Ice Claimed (7 page)

“I guess I am, but if she sends me flying I’m done.”

Meadow smiled. “You don’t have to worry about that. Dancer
will behave.”

With a nod, Durlach walked over to the mare’s side and
climbed up onto her back. He accepted the reins from Meadow when she handed
them to him. Unlike Bolt, Dancer stood perfectly still while he waited for his
mate to get up onto the gelding.

Once Meadow was all set, she headed down the trail. Durlach
gave Dancer a small nudge with his heels and the mare followed after the other
horse. A quick look over his shoulder showed Taylor stood in the middle of the
trail, watching their departure. Durlach made a note to have a long chat with
the other man very soon.

He managed to steer Dancer out from behind Bolt so she
walked beside him. Durlach looked over at Meadow. She seemed to avoid his gaze
as she continued to stare straight ahead. Ever since he’d arrived he’d felt as
if she was trying to put some distance between them. The kiss he’d given her,
she really hadn’t been into it one hundred percent, not like she’d been on
their date the night before. He decided to let it go for now and wait to see
how she was once their ride was over.

After they returned to the stable, Durlach knew for sure
something had changed between him and Meadow. They talked but nothing that
centered on their new relationship. She also put enough space between them so
he couldn’t reach out and touch her.

Once Durlach dismounted, Meadow did the same and took
Dancer’s reins from him. She also told him to wait for her outside while she
took the horses inside the stable. He had no problem with that. The building
was Taylor’s territory and he wanted to stay away from the other man for the
time being.

It didn’t take very long before Meadow returned. “You want
to come inside?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

Durlach followed Meadow inside the house, then into the
living room where they sat on the couch. He didn’t wait for her to start the
conversation. “What’s the matter, Meadow? I know there’s something.”

She let out a breath. “All right, there is. I need to ask
you something and I need you to answer me truthfully.”

“Okay.” Durlach wasn’t sure what Meadow would ask but he had
a feeling he wasn’t going to like it.

“It’s come to my attention that you’re hiding something from
me about yourself. And that it’s important that I know what it is before our
relationship goes any further.
Are
you keeping something from me?”

“Who told you that?” He knew damn well who it was but needed
to hear Meadow say it.

“It’s not relevant.”

“Yes, it is.” He couldn’t keep a hint of a growl out of his
voice. His wolf always so close to the surface nudged even closer.

“Can’t you just answer the question without knowing that?”

Durlach’s temper flared as he realized Taylor was probably
behind all this. His mating urge riding him, and his wolf wanting to be let
lose, Durlach stood. “It was Taylor who told you I was keeping something from
you, wasn’t it?”

Meadow came to her feet in front of him. “He only said it to
help spare my feelings if things don’t work out between us.” She paused and
took a half a step back. “Durlach, why are your eyes glowing?”

The unease he saw on his mate’s face, and her thinking she
needed to have more space between them, made something snap inside Durlach. He
didn’t need Taylor coming between him and Meadow, especially since Durlach
hadn’t claimed her yet. The idea of another unmated male having any influence
over Meadow didn’t sit well.

A full-blown growl rumbled out of him as he left the living
room. He heard Meadow calling his name but ignored her as he stomped out of the
house. Durlach turned in the direction of the stable, ready to have it out with
Taylor right then and there.

Chapter Seven

Meadow wished she’d kept her big mouth shut, or at least
found a better way to bring up the subject. There was no disguising the fact
Durlach wasn’t too happy with Taylor right now. She also didn’t like the fact
his eyes had taken on a peculiar muted glow. If she hadn’t been worried about
what Durlach was going to do to Taylor she would more than likely be freaking
about Durlach’s eye change.

“Durlach, stop,” she said as she had to almost run to keep
up with him. “I don’t think you’re in the right frame of mind to confront
Taylor about this.”

“I have to disagree with you on that. He had to have known
this is how I would react when I found out. He had no right.”

