The Mating Need (Werewolves of Montana Book 15) Read online

  Low and husky, his voice soothed her. She’d missed him so much in one day, it pained her to realize how much.

  What if they had to part for good?

  “It’s the sunset,” Aiden announced. “The setting sun got into our eyes and flashed those colors.”

  The alpha announced it as if it were law, and everyone resumed eating and drinking. But she saw him studying her as if she were a bug beneath a microscope.

  Aiden might have said that to reassure his pack, but she hadn’t fooled him. He was watching her. Not in the way a powerful alpha would watch an intruder, but more observant, as if trying to figure her out.

  Good luck. I haven’t done that yet, either.

  She noticed the woman who vacated the seat still lingered. The woman held out a hand. “Now I can formally greet you. Hi, I’m Zoe. So good to meet you! Troy told me all about you.”

  Jenny slid her palm into Zoe’s, shook it and withdrew it as if it burned.

  Zoe gave Troy a fond glance. “Troy’s my hero. He saved me back in Portland when I thought everything was lost. Convinced me to return home here. I’m so glad you both decided to visit. I can’t repay him enough.”

  Troy shrugged. “It was the right thing to do.”

  Jenny felt a glimmer of pride for her friend. “The right thing to do is not what many would choose.”

  Zoe’s expression dropped. “True. No one else offered.”

  Turning to Zoe, she nodded. “I’m glad Troy was there for you.”

  “Enjoy your dinner. I’ll join my parents.” Zoe headed for another table.

  Jenny kept her gaze on the female as she wended through the tables and noticed a handsome Native American watching Zoe’s every move. Longing shadowed the man’s face. He caught Jenny staring and then returned attention to his meal.

  Troy slid an arm around her shoulders, his hand massaging the tensed muscles in her upper arm. His scent filled her senses, and she breathed it in as she had in the past when the world threatened to turn upside down. This Lupine centered her.

  For now, she’d focus on his presence, and not entertain a single thought of the future.

  “How was your day, dear?” she asked Troy, aware of the sarcasm in her voice.

  He flashed a smooth grin. “Fantastic, now that you’re here, honey.”

  His butter smooth voice made her belly tighten and her heart flutter. She’d missed him, even though he’d only been gone a day.

  Someone slid a rare steak the size of a dinner plate before her, and next thing, her plate was piled with carrots and spinach and grilled zucchini. She began to eat, too hungry to be self-conscious anymore. Troy told her about the ranch, moving the cattle to the summer field and how they worked together as a team.

  Samantha finished feeding Hunter something green, peas maybe. The baby made a face and Jenny grinned.

  I don’t like peas either, kid.

  “Glad you joined us, Jenny. I wanted to thank you again for finding that evil in our backyard and destroying it,” Samantha told her.

  Forks stilled and silence draped the tables.

  “How did you know it was bad?” asked Ellison in a friendly tone. The cowboy wore a battered straw hat and seemed to be at ease with everyone. He was lean, lanky and tanned.

  Jenny wiped her mouth with the napkin, feeling the burn of dozens of curious gazes upon her. “I don’t know. I knew it was bad. I could sense it.”

  “Interesting. I’ve never heard of a Lupine with that ability.”

  Jenny shrugged. “Maybe you need to get out more.”

  Darius laughed, a carefree, boisterous sound that eased the sudden tension. “Tell him, Jenny. He’s seldom off this ranch. You need to take a day off, Ellison. Go into town and find a pretty woman.”

  Ellison grinned. “Someone has to work around her when everyone else is partying in town.”

  Talk turned to a local rodeo as Jenny finished her steak. Troy touched her arm. You okay? His gaze asked.

  She hated being the center of attention. Part of her longed to bolt for the woods, run free as wolf again. Jenny forced a nod.

  For Troy’s sake, she’d stay here, at least for the night. This was important to him, and he’d stuck by her side for months, never complaining, her shadow who made her feel safe and accepted.

  “Thanks for not running away,” he murmured.

