Like a Wolf with a Bone Read online

  “Wait, wait, wait!” she yelped.

  She heard chuffing, felt bear-breath on her raised arms. She peeked up and saw the bear inches away from her.

  “I was just going to suggest,” she squeaked out, “that maybe you and your friend could push the full-humans to the center of the track. That way we could just finish them off all at once.”

  The bear gave one more big chuff, making Darla yip, before he lumbered off. She let out a relieved breath.

  It was official, grizzlies were the worst!

  Darla shifted back to wolf and headed toward the track. It was time to end this.

  The human’s gun had jammed. Eggie wasn’t surprised. He knew the weapon and refused to use it because of the jamming issues. Eggie also knew how long it would take the full-human to clear the weapon to make it useable again. So he charged forward, but he never reached the man. A grizzly barreled out of nowhere and ran over the male, then came back and picked the screaming man up by his head, giving a good shake while crushing the human’s skull.

  Eggie ran toward the clearing where he guessed the race had taken place. There were two cars in the middle of a rough-hewn track and another car . . . perched in a tree.

  Assuming one of the grizzlies had something to do with that, he saw the Barron sisters run down two men and tear them to pieces. He stopped, his gaze searched the track, looking for Darla.

  “Run!”

  Eggie watched five human males run toward him. Two were taken out by Eggie’s brothers, another blindsided by a She-lion. But the last two ran past, bears hot on their asses.

  Too bad they were heading toward a half-circle made up of a few of Eggie’s aunts, uncles, and cousins, in their shifted forms, who had come out of the woods next to Smith territory. Someone must have gone for help.

  Eggie scanned the area one more time, then headed after the last two men.

  Eggie’s family ran past Darla and she knew that Janie and Roberta had sent them. Once they were past the trees, they fanned out into an arc and they waited. A few seconds later, she heard screams and shots and saw men running from the other side of the clearing. They were so busy looking back at the bears—who could have easily overtaken them by now but hadn’t bothered—they had yet to notice the ones waiting for them.

  They’d passed the cars in the middle of the track when one of them finally looked forward and saw the wolves waiting. He slid to a stop, grabbing the other one’s arm, and yanking him back.

  Hands shaking, they raised their weapons. Not wanting them to hurt anyone else, Darla walked out. When she knew the men saw her, she shifted from wolf to human as she walked.

  “You,” one of them said when she moved close enough.

  “Hello, Alvin. Petey.”

  “But you’re . . . you’re . . .”

  Petey shook his head. “What are you?”

  “Something you’d never really understand.”

  “Get back,” Alvin ordered.

  “Stop,” Darla said. “Please. You have to know you’re outnumbered.” She looked between the two men. “Let’s just stop this violence now.”

  “You want us to believe you’ll let us go?”

  “I don’t want anyone else hurt because of me. I want this to stop. Please.” Darla stood right in front of the men now. “Let’s just end this. Okay?” She placed her hands on their weapons, carefully lowering them. “What you tried to do to me today . . . I’m just going to forget it. You tried, you failed. It’s over.” She tugged once on the guns. “It’s over.”

  They finally released the weapons so that Darla held one in each hand. “I forgive you for what you tried to do to me,” she said. “I forgive you.” And Darla truly meant it.

  She stepped back from the men as Eggie walked up behind them in his human form. He was reaching for them when she turned away.

  “Shame,” she sighed, “that I can’t feel the same forgiveness for what you did to nice Mr. Kozlow.”

  Darla walked toward the trees where Janette and Francine waited. She threw down the guns she hated and walked past her sisters. “Come on,” she said over the full-human screams coming from behind her. “We’ve gotta track down Janie and Roberta, get our money from the Barrons, and make those pies.”

  “Wait,” Janette asked. “Did we actually win?”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Eggie, his brothers, and the two grizzlies who’d been refs at the race had dumped the human remains onto hyena territory. By the time they were heading back to their own property, the hyenas were easing out, sniffing the bodies. Then when territorial lines were crossed, the hyenas’ laughing howl could be heard for miles as those bodies were torn apart and fought over.

