To Tempt the Wolf

Chapter 16

WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE PRISON'S VISITING ROOM, Tessa introduced Hunter to her brother. She tried to keep the tears at bay, but Michael's eyes were as misty as hers, which didn't help. And he looked thinner than before, the orange jailhouse jumpsuit clashing with his red hair.

He scowled at Hunter. "Why the hell is he wearing my jacket?"

"He was in an accident, but needed a change of clothes. I'll explain later." Tessa pulled out Rourke's phone.

"What news do you have?" Michael took a seat at the table, opposite them, his voice threaded with hope and despair, although he glowered at Hunter again.

"Hunter is looking into the killing. We've got some pictures to show you." She handed Michael Rourke's phone. "Do you recognize any of these guys?"

Michael considered the photos of the three grays. He pointed to Butch, who had been at his trial, and at the one called Redmond. "They came to our house to check out the circuit breakers." He looked up at Tessa. "They knew what they were doing. They replaced the bad switch and charged us a hefty bill like electricians always do, and left." He rubbed his chin and stared at the table. "Although, they were interested in your photographs." He looked up at Tessa, his expression annoyed. "Not my paintings though. The one asked if you had ever taken a picture of a wolf in the wild."

Her heart hitched. "What did you say?"

"At the wildlife refuge, but never in the wild. You would have told me if you had."

Like she didn't. But as usual he had been too busy painting to pay any attention to her artistic endeavors.

"Did these guys have anything to do with Bethany's murder?" Michael asked.

"This one was at your trial when the verdict was read," Tessa said. "This guy called him Butch. The other you named was Redmond. And the one you don't recognize was Jessup. Butch came to the house with the two other men, and I asked him why he was at your trial. He denied having been there. His hair was long, but I know it was him. Why deny it? Why be there in the first place?"

"I wondered why he looked different. Why were they at the house?"

Hunter tensed and she figured he was worried she might say the wrong thing.

"One of them is interested in Hunter's sister. So he tracked her to my place and that's when I met all three of them." She took a deep breath. "I didn't want to tell you this, but you have to know in case anything can shed light on who the real murderer is. A man by the name of Yoloff has been stalking me. Hunter had a run-in with one of his two brothers and in self-defense, Hunter killed him."

Michael's gaze turned to Hunter, and he swore softly under his breath.

"I'm an ex-Navy SEAL," Hunter said, "trained to do work like this. The guy didn't have a chance even though he was armed with a knife. But his brothers went after Tessa, and I didn't have a choice."

Michael's eyes grew big. "Thanks for taking care of my little sister."

She grunted. He was her younger brother, but because he was several inches taller than she was, he called her little.

"My pleasure." Hunter took hold of her hand and squeezed. "We're married. I'll always protect her."

Michael shifted his attention to Tessa.

"Uhm, yeah, whirlwind romance." She hadn't thought Hunter would bring that up right now. Besides, they weren't really married as in the marriage license, wedding ring, or marriage vows kind of arrangement. Her cheeks heated and she tried to muddle through. "I found him washed up on the beach after the guy who was stalking me pushed him off a cliff and--"

"Whoa, back up to the guy that was stalking you. I worried someone was, but have you learned who it is?"

She noted her brother's concern for her, but not about Hunter's near-death experience. Michael was probably still pissed off because Hunter was wearing his favorite jacket.

"He broke into our house the day you were taken to prison. Hunter protected me from him. Anyway, Hunter thought maybe this guy wanted you out of the way, and so he murdered Bethany so you would be found guilty of the crime."

Michael pointed to the third man in the photos. "This other guy looks familiar also."

"Jessup's the one who's after Hunter's sister. Where do you remember him from?"

"The driver of the electric truck." Michael frowned and then looked up at Tessa. "I saw him at a number of my art exhibits. Of course, you begin to see the same people at the parties. Avid collectors, people who like mingling with others who enjoy the paintings, philanthropists, novice painters who want to learn how to sell their own works. I remember him because he kept watching Bethany. Do you think he was seeing her behind my back?"

Tessa gritted her teeth. She hadn't wanted to tell her brother Ashton was the traitor. But if any detail could help them solve the case, he had to know.

"Ashton..." Her voice broke. "Ashton's the one who was seeing Bethany when you were at your shows."

Michael's jaw clenched. "I know."

She stared at him. "You knew? Why didn't you say so at the trial?"

"Why? The sheriff would have covered for his son. Ashton would have gotten away with it, as usual, and it would have looked like I was lying."

"But what if Ashton killed Bethany?"

Michael rubbed his forehead, then shoved his hands in his lap. "I sure as hell considered it. What if she'd wanted to come back to me? Make it up to me? We'd fought that night. She said she'd done some things she wasn't proud of, although she wouldn't admit she was seeing someone else. I tried to get her to confess, but she wouldn't. She just kept protecting the bastard."

"Then you could have been angry enough to kill her," Hunter said softly.

"I was angry, but I didn't murder her. I could have thrashed the guy who'd been seeing her. But I wouldn't have hurt Bethany. I understood how she felt. I really loved her, but I didn't know how to remedy our relationship because the more popular my work was becoming, the more despondent she became over it. To sell, I have to promote. To keep my relationship alive with her, I'd have had to give it all up. But it was my livelihood, my worth." He shook his head. "I didn't kill her. She always walked along the cliffs when she was angry or frustrated. Supposedly, she went there after I left."