  She gazed into his brown eyes, feeling herself falling again. For the longest time, she’d thought Troy was a roving wolf like herself. Never thought he’d settle for a pack. Her need for him and her biological need for a mate threatened to override her instinct to keep moving.

  Safety in moving around.

  No safety in staying in one place.

  “How do you know it’s safe here?” she whispered.

  “I don’t. Reckon it’s a gamble. But I won’t let anything happen to you, Jenny. Trust me on this.” He brushed back a lock of hair from her face, his touch gentle. “My gut says this is a good place. I need this, Jenny. I need pack, and I’m hoping you need this as well.”

  “Jenny, Jenny, at last,” a booming voice announced.

  Light flashed and she blinked. Smoke filled the air and when it cleared, a lovely blonde woman stepped forward. She looked like Nia.

  A man all in black, his black hair tipped with silver, floated on the table above them. Enormous power radiated from him. So much power she winced. He glowed with it.

  Everyone bowed their heads, except Troy, whose grip around her shoulders tightened. Jenny’s hand shot out for her steak knife. Palming it she remained seated, but alert.

  Aiden sighed. His mate, Nia released a delighted scream and practically bounded off the chair to engulf her lookalike. They walked away, talking fast, arms around each other.

  Twins, Jenny realized. Maybe the new arrival was this person’s mate.

  Jenny lifted her chin at the floating man. “Who the hell are you?”

  Gasps and dropped jaws at her words. The man chuckled. “I am Tristan, the Silver Wizard, guardian and judge of all Lupines.”

  Guardian? “Not mine,” she muttered, refusing to drop her gaze.

  Troy glared at the wizard, as if angry at him as well.

  Tristan smiled at Jenny. A big smile as if he knew something. He glanced down at the knife she clenched and his smile widened.

  “Interesting.”

  She tired of everyone calling her interesting.

  “Please put the knife down, Jenny. I intend you no harm,” the wizard said. “I came here to formally meet you.”

  Troy put a hand over hers, forced her to set down the knife.

  She narrowed her gaze. “Well, we’ve met. Buh bye.”

  He chuckled again as others gasped. Tristan floated over to the table’s edge like a genie on a carpet she’d read about. He stood and dusted off his trousers, then looked at Troy.

  “Troy Gilbert,” the wizard said. “I remember you.”

  “Yeah, can’t say it’s a pleasure. What do you want with Jenny?”

  The male beside her tensed as if readying for a fight. Whoa. Knowing this wizard had power and probably could flick a finger at her friend and turn him into ash, Jenny placed a hand over Troy’s.

  “Easy, big fellow. I’m okay.”

  “Yes, she is fine, Troy. I intend her no harm.”

  Jenny shot Troy a questioning look, but he glared at the wizard. Tristan picked up a salt shaker, absently spun it around in his palm. It twirled like a top, though he did nothing obvious to make it move.

  “Interesting how I can make this material object do whatever I please. I can move it with my mind… or…”

  The wizard sent the shaker sailing into the air and flicked a finger. The shaker exploded, but instead of showering salt and glass over the diners, it simply vanished.

  Just like what she had done with the diseased crystal. Jenny’s stomach tightened.

  “Have you ever seen such a display of power?” Tristan directed the question not at Jenny, but Samantha.

&nb
sp; The Lupine shrugged. “Maybe. I dunno, Tristan. You’re such a showoff. Why don’t you make a dirty diaper disappear? Now that would impress me.”

  Now it was Jenny’s turn to gasp. How could Samantha act on such familiar terms with the wizard? Troy seemed to loathe him and others fear him, but Samantha did not. Nor did Darius, who nodded.

  “Changing diapers on our son takes real talent. Try that,” the beta drawled.

  “Or get us more salt.” Aiden stood and went to the wizard. “Instead of these parlor tricks.”

  The alpha jerked his head toward the woods and the wizard joined Aiden. As the pair walked off, she allowed herself a sigh of pure relief.

  Troy finally relaxed. He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. “Stick close to me. I don’t trust that one.”

  Me either. But she sensed the wizard did not bear her ill will. Unlike Troy’s hostility toward Tristan.

  “You,” she stabbed his chest. “Me. Need to talk.”

