We hadn’t been in town long when I realized someone was following us. I’d brushed it off as my imagination getting the best of me, but when Jasmine started getting nervous as well, we abandoned our plans, and started heading home.
But whoever was stalking us hadn’t given up, and now we were trapped.
The loud click of a gun being cocked stopped me cold. I didn’t need to turn around to see death had finally caught us. I closed my eyes for a brief moment and grimaced.
I dug deep for courage as my hand was squeezed. Jasmine would be terrified enough without seeing fear in my eyes and if we were going to get out of this, I needed to keep her calm—or at least calmer than I felt.
Giving her a look I hoped conveyed confidence, I motioned for her to stay quiet as I positioned her behind me and turned to look at our attacker.
I saw the gun, aimed straight at me. The finger poised over the trigger ready to shoot. The hand holding it was steady and trained to adjust to every movement. I shied to the left and back again. Without hesitation, the gun’s motion mimicked mine.
Damn. Judging from the precise actions—whoever was holding the gun knew what they were doing. If they took a shot, they wouldn’t miss and out running a bullet was too risky.
A quick sniff at the air and drawing on my other senses told me I was dealing with a human male. I couldn’t help but grin at the bitter scent of fear mixed in with the sweetness of his excitement. It was intoxicating
My body began to relax. As long as I paid attention to the gun still pointed at me, and made no crazy moves, our chances of escape had just increased.
I looked beyond the weapon and recognized the determined face staring back at me. The emotions rolling off his body caused my wolf to raise her head and howl. This wasn’t a pack mate or dominant wolf to play submissive with by showing my throat. Looking at our attacker, I could feel my hackles rise as she growled, desperate to take over.
I sent a silent command to the wolf inside me to stand down. I explained there would be no need for her to come forward because I had everything under control. She whined impatiently at being refused.
Something didn’t seem right about the situation. The man standing before me was Gary, and although it caused a slight disturbance in the Pack, he had been declared an official friend.
Without a doubt, Gary knew who Jasmine and I were and our importance. He’d been warned any act of aggression towards the Alpha’s intended mate and sister was an instant death sentence – regardless of the person.
My wolf stepped forward again, this time nudging me harder. She sensed the disturbance and it unsettled her. She could smell the danger in the air and begged for permission to take control - to protect us. I could deal with the situation as a wolf, but I was serious when I told Mason to try reasoning before violence.
I remembered the last heated discussion between us. He’d laughed when I said we should try to take more peaceful approaches when dealing with conflicts. I didn’t always agree with the werewolf mentality of bite first—ask questions later. I’d told him I’d seen too much violence in my life, and was tired of it. When I showed I wouldn’t back down, he nodded his approval. I think he got a kick out of the way I stood up to him because our debates always ended up with me pressed up against a surface, Mason kissing me as though he was hungry.
“You don’t want to do this, Gary,” I spoke, putting as much compulsion in my voice as I could without triggering him. I stepped forward, only to stop when I noticed his eyes darting toward Jasmine. He held a crazed look, and I needed his focus away from her.
“Don’t assume to know what I want,” he spat out, spittle flying from his lips.
My mind raced. Mentally cringing, I remembered my last words to Mason. “You don’t need to come with us every time we leave the house. There’s no threat. We’ll be back soon.” That had been my intention, but when I sensed someone following, I’d tried to evade them, but with no luck, unable to leave and get back to pack property. Searching for somewhere private to hide until the danger had passed, I wanted to laugh because my brilliant plan had clearly bitten us in the butt. I hadn’t saved us at all. We were now trapped between freedom and a madman with a gun.
Mentally I crossed my fingers as I assessed the situation, hoping this would be another case of me escaping by the skin of my teeth with no harm done.
Jasmine’s exhale drove home the seriousness of the moment. I knew she was scared, and I needed to get us out of here.
I took in Gary’s expression and noticed the trickle of sweat rolling down the sides of his cheek. The man may have nerves of steel when it came to handling weapons, but he wasn’t as unaffected as he let on. Judging by the slight tick in his right eye and the way he kept licking his lips, he was nervous and I could use that to my advantage.
