Hunted (15 page)

“Then we figure something else out.”

“There is something we can do to try to flush them out.” And possibly Michael himself. Neither prospect made me feel any better, but I was willing to do just about anything to quit living in fear. “Send word to the other clan leaders that you will formally be presenting me as your mate this weekend.”

“Finn!” Matt’s hand tightened around mine. I knew he wanted to say no, to do anything he could to protect me.

“Matt, it’s the sort of slap in the face Michael couldn’t ignore. He’ll order the trackers to take me before the weekend.”

“It’s a good idea,” Danny said, albeit reluctantly, from across the room. “And it gives us control over the situation.”

Matt frowned. He didn’t like it. Hell, I didn’t like it. But if putting a big target on my back, at least metaphorically speaking, gave us a chance to trap the trackers, it was worth it. Besides, I knew Matt and the others would protect me. Not only was I their female alpha, but none of them approved of their territory being violated. Since Michael was, at least for the moment, untouchable, the trackers had to be stopped before they could cause any more trouble.

Besides, I knew that once we had them, we would have Michael.

“All right.” Matt shook his head, still frowning. “But we will take all necessary precautions to protect you.”

“I’m not going argue.” I smiled up at him, hoping he saw how I trusted him and the rest of the clan to keep me safe.

“Then here’s what we’ll do. Danny, I leave the security arrangements to you and Teresa. I want one of you to brief us in the morning about what you’re setting up.”

“Understood.”

“If you hear anything, let me know.” Matt paused when Sharon appeared from the kitchen. “Dinner’s ready. Let’s not think about trackers or what they might do for the next few minutes.”

More than happy to do just that, I let Matt help me to my feet. The look he gave me spoke volumes. We’d be having a
discussion
once the others left. Well, maybe it was time he learned I had a temper and wasn’t going to let him wrap me in tissue paper.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?”

I guess I ought to be glad Matt waited until everyone except my grandmother, Danny and Sharon had left before exploding but I wasn’t in the mood to put up with his temper. It didn’t matter that I understood. I’d sprung the idea of my being the bait to draw the trackers out on him without warning. He hadn’t been able to question me about it, much less voice his reservations, without undermining me where the pack and pride leaders were concerned. Since he wasn’t about to do that, he’d had to bite his tongue--and I have a feeling he’d done it in more than a metaphorical basis--until we were alone.

Well, too bad. The last few days had proven one thing to me if nothing else. I was tired of running. I was tired of looking over my shoulder, always afraid of who or what might jump out of the shadows. It was time to take my life back and this was the only way I could see to do it. At least it was the first step in doing so. Until we managed to deal with Michael, I’d never be truly free. But first things first. Find the trackers and tie them to Michael. Then we could figure out what our next step should be.

“No, I haven’t.” I did my best not to let my own temper show. Even though I shared his bed, he was still a stranger. I didn’t know how he’d react to a direct confrontation, so I had to be careful with what I said and how I said it. “Matt, I’m sorry. I should have discussed this with you before bringing it up with the others, but it just came out. I hadn’t thought about it before then.”

I wanted to go to him but I didn’t. He needed to think about what I’d said and what it would mean. At least I’d want to if our positions were reversed and I hoped he’d give me that time. I also hoped he took the time to think and not just react.

“Maybe we should leave,” Danny said softly, almost hesitantly.

He and Sharon stood near the front door, looking like they both desperately wanted to escape. Not that I could blame them. But, like it or not, I needed them there. If Matt calmed down enough to think about what we could do to draw the trackers out, they needed to be included in the planning, just as my grandmother did.

“No. Stay.” Matt dragged a hand through his hair and then shook his head. Anger no longer clouded his expression but his frustration was still clear to see. Well, that was a step forward--I hoped.  “I’m not going to say I like the idea, Finn, because I don’t. Nor do I like the fact you basically ambushed me with it. Don’t ever do that again.” The warning was clear.

