The Mating (30 page)

Half an hour later, she emerged shivering, but feeling more in control. She hoped Kane would be home for the next wave,because that feeling of overwhelming need was definitely not something to experience by oneself. Crawling into bed, she pulled the covers up and closed her eyes, willing Kane to return as soon as possible.

Kane didn’t come home that night. Elise’s sleep had been restless as she kept waking to check his side of the bed, only to find cool sheets and a smooth pillow beside her. As a result, she started the day over-tired and with a sense of impending doom. She hoped another wave of desire wouldn’t hit her while she was at work. It would be rather difficult to explain why she was hiding in the meat freezer trying to cool down when it was barely above freezing outside.

She was also worried that she hadn’t yet told Kane about her meeting with Bryan, which increased the chances of him finding out from someone else. Nor had she talked to Rose. Checking her watch, she saw that there was still some time before she had to leave for work. Making a mental plan, she decided to stop by the infirmary to see Carrie and the baby first, then she’d go looking for Rose, Phoebe, or Zoe and set them straight as to what had happened.

Just in case Kane came home while she was gone, she wrote him a note and taped it to the mirror where he was sure to see it. ‘Dear Kane, I need to see you and talk as soon as possible. It’s important.” She hesitated over the signature. Should she just put ‘Elise’ or ‘love Elise’ or maybe just some x’s and o’s for hugs and kisses? Deciding to go out on a limb, she penned ‘I love you, Elise’ and was surprised at how good it felt to write the words. Giving the note a kiss, she taped it to the mirror and went on her way.

The stop at the infirmary was fun. Carrie looked wonderful—if a little tired—and had a definite glow about her. The baby, John Jr. was adorable and Elise found it hard to set him down. Sniffing, she inhaled the intriguing scent of new baby and marvelled at the strength of his tiny fingers as they clung to her own.

“Oh Carrie, he’s just perfect.” She smiled as she handed the baby back to his mother. Immediately her arms felt incredibly empty and she knew that if by chance she became pregnant, she would have no regrets.

Carrie nuzzled his soft downy hair. “I think he’s perfect, too.”

Elise stayed and chatted for a little while longer, before saying her goodbyes and promising to visit again later in the day. Her next stop was Rose’s house. After ringing the bell and knocking several times, she concluded no one was home and turned, scowling in frustration. Darn, Rose! How dare she not be home? She was probably out there right this minute spreading rumours! Stomping down the steps, she headed to the right in search of Phoebe or Zoe. Hopefully, they’d at least be home and she could nip the rumour mill in at least one spot.

She was so intent on her thoughts that she was surprised to suddenly find herself at Phoebe’s house. Her quick rap on the door was immediately answered, though gaining entrance was another thing.

“Elise.” Phoebe greeted her coldly and made no move to let her in.

Deciding to assert her authority, Elise stepped forward, pushing the door open. “We need to talk.” Phoebe looked seemed startled and ready to protest, but then acquiesced. Inwardly, Elise gave herself a pat on the back. Score one for her Alpha female authority!

Once inside, Elise quickly took stock of the house. It was a typical family home. From her position in the entryway, she could see into the kitchen where the children’s artwork was on the fridge. A family room to the side had toys and a few newspapers strewn about and a basket of laundry waiting to be folded sat on the sofa.

Gesturing awkwardly, Phoebe led her into the kitchen. Zoe was there and looked surprised when she realised who had been at the door. The atmosphere in the room immediately became thick and uncomfortable. Elise sat on the edge of the chair and cleared her throat. Deciding not to pussyfoot around the issue she jumped right in.

“Okay, you two, I’m pretty sure I know why you were acting the way you were yesterday. It’s because of Rose, isn’t it?” She watched them shoot glances at each other, but didn’t wait for a reply before continuing. “She told you that she saw me in town with another male and that she saw us hug and—“

“Don’t forget the part where you said you loved him.” Zoe interrupted spitefully.

“Right. I did say that. It’s all true. But what Rose didn’t know is that the male was Bryan and he’s from my old pack. We grew up together and he’s like my brother, not a lover.”

“Oh!” The two ladies spoke in unison, an equally stunned expression on each of their faces. The expressions then changed to embarrassment as they realised their mistake. It was almost comical how alike the two were. They then began to fall over themselves offering apologies and explanations.

