Wolfe's Mate (9 page)

“I’m here,
ma petit
. Come. The couch is small. You can lie on me.” He pulled her on top of him.

Once she was settled, her head tucked into
his neck, her legs between his, he petted her hair and rubbed her back. His warm hands traveled over her.

“
I loved my brother. He raised me, cured me of cancer. I owe him so much. I will miss him terribly.”

“I know,
bébé
. Brenda explained that Norris was forced to change the four of them. Doctors for a Better Humanity threatened you and those around you. Your brother was very brave. He protected you ‘til the end. I owe him, as well, for keeping you safe.”

“Norris
always told me what to do, which made me angry. Then, he would forget me when he worked in his lab. He was brilliant, but absentminded at times. The last couple of years, I took care of him, fixing his meals, and keeping the house. I feel guilty for being resentful when he did so much for me.”

“Children resent their parents. Norris
became a parental figure to you. You were growing up, changing. It was normal to feel the way you did. Don’t feel guilty. You did nothing wrong.”

“You al
ways know what to say to make things better.” Esme kissed Jared’s neck. He ran his hand down her hair and gave her a squeeze.

“I wouldn’t be a very good mate if I couldn’t. I love you, Esme.”

“I love you too, Jared. Try to get some more sleep. The police will be knocking on the door soon.” She could feel Jared’s exhaustion through the mating bond.

“We will handle it when they do.”

“I know,” Esme said. Jared would take care of everything.

§

“Jared, wake up. Jared.”

Jared opened one eye and squinted up at Granger who s
tood next to the couch. Esme lay sprawled on top of Jared, her hair lying across his face and arms, her heavy breathing showing she was fast asleep.

“Esme needs to get the girls to shift before the cops come in here.
The cops are with Pierre right now, along with the English Alpha, Grigori Solovyov. He must have some pull with the government or something,” Granger said as he paced back and forth beside the couch. Every time he stopped near the bedroom door, he looked longingly in that direction. His nostrils flared, trying to catch his mate’s scent.

Jared’s arms tightened around Esme. He didn’t want to wake her. He didn’t want her to face the loss of her brother again
this morning. Sighing, he kissed her hair and began to rub her back. The police had to be prevented from finding two wolves in the room. In Quebec, Esme would be the Alpha female. She needed to step up and take responsibility for that position.

Jared hated to force her
, but there was no time to find another way. “Esme,
mon coeur
, you must wake up. Esme?”

She moaned and snugg
led closer. Jared couldn’t help but smile. “Esme, you must wake up. We need to help the girls shift before the police come to interview them. As an Alpha female, you must help them find their human form.”

Esme’s eyes fluttered open
. She looked worn, her eyes sad. Jared felt his heart clench. He hated what she was going through. Trying to help, he sent reassurance and love through the mating bond. She’d been brave, determined. If only he and Granger had been able to save Norris.

“You must stop blaming yourself, Jared. What happened to Norris wasn’t your fault. You came with me, you supported my decision, and you even drove. You did everything you could. I don’t blame you.”
Her words whispered in his head like a soft caress.

His heart warmed
, and his lips captured hers in a kiss. He needed to show her how he felt, how much he admired her. He filled his hands with her hair and tilted her head to the side to better access her mouth.

“Uh, guys, the police? We really don’t have time for this.”

Esme chuckled and broke the kiss. “Ah, Granger, you’re no fun. You better change your attitude if you want to seduce your mate. Brenda is going to be hard to impress.”

“Don’t remind me,” Granger groaned. “
Right now, we need her to shift. I can try to help her, but you are the Alpha. You can command her.”

“Al
l right, let’s get it done. I’m curious to see what my new sisters look like,” Esme said, climbing off Jared and running her hands through her hair. “I hope some of my clothes will fit them, or they’ll be meeting the police naked.”

“If
they can’t wear your clothes, then Granger and I can lend them some of ours. We might have to send out for new clothes after the interviews are done and the police are gone.”

“That will work. I guess I’ll need to pick up
a suit for Norris to wear at the funeral.”

“Uh, i
t’s traditional for lycans to cremate their bodies. Is that what you would like done?” Jared couldn’t add the phrase “to Norris.” He didn’t want to make the death harder for Esme.

“I’ll
need to visit with our lawyer in Paris,” Esme said. “He’ll know if any plans are in place for burial. Can it wait until then?”

“You could call him.” Granger suggested. “Then
, we’ll know how to proceed. Hopefully, Grigori will convince the police to release the body to us.”

“He can be ver
y convincing.” Esme headed to the bedroom door.

She seemed
to have great confidence in the English Alpha. Jared hoped the man could deliver. He didn’t want Esme disappointed.

