For a second, he stared at her, as if he finally realized something big was bothering her. He whispered in her ear, “If we make any headway, we can end this here tonight.”
She glanced back at the entrance. No police, no more sirens.
Before she could respond, Devlyn kissed her lips and then left her with Nicol.
Disheartened, she held Nicol apart from her while Devlyn made his way to the table where Ross and Alfred sat.
“You must know, Bella, you’re about to give our pack leader a stroke the way you dance with the gray. I’ve never seen his face redder.”
“We can’t help it. We’re in love.”
“It’s evident.” He studied her for a moment, swallowed hard, and switched topics. “Another gray arrived here earlier. He spoke with us and then left. He appeared to be pretty angry he missed you.”
Her heart pumped in overdrive.
“Something wrong? You look like you’re getting ready to faint. We’ll eliminate the gray, Bella, if he’s a problem. You don’t have to worry about him. He said you arranged to meet him here, but we told him you left with another gray. He didn’t seem pleased. After he left, Alfred said you had told him an older man planned to see you. Not someone who appeared to be in his thirties.”
“Argos. The man you saw wasn’t him. Volan serves as the gray pack leader and intended to have me as his mate.”
Nicol stiffened. “He’s the one.”
“Yes. He sent a message to me pretending to be Argos. We didn’t learn of the deception until we returned to my apartment.” She noticed the flicker of interest in his brown eyes. If the red wolf pack searched for her themselves, they wouldn’t be looking for a house, but an apartment complex instead. Still, she clenched her fists, irritated that Alfred hadn’t used his men to eliminate Volan when they had the chance. Then she wouldn’t be in the hellacious bind she was in now.
“Alfred still wants you.” Nicol stated the words matter-of-factly.
It was as though she had no choice in the matter. She’d selected a mate, and it should have been a done deal, but the reds wouldn’t allow her to choose the gray. “But I’ve chosen Devlyn for my mate.”
“He’s not from here and he’s a gray. As far as Alfred’s concerned, the gray has no legitimate claim to you. You know, ancient law of the pack.”
When she didn’t respond, he took it that she didn’t know about it. “The ancient law, you know. Where an unmated pack leader can take a lone red wolf for his own if she enters the reds’ territory. Of course, the same applies if he has a mate already and one of his pack members needs one.”
She took a steadying breath. The sooner she and Devlyn left the red lupus garou territory and the sooner they got out of the club, the better. “What about you?”
Nicol smiled. “A pack leader can lose his position if a new alpha male emerges.”
She raised her brows. He didn’t seem to be the emergent leader type. A follower, like Ross — that’s how she had both of them pegged. “Like you?”
He shrugged. “There’s been no incentive... until now.”
That definitely could capsize the boat.
“And Ross?”
“He’s been brooding of late. No telling what’s going on in that dark mind of his.”
“He and Alfred were dancing with human females when we first arrived. They both looked happy enough.”
“That was before you showed up with the gray. As soon as you reappeared, they quit dancing and joined me at the table to watch.” Nicol tightened his grip on her hand. “I want you to dance close to me like you did with the gray.”
“I’m Devlyn’s mate, no other’s.”
He shook his head. “A red belongs with a red... not a gray. No one here will sanctify your choice. As far as Ross goes, he puts on a good show. But, frankly, I wouldn’t trust him.”
“If you’re thinking of ousting Alfred as the leader of the pack and taking over, it seems to me you’re the one who can’t be trusted.”
He gave her a sardonic smile. “No one is to be trusted, Bella, with a rare red female in our midst, who looks good enough to eat. No one.” Taking a deep breath, his eyes darkened.
She assumed he could smell how Devlyn had aroused her, and Nicol’s own hormones would be thrown into turmoil. She glanced back at Devlyn, who sat speaking to Alfred and Ross but kept his gaze focused on her and Nicol. Devlyn’s face looked red and hard. If Nicol got too fresh with her, Devlyn would be at her side in a flash.
Right before the dance ended, Ross made his move.
Fearing she would have to dance with every one of the reds, each trying to see if they could stir the same kind of interest in her that Devlyn did, she knew the police would stalk in any minute and arrest her, as guilty as she must look.
Nicol kept hold of her hand, reluctant to give her up.
“Will you dance with me?” Ross asked her, ignoring Nicol.
“Of course, but remember, I’m Devlyn’s mate.” Glancing over at Devlyn, she frowned.
