by Alisa Woods
Several of Gage’s pack members were gathered around their tight discussion, along with Mace’s two betas Alric and Beck. A growl of agreement went around the group, Jak along with them.
“It could be anyone,” Jak said. “Hell, maybe they were trying to stop my lab visit to Silver Quick. We don’t even know if Arianna was really the target—they may not have even known she was a wolf.”
Gage frowned. “What makes you say that?”
“She shifted during the attack—it seemed to catch them off guard.” Jak wasn’t sure that was entirely true. He had replayed the scene a dozen times in his head, and he suspected that when he dropped his phone he managed to avoid their first shot. They were aiming for Arianna as well, but they did seem unprepared for Arianna to ward off their dart, shift, and come after them.
“Of course she was the target,” Mace said with scorn. He gave Jak a look like he was pond scum, a revulsion Jak had no problem returning. “She’s a mated female.”
There was no question that mated females carried powerful magic in their blood, and especially in their hearts. But that wouldn’t mean anything if the hunters didn’t know she was a shifter to begin with.
“Sure, witches could be after her… if they knew what she was,” Jak said. “She hasn’t been outside the compound in six months. Hardly anyone knows she’s here.” Jak turned back to Gage again. Mace was too much of a hot head; Gage was the only one with a chance of sorting this out. “It could be the Sparks pack. Maybe they’re out for revenge?”
Gage shook his head. “I doubt it. Things have been quiet too long on that front. Besides, their alphas aren’t the kind who initiate trouble.” He gave a pointed look to Mace.
He snarled in return. “They don’t have the balls to do what it takes. Not unlike some alphas in the Red pack.”
“Really?” Jak lurched forward to get in Mace’s face. “You want to be a little more specific about that?” Mace just insulted his alpha. Jak would be more than justified in tearing him into bloody strips… his mouth watered at the mere possibility.
“Your beta’s big on words,” Mace sneered to Gage. “Come on, beta. For once, I’d love to see your blood run instead of your mouth.”
Jak’s claws came out, and he was about to take a piece out of Mace when Gage yanked him back. Jak growled but obeyed his alpha and stayed back.
Gage jutted his chin at Mace. “Jak’s the only reason your mate is home safe right now. Show some respect, or I might have to teach you some… little brother.”
Jak snickered along with the rest of Gage’s pack. Their alpha had several inches and fifty pounds on his brother, and if it turned into a pack-on-pack brawl, Gage’s pack outnumbered Mace’s three to one. Those were only two of the many reasons why Gage was the dominant son in the hierarchy. That, and Mace was an asshole no one respected. Everyone knew it, even his own betas.
“So Arianna’s home safe now—is that right?” The gleam in Mace’s eye made Jak’s blood run cold.
“That was my job, and I did it.” Jak clenched his fists. The last thing he wanted was an enraged and frustrated Mace going home to Arianna and taking his impotent frustrations out on her. But Jak couldn’t object without bringing suspicion. He was already walking a fine line, trying not to let his ever-intensifying feelings for her show. Jak growled his own frustration. “Why don’t you run along home to your female, Mace? Let the big boys figure out who’s threatening her.”
Mace lunged for him, claws unsheathed and coming straight for his face. Jak bared his fangs, ducked, and came back up from underneath, pounding a fist into Mace’s stomach. He doubled over, and Jak grinned, a flush of triumph thrilling his body. Gage outmatched his brother, but Jak and Mace were similar in size and speed: only Jak was smarter, and his hatred for Mace knew no brotherly bounds.
“That all you got?” he taunted Mace. The others were holding back.
Mace pretended to straighten but whipped a slice of claws at Jak’s face instead. He caught one on the cheek even as Jak whipped his head back. His blood ran warm, but Jak quickly swung back, catching Mace in the throat. The two men went down, grappling hands-to-throat, choking each other. The others cleared a circle for them, scuffling on the pavers to get out of the way. Jak couldn’t breathe through Mace’s hold, and Mace’s claws were starting to dig into his neck… but Mace’s face was turning purple with Jak’s hold as well. It was a race to see who would pass out first—one Jak had no intention of losing. He lifted Mace’s head and slammed it against the pavers, stunning him enough to loosen his hold.
