“What the hell was that for?” Grady glared and bared his teeth.
“Do I really need a reason? You’re a pain in the ass. How’s that?”
“Jerk.”
“Bastard.”
“Asshole.”
“Nice conversation. Mind if I join in?” Dean approached stealthily, his coat more cinnamon than his brothers’, who could have been twins in their beast form. His yellow eyes gleamed with humor. “So, Burke, you use that condom yet?”
Grady chuffed with mirth when Burke growled at his youngest brother.
“Not you, too. Look, Charlotte’s niece is at the house with Gerald, and I need to get back before I’m missed. Grady, take care of the security around here. I take it you two still haven’t found the totem?”
Dean twitched his ears in irritation. “Except for the wolves you two just chased off, there’s been nothing here since…Charlotte.” They all fell silent. “But the niece is finally here, hmm? What’s she like?”
“She’s a tough one, but I’m handling her.”
“Sure you are.” Grady’s eyes gleamed with amusement.
“Oh ho. So that’s the way of it. Was she any good?” Dean wanted to know.
Burke growled a warning before pouncing. He needed to get back to Rachel, but he’d about had it with his brothers’ insinuations and teasing. Time to remind them who was in charge.
Several minutes later, he released a cursing Dean and left an amused Grady to prowl the grounds. Loping back to his clothes, he hurriedly donned them and returned to the house just as Gerald and Rachel exited.
“Ah, Burke. There you are. We were just about to come find you.”
Ignoring the censure in Gerald’s tone, Burke nodded at Rachel. “You okay?”
Her eyes were red-rimmed and her cheeks pale. She nodded, however, and met his gaze. “It’s hard, but I’m managing. My aunt was a neat freak. So moving in should be a snap.”
Burke shot a surprised glance at Gerald, who shrugged behind Rachel. “You’re staying?”
Her lips thinned. “Yes. Is that going to be a problem?”
Thoughts about the totem slipped his mind as he realized Rachel staying gave him an opportunity to revisit their association from earlier this morning. He couldn’t help grinning as he stared at her from head to toe. “No problem at all. I’d be more than happy to help you settle in, Rachel.”
She blinked at his husky voice and took a step back in confusion. Good, he’d thrown her. Now how to lure her close again. He not only wanted to touch and taste every inch of her, but he wanted her away from this house for her own protection. And then there was that little matter of the totem’s whereabouts.
Rachel coughed into her hand, breaking the sudden silence. “I, ah, I think we need to continue, Gerald. You said you’d let us know how my aunt divided the property?”
Gerald nodded at Rachel and proceeded to explain Charlotte’s wishes.
Rachel gawked at Gerald, and Burke could only stare, not sure what to say. On the one hand, Charlotte’s decision made it easier for him to search for the totem. And on the other… He glanced at Rachel.
“You’re telling me Charlotte didn’t divide the property or set up any boundaries at all.” He waited for Gerald’s affirmation before continuing. “So basically, my brothers and I co-own the land with Rachel, but she retains sole ownership of the actual house?”
“Ah, not exactly.”
“Explain it then.” Burke didn’t like surprises, and Gerald’s ambiguity was pissing him off big time.
“Charlotte didn’t leave the land to all the Chastells. Just to you, Burke, and to Rachel.” Gerald dug into his briefcase and withdrew an official envelope. “This is for you, from Charlotte. And this one…” he paused to dig out another one, “…this one’s for you, Rachel. It’s supposed to explain everything. You are each to open the letters and hand them back to me when you’re done.” He produced a lighter. “Sorry, but she wanted me to burn the letters once you finished. Nothing says you can’t share the information you read with each other, however. I didn’t understand her wishes either, but per Charlotte, no one else reads your messages but you. And if you fail to abide by that minor instruction, the entire property goes to Monty GrayClaw or his descendants.”
“What?”
Gerald sighed. “Just read the damned letter and burn it, Burke. It’s easy enough to understand. Rachel, you okay with this?”
“Sure. I guess.” She gave Burke a wary look and turned her attention back to her envelope. Opening it, she read the letter, her frown growing as her eyes flew over the page.
Burke muttered under his breath about contrary females and did the same, thinking Charlotte’s grand, flowing script fit with the larger-than-life, autocratic woman who liked to boss him at every turn. Even in death she reached out to tell him what to do.
Dear Burke,
As the hotheaded leader of your pride, I expect nothing less than your very best in regards to my lovely niece, Rachel. You’ve been after my land for some time, and I know you only have the town’s best interests at heart. To that effect, I bequeath to you the care of the totem’s guardian and all that comes with her, with the exception of my house, which Rachel needs more than you can know. Of course, this is conditional on Rachel accepting you—truly accepting you.
She’s a Penny through and through, and needs a strong man by her side. It’s my deepest wish that you take her as a mate and as a wife, or if you refuse to see her coming as the gift it is, as at least a member of your pride. But make sure she fulfills her responsibilities to Cougar Falls. She was born to summon the totem. Stand by her as she learns what to do, and whatever you do, don’t desert her in her time of need. Be the strong male presence in her life I never had. And don’t even think of working around me on this. You’re not nearly as smart as you think you are. Help my niece and help yourself.
Lead her, Burke, show her the way. All or nothing. And you and the town will find a treasure to preserve the past.
Sincerely, a pain in the ass ’til the end,
Charlotte
Glancing at Gerald, Burke wondered what the hell to make of this. “You know what it says?”
Gerald nodded. “I’m the only one. You finished?” He reached for the letter, taking it from Burke’s limp hand. In seconds the lighter he held burned the letter to ash, and they both turned their attention to Rachel.
Scowling, she gripped the page tighter as she finished, then reread her missive. “This is nuts.” She stared at Gerald. “You actually encouraged my aunt with this nonsense?”
“It’s not nonsense.” Gerald nodded to the letter. “Read it again until you’re sure you won’t forget what’s written there. I’m not allowed to assist you any more than I already have. From now on, if you have questions, Burke’s here to guide you with regards to the actual property and what’s in it.”
Burke didn’t know how the hell he was going to guide Rachel in anything considering he had no idea how to “call” the damned totem, or how to make the thing work. When Charlotte’s health had begun to fail, the totem’s magic had wavered, then weakened. And when she’d died, the magic and the large relic had vanished. A twenty-foot tall hunk of wood just…gone.
Now Charlotte implied Rachel was here to take over where she’d left off, hell, maybe even to be his wife, if Charlotte had her way, and Gerald, that asshole, had known about this the whole time.
“We’ve been without protection for a week.” Burke took a threatening step in Gerald’s direction. “If you knew, you should have—”
“I’ve done as I’ve been told. Now it’s up to you and Rachel. Sink or swim, this town needs its defenses before the others step in. And I think you know who I’m talking about.” Gerald stared beyond Burke toward the woods.
Yeah, Gerald had smelled the wolves as well. The encroaching bastards. The gray wolves wanted the totem for themselves, not content with their large territory in Glacier National Park. The mangy canines wanted a better handhold on “civilization,” and the totem and Cougar Falls were a perfect breeding ground to start a new Order, one to rival the huge faction in Texas growing in leaps and bounds.