by Colt, Shyla
Gripping the edge of the sink, she bowed her head and drew on her reserves of strength. It’s one outing. She could use it to do one of two things: show him how miserable life with her might be or try to appeal to what remained of his humanity.
Brook knocked on the door. “Are you ready or what?”
Pushing away from the counter, she retraced her steps and moved to open the door. “Or what,” Joss replied glumly.
“Jesus, Joss. You look like you’re going to a funeral, not a date.”
“One should always be prepared,” she said dryly.
Brook snickered. “Come on, add some color to it.”
Begrudgingly, Joss walked over to the hook on the wall and added a heather gray cardigan with scalloped edges.
“I’ll take what I can get.” Brook rolled her eyes.
“I am not dressing up for him, Brook.”
“No. But if you let him know he’s gotten to you, he’ll automatically have the upper hand.”
Joss sighed. “You’re right. I’ve never despised anyone the way I do him. It screws with my ability to keep my cool and see the big picture.”
“Never let your guard down with Stark. He’s a slippery eel with evil intentions. There are times when I’ve seen the ruin of our people in his eyes.”
“So why do you stay?” Joss blurted the question that had been circling her brain for years.
“The same reason you do. Family, and the fact that we aren’t meant to be lone creatures.”
“There are other packs, Brook.”
“Sure. But I don’t know anything about them. I’m a creature of habit. I won’t leave until it’s absolutely necessary.” Brook shrugged. “It’s different for me. I blend into the background. You, he’s gunning for.”
“Maybe after tonight he’ll stop.” The words were empty. Joss knew he wouldn’t. Isiah fixated. The more unattainable an item, the more obsessed he became with procuring it. Once she figured out exactly what role he wanted her to play, she might be able to negotiate. I’ll consider this an information extraction.
She met Brook’s gaze. “No,” they said at the same time.
“Do I pass inspection?” Joss turned in a circle.
“You could wear a potato sack and do that. I’m more worried about where your head is currently.” Brook placed her hands on her shoulders. “Are you ready for this?”
Joss cleared her throat. “This has been years in the making. I have the chance to throw down the gauntlet and try to establish battle lines.”
Brook flashed her a sympathetic look. “I know this sucks, but I’ll be honest, I’m glad to see you taking action.”
Joss nodded, keeping the fact that he’d forced her hand with a threat to her mother under wraps. It was her burden to carry. Sharing it with Brook would change nothing, so she kept the truth to herself.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Speak of the devil,” Brook whispered.
“Lock up when you leave?”
“Oh, I’m going nowhere. I want to make sure you get home, okay?” she said, speaking loudly for Isiah’s benefit.
Joss grinned. “You’re the best, you know that?” she asked sincerely.
Brook grinned. “Oh, I know, and I expect repayment. Pumpkin pancakes with homemade whip cream will do it.”
“This Sunday. I promise.” Joss hugged her quickly. ‘Hang back, please,’ Joss mouthed. She didn’t want to pull Brook into Isiah’s line of fire.
Brook sniffed but nodded before she made her way to the guest room. Squaring her shoulders, Joss strode to the front door. She opened the wooden rectangle, and her jaw dropped. Armed with a sheepish grin, a bouquet of deep purple chocolate sunflowers, dark pink Camille, and a giant ‘She Said Yes’ balloon in silver, he was painfully adorable. Disarmed by his thoughtful gestures, she struggled to regroup. She’d always loved balloons as a means to celebrate, and the flowers were her favorites.
“I’m sorry. Come on in.” She stepped back.
“These are for you.” He handed her his gifts.
“Thank you.” She paused. “These are my favorite.”
He smiled. “I’ve always paid attention to you, Joss. I know what makes you happy.”
You bloody bastard. You’re good at this. I almost believe you.
“Thank you for these. Give me a minute to put them in water, and then we can go.”
“Of course. I’m glad you like them.” He followed behind her at a reasonable distance. His gaze might bore into the back of her head, but he kept his hands to himself. Are we playing at respectability tonight? Cutting the stems at an angle, she placed them on the counter and grabbed the crystal vase from beneath the counter. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” She turned on the water and filled the container.
“No. I think I’ll let it be a surprise. Have you eaten?”
She shook her head, placed the colorful blooms in the vase, and tied the balloon around the cylinder. “Not yet.”
“Good. You’ll need your appetite.
Grabbing her small Pumpkin Spice latte shaped purse, she followed him out of the house, locking the door behind her. He held her hand, and her muscles tensed.
“You promised to give me a real chance, Joss. I’ve been well-behaved so far.” She sensed an ellipsis behind the sentence, letting her know that could change. Relenting, she forced her body to relax as he twined their fingers and guided her to his black SUV. He opened the door and helped her up into the passenger seat. When he closed the door, she took a shaky breath.
His behavior unnerved her. He slipped skins like a shapeshifter, embodying each personality so sincerely, you never knew which truly represented him or when he’d change. Unwilling to wake the slumbering beast, she gave a small smile. Climbing in, he returned the expression. Now’s the time to learn your enemy.
