Wolf on a Mission: Salvation Pack, Book 6 (7 page)

He smelled like sunshine and hot male with just the slightest tinge of sweat. She wanted to bury her nose in the front of his shirt and inhale. There was something so elemental about Elias that tugged on feminine instincts deep inside her.

Elias was the kind of man who would protect what belonged to him, a man you could count on when things got tough.

Why couldn’t she have met a man like him when she was young and hopeful? It seemed more like torture to have him come into her life now when she knew he wasn’t going to stay. It was like tempting a kid with candy and then taking it away.

Grow up
, she admonished herself. This isn’t about you.

Billy ran over to the table with both Sage and Reece following close beside him. Protective. Sage was growing up to be like his uncle, just like his father must have been. How much must Elias be hurting over the loss of his brother? And here she was fantasizing over him like some schoolgirl.

“The fish smells wonderful,” she told Sage as he lifted the lid of the barbecue. “I hope there are enough potatoes.”

“There’s more than enough,” Elias reassured her. He reached down, lifted Billy and set him in his seat. The way he did it was second nature, and she could tell he’d done the same for Sage when he was a boy. He was Sage’s uncle, not his father, but it was obvious from their relationship he was very close to his nephew.

Sage took the empty tray and piled the packets of tinfoil onto it before setting it in the middle of the table. “Thank you for the fish dinner,” she said as she reached out and carefully pulled one of the packets onto her plate. She opened it and put one of the fish on Billy’s plate and cut it into small pieces. “Be careful. It’s hot,” she warned him. She added a small potato and cut that up as well before adding some butter. Billy didn’t like sour cream.

Both Sage and Elias were watching her. Weirdly enough, so was Reece. She looked down at the front of her shirt to see if she’d spilled something and then back at them. “What?”

Elias shook his head. “Nothing.” He motioned for Sage to take some fish. Then he grabbed another foil packet, but he didn’t put it on his own plate. No, he unwrapped it and then put the foil on the ground so Reece could eat.

Then he waited.

It was only after she’d helped herself to some of the fish that he took any for himself. He didn’t make a big deal out of it. Like everything else he did, it seemed to come naturally, just a part of the man himself.

She found herself thinking she was glad he wasn’t going to be around for long, because she could easily fall in love with him.

She glanced over at Sage and found him watching her closely. The teen was much too perceptive for her peace of mind. She offered him a smile. “There are cookies for dessert,” she told him, knowing it would distract him. Sure enough, he grinned and dug back into his fish.

Then Billy dropped a piece of his fish. His frown quickly turned to a smile when Reece darted over and scooped it off the ground. They all laughed and dug into their lunch.

Chapter Seven

It was late. The moon was high in the sky, but Elias wasn’t tired. He had too much on his mind. The meeting with the Salvation Pack was first thing in the morning. That should have been the only thing on his mind. Instead, all he could think about was Sue.

He’d enjoyed the meal he’d shared with Sue and her son more than he should have. And so had both boys. He looked over at both sleeping bags. He could hear their even breathing and knew they were asleep.

He pillowed his hands behind his head and stared up at the stars. He loved sleeping outside. You didn’t see stars this clearly in the city. Too much ambient light. He missed the wide open spaces of Alaska, but there was no going back. He’d known that before he’d left with Everett.

But North Carolina wasn’t a bad place to be thinking about settling. And it had nothing to do with Sue. Or at least not much.

He sighed and closed his eyes, but all he could see were images of Sue. Sue smiling at Sage, cutting up her son’s fish and potatoes, offering an oatmeal cookie to Reece. And then there was the way she looked at him when she didn’t think he was watching.

His body sprang to life and he shifted to try to get more comfortable, but that wasn’t happening anytime soon. Not with the erection he was sporting.

A sleeping bag rustled. “Can’t sleep?” Sage rolled to his side so he was facing Elias.

“Just thinking.” He didn’t want his nephew to know that he was lusting after the delectable Sue Walsh.

“About tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” It wasn’t really a lie. He was concerned about his meeting with the Salvation Pack.

“Do you think we’ll end up living here?”

Elias sat and climbed out of his sleeping bag. He was naked but reached for a pair of running shorts and yanked them on. “I honestly don’t know. That’s a decision we’ll make together once I’ve met with the alpha tomorrow.” Elias pulled on his sneakers and laced them tightly. “I’m going for a short run.” He hadn’t caught the scent of any other wolves nearby and wouldn’t be gone long. The boys would be safe enough here.

He hesitated. Maybe he shouldn’t leave them alone.

“Go,” Sage told him. “You’ve got too much pent-up energy. You won’t sleep until you run some of it off.”

Elias stood and walked over to Sage. Leaning down, he tousled the teen’s hair. “Keeping you awake, am I?”

“Yup.” Sage waved him away. “We’ll be fine.”

“Just howl if you run into any real trouble.” Chances of them having any problems were slim to none, otherwise he wouldn’t step two feet away from them.