"Do you think Ashton might have done it?" Tessa asked.

"Why not? He was always getting away with his petty crimes. What if she had told him she wanted to go back to me and he was so angry, he killed her? He didn't say anything to me about it, but I knew he was jealous of my success."

"If you knew she was seeing Ashton, did you know if she was seeing anyone else?" Hunter asked.

Michael's eyes clouded with fresh tears and his shoulders slumped.

Ohmigod. Had Bethany been seeing someone else? A bunch of different guys?

Running his hand through his hair, Michael stared at the table and nodded. "Ashton wasn't the only one. At least one other guy was seeing her. Maybe two."

"How do you know?" Hunter asked.

"Hell, I don't know. I mean, I don't have any real proof."

"Is that why you said the place was haunted?" Hunter asked.

She couldn't understand why her brother had come up with such a ludicrous story.

"Yeah," Michael admitted. "I felt like a couple of people were watching her house. I thought I saw a man in the shadows of the trees one day at dusk. I wanted to check, but Bethany insisted I was seeing things. Later, I wondered if the guy was her lover, and she didn't want me catching him. It happened again a couple of weeks later. And then another time, I swear someone was actually in the house. A drawer opened in the kitchen. I was half-dressed, but even so I charged into the room and the back door was standing wide open. Bethany said we probably hadn't shut it all the way. So what could I say? Ghosts infested the place? I didn't want to make love to her there anymore. Let her stay with her damned ghosts."

"Did the guy or guys come to your house while she visited you?" Hunter asked.

"Not that I knew of. Why bother? They could see her anytime they wanted to at her place when she wasn't working her shifts at the Lobster Tail."

"If some other guy wanted Bethany and didn't like it that Michael was seeing her, why wouldn't he kill Ashton for seeing her also? Why only frame Michael for the crime?" Tessa asked.

No one had an answer.

"Okay, what about my stalker? He and his brothers pushed Hunter off the same cliff that Bethany had fallen from. Too much of a coincidence?"

Michael looked back at Hunter. "How in the hell did you survive?"

Finally, some reaction to poor Hunter's ordeal.

"Navy SEAL training."

"Oh."

Tessa cast Hunter a look of admiration, then focused on her brother. "Can you think of anything else? Anything that would help us figure out who did this?"

Michael snorted. "Yeah, the treasure hunters."

Tessa made a disagreeable face at her brother. Here he was incarcerated, they were trying to get him out, and he was being flippant about ghosts and nonexistent gold.

Hunter leaned back in the chair. "Treasure hunters?"

Tessa folded her arms. "You know how oral history goes. Supposedly, our great-grandparents had a huge stash of gold, and they hid it somewhere on our land. But it's just a myth, or if it really existed at some time someone else stole it. Our grandparents searched for it, so did our parents. And truth be told, even when Michael and I were younger, we dug all over the place out there, but none of us ever found it. Over the years, we've had tons of offers to take the house off our hands. I figured it had to do with the rumors about the gold."

"Yeah, and you think it was a coincidence our grandparents died in a car accident only a year after our parents did?" Michael asked, one red brow cocked.

"Dad was drunk as usual. And Granddad shouldn't have been driving, although we know Grandmother hated to drive so she was always giving him the wheel. The coroner said his heart had given out before they went off the cliff. So yeah, it's a coincidence, but totally explainable."

"The men who came to the house said they were looking to steal from Bethany's place. If they thought gold was hidden somewhere on your land, maybe that's the reason they were there," Hunter said.

Tessa couldn't believe he'd even be considering it, but then she wondered if he knew about the gold rumors all along. "Did Uncle Basil think there was gold on our property?"

Hunter's lips parted.

Hell, he had. So was that why Hunter had turned her?

To get her property? "He kept trying to buy me out." She bit back the bitterness, making it difficult to swallow. Hunter reached for her hand, but she pulled away from him. "Is that why he wanted our property so badly?"

"Leidolf found a couple of newspaper clippings on the guy I killed, pertaining to a dispute Caleb McKnight had with your grandfather over stolen gold. The other was about John Anderson and his killing Caleb McKnight, father of triplets, Yoloff, Ren, and Andreas. So what if they had to do with your family's deaths?"

"I'll kill them," Michael said, his face turning as red as his hair.

The blood rushed from Tessa's face, and she reached across the table and took Michael's hand. "Don't even talk like that."

"I always thought Uncle Basil had some ulterior motive," Michael said. "You sure get to know who your friends are. And here he was insisting we didn't need to stay there because young people our age needed to be closer to the city, especially because of the work we do. Couldn't he see that nature is what inspires our work? Not city buildings and urban sprawl? Not people? But--"

"Wolves?" Hunter asked.

Michael looked from him to Tessa and she quickly said to her brother, "I didn't show him the paintings."

He glowered at Hunter. "Don't you know not to look at an artist's work that's not finished?" He ran his hands through his hair and stared gloomily at the table.

