Bayou Wolf (12 page)

“They can stay at the house. Amy has meetings with Emma and the other healers. She needs to continue those meetings. Whatever information your healers uncovered troubled my
Traiteur
. She should stay and finish.”

Wherever she planned to go, she would be traveling alone.

Bypassing the road leading to the guesthouse, he slanted a glance toward her. “Which border do you need to travel to?”

“Southwest…the closest to where the new pack is located would be preferable.”

“They’re two states away. Even if you rent a vehicle, you’ll be driving all night to get there.” Which would guarantee she would not be back in Willow Bend in time for the next day’s meetings.

“I’m aware.” She drew small circles with her thumb against his leg. “All I need is the ride to the border and a ride back. If you feel this violates your promise to your Alpha, tell me. We can go back to the guesthouse, and I’ll deal with it from there.”

Deal with it from there?
“Which translates to mean you’ll find another way there?”

She pursed her lips, but didn’t reply immediately.

Well, so much for their night together. A mixture of relief and frustration pitted together in his gut, and he blew out a breath.
Fuck it.
“I don’t want you to go alone without any kind of backup. Not doubting your capabilities, but I’m not trusting the other pack.”

“Linc, I’m not asking…”

“Forgive the interruption, but I know you’re not asking. I’m offering.” As soon as he said it aloud, he realized the truth in the statement. The boil in his stomach ceased.

“Does it put you in an untenable position?” Her question made her position on the answer clear. She wouldn’t tolerate his disobedience—whether for his own comfort or because she was Alpha, he didn’t know and really, he didn’t care.

“Is this trip a secret from Mason?”

“Not a secret, no. I’m just not welcoming a debate with him on the matter at the moment. I need answers he cannot provide me in order to make the best decision going forward.” Her careful phrasing invited him to read between the lines.

Risking it, he guessed, “You don’t want any of the other Alphas going with you either?”

“Not particularly.” She flashed him a small smile. “I won’t refuse them, but I do not think their presence will be conducive to the process.”

Not an unreasonable argument. He continued to head for the interstate, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. Serafina Andre did not answer to Mason. She certainly didn’t need his
permission
to leave Willow Bend. Then again, she might require it to re-enter.

“Linc, it’s all right. Take me back to the guest house, and I will deal with it from there.” She was letting him off the hook, and he frowned.

He didn’t want to be relieved of the duty. “I would like to call my brother. He’s Mason’s second. I can explain to him what I would like to do for you and get permission for you to re-enter. Do you have any objection to that?”

Leaning back, she placed her foot against the dashboard and studied him. “You’re planning to take me regardless, aren’t you?”

“I don’t want you going alone, and I’m sorry if that bugs you. I wouldn’t let A.J. go alone into an unpredictable situation without any kind of support. Mason…my orders are to keep you safe. So going with you to protect you doesn’t violate my orders.”

Warm laughter flowed over him as she shook her head. A note verging on exasperation touched her voice when she said, “Call your brother. I want to be sure
you
are not going to get in any trouble. I’m not terribly worried about if Mason is irked with me or not.”

“I’ve been in trouble before,” he said, relaxing truly at her acceptance. “I’m a big boy.” Pulling out his cell phone, he kept his attention on the road and not the beautiful distraction next to him as he hit A.J.’s contact information.

A.J. answered on the first ring. “You just picked her up. Is everything all right?” The undercurrent of stress in his voice worried him.

“We’re fine. Did something happen?” If they had another Diesel type situation, he couldn’t leave. Sera squeezed his thigh. An offer of comfort? Glancing at her, he found her gaze steady on him, concern etched into her expression.

“No, nothing happened.” A.J.’s stress dialed down a notch. “It’s been a long day and…Vivian wasn’t bouncing back. She’s been a little feverish and exhausted. Not like her at all. She even tried to work on some code and fell asleep in the middle of it.”

Linc’s anxiety rose. “Is she sick again?” When Vivian first returned to them, she’d been ill. Very ill. Even her scent had been off. Wan and too thin by half, she’d worried them all. Since mating A.J., however, she’d bounced back and confirmed the healer’s opinions—she’d been pining. A very typical condition for separated mates, even though she and A.J. hadn’t fully mated—or so they thought—before he’d been sent to prison and she’d been left to the real world.

