To Save His Mate (13 page)

“I don’t know what I believe in anymore.” Her voice was small, and she sounded so lost Ethan couldn’t help but give her another squeeze. He took the fact that she didn’t pull away as a positive sign.

“Let me explain. When one of my kind finds their destined mate, a soul-bond is formed once they make love. That’s what we experienced here tonight.” Ethan made sure to keep his voice low and soothing. He could feel her nervousness coming through their bond now, and there was some fear mixed in, as well. That’s what was killing him. “I’m now able to feel you through this connection, just like you can now feel me,” he explained. “That sensation of love you felt was from me.”

“You’re telling me that we know what the other is thinking?” Her puzzled violet eyes turned to his, and Ethan felt their impact like a vise around his heart. She wanted to understand yet was so hesitant to believe.

“No, sweetheart, I can’t read your mind. I can simply sense your emotions. Right now, I can feel your confusion, your nervousness, too, but it’s the fear that’s tearing me up.” Holding her close, Ethan tucked her head against his chest, stroking his hand over her silky hair. “Please don’t be afraid of me, Lacy. I couldn’t bear it.”

“This is too much,” she whispered, a fine tremor running through her small frame. “I don’t think I can—”

“Don’t. Please. Just take a day or so to think about it,” he urged, already feeling her slipping through his fingers but ready to do all in his power to keep her. “Talk to Stephanie or Sarah if you want. They’re married to my brothers, after all. Just please don’t quit on us. I just found you, Lacy. It would kill me to lose you.”

Now, if only she knew the truth in that statement.

Us
.

Lacy had to admit, she’d longed for a serious relationship with Ethan, but this went right past serious and straight into
The Twilight Zone.

Could she really handle having a werewolf as a lover?

Well, as of about thirty minutes ago, she had! Guess that was a moot point.

What am I thinking?

He had to go. There was no way to get her brain to function normally when he was nearby. She had a case to solve! There was no room for werewolves in her life right now.

So why did she feel as if her heart was shredding in her chest? She knew she was upset, but it was mainly unanswered questions and a good bit of shock.

Hello! My boyfriend turns into a freaking dog! I’m entitled to a mini-meltdown if I want one, thank you.

But that wasn’t what had her feeling as if a Mack Truck was parked on her sternum. Could it be Ethan? Was he that distraught? Over her?

Perhaps, he really did love her.

Right now though, she had to focus on solving this case. It had to be her primary concern at the moment, though she knew it would be nearly impossible to keep this situation with Ethan from the forefront of her mind as long as he remained nearby.

Bracing herself, Lacy slowly pulled away from his warm embrace, trying to keep her eyes from roaming over his incredible, naked body—which could turn into a wolf at a moment’s notice.

“I need some space, Ethan.” She couldn’t bring her voice above a whisper for fear it would crack. “I can’t think straight when you’re near me, and I really need to keep my head clear. The lives of these models depend on it.”

Surely, he could understand that, but she felt a tidal wave of loss wash over her. She watched as he rose and pulled on his jeans before picking up his shirt and heading for the door.

“Ethan,” She couldn’t let him leave like this. Despite her confusion over everything, she still cared for him.

He turned to face her, and the emotion in his beautiful eyes floored her. They looked so forlorn. She crossed to him, uncaring of his earlier display, and wrapped her arms around his neck before giving him a soft kiss.

Now, with hope warming his gaze, he promised, “I’ll give you the space you need. It may kill me to do so, but your needs will forever come before my own. Remember that, sweetheart.” With an achingly tender kiss to her brow, he exited her room, closing the door softly behind him.

Lacy slowly crossed the room and locked her bedroom door. Not against Ethan, but in case their resident killer decided to visit.

She should have known she wouldn’t be that lucky. After calling in a rather late report to a grumbling Murphy, Lacy remained awake the entire night.

As the sun crept over the horizon, she sent a text to Stephanie asking if she could talk to her. Her new friend’s prompt reply of,
It took you long enough
, made Lacy smile and told her that Ethan had already spoken to Stephanie.

