Wolf on the Hunt (15 page)

“You’re a librarian?” Gray blurted.

Anny grinned and nodded. “I was.” She gave Armand a loving smile. “I had to give it up because of what happened. I wasn’t always a werewolf.” She gestured with her hand. “But that’s a long story for another day.”

Louis could tell Gray was curious and wanted to know more. He could have kissed Anny. Anything that made Gray want to stay, want to learn about them was a good thing.

“To answer your question,” Gray began. “I’ve always felt different. I didn’t understand that most people didn’t see things as clearly, as vividly as I did. That people couldn’t hear the same things I was. I was never sick and I’ve always been strong.” She shrugged. “It’s just the way I’ve always been.”

“You’ve never felt your wolf?” Louis wasn’t surprised it was Cherise who asked the question. She was a full-blooded wolf who couldn’t shift due to a childhood illness, an anomaly in the werewolf world.

Gray shook her head. “Not an animal or another entity.” She rubbed her chest. “Just a sense of wildness, of being different.” She shifted uncomfortably and reached out to pet Shadow, who’d ended up sitting almost on her feet.

Gray looked around at the sea of faces surrounding her and saw only genuine interest, felt only acceptance that she was here. Something long dormant inside her seemed to stretch and reach for the others.

Recognition. That was what she felt. The part of her that had always felt alone in the world recognized these people were like her. It was humbling and scary.

Louis stood beside her, his presence calming. He slid his hand up her shoulder and under her hair to squeeze her nape. “I think it’s time for coffee and maybe cake, if there’s any left from last night.”

Anny jumped to her feet. “Of course there’s some left. I hid one of them just in case.”

The group groaned and playfully groused at Anny. She simply laughed and headed to the kitchen with Gator right behind her. Gray was starting to get a handle on the dynamics of the group, but it wasn’t easy. Jacque was obviously the man in charge, but no one seemed afraid of him.

And none of the other men were subservient to him. They were all strong, powerful men in their own right. She’d have to ask Louis about that later.

“So you’re a painter?”

Gray had to think for a minute to remember the woman’s name. Sylvie, that was it. She was beautiful with long black hair and brown eyes, but a wicked scar marred her right cheek. It was hard to picture this delicate woman with the heavily tattooed and mean-looking Gator.

Gray nodded. “Yes. I mainly do landscapes and wildlife.”

“Do you have any posted online?” Anny asked. It wasn’t surprising that the former librarian would ask her that.

“I have some on my personal website, and there are also some on the gallery site.”

Anny glanced at Armand, who immediately stood. “I’m on it.” There was something calming about Armand in spite of the scars that marred his face. He strode to a table in the corner of the living room and opened a laptop and began to type in some commands. “Got it.” He brought the computer over and set it on the coffee table so everyone could see.

The women crowded around the screen and the men hovered behind them. Gray was uncomfortable having so many people scrutinize her work at once. This wasn’t like a gallery showing. This was Louis and his friends and family.

She was nervous. It was surprising, considering her work was the one part of her life where she was truly confident.

Louis left her side and went to look. The rest automatically made a space for him so he could get a close-up view. He reached down and scanned the screen, clicking occasionally to enlarge an image.

This was worse than the first time she’d ever had a showing. Worse than even the first time she’d taken her portfolio to a gallery.

She put one hand over her stomach to try to calm the butterflies that were dancing inside. It didn’t matter what the rest of them thought of her work. But Louis…Louis mattered.

He raised his head and his eyes were filled with pride. The butterflies in her stomach settled. “Your work is amazing.”

She knew she had a big smile on her face but couldn’t help herself. “Thank you.” His praise warmed her to her very soul.

“It’s incredible,” Anny murmured as she leaned over Louis’s shoulder to have a better look.

“So lifelike,” Gwen commented.

Gray was getting uncomfortable with their praise even though she knew it was sincere. She could always smell the fake social praise she sometimes received at gallery showings. It left a nasty scent in her nose. “Thank you.”

“I can’t imagine being able to do something like this.” There was a yearning in Cherise’s words that tugged on Gray’s heartstrings.

“I’ve always doodled and sketched,” she told the other woman. “Do you draw or paint?”

Cherise shook her head, but Gray could see the sheer longing there. “I can show you some basics if you’d like.” The offer was out of her mouth before she’d thought it through, so she quickly added, “For as long as I’m here.”

