by Karen Lynch
“Just getting out of the wind,” I said.
He reached for the bottom of his sweater. “Take my sweater again.”
I held up a hand to stop him. “I’m good. I’m leaving soon anyway, and I don’t want to upset your girlfriend again.”
“My girlfriend?” I couldn’t see his face, but I heard the derision in his voice. “Lex is not my girlfriend.”
“Oh,” I breathed, pleased even though it changed nothing for us.
He took another step toward me. “I’m sorry for her behavior earlier. She had no right to talk to you like that.”
“You don’t need to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I knew what she was like, and I should have kept her away from you,” he said, sounding agitated. “I had no idea all those wolves would show up tonight. I didn’t mean for you to be ambushed like that.”
“That wasn’t your fault. And most of them were nice.” I peered through the darkness, wishing I could see his face to understand his strange mood. “I had a good time tonight.”
“I’m glad.”
Neither of us spoke for a minute, and I started to feel a little awkward. He wasn’t acting like himself, and I was at a loss for what to say to him.
“I should go. I have to work tomorrow.” It was a lame excuse since my shift didn’t start until 11:00 a.m., but he didn’t know that.
He was quiet for a moment before he nodded. “I’ll walk you to the parking lot.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I’m leaving, too. I have a long day in the garage tomorrow.”
He stepped back to let me walk around him. Preoccupied, I forgot about the bricks on the ground and tripped. I let out a small cry as I fell.
In the next instant, I was in Roland’s arms, my heart thumping and my face pressed against his chest. It took me a few seconds to recover and to notice several things. The first was how incredibly warm he was. I felt so toasty I didn’t want to move.
Then there was his scent. It wasn’t cologne; I’d never smelled cologne this good. It was woodsy and warm and tantalizing, and it made heat blossom in my stomach. Of course, that could also be because of the hard, male body I was pressed against or the warm hand at the small of my back.
I lifted my head, and he loosened his arms but didn’t release me. I wasn’t afraid. His hold was gentle, and I knew instinctively he would never hurt me. Not just because he was Sara’s friend, but because he was a good person.
“Should have brought a flashlight,” I joked. “Good thing you have fast reflexes.”
His hand left my back, and my breath stuck in my throat when his fingers caressed my cheek, his thumb grazing the corner of my mouth. My heart began to race again when he cupped my chin and tilted my face up to his.
“Emma, I…” he said in a husky voice that sent a delicious tingle down my spine.
I opened my mouth, but I forgot what I was going to say when his head descended and his mouth covered mine. Shock quickly turned to pleasure as he gently kissed my bottom lip before moving to the top one. His movements were tender and deliberate, and my head was already spinning by the time he coaxed my lips open and began exploring my mouth with sensual slowness.
I clung to him, drowning in sensation. His arms trembled beneath my hands, and I felt the power in them and the hunger he held back as he kissed me until I could barely think straight. I’d been alone and afraid for so long, and in his arms, I felt safe and cherished. I lost myself in him, not wanting it to end.
I murmured in protest when his mouth left mine, and I moaned softly when his hot breath touched my ear and his lips moved down the side of my throat. He pulled me closer, and his chest vibrated as he growled in pleasure.
My eyes flew open as the spell surrounding us shattered. What am I doing?
Roland grew still as if he’d sensed the change in me. He lifted his head and looked down at me. I couldn’t see his expression in the dark, but I knew he was confused by my sudden withdrawal.
“Emma?”
The breathless way he said my name sent a thrill through me. It would be so easy to pull him down to me and give myself up to the fire he’d ignited in me.
But then what? I liked Roland and I could see us together…if he was human. But he was a werewolf, and my heart couldn’t handle falling in love, knowing there could be no future for us. And after that kiss, I knew I was already falling for him.
I’d seen his face and heard the loathing in his voice when he’d talked about vampires. If we started a relationship, I’d have to tell him about my past. And I’d watch his feelings for me turn to revulsion and hate. I’d rather have him as only a friend or nothing at all than to put both of us through that.
“I’m sorry. I-I can’t,” I whispered hoarsely, on the verge of tears. I pushed against his chest, and he let his arms drop, releasing me.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked, and my chest tightened at the confusion and hurt in his voice.
“It’s not you.” I winced at the cliché, but it was true. It was me. It would always be me. I turned away from him. “I have to go.”
He didn’t say anything as I walked away. I rounded the lighthouse and veered toward the parking lot, avoiding everyone else. I was trembling when I reached the Vespa, grateful I’d parked under the only light in the parking lot. It took me several tries to unlock the compartment where I’d stored my helmet.
The click of heels on pavement told me I was not alone, and I looked up as Lex and Julie entered the circle of light. My whole body tensed when the two female werewolves walked toward me. The set of Lex’s mouth told me their arrival was not a coincidence.
Lex came up to me and got right in my face, towering over me by at least five inches. Leaning down, she sniffed my hair, and there was no mistaking the growl that issued from her throat.
“You reek of him.”
I didn’t need to ask who he was. Roland said Lex was not his girlfriend, but I didn’t think anyone had told her that.