* * *
He pulled into a grassy field turned parking lot. Her lips twitched up. A brightly colored Ferris Wheel slowly rotated in the distance, illuminating the darkness. Well-lit booths and rides flashed and beckoned. The sweet smell of calorie-laden fried foods drifted through the car vents to greet them.
“You took me to a harvest festival?” It was the last thing she expected.
“I thought you’d appreciate it.” He shrugged. The danger with him lay here. With his quick smile, warm eyes, and easy-going body language, he appeared harmless. If she wasn’t on guard, she could easily forget what existed beneath the convincing façade. “Besides, I wanted to gorge myself on a funnel cake.” He winked.
She laughed. Waiting, hands in her lap, she watched him walk around the side of the truck. Accepting his hand, she climbed down from the cab. When he wrapped an arm around her waist, she forced her body to remain lax. He stood a little taller and kept his hand in a respectful place as they walked through the Fall Festival Archway.
Whispers started and stopped the minute he stared the speaker down. There was a temptation when it came to dating a powerful man. The control they wielded over others was seductive. She bit her lip and ignored their judgment. This wasn’t about them. People would talk no matter what she did.
“What do we do first?” he asked.
“If we’re going to do swoopy rides, those before we eat anything.”
“Swoopy?” He arched a brow.
She elbowed him playfully. “Spinning? Whirly?” She wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips. “You know what I mean.”
He laughed. The rich baritone was pleasant. It amazed her just how damn appealing he could be when he wasn’t monstrous. Guiding her to the small trailer that housed the registers, he bought them bracelets which allowed unlimited rides. His eyes lit with genuine amusement. Like rust stripped away to reveal a fresh layer, she caught a glimpse of child-like wonder and joy. Had he ever been like this, or was this too an act? He turned to her with a smile so wide she could’ve shoved a coat hanger in his mouth.
“Come on.” Grabbing her hand, he tugged her to the Spider. The multi-armed black carts
were trimmed in green neon lights. Moving in a circle, each cart rotated three-hundred and sixty degrees. Despite her predicament, her excitement level rose. Letting loose didn’t happen much outside of the full moon when the wolf inside took over and thought became near impossible. The instinct to run, hunt, and be with pack prevailed over all other things.
The human remained in the backseat. It was an odd sensation she’d long grown used to. Raising on his tiptoes, Isiah all but did a dance as they waited for the carts to finish their round. She couldn’t hold back the laughter
“What?” he asked. “I can smell your excitement, too.”
“I can’t remember the last time I saw you like this. Maybe when we went to Disney World when we were like thirteen?”
“You have to admit that was a bomb ass trip.”
She held up her hands. “I do not deny that.”
His face grew serious. “I show you what I want to. You haven’t made your preferences secret, Joss. A man who doesn’t protect himself from rejection and scorn is a fool. Tonight, you’re open, so I’m returning the favor.”
She turned his words over in her head like a worry stone. Does he only give back what I send his way? The thought made her gut ache. Did I create this hostile environment? No, I’m cordial. He forced her hand and pushed her into the standoffish fight or flight response. Right? She was Alice teetering on the edge of the rabbit hole, and he was all too eager to give her the final push she needed to tumble arse over kettle.
The line moved forward, and the passengers were exchanged for new riders. Yanked from her thoughts, she boarded with the overgrown man-child beside her, narrowly escaping the trap she’d nearly tumbled into.
The wind pulled at her hair, and she laughed as he lifted his hands, and threw himself into the ride, desperate for relief from the tension inside of her. The jovial emotions continued as they worked their way through the machines. She could play nice without falling under his spell.
A noisy growl from her belly led them to change course and arrive at the food carts.
“Is it possible to get one of everything?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’ll get you whatever you want, J.” His sweet tone made her antsy. He mimicked and mimed like a top-notch ventriloquist, but she wasn’t sure it reached his heart. Half of the time she doubted the existence of a soul inside of him. “You deserve to be treated like a queen.” He tugged a springy curl. “It’s what you’re destined to be.”
“I don’t want that,” she replied automatically.
“That’s the beauty of it. The best ones never do.” He shook his head and blinked. “Order whatever you want. If you can’t finish it, I will.” He shrugged. Werewolves ate more than the average human. He’d have no problem delivering on his end of the deal.
Letting her stomach order for her, she ended up with a funnel cake piled with apple pie filling and whipped cream, two corn dogs, and freshly cut French fries. Some days it paid to have an insane metabolism. There were unexpected perks to being a shifter.
“I like a girl who isn’t afraid to eat.”
Rolling her eyes, she sank beside him on the bench. They ate in a comfortable silence that surprised her. It hadn’t been the hellish experience she’d imagined.
“Okay. I can’t eat another bite.” She pushed the remnants of the funnel cake away.
“I’ll handle the three bites left,” he said dryly. She stuck her tongue out at him. “Careful. I might put that to better use.”
She rolled her eyes.
He smirked and finished off the remainder of his fries and her funnel cake. “A gentleman knows when to pack it up, so I’ll take you home.” He stood, gathering their trash.
