Quinn's Quest

Legacy -4

by

N. J. Walters

Thank you to my incredible husband. There are not enough words to thank you for everything you do for me.

To my amazing editor, Heidi Moore, thank you for believing in my werewolves and me.

Prologue

Bethany Morris squeezed her eyes shut and desperately tried to pretend she was lying in her single bed in her tiny one-bedroom apartment. She missed her fluffy pillow and the thick chocolate brown comforter. The thin blanket covering her was rough and scratchy against her skin. She tried to conjure the familiar room, but no matter how hard she struggled she could no longer summon the energy to believe she’d ever see it again.

It had been two weeks since a plain white van had pulled up alongside her as she’d crossed the parking lot of her apartment building. The two men had been on her before she’d even had a chance to yell. Something had pricked her skin and she’d blacked out. When she’d come back to her senses, she’d found herself locked away in a cold room with concrete walls.

She’d been in a hurry that fateful day, not paying attention to her surroundings even though she knew better. Any large city was dangerous for a single woman alone. She’d been running late for work and was trying to catch the bus, her mind focused solely on that goal.

That was another thing she didn’t want to think about. What about her job? What would happen to her stuff when her rent wasn’t paid in a couple days time? The furniture came with the place, but she had clothing and some jewelry. A laptop. An iPod. It wasn’t much. But it was hers.

A tear seeped from beneath her eyelid and trickled down her temple. She ignored it. She tried to be brave, tried to keep up her hopes of escape, but it was getting harder and harder as each day passed.

Sure, some of the people she worked with at Dave’s Diner would miss her, but they’d probably assumed she’d quit her job without notice. She’d only worked there for a few months. Not long enough to make real friends.

Bethany sniffed and rubbed her cheek against her pillow. Who was she trying to kid? She didn’t make friends. Not real ones. Plenty of acquaintances, but she didn’t let people get close to her. When she was in grade school, her mother moved them around a lot, dragging Bethany from city to city. She’d never really understood why.

“To keep us safe,” had been her mother’s only reply whenever she’d gotten up enough courage to ask. The question had only made her mother sad, so Bethany eventually stopped asking. When her mother died of cancer two years ago, Bethany was left alone. She had no idea who her father was. That was another mystery that only her mother had known the answer to. And she’d never told.

Another tear trickled down her face.

Her entire life she’d felt as though she was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. She’d thought about counseling but she had never found the time or the money. The sensation of being different had only gotten worse as she’d grown older. The past year she’d felt as though she didn’t even know her own body.

The blanket covering her seemed heavy in spite of its thinness. She ignored the way the material aggravated her skin, making her want to scratch. Sometimes it almost felt as though something else was inside her, wanting to be released. But that was crazy. She ignored the prickling of her skin and the heat rushing through her body the same way she always did.

Thankfully, it had didn’t happen often and only seemed to last for a short time before becoming manageable again.

A low sigh from the other side of the room reminded her she wasn’t alone in the cell. Another woman shared this prison with her. She was glad not to be alone, but she wasn’t too sure of the woman’s sanity.

Chrissten Lawton was around her age, tall with pale blue eyes and long blonde hair. She was also crazy.

She claimed to have been kept captive for more than a year and a half. Bethany’s stomach knotted at the thought. She didn’t think she could last that long. She’d find a way out or die trying.

The long captivity and whatever it was their captors had done had obviously made the other woman lose her grip on reality. Chrissten believed she was a werewolf, or rather a half-breed werewolf. And she’d told Bethany that she was one too.

Bethany had been afraid of Chrissten the first few days she’d been locked up with her, but when the other woman hadn’t threatened any kind of physical violence, Bethany had gradually begun to relax.

She liked Chrissten. When she wasn’t talking crazy. Werewolves. It was insane to think it, let alone say it.

Sure, Bethany was stronger than most women she knew. She’d never been sick a day in her life and had a keen sense of smell and superior vision. That was simply a product of luck and good genetics. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. Hunger was quickly becoming a way of life. Doctor Morton, one of the crazies who’d kidnapped her, fed her and Chrissten enough to keep them alive and relatively healthy, but not near enough for them to stay strong. Bethany had a fast metabolism and needed a lot of food to keep her strength up. Chrissten was the same. The lack of energy kept them both lethargic, which was what the doctor wanted.

“Are you awake?” She kept her voice low, almost a whisper. If Chrissten was still sleeping, Bethany didn’t want to wake her. Yet lying here thinking about her desperate situation wasn’t getting her anywhere. If anything, it made her stomach hurt and her hands clammy.

At first Chrissten didn’t answer. But Bethany felt a sudden alertness in the other woman.

“Yes, I’m awake.”

“Do you think we’ll ever find a way out of here?” Bethany was rapidly losing all sense of hope. After all, Chrissten was a smart woman. Taller than Bethany. Strong too. And she’d been held for months and months without finding a way out.

Chrissten didn’t answer. Which was, of course, an answer in itself.

Bethany turned her head away and continued to stare at the ceiling as she reviewed everything she’d learned in the past two weeks.

They were being held captive by a man who considered himself a scientist but, in reality, he was a raving lunatic. According to Chrissten, his name was Dr. Phillip Morton and he was convinced she and Chrissten were half-breed werewolves. He wanted to test their blood, their genetics to find out how it differed from regular humans.

According to Chrissten, the doctor’s plan was to try to determine if there was a way to turn humans into werewolves. At the moment, the only way to create a half-breed werewolf was the old fashioned way—through sex between a pureblood werewolf and a human. And, even then, it was a very rare thing for a child to be the result of such an encounter.

If the experiments succeeded, the doctor would get the power of a male werewolf for himself and the werewolves who were helping him would get more females to mate with and thereby repopulate their species.

Maybe that’s where Chrissten got all her insane ideas. After months of being locked up, Bethany was afraid she’d begin to believe all this crazy talk too.

Then there was the doctor’s sidekick—a giant of a man called Brian—who seemed to be particularly enamored of Chrissten. This guy was the craziest of them all. He’d bought into the doctor’s theories. Brian believed he really was one of these pureblood werewolves. For real.

She knew Brian had raped Chrissten, and more than once. The other woman wouldn’t talk about it, but she’d been gone from their cell for several hours one day and had returned bruised and battered.

The doctor had confirmed Bethany’s fears. He’d mentioned it in passing the next day while he was drawing a vial of Bethany’s blood. He’d spoke about it as easily as one might talk about the weather. The doctor wanted Chrissten to get pregnant. He wanted to test her body during pregnancy and experiment on the baby once it was born. The conversation had turned Bethany’s blood to ice and she hadn’t felt warm since.

She feared that was her fate as well if she didn’t get out of here.

The clink of metal had Bethany scrambling out of bed and shoving her feet into the canvas sneakers she’d been given to wear. Both of them slept with their clothing on, such as it was. Loose cotton pants and pull-on tops. No laces, no drawstrings or zippers, nothing they might use as a weapon.

The sound of the locks being undone made Bethany cringe. Even though she couldn’t see him, she knew who was on the other side before the door opened. She could smell him—the anticipation, the testosterone, but most of all, the aggression. It was Brian, and he only had eyes for Chrissten.

“Good morning, mate.” The male stood about six-four and weighed about two-thirty. All of it muscle.

Chrissten bared her teeth at him. “What do you want, Brian?”

He smiled and there was nothing pleasant about it. “Now that’s no way to talk to your alpha.”

Chrissten snorted. “You’ll never be my anything.”

Bethany ignored their banter, every muscle in her body tensed. Ready to strike if an opportunity presented itself.

The doctor appeared at Brian’s side just inside the open door, seeming preoccupied and harried. Not an uncommon state for the good doctor. His mind was always on his latest experiments. “Enough talking. I need blood samples.”

Neither woman exactly relaxed, but some of the fear seeped out of Bethany. If the doctor only wanted a blood sample then maybe Brian would leave Chrissten alone. A second look in Brian’s eyes made that hope crumble. The doctor might only want a blood sample, but Brian wanted sex. Bethany could see it in his eyes as they devoured Chrissten.

The hairs on the back of Bethany’s neck rose and her skin began to tingle. Not now. She couldn’t allow her body to take control of her. She had to master the heat surging to her breasts and between her legs. This sexual needing was beyond her understanding.

Up until a year ago she’d never even been tempted to get serious about a man. Sure, she’d dated. Yes, she’d had sex. But it had been unfulfilling. She’d decided she simply wasn’t a sexual woman and men weren’t worth the effort.

Brian swung his head around and looked at her. He sniffed the air and smiled. Bethany took a step back, almost falling in her haste to get away from him. He couldn’t smell her arousal. Could he?

She recognized the look on his face and she didn’t want it aimed in her direction. She turned to the doctor. “I’ve given you enough blood to set up your own blood bank.” Bethany hated the quaver in her voice. Dr. Morton frowned at her retort. Brian’s smile sent terror flooding through her.

“I guess we’ll do this the hard way.” Brian stepped toward Bethany, but Dr. Morton stopped him.

“No. You can’t damage her. I need her today for more testing.”

Brian whirled around and growled at the doctor. His hands changed, morphing into claws. His jaw cracked and elongated. Fur began to sprout on his face and body.

Bethany blinked, not believing what she was seeing.

Before it went any further, the doctor raised his hand. She saw the gun in his hand as he fired. It wasn’t bullets, but a tranquilizer gun. The dart hit Brian in the chest. He ripped it from his skin but it was too late. Already he was starting to sway.

Bethany didn’t move, frozen in place by what she’d witnessed.

Chrissten, on the other hand, didn’t hesitate. She lunged at the doctor, jumping and rolling as he fired his tranq gun again. Bethany didn’t know what was in those things, but they were obviously potent.

Doctor Morton was a tall man, physically fit for a scientist who spent all his days and many of his nights in a lab. But Chrissten was quicker. She was motivated. Bethany knew how she felt and she’d only been here a few weeks. Chrissten had been here for what must seem like a lifetime.

The dart grazed her arm, nicking her skin but not embedding itself. Chrissten swore. Bethany knew her cellmate didn’t have much time. Even a scratch that small might be enough to knock Chrissten out.

But Chrissten wasn’t stopping. Hands extended, she lunged for the doctor. Claws burst out of her fingertips. She raked them over the doctor’s face. He fell back, screaming as he went down.

“Holy shit.” Bethany’s back was up against the wall. If she could manage it she’d sink into the concrete. She wasn’t seeing this. None of this was real. It couldn’t be. Claws didn’t really just burst from people’s fingers. Their mouths didn’t morph into elongated jaws with sharp teeth. That only happened in the movies. Maybe the doctor had given her some kind of nasty drug that was making her hallucinate.

But the scream and the blood were frighteningly real.

“Beth,” Chrissten whispered her name and stumbled as she extended her hand. It was a human hand again, the claws gone.

“What are you?” Bethany slid farther down the wall, putting some distance between them, her gaze going from Chrissten to Brian and back again. Chrissten blinked her eyes. Bethany knew the other woman was fading fast when she sank to the concrete floor and lowered her head, panting hard.

“The same as you.”

This was nuts. It wasn’t possible. Only she’d seen it with her own two eyes. Hadn’t she? She wasn’t sure. Not anymore. Nothing in her world made any sense.

“Beth?”

Whatever Chrissten was, Bethany knew she couldn’t leave the other woman behind. If they escaped, they went together. The open door beckoned and she knew they’d never get a better opportunity. She went to Chrissten, wrapped her arms around her and yanked her upright. “I still think you’re all crazy,” she told Chrissten as her feet hit the floor. There was no other word to describe the people who inhabited the loony bin she’d found herself in.

Doctor Morton moaned and rolled onto his side.

“Run, Beth.” Chrissten tried to push her away, but she wasn’t having any of it. Bethany pried the gun from the doctor’s hand and checked it. Empty. Two vials was its capacity. She tossed it aside.

Bethany rolled the doctor all the way into the cell, ignoring the blood on the side of his face and his pitiful moans. She felt not an ounce of remorse as she slammed the door shut. She didn’t have the keys to lock the deadbolts and didn’t have time to search for them. She had no idea how long the tranquilizer would keep Brian knocked out. She feared it wouldn’t be long enough.

Bethany yanked the single iron bar down until it fell firmly into place, securing the door. Hopefully that would hold their captors long enough to allow them to escape.

“Help me,” she ordered. Bethany half-carried, half-dragged Chrissten down a long corridor. Like the room they’d been kept in, it was pitted, rough concrete painted a depressing gray. Perfect for a movie set about a mad scientist and werewolves. She would have laughed at the absurdity of it all if she weren’t scared out of her mind.

Bethany had no idea where they were or if there was anyone else in the building with them. In the weeks she’d been held captive she’d only seen Brian and the doctor. But that didn’t mean they didn’t have other people helping them. On several occasions, even if she’d never seen them, she’d sensed another presence.

They stumbled through several doorways and Bethany knew they’d both have bruises from their mad dash. Not that she cared and knew Chrissten wouldn’t either. Whatever it took to escape here was worth it.

Bethany found a set of stairs and started upward. It had to eventually lead to a door to the outside. Bethany refused to believe otherwise. Chrissten’s breath was labored and she became heavier with each step as she started to lose consciousness.

A pounding sound reverberated up the stairwell. Someone was beating on the cell door. Metal screeched as it was being ripped apart. Oh, God. Only those big lethal claws she’d glimpsed and brute strength could tear apart a steel door. Sweat rolled down her temples and her heart raced like a runaway freight train. Her legs were trembling and her strength was rapidly failing.

Brian was at full strength, but they weren’t. Bethany knew they wouldn’t make it.

Damned if they wouldn’t. They still had time.

Bethany tightened her hold on Chrissten and started dragging her up the stairs. Chrissten was practically limp in her arms, unable to help much at all. They fell once and pain shot up Bethany’s shoulder. She smelled blood too but ignored it, stood and kept going. Plenty of time to worry about their injuries when they were free.

“Run! Contact my brother.” Chrissten had spent hours telling Bethany about her twin brother, making her memorize his name and cell phone number. Assuring her that he could protect them.

Bethany wasn’t sure about that, but he was the only hope she had. No one she knew could help. And she didn’t think the police would believe her story. No, if she told them the truth she’d wind up in a mental institution sedated with copious amount of drugs. Something inside her knew she’d die if she were locked up again. She needed to be free.

“Find him,” Chrissten whispered. “Send help.” The adrenaline that had helped her friend push back the effect of the tranquilizer was fading. Chrissten’s legs buckled.

Beth dug her fingers into Chrissten’s arm and kept hauling her up the narrow, wooden staircase. “I’m not leaving you.” There was no way in hell she’d abandon Chrissten here to suffer any longer. Bethany didn’t know exactly what Chrissten was, but that was no longer of any importance. Chrissten was a woman in danger and she’d become a friend.

Plus, if Chrissten was right about what she was, then she might be able to give Bethany the answers she’d always sought.

“Why didn’t you show me sooner?” If her friend had broken out the claws and fangs when she’d first arrived, Bethany might have been more inclined to believe her stories.

“Didn’t want to frighten you any more than you already were.”

Sweat rolled down her Bethany’s back, making her thin cotton top stick to her body as she continued to haul her friend up the steep stairwell. They had to be getting close to the landing.

“And you thought finding out like this wouldn’t freak me out of my ever-loving mind?” Bethany knew her voice was getting louder, but she couldn’t help it. The adrenaline coursing through her body was making her sweat. Her heart was racing. Her blood pumping.

Another thought occurred to her. “How come you can change and I can’t?”

Chrissten’s laugh was bitter. “Because you need a male werewolf for that.”

Bethany frowned. “I don’t understand.”

A loud roar sounded in the distance, ending all talk. Terror spurred Bethany on and she pulled harder. Brian was coming.

“You have to leave me.” Chrissten dug in her heels, bringing them both to a halt. “If you don’t, we’re both dead.”

Bethany feared her friend was right. The footsteps were getting closer. There was no way she could get both of them out in time to evade whoever was coming for them. They had no weapons. Chrissten was too weak to do her wolf thing and, even if she could, Brian could do it too.

Bethany was no match for either him or the doctor’s tranquilizer gun. Her stomach dropped but she knew what she had to do. “I’ll come back for you. I promise.” She eased Chrissten gently down onto the hard stairs.

She paused one final time to look back. Chrissten lay crumpled and unmoving. Bethany vowed she wouldn’t rest until her friend was free. Drawing on reserves she didn’t know she had, she surged up the stairs to the top of the landing and came to a door. She prayed it wasn’t locked and pushed at the bar. It opened and she stumbled out into a foyer of sorts.

It was deserted.

The building felt empty. Abandoned.

Dust and garbage, years of decay and neglect, lined the floor. The stench assaulted her nostrils and she tried not to breathe too deeply as she raced for the front door. It was boarded up but she yanked at the nailed pieces of wood, splinters gouging her skin and drawing blood.

She took a quick peek over her shoulder, her breathing coming faster and harder. Brian couldn’t be far behind her. Frustration and anger welled up inside her and she gave one final pull. The wood gave under the pressure and snapped.

Bethany dragged herself through the small hole and began to run. Cold wind whipped at her thin clothing and tugged at her hair. Her footsteps sounded like thunder in her ears as her feet hit the pavement in an uneven rhythm. She ran until her lungs ached and her legs would no longer hold her.

With her lungs burning and unable to catch a breath, she stumbled into an empty doorway and leaned against the wall for support. Her muscles trembled and she slid to the ground, dropping her head against her knees. She sucked air into her starving lungs, desperately trying not to black out.

She had no idea how long she sat there. Eventually her breathing calmed and her heart no longer felt as though it was in danger of bursting through her chest. The black spots in her vision cleared.

Now that her heartbeat was no longer pounding in her ears other sounds began to seep in.

Her head jerked up. Traffic. That was the beautiful sound of cars and buses. That meant people. Help. She pushed herself up and her legs wobbled. She steadied herself against the side of the building until she was sure she wasn’t in danger of collapsing.

For the first time, she studied her surroundings. Her flight had been quick and she’d paid no heed to where she’d come from. Most of the buildings around her appeared derelict. She could smell the water above the stench of garbage and exhaust fumes. Obviously, she was in an abandoned area of some warehouse district in a major city.

She didn’t even know what city she was in.

“Damn.” She shook her head to clear it and forced herself to pay attention. Her lungs hurt, her legs felt like jelly and her hands were bruised and scraped. Thankfully, they’d stopped bleeding.

“Find something familiar. Some landmark. You can do this.” The pep talk helped some.

Bethany left the dubious safety of the doorway. She had no way of knowing if there was already someone searching for her. She couldn’t let them take her. Chrissten had given her this chance at freedom and she wasn’t about to waste it.

“Hang on, Chrissten,” she whispered under her breath. “I’m coming back for you.”

Chapter One

Keeping beat with the music, Quinn Lawton drummed his fingers on the dark oak bar. A beer sat in front of him, the bottle damp with condensation. It was still almost full. He stared at the dark stain widening around the base of the bottle. He wasn’t in the mood to drink, but he had to do something to pass the time as he waited for tonight’s meeting.

He peered around the bar. Haven was hopping tonight. A jazz quartet played on the tiny stage in the far corner. Some couples danced, but most sat around small circular tables or at the bar, talking and laughing with friends.

What would it be like to have a normal life? Did they have any idea how lucky they were? His life had been fucked up for so long he wasn’t sure he knew what normal was anymore. Not that it ever could be, considering his mother had been human and his father was a pureblooded werewolf.

“It won’t be long now.” Meredith Striker, the owner of Haven and the female alpha of the pack that lived here, slipped onto the bar stool beside him. She usually wore long, slinky dresses and high-heeled shoes when she worked. Tonight she was wearing black slacks and a silk blouse, but still managed to look classy and stylish. Her black hair fell over her back like a curtain. She was a pureblooded werewolf, but she’d adopted four half-breeds, whom she treated the same way she did her two sons. She’d also opened her home to him and his brother.

“I know.”

“We’ll find her.”

Meredith’s words did nothing to buoy his confidence. He’d been making that same promise to himself over and over again this past year and a half. He didn’t know if he believed it any more. It had been too long without a word or a trace of his sister.

Hell, he’d infiltrated and worked with fucking paranormal bounty hunters for a year in the hopes of finding out some small scrap of information about who might have taken Chrissten. But he’d lost his last link to the hunters when he’d been forced to kill one of them to protect another werewolf. Still, his actions had garnered him the unexpected support from two packs of werewolves. Not to mention he’d found his birth father.

He shoved that thought aside. He didn’t want to think about Donovan Brody, the werewolf who’d had a short-lived relationship with his mother before abandoning her. The guy seemed okay, but Quinn didn’t feel any real connection with him and had no time to care.

All his thoughts were of his missing sister.

He was sorely afraid Chris was dead. The only thing that gave him any hope at all was the close bond they shared as twins. In his heart, he didn’t feel as though she was dead.

He rubbed his chest, feeling the ache growing there with each passing moment his beloved sister was missing.

The hair on the back of his neck stirred. Quinn didn’t need to turn around to know who was there. Isaiah Striker, Meredith’s husband and the alpha of this small pack. Quinn was here only because Isaiah had agreed to help him.

“I heard from Damek. He’ll be here after closing.”

Quinn closed his eyes and said a brief prayer of thanks. Until Isaiah confirmed it, he hadn’t believed the meeting would truly happen. He didn’t know who this Damek guy was or why they all thought he might be able to help, but at this point, Quinn would try anything. Isaiah and the rest of the pack had been strangely silent about Damek, telling Quinn next to nothing about him.

He shrugged. It didn’t matter who he was. Not if he could help.

Quinn continued to sit at the bar nursing his beer while Meredith and Isaiah went off to do whatever it was that needed doing. He’d been working at Haven himself for about a week as payment for his room and board. Nothing he could do would ever repay them if they actually helped him find his sister.

“You doing okay?”

Quinn shook his head. “I don’t know.” His brother took the seat Meredith had vacated and leaned his elbows on the bar. Craig was his brother, but he was totally human, the product of a yearlong affair his mother had with a dockworker. His mother had never been good at picking men and Craig’s father had disappeared as soon as he’d known Craig was on the way. Hell, Quinn’s father had left before he’d even known Quinn’s mom was pregnant with him and his sister.

Never in a million years had Quinn dreamed he and Craig would be temporarily living with a werewolf pack, half of which were half-breeds.

He could sense his brother’s excitement. Smell his fear. Craig was only twenty, but he was hell on wheels with a computer. His unassuming, kind face and wire-rimmed glasses hid a deep well of determination. Not that he was weak. Far from it. But he was human and wouldn’t be able to physically defeat a werewolf, not in hand-to-hand combat. His intellect was his greatest weapon and he’d used it these long months to aid Quinn in his search.

“You think this guy Damek can help?”

That was the million-dollar question. He turned to his brother and shrugged. “I don’t know.” He scrubbed a hand over his face as weariness settled over him. He couldn’t rid himself of the feeling that time was running out. “I hope so.”

“If not, we’ll find another way.”

That was Craig. He’d never lost hope, his mind always searching for new ways to work on the problem. “I’m glad you’re here.” And he was. The three of them had been close growing up, but even more so since their mother’s death. He and Chris had practically raised Craig. They were a family. Or they had been before disaster had struck.

“Me too.” Craig snagged a bowl of mixed nuts from a few feet down the bar and began munching. “You were away too long.”

He’d missed his younger brother during the unending months he’d been undercover with the paranormal bounty hunters. His occasional phone call with Craig had been his only connection to his past life, his only link to sanity. He’d missed a year and a half of his brother’s life. Craig was different now—harder, independent and more cynical. He’d matured, losing some of that indomitable spark he’d always had. But there was still a touch of it there, for which Quinn was profoundly thankful.

Unspoken was the fact that he’d been living with paranormal bounty hunters all that time. He’d worked with them. He’d killed with them. Granted, he’d only killed pureblooded werewolves who would have killed any half-breed. He’d also helped save a few of the good ones, like Isaiah and the Haven pack.

But he still had blood on his hands. A lot of it. And nothing to show for it. In all that time he’d never heard a whisper about his sister.

Craig sat beside him, a quiet presence. Quinn was grateful for the undemanding company. He didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to put too much faith in this Damek character. Maybe he could help. Maybe it would be another dead end.

Quinn didn’t know if he could take another disappointment.

Suck it up, he ordered himself. His sister was out there somewhere and he’d find her, no matter how long it took.

The night dragged on and his beer went warm. Craig drifted away at some point and Quinn was left alone with his thoughts. He sat at the far corner of the bar and watched all the people enjoying the club and bitterness coated his belly. His life had been like that once. Nothing more to worry about than earning a paycheck and having some fun. Okay, so his life had never been quite that carefree, but it had been his and he wanted it back.

He glanced down at his hands and saw the light from the flashing neon sign reflect against his skin. Red. White. Red. White. It looked like blood. He raised his fingers and studied them. They were strong and callused and capable, yet he still hadn’t managed to find his missing sister.

The minutes turned into hours and finally people began to leave. Michael, one of Meredith’s sons who was working behind the bar, gave the last call. There were no human members of staff working tonight so once all the patrons were gone only members of the pack, he and Craig remained.

Hank, who was the resident bouncer and a half-breed werewolf, closed and locked the door. “That’s it.” They all scattered, each taking care of the necessary tasks that came with closing down a bar for the night. Quinn knew he should be helping, but he just couldn’t stir himself to care. His gaze was focused on the locked door. How long would they have to wait until Damek arrived?

He finally pushed away from the bar and began stacking chairs on the tables so the floors would be cleared for cleaning. Anything to keep busy. The waiting was beginning to wear on him.

The other members of the pack worked quietly and efficiently. He knew Teague would be in the kitchen, making certain everything was shut down for the night. The tall red-haired male sported tattoos and a trio of gold earrings in his left ear. He was surly with most everyone but he was a hell of a cook and ruled the kitchen.

Teague’s mate was his opposite in every way. With her café au lait skin and warm brown eyes she was as gentle as Teague was tough. Neema was clearing glasses from tables and ferrying them into the kitchen. She offered him an encouraging smile and a pat on the arm as she passed him.

Behind the bar, Michael and his brother, Benjamin, were chatting as they put everything in order. They both resembled their mother with their black hair and blue eyes. Quinn turned away from them. He’d often wondered what his life would have been like if his mother had lived. She might not have had the best taste in men but she’d been a hell of a mother, putting her kids first. Always.

Hank glanced at Quinn but said nothing as he and Kevin helped him stack chairs. Quinn watched Meredith and Isaiah chat in low tones as they dealt with the daily paperwork and the cash register receipts.

It was all so damn normal. Fury flooded Quinn and he had the urge to smash the chair he held in his hands against the far wall. It wasn’t fair. Chris had never hurt anyone in her life. All they’d wanted was to be left alone to live their own lives.

Wood cracked. Quinn looked down to find the back of the chair splintered where he’d held it too tightly. His knuckles were white with the strain. His arm muscles tense.

He sensed Hank coming up beside him. “Let me take that for you.” The other man’s expression gave nothing away. There was no sign of pity or judgment. He simply waited patiently, his hand extended.

Slowly, carefully, he released his hold on the chair. Hank took it and set it aside to be disposed of later. Then he went back to work stacking chairs as if nothing had happened. Hell of a steady guy. Quiet. Quinn wasn’t quite sure what to think of him. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t here to make friends. He was here to find his sister.

He also had to get a grip on himself or he wouldn’t be any good to anyone, especially not his sister.

Isaiah stirred, headed out from behind the bar and walked toward the door. Tension flooded Quinn and he set down the chair he was holding. This was it. Damek was here. He was about to meet the person who might be able to help him find his sister.

Quinn didn’t care if Damek was the devil himself. Not if he could help him find Chris.

The locks on the door began to open before Isaiah reached it. Quinn watched in amazement as the handle slowly turned. A dark shadow filled the doorway and flowed inside, bringing a tsunami of power with him. The heavy panel door shut with a thud.

Oh shit. Quinn knew this guy. Had seen him once before, back about six months ago when Quinn had still been working with the bounty hunters. Damek was a powerful and elusive creature. A vampire. Traditionally, a natural foe of the werewolf, at least until the bounty hunters had started stalking them all and their populations had started dying out. Then all the rules had changed.

How did the saying go? The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Quinn had watched from the shadows that fateful night as the vampire had taken control of another hunter’s mind as easily as a mortal might pick up a cup of coffee.

This creature was beyond dangerous. He was also Quinn’s only hope.

“Good evening, my friend.” Damek inclined his head slightly in Isaiah’s direction. The vampire was wearing a dark suit that had obviously been tailored to fit his lithe build. His shirt was silk and he had a Rolex on his left wrist. Shoulder-length black hair was pulled away from his face and tied neatly at his nape with a leather thong. His features were strong, his skin pale. Power seemed to leak from his pores, filling the air around him.

“Ah, you look as beautiful as ever, my dear.” Damek flowed toward Meredith, his stride fluid. Isaiah growled and pulled his mate closer to him. Quinn tensed, ready in case a battle broke out between the two alpha males.

The corner of Damek’s mouth turned up slightly. Quinn couldn’t quite call it a grin, but he sensed the vampire’s amusement.

Damek cocked an eyebrow at Isaiah. “Really, you Striker brothers are very possessive. It’s rather annoying. But you do have exquisite taste in women.”

“We need your help.” Isaiah’s voice was low and guttural.

“So you said.”

Quinn decided it was time for him to make his presence known. “I need your help.”

Damek turned toward him and Quinn felt pinned by the vampire’s black stare, felt dark tentacles of power reaching inside him to his very thoughts and memories. He slammed the door on his mind, desperately trying to shut out the invasion. A cold sweat broke out on his skin and his heart began to pound. His wolf stirred inside him and with it the primitive urges of fight or flight. He did neither. By strength of will alone, he fought his very basic nature, straightened his shoulders and met Damek’s penetrating gaze.

The creature casually strolled toward him, a wave of menace rolling before him. “I know you.” He tapped his finger against his chin. “You were involved in that debacle last fall.”

“You knew I was there.” His voice was steady and sure.

“Hmm.” The humming sound was Damek’s only reply.

Quinn took that as a yes. At the time he’d felt as though the vampire had sensed his presence but had let Quinn go for reasons only he understood. It had never once occurred to him that the person he was going to meet tonight might be the powerful vampire he’d encountered last fall.

He honestly didn’t know all that much about the species. All his efforts while he’d been growing up had been focused on understanding what was happening to himself and his sister. After Chris had disappeared, he’d been hell-bent on finding her. If he was going to be working with a vampire he wanted to know everything there was to know about the species. He’d set Craig to work on unearthing details as soon as Damek was done. Knowledge was power and Quinn needed every edge he could get with the powerful male. If there was anything to find online about Damek and others like him, his brother would unearth it.

“Tell me,” Damek demanded.

Quinn ignored the arrogance of the command, knowing he needed Damek’s help. He swallowed his pride and gave a quick recounting of his childhood, of growing up knowing he and his sister were different and how they’d tried to live a normal life.

“I don’t know why they took her. Or who. How they knew she was different.” That question frustrated him most of all. They’d always been careful, keeping to themselves as much as possible. They’d gone to regular school until they’d hit puberty and then they’d been homeschooled, basically doing it themselves while their mother worked.

Craig had been the only other person to know what they were. And Quinn trusted Craig without question. “At first we thought she might have been taken by some crazy human, some sick psychopath. But she’s strong and smart. She would have escaped if that was the case. I know she would have.”

“How old was Chris when she was kidnapped?” Damek’s question made Quinn frown. What did that have to do with anything?

“Twenty-three, almost twenty-four. Why?”

“Fuck.” Quinn glanced over at Isaiah who spat out the oath. “Ah, I’m not sure how much you know about females of the species, but Chrissten was at the age where she’d go into heat for the first time. If that happened, any male wolf getting within twenty feet of her would have smelled her and gone right for her. You wouldn’t have been affected by it because you’re her sibling.”

Quinn felt as though he’d been hit up the side of the head with a two-by-four. All those months he’d wasted on the hunters, thinking they must have found out what she was and taken her. He’d never once considered some horny werewolf might have abducted her. That would explain why Chris had acted so strangely in the few months before she went missing. She’d kept to herself more and had become quieter, shrugging her shoulders and putting him off whenever he asked her what was wrong.

Quinn threw back his head and howled, the mournful sound echoing off the walls. His head was pounding and the urge to kill someone, anyone, was ripping him apart. He felt his hands disappear and powerful claw-tipped paws appear. His jaw cracked, the bones elongating. His vision went flat. His wolf wanted out. He wanted to hunt. To kill.

Isaiah grabbed him by the back of his neck and shook him. Quinn lunged at the older male, but Isaiah punched him on the side of his head. “Snap out of it.”

Quinn desperately sought reason within a mind gone dark with vengeance. His thoughts spun round and round like a carnival ride out of control. Chris had been taken because she was in heat. That wasn’t something he even wanted to think about in regards to his sister. He worked hard at not thinking about the horrors his twin must be going through and mostly he succeeded. But now there was nothing to blunt the sharp edges of his fury and pain. What she must be suffering. Unimaginable. Unacceptable.

Isaiah shook him again and Quinn fought the urge to attack. If it had been anyone else, Quinn might not have succeeded. But Isaiah understood what it was like to lose a sister. And he was right. He was of no use to Chris like this.

Grabbing on to the tattered remnants of his control, he willed the wolf to recede. There would be time enough for the wolf to vent its fury when he found his enemies. For now, he needed to concentrate on finding Chris. And that would take a calm, cold, calculating mind.

His bones snapped and reformed. As the anger fled out of him shame replaced it. Chris was suffering who knows what at the hands of some crazy male wolf. He owed it to her to keep his head on straight and his mind on business.

Damek was watching him carefully, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I will ask around and see what I can discover.”

“That’s it?” The words jumped out of Quinn’s mouth before he could stop them.

“That’s quite a lot,” came the biting reply.

He shoved his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath, searching for calm. “Sorry about that. I’ll take any help you can give me.”

“Yes, you will.” It sounded more like a threat to Quinn’s ears than a promise. Maybe it was both. He didn’t care. All he wanted was his sister back home safe and sound.

“Thank you.” Craig came to stand beside him. His brother’s gaze was steady and curious as he studied Damek.

“And you are?”

Craig stuck out his hand. “Craig Lawton, Quinn’s brother. And the only human in the room.”

Damek glanced down at Craig’s hand and slowly took it. “You’re brave for a human.”

Craig shook his head. “Not really. I’m simply grateful for any help you can give us. I want my sister back.”

“And what will you give me in payment for that help?”

Quinn growled at Damek’s question, feeling the threat toward the only other member of his family. Craig simply met Damek’s hard stare, unflinchingly. “Anything you want.”

There was no doubting the sincerity in Craig’s words. Damek gave his brother that enigmatic half-smile he’d given Quinn earlier. “I believe you mean it.”

He whirled away too fast for Quinn to track. “I’ll do some checking around and get back to you.”

With that he was gone, leaving nothing more than an open door and a lingering scent of ancient, dark power in his wake.

Chrissten knew she was in a vehicle. She could feel the vibration beneath her body as it sped down a road. She had no idea where they were going. The metal floor was cold against her cheek and she shivered.

