Werewolf in Alaska

Chapter 22

It couldn’t end any other way. Jake had known that from the moment he’d met Rachel three years ago in the Polecat General Store. He’d known it and he’d fought the attraction until finally he couldn’t fight it anymore.

And now they’d come to this—last kisses, last touches, last words murmured in the silky half-light of Alaska’s midnight sun. They undressed each other slowly, peeling back layers of clothing to stroke skin heated by a desire that would leave each of them burning for days, weeks, perhaps the rest of their lives.

But the Hunters’ arrival, right when he was struggling with his feelings for Rachel, had an inevitability about it. They were supposed to come and give him a reason to leave her. But he wasn’t leaving yet, and her long, lithe body beckoned him.

Once all her clothes were gone, she stretched out on the bed and opened her arms. Jake silently accepted her invitation. Gliding over her, he breathed in the intoxicating scent that had beguiled him from that first day. Lying beneath him, touched by the golden light from the bedside lamp, she was more beautiful than he ever could have imagined on that fateful day three years ago.

He’d fantasized about her for three long years, but nothing he’d imagined had been as potent as the woman herself. He knew she would haunt his dreams for a very long time. But his path was set, and it didn’t include her. That was better for both of them.

Still, his heart wept at the thought of leaving her. Leaning down to kiss her eyes, her cheeks, and her lips, he murmured his thanks for all she’d given him. She’d allowed him to love her, and she’d willingly accepted the limits he’d placed on that loving. While he’d had limits, she’d had none.

If he asked her to go with him, she would. She’d put up with the disapproval of werewolves like Ann and Bruce, just to be by his side. If he didn’t ask—and he wouldn’t—then she would let him go without a single word of protest. She was a proud woman, and he cherished that about her, too.

“I’ll miss touching you here,” he murmured as he brushed his mouth over the hollow of her throat. “And here.” He pressed his lips to her full breast, right above her heart. He could feel it beating as he nuzzled her velvety skin and tugged on the firm peak of her nipple. Each caress made her heart beat faster.

She spoke his name on a sigh, then drew in a long, quivering breath and shuddered beneath him.

Returning to her lips, he drank the sweetness of her exhale. Her eyes remained closed, as if she couldn’t bear to watch their story end. Or maybe she didn’t want him to see the sadness in those stormy depths.

So he wouldn’t ask her to look at him. If she wanted to hide, he understood. Trembling with the need to sink into her, he nevertheless held back. No one had ever welcomed him the way she did, and he suspected no one ever would again. He wanted to take his time.

“And I’ll miss this most of all,” he said. Gently he probed her moist center with the blunt tip of his cock, but he resisted the urge to push forward. “I love the anticipation right before I thrust, when I’m balanced above you and your heat reaches out to me. Your scent drives me crazy right now, but I’m going to wait.”

Her eyelids fluttered and she moaned.

“I’m going to wait so that I can admire the flush on your cheeks. Now it’s moved to your breasts, and your nipples have tightened even more. Your skin is glowing with a special sheen, like early-morning dew.”

With a soft whimper of need, she moved restlessly beneath him.

“Soon, very soon. But this is my favorite moment of making love to you and I don’t want to rush it. Not tonight. My climax is a wonderful moment, too, and yours is even better, but . . . this is the best, right now, before it all begins.”

Her eyelids lifted, and he sucked in a breath. Instead of being shadowed with misery, her silvery eyes blazed with light.

Cradling his face in both hands, she locked her gaze with his. “That’s the most beautiful speech I’ve ever heard.”

“I meant every word of it.”

“I could tell. And here’s my response. I love you, Jake Hunter.” She said the words clearly, as if she didn’t want him to misunderstand. There was no request buried in those words, no expectation lurking in those magnificent eyes. “I thought you should know.”

He was humbled by her courage. Declaring her love now, when she knew it was over, took guts. But it didn’t surprise him. Her next words did.

“And you love me.” She said it with the same strong conviction. “But you don’t want to tell me because you think it makes no sense to say you love someone when you’re leaving for Idaho.”

His heart ached. “How come you’re so smart?”

“It doesn’t take a genius. You aren’t willing to lay down your fortune and your life for some person you sort of care about.”

“No.”

“You may not think you can say the words, but your actions are pretty darned obvious. The thing is, you can love me and still go to Idaho. They’re not mutually exclusive.”

