out of here. He looked around desperately, trying to determine his best course of action, a very difficult thing to do when he was almost blind with the need pulsing through his body.

People were everywhere, out on the patio, outside by the vehicles, and seated on the stairs. The kitchen! He wrapped an arm around her waist and half-carried her toward the kitchen. Mary Elizabeth cupped his cock through his jeans and squeezed. Hugh picked up the pace. There were people in the kitchen. Ditto, on the den. Finally, he thought of the one room where no one would be.

Doing an about face, he took her through the kitchen, down a hall and into a side room, shutting the door against intruders. It was dark, but light shined into the room from the gap beneath the door. He spun her around until her back was pressed against the door, in a position reminiscent of their first kiss. With one hand cupping the back of her head, he jerked her up to meet his mouth. Then he plundered and took what was his.

He shoved his knee between her legs, opening her for his touch. His hand glided up her inner thigh until he was cupping her pussy. Feeling how wet she was, a shudder rippled though his body. He hooked his fingers into her thong and pulled, ripping out the crouch. He wanted nothing preventing him from touching her as he desired. He slid one finger, and then another one into her wet, hungry sheath.

Too low, he needed her higher. He snatched his mouth from hers and bent, hooked a hand beneath her knee and lifted, sliding her body up the door. “Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on."

She gripped him tightly with her thighs, her back braced against the door for balance. “Please,” she begged.

"Just a minute. Open your top. I want to suck on those luscious breasts."

She fumbled with the hooks. When they wouldn't give, she reached inside and lifted her breasts until they rested on top.

"Perfect. Cup ‘em, baby. Lift them up for my mouth. That's right. Just like that.” He dropped his head and took as much of her breast into his mouth as he could and suckled deeply.

"Hugh!"

"Shhh! We have to be quiet. Don't want anyone coming to investigate."

"Please,” she moaned. “I need..."

"Hold on, baby. I'll give you what you need.” He thrust his fingers back inside her sheath and spread her cream all about. With her moisture as lubrication, he rubbed in a circular motion around her clit with his thumb while he felt around inside until he located her g-spot. Then he rubbed firmly against it.

God, she was a moaner. Concerned she would attract unwanted attention, he placed his mouth over hers, swallowing the sexy sounds she was making. It didn't take much before she stiffened, her body clamping down hard on his fingers as the orgasm shook her. Damn, that was sexy. The next time she came, it would be around his cock.

He released her mouth and allowed her legs to drop to the floor. He was bringing his fingers to his mouth for a taste when Mary Elizabeth slid to the floor onto her knees. He reached out and tried to catch her, appalled that he'd allowed her to fall. Or at least, that's what he thought happened until he felt her hands on his belt, unbuckling it. She made short work of the belt and zipper. Then her hot, greedy hands reached in and pulled out his aching arousal.

He felt her hot breath on him a second before he felt the moist heat of her mouth. Oh hell, yeah. That felt good. He braced his palms against the door and watched her take him into her mouth. He was a large man. Her mouth was small and the fit tight. She worked his cock with an expertise that would have shocked him had his brain been functioning.

All he could do was feel as he began thrusting his hips, watching his cock slide in and out of her mouth. “That's it, baby. Suck me. Damn, that feels good.” She had her hands fisted around his shaft, dropping one occasionally to lightly caress with his balls.

His scrotum began to draw up as he felt his orgasm approaching. Grabbing the back of her head with his hand, he held her head steady for his thrusts. His head hit the back of her throat, and she gagged. He tried to pull back but it was too late. He swore as he felt his seed erupt.

"Damn, baby. I'm sorry. I was rough right there at the end."

Mary Elizabeth leaned back against the door, coughing. “It's okay,” she said once the coughing fit was over.

The mood broken, Hugh reached out and cut on the light. Mary Elizabeth blinked as her eyes adjusted. They were in the laundry room. Hugh crossed over to a small sink and washed his hands before adjusting his clothes.

"You need to straighten up unless you want everyone out there to know what we were doing.” Not that it would matter. His scent was all over her. The bear in him roared in approval. Mine!

