Cold Spell Page 4

  Jackie chuckled and went to the door. “I’ll see you downstairs for dinner. It smells like elk.”

  “Caribou,” Bo corrected. “And yes. That airline food is terrible.”

  She left him alone in his smaller room to collect his thoughts before dinner. There were a dozen things he could do just then, but none of those things interested him near as much as the hunt itself. He’d smelled their prey outside the house and then again outside Anabelle’s room. Whatever it was, it wasn’t just some incorporeal magick, which meant they had prey to track. That was what he was there for, to kill the thing that needed killing.

  Bo cleared off the bed and pulled himself up onto it to sit cross-legged. He didn’t need to sit that way, it was just old habit, something he’d learned from his first and only love who’d been Shoshone. His mate. The mating had been such a foreign feeling to him, but it was a beautiful thing until she came to tell him she was pregnant with his son. Then, being the old, lone wolf he was, he panicked and ran. Left alone to raise their son, his mate eventually took her own life. It was the one and only death he ever regretted. Though he didn’t kill her with his own hands, he was no less guilty of causing her death.

  He pushed those memories far from his mind. That ghost could not haunt him, not here. He’d left her ghost back in Montana. Here, at the top of the world, he could think.

  Bo rolled back his shoulders and let his arms dangle in his lap, clearing his mind of all the distracting thoughts to focus only on the scent of his prey. It smelled like the cold wind, like ice except that wasn’t quite right. If it was just ice, he wouldn’t have noticed it. No, this thing smelled neither human nor wolf, but altogether wrong. Unwashed earthy undertones colored the scent and maybe something like bone. What was that smell? What creature could possibly smell like such a strange mix of things?

  A sound pulled him from his meditations. He realized too late it was a knock at his door. Bo flared his nostrils and recognized the scent of the young girl from downstairs.

  So, he thought climbing out of bed, the alpha sends me a small treasure hoping it will soothe the earlier burn.

  He opened the door just as she raised a hand to knock again. The girl was a slight thing in her early twenties with braided pigtails and loose sweats. It wasn’t her relative innocence that intrigued Bo, but rather that she was an omega wolf.

  Omegas were rare. They were usually at the bottom of the pack structure, but unlike in normal wolf packs, no alpha worth his salt would ever let an omega werewolf take abuse. They were to be protected because of the effect they had on the pack. An omega’s strength lay in how they influenced those around them with their attitude. Spend time with a depressed omega and you’d become suicidal. A happy omega was a gift because it meant a happy pack.

  This omega was nervous, and it made the back of Bo’s head itch. She probably wasn’t normally like that. He could sense a bubbly, timid charm lurking underneath that fear scent. It was that nervous fear scent that triggered his desire to grab her and shield her from whatever it was she found so threatening. Except it was him she feared and if he grabbed for her, she might faint.

  He didn’t smile at her because he’d been told his smile was intimidating. “What can I do for you?”

  Color flushed her cheeks and she averted her eyes to the floor. “Nic asked me to check on you. See if there was anything you needed.”

  “What I need and what I want are two different things.”

  She chanced raising her eyes at his dry attempt at humor. Her cheeks colored. “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, nothing. Tell me, as an omega wolf, how do you feel about all that’s happening in your pack?”

  “I miss them.” Her voice was grave. “But Nic is doing the best he can. There’s nothing he could have done.”

  Bo rolled his eyes. “Girl, I have no intention of robbing you of your alpha unless he gives me further reason to do so. Unless he’s mistreating you?”

  She shook her head so hard her pigtails waved back and forth. “Nic is the kindest, most loyal guy I’ve ever met. He’d never hurt one of us and if anybody did, he’d skin them alive.”

  “Alright, alright.” Bo waved a hand at her. “Don’t oversell it. Look, I don’t need anything. I’m fine. Just fine.”

  “In that case, I’m to invite you downstairs for dinner.”

  An idea suddenly occurred to Bo and he worked not to let it show through in a wicked grin. If this alpha wants to play cat and mouse, let’s see how he likes a dog entering the field. “I’d be glad to.” Bo stepped forward to slide a hand onto her lower back.

