“Can you drive a little faster?” Luke asked Dean through clenched teeth.
During dinner at Rissa’s, Dean had called to say one of the trackers had picked up the grizzly’s scent. Leaving Isabelle had been almost impossible. Luke’s wolf had pitched a temper tantrum worthy of a sleep-deprived three-year-old hyped up on Halloween candy. His head still hurt from all the howling.
“Stupid false alarm,” Luke muttered. The tracker was young and inexperienced. Still, you’d think he’d recognize the scent of a male who’d lived in the territory his entire life, recluse or not.
“Your wolf giving you fits?” Dean asked, signaling a turn onto another empty road.
“That obvious?”
“Naw, you always snarl at dumb kids who’re trying to impress you.”
Dean snorted. “It’s all right. I’ve been driving Sarah crazy calling every hour, checking on her and the boys.”
Annoying Sarah was bound to be a dangerous pastime. The female had access to scalpels, after all. “Bet she loves that.”
Dean actually smirked. “She said, and I quote, ‘Worry about yourself, you big dummy, because if you get hurt, I’m going to tranq your wolf, shave his butt, and post the pictures on the bulletin board in Haven.’” Awe lit his face. “She’d do it, too. God, I love that female.”
Luke laughed, because Sarah would totally do that. With a song in her evil little heart.
His cell rang, and Liz Crandall reported that none of the other search teams had any luck finding a fresh trail from the rogues. He sent her home, then jammed his phone in his pocket.
Dean drove around a pothole that could swallow a car. “I don’t understand how these guys are evading us. Someone must be helping them. Hiding them out, or at the least, not patrolling their freaking area properly.”
“Let’s switch up the teams and their sections tomorrow morning. Tell ’em we want fresh noses and all that.”
“’Kay.”
“And tell them to be careful. Do not separate from their partners for any reason. I meant it when I said no one is to be alone. Not to track, travel, hunt, or even stay at home. That goes for you, too, Dean.” Luke wouldn’t allow the pack to be easy targets.
“I know,” Dean said. “Got to keep Sarah happy, remember?”
They turned onto the gravel drive leading to Rissa and Freddie’s, and Luke practically vibrated with the need to be there, right the hell now. When it came to Isabelle, the rational part of his psyche had left the building.
Before they came to a complete stop, Luke jumped out and ran up the back steps. Rissa opened the door. Behind her, packmates were putting on their coats.
“Shh,” she said to him. “Freddie and his parents are in bed. And I finally convinced Izzy to head that way an hour ago.” At his crestfallen expression, she added, “Though it’s possible she’s still up if you want to have a look.”
Isabelle’s scent lingered in the air and beckoned him down the hall to her room. He’d taken three steps toward it before his mind caught up to his body and his wolf. “No,” he said. With a monumental force of will, he turned away from that tantalizing trail and walked back to Rissa. “She should sleep. She’s still healing.”
He acknowledged his mother and other packmates. Knowing they’d been there to back up Rissa and help protect Isabelle and her family had eased some of the energy jangling in his veins. And he told them so.
“That’s what we’re here for, sweetheart,” Mom said. She gave him a tight hug before leaving.
Marianne brushed past Luke. “Hmmph.”
Hand in hand with her mate, Rick, Daphne rolled her eyes, then kissed Rissa’s cheek. “Get some sleep. ’Night, Ris.”
“Alpha,” Rick said as he passed.
They’d never liked each other, but there was no need to be a rude dick just because he was a grumpy, horny mess. “’Night,” Luke called after him.
“Wait a minute, Dean!” Rissa called before he could step off her porch. “I need to talk to you and Luke.”
Dev Crandall clapped Dean on the shoulder. “Take your time. We’ll be in the truck.”
“Thanks.”
“You staying at Haven tonight?” Luke asked Dean.
“Yeah. Sarah and the boys are in our rooms there. Per your orders, Dev’s my buddy tonight. What’s up, Ris?” Dean asked.
Closing the door, she said, “My friend at the IRS called. He owed me big, otherwise I don’t think I’d have gotten this information. He had to dig through more layers than a drug kingpin uses to hide his offshore accounts. But I think we’ve found Branson’s money men. A company called Apex.”
* * *
Izzy watched the last of the headlights disappear down the driveway. Finally.
Admittedly, most of the pack she’d met so far were nice—well, except for Marianne, and Rick was plain weird—but she could only take so much of their curious stares and discreet sniffing. The odor-as-emotional-barometer thing was starting to wear on her.
Thank God they’d all left.
Well, almost all. Luke’s presence in the house rang in her head like a gong.
Soft footsteps passed her door—Rissa going to bed.
Izzy shook her head. She’d spent the evening with Freddie’s mate and couldn’t believe how much she actually liked the other woman. Rissa was smart, funny, tough, and so obviously gaga over Freddie it was hard to keep up a good hate simply because Rissa was a werewolf.
Izzy’s head buzzed. Impossible to ignore, really. I hear you, she told her wolf. I know he’s out there.
Down the hall, Rissa’s bedroom door closed.
The droning grew so loud, it was like sticking her head into the engine of a C-130. Okay, okay. I’m going already.
Her hand was on the doorknob and she was down the hall, into the living room before she knew it. Damn. She’d moved so fast, she might as well have teleported.
Luke sat on the big family-room couch, his feet on a leather ottoman, a fire burning in the fireplace. One long arm rested on the back of the couch as if pointing at her. His fingers curled, beckoning her closer.
“Sugar,” he said, his voice low and sweet, filled with obvious pleasure.
Wonder hushed the racket in her brain. She made him sound like that?
She walked around the couch. Taking his outstretched hand felt like the most natural thing in the world. So she did, and let him pull her down beside him. Their bodies pressed side to side. “It’s two o’clock in the morning, Luke.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Been a long day. Did I wake you?”
“No. Are you okay?” He didn’t look okay. Dark shadows marred the skin beneath his eyes and deep grooves creased the skin between his brows. With her thumb, she tried to smooth them away. “Headache?”
His eyes drifted closed and his head fell back against the couch. “Gettin’ better now that you’re here.” He played with the ends of her hair. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“No. I was worried about you.” The words burst from her and she realized they were true. She was in so deep.
Dark green eyes fixed on her face. The look in them...it made her heart pound and a profound sense of peace settle over her all at once. “Isabelle.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry I worried you.” Another soft kiss. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Caring.”
That one word held so much.
Snuggling into his chest, she breathed in his pine and sunbaked-stone scent. His arm curled around her, and he stroked her hair. His heart beat steadily beneath her ear, the rhythm a song she could listen to forever.
“This is crazy,” she said.
He didn’t misunderstand her. “It is. It’s the mating dance.”
“Don’t you mind? Magic pushing me at you?”
“No.” He cupped her cheek. “It’s perfect.”
A hundred—no, a thousand—questions popped up in her mind. So many problems faced them. So many obstacles stood in their way. Danger loomed like a gathering storm. But she didn’t give voice to any of her fears. Because he was right. It was perfect. And for once, she allowed herself to bask in the perfection of belonging.