She tried to move her arms and legs but they wouldn’t cooperate. Metal clanked and scraped and her limbs felt heavy. She opened her eyes and looked down to discover she was shackled in manacles that were coated in silver to weaken her. She also had a vague memory of the doctor shooting her full of tranquilizers. Her stomach was queasy and she was afraid she might vomit. If that wasn’t bad enough, her head was pounding like a drum in a heavy-metal band.

The only thing she knew for sure was that Bethany had escaped. That was good. But no one had arrived quickly enough to rescue her. Another shiver wracked her body as she remembered just how angry Brian had been when he’d found her. She remembered trying to shift and attack him. He’d hit her. Hard. Knocking her unconscious.

Then had come the hours of uncertainty as the doctor and Brian had packed up the lab and research. She’d known they were getting ready to leave and she’d prayed for help to arrive, but it hadn’t. Chrissten would never know how close rescue might have been.

Bethany hadn’t had any money when she escaped. She was also weak and frightened. Chrissten knew she might have wandered for hours before she’d managed to find anyone to help her. That’s if she even attempted to. Everything that happened had been so crazy that Bethany might decide it was all a drug-induced dream. But even then she’d probably go to the cops.

That hope had faded by the time Brian had come to her cell. She’d been drugged, chained, wrapped in a blanket and dropped in the back of a vehicle.

She listened hard over the hum of the engine, but no one was talking. The only bit of information she’d managed to glean earlier was the doctor didn’t want to leave the immediate area. He wanted to try to reacquire Bethany.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek. Chrissten didn’t know how much more of this she could take. She was slowly losing herself as each day passed. The urge to fight was dying inside her every time Brian raped her or the doctor prodded and tested her like she was of no more value than a lab rat. And, to him, she supposed she wasn’t. The minute she stopped being useful they’d kill her.

In her mind, she reached out for her twin, hoping to find some connection, some link. There was nothing.

The drug pulled at her consciousness and she didn’t fight it. Not this time.

She let it drag her into the darkness where she felt safest.

Bethany woke with a startled cry. She was rolling to her feet, ready to defend herself before she was fully awake. Her surroundings were unfamiliar. She blinked twice and her racing heart began to calm.

The shelter. She was at a homeless shelter in Chicago. She could hear the snores and deep breathing of the five other women sleeping in the dormitory-style room.

She slowly sank back down onto her cot and rubbed her hands over her face. Her memories were a confused jumble of images and impressions. After she’d escaped, Bethany realized she couldn’t go to the police. They’d never believe her crazy story. She couldn’t go home to Detroit either. Obviously, the good doctor and Brian knew where she lived.

She’d escaped, but found herself in an unfamiliar city with no money for food, clothing, transportation or shelter. It was April, but it was still cold and she’d been wearing only a thin cotton top and pants. She needed clothing, food and money.

The only place Bethany knew to get those things with few questions being asked was a homeless shelter. She knew all about them and how they worked. When she was a child, she and her mother had used them many times. She’d made a vow when she was eighteen and working her first full-time job that she’d never end up at one again, but she’d had no choice. Pride had no place in her decision, not with Chrissten’s life in danger.

She’d wandered through the city for a half a day, faint with hunger, heart pounding with fear, asking strangers on the street for help. Most walked away without answering her while some pointed in a vague direction as they hurried on their way. Several times she’d had to run for her life from men who’d thought her an easy target. Finally, one kind woman had directed her to this shelter.

It was small and overcrowded, but that helped her avoid too many unwanted questions. They’d fed her, tended her injured hands and given her clean clothing. She’d intended to rest for a few minutes to regain her strength before trying to find someone to help her. Instead, she’d fallen into bed and slept far longer than she’d planned, if the darkness outside was any indication.

“How could you?” she muttered, angry with herself for her weakness. Chrissten was still being held captive. She needed help and hours and hours had gone by without Bethany looking for any. The shock, exhaustion and hunger had obviously muddled her. If she’d been thinking properly the first thing she would have done the moment she’d arrived was use the phone at the shelter to contact Chrissten’s brother. Instead she’d allowed them to feed her and tend to her injuries.

She had a vague memory of asking to use the phone and being told she couldn’t use it. Security reasons. They would gladly call the police if she wanted but she’d quickly declined their offer. They also restricted the use of cell phones and had an unlisted, blocked number. They didn’t want some woman calling her abusive ex during a weak moment and telling him where the shelter was. That was dangerous for all of them. She’d get supervised phone privileges once she’d been here twenty-four hours.

Still, she should have insisted. Pleaded. Done whatever she’d needed to do.

There was no turning back the clock but it was past time to act. She’d call Chrissten’s brother. If that didn’t work, she’d have to swallow her doubts and fears and contact the police. She had to do something.

It was no good to castigate herself about her lack of effort. Her body and mind had been at the end of their endurance. She’d been physically unable to keep going. Hunger and exhaustion had taken their toll, forcing her to rest.

But it was time to start paying her debt to her friend.

Bethany reached for the pair of jeans that were folded neatly on the chair next to her cot. They were faded and used, but comfortable and much warmer than the thin cotton pants she’d been wearing. Since she was already wearing her new underwear and a long-sleeved shirt it didn’t take her long to get dressed. She tugged on her canvas sneakers and grabbed the fleece jacket the director of the shelter had given her.

Just thinking about the woman brought a smile to Bethany’s face. Margaret Montgomery was a large, dark-skinned woman with a big voice and an even bigger heart. She’d prodded and gently bullied Bethany into a hot shower and clean clothes and pushed her to eat a hot meal.

Margaret was a no-nonsense woman who wanted to help everyone who crossed her path. Bethany would always be thankful for the help she’d gotten at the Angel of Hope Shelter and hoped to repay that kindness someday when she was back on her feet.

She glanced out the window into the darkened street below. It was night. That was good. Everyone else was asleep. Keeping as quiet as possible, Bethany crept from the room and down the stairs to the offices below. She needed to find the phone.

She sensed a person near the front entrance as she eased around the bend in the stairwell. Bethany could see clearly into the office through the open door. Margaret sat in a battered leather chair, snoring softly. Damn. Didn’t the woman ever go home? Using the office phone would be impossible with her sleeping right next to it.

She’d have to search for another phone and if she couldn’t find one here she’d have to leave the shelter.

Bethany continued down the stairs, placing her feet carefully on each tread. She’d almost reached the last stair when the bottom of her right foot hit the wood and the resulting squeak split the quiet of the night.

Margaret stirred. Bethany held her breath and waited until the other woman finally seemed to settle. She carefully continued down the stairs and paused, trying to remember the layout of the rooms. It was all fuzzy. She’d been so exhausted when she’d reached the shelter she hadn’t paid much attention.

“We don’t keep money on the premises.” Margaret’s voice brought Bethany up short. She was good and caught. Then the director’s words registered and made her frown.

“I’m not going to steal anything. I need to use the phone.”

Margaret pushed out of her chair and stood. She studied Bethany with knowing brown eyes. Bethany had to struggle not to squirm. Margaret’s eyes were filled with the kind of knowledge that came from the school of hard knocks, yet they were also filled with compassion. She shook her head. “I can’t quite figure you out. You’re not a street person. You don’t have the look of one. You’re not a druggie.”

“No, ma’am,” Bethany agreed.

Margaret smiled. “And you got manners too. But you’ve had a hard time of it for sure.” She hesitated, chewed on her bottom lip and finally nodded. She motioned toward her desk. “Go ahead. Use the phone.”

Bethany sidled toward it and looked at Margaret, wondering how she could ask for some privacy. She didn’t want anyone else to hear what she had to say. That could quickly land her in the mental ward of a hospital.

Once again, the other woman seemed to understand what she needed. “I’m going to make myself a cup of tea.” She started out of the room, but paused at the last second. “Don’t disappoint me.”

Bethany found herself smiling. Margaret was a force of nature. She didn’t think any of the women staying here wanted to disappoint her in any way. She hadn’t observed much of what went on in the shelter, but she’d seen enough to know the director was respected by one and all, staff and clients alike.

This was the moment of truth. Bethany could walk away now and forge a new life for herself somewhere else. It would be so easy to do. If she made this phone call there was no going back. She’d be crossing a line over which there was no return.

Werewolves. They were out there. She knew that now. And she was about to make her first contact.

Knowing there was really only one choice she could make, Bethany picked up the receiver and dialed the number Chrissten had made her memorize.

Chapter Two

The phone rang twice before it occurred to Bethany that the middle of the night might not be the best time to call anyone asking for help, especially not with the crazy story she had to tell. “Damn.” She thought about hanging up but she was committed now. She tightened her hand around the receiver.

“Yeah.” The voice was male and hoarse with sleep.

She cleared her throat. “Is this Quinn Lawton?” She prayed she’d remembered the number right. She didn’t know what she’d do next if this wasn’t Chrissten’s brother.

There was some rustling in the background and the voice was more alert this time. “No.” Bethany’s heart sunk. Maybe she’d dialed the number wrong. Before she could apologize and hang up, the man was speaking again. “Just give me a second and I’ll get him.”

Hope surged inside her. She hadn’t failed. The phone number was the right one. Her knees threatened to buckle so she sank into the chair that Margaret had vacated. Her stomach felt queasy and she was still very weak. She could still hang up the phone and let the police handle this. All she’d have to do is tell them she was kidnapped. No need to tell them about the rest of it. Quinn Lawton would never be able to find her. There was no way to trace the call back to the shelter.

She clutched the receiver in her hand and took a deep breath, knowing she could never do that. She was committed now. No turning back. Footsteps sounded through the receiver and she knew the man who’d answered was taking the phone to Chrissten’s brother, who was a half-breed werewolf just like Chrissten. Just like she was.

Bethany still couldn’t quite wrap her head around that one, but she was trying to understand it. She hoped Quinn had answers for her.

“Yeah.” The voice was low and gruff and masculine. Every cell in Bethany’s body reacted to the sound. The fine hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her nipples contracted. Her breath caught in her throat.

“Who is this?” The voice was more demanding now, all trace of sleepiness gone.

Bethany forced herself to speak. “Is this Quinn Lawton?”

“Who wants to know?” She almost hung up on him. His impatience and arrogance bled through the phone line. But she’d promised her friend.

“Do you have a sister named Chrissten?”

“Where is she? Who are you? Where are you?”

Bethany was so startled by the angry outburst she dropped the receiver. She could hear Quinn yelling at her through the line. She grabbed the phone and hung up, panting hard for breath. He was one scary man.

She sat there for about thirty seconds before she grabbed the phone and punched in the number again.

“Hello. Are you there?” he demanded.

“I’m here.” This was for Chrissten, she reminded herself. And for yourself, a little voice in the back of her head said. You want to know more about who you are. What you are.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you.” His low tones made her shiver and she wasn’t sure she believed him. Even his apology was short. A voice in the background was urging him to stay calm. She recognized it as the man who’d originally answered the phone. She was beginning to wish she’d talked to him instead.

“Umm, I need to talk to you about your sister.” She had to do this face-to-face. This wasn’t something you talked about over the phone. “Where are you?”

“I’m in Chicago. Where are you?”

Bethany was shocked to find out that help was close at hand. She hadn’t expected that, but would take it as a good sign that maybe her luck was changing. “Where in Chicago? I want to meet you.”

“Tell me about my sister.” His frustration was palpable and she almost blurted out everything she knew. But she had to meet him in person. She’d promised Chrissten she’d get help and that meant more than simply making a phone call. Plus, she was curious about him, about what he was. What she was.

“Where shall I meet you?” Bethany could be just as stubborn as he was.

“There’s a bar in Wicker Park. It’s called Haven. Meet me there.”

“When?” Bethany glanced at the clock over Margaret’s desk. It was half past four in the morning.

“Now. I’ll be waiting for you.”

“I don’t have any money to pay for a cab.” It was demoralizing to admit she needed him to pay for her to get there. She couldn’t walk, as she had no idea where she was going. Even if she wanted to take public transit she still had no idea where to find this particular bar.

“Just get here. I’ll take care of the cab fare.”

She sucked in a breath and said, “Okay,” as she exhaled. The quicker she did this the better for her peace of mind.

“What’s your name?” The urgency in his tone brought home just how desperate he was for news of his sister.

“Bethany. My name is Bethany. As of less than a day ago your sister was alive. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” As she hung up the phone she knew she was no longer alone.

“I don’t know what kind of mess you’re involved in, Bethany, but you be careful, you hear me.” Margaret walked behind her desk and set down her mug of tea. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a key. She opened her desk drawer, lifted out a small metal box and drew out two twenty-dollar bills.

“I can’t take that.” Bethany held her hands in front of her as if to ward off Margaret’s kindness. “You’ve already done enough.”

“Child, you don’t want to be out in the world without some money in your pocket.” Margaret walked around the desk and put the bills in Bethany’s hands, curling her fingers around it. “It’s not much, but it should get you where you’re going. You come back if you need to. You hear me?”

Bethany had been alone since her mother died. Those years had been hard and cold and lonely. Add the kidnapping and the uncertainty of her life, and it was little wonder Margaret’s kindness brought tears to her eyes. “Thank you.”

Margaret wrapped her arms around Bethany and hugged her. The older woman smelled like cinnamon, like home. It felt good and helped ground her. Bethany drew in a breathe and pulled herself together.

“You do what you got to do,” Margaret told her. “But remember, you’ve got a place here if you need one.”

Bethany swiped at her eyes and nodded, touched by the sincere offer. “I appreciate it.” Not that she’d be coming back. She didn’t want to bring any trouble to the shelter or to this amazing woman. “I need to call a cab.”

Quinn paced back and forth across the floor of the bar, stopping to peer out the window every few seconds.

“Will you relax? You’re making me dizzy.”

Quinn whirled around to face his brother, who’d joined him downstairs. “How can I? This woman has seen Chris.” He still couldn’t believe the early morning call. Craig had kept Quinn’s old cell phone number just in case Chrissten ever tried to call home. It had been a long shot and it had finally paid off. It hadn’t been Chrissten who’d called, but it was someone who claimed to have seen her. This was the closest he’d been to his twin in the long, bleak months since her disappearance.

“It’s crazy to get a call like this on the same night we talk to Damek.” Craig took off his glasses and cleaned the glass lenses on the tail of his shirt. “You think the vampire had anything to do with it?”

Quinn shook his head. “Not enough time. This is—” Quinn broke off, not quite knowing how to put his thoughts into words. Every muscle in his body was coiled and ready for action. All he needed was a direction to focus on. This woman, Bethany, had information about his sister. The first news after all this time. He tried not to get his hopes up too high but it was impossible not to. Any news was better than the nightmare of not knowing.

His heart was racing and his palms were clammy. Chris was alive. He’d known it in his heart, but having tangible proof had given him a renewed sense of hope.

Of course, the rest of the pack had stirred when they’d heard the ringing phone. Any middle-of-the-night call was usually cause for concern. Isaiah had been the one to come and ask them what had happened. They were all cautiously optimistic. They were also on guard just in case this was some kind of trap.

The entire pack was upstairs, awake and ready to help. They’d agreed to stay out of sight only because, if this was on the up and up, they didn’t want to frighten away this woman, whoever she was.

Quinn wasn’t about to let her go. Not if she knew where Chris was. He’d keep her chained to his side if he had to. He wasn’t about to lose his only link to his twin.

A cab pulled up in front of Haven. Quinn practically ripped the door off the hinges in his haste to get to the woman in the vehicle. She handed the driver some money and climbed out of the cab. It pulled away, leaving them staring at one another.

She was slender with shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes. She was wearing jeans, canvas sneakers and a gray fleece. She wasn’t beautiful, not in the classical sense. But with her heart-shaped face and delicate features she was lovely. She was also afraid. He could smell her fear.

Quinn took another deep breath and his heart stopped. A second later it started pounding to a deep, primal rhythm. Mine. His wolf howled inside him as her sweet, womanly scent filled his nostrils, making his body harden.

It was intoxicating and totally inappropriate for him to be reacting to her in a sexual way considering the circumstances of their meeting. He shook his head to clear it but couldn’t shake the notion he was about to meet his destiny.

Bethany trembled, but only partially from fear. The rest, she was afraid, was pure unadulterated lust. The man standing in front of her was several inches over six feet. He was lean, but every inch of him was sculpted of hard muscle. His jeans clung to strong thighs and emphasized his trim waist. The short sleeves of his T-shirt fit over his large biceps like a second skin. His blond hair was short and barely skimmed his neck. But it was his eyes that struck her. She recognized those pale blue eyes.

“You have her eyes,” she blurted out.

He moved then. So fast she couldn’t stop herself from taking several steps back. Her foot hit the edge of the sidewalk and she teetered on the edge before regaining her footing. Another step back and she’d be standing in the road. He froze in front of her, his eyes taking her in from head to toe. “Bethany?”

She easily recognized his voice from the phone. This was Quinn Lawton. In person, his voice was even more compelling. She wanted to walk to him, put her cheek against his chest and listen to him talk, feel the vibration against her skin. Must be fatigue making her so loopy. She’d never wanted to do that to any man before. She’d chalk it up to one more strange experience in a long series of them.

Instead, she nodded and held out her hand. “Bethany Morris.”

He wrapped his fingers around hers and led her toward the entrance of a building. She glanced up at the sign and, sure enough, it read Haven. His hand was so much bigger than hers, his skin darker and rougher. Warmer too. His heat soaked into her skin, reminding her just how cold she was.

It struck her all at once that no one knew where she was. She hadn’t told Margaret where she was going. She figured the less information the director had the safer she and the other women at the shelter would be. There was no way to link Bethany with the Angel of Hope Shelter.

Bethany only had Chrissten’s word that her brother was one of the good guys. Once she stepped inside the empty bar and the door closed behind her she’d be completely at his mercy.

As though he sensed her trepidation, Quinn paused and raised her fingers to his mouth. The sight of his lips touching the back of her hand mesmerized her. Heat surged through her body, pooling between her thighs. The cool, crisp air receded and was quickly replaced by a blast of heat.

“I won’t hurt you.” With that promise, he drew her inside and shut the door behind him. The finality of it echoed through her like a shockwave. She had no idea what was ahead of her, but there was no longer any going back.

Quinn was torn between dual desires. He had to find out every scrap of information about his sister and her whereabouts. That need burned in his blood and ripped at his guts. But the woman next to him had started a fire in his soul. He wanted to strip her naked, take her down to the rough wooden floor beneath their feet and make love to her until she clutched at his shoulders and screamed his name in ecstasy. Which was crazy considering she was a complete stranger.

He took another deep breath and almost moaned at the sweet scent that filled his nostrils. Damn, she smelled good. Like honey and violets with a hint of something dark and spicy. He fought the urge to rub his cheek against the top of her hair to see if it was as soft as it looked.

She was about six inches shorter than him, her build slight. Her eyes had flecks of brown and green. Chameleon eyes. They could be either color depending on the light. They were also filled with a wariness that jolted him back to reality. He’d done nothing but stare at her since she’d arrived and that wasn’t going to put her at ease any time soon. It was time to take control of the situation.

“Sit.” He’d pulled several chairs down from off one of the tables and held one of them out for her.

She glanced at him and then at the door before she finally sat and folded her hands in her lap. Her gaze settled behind him and her eyes widened when she realized they weren’t alone. Quinn could feel his brother waiting impatiently for him to get on with things.

“This is my brother, Craig.” His brother inclined his head in greeting, but said nothing, letting Quinn handle the conversation. He got right to the point, which he should have done the moment she stepped out of the cab. “What can you tell us about Chris? When did you see her?”

Bethany licked her lips and Quinn fought back a groan as another wave of lust surged through him. Unacceptable. His body was responding to her proximity in a way that was totally foreign to him. Quinn didn’t like it at all, and that made him snap. “Well?”

She sat back in her chair and cast another nervous gaze toward the door as if gauging how quickly she could escape. He could have told her she was wasting her time. No way was he letting her go until she’d told him everything she knew. Still, he loosened his shoulders and relaxed his hands by his side, doing his best not to appear too intimidating. From the anxious look she shot him, he wasn’t succeeding.

She twisted the edge of her fleece jacket in her fingers and he could sense her trying to order her thoughts. He wanted to shake her and yell at her to hurry. But the mere thought of touching her in anger was totally abhorrent to him.

“It was this morning.” She rubbed her forehead. “No, yesterday morning now. It’s close to dawn, isn’t it? I’m sorry. Time is all confused.”

Craig apparently decided it was time to get in on the action. He pulled out a chair and seated himself next to Bethany. “Tell us what you know. Please.”

Quinn barely suppressed a growl. He didn’t like the fact that Craig was sitting so close to her. What the hell was wrong with him?

Bethany shoved a hand through her tousled brown hair. It shook with fine tremors and Quinn was struck by the need to calm all her fears. The instinct annoyed him. Bethany Morris was nothing to him but a means to an end. She was a link to his sister, nothing more. Even as he thought the words he knew he was lying to himself, which only served to increase his annoyance.

“I was kidnapped a couple of weeks ago.” She glanced at Quinn and he wanted to roar at the fear filling her beautiful hazel eyes. She looked away and continued. “There was another woman there. Chrissten Lawton. Your sister.”

He closed his eyes briefly and said a quick prayer of thanks. “Who had you? Where were you held?” He fired the questions off in rapid succession. He needed answers so he could mount a rescue.

“A scientist. A Doctor Philip Morton.” She shivered and he resisted the urge to pull her into his arms to warm her with his body heat. His cock flexed and pushed against the zipper of his jeans, totally on board with that idea.

“As for where,” she continued. “In another part of the city. Deserted mostly.”

He frowned, his suspicions growing with each passing second. Her story had big enough holes in it to drive a semi through. “How can you not know where? What kind of game are you playing?”

Quinn shoved his chair back and glared down at her. Bethany jumped to her feet and he knew she was going to try to make a run for it. He couldn’t let that happen, and not just because she was the only one with information about his sister. It went deeper than that. She belonged to him, with him.

He grabbed her arm, closing his fingers around it, holding her with little effort. Quinn shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. It wasn’t easy with anger burning his brain, lust tearing at his guts and heat searing his groin. Bethany beat at his chest with her free hand, but he subdued her easily, wrapping his large arms around her.

Craig was yelling at him, but Quinn couldn’t make out the words. In spite of all the problems in his life and all the horrific memories that stained his tattered soul, he felt whole for the first time in years. Having Bethany in his arms soothed the aching void within him.

Everything inside him settled and sounds began to seep back into his consciousness. Craig was yelling at him to let her go. Bethany was all but gasping for air, her hands pushing and shoving against his chest. But it was the low sob from deep in her throat that broke him loose from the strange thrall encasing him.

Shame washed over him, quickly followed by a wave of remorse and he loosened his hold. He hadn’t meant to frighten her. “I’m sorry.” He whispered the words in her ear. “I won’t hurt you. Not ever.” That’s a promise he could easily keep. He wouldn’t allow anyone else to hurt her either. This woman was precious, and not just because she had information he needed.

He sat down and pulled her onto his lap. His hold turned from a prison to one of shelter against the world. He rubbed one hand up and down her back and used the other to cup her face. There were no tears on her cheeks, but her face was pale, her eyes luminous.

She tried to pull away but he held her there, needing the physical contact with her. “Talk to me.” He needed to know everything she did. “Help me understand.”

She stopped struggling and took a calming breath. Her jacket was open and the motion pushed her breasts against the front of her top. He tried not to notice the way the worn material cupped the substantial mounds.

His dick flexed again. He ignored it, never taking his eyes from her face. “Tell me about this doctor.”

Craig interrupted before she could begin. “I think everyone should hear this.”

Bethany tensed in his arms. “Everyone?” Fear strained her voice and he didn’t blame her in the least. She was a woman alone with strangers. And if she’d been kidnapped and held with Chris, as she claimed, then God only knew what she’d been through these past few weeks. What Chris had been through these long months.

His arms tightened reflexively around her and he had to force himself to relax. It wasn’t easy, but he managed to relax his knotted biceps. “It’s okay. They’re friends and they want to help.”

He knew Isaiah and the rest of them had been listening, waiting for their cue when he heard footsteps on the stairs. They all filed into the room and were an intimidating group, large and lethal. Bethany sidled a bit closer to him. Pleasure at the small action filled him even though he knew it was only because he was one of the two people she knew so he was better than nothing.

“I’m Isaiah Striker.” Isaiah studied Bethany and the way she was sitting in Quinn’s lap. Quinn didn’t care. Crazy and irrational as it was, he’d staked his claim and wasn’t about to take a step back. “Welcome to Haven. Our home.”

Bethany fought to keep from being totally overwhelmed by the group of people surrounding her. There were seven men and two women, besides Quinn, in the room. They were all tall and moved with grace and ease. But it was the big man in front who scared the crap out of her. He reminded her of Brian in the way he moved, in the animalistic grace of his movements. A sense of power, of barely leashed strength surrounded him.

She took a deep breath and froze. Terror flooded into her veins as a musky scent filled her nostrils. He was one of them too. A werewolf. She sniffed again, certain she had to be mistaken. How many werewolves could there be running around the city? Many scents struck her at once, all individual, and only some were partly human. There were several more of them who had the same underlying natural perfume to their skin that Brian had.

All of these people were werewolves, or at least part. She frowned and sniffed again. Except for maybe Craig. She didn’t get the same scent from him as she did from the others. He smelled totally normal. Totally human.

And the fact she was now smelling people for identification and could differentiate between human and nonhuman told her she was in very unfamiliar territory. She’d never done anything like this in her life, at least not on purpose. Not until Chrissten had nagged her into trying. She’d humored the other woman, putting off the difference in scents between them and Brian and the doctor as normal, even though she’d never smelled anything like it in her life until then. She’d always had a keen sense of smell but hadn’t thought anything of it until two weeks ago.

The big man with the shaggy brown hair was still waiting patiently for her reply. “Thank you.” What else could she say? She was beginning to think she should have done all of this over the phone.

No. That was the cowardly way. She had to make certain they rescued Chrissten. This wasn’t about her.

She looked down at her lap, at her clasped hands, and launched into her story. “I was taken about two weeks ago by two men—Doctor Phillip Morton and Brian. I don’t know his last name. They used some sort of drug to knock me out and when I came around I was in a room with another woman. She said her name was Chrissten Lawton.”

“Chris.” The word was barely a breath on Quinn’s lips, but Bethany could hear the depth of emotions, the love that existed between brother and sister. It gave her the courage to continue sharing her horrific memories.

She told them about the testing and how the doctor had kept them both weak, practically starving them. She didn’t talk about the rapes that Chrissten had been subjected to. That was Chrissten’s story to either tell or to keep to herself, as she chose.

“How did you escape and not her?” The question from Isaiah was mild, but she flinched, sensing the anger, the mistrust beneath it. She did not want this man for an enemy.

“Bethany?” The quiet questioning in Quinn’s voice gave her the courage to continue. He deserved to know about his sister.

“The doctor came to take blood from both of us, but Brian was agitated. He had…other things on his mind.” She didn’t want to tell them that he’d wanted Chrissten and her. She shivered at the memory. Quinn’s arms tightened around her, warming her chilled body.

A low growl came from one of the males. “He’s a werewolf, isn’t he?”

“Michael.” Isaiah snapped at him and the male subsided.

Bethany nodded. “You have to understand. Until two weeks ago I had no idea there was such a thing as a werewolf, or a half-breed, for that matter. Chrissten talked about such things but I figured she’d been held captive so long she was beginning to believe the crazy doctor.”

“You didn’t know what you were?” The disbelief in Quinn’s voice slammed into her, hurting her more than she’d thought possible.

Something inside her snapped and she bolted from the dubious safety of his lap. The shelter, the support he’d offered her wasn’t real. All he wanted from her was information. If she hadn’t been so tired and confused she would never have forgotten that. She’d had enough of this interrogation, this mistrust. She’d been through hell. Had lost her entire life. Her identity.

“How could I have known?” She stared at them all one by one. “My entire life my mother dragged me around from city to city, never settling, never staying. I’d never lived anywhere longer than six or eight months until my mother died six years ago. Maybe she knew something I didn’t, but she never told me anything. She wouldn’t talk about my father at all. Forgive me if I never figured out I’m supposed to be a half-breed werewolf, whatever the hell that is.”

The last of her anger drained away and, with it, her energy. She swayed but stepped away when Quinn reached for her. She couldn’t depend on anyone else for help. As always, she was alone. She locked her knees and stood straight, facing all of them. Who the hell were they to judge her?

“Things got out of hand. The doctor was forced to shoot Brian. It was a tranquilizer and it took him down hard. Chrissten lunged for the doctor. He got off a shot. The dart grazed her.” The memory still hurt her to think about. Her friend had sacrificed her freedom so Bethany could have hers. That’s the only reason she was here—she owed her life to Chrissten.

“I checked the gun but it was empty. I rolled the doctor into the cell and slammed the door shut. I didn’t have the keys and could only use one bar to secure it. I thought we’d have time to escape.”

Bethany couldn’t help but think about Chrissten. What must she be going through? Had she waited for help that never arrived? Did she believe Bethany had abandoned her?

Her legs and arms trembled, but she kept on telling her story. Better to get it all out at once. “I dragged her up the stairs, but we could hear Brian tearing through the door of the cell. She made me leave.” Bethany looked at all of them, willing them to understand. “She made me. I tried to get her out. But it was either just one of us or we’d both go back.”

“You did what you had to do.” Quinn offered her his hand. She stared at it but didn’t take it. She didn’t trust him. She didn’t trust any of them.

“I ran and ran and ran. I had no idea where I was, what city I was in.” Those terrifying hours came back to her in a rush. “When I couldn’t run anymore, I collapsed in a vacant store front and really started studying my surroundings.” She swallowed hard, remembering her burning lungs and aching legs, the darkness that had threatened to take her under.

“I knew I couldn’t go to the police.” She gave a bitter laugh. “Who would believe me? I’d have ended up on the psych ward of a hospital or worse.” She could feel all their eyes on her, watching, listening, judging.

“There was a chance the doctor might find me if I ended up in a local hospital. I don’t know if he’s actually a real doctor or not. But if he is, he might have used his credentials to get me back. I have no family, no one to fight for me.” Bethany shivered at the thought of being that vulnerable.

“I didn’t know where else to go, so I found a homeless shelter.” She didn’t tell them about the men who’d tried to catch her, their intent to do her harm obvious in their taunts. Or about the people who’d stared at her like she was something they needed to scrape off the bottoms of their shoes. Oh, she knew many of them thought she was a drug addict or a crazy person off her meds. It didn’t take a genius to figure that much out. Not with the way they’d shied away from her, getting as far away as possible as quickly as they could. Not that she blamed them. Not really. She’d have probably done the same thing.

“I was only wearing a thin cotton pants and top, I had no money and was half-starving and nearing exhaustion. I’d only planned on eating and having a short rest before I called.” She made herself look at Quinn then, willing him to believe her. He looked so big and powerful looming next to her.

“She made me memorize your phone number. Chrissten told me you’d help if I contacted you.”

“She was right. I’ll find her if it’s the last thing I do. No matter how long it takes or what it takes.”

She believed him. The conviction in his voice was rock solid. What must it be like to be loved like that? Bethany tried not to be jealous but it was incredibly hard not to be. Chrissten had family who loved her. She, herself, was alone.

“Where were you? What landmarks did you see?”

Bethany closed her eyes and answered Quinn’s question, forcing herself to think back when she’d much rather forget. Slowly at first, but then more surely, she described everything she remembered, the first street sign she’d seen. She talked and talked, answering questions when he asked them. When she was done, her voice was slightly hoarse and she was mentally and physically exhausted.

She opened her eyes, ignoring all the raised voices around her. They were already planning to launch a rescue. She prayed they’d be in time to find Chrissten, that the doctor hadn’t moved her. Worry gnawed at her gut, but there was nothing more she could do to help.

Her job here was done. It was time for her to leave.

Bethany gathered the last of her strength and headed toward the door. The sun was beginning to rise on a new day. She had the rest of her life ahead of her. She just had to figure out what the heck she was going to do with it.

She’d taken two steps when a pair of heavy, masculine hands came down on her shoulders, stopping her in her tracks. “Where are you going?”

She knew it was Quinn from his touch and his unique scent—woodsy and warm and tinged with his own masculine spice. His low, deep voice simply confirmed it. She shrugged. “Home, I guess.” Even as she said it she knew she couldn’t go back to her apartment. The doctor and Brian knew where she lived. No, her home was lost to her forever. She’d never feel safe there again.

She’d have to see if any of her things were left or if the landlord had disposed of them all when her rent had come due a week ago and gone unpaid. Maybe she could salvage some of her belongings. Then she’d find a new home and a job. There were so many things she needed to do, not the least of which was how in the heck she was going to get back to Detroit to get her things if the landlord hadn’t already tossed or sold them. The task seemed daunting, but she knew she could do it. There was no other choice.

Quinn whirled her around to face him. The harsh lines of his face seemed carved from stone. “You can’t do that. It’s too dangerous. They know where you live.”

She knew that. She might not be thinking as clearly as she normally did, but she wasn’t stupid. It was easy for him to tell her what she could and couldn’t do. He had a home and a life and family and friends. She had none of that. Frustration and exhaustion pulled at her. She hated that she felt weak and wasn’t anywhere near to her full strength. If that wasn’t bad enough, the strange unsettling heat was back, rippling just beneath her skin, making it extra sensitive. “What else am I supposed to do?” she snapped, finally reaching the limit of her patience.

“Stay here.”

Chapter Three

Quinn couldn’t believe Bethany thought he’d let her walk out the door or that any of them would let her go. She was a female half-breed, she was alone, and if the sexual attraction tearing through him was any indication, she was also pretty close to going into heat.

He glanced around and found Michael staring at her from beneath hooded eyes. All the other unattached males were watching her with lustful stares. He drew her beneath his arm and glared at all of them. He hadn’t really understood what this situation was like for both the males and the females in the pack—the overwhelming urge to mate, to claim. Not until Meredith had sat down and explained it to him. He’d never had this problem with Chris because they were siblings. The males who already had mates were similarly unaffected.

Quinn didn’t like the way the other males were staring at Bethany with hunger in their gazes. His protective instincts rose to the fore and he tucked her nearer to his body, ready to defend her if necessary, which was crazy considering he’d just met her. But reason had no place here, only instinct.

“I can’t stay here.” She was once again trying to pull away from him while he was trying to keep her close.

“Of course you can.” She could stay in the apartment he and Chris were currently sharing. Kevin, one of Meredith’s adopted sons, had graciously given up his apartment and was currently bunking with Hank.

“We’ve got to search the South Side.” Isaiah rummaged behind the bar and pulled out a map of the city. He spread it out on a table and they all gathered around.

“That’s a big area to cover,” Michael pointed out.

“We’ll have to split up.” Benjamin stood next to his brother and studied the area.

Quinn could sense the exhaustion tugging at Bethany, as well as her unease at being around the others. She kept casting nervous glances at the other males, who were continuing to stare at her, even if not quite so blatantly as before.

It would take her time to get used to them, to him. But she would. He’d make sure of it. He eased her closer and placed his hand on the back of her skull, urging her to lean on him.

