Dimitri glanced at Wynter and decided they’d better get moving; he coughed to get her attention. He needed her to accept what was about to happen. He contemplated the best approach for getting her to comply. Deciding on going soft, rather than using force, he crouched down so he could speak to her on eye level, trying to seem less intimidating than he knew he was.
“It’s okay, Wynter.”
“You know who I am?” she asked timidly.
“Yes, you talked to my Alpha last night. You’re remembering, right? His scent?”
“I…” She sniffed the ambrosial-scented fabric once again. What the hell was wrong with her? “I…I guess…yes. But I was sick, right?”
“Sure were. How’re you feelin’?” He was genuinely concerned.
“I feel fine,” she lied. Physically, she felt fine. But mentally, she was broken. Wynter stared out toward the window, helplessly shaking her head. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she looked away.
Dimitri sat on the bed at her side and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Surprisingly, she didn’t shrug him off; she just let the tears run down her cheeks.
“I may be old-fashioned but the girls I know who actually feel fine don’t cry, cher.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just overwhelmed.”
This was not going so well, Dimitri thought. He stood up and walked over to the dresser and poured her a glass of orange juice.
“Have something to drink,” he told her.
With no energy to argue, she complied, reaching for the glass. The sweet acidy pulp tasted so good. She hadn’t had juice for so long, and it made her feel as if she was doing something wonderfully normal. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and gave him a small smile.
“That’s a girl. Are you sure you don’t want to lie down? I was supposed to take you to see the Alpha, but he won’t want you to go if you’re not well.”
“No, really, I’m okay.” I’d be better if I were home. She looked up at Dimitri in silent defeat, wishing she could just get on the next flight out of New Orleans. But she knew better than to try to outrun a wolf. Well, she used to know better. She figured that last night didn’t count; she hadn’t exactly been thinking clearly. And now that she was in another pack’s home, possibly the Alpha’s, there was no way she’d get out on her own. She had to call Jax.
“I need to call someone. Can I use your phone?” she asked quietly.
“Sorry, but you’ve got to talk with the Alpha first. I don’t want to point out the obvious, but we need to know why you were being chased by those vamps last night. And your fever. Alpha’s got a lot of questions.”
“But I have to call Jax,” she protested. “I have to get out of here.”
Dimitri stopped dead in his tracks, almost dropping the glass. Jax. There was only one Jax that he knew: Jax Chandler. Holy fuck. No wonder Logan was pissed this morning. Seems like the rules of the game just changed. Attempting to hide his reaction, he continued and handed her a yogurt.
“I’m sure my Alpha will be in touch with yours.” He could only assume she belonged to the New York pack. And she’d slept with his Alpha. Yeah, this was going to be fun.
“He’s not my Alpha. Well, yes he is but…” her words trailed off when she realized she was going to be interrogated ad nauseum about what had happened by the New Orleans’ Alpha. Even if he’d acted caring last night, he’d want details about why she was in that alley. But she needed to talk to Jax first. Her eyes darted defiantly up at Dimitri and she said nothing more.
“Okay, little wolf, whatever you say.”
“I’m not a wolf,” she stated firmly, confused as to why he’d call her that. Any supernatural worth their salt could tell she was very much human.
Dimitri laughed. “Well, that fever must have affected you a little more than I thought.” He shook his head, irritated that she’d lie to him. The whole situation was turning into one shitload of crazy that he was ready to dump somewhere else. If that was how she was going to play it, he was ready to take a stricter approach with her.
“Wynter, this’s what’s goin’ happen. You need to eat something and then we’re going to see my Alpha. I called over to one of the shops this morning, and they delivered some clothes that should fit you.” He pointed to several shopping bags lying near the closet door. “You’re welcome to take a shower before we leave but I’d like to leave in an hour. Am I clear?”
“Crystal,” she grumbled, conceding she wasn’t going to get to call Jax. She knew that condescending, ‘do what I say’ tone all too well. When decisions needed to be made in a pack, it wasn’t exactly the epitome of democracy. Pretty much the exact opposite. And given that she was neither a pack member nor a wolf, she had exactly zero say about her future at the moment.
Logan knew the second she’d entered his building. Occupying the top five floors of a renovated skyscraper on Poydras Street in the Central Business District, he ran pack operations as well as his own personal business. State of the art security had been installed throughout the building and a private, high speed elevator exited directly onto his floor. Logan watched on his plasma security screen as Wynter crammed herself into the corner of the lift, attempting to get away from Dimitri. Logan frowned, wondering what caused her to cower in such a fashion. He’d asked Dimitri to offer her breakfast and bring her to him if she was well. But clearly the morning had not gone how he’d planned.
Even though he’d told Dimitri not to touch her in any way or intimidate her, Logan was aware that his beta’s presence didn’t exactly put people at ease. A mere look from him would have most males shaking in their boots. Given Dimitri’s massive presence, he could understand how the little wolf would be wary. The man looked like a badass enforcer, but in truth, Dimitri was quite the peacemaker within the pack. Sure, he was almost as deadly as Logan given the right circumstances, but in general, he approached life with calm and humor.
Logan swore, remembering the way he’d left her. Oh, he’d wanted to stay all right. But encouraging the uncanny attraction wouldn’t help either of them. Holding her, smelling her, it had been too great a temptation. So instead of prolonging the torture, he’d made a judicious decision; he’d left the bedroom before he did something he regretted. Hearing Jax’s name should have been enough to douse the flame that heated his burgeoning erection. But as her soft breasts pressed against his chest and her hand wandered up to the ridges of his bare abs, he’d nearly lost it. Erotic thoughts painted over any worries he’d had about the New York Alpha. As she’d unconsciously draped her leg over his in her sleep, brushing her thigh over his hard shaft, he truly imagined he’d come in his boxers. So after three hours of barely sleeping, her intoxicating scent fully ensconced in his consciousness, he’d bailed.
He’d almost thought better of washing her scent away but doing so admittedly cleared his head. Not only did the she-wolf come with major baggage, she didn’t belong to him and had called for another man. What was he thinking? He knew the best thing for all of them would be to have a nice sit down in his office where he could wear his professional veneer like a mask. He’d treat their interaction like he should, all business. He’d find out who she was, what pack she belonged to, why the vampires were after her and how the hell she’d gotten sick. The most logical solution was magic, he’d decided. As for the rest, she probably got in a fight with her boyfriend and decided a little fun in the Big Easy was in order. Somehow she got mixed up with some rough vamps who decided they’d take it a little too far. By the time he’d arrived at the office, he’d had the most logical possibility wrapped up with a tidy bow. And his sexual attraction to her was sealed up nice and tight into that same package…until now.