“Bull. Ancient Scots were big men, not small.”

“No, really.”

“You know, just because you’re bigger and stronger doesn’t mean you were first. My grandfather said the first lupus garou was a red — that he was a berserker, a Norseman, who prayed to Odin, the Scandinavian god of war and death but also of poetry and wisdom. Odin could change into any form he liked, but a bear and a wolf were his best known forms. He was thought of as the ultimate alpha wolf when he turned into that beast. The berserker human was a redhead, and after losing his wife and children to a raiding party of Norsemen, he beseeched Odin to give him the power to right the wrong done to his family and his people.

“Odin took pity on the Norseman and gifted him with near-immortality by extending his longevity, and the ability to change into a wolf — a red wolf — whenever the moon made its appearance.”

Devlyn kissed Bella’s ear. “All right, same story, except the Norseman had dark brown hair and amber eyes, and he was a hulking brute of a man. Big, not small like a red.”

Bella grunted. “He was a red.”

Devlyn didn’t say anything for several seconds, and she thought he’d fallen asleep. But then his hand slipped under the covers and caressed her shoulder. “Is that why Vernetta knocked out your baby teeth? Because you tried to convince her that the first lupus garou was a red?”

Bella growled, the memory still making her angry even after all these years.

“Was it? When Argos brought us male juveniles home from a hunt, you were pacing in Argos’s cabin, your mouth bloodied, gaps where you should have had teeth, your eyes feral. Vernetta said you fought with her about the legend of the origin of the lupus garou kind, but she wouldn’t say what you said, and you’d never speak of it to any of us, not even Argos.”

“Well, she was wrong.”

“She sure as hell was. If Argos hadn’t stopped me, I would have knocked her teeth out in retaliation, except hers were all permanent. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Argos so angry as when he found out what happened to you either.”

“You should have seen how angry I was!”

Devlyn leaned over and licked Bella’s shoulder. “I did. You couldn’t eat anything solid for a couple of weeks. And until you could, Argos wouldn’t allow Vernetta to eat anything solid either.”

Bella smiled. “She was pretty pissed.” Then her smile faded. “The first lupus garou was a red.”

Devlyn chuckled. “Whatever you say, Bella honey. Whatever you say.”

Figuring she’d never change Devlyn’s stubborn mind, she pulled back the covers. “I should check the computer to see if Ross responded.”

“All right. I’ll fix us something to eat.”

“Hmm, a man who cooks. What else could a girl want?”

His hand drifted to her belly.

“A lot of loving... I know. But we’ve got to get going. Do you have a change of clothes?”

He burrowed his face in her hair as his fingers dropped lower. “Brought my bag in this morning.”

His actions heated her, but she fought fulfilling the yearnings. “Have anything black?”

“As dark as the midnight sky when the moon is new.”

“Okay.” Turning, she kissed his lips.

He didn’t kiss her back, only gave her a half smile. She assumed he didn’t want to get too worked up if he couldn’t relieve his ache for her. She was a little disappointed, loving the way he showed her the intense side of his feelings for her. But he was right... keep it cool.

After slipping out of bed, she yanked her panties on and fastened her bra. Then she had another notion. What if they lived in hiding, like she’d done for so many years? What if she could convince Devlyn to give up the pack and remain with her here, or wherever he wanted to go, but some place far away from the threat of Volan?

The idea seemed reasonable to her, but she figured Devlyn wouldn’t go along with it. Not with being a male lupus garou. Hiding wasn’t in his nature. Plus, he’d already told her how important his family was to him. But they could start their own family and find their own territory to establish.

He climbed out of bed and headed for the hall, turning to smile at her as she folded her arms and looked him over. “Chrissie would die if she knew you cooked in the raw.”

“He’d do something else, but his selected mate’s not agreeable enough yet.”

Joining him, she raked her fingernails down his chest in a teasing caress. “Keep it up and maybe you’ll change my mind.”

“I intend to keep it up and change your mind.” He snapped the elastic of her bra strap and then strode down the hall.

One hot lupus garou, but he couldn’t be hers unless he met her demands.