"I just came across them, by accident. Beautiful work, by the way. But back to Bethany's murder, tons of people had been in her house--the three guys who had to do with trying to take off with my sister, and of course the sheriff and his men, the coroner's office, Tessa, Ashton..."

"The sheriff," Michael said, emphasizing him over all the rest.

Tessa straightened. "Sure, because he's investigating a murder."

Michael shook his head. "He was always cleaning up after Ashton, remember? He's the one who reported the murder, except because he's the sheriff, no one considered he might have known who had done the real killing. A sheriff would be above suspicion. Hell, look at how that policeman killed two of his wives and because he was a cop, no one believed there was any foul play. Not until the second one came up missing. But even then, the police force denied he had anything to do with her suspicious disappearance. The family had to have their loved one's body exhumed so the coroner could determine if there was foul play. And of course, this time, the coroner said yes, she was murdered. So you don't think a sheriff could cover up his son's murder and get away with it? Especially when they have me--the perfect patsy for the job?"

"You asked Ashton to watch over me, even knowing what you did about him?" Tessa asked.

Michael took a deep breath. "I figured I kind of deserved it. Sticking with him when I knew he was bad news--getting me into scrapes, causing all that trouble for you. But I also know deep down, the guy's got some decency in him. Hell, our dad was bad enough with being the town philanderer and drunk. But after Ashton's mother took off with another man, his dad changed. Ashton kept reaching out, trying to get his dad to pay attention to him, in a negative way. In any way he could. He didn't have an older sister like you to help him out. And he's damned good with a rifle. He could protect you if need be."

"Because you knew there was a stalker. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

She frowned at her brother. "You could have told me. And you could have warned me that Ashton was going to be gunning down anything that moved out by our house. He shot Hunter!"

Michael quickly looked at Hunter. "Oh, hell, I'm sorry, man."

"No problem. It was just a graze."

"What made you realize there was a stalker?" Tessa asked her brother.

"I saw footprints outside your window when I was clipping the hedges. And another time I saw someone peeking in the house when I came up with a load of wood, but I was too far away to catch him." Michael looked back at Hunter. "Hell, he looked a bit like you. Long dark hair, same approximate height and build."

"That's why Ashton said he shot him. But Hunter was with me when the man broke into the house on a couple of separate occasions."

Michael considered them both and shook his head. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I'm glad you've got someone who's combat trained to watch over you. I never thought you'd get married." He rose abruptly from the chair. "I've got to go. Write, will you?"

"I'll be back. We'll get you out, Michael. You just take good care of yourself."

He gave her a warm hug and she broke into tears, despite struggling not to. "You... you just take care of yourself," she reiterated.

Michael kissed her wet cheek. "I will." He shook Hunter's hand. "Don't let anyone hurt her. Take care of that stalker."

Hunter bowed his head slightly. "Will do."

Michael straightened his posture and gave a half smile. "I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden I began getting some special treatment in here. So don't worry, little sister. Things are already looking up."

"Why would Michael be getting special treatment in prison?" Tessa asked, as Hunter helped her into Caruthers's police car.

She was holding up pretty well, and he was damned proud of her.

"The judge had something to do with it. Maybe Allan and me, too." Caruthers shrugged. "We don't usually mess with humans who are incarcerated in the prison system. Most are there because they deserve it. But since you're one of us, we pulled some strings. Of course, no one in the place really knows why, just that there's a sneaking suspicion the kid's innocent, and he's got some pretty powerful friends in high places."

Tessa brushed away tears and smiled. "Tell Allan and the judge thanks for me."

"I'll do that. While you were inside, that red, Leidolf, came by. He said he'd meet you at The Olive Groves for lunch. He said the rest of your people would be there also. Want me to take you there now?"

"Let's go," Hunter said. "We'll see what Leidolf has to say."

Tessa looked at him.

He cast her an abbreviated smile. "I promise I won't tear into him." Too badly. Then he let out an exasperated sigh. "Why didn't you tell me you took a picture of a wolf in the wild and that he was shapeshifting at the time?"

"I didn't say so."

He snorted. "The look on your face revealed the truth. I told you that you couldn't play poker with me."

She'd never get anything past Hunter unless she wore a ski mask, and probably even then her eyes and voice would give her away.

"I'm not sure what it was. I thought it was a wolf. It was really foggy out. And then I saw a man. Or at least I thought so. The photo wasn't clear and no matter how much I tried to enhance it..." She shrugged.

"The man was naked."

"He didn't look like he was wearing any clothes. But it was a long ways off. I just figured my mind was playing tricks."

"He saw you."

"I don't know, Hunter. He was looking in my direction, but I was using a telescopic lens. He couldn't have seen me as far away as I was."

"Hell," Caruthers said. "if he hadn't wanted you so badly, he would have killed you."

The thought she had been living a life of danger all this time without his protection stirred Hunter's blood. "He saw you, Tessa. Believe me. How long before Bethany had been murdered had this taken place?"

"Two days. I showed her the photo and asked her what she could make of it. All Bethany saw was mist. I showed it to Michael also, but preoccupied with his painting, he didn't pay any attention. Said it looked interesting, but barely glanced at it."

But had Bethany's witnessing the photo led to her death?