She resisted, but he persisted until she at last gave a sigh and let her cheek rest against his chest. Satisfied, he gave his full attention to the map. Isaiah was already tracing the area that was the most likely. “We need to search the entire area. We can’t afford to miss even one building.”

Hank nodded, his gaze intent on the map. “If we break it down into grids it will make it easier to split into groups.”

Quinn agreed. “With all of us looking, we should be able to sniff them out, if nothing else.” The other males quickly concurred.

“I think if I see the area I’ll be able to find something familiar.” Bethany lifted her head and pushed away from Quinn and rubbed a hand over her face. There were dark circles under her eyes but nothing but determination reflected in them. “We need to get moving.”

“You’re not going.” The order was out of his mouth before he could stop it. He slammed his jaws shut before he said anything else stupid. What the hell was wrong with him? He needed her to go with them, should be thrilled she was volunteering to do so. That way he didn’t have to try to convince her. The urge to tuck her safely into bed so she could rest was pulling at him. He fought it. Plenty of time for Bethany to rest and recover her strength once Chris was found.

She frowned at him. Next to him, Michael groaned while Isaiah chuckled.

“Yes, I am.” She turned to Meredith, ignoring the males. “Do you have a bathroom I can use before we go?”

Meredith nodded, shooting him a questioning gaze before turning her attention back to Bethany. “Of course. It’s right this way.” Meredith led Bethany to the ladies’ room on the far end of the bar. Neema took one look at the males and followed the women. All the males watched them walk away.

“She’s not going.” It was totally irrational. Quinn should be the one dragging her out the door to look. After all, it was his sister that they were searching for—the one he’d spent the last year and a half of his life looking for.

“Yes, she is.” Isaiah held up his hand to stop Quinn before he started on a tirade. “We’ll all protect her.” He pinned the other males with a stern glare. “You know she has to go.”

Quinn dragged his fingers through his hair. He wanted to slam his fist against the nearest wall even though he knew Isaiah was right. “Yeah, I know.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Craig rested his hand on Quinn’s forearm, his expression one of worry.

“I don’t know.” That wasn’t true, but he didn’t want to get into it. Not in front of the others. Not that he was going to be given much choice in the matter, judging by the looks on their faces.

Isaiah chuckled. “You know well and good what’s wrong.” He looked at all the unattached males. Michael, Benjamin, Hank and Kevin were all watching the bathroom door Bethany had disappeared behind. Teague was the only other male with a smile on his face. The bastard had Neema, so he was immune to Bethany.

“It’s instinct,” Isaiah informed Craig. “You’ve read about it but you don’t truly understand it. They all sense Bethany is close to going into heat, ready to make the change for the first time in her life. It’s the most potent time in a female werewolf’s life. They all want to bed her and mate with her.”

“Shit.” Craig took in the tension pervading the room and slowly shook his head. “This isn’t good.”

“It’s fine.” Quinn glared at the other males. “Because no one is going to bother Bethany.”

“Speak for yourself.” Michael stepped forward, his gaze flitting to Quinn before tracking to the back of the bar where the women had gone. “She’s a beautiful woman. Brave too.”

Quinn saw red. Literally. He didn’t think, he simply reacted and lunged at Michael, wanting to tear his head off and stomp it into the ground. Isaiah and Hank had anticipated such a move and managed to grab him in time. Barely.

Benjamin and Teague held Michael back.

“Enough.” Isaiah’s low command broke through Quinn’s anger. Shame filled him. He had to get a grip on himself.

He yanked at his arms and Isaiah and Hank let him go. Quinn was shaken by his violent reaction toward the other male. He didn’t know Michael that well, but he liked him well enough. Had never thought of attacking him before he’d mentioned his interest in Bethany.

Damn, this was confusing as hell. He didn’t have time to deal with this crazy attraction, with this overwhelming sense of—and he hated to admit it—jealousy. All his attention had to be focused on finding his sister. Nothing else mattered. It couldn’t. He wouldn’t allow it to.

He turned from the group, walked to the large window at the front of the bar and stared out at the city as it started to come to life for another day.

Bethany barely held it together on the way to the ladies’ room. The moment she was inside, she leaned against the wall and sucked in a deep, fortifying breath. Her skin was itchy and hot. She wanted to scratch it. She wanted to tear her clothing off and roll around on cool sheets. Preferably with a strong, virile male. Quinn’s visage popped into her head, leaving her breathless.

Her breasts swelled, her nipples incredibly sensitive as they pressed against the thin cups of her bra. The ache between her legs throbbed nonstop, making her want to squeeze them together to try to ease it. But she knew that wouldn’t work. She’d already tried.

“Just breathe.”

Bethany heard water running in the background and then a cool, wet paper towel was pressed against her forehead. It felt so good against her flushed skin. She lifted her head, wanting more. The older woman was watching her, her blue eyes filled with concern.

“I don’t know if you caught all our names, but I’m Meredith Striker and this is Neema. She’s mated to Teague, the male with the earrings and tats.” She pointed to the younger woman who offered a shy smile.

As much as she appreciated Meredith’s kindness, Bethany didn’t have time for pleasantries. “What’s happening to me?” She needed to know. “Chrissten said I was close to being able to change into my wolf.” And didn’t that sound absolutely crazy. But she had to believe in something. If she wasn’t a werewolf than she obviously had some sort of crazy disease. This wasn’t normal.

“How much do you know about being a werewolf?” Meredith asked.

Bethany shrugged, desperately trying to ignore the way her nipples tightened into hard nubs. She pulled the edges of her fleece closed to cover them. “Nothing. Chrissten tried to tell me some things, but I thought she was nuts and didn’t pay a lot of attention.”

“You’ve always been stronger than other women. Your hearing is keen and your vision is exceptional.” Neema stepped forward. Bethany studied the slender young woman with her smooth café au lait skin, curly black hair and kind brown eyes.

“Yes. But that could simply be good genetics.” That didn’t prove anything to Bethany.

Meredith sighed. “It is good genetics. Werewolf genetics.” She rubbed the paper towel over Bethany’s face one final time before dumping it into the garbage. “Your mother didn’t tell you anything?”

A deep sense of betrayal tugged at Bethany. It was quickly followed by one of guilt. Her mother had done the best she could. “You heard what I told everyone out there.” She motioned to the door and the room beyond. “She didn’t tell me anything. She didn’t like me asking questions about my father. It scared her.”

Neema nodded slowly. “She probably found out what he was and was afraid. My mother was like that too. She could never bring herself to believe what my father was and tried to drown her fears in drugs and alcohol until they finally killed her. She used to talk when she was drunk or high. That’s how I learned what I was. For a long time I thought she was crazy. It was frightening when I realized she was telling the truth.”

The other woman’s sorrow was a tangible thing. “I’m so sorry.” Bethany didn’t know what else to say. So far she hadn’t seen much good in this whole werewolf thing. It seemed to have brought nothing but trouble to all of them.

“You’re going into heat,” Meredith interrupted, her tone brisk. “It means you’ve reached sexual maturity and are ready to make your first change. Werewolf females are late bloomers. We come into our sexuality in our early twenties.”

Well, that certainly explained a lot. She’d never been very attracted to men. She’d thought she simply didn’t have much of a sex drive. Turns out she had one that was kicking into hyper drive and was ready to spin out of control. She shoved that thought aside and turned her attention to the one part of the situation that intrigued her the most.

“That’s good, right? That I’m ready to make my first change.” Bethany wasn’t too sure how she felt about the bones in her body cracking and reforming. It was going to hurt. It had to. Didn’t it? But in the end she’d be stronger, better able to protect herself. Not that it would be much help against that tranquilizer that Dr. Morton had developed, but she’d feel better, not quite so vulnerable.

For a brief moment, the image of Quinn popped into her head. Why she thought of him as a protector, as a safe haven in an angry, crazy world, she had no idea. She was on her own, as always. She needed to depend on herself and not on anyone else. Certainly not a man, werewolf or human.

“It is a good thing, but it does have conditions attached.”

Bethany knew she wasn’t going to like what Meredith had to say next. “Tell me.” She needed to know the truth. She was tired of feeling like she was trying to solve a puzzle with most of the vital pieces missing.

“Mother Nature wants the species to continue. That means she wants you to procreate.”

Bethany swallowed hard as the folds between her legs grew slicker with cream. She could easily imagine Quinn naked. All that hard, hot flesh sliding over her, around her, inside her. She shuddered.

“You have to mate.”

Meredith’s blunt statement shocked her. “You can’t be serious.” Sex was one thing, but this entire mating idea sounded complicated and a whole lot scary.

“Very.” Meredith took Bethany’s hands. Even though she only looked a few years older, Bethany was struck by the fact that she was probably much older than she seemed.

“How old are you?” Bethany blurted out. Her cheeks heated as embarrassment swept over her. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.”

Meredith laughed and the happy sound made Bethany smile in spite of the gravity of the situation. “I’m eighty-five years old.”

“Get out.” Bethany wasn’t sure the other woman wasn’t pulling her leg. Her skin was flawless and there wasn’t a wrinkle in sight. Her long black hair fell to her waist like a curtain of silk. Meredith looked liked a vibrant, beautiful woman in the prime of her life. Bethany would have guessed her age at early to mid-thirties, tops.

“We live to be around five hundred years old. I don’t know about half-breeds, if you’ll live that long or less. Only time will tell.”

“Wow.” That was a lot to wrap her head around.

“I know it’s a lot to take in, but you’ll get used to it in time. I was lucky to find Teague right around the time I went into heat for the first time. Neither one of us really had much idea about the whole mating thing. We came together because we fell in love. I know this is a much different situation for you.” Neema gave Bethany’s arm a reassuring pat. “If you have any questions about being a half-breed female, please don’t hesitate to ask. I may not have all the answers but I can answer a lot of your questions. And anything I can’t tell you, Meredith can.”

“Of course. Anything I can do to make you feel more settled. You’re welcome here at Haven as long as you need a place.” Meredith’s offer helped settle her frazzled nerves. It helped to know she’d have a roof over her head while she tried to figure out how to reclaim her life. She might be proud, but she wasn’t stupid enough to turn aside Meredith’s generous offer.

“Thank you.” Bethany didn’t know how she felt about talking to virtual strangers about the weird turn in her life but it was nice to know she had somewhere to go for answers to her questions.

“We don’t have much time.” Meredith glanced at the door. “The men will be ready to leave in another minute or two.”

Bethany was afraid she wasn’t going to like what came next. “What do I need to know?” Better to have all the information she could than to remain ignorant about her condition. She’d been kept in the dark all her life.

Meredith leaned back against one of the three sinks and answered in a crisp, business-like manner. “You need to be claimed by an unattached male. He’ll mate with you, mounting you from behind and marking you as his own. When you have sex in that way it will unlock the wolf inside you, enabling you to make your first change.”

Bethany leaned more heavily against the wall and swallowed the large lump in her throat. This was a lot to process. “So if we have sex then I’ll be able to shift any time I want.”

“Yes.” Meredith’s gaze went to the door a second before a heavy knock sounded. “But the mating bond is strong, not something you can easily walk away from. You need to be sure before you let a male claim you. He’ll never let you go once you’re his. Males are nothing if not possessive.”

“We’re ready.” The male voice was tinged with impatience.

“My mate isn’t known for his patience, but he has other virtues that make him worth keeping around.” Meredith opened the door as she finished speaking and smiled at Isaiah.

“I’ll show you my other virtues later,” he promised Meredith. Bethany felt her cheeks heating at the sexual tension crackling around the couple. Neema just chuckled, obviously amused by the sensual byplay.

Bethany’s head was whirling. She had a lot to think about—claiming, mating and last but not least, shifting. But first things first. Chrissten was still a captive. Until her friend was free, Bethany couldn’t think about her own life. She owed Chrissten her freedom. Her fellow captive had sacrificed everything for her and Bethany could do nothing less in return.

“Let’s go.” She pushed past the other women and Isaiah and headed for the door of the bar. Quinn fell in beside her as she stepped outside in the cool early morning air, but she didn’t look at him. She needed to get her wayward emotions and her body under control.

Two hours later, Bethany was almost ready to dissolve into tears and drop to the ground with exhaustion. They’d been searching nonstop, spread out over a large area of decaying streets and waterfront warehouses. It all looked the same to her.

“Anything seem familiar?” Quinn had asked her the same question every five minutes for the entire two hours. His desperation was getting to her, making her feel like a failure for not being able to pinpoint the right building immediately.

Why hadn’t she paid more attention? Because she’d been too busy running for her life. She knew that but it didn’t make this situation any easier for any of them.

She shook her head. “No. Nothing.” She ignored him as best she could. It really was impossible to ignore six-foot-two of lean muscle and barely leashed power.

Bethany was surprised they weren’t having any trouble with the gangs of young men who were hanging around. Of course, this early in the morning most of them had disappeared off the streets and were sleeping wherever it was they called home. A motley trio with tattoos and piercings had approached them about an hour ago. Quinn had turned their way and growled, his teeth lengthening and his face changing until it resembled that of a wolf. The men had yelled and taken off as fast as their legs could carry them, one of them saying a Hail Mary as he ran. She would have laughed if the situation hadn’t been so dire.

Seeing him change like that was a stark reminder of what he was. Part animal. Just like Brian. Maybe all the men were like that, more beasts than men. She knew the comparison probably wasn’t fair, but she reminded herself that she really didn’t know Quinn, or any of them for that matter. They needed something from her—information and help. What would happen if she couldn’t deliver? Icy tendrils traced down her back, making her shiver. She pulled her fleece sweater tighter around her body, hoping to trap more of her body heat.

“You okay?” Another familiar question from Quinn. Somehow when they’d split into groups to search, he’d ended up with her. Not that she was complaining. She felt more at ease with him than she did with any of the others, with the exception of Meredith and Neema. Talking with them even briefly had made them much more approachable.

Bethany rubbed her forehead. Her head was pounding and even the roots of her hair ached. She was beyond exhausted and working strictly on autopilot. With every breath she took her nostrils were filled with the stench of garbage, dirt and layers of fuel and exhaust from the vehicles that traversed the streets daily. She was so tired even the rutted street was starting to look inviting. Maybe she could lie down for a minute. She immediately vetoed the idea. Who knew what kind of dirt and filth was layered there. She’d have to hold on a bit longer.

“I’m fine.” She even managed to make her words sound half-believable. What else could she tell him? His sister was out there. Somewhere. And Bethany had failed to get help right away. She owed him as much as she owed Chrissten.

She needed to focus. Blocking out the large male hovering next to her, she concentrated on her surroundings. Did the buildings across the street look familiar?

Maybe?

She started across the road with Quinn tight on her heels. She couldn’t resist a quick sniff. He smelled so good to her. Better than chocolate cake with dark fudge frosting. She could eat him up.

Focus, she reminded herself. Her body was already reacting to his nearness, her nipples puckering and her pussy clutching. Her skin was clammy. Her clothing felt too tight. She might be exhausted but she wasn’t dead.

“Bethany.” The low, intimate tone in his voice sent a pulse of heat flooding between her thighs. “I can smell your arousal. It’s sweet and spicy.”

Oh God. He could smell her. Of course he could. If she could smell him, he could do the same with her. He could already change into his wolf, which meant his senses were even keener than hers.

Chrissten had told her that would happen. And she would know. She’d already made her transition. Bethany swallowed hard as terror flooded through her, driving out the arousal. She couldn’t imagine what Chrissten had suffered at the hands of Brian.

She hurried forward, needing to get away from Quinn. Needed to be able to breathe. She hurried down the split and pitted sidewalk. Suddenly she froze, her nostrils flaring and her eyes narrowing. This place was familiar. She was certain of it.

She stopped so fast Quinn almost rammed into her. He caught himself and placed his hands on her shoulders. She sensed the aura of anticipation surrounding him, but he remained quiet, letting her do what she needed to do.

Instinct had her turning right. She was almost one hundred percent certain this was the way they needed to go. Quinn pulled out his phone and made a quick call. She knew he was pulling in reinforcements, telling the rest of the group where they were headed.

She swerved left, running now as she headed down an empty alleyway. A sense of certainty filled her when she recognized the graffiti sprayed across the building. Quinn gave a growl beside her and then he was passing her. He’d caught a scent.

Bethany hurried to keep up with him, but it wasn’t easy. He was practically a blur as he rounded the corner. She was right behind him. There. Up ahead was a dilapidated building. The front boards had been torn away from the doorway. This close, she could smell herself, the blood she’d left on the wood as she’d struggled to get away.

Quinn tore at what was left of the boards, flinging them to the side. By the time she reached him he was already inside. She heard Isaiah call her name but didn’t stop. There was no time to waste.

It was much harder to go back inside than she’d imagined it would be. Her heart pounded as she paused at the place on the steps where she’d left Chrissten. She leaned down and pressed her hand against the scarred wood. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. She already knew her friend was no longer here. The place felt abandoned. Empty. They’d moved on and taken Chrissten with them. They were too late.

Bethany’s heart ached. She’d failed. Her legs were like lead weights, her heart heavy as she descended into her own personal hell. Footfalls behind her were blocked by the unholy howl of pain that ripped through the air.

Quinn.

He’d found the empty cell. Bethany went to him, not knowing what she would do when she found him. “Sorry” was just a word. There was nothing she could say or do to take away his pain.

He was sitting on Chrissten’s bunk, her pillow clutched in his arms. He looked broken. Lost. The bunk across from him was empty. The blanket partially dragged on the floor. Bethany refused to look at it. The walls seemed to close in around her, threatening to crush her. She swallowed her pain and the nightmares pushing at the fringes of her consciousness. Quinn needed her.

She went to him, drawn by his pain, and sat beside him. “I’m so sorry.” Such inadequate words, but they were all she had to offer.

He shook his head and stood. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed as his gaze turned icy. He tossed the pillow back onto the bed and strode from the room without a backward glance.

Bethany remained. She felt small. Afraid. Defeated. If she closed her eyes she could almost feel Chrissten beside her, hear her voice urging her to run. A door slammed and she jumped. Afraid of being locked inside, she hurried out of the room and almost knocked Hank over. She knew all of their names now, had been introduced on the ride over, but that was all she knew about them. He was tall and blond and quiet.

He grabbed her by the upper arms and steadied her. “You okay?” She could see the honest concern written all over his face but didn’t quite know how to answer his question.

Was she okay? She didn’t think she’d ever be okay again. Her life was one big mess. Nothing was what she’d thought it was. Who the hell would believe her if she told them what she was? They’d lock her up. If they believed her they’d be afraid of her. Instead of coming to understand herself better she felt even more isolated than she had. More alone.

Ignorance was sometimes bliss. She hadn’t known that before.

“I’m fine.” She had to be. There was no other choice.

But Hank wasn’t listening to her. All his attention was on the bed behind her. His hands fell away from her arms and he walked around her, heading straight to Chrissten’s bunk. He picked up her pillow, put his nose to it and inhaled.

She knew he was getting Chrissten’s scent to help him track her better. Bethany understood that. Yet, watching him, she was struck by how intimate an act it seemed to be. Unlike Quinn, he didn’t toss the pillow away, but tucked it under his arm.

“You ready?”

He appeared larger than he had even a few moments before. More determined. Dangerous. She couldn’t forget for even one moment that all these men were deadly predators beneath their human exterior.

She nodded and they left the small room behind. Bethany followed Hank into the laboratory area. She shivered when she came face-to-face with the stainless-steel table with its metal arm and leg straps. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying aloud as the memory of being strapped down, helpless to do anything as the doctor poke, prodded and experimented on her assailed her. She wanted to find something heavy and beat the table until there was nothing left of it.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself and held it together as the other members of their group opened drawers, searching for clues. Quinn rifled through Doctor Morton’s desk, but it was empty except for some blank sheets of paper and a few disposable pens. Everything was gone.

“I’m sorry.” She blurted it out, unable to keep it inside her any longer. “It’s all my fault. If I’d acted quicker. Done more.” She really didn’t know what else to say. Chrissten was still missing, still held captive by a crazy man and a werewolf and it was all her fault.

Quinn crouched in front of a stainless-steel cabinet searching for clues. He stopped what he was doing, stood and came to her, his stride fluid, the lines of worry around his eyes deeper than they’d been only a few hours before. “It’s not your fault.” He cupped the side of her face and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. The small gesture of kindness almost broke her.

She sucked in a breath and blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, not wanting to break down in front of everyone. “It is.”

“No. It’s the fault of a few crazy people. You’re an innocent victim too. We know more than we did before. We know she’s still alive. We can find out who owned this property and if they have more in the city and beyond. We have names to search. If there’s any records out there, Craig will find them.”

Isaiah walked over to stand beside them. His expression was grim. Fury emanated from him in waves even as his face remained a mask of outward control. “Damek will be able to help as soon as we get word to him about what we know. He has resources we can tap into.”

Bethany took a step away, not wanting to be so close to the angry werewolf. “Who is Damek?” Was he another werewolf? A human?

One corner of Isaiah’s mouth quirked upward. “I’m not sure you want to know.”

Chapter Four

The nightmare came slowly, creeping into his exhausted brain. He didn’t want to dream but he had no control over his sleeping hours. After having the nightmare so many times, it was almost like an old friend. Guilt was a powerful emotion and it clutched Quinn tight in its icy grip.

He crept along the narrow wood trail. Jones was on his right and Collins was farther ahead on the trail. They were tracking werewolves. Purebloods. Quinn would have been more than content to live and let live, but he knew his fellow bounty hunters wouldn’t see things his way. In their world, the only good wolf was a dead one.

The group was tight knit and existed only to kill the paranormal creatures they hated so much. They had no idea they had a half-breed in their midst. If they did, they’d kill him in a heartbeat. Quinn didn’t want to be here but he had no other choice. He had to find his sister. Any scrap of information that might lead him to her was worth pursuing.

“Up ahead,” Jones whispered.

Quinn knew he had to get his head back in the game. A pureblood werewolf was nothing to screw around with. This one was especially vicious. He’d killed a woman back in Kentucky. Quinn knew that for a fact so he wasn’t particularly upset about hunting him. He also knew this particular wolf belonged to a pack that believed anyone or anything other than a pureblooded werewolf was fair game. Quinn had hunted his kind before, and while he hated to kill another werewolf, sometimes there wasn’t any choice.

He moved his feet slowly, careful not to step on any twigs or dried leaves. Werewolves had exceptional hearing. He should know. He could hear Collins stomping around like an elephant up ahead.

Thankfully, they were downwind so their scent wouldn’t carry. Werewolves also had a superior sense of smell.

An eerie silence suddenly settled over the woods. Quinn froze and sank down behind an oak tree. He motioned to Jones to do the same. The birds had gone quiet around them. A sure sign a predator was nearby.

Quinn scanned the area, using his preternatural vision to try to find the wolf. The fine hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Instinct had Quinn rolling and firing his rifle at the same time. He hit the wolf straight in the chest with a powerful round, blowing a large hole in the beast.

It fell, hitting the dirt ground with a dull thud. The wolf growled as it started to bleed out. Quinn rolled to his feet, walked over to it and stared down into very familiar eyes. Sorrow hit him like a thunderbolt. He gave an anguished cry and dropped to his knees, gathering the wolf to him. “Chris?” The creature changed, morphing not back into a large male pureblooded werewolf but into his beloved sister.

He’d killed her.

“What the hell are you doing, Quinn?” Jones asked. “Finish the bitch off.”

The sound of a gun being cocked brought him to his feet. With a roar, he lunged at the other man, yanking at his clothing and changing as he flew through the air. His sharp fangs bit through bone. Blood splattered over him, coating his fur. Some hit his eyes, temporarily blinding him.

He blinked to clear his vision as Jones continued to struggle. But his attempts to free himself from Quinn’s strong jaws were feeble at best and eventually stopped all together.

The sound of boots hitting the hard-packed ground reached his ears. Quinn dropped Jones and let his body shift back to human form. He grabbed his rifle and shot Collins as he came through the trees.

“Quinn,” his sister called his name. He flung the rifle aside and fell to his knees beside her.

“You can’t die. I need you, Chris.” He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her familiar scent. It was tainted by the stench of blood and the other bodies that lay scattered around them.

“Too late.”

“No. It’s not too late. I promise. You’ll be fine.”

She shook her head and, as he held his sister, the life slowly drained from her body. He threw back his head and howled.

Quinn sat straight up in bed, sucking air into his lungs. The sheets fell to his waist and he stared down at his hands and chest, expecting them to be covered in the blood of his sister and the men he’d killed.

“Shit.” He dug the palms of his hands into his eyes, desperately trying to erase the memory of his dream. It was always the same. He was working with the bounty hunters, living a lie as he tried to find his sister. Somehow he always ended up killing everyone around him and Chris always ended up dead. It sure as hell didn’t take a psychologist to figure out the symbolism of the dream—Quinn had failed his sister and he was a ruthless killer. Plain and simple.

It was no surprise he’d had the dream tonight. He’d come so close to finding Chris, only to have her slip through his fingers. “I’ll find you,” he whispered his promise to the night.

Beside him, Bethany stirred but didn’t wake. He’d crawled in bed next to her, hoping to offer her some comfort. She’d taken not finding Chris almost as hard as he had. He could only imagine the horror she’d lived through over the past several weeks.

He had no right to be in bed with her, but he wasn’t about to leave. She needed his protection and whatever help and comfort he could give her.

Quinn settled back down and draped his arm over her waist. She was turned away from him, so he snuggled against her back. It occurred to him as he drifted off to sleep that he probably needed her comfort more than she needed his.

Bethany came awake slowly, fighting to reach consciousness through the layers of darkness that offered solace. She had a vague memory of crawling into bed after they’d returned from their failed attempt to find Chrissten. She’d been exhausted and disheartened and had barely managed to shower and eat most of the bowl of beef stew Meredith had pushed on her. Quinn had shown her to this room and urged her to try to sleep.

She’d been too tired to fight him. She knew she’d have to make some decisions today. Her part in this travesty was over and there was nothing else she could do to help. It was time for her to move forward and try to pick up the pieces of her own life.

As much as she had to do, she still made no move to leave the bed. She felt warm and safe and wanted to hold on to that feeling for just a few more moments. Once she left she’d never have Quinn’s arms wrapped around her again.

She’d been left alone during the day, coming awake long enough to go to the bathroom and fall back in bed again, but some time during the night, he’d crawled into bed with her and pulled her into his arms. Her back was pressed against his chest, her backside snug against his rather impressive erection. She was wearing a warm flannel nightgown that Meredith had loaned her. She wasn’t certain if Quinn was wearing anything. From the feel of things, she didn’t think so.

He was still asleep and she didn’t want that to change. Not until she’d had time to think about what she wanted to do about the spark that sizzled between them. She’d never been this attracted to a man before. Already her body was reacting to the feel of his hard, muscled form against hers, the musky, masculine smell filling her nostrils. Her breasts were swollen, her nipples puckered. Her skin ached for his touch. Between her thighs a heavy throbbing began to pulse.

Now she knew that at least part of what was happening was due to her unique biology.

Going into heat. Just thinking about the term was enough to make her crazy. That was something animals did. Not thinking, reasoning human beings.

But then again, she wasn’t entirely human, was she?

She, more than most, knew how life could change in a split second. The kidnapping had brought that concept home to her in a brutal manner. She could have died in the hands of those men, or rather, one crazy man and an equally insane werewolf. She might never have had the opportunity to be with a man again, at least not one of her choosing.

Brian would have raped her. That was a fact. He’d wanted her. She’d seen it in his eyes that last day—the lust, the craving. He would have taken her if she hadn’t escaped when she did. And if it hadn’t been him, then it would have been another werewolf who was working with the good doctor. Chrissten had always suspected there was at least one other male besides Brian and Doctor Morton, and Bethany agreed with her. They’d both scented another male, even if they’d never seen him.

Bethany chewed on her bottom lip. What should she do? What did she want to do with the rest of her life? Did she want to go back home to Detroit? Did she want to go somewhere different? She honestly didn’t know.

And the biggest question of all, did she want to explore these new sexual urges that arose every time Quinn was near?

A large hand began to move over her stomach, making small, slow circles. “Stop thinking so hard.”

“I didn’t mean to wake you.” And she hadn’t. Now that he was awake she’d have to get up. Her time with Quinn was over. She decided to give herself one more minute. Just one more.

“It’s okay.” His hand began to move in larger circles over the flannel material, almost touching the undersides of her breasts and the top of her pubic bone. She sucked in her breath. Her nipples peaked and it took everything in her not to squirm, to shove her butt harder against Quinn’s erection.

Part of her hated how her body betrayed her, how it spun so out of control. It didn’t matter that she now knew it was biological, something preordained by nature. She’d always been in command of her own life. It was the only way she’d survived this long. This sexual longing was something over which she had no power.

She no longer knew herself. The woman she’d thought she was no longer existed. Bethany finally understood why she’d always felt out of step with the rest of the world, why she’d always been different. She now knew why men had never held much interest for her. She hadn’t really been ready for them yet. If Meredith was to be believed then she was hitting her first sexual peak. That was hard to fathom considering she was twenty-four.

Quinn’s breath warmed the back of her neck. “Talk to me. What are you thinking about?”

She closed her eyes and savored the brush of his lips against her nape. She licked her dry lips, longing to taste his mouth. “It would be easier to tell you what I wasn’t thinking about. My life is crazy.” Lying here together in the dark, with the silence of the early morning surrounding them, it was much easier to talk then it would have otherwise been.

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and kissed the hollow beneath it. “I know everything must seem so strange.” A river of heat snaked down her neck and blasted to her nipples before arrowing to between her thighs.

“Strange.” A low sob broke from her throat, but she quickly gained control. “That’s an understatement. I was kidnapped and held by crazy people for two weeks. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“Shhh,” he soothed. “It’s okay. Everything will be fine. You just have to take things one day at a time.” Quinn continued to touch her. Nothing overtly sexual, but it was getting to her. He stroked her arm, her stomach, the long line of her neck and the edge of her jaw. “How are you feeling now?”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. It was odd to have a man touching her like this, treating her as though she were special. She shoved aside that thought. This was only temporary and she’d better remember that.

Bethany took stock of her body. For the first time in weeks she felt almost normal, that is if she ignored the sexual desire pulsing through her. She was hungry, but the fatigue that had plagued her for several weeks was no longer dragging at her, thanks to the fact she’d slept for most of a day and an entire night. “Pretty good.” It would take her a while to put back on the weight she’d lost, but there were no lingering physical affects from her period of captivity.

“Good.” Quinn tugged on her shoulder until she was lying flat on her back with him looming large over her. “I wouldn’t want to take advantage of you.”

With that he leaned down and kissed her. It wasn’t an overpowering kiss, but rather a sweet one. His lips grazed hers, his tongue tracing the bottom curve. His mouth was warm and gentle as he continued to coax her deeper.

She knew she should push him away. This was no time for her to become sexually involved with a man who was little more than a stranger to her. Just because she’d listened to Chrissten talking about him for days on end didn’t mean she really knew him.

Problem was Quinn didn’t feel like a stranger. He felt extremely familiar and very solid in a world gone mad.

He continued kissing her and the rest of the world faded away, leaving them alone, cocooned in their bed. She forgot her resolve to get up, her need to leave. Nothing mattered more than kissing Quinn.

She strained, wanting more from him. More contact. More heat.

Passion.

Her skin was slick with perspiration. The nightgown, which was such a comfort the night before, was now a hindrance, a barrier between her and what she wanted.

Bethany placed her hands on Quinn’s shoulders, loving the flex and play of his muscles beneath her palms. He was so alive. But there was also a heavy darkness around him, within him. She longed to soothe whatever pain he carried.

Which was totally crazy. This wasn’t about love or a long-term meaningful relationship. This was about sex. Pure and simple. This was nothing more than biology pushing her to be with a man. He was just as much a slave to his libido as she was. It was the way nature had made them.

But she didn’t care. Not when Quinn’s mouth was pressing down on hers, his tongue sliding inside to tease and tempt. She clasped the back of his head and dragged him even closer, and his rumble of pleasure set her pulse pounding.

She whimpered when his hand skimmed over the curve of her breast. He pushed his hand below the neckline of the nightgown, shoving it out of his way. His fingers were callused and rough against her skin and she loved it. He dragged his thumb over the puckered tip, drawing a deep groan.

Oh, this was lovely. Better than that. It was exquisite. She couldn’t get enough of his touch.

Quinn drew back and stared down at her. His lips were moist and his blond hair was tousled where she’d dragged her fingers through it. “Are you sure?”

Was she sure? No, she wasn’t. But she wanted him anyway.

“I won’t claim you.” He skimmed his fingers over her jawline. The tender gesture made her want him even more. She’d never met anyone like Quinn. He was incredibly strong, yet he was so gentle with her. “Not a permanent claim. But I want to touch you, to feel your skin against mine. I want to take you slowly, to sink my cock into your hot pussy.”

Her inner muscles contracted. The erotic picture he was painting with his words mesmerized her. No man had ever said such things to her. And he wasn’t done yet.

“Then I want to take you hard and fast, driving into you over and over until you scream my name as you come.”

She could barely breathe, let alone speak. But she managed one word. “Yes.”

She could have died at any point these past few weeks. It was a miracle she was even alive. She was a half-breed werewolf and so was he. Quinn understood her far better than any other man ever had.

She was attracted to his strength and his sense of loyalty to his family. The fact that he looked like sex on a stick didn’t hurt either. The man pushed all her buttons without even trying. She’d been turned on since the moment she’d first laid eyes on him.

There was something about him that called to her. Her biology was pushing her hard, driving her to mate. Probably any male werewolf would do in this situation.

No. Something inside her rebelled and she knew it wasn’t true. There were other unattached males here. She’d met them all. But none of them revved her internal engine. Made her want them. Not the way Quinn did. She could look at them and think they were handsome, maybe even feel mild arousal. But when she looked at Quinn everything inside her exploded.

She should be scared out of her mind by the sensations, but right now, she didn’t care. She wanted to feel alive. She wanted to celebrate life.

Quinn didn’t waste time talking. He swooped down and captured her lips in a torrid kiss. Here was the passion, the claiming she’d expected earlier. He tasted like rich, dark chocolate spiced with hot sauce.

She tried to wrap her leg around his hip but her nightgown got in the way. Quinn felt her struggles and drew back. “Let’s get this off you.”

Bethany helped him drag the cotton garment over her head. He tossed it aside and stared down at her. She fought the urge to cover herself with her hands. Dawn hadn’t broken yet, but there was more than enough light from the streetlamp to allow him to see. Not that he needed the light. He was a half-breed werewolf, like her. He would have exceptional night vision, probably even better than hers because he was already able to change into his wolf form. His senses had been fully integrated.

“You are beautiful.” His voice was hoarse with arousal and she could feel the hard throb of his cock against her hip.

She smiled at him. The world would intrude soon enough. This was their time out of time. And Bethany planned to make the most of it.

His facial features were strong, almost harsh. His chin was firm, his nose straight and his forehead high. She loved his eyes. They were pale blue and should have been cold. Could be icy. She’d seen them turn that way when he’d been hunting for his sister. She much preferred them this way, warm and inviting as a summer’s day.

