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He used a third zip tie to secure her wrists to one of the four posters on the bed before standing, removing his jeans and crawling into bed beside her, pulling the covers up over them both. He rolled her to her side and wrapped his arm around her, spooning her back to his front.
“You’re a bastard, Campbell.”
“Nay lass, my parents were a bonded pair for several years before I came along. Are you comfortable?”
“I’m half-naked with your cock poking me in the back. I’m tied up and being held against my will, and you want to know if I’m comfortable?” she asked incredulously.
“Aye. It’s part of my job as your mate and alpha to see to your needs.”
“Fine. I need to be set free and see you back on your way to Scotland.”
“We’ll be on our way soon enough—all three of us.”
Wrapped in his arms for the first time, his warm body close to hers, and tired physically and emotionally from the fight, Winter found it far easier to fall asleep than she might have imagined. When she woke several hours later, Sean’s deep, rhythmic snoring let her know he, too, was asleep.
Winter could tell he wasn’t used to truly binding someone. He hadn’t used true cable tie handcuffs, but common zip ties, and she could get her wrists close enough that she could chew her way through the plastic. It took a while, but she figured the exertion from the fight combined with what must have been a long trip to get here kept him asleep even through her minute movements.
Once she was free, Winter slipped out of bed and silently searched his bag for more zip ties. She was in luck—there was only one, but she could use it to bind his one wrist to the one zip tie remaining around the bedpost. When she had assured herself that Campbell could not get away as easily as she had, she made her way onto the balcony and over the railing.
She crouched low to the ground and listened for any telltale signs of pursuit. Hearing none, she made a mad dash for the tree line where she removed the sweater, stuffed it in the go bag that she’d left hidden and shifted from woman to snow leopard before bounding away toward the SUV.
Winter turned her thoughts towards what she needed to do next. She would stop by The Workshop—one of the places in town where she kept a spare set of clothes. She could get dressed and then head to Windsong to alert Colby. Her thoughts should have been focused on what to tell Colby and possible scenarios that Campbell’s presence in Mystic River could lead to.
Instead, she found herself remembering what it had been like when he covered her body with his, kissing and caressing her as if she belonged to him. If she was being honest with herself, she almost wished that Hamish hadn’t barged in. She had often wondered if Campbell could fulfill the promise of seduction and dominance she’d felt from him. But the time was long past when she could have been happy in the traditional role Campbell saw her in.
No. It was better this way. They would both be better off with this resolved between them, and wondering about what might have been was a fool’s errand. And the beta of Windsong was no fool.
CHAPTER6
SEAN
Sleep had come far more easily than he’d thought it would have. He had only meant to close his eyes, but he had ended up succumbing to Morpheus’ embrace. Something had disturbed his rest, though. As he dragged himself back to wakefulness, he realized what it was—Winter was no longer at his side. Growling, he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He’d intended to stand, grab his clothing and be after her, but was prevented from doing so as there was a cable tie around his wrist and attached to the one around the bedpost.
He jerked at it, but it held fast.Damn the girl.She was annoying in the extreme, but he had to keep himself from smiling. Annoying, yes, but intelligent, creative, and fearless, as well. Not only had she managed to escape him again, but she’d ensured he would need to free himself before going after her. The cable ties were strong—it was why law enforcement used them—it would take a while to chew through the damn thing, but the bed itself was another matter. It was an antique four-poster.
Grabbing the top of the post that was attached to the centerpiece of the headboard, Sean grasped the finial and tore it free before snapping it in half to free himself. He grabbed clothing, a weapon and some night binoculars and stuffed them into his bag, noting that there would be no repairing the bed; he’d destroyed it. It was too bad, as the thing had been lovely. No mind; Trudy could add the cost of a new one to his bill.
Once he had a way to carry the things he’d need as a human, he called forth his snow leopard, who seemed rather eager for the chase. When the maelstrom of color, light, and sound dissipated, Sean picked up the bag in his teeth and charged toward the open French doors, sailing over the railing and landing on the ground where his mate’s scent surrounded him.
Using his enhanced senses, Sean picked up Winter’s trail and began to gallop in the direction in which she’d gone. He found the spot where she’d hidden her vehicle and then followed the tire tracks back into town. They ended at what appeared to be a nice pub called The Workshop.
Sean ducked into the alley beside the bar and was about to shift so he could pull on his clothes and check out The Workshop when he felt her presence. Glancing around the corner, he spotted her trotting down the stairs to an SUV before getting in, pulling out, and heading in the opposite direction of The Refuge. He supposed it was too much to hope for that she had intended to return to him, but the bitter taste of disappointment rose to his mouth.
He drew back into the deep shadows between The Workshop and its neighboring building. Shifting back from beast to man, Sean opened his bag and quickly got dressed. He emerged from the alley just in time to see the taillights of Winter’s vehicle disappearing around a bend in the road. There was no way he could return to the bed and breakfast, grab his SUV, and return to follow her. No, he needed a way to do so now. He glanced at all of the vehicles parked in front of the pub. Better to act now and ask forgiveness later.
He checked the door of the Jeep closest to him and was surprised to find it unlocked. Even more surprising was the set of keys hanging from the keyed ignition switch. He started the Jeep, backed out, and headed in the direction in which he’d seen her taillights disappear. Finding the button that turned off the headlights, Sean was grateful for the full moon and the bright stars overhead. His job of following her was made easier by her red taillights as she drove through the night.
As expected, she drove directly to Windsong, stopping to key in the security code at the gate. The gates closed behind her before he could even get close. Not knowing where Reynolds might have his security cameras mounted, Sean drove past the gates on the opposite side of the road, hoping to escape attention. He found a place to pull off, parked the vehicle and then followed the walls surrounding Windsong back to the gates.
This might not be the UK or Europe, but the medieval fortresses he had encountered there had little on Colby Reynolds’ estate. True, there wasn’t a moat—that he could see—or towering turrets, but the wall could only be scaled with trained men and a great deal of trouble. Sean hitched his way up high into a tree so that he could use the binoculars to see what lay beyond.
The mansion had been built in the style of a large, heavily fortified English manor house… or maybe it was a French chateau. It wouldn’t be penetrated or taken without a sizeable troop of well-trained men. He had the men, the training, and the wherewithal to take on Windsong in a direct full-scale attack, but he would prefer to try other means to reacquire his runaway mate if he could. No need to make enemies if he could turn them into allies instead.
He scaled down the tree and walked back to the borrowed Jeep. Getting inside, he started it up and this time turned on the headlights. Sean planned to return the Jeep, get back to the bed and breakfast and catch a few more hours of sleep. He would have breakfast with Hamish and then the two would ride out to Windsong to find out more precisely Winter’s role there and ascertain if Reynolds could be reasoned with.
What was she doing living with a bunch of Canadian lynxes ruled by a notorious gangster? She was a snow leopard and her tracks in the snow confirmed that she remained one. Bite mark or not, no one had tried to claim and turn his mate into something different. There were rumors that Reynolds was not what he seemed and that he was a friend, and possible benefactor to the Shadow Sisters. Winter remaining at Windsong seemed to give some credence to both.
What Sean was trying to wrap his head around was the fact that there were also rumors that Reynolds was one of those who believed in the existence of the Shadow League and that they needed to be stopped. That could be the common ground he needed to leverage some kind of deal with Reynolds.