In Caruthers's patrol car, Hunter and Tessa soon arrived at the Italian restaurant, although Hunter regretted that Tessa was so tense. She would have to see for herself that the pack would accept her as one of their own.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the hostess tried to seat them, but Caruthers motioned to a group of people, both Leidolf's reds and the rest of Hunter's pack, at a large rowdy table. "I'll sit with them."

The waiter escorted Tessa and Hunter to a private booth, and Tessa looked back at the table with his pack mates as if she wished they could sit with them and not have the confrontation with Leidolf. So that was what was worrying her.

Hunter gripped her hand tighter. "I promise I won't kill him for leaving me behind in the jail and going after you."

The smell of oregano, garlic, Italian sauce, and onions wafted in the air, and Hunter's stomach grumbled. Dishes and glasses clinked as servers cleared tables and conversation and Italian music drifted overhead. Nice setting for a romantic dinner for two if Hunter and Tessa could have enjoyed the meal without Leidolf chaperoning.

Leidolf leaned back against the burgundy vinyl seat in the booth at the end of the section, looking self-satisfied and smiled at them. "My lawyer was trying to have you released, but he told me you got yourself out by contacting someone who had a lot more clout. Pays to have a judge back you."

Unable to let go of the irritation, Hunter gave him a dark look.

"I missed you at the hotel last night, but I guess you found a safe place to hole up. Your people are returning with you, and they're dying to meet your new mate. You've got three cops leaving here to watch your backs on the coast, one who wants one of your widowed females, and she's ecstatic. Sounds like your pack is off to a good recovery. Not bad considering the mess you've been in recently." Leidolf unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap. "Other packs usually don't mix it up much, but I've grown attached to yours, considering one of your people is joining mine. If you need my help any further, just let me know."

Hell, he was attached to Hunter's pack because Tessa still interested him.

"What did you say to the lawyer about me?" Hunter asked.

Leidolf laughed. "He holds a grudge, Tessa. Remember that." He sipped his water. "I told him just what had happened. You were wielding the knife that killed the guy. That's why he released me so quickly. I was only a witness to the whole thing. I'd planned to watch over Tessa until you arrived at the hospital. Imagine my surprise to find you had beat me to it."

Hunter squeezed Tessa's hand in her lap. "So you're returning to Portland?"

"I have to. I've got problems of my own. A red from Texas is stirring up trouble. Thinks he might have what it takes to run my pack. Can you imagine the nerve of the guy?" He winked at Tessa and turned his attention back to Hunter. "But I mean it. If you need my help, just say. I'll come to the coast and give you a hand."

Hunter bowed his head. "Likewise, Leidolf."

Tessa took a deep breath and her shoulders relaxed a little.

"I would have gone to see your brother, Tessa, but thought you might like to spend the time with him alone. With Hunter, of course. Are you any closer to solving the murder mystery?"

"The two who were in the house when you and Hunter came home after cutting up the tree had done some work on our circuit breaker. And Michael said that the guy called Jessup had been driving the truck, and he'd seen him at a number of his art exhibits." Tessa looked over at Hunter. "When Jessup said they'd been casing Bethany's house for valuables, I didn't think they were really thieves, but maybe they were. And maybe they were planning on ripping off the art gallery, but it had too much security so they hoped to find some of Michael's paintings in the house. Easier to break into. Butch was at Michael's trial. Why? To see if he really got time or if he was going to be released? If Michael had been found not guilty, we would have been home and it would have been harder for them to steal anything from the house."

"Or," Leidolf said, "he was calling ahead to the others, who were breaking into your house while you were at the trial. Once you left, he would warn them you were on the way home."

"Was anything missing from your house besides the gun?" Hunter asked.

"I didn't look. I figured Yoloff had only stolen the gun. I never thought anyone would be running around in that weather stealing paintings."

"Do you have anything else of value?" Hunter asked.

"Computers, electronics. My photographs. But again, I would doubt they'd be interested in any of that because of the weather. The ice storm hadn't started yet, but it was on its way."

"Searching for evidence of wrongdoing? Maybe they'd been involved in Bethany's murder, and they were afraid Michael had some proof against them that he didn't know about," Leidolf said.

"Michael mentioned the sheriff could have been covering up for his son, Ashton, also," Tessa mentioned.

Leidolf shook his head. "I'm glad all I have is a simple case of knocking some sense into a red's head if he thinks he's taking over my pack. Keep in touch, and I'll help any way I can if you need me. Your new cops won't be returning with you for a couple of weeks until they settle their affairs here. Your widow is staying with the one cop, but the rest are taking the Ford Escape, making it kind of crowded. I'm gifting you my Humvee, travels in any kind of weather."

"But--" Tessa said.

Leidolf held up his hand. "I've got another back at the ranch. I'll ride home with my people. Maybe Hunter won't hold a grudge against me about the jail situation for too long then." He grinned. "The last time I had to deal with a gray pack leader, Devlyn Greystoke had targeted a red he mated who reminded me of you. She was a redhead also. Bella was her name."

"Devlyn changed a human, too?" Tessa asked.

"No." Leidolf looked at the table for a second, then back up at them. "I was too late for her. She should have mated a red." He shrugged.

