Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply (6 page)

“Yes. And I'm not looking for a mate. Do you have your own police force?” If they did, Eric could easily have her license plate checked out, even get her address that way, if she was parked in the same area that he was. Since he was a law-enforcement park ranger, he might be able to run the tags himself.

“We sure do. Two deputies, one being my youngest brother, and a sheriff.”

“That's nice. Well, I've got to run along. I suppose you're meeting up with another Boy Scout troop after this one, and two more this afternoon?”

“Sure am. What about you?”

“Same.”

“Great. Sarandon and I will see you then. I'll walk you to where you're parked.”

She had parked in the farthest lot out, figuring she could use the exercise after she and Susan ended up having too many chips and too much wine last night. “Not necessary. See you at the next campsite.” She stalked off, feeling the wolf's eyes on her back.

As soon as she turned left into the woods, she glanced back in Eric's direction. Yep, he was watching her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled.

She shouldn't have glanced in his direction, telling him she was interested in what he was doing. Every action a wolf took would be recorded by others and analyzed. She didn't want him drawing the wrong conclusions.

Pepper made her way to her vehicle, glad Eric had abided by her wishes and hadn't followed her. She'd give him high marks for that. Not that it would change her mind about him or any other male wolf who thought he might take her mate's place.

She got into her mini-SUV and drove to the next campsite, realizing he could still find her vehicle if he really wanted to by smelling her scent on it. She sighed. What difference would it make anyway? She wasn't going to have anything to do with him beyond talking to him a little at the campsites in between lecturing.

When she arrived at the next troop encampment, she was shocked to see Eric already there and lecturing. He must have known a shortcut, maybe a road only park officials could use. He didn't even glance her way, though she was sure he knew she was coming up the trail to the campsite because the breeze was blowing her scent in his direction. For an annoying fraction of a second, she realized how much she wished he had glanced her way, smiled a little, and continued on with his talk.

She was used to being acknowledged when her pack members were around. When Waldron was around, he paid constant attention to her, as if she was the only person in the world. But that annoyed her. She was puzzled by Eric's behavior. He appeared to be giving up on her way too easily—for an alpha. Unless he had just been trying to be friendly and didn't have any deeper goals in mind.

Nah. He was totally intrigued by her. She'd smelled his interest. But he was different, not pushy like the others she had known.

The Scoutmaster spoke to her, but she barely heard a word he said, instead listening to Eric pull the boys into new tales, all different from the others she had heard. Right now, he was talking about the time he was chased by a bear when he was a kid and climbed a tree, but the bear did too.

The boys were sitting cross-legged in front of him, and he sat the same way to give his lecture, as if he were just one of the boys. The boys looked enraptured, their mouths gaping, their eyes wide. She was just as caught up in the tale, wondering how he got out of the predicament he'd found himself in. She wondered if he was giving a new lecture so she wouldn't have to hear the same old stories again. She had to admit she was fascinated with his adventure stories.

“Mr. Silver is new to us,” the Scoutmaster said to her. He chuckled. “He sure has some tales to tell.”

Considering how long
lupus garous
lived, at least until lately, she knew why Eric had so many tales to tell. She let out her breath on a long sigh. No way would her wolf video or little pine tree sapling garner the attention Eric did.

She wished she'd gone first like before. Unlike him, she didn't have another lecture prepared, and she wasn't good at impromptu speeches.

She sighed again and saw Sarandon coming down the same trail she had. He was all smiles—directed totally at her. Maybe
he
was the one she should watch out for.

After the lecture, Eric gave Pepper a brief smile in greeting, then joined Sarandon as he waited to talk to the troop. Pepper was speaking to the boys now, and Eric asked his brother, “Did you want to meet me for lunch after this?”

“Certainly. Guess you don't need to do what you were going to do now.” Sarandon was careful not to be specific in case Pepper could catch any part of their conversation. “Did you want to wait for me?”

Eric thought about it. He really had wanted to track down where her pack was from. But he was feeling so wiped out, he figured he needed to eat. Then after the last lecture, he'd swing by the cabins Pepper had rented and check them out.

“Yeah, sure.”

Like Eric, Sarandon would be telling all new tales so Eric didn't mind hearing them, especially since some would be new to him too.

“Do you want to ask Pepper if she'd like to go with us? We'll all be at the next troop campout after that.”

Pepper glanced their way, probably having heard her name mentioned.

“I'm getting strong vibes that she's not interested in seeing anyone,” Eric said, lowering his voice so only his brother could hear.

“And that's stopping you, why?”

Eric frowned at him. “She already has trouble with another male wolf. I don't intend to add to her problems.”

“So take care of the other male wolf.”

Eric snorted. “I would in a heartbeat if I thought she wanted or needed my help. But I don't believe she does.” If he learned Waldron was the one illegally growing crops in the park, that would be the perfect scenario. Eric could take him down for a criminal venture and get him off Pepper's back. At the same time, he'd be doing it in the course of his job and for the safety of all
lupus garous
.

“Ah, so she would think you'd force the other wolf to leave, but then take his place. Gotcha.”