Sage tucked his sleeping bag under his arms and closed his eyes. “Have a good run.”

“I won’t be long,” he promised. He intentionally started out in the direction opposite from Sue’s house. It was late and she would have gone to bed several hours ago. In spite of the dark, he could see every tree and rock and ran easily. The night predators were out hunting for food. An owl swooped down in front of him and snatched up an unfortunate mouse.

Elias took a deep breath. He needed to outrun the tension thrumming through his body before he met the Salvation Pack tomorrow morning.

Sage waited until his uncle was out of earshot before turning to his brother. Even though Reece’s breathing was deep and even, Sage knew he was awake. “What do you think?”

Reece didn’t move but he did answer. “I think he’s worried about tomorrow. I also think he likes Sue a lot more than he’s letting on.”

Sage thought so too. “You think he’ll head to her place?”

His brother shrugged and finally rolled over. His eyes glowed in the dark. “Maybe. It might not be safe for her or Billy for us to be around them.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sage turned so he was facing his twin. “I really like them.”

“Me too.”

“I’m really sorry you have to be in your wolf form around them.” That had to be hard on Reece.

“It’s okay.” His brother shrugged again, but Sage wasn’t fooled one bit.

“What’s it like?” he asked. “Being a wolf?”

Reece sat and wrapped his arms around his legs. “It’s incredible. I’m still there, but there’s another presence. The wolf. My senses are even keener and there’s a feeling of freedom, of power that I can’t quite explain.” He rubbed one hand over the back of his neck. “I’m sorry you can’t experience it.”

“I do, sort of.” Sage knew he had his brother’s full attention.

“How?”

“The connection we have.” Maybe it was because they were twins, and maybe it was more. Sage didn’t quite know. “I can feel what you’re feeling when you shift.”

“Wow, that’s pretty cool.”

Sage grinned. “Yeah, it is. Not as cool as being able to shift, but it gives me a better idea of what you’re feeling.”

“I wish you could shift.”

“Me too. Me too.”

Reece lay back down. “I think Uncle Elias is going to run by Sue’s place. I don’t think he’ll be able to help himself.”

Sage closed his eyes and tried not to think about tomorrow. “You’re probably right.” He might not be able to shift into a wolf, but Sage’s senses were keen and his mind sharp. And there was no missing the attraction simmering between Sue and his uncle. Even a full human wouldn’t miss it. It was probably even more noticeable because they were trying to hide it.

It was funny watching them both trying to not look at one another. The only person who didn’t notice the heat between them was Billy, and that was only because he was way too young to understand male and female relationships.

“Night.” He worried about his uncle. Elias had given up everything for them. Not that he’d ever given any indication he resented them in any way. But there was no denying his life had changed as much as Sage and Reece’s had. Sage wouldn’t mind if his uncle could find some happiness.

Of course, a relationship between a full human and a werewolf was fraught with problems. Then again, he’d grown up watching his parents. They’d had their own share of problems, but they’d always had love.

The ache in his chest grew until it physically hurt.

“I miss them too,” Reece said. Sage knew his brother was picking up on his emotions. They always knew what the other one was feeling.

He heard a rustling sound and Sage reached out his hand. Sure enough, Reece’s hand gripped his and held on tight.

“No matter what happens,” Reece told him, “we’re in this together.”

“Together.” The bond between them was one that would never be broken.

* * * * *

Sue stared at the bedside clock in frustration. She’d gone to bed early because she was so tired after not sleeping last night. She’d slept great for the first couple of hours, but then she’d woken and couldn’t get back to sleep.

Giving up for the moment, she rolled out of bed. She checked on Billy and then wandered into the kitchen. She thought about a cup of chamomile tea but decided it was too hot for tea. Instead, she got herself a glass of water and peered out the window.

She could almost hear the laughter and smell the fish sizzling hot from the barbecue. She’d had fun and so had her son. Elias and his nephews hadn’t stayed long after they’d eaten. On one hand, she was grateful. On the other, she’s missed them almost as soon as they’d left.

It wasn’t smart to get so attached to people just passing through. She hadn’t allowed herself to get too attached to anyone these past few years. Not since Anny left and the problems started with her parents.

She’d isolated herself. Oh, she saw plenty of people every day at the diner, but the conversation was superficial at best. Ever since she’d buried her father, she’d been pulling away from life.

That wasn’t healthy. Not for her or her son. What kind of example was she setting for him?

Sue set her glass down on the kitchen counter and wandered over to the back door. She unlocked it and stepped out onto the porch. She ignored the chairs on the deck and sat on the steps instead.

It was still warm, the heat from the day still clinging to the land. There was no breeze at all, nothing to break the wall of warmth. She didn’t mind. She liked the heat. What she didn’t like was being cold in the winter.

She didn’t do this enough. Just sit out and enjoy a quiet summer evening. The stars were lovely and the moon was more than half full.

