Chapter Six

" A lpha, wait up!"

Adam spun around and growled at Jasper. "What?"

Jasper came to a sliding stop. "I found her. She's in the small town of Stonepass, Montana. At least she was as of two days ago. That's where the withdrawal on her account originated."

"Two days ago! You're supposed to be able to track anything, anywhere, anytime, remember? I should have had this information that very same day. Now she could be anywhere."

"There has been no transaction activity on her credit—"

"Of course not, you idiot! I took her identification card away when she came here. She now has a handful of cash and can disappear. Hack into the NSA and put her on the watch list, make the government work in our favour for a change. I really don't give a shit how it's done, I want her found!"

"Yes, Alpha," Jasper slowly backed away then turned and ran back toward the house.

Adam clenched his fists. His claws came out, poking into the skin of his palm. His vision wolfed out. The acuity allowed him to track a rabbit darting through brush. In the blink of an eye, Adam shifted and charged after the prey. He needed to maim, kill, destroy. The need for violence rushed through his blood stream. If he couldn't get his claws on Nicole, he'd decimate whatever came in his path. Adam tore apart the small animal and left its carcass lying on the forest floor. Nature would take care of the remains. He raced across the field, letting his legs eat up the distance. He'd run all the way to Montana if he had to. Nicole belonged to him, and when he got her back in his possession, there'd be no denying that ever again. He'd scribe his name over her entire body if necessary. Adam knew he had the perfect control device secreted away in the labs, but he didn't want to show all his cards until he absolutely had to.

Adam stopped suddenly as a strange scent caught his attention. He turned his head, trying to pinpoint its location. Intruder! Adam knew the scent of every individual in his compound. This was not one of them. He took off, following the trail. His anger increased as he realized that the markings in the forest were that of another shifter, not a natural wolf. How dare someone come on his land and try to stake a claim! If the interloper wanted to challenge Adam, he was all for it. Adam knew he was stronger than anyone in the area. He'd rip his challenger apart and prove once again his superiority in the Northwoods.

Adam sat back on his haunches, surveying the forest. The wind blew through his fur and he caught the intruder's scent once again. Adam snarled, his ears flattened and the fur on his back lifted. Silently, he trod through the forest, determined to identify the owner of markings that soiled his land.

There was a howl in the distance, taunting Adam. He let out his own howl to let the other wolf know he was onto the game. If the intruder thought he could trick Adam into chasing him, he had another think coming. Adam knew how to keep the game in his favor. He'd leave now and return when he was no longer on the defensive. Let the bastard stew in his juices out here for a few days. Adam would take the time to organize his attack.

He made his way back to the house. When he broke through the clearing, there was a group working in the vegetable garden. They all froze at the sight of him. Adam made his way across the field, carefully eyeing each shifter to determine if there was a traitor in his midst. Most of them cowered and Adam heard a few whimpers from the wolves of the group, but there was one. One whose eyes flashed with challenge for a few seconds before his gaze dipped in submission. He pulled back his ears, narrowed his eyes, and his tail pointed straight out, parallel to the ground. Adam let out a low growl in chastisement before turning his back and walking away—a purposeful insult.

Adam entered the house after the recognition software opened the door for him. He went into his office, then shifted. He quickly dressed and was about to set off in search of Jasper for an update when there was a knock on his door.

"Enter."

Jasper pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Our sources revealed that Nicole Holland is still in Stonepass."

"Good. Take Kenneth with you and bring her back."

"Kenneth, sir?"

"You don't expect me to believe you have trouble hearing, do you, Jasper?"

"No, Alpha. Your choice was simply a surprise."

"I want you to keep an eye on him. I think he's up to something. Ever since Nicole left, I've seen flashes of defiance in him and I won't have it. If he tries to warn her, take care of him. I'll not have traitors in my midst."

"But Kenneth is about the least combative person alive. He'd never go against you."

"I've recently discovered that there's an intruder on my land. It is possible that Kenneth is connected to the person given access to the compound in the forest. I've caught Kenneth sneaking around a few times in the last several months. My plan is to flush the intruder out."

"But with Kenneth gone, how can you achieve that?"

