Wolf Rock Shifters Books 1-5: Five BBW Paranormal Romance Standalone Novels (43 page)

Nash’s pants were in the process of getting tighter when the door opened behind them.

“What is the meaning of this?” Nash pulled back as he heard Conrad Malcolm’s voice. If ever there was a mood killer, that man’s voice was it.

“We were having a chat,” said Cecile, turning to face her father.

“Is that how the young folks do it these days?”

“Dad, you sound like you’re ninety years old. You know perfectly well what was going on. And it’s not like we were naked on the floor.”

Nash found himself sliding his index finger over his lips to hide any lipstick that may have transferred. He did his best to stand up straight, though something in Cecile’s father instilled in him a conflict between a desire to cower in submission, to protect Cecile, or to have an all-out brawl. The billionaire was a nasty, spiteful piece of work and clearly couldn’t abide anyone else being content. Nash fought the more antagonistic aspect of his personality for the moment and stepped forward, saying, “I apologize, sir. I meant no disrespect.”

“Really? You come into my house and shove your tongue down my daughter’s…”

“I invited him, dad, and
I
kissed
him
,” interrupted his daughter. “And one of these days you’re going to have to accept that I’m an adult who’s capable of making her own decisions.”

“Until you can make decisions that denote some modicum of common sense, young lady, I will happily keep you under lock and key.”

“And tell me, father: what exactly is so objectionable to you in all of this?”

Her father clammed up then.

“No,” said Nash. “I’d like to know too. Is it that I’m from a family who’s not as wealthy as yours? Is it that we work at manual labour? Is it that I’m not a Harvard law student?”

“It’s that you’re trash,” said Malcolm, staring with his cold eyes into Nash’s soul.

“Well, thanks for your honesty,” said the lion shifter, storming by the man and out the open door.

He’d already made it halfway to his car when he heard Cecile calling his name.

“I’m so sorry,” she said when she’d caught up with him. “He can be such an asshole.”

“Yeah, well, I should’ve known better. He’s right, you know. You’re out of my league.”

“You’re talking like we live in nineteenth-century England, Nash. There’s no class system here. Just a snobby old man with too much green in the bank.”

“There is a class system everywhere, Cecile. And I’ll never be part of yours. Even with all the money in the world I wouldn’t be acceptable to your father.”

With that he opened his car door and turned to her.

“I’ll see you around,” he said. “But clearly this…thing…between us isn’t very likely to happen. I was stupid to think it could.”

She watched him go, anger building in her. Was it wrong for a tiger to want to attack her own father? No; what was wrong was how far away her father had come from the animal within him. A shifter shouldn’t walk around with a superiority complex. He had been corrupted by human values and ridiculous priorities. This stupid house with all of its tacky décor. He didn’t understand anymore what it was to be of their kind. Ever since his wife had died he’d immersed himself in the world of humans, almost as though he were looking for an escape, to deny his own existence.

And the worst of it was that he was inflicting it all on Cecile, and trying to extract the tiger from the woman. It couldn’t be done; it would be like he’d torn her very soul away.

T
hat evening
as seven o’clock approached, Nash made his way to Zoe’s house. The map indicated a densely wooded area not too far from the wolves’ cabin, but when he arrived at the location, he saw no buildings; only trees. Nash was left to sniff his way the residence, knowing that a group of shifters would be relatively easy to make out amid the smell of forest.

As he drew close, following tracks in the shallow snow, he realized that in fact there was no house; at least not on the ground.

The footprints led him to the base of a thick tree trunk, and he looked up to see lights high above him among the uppermost branches. Clearly Zoe, like him, enjoyed spending time up in treetops.

Nash began the climb, which was facilitated by some rungs that had been built into the tree itself, intended for shifters or humans to be able to access with their hands. He could imagine that a wolf might have a hell of a time climbing such a trunk, and he was fairly sure that at least one wolf would be showing up to the evening’s meeting.

For an inadvisable moment he’d considered asking Cecile along, but things had grown too complicated and it seemed wise to give himself and her some space. There was no question of his attraction to her, or even hers to him. But their relationship, fractured as it was, had no place in this area of his life. It was imperative that she remain separate while he sorted everything out. And given that her father was a suspect in what appeared to be some sort of crime syndicate, it made no sense to get her involved. Whether she had any knowledge of his own inner circle or not, it wasn’t right to bring her into a situation which would invariably result in a conflict of interest.