Her finger poked me hard in the chest, and I stumbled backward into the Vespa. She snarled, but I refused to cower, although my knees were shaking. She could hurt or kill me if she wanted to, and there was nothing I could do to stop her.
“I’m only going to tell you this once, human. Stay away from him.”
“Lex,” Julie hissed.
Lex continued to stare at me. “She already knows about us. Don’t you, little girl?”
“Yes,” I said in a voice that was surprisingly steady. “Roland is my friend. That’s it.”
“Bullshit. You don’t smell that strongly of someone’s scent from wearing their sweater. You’ve been with him.”
“I fell and he helped me up. Go ask him if you don’t believe me.”
Her eyes took on a faint yellow glow. “I think you’re lying.”
“Think what you want, but there is nothing going on between him and me. No offense, but I don’t want a werewolf boyfriend.” I ignored the pain that pricked my chest at the lie. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Roland. It was that I couldn’t have him.
She looked slightly appeased. “Good, then you won’t mind staying the hell away from him.”
She might be stronger than I was, but she wasn’t going to tell me how to live my life. I’d spent two decades at someone else’s mercy, and that would never happen again.
“No.”
“No what?” she asked.
“I won’t stop seeing my friends just because you don’t like it.” That was if Roland and I were still friends. He probably wouldn’t want to look at me again after the way I’d left him.
Her lip curled. “Get some new friends. Roland is mine, and when we mate, he won’t have time for the likes of you.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about, do you?”
She started to raise her hand, and I tensed, expecting a blow.
“There you are,” called April.
The three of us looked at April, Paul, and Dell walk
ing toward us. Lex lowered her hand and took a step back.
“We decided to ditch the party and go to Portland,” April said. “You’re welcome to join us, Emma.”
I managed to keep the tremble from my voice. “Thanks, but I have to work tomorrow.”
She smiled. “But we’re still doing coffee on Monday?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.” She looked at Lex and Julie. “You still want to go to the club?”
“Sure,” Julie answered for them.
I donned my helmet and climbed on the Vespa. “Have a good time,” I said before I started the engine and drove away. I didn’t look back, but I could feel Lex watching me until I was out of her sight.
I let out a shaky breath when I reached the road. Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them come. Driving while crying was asking for disaster. And crying over a guy I couldn’t have would only make me feel worse. It wouldn’t solve anything.
Why did you have to kiss me like that?
I could still feel his mouth on mine and his arms around me. I’d thought my heart was too scarred to be with someone, and here I was, ready to cry over a guy – a werewolf. How had this happened? How had he snuck past my defenses and wormed his way into my affections so easily? I hadn’t even seen it coming.
For a few incredible minutes, I hadn’t felt alone or scared or broken. I’d been a normal girl, kissing a handsome boy who gave me butterflies and made me feel more alive than I’d been in a very long time. I should be happy knowing I could feel that way for someone after what I’d been through.
I would be happy, after my heart stopped hurting.
Chapter 11
Roland
I stood rooted to the spot as Emma walked away from me. My wolf was upset I’d let her go, and it would have gone after her if it could. But I’d seen the sheen of tears in her eyes and heard the pain in her voice before she left. Chasing her down would only upset her, and that was the last thing I wanted. Even if she didn’t accept me as her mate, I wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt her, especially me.
I sighed heavily and stared unseeing at the water. I’d been fighting the need to go to her, but when I saw her come back here alone, I couldn’t stay away from her. I wasn’t sure what I’d planned to say to her, just that I had to be near her. When she’d tripped and I’d held her in my arms, nothing had ever felt so right.
And that kiss. Fuck. I’d kissed a lot of girls, but none of them had responded to me like that, turning me on until I could barely form a thought. She’d set my body on fire, and if she hadn’t stopped us, I might have taken her right here in the grass where anyone could have found us. The thought left me ashamed and excited at the same time.
It’s not you.
Her words were stuck on repeat in my head. How many times had I uttered them to the human girls I’d dated when I’d broken it off? I’d never realized how awful it felt to be on the receiving end. Karma had bitch-slapped me, and man, it stung.
I allowed myself a few minutes to recover from the rejection, and then I followed her. She didn’t want anything to do with me, but I had to make sure she got home safely. The fact that she lived on her own and could probably take care of herself didn’t matter. I’d felt protective of her before tonight. Imprinting on her had intensified that instinct tenfold, and I wouldn’t rest until I saw she was okay.
As I started toward the parking lot, I spotted Paul, Dell, and April ahead of me. I stopped walking. If they were leaving, then Lex and Julie were most likely going with them. The last person I wanted to see now was Lex. She thought she had some claim on me, and she’d cause an ugly scene if she smelled Emma on me. I planned to set her straight very soon, but not tonight. Right now, I had more important things to do.
I waited until I saw Dell’s car pull away, and then I went to mine. Emma’s scooter was gone, and I knew she’d be halfway home by now. I followed her most likely route, but I didn’t drive up to her building. Parking at the end of the waterfront, I walked to her place and stood across the street where I could see the apartment. The kitchen light was on, and a few minutes later, the light upstairs came on.