He looked into those amazing eyes of hers for several long seconds and wondered how in the hell he would leave her tomorrow. “I do love you,” he said softly. “And you’re right. I didn’t think I could say it.”

“But see? It’s okay. You can.”

“So I can.” Joy poured through him at being able to speak the words that had been hammering at his heart. “I love you, Rachel Miller.” And he drove deep with a groan of pure happiness.

“Told you so.”

What followed was an enthusiastic bout of wild, loud, and celebratory sex. Jake lost count of how many times he told Rachel he loved her. He even lost count of how many orgasms she had, but it was quite a few.

When he finally came and they collapsed in a sweaty heap, she rocked him in her arms while she crooned I love you, Jake Hunter over and over. But at last, she nestled quietly in his arms and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and she sighed in obvious contentment.

Jake’s heart ached more than he’d ever thought possible. He wanted to hold her tight and never let her go, but that was not to be. In his agony, his soul sent out a message. I’ll love you forever, Rachel. No one will ever take your place in my heart.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at him. “There will be no one else for me, either, Jake.”

He went very still. “What did you say?”

“No one will take your place in my heart, either. Just like you said to me.”

“But I didn’t say anything.”

She frowned. “Yes, you did. I heard you distinctly. I was starting to drift off to sleep, and then you said—”

“I only thought it, Rachel.” His throat went dry and his heart began to pound. “I didn’t say it out loud. Somehow, you heard what I thought.”

She didn’t seem particularly impressed with that information. “I would believe that. It was sort of the way I could hear you when you were in wolf form.”

“You don’t understand. As a wolf, I can mentally communicate with wolves and other wild creatures. Amazingly, I was able to communicate with you, too, after I shifted, which I’m pretty sure is rare. But I have never been able to form that same mental link when I’m in human form. Not with Weres or with humans. I’ve never heard of any werewolf who could.”

“You look a little freaked-out about it, Jake. Is it a problem?”

He tried to get a handle on what had just happened. “Not a problem, exactly, but definitely a phenomenon.”

“I’m not surprised that I can hear your thoughts, no matter what form you take.” She stroked his face. “I’ve never bonded with anyone the way I have with you.”

“Same here.” Dazed as he was by this discovery, he had to know if it went both ways. “Let’s test this. I want you to try and send me a message. Not about us, or anything I would guess easily. Make it more of a challenge.”

“Okay.” She focused her gaze on his.

And he heard Ted desperately needs to find a girlfriend. Jake repeated the message he’d heard.

“That’s it! Word for word.”

“My God.” Jake looked at her in amazement. “This could make werewolf history, but no one will ever find out about it.”

“Oh, well.”

“Is that true? Does Ted need a girlfriend?”

“Oh, Jake, he does. He puts up a good front, but he’s lonely. I’m going to get him signed up for one of the dating sites after . . . after you leave.”

“Good. But I’d rather not think about the leaving part, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t want to, either, but after you move to Idaho, we’ll be able to communicate with each other and no one will ever know. Isn’t that cool?”

“Yeah.” He leaned over and kissed her, because he didn’t want to dim the sparkle of excitement in her eyes. “It’s very cool.” But he wondered if this was more of a curse than a blessing. The temptation to keep in touch this way would be constant.

And yet, if it was all they had, if they could never hold each other, never share their laughter and tears, then what was that mental connection worth? For their own sanity, they might have to give it up.

But in the meantime, she was still here, and her kisses made him forget that she wouldn’t always be with him. Seeking oblivion, he melted into her.

• • •

They didn’t sleep much that night, which was how Rachel wanted it. Buying a pound of coffee the night before had turned into a three-act play. After all that she’d gone through to get the coffee, they might as well make use of it to counteract their lack of sleep. Loving Jake was far more important than getting a good night’s rest, anyway.

They showered together, which involved more sex, but once they were dressed, the mood shifted. Rachel knew they wouldn’t be getting naked again, and that meant the good-bye scene was coming up soon. She went into survival mode.

Jake contacted the Hunters to let them know he’d made his decision and he’d be over at his place within the next hour. Because Rachel needed something to do while he made that call, she threw together an omelet to go with the coffee she’d brewed.

All the blinds were up now because they had nothing to be secretive about. When Jake made his call to the Hunters out on her deck, she was able to sneak glances at him while he talked. He still looked tense, which was a shame if he was about to live his dream.

When he came back in, he seemed surprised to see food on the table but covered his amazement quickly. “Terrific, Rachel. Thanks for fixing breakfast.”