They agreed that Stephanie would pick her up, and they would head to the site for the photo shoot early. Lacy quickly grabbed her things, throwing on a pair of shorts and a tank and making sure to tuck her small handgun into her holster at the small of her back, before pulling on a loose button-down blouse to ensure that it wasn’t seen.

The house was quiet when she stepped from her room. Upon entering the living room, she spotted Jose snoring softly on the sofa. She tried not to laugh at his strange sounds or how his legs twitched as she made her way out. Once past the front door, she saw Stephanie was parked at the curb.

Opening the passenger side door, Lacy heard Stephanie say, “Just keep an eye on him, Abe. He shouldn’t be alone.” Then she was hanging up her cell, and Lacy found herself enveloped in an awkward hug. “How are you holding up?”

“Not too well, I’m afraid. I take it Ethan spoke to you?” Of course, he had. He’d encouraged her to talk to Stephanie, after all.

“No, he talked to Abe, and Abe talked to me. According to him, Ethan is a real mess. Between his own emotions and what he’s picking up from you, I don’t think he’s slept at all.”

“That makes two of us,” Lacy replied. “I can feel him, and it’s amazing and scary as hell all at once.”

“I understand, trust me. These guys are taught young about what it means to find a mate, and what it means to lose one,” Stephanie explained as she maneuvered her little car down the seriously bumpy dirt road leading to the site. “But for us, we only hear about these sorts of things happening in stories.”

“So he knew I was his mate before this happened? Why didn’t he talk to me first, give me the chance to make my own decision?”

“No! That’s what’s got him so upset. He was so wrapped up in his attempts to impress you and do everything he could to help with the investigation that he never noticed the signs. And with you being human, there’s no way you would have noticed them,” Stephanie assured her.

“I could feel how upset he was last night when I asked him to leave. It was like how I felt when I lost my parents, the extreme sorrow and despair.” Lacy shook her head, “I don’t want to hurt him, Stephanie, but I can’t think when he’s close by. All I want to do is go to him. Be with him. Is that normal?”

Stephanie’s smile was so kind and understanding and Lacy’s emotional state was so fragile that she wasn’t surprised to feel a tear running down her cheek.

What startled her was the sight of Ethan speaking to a very animated Landon when they pulled up. Through their connection, she felt his depression and longing, making her want to comfort him, but she still had questions, and she couldn’t trust herself around him long enough to ask.

“Why is Ethan here so early?” Lacy wondered aloud. He was in his forest ranger uniform, but Lacy was almost certain Landon hadn’t asked him to wear it.

“He’s pulling from the shoot today, to give you the space you asked for,” Stephanie explained. “Trust me, that man wants nothing more than to be with you, but you’ll discover soon enough that you will always come first.” When Lacy turned to her, Stephanie just smiled. “It’s a little overwhelming at first, I get that, but you love him, I can tell, and he loves you, too. Would being his mate really be such a hardship? You would never have to worry about infidelity, never question his feelings for you and he will spend the rest of his life seeing to your happiness.”

“I think I’m still in shock, to tell you the truth. He turned into a wolf in my bedroom, Stephanie. That sort of thing freaks out most women.”

“Believe me, I know, but at least you found out what he is in private. I, on the other hand, got my crash course while in a life or death situation with Sarah’s attackers.”

Lacy listened, riveted, as Stephanie recalled the night she witnessed Sarah fighting for her life against two men and how she’d had to put aside her own hysteria over seeing the brothers all turn into wolves long enough to help save her friend. In the end, the two werewolves after Sarah had been killed, but not before they’d inflicted a serious injury to Sarah, having stabbed her with a silver blade.

“Why a silver blade? Why not a regular one?” Lacy asked.

“Because, that’s one thing Hollywood got right. Wounds from silver are extremely hard for them to heal from. Therefore, Sarah’s wound wasn’t closing and was still bleeding freely.” Stephanie must have recognized the shock on Lacy’s face because she added, “Yes, Sarah is a werewolf, too. She’s an alpha female, and that’s why those men were after her. She’d dealt them a blow to their egos that they wanted revenge for.”

