FMR (22 page)

the table, then stopped at Bruce, seated at his elbow. "Where's

Ernie?" He raised an eyebrow.

"He's not here yet. Megan's bringing him over," Bruce eyed him

wearily. "We won't know anything until they get here."

"Which should be soon," Derek interjected from the other side of

the table. "Meg just called from the car. They're on the way."

Ray sighed, spearing a hand through his hair. "Well, I guess we'll

have to wait," he grumbled.

"Hey sugar." A voice came from behind him. Ray turned in his

seat and flashed a smile at Jasmine, an older African-American

waitress he'd known for a long time. "What can I get you tonight?"

"Coffee, black." He winked. He waited until she took a few more

orders for beverages around the table then headed back toward the

kitchen before he spoke again. "Does anyone have a clue about what

Ernie's found out?"

"Nothing," Bruce grumbled. "But, he sounded like it was

something important when he called me earlier."

Derek nodded. "He and Megan have been busy the past few days.

You'd think they were working on a big jigsaw puzzle," he grinned.

"Megan's helping?" Ray inquired, angling his head toward his

brother-in-law.

"Yeah." Derek shrugged. "She insisted." However, Ray could

sense he wasn't pleased that Megan was helping Ernie track down the

rogue
sithech
– especially since she was pregnant.

"My sister's got a strong will." He chuckled. "You should've

known better when you married her."

"No shit." Derek laughed, rolling his eyes.

The members of the pack council were predominately male –

several alphas, including himself, a few betas and even less thetas.

Megan was the exception to the rule. She was a McShaw and their

family had long held positions within the tight-knit group.

Since his brother had an incurable case of wanderlust, Megan had

volunteered to take an active role in the council. If Ritchie ever came

back to town to stay and assume his role in the pack, they would

request she step down.

Like that's gonna happen any time soon
. Ray shook his head as

Jasmine returned to the table with a tray full of beverages.

"Here you are, sugar." She placed the hot cup of coffee in front of

him.

"Where's Mary Lynn tonight?" Bruce asked, taking a sip of his

cola. "I thought she was working a double today."

"I dunno." Jasmine shook her head. "That girl's been in a weird

mood. She took the night off. I guess the moon's gotten under her

skin lately."

An eerie sensation rippled down Ray's spine. "What was that?" He

blinked, gazing up into the older woman's perplexed face. He reached

for the cell phone at his hip. "Excuse me," he mumbled and stood.

"I'll be back," he called over his shoulder, heading toward the door in

brisk, long strides.

The silvery glow of the moon filled the parking lot. Ray stepped

outside and flipped open his phone. He depressed a number, holding

his breath until Ernie answered.

"Hey Ern, I just got a strange premonition. Please tell me I'm

wrong," he rambled into the thin receiver as soon as his friend

answered.

"Whoa, man, hang on," Ernie replied. "We're almost there."

Impatience shot through Ray. "Damn it," he growled. "I need

answers. Now."

* * * *

been hunched over the laptop a little too long, squinting at the screen,

but she had finished the notes for the renovation story.

Setting the computer on the coffee table, she rose from the sofa and

headed to the kitchen for another cup of hot tea. "Damn it. What a

fine time to misplace my glasses!" she muttered, searching through

her bag for an aspirin to relieve the headache brought on by eyestrain.

With no luck, she sighed with frustration. A strange sensation

prickled over her skin. She felt empty, alone.

Jac was getting antsy waiting on Ray to call. He'd been gone over

an hour and her patience had worn thin. "Okay, enough of this," she

chided herself, filling her mug with water and placing it in the

microwave. As she pressed the timer, there was a soft rap on the

backdoor.

Her heart leapt into her throat. She padded over to the door and

glanced through the blinds. A lone figure stood on the porch, backlit

by the moon.

"Jac?" A woman's voice came from the other side of the door. "It's

Mary Lynn. I've got your glasses," she said, holding up something in

her hand.

Her reading glasses gleamed in the silvery light. "Oh, thank

goodness." Jac breathed a sigh of relief, unlatching the bolts and

swung the door open. "Hi, come on in."

Mary Lynn stepped out of the cold night air. "You were in such a

hurry to leave, you left them at the diner this afternoon." She handed

Jac the spectacles with a smile.

"Uh, yeah." Jac blushed, recalling her and Ray's haste to get back to

the house. "Thanks for bringing them over."

Mary Lynn's eyes darted around the room. "So, he's not here, huh?

I'm surprised he left you alone."

"He'll be back soon," Jac replied quickly, suddenly uneasy as she

noticed the blonde was wrapped in a trench coat that covered her

down to her feet. "I'm really busy, so if you'll–"

The home phone rang, cutting her off. Excusing herself, Jac

reached over and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Jac, listen to me." It was Ray. "I'm on my way. Don't let Mary

Lynn into the house. Do you understand? The full moon's affecting

her. She's not quite herself."

Jac glanced over at the blonde standing in kitchen. Mary Lynn was

staring at her with a feral grin. A lump of tension knotted in her

throat. "Ray? I-I..."

Before she could blink, the woman reached over and ripped the

phone cord from the wall with startling strength. Jac gasped with

alarm, her grip tightening around the lone receiver while wall plaster

crumbled, scattering onto the kitchen tile.

"You're not getting away from me this time." Mary Lynn's eyes

flashed with malice. She tugged at her belt letting the trench coat fall

to the floor. She was naked.