Meadow’s gut clenched at the animalistic growl that laced
every word Durlach spoke. This was so not good. She didn’t need the two men to
get into a fist fight, and that’s exactly what she thought was going to happen.

Durlach walked into the stable and bellowed Taylor’s name.
Taylor came out of the tack room and came to a standstill once he saw Durlach.

“By your glowing eyes, I see you finally told Meadow what
you are,” Taylor said.

“No, I haven’t. She didn’t cause them to be like this. You
did. And since you know so much you’ll have already figured out why you did.
You had no right to fill my mate’s head with crap so she feels she can’t trust
me.”

Taylor closed more of the distance between him and Durlach.
“But she had a right to know from the start. You should have introduced
yourself by saying, ‘Hi, my name is Durlach and I’m a werewolf’.”

Durlach growled. “Look who’s talking about keeping secrets
from Meadow. You’ve known her for years and you haven’t told her yours.”

Meadow stared at the two pissed-off men. Had she heard him
right? Had Taylor called Durlach a werewolf? And what was Durlach referring to
about Taylor having a secret? Had the world suddenly gone crazy and she hadn’t
received the memo?

“You’re walking a fine line, wolf boy,” Taylor said through
clenched teeth.

“Then how about we see if I can go over it?”

Durlach’s body shimmered and blurred. Meadow’s jaw dropped
and her whole body became frozen in place as he shifted to what she had thought
was a wolf hybrid. It was Kèitel, right down to the black fur and size. Kèitel
was Durlach.

Meadow didn’t have too much time to freak out about that as
Durlach launched himself at Taylor. Instead of trying to run as any sane person
should, Taylor stood his ground, his body shifting as Durlach’s had, though a
large cougar took his place.

The wolf and cougar met in a flurry of sharp teeth and
claws. Meadow’s heart tried to beat out of her chest as she watched two
creatures she would never have guessed existed go at each other. The stable
filled with the snarls of a large cat and the growls of a wolf. The horses
neighed in fright and kicked the sides of their stalls. She remained frozen
where she stood, unable to make a sound or run. All she could do was watch.

With brute force of will, Meadow slowly took one sidestep
and then another. Her gaze locked on to the two fighting animals, she inched
her way toward one of the empty stalls. Once she reached it she ducked inside
and carefully closed the door without making a sound. The last thing she wanted
was to draw attention to herself. She tiptoed over to the stacked bales of
straw, then climbed near the top where she knew was a little opening for her to
hide inside.

There she sat with her knees drawn up to her chest. The
sounds of the fight eventually stopped. Meadow couldn’t tell who the winner was
and didn’t really care. She just didn’t want them to find her. But the sound of
the stall door opening had her covering her mouth with her hand to cover any
noise she couldn’t hold back.

“Meadow?” Durlach called from inside the small space. “It’s
okay. I know you’re in here. I can smell your scent. Taylor and I have worked
out our differences now. You don’t have to be afraid of us.”

“Yeah, Meadow,” Taylor added. “We didn’t mean to scare you
like that. Come on out.”

No way in hell was she going to come out of her hiding spot.
She heard the two men say something to each other so quietly she couldn’t make
out the words. Meadow wrapped her free arm around her legs and held tight.
Maybe if she sat very still they wouldn’t be able to find her and would give
up.

That soon proved not to work at all. The bales of straw that
hid her were tossed away by Taylor and Durlach as if they weighed nothing,
exposing her to their sight. Meadow let out a shrill scream and tried to make a
run for it, but Durlach had a hold of her before she could make any attempt.

He held her in his arms, keeping her pressed against him.
“Meadow, calm down. It’s fine.”

She pushed at his chest. When that didn’t get her anywhere
she resorted to using her fists, which had no effect at all. “Let me go.”

“Not until you quit freaking out.”

Meadow continued to struggle until she tired herself. She
breathed hard as she finally lifted her gaze to Durlach’s. He gave her an
apologetic look. A quick glance at Taylor showed he did the same thing.

“Are you calmer now?” Durlach asked.

