Rogue Wolf (8 page)

“Very well.” He retrieved his suitcase and returned to the car.

Margo gave him another wary look before climbing into the driver’s seat. He was almost disappointed the game ended, but she was right. They had other quarry to hunt, but his wolf marked the behavior and Salvatore smiled. When she ran—and she would—he would never tire of the chase.

Strained silence marked the drive from Mason’s house to the pack assigned lodgings. Though she said nothing, Salvatore knew Margo remained aware of him. A skilled and controlled wolf, she couldn’t disguise her scent in the close quarters of the vehicle. Desire tangled with irritation and curiosity creating a heady bouquet he wanted to both savor and soothe.

The pack’s town was so unlike his own pack structure. They did not live in such close confines with each other in Italy. For the pack’s safety and to minimize disagreements and public battles, they lived over a sprawling range. He maintained three homes, including an apartment in the heart of Rome. When he needed time away from the pack, he went to the apartment. His main house, however, was at the vineyard and that he left to his mother’s authority.

Willow Bend, however, proved to be an assortment of contradictions. Some houses were tucked close together, five and ten to a street, while others held a whole street to themselves. No rhyme or reason marked the layout as far as he could tell. Some wolves worked outdoors on vehicles or yards, still others walked together with great determination as though headed to a specific destination.

He caught sight of their downtown, a collection of hodgepodge buildings with older construction offset by more modern. They seemed to have all they needed, a perfect slice of Americana insofar as he’d seen small town portrayed on the television. The drive took less than fifteen minutes, yet they moved from the occupied portion of town to a quieter area. The streets emptied of people, wolves and buildings the land seemed to open until Margo turned down a tree-lined drive.

A two-story house sat at the end of the drive. Empty, ordinary, and altogether private. His wolf approved. Though surrounded by trees, the immediate land around the house was wide open, leaving no groundcover to hide potential intruders. A car sat idly in front of the house and Margo groaned.

Straightening in his seat, Salvatore eyed the vehicle. No sooner did Margo slow than doors opened and an older couple exited the other car. “Whatever you do,” Margo said as she parked at the beginning of the curve rather than behind the others. “Don’t freak if three rather large male wolves rush me.”

His nostrils flared and he glanced at her, incredulous. “
Mi scusi
?” The growl underscoring his words should have shamed him since he displayed a lack of control, but he didn’t give a damn. What did she mean three wolves were going to rush her?

She shut off the engine and slipped out of the car. Worried, he followed her immediately. The older couple beamed, although tears glistened in the woman’s eyes. Margo was three strides from them when three males burst out of the woods and barreled straight for her.

She pivoted smoothly, intercepting the fastest one as he scooped her off the ground. Their howls of laughter and greeting combined ferocity with playfulness. Salvatore paused. The older couple gave him a wary look, then focused on Margo again.

Her parents. The woman shared the same hair, titian highlights, and a similar golden, sun-kissed skin tone. By contrast, the paler man appeared leaner in build. An academic or businessman, he lacked the definition of a fighter.

The three younger males swarmed Margo. Each one possessed a powerful build so, despite her sleek physique and height, they dwarfed her. Salvatore held his ground. She’d told him not to
freak out
. However, if they didn’t back away from her—one let out a yelp as she gripped his ear and a second landed on his ass thanks to a move he missed while studying her parents. The third she held by the throat. Her low, husky voice carried a faint note of affection when she said, “I’m working. We also have a
guest
of the pack here, and you three idiots are acting like…idiots.”

“Aww, Margo. Don’t make the face. We never get to see you.” The one on the ground rose onto his elbows and gave her a winning smile. He was barely older than a youth, perhaps twenty, definitely not more than twenty-five. His eyes were the same shade as his sister’s. “We missed you.”

“Right, Robbie, you miss me.” She sidestepped his leg sweep and then dumped the brother she held in an ear twist on top of him. The third brother, however, hadn’t moved since she locked her free hand around his throat. “Your patience has improved, Mike. You’re not even trying to get free.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not the genetically challenged cousin who needs you to prove to me again you can kick my ass.” Definitely older than the two boys on the ground, though too close to Margo’s age for Salvatore to discern who was older or younger.

