Primal Heat (9 page)

Chapter Eleven

It was late morning when Bas finally returned from the hunt. He
appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, bathed in sunlight as it streamed
through the room. I’d gone back to sleep after he left, my body craving rest as
much as food or Bas’s again. That’s the first thing I learned about sex with a
werewolf. Afterward, you feel like you’ve just run a marathon. It was a good hurt,
though. And, the minute his eyes locked with mine, warmth flooded through me
and I knew I’d let him take me again if I didn’t jump him first.

“Good morning, sleepy head. I’m beginning to think I’m a bad influence
on you.”

God. He was magnificent. Standing over me in nothing but a pair of
black, drawstring sweatpants and bare feet. Even his feet were sexy. Corded
veins and long toes with tapered nails.

“You’re beginning to think that? I knew the second I laid eyes on you
I’d be in trouble.”

He leaned across the bed and gave me a kiss on the forehead. “You’re
perfect. Except you have awful morning breath.”

I blushed as I covered my mouth with my hand. I’d brought nothing with
me since we’d left my mom’s driveway in such a hurry. I gave him a playful swat
on the shoulder. “Better than dog breath anyway.”

He laughed and pointed across the hall. “Guest bathroom. You’ll find
everything you need.”

“Hmm. What? You keep it stocked for your stream of girlfriends?” I
meant it as a joke, but the second it came out of my mouth hot anger bubbled up
inside of me. Jealousy unlike anything I’d ever felt. He came to me, circling
my waist with his arms and pulling me close. His touch calmed me. God, what was
happening to me that he could affect me so?

After he kissed the top of my head, I went into the bathroom and took a
cold shower. I needed to clear my head and figure out my next move. It wasn’t
normal to feel like I did around Bas this soon. I wanted to give in to it, but
I didn’t trust it. This was how my mother was when she brought home some new
guy. Hot and heavy and obsessed with him. Happy when he was with her, despondent
when he wasn’t. I wasn’t that girl. I wouldn’t be like her. And yet, this thing
with Bas couldn’t be further from that. I knew it. I just couldn’t explain it.

I rooted through the closet in the bathroom and found a stash of clean
Wild Lake Outfitters gear in all shapes and sizes. I threw on a t-shirt and a
pair of yoga pants in my size and twisted my freshly washed hair into a top
knot before venturing back out into the main room of the lodge.

Bas was in the kitchen making eggs and heavenly smelling bacon. I
padded down to join him and took a seat at the granite-topped island bar.

“It’s quiet around here. Where’s the rest of your, uh, pack?”

Bas smiled as he deftly flipped an egg in an iron skillet, then plated
it and slid it across the island in front of me. My stomach growled loud enough
for him to hear.

“They’re around. We hunted together this morning. I sent them off for a
while, though.”

“Because of me?”

Bas shrugged and took the seat opposite mine. He rested his chin in his
hands and smiled, taking pleasure in watching me eat.

“Yes. They’re a lot to take this early in the morning. I figured you
could maybe ease into it.”

Ease into it. It meant he wanted me back here. I froze mid chew and set
down a strip of bacon. It was one thing being with him in the blush of an
impending orgasm. He was huge and powerful and filled my senses. But now that
he’d given me a chance to catch my breath, I had a thousand questions.

“What happened last night? And this morning? You were going to bite me.
Mark me, you said. Why didn’t you?”

He smiled and took my hand, pulling it toward his lips. Heat zinged
through me when he kissed me, driving out all questions. Bas was like a drug,
melting away my inhibitions and reason, leaving nothing in its place but raw
need.

“Because I won’t mark you until you fully understand what it means. And
that you still want it in spite of all that.”

My heart started to thunder inside me again. He was right. I didn’t
know what it was. I only knew that my body wanted it. But, that couldn’t be
enough. Just when fresh panic started to take hold, he kissed me again,
pressing his lips against my palm. My pulse steadied and calm washed over me
like a wave of cool water on a hot day.

“How do you do that? You affect me somehow.”

He smiled. “I told you why. Because you’re mine. I can make you feel
what I feel. I feel what you feel. If I mark you, that will burn even stronger.
And we’ll need each other even more than we do now. That’s why you have to be
sure.”

I pulled my hand away. That aching emptiness filled me the instant his
flesh wasn’t touching mine. “Would it turn me?”

“No. Not unless you already have were blood in you. Even then, it’s
extremely rare.”

