Call of the Wilds (26 page)

“I don’t remember any of this.” Her voice got louder and she gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. “You took advantage of me.”

“When you calm down and think about it, it will come back to you. I wish you hadn’t run off. We need to talk.”

“I don’t want to talk. I just want to know where you went when you left me. Trudy told me someone found another body. Who is it, Frank?”

“How in blazes does she get her information? I never told her about any body.”

“Well, she knew. Who was it, Frank?”

“This is strictly between you, me, and the coroner. I don’t want the news to get out until the next of kin is notified.”

“I won’t say anything.”

“A hiker found Glenn’s body in the gorge,” he said solemnly. “Looks like another wolf attack.”

“My God!” she exclaimed. “Surely there’s been a mistake.”

“No, I’m afraid not. I identified the body myself and waited for the coroner.”

“This is horrible news!” She had no love for Glenn, but she wouldn’t wish this on her worst enemy.

“I didn’t want to tell you over the phone.”

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not. Let me come over and we can talk about this in person. If you’re ill, you—”

“No! I’m not at the refuge. I’m on my way to an appointment.” She hung up and parked in front of the doctor’s office, so upset she had to calm herself before she walked in.

She told her story while the doctor examined her. She’d gone to a party last night and drank a glass of ice tea. Then she felt sick, went home, and passed out. She suspected someone slipped something in her drink. There had been a large crowd, and she had no idea who it might have been.

Her doctor took a urine sample for testing and urged Karin to go to the police. How could she tell her she suspected an officer of the law? She couldn’t drag Frank’s name through the mud without proof. Even with proof, it would be a losing battle. She had gone to his house. Trudy saw her leaving, and by now, everyone knew she’d spent the night with Frank. No one would believe she hadn’t been a willing participant.

The doctor didn’t seem satisfied, but she dropped the questions. “If the tests come up negative, I’ll have to assume whatever it was passed out of your system quickly. I don’t think it will hurt the baby, but we’ll keep a close eye on you.”

Karin never mentioned her other fears about the baby. She’d already made up her mind to move back home. She liked Dr. Clark, but Philadelphia had some of the best hospitals in the country, and she wanted the best medical care possible.

Besides, she didn’t intend to expose her child to small town gossip and prejudice. Her mother lived in the city, and she would help her find a place nearby. Her child might not have a father, but he or she would have a loving grandmother.

She would stick around a little longer, just to make sure this latest attack didn’t have repercussions for the pack. She needed time to make plans anyway.

* * * *

Avoiding Frank was easy. He had his hands full. Angry residents wanted the wolf found and killed, animal rights groups wanted her found and protected, and the Wildlife Bureau just wanted her found. Glenn had no immediate family, so Frank and Trudy planned the funeral. Trudy actually had the nerve to call and ask for her help. Most likely Frank put her up to it. She refused. She didn’t want to see Frank. Besides, Glenn had never liked her. He’d turn over in his grave if he knew she had a hand in sending him off.

 
The test results came back. Barbiturates were found in her system, but Lyndale said most problems result from long-term use. They would watch the baby closely. It made her more anxious to move home than ever. Lyndale said she would send her medical records to her new physician once she got settled. Again, she suggested Karin talk to the state police, but she refused. What good would it do? Trudy’s sharp tongue had been wagging nonstop and everyone thought she’d been sleeping with Frank for weeks. When she started showing, they would think she carried Frank’s baby. She planned to be gone before then.

Good old mom. She already had several apartments in mind, even sent pictures. Thrilled about the move, she couldn’t wait for the homecoming. Karin held back her big news, wanting to tell her in person. Once she got over the initial shock, no doubt she’d be excited to be a grandmother.

She thought about Malcolm. Obviously, he wasn’t thinking about her. He and Sable were living together. She tried to put him out of her mind, but she couldn’t turn off her feelings so easily. Sometimes her emotions overpowered her, and only a good cry would help. Raging hormones made it worse.

Malcolm awakened long-repressed feelings in her. She felt a strong connection with him that she never had with anyone else. But he didn’t love her. There would never be a future with him. Still, she remembered every minute they spent together and regretted every minute they wouldn’t. She should have stuck to the plan and spent her time with only four-legged males, but then she wouldn’t have her baby.

The thought stirred up guilty feelings. Malcolm had a right to know about the baby, and she owed her child a father, even an absent one. She had to tell him before she left. Best-case scenario, Malcolm would accept the truth and want to be involved with his son or daughter. If he didn’t believe it was his or chose to stay out of their lives, she would move to Philly knowing she at least tried.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Malcolm lay naked on the pine planks of the great room. The odor of orange tung oil filled his nostrils. With his head pillowed on his arms, he watched the moon rise.

“This is crazy. Why do you sleep down here when you have a comfortable bed upstairs?”

He sighed and turned toward Sable.

She sprawled in a seductive pose, one leg bent and resting against the back of the couch, the tangle of hair at the juncture of her thighs soaked with the evidence of her arousal. The musky perfume of a she-wolf in heat teased his nostrils, a constant reminder he hadn’t taken her yet. It wasn’t for lack of opportunity. She was always ready.

