****
Sera helped Seth excavate the dirt, but when it came time to desecrate her sister’s grave, she had to excuse herself. Seth nodded and helped boost her to the surface. She shined the flashlight down into the hole, turning her head as Seth broke the coffin open. He coughed with surprise as the smell of death and rot exploded from the broken latch. Sera kept her eyes averted until he shouted her name.
“What? What is it?”
“Lower the rope.”
She dropped the end of the thick rope down and helped pull him out of the hole. “Well? What happened? Is she…?”
“Her skin definitely reacted. I think it’s safe to say she’d been turned into a werewolf.”
“And the Brotherhood killed her because of it?”
“Maybe. They’ve been known to kill for less. Look, why don’t you head on home and I’ll finish up here?”
“No, I can’t leave you to deal with this by yourself.”
“The sun will be up soon.”
“All the more reason I should help.”
“Really, I think it would be best if you went home,” Seth said.
“Well, I think it’ll be best for me to stay.” She passed him the shovel. She needed time to process her emotions and she needed time to think. Since she couldn’t go to her gym, she’d stay right there at the gravesite. “Let’s get to work before somebody calls the cops.”
They worked in silence only punctuated by the dull thud of dirt being returned to the grave. How long had her sister been living her life as a wolf? Had she told anybody about her secret? Had she lived, would she have confided in anybody? Sera felt strangely hurt that even this sort of metamorphosis hadn’t prompted Aiza to pick up the phone.
They finished just as the approaching sun colored the sky flannel gray and pink. She let Seth drive them home, half asleep for the ride. She didn’t remember getting home or how she made it from the car to the bedroom, but once she was under the covers, she fell into a deep, dreamless slumber. Her body was eager to catch up on all the sleep she’d lost since that first call from her parents, and nothing disturbed her for a solid twelve hours. When she finally woke again, it was to the smell of bacon and pancakes and the sounds of Seth knocking around in the kitchen.
He’s still here? How is he still here?
Right on the heels of that surprise was another stunning revelation: she was actually very glad he hadn’t left while she was zonked out. If they’d met under any other circumstances, she would have already made a move and asked him out on a date. Maybe under other circumstances, he would have accepted the invitation. He certainly seemed to like her.
Or maybe he saw her the same way she claimed to view him—as a means to an end. Nothing more or less than that.
Sera didn’t realize how stiff she was from their grave-digging adventure until she stood and tried to stretch. Her shoulders pulled tight and her arms ached so much she could barely lift them over her head. She hadn’t felt that exhausted and sore after a workout in years, and she had to admit, a part of her welcomed the pain. It meant she’d done hard work. It meant she was alive.
But it also meant she would kill for a good massage.
She shuffled into the kitchen, her pain forgotten when Seth smiled at her. “Good morning. Well, actually, good evening.” He gestured at the stove. “I hoped your nose would wake you.”
“Where did you get all this food?” Bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, pancakes, toast, oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, coffee, and orange juice waited for her.
“I had plenty of time to go shopping.”
“Why is there so much?”
“After all that work and sleep, I thought you might be as hungry as I am,” Seth explained as he poured the coffee.
“You thought right.” Her stomach felt hollow, though she didn’t really have an appetite. The food looked great but didn’t appeal to her at all. Still, she accepted the heaping plate and the coffee, determined to finish off both. She needed the calories and the nutrients if she was going to see this through to the end.
Once she was done, Seth took the plate and refilled her mug of coffee. “Stephanie called me earlier. She doesn’t have any new information about our friend Dwight, but she found somebody who knew your sister.”
Sera’s eyes widened. “Who? What did they say?”
“Stephanie didn’t go into the details, but if we want to talk to her, she said she’s at the park every day, around noon.”
“Weird. Why not just give you her number?”
“Apparently she’s willing to talk, but not over the phone, and she won’t give her name.”
“How did Stephanie find her?”
“Stephanie knows a lot of people and most of the wolves in the state.” Seth downed a glass of orange juice before adding, “I’m not surprised she was able to track down a lead.”
“She seems pretty cool. How long have you known her?” Sera asked, hoping she didn’t sound too interested in the answer.
“She seems pretty cool because she is pretty cool. We’ve been pack mates all our lives. We worked our way up to alpha together and the pack has never been stronger.”
“So are there any little pups in the pack?”
“Sure, but none of them are ours.” He met her eyes and added, “Stephanie and I are not together, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I...no...that’s not any of my business, is it?”
“It could be your business.”
Sera’s mouth felt dry. “How?”
“You could make it your business to know. Like this. Do you have a boyfriend?”
Sera shook her head.
“A lover? A suitor? Anybody who would mind if I did this?”
Seth took her hand and brought it up to his lips. She expected a courtly kiss, but instead he caressed her knuckles with his lips, his tongue darting out to trace her skin. It was brief but strangely obscene and undeniably sexy. Her throat tightened and all she could do was shake her head.
“So?” Seth prompted. “Make it your business, if that’s what you want to do.”
“Do you have a girlfriend? A lover?” She threaded her fingers through his and pulled his large hand to within kissing distance. She mimicked him, thrilled by the clean, salty taste of his skin. “Anybody who will mind if I do this?”
“No, not at all.”
Sera didn’t release his hand. She couldn’t stop kissing the smooth skin. Nothing had ever felt so good against her lips, and she wanted more. She wanted to feel the velvety texture against her entire body, wanted to lose hours exploring the rich, silky planes of his body. He didn’t seem to have a problem with that, as he did nothing to break contact with her questing mouth.
It’d only been a few months since Sera had sex, but it seemed like a lifetime since she’d been sensual with a man. Her desire was a slow burn, glowing a little hotter each time she got a taste of him.
She pulled his index finger between her teeth, gently biting the pad as she swirled her tongue over the tip. He watched her with hooded eyes and she couldn’t resist smiling back. His fingers curled beneath her chin and he pulled her closer, tilting his head towards her. His finger slid from between her lips, freeing her mouth to be claimed by his.
But the kiss didn’t come.
Instead, his ringing phone split the silence and drove them apart.
“Sorry.” He snatched the phone up from the counter. “I’ve got to take this. It’s Stephanie.”
Sera nodded and stifled the flare of disappointment. Of course he had to take it. His pack mates were missing. Her sister was dead. They didn’t have time to make out like teenagers in the kitchen.
“I’ll be right there. Don’t move.” He put the phone in his pocket. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.”
“What’s wrong?” Sera asked.
“It’s Chen. He was found wandering in the woods. The police have him now. I need to go and get him.”
“I’ll come with you,” Sera said.
“No,” Seth said sharply. He took a deep breath and softened his tone. “This is pack business.”
Her first impulse was to argue her case, but she conceded with a small nod. He was right, of course. Just because she invited him into her personal matters didn’t mean she had a right to tag along to his.
“You go take care of that. I’ve got some things to pack.” She fled the room, and a moment later, she heard the front door open and close behind him.