He lowered his head, but it wasn’t her mouth her sought. Not this time. He lapped at the tip of one breast before moving to the other. She arched her back as pure white lightning shot from her nipple to her sex, offering him whatever he wanted. Urging him to take whatever he needed.

Her blood was thick as syrup as it slowly flowed through her body and pooled between her legs. He blew on one of her nipples. The combination of his warm breath on her damp skin made her moan.

She’d had sex before. Other men had touched her breasts, put their mouths to them. But it had never brought anything other than mild pleasure. This was off the charts.

Quinn moved down her body, his tongue and mouth licking and tasting her, leaving no spot untouched. He stroked over her ribcage, the curve of her waist. She laughed when his tongue tickled her bellybutton. All laughter ceased when he nuzzled her pubic hair.

He shifted, moving between her legs, spreading them with his broad shoulders.

“Quinn?” Uncertainty ate at the edges of her arousal. No man had ever done this for her before.

“Shh,” he soothed. His hands were warm on her upper thighs as he held her open for his inspection. “Your pussy is so pretty. Hot and pink and swollen with need.”

Bethany just about swallowed her tongue. Quinn was earthy and raw and didn’t shy away from his desires, from what he wanted.

“No one…” She swallowed hard and made herself push past her normal reticence. “No man has ever looked at me the way you are.”

The corners of his mouth moved upward until he was wearing a pleased male smile. “Is that so?” He leaned forward and kissed her pubic bone. “I’m honored to be the first.”

Before she could think of what to say next, his mouth was on her and he used his clever tongue to stroke over her slick folds. He traced every crevice, every curve, and the sounds of pleasure he made as he did so sent her temperature soaring.

She arched her hips, wanting more. This was delicious. Heaven. He found her clit and sucked on it. Bethany almost came off the bed. Her cry of bliss echoed around the room.

“That’s it,” he crooned. “Take what I want to give you.”

Bethany didn’t think she had much choice in the matter. Her body was out of control. It no longer belonged to her but to Quinn. Her skin was on fire with a deep-seated longing that only he could quench.

He pressed two fingers into her snug channel. There was a slight resistance but it gave easily as her inner muscles softened and accepted him. She was so wet, so aroused, he slid in easily. “Oh, yeah.” He worked his fingers in and out of her pussy. “This is what I want. You all hot and wet around me. You’ll squeeze my cock so tight I won’t last.”

She panted hard, barely able to catch her breath. Every cell in her body was focused on what he was doing between her legs. He plied his lips and tongue, teasing her clit. All the while his finger continued to pump in and out of her snug sheath.

Tension built inside her. She gripped his head, holding him to her, unable to tell him what she needed. But she didn’t have to. He knew just what to do.

One more stroke of his fingers and tug of his lips and Bethany came undone. She cried out as the world exploded around her. She pumped her hips and moaned, her body spasming. Quinn continued with his magic touch and her orgasm went on and on.

She finally collapsed with a groan, totally spent. Wrung out. She also felt tingly and happy inside.

Quinn raised his head and stared down at her, licking his lips with satisfaction. “You taste exquisite.”

She was too tired to be embarrassed or at least she thought she was. She could feel her cheeks getting hot and Quinn smiled down at her.

“Now it’s my turn.”

Quinn couldn’t take his eyes off Bethany. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her brown hair was mussed and tangled, her hazel eyes half-closed and sleepy with pleasure. Her mouth was moist from his earlier kisses. As he watched, her tongue came out to lick her bottom lip.

His cock flexed and his balls tightened, a reminder to get on with the business at hand. He had to get inside her before his dick exploded. He could taste her essence on his lips. It was even better than he’d imagined—sweet, with a touch of honey and cinnamon, and incredibly addictive.

He didn’t want to take advantage of her. Didn’t want to hurt her in any way. But what was happening between them wasn’t wrong. They were two adults sharing something very special.

He levered himself over her, taking his weight on his forearms. She put her arms around his shoulders, welcoming him. He couldn’t wait any longer. He nudged the opening of her hot channel with the tip of his cock. Her essence bathed him with heat. It felt so damn good.

Too good.

Swearing, he rolled off her and dragged the drawer of the bedside table open. He found a condom and ripped it open. Beside him, Bethany was still and silent. He hoped he hadn’t killed the mood.

He got the condom rolled on in record time and came back over her. She was watching him, all big eyes and soft skin. “Thank you.”

He frowned, not quite sure what she was talking about.

“For thinking about protection. I didn’t even think of it.” A light pink color tinged her cheekbones.

Her admission made his chest swell and his cock throb. She’d been so far gone she hadn’t thought of condoms. He couldn’t help but grin. “I told you I’d protect you.”

Something about Bethany made him want to be more than he was. Better somehow. He knew it was nothing more than a momentary dream, a fantasy brought on by the situation they found themselves in. He was what he was, a man with a dark past and blood on his hands, a man who’d failed to protect those who’d depended on him.

She was a woman whose world had been shaken. She was the victim of an act of violence. It was only natural for her to reach out, to want to experience the most basic celebration of life. Maybe he shouldn’t take advantage of her generous offer. If he were noble, he’d walk away until she’d found her feet in the crazy world she now found herself a part of. But he wasn’t noble, and he wanted her more than he wanted his next breath.

Quinn didn’t want to think any longer. He wanted, no needed, to lose himself in Bethany’s sweet body. He angled his body until his cock was against her opening and he pushed.

There was resistance at first as though her body sought to keep him out, but he persisted. The tight muscles ringing her opening relaxed, finally admitting him. He gritted his teeth as her channel rippled around his cock, clamping down on the head. She was so damn snug.

Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, an erotic bite. He shoved one hand beneath her ass, enjoying the smooth, supple skin that filled his palm, before he tilted her toward him. The move gave him better penetration and his cock slid deeper.

She cried out and angled closer. He loved the way she didn’t hold anything back. Bethany was a moaner, letting him know what she liked and what she didn’t like. So far, she’d liked everything he’d done to her.

He withdrew until only the tip of his cock was still inside her. Then he forged inward again. Her channel rippled around him, squeezing his hard length.

His balls drew up tight and he could feel the release gathering there. He was close now.

He began to move faster, powering in and out of her slick sheath. She was with him, her breathing getting faster and shallower. Her breasts swayed as he fucked her. They were full and firm, the tips a deep pink. He wanted to taste them again. He could remember how they felt against his tongue, firm and ripe.

“Come with me,” he urged. He inserted a finger between their bodies, found her clit and stroked it. Bethany cried out his name and then she convulsed, her pussy clutching him hard.

He yelled and pumped once more, emptying himself into the condom. He’d never resented a piece of latex before, but he did now. He wanted to spill his seed in her, to mark her as his.

His wolf howled inside him in protest. He ignored that part of himself, keeping it firmly chained. He couldn’t claim Bethany. Not as a mate. He didn’t want a mate. Couldn’t have one, not until he’d found his sister and brought her home. Besides, what did he have to offer her? He didn’t have a job or a home.

He lost the ability to think as another spasm took her, the tightening of her sheath around his cock wringing another groan of pleasure from him. He collapsed onto the bed, barely managing to shift the bulk of his weight off her. He’d move as soon as he could find the energy. Bethany had drained him.

He felt content.

Soft hands stroked his shoulder and he nuzzled her neck. Damn, she smelled salty and sweet. He could eat her up. Wait, he already had. His cock jerked in response. He might have just had her but he wanted her again.

He rose up on his hands and knees and eased out of her. It wasn’t easy with his dick still hard. He sat on the edge of the bed and removed the condom, dumping it in the nearby wastebasket.

He lay down next to Bethany and gathered her into his arms. She placed her hand over his heart. He kissed the top of her head. Neither of them spoke.

His life was crap at the moment. He’d come so close to finding Chris only to lose her trail. But one good thing had come out of this situation—Bethany. She’d given him renewed hope. She touched something inside him. Something he thought he’d lost over these long, hard months. She was sunshine and hope and promise.

But this interlude was over. The search began anew today. Quinn hoped the new information they had would enable Damek to find something that might help them.

If he knew his brother, and he did, Craig had worked most of the night, trying to find out anything and everything about Doctor Phillip Morton and the property where Chrissten and Bethany were held.

He knew he had to get up, shower and start the day. The sun peeked into the room, a room that didn’t even belong to him, any more than the woman beside him did.

He reluctantly untangled his limbs from hers, rolled out of bed and scrubbed his hands through his hair. “You want the bathroom first?”

The sheets swished behind him. “Sure.” He could hear the uncertainty in her voice and hated it. He might not be able to offer her forever, but he could make her feel better about what had just happened between them.

He turned, caught her face in his hands and kissed her. He’d planned to keep it light and teasing. But one taste of her changed everything. He deepened the kiss, tasting, taking, until they were both out of breath. He broke away and dropped another hard kiss on her lips. “We’ll figure it out.” He wasn’t sure what he meant by that but he had to say something.

She offered him a tentative smile as she stood and padded off to the bathroom. The sheet she was wearing dipped slightly, giving him a tantalizing view of her supple spine, but stopping short of letting him see her perfect ass.

If the start was any indication, today was going to be a good day. Energized and renewed, he dragged on his jeans and went to find his brother to see what he’d discovered.

Chapter Five

Chrissten didn’t know if it was morning or night. It was all the same to her. Hours bled into hours. Days passed in a sameness that made her lose hope. They’d moved her again and she had no idea where she was. Not that she’d known before, but at least Bethany had.

Now she was alone. Again.

She closed her eyes to shut out her dismal surroundings. The room was tiny, barely large enough for a cot, a toilet and a sink. It was more like a prison cell than a room. The fact that her wrists were manacled to the sides of the bed completed the image. Her arms ached and she knew her wrists were rubbed raw from her desperate attempts to free herself. The metal had held but her skin had torn. The ripe scent of blood filled the air around her.

She was trapped. And like many creatures who found themselves in such dire straits she was tempted to chew her own hands off if she could free herself. It was probably just as well she was too weak to summon her wolf form or she’d have been sorely tempted to try. Of course, if her weakness hadn’t impeded her, the fact the manacles were coated in silver would have. Either way she was screwed.

Her brain was still foggy from the drug the doctor had pumped into her. Her body grew weaker with each passing day. Her strength waned.

She honestly didn’t know how much longer she could go on fighting. It had been so long. She could barely remember the carefree woman she’d been before. Her biggest worries had been paying the rent and keeping her nosy brothers out of her business.

Craig and Quinn. Their faces filled her mind and brought an ache to her heart. She missed them both. Oh God, how she missed them. She missed Quinn worrying about her, warning her to be careful riding the subway. She missed Craig asking her what was for supper. As a teenager, he’d been a bottomless pit. He was twenty now. A man.

She’d missed so much. She worried about them both, wondered how they were coping with her disappearance. One thing she knew for certain was they were searching for her. They were a loyal, loving family, depending on one another for support in everything. They wouldn’t stop looking until they found her body.

Chrissten worried that might happen sooner rather than later. The lack of food, the constant testing and, worst of all, the constant attempts to fight off Brian were slowly killing her. She’d lost weight and muscle tone. That combined with the silver-coated shackles made it impossible for her to summon her wolf.

She swallowed hard and ignored the growl of her empty stomach. The cold and damp sank into her bones and she wrapped her arms around herself to try to keep warm. There was just enough give in the chains attached to the manacles to allow the motion. It didn’t help.

She tried to picture herself in a cozy bed with about a dozen comforters thrown over her. She wiggled around slightly, trying to find a comfortable spot. When she found the sweet spot she sighed with relief.

With her eyes closed she could pretend she was somewhere else. It was the only way to get any relief from the unrelenting depression that threatened to crush her.

Strong male arms wrapped around her. Protecting her. Quinn, she thought at first. Then she frowned. No, it wasn’t her twin or Craig. The phantom male she’d created in her mind smelled delicious and he was so warm, almost hot. She was drawn to his strength, his heat.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured.

The fantasy was so tangible she could almost believe it was real. Then the sound of metal scraping yanked her from her waking dream and reality came crashing back down.

“Good, you’re awake.” The doctor strode into the room, a frown on his face. “It was quite a disruption to my schedule having to move so suddenly.”

As if she cared about his schedule.

He withdrew a needle from his pocket. “Let’s get some fresh blood so I can make sure the drugs have had no lingering effect on you.”

Chrissten didn’t speak to him. There was no point. She’d spent the first three months of her captivity desperately trying to reason with the man. But there was no reasoning with someone who was insane.

She wanted to lunge for his throat, but her own weakness and the manacles kept her at bay. He jabbed the needle in her arm. She didn’t even flinch. It would bruise, but it would heal. It always did. Or at least it had. The process was getting slower and slower each time. Another sign her body was wearing out. She still sported bruises from her escape attempt. If she were healthy they’d have been almost healed by now.

He took three vials before he withdrew the needle. He muttered to himself as he left, shutting the door behind him. Several bolts slammed home and she knew she was locked in again.

She closed her eyes, trying to recapture her earlier daydream. But it was impossible. It was gone.

A lone tear escaped the corner of one eye. It trickled over her skin, disappearing into the hair at her temple. She ignored it and began to count backward from a million, praying she’d fall asleep so she could escape her cell if only in her dreams.

Bethany couldn’t help thinking about Chrissten, wishing her friend were here. Guilt was eating at her, reminding her she’d failed. She was free and Chrissten was still a captive. It wasn’t fair. But in her experience, little in life was.

She ran her thumb over the edge of her mug of coffee and watched the large group interact with one another. No, not group. Pack. This was a pack of werewolves and half-breeds. It had taken her some time but she’d finally put names to the faces of everyone here.

Michael and Benjamin were arguing over hockey scores from the night before while Kevin and Meredith discussed shipments for the bar. Teague teased a smile from Neema, promising he’d take her to see the latest werewolf flick at the theatre as soon as possible. The humor in that struck her and she almost grinned as she imagined the two half-breed werewolves critiquing the movie over popcorn and soda. It was all so bloody normal.

It hurt to watch them, but it fascinated her as well. They were a loud and boisterous lot. And they loved to eat.

Several tables had been pulled together in the bar area and they were all seated around eating piles of pancakes, bacon, eggs and toast. There was a ton of food but it was quickly disappearing.

Sharing the meal gave her the opportunity to sit back and study all of them. These people were different than anyone she’d ever met. Of course, they weren’t totally human, but werewolf. But it was more than that. It was the way they interacted with one another. Totally at ease. Individuals, yet somehow a unit.

Isaiah and Meredith were the alphas of this pack and both of them were incredibly memorable. Isaiah commanded attention simply by stepping into a room. The fact that he stood six and a half feet tall, all of it solid muscle didn’t hurt, but it went much deeper than simply physical. The man oozed power and testosterone. It radiated from his rugged face and dark eyes. Meredith was just as compelling, the perfect female counterpart, with her long black hair and blue eyes that reflected deep wisdom and love toward her family.

Then there were Meredith’s two grown sons, Michael and Benjamin. Benjamin was the younger, quieter of the two. They both looked a lot like their mother with their straight black hair and blue eyes. Michael’s face was more rugged.

As if sensing her perusal, Michael glanced her way and smiled. There was masculine interest in his eyes. She nodded and quickly looked away, not wanting to encourage him. Not when she knew he was drawn to her by the pheromones her body was throwing off.

Teague and Neema were mates. Teague didn’t look anything like the rest of them with his red hair and hard, suspicious green eyes. Tattoos covered his arms and a trio of gold hoops decorated his left earlobe. He looked dangerous. Neema was his total opposite. She was beautiful with her darker skin and brown eyes that were always filled with kindness. They were an unlikely pair but there was no doubting the love they shared.

Kevin was quiet and kept to himself. She didn’t find him quite as intimidating as the rest of them. He was the most normal of the lot, if that was the right word. His humanity seemed more in control than his wolf side.

Then there was Hank, who in spite of being a half-breed seemed just as intimidating as the other pureblooded werewolves. He was tall and broad and aloof with short blond hair and pale blue eyes. He was one intense dude, his gaze always moving, always watchful.

But no matter how much she tried to avoid him, she was always drawn back to Quinn. He was seated across from her talking to his brother. Craig was an anomaly. The only non-werewolf in the group. The only true human of the bunch.

She wished she was sitting beside Quinn, but she’d been late coming down after her shower and everyone else had been seated, leaving only one chair open. Still, it wasn’t a bad view. She could easily watch him out of her peripheral vision without him knowing it.

Damn, he looked fine. He’d showered and dressed and wore a black T-shirt that stretched at the seams as the material tried to contain his shoulders and biceps.

As she watched, he forked up some eggs and chewed them as he listened to whatever his brother was telling him. His strong jaw moved and the sunlight from one of the bar windows glinted off his blond hair. She knew how soft his hair was and wanted to run her fingers through it again. She wanted to do more than that with him, but it was a start.

“More pancakes?” Teague’s rough voice interrupted her daydream. She glanced down at her plate and realized she hadn’t eaten a bite.

“No, thank you.” She lifted her fork and knife and cut off a piece, popping it into her mouth, not because she particularly wanted to eat but because she didn’t want to be impolite. As hungry as she was, her stomach still felt jumpy around all these werewolves.

The pancake practically melted in her mouth and she almost moaned aloud with pleasure. “This is so good,” she said after she swallowed. That was an understatement. These were the best pancakes she’d ever eaten.

“Thanks. Glad you like them.”

She glanced at Teague with surprise and he grinned. It made him look less forbidding somehow. “You made them?” She couldn’t hide her surprise. Last thing she expected was a macho werewolf to be able to whip up a huge batch of fluffy pancakes.

“Teague can cook anything.” Neema smiled at her mate. “He’s amazing in the kitchen.”

Bethany nodded and kept on eating. She had to stop stereotyping these people just because they were different. Heck, she was different too. That’s what had gotten her into this mess.

Isaiah put down his fork and picked up a mug of coffee. That seemed to be the signal that mealtime was over and it was time to get down to business. The other males lowered their utensils and leaned forward to listen.

“What do you know?” Isaiah addressed his question to Craig, who was in the process of pushing his own plate away. The younger man looked tired and she knew he hadn’t gotten much, if any, sleep. He’d been working nonstop for hours searching for clues of his sister’s whereabouts.

“Doctor Philip Morton, boy genius. He had two doctorates by the time he was twenty. He worked for the government in military research, primarily in genetics. He left them about two years ago, quite unexpectedly. I couldn’t find out exactly why. Those files were a little bit tricky and I didn’t want to risk setting off any alarms unless I had to.”

“You hacked into government files? The military?” Bethany was shocked and set her fork down on the side of her plate.

“Of course,” he replied. “How else could I find out what I needed to know?” Bethany made a mental note not to underestimate this man. He was young, but he obviously had skills that made her glad he was on their side.

“Anyway,” Craig continued. “The doctor’s parents were older when they had him. They’re both deceased, but they left him very well off.”

“How well off?” The sound of Quinn’s deep voice seeped into her cells as though they were starved and he was the only nourishment around. It frightened her how much she wanted to sit beside him and soak in his warmth.

This morning had been a revelation. She wasn’t frigid after all. All it had taken was the right man to bring out her sexuality. That and a bit of help from Mother Nature. This whole biology and going into heat thing was still freaking her out.

How could she figure out if what she felt for Quinn was real?

Not that it mattered. He obviously wasn’t looking for more than a sexual relationship. She could handle that. She was a grown woman. Why shouldn’t she have a friend with benefits?

She rubbed the back of her neck and tried to pay attention to the conversation.

“Filthy rich. I’ve been doing some digging into local property in his name, his parents’ names and various combinations of all of them, in case he’s trying to hide anything. I’ve come up with a list of seven properties so far, mainly on the South Side, but I’m still looking for possible dummy companies that he might own. The name on the title of the abandoned building where Bethany and Chrissten were held is under a totally different name.”

“So we search the buildings you’ve found one by one while you look for more.” Hank picked up his mug and sipped his coffee. Intensity rolled off him in waves. “If we split up into teams, we can be more effective.”

They all looked to Isaiah, and Bethany realized that his word was final. The dynamics of the group was fascinating. They all had their say, but ultimately any decisions were made by the alpha.

As a person who’d spent her entire life with one parent and then alone, it felt strange to be a part of a group, even if it was only a temporary thing.

Quinn was practically vibrating with barely suppressed anticipation. She knew he wanted to get out there and start looking. She couldn’t blame him one bit.

She also knew he’d be taking that list and checking each building no matter what Isaiah said. Like her, he wasn’t really part of this pack.

“I’ll take Michael and Benjamin. Quinn, you and Hank and Teague can go together. We stay in larger groups. It might take longer, but we don’t know what the heck we’re up against.”

“I want to go.” The words were out of her mouth before she’d had time to think them through. “It’s only right.” She wanted, actually needed, to be a part of this. Chrissten had sacrificed herself, and the only way Bethany could repay that debt was by finding her friend.

Isaiah inclined his head, acceding to her right to go with them. “Go with Quinn’s group.” He glanced at the rest of the pack. “The rest of you need to get the club ready for business. Damek will be contacting us if he finds out anything.”

“Who is Damek?” They’d mentioned him before but she still knew nothing about him. His name had made all of them take a deep breath. He had to be pretty special to draw that kind of reaction.

One corner of Isaiah’s mouth kicked up in a grin. “Damek is a law unto himself. He’s also a vampire and not someone you want to cross.”

Bethany shivered at the warning. “A vampire? Truly?”

Meredith smiled. “Truly. And why not? We’re werewolves.”

“But a vampire…” She trailed off, not quite knowing what to say. It was crazy. Then again, her entire life was crazy these days. Who would have thought vampires were real. Did he live in a coffin? Drink blood?

“You okay?” While she’d been lost in thought chairs had been shoved back and most of the group had left the table. Quinn was beside her, watching her.

“I’m fine,” she told Quinn. She should have those two words tattooed on her forehead she’d said them so damn many times. But what else could she say?

“You don’t have to go with us.”

She found it hard to read his expression. Did he want her to go? Or did he think she was a pain in the ass for tagging along? No matter, she was going. Just because they’d slept together it didn’t make him the boss of her.

“Yes, I do. I want to,” she added. Somewhere out there, Chrissten was still being held captive. She owed it to her friend to find her.

“Good enough.” He nodded toward Hank. “As soon as he grabs his sniper rifle, we’re going to set out.”

It was a reminder of just how dangerous this mission was. But Bethany didn’t care. No one would worry or mourn if something happened to her. But Chrissten had family and Bethany was determined to reunite them.

It was the least she could do before she went home to Detroit. Speaking of which… “Do I have time to make a call?”

Quinn shrugged. “Sure. You can use the phone in Meredith’s office. She won’t mind.”

For a second, Bethany thought she saw heat in Quinn’s eyes, a longing that matched the sensations racing through her. Then it was gone and his pale blue eyes were expressionless once again. “Thanks.”

She turned and walked away, feeling colder with each step she took. Okay, so they’d had hot sex. It was simply two adults coming together during a difficult time. Mutually satisfying. No need to get bent out of shape or wrap it up in pretty emotions.

And Bethany knew she was lying to herself. What she felt for Quinn was totally confusing. It went beyond simply sex. That she knew for sure.

Male hands fell heavily on her shoulders and she found herself whipped around. Before she could speak, lips, hard and firm, pressed against hers.

Quinn. There was no mistaking his taste, his scent for anyone else’s. She opened her mouth for him, allowing him inside. He growled low in his chest as he swooped in. His tongue twined with hers. Tasting. Plundering.

By the time he pulled back, they were both panting for breath. Somewhere along the line she’d wrapped her arms around his neck and he’d placed his hands on her ass.

His voice was gruff. “Make your call. We’re leaving in five minutes.”

She watched as he walked away, admiring his firm butt and the way his well-worn jeans cupped it.

“Do you need anything?” The deep male voice was so close she jumped. Michael was standing next to her, staring at her face. No not her face, her mouth. He really was good-looking with his black hair, strong face and stormy blue eyes—a masculine version of his mother. But he didn’t stir her physically or emotionally, not the way Quinn did.

Now she was the one who was staring. “The phone.” Her voice was a bit hoarse so she cleared her throat. “I need to make a call. It’s long distance, but I’ll pay for it.” At least she would as soon as she got replacement identification and was able to get a new bankcard. She didn’t have a lot of money in her account, but enough to cover her debts, including returning the forty dollars that Margaret had given her.

“In here.” Michael put his hand on the small of her back and urged her toward a door. Bethany knew he was simply being kind, but she hurried ahead, not wanting him to touch her. It felt wrong somehow. Like a betrayal.

Which was totally nuts. She and Quinn weren’t a couple. They’d had sex. Nothing more. Nothing less.

“Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” His voice was warm, like a caress. “If you need anything else don’t hesitate to ask. And if you’re still hungry, drop by the kitchen and Teague will make you anything you want.” She raised her eyebrow in question and he shrugged. “I noticed you didn’t eat much breakfast and you need to keep your strength up.”

The fact he’d noticed what she’d eaten, or hadn’t eaten as the case may be, made her feel slightly uncomfortable, even though he’d really done nothing to make her feel that way. He’d been nothing but cordial and nice to her. “I will. Thanks again.”

She hurried to the desk and picked up the receiver. When she glanced at the door it was closed and Michael was gone. Bethany released a deep sigh of relief. Being around the others wasn’t easy. She was still trying to understand them and herself.

She shook off all thoughts of Michael and Quinn and dialed information first to get the number for the superintendent of her apartment building. Then she placed the call.

Four minutes later she hung up the phone. She no longer had an apartment, but the super had agreed to box up her few belongings and hold them for another month. She’d had to promise him a hundred bucks to get him to do it. But it was better to lose the money than what few personal possessions she had.

There wasn’t much but there were pictures from her childhood of her and her mother. Those were irreplaceable. Plus, she longed to wear her own clothing. Meredith and Neema had both loaned her some tops and jeans and, while she appreciated their generosity, it wasn’t the same. She’d also like her small collection of books and music and knick-knacks, the little treasures she’d collected over the years. None of it was expensive, but no matter where she ended up she’d want her own stuff around her. It would help ground her wherever her new home happened to be.

She made another quick call, this one to the diner where she’d worked. As she suspected, the owner wasn’t happy with her. She pleaded a family emergency, and he finally agreed to send her final paycheck. She found a business card on Meredith’s desk and gave him the address for the bar. Even if she didn’t stay here until the check arrived she knew Meredith would forward it to her.

Feeling better to have done something to get her life back on track, she left the office and headed back to the main area of the bar. The other men were waiting. Isaiah, Hank and Quinn were carrying duffle bags and she suspected there were weapons inside.

“If you find a likely spot, call before you go in.” Isaiah pinned Quinn with his dark brown eyes. “I mean it, Quinn. Our best chance to get your sister out alive is to do this right.”

Quinn nodded.

Satisfied, Isaiah turned to Hank. “If you think you’ve found her, find a high spot in case they try to slip out.” The alpha turned to her, offering her reassurance. “Hank is former military and is trained for this.” What went unsaid was that Hank would shoot to kill whoever tried to take Chrissten away.

Hank nodded and headed toward the door. Bethany followed the men, her stomach in knots. Would they find Chrissten today? She prayed they would. She didn’t want to think about what had happened to her friend since the escape attempt.

We’re coming, Chrissten. Hang on. She thought the words, trying to project them out into the world, trying to send hope to her friend.

Chapter Six

They trooped back into the bar hours later, dirty and discouraged. Not only had Chrissten not been in any of the places they’d looked, but there was also no sign that anyone besides squatters had been in any of the locations for months, if not years.

All the men’s faces were grim, but Quinn’s expression was totally forbidding. He’d closed himself off after they’d checked the second location and found nothing.

Bethany had prayed they’d find Chrissten. She felt sick at heart. She couldn’t begin to imagine what Quinn felt like. It was his sister who was missing, after all.

Michael and Benjamin headed upstairs to their apartment to shower and Teague went in search of his mate. Bethany looked around, not quite knowing what to do. She didn’t belong here, yet she couldn’t leave. Not yet. Not until Chrissten was found.

“Come on.” Quinn’s hand was warm on the small of her back as he urged her toward a door in the back of the room. It was usually locked when the bar was open as the stairwell led to the upstairs and the family’s apartments.

“Where are we going?” His finger stroked along her spine and she barely suppressed a shiver of desire. Just having him close to her was a turn on. She knew she should be concerned by her attraction to Quinn, but right now she just couldn’t summon up enough energy to care.

“Upstairs.”

Well, duh, she knew that. Obviously they were going upstairs. Quinn had explained earlier that there were two large apartments on the second floor and three smaller ones on the third. They continued on to the third floor. Teague and Neema shared the larger apartment, while Kevin and Hank each occupied smaller ones. That is, they had until Quinn and Craig had moved in and taken over Kevin’s place.

It had gotten even more crowded since she’d moved in.

Craig was nowhere in sight. He was probably off somewhere working on his laptop, digging for more information. It might be cowardly, but she was glad she didn’t have to face him with the news of their failure. She didn’t want to see or feel his disappointment.

She was depressed enough as it was.

Quinn was silent as he unlocked the apartment door and held it open for her. She hurried in and went straight to the bedroom.

All she wanted right now was a shower and a nap. She’d be working downstairs in the bar tonight. Not that she minded. It felt right to do her share, to contribute. After all, these people had taken her in when she was alone and desperate. She’d been a complete stranger to them, yet they’d opened their door and let her into their lives.

She rubbed her hands over her face. God, she was tired. All she wanted was a week of normalcy, of her ordinary, boring, humdrum life. She hadn’t appreciated how good she’d had it until after she’d been kidnapped, before all this werewolf craziness began.

As though she’d conjured the sensations from her thoughts, her skin began to itch, to heat. Bethany sank down on the edge of the bed, wrapping her arms around herself. The air in the room wasn’t overly warm, but she felt hot. Her entire body ached and she was afraid only one thing would ease the growing need inside her.

Quinn. Or more specifically, sex with Quinn.

Meredith had told her she had to mate with a male werewolf if she wanted to release her own wolf. If that didn’t happen by the time she finished being in heat—God, she hated that word—then her wolf would stay contained for another year. She had about a week, give or take, according to Meredith.

The heat, the sexual longing, would grow to a fevered pitch in another day or so. Maybe longer, maybe less. All she knew was that all the unattached males would find being around her much harder, if not downright impossible. Any unattached female attracted any unattached males. It was simply the nature of the beast.

She didn’t like the sound of that. She didn’t want any male coming around for no other reason than he was horny. That was not the least bit attractive in her opinion.

Yet she couldn’t deny her growing awareness of the other males of the group. They were all strong, virile men.

But it was Quinn who drew her gaze again and again. It was him that her body craved.

She was a total mess.

Bethany didn’t hear him come in but she knew the second he entered the room. The skin on her arms prickled with awareness. Her clothing felt like it was two sizes too small. Constricting. Uncomfortable.

She glanced up and immediately wished she hadn’t. His nostrils flared and his pupils dilated. His hands rested on his narrow waist, emphasizing his broad shoulders and thick biceps. Oh yeah, she had it bad.

He leaned in slightly, sniffed the air and gave a small groan of pleasure. Her nipples automatically puckered as if he’d touched them. She squeezed her thighs together to try to still the ache. Her panties were damp. Again. It seemed to be a common condition whenever she was alone with Quinn.

“Bethany?” There was no denying the question in his voice. Seated as she was, she was at eyelevel with his groin. The bulge was impressive when he wasn’t aroused. When he was…well, she’d never seen anything quite like it before.

His cock was long and thick as it pushed against the soft fabric of his well-worn jeans. She licked her lips and he gave a low, guttural groan. He was breathing heavily now, his chest rising and falling as he sucked in air.

He was as aroused as she was.

This was wrong. This was crazy. They barely knew one another.

Yet, it felt incredibly right. More right than anything else in her life. Everything she’d ever known, ever believed had been turned upside down. She wasn’t human. Not totally. She was part of this group, this pack of werewolves and half-breeds. There were people out there who would kill her simply because of what she was. There were others who would stop at nothing to possess her.

Life was uncertain at best. She, better than anyone, knew that.

Why shouldn’t she reach out and take what she wanted?

Quinn was still standing right in front of her. Waiting.

Feeling bolder than she ever had in her life, she reached for the snap of his jeans. The backs of her fingers grazed his erection as she undid it. He groaned and his hips jerked.

The heat from his body seemed to sink into her skin as she drew down the zipper. The sound was loud in the otherwise quiet room. All the normal noises of the outside traffic faded into the background like white noise, leaving them cocooned in this small room.

Outside, the world waited. But in this room there was only the two of them.

Their problems weren’t going away anytime soon, but didn’t they deserve a respite from all the worry, all the pain? If they could give each other some comfort why shouldn’t they?

Decided, Bethany shoved his jeans and boxer briefs down until his cock jumped free. It was long and thick. The bulbous head was broad and damp.

He groaned when she wrapped her hand around him and stroked from base to tip. The skin of his penis was soft, velvet over steel. He was so hot, so alive, pulsing against her palm.

This was what she wanted, what she craved. She wanted his cock buried inside her, burning her with its heat, filling her, stretching her. She leaned inward and nuzzled his groin, the wiry hair tickling her nose. She breathed in his scent, taking it deep into her lungs—hot and male and musky. Her pussy spasmed, pulling a soft whimper from her. She wanted Quinn more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.

“You’re killing me, babe.” His voice was gruff with lust.

She no longer cared if it was right or wrong, biology or proximity, or if there was something real between them. All she knew was he was here and so was she. That was enough.

His hands were large and firm on her shoulders as he drew her upward. “You have too many clothes on.”

Now that he mentioned it, her clothing was making her skin itch something fierce. Just being around him seemed to have raised her core temperature. She started to sweat.

She yanked off her fleece and tossed it aside. Her top and bra followed. Naked from the waist up, she let him look his fill. His pale blue eyes weren’t icy cold as they often were, but filled with heat and need.

Bethany arched her back, wanting him to like what he saw.

There was no warning. No hint that the volcano stirring inside him was about to blow. One second he was patiently watching her, the next her back was against the nearest wall and he was devouring her mouth.

Blood pumped through her veins like lava, slow and thick then faster and hotter. Their teeth clinked as they tried to get closer. She couldn’t get near enough to him to suit her. But she tried. Oh, how she tried, rubbing her chest against his, gripping his muscular shoulders, pressing her pelvis against his.

He still wore his shirt and it blocked her access to his flesh. She tore at the fabric. A ripping sound split the air. Quinn leaned back long enough to yank his shirt off and toss it aside.

She made a low purring sound in her throat as all that prime masculine flesh came into view. She stroked her palms over his chest, enjoying the heavy beat of his heart against her hand, feeling the strong, supple muscles ripple beneath her fingers.

His cock pressed hard against her belly, a vivid reminder of what she really wanted.

She shoved at his chest and he took a half step back. His blond hair was tousled, his eyes narrowed. The predator lurking inside him was close to the fore. She could see it in his eyes, sense it in the way he watched her, his eyes narrowed, his gaze focused. If she ran, he’d chase her down.

It was appalling. It was sexy as hell.

Her entire body pulsed with growing need. Her unbound breasts felt heavy and overly sensitive. She sank to her knees in front of him. He growled as she cupped his testicles, rolling them gently in her palm. He sounded like the wolf he was.

