"So what?"
She could come back, whenever she wanted.
What if he's not waiting when you do? What if there's someone else?
"Shut up."
Slinging the duffel over her shoulder, she made her way out. Her brother was the first stop, and she discovered him barely awake.
"Hey," he said with a sleepy smile. "Why are ya leaving so early?"
"Long drive, bro." Smiling, she sat and took his hand. "I'll have to stop overnight and make the rest of the trip tomorrow."
"Oh. That's right." He frowned. "I wish you didn't have to go all that way alone."
"I'm a cop, remember? Besides, I made it out here fine, worrywart. I'll call you when I get home if that'll make you feel better."
"It will. But I don't have a cell phone anymore. God knows what happened to my old one."
"I'll just call Nick or Aric. I've got their cell numbers."
Too observant for her comfort, Micah eyed her in speculation. "Ro, I don't want to butt in where it's not my biz-"
"Then don't."
"I have to. You're the only sister I have, and if Aric's playing with your feelings I want to know," he said in a cool voice.
"No, he's not," she said quietly. "That's not it." Fresh pain stabbed her middle, but she pushed it down.
"You have feelings for him." A statement, not a question.
"Yeah. But I'm not sure those feelings are love. How am I supposed to know if it's the real thing or just a few great nights fucking each other's brains out?"
Her brother grimaced. "Whoa, TMI. I'm gonna need an extra month of therapy for that image alone, thanks so much."
"You're welcome." It was nice to see he still could joke about some things. "So how do I know?"
"By doing exactly what you are-put some distance between you and temptation. If these feelings quickly become nothing more than a fond memory, you move on. Easy."
"And if my guts still feel like they're being turned inside out a week or a month from now?"
He studied her for a long moment. "Has anyone told you about wolf shifters and mates?"
"Yes." She paused. "Jax and Kira are mates. Aric told me more about the subject, too, like how a wolf shifter needs to bite his intended Bondmate, and then they can't live without each other."
He fell silent. Anxiety formed a knot in her chest.
"Micah, Aric and I are not mates. He hasn't made any move whatsoever to claim me . And he's letting me go without a single protest."
"That doesn't sound like the Aric I know, to let something just go that he really wants." He blew out a breath. "But maybe you're right. Ask him, okay? Just put it out there, point-blank, and ask him if he's sensed a bond between you, if he's felt the need to claim you. If so, that would explain part of the intense pull between you."
"I'm not sure I should. What if he thinks I'm trying to trap him or something? I don't want to be a clinging vine."
"Just do it. He'll be straight with you, if he's the same guy I've known for years."
"All right. Thanks, little bro." She gazed at him, reluctant to go. "I wish I could stay longer."
"Get going. I don't want you driving after dark."
The order sounded paternal, and coming from him it was funny. Rising, she gave him a fierce hug, and then kissed his scarred cheek. "I love you."
"And I love you. Now get before you make me all mushy."
"See you soon."
"Not if I see you first."
Lifting her purse and duffel, she blew him a kiss and left, trying not to cry. For the most part she succeeded, except for a couple of stray tears that she swiped fast, before anyone saw. She found the guys in the rec room, Ryon and Zan playing Wii games, the others shooting the shit and watching TV. Kalen noticed her immediately, and looked over his shoulder at her from his spot on the sofa.
"Hey, you going already?"
"Afraid so." Her gaze went to Aric and her smile trembled on her lips. He rose from his spot next to Kalen and walked over slowly. This was going to be much harder than she'd believed. "Hi."
"Can I help you to your car with that?"
"Sure."
He took her duffel and the guys hugged her good-bye one by one. Even A.J., whom she was sorry she hadn't gotten to know better. There would be time, though, to foster those relationships. Her brother worked there.
And Nick had given her an opportunity to consider. A great one.
They headed outside and walked around the building to her car. Someone had pulled it up to the front and left the keys in the ignition. Some cop she was-she hadn't even realized the keys were missing in the first place.
Aric tossed the bag into the backseat, shut the door, and then opened the driver's door for her. "I'm going to miss you. Until you come back, that is," he said.
Was that a note of sadness in his voice? Or was it wishful thinking on her part?
"Hopefully it won't be too long. A few weeks at most." She touched his face, traced his lips. "I'll miss you, too."
"You'll probably forget all about me the second you get home, back to the force and the people you're devoted to protecting." His lips curved upward and he nibbled her fingers.
Staring into his beautiful green eyes, she knew that wasn't true. What good was that life, the job that used to mean so much, without this man in it? She'd take a few weeks, see if she felt the same longing to be with him.
"Don't count on that happening," she told him. "I could never forget. In fact, it's highly possible you really aren't getting rid of me."
"What... what do you mean?"
"I need to ask you something. Will you answer honestly?"
He shrugged, his gaze wary. "Sure."