"What the – ?" Jac blinked, stunned by the crazy woman's actions.

Pressing herself against the wall, her heart raced in her chest.

"I've been after Ray for years ... years!" Mary Lynn raised her

voice, shrieking like a banshee. "How dare you come to town and

take him from me! He's my mate! Mine!"

Heated anger filled the room. "Mine!" she repeated and then

growled, emotions rolling off her in violent waves.

Nausea overwhelmed Jac as she detected movement beneath the

woman's skin. Fur rapidly replaced flesh. Mary Lynn morphed, her

shape changing into a big, tawny-colored wolf.

Jac gasped, realizing it was the same wolf that had attacked her in

the alley on Main Street. Her blood ran cold.

The she-wolf wasted no time taking advantage of her shock. It took

a flying leap at her with fangs bared. Jac screamed. Wielding the

phone receiver in her hand, she swung with all her might, landing a

swift blow against the side of the creature's head. Knocked off-

balance, the she-wolf fell sideways, momentarily stunned as it

stumbled onto the tile.

Run Jac! Run!

Ray's alarmed voice echoed in her head. Without hesitation, she

scrambled for the door, swinging it open. She dashed down the porch

stairs as the cold night air chilled her. But, she didn't stop. Mary

Lynn would soon be on her heels.

The gravity of the situation hit her hard. She had to escape the she-

wolf's fury ... or she was dead.

* * * *

full moon, his
sithech
-senses were sharp and keen. He knew Jac was

in danger. Cursing the slowness of his truck under his breath, he

punched the accelerator. The truck barreled down the road.

The moon's silvery beams lit the road ahead. He was almost there.

Ray's skin itched as the
sithech
-blood coursed through his veins.

Despite her flirting, he'd never thought of Mary Lynn as a threat.

Now, to find out she was Jac's attacker was just too much.

Ray sharply turned the wheel. The truck rolled up the gravel

driveway. He silently prayed he wasn't too late.
Hang on, Jac. I'm

coming,
he conveyed.

Hurry!
His heart clutched in his chest. "Oh God," he exhaled a

sharp breath. He heard her in his head. The connection between them

was strong. Ray gritted his teeth. His vision blurred with red-hot

anger and desperation. He slammed on the brakes, halting the truck

with a sharp jerk.

He pushed open the door and ran toward the back of the house.

The backdoor swung on its hinges. An uneasy feeling coiled in the pit

of his stomach. Ray raced into the kitchen.

"Jac?" he called out. "Jac!" The house was eerily silent. The

telephone cord had been ripped from the wall, the kitchen chairs were

asunder, but no sign of Jac or Mary Lynn. He ran back outside,

sniffing the air for clues. Near the woods came the strong scent of a

she-wolf and the familiar scent of his mate.

"Damn!" he cursed, undressing as he ran. His skin was sensitive,

the
sithech
inside him rippling outward while black fur spread over

his physique. By the time he reached the edge the glade, his human

shaped had morphed into wolf form. Racing on four-legs through the

thick mass of bare trees and evergreens, he caught wind of her scent.

It was laced with fear.

Jac, I'm here!
He conveyed as he tore through the darkened glade.

His
sithech
-senses were on high-alert, his night vision sharp and keen.

He leapt over a fallen log, following their scents deeper and deeper

into the moonlit grove.

Just ahead he detected the sound of scuffling and the low, vicious

growl of an angry
sithech
.

Adrenaline coursed through Jac's veins. The she-wolf had been

clever, cornering her near a thicket of thorny bushes. Jac glanced

around, picking up the closest thing to a weapon she could lay her

hands on. The tree limb was heavy, but she brandished it in front of

her, attempting to keep the she-wolf at bay.

"Back off, bitch," she hissed, swing the branch at the stalking wolf.

The creature's eyes glistened with malice, a growl rumbling in the

back of its throat. Its fangs were bared and fur was bristled as it

paced. The she-wolf was attempting to wear her down. If she gave

into her weariness now, the wolf would attack.

Hang in there,
she consoled herself. If she could only hold out

until Ray got there.
But then what?
Jac pushed the question from her

mind, keeping a watchful gaze on the wild, rogue
sithech
.

The she-wolf darted to and fro, preparing to strike. "I said, back

off!" Jac shouted, shoving the hefty branch between her and the

snarling beast.

Jac!
She heard Ray in her head. He was getting closer. However,

the she-wolf's focus was solely on her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jac saw movement in the bushes.

A large, black wolf raced from the foliage. "Ray!" she called out,

relief washed over her, her attention wavering a split second. The

she-wolf dodged the branch and sprang.

She screamed when the she-wolf pounced. The large black wolf

snarled and jumped, too. Ray, in full
sithech
-form, knocked the she-

wolf clear while Jac scrambled back, close to the thicket for safety.

Jac's mind was reeling as she watched the two wolves clashed

together in a vicious fight of fur and fangs.

Once more, there was rustling in the bushes from the direction Ray

had come. A group of shadowy figures emerged, running toward

them. "There they are!" A voice came from one of the crowd. Jac

blinked with surprise. Megan, Ernie and Bruce raced toward them.

"Are you okay?" Bruce asked, kneeling down beside her.

"I-I think so." She made a frantic gesture to the two fighting

wolves. "B-but someone do something. They're going to kill each

other!"

"Not if I can help it," Megan cocked the gun in her hand and

headed toward the wolves.

"Don't worry, Jac. It's a tranquilizer gun," Ernie explained, draping