Wolf-Bound: Unfamiliar Territory (13 page)

Jen clung to him, then pulled away and reached out a hand to Devlin. “And I thought we’d lost you.”

His hand closed on hers, gripping tightly. He grinned, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You know me. Tough as nails,” he quipped, but Jen identified an unaccustomed edge to his voice.

“I’m puzzled.” She traced a vine pattern stitched into the quilt. “Why weren’t you in your weyr forms?”

The brothers exchanged a glance. Devlin looked away, clearly uncomfortable.

70 Rachel Bo

Jen looked from one to the other. “What? What is it?”

Dev kept his mouth shut, but gave his brother a hard look. Air exploded from Damien in a forceful grunt. “All right. Fine.” His mouth twisted as though he tasted something sour.

He collapsed onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “You know how packs work, right?”

“Yes. Well, sort of.” A sigh of exasperation escaped her. “Actually, we’ve never talked much about what it means to be weyr. You guys told me a little, when we were in New York, but whenever I’ve brought it up again, you’ve kind of brushed me off. And my mom --

well, she seems to think I’ll just discover everything I need to know as I go along.”

“Well, you’ve probably at least heard that in any pack, there’s a very particular hierarchy. Males and females vie for position, according to strength, health, ability to provide, etc.”

“That much I know. I understand that, for our little pack, you’re the alpha.”

“Okay. So now we have a new male in the pack, however briefly. At some point, dominance has to be established.” He cleared his throat, hesitating, and she knew that whatever he was about to say, he was dragging it out with extreme reluctance. “In a rogue, that instinct would be even stronger -- every reaction is amplified. I knew from signs we discovered yesterday that he was big and unusually powerful. With his size and the kind of additional strength an agitated mental state imparts, we thought…” He growled and rubbed at the stubble on his chin. “Hell. What I’m trying to say is that if the three of us were to meet in weyr form, Jacob would certainly challenge for alpha rights. We couldn’t take the chance of having a rogue weyr obtain dominance of our pack. I knew staying in human form would dampen his urge to challenge, so that’s what we did.”

Jenny started as the true meaning behind his words sank in. “You mean, you think he might actually win?”

Damien grimaced, his jaw tightening. He was clearly appalled at having to admit it, but began ticking off points on his fingers. “As a weyr, he’s a hell of a lot bigger than I am.

Thinner, yeah, but all muscle. Plus, as a rogue, he’d feel he has absolutely nothing to lose. He figures he has nothing to live for anyway, so he’ll fight to the death. And he has scars. When a weyr has scars, they’ve been in the kind of situations even a shapeshifter doesn’t normally survive, which means that even in his normal state of mind, odds are he’s a better fighter than I am.”

Devlin was nodding. “Yeah. I talked to Eoin today. According to him, the O’Connails were a powerful pack in Ireland, but in the last decade, someone’s been killing them off.

Jacob and Johnathan were the last. Apparently, something really nasty called the Dark Guard are involved. Eoin seemed amazed, but very pleased, that they were still alive.” He looked sheepish. “I didn’t tell him about the one brother dying. I figured it might be best to keep what we’re trying to do under wraps.”

Wolf-Bound: Unfamiliar Territory

71

“Good idea, Dev. Anyway, bottom line is that it’s better for us to remain human around him until he’s back on track. That doesn’t mean we won’t face a dominance challenge at some point, but that we’ll be able to put it off until he’s in a more rational state.”

Dev rubbed the back of his head. “You know, for a rogue, he’s pretty damn clever.”

Jenny raised her eyebrows questioningly.

“Rogues generally don’t have a lot of control. Can’t think straight.” He shrugged. “This guy, though, we watched him cross that clearing and disappear into the underbrush on the opposite side, and then it sounded like he kept on heading west. Didn’t it?” He glanced at Damien, who nodded. “I jumped the gun, got ahead of Damien, and was halfway across the clearing when he sprang on me. He came out of nowhere, like he’d never actually left, and I didn’t hear or smell a thing. I can’t figure out how he did it.” He rubbed at the back of his head. “He tossed me like a rag doll. When I landed, it felt like my head exploded.” He looked sheepish. “You heard me scream, didn’t you?”

Jen nodded, shivering as she remembered his agonized howl.