My brain scrambled for what I knew of him. Mason had asked Gary last summer to help with the home renovations he’d planned. Even though they had little in common, there was something about the human that endeared him to the Alpha, and he started including Gary in certain Pack activities.
I wondered what triggered him. Something had pushed him over the edge and made him lose control. I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation because causing Gary to freak out would make him fire the gun. If I launched myself at him, my werewolf strength might overpower him and knock him out. Or I could be patient and see if talking my way out of this helped. Either choice was a gamble. Right now he called all the shots and that left very little wiggle room for me to act.
I knew there was two sure fire ways to get a response out of a man – turn him on or piss him off, and judging by how my pack brothers carried on, I figured turning Gary on would be the easiest way to resolve this.
My plan was I’d bat my eyelids, toss in a pouty smile, and flirt the gun right out of his grip. I knew the effect I had on men when I turned on the charm, the way they became putty in my hands. People joked how Mason governed the Pack with an iron fist but all I had to do was crook my little finger and he’d come running. I would need all my confidence to pull this off because the very thought that I’d have to touch him made my skin crawl. My stomach tossed about as I offered a silent prayer.
Men respond to a third thing, my wolf growled as she paced beneath the surface. Violence.
She craved to be let loose so she could pounce on Gary and eliminate him. She was blood thirsty and enraged, and I struggled to control the feral energy she gave off. I needed to keep her restrained because there wasn’t a chance in hell he’d survive her attack.
I took in a deep breath, desperate to release the tension in my muscles. I had to move with grace if I was to play the role of the seductress.
I felt my lips curve into a smile as I lifted my arm to touch him. I forced my hands to look soft and not curl into claws to rip out his throat. Lowering my voice, I whispered, “Come now Gary, there must be something we can do to move past this. You don’t want to hurt me.” I let my other hand roll down the length of my body, hoping to keep his attention.
His focus remained on my face, and panic flickered in his eyes before he hid it. But I’d caught it. He didn’t like what I was doing. He was becoming anxious and I could work with that.
“You need to stop whatever it is you’re doing,” his voice came out in a rushed puff.
I closed the distance between us, never taking my eyes off him. Digging deep to steady my hands, I caressed the side of his cheek, making sure I continued to breath in and out. He hadn’t shaved, the stubble feeling coarse under my fingertips.
My wolf growled, fighting hard for dominance. She didn't like this, but I couldn't let her out. She nipped at me, showing her displeasure and I struggled to ignore her.
Bile rose as my fingers traced over his cheekbones. "See, we can work this out, Gary. There's no need for violence." I wanted to add he could put the gun down, but I didn’t want to remind him he had it.
I pressed my body against his. His eyes instantly widened, pupils dilating.
/> Leaning in, I purred into his ear. "Is there somewhere we can go? Maybe a little more private? Let Jasmine leave, Gary. We don't need her."
I forced my other hand to rest on his chest for a moment before it began to journey downward, making sure to let out small moans of appreciation as if touching him pleased me. It felt like bitter ash on my tongue and all I could think of was the long, hot shower I would need to scrub his scent off me. If it was even possible.
He didn’t move a fraction, remaining stiff, his arm still stretched out with the gun now aimed at Jasmine. I couldn't tell how receptive he was based on his body language.
"You need to stop,” the words exploded out of his mouth through clenched teeth. “What kind of idiot do you think I am? You are the alpha’s mate, his most beloved, and you expect me to believe you want me?” Scorn and disbelief dripped heavily off his words, and I lost my hold over him as his anger rose to the surface.
"Shhhh." I tried to bring Gary’s focus back to me as I moved face to face with him, my mouth a breath away from his. His lips felt dry against mine, and I fought the urge to lick my lips to moisten them.
"What Mason doesn't know won't hurt him. You can't tell me you're not curious about what it's like to be with a werewolf.” I lowered my voice to a sultry tone. “The heat that’s created. Not knowing what's woman and what’s animal. They say it’s quite the experience."
