“Good. This would be a good location for a panic room. It can also work as a safe room, but it will function better at keeping people out.” She looked at him sharply. He stared at her knowingly. She neither confirmed nor denied his suspicion, and he didn’t push the issue. He knew what she was doing, just not why, but he was determined to find out.
His sharp ears picked up the sound of an approaching vehicle. “Your supplies are here.”
“I hear them. Did Kyle say if he was still coming?”
“Yes, he’ll be here. I changed the time of his arrival. When he gets here, he’ll be working for me. I’ve already set up payment arrangements.” Kyle showed up just in time to help with the truck. They unloaded it, piling everything in the basement for easy access. Under Rory’s direction, they removed the basement door and framed the stairway first. Then Rory and Kyle drywalled the interior while Shannon prepared lunch.
After eating, Rory had Shannon prep the wall for painting while they installed the first steel door. He worked like a man possessed. He didn’t know what the threat to Shannon was, but he wasn’t leaving until he had done all that he could do to ensure her safety.
If he hadn’t known it would piss her off, he’d put a guard on her and assign some of the pack to watch over her, day and night. Problem was, if she caught on, she’d rip them a new asshole, then come looking for him to do the same, or at least give it a good try. The last time he and Shannon had seriously tangled, it had taken them both a week to recover.
Because he’d made her wolf so strong, she was past the age when most she-wolves mated. It wouldn’t bother him so much if she were happy. Despite what she said, he could see the loneliness in her eyes. He saw the way she watched the cubs in the pack.
His sister wanted a mate, but her stubbornness wouldn’t allow her to admit it.
For the last year he’d been pressuring her to find a mate for herself and the cubs he knew she wanted. He’d hoped she would become so sick of his matchmaking that she would get out there and look for her own man, if only to get him off her back. He’d pushed hard.
Maybe too hard. It was the only thing he knew to do. His actions had created a wall between them, and he knew it. He’d rather have her mad at him and doing something about changing her situation than wallowing in her loneliness.
Maybe here with the Raven pack she could find a mate. He hoped so because otherwise all his hard work would have been for nothing. Surely one of them would be strong enough for her.
By the time he left late that night both doors were installed, the studs had drywall on them, and the windows were secured. Though she hadn’t asked, he’d be back tomorrow to 28 Zena Wynn
install motion sensors and security cameras. By the time he was finished, this room would be tougher to get into than Fort Knox.
As he drove away, he decided it was time he and Alex had a little talk. If the man was going to be his baby sister’s alpha, Rory was going to make sure she was being well taken care of. The first thing they were going to discuss was whatever the hell it was that scared her so much.
Nikolai’s Wolf
29
Chapter Four
Shannon walked into the diner and paused, her gaze scanning past the occupied seats at the counter and searching the tables beyond, looking for her friends. When she’d arrived at Kiesha’s store this morning, there’d been a note on the door directing her to come to Moe’s.
Spotting Kiesha and Mary Elizabeth in the back corner, she started forward only to stop as an attractive young wolf with a lecherous expression on his face stepped directly in front of her, blocking her path. He had to be drawn to the scent of her burgeoning heat.
Eyes narrow, Shannon told him, “Move out of my way.” The young wolf smiled confidently, secure in his irresistibility. It might have been charming, had she been in the mood. When he still didn’t move, choosing instead to allow his gaze to wander over her body, she snapped.
Allowing her wolf to show, she looked him dead in his eyes and allowed her power to flare. She was an alpha, and she wasn’t in the mood to deal with his crap today. “Move out of my way before I rip out your throat,” she said in a low growl.
The acrid scent of fear rose in the air as the young wolf realized his mistake. As an omega, he should have known he didn’t stand a chance against an alpha, even if that alpha was a small female. Especially when said female was in the early stages of the heat. Alpha-fems tended to be ferocious on a good day. Add the heat to the equation and they became downright vicious. He quickly lowered his eyes in a sign of submission and mumbled an apology as he slunk away.
