“Apparently not. His interest in her must be greater than his need for privacy. If the media ever got a hold of this, the whole werewolf thing could explode around all of us.”
“But it won’t, will it? I mean, these wolves must be experienced at operating under the radar. They wouldn’t do anything foolish.”
“If it were only wolves, I’m sure everything would be fine, but there’s an estate worth millions involved, a missing heiress, Aldrich and don’t forget Kellen. The boy has some feelings for Cassie, but he’s unstable and possibly desperate.” Franklin outlined all the possible pitfalls and Mrs. Teasdale began twisting her fingers nervously again.
Please let Cassie be safe and find a place where she can belong, she whispered to the powers that be. Please.
*****
Bryan scanned the lobby of the motel as he walked in and noted two familiar looking figures standing near the elevator. One looked just like Ryne from the back and the other was a petit woman with long brown hair. He sniffed the air, a smile breaking out on his face. It was Elise; he’d remember her scent anywhere.
The two of them had grown up together in the same pack. At one time, he’d even fancied himself in love with her and she with him. Unfortunately, a political alliance had gotten in the way of their youthful plans. She’d been forced to move to a new pack and mate with Kane, a fact that had been hard to deal with at the time. Eventually, Bryan had come to realize his attachment for Elise had been based on familiarity and proximity rather than a deep abiding love. He was still fond of her in a brotherly way, but that was all.
From the way Kane had his arm protectively wrapped around Elise, it was easy to see the two were still besotted with each other. Everything had worked out for the best, Bryan mused. They were happy and so was he.
His wolf rumbled and Bryan qualified his statement. Mostly happy. Sure a few things could improve, but living in Canada, being Beta, helping forge a new pack; none of that would have been possible if he’d stayed in his old life.
And Cassie, his wolf added.
Bryan rolled his eyes; the creature really was obsessed. He wasn’t sure what to make of the situation. Could his wolf be right? Was Cassie the wolf of his dreams or was it pure coincidence? While he’d like to think that was the case—the idea of predestination controlling his life irked—he couldn’t deny facts. Their wolves were attracted and seemed to know each other, and Cassie wasn’t exactly unappealing to his human side. Actually, she was more than a little appealing. The heat that had grown between them on the plane had been undeniable...
A pinging sound caught his attention. The elevator door was opening and his old friend was about to disappear. He called out her name.
“Elise!”
Elise stopped mid-step and spun around. Their eyes locked across the distance of the lobby and then she waved, a wide smile spreading over her face. Kane looked at her, then followed the direction of her gaze. Bryan knew the instant Kane realized who had caught Elise’s attention. An instinctive glower formed on the Alpha’s face before he schooled his features and nodded in recognition.
“I’ll talk to you upstairs.” Elise called out the words as Kane pulled her back into the elevator just before the doors slid shut.
Bryan chuckled to himself. Obviously Kane hadn’t forgotten the past completely. It might be amusing to tease the man...
“Who was that?” Cassie tugged at his arm and he looked down at her, having momentarily forgotten she was there.
“That was Elise. We grew up together.”
“Oh.” Cassie nodded. “She seemed awfully pleased to see you.”
He shrugged. “I suppose. We haven’t seen each other in three years.”
“Hmm.” Cassie made a non-committal noise, then rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Bryan could see faint goose bumps raised on her skin. “The man with her looked familiar.”
“That’s Kane Sinclair, Elise’s mate.”
“I’m sure I’ve seen him before.” She scrunched up her face as if trying to find a memory.
Realizing they were almost blocking the door, Bryan urged her towards the front desk. “I don’t know where you might have encountered him. As far as I know he’s never been to Vegas or Chicago, at least not in the past few years.”
Bryan dealt with procuring their room, while Cassie stood beside him obviously still puzzling over Kane. As he bent to pick up their bags, she suddenly grabbed his arm and whispered to him urgently.