It didn’t dampen the other woman’s enthusiasm. “I’d love that. Thank you so much.”

Cole, the big wolf from earlier, stared at Gray and slowly inclined his head. She had a feeling there was a lot more meaning behind that gesture than she understood.

Gator called out from the kitchen. “Coffee, cake and cookies are now being served. Everyone front and center.” The group dispersed, allowing Gray to catch her breath.

Louis pulled her to her feet and kissed her. Right there, in the living room where anyone could see them. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it made her toes curl in her shoes.

“Thank you.”

“What for?” It couldn’t be for her simple offer to show Cherise a few basic drawing techniques. Anyone would have done the same.

Louis brushed a lock of her hair away from her face. The darn stuff was already escaping from her ponytail. “For everything.” He leaned down and nuzzled her ear. “I’ll explain more later.”

Later. There was so much they planned to do later. But she knew more than anyone that sometimes later didn’t come.

Shaking off the sense of unease that slid over her, she looked toward the kitchen. “Someone said there was cake.”

Chapter Fifteen

Louis knew there were several times Gray almost bolted for the door. Not that he blamed her. It had to be unnerving for her to be the center of attention in a group of werewolves. She’d managed several hours, but he could tell she really needed a break.

He pushed aside his coffee mug. “How about a walk?”

She grabbed onto the idea like a drowning victim would a life preserver. “I’d love one.” Gray stood and Shadow immediately joined her. He’d been lying in the corner with one of the cats curled up next to him. Seymour didn’t like to be disturbed, and the black cat hissed before trotting off to find Tigger.

“Thank you for coffee and cake.” Gray was being politely cautious of the group.

Gwen smiled. “You’ll stay for supper.” It was more a command than a request.

“I’m not sure,” Gray hedged.

“We’ll decide later,” Louis interjected. The look of relief she gave him told him he was right. If she didn’t get a break soon, she’d take the first opportunity to head home. He held the door for her and Shadow.

Gray paused on the porch and took a deep breath. The dog stretched beside her before he bolted down the steps and into the brush. “Don’t go far,” she called out behind him.

Louis put his hand on the small of her back and rubbed. “They mean well.”

“I know they do. I don’t mean to seem ungrateful.” She shaded her eyes from the sun and peered in the direction Shadow had disappeared.

“He’ll be fine,” Louis assured her. He could easily track the animal’s movements.

“I just worry about him with the hunters out there.” Seconds later, Shadow bound back into the yard, the big dog obviously happy to be outside.

Gray laughed when he ran right up to the base of the porch and skidded to a stop. “You want to play?” she asked him.

Shadow gave a deep
woof
and hurried off again. This time he had a stick clutched between his big jaws when he returned. Gray took the stick and tossed it as far as she could. Shadow took off running after it.

“He’s full of energy. We usually go for a long walk in the mornings.”

“How about we take a short walk now.” He urged her down the steps and into the yard. “I can show you the house we just built for Cole and Cherise.”

“I’d love to see it.”

She seemed intrigued. He took that as a good sign. Shadow raced back and sat in front of Gray, blocking her path. She laughed, took the stick and threw it again. Shadow took off like a shot after it.

“We all pitched in and got it done in six weeks. We already had the logs cut and most of them notched. They were stored one of our sheds.”

“What sheds?” She looked around, but there was nothing but forest surrounding them.

Louis pointed off to the west. “That way. They’re pretty well hidden amongst the trees. We spaced all our buildings apart for safety reasons.”

She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her hands over her shoulders. “Because you’re under threat from your former pack?”

Shadow bounded back again. This time, Louis took the stick and flung it away. Once again, the big dog raced after it. “Yes,” he answered. “Better not to have everything close together in case they ever decide to start a fire.”

Gray shivered, and he wrapped his arm around her. “What do you think?” he asked when they turned a corner in the walking path and the new house came into view.

“It’s gorgeous.” She picked up her pace and moved toward the structure. “It’s like a doll house. It’s not big at all.”

“No. It’s only one bedroom and about six hundred square feet. Just enough to give Cole and Cherise their privacy. We can always add on another room later if they decide they need the extra space.” He stared at the house with a critical eye. It wasn’t big, but it was solidly built. “Because of the size, we could get it up quickly. We plan to build another one for Gator and Sylvie before the snow flies.”

“That’s ambitious.”