  Eggie’s brothers and those bears had stared at him with clear disgust and fear. Disgust because it had been his idea to again use the hyenas for clean up. But the fear . . . that came from what they’d seen him do to those two fucks who’d come on his territory to get his She-wolf.

  He’d been confused when Darla had walked away like that. She, of everyone, knew what he’d do. She was also the only one who could have stopped him—but she hadn’t. Yet when he’d seen the other shifters watching him, when he’d seen their fear, he’d understood what she was doing—securing his position as the one Smith not to be fucked with even though he was and never would be Alpha of the Pack. Darla was, in her infinite brilliance, also securing her safety and the safety of any pups they might have in the future. After what he’d done with his bare hands and the full-humans’ own edge weapons, all while in front of those bears, cats, and wolves, no one would be going near Darla to harm her whether Eggie was home or not.

  Absolutely no one.

  And that message would spread to every Pack, Pride, Clan, and shifter family throughout the States.

  Knowing that, he headed toward his house, only slowing to a stop when he saw his father leaning against one of the nearby trees, waiting for him.

  Eggie walked up to him and shifted. “What?”

  His father raised his hands. “I know, I know. You’re pissed.”

  “You let the full-humans know she was here, didn’t you? You wanted them to kill her.”

  “Not to kill her. To prove whether she was worthy. To prove she had some backbone.”

  “So you brought full-humans to Smithtown territory? You put my mate and her sisters at risk? And Bubba’s unborn pup? Just to prove Darla was worthy? Of what?”

  His father smirked, took off the New York Yankees cap that he wore as a joke, and rubbed his black and grey hair. “You ain’t an easy boy, Egbert Ray. You’re handsome enough, I guess. At least that’s what I hear from your young cousins.” He put the cap back on. “But none of our strong She-wolves came out of the woodwork to be with you.”

  “Your point?”

  “I put up with Janie Mae and them sisters of hers because there’s real strength there. They’ll keep the Smith bloodline strong and going long after you and I are nothin’ but dust. Already those two boys of hers—”

  “You mean your grandsons?” he asked flatly.

  “—are real scrappers.”

  “You mean violent idiots?”

  “They’re strong. Just like their momma and daddy. That’s what I want for you. Now your little gal is sweet as all get out but I didn’t see no strength in her.”

  “You weren’t looking very close then.”

  “Yeah.” He grudgingly agreed, Eggie’s daddy never one to enjoy anyone proving him wrong. “I guess.”

  “And? What does putting my mate’s life at risk mean to you? That she can stay now? That she can be part of the Pack?”

  “That’s exactly what it means.”

  “Well that’s good, Daddy.” Eggie walked up to his father until he was only inches away from him. And, for the first time in his life, Eggie saw fear in those eyes. And Eggie realized he’d gotten his true strength from his momma. He’d gotten her sense, too. “Darla’s a forgiving woman. Hell, she’ll pretend it never happened. Because you’re fami
ly. Because you’re my daddy.” Eggie leaned his face in a bit closer, their noses almost touching, and he whispered, “But I won’t forgive anything. Ever. You remember that, old man.”

  Eggie turned from his father then and headed to his house and his woman.

  As soon as Eggie walked into the house and tried to put on that smile for her, she knew something was wrong. If it was something that needed to be dealt with right now, she knew he’d tell her. But the fact that he wasn’t telling her anything meant it was personal. He’d been hurt and he didn’t want to bother her with it.

  Darla set down the spatula she was using to put the meringue on yet another lemon meringue pie and wiped her hands off on a towel. As Eggie stood there watching her, she grabbed a kitchen chair and pulled it over to him. She climbed onto it, pressed her hands to Eggie’s face, stroked his jaw, his neck. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

  “I’m so glad you’re home,” she told him.