  Troy’s gaze narrowed as he stared after the wizard. “We will. Eventually. For now, know this. There is no way in hell I’m letting you stay alone tonight. Not with that son of a bitch lurking around here.”

  Her heart pounded. Mild-mannered Troy bordered now on shifting into a feral wolf, his mouth drawing back to display fangs. He drew away from her and raked nails over the pretty flowered tablecloth, gouging the wood beneath. Not nails. Claws.

  Darius sighed. “We just had this table fixed, Troy. Can’t you go scratch up a tree? Plenty of them around.”

  With a low snarl, her friend managed to get himself under control, retracting his claws. His fangs vanished. But he still remained tense.

  Jenny stood, nodding at everyone. “Nice to meet all of you. I think we’ll take a walk now. Thanks for dinner.”

  She grabbed Troy’s bicep, feeling tensile muscle beneath her fingers, and urged him up. He pushed away from the table and grabbed her hand, as if fearing to let go.

  What the hell happened between him and this Tristan? She almost hated to know.

  For the first time since meeting him, Jenny feared for her friend.

  Every time Tristan showed up around the ranch, Aiden knew he’d have a challenge. Not long ago the challenge was much harder – when a rogue Lupine stole one of Tristan’s twins. That was not a good day.

  But life at the ranch had settled down after he’d kicked ass and made every single Lupine swear a new oath of loyalty. Or at least he thought it did.

  Aiden waited until they reached the forest’s edge. A pathway led to several tents set up on platforms overlooking the river. Out of earshot, he folded his arms. Jenny and Troy were leaving, taking a different pathway back to the ranch.

  “Why are you here, Tristan? This isn’t a family visit.”

  “No, though Niki adores her twin and always craves time with her. I did want to meet Jenny.”

  “Why?”

  “I need to know what you think of Jenny. The truth Aiden. It is important.”

  “Why is it important?”

  “Tell me,” Tristan insisted.

  Aiden rubbed his beard, frustrated. That was the tough part about having a powerful wizard as your brother-in-law. Tristan did not confide in him, remained as cryptic and mysterious as he had always been, but now had greater expectations because they were related by marriage.

  “I like her. There’s something tough but vulnerable about her. I don’t know enough about her, but my gut says she wouldn’t harm the pack. She does seem…”

  He groped for the right word. “Lost.”

  “Convince her to remain here with your people.”

  “Why?”

  Tristan shook his head. “I cannot tell you. Only this – Jenny must remain here.”

  “Again with the damn fortune telling. Can’t you see into the future and tell me why?”

  Tristan waved a hand and summoned a small round globe. “I am the Lupine Magic 8 ball. The answer is no.”

  He waved another hand and the ball vanished.

  “Fine.” He eyed their mates, talking madly as they strolled by the river. “Niki will tell Nia and Nia will tell me.”

  “Niki does not know.”

  “You’re not telling her? She’s your mate!”

  “Do you share everything with your mate?”

  Got him good. Aiden grinned. “Everything? Hello no.”

  Tristan laughed. “There you have it. Know this, Aiden. Your ranch is the safest place for Jenny. Do whatever you must to coax her into staying here on your land.”

  The wizard gazed into the distance, as if divining the future he’d refused to share. “You must, for all our sakes.”

  Chapter 7

  After a long walk in the woods, Jenny and Troy returned to the main lodge. Hand on the small of her back, he ushered her inside.

  Jenny stopped at the stairs. “You sure I’m welcome here?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t know Troy… you seem to fit in, but me, I’m different.”

  As she started to protest, he kissed her. His kiss was a mere butterfly brush of wings against her mouth. So soft and beguiling, he wanted more. Needed more. Yet he needed to show her she set the pace.

  All these months they’d been together, he patiently waited for her to take the first step. Let him know when she was ready.

  As they deepened the kiss, he suddenly drew back, knowing he stood on the edge of a cliff and they could both fall easily. Not now. Not here.

  Troy framed her face with his hands, kissing her gently again. “This is a mere demonstration of what I plan to do with you, sweetheart.”