"I've felt drawn to you. I've mentioned that before. Now that it's time to go, I feel like my insides are being twisted into a thousand knots, and it's because I'm leaving you. Does it... do you feel the same way?"
For several heartbeats, he stared at her bleakly. "No," he rasped. "I don't feel anything like that. I'm sorry."
"Oh." The word emerged as though she'd been punched. "I- Okay. Well. That was stupid of me, huh? Take care, Aric. I'll see you when I come back to visit my brother."
"All right. See you."
She slammed the door shut as soon as he stepped back, fired up the car, and pulled away. Started down the drive without looking back. After he disappeared from sight she let the tears flow. She didn't bother to wipe them away.
No way could she accept Nick's offer now. It would hurt too damned much to work with Aric.
With the man she'd somehow stupidly fallen in love with.
And there she had her answer, at a painful price. She loved him, and he didn't feel the same way. Thank God she hadn't made an even bigger idiot of herself by telling him.
The drive stretched ahead, long and lonely as the trip had been days before. When she'd started out, she never dreamed she'd find her brother alive and experience the greatest high because of it.
She also never imagined finding the one man she could love, here in Bumfuck, Wyoming. And that she'd leave forever changed. Heartbroken.
L.A. loomed ahead, a smog-filled hostile sea of strangers where it had once been home.
The tears didn't stop coming for a long, long while.
Aric watched her go, and as the car was swallowed by the trees around the bend, he sank to his knees. Utter, complete devastation blasted through him, wave after wave of pain. More than he could stand.
His mate. He'd lied and hurt her, sent her away.
He'd never see her again. Not in this lifetime.
Sitting back on his heels, he threw his head back and shouted his anguish to the heavens. The shout became a howl as his limbs reshaped. Fur sprouted and his muzzle elongated. In seconds, the shift was complete.
He let his wolf out and ran. Oh, he'd come back. He'd made his brothers a promise, and he'd keep it.
But they'd find out soon enough that he'd only come home to die.
Rowan sat at her tiny dining table and sorted through the mail. Wasn't much, which was sort of surprising, since it seemed she'd been gone a year.
Bill. Crap. Crap. Bill.
The usual. It took her all of ten minutes to look through and organize the envelopes into what to shred and what was important. The plants were next, though they weren't doing too bad, just a little droopy. Then she tidied the living room, fixed herself a Lean Cuisine, which took all of fifteen minutes to consume, and that was stretching it.
And yeah, the walls were closing in. L.A. was definitely not the Shoshone National Forest, with its majestic mountains and thick trees.
Sluaghs, too. Don't forget those.
Well, here in the city they had shit that was just as bad. She'd like to see one of Malik's pets go up against the East Side Lobos. Now that would be worth the price of admission.
Antsy, she reached into her purse and extracted her cell phone to charge it, since she hadn't really used it in days. That's when she finally thought to check her messages, and found she had three from Dean. Damn, she'd forgotten all about him and he was probably dying of curiosity, not to mention worried that she hadn't bothered to check in.
After making sure she had enough charge left, she speed-dialed her friend. He answered on the third ring, his attitude typical Dean.
"It's about fucking time. I was starting to think you'd been eaten by a goddamned Yeti."
"Wrong mountains." Buddy, you'd never believe what we really ran into. "As you can see, or rather hear, I'm fine."
"Are you home?"
"Safe and sound. Got in a couple of hours ago."
"I'm coming over. Got any beer?"
"I'm tired, Dean. Drove for a day and a half to get here."
"I won't stay long. I just want the story. I assume there is one."
She sighed. "There is. Bring the beer. I'm all out."
"Gotcha. One hour, tops."
Saying good-bye, she hung up and settled onto the sofa to wait. She must've fallen asleep, because she'd just started across a clearing toward a beautiful red wolf she was desperate to reach when a pounding shattered the wisp of a dream and she jerked upright.
The sound came again, a knocking at the door. Rubbing her eyes, she stumbled to the door and peered out, then let Dean inside. The big blond man gave her a one-armed hug and then walked into the kitchen, making himself at home as he removed two longnecks from one of the cartons and put the rest away.
"Okay, spill it," he demanded, twisting the top off one brown bottle and handing it over. "Did you find any sign of what happened to Micah?"
She took a long draw, and wiped her lips. "Better." For the first time since leaving the compound, she smiled. "I found him."
"Really? That's great!" Stepping up, he hugged her again and placed a wet kiss on her cheek. "Why the hell didn't you call me? I've been on pins and needles this whole time, worried that you'd hit another dead end and were probably devastated, and-shit, never mind. How is he? Where has he been?"
Leaning against the counter, Rowan rested the cold bottle against her forehead for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Dean was FBI, and he was a good man. She knew she could trust him. But how much would he believe?
"Micah was captured a little more than six months ago, during an op that went bad. Top secret stuff. He was recovered from the facility where he was being held, shortly after I arrived at the compound you told me about. He was in pretty bad shape, but he's on the road to recovery."
She hoped.