"Simple. By spreading around the word that I killed him. And if fiction becomes fact, due to unforeseen circumstances, then I'll simply have one less problem to deal with. The little telepath isn't producing satisfying results. I'm at the point of ordering his disposal, anyway. You'll leave tonight after everyone beds down. Contact me when you arrive in Stonepass."

"Yes, Alpha."

Adam watched as Jasper left his office. There'd been some kind of cleverly concealed emotion in the wolf's eyes there at the end, but Adam didn't have time to deal with petty drama. He was confident that the wolf shifter would do his job and bring back Adam's wayward mate. Until then, Adam would be busy instigating the hunt for the wolf who'd dared to tread where he didn't belong.

Jaryn picked up Nicole's hand, which had been resting on the center console of his Jeep. "Are you ready for this?"

"I think so. It is kind of exciting. I've never seen a wolf before. Not a natural one, and the shifters at Adam's compound were never allowed to change."

"What do you think will make you more comfortable? Do you want to actually watch me change, or do you want to see the result?"

Nicole twisted in the passenger seat. The Jeep hit a rut in the dirt road and she braced her hand on the bar attached to the dashboard. Did she want to watch Jaryn the human disappear and take his alternate form, or did she want to turn around and be surprised? If she watched the whole thing, would she get to see him naked? That thought made her cheeks hot, and she was grateful for the darkness of the vehicle.

Jaryn chuckled. "Yes, sweetheart. I have to get naked to shift. Well, I do if I want to have clothes to wear later."

She gasped. "How did you…"

Jaryn lifted Nicole's hand to his lips and kissed the back. "Our bond. I'm getting better at reading your emotions. That and I can scent your arousal. In fact, you're particularly rich right now because you're ovulating. It's been driving me insane all day."

Nicole tugged her hand out of Jaryn's grip and placed it against her stomach. She knew the timing was about right, but was stunned that Jaryn could detect something so personal. "You mean if we… tonight?"

"If we made love tonight, then you would most definitely be pregnant by morning."

"Wow. Um, Jaryn… I'm not sure if—"

"Relax, sweetheart. I know you're not ready yet. And don't worry—I can control myself. Just don't be surprised if you find me wrapping you up tighter in my arms tonight and reveling in your scent. It's so delicious. And there is a good chance that if you watch me change, you'll see that I get hard. It's a natural response to a mate in heat, but I won't take advantage, I promise you."

She'd be able to see Jaryn naked and aroused and not have to worry about being jumped? That was like letting a child loose in a candy store. She could gorge on his presence with no fear of being called a cold fish or cock tease or any other name she'd heard in the past.

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes what, sweetheart?" "I want to watch."

Even in the darkness she saw Jaryn's smile, and seeing the happiness on his face made the butterflies in her stomach flutter in excitement. Jaryn pulled the Jeep off the road and shut off the engine.

"Let's go."

He jumped out of the driver's seat. He'd mentioned earlier that this weekend he would probably put the hardtop and doors on. The nights were decidedly cooler now than when she'd arrived in town a few weeks ago. She looked out the windshield and saw Jaryn waiting for her out in the meadow. He held out a hand toward her, silently asking her to join him in his celebration of the full moon.

Nicole slowly unlocked the seatbelt and climbed out of the vehicle. The tall grass brushed against her jeans-clad calves as she walked deeper into the night. She met Jaryn and together they walked hand in hand across his pack's lands. Nicole could almost believe that they were simply a couple out for an evening stroll… except she looked over her shoulder and saw the full moon gently rising in the sky.

They paused beside a lake, and Jaryn lifted his head to the sky. His expression softened, mesmerizing her. If the moon actually had energy, she would have said it appeared as if he actually absorbed its power, erasing all the small worry lines that built throughout the day.

Over the last few weeks, she'd seen just how hard Jaryn worked, not only for his pack but also in his and Shaun's business. Last week, he came to her motel all excited because they'd got the contract on some movie star's new getaway home, though he wouldn't tell her who, much to her consternation. The star had loved Jaryn's design concept, and the new account was a huge coup for their business.