I could faintly hear Jasmine behind me, and I tried not to think what this looked like. She was loyal to her brother and even though she knew this was an act, it mustn’t be sitting well with her.
I couldn’t sense if her wolf had risen. Thank goodness for small miracles. I was having a hard enough time keeping mine corralled without dealing with a second one.
The rankness of Gary’s breath reached my nose, reminding me of my purpose. It reeked of cheap liquor and something else, a familiar smell. The scent triggered a red flag in my mind.
Gary had laced his liquid courage. It was so elusive, like it was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn’t quite remember. There was an otherworldly smell to his breath and it hinted at magic. When my brain finally finished figuring it out, I was stunned.
Vampire. The fool had drunk vampire blood.
A pulse of fear washed over me, leaving an icy trail through my body that caused my skin to pebble and break into a light sweat. Here I was, thinking I was dealing with a mere human, but with this extra boost, I had no idea what could happen.
I stood, hovered over his lips, my hand on his abdomen, my mind searching for my next move. So far, he hadn’t fallen for my act and time was running out. I needed to go all in and finish this.
Adding a wriggle to my stance, I reached for his belt buckle and pulled his body hard against mine. I wrapped my other arm around his back, pressing my chest to his. At the same time, I nipped at his lower lip to let him know I wanted access to his mouth. As his lips parted, my tongue dove in and I gagged as the rancid flavor of his breath touched my taste buds. I stumbled forward, but quickly recovered and applied myself more to the vomit inducing kiss.
The feel of the gun’s cold metal at my temple was unmistakable, and my body stiffened.
I'd just willingly put myself into his hands because he hadn’t been fooled at all by my ruse. A quick inhale through my nose told me the fear I’d been able to smell on him earlier had morphed into arrogance.
Gary’s deep chuckle resonated through him, chilling my blood instantly, and I felt myself sag a little.
Everything changed, and my wolf howled in triumph, knowing I’d have to accept the inevitable—sooner or later I was going to have to release her.
Gary ground the barrel of the gun hard into my skin, a reminder of who was in charge. In a move I could only attribute to the vampire blood in him, he turned me around, and he faced me toward Jasmine. His arms circled my chest, crushing me.
Jasmine looked horrified as a steady stream of tears flowed down her cheeks. She appeared deathly pale and her body trembled.
She was too young to witness something like this—we both were. Violence amongst the pack was one thing, but senseless violence at the end of a gun was another.
I tried to move, twisting hard in his grip but it only made him tighten his arm, and for a moment I couldn’t breathe as his embrace constricted my lungs. I continued to struggle, trying to find a way to break free. There wasn’t a weakness; Gary’s strength matched mine.
“Shhhh, what Mason doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Gary taunted, mocking me with my own words. My knees gave out as I felt his slippery tongue trail a path on my skin, licking me from the base of my neck to my ear in one slimy motion.
Jasmine cleared her throat, and I saw her step forward, the beginnings of anger on her face. Her wolf was beginning to break through and assert herself. Great.
I raised my hand to stop her, pleading with my eyes as I mouthed for her to stay where she was.
“Oh by all means, come forward Jasmine. It’s actually you I’m here for.” Gary’s low chuckle rang in my ear. “You didn’t think it was you, Darcy? No, I’ve had my eye on Jasmine for a long time. I’m going to get what I want.”
Confusion hit me. Scene after scene from the last few months played through my mind as I tried to make some kind of connection. There had been numerous times when Jasmine and Gary were together, but never alone and not once had I sensed any attraction—especially on Jasmine’s side.
We were close and told each other everything. If she was falling in love with this man, I would’ve known about it.
Jasmine’s eyes widened in shock from the declaration and even though I knew I couldn’t move, it didn’t stop me from wanting to comfort her.
“What do you want with her?”