“I went woozy. Then I heard you, and I decided to play unconscious until I could figure out what to do.”

Jenny’s hands were in his hair, tugging his head this way and that, surveying the damage. “You’ve got a good goose-egg, but the skin isn’t broken.”

“Thank the Goddess. I’m not sure what would have happened if he’d scented blood.”

Jenny pictured the dark wolf looming over him and shuddered. “I don’t want to think about that.”

Damien grunted. “But we have to. I know you’re going to try and reason with him.” He raised a quelling hand to forestall any comments as she opened her mouth. “That’s fine. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that the two of you really want this.” He shrugged. “I’ll be honest -- I want to know if it will work, too. It would be great news for weyr, to know that there’s a way for twins to survive the pining. But I definitely don’t want you anywhere near him without one of us with you. Unfortunately, that someone can’t be me. Not yet.”

“But why? He’s already seen you, and you just said that staying in human form keeps him from making the challenge.”

Damien shook his head. “That doesn’t stop him completely, just lessens the urge somewhat. Yes, he’s already seen me, and I was holding a gun on him. He knows I’m the greatest threat here -- I’m the alpha to beat in this pack. Even though his stay’s only temporary, it’s instinct to ascertain rank. If I’m in a room with him, as human or weyr, the urge to determine rank is going to overwhelm him at some point.”

Jenny got it. “But he knows Devlin’s no threat as a weyr, and as a human he’ll be even less so.” She gasped and covered her mouth. “I’m sorry, Dev. I didn’t mean --”

“Hey, no problem.” Dev grinned. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

72 Rachel Bo

“So,” Damien continued, “for now, you only see the rogue when Devlin can be right there with you. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

Damien sighed, settling back against the bed. Jenny stretched out beside him. His body was rock hard against hers. He’d hated admitting that Jacob was a stronger wolf than he, at least temporarily, and the strain showed in every taut muscle of his naked body. She smoothed his hair back from his forehead. “Damien, thank you for this.”

He looked exhausted. “I do think it’s worth a try. I really do. I just wish it didn’t have to be now.” His hand stroked her belly. “Didn’t have to be you.”

“I know.” She ran her hands softly across his neck and over his shoulders. He sighed, closing his eyes. She scratched his arms lightly with the tips of her nails. “It will be all right.

You’ll see.” Finding the tautness at the base of his neck, she kneaded gently but firmly and felt the muscles relax. His breath came slower, deeper.

Dev pulled a blanket up from where it was folded at the end of the bed, since they were all lying on top of the actual bedspread, and draped it across the three of them, spooning up against Jenny. She laid her head on Damien’s chest and twined her fingers with Devlin’s where they rested on her hip. Within minutes, they were all fast asleep.

Wolf-Bound: Unfamiliar Territory

73

Unanticipated Attraction

The phone rang early the next morning. “That was Marshall,” Damien announced.

“Dan Poquiz is on board as director for the next film and has sent in a contract. That land we were looking at for the bamboo nursery is suitable and available, and Reyerson has verbally agreed to head the photoelectric paint project. Marshall needs at least one of us to come into town and iron out the contract modifications Poquiz requested, sign off on the land purchase, and help draw up a contract offer for Reyerson.”

Devlin finished downing his orange juice and set the glass on the counter. “I wouldn’t be comfortable leaving Jen here alone with him.” He nodded toward the back window.

Damien nodded. “Good, that’s what I thought. But there are some things that have to be decided today, so one of us is going to have to go.”

“You go.” Dev grinned rakishly. “You’ve got a better head for business anyway.”

“Not when it comes to the film projects,” Damien observed wryly.

Dev laughed. “Yeah, but I’ve done the hard part -- picked the script and the director.

Now that Dan’s actually on board, you’re better at fine-tuning the contract than I am.”

“As long as you’re okay with it.”

“Hey, I appreciate the fact that you treat me as an equal partner, but we both know it’s more like seventy-thirty when it comes to management and the numbers game, and I’m not the seventy. I’m a hands-on guy. I like the doing more than the prep work.”

“Hey, you do the PR thing, too. Half our projects wouldn’t get off the ground if it wasn’t for the way you get along with people.”

“True. That’s why we make such a good team.” Dev grinned wickedly. “With my looks and your brains, we’re unbeatable.”