Besides, she had a habit of distracting Nash, whether deliberately or not, and he wanted more than anyone to get to the bottom of everything that was going on. In him, at the end of it all, was a violent war between his attraction and desire for her and his need to protect his territory and that of all of his extended network in Wolf Rock.

He arrived at the top of the ladder to find an open trap door, and he pulled himself up and into what was a surprisingly well-manicured treehouse. It had every amenity that one could imagine; even a large-screened TV, though Nash couldn’t begin to figure out how even a shape-changer could manage to lift such a heavy object to such a height.

Until he saw Zoe’s mate, that is.

Colson was a bear shifter, and like Nash, a large man. He was muscular and tall; a typical protector. Nash could see in him a dominant nature as soon as he shook his hand.

“So you’re the lion,” the man said. “Good to meet you. Zoe told me about your little encounter with those jackasses who are trying to stir things up around here.”

“Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out who their boss is,” said Nash.

“We all are,” said a woman he didn’t recognize, who’d been standing in a far corner. “I’m Kyla,” she said. As she walked towards him, he saw the familiar bright blue eyes of a wolf shifter. There was an intelligence in them and as she approached him, Nash felt almost nervous, as though she were looking through him.

“You’re the one with…” began Nash.

“The visions, yes,” she laughed. “Zoe told you, I’m sure. They’re a bloody nuisance, really. I have these moments when I see things so clearly. Like that wolf of yours. I know what he looks like. But I have a suspicion that we’re not looking for a wolf shifter.”

“So you don’t think it’s Dascha or anyone in your pack?”

“No. I don’t. I’m not a fan of Dasch’s, not really. But he’s oblivious to everything that’s going on. I’m just as happy for him to stay out of the way. I think we’re looking for someone from out of town.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’ve had foggy visions of a man, of meetings. When they’re so nebulous and confusing usually it’s a question of distance.”

“Sorry, but I need to ask something,” said Nash, pausing for a moment. He looked around at the group that had congregated in Zoe’s house. “There’s a shape-changer here, and a psychic. Do you all have superpowers?”

Zoe laughed, and Colson spoke up. “I don’t,” he said. “I’m just a bear shifter. Though we’re learning more and more that every shifter’s got a talent. It’s just that most remain hidden. You’ll find that in you is something that you may not have extracted yet, Nash.”

“I’m fast. That seems to be the height of my mad skills,” said Nash.

“Well, don’t underestimate the value of speed.” Now the speaker was another large man who’d remained silent.

“Nash, this is my mate, Maddox,” said Kyla. “He’s a changer.”

“Like Zoe?” asked Nash.

“Not quite,” said the large, dark man. “I’m a grizzly shifter who’s working on mastering changing. But I don’t have Zoe’s gift to shift into other people. That’s something special.”

“But you can change into other animals,” Nash mused.

“Yes. I can.”

“All this time I’ve felt so weird, at college, for being different. I had no idea how damned normal I really am. I’m downright boring.”

“Not at all,” laughed Zoe. “I suspect that before too long you’ll have worked out how interesting you can be.”

“We’ll see,” said Nash. “Anyhow, we need to come up with a plan of attack, don’t we?”

“We do,” said Kyla. “We had a thought.”

“Oh?”

“How would you feel about cozying up to the bad guys, Nash?” she asked. “We need someone on the inside.”

“Um, I don’t see that happening. Not for me. I don’t think I’m exactly popular with those folks.”

“Well, no, probably not. But you’ve been to Conrad Malcolm’s house. You’ve argued with him. You could offer to bring them information, or at least mention an affiliation with the man.”

“You think they’d seriously go for that?”

“Well, can you act at all?”

Nash pondered this for a moment. “I’ve done some acting actually, in high school and college. Nothing big.”

“Doesn’t matter. You just have to react to them. Let them know that you want your ranch protected. That Malcolm wants you gone and that you have nothing to lose. That you wanted his daughter but he’s forbidden it and you’re out for revenge. He’s likely to be their biggest target, you know.”

“And you’re sure he’s not in on this whole thing?”

“Positive,” said Kyla. “He’s not a sweet man, but he’s not in on the racket, I’m fairly sure.”

“But what about Cecile?” asked Nash.

“What about her?” asked Maddox.

“I don’t…I wouldn’t want to hurt her. I’d have to lie to her.”

“Are you two a couple?”

“Well, no, not really.”

“Nash, think about the town. The people, the shifters. We need to find out who’s in charge of all this. You have an in with the wolf pack and with Conrad Malcolm. You’re more flexible in all this, because you’re single. Any of us would have a problem because we’d be putting our mates at risk.”