  Jenny licked her kiss-swollen mouth. “I’d settle for a little demonstration more, please.”

  “Not much privacy for how I really want to kiss you.”

  They went into the living room. Snake sat in an armchair by the fire. He glanced up from the book he read.

  Troy made introductions, wondering if Snake would be as hostile to Jenny as the Lupine had been to him. Instead, Snake politely shook Jenny’s hand and gave her a warm smile.

  “Hope you like it here, Jenny.”

  “I’m not staying long.” She retreated and folded her arms across her chest.

  “Maybe we can change that.”

  Troy didn’t care for the words, but Snake showed no signs of flirting with her or sheer male interest. Still…

  “I need a place where Jenny can sleep tonight. Not the bunkhouse,” he shot out.

  Snake tossed him a key. “Aiden asked me to give you this and take you to a guest cabin. Thought you both would want alone time.”

  The flush tinting Jenny’s cheeks made her even more striking, but he didn’t like embarrassing her.

  “I’ll get her settled there and return to the bunkhouse.” Troy’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of privacy with Jenny, but he would not rush her.

  “Up to you.” Snake dog eared his book and set it on the table next to the sofa.

  “Oh, that’s bad luck where I come from. If you don’t use a bookmark, it means during the next full moon, you’ll be hunted by a librarian.”

  Troy grinned at Jenny’s joke, expecting Snake to frown. Again, the male surprised him with a large smile.

  “Maybe I like librarians.”

  “For dating or dinner?” Jenny quipped.

  Snake laughed. “Maybe both. Come on. Let’s get you settled. There’s two golf carts outside. You can take one, follow me and leave the cart for your transport at your cabin.”

  He made no remark s about Jenny’s lack of bags and for that Troy was glad. He glanced sideways at the book. Troy stifled a surprised gasp.

  Evil Walks Among Us. By none other than Professor Eric Niles Perry.

  The same teacher Aiden and Darius had talked about this morning when they headed out to herd the cattle to a larger pasture. Perry was a rogue, a Skin who was interested in killing wolves and had cultivated a small, but loyal group of student followers.

  Or not.

  Even Aid
en admitted he didn’t know if the professor was victim to a rumor mill to smear his reputation. The alpha needed more information before arriving at a decision.

  He hinted at meeting Perry himself to analyze what his motives were.

  “Interesting book title.” He pointed to the hardcover.

  Snake’s expression remained blank. “Yeah. He’s got some ideas I thought worth exploring.”

  “Which ones?”

  Snake shrugged. “Stuff about people with extraordinary powers.”

  The other cowboy gave him a level look that sent a warning chill down Troy’s spine.

  His flash of gratitude for Snake vanished, replaced by rising suspicion. Troy kept a tight grip on Jenny’s arm as they went outside.

  Jenny gave him a questioning look, which Troy ignored. His heart thudded against his chest.

  He didn’t like or trust Snake, and now had better reasons, other than pure instinct. What if Snake discovered what Jenny truly was?

  Was he reading the book for entertainment or something else?

  The cabin at the forest’s edge looked modern, and was set far enough away from the other cabins to give them privacy. Troy thanked Snake and ushered Jenny inside, on guard as he watched the cowboy drive away in the other golf cart.

  “I don’t like that guy.” He turned to see Jenny standing in the middle of the living room. “Stay away from him.”

  “He’s odd, but doesn’t intend any harm. Not like the weird vibe I get from some.”

  “How can you tell? That aura thing?”

  Her ability to read auras to detect a person’s motives had stunned him from the moment he discovered her talent. Like her other ability he’d seen, he kept the knowledge quiet from others.

  Jenny was different and different equaled bad in most packs. As in eliminating the different to protect the pack. She’d already drawn enough attention to herself by destroying the evil gem at Darius and Sam’s cabin.

  They explored the cabin. The sofa had a pull-out bed and there was a full bathroom downstairs. The bedroom upstairs was large, with a king-sized bed and a sizeable bathroom. Troy checked and made sure all the windows and entries were locked, especially the sliding glass doors leading to the deck outside the dining area.