He could see the curiosity in her eyes. “Want to see inside?”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Can we? Do you think they’d mind?”

“They wouldn’t mind at all. They haven’t moved in yet. They were supposed to move in later today or tomorrow, but Armand wants to get it wired for security purposes first.”

Shadow joined them, the stick nowhere in sight. Obviously, the big animal had tired of the game. He took up his usual position beside Gray. Louis was impressed by how closely attuned Shadow was to Gray’s moods. She was pensive and thoughtful. Louis wanted to see her smile.

“This way.” He walked up the two steps and opened the door. It was unlocked. He invited her inside. “Come take a look.”

Gray stepped over the threshold and peered around the room. “I love the open concept.” She wandered into the living room and dining space.

“It was quicker to build since we didn’t have to put up as many walls.” Louis indicated the far end of the room. “We put in a window seat in the dining area. Cole built a table. It’s not as big as the table at the other houses, but it’s big enough to seat at least six. Any more than that and we’ll take the party over to one of the other houses.”

“You guys don’t seem to mind living in each other’s pockets.”

It wasn’t really a question, but Louis elaborated. “No,
chère
, we don’t mind. We’re pack. We enjoy being around one another. Need it.” He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her against his larger body. “We eat a lot of our meals together, at least one a day, usually more. Sometimes, it will be one or two couples together. It’s in our nature to want to share with those we care about.”

He thought about their lives in Louisiana. “It’s different here than it was where I grew up.”

He sensed her interest. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a squeeze. “Tell me.”

“My father is a mean bastard. Everything is a battle for power and position with him. He did his best to turn Jacque and I against one another.”

“Obviously, he didn’t succeed,” she pointed out.

He smiled. “No, he didn’t succeed. But it wasn’t for the lack of trying. Our mama was the one who made us realize we were stronger as a unit. She was the one who made us understand what a pack could be, should be.”

“Where is she?” Gray’s softly spoken question almost brought him to his knees.

“Back in Louisiana. With him.” It had almost broken Louis when she’d refused to leave with them. Especially when he understood she’d stayed in order to protect him and Jacque. Pierre would never have let his mate go and would have killed them all. By her staying, he and Jacque had been given a chance to start over.

“I’m sorry.” Gray rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.

“Me too,
chère
. Me too.” He shook off the melancholy mood. “Want to see the rest of the place?”

“Yes.”

Louis showed her the kitchen, where she oohed and aahed over the countertops and trailed her fingers over the cabinets. Then he took her into the bedroom and bathroom and watched while she touched the tiles. Gray was a tactile person, very much a wolf in that way.

Shadow nudged her, and Gray automatically stroked the animal’s fur. Louis almost groaned and his cock responded. He wanted her stroking his body. He swallowed hard and indicated the shower and tub. “Cole likes a shower, so we made it larger than a usual stall. And Cherise wanted a bathtub, so we put in a big soaker tub.”

“Where do you get your water? You seem too far out to be on the town supply.”

Louis was pleased by her interest. “Lots of underground water in the area. We have two wells. This house is on the same feed as the house the three couples live in now. The main house has its own well.”

“Impressive.” She wandered back out to the living room and over to the woodstove.

“We didn’t have enough time to put in a fireplace, but this is good for heating and the glass front in the stove will let them watch the flames. They can even open it if they want to.”

“I can’t believe you did all this so quickly.”

“We all worked our asses off getting it done. We’d never have done it without everyone pitching in.” He wanted to impress on her that the pack was stronger when it was together.

Gray shot him a look that told him she understood exactly what he was doing. He shrugged, totally unrepentant. “I want you to stay.”

She went back outside, and he followed her. He closed the door and joined her in the small yard.

“I just don’t know.” She tilted her head back and stared up at the sky. “It’s a lot to take in. I have a life back in Montana. A house. Friends. A career.”

He was losing her. He could feel it. His wolf was going crazy inside him, howling and snarling. Louis put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. She was wearing a tank top, so his fingers touched her bare skin. It was warm and soft. “You don’t have to give up your career. You can paint anywhere. You can make new friends here. All the women like you.”

She sighed and dropped her neck forward. “For how long?”

He slid his hands down her arms and around to her front, resting his fingers against her stomach. He pressed against her back, letting her feel his erection. Her breath caught and then quickened. She was no more immune to him than he was to her.