I let out a breath, knowing she was home. The pull of the new imprint was strong, but I stayed where I was, not wanting to upset her. She had no idea what had happened between us, and I wasn’t sure she even knew about werewolf imprinting. With her reservations about my kind, it might frighten her into leaving New Hastings. That was the last thing I wanted. I had to tell her, but I needed to think of the best way to do it.
Christ, I feel like a bloody stalker, I thought after I’d stood there for thirty minutes, watching her place. She was safe inside, and I doubted she’d go out again tonight. There was no reason for me to stay here, except for my need to be close to her.
I wondered if this was where Nikolas had stood all those weeks he watched over Sara when she lived in this same apartment. He’d bonded with her the moment they met, but she hadn’t felt it right away. It had been two months before she found out about the bond, and months after that before they mated. How had Nikolas endured it? If the Mohiri bond was as strong as an imprint, I had a whole new appreciation for my warrior friend.
When the lights went out in the apartment just after midnight, I went home and sought my own bed. But sleep evaded me, and I spent a restless night waiting for the sun to come up. I was tired and cranky when I arrived at the garage. When Paul got in at nine, I’d been working for two hours and my mood hadn’t improved. He wisely kept the conversation to work-related things and didn’t mention last night at all.
Pete strolled in at noon, looking like he’d barely slept himself, but he was a lot happier about it. As soon as I saw his smile, I knew why.
“You imprinted on Shannon?”
He smiled broadly. “Last night when I brought her home. We were at her door, and it just…happened. We went for a run and stayed out in the woods talking all night.”
Despite my dark mood, I was happy he’d gotten the girl he cared for. I wiped my hands on a rag and held one out to him. “Congrats, man.”
“Congratulations!” Paul came over and slapped Pete on the back. “You lucky wolf. Shannon’s a great girl.”
Pete laughed. “Trust me, I know. Shannon wants to tell our parents before we make it official. We’re getting them all together tonight.”
Making it official was the polite way to say mating, and it was the werewolf equivalent of marriage. Except we had very short engagements and no divorce. After a male imprinted, the couple usually mated within days or weeks. The pull was too strong for either of them to deny it for long.
Paul waved at Pete and me. “What are the odds of the two of you…?”
He stopped mid-sentence and shot me a guilty look.
“The two of us, what?” Pete asked, looking between us. When no one answered, he frowned. “What aren’t you telling me?”
I took a deep breath and let it out. “Last night at the party, I imprinted…on Emma.”
Pete’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. And then his jaw went slack when he realized the rest of what I’d said.
“Man, you had me there for a second.” He shook his head. “What’s really going on?”
“It’s not a joke.”
“But…that’s not possible.” He stared at Paul. “Is it?”
Paul nodded. “I thought the same thing, but I was there and I saw it with my own eyes.”
Pete’s stunned gaze swung back to me. “But…”
“She’s human,” I finished for him. “I didn’t believe it at first, either.”
I told him about the moment I imprinted and how I’d expected it to be one of the female wolves. When I described how it felt when I looked at Emma, he inhaled sharply.
“That’s how it felt with Shannon.” He closed the distance between us and sniffed. “It’s faint, but you smell a little different. How about mine?”
I sniffed the air. We had sensitive noses, and we coul
d identify each member of the pack by smell. Pete’s scent was slightly different, stronger.
“Yours changed, too.”
When a male werewolf first imprinted he released his bonding scent, which was offensive to other males and irresistible to his female. The bonding scent receded, but didn’t disappear completely, and it grew stronger when the male was aroused or protecting his mate.
“Shit. Do you think everyone else will notice?” I didn’t want the pack to know about Emma until I explained it to her.
Pete sniffed the air again. “I did because I know your scent so well. Your mom will smell it for sure. With so many people here, it might be hard for the others to pick it up, especially if they think you haven’t imprinted yet.”
He sat on an overturned oil drum and smiled at me. “Paul was right. What are the chances of us imprinting on the same night?”
“Better than the odds of a werewolf imprinting on a human,” I replied.
His smile faded. “You didn’t tell me what happened next. Did you talk to her? What did she say?”
“I talked to her, but I didn’t tell her about the imprint. I don’t think she’ll accept me as a mate.”
I sucked it up and told him about kissing her and her running away. I’d never shared what happened between me and the other girls I’d been with. But this was different, and I needed to talk to someone about it. I voiced my fear that she wouldn’t want me because of what I was.
“You don’t know that. I saw how comfortable she was with you last night, and I doubt she would have let you into her apartment or spent the day with you if she didn’t like you. And you said she kissed you back, which means she is attracted to you. For all we know, her taking off might have nothing to do with what you are.”
Hope flared in my chest. “She did think Lex was my girlfriend because of the way she clung to me. I told her I’m not with Lex, but maybe she didn’t believe me.”
Pete nodded thoughtfully. “Lex was acting territorial, and she’s pretty aggressive. She might have scared Emma off.”
I leaned against the Chevelle. “So, what do I do?”