  His arms tightened around her waist and he held her close. “Yeah. Me, too.”

  Early the next morning, Eggie woke up in Darla’s arms. Woke up because some cruel bastard was knocking on his backdoor.

  Not wanting Darla bothered, Eggie slipped out of bed and went downstairs. He opened the door to his Aunt Gertrude. He knew he was standing there naked in front of one of his relatives but he didn’t care. It was too early for this mess.

  “Yeah?”

  “Oh. Eggie. Mornin’.”

  “Mornin’.”

  Gertie cleared her throat. “Darla around?”

  “Asleep.”

  “Right. It’s just . . . she said she’d make a pie for me.”

  Disgusted that someone would bother him this early in the morning over a goddamn pie, Eggie closed the door in his blood relative’s face.

  “Who was that?”

  “Gertie.”

  “Did she want her pie?”

  “No one needs pie at six in the morning, Darla. And Gertie don’t need pie at all.”

  “Eggie Ray!” Darla, wearing one of his T-shirts, pushed past him and went to the door. “I can’t believe you didn’t put on pants before you answered the door,” she snarled.

  She snatched the door open. “Mornin’, Miss Gertie.”

  “Mornin’, Darla dear. Sorry to bother you so early.”

  “No problem. Hold on a sec. I’ve got your pies right here.”

  Darla went to retrieve several pies and when Eggie looked at his aunt, she sneered at him. He replied by baring a fang. The She-wolf ’s eyes grew wide in fear but Darla rushed back before Gertie could make a run for it.

  “Here you go, Miss Gertie.”

  “Thank you, dear. Have a nice morning.” She nodded at Eggie. “Egbert Ray.”

  “Aunt Gertie.”

  Darla waved at his aunt and closed the door.

  “Egbert Ray!”

  “Too early to yell.”

  “It was more of a bellow. You can’t snarl at everyone who comes to the house.”

  “Wanna bet?”

  “Why do I bother?” she sighed, trying to walk around him. But Eggie caught her around the waist and pulled her close.

  “You’re not wearing panties,” he growled.

  “No time to put any on. I knew you’d scare off all my business.”

  Eggie dragged his mouth against her throat. “I’m taking you back to bed.”

  “More people will be coming to get their pies.”

  “They can wait,” Eggie told her, carrying her to the stairs, loving the sound of her giggles. So he was really annoyed when that damn phone rang. So annoyed, he started barking and didn’t stop.

  Darla slapped at his arms until he released her. “Honestly! The barking!” She stomped over to the phone, not realizing his T-shirt was now riding high on her hips so that he could see her perfect ass sway as she walked. It was entertaining.

  Darla answered the phone and Eggie watched her face fall. She turned to him and held the phone out. “It’s for you.”

  Without her even telling him who was on the other end, Eggie already knew. He walked over and took the receiver from her. With one arm around her, pulling her close, he brought the receiver to his ear. “Yeah?”

  “It’s McMartin. Be ready to move out in an hour.”

  “Yeah.”

  McMartin disconnected and Eggie dropped the phone back in the cradle. He wrapped both arms around Darla, holding her tight.

  “When will I hear from you?” she asked.

  “Don’t know. Sad to say, no news is good news in my business.”

  She let out a breath. “I understand.” Darla took his hand and led him toward the stairs. “Come on, darlin’. Let’s get you packed.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Eggie didn’t return home again for four months. He’d been worried it would be five, but they had finally cut him loose for at least a month of leave. More likely two, though he didn’t know if they’d been planning that or if it was because Eggie had mauled a full-human superior officer the other day when the man had gotten on his nerves. The human was still alive and believed himself to have been attacked by someone’s loose attack dog, but still . . . it was a definite sign to the shifter officers who ran his platoon that Eggie needed to go home.

  The problem was, though, that when Eggie walked into his little house, he found it empty. He didn’t expect a note or anything because Darla’d had no idea when he’d be home. But it had been four months with only a few calls between them. He needed to see his mate.