“I know where I saw him! Kane looks exactly like the guy I saw the night my uncle died. I mean, it was getting dark and the fellow was covered in mud, but I’m sure it was him.” She shivered, a look of remembered fear in her eyes.
“Kane looks almost exactly like Ryne. It was Ryne you saw, but people often mistake them for each other.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip and looked around. Waves of anxiety washed off her. “So this Ryne—your...er...Alpha—he’s upstairs right now?”
“Yep. I’ll introduce you as soon as we get settled.” He walked toward the elevator, talking to her over his shoulder. “And Ryne’s not just ‘my Alpha,’ you know. He’s yours too. You’re a member of the pack now.”
“Not if I can help it.” The words were probably supposed to be muttered under her breath, but he heard them all the same.
As they stood side by side in the elevator, Bryan sighed. Her resistance was starting to get on his nerves. Thankfully other people were on the elevator as well so it was impossible to continue the conversation. It was probably a good thing. Otherwise he might say something he’d later regret.
The elevator stopped at their floor and Bryan found their room, unlocked the door and gestured for Cassie to enter. She did, then looked at him askance when he stepped inside as well and shut the door.
“You don’t have to come in. I can unpack on my own you know.” Cassie dropped her bag on one of the beds.
“I’m sure you can, but this is my room too.”
“Excuse me?” Her eyebrows shot up and she stared at him in surprise.
Bryan spread his arms out in a placating manner. “No ulterior lecherous motives, I promise. The full moon is only two days away. It’s not safe to leave you by yourself.”
“I’ve survived full moons by myself for three years. I don’t need a babysitter. You can leave.” She crossed her arms and stuck out her chin.
“I’m not leaving and from what you’ve told me, you ‘survived’ them by drugging yourself. That’s no way to live and as your Beta, I’m not going to allow you to continue hurting your wolf that way. Not only that, but what are the side effects of those drugs for your human half? You don’t take something that powerful for years and years without some damage being done.” Bryan had stepped closer with each word and was now in her personal space.
She shrugged, looking to the side unable to meet his gaze. His presence in front of her was like a palpable force and she licked her lips nervously before caving in to the urge to step back and concede to his dominance. “I haven’t noticed any ill-effects.”
“Maybe not yet, but in time.” She felt him studying her, perhaps puzzled by her stubbornness. Finally, he exhaled slowly. “This is a pointless conversation. I’m staying. We’re sharing this room. End of story. Now unpack and I’ll introduce you to the others.”
“No thanks. I’ll just wait here.” Cassie sat on the bed and traced the pattern on the bedspread.
Bryan had bent to pick up his bag, but turned back to face her. “Why don’t you want to meet the others?”
She gave another shrug. “I just don’t.” He continued to stare at her and she squirmed under his gaze before explaining further. “They’re werewolves.”
“So?”
“I don’t feel comfortable around them.” She looked up at him guiltily, before averting her gaze. “I keep expecting them to jump and attack.”
He barely managed not to roll his eyes at her statement. “You’ve been around me for a couple of days. Aside from our rather ‘unusual�
� meetings,” he paused and laughed softly at the memory, “I haven’t attacked, have I?”
“Well, no...”
“Does the fact that I’m a werewolf make you nervous?”
She paused before answering. Bryan made her nervous, but not because he was a werewolf. It was the awareness between them that she didn’t know how to handle. “I’m not worried that you’re a werewolf. Not anymore. You’re just...you. But Kane... Just seeing him made me quake in my boots.”
Bryan grunted in acknowledgement. “That’s the Alpha in him. He’s a pretty powerful one, especially given the fact that he isn’t that old. Your wolf recognizes him as a dominant from another pack and she’s unsure what to do.”
“Well, whatever the case, he bothers me and I’d prefer to keep my distance.” She averted her face and Bryan shook his head, looking exasperated.
“Cassie, this is ridiculous. You’re prejudiced against werewolves all because of one incident when you saw Ryne at his worst.” He paced the length of the room then turned and looked at her. “Are you scared of American servicemen or police officers?”