The hoot of an owl startled her. Heart pounding, she managed to laugh. It was isolated out here on the edge of town, but she was starting to like it. There was something about nature that was healing.

It was better than living near the childhood home she’d had to sell. This was a fresh start for both her and Billy. She’d thought about moving, but she honestly didn’t know where she’d go. Salvation was home.

Her plan was to save up enough money for a down payment on a small house, one for which she could afford to pay the mortgage and upkeep. Maybe she’d even ask Anny about buying this one. There’d been no interest in it, so the asking price might be within her budget.

There was no sound, but Sue knew she was no longer alone. It was the absence of sound that alerted her. The insects went quiet. The trees seemed to take a deep breath and hold it. A shiver raced down her spine and goose bumps rose on her arms.

Sue jumped to her feet and had one hand on the door handle when he spoke. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

With one hand over her racing heart, she whirled around. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. Was he stalking her?

Elias stepped into the yard and into a patch of moonlight. She could see his skin glistening. “I was out for a run and saw you sitting out back. Is anything wrong?”

“I don’t know. Is there?” Common sense was urging her to go inside and shut the door, but instinct told her that Elias would never hurt her.

He held up his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come out this way. In my defense, I hadn’t planned on it. My feet just brought me in this direction.” He shoved a lock of hair out of his face. “Don’t let me drive you inside. Don’t let me spoil the night for you.”

Maybe it was the dark. Maybe it was her wayward hormones, but she released her hold of the door handle and returned to her seat on the steps. She was wearing a nightgown and was decently covered, but the fact she was naked under the thin fabric made her very aware of her body. She felt daring and sexy and alive.

Elias stepped closer but didn’t join her. She knew he wouldn’t unless invited, so she patted the step beside her.

The way he prowled toward her set her heart racing. His eyes seemed to reflect the light, which was impossible. It had to be a trick of the moonlight. She shivered and goose bumps raced down her arms.

He was wearing nothing but running shorts and a pair of sneakers. She’d seen him shirtless the first time they’d met, but it felt different tonight. Then, she’d worried about him being a threat. Now, she was very aware of him as a man.

His shoulders were broad, his biceps well defined. And his stomach was like something out of a men’s health magazine. His pecs were sculpted, his abs slabs of muscle.

He smelled good too. Earthy and slightly sweaty. Not a smell she’d normally associate with sexy, but it worked on Elias.

Sue was very aware of his large body next to hers. It would be so easy to reach out and touch his warm skin, to run her hands over his wide chest.

She self-consciously tugged on the hem of her nightgown, even though it already covered her knees. The tense silence grew between them until she couldn’t handle it any longer. “What do you do for a living?” she blurted.

Elias sat forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. “My brother and I ran our own construction company. I sold it after he died. I didn’t want to do it without him.”

“I’m so sorry.” The last thing she’d wanted was to bring up such terrible memories for him.

“It’s okay. I liked what we did, but it was more Everett’s dream than mine.”

“What will you do now?” She really wanted to know. “What are your dreams?”

“Damned if I know. My priority right now is Sage and Reece.” He turned his head and met her gaze. “You understand.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I do. With my folks gone, Billy is my priority.”

“What do you do for a living?” he asked. He gave her a smile that made her want to sigh even as it made her insides quiver. “Even though we’ve eaten together twice, I still don’t know.”

She laughed in spite of her growing arousal. It was easy to talk to Elias here in the dark. Maybe it was because he was a stranger. Maybe it was simply because he was Elias.

“I’m a waitress. I work at the diner in town.”

His smile widened. “I knew it you had experience waitressing. The way you handle a tray is a dead giveaway.”

She shrugged, feeling as though she should apologize for not having a better job. She hadn’t felt this way in a long time. She’d sacrificed her own education to help pay for her ex-husband’s, and then Billy had come along and there’d been no time or money for her to pursue it. “It pays the bills.”

“Hey.” He caught her chin in his hand when she started to turn away. “It’s an honest job and it provides for your son. You’re an amazing woman, Sue Walsh. What you’ve been through would have crushed a lot of people, but you’re still open enough to invite wayward strangers into your life.”

“I’m not so brave.” She couldn’t allow him to think she was. “I wanted to turn you all away and lock the door.”

“But you didn’t,” he pointed out. “That makes you incredibly courageous.” Then Elias slowly leaned forward.

He was going to kiss her. She knew it and almost panicked. Did she want him to kiss her? Should she stop him?

Then it was too late. His lips touched hers. It was the lightest touch, barely grazing. She sucked in a breath and leaned forward, deepening the contact.

The tingling in her lips spread to her entire body. Her nipples puckered and a low throb began between her legs.

He ran his tongue along her lower lip. She moaned and when she parted her lips, he slid his tongue inside. Sue put her hands on his chest for support. Her bones were melting beneath the onslaught of his kiss.

His skin was hot beneath her hands, and his heart thundered against her palm.

When had she last felt this alive? Never in her life had a man kissed her in such a delicious way.