"Only a lupus garou would do, isn't that right, Leidolf?" Hunter asked.

Leidolf managed a smile. "Sure, that's right, Hunter."

But Hunter suspected it wasn't so. If he had given Leidolf the chance, he might have claimed Tessa for his own, especially since she reminded him of the last one he'd lost.

They finished their meals in silence, and then Leidolf paid the bill. Hunter kissed Tessa's cheek. "Are you ready to meet the rest of my pack?"

No, not now. But that wouldn't be very alpha of her. Yet, Tessa shivered internally anyway. What if they put her to the test? Tried to prove to her that she couldn't be their pack leader's mate? She didn't have a clue what she was supposed to do.

She stiffened her spine as she walked between Leidolf and Hunter. At least while she was wedged between the two alphas, she almost felt alpha herself.

Caruthers and a pretty brunette on his arm Tessa figured was Greta, both in their midforties, were sitting at a long table with several others. Allan, the other cop, and the woman he was interested in, a woman with chestnut hair curled on top of her head in swirls with a quick smile and sparkle in her amber eyes, sat next to them. And three other males, maybe in their late twenties, early thirties, all tall. one with black hair and eyes, who seemed too interested in Tessa, but quickly changed his posture to a contrite expression when Hunter gave him a quelling look. The other two had light brown hair cut short, dark brown eyes and appeared to be twins, except the one was slightly taller.

"Kenneth," Hunter said, motioning to one of the twins, "and Kensington." He waved at the black-haired man. "Adam." He smiled at the woman. "This is Genevieve who seems to have found her new mate. Everyone, this is Tessa, my mate."

All bowed their heads slightly.

"About time," Genevieve said, and hurried forth to give her a hug.

Greta did the same. The men didn't dare.

Hunter shook Leidolf's hand. "Thanks for the Humvee and the offer to help. We'll keep in touch. If you need any of my aid, likewise, give me a call. We have a long drive ahead of us, and I don't want to leave my sister in charge of a couple of new lupus garous much longer, so we'll be on our way."

Hunter shook hands with the police officers who would join them in a couple of weeks. Greta whispered to Tessa, "I've been where you are, honey. I'll show you the ropes."

"It's not exactly the same." Caruthers kissed his mate on the cheek. "She's an alpha leader's mate."

Greta grinned. "Like I said, Tessa, I'll help you all I can."

Caruthers shook his head, and Tessa gave Greta and Genevieve a hug, already feeling like one of the pack and it was a damned good feeling, too, but for her brother's continued incarceration. "I look forward to seeing you both soon."

Once Hunter's people were packed into the Escort, Hunter led them in the Humvee.

"I thought they might want to eat me alive, but they were really nice," Tessa told Hunter as he drove out of town.

"A couple of my males would have eaten you all up, but not the way you mean." He gripped the steering wheel tighter, then released it, but still seemed as tense as before. "What do you know about your great-grandfather?"

Here they went around about the gold again. "He was from Colorado originally, but got the gold fever. First he went to California and made it big, then came here. He met my great-grandmother who was working for her father's mercantile. Supposedly, he found a lot of gold here, too. Just had a real nose for it. But all the money in the world wouldn't buy him happiness. Shortly after finding the gold, my great-grandmother died of a fever, and he returned to Colorado. I couldn't find out what happened to him after that."

"What about your grandmother?"

"She was just an infant when her mother died. Her father couldn't take care of her. She went to live with her mother's brother and wife. But my grandmother said her father was generous and had left her aunt and uncle all the gold, enough to make them wealthy. Much of it was put into the bank later on, but some of it was hidden. They never had any children, and Grandmother eventually inherited it all and married a wealthy merchant. They settled where the house is now, where my great-grandparents had once lived in a shack. What happened to Seth?"

"He was killed in a rock slide. Apparently, he must have left your great-grandmother, returned to Colorado, but then rejoined my great-grandfather in California. Three of them died. My great-grandfather, Seth, and my father's twin brother. A fourth man, Caleb McKnight, was the only one who survived."

"The one in the news clippings."

"Right. Did your grandmother have any special abilities?"

"Like you do? Everyone used to tease her that there was no sneaking around Grandmother because she heard everything. She knew things, too. Like when the weather was changing. She explained it was due to her arthritis. As for her sense of smell? She definitely smelled things more acutely than we did. She seemed to always sense people's emotions also, whether they were scared or angry, even when they were hiding their feelings."

"She could smell their fear."

"Yeah, although I thought it was because she was super-observant."

"What about the gold?"

Tessa frowned at him. "There is no gold on the property."

"Seth told my father he'd stockpiled it somewhere in Oregon for people who needed it more than he did. Never in a million years would we have thought Seth had a child by a human. Did you ever find a marriage certificate?"

"No. Lots of records are pretty difficult to locate. No birth record for my grandmother either."

"Apparently in rare cases a human can conceive a child with a lupus garou. But in all the years I've lived, I've never met anyone like that, and Leidolf had only met one during his lifetime."

But what if her line had an affinity for getting pregnant by a lupus garou?

