A SEAL in Wolf’s Clothing (6 page)

Rourke gave her an exasperated look. “Apparently I’m supposed to make up the news,” he said, turning his aggravated expression on Chris.

“Oh?” She motioned to Chris. “And that’s Chris Tarleton, Rourke’s… mentor and one of Hunter’s sub-leaders.”

“And you’re at the morgue because…?” Finn asked Rourke, sounding suspicious.

Rourke frowned at him. “The dead man had newspaper credentials. Chris wanted me to check it out. Who are you?”

Finn gave him a wry smile. “Finn Emerson, friend and SEAL on Hunter’s team.” He waved toward the dead man. “Go ahead. See if it’s anyone you recognize.”

“Hell, you’re a SEAL,” Rourke said, looking impressed.

That was all Finn needed to do to impress Rourke. Ever since Hunter had told Rourke he was a Navy SEAL, Rourke had been proud to share the information—and even prouder to know Hunter.

Rourke sucked in a deep breath, then headed over to the dead body, studied him for a moment, and then shook his head. “No, I told Chris I’d never heard of the man. Probably someone new or he isn’t from around here.”

“He has a return ticket to North Carolina, but he might not be from there, either,” the police officer suggested.

“Let’s see if the Joe we met is still hanging around,” Finn said to Meara.

The police officer hurried after them. “I’ll follow you over there in case you need my help.”

“We could help, too,” Rourke added, looking hopeful, as if he was about to find the news story of the century.

“No.” Meara knew that Rourke was still a reporter at heart, even if he tried to stay out of trouble as a newly turned wolf. She said to Chris, “Take him back to his office. I’m sure a story will come up, and here you’d be at my place, missing out on an article for your paper.”

Rourke gave her a sour look. “Chris won’t let me report on anything except the weather.”

Meara smiled. Hunter had gotten himself into a mess of trouble when she had lost him for a time. She had figured that at the rate he was going, he might have turned half the population of Oregon. Good thing she had rejoined him in the nick of time. And he’d always worried about
her
turning someone on purpose or by accident.

“I’ll meet you at your place,” the police officer said.

Chris cast an icy glower at Finn, who just gave him a smug smile back.

Alpha
males
.

As she walked through the basement with Finn, Meara thought about the “Joe” who was supposedly renting her cabin and felt a tightening in her chest.

“I gave him my rifle,” she whispered, feeling another chill. “If the man was an assassin, why didn’t he take both of us out when he had the chance?”

“Maybe he’s not the assassin. Maybe he’s really Joe, and that guy…” Finn said, motioning to the morgue, “was the imposter. Also, the assassin would prefer using his own weapon, not someone else’s untried gun.”

She hadn’t considered that. She had just assumed that the dead man was the good guy and that any weapon the bad guy could use would be sufficient.

“What’s this business between you and Tarleton?” Finn asked once they were out of earshot of the others.

“What?” she asked, totally thrown off stride by the question.

“You heard me. He’s clearly interested in you and hates me, thinking I’m one of your potential suitors.”

Not believing Finn could think anything of the sort, she shook her head.

“Are you shaking your head because you don’t think he’s interested in you or because you don’t think he believes I’m a potential suitor?”

“Get serious.”

“I’m damned serious.”

She cast him an annoyed expression. “According to you, everyone is interested in me. So why don’t I have a mate?”

He gave her a conceited smile. “You’re a handful.”

She snorted, then added for his benefit, “Well, I’m not interested in him, if it’s any of your business. Chris is the most humorless man I know. I could never get along with a man who doesn’t have a sense of humor.”

Her cell phone rang, and she jumped a little, her nerves shattered. Then she yanked the phone out of her jeans pocket. Her heart beating faster, she checked the caller ID as they continued out of the basement and up the stairs. Then she felt a sliver of relief.

“Hunter.” He had to be all right. “Hunter, are you and Tessa safe?”

“We’re fine. Dave got hold of me about the danger you could be in and that Finn’s there watching over you. I’ve arranged for a couple of men to watch our backs as soon as we arrive at our lodging. I’m more concerned about you.”

“You should be more troubled that Finn is hanging around me, and some assassin might be targeting
him
.”

Hunter didn’t say anything at first to Meara over the phone as she and Finn headed for her car, and she knew damn well he was siding with his SEAL partner instead of her, wanting her to go with Finn and not stay at the cabin alone.

Finn gave her a small smile as he opened the passenger door for her while he took over the driving and headed back to her place.

Hunter broke into her stormy thoughts, saying, “Finn believes you could be a target to get to me. I have to agree with him. So listen to Finn. He knows what he’s doing. If that’s not acceptable, you can join Tessa and me in Hawaii.”

“On your honeymoon? No way.” Meara sighed heavily, still thinking she could stay at the cabins and take care of the guests. Finn could check them out and make sure none of them were the bad guys. Even so, Finn seemed more likely to be a target than her, and he would therefore be bringing the bad guys to her place. On the other hand, if Finn was right and she could be a target, she wanted him to stay with her.