Now that the haze of lust was clearing from his mind, he questioned himself. If he really didn't want this human, why was he having such a hard time staying away from her? He had to do better than this. At least he hadn't fucked her, but he'd come close. His bear was still hungry. It knew what it wanted, and what it wanted was Mary Elizabeth.

He needed to take a step back and readjust his thinking. As hard as it was for him to believe, there was a strong possibility that Mary Elizabeth was his mate. Right now, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. If he'd tasted her like he intended to before being distracted, he would know for sure. Yes, he wanted a mate, but he wanted to do the choosing. Despite how his bear felt about the situation, it was the man who'd have to live with her. He had to be sure that she was the one.

What the hell was she doing? The last thing she needed was a man in her life. First of all, she lived in his building, which was too much like living with him, and gave him a measure of control over her that she didn't like. Besides, she was a firm believer in not mixing business with pleasure. She'd seen firsthand the results of what happened when things went sour in those types of relationships, and they always did eventually. If this relationship went bad, she would have to move, and that might prove difficult since her apartment was the only available rental in town.

For once in her life, she was in control. There was no one telling her what to do, how to think, and what to wear. She was finally free. The only person she had to please was herself. Hugh would ruin all of that. The sad thing was, she was the one that instigated this whole mess. Therefore she was the one who had to fix it. It was time for some damage control.

"Mary Elizabeth, I think we need to take a step back and think about what we're doing before this goes any further. You're a nice woman, but you're my tenant. A relationship between us wouldn't be a good idea."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear you say that. This is all wrong. I know I gave you the wrong impression just now. I'm really not the type for one night stands. The last thing I want is a relationship with you.” She was so relieved. He understood perfectly how she was feeling and was on the same page. She tucked her breasts into her top and tugged on her skirt, making sure everything was covered.

Hugh's eyebrows came together as a ferocious frown crossed his face. “What's wrong with me?"

"What?” she asked distractedly, her mind already on something else. She had to drag her mind back to the conversation. “As far as I know, nothing.” She inspected herself to see if she missed anything.

"You said, ‘The last thing I want is a relationship with you.’ Why me, specifically? Is it because of Charles?"

Mary Elizabeth snapped to attention. “Are you crazy? Didn't you just say a relationship between us wouldn't be a good idea?” Men! See, this was one more reason why she didn't need a man in her life. She turned and opened the door, peeped out to see if anyone was nearby.

Yes, but it was different when he said it. He never expected her to agree. Why was she so against a relationship with him specifically? He was a good catch. He owned his own business. He was decent enough looking and he was a nice guy. What more could she want?

Women always wanted him. He never had any problems attracting women. He was usually turning them away. He watched her reach under her skirt, pull off her thong and throw it in the trash before tugging her skirt back into place. Then she walked out the door. Knowing she was naked under her skirt caused the blood to drain from his head and flow straight to his cock.

He stalked out of the room behind her, determined to get an answer to his questions. What did she have against him and who the hell was Charles? She was his, not this Charles guy. It didn't matter that up until now he hadn't wanted her. That all changed the minute he discovered she didn't want him. What kind of game was she playing? The woman virtually threw herself at him and now she was saying it was a mistake? He caught up with her in the kitchen only to pull up short. Kiesha got to her first.

"Kiesha, where have you been? I looked but didn't see you anywhere.” Mary Elizabeth was so happy to see her. She could feel Hugh hot and heavy behind her.

"Carol had her baby.” Kiesha was positively glowing with excitement. “And I got to watch. This is the first birth I've ever witnessed."

"What!” The shock of what she was saying caused Mary Elizabeth to forget all about Hugh, who was standing there glowering.

"I know. Unbelievable. Apparently she was having contractions and didn't tell Mark. She was determined to be here tonight. You saw that. Well, her water broke and Mark came to get Alex. Get this, instead of lying down and screaming for drugs as any sane woman would do, she set up the spare bedroom, turning it into a delivery room. She set up the equipment, laid out the supplies ... Alex had to make her lie down."

"Get out of here. Are you serious?” The very idea of it was mind-boggling.