Primal. Elemental. Alive.

She had to taste him. Leaning forward, she blew gently on the damp crown. His cock jerked and liquid seeped from the tip.

Strong fingers tangled in her hair and he guided her closer. She avoided the flared head, instead licking his hard length from just beneath the crown all the way down to the base. His musky smell surrounded her. His spicy taste coated her tongue. She’d been wrong. He was better than chocolate. More addictive. Her inner muscles clenched with need and her jeans grew uncomfortably tight.

“Bethany.” She loved the way he said her name. Impatient now. Her scalp stung slightly as he tried to tug her where he wanted her to be. Since it was what she wanted, she gave in to his maneuvering.

She parted her lips and took him in. He was so big he stretched her mouth wide open. He was hot and salty. She rubbed her tongue over the slit at the top, savoring the taste of him.

She shifted closer and rubbed her breasts against the soft fabric of his jeans, loving the way it made her nipples tighten even more.

“Fuck, yeah.” Quinn’s hips pumped back and forth as his cock slid in and out of her mouth, going deeper and deeper with each stroke. She took as much of him as she could, wishing she could take all of him. His breathing hitched and then quickened.

Wrapping her arms around his hips, she held on. She needed his closeness, this sense of belonging, even if it wasn’t real, even if it only lasted a short while.

After several long minutes, he eased her head back and she reluctantly released him. His cock was heavy and wet from her mouth. The crown glistened. She licked her lips.

“I don’t want to come. Not yet.” His voice was rough but his touch was gentle as he pulled her to her feet and kissed her. The salty taste of his cock and the heat of his mouth intermingled, sending a flash of heat to her pussy. She lifted her right leg and wrapped it around his hips, trying to angle her pelvis closer to his thick shaft.

Her back hit the wall with a thud. The cool surface felt good against her heated skin.

His fingers speared through her hair and he held her head securely as he ate at her lips. He kissed her, leaving no spot of her mouth unexplored. When he finally tore his lips away, he didn’t stop kissing her. His mouth skimmed her cheekbones and over the line of her jaw before sliding down her neck. He nibbled at her collarbone and then dragged his tongue over the space between her breasts.

She could barely breathe. She wanted him to touch her breasts. She wanted his cock buried between her thighs. She wanted it hard and fast.

It was crazy how badly she wanted him. She didn’t care what he did to her as long as he took her. Here. Now.

The animalistic urges flowed through her, overpowering her human worries and concerns. If he tossed her facedown on the bed and claimed her, she wouldn’t object. Wouldn’t care. Not as long as it was Quinn.

Any other male she’d fight tooth and nail.

And somehow that made it easier to accept the foreign sensations flooding through her. Her senses were keener. Her skin was more sensitive. His callused fingertips on her breasts were heaven. His thumbs grazing her nipples were divine.

“Harder,” she gasped.

He obliged, but instead of using his fingers, he used his mouth. Hot, moist heat enveloped her right nipple. Sharp white teeth tugged gently on the nub. Bethany groaned and wiggled, trying to get nearer to him. Her fingernails dug into his thick shoulders as she urged him closer.

He dropped to his knees and covered her stomach in open-mouthed kisses before dipping his tongue into her navel. The light caress tickled and she laughed in spite of the sense of urgency rushing through her.

She didn’t stop him when he reached for the fastening of her jeans. He quickly undid them and dragged the denim and her panties down her thighs. There was no finesse as he yanked the jeans and her underwear off, taking her socks and shoes with them.

When she was naked, Quinn parted her slick folds with his fingers and licked, his tongue snaking over her hot, swollen flesh before dipping into her core.

Bethany moaned and her hips undulated toward him. She was grateful for the support of the wall behind her, otherwise she’d have slid down until her butt hit the floor. Her legs trembled and her knees were like jelly.

Quinn gave her one final flick with his tongue and surged to his feet. He was breathing heavily, his eyes narrowed, his jaw tight. He cupped her ass in his hands and lifted her easily, showing her once again just how strong he was. It shouldn’t surprise her. After all, he was a werewolf and even a half-breed had the strength of several human men.

He spread her thighs and the broad head of his penis pressed against her opening. This was what she wanted. What she needed.

“Bethany?”

His hoarse whisper surprised her. She thought they were long past talking.

“Tell me this is what you want.” He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. His breath was hot on her cheek. She clung to his neck and shoulders for support. He was strong and noble and, for the moment, hers.

“I want you.” She slid her hands upward until she was cupping his face. She loved his eyes, the intensity of him, the strength. She wanted it all. “You and only you.” She wanted him to know this was special and not just an act of biology. She’d rather be alone with her body’s aching needs than to have any other male but Quinn with her.

His eyes never left hers as he pushed inward, past the natural resistance of her body. She was so wet, so ready for him. He slid in easily in spite of his size.

“I love the way you squeeze me. So damn tight.” He was sweating now. They both were.

Leaning down she licked his shoulder. Then she nipped it.

He groaned and she felt his cock flexing deep inside her. “Fuck, yes,” he muttered under his breath.

Bethany wrapped her legs around his flanks, braced her hands on his shoulders and tried to move. Low whimpers broke from her throat. She needed more. She ached inside and out.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” he murmured. He shifted his grip slightly and then began to move.

Slowly at first, sliding almost all the way out before gliding back in. Every time he entered her it was like it was the first time. He stretched her slick channel, forcing it to give way to his hard length.

She rubbed her breasts against his chest, loving the way the hair there abraded the sensitive tips. It sent rivers of sensation flowing down between her thighs.

His movements grew more frantic. Faster. Harder. His strokes grew shallow. He pumped into her over and over. She hung on, loving the feel of his cock hammering into her.

“More.” She couldn’t get enough of him. Knew she would never get enough of him.

He swung around from the wall and took the few steps necessary to get them to the bed. They fell together with her beneath him. He shoved her legs higher until her ankles were up by her hips.

“I can’t be gentle,” he gritted the words out.

She didn’t want gentle and she told him so. “Hard. I want it hard.”

He growled and began to thrust. He plowed into her, giving her exactly what she wanted. She was buffeted by the winds of desire, by the overpowering need rocketing through her.

All her awareness was focused on where they were joined together. Heat. Moisture. Her softness giving way to his hardness. Female and male. It was elemental and timeless.

He angled his body so his pelvis grazed her clit. Her climax hit her with the speed of a runaway train. She cried out his name. Her body convulsed again and again. Still he pounded into her and her orgasm continued. She felt the hot flood of semen inside her and had a fleeting thought that they hadn’t used a condom. Then it was lost as she drowned in a sea of pleasure.

It was a struggle for her to catch her breath. At some point Quinn had fallen facedown on the bed beside her. The last thing she remembered was him still pumping into her.

She moved and groaned as her muscles complained of mistreatment. She felt well loved and well used. A hot bath or steamy shower would help. She felt replete, yet the always-present heat simmered just below her skin. She had no idea how much longer it would persist. Meredith had told her it lasted a week, but when it was the first time, it sometimes lasted a few days longer.

Quinn pushed himself up onto his forearms and stared at her. He looked tousled and sleepy. The grim expression was gone from his face, at least for the moment. She was glad she’d given him a reprieve, no matter how brief.

“I didn’t use a condom.”

She couldn’t tell if that bothered him or not. “I know.” She matched his tone, trying to be calm and mature. Truthfully, the thought of having a baby, a little boy with blond hair and blue eyes didn’t freak her out as much as it ought to. In fact, it gave her a warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach. A baby. Quinn’s baby.

He brushed back a lock of hair from her face. It stuck briefly before sliding off her skin, reminding her she was a sweaty mess. “We’re not susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. And females don’t usually get pregnant until after they’ve mated. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

Bethany felt uncomfortable. Did that mean he was glad the odds were she wouldn’t get pregnant? She should be happy, feeling relief that there was little chance she’d get pregnant. Now was definitely not the time. Not with her life in such upheaval. Still, she couldn’t suppress a twinge of disappointment.

“It’s probably for the best.” There, that was the right thing to say, the mature adult thing to say.

“Yeah.” Quinn rolled up and raked his fingers through his hair. “I need to get showered and go to work.”

Their interlude was over. Bethany pulled her tattered defenses back around her. “Sure. Me too.”

He turned to her and cupped her cheek. “Want to share the shower?”

She smiled and felt her puny emotional defenses crumble. “I’d like that.” She took his hand and rolled out of bed, leading him into the bathroom.

Chapter Seven

Hours later, Quinn’s body was still vibrating with pleasure. He could still taste Bethany’s skin, salty and hot. Her arousal filled his nostrils, spicy and sweet. Hell, he was still sporting a semi-erection just thinking about her.

He’d been totally discouraged when they hadn’t found Chris in any of the abandoned buildings they’d searched. Sick at heart, it was all too easy to imagine his sister at the mercy of her captors. The frustration of being so close to Chris only to have her slip through his fingers made him want to beat his fists through a wall and howl his fury to the world. He’d almost found her. After all these long months, he’d missed her by a matter of hours. It was enough to drive a man mad.

But Bethany had opened her arms to him and offered him respite from his never-ending torment. He felt guilty as hell, like he was taking advantage of her when she was entering into heat. He didn’t deserve to find such exquisite release from the anguish eating at his soul. But he wasn’t stupid enough to walk away and let one of the other males offer to ease her body.

Bethany was his.

His wolf growled in agreement. Since Bethany had arrived he’d been having a much harder time keeping his wolf in check. The beast was always right there at the tip of his consciousness, wanting to escape and run free. That was only natural from all that he’d heard, considering Bethany was almost in full-blown heat.

He glanced across the floor of the bar from his seat in a dark corner. The object of his desire was wearing a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved V-neck shirt with the Haven logo printed on it and a pair of sneakers. Not overly provocative clothing. Yet Quinn wanted to throw a blanket over her and drag her out of the bar and up to his room. He didn’t want any other males looking at Bethany, seeing her soft smile, listening to her warm laughter.

He was seriously fucked up. He wanted Bethany with a fire that burned to the depths of his soul. But he didn’t feel worthy. His sister had depended on him to keep her safe and look what had happened to her. He felt guilty enough simply sleeping with Bethany while Chris was missing. It seemed wrong for him to find any kind of happiness when he knew his sister was a prisoner of some mad scientist and his werewolf flunky.

It was stupid to think that way. Intellectually, he knew that. One thing didn’t have anything to do with the other. Just because he acted on his attraction to Bethany didn’t mean he’d stop looking for Chris. Ever.

A car backfired outside on the street and Quinn flinched, his hand automatically reaching for a weapon that wasn’t there. He hadn’t worn a gun tucked in the back of his belt since he’d left the bounty hunters.

For a brief moment, his mind slipped back in time. Gunfire erupted around him. Men yelled. Werewolves howled. So much blood spilled. So much death and destruction. And he’d had a hand in much of it.

Quinn shook away the flashback and sought Bethany, needing to simply look at her to calm his ragged soul. He found her easily, hustling around the club serving drinks and food to the customers. She smiled and laughed easily. He was amazed at how quickly she’d been able to put the kidnapping behind her.

A little voice in the back of his head told him she hadn’t dealt with it at all. She simply had too much to handle with her werewolf heritage and going into heat. The kidnapping would have to wait. But eventually she would have to come to terms with it.

His own experiences had taught him you couldn’t outrun your past forever. Eventually it caught up to you, giving you nightmares and memories you could only pray would fade over time.

He watched Bethany hurry to the bar, empty tray in hand. The slightly worn fabric of her jeans cupped her heart-shaped ass to perfection. He licked his lips as hunger roared through him like a tsunami. He wanted to take her like that. He wanted her naked, ass in the air as he drove into her from behind, claiming her as mate in the way of their people. He might be half human, but the werewolf side of his nature ruled supreme.

What he was thinking was crazy. Impossible. He wanted Bethany, but he couldn’t offer her anything permanent. Not until he found Chris. Maybe not even then. He couldn’t simply erase his past and all the things he’d done. Bethany deserved better. He knew he should just walk away from her and allow the other males to court her. That was the right thing to do.

Damned if he was going to. It might be wrong but he didn’t care. He wanted Bethany too much to walk away.

Michael leaned closer to Bethany as she placed her order for more drinks. Quinn’s eyes narrowed. There could be trouble there if he wasn’t careful. Michael was a pureblooded werewolf with a good job and a future to offer Bethany. There was no doubting the fact he found her attractive. Who wouldn’t? Bethany was an incredibly sexy and intelligent woman.

He sauntered over to the bar just in time to hear Michael’s latest comment.

“You’re a natural, Bethany.” Michael smiled at her as he added several bottles of imported beer to her tray. “The customers really like you.”

A reddish tinge highlighted her cheekbones. “Thanks. I’ve been a waitress for years.”

Quinn hadn’t known that. He was suddenly filled with the overwhelming urge to learn everything about her. Michael was right. Bethany was a natural. She was friendly and efficient, completely at ease with the customers.

Michael glanced at him but turned his attention back to Bethany. “That’s the rest of your order. One bloody Mary, three draft beers and a screwdriver.” He placed the last of the drinks on her tray.

“Thanks.” Bethany kept her head down, not looking at him as she tried to move past.

Quinn didn’t like the way she wouldn’t meet his gaze. He stopped her by simply stepping into her path. With all the tables surrounding them she had to stop. He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and raised it. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” This close to her he could smell her sweet, seductive scent. His testicles tightened and his dick jerked. He licked his lips again, barely refraining from throwing Bethany over his shoulder and dragging her upstairs to his bed.

He felt eyes on him and raised his head to glare at Michael. The other male was watching them intently. Or, more specifically, he was watching Bethany. If he could smell her then so could Michael.

A wave of protective possessiveness rose inside him. Before he realized what he was doing, Quinn leaned down and kissed Bethany, laying claim to her in public. Michael might be a purebred werewolf, but Quinn would fight him for Bethany if it came down to it. Which was crazy. He needed the pack’s help to find his sister. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself, especially not with Bethany’s lips moving beneath his.

“What was that for?” she asked, her voice breathy and tinged with arousal. The tray of drinks jiggled as her hands trembled. He placed his hand on the tray to steady it.

With his free hand, he stroked the line of her jaw. “Because I wanted to.”

As if suddenly remembering where she was, Bethany straightened and glared at him. “Well, don’t do it again. Not here.” She glanced nervously over her shoulder before hurrying off with her drink order.

She might not think anyone had noticed their quick kiss, but she’d be wrong. Sure the bar was dimly lit, a three-piece jazz band played on the small stage in the corner and patrons chatted and laughed with one another, but every single werewolf male here, pureblood or half-breed, was watching Bethany.

It was getting harder not to. Her scent, whenever she passed by, was an aphrodisiac. He was semi-erect whenever he was around her and knew the other single males had to be reacting to her in much the same manner. It made him want to hit something. He shot Michael a quick glare. Or maybe hit someone.

“How are you holding up?” Meredith placed her hand on Quinn’s arm and turned him toward the bar. It was only then he realized he was still watching Bethany, unable to tear his eyes away from her slim form.

“I’m okay.” That was his standard answer. The only one he could give.

“No, you’re not.” She nodded toward Michael. “None of you are.”

Quinn jerked his head around and noted the other male’s eyes were burning with lust. A low growl broke from Quinn’s chest. An answering one came from Michael.

“Stop it. Both of you.” The command in Meredith’s voice was compelling, reminding both of them in a very visceral way that she was female alpha of this pack. Hank materialized by her side, ready to step in if needed.

Quinn lowered his head, ashamed of his actions. He needed to keep his head on straight, not challenge the female alpha or threaten her son, a man he actually respected when he wasn’t looking at Bethany. He had to remember he wasn’t a part of this pack and he could easily be shown the door and asked to leave. He was jeopardizing his sister’s safety with his obsession with Bethany.

“Sorry about that.” His control was strained to the max. That wasn’t acceptable. He needed to get a grip on the wayward emotions making him act so crazy. The last thing he wanted to do was draw human attention to himself or to any of the others in the pack.

Meredith gave him an understanding smile as she pushed her long braid over her shoulder. “It’s not a problem unless you lose control.” She glanced toward Bethany and sighed. “This will probably be her last night of work for a while.” She nodded her thanks to Hank and he ambled back to his position by the front door of the club.

“It’s that bad?” Quinn knew the basics of what happened to a female werewolf when she went into heat, but not specifics.

Meredith rubbed her hands over her arms. “Worse.” She glanced at Michael and then back at him. “She’ll be in a bad way.”

“What can I do for her?” Quinn didn’t like the idea of anything hurting Bethany. His eyes sought her and his soul seemed to sigh in relief when he caught sight of her working her way around the room. God, she was beautiful.

“Quinn.” Meredith waited until she had his full attention again.

She raised her eyebrow at him, reminding him of his question. He felt his cheeks flush like he was some damn teenager lusting after his first girl. Sex was obviously an option. “Besides that?”

She shrugged. “That’s pretty much all that will ease her. The only other option is to leave her alone and let her ride it out. We’ll have to ban all unmated males from the third floor until she’s through this phase. And even then it will be hard on all of you.”

The thought of leaving Bethany alone, writhing naked on a bed with sexual arousal thrumming through her until it was painful was more than he could stand.

“I don’t think I can do that.”

Meredith patted his arm. “I didn’t think that you could.”

It occurred to him suddenly just how much of a mother figure Meredith had become to him. Not that she looked like anyone’s mother. She looked young and gorgeous and sophisticated. Tonight, as usual, she was wearing a knee-length sparkly dress with a slit up the side.

No, she definitely didn’t look like his mother.

She could have easily tried to dissuade him from being with Bethany, could have pushed one of her own sons toward the unmated female. After all, female werewolves were scarce. There were four unattached males besides him here. And they were all pack. He was just an interloper.

He shifted uncomfortably. A part of him wanted to run from Meredith’s kindness and understanding. Another part of him wished he felt at ease enough to put his arms around her, hug her and thank her for everything she’d done for him and his family. But he didn’t belong here at Haven with all of them. He’d been alone most of his life, but he’d always had Chris and Craig until eighteen months ago. Those long months completely alone had taught him what true loneliness was. He never wanted to go back to those dark days but they’d shaped him, changed him irreparably.

“You’ll figure it out.” Meredith brushed a lock of hair away from his face and he got a lump in his throat. He missed his own mother with a fierce ache that made his heart hurt. She hadn’t been the best judge of character when it came to men, but none of her children had ever doubted how much she’d loved them. It had never mattered to her that he and Chris were different, and she’d done everything in her power to gather as much information as she could to help them. At times like this, he missed her so damn much.

“Thanks,” he replied, his voice husky with barely suppressed emotion. He lowered his head and stared at the floor as he composed himself. He didn’t know what the hell he was going to do about Bethany. He’d think of something. He always did.

“Any news?” Michael moved down beside them and placed a glass of sparkling water in front of his mother and a beer in front of Quinn. He’d probably heard their entire conversation. Werewolf hearing was exceptional and he’d only been standing a few feet away.

Meredith took a sip of her water. “Damek called and said he’d be over after closing.”

Quinn jerked upright, hope burning in his gut. “Does he know anything?”

“He wouldn’t say. He wants to meet in person.”

Quinn swore. Michael chuckled. “Damek works in his own time and in his own way.”

Quinn wanted to strike out at Michael for his flippant comment even though he knew the other man didn’t mean it in that way. He was simply commenting on the way the vampire operated. But it still burned in Quinn’s gut. This was his sister they were talking about. His fingers tightened around the beer bottle in his hand. He didn’t even remember picking it up.

A slow, burning rage began to pump through his veins until it threatened to devour him. Through the red tinge of his gaze he saw Bethany hurrying toward him, concern on her face.

“What’s wrong?” She touched him and that easily bled some of the fury away, leaving him with a manageable anger.

“Damek is coming later tonight,” Meredith answered.

“That’s good. Right? He could have news.”

“Maybe.” Quinn wasn’t about to get his hopes up again only to have them dashed.

Bethany placed her hand on his arm and squeezed. “Everything will be okay.” He knew she couldn’t promise that any more than he could. Still, it helped soothe the fires of guilt and fury that threatened to consume him.

“I’ll give Hank a rest on the door.” Hank was the club bouncer. Quinn didn’t mind taking over for him. He wouldn’t mind a fight right about now.

Meredith stopped him, shaking her head. “Not a good idea in the mood you’re in. Why don’t you check in with your brother to see if he’s made any more progress with his computer searches. Or, if you really want to keep busy, you could help Teague in the kitchen. Wash dishes or something.”

Meredith obviously sensed his volatility. Smart lady. He nodded. Bethany shot him another worried gaze before grabbing her tray and hurrying off again.

They were all on edge. Tense. Between the ever-present threat of bounty hunters, the search for Chris and Bethany going into heat, this place was a powder keg waiting to blow.

Knowing he wasn’t doing anyone any good here, Quinn took himself off to Meredith’s office where Craig was currently set up. He’d shoved a table against one wall and set up all his own equipment there. He had a desktop computer as well as a laptop. Both were state of the art and he’d modified them himself so they would perform even better. Craig was a bloody genius when it came to the things. He’d written many of his own programs, which he’d used to help infiltrate the paranormal bounty hunters when Quinn was undercover in their group.

“How’s it going?”

Craig held up one hand and kept typing with the other. He hunched over the keyboard, working furiously for a few more minutes. He hit one final key and sat back, rubbing his neck.

His younger brother looked tired. There was stubble on his jaw and dark circles under his eyes. “I’ve got several searches going at once. I’m using Dr. Morton’s name, family names and variations of them to search for property. I’m also running a search in the bounty hunters databases on any information about a werewolf named Brian. It’s a long shot but it’s something.

“You’re working too hard.” Quinn grabbed the other desk chair and dragged it over by his brother.

“Yeah, well, I’ve got nothing better to do.”

“I’m sorry, man.” Quinn felt like he’d let his family down. Craig should be in school somewhere learning how to hone his computer skills. He should be drinking with his buddies on the weekend and worrying about girls, not lost in the world of werewolves, kidnappers and vampires.

Then there was Chris. He missed her so damn much. She was the one he’d always talked to, the only one who’d ever understood what he was going through.

He missed her laugh. He remembered her trying out a new recipe one night for dinner. He couldn’t even remember what it was she was trying to cook. All he knew was it had gone horribly wrong. Some kind of mix-up in spices and cooking time. It was damn awful but Chris hadn’t gotten upset. She’d laughed and laughed until she’d cried, pointing at his face and the expression on it until she’d had both him and Craig in stitches too. They’d finally ordered a pizza. The memory brought a ghost of a smile to his face.

Craig swiveled around in his chair and Quinn’s memory slid away. His brother scowled at him, annoyance evident in every line of his body. “It’s not your fault. None of us expected anything like this to happen. We all took precautions, but sometimes shit happens.”

That said it all, didn’t it? Shit happened.

Craig sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s been hard on all of us.” Guilt pierced Quinn. It was quickly followed by shame. He wasn’t the only one dealing with Chrissten’s kidnapping. Craig was too. And while he’d been able to go out and search for her, Craig had been left to deal with things alone. His younger brother had barely been legal when Quinn had been forced to leave him on his own while he searched for their sister.

Quinn reached out and clapped his brother on the shoulder. “I wish none of this had happened.”

“Me too.” Craig took off his glasses and used the tail of his T-shirt to polish them. “Well, not all of it. Only Chrissten’s kidnapping. I kinda like the fact you found your father and met more people like you.”

Like him. It was a reminder that Craig was human. If genetics held true then his brother would die hundreds of years before him. His guts knotted. He hated the thought of losing him.

As for his birth father, well that was another problem he’d deal with some day. He’d met Donovan Brody, spent some time with him. But he felt no real connection to the male. They looked eerily alike except for their hair color, but other than that they were strangers.

His father had tried. He’d give him that. But Quinn wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with him, not until he’d found Chris. Maybe when his family was reunited, Quinn might feel more like going down that road.

He knew Chrissten would want to meet Donovan Brody. She’d talked a lot about finding their father while they were growing up. It was him who’d always held back, arguing the man had left their mother, that he didn’t care if he met him or not. The old debate seemed silly now. He wished Chris were here to argue with him.

“How’s Bethany doing?” Craig’s question brought him back to the here and now.

“Good. Why?”

Craig shrugged, but there was no mistaking his discomfort. He picked up an open bottle of Coke and took a swallow. His foot tapped a quick rhythm on the floor. Behind him machinery hummed. “This has to be hard for her, you know. The kidnapping. Finding out what she is and what’s happening to her.”

“Yeah.” Now that was an understatement.

“I like her,” Craig blurted out. “And I think you do too.”

Quinn leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees and placed his face in his hands. He took a deep, calming breath before raising his head again. He’d missed this. Having contact with his brother, simply being able to sit across from one another and talk. His time with the bounty hunters had robbed him of so much.

“Well,” Craig continued. “I think you should go for it. With Bethany, I mean.”

It occurred to him that his brother was matchmaking. He grinned in spite of himself. “You think?”

Craig nodded emphatically. “Absolutely. Female werewolves are rare and she seems to like you. And I know you like her.” He glanced fleetingly at the front of Quinn’s jeans, but long enough to make his point. It was hard to miss the bulge in the front of his jeans. Just talking about Bethany got him hot.

“It’s not fair to her,” he reminded Craig. Bethany was vulnerable now. To mate with her would tie them together for the rest of their lives. The thought was appealing to him on a primitive level, but it also scared the crap out of him. He’d never even thought about mating with a female. Not until he’d met Bethany.

“Maybe. But what are you going to do if one of the other guys offers to help her with her problem?” Only Craig would refer to a female going into heat as a problem.

A low growl broke from Quinn and Craig nodded. “Exactly. You can’t stand the thought of any guy touching her, let alone mating with her.”

“It’s her choice,” Quinn reminded him.

“Then let her make it.” Such a simple statement, but a minefield of trouble. His younger brother was a man now, and quite an astute one.

The computer made a noise and Craig wheeled back around and started typing.

Quinn stood and watched his brother work for a few more minutes. “Let me know if you find anything or if you need anything.” He left his brother to his work and headed toward the kitchen. On his way, he took a quick peek into the bar. His gaze landed on Bethany and everything inside him settled.

He watched her move, graceful even with a heavily loaded tray. Her hair was pulled away from her face, emphasizing her hazel eyes and her full lips. He ached to hold her.

Quinn abruptly turned away and stalked toward the kitchen. He needed to come up with a plan and he needed to do it quick. Time was running out. For all of them.

Bethany plunked down on a stool at the bar and sighed. Her shoulders ached and her feet hurt, but it felt good to be working again, earning her keep. “Busy night.”

Michael finished wiping a glass with his clean white towel and placed it on the shelf. “Regular night,” he corrected. He grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler, opened it and placed it in front of her. Bethany grabbed it eagerly, smiling her thanks at him. Michael nodded and continued working.

Benjamin was clearing the other end of the bar. The last of the regular employees had just left and only the pack remained. Not that she considered herself part of the pack. She, Quinn and his brother were obviously outsiders, but everyone made them feel welcome and that helped a lot.

Meredith slid onto the stool beside her. “How are you enjoying working at Haven?”

“It’s great,” she answered honestly. “I enjoy the atmosphere. You get a good group of people coming here.” It was a cross-section of tourists and neighborhood folks, along with some people who’d heard about the club and had come from other parts of the city to hear the music and check out the ambiance. The patrons were a friendly bunch and the large males working here kept things from getting out of control.

“You’ve got a fulltime job here if you want it.” Meredith’s generosity stunned her. And the other woman wasn’t done yet. “I know it’s crowded in the apartments, but there are a few rentals on the street if you decide down the road you’re staying and want your own space. You’re welcome to live here as long as you like.”

“Thank you.” Taken aback by Meredith’s job offer, Bethany didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t ready to commit to anything, not yet. She had no idea what was going to happen between her and Quinn or how long it would take them to find Chrissten. There were so many variables to consider.

Her gaze automatically sought Quinn and she relaxed slightly when she found him stacking chairs at the far end of the bar. He’d disappeared for most of the night, but she knew he was in the kitchen helping Teague, having caught glimpses of him whenever she’d picked up a food order. She’d missed his steady presence.

He was watching her now, his expression intent. His stare made her cheeks heat and set a flock of butterflies lose in her stomach. She glanced away, unable to match his intent gaze for long. It was too much like the way he’d looked at her when they were in bed, and it made her skin and other interesting parts of her anatomy tingle.

Meredith patted her arm. “Take a few days and think about it. In the meantime, you can work day to day whenever you’re able. I had a lot of regulars comment on how good you were.”

Pleasure suffused Bethany. She’d been alone for so long it felt strange to be a part of this group of special people. And she’d just been offered a permanent spot. The pay was good and the tips were better. She could make a life for herself here if she wanted a fresh start.

She glanced at Michael and nibbled on her bottom lip. He could be a problem. She knew he was attracted to her. Benjamin was, too, but he wasn’t quite as obvious about it as his brother. She didn’t want to do anything that might lead either of them on. As much as she liked them, she wasn’t attracted to them, not in that way. Not the way she was drawn to Quinn.

“Thank you so much, Meredith. I’ll think about it.”

Benjamin sauntered down to join them. Bethany shook her head. All the males were incredibly good looking and virile. They’d attract any woman’s attention. Bethany didn’t think the high percentage of females visiting the bar was a coincidence. Plenty of male eye candy here.

Heat flooded through her, making her uncomfortable. Her panties were damp, her breasts ached and she wanted to rub herself against a hard, male body. And although the brothers were both prime specimens, she wanted only Quinn.

As if he felt her discomfort, Quinn came over to stand behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and she couldn’t resist rubbing the side of her cheek against his hand.

Isaiah came toward them, followed by the rest of the pack. “Damek should be here any minute.”

Just like that, all the butterflies in her stomach were back with a vengeance. She was about to meet a real-life vampire. It sounded impossible. Then again, a few weeks ago she would have laughed if someone had told her werewolves were real.

Her life had taken a strange turn and there was no going back to normal, whatever that was.

A flash of heat took her unaware. This one was strong, almost overpowering. She bit her lip to keep from moaning aloud.

Behind her, Quinn stiffened. Benjamin inhaled deeply and Michael let out a low growl. Even quiet Kevin shifted closer to her. Only the mated males, as well as Craig and, strangely enough, Hank, seemed unaffected.

Isaiah swore. “Let’s hope Damek gets here soon.”

Bethany wrapped her arms around her body while waves of desire swamped her. She didn’t know if she should leave. As much as she wanted to help Chrissten, Bethany knew she wasn’t helping anybody by distracting the single males.

She’d be glad when this biological phase had passed. That’s what she’d decided to call it. Saying she was in heat was simply too primal, too animalistic.

“You okay?” Quinn’s voice was barely a whisper in her ear. His hot breath caressed the sensitive nerve endings in her ear. Her body tingled. Her skin felt alive.

“Do you want to go upstairs and rest?”

Bethany turned her head to answer him, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was glaring at the other males who were watching her. She wanted to crawl under the floorboards and hide. This was so embarrassing. They all knew she was aroused. It might be a natural thing for their species, but it was embarrassing as hell. She’d been totally human only weeks ago. At least that’s what she’d thought. Just because she knew differently now didn’t make it any easier to deal with.

“I think I—” She was cut off as the door flew open. She knew it had been locked. She’d watched Hank turn the deadbolt.

A dark presence seemed to fill the room. Then a man stepped through the doorway. No, not a man. There was something about him that wasn’t quite human, a dark, almost sinister energy that seemed to sweep before him to announce his presence. This was the vampire. The mysterious Damek had arrived.

Chapter Eight

Bethany couldn’t drag her eyes away from the vampire. He was tall and his skin was pale. His lithe body was covered with a designer suit, but he wasn’t wearing a satin-lined cloak like in the old movies. She was almost disappointed. She could tell by the way it fit him his suit hadn’t come off any rack, but had been tailored to his exact measurements. His hair was black as night and flowed to his shoulders. His eyes were just as dark. They seemed to absorb the light around him.

He was extremely handsome. He was also scary as hell. This was a man with many secrets. A dangerous man who had watched time pass him by. She had no idea how old Damek was, but he appeared ageless, like an old soul in a young man’s body. There was just something about him that told her to beware. She had enough animal instinct to know this was a man she didn’t want to make an enemy of, a man who should be approached with great caution.

Quinn wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she slid off the barstool. She was grateful for the support.

Damek’s gaze passed over the group, pausing to study her and Quinn. One corner of his mouth twisted upward into a brief smile as if he were amused by something before he continued his perusal of the others in the room.

The door closed behind him with a thump. Bethany jumped. She was extremely nervous. What did one say to a vampire? Better for her to blend with the background and let the others do the talking.

Isaiah stepped forward. “You ever think about knocking?”

Damek inclined his head. “I think about it, but then ask myself why would I bother?” Beside her, Bethany heard Craig give a snort of laughter at Damek’s reply

Meredith laughed and welcomed their guest while Isaiah simply scowled at him. “Good evening, Damek.”

Damek inclined his head. “Gracious as always.” His gaze cut sideways toward Isaiah. “How do you Strikers find such exquisite females?”

Isaiah dragged his mate closer, his arm wrapping possessively around her. Meredith patted Isaiah’s arm while she continued to speak to Damek. “Have you discovered anything new?”

The vampire shook his head and Bethany felt the muscles in Quinn’s arm tighten around her. “I have heard nothing yet, but I have feelers out everywhere.” He seemed to flow across the floor, his movements smooth and graceful, like a dancer. One moment he was near the door, the next he was in front of her and Quinn.

“It is an abomination what is being done to your sister. I am sorry for that.”

Bethany felt some of the tension leech slowly out of Quinn. “Thanks. I appreciate anything you can do.”

The vampire lifted his hand toward Bethany. She shrank back, unable to stop herself. The dark energy coming off Damek frightened the crap out of her. Quinn growled. The other males in the room shifted restlessly. The moment was fraught with danger.

“I mean you no harm, little one,” Damek promised. He lowered his hand, but she still felt a light brush against her skin as though he’d touched her.

The vampire shook his head. “Yet another beautiful woman to add to your pack.” He shook his head and sighed. “You Strikers are lucky bastards.”

Heat climbed up Bethany’s cheeks. She fought the urge to turn her face into Quinn’s chest and hide. She hated feeling like she was on display in front of everyone.

Damek snapped his gaze from her and turned his attention to Quinn. “Do you have a list of properties that you haven’t checked yet?” Damek’s eyes seemed to be lit by an inner fire, one that burned hot and dark. Bethany found his eyes mesmerizing and scary at the same time. She wanted to look away but couldn’t pull her gaze from him.

Craig stepped forward. “I’ve got an expanded list. I’ve marked off the ones we’ve already checked out. I came up with a couple new places. I thought we might have a look at them tonight.”

Damek smiled and she caught a flash of sharp white teeth. “Ah, the human.” He snatched the list from Craig’s hand and perused it. “You have done well.”

Quinn growled low. Threatening.

Damek waved his hand. “I mean your brother no harm, wolf. He’s interesting for a human. And unlike many of your kind, I like humans.”

