Coveted (22 page)

Her breath hitched. Pleasure
heated her face. Was it possible she made this indomitable man nervous? “I thought
you’d sent Lassie to protect me. That’s the only reason I left. By the time I
figured out the truth, it was too late.” She watched her feet, ashamed that she
hadn’t questioned the situation sooner. “I just thought you should know.”

Tension melted from him,
the alpha in him easing back until only the man remained. “And I shouldn’t have
locked you up. I wanted to protect you. Instead, I put you in more danger.”

His voice was hoarse,
his accent leaving her all tingly, and she didn’t want him to stop talking. Wanted
to know everything about him. Between her hormones and his unexpected apology,
it took a few steps before her brain could fire on all cylinders again. “Tell
me about your family.”

He scowled, and a
muscle in his jaw twitched before he relented. “I’m a hereditary wolf. That
means I was born a wolf, not bitten. We’re called pure bloods. While some
wolves aren’t able to change shapes, pure bloods are more powerful and able to
shift into two forms. We’re more feral, which makes us more dangerous. Our first
change takes place at puberty.”

“Was it painful?”

Aiden nodded, not
looking at her. “Yes, but we’re prepared for it. If we don’t have control, we
can lose ourselves to the beast for a time. We become lost in flux. Sometimes
it can take years to change back, sometimes it never happens.”

Silence stretched as
she waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, Shayla walked a little closer
and bumped her shoulder against his arm. “Parents, brothers or sisters?”

He jumped as if startled
that she’d voluntarily touched him, moving away to maintain the carefully
controlled distance he placed between them. He frowned, then glanced at her as
if coming to a decision. “No women are ever born shifters.”

Then, much to her
surprise, he wandered a little closer. He tensed as he waited for her reaction,
not touching, but close enough that every nerve sizzled at his nearness.

“Your parents?”

His shoulders eased
at her question. “My father vanished when I was young.”

“I’m sorry.” Shayla
couldn’t speak for a moment, unable to comprehend the solitude of growing up
that way. “And your mother?”

“Humans can’t survive
giving birth to children of the wolf. Their bodies aren’t able to contain the
magic and usually die in childbirth. Father loved my mother. They were devastated
when she became pregnant, but she refused to terminate the pregnancy. She
wanted to give me a chance at life. Father stayed around as long as he could
for me, but her death had taken its toll. His spent more and more time in his
wolf form, until he just never returned.”

“Did you ever search
for him?”

“Wolves never come
back after too much time in flux. Stay human too long, you stifle and
eventually kill your wolf. Stay wolf too long, and you forget your humanity. The
castle functions more as a sanctuary for my kind. A place for the very young to
learn about their heritage. Once they learn control, they leave and roam the
world. The very old, who can no longer contend with the changing times, return
for longer and longer visits. A few even stay to serve the pack.”

Shayla often cursed
her close-knit family, but wouldn’t trade them for anything. She didn’t know
how these men could bear to see everyone they loved die over and over again. Loneliness
clung to him in a way that made her want to gather him close. “How can you
survive living like that?”

“It wasn’t always
that way. A long time ago, there was a bloodline of females who were our
perfect counterparts. They were strong enough to bring our children to full
term and survive. The Beloved. We just had to search until we found our match.
The mating ritual extends our mate’s life while the female stabilize out wolf. They
were the most coveted prize a wolf could ever hope to claim.”

“What happened?”

“They disappeared
close to two centuries ago, simply vanished from the face of the earth. A
hundred-plus years of loneliness can eat away at a person’s soul. Wolves lost
hope. Our species is slowly dying. After a certain age, the older men need a
mate to help keep their wolf at bay. Desperation led some to look for mates
among humans. It was a death sentence for the female. We’ve eliminated the most
dangerous of the wolves, the ones who force the binding on a woman, but every
day our wolf grows stronger. Soon, there won’t be anyone left to police the
pack.”