"Very serious.” At that moment, Shannon walked up and asked Kiesha about Carol.

"How did you find out? I wasn't aware that anyone not in the bedroom with us knew what was going on. We tried not to draw any attention to ourselves."

"I was talking with Alex when Mark came to get him,” Shannon explained.

"Carol's doing great. It's a boy. Mark is beside himself with excitement."

"What are they going to name him? Have they decided on a name yet?” Both Shannon and Mary Elizabeth spoke, their words overlapping.

"He's being named after his father, of course."

Mary Elizabeth looked at Shannon and they both rolled their eyes. They knew whose idea that was. Women rarely chose to name their sons after the father. There were just too many names to choose from, not to mention the confusion of having two people in the same house with the same name. No, that was a man thing.

Laughing, they pulled out chairs at the bar and settled in for a chat. They talked about other births that they had seen or heard about. Mary Elizabeth, who wasn't doing as good a job ignoring Hugh as she was pretending, heaved a silent sigh of relief when he finally stalked off.

As soon as he was gone, Shannon turned to Mary Elizabeth. “So, what was that all about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about.” But her face turned red and she looked everywhere but at Shannon.

Kiesha glanced back and forth between the two them before turning to Shannon. “What's going on? What did I miss?"

"Nothing,” Mary Elizabeth mumbled, hoping Shannon would let it drop.

"Oh, I don't know. Which nothing would that be? The nothing where you kicked Hugh after he kissed the breath out of you on the dance floor? Or the nothing where you two were going hot and heavy at it while dancing just before you disappeared together?” Shannon grinned, obviously enjoying herself.

"Really. Oh, my. Do tell. Mary Elizabeth, is there something you'd like to share? Miss, ‘I don't have time for a relationship'. Come to think of it, where were you? I know you weren't in the kitchen when I first walked in. Then poof! I turn around, and there you are. But you didn't come from the living room."

Shannon leaned forward and sniffed Mary Elizabeth, causing her to jerk away. A devilish glint lit her eyes. “Hugh's sent is all over her. Wherever she was, Hugh was there, too."

Kiesha raised both eyebrows, silently demanding she tell all.

"There's nothing to tell."

"Of course not,” Shannon stated with a grin.

"There isn't. So we got a little carried away. It doesn't mean anything."

"Not a thing,” Kiesha echoed, obviously trying not to smile.

"Even if I were interested in him—not saying I am—nothing could come of it. Think about it. The man's my landlord."

"Right. Landlord. Major problem,” Shannon teased.

"It wouldn't work. He's too masculine ... too dominant ... too ... too..."

"Alpha?” Kiesha suggested.

Mary Elizabeth snapped her finger. “Yes! That's it. He's too alpha. I've had enough of people telling me what to do. Tonight was interesting, but it just won't work. Hugh said the same thing."

Kiesha and Shannon looked at each other doubtfully.

"Really, it's true. We both agreed."

"Are you sure both of you are in agreement? That man looked mighty determined just a minute ago. I don't think you've heard the end of it from him."

Mary Elizabeth hoped Kiesha was wrong.

Back in the living room, Hugh ran into Alex. “I heard the news. Everyone alright?"

Alex gave a great big smile. “Everyone's just fine. I wish all of my deliveries went as smooth as this one did."

Hugh grinned in return. “Did you really expect anything less from Carol?"

"No, can't say that I did.” They shared a laugh. “I can't wait to see her running around after the little one. He's bound to have her stubbornness and attention to detail. Throw in Mark's sense of humor and it should be very interesting."

Alex looked around him. “Have you seen my mate? She disappeared while I was cleaning up."

"She's in the kitchen with Shannon and Mary Elizabeth.” Who was trying her best to ignore him. Standing where he was, he should be able to see her the minute she exited.

"What do you think of her?"

"Who?” He hoped he wasn't talking about Mary Elizabeth. He hadn't made up his mind on the subject yet.

"Mary Elizabeth. What's your impression of her?"