Nash realized as Kyla spoke that she was right. Things were precarious at best with Cecile; much as he wanted her, he knew that it wouldn’t, couldn’t work, though the thought caused him an indescribable agony.

There was too much in the way. At least here he had a chance to make things right in Wolf Rock.

“All right,” he said. “Tell me what to do.”

Nash felt suddenly as though he was part of something larger than himself. After a life of solitude, of fending for himself and defending his territory and even his heart, he was working with others; no longer a leader or loner, but a collaborator. Something in it filled him with a sense of pride.

They all sat on various chairs and sofas while Zoe handed out drinks.

“You’ve met up with their thugs,” said Maddox. “And so naturally they’ll be wary of you. But if you tell them your parents are too stubborn to pay but that you want to get in on this money-making opportunity, it could work. At first they’ll probably test you. There’s no way they’ll let you know who’s the boss, for a while anyhow. But your job is to find out.”

“Okay, that’s all nice and simple,” said Nash. “But one small thing: how the hell do I find these bastards?”

“That’s where I come in,” said Kyla. “I told you some of my visions are fuzzy. But some aren’t. I’ve seen where these guys are. And the good news is it’s pretty damn easy to find them. They’re in a motel just outside of town.”

“So what do I do? Just go up and knock? Say, ‘Hiya, I threatened to kill you but let’s be friends now. And tell me all your secret shit while we’re at it.’”

Kyla laughed. “Something like that. Listen, you’re a shifter. You know how to behave. Submit. Do all the things that are totally counter to your nature. Make them feel like they have control and that you’ll do whatever you need to, because ultimately you’re looking out for your pride.”

Nash thought, at least, that he could accomplish this. It didn’t involve a lot of lying, which was a relief. And of course he genuinely wanted to protect his family and the entire town.

“There’s just one downside,” said Maddox. “You’re probably going to be asked to spy on the pack and others, including Cecile and her father. If this is something you’ll have a big problem with, tell us now. It won’t be easy for you.”

“I’m okay. I can do it. Listen, I saw that wolf attack a calf. I saw them set fire to my barn. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’d rip their heads off if someone let me.”

“Don’t go severing heads until we find out who the ringleader is,” said Maddox. “As soon as we do that, I’ll be right there with you. We can pull off some limbs, too.”

“I’m looking forward to that like you don’t even know,” said Nash. “I’ve got one question, though. Zoe, you’re a changer. If you can morph into other people, why aren’t you getting in on this?”

“I’m skilled,” she said, “But not that skilled. I can’t change sex. I suspect that they’re all men, and they’re not about to accept a woman in their midst.”

“Okay, that makes some sense at least. And this wolf? The one who attacked the calf. Do we have any idea who he is?”

“None,” said Kyla. “Like I said, I saw him in a vision, in wolf form. But not as a human. There was something off about him. I’ve been a wolf all my life—well, most of it—and this shifter wasn’t like the wolves I know. Keep an eye out for him. We need to find out what makes him tick.”

“I will.”

The rest of the evening was spent planning Nash’s infiltration. He would go the following day to the motel. The manager had already given Kyla the room number, and Nash had only to knock, which seemed almost like an intimidating prospect, even to the lion.

Guns weren’t allowed in Wolf Rock, and for the most part would be pointless anyhow against the speed and agility of shifters. So at the very least, Nash knew that he wouldn’t be shot. He could, however, be subjected to all sorts of other punishments if he were found out, and so it was vital that he keep quiet about his intentions. He was not even to tell his parents.

As he headed home that night he thought of Cecile. He would have to surrender any hope of being with her, as it would endanger her to remain close to him. But it wouldn’t be easy; if anything, her father’s attempts to separate them only made him want her more. This would do nothing to quell his passion. But it would offer him peace of mind to know that he was doing what he was meant to: protecting.

He was designed for the job.

Nash’s father was a large man, and especially in his younger days had been a formidable lion. In the years when Wolf Rock had largely been populated by humans, Richardson had terrified many of them when he’d spent time roaming the hills and valleys, stalking prey and protecting ranches. It was hard not to fear a beast whose head was three times the size of a human’s.

Now that shifters were the norm in town, the lions were regarded as noble, respected for their strength and their wisdom.

But it was the white tigers who’d recently come to town who caused the greatest stir, and Nash had trouble releasing the beautiful female from his mind.