Shayla could barely
digest everything. But one thing nettled her…did he still carried a torch for
his wife after a hundred years? He sounded so bitter when he spoke of mates that
she couldn’t be certain. There was no way she could compete for the love of a man
who mourned for that long. She had to know. “And your wife? She died in
childbirth?”

Aiden snorted, derision
curling his lips. “To survive alone here is a struggle. It’s even harder for humans.
We made a pact with the villagers. We would protect them from war and
marauders, and they would send us volunteers. Most worked as servants, while a
few desired the wealth and standing they’d gain by marrying into the pack.

“My wife fell into the
second category. She wanted the prestige that went with being a wife to the
laird.” When he fell silent, Shayla didn’t think he would continue. When he
turned and stared out over the rough waves of the sea, she had to strain to
hear him.

“Too bad she couldn’t
stand being near us beasts. We disgusted her. Life at the castle with only a
few humans to lord it over wasn’t enough, so she decided to take what she could
and return home. A storm was brewing, it would’ve been suicide to leave, but
she refused to spend another day under our roof. She left in the middle of the
night without telling anyone.

“She wasn’t an outdoor
type of girl. She had no idea how to survive a storm out on the moors. The
horse she stole was high-strung and must have thrown her. Instead of hunkering
down, she stubbornly continued on her way. She was discovered the next day at
the bottom of the cliff, almost every bone in her body broken. Tension increased
between us and the villagers. Some believed that we had murdered and disposed
of her. Fewer and fewer people volunteered at the castle, until the last few just
died out.”

“Yet you still
protect the people here, don’t you, despite the promises they broke?”

Aiden shrugged,
turned and led her back toward the docks. “When it’s needed.” He gave a half
smile. “Honor won’t allow me to turn away from people in trouble. We gave our pledge.
The fact that we live a few hundred years longer doesn’t change anything.”

Shayla shook her head,
barely able to comprehend his total the commitment or the time span.

“You would never use
me for your own gain.” Shayla had been stupid to believe otherwise, allowing
her insecurities to be manipulated.

Aiden grunted as if she’d
struck him. “Is that what he told you?”

It was Shayla’s turn
to shrug, not wanting to admit that she’d been so easily fooled.

Then Aiden inhaled
deeply. “If you were any other human, I might have considered it.”

She’d been judging
him by human standards and failings when he was so much more. The care he took
to ensure her safety when they were on the run spoke volumes. She’d forgotten.
Now the big lug had finally allowed her into his life, Shayla had no idea what
came next.

She’d go as far as to
admit that she wanted more.

But did he?

She couldn’t envision
what his people had to go through when they finally found love, only to watch
them eventually die. She wasn’t sure she would be brave enough to risk it in
his shoes.

“I never took a mate.”
He blurted out the words, refusing to look at her. The next words were quieter.
“No one at the castle has ever taken a mate.”

Relief flooded her.
“You were never tempted?”

His eyes found hers,
the intensity in them stealing her breath. “Not until now.”

Shayla dropped her
gaze to her feet and a painful hope flared to life from the embers she’d
thought died. She had to tread carefully, she couldn’t screw this up. Aiden had
fallen silent. It made her nervous. When she glanced up, it was to find him
watching her almost curiously. “So you know all our secrets.”

Shayla snorted. “Not
by a long shot, I’d bet.”

Aiden shrugged,
seeming almost relieved when he smiled. “You’ll have to stick around if you
want to learn more.”

Shayla nearly
stumbled over her own feet at his prediction. Or was it an invitation? Aiden cupped
her arm to steady her, his thumb brushing lightly over the sensitive curve of
her elbow. Even the smallest touch left her shaken and wanting more. She
studied every nuance of his face, seeking the truth, but the sneaky bastard
gave nothing away.

“You’re a Seeker.” It
wasn’t a question.

Shayla watched the tide
tumble toward shore, every muscle tensing as she scrambled to think of
something to say that wouldn’t make him run. Aiden’s hold dropped away from her
arm, and she immediately missed the warmth.