“Good to know. And . . . thank you. I would have let you, you know.
Bite me. I wanted you to. God, I can’t sit here and lie and tell you I
still
don’t want you to. I do. Badly. But, I don’t think it’s that simple, is it?
There’s no going back.”

He was calm. Matter-of-fact. But, it felt like the world had crumbled
around me and been rebuilt in the span of a few hours. I was his. He said it
simply and sure. If it had been anyone else, I might have laughed in his face
and stomped out with indignant feminine rage. I couldn’t, though. I tried to
grapple with the weight and meaning of what he said, but I couldn’t deny the
truth of it. Something about me belonged with him. I wanted it.

But, it didn’t mean I could act on it. Not yet.

“I’d like to meet them,” I said, shifting the subject to somewhat safer
waters. “Your pack.”

Bas smiled as he popped the last piece of bacon in his mouth. “I was
hoping you would. They’re itching to meet you. They’re pissed I didn’t invite
them for breakfast.”

“God, I’m glad you didn’t. I’m a mess.” I finger combed my hair and
looked down at my bare feet. I’d come here last night wearing jeans and high
heeled boots. Wearing those now with my borrowed Wild Lake Outfitters yoga
pants would seem like the ultimate Walk of Shame fashion statement.

Bas stood and cleared the plates. “They wouldn’t have minded. You’re
beautiful just the way you are. You can stay here, you know. If you don’t want
to go back to your mother’s.”

The idea was tempting. Bas’s lodge was a far cry from Oakwood. It was
serene, peaceful beauty. But, it wasn’t home. I couldn’t let my romantic
fantasy cloud my reality. I had to job to do. I had school. Without it, I’d
never get out on my own for good.

“I have to go back. I’ve got class in a few hours. I have to study.
Exams are next week. And, I have my internship.” The second I mentioned that
last part, I regretted it. Bas’s shoulders stiffened and the easy air between
us seemed to thicken.

Dale Thorp and Congressman Foster. I had a stack of research sitting on
my desk and Dale’s hidden agenda against the man standing in front of me.
Knowing what I knew felt like a betrayal. Though I didn’t understand the means
he would use, I knew Foster meant to take something away from Bas. Even being
here was a major conflict of interest. And then there was the other piece of
it. Everything Cal said last night and Thorp insinuated settled over my
shoulders like a yoke.

Ice raced through my veins and sent tingling fear down my spine. Was
this all a lie? Had I played straight into Dale Thorp’s plans?

Bas turned, his face went white as he came to me and gripped my
shoulders. He leaned in close, his forehead just an inch from mine. “What I
feel for you, what I
want
from you has nothing to do with Dale Thorp.
It’s real, it’s pure, and it’s the truth.”

Still, I tried to pull away. “Can you read my mind even?”

Bas didn’t drop his hands from my shoulders. “No. But I feel your
heart. And it means you can feel mine. Listen close and tell me if you think
I’m using you.”

The air around me grew still. It was as if the world shrank to nothing
but Bas’s eyes as they stared into mine. I felt it. Just a flutter at first.
Then, sure and strong, beating in time with mine. Bas’s heart. Bas’s soul. He
bared it for me, and I knew the truth. My knees went weak from the power of it.
Still, it scared me.

“I need to breathe,” I said, gasping. Bas let me go. The pulse in my
ears receded.

“I know,” he said. “It’s okay. I told you, all of this is a lot. You’re
not ready for it.”

And I wasn’t. Though the pull of him was so strong, I needed to be
cautious. I couldn’t be like my mother. This was different, I knew. And yet,
parts of it felt the same. She tried to hitch her wagon to whatever guy paid
attention to her time and again. I couldn’t be that girl. Bas knew to give me
time and space. He grabbed my purse from one of the couches near the hearth and
gently looped it over my shoulder as I stood there trying to catch my breath.

“I’ve got to head out of town for a couple of days,” he said. “But, I’d
very much like to see you when I get back.”

I nodded, open mouthed. Then, Bas held the door for me like a perfect
gentleman. I liked this side of him too. And yet, my body still called for the
wolf inside of him.

Chapter Twelve

For the first few days after I left Bas, he was all I could think
about. When I slept, I woke trembling with need. I dreamed he watched me, his
pale blue wolf eyes hovering just out of my reach. I checked my phone more
times than I wanted to admit, but he didn’t call or text. I busied myself with
the mountain of schoolwork I had ahead of exams. Kendra and Darby asked me a
thousand questions; Bas’s dramatic alley rescue outside the Stacks drew
witnesses. Cal steered clear, and that was a blessing. But, I wasn’t ready to
explain anything about what happened to my friends. Hell, I wasn’t sure I could
explain it to myself.