Vivian couldn’t be sick. Linc adored her. A.J. needed her like he needed his next breath.

“Not exactly. According to Emma, she’ll be fine in a few weeks and the exhaustion will pass in about eight months.”

Eight months?

Sera smiled suddenly, and joy flooded Linc. “She’s pregnant?”

“Apparently.” The stress in A.J.’s voice returned and Linc whooped. His brother’s worry was directly related to being a father and to Vivian being pregnant. Unfettered happiness flooded him.

“Congratulations, brother,” he said, meaning every word. “You will be a fantastic father.”

“God, I hope so. We haven’t told Mom or Dad yet, and I’d like to be the one to deliver the news.”

“My lips are sealed.” He’d never held onto a more precious secret. “But I get to be his or her favorite uncle. Deal?”

A.J. laughed softly, and his brother sounded more himself when he said, “Absolutely. So why are you calling? And good evening, Miss Andre.”

“Good evening, Mr. Buckley,” she said smoothly, the gentle smile still firm in place. “You also have my word, I shall not tell your parents or anyone else the most blessed news, however, please accept my congratulations and most heartfelt wishes for you and your mate.”

“Thank you.” The politeness of the response nudged at Linc and he glanced at the mile marker as they left the precincts of Willow Bend proper. Another couple of miles and he’d reach the interstate. “Linc?”

“Need a favor, brother mine, from Mason’s second.” The moment he said the words, he heard A.J. straighten and his bottle touch down on the counter.

“What are you doing?” Crisp. Clear. Concise.

“Miss Andre would like to assess the new Alpha herself, to do this, we need to travel to where the new pack has stationed itself. I need clearance to escort her past our Hunters and to return her to Willow Bend proper at the completion of the trip.” He needed permission. He needed clearance. All true.

Quiet met his declaration, then A.J. said, “You’re asking me because you’re
not
asking Mason. Why are we not asking him?”

Steady. Loyal. Intelligent.
All words which applied to his very capable brother. The oldest of the three triplets, he’d always led them and Linc had always been willing to follow. “We’re not asking him because Serafina wants to size up the opposition alone. It’s going to be problematic enough with two Alphas present. If we make it three or four?”

“Yeah,” A.J. exhaled the word, then said, “Miss Andre, can you give me your word this trip is only to assess the situation and see the Alpha for yourself and not to pursue any agenda injurious to Willow Bend or the current summit?”

A reasonable question.

“Yes, I can give you my word on all of those.” She didn’t hesitate to provide the authoritative response. “Some situations are better discussed with firsthand data.”

“I can’t fault your reasoning. You have permission to go, Linc, and to bring Miss Andre back within the borders. I’ll call the regional airport and get a plane ready for you. Your license is still up to date, isn’t it?”

“Not really.” His ears burned. “I let it lapse a while back.”

“No problem. I’ll see if Zane is in the area. If he is, he can fly you. If not, we’ll get someone there. Better to fly and save you two an all-night drive.” No speculation echoed in his words, but A.J. knew. Linc would bet money on it.

“Thanks, brother. I appreciate it.”

“I’ll also take care of calling Mason, making sure we’re all on the same page. Be careful, Linc. We’ve kept those wolves pretty isolated. They may not be receptive to anyone from Willow Bend.” Advice and a warning.
Perfect.

“We’ll be back as soon as Sera’s done.” The slip was intentional. A.J. guessed. Linc wanted to confirm.

“Safe journeys—and Miss Andre? I would appreciate my brother back in the same condition he’s leaving in.” A.J. hadn’t seen his face. Linc couldn’t quite contain his snicker.

Completely nonplussed Serafina replied, “I will take care of him as if he were my own, you have my word.”

The warmth scalding his ears swept through him and settled somewhere in his chest. He barely heard A.J.’s farewell or his own automatic response. Something in the way she said
my own
riveted him.

“It’s about an hour to the regional airport,” he finally managed. “Then a couple of hours by plane.”