She didn’t want to
tell him. Didn’t want him to look at her differently, as if she was broken. Or
worse…crazy. But Shayla couldn’t throw away the chance that there could be
something more between them. “I’ve always been able to find things. As I grew
older, I learned to control the gift and discovered I could make a pretty
decent living doing something no one else could.”

“Is that how you found
me?”

That question again.
Exasperated, Shayla shook her head. “I didn’t even know you were there.”

Aiden raised a brow as
if amused by her denial. “No one else could have found me. My pack had tried
and failed. You might say they have the nose for it. So how?”

Shayla felt badgered.
“My gift doesn’t work on me. I’m immune.”

A gleam of interest
sparked in his eyes. “You mentioned you weren’t searching for anything, but you
suspect something?”

Shayla bit it lip,
wishing to be anywhere else but having this conversation.

Instead of taking the
hint, Aiden persisted. “It could be important to locating the others.”

“I was thinking about
settling down and getting married.” There. That was the closest she would come
to admitting that she’d wished for love. Surprise lit his face, and she waved a
hand as if to sweep away her statement. “It doesn’t matter. Like I said, my
gift doesn’t work on me.”

“Where you thinking
about anyone specific?” His question sounded casual if you didn’t notice his
voice deepen or his brogue thicken.

Shayla glared at him
for digging into the sore subject. For making her admit to wanting something
that she could never have. She turned back toward town and called over her
shoulder, unable to bear his pity. “I was debating whether to give up my job so
I could find someone to love me.”

 Chapter Twenty-four

A
iden was shocked still,
watching the hypnotic sway of Shayla’s hips as she marched away. He clenched
his fists to keep from following. If he touched her now, nothing would stop him
from claiming her. Thank gods she hadn’t figured out how perfect she was or she
would’ve been snatched up long ago.

He’d been careful not
to get too close since she’d seen them as wolves, wanting to allow her time to
adjust. The last thing he wanted was to freak her out any more than necessary.

He was freaked out
enough for both of them.

He was making
progress seducing her. She’d sought out his touch, almost seemed to crave it. He
noticed her fascination with his kilt, and found it sexy as hell that she
couldn’t seem to look away from his chest.

The novelty of being
wanted…pursued by a woman like her…rocked him to his core.

It was obvious that
she didn’t believe her magic brought her to him, but Aiden couldn’t think of
anything else.

They were meant to be
together.

He wanted more. Maybe
it was time to show her. With that in mind, Aiden followed Shayla back to the
inn. He knew better than to try to coax any further information out of her,
like she cared for him. She’d just clam up, but she failed to account for one
thing.

The tenacity of a
wolf.

She was his.

By sundown she’d know
it, too.

* * *

Shayla paced the
confines of her room. She’d tried sleeping, but every time she closed her eyes,
all she saw was Aiden. She couldn’t calm her nerves. Or maybe it was the fact
that she hadn’t seen Aiden since their talk.

He was up to
something.

Shayla refused to
call what she felt anticipation. A knock on her door nearly startled a scream
from her. The stillness of the inn finally registered. An insidious fear crept
over her, invaded every cell. It didn’t matter that they’d caught her stalker.
He’d been following her for so long, she no longer knew what it was like to not
be afraid.

Liar.

She hadn’t been
afraid with Aiden.

It was time to take
control of her life, starting now. Shayla marched to the door and yanked it
open.

Only to find Lassie
waiting for her.

Silent.

Solemn.

Shayla swallowed
against the sudden urge to sneak out the back. “Is it time?”

She should be pissed
at Lassie for putting her in danger, but it had been her choice. He wasn’t
forcing her to do anything. Not really. She wanted to help. Wanted to catch the
people who’d tried to kill Aiden.

And maybe prove to
him that she could contribute to his pack, be a valuable member.

“Almost.” He glanced down
at his hands then back up to her face. “I wanted to let you know that we won’t
let anything happen to you. You never have to leave the inn.”