“Enough!” Gage’s roar sprung the others into action. Jak was lifted off Mace in an instant. Once his feet found the ground again, he stumbled backward, regaining his footing as Mace’s betas helped him to his feet. Mace pushed them away and looked like he was going to lunge for Jak while he was being held defenseless by his own pack. That would start a rumble like nothing else.
Gage stepped between them. “I said enough.” The deep timber command of his voice stilled everyone. Jak felt it resonate through his body. Even if he wanted to rip Mace’s head off—and he very much wanted to—his body wouldn’t obey. Not in such a direct counter to his alpha’s orders.
“These hunters aren’t just a threat to Arianna,” Gage said, his voice cooling a little. “They’re a threat to the entire pack. If Jak and Arianna are on their radar, they’ve probably connected the dots and figured out the whole Red Wolf company is a pack. Which means all of us are at risk. And our father isn’t going to like that very much. Mace.”
“No shit. Gage.” Mace’s voice was laced with bitterness. “The question is why your beta didn’t kill the hunters when he had the chance.”
“Gee, sorry, Mace.” Bile bit at the back of Jak’s throat. “I was too busy making sure they didn’t cut out Arianna’s heart.” He wiped away the blood that was still running down his face. The truth was he had let them go because keeping Arianna safe was more important than ripping out their throats—but that did complicate things now. And left a looming threat over her and everyone else.
Mace just growled and crossed his arms.
“We need to work together as a pack to take care of this.” Gage sighed and shook his head. Jak didn’t blame him—Mace was more a hindrance than anything else, even when his own mate was threatened. If she were Jak’s mate, he’d be tearing out throats. Not to mention racing home to make sure his mate was actually all right. As it stood, Jak was the only one actually trying to take care of this mess… along with Gage, who would make sure the right thing happened, in spite of his brother.
Jak’s phone pinged in his pocket. It was an alert from the message board.
“What’s that?” Gage asked as Jak quickly scrolled through it.
“Darknet,” he said, not taking his eyes from the screen. “I posted a description of the hunters. This is a private message response… but it’s just an address.”
“Sounds like a trap.” Mace grinned a sickly smile. “I think your ace beta here should go check it out. That way, if there are any witches waiting, we’ll just have a minor loss to the pack.”
Jak narrowed his eyes but going alone was exactly what he wanted. “Works for me,” he said to Gage. He didn’t know what was going on, or who outed the pack, but Arianna depended on him. He could take care of business better without anyone else looking over his shoulder. Especially Mace.
“I don’t like it,” Gage said. “Take Mason and Johnson with you. Guns, stun weapons, the whole arsenal if you like. No reason to take unnecessary risks.”
That wasn’t going to work for keeping this a solo operation. “Strangely, and believe me, I didn’t think I would ever say this, but Mace is right.”
Gage arched his eyebrows. Mace just sneered, throwing a smirk to Alric behind him.
“If it’s a trap,” Jak said, “We don’t want to risk any more of the pack than necessary. I’ll go in armed to the teeth and just do reconnaissance first. Once I know it’s clear, I’ll call for backup.” He fully
intended to pummel the answers out of the hunters personally. “Besides, there’s an outside chance the hunters are working for law enforcement. Still doesn’t explain how they knew we were shifters, but if they’re working for the cops… it’s better for them to think I’m working alone and not part of a pack.”
Gage sighed, but Jak knew his logic was sound. Shifters kept their identity secret precisely because when they shifted into wolf form, they were all wolf: no identifying DNA to finger them in whatever crime they might be involved in. And while Red Wolf stayed mostly on the legal side of things, there were a few very not legal things that happened in both the company and the pack. If the whole pack was identified and hauled in as a group for DNA testing, forced to shift to match wolf-to-human DNA for the federal records… well, that would not play well with Red Wolf’s business plan. Which included, among other things, gaining the trust of up-and-coming dot-com startups. It was a reputation business, and being outed as shifters and potential criminals would shoot it all to hell.
