Silver Mine Page 7
It was the longest speech Evan had heard from the other man. If his concerns had merely been about protecting his position, the mini-lecture would have been enough to convince him to back off. But there was more to the story. “Shelley’s never been triggered.”
Tension swooshed into the room like an icy wind. Chase sat far more rigidly in his seat than the second before. “You’re shitting me.”
Evan lowered his voice. “Caroline thinks I don’t know, but hell, I’ve been Alpha for the past year. I’ve heard every rumor that’s gone down the pike a dozen times. People especially love to share the horror stories.”
“Horror stories—there’s more to it than she’s a virgin?”
Damn. At what point was it no longer his business telling tales? Half-blood wolves like Shelley were triggered as adults by the exchange of hormones during sex. It was a pleasurable way to finally be able to let the animal side come out to play, and not usually an issue.
Except in this case.
Evan examined the other man carefully. Didn’t seem like an asshole. Seemed more the type to want the gritty details of what was wrong with Shelley simply in the hopes they could return to what they’d been doing before being rudely interrupted.
Nope. Evan still couldn’t do it. Not the least of reasons that Caroline would probably rip off his balls if she caught him talking about things she didn’t approve of.
The realization made him laugh. Great. Feared Alpha of the Takhini pack, hopeful amalgamator of the divided packs of the north, and he was seriously intimidated by the human he was sleeping with.
At least it kept life interesting.
“You need to ask her the details. I’m just suggesting, again, that you shouldn’t consider Shelley a good one-time event.” Evan looked around the room, pointing at the knapsack on the floor. “Looks as if you were planning an overnighter.”
Chase placed his plate on the coffee table then sat back and rubbed his hands up and down his thighs. “She asked me to stay in town until she has test results for me tomorrow. The hostel is full—I already checked out.”
“Easily solved.” Evan nabbed his phone and waved it in the air before texting a message to the front desk. “I understand the pack house is out, but I own a flipping hotel. Room for the night on me. Only, you need to find a way to make this look like it’s your idea.”
The stare from across the room was impressive. The slow smile that followed far too comprehending. Evan was a strong wolf, but this Métis was no slouch. “You don’t want them to know I’ve been warned off.”
“Exactly. I like keeping body parts intact, thank you.”
Chase nodded. “Fooling around isn’t supposed to be this big a deal. I accept.”
He rose to his feet and picked up his bag, slinging it carefully over his shoulder.
Evan joined him, heading toward the door. “You need a ride?”
“Nah. Moonshine Inn isn’t that far. Nice night for a walk.”
Chase’s hand was on the door, and hot damn, they were nearly scot-free when a cough sounded behind them.
“Leaving so soon?” Shelley stepped forward, her gaze lingering on the backpack draped over Chase’s back. “Sleeping on the street?”
Chase shrugged. “Remembered a place I can crash. Thanks for the meal—I left my contribution to the party on the table.”
He had the door open. Was stepping through.
There was no reaction from the women, and for one glorious moment Evan thought they’d gotten away with it.
“Chase…”
The man turned slowly. Looked Shelley up and down with a slow, heated gaze. “It’s for the best, darling. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Caroline grabbed Evan’s arm and tugged him into the apartment as Shelley moved to say farewell and close the door.
“You hungry?” he asked Caroline, passing her a plate. “If it’s cold we can—”
“Evan Stone, what did you say to him to make him leave?” Caroline plopped her plate on the counter and crossed her arms.
Shelley stepped beside her and suddenly there were two very pissed-off females staring him down. “Whoa. Let’s get this clear. I didn’t do anything. Man thought it best to go.” He turned to Shelley. “You really think he would leave if he didn’t want to?”
Caroline’s jaw dropped.
Shit.
“I mean, if he didn’t think it was for the best?”
Caroline scowled harder, leaning her head toward her sister.
Dammit. That was slightly insulting as well.
Evan opened his mouth and nothing came out. He’d gone totally and completely brain-dead. “Jeez, Caroline give a fellow a break. I’m damned if I do, and damned if I don’t.”
“It’s okay, Caro. I get the idea.” Shelley pushed her sister toward the couch. “Let’s eat. I’m starving, and if I’m going to be bossed around by people I don’t even know, I’m not doing it on an empty stomach.”
Shit again. He could organize the slickest takeover of a multimillion dollar corporation and still be floored by two women in their twenties.
“Look—”
Shelley cut him off. “No, you look. You’re obviously the big cheese around here, and whatever you’ve got going with Caroline…” she glanced between the two of them and damn near rolled her eyes, “…well, that’s your business.”
Caroline wiggled uncomfortably on the arm of the chair where she’d found a perch. “I’m sorry for not telling you. Really, I am.”
“I know. And I get it.” Shelley nearly growled out the words. “But you need to understand as well. This is on my terms. Moving forward, rejoining the pack or not rejoining the pack. Lord, even fooling around with someone—it’s my decision. It’s my bloody life and, no disrespect intended, I want you both to butt the hell out.”