  Eggie went upstairs, showered, and changed his clothes. He stopped first at his momma’s and checked in with her, barely spoke to his daddy, and then had headed over to Frankie and Roberta’s house—he would have gone to Bubba and Janie Mae’s but he had no idea if they were together this week or broken up—and asked about Darla.

  It turned out she’d gone back to her father’s house for a few weeks. The pie business had taken off and while Francine and Roberta were arranging a storefront in town right on Main Street, Darla had headed off to get them seed money. Apparently his father had offered her money but she’d very sweetly but firmly turned him down. Eggie had never told Darla what his father had done but maybe she’d done that thing of hers . . . looking deep into his soul or whatever it was. No matter the reason, though, she’d said no and now was trying to raise funds on her own. Of course if anyone could do it, it was Darla Mae.

  Using his recently repaired Plymouth GTX—Eggie guessed Darla and her sisters were still racing against those She-lions since that probably brought in some cash—he headed to Smithville, North Carolina. He went right to Darla’s father’s house but Mr. Lewis and his sons ordered Eggie off their territory, saying that Darla didn’t want to see Eggie.

  Eggie didn’t really believe them, but he left anyway, not wanting to fight Darla’s kin. Yet he came back every night as wolf, stood outside the house, and he howled. He howled and howled until her father and brothers came out and ran him off again.

  Well, his nights could be worse.

  Darla had slept the afternoon away after arriving from San Francisco on the late flight she’d caught. It hadn’t been as hard as she’d thought it would be: Darla had raised the money for the shop she and her sisters were going to open in Smithtown. She’d had a list of people to ask but it had been Mr. Van Holtz who’d given her the majority of the money. It was a loan and she expected to be able to pay him back in the next couple of years if everything went as well as it had been going the last few months. Plus she got a little extra cash from other contacts she’d made over the years.

  Mr. Van Holtz had been very happy about all this for Darla, but he’d also been disappointed that she’d never be coming back to work at the restaurant. Apparently the newest pastry chef assistant was not working out and was the fifth one in five months. Darla had felt bad for him but when she saw the head pastry chef yelling at the new assistant, she remembered what she wouldn’t miss about this job . . . dealing with a ta
lented but mean chef on a daily basis.

  Grinning, she came into her father’s living room and kissed him on the top of the head. “Hello, Daddy.”

  “Hello, sweetheart. You sleep all right?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “I’m glad you’re home.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” Darla knew she could have gone straight back to Smithtown after her meetings in San Francisco, but go home to what? An empty house and a list of pie orders to fill? No. That didn’t sound like fun. So she’d headed to her family’s territory first. But she wouldn’t be able to stay too long. Janie would be having her baby any day and Darla felt she should be there to help out. At the moment, her sister wasn’t making any friends who’d be willing to help except the newest mate of one of the Smithtown-local Reed boys. But Lord that particular She-wolf was annoying, so yeah, Darla should be there.

  “Where’s Momma?”

  “Over at her sister’s house.”

  “Okay.” She felt bad that she was relieved at the news, but her mother had been riding Darla since she’d found out that Eggie had marked her youngest, and it didn’t seem to be something that would end soon. Her mother thought Darla could have done better—and that she should still try.

  Yet Darla knew she’d done better than she could have hoped for.

  Besides, life with Eggie would be hard enough with him being gone for such long periods of time that the last thing she needed to hear was her mother going on and on about all the other eligible bachelors around town. But Eggie’s time away was a price Darla was willing to pay to have Eggie Smith as her mate. He was worth it. And, she reminded herself yet again, it wouldn’t be forever. He has to retire from the Marines eventually.

  “Want me to make dinner, Daddy?”

  “I thought I’d take y’all out tonight,” her father offered. “Your mother will meet us at the restaurant.”

  “Okay. That sounds really ni—”

  The howl cut into Darla’s words and she gasped in surprise. “Eggie.”