  The girl stiffened at his touch but didn’t dare push him away. She was too afraid.

  “Why don’t we go on down together? You can help an old man down the stairs. These old bones weren’t meant for this kind of cold.”

  “Okay.” Her voice trembled a little.

  Bo leaned on her a little all the way down the stairs, making sure to exaggerate how stiff he felt. His knees were stiff and his back sore, but that was mostly from sitting on a plane for so long and not the cold.

  When they entered the kitchen, Bo’s arm still around the little omega’s waist, all action in the room came to a halt. Nic had brought in a long table and propped up the leaves. It and eight chairs took up most of the room. A big wolf with broad shoulders and sharp-as-knife features stood from where he bent in front of the oven. He wore a bright blue apron and smelled of spices. Nic leaned against the table at the far end, conversing with Jackie, who sat on the table with her arms crossed, listening intently. Their conversation halted on his entry and both turned to stare at him.

  The left side of Nic’s face twitched and his eyes traveled to where Bo’s hand rested on the omega’s hip. His nostrils flared. Even though he was clearly irritated, he said nothing.

  Interesting. Bo beamed. It was a good sign, this alpha being irritated at him. It meant he cared about his pack as deeply as they all claimed. At his heart, Nic was probably a good man, but even good men could become monsters if pushed hard enough. Bo was proof enough of that. “Don’t stop on my account.” He let go of the omega. “Thank you, my dear.”

  “Uh-huh.” Her voice was high.

  She moved away from him the first chance she got, but moved no closer to her alpha because those seats would have been spoken for. The second, third, and fourth in the pack would take those seats on their arrival. Bo was interested to meet them.

  Jackie hopped off the table and brushed her hands absently over the wrinkles in her shirt. The move drew Nic’s attention and Bo narrowed his eyes at the alpha. Why had she taken that turtleneck off and not put something more decent on than just a tank top?

  “So, we’re expecting to meet the whole pack?” Jackie asked.

  “The rest of them should be here any minute. Everyone except for Donna. She’s working a late shift at the hospital.”

  “Doctor or nurse?” Bo recalled that Nic had said the pack doctor refused David treatment. Maybe if he hadn’t, David could have lasted a little longer. No matter how much the alpha irritated him, however, he wouldn’t point that out. It wasn’t good to invoke the name of the dead.

  “She works on the crisis team. Mental health.”

  “She must get a lot of work in the land with no sun.” Bo pulled out the chair at the end of the table, directly across from Nic. He plopped down and inhaled deep. “She’d probably be valuable here tonight, considering your pack’s recent loss. But where I come from, pack comes before employment. Maybe things are different here.”

  Surprisingly, his remark didn’t inflame Nic. “Donna knows where her loyalties lie. The same can’t be said for everyone.”

  Bo was just about to growl something back that’d probably start a fight when the cook leaned over the table, blocking Bo’s view of Nic. He placed a big white pan on the table with a caribou roast in it along with potatoes, carrots and onions. It smelled too heavenly to fight near, especially as hungry as Bo was, so he kept his mouth shut.

  �
��This is Bryce Tulamaq,” Nic said, gesturing to the cook. “My second.”

  Bryce smiled and bobbed his head to Bo. “Howdy do? You look like a beer guy. How ‘bout it?”

  Bo let himself smile. “You’re a good judge.”

  “Have to be,” Bryce said with a chuckle. “Can’t get alcohol off the shelves here. Barrow’s a dry town. Have to ship everything from Anchorage and that’s expensive as hell.” He turned to Jackie and added while tipping an imaginary hat. “’Scuse my French, madam.”

  “Fretting cares make grey hairs,” she offered in French, which made Bryce smile.

  Bryce stood and cracked his back. “Anybody else want a beer? I think there’s still a little of that sangria, too. You like sangria, Miss Wheeler?”

  Jackie smiled. “Just tea for me.”

  Bryce nodded and wandered over to the cabinet to find tea bags.

  Bo leaned forward on his elbows. “So, how do you deal with the utter lack of daylight this time of year?”

  “We make up for it by having a whole month of sunlight,” Nic offered dryly. “But, mostly well enough.”