Bethany didn’t want to think about the reason Damek liked humans. Vampires needed blood to survive. Or at least that’s what all the legends said. She was quickly learning there was some truth to folklore when it came to werewolves, so why not vampires?

The thought of having to take blood to survive made Bethany’s stomach roil. She swallowed hard, afraid to look away from the powerful creature in front of them.

“If you ever get tired of working for wolves I could use someone like you,” Damek said to Craig, ignoring the way Quinn and the rest of the males in the room bristled.

“Leave my pack alone, Damek.” Isaiah strolled over to stand next to Craig. He looked huge next to the younger man. He also looked prepared to fight, which surprised Bethany.

“Ah, you werewolves are so territorial.”

Isaiah snorted. “And you’re not?”

Damek chuckled. “I won’t deny it.” He shrugged. “I was here long before this place was anything more than a smudge on a map and I’ll probably be here long after all of you are gone.”

There was a deep, compelling sadness in his voice that made Bethany frown. He sounded…lonely. She couldn’t begin to imagine how old Damek was.

He settled his dark gaze on Isaiah. “I wouldn’t hurt your human. I was offering him a job. His computer skills are impressive.”

Craig gave a rueful smile. “Thanks, but I’m happy here. With my family.” His gaze slid to Quinn, but he quickly returned it to the vampire.

“Still.” A heavy vellum card seemed to appear in Damek’s hand as if by magic. He handed it to Craig. “If you change your mind.”

To Bethany’s surprise, Craig took the card and shoved in the back pocket of his jeans. “Thanks.”

Damek studied the list before handing it back to Craig. “I will check the new addresses tonight. I can do it more quickly than you can. Plus, I will attract no attention. I will call you if I come across a likely location.”

Isaiah started to protest, but Damek held up his hand. Isaiah stopped, but appeared ready to throttle the vampire. Bethany held her breath, not wanting to see any kind of battle between the incredibly strong alpha male and the powerful vampire.

“I don’t doubt your skills, my friend,” Damek began. “But this will also allow me to search the minds of those who wander the dark corners of the city, especially the South Side, which seems to be the most likely place for this doctor to try to hide.”

Bethany’s mouth went bone dry. The vampire could read minds. Could he read hers? As if hearing her question aloud, he turned and stared at her. Then he winked. It was such an unexpected gesture it made her grin. It seemed so incongruous for a debonair vampire to be winking at her.

Quinn was practically vibrating with anger. She wrapped her arms around his waist, desperate to keep him from doing something crazy like attacking Damek. That wouldn’t end well no matter what happened.

“I’ll contact you before dawn. If I am successful at finding the location of your missing female it will be up to you to rescue her.” Damek rubbed his fingernails against the sleeve of his jacket to buff them. “I am not at my best during the day.”

Isaiah snorted again. “That’s an understatement.”

“I have several hours until dawn. Plenty of time to search the new locations and do some hunting of my own.”

Bethany shivered at the threat in Damek’s voice. She was glad he was on their side. She wouldn’t want to be the doctor or Brian if Damek found them.

“’Til we meet again, my friends.” Damek seemed to disappear into the shadows. The door opened and closed and he was gone. Tension seeped from the room like air from a balloon.

“That was…that was…” Bethany honestly didn’t know what to say.

Isaiah walked over to the door and bolted it. “Damek is different, but once he’s given his word, it’s gold.” He turned back to address the group, particularly Craig. “Don’t ever try to bargain with him. He’s like the devil. He’ll tempt you, and then find a loophole in any agreement in order to get whatever he wants. He’s the most dangerous creature I’ve ever met.”

No arguments from her. Bethany was scared of the vampire and wasn’t afraid to admit it.

Craig frowned. “I meant what I said. I’m not leaving my family.” He moved closer to Quinn.

Meredith went to Craig and patted his arm. “You have a place here as long as you want one. You may not be a werewolf, but you’re family now, the same as everyone else.

Bethany watched the others in the room, curious as to their reaction to Meredith’s pronouncement. Michael was frowning, but he was staring at the closed, locked door and she couldn’t be sure if his dour expression was because of his mother’s offer to Craig or if he was still thinking about Damek’s visit. Isaiah appeared resigned to whatever his mate wanted. But Benjamin, Teague, Neema, Kevin and Hank all nodded and seemed genuine in their acceptance.

“I appreciate it.” Craig removed his glasses and polished the lenses before slipping them back on. “By the way, I did your quarterly sales and expense reports while I was waiting for the searches to finish. I left them on your desk for you to look at. I highlighted a few areas where you can save money and improve sales. I’ve started your taxes and should have them done tomorrow.”

Meredith’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. When she recovered from her shock, she surged forward and hugged Craig, surprising the younger man. “That’s it, I’m never letting you go. You’ve sealed your fate.” She whirled to face Isaiah. “He has to stay now. He does quarterly reports. Taxes.” She appeared almost dazed.

Craig shrugged. “It was nothing. The paperwork was all there. I figured it was the least I could do to thank you for everything.”

Isaiah appeared impressed, which Bethany didn’t think was an easy thing to do. “You heard my wife, you have to stay now.”

Craig shifted uncomfortably. “I’ll stay as long as Quinn is here. I don’t want to lose my family again.”

The expression on the alpha male’s face softened. “I understand. But you’ll always have a place here.” He nodded at Quinn and Bethany. “You all do. You are pack. Not all werewolves will accept you. You know that, Quinn. There are the paranormal bounty hunters to contend with. And now this new threat from a deranged human scientist.”

Meredith added her voice to the argument. “There is safety to be found in numbers. We’ve all learned that. We protect one another. Help one another. That’s what pack life is all about.”

Bethany swallowed hard, touched by the genuine offer. Sure, Meredith had offered her a job earlier, but this was different. This was a formal offer from the alpha pair of the pack. She might not know everything about her new heritage, but she knew this was a huge deal.

She’d felt so alone for most of her life, even when her mother had been alive. Maybe if her mother had been more like Quinn’s mother, her life would have been different. He’d always known he was different, known what he was. She’d been lied to her entire life. Yes, her mother had been trying to protect her in her own way. Bethany understood that. But instead of protecting her, it had left her vulnerable to Phillip Morton and rogue werewolves like Brian.

Quinn inclined his head. “I thank you for your offer, but I can’t make any decisions until I find Chris.”

“Understood.” Isaiah addressed the rest of the group. “Time to get some rest. Damek will call if he finds something. Be ready to roll if he does.”

They all said goodnight to one another and trooped up the back stairs to the apartments. Michael, Benjamin, Isaiah and Meredith stopped on the second floor, while the rest of them took the extra flight to the third floor.

Quinn’s hand pressed hard against her lower back as he escorted her into their apartment. And how weird was it to be saying their apartment. It wasn’t theirs. They were simply sharing the place. It belonged to Kevin.

It was decorated in what she thought of as man-cave style. It had overstuffed leather furniture in the living room, including the sofa where Craig had been crashing on nights when he wasn’t down in the office, which was most nights. A huge flat-screen television and plenty of other electronic equipment filled out the rest of the room. The small galley kitchen opened up into the living room. It was clean and nice. But it wasn’t hers.

Bethany longed for a place to call her own. The one thing she regretted about having to leave Detroit was the loss of her apartment. It might not be much, but it had been all hers.

“You okay?” Quinn’s low rumble next to her ear sent shivers down her spine. Now that the tension of meeting Damek was passed, Bethany was facing an entirely new set of problems. Her skin was flushed and tight, like it was too small to cover her frame. She wanted to haul her clothing off and scratch at her flesh.

A sense of emptiness filled her. Her sex throbbed with an ever-growing need. The lush folds of her pussy were wet and swollen. Her nipples were peaked and aching to be touched.

Bethany glanced at Quinn and licked her lips. Yeah, that’s what she wanted. Quinn was a prime male specimen. She knew from firsthand experience that his cock was long and thick and hard. She almost whimpered aloud at the mere thought of him pounding into her slick, tight channel, powering in and out, over and over.

“I’m going to grab a shower and head back down to the office for a few hours.” Craig’s voice interrupted her. She realized she was swaying in Quinn’s grasp. Her breathing was so fast and shallow she was practically panting.

“Shower over at Hank’s place.” Quinn’s voice was rough with need. Thick was lust.

Craig’s eyes widened as he studied them. “Will do. Give me a second.” He disappeared into the bedroom and returned a few seconds later with a change of clothing.

Bethany wanted to die with embarrassment, but another part of her was fiercely glad he was leaving. She had to get naked.

“I’ll come get you if I hear any news.” With that reassurance, Craig was gone.

The second the door closed behind him, Bethany started tearing at her clothing. It was confining her, choking her.

“Easy, baby.” Quinn tried to help her but she jerked away from him. He didn’t understand. She had to get naked.

He wrapped his arms around her and wrestled her into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them. She couldn’t understand why he wasn’t helping her.” Please,” she begged, appalled by her lack of control.

It was as though she were another person. Not the Bethany she knew at all, but some creature more primal, more basic.

Her skin rippled and she cried out as her pussy spasmed, contracting around air.

“Let me help you.” Quinn’s voice was like it was coming from far away. “Stop tearing at your skin, baby. You’re hurting yourself.”

She smelled it then, the coppery scent of blood. She stilled and looked down at herself, horrified to see the fabric of her shirt was shredded and several long gashes marred her arms. She’d done that. To herself.

The shock was enough to jolt her back into some semblance of control. “What am I doing?” She peered up at Quinn, who had his strong arms wrapped around her like a straightjacket. “What have I done?”

“It’s okay, Bethany.” He released her slowly and began tugging at her ruined clothing. What was left of her shirt landed on the floor. Her bra followed. “I don’t think there’s any turning back from this moment. You’re in heat.”

She shut her eyes and swallowed. There was that word again. Trying to pretend it was simply biology wasn’t helping. It went far beyond the physical and into the mental. She craved Quinn. Wanted to join with him, to bond with him. Permanently.

And that was totally unfair to him. He had his own demons to fight.

“You should—” She broke off as a wave of lust rocketed through her, making her cry out. Her body undulated.

“Holy fuck.” Quinn swore as he helped her onto the bed. He practically ripped off her shoes and socks before dragging her jeans and panties down her thighs and off. He was panting as hard as she was.

“You…” She swallowed hard and stared at Quinn. “You felt that too.”

He looked as though he was in pain when he nodded. His usually pale eyes appeared darker. A lock of blond hair fell onto his forehead. She curled her fingers into her palms to keep from touching him.

He had to leave. Now. Or they could do something he might regret.

“You have to go.” Those were the hardest four words she’d ever said in her entire life. Every molecule in her body rebelled at the notion of him leaving her.

He stilled and then took a step back.

The cotton comforter beneath her back was cool, but her skin was hot. She bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning as a wave of heat blasted through her, arrowing from her breasts to between her legs. Her thighs were wet and she could feel a trickle of cream slipping from her pussy to trail between the dark crevice of her butt.

He looked devastated. Angry.

She didn’t want that. She was trying to save him, not hurt him. “Go before it’s too late.” It was getting harder and harder to speak.

He frowned. “Too late for what?”

She rolled over onto her side, panting hard. Quinn was beside her immediately. “Let me help you, sweetheart.”

The words tore at her heart. If only she were his sweetheart. She felt closer to Quinn than she ever had to another man. Maybe they hadn’t known one another very long and the circumstances had been extreme, but that didn’t seem to matter one bit.

Deep in her heart she wanted him. Forever. She barely dared to speak the word love. Her instincts, the ones she always relied on, were screaming at her not to let him go. She felt a stirring inside her and recognized it for the first time as her wolf. Something not separate from her, but part of her. Two sides of the same coin.

But the human part of her, the part not controlled by instinct, didn’t want a man if he was trapped by biology as much as she was. She was human enough that she yearned to be wanted simply for herself. To be loved.

It was torture to speak. Bethany finally understood how powerful this burning, instinctual need truly was. How had Chrissten fought against Brian for so long? The moment she asked the question, she knew the answer. If any other male were here besides Quinn, she’d fight him.

Bethany didn’t know if it was true for all female werewolves or only half-breeds, but there was no denying the truth. She wanted to be with one male and one male only. Maybe it was her human side. Maybe it was true for all female werewolves. It was too late to ask anyone.

Quinn cupped her breast. The skin of his palm was rough. She made a whimpering sound in her throat when he thumbed her nipple.

“Let me take you. Let me help you.” Quinn’s eyes were glowing with lust. “I thought about this a lot today. Let me mate with you. That will protect you from other males. But I’ll let you go when you want to.” He brushed her damp hair away from her scalp. “You’ll be free to go and do whatever you want, whenever you want.”

He was killing her. On one hand he was offering her heaven. She wanted to mate with him, to be with him. But it was obvious he didn’t feel the same way she did about forever. Sure he wanted her. That was more than apparent by the rather conspicuous bulge in his jeans. That was biology. But he was willing to let her go whenever she wanted.

She licked her dry lips. “Be sure. What if you find a female you want to mate with permanently?” It almost killed her to ask the question, but it had to be asked.

He closed his eyes briefly, shutting himself off emotionally from her. “It won’t happen.” When he opened his eyes there was nothing there but longing and lust. Any traces of other emotions were gone.

So be it. She’d let him go in the end because she loved him and wanted him happy. Maybe she’d find a way out of their mating somewhere down the road. After all, they were both half-breeds, not purebloods.

Just thinking of leaving him made her feel ill. But she wouldn’t cling or stay with him if he didn’t want her permanently. She had too much pride for that. She also wasn’t stupid enough to turn aside his help. She knew this had to happen. If not with him, then with another male. And she couldn’t handle the thought of any other male but Quinn touching her in this way.

Bethany wanted only Quinn and she was too far gone to turn him away. He’d missed his opportunity to bail earlier. It was too late for them both. Maybe it always had been.

She opened her arms to him. “Come.”

Quinn vaulted from the bed and started to rip away his clothing. His skin was damp with perspiration. His arm muscles flexed and rippled as he tore off his shirt. He toed off his sneakers and shoved his jeans down. He wasn’t wearing underwear and his cock was revealed in all its male glory.

She licked her lips and her core began to throb heavily. Oh yeah, she wanted that long, thick cock powering into her again and again.

“Almost there, babe.” Quinn peeled off his socks and then joined her on the bed, covering her with his large body. He took her mouth in a torrid kiss. His lips slid over hers, his tongue was hot and rough as it plunged deep. She grasped his thick shoulders, loving the feel of him. His strength. His power.

He pulled back and stared down at her. The heat in his eyes matched the heat flowing through her body. “Take me.” She wanted to add the word forever but managed to hold it back. This was for now. He was a good man. He wanted to protect her from the others. He was offering himself, sacrificing his future for her.

She knew there was no such thing as divorce among werewolves. A pair mated until death. She gripped him tighter, running her hands down his back. She couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to Quinn.

He was giving up his future. For her. Sure, he might think they could both walk away when all this was over, but somehow Bethany didn’t think it would be quite that easy.

She opened her mouth to protest one more time, but it was too late. His lips were hot on her face, along the curve of her jaw and neck.

Bethany let the heat take her. She lost herself to the lust pulsing through her and to the man holding her in his arms.

Chapter Nine

Quinn lapped at the long, slender curve of Bethany’s neck. It had been a near thing. She’d almost sent him away.

Not going to happen.

Besides the return of his sister, he wanted Bethany more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life.

Somehow in the past few days Bethany had come to mean everything to him. He knew she was still uncertain, afraid of what she was. She hadn’t had the years to come to grips with her werewolf heritage like he had.

He’d thought a lot about her situation. Maybe he was taking advantage of her during this chaotic time in her life. Maybe he didn’t deserve a female as fine as Bethany, not with the long months of blood and betrayal he’d been forced to live. But he knew if he didn’t claim her, one of the other males would. Quinn also knew he’d kill whoever touched her. She was his.

His wolf howled within him in agreement. He was the male for her. The one who would release her inner wolf. He longed to see what she would look like in her wolf form. In his mind he could already see her, sleek with thick brown fur and utterly gorgeous.

She whimpered beneath him and he nipped at the sensitive curve of her throat. She responded immediately, tipping her hips up to meet his pelvis. His cock ached to be inside her.

He wanted to make this good for her. To make it right. He’d felt her panic and had grabbed on to the one chance he had to claim her. He’d lied and told her he’d let her go when this was over, that he wouldn’t hold her to their mating.

It was all a ploy to gain time. If he loved her long and hard enough maybe she’d come to love him and stay with him. It struck him suddenly that he wanted a life with her, a future, and maybe someday a family. He wanted his sister and brother to be a part of that.

Bethany’s nails raked down his back, lightly scoring his skin. The erotic caress made every other thought disappeared. All that remained was his need to claim his woman. This woman. Bethany Morris. His mate.

He sat back on his heels between her spread thighs and let his eyes take in every delectable inch of her. Yes, he’d seen her naked before, but this was different. This was a mating. A claiming. He was about to make her his.

She took his breath away she was so lovely with her heart-shaped face, her straight nose and firm, determined chin. Then there were her eyes. He adored her them. They were so expressive and warm and tipped with long dark lashes. And her mouth… He almost groaned aloud. He knew he’d never get enough of those full lips. If he closed his eyes he could still see them stretched around his cock. Oh yeah, he loved her mouth.

He had to touch her so he cupped her firm breasts in his hands and ran his thumbs over her distended nipples. She moaned and arched her back, pushing the mounds deeper into his hands. Her reaction to his touch was enthralling. She held nothing back, giving him everything.

Her head was thrown back, her eyes closed. She was lost in the sea of sensations swamping her. Heat rolled off her in waves. They were both sweating. Beads of perspiration formed on her forehead. She parted her lips and moaned again.

Quinn growled with satisfaction and lowered his head. He licked her breasts, dragging his tongue over the pert buds. She tangled her fingers in his head and pulled him closer.

Satisfaction settled deep inside him. This was right. This was destiny. They belonged together.

He nuzzled the valley between her breasts, inhaling her musky smell. Her skin was hot, almost uncomfortably so. She was whimpering now.

“It hurts.” Her whisper was low, almost nonexistent, but he heard it. He would always hear her.

The thought of her being in pain was abhorrent to him. With regret, he relinquished her breasts. She was so responsive he wanted to spend time playing with them. He gave them one final squeeze and began to kiss his way down her stomach.

Due to her imprisonment, she was thin. Or maybe she’d always tended to be slender. He realized he didn’t know. There was so much he didn’t know about her. So much she didn’t know about him.

Would she still want him if she knew there was so much blood on his hands?

“Quinn?”

When Bethany said his name, he realized he was crouched over her, his body still.

He glanced up to find her staring at him with concern in her pretty hazel eyes. “Don’t stop. Please.”

No way could he stop now. “I won’t,” he promised. He was an idiot. One who was slowly driving himself crazy. There was no time to think about the past. No time for regrets. The opportunity for talking had come and gone. Bethany was here now and she needed him. Nothing else mattered.

He’d tell her the truth after. If she wanted nothing to do with him after that he’d let her go. Or, at least, he prayed he had the strength to do so.

He nibbled a path down her slender ribcage, pausing when he reached her navel. The slight indent drew him and he flicked his tongue over it.

Her whimper of pleasure was music to his ears. He wanted to make her happy, to satisfy every craving, every need she had.

Her hips were slender but slightly curved, and he cupped them in his hands and lifted them, bringing her pussy toward his mouth. God, she smelled good. Sweet and spicy. Like honey and cinnamon. Delicious.

He had to taste her.

He lapped at her slick folds, shocked at how wet she already was. She cried out his name when he found her clit. The little bud was peeking outside of its protective hood. He flicked it gently and Bethany grabbed him by his head and tugged him closer.

He laughed, loving how she wasn’t afraid to show him what she wanted. Her essence filled his mouth, his nostrils. He knew then he’d never get enough of her as long as he lived.

He cradled her butt with one hand and slipped two fingers into her snug channel. They slid in with no problem, eased by her wetness. Her inner muscles constricted around her fingers and her entire body jerked.

A low, broken cry fell from her lips as she came apart in his hands. Her orgasm went on and on and he milked it for all it was worth. When she finally sighed, he released her, sat back on his heels and wiped his mouth.

She was totally relaxed. Her skin was flushed and a slight smile curved her lips. She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on.

As if she sensed his stare, she opened her eyes and looked at him. She licked her lips and he couldn’t stifle his groan. Now that she’d been satisfied, he was fully aware of his raging hard-on. His cock was fully erect, the bulbous head seeping liquid.

Bethany’s gaze fell to his erection and she licked her lips again. He almost came on the spot. He dug his fingers into his thighs and the pain helped to steady him.

She spread her legs slightly and opened her arms. “Come to me?”

“Are you sure?” He couldn’t believe he was even asking.

Before she could answer, a wave of lust rolled over them both. It emanated from inside Bethany but he felt it as if it had come from inside him. It was powerful, sweeping away words and thoughts. Heat surged through him and his dick throbbed painfully.

He knew there was no stopping. Her sexual longing would continue to crest time and again until she was satisfied. He wasn’t doing either of them any favors by waiting.

Quinn was panting hard, his vision gone blurry as a bead of sweat rolled into his eye. He grabbed his dick and had to grit his teeth as he guided the tip to her slick opening. It was a tight fit. The delicate tissue of her sheath was tender and swollen.

He pushed past the initial resistance and stopped, gasping for breath. “Take it easy, babe.” Bethany was thrashing about on the bed and he was forced to hold her shoulders down. The action pushed him a little deeper.

He swore under his breath and forged the rest of the way in, not stopping until he was buried to his balls. Her channel rippled around his cock, tightening, grasping.

It was heaven and hell all rolled into one.

He pulled back and then surged forward again. Bethany cried out, undulating her hips. He reached between her thighs and found her clit, stroking it with his finger.

She climaxed. It was so unexpected it sent him over the edge. He gripped her hips and held her to him, wanting to be as deep as he could get. Semen flowed from him into her pussy, bathing the swollen tissues.

The human part of him worried about unprotected sex. Not because they could catch any diseases. He knew he was safe and would bet anything she was, too, which was irrelevant since werewolves weren’t susceptible to such things. But he was worried she might get pregnant, even though the possibility was remote. It was too soon and it would tie her to him. He didn’t want her to stay with him because she felt she had to. He wanted her to stay because she wanted to.

The werewolf part of him knew this was what she needed. It was the only thing that would help ease the cravings within her.

He’d never had unprotected sex with another woman. It felt incredible. Real. Raw. He wanted to thump his fists against his chest and howl. Bethany was his woman.

But he hadn’t fully claimed her. Not yet.

He reached down and pushed aside a lock of her straight brown hair. It was soft between his fingers. Silky. Her eyes were half-closed and slumberous. She looked like a well-satisfied woman.

“How are you feeling?”

“Hmmm.”

He smiled, liking the fact she couldn’t form words yet.

From one second to the next everything changed. A blast of heat hit him so hard he almost fell backward. Bethany cried out, her brow knit with pain. “Why doesn’t it stop?”

He gritted his teeth, knowing the answer. “There’s only one way to make it stop, sweetheart.”

He eased his cock out of her pussy. It wasn’t easy. Her body didn’t want to release him and he was still hard and ready. It should have been impossible, but it wasn’t. He was more than ready to go again.

She reached for him, but he grabbed her hands and held them. “I have to get out of you so you can turn over.” Either his words or his tone got through to her because she stopped fighting him, allowing him to finally slip from her.

He didn’t waste any more time. There was obviously only one way to end this. He flipped Bethany onto her stomach and then pulled her up until she was balancing on her hands and knees.

He made a place for himself between her legs, using his knees to push them farther apart. This was it. Once he did this both of their lives would be changed forever.

He’d never thought about having a mate, a woman of his own. His focus, his entire life had been built around survival. And that had been enough for him. Until he’d met Bethany.

Her spine was long and slender. Her ass supple and heart-shaped. She was absolute perfection. He leaned forward and dropped a trail of kisses down the center of her back.

His cock slipped between her thighs and rubbed against her pussy. She moaned and stroked herself over his hard shaft. His balls drew up close to his body.

Inside him his wolf howled. His senses heightened. His vision grew sharper. Gripping the base of his shaft, he guided the tip toward her pink opening. She was so wet. So hot.

He pushed the head of his cock inside her and the inner muscles of her sheath closed around it. He swore and slammed home, thrusting the rest of his penis deep. She took him easily, as if she’d been made for him.

And maybe she had been. She fit him like a wet leather glove, soft and silky and tight.

He reached around her and cupped her breasts. Her nipples bore into his palms. Bethany moaned and pushed back. Quinn started to move.

Bethany lost herself. There was no other way to describe it. Heat enveloped her. Lust swamped her. Sexual longings controlled her. She was more animal than human.

She wanted. She needed. She had to have Quinn.

From the first touch of his hands on her breasts she was lost. He played her body like a master. His fingers probing, his tongue setting fire to her most sensitive flesh.

She’d come twice already. It had given her only momentary release. Instead of being allowed to wallow in her sexual release, the sensations flooding through her had only grown more intense, more demanding.

She was out of her mind with need.

Bethany could feel her wolf inside her, practically clawing to get out. It was both scary and exhilarating.

By the time Quinn rolled her over onto her stomach and helped her up onto her hands and knees she was more than ready for him to claim her. She needed his thick cock driving into her pussy, filling her, driving her over the edge. This time would be different.

But more than that, she needed Quinn. She wanted the emotional closeness, the connection with him that went beyond the physical sensations battering them both.

He spoke to her, his words lost in her haze of sexual desire. But the tone reached her. She felt his lips against her spine, tender and caring. Then his cock plowed into her hard and deep and everything reached a flashpoint.

His hands were firm as he held her breasts. The feel of his callused palms against her nipples brought her some relief. But it wasn’t enough and they both knew it.

Quinn withdrew until his cock was almost fully out of her. Then he slammed inward. Her inner muscles rippled and clutched. Her essence coated her channel and his shaft, a mixture of her cream and his seed where he’d already come once inside her.

The smell of sex permeated the air. Bethany could distinguish the musky scent of sex, the salt from their skin, the lavender soap she’d used in her shower earlier as well as the sandalwood soap Quinn had used.

She inhaled deeply, pulling it into her lungs.

Quinn withdrew and thrust deep again. She clutched at the comforter beneath her hands, gripping the material with all her might. Even the air flowing over her skin was hot, like a million fingers caressing her sensitive skin.

With each stroke, Quinn seemed to grow larger inside her. It got harder for him to forge into her and he changed tactics. Going from long strokes to short, fast ones.

He tugged at her distended nipples, drawing a groan of pleasure from her. For a woman who’d never been interested in sex, she’d certainly tapped into that part of herself.

One of Quinn’s hands dropped from her breast and went to the notch of her thighs. He found her clit and stroked it. Once. Twice. That’s all it took. Her orgasm struck with the force of a hurricane, sweeping away everything in its path.

Only Quinn’s hands on her held her up. He continued to thrust. Faster and faster even as she came undone. His cock swelled and locked inside her. He made a sound halfway between a yell and a howl as hot liquid spurted into her depths, soothing the sexual longings, settling the storm.

His mouth was hot against her nape and he nipped, using his sharp teeth to pin her down. It was a sign of dominance. She shook him once, trying to dislodge him. He growled and nipped harder, grinding his hips against her butt, reminding her without words that he was dominating her, taking her.

For a modern woman it was wrong. She was independent, a woman who stood on her own two feet.

For a female werewolf who’d just been claimed by her mate, it felt incredibly right. It was the joining of two lives. Even though the act was physical, Bethany could feel the emotional and mental chains forging between them.

Quinn was locked inside her for what seemed like forever. Finally, he stopped moving against her and released his hold on her neck. He eased her down onto the mattress with his cock still buried inside her and turned them onto their sides so she wasn’t smashed between his big body and the bed.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes. What had just occurred between them was too profound. It had been more than Bethany had expected. What this meant for their future she didn’t know.

Her breathing finally settled and she shivered as the light sheen of sweat covering her body began to evaporate. Quinn wrapped his arms more firmly around her, as though offering her his body heat.

His lips were warm and firm against her nape. His tongue laved the spot where he’d nipped her. She imagined she’d have a small bruise to show for his amorous attention.

He’d marked her as his. Not only with his cock but also with his teeth.

When he finally moved away, she wasn’t sure she was ready to face him. But she wasn’t a coward. She rolled onto her back so she could see him.

As always, he looked too damn good for her peace of mind. His big body glistened with sweat and his chest hair was damp. His cock was still semi-erect. While she watched, it twitched and started to lengthen. She shook her head with disbelief. The man was a machine.

“Bethany?”

Back to business. She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “Yes?”

“I want to show you my wolf.” That certainly wasn’t what she’d been expecting. She hadn’t seen any of the pack in wolf form. Hadn’t seen anyone transform totally into a wolf. Her only experience had been with Chrissten and Brian. Strange how she hadn’t asked and no one had pushed her.

But now the time had come. If she was going to embrace every aspect of her heritage, and she really didn’t have any choice, this was as good a beginning as any. Quinn was her mate. What that entailed exactly was anyone’s guess. She supposed they’d figure it out as they went along.

“Okay.”

Quinn rolled off the bed, his expression unreadable, except she was starting to get used to reading his subtle reactions. He retreated behind this inscrutable mask whenever he was uncertain.

Bethany sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around her legs. She didn’t try to cover herself. After what they’d just done it seemed stupid to be bashful. Plus, he was making himself vulnerable to her. It seemed only fair she do the same in return.

He stood next to the bed and waited. She gave him a nod and the transformation began almost immediately. Bones cracked and reformed. His hands morphed into paws tipped with sharp claws as he fell forward onto all fours. His skull changed shape, getting flatter on top and more rectangular than round. His jaw lengthened and fur began to cover his body.

It took only seconds and the man she’d just had the most amazing sex with was gone. In his place was a magnificent wolf. His fur was brown mixed with blond patches that matched his hair color. Thick muscles shifted and rolled as he paced silently around the room. His posture was alert, his ears erect. His mouth was open and he was panting, exposing two rows of very sharp teeth.

But it was his eyes that drew her. They were Quinn’s eyes. Pale blue and filled with a longing for something she didn’t immediately recognize. Then she knew. She understood that he wanted the same thing she did—acceptance.

“Come here.” She patted the mattress next to her. He made one leap and was beside her. “Whoa, that was quick.” He was graceful and agile and so very powerful.

She reached out her hand and then pulled it back. “Is it okay to touch you?”

“Yes.”

She jerked away when she heard the word in her head, rubbing her temple. “Did you just speak to me?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, nobody mentioned anything about hearing voices.” Bethany’s heart pounded. This was crazy.

“Mated pairs can share their thoughts when they choose. You have to be open to it. I didn’t know if it would work between us because we are half-breeds.”

That made sense to her. “I think I’d rather stick to talking out loud, at least until I get used to everything else.” As though a door between them had been closed, she felt Quinn shut her out.

She bit her bottom lip but refused to feel guilty about it. She didn’t admit to herself how much she missed the close connection either. If Quinn was determined to walk away from her once he found his sister then it would be better for her if she kept some of her protective shields in place.

Bethany reached out and stroked his flank in an offering of apology. She didn’t want him to think she didn’t accept his wolf, because she did.

“You’re gorgeous like this. So strong. So powerful.” He shifted so his head was beneath her hand. She scratched behind his ears and leaned closer, nuzzling her face against his.

She felt it then. A strange itching beneath her flesh. A prickling. A yearning.

Her wolf was trying to get out. Maybe it was her proximity to Quinn in his wolf form bringing her wolf so close to the surface. Whatever the reason, there wouldn’t be a better time to try to shift.

From what she’d been told, it happened naturally and didn’t hurt. Although from what she’d seen it seemed impossible that it wouldn’t be painful to some degree. After all, her entire body was being torn apart and put back together again but with fur, thicker and more compact bones and sharp teeth.

Better to try now when it was only her and Quinn to witness the event. She didn’t want to try it on her own in case something went wrong. She had pictures in her head of her being stuck halfway, like something out of a horror movie. She shivered with fear. She didn’t want that. Nor did she want her first time to be in front of a group of people.

Sensing her discomfort, Quinn licked her face. His tongue was rough, but his intent was clear. He wanted to comfort her.

She threw her arms around him and held on for a brief moment. “I can do this,” she told herself, speaking the words aloud for courage.

Quinn tilted his head at her and she could almost hear his question. She reminded herself she would have been able to hear him if she hadn’t shut him out.

Frowning, she rolled off the bed. She sensed Quinn starting to change and held up her hands. “No. Don’t change. I want to try this. Do you think I can?”

The enormous wolf lowered his head, nodding once.

Bethany refused to pay any attention to the doubts that plagued her. Her heart was racing like a locomotive. Her legs were trembling. But she was determined to try this.

“Here goes nothing.”

Chapter Ten

At first, nothing happened. Bethany swallowed back her disappointment. Maybe it was too soon.

Her wolf pushed at her skin and a low growl rumbled up from deep in her chest. She closed her eyes, hoping that might make the transformation easier. She saw the creature immediately. The picture in her mind was perfectly clear. The female wolf was beautiful—slender, with a graceful power that could not be denied. Her fur was varying shades of light brown. The creature’s eyes were hazel.

My eyes, she thought.

No, our eyes.

There was no difference. They were one and the same. Part of one another. Her muscles rippled and she jerked back, as though she could separate from the wolf and run away from this part of herself.

Fear ripped through her, but she quickly controlled it.

She could do this. She would do this.

Taking another deep breath, she focused on her wolf, on that other part of herself. Between one heartbeat and the next her hands began to change. Her fingers shortened and her nails lengthened.

She panted hard, desperately trying not to panic, accepting the change. Willing it to happen.

She bent over at the waist as her bones cracked and reformed. She should have been horrified by what was happening to her body, but instead was more intrigued by the entire process. It didn’t hurt. Not really. It seemed more normal than she’d imagined it would, like contorting herself into a particularly difficult yoga pose. The strangeness of it filtered through her brain even as her instincts took over and just did what needed to be done. She could feel her body actually contorting and taking on a new shape.

It happened so quickly she barely had time to begin to study the sensations rocketing through her before it was over. She was a wolf. Her new body was thickly muscled, compact and very strong.

The texture of her skin had changed. The cool air of the room no longer bothered her. Why would it? She had a thick coat of brown fur to keep her warm.

A warm muzzle rubbed against her jaw and she opened her eyes. Everything looked different. Sharper. Quinn was staring at her, concern in his pale blue eyes.

She was panting hard. Her tongue lolling out of her mouth. How unladylike was that? The thought made her laugh, but it sounded more like a chuff than a laugh. It was such a human reaction. And she was no longer totally human.

She glanced down at her forelegs, wishing she could see more of herself. Quinn circled her, sniffing her flanks, pausing between her back legs. He was sniffing her butt. She whirled around and nipped at him.

He growled and pounced on top of her, bringing her down to the floor and clamping his powerful jaws around her throat. He didn’t break the skin, didn’t hurt her, but he was certainly asserting his dominance. She growled back to let him know she wasn’t pleased.

He released her and licked at her muzzle as if in mute apology. He was fighting his wolf instincts as much as she was. She licked him back to let him know everything was okay between them.