“Not really.”

“Will you be able to stay calm enough for Taylor and me to
explain what we are?”

“I don’t know. You both turned into animals.”

“Yes, and we want to help you accept that.”

“We can go upstairs to my apartment,” Taylor added.

Meadow gave a shaky nod. “I guess.”

It wasn’t as if she had much choice. The way Durlach held
her, she doubted he’d let her go until he had his chance to talk. And to prove
that theory correct, he picked her up off her feet and carried her as he
followed Taylor out of the stall and to the apartment above.

Durlach settled on the couch in the small living room with
her on his lap. Taylor sat on the armchair across from them. Meadow clasped her
hands together to hide the fact they shook. She also had a hard time looking
each man in the eye.

“So who should go first?” Durlach asked Taylor.

“You can,” Taylor replied. “Meadow has more at stake with
you than she does me.”

“All right.” Durlach placed a finger under Meadow’s chin and
forced her to look at him. “First of all, I would never, ever hurt you. You
mean more to me than life itself. You are my mate.”

“Okay,” she said in a trembling voice.

“I guess it’s best if I do this as my mated wolf brothers
did with their mates when they found out they were werewolves. Be blunt and to
the point. I’m a sentinel, one of the very first werewolves. Unlike modern-day
of my kind, I’m immortal. I was turned by the shaman of my tribe during the ice
age. After my wolf brothers and I made sure the new race of man would continue,
the same shaman put us to sleep in a hidden ice cave on a glacier. And there we
slept for ten thousand years. My alpha’s mate was the one who found us and woke
Edensaw from his slumber, where in turn he woke the rest of us. We were created
to fight the dark wolves. And that time has come.”

Meadow swallowed. It was all so much to take in, but she
couldn’t stop from feeling a little bit of excitement about the fact Durlach
was an ice age Tlingit hunter, one of the people she’d spent all of her career
studying, finding remnants of their culture during that time buried in the
ground.

“So you aren’t a wolf hybrid,” she said.

“No. I’m a dire wolf.”

“Because there were no timber wolves during the ice age.”

Durlach smiled. “Precisely. The shaman picked the animal of
that period.”

“And I’m your mate. How? Shouldn’t your mate be one of your
own kind?”

“That’s what I’ve been wondering,” Taylor said.

“I wasn’t born a werewolf like the modern-day ones. I was
turned. So it only makes sense that I would have a mortal as a mate. We knew
that would be the case before we went into our long sleep. It’s also the reason
why our shaman gave us the ability to turn our mates once we found them. Make
them werewolves.”

“Holy shit,” Taylor said. “You can turn your mates?”

Durlach looked at the other man and nodded. “Yes, but we
have learned the same goes for any mortal. The person doesn’t have to be a
mate.”

“I’m guessing you’ll want to turn me then,” Meadow said,
drawing Durlach’s attention back to her.

“When you are ready, but you have to accept me as your mate
first before I claim you. Once I do our souls will join and there will be no
undoing it.”

“How would you go about doing that?”

“The first time I make love to you fully you will be mine.”

That would explain why Durlach hadn’t pushed to have sex
with her last night, even though they’d gotten really hot and heavy.

“Okay, I think I need time for that to sink in,” Meadow
said. She turned her gaze on Taylor. “While it is, I want your story. You’ve
been living here for three years and not once would I have guessed you could
change into a cougar.”

Taylor shifted on his chair, looking uncomfortable. “Because
I didn’t want you to know. I usually don’t let that side of myself out very
often.”

“How did you end up here with Meadow?” Durlach asked. “Up
until today I had no idea cat shifters existed. I know nothing of your kind.”

“We’ve tried to keep you werewolves from finding out. There
are so few of us. We don’t have packs like you and we keep to family groups
only. As for why I ended up here, I sort of jeopardized my kind’s secret when I
went after a lone wolf who picked a fight with one of my mortal friends. He
hadn’t stood a chance. I broke up the fight, then shifted to my cougar form to
teach the werewolf a lesson. I won, but the lone wolf decided he wasn’t happy
about it and tried to kill me. I ended up taking his life instead. As
punishment, I was banished from my family.”