“You didn’t think I could, did you?”

His smile was apologetic. “I didn’t because you kept telling me you weren’t much of a cook.”

“I’m not, but I have to feed myself and I can’t exist totally on candy bars, so I’ve mastered a few basics. Go ahead and sit down. I’ll bring you some coffee.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Although her nerves were stretched tight, she congratulated herself on behaving like a relatively sane person. That was until she almost poured the coffee down the drain instead of carrying it into the dining area. Maybe she wasn’t as cool about this as she liked to think she was.

But Jake wouldn’t have to know that. She’d stopped herself before dumping the coffee in the sink, so she carried it out of the kitchen and poured each of them a steaming mug.

“Smells great.”

“Thanks.” She returned the pot to the kitchen and came back to sit at the table with him. “Is it a burden, dealing with a super nose?”

He laughed, which was her intention. She didn’t want to let the mood dip all the way into gloom and doom.

“I don’t think of it that way,” he said. “But I’m used to it.”

“But you haven’t had that ability all your life, right? Because if you had, that would be a clue that someone had been born Were.”

He put down his coffee and gazed at her. “Good observation. You’re absolutely right. Until young werewolves hit puberty, their senses aren’t any more developed than a human’s.”

“That’s too bad, in a way.” She dug into her omelet, which wasn’t half-bad, if she did say so. “If they showed that tendency earlier, wouldn’t that help sort things out?”

“Maybe for the mixed-species couples, but think about it. A baby is enough of a challenge. What if you had to worry about whether your little baby girl would suddenly turn into a wolf cub as you pushed a buggy through Central Park? Then what?”

“I see how that might be a problem. But if the werewolf tendencies showed up slightly sooner than puberty, that would take the mystery out of situations like the Wallace brothers have.”

His green gaze sharpened. “You got pretty far into MacDowell’s book, I see.”

“Couldn’t help it, Jake. With an imagination like mine, how could I resist something as exotic as rich werewolves? Is it true that Wallace Enterprises owns the Chrysler Building?”

“I believe so. It’s through a dummy corporation, but that sounds right. The Wallaces have major holdings in New York. Howard Wallace was elected president of the Were Council last fall in Denver.”

“And yet both of his sons have mated with humans. I find that amazing.”

Jake sighed. “I find it depressing. Don’t Aidan and Roarke understand that they’re Wallaces? It’s the proudest werewolf name in North America, and they behave as if they have no sense of tradition or solidarity.”

“Apparently they fell in love.” The minute she said it, she wished she hadn’t. Last night had been all about the love between her and Jake, and that statement might make him think she wanted to use that love as an excuse to defy tradition. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“I know.” He pushed away his plate, even though he’d eaten only half of his omelet. “The Wallace brothers are a sore spot for me. I grew up hearing about the mighty Wallace dynasty from my mother. I could hardly wait to meet members of the Wallace pack because I just knew we’d hit it off and share common values. Not so much.”

“Jake.” She shouldn’t say anything, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. “I’m trying not to take offense, but you’re sitting at the table with a member of the other species, the one you so object to the Wallace brothers taking up with.”

He glanced at her and had the decency to look embarrassed. “You’re right. I apologize.”

The mood was permanently ruined now. Maybe that was just as well. Anger at his attitude could keep her from feeling the pain when he left. “It’s probably time for me to drive you over to your cabin so you can rendezvous with the Hunters.”

“I’ll help you with the dishes first.”

“Never mind the dishes, Jake. Let’s get this over with.” That was harsh, but damn it, every word out of his mouth since they’d sat down to breakfast had made her feel like a second-class citizen. She wouldn’t tolerate that, not even from the one she loved.

Jake took the hint and left the dishes. The trip over to his cabin was made in silence, a heartbreaking contrast to the closeness they’d felt all through the night. But Rachel felt Jake moving away from her and closer to his new pack. They wouldn’t want him to have close ties to a human female. Jake might choose to give up that little mental telepathy trick they’d discovered last night.

The Hunters’ SUV was parked in front of Jake’s cabin when they arrived, and that irritated Rachel even more. They were too blasted eager, in her estimation. Jake had lived in Polecat for many years, and they seemed ready to pluck him out of there as if he had no roots in the community.

So maybe it was a human community and not one of their precious Were packs. Rachel realized her attitude was deteriorating rapidly, but the sight of that black SUV sitting in front of Jake’s cabin got her back up. They had to know she’d be bringing Jake home, and apparently they didn’t trust her to deposit him and leave.