“Forever.” She started to jerk away, but he didn’t let her bolt. “I want to see where our relationship goes.” He wanted a hell of a lot more than that, but he’d scared her when he mentioned forever. Better to backtrack a little. Definitely wouldn’t be smart to tell her he wanted to mate with her.

“Louis,” she moaned when he dragged his teeth over her sensitive nape. She shivered and the sweet scent of her arousal tickled his nose. “You’re not being fair.”

He snorted. “Who ever said I was fair?” He nibbled his way up to her earlobe. “I play to win.”

She gave a half laugh, half moan. “You’re a sneaky wolf,” she accused.

He twirled his tongue over the whorls of her ear. “Yes,” he whispered. “Yes, I am. And proud of it.”

Shadow whined and pranced around them, not quite understanding what was going on. Louis released a deep breath and resigned himself to being horny for a few more hours. No way could he strip Gray naked and make love to her out in the open. It made them too vulnerable. He couldn’t forget for a moment they had two groups making trouble for them.

He eased away from her and adjusted his jeans. It didn’t help. Only losing himself in Gray’s welcoming heat would deflate his erection.

“Is that going to be a problem?” Gray was looking at the bulge in the front of his jeans.

“Only if you keep looking at it like that,” he told her.

She laughed and immediately slapped her hand over her mouth.

“Why do you do that?”

When she only gave him a quizzical look, he explained. “Why do you always stop yourself from laughing?” He loved the uninhibited sound of her amusement and happiness.

“I usually laugh at all the wrong times,” she explained. “It gets me into trouble.”

He took her hand in his. “Not here and not with me. I love to hear you laugh.”

Gray lost her heart right then and there. The last piece of herself she’d held back now belonged to Louis. How could she resist a man who was so accepting of what she considered one of her biggest flaws? She couldn’t.

“I laughed at Gator yesterday,” she told him.

A big smile covered his face. “Did you now?”

She nodded. “He was there all badass and intimidating, and he was pissed because he had steaks marinating and potatoes in the oven at home and didn’t think anyone would remember to check on them.”

Louis’s laughter was totally unrestrained. His head tilted back and the sound came right from the heart of him. It made her smile. “I can picture that.” He wiped a tear from his eye. “One thing you need to understand about Gator is that he takes his food very seriously.”

“I kinda figured that out.” She patted his chest, turned and walked away. She was starting to like his family and friends.

“Anny bakes,” he offered. “Cole makes furniture.”

“The dining table?” They’d eaten cake and had coffee around the most beautiful table she’d ever seen. Rustic but sophisticated at the same time.

Louis nodded. “That’s Cole’s work.”

She started walking back to the main house with Louis by her side.

“Jacque takes care of our investments. Armand is our tech guy.”

“And you, what are your interests?” She was dying to know.

He shrugged. “I protect the pack.” He stopped and peered up at the surrounding branches. “I’m adequate with a computer, know my way around our investments and can handle tools, but I’m nowhere near as good as the others.”

She didn’t like the way he was talking about himself, as though he somehow wasn’t as good as the others. She understood that sentiment all too well. She’d spent much of her life feeling inadequate.

“What do you mean, you protect the pack?”

He bent down and picked up a stick before throwing it for Shadow. The dog took off running, ready to play again. “I patrol a lot, more than the others, especially since they all have mates now. I handle most of our dealings with the folks from town.”

In other words, he’d made himself the wall between the pack and the outside world. She frowned, not liking the image.

“Although,” he continued, “it’s harder now that the women are here. They love to shop online. I spend so much time picking up parcels, I sometimes feel like a delivery man.” He grinned, but she wasn’t smiling.

“Why don’t you just get the packages delivered?”

Louis shook his head. “We don’t want strangers on the property. Don’t want to risk anyone seeing anything they shouldn’t.”

Yes, Louis was a protector by nature. But who took care of him?

Shadow came running back, and Louis leaned down and rubbed the dog’s ears before throwing the stick again. Man and dog were in perfect accord, both of them a little wild, both of them loyal.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” But she wasn’t. Minute by minute, she could feel the life she’d built slipping away. And for what? She barely knew Louis.

That fact didn’t seem to matter any longer. What did she have to go home to? She’d mentioned friends earlier, but the truth of the matter was she had a lot of acquaintances but no one she was really close with. Her grandmother had been her best friend.