74 Rachel Bo

Damien mock-punched his brother for the “looks” crack, then glanced at his watch.

“It’s already nine. I’d better hit the road.” He leaned down and kissed Jen’s forehead. “See you later, babe.” He frowned. “Maybe you should wait until I’m back to try and talk to the rogue.”

Jenny sighed. “He has a name, Damien. It’s Jacob. We can’t keep treating him like an animal if we want him to act more human.”

“Sorry.” His eyes searched her face. He sighed. “You’re not going to put this off, are you?”

“Probably not.”

“At least promise me you’ll be careful.”

She hugged him. “Of course I will.”

After he left, she pulled on a pair of maternity jeans and a comfy shirt, then searched out Dev. He was in their office, checking e-mail. “Hey, I got some more info from Eoin.

Newspaper articles and stuff on the O’Connails. Looks like he’s right -- someone really has it in for them. It started about twelve years ago. During the next six years, nineteen people died. The last death was almost six years ago, though. Seems like the brothers were able to escape the heat for a while.”

Jen chewed at her lip thoughtfully. “I wonder if that’s when they came to the States.”

“I don’t know. I could check, though.”

“Actually, I wanted to go out and see him. Do you mind?”

“Already?”

“I doubt there’s anything to be gained by putting it off. Sitting in shackles without human contact isn’t exactly conducive to taming the beast, is it?”

“I guess you’re right.” Dev shut down the computer and followed her outside.

As they walked down the gravel path, Jen had a thought. “Shit! I didn’t even think about food and water.” She turned to head back to the house.

Dev held out an arm to block her. “Already done. I gave him water and…other sustenance earlier this morning.” At her questioning glance, he added, “He was still in weyr mode.”

“Oh.” Somehow, she’d known that would be the case, but she was disappointed anyway. Have no fear.

Gaia? Jen sensed, rather than heard, an affirmative response. Couldn’t you…I don’t know, wave your hand and make him right again?

The presence exuded humor. I have tried to explain. We are not a god or goddess in the sense that humans understand the word. We do not control. We are aware of certain things and can influence the course of events by bringing alternatives to the attention of willing agents, but the paths are yours to choose and yours to walk. You must do this yourself.

Wolf-Bound: Unfamiliar Territory

75

Jen sighed. That’s all right. I had a feeling it couldn’t be that easy. Again, she was disappointed, but the Goddess’s supportive sympathy did loan her a bit of confidence.

She waited while Dev cleared the bars and opened the stable doors. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she walked in.

The sturdy wooden gate and front half-wall came up to just below her breasts. Jacob, in wolf form, sat in the middle of the stall, eyes wary, watching her. Jen took another deep breath to steady her nerves. “Jacob. Do you remember me?”

For a moment, he just stared, but then he lowered his head once, which she took as a yes. “Would…would it be all right if I came in?” Her voice shook a little, but wasn’t too bad.

She congratulated herself.

Dev opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. “If we keep treating him like a wild animal, how can we expect him to act any differently? He may have to put up with the chain for now, for our safety and his, but in every other way we need to treat him as a person.”

Dev grudgingly agreed. “All right, I guess.”

She turned back to Jacob. “I’m sorry, Jacob. I didn’t see your answer. May I come in?”

He nodded his head again.

“Dev, could you bring that chair for me?” She pointed to a lawn chair leaning up against the wall, then unlatched the gate and pulled it open. Dev carried in the chair. Jen scanned the stall and saw that the chain’s length was such that Jacob couldn’t reach the half-wall and gate or either of the side walls or front corners. “Put it in that front left corner for me.” She actually thought she needed to be closer, but she couldn’t justify taking such a risk until she had a better idea how things were going to go. For now, she’d take it easy.

She sat in the chair. Devlin squatted in the opposite corner, eyes sharp, senses primed.

“I’m a friend of Tara’s, Jacob. That’s how I knew about…about your brother and the baby.”

He paced back and forth at the end of the chains, agitated, but his pupils were still normal, undilated. “Jacob, do you think you could change for me? I’d like to talk to you, and it would be nice if you could talk back.”

Even in weyr form, he definitely appeared calmer this morning, and she thought she caught a glimpse of the man from the night before in the dark, intelligent eyes. He glanced at Devlin and huffed.