Chapter Four

N icole followed Jaryn's Jeep down the aptly named Main Street. Small mom-and-pop stores lined the sidewalks. There were no fast-food joints or large discount stores in sight. They'd paused at the intersection of one of the few stoplights in town, and she saw what must be the local diner on the corner. A few patrons sat in the booths near the large windows, people-watching. It appeared as though time had passed the town by. Nicole actually smiled. It was nice.

A couple miles down the road, she saw Jaryn's brake lights come on, and he pulled into the lot of a small motel. Several small log cabins lined a circular gravel drive. She came to a stop in front of the building with a hand-painted sign that said ‘Office'. Nicole got out of her car and took a deep breath. The air held a fragrance that emoted innocence and freedom. It settled inside her like an old friend. Opening the screen door, she entered the reception area. Jaryn already stood at the counter speaking with a young man in his late teens. The scent of pine lingered in the air of the wood-paneled room.

"Nicole, I'd like you to meet Landon Dell. Landon's mom and dad own this motel. They're good friends and pack members, so I know you'll be safe here." Jaryn reached for Nicole's hand and pulled her up to the counter, tucking her into his side.

She wanted to roll her eyes at Jaryn's less than subtle tactics. Nicole saw the teenager's eyes widen for a second before he slid a registration card across the sanded pine countertop. Apparently, they didn't even use a computer system. That could work to her advantage, since it wouldn't provide a digital trail tractable for Adam's minions. She filled in her personal information and handed the card back.

"How much a night?"

"Normal rate is two hundred and five, but since it's the end"" of the season and you're pack, I can give it to you for a hundred dollars."

"I'm not pack," she said, stepping away from Jaryn.

Landon hung his head for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry, I thought…"

"Landon, there's no need to feel embarrassed. Your instincts are as good as ever. Nicole is new in town and we're taking this one day at a time. We're keeping a low profile, so if you wouldn't mind keeping this under your hat for a while, we'd appreciate it."

"I'm honored, Alpha." He chose a key from the bins beneath the counter. "Please let me show you the cabin."

Jaryn took the key from Landon's hand. "I think I can manage. Thank you."

Jaryn probably thought she hadn't seen the wink he gave Landon as they left the office, but instead of being annoyed, Nicole wanted to smile… again. Nicole gazed around at the quaint cabins. A grove of old-growth trees embraced the cabins at the back of the property. There were several picnic tables and a couple of old-fashioned barbeque pits set up in a central grassy area. It was quiet, despite being only a block off Main Street. The air was peaceful, and a light breeze lifted her hair away from her neck.

If this small town operated anything like the ones in stories she'd read, then Jaryn, all but outright confirming she was his mate to that kid, would mean that every town member would know by sundown.

"So which one is mine?" she asked.

Jaryn pointed to the cabin at the back of the property. "Number nine. Why don't you pull your car around?" He wrapped an arm around Nicole's waist and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll meet you over there."

Nicole opened her car door and watched as Jaryn strolled around the graveled driveway. Her gaze riveted on his lean hips and tight butt, expertly molded by his well-worn jeans. He hadn't touched her yet, except for the little kisses on her head, but her blood warmed and her skin tingled in anticipation of their first proper kiss. She'd only known the man for an hour—how was it possible she was already daydreaming of what it would feel like to have his lips against hers, his large firm body pressing her into a wall or soft bed? This kind of reaction was not typical for her. Normally, the men she dated became frustrated long before she was ready to jump into bed. More than a few had called things off before she was ready, calling her a cock tease.

She shook her head as she realized that she'd subconsciously followed Jaryn and was now sitting outside the cabin with the car running. She disengaged the engine and grabbed her overnight bag from the back seat.

"You okay?" Jaryn asked as Nicole slowly walked up to him. "I'm fine. Must be more tired than I thought."

"Then let's get you inside. I have several things to do this morning and afternoon, then tonight I'll take you to dinner. How does six o'clock sound?"

"That's fine." Nicole looked at the door to the cabin with longing, eagerly anticipating what she hoped would be a soft mattress and fluffy pillows.