Jared followed Esme and Granger into the bedroom. Both female wolves were awake, their ears up and their eyes bright. “Good morning,” Jared greeted them. “We need to get you ladies to shift
to your human form. The police will be here soon and will want to interview you. Please leave the turning-into-wolves part out of your report. We don’t want to reveal that secret.”

Esme climbed on the bed between the two wolves and hugged them
. “When I shifted back to my human form the first time, it was quite by accident. I thought of how nice it would be to take a bath and wash my hair. I pictured that in great detail, and, voilá, I shifted. I’m going to help you. I shouldn’t need a drop of your blood because my stem cells are now a part of you. I’m sure that’s why I hear your thoughts so easily, and you feel like sisters to me. So, first, let’s connect telepathically. Then, you can build the picture in your head of how you look in your human form. When you’re ready, I’ll add power to the command. Jared and Granger will help, and the shift should come easily. Don’t do what I did and fight it. If you do, you will only hurt yourselves. All right, let’s begin.”

Jared reached for Esme’s mind through the mating bond. He felt her connect first to Brenda
, then to Susan. Brenda reached for Granger and brought him into the link.

“Now picture yoursel
ves in your human form,”
Esme sent.

Both women began
building pictures in their minds. Brenda was tall and lithe with light brown hair and silver gray eyes. Susan was shorter, similar in stature to Esme, except not as curvy. Her hair was blond, and her eyes were green.

Each woman
completed the picture of herself in her mind. Granger fed his power to Brenda, while Jared fed his to Esme, who sent it on to both Susan and Brenda. When Esme, Jared and Granger could see the women clearly, Esme commanded, “Shift.”

White lights began to form and swirl around the wolves. Jared fed Esme more of his strength, and Granger did the same.
Suddenly, the wolves were gone, and two women lay on the bed with Esme’s arms draped around them. Esme laughed. “Well done. Now, if you boys will excuse us, I’ll see what we can do about clothes.”

Jared headed for the door. He stopped next to his best friend
, who stared in awe at the woman connected to him by the mating bond. “Granger, your mouth is hanging open,” Jared whispered.

Granger closed his mouth with a snap
, while Jared grabbed his arm and dragged him out the door. “We’ll be right outside if you need anything,” Jared called to Esme before closing the door firmly.

“She’s beautiful
…” Granger whispered in awe.

“Yes, Esme is lovely, isn’t she?” Jared couldn’t help
teasing his friend. He remembered that when he first saw Esme in person, she blew him out of the water.

“I meant, Brenda.”

“Oh, Brenda, well, yes, she is nice looking if you like your women tall and skinny. I wonder if she runs or swims to maintain that body type.”

“She’s perfect. I can’t stop thinking about her. I want to touch her skin and see if it is as soft as it looks
. I want to lick her from head to toe and see if she tastes as sweet …”

“Yes, yes. That’s the mating bond talking. It
ensures that you want the one chosen for you.”

Suddenly
, Jared and Granger heard a loud banging on the door. “The touching and licking will have to wait. That’s probably the police. Let them in.”

“What’s going on here? How the hell did your brother turn us into wolves?” Brenda paced back and forth at the end of the bed.

Esme grimaced and
stopped searching in her suitcase for clothes. She looked from Brenda to Susan. How was she going to explain this? Susan sat on the bed, her arms around her knees. Esme remembered the terror she’d felt when she first shifted.

“It’s a long story
. Let me first tell you that your cancer is now cured. You are stronger than most human males, and you can hear and smell better, as well.”

“
He turned us into animals to cure us?” Susan asked, her voice trembling.

“No, he turned you into lycan
s. Lycans are shape-shifters. They are related to the wolf, but they are also human.” Esme pulled a T-shirt out of her suitcase and tossed it to Susan.

“Werewolves? Your brother turned us into werewolves? This is outrageous
.” Brenda glared at Esme, then glared at the door. “You can turn us back, right? This is only temporary? I’m not going to want to get all hairy every full moon, am I?”

“You aren’t monsters
, and the moon doesn’t control your shifting. You do.” Esme returned to her search. She found a pair of jeans for Susan to try on. “The change is permanent. You are now lycans, and your lives have changed forever. Brenda, you said Norris told you he was forced to change you. You were desperate to try anything to cure your cancer and continue living. Well, he gave you that chance.”

“I didn’t know the cure
would be a curse. How am I supposed to go on living if I’m going to shift into a wolf?” Brenda caught the shorts and T-shirt Esme tossed to her.

“That’s what having a pack is all about. A pack is like a large extended family. We help each other survive without being exposed to human prejudice. Being a wolf is fun. I
’ve never felt more alive than when I’m in my wolf form. Now, hurry up and get dressed. Jared and Granger can’t hold the police off much longer.”

