Wolf in his Heart (Salvation Pack) (8 page)

Chapter Eight

The shadows had shifted by the time Rina woke. It wasn’t dark outside, but the sun was no longer streaming in through the patio doors. She took a moment to simply enjoy being safe and rested. She’d kicked off the sheet and was covered only in Sage’s oversized T-shirt. For the first time in a very long while, she felt content, almost happy.

She drifted in that half-awake state, listening to the sounds filtering in from outside. A child laughed, making her smile, and a dog barked. She frowned. A dog?

She scented Sage just before the mattress depressed next to her. “Hey, sleepyhead.” She blinked up at him. He’d showered since she’d seen him last. She could smell soap, fresh and rich. It was natural with no chemical smell. Most werewolves used all natural, organic products. All others were an assault on the senses.

“Hey.” It felt as though her chest was filled with a balloon that kept getting bigger. It was difficult to breathe. Yet her heart was full and light.

With his damp hair slicked away from his face, she got the full force of his good looks and smile. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a tank top, like he’d been when they’d met, but this time the top was a vibrant blue that matched his eyes.

“Sleep well?” He brushed his fingers over the side of her face and her entire body tightened.

“Yes.”

His hand stilled and his nostrils flared. “Are you hungry?”

Rina felt like fanning her face with her hand. It had already been warm in the room, now it was downright hot. She was hungry, all right. She licked her lips and stared at his mouth. He had the most expressive mouth. His lips weren’t too full or too thin. They were just right for kissing.

“Rina, honey, you have to stop looking at me like that, or we’re not going to make it to the barbecue, and everyone has been working hard on the food all afternoon.” He ran his thumb over her bottom lip, and she inhaled sharply. His pupils dilated and a deep rumble welled up from his chest.

“Barbecue?” Were they going somewhere?

“Yeah. Gator’s been marinating steaks and a few of the women have made salads and side dishes. I think Anny’s baked some cookies or maybe a cake. I known Miss Elise has made pies.”

Rina frowned, not recognizing the last name. “Who is Miss Elise?”

Sage eased his hand away from her face. “She’s Jacque and Louis’s mom. She’s a great lady, but she hasn’t had an easy life.” He paused before adding, “Their father’s dead.”

“I’m sorry.” Her sympathy was automatic. She knew what it was like to lose someone you cared about. In her case, the people hadn’t died but they might as well have. She’d never see them again.

“Don’t be. He was a mean son of a bitch who tried to kill just about every member of the original pack at one time or another. Not to mention a couple of the women.” She could see from the look in his eyes there was a hell of a lot more to the story than that, but he offered no more.

“Wow. Okay.” She knew some werewolves got so caught up in the power struggles of the pack that they’d stop at nothing to maintain their position.

“He was alpha of the Louisiana Pack and made Miss Elise’s life a living hell. But that’s all over with and has been for years. Miss Elise has a small house near the alpha’s place.”

There was so much she didn’t know about this pack and the people who populated it. “Who else haven’t I met?”

Sage grinned. “My twin for one, but that’s okay. I’m the better looking. He lives and works in Chicago.”

“He doesn’t live here? And he’s still considered part of the pack?” That was unheard of. If you were pack, you stayed and worked on pack land.

“Sure. He comes home on holidays and a few times a year in between. Every now and again, I head up to visit him. He’d come if we needed him.”

With every new thing she learned, she was truly beginning to understand just how different this pack was. They didn’t see their differences as weakness, as she’d always been taught, but as strengths.

“Come with me and I’ll introduce you to the rest. Everyone is gathering for the barbecue.”

Rina felt slightly sick. She hated being the center of attention. The last time that had happened she’d been banished from her pack. Her wolf, on the other hand, was quivering with excitement about being around her own kind.

Sage leaned down and rubbed his cheek against her hair. “Everything will be fine. You’ll see. Trust me.”

“I do trust you.” It was easy to say because it was the truth. It was the others she wasn’t so keen on.

“Come on. Go freshen up and change. I’ll be waiting just outside for you.” Sage’s voice was husky and his features strained. “If I stay much longer, we won’t be going anywhere.” When he stood, she could see he was aroused. She wanted to lick her lips but forced herself to look away.

