Wolf Creek Alpha (Texas Pack 1) (16 page)

They all nodded, solemnly giving their vow. 

“Chill
out,
guys.  I want to talk to him so don’t scare him off.”

“If he is dark
fae
, he will not
be afraid.  More than
likely,
he’ll be cocky.  They tend to think themselves superior to humans,” said Robert.

Lisa had to listen to each of them giving her a litany of instructions.  Each basically repeating what the others had said. 

   “I’ve got it!
”
She yelled
. 
“
Don’t leave with him, like I could with Rafe stuck to me.  Don’t touch him.  Don’t stare into his eyes
too long
.  Don’t trust him.  Now, I’m going to shower
.
”
She
marched off while they sat planning some more.  Men…

Dunstan left his hotel room, heading for the restaurant where he’d seen the woman.  He had a compulsion to go there.  Deciding to follow his instinct, he went in and asked for the booth he’d seen her in. 
Luckily,
it was empty.  Or fate. 

He sat back after ordering, looking out the window.  How does this all fit together?  He could not figure it out.  Maybe she knows where my mother is
, if she
is
still alive
.  Then his thoughts took a dark turn.  What if his father w
as
involved
?
 
He didn’t believe so, but he’d learned
long ago not to
trust someone just because they looked reliable. 

The waitress
set
his plate down in front of him.  He smiled at her absently, thanking her. 

She sighed.  Gorgeous guy sits in her section and he doesn’t even notice her.  Typical, she thought, walking away.

Lifting his glass to his lips,
he p
aused.  He felt a
tingling down his spine
.  He sat his glass back down,
casually glancing around the rest
aurant. 
It wasn’t inside.  Looking out the window, he thought he saw a shimmer across the street.
 
It wasn’t his father.  He knew that immediately.  He would recog
nize his father’s
signature anywhere.  This was different.  Not dark. 

Just
then, he saw two men come thru
the
front doors.  They were wolves
.
He
could see that
right off.
 
Brothers too, no mistaking that.
Not trying to hide their interest, they glared at him.
 
Neither was the
redhead’s
mate,
there
was no connection to anyone showing
. 
Hmm, interesting.  The waitress seated them further back, but across so that
they could watch him.

Something was about to happen.  He could feel it.  Just then, she entered, followed by a huge man.
This was her mate, although still unfinished. 
Three brothers, he could see now. 
The man was trying to pull her back, behind him.  She glared at him, stepping forward.  He could almost feel the frustration flowing off th
e man.  Dunsta
n smiled.  T
he guy had his hands full. 
She glanced around, eyes
lighting on the other two men and
moving on.  He felt it the moment she saw him. 
Before she could take two steps, her mate growled and physically lifted h
er behind him. 

“Don’t move,”
Rafe said, his jaw clenched
. 

Moving quickly to Dunstan’s table, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure she wasn’t behind him.  She was still by the door, but now her arms were
crossed over her chest as she glared at him.

Arriving at the table, Rafe blocked her view.  She started slowly making her way closer so she could hear what was said.

Rafe didn’t make or ask for an introduction. 
“What do you want with my mate?”
he demanded.

By now, Lisa had slid in behind Rafe.  She leaned around him to look at the man.  He was even better looking up close, she thought.  Oops, glancing warily up at Rafe, she was happy to see his entire concentration was on the man.

“I don’t know,” Dunstan said calmly.

Rafe was dumbfounded.  That was not what he was expecting.  He glanced over at his brothers, looking perplexed.
 

Lisa moved around him while he was distracted.  She slid into the booth opposite Dunstan. 

“Hi
, I’m Lisa and this is Rafe.  Who are you and why were you watching me?  Are you dark
fae
wanting to hurt or use me for evil?”
she said,
grinning at him. 

Now
it was
Dunstan
’s
turn to be
dumbfounded.  He hadn’t expected her to be so blunt.
  He stumbled, introducing himself.

“I’m Dunstan, and umm, no. 
I wouldn’t hurt you.”

Rafe sat down, glaring at Lisa. “Didn’t I tell you to stay over by the door?”

“Woof, woof, oh wait.  I’m not the one that’s canine, I don’t obey commands.”
Ignoring Rafe
, she looked at Dunstan.  “Why were you watching me yesterday?”

Dunstan glanced down at his plate.  Where to begin?

He figured he might as well start with his parents and go from there.

“My father is Ciar, he co
mmands an area
in the
unseelie
court
by fear and punishment
.”

Rafe jumped up, “I knew it!  You’re dark
fae
.  Come
on,
Lisa, we’re leaving.”  He reached over to pull her out of the booth.

“You can leave if you want, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Didn’t you hear him?  He is evil,” Rafe spat.

“No, his fathe
r is evil.  Dunstan is not.  I can’t tell you how I know this, but I do.  You’re going to have to trust me or leave,” Lisa said seriously. 

Dunstan watched the byplay in awe.  The big guy
, Rafe,
clearly wanted to get her out of there, but
instead,
he flopped back down into the booth. 