The little log cabin was charming. There was a small patio sheltered by a wooden overhang. A window, cheerfully decorated by a flower box with some small sunflowers, sat to the left of the door. Jaryn inserted the key and pushed open the door. He came to a dead stop a few feet inside and started laughing. Nicole tried to peer around his body to see what was so funny. When she couldn't see anything, she poked him in the back.

"What is so funny?"

Jaryn stepped aside and guided Nicole into the cabin. "Look around."

Nicole saw nothing obvious. The interior of the cabin was the same pine paneling as the office. There was a lovely queen-sized bed with an antique white quilt, creamy yellow curtains in the windows, and a small love seat in front of a real wood-burning stove. A small but functional galley-style kitchen sat against the back wall. Nicole wasn't sure, but it looked as though there wasn't a single smart appliance anywhere. It was as though she'd stepped back in time and was greeted by a romantic getaway designed thirty years ago.

Not catching the joke, she looked up at Jaryn. "What? It looks nice."

"It's the honeymoon suite," he whispered in Nicole's ear.

She spun around to scan the room again. Nothing overtly screamed honeymoon. "How do you know?"

"Because this is shabby chic, and all the rest of the cabins have a more distinctive mountain wilderness flair."

Nicole almost burst out laughing. Hearing those words come out of the big Alpha male's mouth seemed so out of character, not to mention the way he'd said them with complete confidence. "And you know about interior design how?"

Jaryn leaned against the wall and shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. "Besides being pack Alpha, I'm also an architect. So, I frequently work with interior designers. You learn things," he said with a shrug.

"Architect? Really? That's… well, pretty cool, actually." She took a couple of steps towards Jaryn and let a little giggle escape. "So you're saying that had Landon given me one of the other cabins, a singing bass would greet me?"

"Not quite, but you would definitely encounter a much more rustic western atmosphere with lots of cast iron and horseshoes."

She looked up, mesmerized by the smile that transformed Jaryn's face. His strong features softened and laugh lines appeared at the corners of his silver eyes. "He did this on purpose, didn't he?"

"Landon?" Jaryn asked. "Probably. He was trying to show you respect as the mate of his Alpha. Plus, the kid's a softie."

Nicole let out a breath, and a little smile kicked up the corners of her mouth. It was sweet, if not a touch, presumptuous. She eyed the inviting bed. It was elegant-looking, like it belonged to some Victorian-era Parisian aristocrat who'd escaped to the country. But she couldn't picture her and Jaryn rolling around on those sheets locked in a passionate battle. She heard Jaryn shut the cabin door, then sensed his presence behind her. He placed his warm hands on her shoulders. He gave a tender squeeze, then slid his touch down her arms to gather her in and embrace her from behind. As he placed another one of those soft kisses on her skin, his lips grazing the side of her neck, a shiver raced across her body.

"Let's get you tucked in bed." He walked over to the bed and pulled the quilt and top sheet back.

Her body sagged, and her eyes burned from exhaustion. Her feet moved forwards on his command, then she sat heavily on the thick mattress. Jaryn kneeled at her feet and untied the laces of her shoes. Her hands automatically went to the button of her jeans, but froze as she realized Jaryn was still kneeling in front of her.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Let's get you comfortable, otherwise you won't have a good rest."

Jaryn unfastened her jeans, and she lifted her hips so he could pull them down. To his credit, his eyes didn't linger on her lace panties, although she noticed he inhaled an extra long breath before standing to tuck the quilt around her. He closed the curtains, then came back and sat on the edge of the mattress. His hand smoothed her hair away from her face and his thumb caressed her cheekbone.

"I want nothing more than to kiss you right this second, but I'm going to wait until you're wide awake. Our first kiss will begin the bonding process, and I want you to desire and cherish the sensations it will bring as much as I will. So all I'll do right now is say rest well, Nicole Holland, and I will see you this evening."

Jaryn apparently couldn't forgo a small touch because once again his firm lips landed on her forehead, lingering for several seconds, before he quickly stood and exited the cabin. Nicole turned on her side and closed her eyes. As sleep quickly overtook her, she wondered if she would dream of the man calling himself her mate.