“No, not really...” She answered slowly, obviously puzzled by his sudden change of topic.
“But they carry weapons. They might have to fire at someone, even kill, if that person was endangering the lives of innocent victims.”
“True. But that’s their job. They’re just protecting—”
“Exactly!” He cut her off before she could finish her thought. “And Ryne was just protecting his mate. The only difference is that his ‘weapon’ wasn’t a gun.”
Cassie was silent for a moment, absorbing the idea. “I...I suppose.”
He hunkered down in front of her and took her hands. That same electrical current seemed to flow between them where they touched and he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, taking a moment to notice the soft, smooth skin. In such close quarters, her scent wrapped itself around him and he inhaled deeply, enjoying the pleasurable stirring it caused inside of him.
Looking into her eyes, he spoke softly. “Cassie, werewolves aren’t monsters. We’re living creatures with hopes and dreams and aspirations. We love, have families, are fiercely loyal to our pack mates. You don’t need to be afraid of us, or...afraid of yourself.”
His last comment seemed to hit home. Her eyes turned a deeper green and a watery sheen appeared. Her pain was palpable.
“That’s it, isn’t it?” Bryan cocked his head and studied her. “You’re afraid of yourself, aren’t you?”
Cassie pressed her lips tightly together. She appeared to wage an internal war before finally speaking. “The only werewolf I’d ever seen was your Ryne. My uncle had just announced that I was a werewolf and was talking about how they have this law that requires killing people who discover their existence. Then this awful savage creature appeared and attacked for no reason, or at least I thought it was for no reason.” She pulled her hand away and wiped at a stray tear, sniffling. “I’m scared that’s what will happen to me if I ever allow myself to transform.”
Reaching out, Bryan tucked her hair behind her ear, and then cupped her cheek. “That won’t happen to you, Cassie. You have nothing to be afraid of. For the most part, a person’s wolf has the same characteristics as their human half. Not always, but those are rare cases. When you turn, you’ll still be you, just a bit furrier and bit more in tune with your natural instincts. The wolf won’t do anything that you would find inherently wrong.”
“Really?” She gave him a disbelieving look. “I don’t think I would have thrown myself at a complete stranger in a public park and started kissing him.”
Bryan chuckled at the memory. “Well, your wolf seems to think it already knows my wolf from those dreams, remember?”
“Right.” She shifted on the bed and looked away, a slight blush staining her cheeks.
Bryan decided not to press the topic further, though it was one that weighed heavily on his mind. He and Cassie as mates... Now that he was over the initial shock, he found the idea more and more intriguing. Exploring a relationship with her might be fun, but now was not the time. Instead he stood up and tugged her to her feet. “Come on. The others are probably wondering what we’re doing.”
Chapter 18
Bryan knocked on the door to Ryne’s room and then let himself in. The Alpha had taken a small suite of rooms. This particular one featured a table and chairs, a small couch, TV and bar fridge. Two doors led off the one wall, probably to a bathroom and bedroom. There was no sign of Mel or Elise, but Kane and Ryne looked up from the laptop they were gathered around. Pulling Cassie in after him, he shut the door and then gestured towards the computer screen where a map was displayed. “What’s that?”
Ryne answered. “Daniel just sent us a blueprint of Aldrich’s penthouse.”
“And the security schemata.” Kane added.
The two brothers were almost identical. Equal in height, Kane was a bit more heavily muscled with glowing amber eyes while Ryne was on the leaner side, with obvious whipcord strength and bright, piercing blue eyes. Little wonder, Cassie confused one for the other. Unless they were side by side looking at you, it was hard to tell them apart. Bryan drew her forward to his side from where she’d been standing behind him.
“Ryne, Kane. This is Cassandra Greyson.” Bryan could feel her slight tremors and squeezed her hand in assurance before stepping away. It was important that she meet her Alpha on her own.
Cassie cast a ‘why did you just abandon me look’ at Bryan then visibly swallowed before giving a ghost of a smile and quietly offering an unenthusiastic greeting. “Hi.”