And then there was Congressman Foster. Things stayed calm throughout
the week with him and Thorp still in D.C. for an important vote. But, about six
days after I last saw Bas, they came back. While they’d been away, Dale sent me
a slew of new projects that had nothing to do with eminent domain or Wild Lake
lands. I had started to think maybe Foster had moved on to other projects. The
morning after their return, Dale called me into his office, and everything
started to fall apart.

I gave him what I had so far. He had me sit in his office while he read
my ten-page memo. He thumbed through the pages, a permanent scowl on his face
as he inhaled sharply as if he were going to say something, then licked his
thumb to turn another page and settled back into his chair.

“You’re pulling punches,” he finally said. “That’s not what I hired you
to do.”

“I’m what? You asked for a memo. Not an advocacy piece. Or am I
mistaken?” I probably should have tried that softer. But, something felt different
now that I was alone in a room with him again. Though he’d done nothing overt
to bring it on, every cell in my body felt hostile toward him.

Dale was smooth. Sometimes, it was hard to remember he was a werewolf
too. He couldn’t be more physically different from Bas. Where Bas was hard
lines and chiseled strength, Dale was thick and lumbering. But as he moved out
from behind his desk and sat on the edge of it, hovering over me, the hairs
rose on the back of my neck, sensing primal threat and coiled power.

“You’ve been with him.”

It was a statement, not a question. I tried to take deep, measured
breaths. Six days. It had been six days since I’d seen Bas. Surely, Thorp
couldn’t still sense him on me. I wanted to tell him I didn’t know what he was
talking about. But, it would be a lie. Instead, I stayed silent and stared
straight ahead.

“That’s good. I like that. Mr. Lanier is very important to the senator.
Networking will only help you. I know you’re interested in furthering your
career. That’s smart, Miss Winslow. Well done.”

Sweat began to bead at the base of my neck. Dale’s breath blew hot
against my temple as he leaned even closer.

“Would you like me to go over my research again? See if there’s any
angle I’ve missed?”

“Do you think you’ve missed any angles?”

I looked at him, keeping my gaze just as hard as his, refusing to
blink. “No. I haven’t. But, you seem to think so.”

He laughed, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You know what I am, Abby.
I’ve never tried to hide or pretend. And you know what Lanier is. Or, if you
didn’t before you definitely know now. He’s a big deal around here. No denying
that. Powerful. Persuasive. I can see why you’re drawn to him.”

Still, I kept my gaze locked with his in an unspoken battle of wills.

“And I like you, Abby. A lot more than I thought I would. You’ve
surprised me. So, in light of that, I’m going to do you a favor. I’m going to
give you some advice that you’d be smart to take. Remember what I said.
Sebastian Lanier is a big deal around
here
. Do you understand? Just
here. But, his influence outside of Wild Lake is tenuous at best. There’s a
bigger world out there. Wild Lake is the backwoods as far as real power players
are concerned. Like one big trailer park.”

When he emphasized the last two words, heat speared through me. I
wanted to scratch his eyes out or slap him to wipe the smirk off his face. It
was a dig. Dale knew who I was and what I came from. He couldn’t hurt me with
it in the way he wanted. But, it didn’t mean I had to like someone trying to
throw it in my face.

“So. Have your fun with Lanier. You wouldn’t be the first. You won’t be
the last. Take what you can from him. But, be smart and don’t forget where your
bread is buttered. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“You like toast?” I raised a brow.

“Cute. Cute is good. But don’t be too cute. You know exactly what I’m
saying. But, in case you don’t, let me make it simple. Your loyalties better
stay with me.”

I let out a breath. “You mean the congressman.”

His touch burned like acid when he placed a finger under my chin. “The congressman
is where he is because I want him there. And
you
are where you are
because I want you there. You and Bas both need to remember that. I can help
you. Or I can ruin you. If you don’t believe me, think about what happened to
the last intern who sat in that chair. Mr. Morris, I think his name was. Lud?
How’s he doing in school these days?”