Gary’s arm tightened slightly as he adjusted his stance. “I want her as my mate, or whatever it is you freaks call it, but Mason said no. All summer long, I’ve been trying to show what a decent guy I am and because I’m not a wolf, I didn’t even stand a chance.” It was impossible to miss the bitter anger as his voice rang out.
“I tried convincing Mason it didn’t matter, that I would treat her well and follow any pack rules he wanted, but that animal.” Gary paused to draw an angry breath, and my wolf bristled at the tone being used. “Mason wouldn’t hear any of it. Kept apologizing to me and saying it wasn’t the way things were done. He had someone else in mind for his sister, but hoped we could still be friends. Friends!” Spit flew from behind me at the force of his last word. “We will never be friends.”
“Gary, pack marries pack. Mason is right . . .” I was silenced by the gun smashing hard against the side of my head. My wolf practically bounced off my skin in an attempt to break free over the quick act of aggression.
“I don’t care about your stupid pack or its archaic rules. They mean nothing to me. I love her and I will have her—whatever it takes.”
“But vampires? You went to vampires?” I knew I was tempting my fate but I couldn’t keep the incredulous tone from my voice. Gary relaxed a little as he took in a breath to speak.
“I was desperate. Depressed. They found me and offered me a way to get her.”
“Yeah, but at the cost of your soul!” I exclaimed. “No one is worth that.”
He moved so quickly. One minute I had my back to him and the next his hand was locked around my throat, in a death grip, the barrel of the gun resting between my eyes.
“Say it again, I dare you. Say Jasmine isn’t worth it, and I’ll splatter your brains all over the ground.” Gary’s eyes were crazed, and I knew I’d pushed him too far. There’d be no reaching him. One of us was going to die.
We stared into each other’s eyes, willing the other to relent. A firm voice broke our concentration. “Let her go, Gary. It’s me you want, and I promise I’ll go with you. Just stop this madness.”
Gary released me to look at Jasmine, suspicious hope on his face. I dropped to the floor, gasping for air with my hand massaging my throat. I’d give this to th
e human—he had an iron strong grip.
“Leave us alone, Gary. Please,” Jasmine growled.
It was the please that drew my attention. There was a hint of animal in the sound, and my stomach dropped as I watched Jasmine fight to rein in her wolf. It was relentlessly trying to gain control now, the trauma of the evening triggering it to break free and surface.
The situation just went from dangerous to dire. Judging from the convulsions racking her body, we were going to have a real problem in a moment. Scratch that. Gary was about to have a problem, and my wolf howled in anticipation.
“You need to calm down, Jasmine. Take deep breaths. Everything’s alright,” I spoke softly, watching her carefully. “Just try to keep your body relaxed and mind focused. Okay? Don’t give in, fight to stay human.”
Gary reached down and grabbed me by my jacket, dragging me to my feet. “What’s happening? What’s wrong with her?” He used the gun to point at Jasmine, who had dropped to all fours—panting heavily.
“She’s changing, you idiot I need to get her out of here.” I used my hands to roughly shove at Gary. “Let me go now!” I threw every ounce of compulsion into my voice. I didn’t care what his issues were, Jasmine needed me and that was all that mattered.
“No! No Mason. Just you. Fix her.” The gun’s trigger clicked back on as he aimed it at me. “Now.”
I lost my temper. I thought nothing about diplomacy or trying to ease the weapon out of his hand. It didn’t matter, he seemed just as on edge as I was. Jasmine’s whimpers were becoming louder and louder as the change began to take over.
“There’s no fixing her! This is who and what she is – she’s a werewolf, and if I can’t stop her changing, she may not be able to hold onto her humanity. Do you get it, you jerk? Your macho act of stupidity here . . .” I pointed at his gun, “has triggered her wolf. She’ll be too strong to fight and will take control—maybe forever.”
I ran over to where Jasmine was lying. She was now in the fetal position, lying on her side, and I could see her muscles and joints starting to lengthen and rearrange themselves. Her nails had grown longer, sharper at the tips and a light coat of fur rippled and flashed over her skin. Most times the Change occurred faster, but as she struggled against it, it seemed to take forever.