“It’s just that we’re all so fond of Kane and hate the idea of him being taken advantage of,” Phoebe explained.

“That’s right,” Zoe added. “Kane doesn’t show his feelings, but we all wondered just how hurt he was when Marla dumped him for Ryne; we just couldn’t bear the idea of it happening again. Mind you, it was a lucky escape in my estimation; you’re a much more suitable mate for Kane than she ever was.”

Phoebe jumped in when Zoe stopped to catch her breath. “So when Rose told us about seeing you with another male, we wondered if you hadn’t really wanted to be with Kane and had just been putting on an act all along. It seemed possible that you might go back to an old lover… No offense intended, but it was an arranged mating and all.”

“I know what you mean. Don’t worry.” Elise was so relieved, finally to be able to tell someone what had happened, that she didn’t hold any hard feelings. It
had
looked pretty bad, after all; her hugging another man like that, and telling him she loved him. “At one time, Bryan and I thought we had something between us, but then we realised it was just friendship. I’m happy with Kane.” She hesitated and then made herself say the words. “I…I love him.”

Both ladies squealed with delight and hugged her, exclaiming how they knew it was meant to be all along. Elise wasn’t so sure about that statement, but let it slide. She was coming to realise that the two sisters were very different from their mother. Both were a bit flighty, but overall, basically harmless. In the future, they’d be fun friends though possibly not the type that she’d want to depend on in an emergency. Julia and Carrie seemed much more sensible.

Reassured that all was well with their Alpha and his mate, Zoe now wanted to hear the whole story about how Elise had grown up with Bryan, and they spent some time discussing the young man and his future.

“I just hope he’s making the right choice,” Elise confided. “It’s a big step, striking out on his own with another wolf he’s never met, and establishing a new pack won’t be easy.”

Phoebe frowned. “I wonder who it could be that he’s meeting. It must be someone who is just passing through. No one’s mentioned a new wolf in the area and we usually know right away.”

“It couldn’t be Ryne, could it?” Zoe proposed.

Elise felt the colour drain from her face. Ryne? He was responsible for shooting Thomas! She didn’t want Bryan heading off with him. “I never thought of that. I’m going to have to try and get hold of Bryan and warn him.” Automatically she reached for her cell phone, but remembered that she had left it at home. She stood up quickly, almost tipping over her chair. “I’ve still got a few minutes before I leave for work, I’ll call his home and see if he’s still there.”

She ran home and dialled the number with shaking fingers. “Hello? Sarah? Is Bryan still there? … He isn’t? … Do you know where I can reach him? … He’s headed to my town? Okay. Thanks.” Hanging up before Sarah could ask any questions, Elise quickly tried Bryan’s cell phone only to find that it wasn’t on. She checked her watch. Darn! It was time to leave for work. Maybe once her shift finished, she could try to find Bryan, though she had no idea of where she’d look.

Her nerves were on edge the whole time she was working. Usually, the soothing ambiance of the restaurant made her feel calm and at ease throughout her shift. Soft music played in the background and numerous potted plants ensured the air was always fresh, while the burgundy and cream decor created a warm, hospitable atmosphere.

Today, however, the smell of the food, the sounds from the kitchen, the murmuring of the patrons—everything seemed heightened and grated on her nerves. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, she inhaled deeply, pasted a smile on her face, and tried to look patient while her customer dithered over the cream of tomato soup and grilled salmon, or quiche and a roll. It was all Elise could do not to scream at the woman to hurry and make up her mind. Was this what being in heat was supposed to be like? Or was it just a combination of frustrated desire, lack of sleep and nerves about telling Kane and finding Bryan? It was with great relief that she hung up her apron at the end of her shift.

There was a small area near the back of the restaurant, which housed the employee’s washroom, a place to hang coats and a few chairs for sitting. Elise plopped down and dug through her purse for her phone. First she called home, but Helen said Kane had just left. Chewing on her lip, she wondered if Kane had gotten her message and if he’d noted the ‘love’ at the end or not. Would he see the significance of it? She hoped so.