“Good,” she said, smiling. “Which means we’ll be there by nightfall. I haven’t forgotten our discussion…”

Neither had he.

T
he smell of dust
, metal, and silence was overwhelming. Linc stood a few yards away inside the regional airport office in part to give her privacy while she called Rayne and, in part, to resolve the issue of their transport. So why wasn’t she dialing the number she had for her pack’s former Hound?

The moment I meet her—see them—is the moment I have to acknowledge their pack exists.
If the pairing couldn’t hold the pack together, she would also have her decision made. Contrary to what most wolves believed of their Alphas, they didn’t take decisions to execute lightly. Restricting wolves’ natural behaviors when they left packs was a necessary evil. They had no one to look after them, to provide support or stop them if they lost control.

Situations such as the one they faced could turn their world upside down, incite war, tear apart territories and displace hundreds of years of tradition. She had never lived in a world without a sense of control and she didn’t want to discover what it would be like.

All of the wolves who’d fled to the new pack had their old numbers disconnected, their existences wiped and their accounts emptied so they could vanish into the night. After dialing the contact number Mason texted her fifteen minutes after the call with A.J., she put the phone to her ear and waited. The fact Mason sent her the number told her he knew she’d make the attempt to see the new pack. While he wouldn’t stop her, he also wouldn’t participate beyond giving her information.

She agreed with his decision. One Alpha to Alpha would be enough—
if Luciana Barrows really is Alpha.
The phone range twice before Rayne answered.

“Serafina?” The cautiousness in his familiar voice saddened her more than she realized. Fear and isolation were powerful motivators.

“Hello, Rayne.” Keeping her tone light, she offered the only comfort available to her in the situation. “I hope you are well.”

“I am.” The guarded tone didn’t waver. “Surprised to hear from you.”

“Really? You didn’t think I would be in touch once I learned what you’ve been doing?” After all, he’d skated across the edges of her territory, tugged away her wolves. Granted, the wolves on the fringes slipped by because their ties to her were already weak.
And that is on me.

His sigh spoke volumes. “No, I suppose our speaking was inevitable.” A woman’s voice murmured in the background, Rayne’s hand covered the mic, but his words still carried. “It’s Serafina Andre, Alpha of Delta Crescent.”

“Rayne, can your mate hear me?” She would control the dissemination of information beginning with how she addressed Luciana.

“Yes.”

“Excellent, I will be in Nebraska in roughly…” Serafina glanced at the wall clock. “Two and a half hours. I would like to meet your mate and see you again.”

Silence met her statement, the emptiness pregnant with possibilities. The fact of her arrival was
fait accompli
, so she granted them her patience. Finally, Rayne said, “Are we to assume this is an official visit?”

“You can assume whatever you like. I want to meet your mate. I’ll be there in about two hours.” She repeated the information. Rayne needed to be absolutely clear, she would arrive shortly and she would see Luciana Barrows. Cooperation was preferred, but not necessary.

“
Signorina
,” Luciana must have taken the phone from her mate. The distinctness and strength of her accent confirmed English as her second language. “We would be pleased to meet you and look forward to the opportunity. Rayne told me a great deal about you.”

I bet he has.
“Excellent.”

“If you would do us the honor of alerting us when you are a few minutes away, we can make sure we have food and drinks prepared. It won’t be much, but you are welcome to it.”

Chances were their supplies were limited with the Willow Bend embargo hemming them in. “Understood, I don’t expect you to go to any trouble. Until we are face to face…”

“Until then.”

Luciana did not disconnect the call so Sera did. The politeness in the exchange boded well. Taking a moment, she checked her emails and answered three of Etienne’s inquiries. Her pack handled her absence well, the distance hadn’t diminished her connection and what few problems had emerged over the last two days were easily handled. The moment she slid the phone into her pocket, Linc left the office and crossed the hangar space toward her.

“The plane will be ready in about ten minutes. The Hunter flying us is on his way to relieve one of the other Hunters. Both have pilot’s licenses, so we have a ride there and back.” Steady, beautiful, and confident—his temperament suited her needs. She didn’t have to offer him comfort or reassurance.