“Tell Finn I want to stay at the cabin. He can protect me there. We have paying guests scheduled to arrive soon.” And prospective mates to check over at her leisure.

“Let me talk to Finn.”

She frowned, not liking the way Hunter sounded—like he and Finn would decide this for her and she had no say whatsoever because she was just a civilian and they were hotshot SEALs. “He’s driving,” she said tersely.

“Meara.” The way he said her name meant she needed to hand over the phone or else. She could just envision Hunter giving the word, and Finn turning the car around, then driving straight for the airport where he’d deposit her on a plane bound for Hawaii, if he could find one that wasn’t already booked.

She shoved the phone at Finn. “My brother wants a word with you. If you wreck the car, it’s not my fault. And the cost of repairs will come out of
his
wallet.” Although the pack shared expenses and income, so it wasn’t like everyone worked for himself or herself in a pack. That wasn’t what really concerned her, though. She assumed Hunter would give Finn instructions concerning her, and that’s what she didn’t like.

Finn took the phone, a smug smile tilting his lips upward a bit. “Yeah, Hunter?” He glanced at Meara and then back at the road. “A tight leash. Got it.”

If he wasn’t so damned far away, she’d sock Hunter. She had half a mind to slug Finn in Hunter’s place because of the fun he was having at her expense. Although doing so while he was driving wasn’t a smart move.

Her brother wondered why he annoyed her sometimes. She folded her arms and scowled at Finn, not about to be put on any “tight leash.” Then she thought of what putting
him
on a tight leash would be like. That definitely appealed to her.

Finn gave her a brief smile, knowing she would be testy with both him and Hunter after he ended the call. But he grew serious as he watched the road and concentrated on his talk with Hunter, having to clarify a couple of questions. “Did you know a guy named Joe Matheson?”

“Not that I can recall. Should I?” Hunter asked.

Hell. Finn was usually the best on the team at making character assessments. He hadn’t believed the man who had spoken with Meara at her cabin, pretending to be a renter, was one of the bad guys. Or the man would have made his move already.

But now Finn wasn’t so certain. “I overheard him tell Meara that you had gone to Mexico together and were friends.”

Hunter didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he asked, “When?”

“When you were a wild teen, I imagine.”

“No. I don’t know anyone by that name, and when I was a wild teen, I was a loner, not hooking up with any male.”

Females would have been another story, Finn thought.

“Okay, well, we have one dead man who had paperwork saying he was Joe Matheson—no picture ID. And we have the man we met at Meara’s cabin who stated that he was your friend and called himself by the same name. But they’re two entirely different people. Both men wore military haircuts. Both were in great physical shape and looked like special ops types.”

Finn knew Hunter’s silence meant he was damned worried about his sister. So was Finn. He also knew Hunter was probably reevaluating whether she should join him in Hawaii so he could watch over her. But then he’d have both his mate and Meara to safeguard. And she’d have to travel all the way to Hawaii, although Finn would go with her if that was the case. Any choice they made could be a dangerous proposition. Better to leave Meara in Finn’s care here, and he’d get her to the safe house as soon as he could.

Finn could protect Meara. He
would
protect her. Without waiting for Hunter’s okay, Finn said, “We won’t be in touch once we leave. Watch your back.”

“Take care of her, Finn.”

Finn glanced at her and knew she was trying to hear their whole conversation. “Yeah, like she was my own sister.” He winked at her, and she rolled her eyes. He loved it.

“Be safe,” Hunter said gruffly.

“Thanks. We will. I’ll let you talk to her.” Finn could just imagine her response to Hunter. She’d let him have it, just like she’d done in the past with Finn when she didn’t like some mission he and Hunter had taken on.

In any other woman, her spunkiness might have been downright annoying. He admired Meara’s lively determination and her courageousness without boundaries, but her penchant for getting into troublesome situations on her own, from what Hunter had told him, meant Finn would have to be doubly vigilant to keep her safe.

Irritated to the extreme, Meara grabbed her cell phone and snapped at Hunter, “Tight leash? I might as well go to Hawaii and bunk with you and Tessa. Forget what I said about being concerned that I might spoil your honeymoon.”

She was about to tell him she’d sleep with Tessa and he could sleep on the sofa in the living room of their suite, since this all had to do with
his
having been in the SEALs, but she curbed her tongue. Knowing Hunter, he’d agree to it, and to keep from being thwarted on her honeymoon, Tessa would end up sleeping with Hunter in the living room. Then how would Meara feel? She’d be sleeping in
their
honeymoon suite… alone, and the honeymoon couple would be making do on a fold-down sofa.

She made a small disgruntled sound of disapproval. It wasn’t
her
fault an assassin, who really had nothing to do with
her
, was ruining her life!

