Blood & Bone Read online

  My grandmother often said something to that effect, which only made my desire to walk over and comfort Lach even stronger. “It’s fine. We’re good.”

  God, having a mate was making me soft. If any other male wolf had yelled at me like he had, I would have handed him his balls on a platter.

  He studied me for a long moment. The sun poured in through the door at his back, throwing his face in partial shadow. I couldn’t read his expression, but I could feel the weight of his stare on my skin.

  “Look, about earlier…” he began.

  Instinctively I knew he was referring to the erection he’d been sporting during our argument and lifted my hand. “Don’t worry about it. I know it didn’t mean anything.”

  He fell silent but the tautness in his body raised a chill on my skin. Finally, he spoke, “Of course not.” Lach’s eyes never wavered from me. “Have you had breakfast?”

  I shook my head.

  “I’ll make something,” he stated, taking his hands out of his pockets and moving toward the stove. “Why don’t you call Sophia and give her an update?”

  Grateful for a chance to put some space between us, I nodded and grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand. I stepped out of the cabin into the bright light outside and released a long breath.

  Just a few more weeks, then this torture would end. I would endure it because I had no other choice.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lachlan

  I stood at the stove making French toast while listening to the rise and fall of Chloe’s voice as she talked to her grandmother, Sophia. My mind was back in the woods when I’d been yelling at her earlier. Only the ending of that fight was completely different in my head.

  I saw myself tackling her to the ground, flipping her over, and driving deep inside her, fucking her until she submitted.

  Even now, the thought had my cock growing hard.

  I shook my head in disgust and confusion. What the fuck was happening to me?

  Since Belinda died, my libido had been non-existent. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had an erection since then. I scowled down at the pan. If I was going to be honest with myself, I hadn’t. Not once had my interest been stirred. Until now.

  Then I heard Belinda’s voice as though she were standing just behind me, whispering in my ear.

  And what I want is for you to live…and to love again.

  I growled under my breath as the words from her letter came back to me. In the weeks since I’d read her final words to me, I’d found it easier to get out of bed, eat, bathe, and move. My body grew stronger and my mind sharpened again.

  But to fuck someone else? In my mind, it would cut the final tie I had to Belinda and I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

  Even if I did have sex in the future, it would be nothing more than scratching an itch, sating a hunger. I would never have feelings for the women I slept with and I would never take another mate. Never.

  I couldn’t allow myself to treat Chloe so callously, not after everything she’d done for me. I was certain that I would have died without her. If she hadn’t been there every fucking day, forcing me to eat and bathe, dragging me out of my house to run with my wolf, I would have faded away to join Belinda in death.

  My phone vibrated in my back pocket and I pulled it out. Then I slid my thumb across the screen and lifted it to my ear.

  “Yeah?”

  Calder chuckled in my ear. “Is that any way to greet your alpha?” he asked.

  “Yes, Master?” I replied.

  He laughed louder. “I’m glad to hear you still have your sense of humor. I take it things are going well.”

  If he only fucking knew. “As well as can be expected,” I answered. “We got an anonymous note last night. Chloe thinks it’s someone’s way of warning us to be careful.” I went on to tell him exactly what the note said.

  “A threat?” Calder asked.

  “No, more like an attempt to help us.”

  “And you agree?”

  I grunted as I used the spatula to scoop out the cooked French toast. “Yeah, I do.” I put two more pieces of soaked bread into the sizzling pan. “But I’d still like to talk to whoever wrote it. We need more than vague warnings. We need proof or witnesses.”

  Calder was quiet for a moment. “How’s Chloe doing with this? I mean, this has to be stirring up all kinds of shit for her about the death of her parents.”

  My body went still at his words and my lungs stopped working. God, I was such a dick. I’d been so consumed with my own pain I’d never stopped for a moment to think about what Chloe might be thinking and feeling. Her parents had died only a few months before Belinda.