“Thank you.” She held out her hand to him, palm upward. “I know this is not how I suggested we would be spending our evening.”

His ears reddened, even under the low light of the hangar she enjoyed the flush suffusing his skin. So open with his reactions and without reservation, he was a breath of fresh air. When his palm glided over hers, electricity sizzled along her nerve endings and her wolf roused.

Want
. Simple, direct desire and Linc let her draw him close and when she settled her head to his shoulder, he wrapped an arm around her. “You’re tired,” he said in a gentle voice.

“Yes and no.” She didn’t disagree with the assessment, especially when she would prefer to be in bed with him rather than the stinky hangar with the scents of fuel, metal and dirt all around them. “One thing you learn as Alpha is your time is no longer your own. The needs of the pack, they supersede all.” A faint memory of her mother drifted across her mind’s eye and she smiled. “When I was younger, my mother warned me to have care in choosing my lovers, choosing my actions…because to be a parent was to surrender the freedom of choice. My father laughed when she said this, because to be Alpha means to give up everything for the pack.”

“I guess I never thought about it that way.” He rubbed her arm lightly, the massage relaxing the tension she carried. “I really don’t know much about being Alpha. It wasn’t…”

“It wasn’t what?” Even as she leaned into him, she remained aware of the movement around them. The regional airport was run by one of the Willow Bend wolves and catered to the local population as well. Their Hunter pilot had left the office and headed out to prepare the plane. Other workers, some human and some wolves, continued their various tasks.

“Just not something I ever paid much attention to—leading. A.J. always blazed the trail and Ty and I followed him.” He sighed, melancholy darkening his scent. “At least until we couldn’t anymore. Ty and I muddled through and avoided our Alpha as much as possible.”

She knew about A.J.’s time in prison. “It must have been hard for you and your brother. The three of you are close.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.” Linc glanced toward the plane being readied. “We were inseparable until we were forced to separate. It was hard. Having him gone. It’s been a hell of a lot better since he came home.”

“Ready when you are.” The Hunter called out. “We’ve got good winds, so we’ll make better time.”

Linc squeezed her arm once, then relaxed his hold so she could straighten. He packed away the emotion, carefully shedding all outward signs of the gloom he’d shared. “I’m going to go over the plane once before you get on board. I let my license lapse, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m looking for and I’d like to make sure it’s safe for you.”

Uncertainty marked his offer, as though he wasn’t sure of her response. “Of course. Thank you.” Choosing to remain where she was, she watched him stride out of the hangar. At the plane he paused to speak to the Hunter, then together they went through the full check the Hunter had done while Linc lingered with her. Protective to his core, he’d mentioned Hunter training but his lack of interest in being one. Alpha potential, and yet he didn’t want to lead and preferred to follow his brother.

He’s afraid of leaving them.
The insight snapped into place and squeezed her heart.
We were inseparable until we were forced to separate.
Sera couldn’t remain in Willow Bend. Linc didn’t want to leave Willow Bend.

Curling her fingers into her hands, she clenched her fists. Her wolf snarled, a low and vibrating hum.
He wants me.
Everything about his actions and his words confirmed his desire. She wanted him.
I want to take him home.
The understanding kindled deeper and her wolf stretched, claws raking along her insides. She wanted to mark him and keep him for herself.

And I’ll separate him from his brothers if I do.
His melancholy invaded her soul and she closed her eyes.
If you have words of wisdom on this, I’m listening.
Of course the loa said nothing. Insight did not mean a free pass from choice or free will. Linc could be her mate.

Her wolf had known it from the moment she set her sights on him, but the woman took longer to persuade. The wolf knew they could care for him, but the woman—
I can’t take him away from his brothers. To force him to choose?

Why could life never be simple?

“It’s suitable, Miss Serafina,” Linc’s voice curled around her and she smiled. In public, she would be Miss Serafina. Not once had he wavered on her request. No, she would not force him.
Coax. Tease. Pleasure. Lure.
Those she could do.

“One moment please,” she called, then pulled her phone out and typed a text message to Mason.
I want your wolf. I plan to pursue him. If you have an objection, tell me now.

She didn’t have to wait long.