Hunter must have realized what she was thinking because he smiled at her and patted her leg. "Seth must not have changed your great-grandmother and that's why she died of a fever. Maybe she didn't want to be changed, or maybe he couldn't do it. But you're already one of us, and the babies you have will fully be lupus garous."

She'd never thought about that. How was she to deal with being a lupus garou and raising offspring like that when she was totally clueless about herself still? Tessa sighed.

Hunter slowed down as wrecking crews waved them past a rock slide. Tessa glanced back to see if the red Escort was behind them.

"Heavy traffic. About five vehicles slipped in between us, but I've given my pack directions if we get separated." He pulled back into their lane past the rock slide. "So what else do we know about Bethany's murder? How come the sheriff found her? Was there a 911 call made?"

"Bethany had made a call to the sheriff, stating that Michael had become violent and she was worried he might return. She said she was taking a walk along the trail by the cliff. The sheriff stopped by to check on her, but when he couldn't find her at the house, he went down the trail and discovered her body at the bottom of the cliff."

"Phone records verified the call was made?"

"Yes."

"What if Ashton had made the call from Bethany's house, told his father he'd killed her by accident, and his father covered up for him?"

"Truthfully, I don't think Ashton killed her." Tessa rubbed her clammy hands on her jeans. "Gut instinct.

I think he really cared for her and if he murdered her in a fit of passion, I don't think he'd let Michael go to prison for it."

"Yet, he let him take the rap for minor crimes he was responsible for. On the other hand, what if your brother really did it?"

Tessa glowered at Hunter.

"What if he did? We can't discount that he might be guilty."

"He isn't! What if it's one of your kind?" Tessa choked on the thought. "You... you couldn't have a lupus garou convicted, could you? Once the moon appeared, he'd change and you can't have one incarcerated, can you?" Hell, even Ashton was one now.

"If we find one of them is guilty, we'll figure out a way."

She'd figure out a way. If she could just turn into a wolf and bite her brother in prison, the judge would have to have him released.

When they finally reached Hunter's house, Tessa figured someone would greet them, but nobody did and her heart began to race.

"Stay in the Humvee. Do not leave until I say so," Hunter ordered, his face dark and threatening.

Before she could respond, he slammed the door shut and strode to the front porch, then disappeared inside. She concentrated on the front door standing wide open and wanted to join him rather than worry about what was happening.

And then his face stormy, he stalked out to the Humvee and jumped in. "Jessup and his pack have taken them."

She hoped Hunter couldn't smell her fear, but she couldn't hide how she was feeling.

"We're to meet them at that burned out pine tree. I'm to hand you over to Yoloff and they'll release my sister and the rest."

Tessa looked behind them, but still didn't see any sign of the Escort.

"I left directions." Hunter pulled out of the drive and headed south on the coastal road.

"You can't face all five of them, Hunter. We should wait."

"They want us alone. I'll do what I can."

Stubborn damn alpha male. He was going to get himself killed and then where would she be? Just when she'd found the man she wanted to love forever. And what about Michael also?

Her skin crawling with anxiety, she looked into the backseat. No weapons. "What about the rifles at the house?"

"They must have taken them. None were there."

The closer they got to where the pine tree was, the more Tessa felt she could lose Hunter for good. She looked into the backseat again. Nothing. Leidolf was a neat freak. Not even a hint of dust. But what about the trunk? A tire iron?

"No matter what, you're staying in the vehicle. If they get the best of me, you leave."

"But your sister, and the others?"

"They won't harm them until they're assured they have you. You return to my place, gather the forces, call Leidolf. Hell, have him notify Devlyn of the problem. These guys won't be able to handle all that heat."

"But you can't charge in there and kill them all. Why can't you wait for the others?" She studied the tension in his face and frowned. "You don't think Jessup and the others will wait, do you? You think they'll kill some of them. Rourke and Ashton."

"I would have left you at my place, but I was afraid that they'd be watching and take you. So do as I say, Tessa. You're no match for any of them without having a gun."

They drove the rest of the way in silence and when they reached the designated place, Tessa couldn't stop shivering. She wasn't being an alpha, but she couldn't change into a wolf, which even if she could probably wouldn't have helped much against them. And without a gun, she was totally defenseless and useless.

Hunter pulled up and stopped. Yoloff and his brother stood as wolves near the burned up pine, watching them, waiting. Jessup stood farther away as a human, unable to shapeshift. He didn't have a weapon that she could see. Where were Redmond and Butch? Probably guarding Meara and the others somewhere else.

Hunter squeezed Tessa's hand. "Stay."

"Who are you targeting first? Jessup? He's their leader. If you take him out, maybe the others will tuck tail and run."

"Yoloff and his brother. They're the most dangerous in their wolf forms." Hunter opened the door. "Lock it after me."

Tessa climbed into the driver's seat and locked the door. Jessup motioned to her to come out of the vehicle, but she ignored him and watched Hunter strip off his clothes, sure of himself, muscular, ready.

Even though Yoloff and his brother stood their ground, she thought they looked a little nervous, their ears flattening and their tails drooping slightly. Hunter didn't take his eyes off Yoloff the whole time while he removed his clothes. Yoloff would die. She knew Hunter wouldn't allow him to live this time. Maybe his brother, too. But she was certain Jessup didn't intend to let Hunter rip him to shreds, if Hunter managed to best the brothers.