Ross’s nostrils flared slightly as his eyes burned with hatred at the mention of Devlyn’s name. Nicol snorted at her comment and then joined the others at the table.
“I thought the brunette you danced with was quite attractive. Have you known her long?” she asked.
Ross’s thin lips tightened and his brown eyes darkened to nearly black. “You have no business taking up with a gray.”
Her stomach constricted. Instinct compelled her to shove him away and tell him where he could go. She had every right to select a mate, and if he were agreeable, she and Devlyn would consummate the relationship, thereby making it a mating for life. Squashing her more violent wolf nature, she attempted instead to learn whether Ross was the killer. “I’m sorry there aren’t more reds around for — “
“You won’t be a gray’s bitch, Bella.”
She didn’t care for his tone, ominous and threatening, but she fought telling him off. She already had enough problems with zoo man Thompson, the police, and one dead gray pack leader. Plus the notion of finding and stopping the killer. No way did she need three horny reds compounding her troubles.
Devlyn sat on the edge of his stool, ready to pounce on any of the reds should they take their actions with Bella too far. Although neither Ross nor Nicol had treated Bella other than with great caution, he still didn’t like them touching her. They desired her, just as he did. As any of their kind would. Touching that soft, warm body, even with the faintest of brushes, forced his loins to react. He knew the same thing happened to them when they drew close to her. Yet he had every intention of learning who the killer was as soon as he could so that he could take Bella home to the pack.
“I’m surprised you didn’t make a move for her earlier. She’s lived here for three years. Or didn’t you know?”
Alfred’s eyes rounded, and his face reddened. “Shit,” he said under his breath. “I thought... “ He shook his head.
“She’s pretty good at keeping inconspicuous, mainly from dodging Volan all these years.”
“She should have been mine all this time.” Alfred rose from the seat. “My turn.” He didn’t ask if it was all right with Devlyn. He strode from the table like a pack leader does, knowing that everyone had better follow his lead.
Struggling to keep his seat, Devlyn clenched his fists.
“Man, is Alfred pissed now!” Nicol chugged his beer and then grinned. “To think she’d been in the area all that time and no one knew it. We thought she’d been here only a couple of weeks.” He shook his head in disbelief. “She’s sure fine.”
“What do you think about Alfred wanting her so badly?” Devlyn asked, trying to take his mind off Alfred’s hands on Bella’s hips.
When she moved them back to her waist, Devlyn smiled at her tenacity.
Nicol faced Devlyn. “I’d say you’ve got a hell of a lot of competition and a big fight coming if you want to keep her.”
The truth was out. “You’d fight for him so he could have Bella?”
Ross finally returned to the table, his face crimson. Devlyn glanced back at Alfred, dancing super slowly to the music.
“I’d fight anyto have a chance to have her,” Nicol said.
Ross glared at Nicol but quickly shifted his attention back to Bella and Alfred.
Steeling his composure, Devlyn watched every move Alfred made toward Bella, intent on ripping him apart if he did one thing that she didn’t like... or that he didn’t care for.
“Hey, Ross, guess how long the little lady’s been in the area.”
Ross looked at Nicol, waiting for him to answer. Devlyn could sense the tension building.
“Three years. Can you believe it? Alfred’s really steamed over it.”
“Shit,” Ross said.
Nicol finished his beer and set the bottle on the table with a clunk. “I told Bella that Volan looked for her here. We didn’t know he was the gray leader who wanted her, though, or we would have done something about it.”
Hell, Devlyn must have just missed Volan.
“We’re not through with him yet,” Devlyn said. “He won’t want to give her up.”
Ross faced Devlyn. “Did you bring the hair sample with you?”
Devlyn hadn’t even considered doing so. He shook his head. “We’ll rendezvous at the ice cream shop tomorrow.”
“We could follow you home tonight,” Nicol offered, with a sideways glance at Ross.
“Thanks, but no. Zoo man Thompson’s hot on our trail. The more of us there are, the more likely we’ll all be caught.”
“Maybe you ought to stay with one of our pack. We have several widowed females, if you’d prefer to reside with one of them,” Nicol said.
“We’re making other arrangements.”
Ross growled.
Devlyn turned to see what Ross was watching. Two uniformed policemen. The same ones Devlyn had knocked out at the hospital. And both were showing sketches to club patrons.