Book 1 - Page 53 (1/2)

“We’ll inform the police when we get there about the situation,” Devlyn said. “And listen, Henry, we sure do thank you for trying to rescue us.”

Henry glanced back at the bathroom. “I didn’t expect... well, I’m just d.a.m.ned glad we found the two of you alive and in pretty good shape.”

“We’ll need one more thing, however,” Bella said, with a twinkle in her eye and a dimple in her cheek.

Henry rose from the couch. “Anything.”

“He stole Devlyn’s clothes. Well, mine, too, but luckily I had some clothes here already.”

“You ran in this cold, stark... “ Henry shook his head. “That sick b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”

“I have an oversized pink sweats.h.i.+rt Devlyn can wear, but the extra pair of denims I have won’t fit him.” She ran her hand over his thigh.

His muscle flexed with her stirring touch. Just a little higher, more centered, and she could touch something else she’d stirred.

“Let me talk with the officers. Maybe we can come up with something.”

Henry walked outside and conversed with the officers.

Devlyn kissed Bella on the mouth. “Hmm, a pink sweats.h.i.+rt, eh?”

“Yeah, I dare you to wear it.”

“I’ll take you up on it. Nothing I’d like better than to wear the smell of you, up close and personal.”

She chuckled. “I’m glad you don’t have a problem with it. Because I imagine that’s all we’re going to be able to come up with.”

Although one of the officers offered his jacket to Devlyn, he couldn’t be dissuaded from wearing Bella’s sweats.h.i.+rt back to her house. With a blanket wrapped around his waist, he walked outside to talk to the police officers. She overheard Devlyn say, “Volan brought a killer wolf with him and ordered it to attack me. When we heard the police sirens, he fled with his wolf in a black SUV, but we didn’t get a look at his license plate. Concerned about Bella and my condition in the frigid weather without clothes, we headed for the warmth and safety of her cabin.”

“h.e.l.l, I wonder if that’s the same wolf that rancher Evans shot?” one of the men said.

“Someone shot a wolf?” Devlyn asked.

“Yeah,” Thompson said. “At first we thought it was Rosa, but he described the wolf as a bigger gray.”

Bella barely breathed. Volan.

“Did the rancher kill him?” Devlyn asked.

“Nope, that was the thing. He yelped, so Evans knew he hit him, but the wolf ran off. We’ve got men trying to track him down. A wounded wolf shouldn’t get far, but he will be a lot more dangerous,” Thompson said.

So a rancher had wounded Volan after all. But it didn’t explain his b.l.o.o.d.y mouth, and she wondered again if he’d torn into Leidolf. Then he could watch from a distance and see if Devlyn could handle four reds on his own? She wouldn’t put it past the b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Then what? Fight Devlyn when he was worn out? only he got shot. She smiled. Good one on him — the snake.

Hoping the police believed Devlyn’s story, Bella returned to the bedroom to retrieve her gun. Her heart did a flip when she saw the braided rug that normally kept her secret cache hidden had been overturned, and she quickly lifted a loose floor plank.

Nothing but a scribbled message. Naughty, Bella. Another gun? Threats work better if you back them up with real menace — silver bullets. I see you got it right this time. But you won’t be needing this gun. Not anymore. Soon, your mate, Volan

Sniffing the air, she smelled Volan’s faint odor. She glanced at the window; the cotton curtains rippled in the breeze. She dropped the crumpled note into her hiding hole and wanted to scream. Crossing the floor, she parted the curtains. He’d broken the window. Sniffing her s.h.i.+rt, she realized he must have touched her clothes on the porch and recognized that the place was hers. Had Devlyn seen the note?

She checked the bed. Volan’s odor clung to the sheets. She wanted to throw up.

“Bella?” Devlyn called to her from the living room.

“Coming!” She hurried out of the bedroom, hating what she’d have to do next.

On the way home, Bella tapped her thumbs on the steering wheel and then finally glanced at Devlyn, his eyes drowsy, as he leaned his head against the pa.s.senger’s window. He must have seen the upturned rug. “Volan slept in my bed,” she growled low.

“Yeah.” He stared out the window.

Did he find Volan’s note or not? Oh h.e.l.l, no sense in keeping the situation secret. She squeezed the steering wheel and then loosened her hold. “He left a note.”

Devlyn looked at her.

“Underneath the floorboard.”

He didn’t say a word, just watched her with a stern look.

“I... I had another gun; the bullets were meant for him.”

“I know, Bella honey.”

“You did?” Tears p.r.i.c.ked her eyes.

“Yeah.”

“But you didn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t want to worry you that he’d found the gun.”