Jaryn sat across from Nicole in the quiet restaurant. The hostess had seated them in the back corner, so they had some privacy. He gazed at her burgundy hair as the light from the flickering candle in the center of the table highlighted the various red hues. Her forest green eyes lit from within at his contemplation. The waitress broke the spell as she delivered their drinks. He watched Nicole take a long drink of her water, her throat moving as she swallowed. He wanted to kiss the soft pale skin, especially that spot at the base where her pulse pounded. Nicole put her glass down and he reached for her hand before she could place it back in her lap.

"Before we get to the heavy discussion, tell me about you," he said.

"What do you want to know?"

"Why don't we start with the basics?"

"I'm thirty-five years old. Originally from Chicago, but went to the University of Wisconsin in Madison. I majored in natural science, and have a Master's degree in education." Nicole took a deep breath and looked across at Jaryn before she slowly said, "And for the past year and a half, I've been a prisoner of a shifter named Adam Broyles."

Jaryn clenched his water glass so tightly it surprised him it didn't shatter. He knew something had made his mate so skittish, but he never suspected a hostage situation. He studied her dark-green eyes, so sure he'd find evidence of the trauma she'd experienced. Her scent was rich with determination, mixed with a touch of anxiety, but there was no terror. No emptiness. Nothing to really reveal the ordeal she'd gone through.

"Can you talk about it?"

Nicole nodded. "I promised them I would. That I'd find help."

He'd figure out exactly what she meant by ‘them' later. He could see that Nicole needed to unload her burden, and as her mate, it was part of his job to be there for her. Jaryn saw her hand shake as she lifted her glass of water. He reached across the table and enfolded her other hand between his. "Take your time. Why don't you start at the beginning?"

"Adam is a wolf shifter living in the Northwoods area of Wisconsin. I'm not sure what he has can be called a pack, since almost everyone there is being held against their will. Adam likes to call it recruiting, but I believe there's a more accurate term for what he does. I was living and teaching in Wausau when I met Adam at a singles' Valentine's Day party some friends were having. We talked for a little, but I wasn't completely comfortable around him, so I tried to extricate myself as smoothly as possible."

"Somehow he got my phone number and started calling all the time. It was a little unnerving, but no red flags went up. In fact, I found it flattering that this handsome, rich man was giving me—a high school teacher—so much attention. I finally agreed to go out with him about a month after we met. That night, instead of taking me home, he drove me back to his compound. He locked me in a small chamber. He… he…"

Jaryn could see that Nicole was unraveling. He stood, then went over to her side of the table, lifted her from her chair and settled her on his lap. He didn't care about the other diners. All that mattered was that his mate was hurting, and if being in his arms would ease her pain, then he'd move heaven and hell to make it happen. She curled into his chest and he slowly rubbed her back until she stopped shaking.

This Adam's psychotic demeanor and the abuse he inflicted on his mate made sure Jaryn would seek retribution. Heat surged through his body and he seethed with rage at the thought of his mate being anywhere near such a creature. Every primal instinct to protect what was his coursed through him.

"I have you, Nicole. He can't hurt you anymore. Just tell me, and we'll take care of it. Did he… did he violate you?"

"Yes, but probably not in how you mean. He never raped me, at least not that I know of." She lifted her head from Jaryn's chest. "There are quite a few blocks of time that I can't account for. Times when I'd be in one place, then wake up in a completely different area of the compound. For a while, I believed he was drugging me with the food, so I stopped eating. However, he then forced me to watch as he punished those who prepared the meals. I couldn't tolerate being responsible for another person's whipping, so I consumed whatever was served to me." Nicole unconsciously rubbed the scar on the back of her neck. "Then there was the time…"

Jaryn took Nicole's hand in his, placed a small kiss on the pads of her fingers, then held her hand in his lap. He moved her mane of hair aside and frowned when he saw the scar on the back of her neck, directly over her spine. Some type of incision had clearly made it, since it was too neat to be from an attack. About two inches long, it was slightly red and puffy. He sniffed at the puckered skin, but there was no trace of disease—only a lingering medicinal scent. He gave it a little lick, hoping that maybe his saliva might help the healing process.

Nicole's eyes went wide. "What did you do?"