When she pulled in beside the SUV, Jake cleared his throat. “You can just drop me off.”

“I don’t intend to do that, Jake.”

“Why not?”

“Because if I drop you off and drive away, it’ll look like I turned tail and ran away from those two werewolves. I realize I’m not supposed to know they’re werewolves, but I do, and I don’t want them to think I was intimidated by them.”

“Does it matter what they think?”

She glanced at him. “It does to me. At this point, I represent my fellow humans. I’m an emissary for my species.”

“All right, then. Let’s go over and say hello.” He opened the passenger door, picked up his duffel, and stepped down.

“Fine.” She climbed down from the driver’s side. She hadn’t been expecting to meet the Hunters when she brought Jake back around the lake, so she hadn’t taken much time with her appearance.

But as she walked around the front of her truck toward their vehicle, she reminded herself that she was an internationally recognized artist. Collectors from all over the world, including a few werewolves, according to Jake, gladly paid high sums to have her work in their homes and office buildings.

She didn’t know what the Hunters had going for them, but she refused to let them treat her like some riffraff that the heir to the Hunter throne had been dallying with. Jake loved her, even if he might not ever admit that to them. Maybe he shouldn’t, come to think of it. She was still a little worried about the dungeon and the maggot-infested crusts of bread.

The Hunters, who were apparently gifted with good manners, got out of their SUV to greet Rachel and Jake. They both wore designer sunglasses. Ann smiled at Jake first and Rachel second, but that wasn’t so surprising. She knew Jake better. They had history.

Bruce was more reserved. He shook hands with Jake without smiling and nodded in Rachel’s direction. Bruce telegraphed brisk efficiency, as if he hoped they could dispense with the pleasantries and get this show on the road.

Rachel wasn’t inclined to indulge him in that. “We didn’t have much time to chat yesterday,” she said, directing her conversation mostly to Ann. “But I’m thrilled that Jake is reconnecting with family again. I’m sure he’s missed that.”

“His family has missed him, too,” Ann said. “Having him back in Idaho will be wonderful.”

“I’m sure it will be.” Having him leave Polecat would be quite a bit less than wonderful, but that was her problem.

“We should probably get in there and start packing,” Bruce said in an ill-disguised attempt to move Rachel along.

Rachel chose to let herself be moved. “Yep, don’t want to hold you up.” She had no interest in a prolonged visit with these two. “I should be going, anyway. I have an important project to finish, so it’s time I got to work.” She glanced at Jake and her heart constricted. His jaw was clenched as if anticipating a blow. She understood the feeling.

She stepped closer to him. He’d worn his sunglasses, so she couldn’t see his eyes. Might be just as well. “Take care of yourself,” she said softly.

His voice was husky. “You, too.”

She turned and fled. Hearing the grief in those two words nearly destroyed her. Somehow she got her truck started. By some miracle nobody was on the road, because she backed onto it without looking and peeled out.

She didn’t remember the drive back around the lake, but somehow she pulled into the parking spot beside the path leading to her cabin. Leaving her truck, she hurried down the path, fighting tears all the way. She didn’t dare break down. Lionel would show up in less than thirty minutes, and she instinctively knew that if she let go, she’d still be crying when he arrived.

I love you, Rachel.

The words brought her to a screeching halt. She looked around, almost expecting to see Jake. But of course he wasn’t here. He was at his cabin with Ann and Bruce.

Yet he’d sent her a message with the words he hadn’t been able to say before she’d left. Taking a calming breath, she focused all her attention on him and returned the favor. I love you, Jake.

Warmth enveloped her, as if he’d mentally wrapped his arms around her. She knew that in his mind, he had.

Then he sent one more word winging over the lake. Always.

She concentrated on him with all her might. Yes, my love. Always. And that would have to sustain her. Walking toward her cabin, she vowed that it would.

She hadn’t locked up because she’d known she was coming right back. As she opened the front door, she thought about the breakfast dishes waiting for her. She might not be able to face them without breaking down.

So she’d leave them. Might as well walk straight out the back door and over to her shop. Work would help. It always did.

She’d taken two steps in that direction when she heard a soft noise behind her. And something didn’t smell right, either. Maybe she was developing Were sensitivities.

She started to turn around, but before she could, someone grabbed her from behind. She would have screamed, but a hand holding an acrid-smelling cloth covered her nose and mouth with a grip like iron. She struggled for only a second before everything went black.