Shannon’s gaze skimmed over the rest of the diner’s male patrons, lingering on those her nose identified as unmated wolves. She issued out a silent challenge that went unanswered. Even those who’d previously been interested turned away, directing their attention elsewhere. Others actually got up and left the diner. When Shannon was satisfied 30 Zena Wynn
she’d gotten her point across, she turned off the flow of power and called back her wolf before continuing to the table where Kiesha and Mary Elizabeth were waiting.
“What?” she snapped defensively when she saw how her friends were staring at her.
Holding her hands up high in front of herself, Mary Elizabeth looked at her innocently.
“Nothing. I like my throat just where it is. I’ve had enough trouble lately.” Kiesha fanned herself with her hand. “Whew, you’ve got some serious mojo going on.
What was that all about? As soon as you walked in the door, half of the guys in this place stared at you like you were sex on a stick and they couldn’t wait to get a lick. I swear I saw one guy drool. I don’t remember you getting that kind of reaction at the party two weeks ago.”
Shannon slid into the booth next to Kiesha and grimaced. “I’m going into heat,” she mumbled under her breath.
Kiesha and Mary Elizabeth exchanged puzzled looks. “Pardon me?” Kiesha asked. “I didn’t quite catch what you said.”
Shannon huffed and then said a little louder, and with a lot more attitude, “I said, I’m going into heat.”
Mary Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open. “You mean the way dogs… Ouch!” She glared at Kiesha. “What did you kick me for?”
“You were being rude. Shannon is not a dog, and I’m sure she doesn’t appreciate you calling her one.”
Mary Elizabeth vehemently protested. “I didn’t call her a dog. I only mentioned them as a frame of reference so that I could understand what she was talking about. I swear, you better hurry up and have that baby because it’s eating your brain cells.” When Kiesha opened her mouth to retaliate, Shannon cut her off. “Ladies, please! This is difficult enough as it is. Yes, Mary Elizabeth, to answer your question, it is similar to when female dogs go into heat.”
Turning to include Kiesha, she briefly explained what the heat was like and the impact it was having on her body. Her friends sat in stunned silence as they absorbed the impact of her words.
Mary Elizabeth was the first to recover. “Isn’t there anything you can do to prevent that from happening? Any medicine you can take that will control it and not leave you so…” She floundered, obviously searching for a word that fit.
“Helpless,” Kiesha finished for her.
“Normally, yes, there would be, but your mate just pulled me off of everything I usually take to help get me through this,” Shannon told them glumly, still a bit pissed about the whole situation.
Fire flared in Kiesha’s golden brown eyes. “Why in the hell did Alex do that? Didn’t he know how it would affect you?”
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31
Mary Elizabeth echoed her.
Shannon, who’d thought she’d never find anything about this situation funny, was amused and touched that they were so firmly on her side, considering the short time they’d all known each other. “Don’t blame Alex. There’s other stuff going on that literally meant I was taking my life into my own hands were I to continue taking them.”
“Man, that sucks,” Mary Elizabeth said sympathetically.
“Damn,” Kiesha said. “Since he had a good reason, I guess I don’t have to rip into him as soon as I see him. What are you going to do? I know you’re not going to just sit back and hope for the best.”
“Don’t worry. I have a plan,” Shannon assured them before changing the subject. She’d come here to get her mind off her problems. Talking about them was just bringing her down.
“How is Hugh? I haven’t seen him since you left on your ‘business trip.’” Business trip was a euphemism for Mary Elizabeth’s freak-out when she discovered she was mated to Hugh and not just having an affair as she’d originally believed.
Mary Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “The man hasn’t let me out of his sight since I returned.
If he knew I was in the diner, he’d be over here right now. I had to talk fast to keep him from driving me to work this morning.”
Shannon laughed because “work” was only two blocks away.
Kiesha smirked. “I’m surprised the man let you out of bed. You took off for five days without a word to him. You’re lucky he lets you out of his sight.” Shannon nodded her agreement. Shape-shifters were extremely possessive, especially when newly mated.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Mary Elizabeth told them. “When I got home Saturday, there was a surprise waiting, and not a good one.” Interest piqued, Shannon said, “Well, don’t hold back. Tell us what happened.” Mary Elizabeth looked around to see if anyone was listening and then motioned them closer. Quietly, she stated, “Charles came to visit.” Kiesha sucked in her breath sharply. “Are you serious? Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”
“Isn’t Charles your brother-in-law?” Shannon asked.