Susan
fastened the jeans. They were a little tight, but they would work. Brenda pulled on the shorts. They were too large in the waist. Esme grabbed a belt and handed it to her. Both women would have to go braless. Brenda probably didn’t need a bra.

Esme ran a brush through her hair and sighed. Time to talk to the police.

§

The door opened
, and everyone in the room fell silent. Offering encouragement, Jared smiled at Esme and the girls as they walked into the sitting room. Grigori and the officers rose from the couch.

Esme gasped and ran into Grigori’s
arms. “They killed Norris,” she said, her voice breaking.

Jared jumped up. He didn’t want this man holding his mate. Granger grabbed
Jared’s arm to keep him from ripping her out of Grigori’s arms.
“She knows him. He’s like a big brother to her. Let her find comfort where she will.”

U
nable to prevent himself from drawing near his mate, Jared gritted his teeth. Grigori looked at Jared and nodded. Jared relaxed. The English Alpha realized how hard it was for Jared to let another man hold his mate.

From the first moment Jared saw
and was introduced to Grigori Solovyov, he understood why Grigori was Alpha. Grigori exuded a quiet confidence and power that magnified his tall frame and muscular physique. When his piercing green eyes caught Jared’s, Jared felt his character being scrutinized and hoped he lived up to Grigori’s expectations. It was no wonder the man was held in high esteem.

“Esme, your mate is fretting
. Let him hold you and comfort you,” Grigori whispered into Esme’s ear.

With his enhanced senses, Jared heard him clearly. Esme sniffled and nodded. She turned into Jared’s embrace
. He drew her close into his arms, away from the other male. She rubbed her face against his shirt. “Sorry …,” she whispered.

“
Non, ma petit louve
. The fault is mine. I’m a possessive male,” Jared whispered, as he steered her to a chair and sat down with her on his lap.

“We are very sorr
y for your loss, Miss Fortescue,” one of the officers said. “Now, if we may begin, I would like to question each woman separately. Miss Scott, shall we go into the other room?”

Brenda looked first at Granger
, then at the couple sitting in the chair. She nodded, a tremor running through her, and followed the officers into the bedroom. Jared was sure Granger would link with her to help her through the questioning. When the time came, Esme would need to aid Susan.

“Ma petit l
ouve, Susan will soon need your help
, Jared sent
.

Speaking softly,
Grigori introduced himself to Susan, while Granger went to the kitchenette to get her a bottle of juice, his eyes straying to the bedroom door. Susan smiled and nodded and walked to the chair where Jared held Esme. She patted Esme on the shoulder and sat cross-legged on the floor. Esme lowered her hand, and the two women held each other.

Jared was amazed at the connection
s among the women. They knew little about each other, but the genetic link told their wolves they were family. They reached out to each other as if they’d been doing it all their lives. When Jared would finally take Esme home to his pack, he would be bringing two new females along with her. Of course, it would help that Brenda was Granger’s mate. Would Susan find someone in the pack as well? There were several single males he could introduce her to. First, he needed to get the women back to Quebec.

“Jared, I can’t get over how much you look like your cousin, Dmitry,” Grigori said
, sitting down on the couch. “Anton warned me, of course. Still, it’s amazing to see. You could be brothers. I remember your father, Jasha, before he left Siberia. He always took time to play with the young ones. I missed him when he left.”

“My father never to
ld me he had family in Siberia,” Jared said. “He was completely devoted to my mother and our community in Quebec. Being leader kept him very busy. Then, he raised and trained me to take his place. I miss him. I hope I can live up to his example.”

“The Volkov name is an old and honored bloodline
,” Grigori said. I’m sure you’ll do fine. Anton said your father took the name ‘Wolfe.’”

“Yes. I don’t know
why. That name change is another impediment to learning about my cousins.”

“Or your uncle, Vikenti. He
’s your father’s older brother. I know he hoped to get in contact with Jasha in the future. You might like to visit Siberia. There are many who would welcome you there.”

“I need to get back to Quebec
. And with the awful things happening in Russia, I doubt a visit is in my future.”

“It’s true that things are unsettled. I worry
about our brethren there.” Grigori lapsed into silence.

Esme sat
with her head on Jared’s chest, her eyes closed. Susan leaned against the side of the chair and Jared’s leg. Her eyes were also closed. Granger stood in the kitchenette, staring at the door to the bedroom. A bottle of juice sat forgotten on the counter. Jared was sure Esme, Susan and Granger were linked with Brenda.

Once this crisis was over,
Jared wondered, would Esme agree to go to Quebec with him? He felt the call of his wolf, a need to be home surrounded by his pack. He wanted to run over the land his pack claimed and he claimed as Alpha, and he wanted Esme by his side.