“Right.”

“Well, I got to tell you, Brother, you have more fortitude than I have.”

Eric wasn't about to let his brother know how much it was killing him to back off. He swore Pepper was surprised he had given her the space she seemed to need when she first arrived. She was probably used to the other male wolf not backing off. Which was why Eric was working so hard at this. And that was a new way of handling a situation like this for him. Of course, she might not care for him, in which case, he
really
wasn't pushing it.

“So are you hanging around to have lunch with me, or do you want to just meet me somewhere?” Sarandon asked.

“I'll hang around. We can leave your vehicle here and take the shortcut out of the park so we can have plenty of time to visit and still be back in time for the next talk.”

“Are you sure you don't want to ask Pepper? What if she
doesn't
say no?”

Eric really didn't want to press things with her, but Sarandon was right. What if she did want to have lunch with them and she felt left out because they hadn't asked if she'd join them? Because of his park ranger position, he could get them out of here faster than if she used the visitor roads.

What the hell. If she rejected the idea, he would remind himself it was just a polite offer, nothing more, like if he'd asked any another wolf to join them, just in friendship and camaraderie.

Who was he trying to kid? All he had to do to know how he felt was envision her playing in the creek last night with the other women and then kissing him back as he kissed her—like in his dream.

When she joined him to thank the Scoutmaster, Sarandon gave Eric a look that said he ought to ask, just to be courteous. Then Sarandon began his talk with the boys.

Eric said to Pepper, “Sarandon wondered if you'd like to join us for some lunch.” He thought saying his brother wanted him to ask would make it less of an issue for her. “I can drive us on the official-use-only roads and get us to town quicker, if you'd like. Then we'll be back in time for the next Scout troop, if you're doing the same ones we are this afternoon.”

“Is it legal for a nonofficial person to ride in an official truck?” she asked.

He smiled.

She smiled back.

“Sure, if it means getting a Reuben sandwich at that deli on the corner of Fifth and Parker and having a little more time to chill out between lectures,” he said.

“You got it.” And for a second, Eric thought he had made a slight inroad with Pepper. “But only if Sarandon likes the place too,” she added.

“He does. We both do,” he assured her quickly. But he suspected that even if Sarandon hadn't liked the place, he would have gone along so Eric could visit further with Pepper. Even so, Eric was glad both he and his brother ate there whenever they had a chance because the food was so good.

She raised a brow as if she didn't believe him.

“He loves the tuna melt. I love the chili on cold days, the Reuben on hot days.”

She frowned at him. He thought she still questioned his veracity but she said, “Are you sure you're all right?”

She was still concerned about him. That was a good sign. “Yeah, sure.” His injuries were aching and he was burning up, but no way was he going to tell Pepper that. As soon as he finished speaking to the next two troops this afternoon, he'd go home to bed. Well, after he checked out the cabins.

“You look flushed.”

He shrugged. “No big deal.”

“The Scouts will understand if you can't talk to them this afternoon.”

Now that he had a chance to be around Pepper for longer? No way was he going home this early. “If it was a life-or-death matter, I'd bow out. It isn't. Really.” Eric appreciated her concern, but he wasn't about to leave now. Maybe she wouldn't be interested in him. And maybe he wouldn't be interested in her—if they got to know each other better. But he couldn't pass up this opportunity to have lunch with her, and having his brother along would help make her feel easier about it.

“All right.”

Before long, Sarandon had finished his talk and Eric drove them to the old-time deli, which featured Chevy convertible toy cars and pictures, checkered tablecloths, a chrome bar, and red vinyl seats. They went to the serving line and considered the menu. Pepper frowned. “Do you have sandwiches in half orders?”

“No, ma'am. Only whole sandwiches,” the server said.

Eric quickly said, “We can split one.”

Immediately, she began to object. “But—”

“No buts. With this fever, I'm not as hungry as I usually am. I couldn't manage more than half a sandwich.”

She looked skeptically at him. Sarandon was smiling like he didn't believe Eric one bit.

They ordered and sat down at one of the tables. Sarandon began talking about their pack as if Pepper might be interested in joining them. But he didn't tell her about their father's misdeeds or anything that could cast a bad light on him or his brothers.

After listening to Sarandon talk almost nonstop for twenty minutes, Pepper turned to Eric and asked, “Were you really chased by a bear when you were human? Or were you a wolf at the time?”

“Both. The time I told the Scouts about, we were human. As wolves, when we were about fifteen, Sarandon and I were hiking up in the mountains and it started storming. Remember my talk on lightning storms? We were up on a peak when a thunderstorm rolled in. We sought lower ground and found a cave, thinking only about protecting ourselves from the lightning. But then we discovered the cave had a resident. A sleeping black bear. We hurried out of there and scrambled down the mountain, figuring we'd take our chances with the storm.”

“Wow, I would have been so freaked out.”

“We definitely were. What about you? You must have had some harrowing experiences over the years,” Eric said.

A server brought their lunches to the table and left.