“No wonder you never talk about them,” Meadow said. “You
hardly ever speak about your life before you came to work for me.”

“I can’t ever go back so what would be the point?”

“And now I understand why you hate werewolves so much,”
Durlach said. “You have to know we’re not all like the lone wolf you fought.
They are alone for a reason. They’ve been kicked out of their packs.”

Taylor shrugged. “I wouldn’t know since I’ve done my best to
stay clear of your kind. I know there’s a pack here in Juneau, which you must
be a part of.”

“Yes, there is. And no, I’m not. My wolf brothers and I have
remained separate from them. Edensaw is my alpha. Brice, even though he is a
good friend of ours, will never be our pack leader. Not that he’s ever tried to
force us to join his pack. All werewolves are descended either from me or one
of my wolf brothers. Plus, besides being immortal, a dire wolf and able to turn
our mortals, we have one other ability they don’t have. In wolf form, we can
communicate telepathically as well as read another’s mind.”

As Durlach spoke, Meadow found she was able to look at him
without a sense of fear trying to take hold of her. Even Taylor no longer
incited that emotion. She had been given the facts and her mind had now
accepted it as the truth. Though before she could make any kind of commitment
to Durlach, she needed to see him in his dire wolf form again when she wasn’t
scared out of her wits. She had to put everything she’d learned into
perspective. Her feelings for him hadn’t changed, but it was a major life
change she’d make if she allowed him to claim her as his mate.

Meadow slid off Durlach’s lap and looked at Taylor. “Now
that both of your secrets are out in the open, I think it’s time Durlach and I
talked in private.”

Taylor stood and came to stand in front of her. “Just
promise me you’ll think through everything before you make a decision. And as I
told you before, if you don’t want to become a mate to a werewolf, I’ll be here
if you need me.”

Durlach rose to his feet next to her and let out a quiet
growl. “Watch what you say, cat. Don’t let your hatred of one of my kind
overshadow the rest of us.”

Meadow shifted to stand between the two men and put her hand
on Durlach’s chest. “Relax. Watching you two fight in animal form once already
is more than enough for one day. Durlach, let’s go to the house.” She looked at
Taylor. “I’ll make the decision that I think is best. It might not be what you
think is, but it’s still mine to make. I don’t need you trying to influence the
outcome.”

Taylor nodded and held up his hands in surrender. “I’ll back
off, and do my best to accept whatever you chose.” He set his gaze on Durlach.
“If you’d allow it, I’d like to get to know you and your wolf brothers better.
Maybe I have been kind of biased when it has come to werewolves. I can’t say it
will change my mind about you, but it could help me tolerate you more.”

Durlach smiled. “You’re more than welcome to come over any
time. I know I’m interested in learning more about cat shifters as the rest of
the sentinels will be, especially our new shaman, Ryder.”

Her mind awhirl with questions, Meadow took Durlach’s hand
and led him out of Taylor’s apartment. As they passed her office on the way to
the house, she realized all the unanswered questions she had about the ice age
would finally have answers. She had a living, breathing witness who would be
able to describe a world she’d only ever been able to imagine.

* * * * *

Durlach sat on the couch in Meadow’s living room and watched
her pace the length of it. She hadn’t said a word since leaving Taylor’s
apartment above the stable. He, however, had told her he regretted the way
she’d found out about his being a werewolf. And that the only thing he could
blame his bad behavior on was losing control of his wolf. Having Taylor push
him as he’d done, Durlach had let the reins slip on his animal side. His mating
urge had also made it harder to pull it back.

But he’d been just as shocked as her by what Taylor was. He
also told her that Brice probably had no idea cat shifters existed, and he had
been alive for a lot longer than a mortal. It went to show how well the cats
had remained hidden. Plus, their numbers had to be so few as Taylor had said.