§

Esme listened to Brenda’s thoughts as she spoke to the police officer. Brenda’s mind was filled with conflict and confusion. She wanted to tell the police officer the truth—how the organization, Doctors for a Better Humanity, experimented on humans and turned them into animals. Although she recognized the risk that lycans would become a government science project. At least, the doctors group would be investigated for killing Norris Fortescue. For now, that was a start.

Esme agreed with
some of Brenda’s reasoning. Although Esme didn’t want to implicate her brother in a crime, it would be hard to let that group get away with experimenting on humans. Plus, the general population wasn’t ready to know about shape-shifters and witches and whatever else stayed hidden.

Brenda’s story about being asked by the
fanatical doctors to take part in an experimental program was very compelling. She described how Norris warned the patients that they were being experimented on, how he tried to help them escape and was shot as they raced away in Pierre’s car.

Through her telepathic connection with Esme,
Brenda felt connected to Norris. She tried to shield him, while they ran down the alley. When he was killed, Brenda mourned the brave man, who tried to save them. She felt as if she’d lost a family member, which both confused and upset her.

As Esme
relived those moments, she began to cry. Jared quickly gathered her close and sent reassurance through the mating bond in an effort to protect her from the painful memories.

Jared placed barriers in Esme’s mind to stop Brenda’s grief from feeding
Esme’s. Esme rubbed her face against Jared’s chest, trying to tell him without words how much she appreciated his help. He always stepped in to make things easier for her.

The door opened
, and Brenda came out of the room. Granger approached her and put an arm around her waist and drew her into the kitchen. The officer leaned from the doorway. “Miss Adams? Would you join me?”

As Susan rose from the floor,
Esme squeezed her hand. Susan trembled and made her way to the door. Esme steeled herself to relive Susan’s memories of the previous night through their telepathic bond. Jared nestled Esme in his arms and kissed her temple. She wasn’t alone. Jared was with her, in her mind and in her heart.

§

Esme hung up the phone in the hotel room. “Monsieur Boulanger said a burial plot is waiting next to my parents’ at the family mausoleum in Paris. They bought it when they purchased theirs, probably for me …” Esme lowered her eyes and kicked the carpet.

“
Your parents didn’t know Norris would cure you,
ma petit louve
,” Jared said. “Don’t feel bad. They never wished you dead.” He massaged Esme’s arm in an attempt to comfort her.

The police finally left. Pierre and the
two male, newly created lycans came into the room where Esme and the rest of the lycans were. Grigori decided to wait in the room, as well, to help make things easier for Esme.

“I know that
,” Esme said. “It feels wrong that my parents would buy a plot for me, and Norris would be the one using it, while I live on.”

“It
’s common to have survivor’s guilt when something like this happens,” Grigori offered from the couch.

“I suppose so,” Esme answered.
“Pierre, how did you know where my brother was in Aberdeen?”

All eyes in the room turned to the man sitting in the chair. “I didn’t. I mean, I wa
sn’t sure he would be there. Last week, Norris asked me to mail two packages for him to the same address in Aberdeen. I thought I would give it a try.”

“You didn’t think to mention this earlier?” Jared
said. He really didn’t like this guy.

“With the accident and everything, I forgot. It wasn’t until I
sat in that tiny car with the twins that the idea came to me. I thought if I could find Norris for Esme, she would forgive my indiscretion.”

“I do forgive you, Pierre
…” Esme began.

“Now wait a minute,” Jared said
, frustration bubbling up. “He stole our car. He kissed you when you were unwilling and already mated.”

“I know that, Jared.” Esme patted him on the chest. Jared captured her hand and held it to his heart. “I still appreciate that Pierre tried to save my brother and did save Brenda, Susan,
and the two men who are now related to Pierre. Besides, Pierre knows not to try anything with me again.”

He better not
…
Jared looked at Granger and saw him nod. Pierre would be watched any time he was near Esme.

“Perhaps, Pierre and his new brothers can drive one of the vehicles to Paris,” Grigori suggested, his voice calm. “Esme, you and your party can fly, taking your brother’s body with you. I
’ll be happy to make arrangements. You can be back in Paris late this evening.”

“I think that would be best,
mon coeur
,” Jared agreed. The quicker things were taken care of in Paris, the faster he could get home to his pack in Quebec.

“Paris? I’ve always wanted to see Paris,” Susan said from the floor
, where she sat cross-legged again.

Jared looked to
ward Esme for her answer. He hoped she would agree, but he wouldn’t force her.

“I guess it’s settled then
,” Esme said. “Thank you, Grigori, for all your help and support. You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”