Wolf kisses, she thought. And it made her smile.

This was so strange, yet it somehow felt right. She rolled up onto her paws and began to pace around the room. What she really wanted to do was run. But that wasn’t safe in a big city like Chicago. Maybe they could take a trip to the country sometime soon so she could test her legs. She longed to race through the woods with Quinn by her side, feeling the wind flowing over her fur.

Quinn shifted and she watched the procedure happen in reverse. Bones cracked, lengthened and reformed. His fur receded. His jaw shortened and his hands reappeared.

He was as comfortable naked as he was fully dressed and even more imposing, as if this was his natural state. He put his hands on his hips and stared at her.

She fought the urge to duck her head. She was strong and proud. She could do what she had to do and walk away when the time came.

Yes, she loved Quinn. That much was obvious to her. As impossible as it should have been in such a short time, it had still happened. There was no way she’d hold him to this mating if it wasn’t what he wanted. She wouldn’t repay his kindness, concern and understanding in that way.

“You are so beautiful.” He went down on his knees in front of her. She glided forward, feeling incredibly graceful. He rubbed his hands over her muzzle and jaw and along her head. His fingers were rough as they sifted through her fur. She shivered, craving his touch.

“Wait here.” He rose and went to the bathroom. He returned a moment later with a handheld shaving mirror. He held it down low. “Look at yourself. See how incredible you are.”

Bethany stared at the reflection of the wolf in the mirror. She looked exactly as she’d thought she would, exactly as she’d seen herself in her mind. The eyes that stared back belonged to her, but everything else was different. It was mind-blowing to look at the image in the mirror and know it was her.

Her fur was several shades of medium to light brown. Nothing special. Not like Quinn’s coloring. She wouldn’t have minded a cool blond streak or a flash of brown. But still, she thought she looked good. The hell with good. She was a freaking wolf. How cool was that.

Her body was extremely different, more compact and sturdy than her human form. She was stronger, her senses ramped up to amazing heights. She could hear traffic on the street, smell the chicken Teague was frying in the kitchen several stories below. It was almost overwhelming.

She turned one way and then another, trying to get a better view in the mirror. Quinn’s chuckle brought her back around. If she’d been in her human form, she knew she’d be blushing. As it was, she was still disconcerted.

“You look gorgeous,” he reassured her. “All sleek and supple muscle.” His voice grew deeper with each word he spoke. “How about you change back so I can show you just how beautiful I think you are?”

She shivered with growing desire. Knowing she’d never be able to shift with him staring at her, she closed her eyes. It was easier this time. She simply allowed the change to wash over her. It was natural and easy and a part of her. She and the wolf were one and the same.

The floor was cool beneath her bare butt. Her limbs felt more unwieldy, less powerful, even though she knew she was much stronger than the average human. Even more so now that she’d made her first change.

She blinked and closed her eyes again, slightly woozy at the sudden transition. The sights, smells and sounds faded back to a manageable level, but they were still more intense than they’d been before she’d changed. It seemed her transition had changed both her forms—human and wolf—making her more powerful in every way.

Adrenaline pumped through her body. Joy flooded her veins. “I did it.” She opened her eyes to find Quinn smiling down at her.

“You certainly did.” He said it as though he’d never had a doubt in the world. His faith in her made her heart swell. “Come here.” He reached down and helped her stand.

They were face-to-face, stomach-to-stomach. His erection prodded her belly. The heat from his body enveloped her. He took her hand and led her back to the bed.

He pulled down the covers and lay back on the mattress. “I took you, claimed you as my mate. Now it’s your turn to claim me.”

Bethany licked her lips. Oh, how she wanted this man. He was everything she’d ever wanted in a boyfriend, husband or mate. Whatever the name was didn’t matter. Quinn was loyal, honest, strong, intelligent and handsome as sin. He was also stubborn and relentless.

She was under no illusions that he was perfect. But then again, she didn’t want perfect. She wouldn’t be able to live up to that standard. She was as flawed as the next person.

All she’d ever wanted was someone to love and accept her. Quinn accepted her and cared for her, but long-lasting, forever love didn’t seem to be in the cards. After all, he’d already talked about letting her go, not the words of a man who was in love. But that was okay. She’d never regret their time together. And who knew, maybe he’d have a change of heart. No matter what happened between them, she decided she would have no regrets.

He was her first, last and only love. She knew that in her heart and decided to take full advantage of their time together.

She climbed onto the bed next to him and placed her hands on his chest. He sucked in a deep breath and his shaft jerked. He was as turned on as she was. It was a powerful feeling to control all this male strength beneath her hands, to know she was the one in charge.

The high from her first shift into her wolf hadn’t worn off yet either and it was heightening all her senses. The sensation would probably dissipate in time, but somehow she thought it might never completely fade away. She couldn’t imagine ever taking something that magical for granted.

She straddled his thighs to make it easier for her to touch him. His muscles were thick slabs that rippled when she touched them. His broad shoulders appeared positively enormous against the plain white sheets.

Her breasts ached for his touch so she grasped his hands with hers and brought them to the tender mounds. “Touch me,” she commanded.

“Whatever you want.” Quinn cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumb over her straining nipples. The heat that had dissipated deep inside her suddenly roared back to life. Moisture gathered between her thighs and her core began to pulse with a growing need to have him inside her once again.

She wanted to reconfirm their mating, but this time she wanted to see his face. There was no time to waste.

She rose up on her knees and leaned into his touch. His hands covered her breasts completely. They were so large and strong, capable of great violence, yet always so gentle with her.

Reaching down, she circled his cock and guided it toward her entrance. As she eased down, the thick head pushed inside. Bethany moaned, loving the way he stretched her snug channel to the limits, bringing her immense pleasure.

She watched him, her eyes never leaving his as she lowered herself the rest of the way. It was harder than she expected. Her inner muscles were still swollen and tender from their last bout of lovemaking.

Quinn gripped her hips. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

His concern sent a flood of moisture from her core and made her heart skip a beat. “You won’t,” she promised.

He nodded and slid his hands back up to her breasts, showing he trusted her to set the pace. He circled the mounds, making her nipples pucker even tighter.

Their joining wasn’t enough. His hands on her body weren’t enough. She needed to kiss him, to feel his lips against hers, to share their breath, the essence of life.

Bethany leaned down and traced his bottom lip with her tongue. He tasted warm and spicy. Masculine. She did the same with his top lip.

His cock swelled inside her, pushing deeper with the change in angle. He wrapped his arms around her and she felt surrounded by his big body and his caring.

His lips parted on a sigh and she teased the inside of his mouth. He groaned. One of his hands slid up her back to cup the back of her head, to hold her steady as he deepened the kiss.

Oh yes, this was what she wanted. Their tongues twined and teased. Their breath mingled. The kiss started out slowly, an exploration. It was like eating good dark chocolate. You wanted to do it slowly to enjoy every taste, every sensation.

Soon, that wasn’t enough. Both of them needed more.

Bethany moaned when Quinn tilted her head to one side to get a better angle. His tongue surged deep. He kissed her like doing so was the most essential thing in his world.

His cock throbbed deep in her core. She wanted to move but didn’t want to stop kissing Quinn. She rubbed her aching nipples against his chest, loving the feel of the crisp hair against them.

He surged upward until they were both sitting upright in bed. His cock pushed inward until there was no way he could go any farther. He was impossibly deep inside her and she knew she’d always remember this special moment. She gripped his shoulders for support as he continued to steal her breath.

She belonged to him and he belonged to her.

Neither of them spoke, unwilling to stop kissing long enough to do so. The moment was beyond words, beyond speech.

Quinn gripped her hips and lifted her slightly before dropping her back down. It was only an inch or two but it was enough to have her inner muscles clamping down on his shaft, begging for release.

He released her mouth and buried his face in the curve of her neck. “Bethany.” Her name was torn from him. His need was hers and hers was his. It was an endless cycle that went up and up and up until there was nowhere else to go.

Her climax started deep in her core and exploded outward, enveloping every cell in her body. She screamed his name, clinging tight to his broad shoulders, letting him anchor her in the sensual storm.

His cock rippled and moisture flooded her sheath. His orgasm sent her spiraling out of control again. Her body shook and shivered, taking a long time to come down from the high.

Quinn eased back down onto the bed, taking her with him. His semi-erect cock slipped from within her. She immediately missed the connection between them.

When she shivered, he gripped one edge of the covers and flipped them over her. It wasn’t perfect but it was enough for now.

He stroked her hair away from her face and she nuzzled his chest, loving the closeness in the aftermath of their lovemaking. She was totally sated and relaxed. The yawn took her by surprise. It was no wonder she was tired. It had been another long day.

“My life changed when Chrissten was kidnapped.”

Bethany stilled, resting her hand over Quinn’s heart. The steady thud was reassuring. She had a bad feeling about what he was about to say, but knew it was useless to try to stop him. Whatever he wanted to tell her, she needed to hear.

Settling more comfortably in his arms, she waited.

Quinn wanted to wallow in the aftermath of their lovemaking. He couldn’t call it sex because it was so much more than that. He loved the feel of her in his arms, warm and trusting. For the first time in his life the restlessness that had always been such a part of him was still and quiet. He was content.

And it was all a lie.

Bethany had to know the truth about him. It shamed him that he hadn’t told her before mating with her. She had no idea what kind of man he was. But it was time to tell her. He couldn’t go on this way.

He wanted to love her and keep her safe for their rest of their lives. But their mating wasn’t real and true because she didn’t know everything about him, about all the blood on his hands, the dark deeds he’d done.

Would she be lying in his arms if she knew?

His grip automatically tightened around her and he made himself relax his hold. He couldn’t keep her if she wanted to go. He couldn’t offer her much of a life right now. He couldn’t settle anywhere and make a home until he had his sister back. That much was a given. Wherever the search took him and for however long it took, he wouldn’t stop. What woman would want to commit to that? His search could go on for years.

He had to tell her the truth.

“My life changed when Chrissten was kidnapped.” He sensed the immediate change in Bethany. Her body was no longer relaxed but tense and alert. She seemed almost resigned to what he was about to say. He wondered what she was thinking.

She was amazing. He was still in awe of how easily she’d made her first change. A lot of half-breeds had trouble that first time. He’d fought it himself when he’d made his first shift into his wolf.

And she was so beautiful in her wolf form, all sleek muscle and thick fur. Delicate. Elegant. Strong. Was it any wonder he wanted her?

His wolf had wanted to howl with pleasure. Only the knowledge that such an act would bring everyone in the place running to the bedroom door allowed him to hold it in. He didn’t want anyone to interrupt his time with Bethany.

He stroked her hair, loving the way the silky strands slid through his fingers. “We knew what we were. My mother sat us down when we were in our teens and told us everything she knew about our father and werewolves in general. We thought she’d lost her mind.”

“It must have been difficult for all of you.”

Quinn ran his hand down her back and over her arm. “Not as difficult as things have been for you. You got all this dumped on you along with being kidnapped.” He kissed the top of her head. “You’re an amazing woman, Bethany.”

Her quiet, “Thank you,” made his heart constrict.

“It took me three tries to make my first change.” He knew he was avoiding the topic he needed to talk about. He’d get there eventually. First, he wanted to praise Bethany, to let her know how damn special she was.

She stirred in his arms and raised her head to look at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “Truly. Even though I knew what I was, I was resistant to the change, to being out of control. I think it was even harder because Chris couldn’t make the change with me.”

Bethany nodded and he pressed her head back down to his chest, wanting to regain the feeling of closeness. She went with a sigh and snuggled against him.

“Craig was a great help even though he was only a kid. He went on the Internet and hacked into paranormal bounty hunter websites getting all kinds of information.”

“He does have a way with computers.”

Quinn chuckled at the wry understatement. “He certainly does.” He stared at the ceiling, trying to order his thoughts. “I’d barely made my first change when Chris was kidnapped. I was angry and wild with grief. I mean, she was stronger than most humans, had keener senses and was street smart. I couldn’t understand how this could have happened to her.”

“It happens more easily than you think.” He heard the pain in her voice and wanted to kick his own ass for reminding her of her kidnapping. But it was essential he tell her everything. He’d already proven what a bastard he was by mating her without telling her everything she needed to know about him.

“I’m sorry,” he offered, the words totally inadequate. “I know this is hard for you.”

Bethany shivered and he held her closer, pulling the edge of the comforter more snugly over her shoulders. He knew she needed a hot shower to ease the aches she was going to have from all the vigorous sex they’d had. She also needed time to assimilate everything that had happened between them. But he knew if he didn’t tell her about himself now he might never find the courage to do so again.

“The only thing I could think of was that maybe the bounty hunters had taken her. I had no idea how they knew what she was. But we knew who they were. I figured maybe one of them was keeping tabs on us all those years, watching to see if we were human or half-breeds.”

“Makes sense.”

He nodded. The sky was lightening outside the window and dawn was close at hand. With it came obligations and responsibilities. He wanted it to remain night forever so he could stay here with Bethany in his arms.

“With the help of Craig’s research and computer skills, I was able to infiltrate the bounty hunters. It took a long time, months.”

Bethany tensed but he didn’t stop. He had to get all of this out now. “I worked with several groups of them, trying to find any scrap of information about a female half-breed.” He took a deep breath and forged ahead. “I killed several pureblooded werewolves, the kind that kill any half-breed they find. They don’t want the bloodlines diluted and think of us as mongrel dogs to be put down.”

Anger welled up inside him. “I don’t regret it.” And he didn’t, even though it had stained his soul. “I knew they’d kill Chris if they came across her. It gave me one less thing to worry about.”

“What about other werewolves?”

He tried to ignore how rigid Bethany was in his arms. He held her tight, not wanting her to run from him until he was done, knowing he’d release her if she fought him.

“I helped this pack when they were being targeted by the bounty hunters. I didn’t want any innocents hurt.” He could still remember turning his weapon on one of the men he’d worked with for months in order to save Isaiah’s life. It had been a calculated gamble on his part. He’d always walked the razor’s edge between doing what he knew was right and not getting caught by the bounty hunters. They’d have killed him in a split second if they’d known what he was.

“That’s why they’re helping you now?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure. I think they’d have helped us anyway. They’re good folks.”

He needed her to understand what his life had been like. “I was with the bounty hunters for more than a year. I had almost no contact with Craig. I killed people, Bethany. Purist werewolves and bounty hunters. And I’m not sorry. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if I thought it would help me find Chris. The only thing I regret is wasting all that time not knowing it was neither of those groups that had taken her.”

He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Christ. Who would have thought it would be some crazy human scientist and a fanatical werewolf who had her? I can’t stop looking. Won’t stop. Not until I find Chris and bring her home.”

It was done. He’d told her everything. Now she knew all the blood that was on his hands.

“I should have told you this before we mated. I’m sorry for that.” They were the hardest words he’d ever uttered, but he said them. For her. “I’ll let you go when this is all done. I won’t hold you. You’ll be able to build a life of your own.”

Away from all the violence and bloodshed that had consumed his life. He didn’t say the words aloud. Didn’t have to. She would have been better off with one of the other males. At least they’d never lived a lie, not like he had.

The thought of her being with another male was like a dagger in his heart. It made him want to kill whatever male touched her.

Further proof that he wasn’t good enough for her.

Bethany stirred in his arms. He didn’t want to hear what she had to say, but there was no going back.

“Quinn,” she began.

A loud pounding came on the door, startling them both. He jerked his head toward the noise. Craig. Quinn could smell his brother’s fear and excitement. He jumped out of bed and strode to the door, ignoring the fact he was naked.

He yanked open the door. Craig’s eyes widened as they took in his nude state, but he averted his eyes so he wasn’t looking in the room. “Damek just called. He has a lead but dawn is too close. We’re leaving in five minutes.”

“I’ll be ready.” He shut the door and reached for his jeans.

Bethany jumped out of bed and raced for the bathroom, grabbing her clothing as she went. “Don’t leave without me.”

He stared at the closed door. Everything was different between them now. He’d gotten a reprieve, but it wouldn’t last. They’d have to talk when they came back home. No, not home. This wasn’t home for either of them. He couldn’t forget that. He was only here for as long as he knew his sister was in Chicago. If they moved her, he was gone.

And maybe the time for talking was done. Maybe it was better this way. He knew he needed to set Bethany free. He wasn’t worthy of her love, had already let down the other woman in his life, his twin sister. It was time to distance himself from Bethany, set her free to have the kind of life she deserved.

His chest ached as his heart slowly broke. Strange, he hadn’t thought he’d had much left to break, thought Chrissten’s kidnapping had numbed that vital organ permanently. Obviously, he’d been wrong. He swiped at the moisture gathering in his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. Fuck, this was no time to fall apart.

This was his chance to man up and do what was right. Bethany deserved the best life had to offer and he loved her enough to set her free. Maybe his sacrifice would help clear the stain from his soul. Even though he knew it was the right thing to do it was killing him to even consider letting Bethany go.

He shoved aside all his problems for now to focus on Chris. Hope began to build inside him. Maybe this was the time he found her. He sat on the edge of the bed and laced on his sneakers.

The bathroom door flew open and Bethany hurried out. She was dressed and both her face and hair was damp. She didn’t look at him, keeping her face averted.

He wanted to go to her and take her into his arms and reassure her that everything would be all right. Instead, he made the conscious decision to leave the silent wall between them. It would be easier on both of them in the long run.

His wolf howled in protest.

He ignored the beast, grabbed his shirt and yanked it on as he left the room. “Come on. We don’t want to keep the others waiting.”

Chapter Eleven

Bethany felt sweaty and sticky even though she’d had a quick wash. What she needed was a long, hot shower and time to digest everything that had happened in the past few hours.

She ached for Quinn. For everything he’d been through. For all the tough decisions he’d had to make. He’d killed people—bounty hunters and other werewolves. She was still trying to wrap her mind around that.

She found herself thrust into a new world where all the rules had changed. It was tough to reconcile. Only a month ago she would have considered him a killer, a criminal. His actions would be enough for any human court of law to convict and sentence him to a lengthy jail term. But she wasn’t human, and in the reality she now inhabited he was a hero. The sacrifices he’d made in order to find his sister, to help save other half-breed werewolves were mind-blowing. His inner strength and sense of honor was stronger than steel and sharper than any blade.

What she did know for sure was she loved Quinn. For better or worse. And she had the feeling it was going to get much worse. It might never get any better.

She was continuously getting mixed signals from him. Did he want to be mated to her? Was he trying to be noble, thinking she wouldn’t want him because of the hard choices he’d made in his life? Or had he mated with her because he thought he owed her because she’d given him the best lead he’d gotten in the search for his sister. She already knew he had a deep sense of honor. She didn’t want to be an obligation, nothing more than a burden to him.

Her thoughts were whirling and there was no time to sort them out. The city flew by as the pack drove in an SUV and a van toward the address Damek had sent them.

Quinn was sitting beside her but he might as well be on the other side of the world he was so distant and cold, a cold and merciless predator ready to hunt. Craig tapped his fingers against his legs and stared out the window. She wanted to scream to release the maelstrom of emotions swirling inside her. Instead, she twined her fingers together until her knuckles went white.

Isaiah drove the SUV with Meredith beside him. He said nothing but Bethany could feel the waves of anger and power rolling off him, filling the small space until every muscle in her body was twitching. The rest of the pack followed behind them in the van.

The vehicles sped through the relatively quiet city streets. Dawn was barely upon them, which made traffic lighter. The “L” rumbled on its tracks, taking early morning commuters to work. The buildings soon changed, going from prosperous to slightly rundown to downright derelict. Like every major city, Chicago had its vibrant areas and those that time had forgotten.

Beside her, Quinn practically vibrated with barely suppressed energy. His entire focus was on reaching their destination. Bethany wanted to touch him, to put her hand on his back and offer her silent support, but she didn’t feel as though she had the right. It didn’t matter that they were mated now—a fact that hadn’t been lost on any of the single males when she and Quinn had joined the others downstairs in the bar.

It was mortifying to remember Michael sniffing the air and glaring at Quinn before giving him a nod of reluctant acceptance. Benjamin and Kevin had both growled at Quinn. Isaiah had raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Meredith had offered a reassuring smile. They could smell him all over her. He’d marked her as his.

It was downright primitive and, if she was being honest with herself, a bit of a turn on too. She was so confused.

But she had to put her own embarrassment and needs behind her. Chrissten was out there and needed their help. Quinn didn’t need his attention divided at a time like this. Who knew what they were going to be up against?

“Almost there.” Isaiah slowed the SUV and pulled in next to an abandoned building. He shut off the vehicle and turned to face them all. “It’s in the next block. I didn’t want to park too close in case they’ve got a lookout or some kind of security system. Damek didn’t say anything about one, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

Quinn opened the door and stepped out into the early morning. The brisk air wrapped around them and she took a deep breath to try to settle herself. This was it. If luck was on their side they’d soon have Chrissten back.

And then what will I do?

The question shamed her. She shouldn’t be thinking about herself right now. This was about her friend. Quinn’s sister. “What’s the plan?” She was determined to be included.

The dark van pulled up behind them and the rest of the family climbed out. Isaiah nodded at them as they all came to circle around him. It was strange to feel like a part of such a united group, like she had a place with them.

“Teague and Craig will stay here with Neema and Bethany in case the bastards slip away from us.” Isaiah glanced around the buildings. “Plus, I don’t think the vehicles will still be here when we return if we don’t set a guard on them.”

Isaiah might be right, but it still burned Bethany not to be included. She knew he was leaving her and Neema behind because they weren’t as strong as the others. Teague was the obvious choice of male to stay with them because he would protect his mate with his life. Craig was being left behind because he was human and no match for whatever they’d come up against.

“Stay in human form when you’re outside,” Isaiah instructed. “The last thing we need is for one of us to end up on the front page of the newspaper or posted on the Internet while we’re in our wolf form.” They all nodded, understanding how that could adversely affect their lives. Everyone seemed to have a cell phone with a camera these days. Secrecy was paramount for their survival.

“Let’s go.” Quinn started down the street without a backward glance. Bethany’s chest ached at how easily she was forgotten by him. She didn’t expect him to kiss her in front of everyone, but a smile or a light squeeze of her hand wouldn’t have killed him.

They’d just mated. And even though she’d known going in it probably wasn’t for forever, she still felt raw.

A male hand brushed over her hair. Startled, she turned to find Michael behind her. “If he doesn’t treat you right…” He let his words trail off, the rest of his offer unspoken.

Bethany didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing.

Quinn chose that moment to whirl around. He glared at Michael and bared his teeth. When he looked at her she could see the accusation of betrayal written there. She squared her shoulders and glared back at him. She hadn’t done anything wrong and refused to feel guilty for simply listening to Michael.

Michael dropped his hand by his side and continued on. Quinn turned back around and kept walking. Once again she was completely dismissed. She watched as the men and Meredith disappeared down the road, circling a rundown building. It was three stories high, but Bethany would bet anything that if Chrissten and her captors were there, they’d be in the basement. Less chance of her escaping from there.

A shiver coursed down her spine and she prayed they weren’t too late to find Chrissten.

“Keep your fucking hands off my woman,” Quinn warned Michael as he came alongside.

“Or what?” Michael shrugged. “For a newly mated female she didn’t look very happy. You didn’t even speak to her before you left.”

Quinn felt guilty about that, but he was trying to do what was right. She was too gentle for him, too kind-hearted. In spite of everything she’d been through, there was an air of innocence about her that drew him even as he knew he didn’t deserve to touch such a prize.

“What’s between Bethany and me is private. You stay the fuck away from her.”

As much as he didn’t deserve her, he didn’t want Michael to have her either. He couldn’t bear the thought of another male holding her in his arms, kissing her, discovering what made her sigh and what made her scream with pleasure.

He was totally fucked up.

A low growl broke from his chest and he began to sweat. His wolf was snarling inside him, ready to pounce on anyone who touched his mate.

He shook his head and focused his attention on the building ahead of him. He’d deal with the problems between him and Bethany later. Right now, all that mattered was his sister.

According to Damek, she was inside. He inhaled deeply, trying to catch her scent. Nothing.

Beside him, Michael did the same.

Hank prowled ahead, taking the point. The man moved swiftly and quietly, becoming one with the shadows. Isaiah was just behind him with Meredith by his side. Benjamin and Kevin brought up the rear.

The silent, deadly group began to move in on the building. Quinn said a prayer of hope as he eased in through a broken window. He inhaled and caught a musky scent. Not his sister, but definitely a wolf. They were on the right track.

Hope flared in his chest, but he tamped it down. He’d been disappointed too many times before. He wouldn’t celebrate until he had Chrissten safe.

Beside him, Michael pointed toward a stairway to their left. It went down. That was good enough for him. He knew they’d most likely be in the basement even though the entire building would have to be checked.

The two of them eased down the narrow stairs. He took the lead. Both of them had 9mms in their hands. Isaiah had given them the weapons before they’d left the bar with the instructions to shoot to kill. Not that Quinn needed any instruction. He was good at killing.

Regular bullets wouldn’t kill a werewolf, but the ones in these guns were specially coated in silver and would slowly poison any werewolf if they weren’t immediately removed. They weren’t messing around and taking the chance of letting any rogue werewolves escape. These males had kidnapped a female and had to pay for their actions.

But the guns were to be used only as a last resort. The sound of gunfire would be heard from the street and they didn’t want to attract unwanted attention from the authorities. That wouldn’t help anyone.

Dust stirred the air around them, tickling Quinn’s nose. He strained his ears, trying to hear a sound. Something. Anything.

The place felt deserted.

A lump of dread practically closed his throat. He tightened his grip on his weapon and turned the corner at the bottom of the wooden stairs, keeping his back to the wall. Behind him, Michael followed, silent and ready.

A slight stirring of the air had Quinn whirling to the left, gun raised and ready. Hank held up his hand and pointed to the right. Damn, the guy was silent when he moved. He looked more like a soldier than any of them with his short-cropped hair and icy blue eyes. He exuded a deadly sense of determination.

Quinn was suddenly overwhelmed by the support these people had given him. Without even knowing Chrissten, they were ready to lay their lives down for her.

Hank ghosted by him and headed down a narrow hallway. He kept his back to the wall, searching each room as he went by to make sure it was clear.

Quinn moved up beside Hank, keeping his eyes and weapon trained ahead of them while Michael watched their backs. Most of the rooms were dirty and largely empty. But several showed signs of usage. There was a table and some lab equipment. The remainders of a meal. A cot with a sleeping bag tossed on it.

On the immediate right of the corridor was a door with a lock. Quinn’s heart leapt when he saw the shiny new lock lying on the floor amid the dirt and dust of years.

He leapt toward the door and flung it open. Several blankets were heaped on the floor. He stumbled toward them and fell to his knees. He fisted his hands in the thin material and held it to his face. He could smell his sister.

Behind him, Hank was still, but Quinn knew he was there. He looked up at the other male. “We missed them.”

Hank said nothing, but Quinn could feel his quiet fury.

Michael stuck his head in the room. “They’re not long gone. There’s a coffeepot in the next room and it’s still warm.”

Quinn jumped to his feet and raced from the room. Maybe it wasn’t too late. He took the stairs three at a time with Hank and Michael behind him. While Michael took the time to call out to the others, Quinn and Hank hit the street.

“You go right,” he told Hank. The other male took off without hesitation, like a bloodhound on hunt.

Quinn went left, sniffing the air as he went. If he could only catch her scent. Or even that of the other male. His heart was racing and there was a roaring in his head. He was so close.

He could hear the others pouring from the building and fanning out to search. He kept his gaze on his surroundings, scanning, looking for anything that might lead him to his sister. Several homeless people slept beneath a makeshift cardboard lean-to. Another huddled by a dumpster desperately trying not to be noticed.

It was difficult to try and pull Chrissten’s scent from the air, which was filled with the exhaust from vehicles, garbage from the dumpsters and the stench of human urine, sweat and vomit. City smells. He could pass within a dozen feet of his sister and possible miss her.

His chest tightened even as he fought his growing despair. He couldn’t lose her. Not this time.

A white van whizzed by the top of an alleyway. Quinn ran toward it, legs pumping, but it was gone before he could catch it. He managed to catch part of the license plate. Maybe it was nothing, but he’d have Craig check it out later.

He was about to turn back down the alley when a scream echoed in his head. He jerked around as panic flooded through him. Bethany. She was in danger.

The mating link between them flared to life like a warning system. He knew she didn’t know how to use it, how to reach out to him. He’d closed the mental door between them when she’d asked him to, but that didn’t matter. Her terror broke down the barrier and reached through to him, galvanizing him to action.

Nostrils flaring, blood pumping, he raced toward the vehicles where he’d left her, praying he wasn’t about to lose another woman he loved. His search for his sister had taken him away from Bethany rather than toward her.

He heard them before he saw them. Bethany’s scream chilled his blood and Craig’s yell had him pushing himself past his limits. His lungs burned and his muscles strained and still he drove harder. He had to get to his family. Had to protect his mate and his brother.

He sprinted around the corner and found Bethany and the others under attack by two huge wolves. Saliva dripped from their jaws as they growled and cornered Teague. In spite of Isaiah’s orders, he’d partially shifted and was swiping at his attackers with razor-sharp claws. Neema was trying to get to her mate and Craig was desperately trying to get both women behind him even though both of them, with their wolf blood, were stronger than he was.

Quinn didn’t hesitate. To hell with keeping a low profile. His mate was in trouble.

He raised his weapon and fired, sending silver bullets flying toward the two large beasts, trying to distract them as much as hit them. One of them yelped as a bullet grazed him, but the other one managed to get out of the way in time to avoid being hit.

These were pureblood werewolves. They were incredibly fast and strong. Quinn started to change as he raced toward them, allowing his wolf to take over. He yanked off his shirt and threw it aside. At the last possible second, he tossed his gun toward Teague. “Catch.”

Teague quickly shifted back to full human form, snagged the weapon out of thin air and backed away from the beasts to place himself in front of the women and Craig.

His wolf surged forward. He managed to shed the last of his clothing just in time. He met the largest of the wolves head-on. The beast was huge with pitiless black eyes. He tried to clamp his jaw around Quinn’s neck so he could snap it. There was no doubt he could do it too.

At the last second, Quinn twisted aside and kicked at his opponent. He heard several more shots being fired and knew Teague was keeping the other wolf off him.

This wasn’t good. Even in this derelict area of the city someone would eventually call the cops. They couldn’t afford to have the authorities involved. The need for secrecy was paramount.

Head down and growling with fury, Quinn faced the other wolf. No way was he letting this beast anywhere near Bethany. She was his. To love and protect. His woman. His mate.

The wolf leaped again and the sheer weight of him took Quinn down. He rolled and managed to get free, but not before the larger wolf snapped at his foreleg. Sharp fangs scraped over skin and Quinn could smell blood, coppery and warm as it rolled down his leg. Thankfully, the beast missed the bone and the wound was only a surface one. He didn’t know if he’d be that lucky next time the wolf struck.

He caught a glimpse of Bethany struggling to shift in order to help him. Her nails turned into claws and then back into hands. Her jaw elongated and shrunk again. Shifting was too new for her to be able to do it on command under such extreme circumstances. It didn’t matter that her first change had come easily. Emotions affected everything and she still thought of herself as more human than wolf. The change came much easier to purebloods than to half-breeds.

Undaunted, Bethany screamed and surged forward. She bent down and grabbed a piece of rusty pipe off the ground, clasping it in her hands like a baseball bat. She swung at the large wolf but it ducked and the pipe whooshed over its head. The beast snarled at her.

Fury the likes of which he’d never known exploded inside Quinn. He leapt at the other wolf, landing on its back. They rolled across the ground in a snarling, snapping heap of fur and teeth.

Suddenly the beast pulled away, turned and ran. Quinn started to give chase but Bethany’s cry stopped him. He turned back around to find her kneeling on the ground, the pipe abandoned beside her.

The rest of their group was racing toward them. Quinn quickly glanced down the street, but both werewolves were gone. And with them, his chance to find his sister.

He tilted back his head and howled his grief. Beyond him, he could see Craig, his brother’s face filled with despair. They’d been so close. But they’d lost her.

Isaiah opened the back door of the van. “Get in. The cops are on their way.” Sirens screamed in the distance.

Bethany climbed into the van and Quinn jumped in beside her. It was Craig who thought to gather Quinn’s clothing, the spent bullet casings and even the pipe that Bethany had used as a weapon. Her fingerprints would be all over it and they didn’t want to leave anything behind that would lead the cops to their door.

And speaking of weapons. He glanced toward Teague and sighed with relief when he saw his 9mm tucked safely away. The van pulled away and he allowed the change to take him. The shift back from wolf to man wasn’t physically painful, but it was emotionally devastating. It represented his inability to rescue his sister. Being a werewolf wasn’t helping in his search for her. As a half-breed, he wasn’t as strong as a pureblood. He’d failed Chrissten yet again. And he’d almost failed Bethany.

“Your arm is bleeding.”

He shrugged off his brother’s concern as Craig handed him his clothing and he pulled on his jeans and sneakers. He took his shirt and wrapped it around the gash in his arm. “It’s nothing. Just a scratch.” Their gazes met and Quinn could see the tears in Craig’s eyes. His brother’s disappointment hit him with the force of a sledgehammer.

He didn’t want to look at Bethany but couldn’t help himself. She was sitting beside him, her back against the wall of the van. Her legs were pulled up close to her chest and she had her arms wrapped around them and her face buried against her knees.

She was shaking.

God, his life was a mess. He’d let down the two women he loved most in the world. Chris was still missing and Bethany had almost been recaptured. He didn’t doubt for a moment that had been the goal of the purebloods. Once the males were taken down they could have easily subdued the two half-breed females. It ate at his guts to know he’d almost allowed that to happen to her. Only pure luck and Teague’s willingness to fight the two stronger wolves had given him time to get there. The rogue wolves had run off when the rest of the pack had arrived, taking with them any knowledge of Chris.

He wanted to touch Bethany, to reassure himself she was unhurt. It might be selfish of him considering the wall he’d put up between them after their mating, but he needed to feel her warmth and smell her sweet scent.

Teague held his wife in his lap, running his hands over her back and arms as if to reassure himself she was okay. Kevin and Hank kept their gazes averted, both lost in their own thoughts. Craig stared out the back window. Michael was driving the van with his brother sitting beside him, but he knew they were as aware of Bethany as he was.

In the close confines of the van it was impossible not to smell her musky, seductive scent. Where she’d only had time for a quick wash she stilled smelled like sex, like him.

He put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. “Everything is okay.” The words were meaningless but he had to say something.

She shook her head and didn’t speak. None of them did. A deep sense of failure settled over the group. When they finally parked in the alley behind Haven, Quinn was more than ready for some time alone. But it wasn’t to be. Not yet.

They trooped into the large kitchen. Teague went straight to work putting on a pot of coffee while Neema pulled out several large skillets. The last thing Quinn wanted was breakfast, but maybe Bethany was hungry. He worried about her. She was still too thin from her ordeal.

He swallowed hard as thoughts of his sister threatened to choke him. What about Chrissten? Was she hungry? Scared? Had she given up hope? So many questions without answers.