Evan stepped behind Caroline and rested his hands lightly on her shoulders. She wasn’t wolf that he could sense her completely like a pack member. In fact, her sister was far clearer to read, but he’d been around the human and cared enough for her to know she was upset. Upset with herself for hurting someone she cared about deeply. He leaned over to brush his cheek against hers, giving a light soothing touch to let her know he was there.
Caroline sighed, but his trick worked. She breathed out slowly and relaxed, as if letting him take control.
Evan considered. Yeah, even half the crap Shelley had been through over the years would have explained the size of the chip on her shoulder.
But never having experienced full acceptance as a wolf had made her forget a few key components.
He released Caroline with a final squeeze before taking a step toward Shelley. He let out a portion of his power. Not in a rush, but a slow trickle. Almost a caress, but intended as more of a hug.
“You’re right. It is your life, and I have every intention of letting you make your own decisions.” He stood in front of her, arms at his sides, body at ease. Making sure there was nothing in his body language to say she needed to fear him, and he hoped that would help the real message get through loud and clear. “But Shelley—I am an Alpha, and that means I can’t turn off parts of myself just because you tell me to butt out. It might look like interfering, but it’s built into me. It’s instinctive that I care for you, in a way you’ve never known before.”
He increased that part of him that was other and enveloped her with it.
She snapped her head up to stare into his eyes. Her mouth hung open slightly, jaw trembling.
“That emotion I can’t help feeling is there, constant, huge. It isn’t sexual, it’s not because we’re family. It’s deeper and more real than any passion you’ve felt before.”
The room pooled with his power now. Her eyes had widened as he spoke, either from the words or the sensation of him tangling himself around her. Caroline sat motionless—in itself a bloody miracle as she must have sensed some wolfie thing going down.
In front of him, Shelley shook.
He had to finish it. “So y
ou make the decisions you have to, and I’ll support you one hundred percent. Period.”
Her words snuck out in a whisper. “I’ve been so alone.”
God. Pain rippled through him in sympathy. “I know.”
Evan opened his arms, and she stepped into them, resting her head against his chest and weeping like a child. He soothed her as best he could, but mainly he just held her. Held her with his arms and that other part of himself that called to the faint bit hidden deep inside her that refused to break free and become real.
Caroline joined them, hesitant at first until Shelley sniffled and grabbed her into the hug. The three of them stood for the longest time.
“Oh Lord, I’m not usually such a weepy mess. I’m not,” Shelley complained, wiggling free and snatching up the napkins from the pizza order.
“Big changes means a lot of stress, hon, and you’ve been pushing yourself like crazy.” Shelley tucked her sister back into a hug and smoothed her hair. “But I’ll second Evan’s words, the part about supporting you one hundred percent. I swear I’ll do anything for you, but from now on, I’ll try not to do things for you until you ask.” She stared over her sister’s head at Evan, and he smiled at her, dipping his head slightly in approval.
Shelley had a lot of baggage to carry, but she didn’t have to carry it alone.
One night of frustration completed, and Chase was that much closer to being able to retreat to the bush where things were simpler, in so damn many ways he couldn’t even begin to count them.
Not even the lingering scent of Shelley’s attraction could make him change his mind. Hands-off was much the better for both of them. Freaking logic put the brakes on his libido.
He reported to the office at eight a.m. as she’d requested, hopped up on the examining table and didn’t glance her way as she poked and prodded his sliced shoulder again. He didn’t visibly react when she leaned in and her hair fell over his arm and sent a rush of desire straight to his groin.
The sooner he was back in the bush, with ready access to the icy cold waters of his lake, the better.
“So, will I live?” The horrified expression that crossed her face stopped his chuckle before it started. “Or…not?”
“I’ve never seen anything like this, and neither has my mentor.” She looked up from where she’d been rumbling through notes, scratching new information on the mess of papers before her. “Okay, maybe that wasn’t the most doctor-ly to share, but Chase, are you sure there’s nothing else you can tell me about the shifter who gave you the cuts? Was he sick? Did you go around any other animals afterward?”
He shook his head. “Just tell me. I’m a big boy.”
Shelley slipped a paper in front of him. She pointed to the top image. “This is what the culture looked like last night, before I gave you the booster. The center image is after the shot. Small reaction, not what I’d hoped. Usually if I gave that serum to a shifter the results would be far different.”
“You’d said that.”
She poked at the bottom picture, and even to his untrained eye it looked weird. “This morning. It’s as if I took a culture of a completely different wound. Different shifter, different…everything.”
It had to be his mind playing games, but suddenly his shoulder hurt a lot more than it had a moment before. “Plain English now?”
“The infection, whatever it is, is mutating.”
Chase coughed. Hell.
She hurried on, laying her hand on his arm. “And that’s not always a bad thing. I mean, think of white blood cells rushing to fight an infection. They adapt, you build up immunity to the disease, and you get better. That’s how it basically works in humans. Our shifter bodies are more complex because of the transfer between forms. That’s why we usually heal a little faster, the movement of the tissue from one shape to the other leaving a trace of healthier…I don’t know, call it memory if you’d like. As if the muscle that was bruised in your cat changes to human and heals a bit, then doesn’t feel right going back to being badly hurt in your cat.”