Her expression relaxed and a real smile lit her face. After releasing his throat, Margo wrapped her arms around the gentle giant and he lifted her into a hug. “Missed you, baby sister.” The low murmured words answered Salavtore’s unspoken question.

Margo’s throaty chuckle drifted over Salvatore like a caress. He wanted to elicit the reaction from her, tease her senses until she graced him with the devastating power of her smile. “Good. Teaches you to appreciate the people you care about.”

Melancholy invaded his good mood. Luciana used to tease him in similar fashion, though manners never let him roughhouse with her as Margo’s brothers did.

The two on the ground achieved their feet, then “Robbie” looped an arm around Margo’s waist and hugged her sideways. Only when she was sandwiched between the two brothers did the third make his move.

Salvatore saw the lunge, and the three tried to tickle her. The thud of fists slamming into faces and one brother after another tumbling away from her as she struck stunned him. When all three were on the ground, she slammed her foot onto Mike’s chest and glared at him. “Really, Mikey? Tickling? I
hate
tickling.”

Mentally noting the reaction, Salvatore wondered if she only hated it from her brothers. Would she react as violently if a lover teased her in the same fashion?

Mike laughed. “You can’t blame a cousin for trying…”

“The hell I can’t.”

“Margo…” The older woman left her mate’s side and strode toward the Enforcer. Yes, Margo inherited her mother’s build, though she had at least an inch in height on the woman. Releasing her brothers, Margo twisted to accept her mother’s hug and she returned the affection.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said softly, but Salvatore didn’t miss the words. “I’m really working. We have a guest.”

“We know,” her mother said, pulling away enough to sweep her daughter with a look from head to toe. “But I wanted to
see
you. If we didn’t come here, you wouldn’t come to see us.”

Chastising tone aside, the look of profound joy in her mother’s face was an intimacy Salvatore had no business intruding upon. Dragging his gaze away from the family, he retrieved his suitcase then checked the backseat for Margo’s bag. She had taken the keys with her, but he found the latch to free the trunk.

Margo hugged her mother, then her father and soon her brothers surrounded them, blocking his view. After opening the trunk, he stared at the contents. It was organized like a battle chest. Two duffel bags sat in the center. The roof of the trunk included weapons—swords, blades, and a couple of rifles. A pair of handgun cases sat locked in on the right hand side and a first aid kit on the left. Without opening the duffels, he wouldn’t know which contained her clothing.

Curiosity was not an excuse to invade her privacy, so he gathered both duffels, then closed the trunk. Margo was still in the center of her family hug. She didn’t seem to be saying anything. Instead her brothers and cousin all spoke at speed, filling her in with details of pack gossip and family events.

Phrases like mated the healer, human took the bite, cubs are on the way peppered their high-speed speech. Pack life thrived on the connections made between mates, their families, and then the interaction of the families with their community. Margo’s throaty laughter drew his attention, and he glanced toward them as he walked up the steps to the guest house.

The scents of at least a dozen wolves crisscrossed the porch. Undoubtedly, those same wolves were stationed around the area, though none were immediately visible. He wouldn’t allow an Alpha into his territory without being damn sure he knew what the man was doing. As expected, the front door was unlocked.

Inside, he found no trace of wolf scent, only human—a female. Interesting, but both he and his wolf approved. Salvatore wouldn’t want the scents of the pack muddying the house, not if he had to stay there for any length of time. The human probably handled the cleaning. Setting his case and her duffel bags down on a low table in the entry hall, he checked the yard.

Margo continued to chat with her family, but she’d switched positions and cast a glance toward the house. His absence had been noticed. Pleased, he swept his gaze around the wooded areas in the distance. One wolf—one of those he’d seen at Mason’s house—leaned against a tree right at the edge of the forest.