Since he wasn’t home, she had a few minutes to try and find Bryan and discover who he’d met with. If it was Ryne, she’d warn him about how dangerous the other man was. On the off chance that Bryan had turned his cell phone on, she tried calling him again. It rang through and she gave a silent cheer! Something was finally going her way!

“Bryan! Thank heaven I got a hold of you … No, everything is fine, but I have to see you right away … Really? … Okay, I’ll be by my car in five minutes … It’s parked right across the road from the Grey Goose … Right. Bye.” Elise smiled as she hung up the phone. Bryan was just around the corner from her. She could meet him in the parking lot, quickly warn him not to get involved with Ryne, and then be on her way home to Kane.

As she flipped her phone shut, she realised that Mr. Mancini was standing in the doorway. From the look on his face, he wasn’t pleased with her.

“Er… Hello, Mr. Mancini. I was just talking to a friend.”

“So I heard.” He nodded towards the phone in her hand. “Might I remind you, Elise, that you are married?”

She forced herself not to roll her eyes and respond calmly. “Yes, I’m fully aware of that fact, Mr. Mancini. The call you just heard—it isn’t what you think. Bryan and I are just friends. We grew up together.” Mr.Mancini gave her a sceptical look and Elise opened her mouth to explain further, but the man was called to the kitchen and he left before she could say anything.

Exhaling gustily, Elise pulled on her coat. Why was everyone so quick to believe the worst of her? She wasn’t promiscuous. Just because she was talking to a man, didn’t mean she was involved with him. What was it with the people in this town? Sure, they were all fond of Kane, but why assume she was cheating? So what if Marla had been two-timing him? That didn’t automatically mean that she was! Well, she’d deal with Mr. Mancini tomorrow and make sure he realised how wrong he was. Right now, Bryan was waiting for her.

*****

Standing in the parking lot, watching the traffic go by, Elise gave a start of surprise when someone’s hand landed on her shoulder. Swinging around, her arm automatically raising in a defensive gesture, she laughed when she realised it was Bryan. He’d always enjoyed sneaking up on her, supposedly proving his superiority through his stealth.

“Ha! Caught you off guard again, Elise!”

She playfully shoved his shoulder. “Bryan, quit doing that. You know I don’t like it.”

He simply grinned at her before enveloping her in bear hug. The hug lasted slightly longer than necessary and Elise noticed that Bryan was sniffing her neck. Blushing, she realised that he was reacting to her being in heat and extracted herself quickly, all too aware of how things could easily be misconstrued.

Bryan cleared his throat and looked over her shoulder rather than at her, obviously realizing what he’d unintentionally been doing. “Er…sorry about that.”

“It’s all right.” She decided to just overlook the matter and get to the point of why she’d needed to see him. “Bryan, I called you for an important reason. That wolf you were meeting with—the one who wants to start a new pack—what was his name?”

“You mean my new Alpha?” Bryan seemed to swell with pride, forgetting the awkward moment that had just occurred. “His name’s Ryne. I’m going to be his Beta, and as soon as he finishes some personal business here, we’re heading out.”

Elise shut her eyes and groaned. Trust Bryan to get mixed up in something like this. She shook her head. As much as she hated to burst his bubble, she couldn’t let him go off with Ryne. It was too dangerous. Taking his hand, she led him to a nearby bench. “Bryan, let’s sit down. I have something I have to tell you.”

After explaining what she knew about Ryne, Bryan just looked at her silently for a few minutes before speaking. “Elise, I know you mean well, but…I’ve met Ryne; you haven’t. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt his pack. Yeah, I believe you about the challenge, but I think there must be more to it than you know. Something’s being left out of the story. And the other stuff, the traps and the shooting, there has to be an explanation. The Ryne I’ve talked to wouldn’t do that.”

“Bryan, maybe he’s just putting on a really good act. The people in my new pack wouldn’t be attributing these things to Ryne without good cause. He was
scented
at the scenes, for heaven sake!”

Her friend stared at the ground, slowly shaking his head. “I don’t know, Elise. My gut is telling me you’re wrong about him.”

Elise leaned towards Bryan, beseechingly placing her hand on his arm. “Please Bryan, think this over. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Bryan looked at her intently and she hoped he could see her sincere concern for his well-being. Finally, he sighed. “I’ll think it over, but that’s the most I can promise you.”