  “You don’t have problems with your people going a little moon crazy?” Bo had always heard stories about it. Spending too much time where the moon didn’t set affected people. Maybe a month and a half wasn’t long enough.

  The corners of Nic’s mouth tightened and Bo knew he’d struck a nerve. For once, Bo hadn’t meant to, so he clarified. “I mean you don’t have problems with any of your other wolves? You have a small pack. You seem pretty tight-knit if everyone’s living in just a few houses.”

  “Used to be more of us.” Bryce placed a can of beer in front of Bo. “Seems the darkness isn’t our best time. This year, David and Anabelle. Last year, Justice and Foyle.”

  Nic cleared his throat and Bryce immediately shut up and slinked away.

  “Your second likes to talk,” Bo observed with a smile.

  “Not usually.” Nic glared at Bryce as he tucked his head between his shoulders. “But everyone is on edge. It’s been a hard two days.”

  “It’s my fault,” the little omega offered and stared at the table top. “I’m making everyone nervous. I’m going to go see what’s keeping the rest.” She stood and rushed out of the kitchen.

  Bo frowned after her. He hadn’t meant to scare the poor girl, only to ruffle the alpha’s feathers. He’d have to find her and apologize later.

  “Who are Justice and Foyle?” Jackie asked, drawing his attention back to the table.

  “Former members of this pack.” The restrained growl in Nic’s voice told Bo that they did not go easy. Nic sighed and rubbed his jaw. “I suppose it was going to come out eventually. They’re still in Barrow. Justice works at the grocery and Foyle works one of the offshore rigs. He’s not around as much, but Justice has been a thorn in my side ever since he decided to leave.”

  “So, you didn’t kill him then?” Bo’s observation drew a low growl from the alpha.

  “No, I didn’t kill Justice.” By the way Nic gripped the table top and showed his teeth, Bo thought maybe he’d wanted to. He glanced over at Bryce, who’d shifted nervously at the mention of Justice’s name. “He had a problem with someone else in my pack, someone I wasn’t willing to part with. When I told him I wasn’t kicking anybody out, he decided to go lone wolf. But he hadn’t stopped tormenting some of us until a few months ago. I went to the store and put a stop to it. Justice won’t be a problem while you’re here.”

  No, Bo thought, but he might be an objective view to the situation in town. If anyone had bad things to say about Nic, it might be Justice. He made a mental note to go and talk to him.

  The front door banged open and a whoosh of icy wind swept into the kitchen. Bo’s head snapped toward the door and his eyes narrowed at the cold steel scent of a gun.

  “Tara, stop!” the omega’s voice pleaded.

  Nic was up and out of his seat before anything else could happen, tearing through the door and into the living room. Bryce, Bo, and Jackie followed.

  Tara stood in the center of the room with snow dripping off her coat. Her eyes were puffy and red, her breathing heavy. The gun Bo had scented was in her hands, pointed at the omega. “Where is he?” Tara screamed. “Where is Nic?”

  Chapter Six

  N ic smelled Tara’s distress before he heard her crash into the living room. She reeked of desperation and drink, two things that never went well together. When he saw her pointing the gun at Mandy, it took every ounce of control he had not to pounce and rip her throat out then and there. Mandy was pack. His. Tara was not. This distinction mattered to the wolf who would have killed her if Nic hadn’t forced the beast down.

  His human side knew better. Tara needed protecting just as much as Mandy. She didn’t deserve to die for her mistake.

  Tara’s hands shook as she swung the gun around, pointing it in their direction. Her eyes were unfocused. Sweat trickled down the side of her face.

  Bo’s muscles tensed as if to spring. Bo wouldn’t care who Tara was. A gun in his face would be a death sentence for Tara. Nic needed to diffuse the situation. Now.

  Nic forced his way between Bo and Jackie, hands raised and outstretched from his body. “I’m here, Tara.”

  “Monster,” she spat. It wasn’t the first time he’d been called that. It wouldn’t be the last. “It’s your fault he’s gone! David trusted you and you let him die!”

  Arguing with her would do no good. She was drunk and grieving. If he could stall her until he could get close enough to take the gun away, nobody else would have to die.