"I licked it. As your mate, my saliva holds special healing properties for you. It's part of the mate bond. Why?"

"It doesn't burn anymore. One morning, about a week ago, I woke up and found a taped bandage back there. I have no idea how the incision got there. When I confronted Adam, he told me that my time was up. That it was his mating mark and from that moment on, I belonged to him. A few of the others helped me escape a couple of nights later. I've been driving for the last two days, and only stopped in the bank here because I'd run out of the cash I'd stolen from Adam's safe."

He worried about the missing blocks of time from her memory, and if he thought too hard about what may have happened, there'd be nothing to stop his wolf from hunting down this Adam Broyles and tearing the man limb from limb. There was a very good chance this man was the one he'd been searching for. They had received no information about him kidnapping humans, too, but from what he'd gathered from Nicole so far, this Adam Broyles fit the profile. Before they explored that any further, he needed to reassure his mate.

"It'll be all right. This Adam lied to you. I'm not sure what caused this scar, but I can assure you it's not a mating mark. The only authentic way to gain a mating mark is the introduction of a shifter's saliva with a bite here"—he placed a gentle kiss on the curve of Nicole's neck where it met her shoulder—"at the moment of climax. Then my body will knot inside yours. My seed and special enzymes in my semen will bathe your womb, and our bond will be complete. This will only happen between two true mates. A shifter cannot force a mating on someone. The soul will not recognize the claiming, and the bond will not form."

Nicole turned and slipped her arms around Jaryn's neck. "So what you're saying is that whatever else Adam did to me, I don't belong… he can't force me to… he used scare tactics to threaten me into submission?"

"That's right. He can't hurt you anymore. My pack will protect you with our lives. I promise to investigate this Adam person and find out exactly what kind of operation he's running. In fact, I think he may actually be the person I've been trying to track down for some time." He saw Nicole's eyes widen and her delicate auburn eyebrows arch. "I'm a member of the ASC—you've heard of them, right?" Nicole nodded. "Well, over the last several years, there've been shifters disappearing from all over the country. The ASC asked me and two other men of my pack, Shaun and Cooper, to examine all the individual investigations to find some pattern. To find out exactly what had been happening to the shifters. From what you've said so far, it sounds probable that you may hold the key to unlock this mystery once and for all."

"Oh, my God! It has to be him. I can't believe it! I promised the others that I'd find help, but I never imagined I'd actually find the one person who…"

"I'd like to think that maybe the universe organized our meeting for two purposes. The first, and always most important, is that we found each other. The second is that with your information and my resources, we can finally put an end to the kidnappings."

Jaryn gave Nicole a hug. "Do you feel better now?" He smiled at her nod. "Good, then why don't we get back to our meal? They make fabulous food here, and I'd hate for you to miss out on the experience." He stood and placed Nicole back in her chair. Jaryn slid her closer to the table, kissed the top of her head, and as he moved to the other side of the table, gave Mike—the owner and fellow pack member—a nod showing that all was well and they were ready to continue with their dinner. He settled himself at the table and took a sip of water. "Why don't we talk about more pleasant things? Tell me more about teaching."

"How did you know I was a teacher?"

"You said earlier that you had a Master's degree in education. I assumed that meant you were a teacher. Was I wrong?"

Nicole shook her head and then smiled. "I was a high school teacher. I love working with the teenagers. They can be a real handful sometimes, but every once in a while you see a glimmer in one of the kids' eyes and know you've sparked an interest. Maybe provided them with inspiration for their own career choices."

The waitress delivered their entrées, and Jaryn's mouth watered at the delicious smells wafting up from the steak on his plate. "Thank you, Susan." He saw the pleasure on Nicole's face at the fare put in front of her and smiled. "Your choice will thrill you. The smoked turkey is excellent." He raised his wine glass. "May I present a toast?" Nicole lifted her glass of wine. "To a future filled with everything we've ever dreamed of."

He clinked their glasses together and took a sip of the Cabernet Sauvignon. He'd purposely kept the toast vague, but Jaryn knew exactly what he dreamed of for his future.

"You love teaching. I can see it in your eyes. They sparkled just now as you were talking."