Once he reached the kitchen, she entered her office, turned on the computer, scanned the messages, and found Ross’s note. Meet me at Millie’s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop at six tomorrow evening on First Street. Ross

See you there. Rosa

She tapped her fingers on the desk and then headed for the kitchen. “Ross wants to meet me at a sandwich shop tomorrow evening at six.”

Devlyn pulled out a package of German sausage links. “How about these?”

“Looks good.” She glanced down his naked torso and then up.

He shook his head. “You are one bad little red wolf.”

“Yeah, I know. And I really do apologize for being so wicked. Forgive me?”

He chuckled under his breath. “Nooo, but I don’t think you’re going to give me what I want to make up for it either.”

She cleared her throat, switching to a much tamer subject. “So what do you think about Ross?”

“He’s afraid of the competition. He’d rather go for you without the others around, which makes me suspect that he could be the killer.”

She ran her hand over Devlyn’s well-muscled buttocks. Instantly, the muscles tightened, and he growled.

Ignoring his protest, she kissed his shoulder. “But you think he’ll be at the club still?”

“I’d bet on it, Bella.” The sausages sizzled in the pan, and he poked them with a fork. The spicy aroma wafted through the air. Her stomach rumbled. “He’ll want to see what kind of move the other guys make and how you react. Not to mention, he’s probably dying to see what you look like in human form.” Glancing back at her, he raised a brow. He continued to stir the sausages. “How do you think you’re going to prove who it is?”

“I’ll ask them what they think of what happened.”

“Has the latest killing even been on the news yet?”

“Oh, heck, I don’t know.” She hurried into the living room and turned on the television.

After flipping to the local nightly news, she held her breath as the newscaster pointed to a map of portland where four locations were circled in red. “In the most bizarre case in the history of Portland, Oregon, the killings of four young women — all mid-twenties, all natural redheads, every one of them no taller than five-foot-five, one every day for four days, ending three days ago — have baffled police. preliminary reports in the ongoing investigation show a wolf did the killings.

“In other news — “

Bella shut off the TV and collapsed on the sofa.

“Are you all right?” Devlyn called from the kitchen.

“Four women have been murdered, Devlyn.”

“I heard.” He joined her in the living room and pulled her to her feet, his eyes darkened, intense, worried, his hands rubbing her arms in a gentle sweep. “Are you going to be all right?”

“Yes.” The word was nearly a whisper.

“I don’t want you to do this if you’re afraid.”

“I’m not afraid. I just don’t want to see anyone else get hurt.” Her gaze met his. “If he doesn’t kill tonight, it’ll mean he’s one of the ones who contacted me, don’t you think? He’ll wait to see if I agree to be his mate?”

“Maybe. Unless it bothers him that you’re being choosey. He might still try for a human female then.”

“Oh,” Bella said, rubbing her temple. “He can’t kill as a wolf tonight. Not until the quarter moon appears.”

Devlyn took a deep breath and led her into the dining room. “Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking. He won’t be able to for another four days.”

“We have to find him before that can happen.”

“He can still kill them as a human.”

“But he probably seduces them first in his human form and then tries to convince them to experiment with something really wild, don’t you think? Then he turns into the wolf and they go ballistic. But for now, he may have relations with them until the change is possible.”

“You might be right, but I really don’t want you mixed up with this maniac.”

Bella didn’t want to be, either, but she was sure that she already was.

After eating, Devlyn and Bella returned to the bedroom to dress so she could face the crowd of female-hungry reds. She frowned at the meager selection in her closet — meager mostly because she worked out of her home or took a run on the wild side on the weekends in the woods sans clothes. “We should arrive early, don’t you think, Devlyn?” Bella pulled a slinky emerald-green dress over her head. “I was going to wear black, but I’m not in the mood. What do you think?”

When he didn’t answer, she glanced in his direction.

“You look good in that, Bella. Too good.” His expression was brooding but mixed with a wolf’s lust.

“Do you want me to wear something else?”

“Do you have anything ankle length with a high neck and long sleeves? Preferably black... and baggy?”

“No. How can I catch the killer if I hide?”

“I don’t want you exposed to him in the first place.” He buttoned his black shirt with jerky movements.