  I hadn’t known them well, but I’d heard enough to know that they doted on their only daughter. The family was close and loving.

  “Lach? What’s wrong, man?”

  I shook my head and cleared my throat. “She seems fine, Calder. She hasn’t said anything.”

  “Yeah, well, keep an eye on her. Grief is a tricky thing. You never know what might set her off.”

  “I will,” I murmured.

  There was a loud crash in the background and I heard Ricki yell. “Shit, the pups just took down the TV. I better get in there before Ricki decides to follow through on her threat to neuter me in my sleep. I’ll call you in a couple of days.”

  He disconnected before I could reply.

  Slowly, I lowered the phone from my ear and tucked it back into my pocket. The scent of scorching French toast tickled my nose and I swore, flipping the bread. It wasn’t quite black, but it would probably taste like shit.

  I flicked the burnt mess into the trashcan and started again. I’d already made six slices of French toast and cooked half a pound of bacon, but I knew it wouldn’t be enough. Our metabolism burned so hot and fast that it would take more to keep us going until lunch.

  By the time Chloe re-entered the cabin, I’d finished making four more slices of toast and had everything warming in the oven as I washed dishes.

  I’d also taken the opportunity to get my shit together. It was time for me to focus. I’d let myself wallow in loss for so long that I’d forgotten to think about the people around me. That had to stop now. At least until Chloe found what she needed. There would be enough time for me to retreat back into my head when this was all said and done.

  “That smells great,” Chloe said.

  “Thanks,” I said, shutting off the water and drying my hands. I moved to the oven and pulled out two large plates, each holding four slices of French toast and a heaping pile of bacon. “Have a seat.” I motioned toward the table, setting a plate in front of her when she settled into a chair.

  I’d already put out glasses and silverware, along with syrup, butter, and orange juice.

  Chloe grinned as she took in the table. “Damn, I could get used to this. Want a job?”

  I smiled back at her. “No, thanks. I can make the basics, but I think you’d get sick of my limited repertoire pretty quickly.”

  She shrugged, grabbing the syrup and pouring thick ribbons of it over the bread. “Maybe, but you’d be useful until then.”

  As we dug into the meal, I asked, “How’d your talk with Sophia go?”

  “Okay,” she mumbled. “She wasn’t happy about the note. Unfortunately, she shares your suspicious mind and she wants us to be very careful.”

  “Did y’all discuss our next move?”

  “Yeah. We’re going to start with Miss Emma.” She forked a huge bite of French toast into her mouth, her eyes rolling up as she let out a little moan. “This is amazing, Lach,” she murmured after she swallowed, her tongue coming out to sweep across her bottom lip.

  I shifted in my chair, suddenly very aware of the state of my crotch. The abrupt return of my sex drive was already proving to be painful. Literally.

  “Uh, thanks,” I replied. “What about Miss Emma?” I asked her, desperate to keep her talking rather than eating.

  “Well, she said a few things last ni
ght that concern me and I think she would be the one most likely to tell me what’s really going on inside the pack.”

  “Will she be in danger if they find out she talked?”

  Chloe’s expression darkened. “Not if we come down on their asses first. I don’t know what in the hell is going on in this pack, Lachlan, but it needs to stop. Wolves should never be so terrified of their alpha that they bow and scrape to his every whim. He’s doing something to them and has all of them too frightened to talk. I can’t leave them to deal with that alone.”

  I nodded. “I agree.”

  “We’ll go see Miss Emma today and maybe she can give us a place to start. She’s been a member of this pack since she mated with Tom a hundred and fifty years ago. She makes it her business to know everything about everyone.”

  I studied her as she ate.

  “What?” she asked. “Do I have syrup on my face?” She ran her thumb along the edge of her lip, checking for any stray drops of the sweet liquid.

  I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of my dry mouth. “Uh, no. I was just wondering how you were feeling about all this.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Your parents’ death. Darrell. Everything. Is this bringing up painful memories for you?”