“Matt, I am sorry.” Now was the time to try to make him see that. I moved to where he stood and reached for his hands. Then I waited until he looked down at me. I wanted him to see I meant what I was about to say. If we couldn’t get past this, I might as well move on now, while I still could. “Matt, you are my mate and I am yours. I swore my life and my arm to you, the pride and the clan. But we don’t know one another yet. That’s going to take time and it means we will both make missteps along the way. It doesn’t help that I’ve spent so long on my own. I’m not used to having to consider anyone else’s feelings when making a decision.

“That said, I was telling you the truth when I said the idea just came to me. Yes, I could have waited to say anything until we’d had time to talk about it. The only thing that would have served was to have shown you that I do trust you and do respect your role as clan leader. I’m sorry for that reason alone that I didn’t wait.

“But if I’d waited, it would have delayed any action we take and that delay gives the trackers time to either leave our territory or to move on me when we aren’t prepared. Either is bad even if for different reasons. You’d know that if you just thought about it for a moment.” I waited anxiously until he nodded.

“I’m terrified of what might happen if they manage to get their hands on me, especially if you and the others aren’t ready. I’ve always known that the day would come when I’d have to face Michael. But it was never real until the other day when the trackers cornered me in that parking garage. If you hadn’t been there…” I broke off, memory of the fear I’d felt just before his car had come to a screeching halt next to me returned. “The fact they were willing to reveal our existence, or at least seemed willing to, as well as the way they tainted the taser barbs scares the hell out of me. But it makes me mad too. I can use that anger to beat them--but only if we manage to lay a trap before they do. We can’t do that if we wait so long they leave the area.”

I waited, hoping he understood.

“God, I want to be angry with you but I can’t.” He frowned and then pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me. “Next time, at least give me a little warning.”

“I’ll try.” Relief washed over me. One crisis averted, at least for the moment.

“I think we could all use a drink,” my grandmother said and Sharon disappeared into the kitchen, Danny on her heels. “Shall we?” she asked and nodded in the direction they’d gone.

“You go ahead. We’ll be right there,” Matt replied. He waited until we were alone before continuing. “Finn, you are right about us not knowing one another. That means we both have to work hard or all we will have is the sex and I want more. I want my mate to be more than just someone I sleep with. I guess I should have told you that before, but I’m telling you now.”

Relief filled me. I hadn’t really thought about it, but he’d just said exactly what I’d been hoping for. I wanted what my parents had, and my grandparents. I wanted a partner as well as a lover.

“Good.” I pulled his head down and kissed him. “I want the same thing.”

He grinned. “Very good.” Another kiss. “Let’s go join the others and see what we can figure out.”

By the time we entered the kitchen, Sharon--probably with help from Danny--had set out bottles of merlot, Irish whiskey, single malt and glasses. An assortment of crackers, chips, cheeses and dips had also been laid out. Seeing how she kept herself busy at the sink, rinsing dishes from dinner and putting them in the dishwasher, I knew she was worried.

“Shar,” Matt began. I placed my hand on his arm and shook my head. I needed to do this.

“Sharon, we’re okay.” It was simple to say and, thankfully, something I believed--at least for now. “And we want your help, yours and Danny’s and Grandma’s.”

She turned off the water and wiped her hands. It seemed to take a long time and I guessed she was gathering her own thoughts. I’d learned over the last few days just how much alike she and her brother were. It wouldn’t have surprised me at all to have her volunteer to hold me down while he tried to pound some sense into me. So, when she turned and I saw the approval reflected in her eyes, I almost sagged with relief.

“Sit. Neither of you ate much tonight.” She motioned both Matt and me to the table and waited until we’d complied.

“Finn, please tell me you aren’t going to make a habit of dropping bombshells without warning,” Danny said as he took his place at the table.

“I’ll try not to.” I waited as Sharon and my grandmother joined us. The next few minutes were spent pouring drinks, filling plates and eating. “So, do you all think I’m crazy?”

“No comment,” Danny said with a grin. “That’s one of those questions like ‘do you still beat your wife?’ There is no way to answer without getting in trouble.”