A Hunter sent to keep watch, and he touched two fingers to his forehead as though acknowledging Salvatore’s regard.
Also ordered to let me know they are there.
He did not know Mason well, but he’d begun to develop a healthy respect for the Alpha. Perhaps when all was said and done, the two of them could have a lengthy discussion. Only another Alpha could understand the responsibilities and obligations of leading a pack.

Making a rough circuit of the house, he found three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a stocked kitchen, and a comfortable sitting area. Far too large for his needs, he studied the layout and all egresses. Margo would take the bedroom next to the main sleeping space, as both were on the second floor, but the smaller one had two windows and they faced the same direction as the main and hers would be farther from the front door.

Decided, he returned to the kitchen and studied the note on the refrigerator.

We have delivered a sum total of ten pre-prepared meals. We took the liberty of choosing local favorites rather than trying to match the culinary skill of Italians. Should you find any not to your liking, simply leave them in the fridge. We also added heating instructions. We will restock the fridge in three days unless you have already vacated or need food sooner. Should you need a meal sooner, simply use the landline to call us at 555-1354.

Have a wonderful stay,

Amelia

Appreciating the attention to detail, he returned to the front and checked on Margo. Her brothers and cousin had left, but her parents were still at their vehicle. He didn’t need to understand body language to read the trouble between them. Margo stood a couple of feet away from them, her arms folded and her expression remote.

“But you can come home now. Toman is gone, and it’s safe for you here. I know you and Mason have issues, but he wouldn’t deny you if you asked him.” Anger and upset trembled in her mother’s words.

“I get that,” Margo said, her tone unusually even. He’d only known her a few hours and recognized the steel band of control modulating her tone. “I also get you want me home. But I don’t live here. I’m not part of this pack…and I don’t want to be.”

“Margo, darling, you can think about it,” her father said, peacemaking echoing as he closed the gap to touch her shoulder while still resting a hand on his mate’s. “Your mother misses you. I miss you. We never wanted you to go.”

“I’m aware. I also know you did the best you could. The trouble is, I know the world outside this pack and I like my freedom. I come visit when I can, and I’m always a phone call away—”

“That’s not enough.” Anger edged her mother’s words.

“Linda…” Her father attempted to play peacemaker.

“No, Will. You and Ryan came up with this damn plan in the first place. You sent my baby away from us. I want her home. You belong here, Margo.” The lift of her chin and the stiffening of her shoulders told Salvatore Margo inherited more than her looks from her mother. “You
will
come home now.”

Power swept through the yard and it wasn’t his. Margo’s eyes narrowed and she pinned her mother. The stare-off lasted only seconds, but her mother dipped her eyes first. “I love you, too, Mom. But, as I said earlier, I have work to do. You two should go now. You’ve kept me from the pack’s guest for too long. Take care.”

Command resounded in the words and Salvatore’s heart ached. A child ordering her parents away—even he fought the urge to order his mother to back off. On the other hand, despite her temper, his mother never cornered him on any issue not involving their personal family.

“Linda,” Will said, sliding his arm around her shoulders. “We talked about this.”

“I know. I just—”

“Good night.” Flat. Even. Almost stiff. The wolf facing off against her parents wanted them to leave and neither had the ability to resist the command. With half-hearted hugs and more than a few tears, the older couple retreated to their vehicle. A moment later the engine started and they pulled away.

Margo remained where she was, arms folded, as the car disappeared down the long driveway. Salvatore opened the screen and returned to the porch. He should be inside showering, changing his torn shirt, calling his pack to check on them, calling his men in Canada or putting together plans to find his sister—instead, he stood at the top of the porch steps and studied the woman who hadn’t moved an inch.

Movement in the woods jerked his attention from Margo. The wolf he’d seen earlier stepped out. “Do you want me to tell Mason?” His words were soft, but they carried.

With a shake of her head, Margo said, “Tell him what you need to, but I have no complaints. They’re parents. What can you do?” For some reason, the matter of fact statement hurt him.