“It’s up to you,” Hunter said in a congenial way. She knew he wasn’t going to make the decision for her. If he did and something bad happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. But he was also telling her that either he or Finn would ensure her safety. So make a choice.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she studied the pine trees zipping past the window. She thought of how much of an intrusion she’d be as Hunter worried about both her and Tessa’s safety. The men who were watching their backs would remain unobtrusive and behind the scenes. But she was certain Hunter would make sure she stayed with him and Tessa in their suite. And he might even be the one to make her stay with Tessa in the bedroom.

No.
Meara couldn’t do it.

She let her breath out in a huff. Hell, all she wanted to do was find a mate. All her plans were falling apart just because of one visit from a SEAL. Damn their having to run around the world saving everyone and the trouble they were now in because of it.

“All right. I’ll stick it out with Finn.” She cast him the evil eye but saw his grim mouth ease up a bit. “But believe me, there’s nothing sisterly or brotherly about this arrangement, despite what Finn says.”

Finn glanced in her direction, looking a little surprised. And she thought he might even be concerned that Hunter would worry about her with his friend.

Hunter didn’t say anything for a minute, and then he began laughing. “Hell, I knew Finn would get into hot water over this.” Hunter burst into another fit of laughter.

She stared at the front windshield, startled at Hunter’s reaction. She’d expected him to be worried or upset or something. But to
laugh
about the situation?

Irritated at her brother for thinking the situation was hilarious, she ended the call without saying another word and glared at Finn. “Don’t you
dare
say a word.”

Finn had known he’d be taking on a handful of trouble when he made the decision to protect her. But what was a SEAL to do when a wolf needed protection?

***

Bjornolf Jorgensen had known Hunter’s SEAL team was in trouble the minute he’d heard via the grapevine that an attempt had been made on Allan Rappaport’s life in Pompano Beach, Florida. Bjornolf had been too late to warn the rest of the team and should have let the whole thing go as soon as he discovered Finn Emerson was protecting Hunter’s sister and the rest of the team had been alerted about Allan’s injury. But damn, one look at Meara, and Bjornolf wanted to stick around. Finn had made it clear that he didn’t want anyone else’s help, and he was already staking a claim to the she-wolf, even if he was implying that this was a pretend affair.

Bjornolf knew better. He knew by the firestorm of pheromones triggering their senses that there was more to Finn’s posturing than an obligation to protect his friend’s sister. And damn if she wasn’t responding to him in kind.

Bjornolf couldn’t give up now, though. Not when he’d already had to kill one man to protect her. He was certain Finn could have done the job, but he had preferred for Finn to stay right where he was, protecting Meara in the bedroom, while Bjornolf targeted the shooter.

Joe Matheson had no more been a news reporter or business consultant than Bjornolf was. And that hadn’t been the man’s name, either. As soon as the assassin had arrived at Meara’s place, Bjornolf had had to take him out. He sure as hell hadn’t expected to find Finn Emerson scent-marking the territory and then showering in her master bedroom suite, though.

Bjornolf had almost wanted to shoot Finn with Meara’s rifle, for God’s sake! Standing there naked, speckled with water and towel-drying his hair, Finn had been smug as sin.

Thankfully, none of the team knew Bjornolf by sight or smell (well, until now, although because of his behind-the-scenes job, they still didn’t know him), and he had finally gotten his own raging testosterone somewhat under control—enough so he could leave the place without feeling the need to protect Meara from Finn.

Even if Bjornolf couldn’t have the girl—although depending on how that went, he still might have a chance—he was watching their backs. He owed it to the SEALs after the last disaster that broke the team up. He’d pay Hunter back and then he’d disappear again, and they’d never know he existed, just like before.

He watched from a safe distance as Finn drove his Hummer to Meara’s cabin from an isolated turnout up the road. But Finn hadn’t been as clever as he thought he was. Bjornolf had located Finn’s vehicle once he realized Finn had to have gotten to Meara’s place by some form of transportation. No public transportation way out here.

Finn packed Meara’s bags into the Hummer and then hauled an ice chest out to the vehicle. Along with her rifle and a laptop, his duffel bag was the last to be packed into the vehicle. It all looked very domestic—except for her rifle. All they needed were a couple of kids and, if they weren’t werewolves, a family dog. Not that some of their kind didn’t have dogs or other pets, but most that he knew didn’t bother with them.

Bjornolf had planted a couple of tracking devices on both Meara’s and Finn’s cars, so if Finn didn’t search for any on his Hummer, Bjornolf could easily follow them. But he’d also surreptitiously left a couple in her living room and kitchen when she was preoccupied and before he knew they’d be leaving.

“Come on, Meara. Quit dawdling,” Finn said as he threw his duffel bag in the trunk and slammed the lid closed.

Bjornolf had to smile when he saw Meara scowling as she stalked out to the Hummer, backpack in hand. “Quit… ordering… me… around.” Every word had bite.

Why the hell hadn’t Bjornolf checked Hunter’s sister out before? Way before all this went down? Yet, she looked like the kind of woman who could really give a man a hard time.

He smiled wryly as the possibilities tempted him.

Yeah, he could live with that.