“Mary Elizabeth’s needy brother-in-law who’s been trying to get her to move back home,” Kiesha explained.
“How did Hugh react?” That’s what Shannon wanted to know. You do not mess with a shape-shifter’s mate. Trying to convince Mary Elizabeth to leave Refuge, and subsequently Hugh, qualified.
32 Zena Wynn
Mary Elizabeth looked at them both, obviously trying to decide which question to answer first. “I haven’t had the opportunity. And Hugh’s still pissed, so please don’t mention this in front of him. By the way, Charles is dead. Oh, and I shifted into a bear.” Shannon and Kiesha stared at her, eyes and mouths wide open.
Mary Elizabeth looked around awkwardly, then tucked her long brown hair with blonde highlights nervously behind her ear. “How long do we have to sit here before we get any service? Someone should have been over by now to take our order. They could have at least asked if we wanted coffee. I’ll go and get us some.” She slid out of the booth.
“Move another inch, and I’ll sic Shannon on you,” Kiesha threatened.
Shannon nodded. If Mary Elizabeth thought they’d be satisfied with the tiny piece of information she’d thrown at them, she deserved to be bit. She growled at her for good measure, flashing a glimpse of her canines. Mary Elizabeth narrowed her brown eyes at Shannon but sat back down as directed.
“Okay, now start again from the beginning,” Kiesha commanded.
“And this time, don’t leave anything out,” Shannon added.
“And what was that bit about shifting into a bear? You shifted?” Kiesha’s voice rose.
“I’ve been mated for over a month now, and I haven’t fully shifted.” Mary Elizabeth shushed them, waving her hands for silence as she looked uneasily around the diner. “Keep your voice down. I don’t want everyone knowing what happened.”
“Start talking, or it’s going to get ugly,” Kiesha threatened.
Mary Elizabeth relented and explained in greater detail. She finished with, “I got so mad at the things Charles was saying that I saw red. I didn’t know I’d shifted until Hugh told me. Apparently strong emotions bring on the change. I don’t know how Charles went from being in jail to crashing his van on the road out of town. And to be frank, I don’t want to know. I’m just glad the man’s finally out of my life.”
“I always knew there was something wrong with that man.” Kiesha nodded her head in an “I told you so” manner. “How did he find out where you were living? I thought you hadn’t given the folks your address.”
Mary Elizabeth sighed. “I hadn’t. He used my mother against me. She called begging me to come home for a visit. When I said I couldn’t, she guilted me into giving her my home address. Charles must have been sitting right there with her when she called.” Shannon looked at her. “Aw man, that’s deep.”
“You’re telling me.”
“I can’t believe your mother helped Charles like that. Then again, knowing her and the way she’s always treated you, I shouldn’t be surprised,” Kiesha acknowledged. “Sorry, but you know it’s the truth.”
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Mary Elizabeth gave her a smile of understanding. “I know, and it’s okay. I’ve made my peace with Mother. She is who she is. She couldn’t have gotten away with half of the things she did if I hadn’t enabled her. I could have broken free a long time ago. I guess that I wanted to feel needed and connected to my family, no matter what form that connection took. With Hugh, I’m finally starting to understand what a real family is supposed to be like.
Coming here was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m getting hungry. Since we can’t seem to get any service, I’ll go and get us some coffee.
Does anyone need a menu, or do you know what you want to eat?” Both Kiesha and Shannon knew so Mary Elizabeth got one of the order pads, wrote down their orders, and stuck them in the window. While she was standing there, the swinging door that led into the kitchen opened, and Hugh came out. He grabbed Mary Elizabeth by the hand and tugged her back through the door.
Kiesha gave Shannon a knowing look. “Think we’ll get our food anytime today?” Shannon smiled. “Only if there’s another cook back there.” They laughed as Kiesha got up to get the coffeepot and some cups. When she returned to the table and they’d both fixed their coffee, she asked, “How’s things going with your brother? He still driving you crazy?”
Shannon rolled her eyes. “Is he still breathing? ’Cause the only way he couldn’t make me crazy was if he were dead, and even then I’m sure Rory would find a way.”