Hurt him and we’ll have a real issue.
She agreed with the sentiment. The second message made her laugh.
Happy hunting. He’s pigheaded and stubborn beyond all measure. He’s also loyal to a fault.

Those were the last words on the subject of her relationship she planned to have with Mason.
I’ll be in touch after I meet Luciana.

Locking the phone again, she slid it back into her pocket and headed for the plane. Linc’s gaze found hers and she smiled. The hunt would take time and require patience. She wanted him to know her—Sera, the woman and the wolf. Fortunately, she possessed the patience and the fortitude to get what she wanted.

Run, Linc, run. I want to chase you.

T
he flight proved utterly uneventful
. Though the Hunter said nothing, Sera remained aware of his regard and wariness. Linc spent the trip on neutral topics, quizzing the Hunter for an update on the town, the sixth pack and any issues. The useful information helped her construct a mental image of the leader she planned to meet. Once they landed, he nodded toward an SUV parked near the edge of the small landing strip. They’d flown from one tiny regional airport to a shack in the middle of nowhere with a landing strip in the middle of what might have been a cornfield. The temperature outside had plummeted and fine flakes of snow fell from the sky.

“Here,” Linc said, holding out a jacket. The scent on the heavy leather belonged to him and she smiled as she slid her arms into the sleeves. “I’d hoped we’d miss the storm, but no such luck.” True dark fell during their flight and, though it was only late evening, the dark combined with the snow made it feel much later.

“Mitch will get his own ride,” Linc continued as he led the way to the SUV. “I’ve got the directions and the Hunters patrolling the area know we’re coming.”

He’d made a lot of arrangements apparently. Once they were in the vehicle, however, he concentrated on the GPS and fiddling with the heat. In truth, his attention seemed focused on the business at hand. While hers should be as well, she wanted Linc’s mind on her. Hers was definitely on him.

“We’re about fifty minutes away.” His gaze fixed on the dark road in front of them and his eyes had gone wolf gold. “Mitch said there isn’t much out this way, but if we divert twenty minutes, we can stop for dinner if you’re hungry.”

“I’m hungry,” she told him. “But not for food.” Lust coiled in the air between them and she smiled. Much better.

“Sera,” he almost sounded chastising. “We should save that—meal—for later. Like once when we’re safely back in Willow Bend, and you don’t have a difficult meeting ahead.”

“Difficult meeting?” For the first time since they’d left, she chuckled. “Are you really worried about seeing Rayne and his mate?”

“I’m worried about driving into a town with two hundred unknown wolves and a handful of humans who should have known better. I’m worried about you having only me for support. I’m worried—I’m going to screw this up because someone will say something stupid to you, and I’ll rip their face off. That in mind, I’m trying to keep my head cool and my temper in check. You aren’t making that easy.”

The admission charmed her utterly. “You meant every word.”

He glanced at her sideways, incredulity softening the hard line of his mouth. “We don’t really know each other. You don’t know what my temper has cost me in the past. I don’t intend for it to cost you anything.”

Intrigued, both by his assertion and the need to soothe his discomfort, she braced her elbow against the door and propped her head against her hand. “Find a place to park.”

Another sharp look. “What?”

“Find a place to park, please. I want to talk to you a bit before we go in there.”

“They’re waiting.”

“So?” She chuckled. “One of the beauties of being me. I don’t care if they have to wait. I do care if you’re upset. Pull off up here.” The fat flakes continued to drift gently, like some kind of greeting card. The headlights reflected off the snow, and isolated in the dark of the vehicle trapped them away from the rest of the world. The stress overlaying him deepened, but he did as she asked and pulled off the two-lane byway. Once he parked, he killed the headlights, but left the engine running.

Reaching over, she turned the keys until the engine’s rumbling ended. The vehicle was warm enough between the two of them. Cocooned in silence with the snow falling around them, Sera tapped his leg. “Do you want me to stop pursuing you?”

Surprise rippled across his troubled features, and the gold in his eyes seemed to glow in the dark. She let her wolf peek out, allowing her to see every nuance of his expression. “Before I answer the question, do you mind if I ask you one?”