Damn, he is. Hugh couldn't lie. Alex would be able to smell it. The best he could do was stall. He really didn't want to talk about his suspicions right now. “I haven't really been around her much. She's helped out in the diner a few times and what she did to that apartment was nothing short of amazing.” He hoped Alex would let it go at that. He wasn't ready to tell anyone yet that she might be his mate. He was still having a hard time believing it.

"So she hasn't said anything about herself?"

"No. Why?” What did Alex know that he wasn't saying?

Alex looked as though he were debating on whether or not to continue. Hugh held his breath, mentally pushing Alex to tell him. Finally, Alex nodded as though coming to a decision. He motioned for Hugh to come a little closer to the wall, away from any ears that might overhear what he was going to say. “One of the reasons I wanted her to rent your place was so that you could keep an eye on her. You know that. What you don't know is that Mary Elizabeth just buried her twin. From what Kiesha's told me, the relationship between them wasn't a good one. But still, it was her sister. I was at the funeral with Kiesha when the mother threw herself over the casket and cried out that she wished it had been Mary Elizabeth that had died, not the other one."

Hugh whistled under his breath. “Man, that's messed up."

"There's more. Apparently she's the one the family relies on to do everything. The one that died was the beautiful, spoiled one. Mary Elizabeth is the caretaker who never gets acknowledged. Kiesha wanted her here to get her away from her messed up family."

Hugh digested that in silence before asking, “Do you know who Charles is?"

"If I'm not mistaken, that was the name of the sister's husband. Why?"

"Just something she said. So, she came here to get away and start over?” That might explain some things.

"Yes. I'm hoping that she'll be a match for one of my wolves. Kiesha would be happy to have her here permanently."

Hugh felt his beast stir, rejecting the idea of Mary Elizabeth with anyone but him. Then what Alex said sank in. “I thought she moved here for good. Are you saying this is temporary?"

"No, it's not supposed to be. Kiesha's concerned that once her family realizes just how dependent upon her they are, they'll put pressure on her to come back. They just lost one daughter. They can't be happy about losing Mary Elizabeth, too."

"You think she'll go back if they apply enough pressure?” Over his dead body. She wouldn't be going anywhere without him.

"It's possible. She has no family here and she's very family-oriented. The only person she knows here is Kiesha. There's the job but Kiesha wouldn't fire her if she wanted to return. If they play the guilt factor just right, she just may cave and head back. We'll have to see. They'll have to get to her before she has the chance to put down any roots. That's when she'll be the most vulnerable to their persuasion."

"If you hadn't told me she had just lost a sister, I wouldn't have known. She isn't acting grief stricken. Well, she seemed kind of sad when she first arrived, but nothing since."

"From what I observed at the funeral, Mary Elizabeth's not the type to let her feelings show. When her mother made that comment, there was this brief flicker of pain, then nothing. It's like she sucked it all deep inside. Kiesha doesn't believe it's hit her yet. She thinks Mary Elizabeth has been so busy taking care of everyone and everything else that she hasn't allowed herself time to grieve. We're both worried about what will happen when the grief does hit. She shouldn't be alone when it happens. That's where you come in. We need you to keep an eye on her without making her suspicious."

Hugh thought about it for a moment. “I think I know how to do it without her knowledge. She already spends a lot of time in the diner with Anne, though that may change when she starts work. She makes these amazing desserts. I can ask her if she'd be willing to make some for the diner. That would give me a reason other than being her landlord to keep in contact with her."

"You think it will work?"

"I don't know. Anne suggested it and she turned her down flat. All I can do is try. If it doesn't, I'll think of something else.” It would give him the excuse he needed to get close to her without her suspecting a thing. He stopped talking when Kiesha walked up, looking around expectantly for Mary Elizabeth.

Alex reached out and pulled Kiesha close to his side. “How are you holding up?"

With a sigh, Kiesha looked at Hugh and rolled her eyes. “Alex, I'm still in my first trimester. I'm fine. Are you going to be like this the whole pregnancy?"

"Yes.” Hugh and Alex answered simultaneously, both of them grinning at her.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? Can I get you anything? Do you need to sit down and rest?"

"No, I grabbed a plate while I was in the kitchen talking to Shannon and Mary Elizabeth. Mary Elizabeth told me about this drink she tried and how good it was. She said it was real fruity and you could barely taste the alcohol. I wish I could drink. I want to try one."