Shayla smiled a bit
fatalistically, her nerves settling a little. “I wish it were that simple.
Unless they are right under our noses, I’ll need to go where I’m led.”

Lassie looked
uncertain, almost ready to protest, when she shook her head and took pity on
him. “I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to your deal. I’ll get you
as close to your friends as I can.”

Lassie nodded,
tension holding him bound tight. “Close is good enough. We’ll be able to catch
the scent and take it from there.”

He then pulled out a knife
from behind him. The handle was metal and bare of design, the silver dulled and
worn from years of use. The blade was four inches long, thin and looked wicked
sharp. Shayla recoiled slightly, until she noticed he was holding it out to her
handle-first. “We know that guns don’t work, but this will. It’s just a
precaution. Slash anything on two or four legs that comes at you.”

She wanted to refuse,
but after the strangeness of the last few days, decided it more prudent to accept.
“Thank you.”

Her eyes were drawn
to the burns marks on the pads of his fingers and along his palm. He smiled and
lifted up his hand. “Silver. The myths are true to a certain extent. It’s like
poison to us and slows the healing process. Get enough in our system, and it’s
possible to kill us like any human.”

Shayla’s eye were
wide as her gaze dropped back to his hand. “But—”

Lassie’s lips curled
slightly, amused by her concern. “Once the silver is removed, the poison stops
spreading and the healing can begin.”

Shayla nodded, not
questioning why a werewolf would carry a silver knife. The blade was heavier
than expected. She debated what to do with it, then followed Lassie’s example
and tucked it against her lower back.

“We’ll start whenever
you’re ready.” With that, Lassie turned and disappeared down the corridor.

Afraid that she’d
lose courage and never leave the room, she quickly followed. The inn had been
cleared out after the initial incident with her stalker. Lassie and his people
had purchased the remaining rooms. None of the townspeople had lingered, opting
to stay out of pack business.

Shayla wanted to call
them cowards, but the wolves were more than capable of taking care of
themselves. So it was a surprise to see the main room crammed with both humans
and wolves.

Aiden’s eyes were on
her from the moment she appeared, as if he’d been watching for her. He didn’t
smile, didn’t offer her a seat, the imposing alpha ready to go to war.

Shayla gaped at him,
well able to believe the legends about ancient warriors if they’d looked like
him. Something primitive lurked in his eyes. The absolute determination to
protect his men sent a shiver through her.

Never give up.

No surrender.

He didn’t know the
meaning.

She licked her lips
as the age-old question of what men wore under their kilts danced in her mind,
but she knew if the darkening of his eyes was any indication.

Nothing at all.

When she continued to
gawk at him, a small smile quirked his mouth. Shayla blinked, jerking her gaze
away to find the rest of the room waiting for her.

Lassie didn’t smile,
but she saw humor dancing in his light brown eyes. James wasn’t so polite. “If
you’re done mooning like a teenager, we’re ready to start.”

If he had been close
enough, Shayla would’ve smacked him. She opened her mouth to retort when Lassie
cleared his throat.

“I gathered an item
from every man who’d disappeared, just as you requested. Will this work?”

Shayla glanced at the
items on the table, noticing the vial of blood was conspicuously absent. That
was clearly James’s doing. Blood was more potent. Dangerous. It should only be
used as a last resort. She couldn’t help but be grateful. Then she noticed the
quantity. “So many…”

“These four items
were selected from members of our team, the rest were collected from the
families with missing people.”

That explained why so
many people had shown up, and the desperate hope she saw when they looked at
her weighed heavily on her conscience. She hadn’t been aware of how dire the
situation was for them. She reached out to touch the safest item, an empty
vial, when Aiden cleared his throat.

Shayla jumped and
jerked her hands back. “What?”

“Do you have the
necklace?”

Shayla hesitated to
admit she hadn’t taken it off. It reminded her of him, and she wanted to keep
some small bit of him close. Without speaking, she tugged the emerald from
under her shirt.