Nicole set her wine glass back on the table. "I do. I try to share my enthusiasm with all the kids, those in honors classes, as well as in basic. Teenagers can either be very smart or very stupid, depending on the situation, but it seems to be a universal fact that you can't bullshit them. The way I look at it is, if they can see how much I enjoy teaching them and how much I love what I teach, then I might have a chance of getting them to pay attention. The more they learn now, the better prepared they'll be to enter society, whether they ever attend college."

The steak melted in Jaryn's mouth and he smiled as he heard a little moan of appreciation from Nicole across the table.

"I really don't want to go back to the unpleasant topic, but have you contacted anyone from your life since your escape?"

Nicole frowned, and her shoulders fell. She put her knife and fork down and twisted her fingers together. "No. I'm sure my job is gone, and most likely my landlord gave up on me a long time ago. I… I probably have nothing but the clothes on my back."

Jaryn reached for one of Nicole's hands. He caressed her knuckles with his thumb. "I'll help you get everything in order. We'll make some calls in the morning. I'll take you shopping and get you a new wardrobe and whatever else you need."

"But I'm sure Adam is monitoring everything connected to my life before. He has people working for him who can trace any type of communication all over the world." She toyed with the napkin in her lap. "In fact, he's probably already aware of the money I withdrew this morning. It's only a matter of time before he finds me," she whispered.

"Remember what I said? Our pack will protect you with our lives if need be. I have contacts, too, sweetheart. Don't worry, nothing we do will trigger anything on Adam's end."

"I'd appreciate the help with getting a few changes of clothes and the other stuff, but I promise I'll pay you back."

"You're my mate, Nicole. It's my job to take care of you, provide for you, and love you. I won't accept a dime for simply doing what I'm supposed to do." He could see she was about to argue. "I'm not trying to take over your life. If you want to get another job teaching, and contribute to our home, I'm all for it. If you want to stay home with our pups, that's fine, too. All I'm saying is, don't throw my gift in my face, please. Don't start our mating off with some type of internal balance sheet."

Nicole took her hand away from Jaryn's. She took a large sip of the wine in front of her. "Holy crap—you're moving at lightning speed here. We haven't even mated yet, and you're already talking about children."

Nicole's words gave Jaryn hope and his pulse raced. "Are you ready to accept the fact that we are mates?"

"I'm still considering all the implications of what it would mean to be your mate. Can…can we just take this slow? I'm a little overwhelmed with everything."

The excitement of a moment ago shriveled and Jaryn's heart felt as though it was being crushed in an iron fist. His mate didn't want him. This was supposed to be the simplest thing in his life. When he found his mate, their connection was supposed to be instant and irrefutable. Jaryn knew Nicole was his mate, and he sensed that deep inside her she knew the truth—so why was she fighting him?

Because she's been through hell, you asshole. Give her some time to get her equilibrium back.

"Of course. I'm sorry. Tell me how you became a teacher."

"My first job out of college was working as a patent examiner. I'd review incoming patent requests to determine their validity and cross reference them with current patents on file. It was mostly a lot of clerical and research work. I made a decent income, but bored out of my skull. So ten years ago, I got my teaching certificate. I received my certificate, then immediately started work on my Master's degree." Nicole took a sip of her wine and tucked her hair behind one ear. "I was on the track to achieve tenure when Adam kidnapped me."

Jaryn reached for Nicole's hand. The freckles he'd observed on Nicole's face and neck even dotted the back of her hand. Her pale skin was proof that she hadn't spent a lot of time outdoors this past summer, so he suspected that the tiny embellishments graced her skin year round. They gave character to the milky, porcelain skin tone, and he wanted to find each and every freckle on her body. Preferably with his tongue.

Jaryn quietly released a long breath. "You know, we have a pretty excellent school system here for a small town. Mostly because kids from several surrounding areas travel here for their education." Nicole stiffened and tried to pull her hand away. "Please don't back away. I know you haven't embraced the idea yet, but every cell in my body is telling me you are my mate. My wolf wants to claim you, then sing to the moon in celebration. I'm telling you this because I want to be honest with you, but you also need to know that I will never force you to complete our mating bond. I would never take away your right to make the choice for yourself. If you were to walk away from all that we could be, my life would never be complete, and that is something I would have to deal with. However, if you agree to become my mate, I would not only make sure that you never again feel alone or scared, I would love you more than the deepest fathoms of the ocean or highest peaks reaching into the sky. Whatever the future holds, we would face it together."