And then she saw the rifle leaning against one of the trees. Damn him. What if she could get to it while Jessup watched Hunter's fight?

Hunter shapeshifted, but no one moved until he targeted Yoloff. Then Jessup made a move toward the Humvee. He motioned for her to get out. Like she'd listen to him. Then she had another idea. Could she run any of them over? Probably not because of all the trees. Jessup could easily duck out of her path, she'd ruin the Humvee, and be stuck.

The tire iron. Surely, Leidolf would have one to use in case he got a flat and had to change a tire. Had to be in the trunk.

Hunter ran at Yoloff and Jessup's attention switched to the fight. Typical male. Forget the girl when there's a good fight going on.

She didn't want to take her eyes off the fight either, but she climbed into the backseat and looked into the trunk. Hell, if there was a tire iron, it must be hidden. She glanced back at the windshield.

Hunter and Yoloff clashed, their teeth bared and connecting, the growls reverberating through the woods. They fell to their pads and separated. Her skin prickled with anxiousness, her heart racing. She thought Yoloff's brother might attack next, but he seemed to be waiting for the fight to be decided first. He was probably thinking he wouldn't have to participate if Yoloff killed Hunter first.

But then Hunter did the unexpected. He whipped around and attacked Yoloff's brother, startling him so badly, he dashed off in the wrong direction, close to the edge of the cliff with nowhere to back up, nowhere to run. Hunter rose on his hind legs, his teeth snapping at the gray and with no room to maneuver, the brother slipped off the cliff with a yelp.

Shocked, Tessa stared out the window. Everyone else seemed as stunned. Yoloff didn't make a move toward Hunter and Jessup stood frozen in place. Yeah, bastard. After Hunter finishes off Yoloff, you're next.

She climbed into the trunk and began lifting the carpet, looking for the tire iron she hoped was here.

But then Hunter targeted Yoloff, and Jessup went for the gun. Oh, hell. Not finding a tire iron, Tessa scrambled over the backseat and then into the front and started the Humvee.

As soon as Hunter bit Yoloff in the face, Jessup aimed the rifle. Tessa couldn't reach him with the Humvee the way he was standing protected between the trees, but if she rammed the pines, she might be able to distract him enough. She threw the vehicle in drive and roared toward Jessup. He swung around and for a moment, she thought he might shoot her. But instead he jumped back, realizing he was protected by the trees, and turned the weapon on Hunter.

"No!" she screamed, and ran the Humvee into the pine. Because of the constant rain in the area, the roots were shallow enough that when she hit the tree, it toppled, but Jessup got off a round right before it fell.

Hunter yelped this time and she saw the blood on his hip. Ohmigod, no, Hunter. If nothing else, she'd wrestle with Jessup until Hunter destroyed-- Yoloff bit at Hunter and he retaliated, but they were too close to the cliff's edge. Back up, back up!

Jessup aimed the rifle again, and Tessa jerked the door open and lunged at him, throwing her body at him, trying to knock him off balance to give Hunter time to take care of Yoloff.

And then her heart nearly gave out when she and Jessup stumbled over the felled pine, falling to their knees as Hunter took another bite at Yoloff's face. Yoloff suddenly went for Hunter's leg. They were both too close to the cliff edge! She wanted to warn Hunter away from the drop-off, drag him from the danger herself. But everything happened so fast she couldn't react quickly enough to do anything.

Yoloff bit into Hunter's leg, and Hunter snapped at Yoloff's neck. But Yoloff's back paws lost purchase on the crumbling soil. He slipped off the edge, pulling Hunter with him.

"Hunter!" Tessa screamed and ran for him, but Jessup grabbed her arm and yanked her back. She kicked and thrashed back and forth, trying to break free, to save Hunter.

"Butch will be pleased," Jessup darkly said, and jerked her toward the edge of the cliff.

Only when she saw the direction he was going did she go willingly to see Hunter, to ensure he was all right. She prayed he was.

Down below, both Hunter's and Yoloff's wolf forms lay still as death. Yoloff's brother was gone. Her heart splintering, she stifled a sob.

"Come on. Time to clean up the last of the loose ends. You'll tell us where the gold is hidden on your property, and we'll let the others go."

With tears streaking down her face, she didn't believe it for a minute, although it wouldn't have made any difference because she didn't have a clue if there was any gold anyway. All that mattered was whether Hunter had made it or not.

Jessup tugged her in the direction of Bethany's house, but she fought him every step of the way, wanting to climb down the cliff to Hunter. He had to have survived the fall like before. He had to have. And she had to go to him.

But Jessup tightened his grip on her, cutting the circulation off in her wrist, her hand numbing. He hurried her faster to the house, forcing her to run to keep up. What about Hunter's pack? Where were they when they needed them most?

Jessup shoved the front door open and yanked her into the house. "She's yours, Butch. Just like you wanted."

"The others?" Butch asked, offering Jessup a beer.