“Come on, Jasmine. Fight it.” I groped my pockets for my cell phone and cursed out loud. Of course, this would be the time I left it at home.
I began a silent chant in my head for Mason, trying to send a frantic call through the pack bond. I repeated my message over and over, sending images—hoping something was getting through.
“I can sense her, Darcy, and she’s desperate to get out. She feels so strong this time, and I’m scared I won’t be able to hold on to me when she comes.” Fear blazed in her wolfish eyes. The yellow tint almost glowed in darkness of the evening.
“Do you remember what they taught us to do if this ever happened? How as you feel your wolf pass, to focus on what makes you Jasmine? Tell me what you’re going to think about?”
“I’m going to think . . .” Her sentence was cut short as a gut-wrenching scream erupted from her mouth. The press of the gun barrel returned to the side of my head.
“Enough with your damn gun, Gary. Enough!” My own wolf, hungry for action, felt that much closer.
“What’s happening? Make it stop! It’s not supposed to be like this. I meant to kidnap her, whisk her away where I could have a chance to win her over, make her see she could love me. I wanted to get her away from the pack and all things wolf, and we would’ve been happy.”
The arrogant facade Gary had been maintaining started to crumble as hysteria crept into his voice. He drove his hand through his hair and began to pace back and forth, the gun still in his grip.
“Just take your gun and walk away. Mason will arrive soon, and you’re not going to want to be here when I tell him what happened. Forget about Jasmine—about us all. Just leave!” I screamed the last words at him as I used my hands to try and soothe Jasmine.
“No, I’m not leaving without what I came for. Fix her, and we’ll leave together.”
I almost choked on my shock. This guy was truly delusional if he thought I was letting him anywhere near Jasmine again. Standing to my feet, I turned to face Gary and stalked toward him.
“You’ll go, and you’ll go now before I rip your throat out. I’ve had enough of this. You’re wasting my time. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.” I shoved him and pointed down the street. “Run, while you still can. You think Jasmine will be scary? You have no idea what it’s like to face an infuriated alpha wolf and pack members. You have no idea what it’ll be like facing me.”
The sound of a wolf growling behind me interrupted my angry rant. I closed my eyes, not needing to turn around to know she’d changed, and from the electricity dancing over my skin and the tension beneath it, it wouldn’t be long before I’d change as well.
“Run, I will not warn you again!”
A look of revulsion crossed over Gary’s face. I turned around to face Jasmine, and it didn’t take a genius to see he didn’t like what he saw. His reaction was confusing because this was nature at its finest.
Jasmine was a breathtaking wolf – silver fur with white tipped ears and paws. Her snout was ebony and her fur shined in the moonlight.
“Make her change back!” he screeched.
I reached out with my senses to see whether I could find her, but I was too distracted by what was happening around me. “I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if she’s there. Mason will have to help her. She needs her Alpha.”
I took a step towards Jasmine, with my hands raised in a submissive gesture. Technically, we were the same in the hierarchy of the Pack, I wouldn’t rise until Mason and I had officially sealed our mate bond. I hoped by showing her I meant no threat; she would calm enough for me to reach her. Her hackles were still raised, and there was a low grumble coming from her, but it was directed at Gary more. Jasmine would smell that I was part of the Pack, whether she was herself or not and know I wasn’t a threat.
“Don’t go near her!”
“Make your mind up, Gary! You either want me to help her or not.” I was getting sick of his interference, sick of his presence, and I was ready to snap. Playtime was over, and it was time to put an end to this.
Using my werewolf speed, I turned and lunged for Gary, baring my teeth at him. I caught him by surprise and quickly had him pinned beneath me on the ground. I wrestled for control of the gun and misjudged a move. A second later, I was underneath Gary, with his fist pummeling into my face.
A loud howl echoed and was followed by an angry growl of warning. Gary turned to see Jasmine launch herself at his back. He raised the gun and fired.
Chapter Four