Page 13 of The Scent of Seduction

“I would, but it’d probably make his ego larger than it already is. Can’t have that now, can I?” she said then winked.

Nicole leaned back to see a man, presumably Clint, in the window cut between the kitchen and the dining room. He lifted off his chef’s hat and took a bow. Nicole smiled. I guess what they say about shifters having good hearing is true?

Nicole tucked back into her pancakes and orange juice. Maybe all this would be easier if Nicole was a shifter. Then not only would she have the history of her people to back her up, but she also feel the pull towards Jaryn—the need to mate with him, instead of his solitary need to mate with her.

But didn’t that pull exist already? If she was honest with herself, from the moment Jaryn pulled her into his arms, she’d wanted to be there. When her head had rested against his chest, all she felt was peace as his warmth and scent enveloped her. Each time his lips brushed against her forehead, she longed to tip her head up and make them land instead on her lips. So, okay… physically she wanted the guy. Who wouldn’t? He was gorgeous.

On top of trying to decide if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with a man she’d met forty-eight hours ago, she’d promised to help in the investigation against Adam. She figured she and Jaryn would probably spend a lot of time together. Hopefully that would give her the chance to really get to know him. Maybe then she’d be able to figure out if all they shared was animal attraction or whether she would come to want the man himself.

Chapter Six

“Alpha, wait up!”

Adam spun around and growled at Jasper. “What?”

Jasper came to a sliding stop. “I found her. She’s in the small town of Stonepass, Montana. At least she was as of two days ago. That’s where the withdrawal on her account originated.”

“Two days ago! You’re supposed to be able to track anything, anywhere, anytime, remember? I should have had this information that very same day. Now she could be anywhere.”

“There has been no transaction activity on her credit—”

“Of course not, you idiot! I took her identification card away when she came here. She now has a handful of cash and can disappear. Hack into the NSA and put her on the watch list, make the government work in our favour for a change. I really don’t give a shit how it’s done, I want her found!”

“Yes, Alpha,” Jasper slowly backed away then turned and ran back toward the house.

Adam clenched his fists. His claws came out, poking into the skin of his palm. His vision wolfed out. The acuity allowed him to track a rabbit darting through brush. In the blink of an eye, Adam shifted and charged after the prey. He needed to maim, kill, destroy. The need for violence rushed through his blood stream. If he couldn’t get his claws on Nicole, he’d decimate whatever came in his path. Adam tore apart the small animal and left its carcass lying on the forest floor. Nature would take care of the remains. He raced across the field, letting his legs eat up the distance. He’d run all the way to Montana if he had to. Nicole belonged to him, and when he got her back in his possession, there’d be no denying that ever again. He’d scribe his name over her entire body if necessary. Adam knew he had the perfect control device secreted away in the labs, but he didn’t want to show all his cards until he absolutely had to.

Adam stopped suddenly as a strange scent caught his attention. He turned his head, trying to pinpoint its location. Intruder! Adam knew the scent of every individual in his compound. This was not one of them. He took off, following the trail. His anger increased as he realized that the markings in the forest were that of another shifter, not a natural wolf. How dare someone come on his land and try to stake a claim! If the interloper wanted to challenge Adam, he was all for it. Adam knew he was stronger than anyone in the area. He’d rip his challenger apart and prove once again his superiority in the Northwoods.

Adam sat back on his haunches, surveying the forest. The wind blew through his fur and he caught the intruder’s scent once again. Adam snarled, his ears flattened and the fur on his back lifted. Silently, he trod through the forest, determined to identify the owner of markings that soiled his land.

There was a howl in the distance, taunting Adam. He let out his own howl to let the other wolf know he was onto the game. If the intruder thought he could trick Adam into chasing him, he had another think coming. Adam knew how to keep the game in his favor. He’d leave now and return when he was no longer on the defensive. Let the bastard stew in his juices out here for a few days. Adam would take the time to organize his attack.

He made his way back to the house. When he broke through the clearing, there was a group working in the vegetable garden. They all froze at the sight of him. Adam made his way across the field, carefully eyeing each shifter to determine if there was a traitor in his midst. Most of them cowered and Adam heard a few whimpers from the wolves of the group, but there was one. One whose eyes flashed with challenge for a few seconds before his gaze dipped in submission. He pulled back his ears, narrowed his eyes, and his tail pointed straight out, parallel to the ground. Adam let out a low growl in chastisement before turning his back and walking away—a purposeful insult.

Adam entered the house after the recognition software opened the door for him. He went into his office, then shifted. He quickly dressed and was about to set off in search of Jasper for an update when there was a knock on his door.

“Enter.”

Jasper pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Our sources revealed that Nicole Holland is still in Stonepass.”

“Good. Take Kenneth with you and bring her back.”

“Kenneth, sir?”

“You don’t expect me to believe you have trouble hearing, do you, Jasper?”

“No, Alpha. Your choice was simply a surprise.”

“I want you to keep an eye on him. I think he’s up to something. Ever since Nicole left, I’ve seen flashes of defiance in him and I won’t have it. If he tries to warn her, take care of him. I’ll not have traitors in my midst.”

“But Kenneth is about the least combative person alive. He’d never go against you.”

“I’ve recently discovered that there’s an intruder on my land. It is possible that Kenneth is connected to the person given access to the compound in the forest. I’ve caught Kenneth sneaking around a few times in the last several months. My plan is to flush the intruder out.”

“But with Kenneth gone, how can you achieve that?”

“Simple. By spreading around the word that I killed him. And if fiction becomes fact, due to unforeseen circumstances, then I’ll simply have one less problem to deal with. The little telepath isn’t producing satisfying results. I’m at the point of ordering his disposal, anyway. You’ll leave tonight after everyone beds down. Contact me when you arrive in Stonepass.”

---