“But it’s not working. The shifter healing, or my human body.”
She shook her head. “I need more information.”
“I can’t think of anything else to tell you.”
She waved a hand and moved off to a cupboard, pulling things from inside and piling them on the counter. “You did what you could. And I’ve gotten all I can from your body.”
Not really, but he wasn’t going down that path again.
“What do you suggest?”
She grabbed a bag off the wall. “I need to see the man who attacked you.”
Chase snorted. “Sorry. Chances of getting his butt into Whitehorse are slim to none. He hasn’t been out of the bush for a decade.”
She twisted to face him, chin lifted high. “That’s what I figured you would say. But this isn’t an option. I sent all the information I had this morning to the lab in Calgary, and my mentor already looked it over and gave me walking orders. I need you to take me to see your attacker.”
Oh hell, no. “You want to go bush with me?”
She nodded. “It’s the only way I can get the information I need.”
Chase buttoned up his shirt. “You can give me the…doodads you need from him and I’ll get them.”
It was his turn to get a dirty look. “You’re going to take medical samples and get them out in time for me to register results? Won’t work.”
“You going bush won’t work either.”
“Why not?”
Chase looked her over, deliberately slow in his perusal. “You know who lives back there? You know how long it’s been since some of them have seen a woman?”
“Then you’ll have to protect me.”
He stood and shrugged. “I could also just put up with the scratches. They’ll heal eventually. Thanks for everything. I’ll be on my way.”
She blocked his retreat. “Look, buster. You started this by coming in here. You’re the one who presented me with this mystery, and you can’t expect me to simply allow you to traipse off into the bush. What if the wounds don’t get better? You could lose the arm. What if it festers enough you get sick out there and…”
Chase stared at her. “Get sick and die? Darling, we’re all going to kick the bucket sometime. While I’d prefer it not be for a good long time, I also don’t want to have to fight off or kill any of my friends because you’re stubborn enough to intrude where you don’t belong.”
The flash of anger in her eyes made him take a step backward. “I know a hell of a lot more about not belonging than you think. This isn’t some whim or random urge here. This is important to me.”
He gazed around the room at her still-unfinished office. He’d be crazy to even consider this. It made no sense, to take the kind of risks the trip would involve. Especially with her no-sex rules.
Explaining to men who were mateless that an attractive, unattached female was off limits? Even his tenuous hold over them might not be enough.
“Is it really that important to you?” he asked. He interrupted before she could respond. “Think about it before you blurt out an answer. Maybe your mentor suggested something for you to try, but he doesn’t understand the situation he’s throwing you into. You might be curious to find the solution to something new and unusual, but if it’s simply that, you can play here with the cultures for a bit longer and I’ll get you the information. I promise I will, but this isn’t just a simple romp in the woods. Of all the areas we could head, the Keno bush is one of the worst. No matter how hard I’ve worked to make it safer. You’re an outsider. You will be considered suspicious and…”
And she was a female.
She nodded, slower now. As if really considering her actions. “I do know what it’s like not to fit in. I would listen to you completely and follow your lead. I’m also not incompetent in the bush—my father often took us camping when we were growing up, and I mean rustic shifter camping—no tent, no pots and pans.”
Shit. “
Still one thing stopping me. It’s fine for you to say you’ll listen to me. That you want to find out what’s wrong. You want it enough—”
Damn if he could say it. Damn if he could tell her she had better be scented to him before they went, or he’d be fighting to keep her from being claimed by others. That would require him asking if she really was a virgin, and while most shifters were fine talking about sex, this wasn’t a typical situation in any way, shape or form.
Damn, damn, damn.
She waited.
He scrambled for other possible deterrents. “What about your business? You got things to finish here before you open. We’ll be gone minimum of ten days, and that’s if we find our target right off the bat.”
Enthusiasm rushed from her. “My sister volunteered to find people to finish the renovations, and I’ve decided to take her up on the offer. Other than that, I’m waiting for forms and documents. Nothing holding me here.”
The kitten sitting in the window chose that moment to stretch, its tiny mouth opening in a yawn. “Enigma?”
“I’m sure Caroline will watch him. And I can be packed and ready to go by lunchtime.” She drew out her wallet and attempted to hand him cash. “You can get us supplies and—”
He pushed her money aside. “We can settle up later. Gather what you need here, and we’ll go to your apartment to finish packing. And we need to be on the road by ten. It’s a six-hour drive to the trailhead.”
She nodded and turned away, hurriedly pulling supplies together, that constant rumble of noise as she talked to herself rising up.
Chase paced to the window and scooped up the fluff ball of cat. He absently petted the creature as Shelley packed. “You know what, little guy? Seems I’m far more a glutton for punishment than I expected.”
And in spite of the dangers waiting ahead of them, he couldn’t really find any reason to be upset. Sick bastard that he was.