The only downside was that the celebrity wanted to break ground before the first freeze of winter. Shaun had assured the man that if they got a crew on site right away, they could have the foundation poured in a couple of weeks and have the primary structure up and closed in by the New Year.

According to both men, working in cold weather didn't really bother a wolf crew as much as it would a crew made up of humans. And snow was easily brushed away from the framing as it went up. Of course, as happy as she was for Jaryn, this would add extra pressure on his shoulders in the coming months. Her man would have to learn to delegate.

Wow, it feels good to admit finally that Jaryn is mine. Even if it is only to myself.

Jaryn gave Nicole's hand a little squeeze. "Come over here."

She put aside her epiphany for the moment and moved to stand in front of Jaryn. His arms came around her waist, and she relaxed against his chest.

"Did you know that tonight is a blue moon?"

She shook her head.

"The blue moon is a rarity that occurs only once every several years. It's the third full moon of the season. It's a special event, especially for us wolves. I wanted to share it with you." Jaryn rested his lips against Nicole's ear. "Can you feel her power? Can you feel her calling to you?" he whispered.

Nicole closed her eyes and let her mind drift. There was something inside her that felt at peace underneath the stars. Whether that had anything to do with the moon above them or Jaryn's arms wrapped around her, she couldn't say.

Jaryn stepped back, and she instantly missed his heat. He led her a few feet away, and Nicole's eyes widened at the sight of a large blanket spread out in the grass beside the lake.

"What's all this?"

"I wanted to make sure you were comfortable. There's nothing worse than being all itchy from sitting in the grass."

Jaryn's forethought was endearing and sweet. She rose up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."

When she opened her eyes, it was to find Jaryn's still closed and his nostrils flaring as he breathed deeply. Maybe she'd tempted the wolf too much, but his caring had deserved some type of reward.

Jaryn opened his eyes and Nicole gasped at the glowing silver orbs, nearly as bright as the one in the sky. When he rested his large palm against her cheek, she felt it tremble against her skin. She nuzzled the palm.

"Do you still want to watch?" he asked roughly.

She nodded.

"Then sit and make yourself comfortable."

Nicole lowered herself to the blanket and lifted her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. The denim was soft, but didn't hold the same appeal against her skin as Jaryn's touch.

Jaryn stepped back from the blanket. First, he toed off his sneakers, then removed his socks. She had a vague impression of strong masculine feet before they disappeared into the grass. Her eyes traveled up and her mouth went dry as he lifted his long-sleeved shirt over the top of his head, revealing a perfectly sculpted torso. She knew he was a physical guy, but she'd never heard him talk about working out. Were all those muscles a result of his wolf genetics? If so, sign her up, please. His hands came to rest at the waistband of his jeans. Nicole's eyes couldn't move away from the long fingers and the skin they slowly revealed. The button came undone; the zipper lowered, and she swallowed hard as she realized that Jaryn wore nothing beneath the denim. With a hard shove, the jeans fell, then he kicked them toward her.

Nicole caught the flying garment instinctively, but she didn't blink as she got her first look at the man— her man—in all his glory. Broad shoulders tapered to a trim waist and lean hips. She followed the outer edge of his corded legs down to where they disappeared in the grass, then back up. The man even had attractive knees! Who has attractive knees, seriously? And when she finally got up enough courage to look at his groin, a small whimper of need escaped. Long and hard, his cock stood tall against his stomach.

Holy shit! I must have done something right in a previous life.

She licked her lips and heard Jaryn groan.

"I'd better do this now, before I end up on that blanket and have you beneath me, screaming in pleasure."

And why do I think that's a bad thing, again? Oh right, imminent chance of babies. Not ready for that, but oh God, if that weren't the case, this Little Red Riding Hood would have a tasty wolf snack tonight.

"Jesus, Nicole. You gotta calm down for me, baby. You're reading so hot right now, I'm about one second away from eating you alive."

She closed her eyes. Maybe if she didn't have all that delicious male flesh on display for her, it would cool things off between them. She felt something cold bump her hand.