As if responding to
his nearness, the stone shimmered until it glowed, the color matching his eyes.

“What’s happening?”
The stone warmed where it rested against her chest, the heat spreading through
her body. Static charged the air as her magic answered the call, and everyone
shifted uncomfortably.

“The stone works to
center your magic. Amplifies it.” Then he shuffled closer, sucking up all the
air around them until only his scent surrounded her.

Shayla reluctantly
pulled away. She needed to think, and him standing next to her shattered her
concentration. Such as why amplifying her gift was so not a good idea.

“That’s the last
thing I need. I like breathing.” She reached up to remove the necklace,
reluctant to part with it, when he tangled his fingers with hers. Tingles swept
up her arm at the contact, startling her into looking at him.

His breathing came
faster, his eyes a little brighter. It pleased her to see he wasn’t as
unaffected as he pretended. “The stone will center you. You’ll use less power
and have more control.”

He ducked his head until
a whisper of warm air touched the rim of her ear and a shiver ran down her
spine. Funny how breathing could become unimportant.

“I’m going to be your
private guard while we hunt. Don’t wander from my side. Don’t engage in the
fight. If someone threatens you, I’ll take care of it.” Aiden ran a finger
slowly under her jaw, tipping her head up to his face. Nerve endings
short-circuited as the heat of him sank into her skin. “Your promise that we do
this my way or we call this off now.”

Shayla barely heard him.

Then his order sank
in, and she wrenched away from the spell he’d woven around her. And that’s what
it had been, a command. The bastard was using his touch to seduce her into
doing what he wanted. What was worse, she was susceptible. “Stop that. Don’t
think I haven’t figured out what you’re trying to do.”

All the softness
faded as Aiden leaned down and bared his teeth in a sham of a smile. “I’m not
going to go away.”

It was both a threat
and a plea, and her heart twisted with a thump. She wished she could blame her
reaction on fear, but the pure excitement racing through her veins said
otherwise. Her legs twitched to run, knowing that he would give chase. That he
would catch her. Memories of his hands under her skirts, her pleasure his only
focus, flashed through her mind.

She wanted that
again.

Wanted him, any way
she could get him in all his stubborn, Neanderthal glory.

“Stay.” Her voice was
barely above a whisper, but he heard. He inhaled sharply and held his breath,
as if savoring the moment. Tension eased from his broad shoulders. Without
seeming to move, she was surrounded by him, almost but not quite touching. The
distance was too close and yet not close enough.

“The sun will set in
forty minutes. We need to move before the full moon rises.” Lassie and his
wolves were tense, the four of them wound tight and waiting to spring. Everyone
was dressed for battle, all sleek and deadly.

Until she saw James.

He raised his hands
and backed away. “If anything happens to you, I need to be there.”

Shayla smiled at his
determination to help protect her. “If something happens, I can’t have you
caught up in it. You need to stay safe.”

He looked grim, and glanced
over her head as if asking for permission. She looked back in time to see Aiden
nod solemnly.

A silent vow to protect
her first and foremost passed between them. Infuriating men.

“James…”

“I’m no good to you
here. You go, I go.”

“Then it’s agreed.”
Aiden crowded closer. “So how does this work?”

It was an argument
she wasn’t going to win. With a sigh, she conceded defeat. “Finding objects is a
bit like playing with fire. I might get a little burned, but no harm done. Living
things are different. It’s like entering another world. Opening the doors to
the Frost World means inviting the dead into your life. Restless spirits linger
there. As soon as I enter, my power is a beacon for them.”

Aiden’s frown became
an outright scowl. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Not if I’m quick.”
She gave a small smile to cover her nerves.

“Why do you need the
objects?”

“They help me connect
to the person. When a person touches an object, they leave behind energy like
an imprint. If I concentrate hard enough, I can follow that signature, and I’ll
eventually stumble across them. Heading in the wrong direction is like scaling
a mountain, each step growing more difficult.”