“I won’t be long,” she assured him. Better to get this over with fast rather than keep worrying about it.

“Take your time.” Sage stood and walked to the doors. He pushed open the screen, stepped outside, and then pushed it back into place. She listened for his footsteps but couldn’t hear him. In his bare feet, he moved silently.

Rina swung her legs around and put her feet on the floor. The hardwood was smooth beneath her soles. She stood and padded to the end of the bed and snagged her knapsack on the way along. She could scent Sage and knew he was just outside the door. Waiting. For her.

Rina hurried into the bathroom and slid the door shut. She felt hot and sticky but didn’t want to take the time for another shower. She settled on dampening a facecloth and rubbing it over her face, chest, and upper arms.

Her dirty clothes were no longer lying on the bathroom floor. She’d have to ask Sage what had happened to them. The image of him handling her clothes was more erotic than it should have been. She shook her head and stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dark circles beneath her eyes were almost gone. She didn’t look quite so strained or tired.

There wasn’t any choice in what she had to wear, so she dug out the clean pair of jeans she had in her pack and pulled them on. The tank she tugged on was plain white and had built-in support so she didn’t need a bra. She wished she had something nicer to wear, but her clothing had been bought with price, comfort, and versatility in mind. And almost all of it was used. The jeans she wore were, but the top was new. She’d found it for cheap at a local department store and hadn’t been able to resist. She’d bought white simply because it would go with more.

She ran her fingers through her short hair. She’d had long hair once, but it had been too hard to care for when she’d been living on the streets. She’d hacked it off and donated the long hanks to an organization that used hair to make wigs for cancer patients. It had made her feel slightly better about having to cut it all off. Her hair had been her crowning glory and she’d always loved it. She thought about growing it back but knew it would no longer suit the woman she’d become.

Knowing she couldn’t procrastinate any longer, she checked to make sure her money, identification, and pictures were safe and then closed her bag. She carried it out of the bathroom and set it back on the bench. It would be safe in Sage’s room.

Taking a deep breath, Rina walked to the screen and pushed it open. She didn’t bother with her sneakers, preferring to go barefoot. The deck was warm on her skin but not so hot that it was unbearable to walk on, as this side of the house was partially in shadows now.

“Ready.” Sage waited by her side. She had a quick flash of them standing like this at another time and place. One that felt like it was far, far in the future. Nothing more than wishful thinking on her part.

She met his gaze and nodded. “I’m ready.” This time, she didn’t wait for him to offer. She reached out and took his hand. Sage smiled and linked their fingers together.

Rina was putting on a brave face, but she looked scared enough to bolt. He tried to imagine himself in her shoes—thrust into a pack where she was a total stranger, not knowing who she could trust. Besides him, of course. She knew she could trust him. Or at least he hoped she knew she could.

“Remember that no one here will hurt you.” They walked to the end of the deck and down the two steps to the yard. They moved side by side easily, as though they’d been doing it for years. They hadn’t even hit the corner of the house when a large beast ambled around the corner. It was part timber wolf, but also part German shepherd. He went straight for Rina.

“That’s a dog. An actual dog. Not a werewolf.”

“That’s Shadow.” Sage petted the old guy on the head. “He’s Gray’s dog. She’s had him for a long time. I guess he’s about twelve or so now.”

“He’s beautiful.” Rina offered her hand. Shadow sniffed and then licked it. She laughed and rubbed the dog’s head. “You’re gorgeous, aren’t you?” Shadow’s butt wiggled in excitement and he made some rumbling noises like he was agreeing with her. She laughed again. “He’s wonderful.”

“Yeah, Anny has two cats as well.”

Rina dropped her hand back to her side. “Cats?”

Sage grinned at the look of disbelief on her face. “Yeah, Seymour and Tigger. They’re around fourteen or fifteen years old, I guess. They don’t leave home these days.”

“I’ve never heard of a pack with cats as pets.” Rina shook her head in disbelief.

“We’re an interesting bunch.” He started walking again. Rina knew where they were going. She could hear the voices as easily as he could. Shadow trotted on ahead, and Sage knew the big dog would find a spot beneath a tree in the shade, curl up, and keep an eye on things.