He knew full well the answer to that question. This was not the second
time someone insinuated that Lud’s breakdown and departure from school had
something to do with this office. A smug half-smile settled on Dale’s face.
“That’s right. You don’t need to know the why of it, but let Mr. Morris be a
lesson to you about what happens when things don’t go according to
my
plans. Mr. Morris tried to take sensitive knowledge away from this office. It
didn’t work out well for him. Then he realized he wasn’t cut out for a career
in the legal field. He’s managing a gas station last I heard. So remember, Bas
can’t protect you from everything.”

So there it was. He’d danced around it long enough; now it was out
there. A blatant threat. Do what he said, or he’d try to mess with me.

“Oh, I would never hurt you.” Dale curled a strand of my hair between
his fingers. I pulled away. “But, you flat out aren’t going to be able to get a
job anywhere that matters if I don’t want you to. Are we clear?”

“Mr. Thorp, we are not clear. I’ve done everything you’ve asked and
then some. The work I’ve turned in for you has been top notch. I don’t know why
you think that’s going to change.”

He moved fast. My heart thundered in my ears. Dale hovered over me, one
hand on each armrest of my chair. He bared his teeth and growled, his eyes pure
wolf. Weaker than Bas, but he was still a werewolf. If he wanted to hurt me, he
could do it faster than a blink. His nose twitched and he inhaled deeply, then
moved away from me, sitting back on the desk.

“I can smell him all over you, and he knows it. I’m sorry to tell you
this, sweetheart, but you’ve been played. I hope you at least had fun while it
was happening. But, he sent you back here with his scent on you. You know
enough about what we are to realize that wasn’t an accident. So, I’m going to
tell you again. Remember where your loyalties need to lie if you want any hope
of a legal career after you graduate.
If
you graduate, that is. I don’t
suppose your dean would think too highly of you if he found out you started a
relationship with one of the congressman’s adversaries.”

My blood boiled. A hot blush rose, coloring my cheeks. Dale was a liar.
I couldn’t believe Bas would use me like that. He’d opened his heart to me,
shown me something deep inside of him. I couldn’t say his intentions were pure,
but they had nothing to do with Dale and everything to do with the two of us.

Maybe something flickered in my eyes like a window to at least part of
my thoughts. Because, Dale leaned back and crossed his arms, that smug look
back in place.

“I’m glad we got to talk. I’m going to trust that we’ve come to an
understanding. Now, why don’t you take the rest of the weekend off? Isn’t it
just about time for your final exams?”

“Y-yes. Monday.”

Dale chewed his lip and rose. He moved around the desk and sat in his
leather chair, giving me a dismissive wave. “See you in a week, then.
Congressman Foster is going to take a series of meetings, and we’d like you to
sit in and take notes. In the meantime, yes. I do have another angle I want you
to look at with this little project.”

Dread filled me. I wanted nothing more than to get as much distance as
I could from Dale. My skin flamed hot like I’d just spiked a fever. My stomach
rolled, and for a moment I thought I was going to lose my lunch. Something was
happening to me. This was more than just revulsion at who he was and what he’d
said. I was having a distinct, physical reaction to being this close to him.

Dale cleared a stack of papers from his desk and pulled out a large map
of northern Michigan. He circled a section about thirty miles west of us and
handed the map to me. I took a breath and focused on keeping my hands steady as
I took it from him, careful not to let his fingers brush mine.

“I want you to look into that property I’ve marked. It’s owned by the
Bonner family. But I want to know more. Pull deeds. Trace the ownership and
zoning as far back as you can. You can take a few days. No more than a week.
It’s priority one as soon as you finish your exams.”

I nodded, but his words barely registered. My head pounded and bile
rose in my throat. The air grew thicker and the room started to spin. If I
didn’t get the hell out of here and fast, I was afraid I might pass out. I
needed to get the hell away from Dale Thorp. I rose and lifted my messenger bag
off the floor. I kept my back straight and strong as I turned on my heel and
left his office.

Grace said something to me, but I couldn’t hear her past the thundering
pulse in my ears. With each step I took away from his office, the better I
felt. My physical symptoms had all but vanished when I turned the corner, but
his words replayed in my head and caused a new fluttering in my heart. I didn’t
want to believe anything Dale had said. Still, he was right about one thing.
Bas had to know that even nearly a week later, another werewolf would know I’d
been with him. Why
did
he send me back here like that? I didn’t want to
even let the words form as thoughts. But, I couldn’t escape it.

My fingers trembled when I reached up to hit the down button on the
elevator. Bas knew. He made me a walking, breathing message right under Dale’s
nose. Was Bas using me? Or was Dale?