What new game are we playing tonight? She remained silent as they left, unsure of his next move. The ride was tense. The strains of popular music did nothing to soothe her.
He pulled into her driveway, cut the engine, and turned to face her. “Why’d you agree to this?” he asked earnestly.
“You know why,” she responded quietly.
“Humor me.”
“My mother.”
“Hmm.” He leaned back, resting his head on the seat. “It wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“No,” she answered honestly.
“We can play nice. Eventually, I think feelings will develop.”
“Relationships aren’t things that should be forced—”
“Mating isn’t always about love. You know I’ll be Alpha soon.” He studied her for a heartbeat. “You have the power of an Alpha inside of you. You try to hide it,” he sniffed the air, “but I can scent it on you.”
“We don’t know that,” she protested, shaking her head.
He tsked. “Denial isn’t a good look on anyone. Least of all someone as intelligent as you are, Joss.”
“I haven’t gone into heat yet. That in itself is an indication that things aren’t right with me.”
“No. I believe it’s an indication of how damn stubborn you can be. Or maybe, you’re just waiting for the right wolf to pluck you at peak ripeness.” His tongue darted out to lick his lower lip.
Heat filled her cheeks. She looked away. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“And we’re back where we started. Why can’t you let this happen?” His petulant tone signaled old Isiah’s return was at hand.
“Because feelings aren’t things that can be commanded, and deep down at the core, we’re two completely different people—”
“Who want the same things.” He held up a finger. “A good life for our people.” He added a second finger as he checked off his list. “To be on top when things blow wide open, which we both know will happen. You can feel the difference in the magic the same as I. We’re getting reports in from everywhere about wolves who shift without the full moon, and vampires who can stand the daylight. Things are changing. We need to be ready to defend and conquer.”
“I’m not going to dispute that, but—”
He leaned closer. “But what?”
“I don’t need to play the role of wife for any of that to be true.”
“No, you need to perform that part because I will it.” His words were razors.
She ground her teeth. “We don’t always get what we want.”
“The prophecy says we will succeed together or perish apart.”
“I wasn’t aware I had plans to go anywhere. I don’t need to share your last name to be reliable.”
“You think it’s so simple? It’s never that easy.” His voice has softened when he states, “Everything always requires a sacrifice.”
“Isiah?” He knows something.
He gripped the steering wheel until it creaked in protest. “I refuse to fail White Creek.”
“Isiah!”
“The hourglass is running out of sand, Joss. Don’t force my hand.”
“Thank you for a not horrible evening,” Joss interjected, eager to put distance between them.
“We could be like this all of the time,” he said softly.
“Until I defy you, right?” she asked, clutching the door handle.
“I’m not a dictator. I don’t require total obedience.”
“Oh, right.” She rotated her finger, adopting a high-pitched ditzy voice. “Just seventy-five percent.”
“For you, I’d go sixty-forty.”
Done with their conversation, she pushed the door open. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed. Cringing, she growled in the back of her throat.
“Tick tock, Joss.”
Shaking free, she fled. Deluded like his father, he saw her as a means to an end, a part of taking the throne. He took the prophecy literally. The five lines she hated with her entire being began to play on a loop in her mind.
When powers change, and worlds collide
Together the waxing and waning moon will control the tide
They mark bearers determine the winning side.
Together they triumph, apart they perish
Their bond shall be among the rares
t
* * *
Taking her final sip of coffee, Joss set down the white stoneware mug with the black rim and a wolf howling at the moon etched on the side. Brook leaned forward across the kitchen island. She was a comical sight in her oversized green, black, and blue flannel pants, White Creek tank top, and black silk hair scarf.
“Okay, I waited until you woke up and had your first cup of coffee. Spill your guts, woman.”
Joss chuckled as she rubbed her heavy lids. “There’s not much to tell really. It was actually kind of nice until he opened his mouth.” Joss cringed and wrinkled her nose.
Brook reached across the table and laid the back of her hand on Joss’s forehead. “Are you sick? Did he manage to brainwash you?”
“No.” Joss swatted her hand away. “He took me to the harvest festival and we rode rides, played games, and ate until we were both stuffed.”
“Are you changing your mind about him?” Brook asked softly.
“God no. He kept his psycho in check until he pulled into the driveway. It was a reminder of what he’s capable of, and why he scares the holy hell out of me. Anyone who can change at the drop of a dime like that has serious issues. He’s always playing a game only he has the rule book for. I’m not sure if he can actually feel or if he simply goes through the motions.”
“You realize you’re describing a sociopath, right?” Brook said.
“Oh, I’m well aware. I’m ninety-five percent sure that’s exactly what he is, or some variation of. The things I saw growing up in a house with him …” A chill swept through her body.
“Like what?” Brook whispered, brown eyes the size of moons.
“Intense tantrums, manipulation, calculating moves, and rage accompanied with dead eyes. He’s capable of great violence with no remorse afterward. It’s not a good combination.” Tell her the truth. The words lodged in her throat. He’d been hurt by the same hands. The cloying secrets wound themselves around her vocal cords. The withholding of food until they yielded to the Alpha’s wishes and the way they were pushed past their breaking point with special training.