It took them another couple of minutes to get to the back of Gator and Sylvie’s place. Not because it was so very far, but because Rina was dragging her feet. He decided it was probably better if he didn’t point that out to her. Yeah, calling her a coward wouldn’t be smart.

“Smell that barbecue.” He inhaled and his stomach grumbled. “Gator is a hell of a cook and grills a mean steak. There’ll be burgers too and hot dogs. The kids enjoy those. Lots to eat.”

He smiled and a sense of well-being and homecoming struck him when he stopped at the edge of the clearing. Everyone was here. Everyone but Reece. It was at times like these he missed his brother most. He didn’t think his twin would be living away for much longer. Sage knew Reece wasn’t staying away because he loved the city or his job so much, but because he felt compelled to. Some instinct was telling him to stay.

Sage only hoped that instinct would soon tell his brother to come home.

“Welcome to the Salvation Pack.” He stood behind Rina and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back against his chest. Neither one of them mentioned the fact that his erection was digging into her ass or that she was doing him a favor by standing in front of him.

The adults would know he was aroused. And didn’t that make him feel like a horny teenager. But the kids didn’t need to see it. He struggled to get control of himself, but having her nestled against him, the rounded curve of her behind snuggling his dick wasn’t helping. His arms were around her midsection. If he moved them upward the tiniest bit, he’d be able to feel the weight of her breasts resting on them.

This was so not helping.

Just then a little girl ran up to him. She was barefoot and wearing a pink sundress that almost came to her ankles. “Who’s your new friend, Sage?” the little angel asked.

“This is Rina,” he told her. “Rina, this is Amy. She’s Cole and Cherise’s little girl.”

The child put her fists on her hips and frowned. “I’m not little. I’m four.”

Sage reached down and tapped the little girl on the nose. “I stand corrected. You’re practically grown up.” He glanced at Rina and was glad to see her smiling.

Rina smiled at the little blonde fairy child staring up at her. It was hard to believe this little girl was the child of the biggest man she’d ever seen, but she did have her father’s coloring. The eyes were especially unmistakable. “I’m glad to meet you, Amy.”

The little girl nodded. “You can play with me if you want. I can show you my room later. I’ve got books and puzzles and dolls and all kinds of stuff.”

“I’d like that.” Satisfied with Rina’s answer, the little girl ran to her father and raised her arms. The huge man lifted her easily and swung her onto his shoulders as though he’d done it a hundred times. Amy clutched her father’s hair and kissed his cheek.

Rina wouldn’t have dared be so forward with her father. He was of the generation that believed raising children was women’s work. To see such a huge and obviously lethal werewolf handle his little girl with such ease was an eye-opener. Sure, she knew such things were common in the human world, but not in the pack where she’d been raised.

“Come on,” Sage whispered in her ear. “I want you to meet everyone.”

Since they were already either staring at her or pretending not to, Rina figured it was the best thing to do. “We should greet the alphas first.” This pack might be more relaxed, but protocol had been drummed into her since she was old enough to comprehend the rules. And they’d invited her to share their communal dinner.

“Sure, this way.” Sage kept one arm around her shoulders and they walked toward Jacque and Gwen. The alpha watched her with his golden-brown eyes that missed nothing. Gwen smiled and held out her hands.

Rina nodded at Jacque and took Gwen’s hands. “Thank you for inviting me for dinner.”

“You’re welcome, honey. Did you sleep well?” Gwen asked.

“Yes, thank you. I did.” She knew she sounded stiff, but it wasn’t easy to talk at all with Jacque staring at her.

Gwen waved her hand and two sturdy young boys raced over and skidded to a stop in front of her. “These are our sons. This is Nicholas.” She put her hand the taller boy’s shoulder. “And this is Aaron.” She rested her other hand on the younger boy’s head. There was no mistaking who their father was. Both boys had familiar golden-brown eyes. “Boys, this is Rina. She’s a friend of Sage’s.”

The younger boy grinned but the older one stuck out his hand. “Pleased to meet ya.”

Rina looked to the alpha and got his nod before she shook the child’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you too.” Duty done, both boys ran off with young Amy in pursuit.