Her eyes flew open to find not Jaryn, but a large white, black, and gray wolf with bright silver eyes staring at her. The cold bump had come from his black nose. She stared at the animal in silence. Her hand reached out, and the wolf dipped its head. Her fingers skimmed through the fur between his ears. It was soft, softer than she'd expected. The wolf took a step closer, and she moved to kneel on the blanket. Her hands buried themselves in his scruff, and she received a lick. Nicole laughed and wiped her cheek with her shoulder, only to get another kiss from the lupine.

"Stop that!" She looked into the familiar silver eyes. "That's really you in there, isn't it? Can you understand me? Do you know who I am?"

Jaryn lifted one of his paws and placed it against Nicole's chest. "You want to go for a run?"

Jaryn's ears perked up and his tail wagged high. Nicole smiled. "Go on. I'll wait here for you."

Jaryn looked out across the meadow, then back at her. She could see the desire in his eyes to go do whatever wolves do when they run, but it appeared he was reluctant to leave her side.

"It's okay, Jaryn. I'll be fine. There's nobody around. I'll probably just lay here and stargaze till you get back. The blanket is enough to keep me warm."

With a short yip, Jaryn took off. It was amazing how quickly his four legs ate up the ground. It wasn't long before she lost sight of Jaryn in the darkness. Nicole lay back on the blanket to do exactly as she'd told Jaryn she would. Wrapping the blanket around her, she stared into the night sky.

"So tell me about these barracks," Shaun said.

Jaryn and Shaun spread out the satellite map across the table in the conference room of their office. It showed an aerial view of Adam's compound. They'd been able to pinpoint the location with Nicole's directions and now had in front of them a bird's eye view of Nicole's former prison. It was funny to see it from this vantage point—it actually appeared to be a lovely estate. Large, green grassy areas, a majestic home, ponds and formal gardens—even the coach house was visible. What you couldn't see was the resignation and hopelessness in the eyes of the individuals held captive in the buildings scattered around the picturesque landscape.

Nicole pointed to group of flat-roofed structures on the back of the property. "There are five barracks. I'm pretty sure they all have both video and motion security. I may be off in my approximation, but I think there are around ten to fifteen hostages housed in each building. There's at least two guards assigned at all times."

She pointed to the coach house. "When not on duty, the guards stay there. I don't know what kind of rotation they keep or exactly how many there are in total. Adam, of course, lives in the main house, and there's a permanent staff of ten tasked with cleaning, cooking and whatever else Adam demands of them. They're all hostages."

Jaryn pointed to an octagonal structure on the north side of the main house. "What's this?"

"That's the guard house. It's the hub for all the security. If you want to breach any aspect of the compound successfully, you'll have to take it out, otherwise all hell will break loose."

Jaryn's hand rubbed her lower back, and she was grateful for the silent support. "The house uses both updated facial recognition and standard locks. I assume it was too cost prohibitive to retrofit every entrance."

"Do you remember which points of entry use biometrics?"

"The main back and front doors, and at least one on either side of the house. The ones that don't, I think, have them are the French doors leading out onto the patio."

"Good, sweetheart. Those will be our targets." Jaryn stared down at the image on the table. "I know it may be difficult, but can you give me an idea of where Broyles' rooms are?"

Nicole closed her eyes and mentally walked through the house. Then she opened her eyes and pointed to the back corner. "There." Her finger traced down the back side of the house and stopped at one of the windows. "Once they moved me from the barracks, this is where he kept me. It was my gilded cage."

Jaryn sat and pulled Nicole onto his lap. His arms went around her and she melted into his arms.

"It's okay now. You're safe."

She sniffed and blinked away the tears that threatened to escape. "He keeps the house staff in the attic. They're usually locked in around nine o'clock at night."

Nicole wrapped her hands around Jaryn's waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "Please take care of yourself. You're going to find opposition when you get there, but remember, the people on Adam's compound are prisoners. They're most likely acting under orders, so only use deadly force if absolutely necessary. Mostly, they're just scared. The ones who have been there the longest are going to be the toughest to handle. They've been so browbeaten, I really don't know how they're going to react."

"We'll do everything we can to save those willing to be saved. I promise." Nicole rubbed her head against Jaryn's chest. "Thank you."