  “Maybe,” Nic agreed, bobbing his head. “But killing me won’t bring him back. Look around you, Tara. The minute you pull that trigger, someone here is going to kill you. I don’t want that for you.”

  A tear raced down the side of her face. She pawed at it and sniffled. “What about what I want? Maybe I want to die.”

  “I don’t believe that.” Nic took a step forward.

  Tara tightened her grip on the gun. “You stay back or I swear I’ll shoot. This thing is loaded with silver bullets! I’ll kill you!”

  “Won’t kill anyone with the safety on, human,” Bo growled from behind him.

  Tara glanced down at the gun and flipped off the safety before swallowing. “I mean it. I don’t care if you rip me apart. At least I’ll take one of you with me. I owe David that much.” Another tear traced a line down her red face.

  “David wouldn’t want this, Tara. You know that.” He took another step forward. Two more and he’d be within reach of the gun.

  “Stop it!” She brought her other hand up to steady the weapon. “I’ll do it!”

  Nic relaxed his shoulders and stood up straighter. “Then do it.” He spread his arms wide. “But make sure you don’t miss, because if you do, I’ll be forced to defend my pack.”

  She stared him down. Had this been anyone else, Nic wouldn’t have chanced to talk it out. His wolf was screaming that he should take her down, give her what she wanted and end her suffering. Let her join David in death if she wanted it so badly. He didn’t understand the pain of losing a mate, but he knew the pain of loss and she wore it like a stone on either shoulder. She would drown in it.

  But Tara was sweet and gentle, fragile. She’d been sick often before David. It was David’s care that made her well again. David had been her life and he had let it fade away in his pride.

  Her elbows relaxed. She was about to give in, he thought, and put the gun away. Then, a low, feral growl emanated from the open door behind her. While Nic had crept closer, negotiating, another one of his pack—Vince—had come in. Seeing his alpha threatened with a weapon, of course he sprung to Nic’s defense. He leapt forward, hands like claws and ready to put Tara down.

  “Stop!” Nic shouted. Unable to disobey his alpha, Vince began to pull his attack, but it was too late. He’d made a threatening move against an armed woman.

  Tara screamed, spun, and fired.

  A dark shape blurre
d across the room as Jackie moved faster than Nic could perceive. She bumped her shoulder into Vince and narrowly pushed him out of the path of Tara’s silver bullet. Both Vince and Jackie tumbled to the floor.

  Tara dropped the gun and put her hands to her mouth. “My God, what have I done?”

  Bo rushed forward to his daughter’s side. Nic couldn’t see how bad she was hurt, but he could smell the burn of silver and the scent of blood, along with Bo’s rage.

  Nic stepped forward and grabbed Tara by the shoulder. She started to turn but met with Nic’s carefully calculated fist to the side of her jaw. He’d pulled the punch so as not to permanently hurt or kill her, but the force alone was more than enough to drop her. “Get her the hell out of here! And put her under guard. We’ll deal with her later.”

  He didn’t have to look to see Bryce grab Tara under the arms and drag her back through the kitchen, probably to chain her up in the shed. It wasn’t normally heated in there, but if he got the old space heater going, she wouldn’t freeze to death. Probably. Not that it mattered. As soon as Bo was certain Jackie wasn’t going to die, he’d want blood for blood.

  ###

  The bullet burned a path through the meat of Jackie’s upper arm and tore through the other side, where it buried itself in the hardwood floor. That the bullet had passed through was a good thing. It meant no one would have to dig it out. It also meant that there was a lot more blood. Enough that when she hit the floor, the resulting rush of adrenaline and pain kept her down.

  The guy she’d bumped out of the way was an older gentleman, maybe a little younger than Bo, but he looked more fragile. When he hit, she thought she heard the loud crack of bone and worried she’d broken his hip with her weight. He scrambled out from under her just fine and started trying to contain the blood pouring from her right arm.

  Bo came and muscled him out of the way before growling and snapping at him. Jackie tried to tell Bo that the old man was just trying to help, but her wolf had jumped to the forefront on injury and every word came out more as a growling snarl than anything.