  She cocked her head to the side. “Maybe a little.” She shoved food around on her plate with her fork. “The pain of their deaths has faded over the past couple of years. I’m angry more so than anything else. I hate that Darrell has had two years to hurt people I once cared about. And I’m also pissed as hell that he’s gotten away with the murder of my parents.”

  I wanted to reach out and take her hand, but I held myself back. I hadn’t thought about how she might be feeling until Calder brought it up and now I felt like a heel.

  “Maybe we should get going,” I suggested.

  “After I finish my breakfast. I meant what I said, Lach. This is damn good and I intend to eat every bit of it. Darrell isn’t going anywhere in the five minutes it’ll take me to eat French toast. Plus I may need the fuel in case I need to kick some ass.”

  She had a good point. Though she spoke of anger and grief, Chloe seemed to have accepted the situation for what it was. We ate the rest of the meal in silence and I tried to keep my eyes off her mouth as she savored every bite.

  When Chloe finally finished her food and licked her fork clean, I looked down to find my plate empty and my cock as hard as stone. Her obvious enjoyment of the meal had distracted me so thoroughly that I’d eaten every bite of my own breakfast.

  “I’m going to go brush my teeth and then I’ll be ready to go,” she announced, shoving back her chair and carrying her plate to the sink.

  When the bathroom door closed behind her, I stood, reaching down to adjust myself with a wince.

  We needed to resolve the MacArthur pack issues quickly…before I did something I’d regret.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chloe

  Miss Emma smiled broadly when she opened the door.

  “Chloe! I’m so glad you came by. I was hoping we’d get more time to catch up before you left.”

  I returned her grin. “I felt the same way. May we come in?”

  Without replying, she stepped back and allowed us inside. As I walked into her cool, bright living room, I found myself instantly transported back to my childhood. My mother often brought me to Miss Emma’s when I was younger. I remembered the two of them talking and drinking iced tea while I played on the living room floor. The house hadn’t changed much. The walls were still painted white and hung with all sorts of landscapes and photographs. The wooden floors gleamed. The couch was of a different style, but still the same dove grey color. I bit back a laugh. Only Miss Emma would buy a new couch in exactly the same color as her old one.

  A large multi-colored rug was spread out beneath the couch and chairs that were arranged to face a huge flat screen TV. Now that was different. The last time I was here, Tom was still watching ball games on his behemoth, fifty-inch television that weighed a ton. This one was even larger, but with it anchored to the wall, the living room seemed even bigger and brighter than before.

  “You have a lovely home, Miss Emma,” Lachlan murmured behind me.

  The she-wolf turned her huge smile toward him. “Thank you, Ian.”

  I felt rather than saw his slight flinch. Miss Emma was just as perceptive.

  “Would you prefer I called you Lachlan?” she asked quietly.

  “Please. Or Lach.”

  She nodded. “Why don’t you both have a seat while I get us something to drink?”

  “Oh, Miss Emma, there’s no need to bother—”

  “Hush, child. I don’t get many visitors, but when I do, I offer them a cool drink and a snack.”

  I relented as the older wolf left the room. With a sigh, I sat down on the couch, crossing my arms over my chest. To my surprise, Lachlan sat down next to me so that our hips and shoulders brushed. The sensation made my stomach tighten and brought a rush of heat to the points of contact.

  When I saw Miss Emma returning, carrying a tray laden with a tea pitcher, glasses, and a plate full of finger foods, I used that as a means to escape Lach’s proximity. I jumped to my feet and took the tray from my former teacher.

  “I may be older than you, Chloe MacArthur, but I’m perfectly capable of carrying that tray,” she stated tartly.

  “I know that, Miss Emma, but my mama raised me to be helpful to my elders.” I hesitated. “Now, where do you want me to put it?”

  She laughed and pointed to the coffee table. As I set the tray down, she perched on one of the armchairs facing the couch, leaving me no choice but to return to Lachlan’s side.

