You want to keep following her ? We can't afford to lose her right now.
Will you be all right? The water is freezing. In wolf form I won't feel it as much. Go, before we lose her.
Just make sure you keep out of sight. Like she needed to be told that. Biting back her annoyance, she loped over the bridge and followed the tire tracks.
Betise made her way back to Main Street, turned left, then headed back to the undoubtedly of town.
When she turned right onto Bunting Street, a sick sensation ran through Neva. She had a horrible suspicion she knew where Betise was headed.
Her place.
She swore softly, though it came out little more than a rumble of sound. She leapt the nearest fence, taking a shortcut across her neighbor's backyards, and shifted shape as she ran for her back door.
She thrust it open, kicked off her shoes and shucked her coat, then slammed the door shut and raced for the stairs. Lights gleamed through the living room windows as a car pulled into her driveway. She raced up the stairs, stripping as she went, throwing her clothes in a heap in the hallway before racing into the shower. Thrusting on the taps, she wasted a few precious seconds waiting for the water to warm up, then jumped in.
A second later the doorbell rang. She got out of the shower but left the water running, grabbed a towel and padded down the stairs. 'Who is it?' she called, dripping water everywhere as she tucked the towel around her breasts.
'Betise.'
The other wolf's voice sounded slightly surprised, and a shiver traveled down Neva's spine. It was almost as if Betise hadn't expected her to be home--and that would only be the case if she'd suspected they'd been following her.
Neva opened the door. Betise's gaze slid down Neva's body, and her lips twitched as if in amusement.
But it was an amusement at odds with the anger in her silvery- green eyes.
'Hope I'm not interrupting anything,' Betise said, her voice warm, her eyes cold.
'Well, actually, you are. What can I do for you?'
'Is Duncan here?'
Neva clutched the door handle tightly. 'Yes. Upstairs, having a shower. Why?'
'It's personal. Perhaps I should wait?'
'I really don't think--'
'It's important I speak to him. I'll wait in the kitchen, if you like, while you two finish your…showering.'
She hesitated. 'Unless, of course, you think my presence here might disturb your relationship with
Duncan.' Neva wondered what in hell was going on in Betise's mind. As much as she'd first believed the older wolf's statements about her affair with Duncan, his contempt and loathing of her went too deep to be anything but true repulsion. One thing was obvious--whatever these two had been, they most certainly weren't soul mates. 'Duncan and I don't have a relationship, so I have nothing to fear.' And certainly not from the likes of you. Which was an extremely bitchy thought, but one that was certainly true. 'But we could be a while showering. Why don't I get him to phone you once we finish?'
'This is urgent.' Betise crossed her arms, the anger and suspicion deeper in her silvery eyes. 'Why don't you just go upstairs and tell him I'm here? I'm sure he'll come down to see me.'
'Given the choice, I certainly wouldn't.' Duncan's dry comment came from the top of the stairs. 'What the hell do you want now, Betise?'
Neva's heart leapt in her chest, but she hid her relief as she looked over her shoulder. Duncan was standing at the top of the stairs, a towel wrapped around his hips, his skin gleaming and as wet as hers.
The smile that touched his lips curled her toes, and though the shutters were up in his eyes, she could feel his amusement. And his anger--at Betise, not her.
Betise all but glared at him. 'I thought you might like to know about an interesting conversation I overheard at the Blue Moon.'
Neva shared a glance with Duncan. Has Betise really been at the Blue Moon? And if so, why there rather than the dance?
It'll be easy enough to check, Duncan said. The Blue Moon has lots of security cameras. I'll get Rai to check them.
And here I was thinking the 'good friend' you mentioned was male. I really should have known better.
Her mental tone sounded as catty as her words, but she just couldn't help it.
She's married.
That didn't stop you in Denver.
He didn't answer. He didn't need to, when his anger damn near sizzled her mind. His gaze went past her.
'What did you over hear?'
Betise stepped inside. 'One person, male, talking on a cell phone. About Rene.'
He crossed his arms, his eyes little more than black slits. 'Are you going to spit it all out, or do I have to come down and shake the rest of it out?'
The suppressed hostility in his voice left Neva in no doubt he'd do it. The sudden flash of uncertainty she got from Betise suggested she had no doubt either--and yet that uncertainty was mixed with an animosity that matched Duncan's. What was going on? None of the emotions she was catching from
Betise made any real sense. On the one hand, there was love and a deep belief in destiny. On the other, a far-reaching anger. And while she knew it was more than possible to feel both for the same person, there seemed to be something else here, as well. Something that left a bad taste in Neva's mouth. 'He was talking about going after your brother,' Betise said coldly. 'Tonight, while the dance was on.' Duncan didn't react in any noticeable way. Nor did he move. 'Did you see this man?'
'No.'
'Would you recognize his voice if you heard it again?' Betise hesitated. 'Probably.'
'Did he say when or how?'
'No.'
The phone rang shrilly. Neva jumped, then glanced up at Duncan.
'Answer it,' he said, voice clipped.
She did. 'Neva Grant speaking.'
'May I speak to Duncan, please?'
The voice was cultured and rich and reminded her very much of an older version of Duncan. She glanced up at him. 'For you.'
His gaze went to Betise for a second, then he walked down the stairs and took the phone from her hands.
Neva rubbed her arms, but it didn't ease the goose bumps fleeing across her skin.
Duncan listened to the caller for several seconds, his expression never changing, then put the phone down. But his black eyes gleamed with fury as his gaze met hers. 'That was my father. Rene's been shot.'
Chapter Thirteen
Duncan took a deep breath, trying to control the anger pounding through his veins. The need to protect the pack and all its members was a natural instinct to a wolf--and something he'd failed to do.
Neva placed a hand against his arm, her fingers warm against his skin. He shook off her touch and spun around, ignoring the flash of her hurt as he stalked towards Betise. Though her eyes widened slightly, the smell of her anticipation and desire spun through the air. He wrapped his fingers around her neck, resisting the urge to squeeze tight but holding her still none too gently. 'If I discover you have had anything to do with Rene being shot, I'll kill you.'
Her expression was fear-filled, yet he could taste her emotions as clearly as he smelled her arousal, and fear played no part in them.