Loathe to move, he finally raised himself up on his elbows. Malcolm did a front stretch, then a back stretch. A growl of satisfaction from his inner wolf rumbled through his body. Finally, he pushed off the floor and sprang to his feet.

“I don’t mind the floor. Go back to bed.”

He cared for her but not in the way she wanted and expected. Mating for the purpose of procreation didn’t feel right. Sex with the she-wolf would be routine and mechanical, and he couldn’t force himself to take the final step.

“I’m lonely. Come with me.”

He started to pace like a caged and moody beast. He missed what he had with Karin. She took him to the heights of ecstasy, and the taste of a real relationship had spoiled him for anything less. The mind-altering pleasure he found with her couldn’t be duplicated with Sable. He knew from the first they weren’t mates, but he thought without Karin in his life, he might find a measure of peace with her. It hadn’t taken long to realize she would never make him happy. He tried to set his feelings aside to make her happy. Instead, they were both miserable.

Much as he tried to stop them, harsh images of Karin and Frank haunted him. The thought of Karin locked in a passionate embrace with Frank tore him up and dimmed his vision. Fierce waves of possessiveness surged through his veins. Karin belonged to him. He wanted to go after her, grab her, and run away someplace where no one would find them. He tried to hide his feelings from Sable, but she knew something was wrong.

“You’re making me nervous,” Sable snapped.

“I think I have cabin fever.” He came and sat beside her.

“Let me distract you.” Sable reached out for him. “Let’s make a baby.”

His wolf reacted on instinct, always responsive to stimuli, like a randy dog. He closed his eyes and tried to wrap himself around her scent, but it was no good. He wanted Karin. He held back a frustrated howl and pulled away.

“What’s wrong?” He could hear disappointment in her voice. She knew there was a problem. If they were true mates, she would already bear his mark.

“Nothing. Go back to sleep.” He stood. “I’m going for a run.”

* * * *

For as long as she could remember, he had been the object of her childhood fantasies. She wanted him, but he belonged to her sister. When she saw him at the refuge, she knew destiny brought them together. Her heart twisted, and she boiled with jealous anger when the human female would approach the cage covered with his scent. If the cage hadn’t separated them, she might have killed her. She told herself to be patient and thought of freedom and the day she and Malcolm would be together. Desperate for escape, she willingly let the men use her for their plans. She had plans of her own. At the first opportunity, she turned the tables on them. Malcolm belonged to her now, and she would never let him go.

She anticipated a warmer reception from him, but he had already developed an attachment for the human female. She didn’t blame him. She’d satisfied her own needs with human men, but now they had each other, and she expected him to forget the refuge manager. A child would change everything, create a bond, and bring them closer together. He just needed more time.

The sound of his cell phone broke into her thoughts. She retrieved it from the kitchen and checked the display. Snarling, she listened to the message.

“It’s Karin. I need to talk to you. Alone. I’ll wait at the refuge. Please, it’s important.”

Enraged, she deleted it. The bitch would never leave him alone. As long as Karin was alive, she stood between them and prevented Malcolm from marking her. She could fight another she-wolf, but Karin was human and no match for her. She’d kill her easily and Malcolm would never forgive her. There had to be another way to get rid of her.

Finally, it came to her, a perfect plan to rid herself of the female once and for all, but she had to act quickly. She threw a few things in a bag, shut the window so Ralf couldn’t follow, then left the house and shifted.

* * * *

Sable loved the night, loved to run in the dark shadows under the moon. She accelerated until she was no more than an insubstantial blur weaving between the trees. Anyone who happened to glance her way would think the wind disturbed the rustling leaves. Her paws barely touched the forest floor, her fur rippled in the breeze, and she exalted in her element.

Malcolm kept her hidden away in the house, and she missed this. The freedom exhilarated her, but she needed to be cautious. One careless mistake could ruin everything. Hunters still combed the woods for her, and traps had been set. She’d rather be dead than caged again, but she had no intention of getting caught. Her senses were sharp, her hearing so keen she could hear a pine needle fall. No detail, no matter how trivial, escaped her. She had everything she wanted now, and nothing would stop her.

The refuge appeared in a clearing. She stopped under cover of a stand of pines and dropped the bag she carried in her mouth. The ATV parked outside indicated the refuge manager waited inside.

Time to shift and pay her a visit.
The sound of an approaching vehicle stopped her short. Her head snapped up and swung around.

A truck pulled in and parked not twenty feet from where she stood behind the trees. She watched closely and resolved to let nothing stand in the way of her plan.

Nostrils flaring, she scented an enemy on the wind.

The sheriff stepped out, unscrewed the cap of a flask, and took a long drink. He wiped his mouth with back of his hand. The smell of liquor mixed with his own vile scent.

So, sheriff, we meet again.

She focused on him with a mixture of hate and the thrill of pursuit. She revealed herself and let out a long, low-pitched snarl. Frank spun around. His jaw dropped, and the flask slipped out of his hand.