Pepper said, “Yeah, it's hard not to, given our life spans and as much time as I've spent in the forests. One time I'd taken a couple of wolf pups with me on a hike. The mom needed a break and she turned into her wolf so the twin boys would take wolf form and I could take them for an outing. I was trying to make them mind, but also to get them used to exploring nature and the world around them. So I was observing them like any wolf ‘nanny' would, while also watching the area surrounding us.

“Then I saw a cougar. She had two yearling cubs with her, and she was teaching them how to hunt for food. Before she could see us, I moved the pups away from the area quickly. That was the scariest thing that ever happened to me. If I'd had my pack with me, no problem. A wolf pack would have scared them off. But one wolf and two pups? They were only four months old in wolf form, four in human years. I couldn't have fought off the cougar and her cubs. After that, I made it a rule that if any of us took pups out into the woods, we went as a pack.”

Eric blew out his breath. “Now that would be a tale to tell the Scouts, if you could tell it.”

“I wish I could. Between your and Sarandon's tales, the boys were absolutely awestruck. I think that's the quietest I've ever seen a group of Boy Scouts. I don't remember seeing you giving the lectures before though.”

“It's a new job for both of us since Thanksgiving of last year,” Eric said. “So we missed the summer when the Boy Scouts are camping. The park service normally hires temps in the summers, but I'd been working up north in the same capacity for a few years, so I managed to get a permanent position down here closer to home.” He drank some of his water. “So how long have you been at the job?”

“Nine years. I started giving lectures to troops five years ago. I hadn't expected a park ranger or a nature guide to show up today. That must have been your doing,” she said to Eric.

“Well, actually, we both had the idea at the same time.” Eric lifted a pickle off the plate. “I was telling Sarandon about what I needed to do, and we both had the idea that he could add something to the talk. Then we'd have lunch after that.”

“That was a good idea. I was curious though. Do you often prowl the park at night as a wolf?”

“Yes. I love the woods. It gives me a chance to run in my wilder form.” Eric then noticed two male teens looking at them curiously from across the room. Even though they were talking softly—their wolf hearing ensured they could hear each other—the teens seemed to have caught some of their conversation.

Pepper glanced in the teens' direction, then said, “I think they overheard us.”

“Only if they're wolves.” Eric finished off his sandwich.

“Not any of yours, I take it.”

“Nope. And not any of yours?”

“No.”

Eric eyed them for a moment, wondering where they were from. He frowned. “What about Waldron's pack? Would some of his wolves be here?”

“In the summer? Teens out hiking in the park, then coming in to have lunch? Could be.”

Eric thought it was too much of a coincidence that Waldron would attack him for showing any interest in Pepper, and now two teens—possibly from Waldron's pack—were having lunch at the same place and same time as them.

“But you don't know them?” Eric asked, wondering just how much interaction she'd had with Waldron and his pack.

She shook her head. “He said his pack is thirty members strong. I don't know where they're living, what they do, and I didn't ask. He didn't share either.”

“You never met him before? I mean, you haven't known him long-term then?”

“He just moved into the area, from what I understand.”

So she and her pack must live close by. Then again, Waldron and his pack must also.

“I wonder why they would move out of their own area,” Sarandon said, as if he thought the pack had caused trouble and moved on.

“Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.” Though Eric had no intention of bringing it up, because he and his brothers had moved on when their dad had caused all the trouble for the pack. Now they were back, but Eric still felt unsettled, responsible, and angry with his dad, when
they
hadn't caused any trouble. Still, Eric and his brothers had left the pack even though it wasn't their fault, so the same could be true of Waldron and his people.

“Do you want me to talk to the boys?” Sarandon asked.

“Nah. They're just checking us out like we're checking them out.” But Eric wondered if they knew who Pepper was and if they were in Waldron's pack, and he knew word would get back to him that two male wolves had lunch with her—one who had even shared a sandwich with her. Though it was all innocent, another wolf interested in courting her might not think so.

“Are we ready to go back and take on the next round of Scout troops?” Pepper asked, setting her napkin on her plate. “And thanks, Eric, for buying everyone lunch.”

Eric thought she was elevating her voice a little, making sure the teens knew why they had lunch together. Was she afraid Waldron would come looking for Eric if he learned he was having lunch out with her? And try to take another bite out of him? Not this time.

* * *

Pepper and the Silver brothers cleaned up their table, then dumped their trash as they headed out the door. The teens quickly followed but kept their distance. They eyed the vehicle Eric was driving and took a picture.

“They have to be from Waldron's pack,” Pepper said, climbing into Eric's truck. “There would be no other reason for their
obvious
interest in us. Like a warning that what we did would be reported back to him.”

She'd halfway expected Waldron to saunter in like he owned the deli and tell Eric she was off-limits. She could see that Eric was all alpha, and he was ready for some payback. Waldron wouldn't get off so easily next time—if there was a next time.

Eric snorted. “All the better reason to clear the air,
and
the sooner the better.”

Sarandon cast Eric a warning look. “Not in your condition, it isn't. And you know if he injured you again before you were healed, Darien and all the rest of us would tear into him. No letting the two of you deal with this on your own.”