“Cassandra.” Kane nodded his head, but seemed to be more concerned with Bryan than the new comer. The fact that the Alpha was still jealous after all these years, amused Bryan, and if he hadn’t been concerned with Cassie, he might have teased Kane by mentioning Elise. As it was, he ignored the man’s steady stare and focussed on the other two occupants of the room.
Ryne was circling around Cassie; as the Alpha of the pack, it was instinct for him to check out the newest member. With narrowed eyes, he took her measure, inhaling deeply, learning her scent. His body brushed against Cassie’s as he moved around her, invading her personal space and testing her nerve. She trembled, but held her ground.
After a moment of studying her, Ryne lifted one corner of his mouth and spoke teasingly, a twinkle in his eye. “So this is the one who’s causing all the problems?”
Bryan watched as Cassie visibly cringed and took a half step back. He winced. Bad move. Up until then, she’d been doing so well, too. While wolves were subservient to the Alpha, they needed to show some spine or they’d end up in the Omega position.
Ryne stilled at her retreat and stared down at her, no doubt assessing her level of fear. Cassie seemed to wilt even further. Bryan was sure he could almost hear her knees knocking together. Her hands were clenched tight at her side and her lower lip trembled. He was sure she was reliving the night she’d seen Ryne for the first time. Poor kid; that was no way to feel on your first presentation to the Alpha.
Even though it broke all protocol, his protective instincts sprang to life in the face of her obvious discomfort. He stepped in front of her, blocking her from Ryne’s view. “Yes, this is Cassie, but she’s hardly causing a problem.”
“No?” Ryne quirked an eyebrow at him, a slight smirk on his face as if he knew something Bryan didn’t and found it extremely amusing. “She’s got a Beta and two Alphas all converging illegally in the Chicago pack’s territory. I’d say that’s stirring up trouble.”
“Hardly her fault. You and Kane are here because of Marla and Aldrich, not because of her friend. If anything, she’s done us a favour since the situation unexpectedly revealed where Marla’s been hiding and gives us a reason to go after Aldrich ourselves.”
“True.” Ryne folded his arms and cocked his head. “Bryan, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were overly attached to Miss Greyson. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you
leap to the defence of someone quite that quickly.”
“Quite telling, isn’t it?” Kane looked smug and seemed to relax as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “I think Miss Greyson is getting some preferential treatment from your Beta, Ryne.”
Bryan shrugged feeling a bit embarrassed and struggling not to show it. There’d been no need to defend Cassie from Ryne, he should have known that, but something had come over him. “Yeah, well she’s new to the whole werewolf thing and didn’t realize you were teasing.” He tried to bluff his way out of the situation.
“Hmm.” Ryne stared at Bryan a moment longer before turning his attention back to Cassie, holding out his hand. “I apologize. I didn’t intend to upset you at our first meeting. Instincts take over sometimes. I’m Ryne Taylor and this is my brother, Kane Sinclair. Welcome to the pack.”
Kane must have noticed how she furrowed her brow at the different last names. “Half brothers. Same mother, different fathers.”
Cassie nodded in understanding as she shook hands before shoving them in her back pockets. She looked at the two men, then dropped her gaze in obvious discomfort at still being the centre of attention. Bryan cleared his throat and everyone looked at him.
“So where are Elise and Mel?”
“Melody’s having a nap.” Ryne supplied with a bit of a grin. “She’s tired from the long trip.
“And Elise is on the phone talking to Helen and checking on the children.”
Bryan nodded. “Okay, then I’ll fill you two in on what Cassie and I found out so far.” They all sat down and he began. “Daniel found the address where they’re holding Kellen Anderson, Cassie’s...er...friend. It’s Aldrich’s place; a high rise. We checked the building out before coming here. The front door has a controlled entry plus a security guard and the underground parking is only accessible with a key card.”
“So we can’t just walk in.” Kane folded his arms and leaned back in his chair.