"Tell me something?"

"Anything."

"Do they give all you shifters lessons in charm as pups? Why is it that every one of you I've ever encountered always knows exactly the right thing to say? I even fell for Adam's lines without a second thought… before he kidnapped me. Is there a class you take that teaches you how to be suave, romantic and seduce women, or is it something woven into your genetic code?"

Jaryn tilted his head back and laughed so loud that he was sure the entire restaurant looked in their direction. When he glanced over at Nicole, she had crossed her arms and wore the most adorable look of consternation on her face.

"And what, may I ask, is so damn funny?"

Jaryn nodded for Susan to take his plate. He frowned slightly when Nicole gestured for the same, given that she'd only eaten half her meal. But he wasn't about to cross swords with her on that topic at this moment.

"I wasn't laughing at you. I was thinking about my Beta, Shaun. He's perpetually unlucky with women. Every ex of his I've met always says the same thing. He's a good guy and means well, but he has a tendency to speak first and think second. That, and you'd have better luck getting him to wear a man thong than you would get him to open up about anything personal."

Nicole lips threatened to inch out a smile. "If he's so difficult, why is he your Beta?"

Jaryn leant forwards over the table and stared into Nicole's eyes. "Shaun's mouth may run away from him occasionally, but he's the most loyal person I know. He'll do anything for the pack and its members, even if it means a personal sacrifice. And he may have a hard time expressing personal emotions, but never doubt that he feels them. In fact, his emotionality gives him the drive to fight tooth and nail for what he believes in."

"And you? Were you born with your charm?"

"I am the Alpha for my pack, as my father was before me. Diplomacy and a certain amount of charm are skills I've had to learn by necessity. But when I say those words to you, I'm not speaking as Alpha of Phantom River Pack, I'm speaking to you as Jaryn Chaunterel. I'm a man, just as any other, and I've found the woman who's destined to share my life. I'm willing to do everything within my power to make that possibility a reality."

"So you're willing to say whatever it takes, regardless of how you feel? What's a lie if it gets you what you want?"

"No, Nicole. I don't lie, not to you. And when we complete the mating bond, you'll know me better than any other person alive because not only will we share our lives, but our thoughts and emotions. I'll be an open book to you."

Nicole turned to look out the window beside them. Jaryn sensed she was fighting some battle within herself. He'd give anything at this moment to have cemented their bond, so he would know what she was thinking…how she felt about everything he'd thrown at her today…how she really felt about everything that had happened to her. She was tired and stressed from her time on the run. Had he overplayed his hand?

"How can you possibly blindly accept that we're going to fall in love, that our lives will magically fit together and we'll live in some idyllic Shangri-La?"

Jaryn reached across the table and turned Nicole's face back towards him. He picked up her hand and held it between his. His larger palms swallowed her delicate fingers. "I believe in the mating bond. I've never met a pair of true mates who didn't love each other with ultimate passion and devotion. As for making our lives fit? We are two intelligent individuals. With work and compromise and the desire to make it happen, I know it's possible. I'm not saying there won't be bumps along the way. I'm sure we'll argue and, on occasion, annoy each other, but at the end of the day, I have faith that my life will be better for having you in it, and I hope in time you'll think the same."

"It sounds too good to be true. I'm scared to believe. You're asking me to believe that I've traveled from hell to heaven in two days. That's not realistic."

Jaryn frowned. He and Shaun had a lot to discuss tomorrow about the investigation. He wanted to get to the bottom of what exactly was going on in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, and shut down Broyles' operation for good. But tonight, his mate and building their bond came first.

"Will you at least think about accepting me as your mate? Will you help me with our investigation?" he asked.

Nicole met Jaryn's eyes for a long moment. "I'll do everything I can to help you. I owe it to those I left behind. The rest… we'll have to see."

It was something. Right now Jaryn would take whatever he could get.