Through gritted teeth, he said to Dunstan
, “If you
move or
threaten her in any way, you’re dead.”

“I’m not my father.  Like I said, I’d never hurt her.
” 

Dunstan continued eating, giving the appearance of a relaxed man.  Looking up, he asked if they’d like anything to eat.  Not sur
prised when they
said no, he pushed his plate aside.

“There’s a park a few blocks over.  Why don’t we get your brothers a
nd
your
fae
friend so I
don’t have to repeat myself.”

Rafe stood pulling Lisa from the booth with him.  She didn’t resist, knowing he’d probably throw her over his shoulder if she did.
  He nodded to his brothers to follow them.  Dunstan slid from the booth, leaving money on the table for his meal and tip.

Waiting for Dunstan to lead the way, they fell in behind him.  Out on the sidewalk, Rafe motioned for Robert to come over. 

“I’m only going to tell my story
once, so save you
r questions for when
we get to the park,” Dunstan said walking away.

They stayed s
everal paces behind him, watching
for an ambush or trap.  Rafe told them what little he’d learned about Dunstan.  Lisa
was trying to hurry them along.  S
he
was tired of guessing and needed
answers. 

Entering the park, Lisa saw a picnic table and went to sit on the end of the bench.  Dunstan sat across from her
while Rafe sat beside her.  His brothers and Robert stood, surveying the area.

“As I’m sure he told you, my father is Ciar.  I’m not going into details right now
.
I’ll just say he wasn’t nice to my mother or me.  My mother wanted me away from him, so she helped me escape many years ago.  She would not come with me, and wouldn’t tell me why. 
She made me
promise to leave and not come back for her.  I wandered for many years, and
then I
decided
to
break my promise and go back to see if I could get her away
, but she
wasn’t there,” he stated flatly.

Dunstan went on to tell them what Ciar had said, but let them know you could not believe anything he told you. 

“I’m afraid he may have killed her
.  He
’
s not the kind of man that would simply let her go,” he said sadly.

“Where do I come in?” asked Lisa.  “I don’t know anything about your mother.”

“I’m not sure.  When I saw you yesterday, I felt like I had to be near you.” 

Rafe growled hearing that.  “
She is
mine;
she will not be
near
you.”

“Take a chill pill.  That’s not what he’s talking about,” she said with exasperation. 

Dunstan smiled slightly.  “I feel like you can help me find her.  Or her child, if she really had another.”

“Did you make me dream of you?” Lisa asked.

“No, I didn’t know you had.  What was in the dream?”

Lisa started to tell him about seeing him across the pond.  Rafe stopped her.  They did not want him to know about the waters
unless they were sure they could trust him
.  He was considered their enemy. 

“We need to talk about what we’ve learned.  I will co
ntact you tomorrow.  Where are you staying?
” Rafe was standing up and taking Lisa’s hand to leave as he spoke. 

“You need to know, if I don’t hear from you, I’ll
come find you,” stated Dunstan,
after telling them his hotel name.

Before Rafe could make an angry retort, Lisa assured Dunstan that they would call him. 

Duns
tan watched them walk back towards town.
Exhaling, he turned to go back to his hotel.

Driving back
with Robert and his brothers in the car behind them
, Rafe was scolding Lisa for not following his orders.  “I told you to stay back.  What if he had been intent on hurting you?  I know you think he’
s a good guy,
but you just learned of your magic last night.  What if you’re reading him wrong?”

Lisa thought
for a
moment.  “Ok
ay
, I’ll give you that.  It’s all new to me.
  I promise to be more careful
.”  She leaned her head back and cl
osed her eyes for the drive
. 

“Sorry
that
I didn’t feed you at the restaurant.  I’ll make you something when we get home.”

“You can cook?”  Lisa asked without opening her eyes.  “Hallelujah, cute and
he
cooks.”

“I won’t let you starve,” he said dryly.

Back at the house, they all went to the kitchen.  Liz had left dinner in the ove
n
for them.

“Bless
yer
sainted Mom,” said Robert. 

“She knows we can always eat, even after going to a restaurant,” Devlin said grinning. 

After
eating
,
they
once again
sat in the great room to see if
they
could figure out Dunstan’s angle.  Lisa kept insisting he didn’t have one. 

“He’s part wolf, you know,” Robert dropped his bombshell. 

“How can that be?  He’s a dark
fae
.  He had no scent of wolf about him,” Rafe stated.

“From listening to what he didn’t say, I think his father probably mislead his mother.  She would have to be a wolf, since
his father is
fae
.  As for not scenting him, he is part
fae
.  He would be able to hide it from you, but not from me.  Which he would have known, so obviously he’s not worried about you knowing he’s wolf,” said Robert.

“I’m confused.  Why would a female wolf mate, marry, whatever
,
with a dark
fae
?” asked Lisa.

“They are a
striking
people and can be very charming to get
what they want.  Remember, we
fae
have bee
n around for thousands of years.”