“Coward.” Matt tossed his napkin across the table at his friend. “Except I don’t think you’re crazy, Finn. I know you are.”

“Maybe not crazy, but not cautious either.” My grandmother leaned back, studying both Matt and me.

“I like your response best, Grandma.” I reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.  “I have another question. How did the trackers know I was staying here with Matt?”

“You caught that, huh?” Matt frowned.

“I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t they know she’s here?” Sharon asked.

“The only time they saw us together is when Matt rescued me. I doubt they got a good look at him. So they would have to use his license plate to track him.”

“And that plate is registered to a holding company,” he took up. “There’s no way they’d figure out so quickly that I was the one who’d been behind the wheel.”

“Then someone in the pride or clan told the trackers.” Danny’s voice was hard.

“Not necessarily,” Grandma put in. “They could simply assume that, after being injured and so nearly captured, she’d come to Matt for protection. It’s what most of us would do if we were in her position.”

“But the possibility that someone told them exists and we have to consider it.”

There could be no mistaking Matt’s concern or his anger at such a betrayal. Unfortunately, he was right. Still, I was leaning toward the explanation my grandmother posited. It really did make more sense, especially when you considered the timeframe involved.

“Matt, we can make a pretty good guess about the source if we find out when Teresa’s people started getting wind of the trackers.” Sharon, thank goodness, had managed to keep control of her anger. Hopefully, her brother could follow her example.

Matt looked at her, his brow furrowed. Then he nodded. A moment later, he produced his cell phone. We waited as he programmed in a number. It wasn’t long before he asked just one question: when had word come in that the trackers thought he might be harboring someone? Not about to move, barely daring to breathe, I waited for him to end the call. I think I even prayed about what his response would be.

“Well?” I asked when I couldn’t take the waiting any longer.

“It seems your grandmother may be right. Teresa first heard word of someone looking for me and the woman I might be harboring two days ago. That’s before we let the pride know you were here, much less that you are my mate.”

“So either the trackers recognized you or they simply assumed Finn had done what most of us would do in her situation,” Grandma commented.

“At least both explanations are better than the alternative.” Sharon reached over and poured me another scotch before refilling her brother’s glass.

“But that doesn’t make planning our next move any easier,” Matt grumbled.

I sipped and thought. Tonight seemed to be my night for making snap decisions. I wasn’t sure I liked that. Maybe it was simply because I’d gone so long without making any major decisions except when to run and where to stop for a few days or weeks. If I’d been lucky, I’d manage to stay in one place for a few months. Until I’d come to Dallas, I’d never been anywhere more than four or five months. I hadn’t dared stay too long and risk discovery by either the local clan or by Michael and his trackers.

“How badly do we want to force Michael’s hand?” The question was out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“What do you mean?” Matt’s voice might have been calm, but his expression was darkening toward thunderous again.

“We can try to capture the trackers and use them against Michael or we can go direct to the source.” My heart thudded as I said it. I couldn’t believe what I was about to suggest.

“Finn?” Sharon’s concern filled her voice.

“I think I know what you’re about to say, but talk us through it, child.” My grandmother, bless her, wasn’t having the knee-jerk reaction I could feel building in the others.

I smiled at her in appreciation and tried to gather my thoughts. “If we go with my earlier suggestion, we are still at their mercy in a manner of speaking. We can’t be sure they are still in town and we can’t be sure they will try for me. Even if they do, we can’t be sure when they’d make their attempt or that you would be able to stop them before I was hurt--or worse. I’ll be honest, I don’t want another encounter with that taser. More than that, there’s no way I want to have to face Michael.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Matt reached for my hand with one of his. With his other, he turned my face so I looked at him.

“Let’s put Michael completely off-balance. The last thing he’ll be expecting is a call from me. Let me challenge him by telling him that I am not going to run from him any longer. I’ve found my home and my mate. If he continues to try to harm me--and the actions of his trackers prove an intent to harm--my mate and I will take our grievance to the other clans. Does he want to have the other clan leaders sitting in judgment of him? He’ll have to worry that I’ll also tell them how he tried to rape me.”