“All right,” Gage said, reluctantly. “But I still don’t like it. I want you to play it safe, you hear me? Go there, check it out, monitor the situation, and get the hell out. Understood?”
“Got it, boss.” Jak had every intention of wrenching the truth from the hunters, by very not legal means if necessary, but his alpha didn’t need to know that right now. After the fact, Jak would be forgiven, even if he bent the command his alpha just gave him once he was out of his presence. Besides, if Gage really didn’t want him to bend the rules, he would come along. Jak had been his beta long enough to know that much.
Gage nodded, and the pack dispersed, heading inside for food or whatever the beginning of their weekend would look like, now that the fighting was over and a plan formed.
Mace stalked off, his betas lingering behind, following the rest of the unmated wolves into the main house. It twisted Jak’s stomach in knots to think of Mace walking into his house and finding Arianna waiting. It took everything he had not to follow after and make sure she was all right. But that would tip his hand far too much. He had to trust in the fact that Mace was a lot calmer now than when he arrived… and that Arianna was smart enough to take care of things on her end.
Meanwhile, he had some wolf hunters to catch.
Chapter Seven
Arianna slipped on the little black dress she knew Mace liked best.
She had seen the pack cars winding down the long drive through the forest that surrounded the Red pack estate, but Mace hadn’t yet arrived home. Whatever was keeping him at the main house, she knew he would be ready to kill something when he got home.
She didn’t want it to be her.
The shower had washed away all traces of Jak, but his scent would be forever etched in her mind. The way his fingers had touched her, the way he had filled her… he had brought her a pleasure like nothing she had ever felt. She had used her own hands before, of course, especially after a vigorous session with Mace, but that had been more like… relief than anything else. With Jak, it was entirely different. He had awakened something inside her, something deep and primal and… hot. Dampness pooled between her legs…
Stop thinking about Jak! She smacked herself on the face and stabbed an accusing finger at her reflection in the bedroom mirror, trying to rein in her treacherous thoughts. The soap and the fresh clothes wouldn’t help if she kept getting aroused—Mace would scent that in an instant, and there would be no way to explain it without giving herself away.
Without giving Jak away.
If Mace found out, she knew what he would do, and it ran pangs of guilt through her. What had she been thinking, kissing Jak? And then boldly grabbing him, urging him on? He had been nothing but kind to her, and now her lack of restraint, her inability to control herself around him had put him in terrible danger. The guilt sliced twice as hot, now that she was back in Mace’s house, his presence clamping down on her even while he was still in the main house…
She had betrayed her alpha.
Her wolf was cowering, tail tucked between her legs, whining in terror of the impending return of her alpha. But in spite of knowing in her mind that making love to Jak went against everything she knew—breaking pack law, going against her alpha’s wishes—a glowing spark inside her heart refused to believe it was actually wrong. How could something so beautiful, that felt so amazing, be bad? How could the sweet way Jak looked into her eyes while he confessed to thinking about her be wrong? Her heart knew those things were filled with goodness. Even under the heavy weight of her mating bond to Mace, her brain still worked… and it knew what she and Jak shared was precious and rare and good. Her whole body ached to have his hands on her again. She craved all of it: the mind-blowing pleasure, the tenderness of his touch, the grin on his face as he watched her squirm…
Her face in the mirror was pinking up, and the heat between her legs was growing… Arianna smacked her face again then dashed down the stairwell to the first floor. When she reached the kitchen, she splashed her face again and again with cold water from the tap. She had to stop thinking about Jak… or she would get him killed.
Just as she was drying off, the front door swung open hard and banged against the wall. Mace stalked in and slammed the door closed again. Arianna’s heart thudded in her chest. Her best chance was to go on the offensive.