  He now had his arm thrown along the back, his ass firmly planted in the middle of the cushions, leaving me very little room. When I sat next to him once again, his arm came around me, pulling me against his side.

  Miss Emma took us in, smiling happily. “Oh, Chloe. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is that you’ve found your mate at last.” I nearly choked at her words, the sound of my throat closing covered by the sudden ringing of her telephone. “Oh, please excuse me. I need to answer that.”

  She rose and went into the kitchen, where an ancient rotary phone hung on the wall. As soon as I heard her speaking to whoever was on the phone, I nudged Lachlan with my elbow.

  “A little space, please,” I grumbled, keeping my voice pitched low so that Miss Emma wouldn’t hear my words.

  His mouth rested against my ear and, God help me, I couldn’t suppress the shiver that went through my body. It took me a moment to understand the words he murmured.

  “We’re pretending to be mates, remember?” His voice was a low rumble and I felt it reverberate through my body, tightening my nipples and making my thighs press together.

  I elbowed him again, this time with more force. “You’re in the doghouse though because you rejected me.”

  He chuckled against my skin, the tip of his nose tracing the curve of my ear. The motion made my heart flutter because it was affectionate and sweet, two things I never would have expected from Lach. “Yes, but any alpha worth having would be pushing his boundaries.”

  “I’m afraid you’re going to have to grovel before you’ll be forgiven,” I retorted.

  His nose trailed down my neck, his lips barely brushing my skin, and my body went haywire. My heart was no longer fluttering, it was beating a rapid tattoo against my breast. When he replied this time, I felt his lips moving against my throat. “Alpha wolves don’t grovel.”

  Vaguely, I heard Miss Emma hang up the phone. This time when I jabbed my elbow into his ribs, it was with enough force to make him grunt. He straightened, his hand rubbing his torso as he grumbled, “Ouch.”

  When Miss Emma returned to the living room, her face was pale and her features pinched.

  “Everything okay?” I asked her, watching her expression carefully.

  “Not really,” she replied, dropping into the chair she’d vacated ea
rlier.

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  Miss Emma’s eyes narrowed on me. “First, I want you to tell me something. Are you really here because of a lovers’ quarrel?”

  Lach’s hand tightened on my shoulder, gripping hard. I ignored the warning and answered honestly. “No.”

  Miss Emma nodded. “I didn’t think so. So you’re not mates then?”

  I shook my head, hating the way her face fell in disappointment. “I’m sorry I lied to you, Miss Emma, but we needed a good cover story. Given Lachlan’s history, we thought this would be best.”

  The she-wolf waved a hand at me. “Don’t worry about that. You were right to lie. I’m guessing you’re here about your parents?” she asked.

  “At first, yes, but after last night, I think there’s a lot more at stake here than finding those responsible for the death of my parents.”

  Tears shimmered in Miss Emma’s eyes. I started to move toward her, but she lifted her hand again, stopping me. “No, no. I’m fine. It’s just…you don’t know how long I’ve wished for someone strong enough to come and help this pack.”

  “What’s happening?”

  She took a shaky breath, releasing it slowly. “Darrell and his—” she paused, as if searching for a word.

  “Shitheads?” Lachlan supplied.

  I growled at him under my breath, but Emma laughed a little.

  “That’s the best word to describe them,” she stated, her voice quavering. “They keep this pack under their thumb.”

  “How so?” I asked.

  She picked up a glass, poured tea into it, and handed it to me. Then she repeated the gesture for Lach and herself. Finally, she answered, “They take our money. Our things.” She sipped her tea before whispering, “Even our daughters.”

  My body went rigid. “Are you saying…”

  She nodded. “If one of the younger she-wolves catches the eye of Darrell or his men, well, she either goes along with what they want or they make an example out of her.”

  “Are they killing pack females?” I asked, my voice vibrating with rage.