Isaiah and Meredith faced the group. Anger radiated from the alpha male. Was he angry about Quinn shifting in public? Too bad if he was. If they wanted him to leave, he would. And he’d take Craig and Bethany with him.

That is if she’d even go with him. So far, she hadn’t so much as looked at him. But why would she? He’d failed his sister again and put Bethany in danger. Some mate he was.

Frustration ate at him as fury fueled him.

“We obviously missed them by minutes. Did you recognize either wolf?” The question was fired at Bethany. Quinn bristled at Isaiah’s tone and moved to stand behind his mate, resting his hands on her shoulders for support.

He was surprised when she nodded. “Yes. The larger one. The one Quinn fought with. That’s Brian.”

His fingers tightened, digging into Bethany’s shoulders until he felt her flinch. He rubbed the abused skin in mute apology. Brian. He didn’t doubt the bastard has raped his sister. He knew Bethany thought so too even though Chrissten had never confirmed it to her. The fact that his sister could shift into her wolf was confirmation enough that some wolf had taken her. And since Brian was the doctor’s assistant it stood to reason he was the bastard who’d done it. He wished he’d been able to kill him when he’d had the chance.

“I don’t think the other male will make it.” Teague was busy breaking eggs into a large bowl. For a guy who looked more like a gang member, the half-breed was a whiz in the kitchen. Already he had several skillets filled with bacon and onions. “I shot him at least three times with those silver bullets. Once in the chest. And Quinn had already hit him.”

“Good.” Isaiah nodded. “Anyone else have anything helpful to add?”

“I do.” Quinn turned to his brother. “I got a partial plate on a white van that left the area in a hurry. Don’t know if it’s related to our search, but it couldn’t hurt to look.” He rattled off what he had and Craig nodded.

“If no one needs me, I’m off to run this.” When Isaiah inclined his head, Craig took off for the office.

“The rest of us need to shower and get some rest.” Meredith was in full mothering mode as she shooed them toward the door. “Come down and get something to eat before you settle down to sleep.

She paused beside Quinn. “Don’t worry. We’ll find her. Damek will be back on the hunt at nightfall.” Meredith patted his arm and then hugged Bethany. “If you need me I’ll be in my apartment,” she told the younger woman.

Bethany nodded her thanks, clinging to Meredith a few seconds longer before releasing her. “I’m going upstairs now.” Bethany made her announcement to the room at large. She glanced his way and he could see the indecision written on her face. She didn’t ask him to go with her when she left.

He watched her go, feeling the condemnation of all the other males in the room. Isaiah stood, arms crossed over his chest. “That’s a good female. A male would have to be crazy not to cherish her as she deserves.”

He bristled at the criticism even though he knew Isaiah was right. But he was trying to do what was right for her. Wasn’t he? But he was also being a jerk. They’d just mated and hadn’t even had time to talk about it before they’d run out of here to search for his sister. Bethany needed him, if only to talk. And God help him, he wanted to be there for her.

“There are other males who’d be more than happy to cherish her,” Michael added.

Quinn growled at the male. “Until she decides otherwise, Bethany is mine.” With that parting shot, he headed upstairs. He couldn’t stay away from her any longer. They had to talk.

Hot tears flowed down Chrissten’s cheeks. Normally she didn’t allow herself to cry. It was a weakness she couldn’t afford. If she gave in to despair she might never find her way out of it again.

Brian had come rushing into her cell, subduing and drugging her easily. They were feeding her less and less these days and the doctor seemed to be drawing more blood for his experiments. As a result, she was getting weaker and more lethargic.

There were other wolves coming their way. Hope had leapt wildly in her chest and she’d struggled in Brian’s arms, but with the drug already working in her veins she hadn’t been able to do much. Dr. Morton had ordered Brian to take her straight to the van. She had a vague memory of cool air brushing across her face like a lover’s caress and then darkness had closed in around her. She’d scented several wolves, including her beloved twin brother. Quinn had been so close.

He hadn’t found her in time.

Beyond her new prison she could hear Brian yelling at Dr. Morton, ordering him to save his friend, his pack mate. Chrissten had always been aware there was at least one other male wolf involved with the doctor, possibly more. This only confirmed it.

She strained to hear their conversation.

“I don’t think I can do anything. Those bullets are coated in silver. The poison is already going through his system. The one in his chest is the worst. The poison is too close to his heart. I’ll remove them but that’s all I can do.” She could hear metal against metal as the doctor set up his instruments.

“Just do it.” Something smashed against a wall and she knew Brian had thrown some object.

“It’s his own fault for attacking the other pack. You should have just left them.”

A tinkle of metal on metal and she knew one of the bullets had been removed.

“Bethany was there.”

“Ah, then I commend your forward thinking action. It would have been a coup to reacquire her.” Another clink. Another bullet. “We’ll have to stay in the city long enough to try again. Half-breed females aren’t exactly plentiful and she’s young and healthy.”

Chrissten huddled closer to the slit in the door and peeked out. She couldn’t see anything but a thin line of light. But it made hearing them easier.

“Fucking bastard attacked me. I got a swipe in but we had to make a break for it before I had the chance to kill him.”

Relief flooded Chrissten. Quinn was all right. The rest of her family was safe. That was the best she could hope for.

She was so cold. She moved away from the door, careful not to make any noise to draw attention her way. She curled up in a ball on the floor with her back to the wall. She inhaled, trying to remember her brother’s scent. It was so long since she’d seen him, hugged him. They’d always been close. The best of friends.

Another scent kept intruding. This one was darker somehow. Chrissten licked her lips, wondering who it belonged to. It made her stomach flutter and her heart ache.

She closed her eyes and tried to remember it exactly as she’d smelled it. Maybe it was something she’d dreamed. She couldn’t have scented anyone other than the doctor and Brian. There was no one else here.

Footsteps hard against the concrete floor interrupted her. Before she could sit up, the door was flung open and Brian stood there, fury in every line of his body.

“Time for you to make yourself useful, mate.”

Chrissten gathered her meager strength to fight. One more time.

Hank paced the floor of his room. It was impossible for him to relax. They’d been so close. He glanced at the two blankets folded at the bottom of his bed. A slightly dirty pillow sat next to it.

Unable to stop himself, he went to them. He picked up one of the blankets first and inhaled deeply. Her scent was fresh and he could almost feel her warmth.

Chrissten. She smelled like a fresh summer day. Like promises in the dark of the night. It was overlaid with a much deeper, musky scent. Male.

Hank growled and dropped the blanket, picking up the pillow instead. Her scent was fainter here but it wasn’t tainted by the male’s smell.

He knew she’d been a captive for more than a year. Knew she’d been taken against her will, mated to a male not of her choosing.

That didn’t set well with him. Especially since he wanted her for himself.

He breathed in her lovely scent once more and then carefully placed the pillow back in its place.

He’d find her if it was the last thing he ever did. And then he’d kill the bastard that had taken her.

Chapter Twelve

Bethany stood in the shower, letting the hot water flow over her. Her skin was still sensitive and each droplet felt like a hot stroke, making her nerve endings tingle. The water also hid the tears that rolled down her cheeks. They hadn’t found Chrissten and the attempt had almost cost Quinn his life. If the other werewolf hadn’t backed off Quinn could have been seriously hurt or killed. They were half-breeds, not purebloods.

The violence of the fight between the two wolves had shaken her to her core. It had been brutal and efficient, each trying to kill the other. This was no game, but a deadly battle where both strived to be the only one standing at the end, the undisputed victor. She shivered and rubbed her hands over her arms.

Was this what she had to look forward to for the rest of her life? Would she always be looking over her shoulder to see if some creature or mad scientist or bounty hunter was after her?

She raised her face to the spray and let it wash away her tears. At least she was safe and alive. That was more than Chrissten had.

A draft wafted over her skin and she felt someone step into the shower behind her. Quinn. She knew he’d seek her out, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to face him yet.

It was hard to act nonchalant and adult about their relationship. When he’d been attacked she’d realized just how much she loved him. She could handle the less than pleasant aspects of her new life if she had Quinn beside her.

But he was apparently only temporary. Once this was over they’d probably both go their opposite ways. After all, he’d mated her to help her and because he wanted her, not because he loved her.

Large hands rested on her shoulders. “How are you doing?”

That should be her line. “I’m fine. You?”

“Yeah.”

How stilted the conversation was between them. She didn’t like it but didn’t know how to change it. She turned to face him and her attention immediately went to his arm. She knew he’d been hurt, but she hadn’t seen how badly since he’d wrapped his shirt around the wound on the ride home.

But he was naked now and it was easy to see the six-inch gash on his upper arm. The ends had already begun to knit together thanks to the fast-healing genes of his werewolf heritage, but it still looked red and inflamed.

“Oh, Quinn.” She reached for his arm and maneuvered it so the hot spray hit it, cleansing away the dried blood.

“It’s really okay, Bethany. Just a scratch.”

“This time,” she countered.

He sighed and grabbed the cake of soap out of the dish and began to wash. “What would you have me do? Give up the search for my sister? Run instead of fight?”

She shook her head. “No.” Running away wasn’t in his nature. He’d keep searching for Chrissten no matter how long it took to find her. That was one of the things she loved about him. To those he loved, Quinn was loyal to the bone.

He soaped his chest and under his arms. Bubbles combined with water and the mixture ran down his abs, groin and legs.

Heat rushed through Bethany with the speed of an avalanche. The feeling was sudden and all consuming. She bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning.

Quinn jerked his head toward her and his shaft stirred. He slowly rubbed the soap between his hands, getting them nice and lathered before he dumped the wet bar back into the dish. He moved closer to her, his cock brushed against her belly.

They really needed to talk. Now wasn’t the time for this, but she didn’t care. They’d been interrupted before and there’d been no time for tenderness after their mating. She wanted that now. Craved it with every fiber of her being.

Quinn didn’t disappoint.

He started at her neck and rubbed his soapy hands over her skin. His touch was so gentle and light. Barely there. But she felt it throughout her entire body.

He traced her collarbone and then went lower. Her breasts ached for his touch, nipples puckering. He cupped the mounds in his hands, rubbing his slick thumbs over the hard nubs.

Her breathing increased in speed with each passing second. The scent of lavender from the soap permeated the air and combined with the water vapor surrounding them to create a steamy paradise. Bethany inhaled deeply, drinking in the intoxicating scent of flower and male combined.

His hands slid down her torso and she groaned when his fingers grazed her hips and his hands palmed her ass, squeezing the firm globes.

“You are so damn sweet,” he muttered. He went down on his knees in front of her and Bethany forgot to breathe when Quinn parted her slick folds with his fingers and stared at her pussy. “So sweet.”

He leaned inward and lapped at the swollen lips. She slapped her hands against the cool, damp tiles, needing the extra support as her knees went weak. Quinn continued his languid exploration, seemingly in no hurry at all.

His tongue glided over and around her, tracing every crevice, every cranny. But he avoided the spot where she wanted his touch the most. “Quinn.” She could hear the need in her voice, the demand.

He nuzzled her pubic hair and breathed deep. “I want this to last.”

She bit her tongue, wanting to yell that it could last if they stayed together. Instead she thrust her hips forward, encouraging him to give her what he would give her. His touch.

He tongued her clit, circling the hard nub of nerves. Her hips circled, moving with him as she tried to get the maximum sensation from his intimate caress. She was wet and it was from more than the water cascading down around them. Cream, hot and thick, slicked her core. She cupped her breasts in her hands to soothe the aching in them. Her skin felt hot and tight.

Quinn pressed his tongue against her clit and she groaned. “So good,” she murmured.

He closed his lips around the bud and sucked lightly, all the while teasing her with his tongue. The air around them seemed to crackle with power. Bethany leaned back against the wall and let Quinn pleasure her. She needed his touch so badly. Wanted to feel close to him even if it was only in a physical way.

He pressed two thick fingers into her channel, stretching it as he widened them. She gasped, wanting even more. He curled his fingers inward as he removed them, finding her sweet spot.

She cried his name as her orgasm hit. Her body quivered with delight as it clenched around his fingers, soaking them with her essence.

He growled and surged to his feet. The patient lover was gone. In his place was a man ready to claim his woman.

He gripped her hips and lifted, his strength a complete turn on. He shifted them so she wasn’t so close to the spray from the showerhead and the cool tile hit her back, making it arch. He crowded between her thighs, spreading them wide. He didn’t wait, didn’t hesitate.

His cock was thick and hard as he pushed it into her swollen channel that still pulsated from her climax. The going was rough, but he kept up a steady pressure, stretching her until he was seated inside.

Bethany clutched at his hair and shoulders, glorying in the feel of his thick muscles rippling beneath her hands. She was filled with him, poised on the edge of another orgasm. He growled again, fisted her hair in his hand and took her mouth.

It wasn’t a kiss, tender and sweet. He ate at her lips, dueled with her tongue and claimed her mouth as his prize. He took her breath and gave her his.

She wanted him more than she wanted anything else in the world. They fit perfectly. Together they were stronger than they were apart. She could see that. Why couldn’t he?

Her heart ached even as her body responded to his short, fast thrusts. His desperation surrounded her. His need galvanized her. She undulated her hips, moving with him, taking him as deep as he could go.

Every time he filled her it was like the first time. Every time he withdrew, she dug her fingers into his flesh, pulling him back into her.

“Bethany,” he yelled as he peppered her face with hot kisses. His cock swelled and she felt his hot essence fill her. He ground his pelvis against her, stimulating her clit and setting off another round of spasms within her.

She clung to him, never wanting to let him go, but knowing she must. They couldn’t stay in the shower forever, no matter how much she wanted to. She tilted her head back and gasped for air. It was only now with their passion starting to cool she realized the water had gone cold. The second she shivered, Quinn stirred. He released her slowly, making certain she was steady on her feet before withdrawing completely.

In silence they rinsed off and she stepped out of the shower, letting Quinn turn off the taps. The dripping of the faucet in the tub sounded like the pounding of a drum corp. The slight scuffing sound of the towels against their skin and the occasional sigh punctuated the rhythm of the slowing trickle of water.

Quinn made quite the sensual picture with water droplets clinging to his muscular chest. Several of them slowly rolled down his tight abs to his groin, disappearing into the dark nest of hair. He was still semi-aroused.

Bethany’s core pulsed in response to his partial erection. She was becoming a sex maniac. She’d be glad when she was no longer in heat and felt as though she had some control over her body. Or maybe it would always be like this with Quinn. She had no idea.

She didn’t dawdle and quickly dried off before hurrying into the bedroom to dig some clean clothing out of one of the dresser drawers. Once again it was borrowed clothing, but she was grateful for it nonetheless.

“Bethany.” She had clean panties on by the time he said her name. She pulled on her T-shirt, not bothering with her bra before turning to face him. Her nipples were still erect and pressed against the soft fabric. As armor went, it wasn’t much, but she felt better with the small barrier between them. It was time to start rebuilding her emotional walls before it was too late. She feared it already was.

“Yes?”

He was naked except for the white towel he had slung around his neck. She wished he’d wrap it around his waist and cover himself. There was too much tempting real estate for her to view. His cock was bigger than it had been even moments ago, his legs were heavily muscled and strong, his chest powerfully built and lightly furred, his shoulders broad.

The gash on his arm was closed but it still needed some antibacterial cream and could stand to be wrapped. Not that she thought for one moment Quinn would bother with either. She itched to do it for him, but made herself stay where she was. She wasn’t his mate. Not really.

He motioned to the bed. “Sit down. Please.” He raked his fingers through his hair. It looked darker when it was wet, but she knew it would dry much lighter.

She perched on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to Chrissten in time.” That had to be eating at him.

Sorrow bled from him and he lowered his head. “Me too.” His chest expanded on a sigh. He came to stand in front of her and crouched down so they were eye to eye.

“I know this isn’t fair to you.”

Oh God, he was going to sever their ties now. “It’s okay.” She wasn’t ready for that. Not yet. In her heart she still hoped to find a way to make him love her. Which was stupid. True love meant loving without conditions. It meant giving the other person what they truly needed.

Unable to stop herself, Bethany reached out and combed an unruly lock of hair off his forehead. “It’s okay,” she repeated.

He shook his head. “No, it’s not. You deserve better than me.”

“Isn’t that my decision?” she countered.

He gave her a rueful smile and his eyes lightened briefly before turning darker again. “I didn’t tell you everything about myself before we mated. I took advantage of you. I took what I wanted without allowing you a chance to get to know the other males. It was wrong.”

Anger began to burn low in her gut. Did he truly think she was that spineless? That stupid. “Actually, it’s the other way around. I took advantage of you. I took what you were offering because it was what I wanted.”

Bethany slid off the bed and began to pace. “I had plenty of time to spend with the other males. I’m not blind. I know that both Michael and Benjamin are interested in me. Hank isn’t at all, not really, and Kevin could be with very little prompting on my part.”

Quinn stood. His eyes flared red for a moment and claws took the place of his fingernails. Didn’t like that, did he? Too damn bad. She wasn’t done yet.

“No, I don’t know everything about you, but you don’t know everything about me either. That’s what relationships are all about.”

“But we’re mated,” he growled. She could see him struggle as he reined in his wolf. His eyes went back to their normal blue and his fingernails shortened once again.

She shrugged. “That’s only temporary, according to you. I’m free to fuck any male I want once we’re done.”

For a moment she was afraid she’d pushed him too far. He pounced, grabbing her around the waist and taking her down to the bed in one motion. He poised over her, teeth bared. Fury poured off him in waves, but she wasn’t the least bit afraid he’d physically hurt her. It was her emotional state she was more concerned about.

“You’re mine.”

“Until you get tired of me,” she pointed out. After all, wasn’t this simply a mating of convenience? Damn, she sounded like some simpering virgin from a historical romance novel.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the anguish in his gaze. It wasn’t his fault that she loved him and he didn’t love her. He’d done what he thought was the best thing for her. But this situation wasn’t helping either of them. “Get off me.”

“No.” His blunt reply had her eyes flying open. His large body covered hers and she could feel his cock pressing against her stomach. Against her will, she felt her body softening, her nipples tightening. It wasn’t fair how easily he could arouse her.

“You’ve got it wrong, baby.” He lowered his head, nuzzling her neck and nipping at the sensitive curve until he drew a husky moan from her. “You’ll get tired of me. You’ll realize you could have any male you want. One who hasn’t lived a lie. One who hasn’t ruthlessly killed for his own gain.”

He kissed her cheeks and temples. “One who can make you his entire focus. One not caught up in a quest that could take years to complete. I can’t ever stop searching for Chris.” He dropped his forehead until it was touching hers. “You deserve better.”

Her heart stopped and then began to pound so hard it hurt. Was he saying what she hoped he was? Was this just his misguided sense of honor setting her free? Did he really want her to stay with him?

“I want you.” The words were almost a whisper, filled with an aching need. “I don’t want any other male.”

He stilled and every muscle in his body tightened. “I want to kill Michael for even thinking about you.” He said the words as if he was ashamed of them. “I’m a violent man.”

She shook her head. “You’re a good man. A strong one. Protective of those you love.” She placed her hand on his chest and felt the strong beat of his heart against her palm. “You didn’t touch Michael.”

“But I wanted to.” He gave a short bark of laughter. “You see the best in me.”

“I see what’s there.” She put her hands on his cheeks, willing him to really listen to her, really hear what she was saying. “From the moment we met, I felt something for you. Call it instinct. Call it whatever you want. We have a connection. Our wolves recognized one another instantly.”

Quinn nodded. “The second I saw you I wanted to throw you over my shoulder, drag you upstairs, strip you naked and never let you go.” His eyes were hot, filled with passion. “Lucky for you, I let you talk first.”

She laughed and couldn’t stop. She laughed so hard tears ran from the corners of her eyes. Totally disgruntled, Quinn rolled off her and lay beside her, his head propped up on his hand. “You really know how to kill a guy’s ego.”

She shook her head and took a deep breath, swiping at the tears in her eyes with the backs of her hands. “Yeah, you waited a long time to get me into bed. Hours at least.”

He grinned. “What can I say? I’m a focused guy when I find something I want.” His grin faded and his blue eyes grew serious. “And I do want you.”

He rested his free hand on her stomach. “When I felt your terror, my heart stopped. I knew you were under attack and I couldn’t stop it.”

“How? How did you know?”

“The connection between us is strong. Even though you didn’t use our mental link to speak to me, your emotions came through loud and clear.” He slipped his hand beneath the hem of her shirt, as though needing to feel the warmth of her skin.

“I thought I’d lost you.” The words were dragged from him. His voice sounded rusty as emotion threatened to choke him.

“Oh, Quinn. The only way you’ll lose me is if you walk away from me.” She paused and dived in headfirst, laying her heart on the line. She prayed he didn’t destroy it. “I love you.”

Quinn couldn’t believe his ears. This beautiful, courageous, giving woman loved him. It couldn’t be true. But the soft gaze in her eyes and her warm hand on his cheek told another story.

He buried his face against the curve of her neck, wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She was everything he hadn’t even known he wanted until he’d met her. For him, she was perfect.

He didn’t deserve her and he said as much aloud.

“Why not?” Her voice was filled with compassion.

He spilled the secret fear that had been killing him slowly, poisoning his soul day after day. “How can we be together? How can I be happy when my sister is being held captive? Tortured? I don’t deserve it. Not until she’s rescued. Maybe not even then. I let her down.”

It was all out in the open now. All the venom in his soul had been unleashed. He felt unworthy to be loved by Bethany. Why should he be granted love when there were so many other males who were alone? Males who were more deserving.

“Oh, Quinn.” She held him in her arms, resting her cheek against his heart. It was where he always wanted her to be. The sex between them was off the charts, but it was these quiet moments that he loved, the connection that existed between them on so many levels.

“Do you think Chrissten would want you to be unhappy?” Bethany didn’t give him time to answer. “I didn’t know her for long, but I know she loves you and Craig more than anything. She wouldn’t want you to feel guilty. If anything, she probably feels guilty about being kidnapped. She knows you’ll keep looking for her until you find her. That’s loyalty. That’s love.”

Her words were a balm to his tattered soul.

“I have nightmares.” He blurted out the words before he could stop himself. He’d never told anyone about his dreams.

“About what?” Her voice, like her touch, was so soft and gentle.

“About killing. Blood. Death. My sister. Christ—” He rubbed his hand over his face. “I have flashbacks sometimes, too, to events that actually happened. I’ve done things I’m not proud of.” He lowered his hand and looked at her. “Bethany, I’m totally screwed up.”

Her hazel eyes with their flecks of brown held such compassion it made his heart ache. “I’m screwed up too. I know I haven’t really dealt with the kidnapping. There hasn’t been time. And I’m still freaked out about the whole werewolf thing.”

“You’re amazing.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “Incredible, actually. Not only did you escape—”

“With Chrissten’s help,” she reminded him.

“You got away,” he asserted. “You’ve done what you can to help us find my sister and all while dealing with some pretty heavy shit.”

“That’s one way of putting it.” She shrugged off his praise. “I didn’t do anything special. Anyone in my shoes would have done the same thing. I did what I had to do to survive.”

Bethany placed her palm against his cheek and he soaked in the warmth of her touch. “I know you’re not going to stop looking for her. I wouldn’t want you to. We have to find her and we will. But don’t you think we’ll be stronger together than apart?”

Quinn rolled until she was beneath him again. He rested his weight on his forearms, ignoring the slight sting from the gash on his upper arm. Bethany’s hair was still damp as it spread across the pillow. Her body cradled his. Her eyes were soft with love, her lips slightly parted. He’d never seen her look so beautiful.

Could he take a chance? Could he believe what she was saying? Could she accept the flawed man he was? Did he deserve her love?

“Yes.”

The word was softly spoken in his head. She’d let down her guard and opened herself to him. He hadn’t realized she’d lowered the mental door between them and he’d broadcasted his fears to her. He’d have to watch that in the future.

The future.

Those two words sounded good. A future. One with Bethany by his side and Chrissten home safe and sound.

“I don’t have a home to offer you. I’ve moved around a lot. I don’t even know where home is anymore.” He’d traveled so much with the bounty hunters, never laying down roots. Before that, he and his siblings had lived in a series of cheap apartments. They’d been thinking about pooling their resources and buying a house together when Chrissten had been kidnapped. Right now all their personal belongings were in storage, waiting for a time when they might have a home once again.

“Home is wherever you are, Quinn. Wherever we are.” His heart stilled and swelled at her acceptance of him and his situation. “We’ll find Chrissten. And when we do, the four of us—you, me, Chrissten and Craig—will decide where we want to live. We’ll find a house and make it a home. Maybe it will be here in Chicago. Maybe not. Time will tell.”

God, he loved this woman. She’d come into his life so suddenly. A gift. A hope for the future.

He’d be a fool not to grab onto her with both hands. And he liked to think he was anything but a fool even though he’d been acting like one. He learned from his mistakes and he’d almost made the biggest one of his life. He’d almost let Bethany go. “I love you.”

Her eyes widened and tears filled them.

“Shit. I never said that to make you cry. That’s supposed to make you happy.”

She gave a soggy laugh and swiped at her eyes. “They’re happy tears.”

“Yeah.” He leaned down and licked several of the salty tears away.

“Yeah.” She looped her arms around his neck.

He nudged her thighs open with his and reached between them, angling his erection at the opening to her sex. The silky fabric of her panties presented little barrier, not when he was determined to have her. He ripped away the flimsy material. Being able to manifest a sharp claw on command had its uses.

She was soft and wet and warm. She always was. He’d come to depend on her unconditional acceptance, her welcome.

“Come home.” She tilted her hips toward him and he slid balls deep. Home. It was like home. She was home. His haven in life.

He wanted to be that for her. “I’ll make you happy,” he vowed. He meant it to the bottom of his soul.

“I know you will.” Her easy acceptance humbled him. She was much braver than he was. Able to open herself without reservation.

He began to move, keeping his thrusts slow and shallow. He wanted this to last.

But it wasn’t to be. They were both so on edge, so attuned to one another. He kissed her, tasting the honey of her lips, the sweetness of her tongue.

She opened to him on every level. Body and soul. His climax gathered low in his balls and rocked through his shaft. Her pussy pulsed around him as she came.

Together.

Always together.

They were truly mated. And, the fates willing, they’d be together for centuries to come.

“Bethany,” he called her name out loud and then in his head. When the storm passed, he rolled with her still cradled in his arms until she was on top of him. He closed his eyes and for the first time in many long months fell asleep at peace. He knew the search for his sister was far from over, but he no longer had to face it alone.

Epilogue

Bethany sat at the table with the rest of the pack, feeling more at home than she had since she’d first stepped foot into Haven. That was Quinn’s doing. She couldn’t believe he’d told her he loved her. They were mated now. Not just physically, but for real. Committed to one another.

Another night at work had come and gone and the bar was closed. It had become a ritual for all of them to spend a few minutes sitting around and talking about the day’s events. They were also waiting for an update from Damek.

Bethany crossed her fingers, hoping the vampire had come up with some new information.

She looked around at all the faces that had quickly become so familiar, so dear to her. Meredith sat beside Isaiah at the head of the table. Bethany had no idea how the other woman dealt with the alpha. Frankly, sometimes the sheer force of his power scared the heck out of her. But when he looked at his mate she could see the softening in his eyes and that made her like him.

Hank sat a little away from the rest of them, deep in thought about something. His blue eyes watched the door, waiting for Damek to arrive. She’d always thought he was the most intense of the bunch, after Isaiah, but it had increased over the past few days, ever since their last failed attempt to rescue Chrissten. She wondered if he thought about Chrissten, worried about her.

The others sat around chatting and laughing and teasing, just like a real family.

They were all so different, some pureblooded and others half-breeds, yet there was no denying the unbreakable bonds that existed between them. And they’d all put their lives at risk to help her and to help rescue Chrissten. She felt lucky and honored to know them.

Isaiah chose that moment to raise his head and stare down the table at her. She froze in her chair, feeling much like a small animal must when faced with a rather large predator. Her heart took off, like a racer hearing a starter’s pistol. Even though he’d been nothing but kind to her, she didn’t think she’d ever get used to this fearsome male.

Quinn’s arm was draped over her shoulder, his body angled protectively close to hers. He sensed her unease and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze as if to remind her she no longer had to face the world alone.

“Do you have anything you’d like to announce?” The corners of Isaiah’s mouth quirked slightly, as though he was trying to hold back a smile.

She glanced up at Quinn, who stared back at the alpha. “Bethany and I are mated.” The pride in his voice warmed her heart. She reached for his hand beneath the table. His fingers closed around hers and squeezed.

Of course all of them already knew they’d mated. There was no fooling a werewolf’s sense of smell, and Quinn’s scent was all over her. Plus the debilitating heat had passed, leaving her satisfied and content. But this was the official announcement and it would ease the tension between Quinn and the other single males, or at least she hoped it would.

“Congratulations.” Meredith’s excitement was genuine, which helped Bethany to relax even more. She’d wondered what the older woman’s reaction to the news would be, considering Michael had shown an interest in her.

She glanced at Michael and he inclined his head toward her and then Quinn, seeming to resign himself to the news. They accepted the quiet congratulations of the rest of the pack. It was official now. No going back.

They’d already told Craig. It seemed only fair to tell him before they made their announcement to everyone else. He’d studied her with his calm blue eyes. Then he’d reached out and hugged her, welcoming her to the family. Family. She hadn’t had that in a long time.

“He’s coming.” Hank got up from the table and made it to the door before Damek opened it. The vampire scowled at Hank as he swept inside. Hank simply shut the door and leaned against it, arms crossed over his chest.

Damek’s gaze went straight to her and Quinn and he delicately sniffed the air and smiled. She wanted to bury her face against Quinn. Knew her face was red. She knew the pack could smell Quinn’s scent on her where he’d marked her as his. She should have realized the vampire could smell it too. Thankfully, he said nothing, and his discretion impressed her in spite of herself. It seems the vampire was a gentleman at heart.

“I haven’t picked up the scent of anything yet.” Quinn stiffened beside her. “But,” Damek continued, “I have not given up hope.”

Craig stood and offered Damek a sheet of paper. “These are some possibilities for a van that Quinn saw speeding from the scene. He only had a partial plate, so this is as far as I can whittle it down.”

Damek took the list, scanned it and handed it back. “I’ll have some of my people look into this and call before dawn with whatever I learn.”

He whirled away and headed for the door once again. Bethany was beginning to learn that Damek was a man of few words, especially when he meant business. She wondered why the vampire always came to the bar with news rather than calling. Maybe he was lonely. Whatever the reason, she was glad for his help, in spite of the fact he was one scary male.

Damek cocked his eyebrow at Hank, who was still leaning against the door, blocking it.

The two men stared at one another for a long moment. Power snapped in the air and Isaiah slowly pushed away from the table and stood, ready to defend the younger wolf if it became necessary. Werewolves and vampires were natural enemies, or had been before bounty hunters had started destroying them all. The alliance between them was uneasy at best.

As though the two of them had come to some unspoken agreement, Hank slowly inclined his head to Damek and shifted out of the way, opening the door for the ancient vampire.

In the blink of an eye he was gone, melted into the darkness beyond. Hank closed and locked the door again.

“Well, that was interesting.” Meredith released a breath. “I need a drink.”

Isaiah laughed, leaned down and kissed his mate. “I can do better than a drink.” With that, he scooped her into his arms and headed for the doorway that led to the apartments. Meredith called her goodnights over his broad shoulder.

The rest of them laughed and the group broke up. Teague and Neema quickly disappeared, followed by Kevin and Benjamin, but not before they all offered their congratulations to her and Quinn.

Michael stopped in front of her and she tensed. He offered her a grin. “Too bad he met you first.” With that, he leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. It was so fast, she didn’t have time to react before he retreated.

Quinn growled. “Do that again and I’ll rearrange that pretty face of yours.”

Michael grinned. “Fair enough.” He thrust out his hand. “Congratulations.”

Quinn stared at it for a moment and then took it. They did that male shoulder-bump thing that manly men did.

Bethany shook her head. She’d never understand the workings of the male mind. One minute they could be ready to kill one another, the next they were best buddies. Michael lightly touched her shoulder and then left them to head upstairs.

Hank was the last of the pack to stop in front of them. “We’ll find her,” he promised. “We’ll find Chrissten.”

“Thanks.” Quinn offered his hand to the other male. They shook and Hank nodded to her before following the rest.

Then it was just the three of them. Craig seemed so alone among all the werewolves. Not that he’d ever said anything, but Bethany knew he’d have to feel strange about it all. Reaching out, she hugged him. “Thank you for accepting me into your family.”

He returned the embrace and whispered in her ear. “You make him happy and he deserves that.”

Bethany’s eyes stung and she nodded. This family needed to be whole again. And they would be. She truly believed that.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go to bed.” Quinn wrapped his arm around her waist and urged her toward the stairs. He glanced over his shoulder at his younger brother. “You coming up?”

Craig waved his hand. “In a bit. I have a few things I want to check out.”

Quinn frowned and Bethany sensed his concern for his sibling. “Don’t work all night, okay?”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine.” With that parting statement, he disappeared down the hallway into Meredith’s office and shut the door behind him.

“I’m worried about him.” Quinn stared at the closed office door.

“I know.” There was nothing either of them could do. They were all dealing with Chrissten’s loss in their own way. “We’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” he asked. He brushed his lips over the top of her head and the hand on her back pressed her closer to his side.

“Hmmm, maybe not in the last ten minutes,” she teased.

He grinned and scooped her into his arms. “I’ll have to do something about that.” He carried her up to their apartment and into their bedroom. He kicked the door shut, keeping the rest of the world at bay.

As he lowered her to the bed, he said the words she’d never get tired of hearing. “I love you, Bethany. You’re my miracle. My hope.”

“Oh, Quinn. You’re mine. I love you so much.” Their lips met and her body heated, ready to show Quinn just how much she loved him.

Down the hall in another apartment, Hank lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He could hear Kevin settling down on the couch out in the living room. Feminine laughter filled the air and a door was slammed shut.

His arms were locked around a pillow. He buried his face against the white cotton and inhaled, trying to block out the noise from the happy couple in the apartment down the hall. He didn’t begrudge Quinn and Bethany their happiness. He wanted the same thing for himself.

“I’ll find you, Chrissten,” he vowed.

About the Author

N.J. Walters has always been a voracious reader of romance novels and decided one day that she could write one as well. The contemporary story, Discovering Dani, was the very first novel she wrote while living in a little town much like the one Dani O’Rourke lives in, though all other similarities to Dani’s life pretty much end there. Then she wrote another one that followed up on Dani’s friends and neighbors. But she didn’t consider herself a “real” writer yet.

Just a few years later N. J. had a mid-life crisis at a fairly young age, gave notice after ten years at her job on a Friday and received a tentative acceptance for her first published novel (an erotic romance) from a publisher on the following Sunday.

Happily married to the love of her life, with his encouragement and support she gave up the job of selling books for the more pleasurable job of writing them. She now spends her days writing novels of her own. Werewolves, vampires, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to do it. And some days she actually feels like a “real” writer.

N.J. enjoys hearing from readers, and she can be reached at njwalters22@yahoo.ca. You can check out her web site at www.njwalters.com.

Content

Quinn's Quest
Legacy -4
by
N. J. Walters

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

About the Author