“So what made you decide to stay? Were you already bound to Abraham before you discovered his furry side?”

“Nope, I wasn’t ready. Abe, being the sweetheart he is, waited until I was.”

Lacy could see how much Stephanie loved her husband, the proof in the faraway look in her eyes whenever she mentioned him.

“Listen, I had the luxury of knowing all of these guys for a few weeks before I found out about their secret, but they were still the same people I’d come to know and call my friends. They were just
more
.”

Needing to be alone for a bit and process her thoughts, Lacy thanked Stephanie. “I’m going to take a walk around the perimeter of the shoot to think. I need a clear head when everyone gets here. Or at least, a little less muddled than it is right now.” She smiled at her new friend. “I really appreciate you talking to me.”

“I hope it helps. I’ll stick around for a bit in case you have any more questions.”

“Thank you. I’ll be back once I check around,” Lacy promised.

“Be careful. I know Ethan probably didn’t go far—his protective instincts won’t allow him to while there’s danger around—but don’t forget to watch your back.” Stephanie stepped forward and gave Lacy another hug, patting the firearm in the holster Lacy had tucked into her shorts. “Good thinking.”

“I’m here to catch a killer, so it’s never too far from me,” Lacy replied, feeling the weapon at the small of Stephanie’s back, as well. “So what’s your excuse?”

Stephanie just pulled back with a shrug. “I never leave home without it.”

Lacy really liked this woman. “I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”

“I’ll be here.”

* * * *

Ethan couldn’t help himself. Once he’d told Landon he had something important to handle, having worn his forest ranger uniform to look official, he’d returned home long enough to strip and shift before allowing his wolf to run.

Landon hadn’t been happy with the situation, accusing Lacy by saying, “She’s being difficult, isn’t she?”

After assuring the annoying little man that Lacy wasn’t the problem, Ethan had left. And now, he sat just far enough into the trees to remain out of sight from the models and shoot crew but close enough to hear and see Lacy and Stephanie.

He felt Lacy’s turbulent emotions and did his best to keep his own under control for her sake, but he was failing miserably.

The thought of losing her made his wolf want to howl. Both man and beast understood what that would mean for them. The only way to sever a bond between a mated couple was for one of them to die. Otherwise, they would continue to feel each other’s emotions for the rest of their lives.

Ethan knew that if Lacy should ever feel love toward another man, he would likely seek his own end to spare her from enduring his agony.

He would always put her first, whether she chose him or not, just as he would always do his best to protect her and prove to her that he was worthy of her love…if she chose to bless him with it.

Deciding to give Lacy a lead so his wolf didn’t spook her, Ethan watched as Angel trailed after Landon.

“Not
now
, Angel! I need to find Lacy,” Landon snapped as he approached Stephanie. “Have you seen Lacy? She didn’t arrive with the other models.”

“Oh, she rode with me. You just missed her though. She went to walk for a minute. I guess, she’s trying to wake up still,” Stephanie offered, covering for Lacy like a pro.

Ethan didn’t miss the little smirk that flashed across Angel’s face before she turned and walked off. He could scent the irritation rolling off Landon, but it was the anger coming from Angel that confused him.

Was she really that upset that Landon had snapped at her? And why smirk?

Figuring he’d given Lacy enough of a head start, Ethan trotted off to follow her. He really didn’t want her out of his sight for long.

Chapter Fourteen

The quiet serenity of the forest was just what Lacy needed. She made her way around the area Landon had chosen, yet she found nothing out of place, so she took a moment to herself and decided to sit on a large rock next to the creek.

What would it be like to traverse these woods the way Ethan could? He seemed to maintain his human side even as a wolf, but to have the freedom of running through the trees, no rules or restrictions weighing you down? Lacy bet it was amazing.

Ethan was amazing.

Something Stephanie had said before kept playing in Lacy’s head,
“They were still the people I’d come to know and call my friends. They were just more.”

Lacy loved Ethan, she knew that. The only problem was that up until last night, werewolves had only existed in books, movies and myths. Still, her grandmother used to tell her, “There’s a little truth to every myth, dear. You just have to find it.”