“Mace!” She hurried up to him, stopping just short of throwing her arms around him. He wouldn’t like that. “I’m so glad you’re back!” She tried to sound desperate and panicked and all the things she should be after just having survived an attack by bounty hunters.
His face twisted up, the skulking glower transforming into a look that said he thought she was crazy. “You appear to have lived.”
“I was so scared.” It was hard to conjure that sound of fear into her voice, even though she’d been scared to death when the attack had actually happened. Jak’s tender concern and passionate touch had erased all of it from her mind.
Don’t think about him!
Mace’s skeptical look had turned into a frown. He raked his gaze over her skimpy black dress. “Is this what you wear to school now?” There was a dangerous, leaden note under his words.
“No, no.” She held up her hands, trying to look innocent. “I just couldn’t stand to have those clothes on me anymore… they reminded me of the attack. I put this on because I thought you would like it.”
The tension eased from his shoulders. He gave a short nod and stalked toward the white leather couches in the center of the living room. “I need a drink.”
Arianna scurried over to the wet bar at the far side of the room. “Vodka, neat?” It was his favorite, but she always asked, just to make sure.
He snorted in acknowledgment and eased into the couch. She hurried back with the drink. As he gulped the entire thing down, she noticed blotchy red marks on his neck. They seemed to be the shape of fingers… her heart rate picked up again. Had he been in a fight? With who? What had happened? She shoved those thoughts aside before they could conjure a painful worry for Jak.
Mace wiped his mouth and stared at the fireplace across from the couch. “Jak is a real asshole.”
Arianna’s body jolted in place.
Mace narrowed his eyes. “He’s also fucking incompetent. Some guard! Letting hunters get within a hundred yards of my mate…” He set the glass down on the low table in front of them.
Arianna couldn’t help it. She had to say something. “It wasn’t Jak’s fault. They snuck up behind us, and—”
“Are you defending him?” Mace’s eyes turned to glittering coal.
Her heart seized. “I’m just saying, there’s no way he could have—”
She was cut off by Mace’s hand on her throat. He shoved her back onto the couch, his enraged face in hers… before she could think or respond… she shifted.
Her claws were out, but she was trapped in her clothes and under the weight of Mace’s body. Her wolf took over, squirming and pushing her way out from undernea
th him. She rolled off the couch, knocked over the table, scrambled to her paws, and stood, fur all bristled out, facing him.
The growl was out before she could stop it.
Mace’s eyes were wide. But the dumbfounded look on his face vanished as he shifted, fast as lightning, and pounced on her. Before she could blink, he had her pinned to the floor, her throat in his jaws. The weight of his body was nothing like the oppressive heaviness of his thoughts pressing on hers. His alphaness overwhelmed her, and her wolf instantly cowered, tucking her tail up and pulling her legs in.
You haven’t fought me in a long time, Arianna. In between the fangs clamped on her neck, his thick tongue lapped at her fur, tasting her.
Mace was in her thoughts—she realized with horror that she had far too many secrets to allow that for even a second.
I’m not fighting you, Mace, I promise, I promise. She focused her thoughts hard on that while pushing against him with her paws. Her own body was betraying her intentions, but she had to shift. Now. Before any stray thoughts could betray her. Even if that meant Mace’s razor-sharp fangs would slice open her throat in the process.
She barely managed to loosen his hold before the shift turned her human. The delicate human skin of her throat tore, sending a gasp of pain out of her gaping mouth. She was still in his grasp, blood surging out of the gash. It ran hot down her neck, no doubt soaking the white carpet below her. She might bleed out, but at least now her thoughts and secrets were safely locked inside her head.
Mace released his hold on her then shifted back to human. Her hands flew to her neck, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Her skin was slick with it, as was Mace’s face. He wiped it away but remained lying on top of her. They were both naked now, and his weight made it even more difficult to breathe. She coughed and gagged, his body holding her down as she convulsed. His hand closed around hers, holding her throat like he was also trying to keep the blood from flowing, but she knew it was more than that: it was a reminder that he still held her life in his hands.