Jessup forced Tessa onto the couch next to Meara and Cara, their hands and mouths bound, their eyes wild. Ashton and Rourke were bound, but unconscious on the floor. Meara looked at Tessa, trying to read her expression, but Tessa sobbed, attempting to appear so inconsolable that she was useless, and so that they wouldn't tie her up also, while she looked for another weapon. Not that her tears and upset weren't genuine, but she tried to keep a clear head until they were able to destroy the men before they harmed anyone else. And then she had to go to Hunter.

She spied a poker next to the cold fireplace as Redmond took a seat at the dining table. If she could just slip over to it.

"Hunter took care of Yoloff's brother first. Although he worked on Yoloff in the beginning. His tactics threw all of us. Especially, when Hunter forced Andreas off the cliff." Jessup took a swig of beer.

But then Tessa worried that if she got the poker, Jessup still had the rifle and three men against one woman wouldn't do. If she could free Meara, she could shapeshift, whereas no one else could. Tessa had to chance it. She moved closer to Meara and began working on her bindings.

"But Yoloff's gone also?" Butch asked.

"Yeah, Hunter got him, too, only he had the last laugh. He pulled Hunter off the cliff and both hit the rocks below."

"You're sure Hunter was dead? He survived before," Butch warned.

"Yeah, he was dead. Last time, he hit the water and managed to swim to Tessa's beach. Not this time."

Her heart in her throat, Tessa felt the ties loosen on Meara's wrists. Meara quickly yanked them free, then tugged her clothes off. Tessa dove for the fireplace poker and Meara shapeshifted.

As a wolf, Meara targeted Jessup, the leader, and Tessa went for the rifle, poker in hand.

But no sooner had Meara's teeth clamped down on Jessup's arm, making him drop the can of beer, than Butch dove for the rifle.

No, no! Tessa swung the poker at Butch's head and knocked him out cold. But somehow Redmond had managed to slip by her in the shuffle and went for the rifle.

Growling furiously, Meara lunged for Jessup's throat, while he grabbed onto her muzzle to keep her from killing him. Tessa froze as Redmond grabbed the rifle and pointed it at her. He could shoot her, but she wouldn't die. Yet, Tessa couldn't let go of the fear that Meara could. Meara was their only real chance at survival, and Tessa had to protect her. She prayed her lupus garou genetics would save her and leapt forward, swinging the poker at the rifle.

Her hands and mouth still bound, Cara had managed to slip behind Redmond and gave him a shove. The bullet fired into the carpeted floor.

Before Tessa could take another swing at Redmond, a different wolf growled low. She turned and saw Hunter, his hip bleeding. Alive! Tears filled her eyes and she wanted to rush to him, to hug him, proving he was really real.

His fur smelled foul, like he'd rolled in a bed of rotting kelp. He quickly targeted Jessup, and Meara swung around to get Redmond.

But even over the growling and the sound of a porcelain lamp crashing, Tessa heard a vehicle driving up. Finally, Hunter's people had arrived.

She ran to help untie Cara, but Butch came to and grabbed Tessa's ankle.

Redmond slid down next to her, his throat ripped out. Hunter didn't hesitate to make short work of Butch. Jessup was already dead.

"Hello?" a man called out.

Hell, it was the sheriff.

Still in their wolf forms, Hunter and Meara looked in the direction of the front door, then raced out back.

Tessa continued to work on Cara's bindings.

"What the hell," the sheriff said, his gun drawn.

"A pair of wolves saved us from these men," Tessa said, her voice and hands shaking.

"Ashton?" The sheriff ran over to help his son.

"These men knocked Ashton and Rourke out. They planned to kill the whole lot of us."

The sheriff stared at Butch and Redmond. "Hell, those two were seeing Bethany."

Staring at the sheriff in disbelief, Tessa untied Rourke. All the time he'd said Michael had lied and Bethany hadn't been seeing anyone. What if one of these guys had killed her?

Ashton moaned and rubbed his head. "I thought you said no one had been seeing Bethany, that Michael had made it up. How do you know they'd been here?"

The sheriff appeared flustered.

"How?" Ashton asked his dad again, his eyes slightly glazed, his tone threatening.

"Who the hell do you think you are, questioning me?" The sheriff glanced at the men and added under his breath, "The little whore."

Ashton's face lost all its color. "You were the one who discovered her body. No one questioned you because you were the sheriff. You said she'd called you because she worried Michael might kill her he was so angry. But she didn't, did she? You used her phone to make the call. You killed her. Why?"

Tessa's skin chilled.

"Because," Hunter said, stalking in through the back door with a limp, his pants leg bloodied, blood on his sweatshirt, his face bruised, his expression deadly, "Bethany reminded him of his unfaithful wife. Isn't that right, Sheriff? Didn't want a two-timing woman to hurt your own son?"

Dying to hold Hunter tight, Tessa's eyes filled with tears of joy that Michael could be exonerated. But the menacing look Hunter gave the sheriff warned her to keep her distance.

What about Meara? Her clothes were lying on the floor next to the couch. Cara's gaze followed where Tessa looked, and Cara left Rourke, grabbed Meara's clothes, and headed outside.

"You must have staged the phone call," Hunter said.

The sheriff reached for his revolver.

His look feral, dangerously challenging, Hunter asked, "What are you going to do? Kill all of us? It's over, Sheriff. Time to be a man and face the judge and jury."