Hugh and Alex looked at each other in concern.

Alex asked, “Did she happen to mention the name of this drink?"

"Shifter something. I thought it was kind of cool that ya'll had a drink named after you."

"Us, baby. You're one of us now,” he reminded her. “Was it Shifter Surprise?"

Kiesha snapped her finger. “Yes, that's it."

"Where is she now?” This time the question came from Hugh. He was looking around, trying to spot her.

"She went home.” Kiesha was grinning like she knew something he didn't.

"What!” Again Hugh and Alex spoke in concert, this time in stereo.

The grin slid from Kiesha's face to be replaced by a frown. “I said she left. She was getting tired. Is that a problem?"

Hugh turned to Alex. “I'll go after her and make sure she's okay. You explain to your mate.” And when I find mine, I'm going to turn her over my knee. Hugh turned and left.

"What's going on? Why is he going after Mary Elizabeth? If she's in trouble, you'd better start talking ... Now. This is my friend you're talking about."

"Shifter Surprise is a drink made especially for shifters. Because of our high metabolism and lean body mass, it's difficult for us to become intoxicated, no matter how much we drink. The alcohol doesn't stay in our system long enough to even get a buzz. To get around this, some of the guys created a special drink—the Shifter Surprise. It's made with several different liquors and fruit juice, plus one extra ingredient that forces the alcohol to hit the bloodstream fast and hard, before our metabolism can burn it off. It's like having five shots hit your system at one time."

"So this drink is really strong, I get that. Why did Hugh run after her? She seemed fine to me."

"Is Mary Elizabeth a hard core drinker?” He was allowing her brain time to come to the correct conclusion.

"No, she's not. She gets drunk off wine coolers."

"What's going to happen when all of that liquor hits her system, especially if she happens to be driving down a dark mountain road at the time?"

Kiesha's mouth formed a silent “O” as she finally understood what he was getting at. Before she could comment, Shannon joined them. “What's wrong Kiesha? I can smell your fear."

Alex answered Shannon, knowing she would understand his concern. “Mary Elizabeth drank a Shifter Surprise."

"I know. I watched her drink it."

"You saw her with it and you didn't stop her?” Alex couldn't believe it.

"No. She only had one and she was eating the whole time she was sipping on it. If it were going to have a major impact on her system, it would have done so by now. Is that why Hugh left?"

"Yes. He went to ensure she makes it home in one piece."

"Well, she should be okay. Mary Elizabeth's a smart cookie. I don't know why ya'll are so worried.

"Maybe not,” Kiesha said slowly, a pensive look on her face.

Her tone got both Shannon and Alex's attention. “Why do you say that, honey?” Alex didn't want any more bad news. He was just starting to relax.

"She liked that drink so much that she got another one on her way out the door."

Mary Elizabeth arrived home, drink in one hand, and purse in the other. What a night! She tossed her purse onto the coffee table and sat down to unlace her boots. With a sigh of relief, she wiggled her toes. That was much better. She took off her jacket, propped her feet on the coffee table, and sat sipping her drink. She had an excellent time at the party, but now she was tired.

Enough reminiscing. She'd better move, otherwise she'd wake up on the couch. She finished her drink and tossed the cup on the table. She'd get it in the morning. After turning off the lights, she headed for her room, stripping as she went. At the last minute, she detoured to the bathroom. She was sweaty from all of the dancing and needed a shower. The abrupt change of direction caused her to stumbled, and she fell against the wall, feeling a bit woozy. The sooner she laid down the better. She was so tired, she was dizzy.

She intended to rush through her shower, but the hot water felt so good beating on her weary muscles that she lingered. Another wave of dizziness hit and she decided she'd better finish. She rushed through the rest of her shower and almost fell over trying to wash her legs. Man, she better get to bed quick. She turned off the water, and left the towel on the rack. No sense drying off. She'd just fall on her face. No one could see that she was naked. She opened the door, her mind focused on getting into bed and stopped liked she'd run into an invisible wall.