by P. Jameson
Seleka smiled. “No. No, not really.”
Rosie was a short, aging lady whose harsh expression somehow managed to still seem friendly.
“Y’all ready to order, or do you need some time?”
“The usual for me.” Raden pushed his menu aside. “And cream for the coffee.”
“You got it. What about for you, little lady?”
“I’ll have the short stack, and orange juice.”
“Good choice, hun. We’re famous ‘round here for our flapjacks.”
“Yes, Raden told me.”
Rosie frowned. “Who?”
Seleka looked at Raden, who seemed amused. “Uh… s-scarface?”
Recognition fluttered across Rosie’s expression. “Ah, is that his real name?”
Oh no. Maybe he was trying to keep his identity a secret around here, and she’d ruined it.
“‘Round here, we just call him scarface ‘cause when he first arrived, he tried to seem all mysterious and quiet.”
“I am mysterious and quiet,” Raden murmured, sipping his coffee.
“Hm. Well, you’re something. Haven’t quite figured ya out yet, but I know you’re okay. I know that much, or you wouldn’t be sitting at this counter.” She winked at Seleka as she turned to place the order at the window that peeked in at the kitchen. She hollered at the cook in diner speak that Seleka couldn’t decipher, and then moved down the line of people sitting at the counter, chatting and refilling coffee.
“Did I speak wrong?” Seleka whispered. “Were you keeping your name a secret?”
Raden set his coffee aside. “Rosie? Naw, she knows my name. She’s just messing with you.”
“Oh.” Scarface was a joke?
“She was friends with my grandmother, long ago.”
“Does she know what we are?”
Raden shook his head. “I’ve kept that part a secret just like I was taught. Pack or no pack.”
Rosie was getting closer. The next stop in her line of refills was the burly man sitting beside Seleka. “How ya doing, Garth? You going fishing this morning?”
Garth nodded. “Up at the river, as soon as I finish my bacon.”
“Well, you be careful now. And stay away from Bear Rock.”
“Bear Rock? Why?”
Rosie leaned in with one elbow on the counter, looking serious. “You heard about Frank and Oscar going missing, yeah?”
“Might-a heard a thing or two,” Garth confirmed.
“Well, I’m told they went missing at Bear Rock. People think it could be a wild animal attack. You know all kinds of beasts live on these mountains.”
Seleka looked at Raden. Those were the men who attacked her, she knew it in her bones. The men he’d chased down. And most likely killed. He met her gaze, jaw tight, as Rosie continued filling in the details. Blood was found on the trees. Pieces of their clothing, along with evidence of heavy drinking.
“You want some cream or sugar for your coffee, hun?” Rosie asked, drawing her attention away from Raden.
“Yes. Both, please.”
“Sure thing. Be right back.” Rosie scuttled off with her mostly empty coffee pot.
“Were you uncomfortable in my bed last night?” Raden asked, and the man beside him let off an obvious snicker at the question. Seleka felt her cheeks go redhot with embarrassment.
“Yes, of course,” she said quickly. “It was fine.”
“Fine? You didn’t sleep well.”
How did he know that.
“I… I slept as well as can be expected. Under the circumstances.”
Raden grunted and drank more of his coffee before pushing further. “You were crying this morning.”
This caused the man beside him to turn completely in his stool, until he was able to stare directly at her. His gaze was probing. She imagined him asking, are you all right, ma’am?
Raden stiffened, his shoulders turning to rock and his fists bunching until his knuckles were white.
“No. I mean yes. I was just homesick is all.” It wasn’t a complete lie. She was homesick for something she couldn’t call home. Him. She was heartsick.
This was enough of a distraction that Raden forgot the man beside him.
“Homesick, huh?” He fingered the handle of his mug. “I went through that for a while when I first escaped here to the deep mountains.”
Escaped.
Escaped what? Or who? Escaped her?
She’d always believed that her mate was suffering an injury of pride more than anything. An alpha like him wouldn’t take losing a challenge the way he did lightly. His entire self-worth would be in question. His abilities. His strength. His fortitude. She’d believed he left that day to lick his wounds—even the ones to his ego—but that he intended to return for her someday. Yeah, she had believed she was that important. And she meant to just… rush the process along by finding him.
She’d gotten it all wrong.
Escaped.
Maybe he’d only cared about the pack. About becoming alpha. And when that was off the table, nothing else mattered. Not her, not himself. Not their future.
Her stomach lurched at the idea because it explained everything. The way he reacted when she made him breakfast. The way he seemed almost… disgusted by her. The way he spoke of her being a bad reminder.
Her cheeks burned hotter.
Rosie slid a hot plate of pancakes in front of her, followed by the syrup, cream, and sugar for the coffee.
“Here ya go—oh my, what’s the matter, little lady? You look like your head’s about to pop off your neck like one of those valves that release the pressure on a cooker.” She looked at Raden. “Whadda they call them things?”
“Hell if I know.”
Rosie shrugged, turning back to Seleka and lowering her voice. “Seriously, hun. You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.” She managed a laugh that sounded more like the noise a seal would make as she picked up her fork and smeared the half-melted butter over the stack of Rosie’s best.
Raden leaned over, putting his mouth next to her ear. “Do you need to shift?”
Seleka gave a small shake of her head as she tried not to think about how hot his breath was on her skin. How good he smelled, and how he would never be hers.
“How long has it been?” he demanded softly.
Too long. Much too long. “I’m fine.”
She could feel his eyes bearing down on her, seeing through her completely. “Eat,” he said, “and then we will take a trail into the woods.” Turning to his own plate, he grabbed his fork. “There is no reason for you to be uncomfortable.”
Yeah. Easy for him to say.
“Not around me.”
Shoving a forkful of pancakes into her mouth, she wondered what that meant. Would they always be on different pages, occupying different beliefs, different hopes? And would he always pretend this was easy, when it was tearing her to pieces inside?
Mate is difficult, her wolf crooned.
Understatement of the year.
Chapter Nine
Raden kept his eyes on Seleka where she waited for him by the door. She was a conundrum of emotions and actions all wound up into an impossible tangle. One he hadn’t wanted to explore until this morning when she tried to leave.
No, that wasn’t right. He’d wanted to explore his mate many times. He was even obsessed with it, fighting his wolf at every turn, to remain on the mountain. So what had changed?
He knew the answer though.
What she told him about her pack tossing her out changed everything. He saw it as a personal affront. He’d taken a goddamned dagger to the pride to make sure this very thing would never happen. After all he’d sacrificed to make sure Avan lived… she should have fought for Seleka. That was the deal they’d made. Seleka would be safe if he agreed to throw the fight. Safe… and she wouldn’t have to mourn the sister she loved so damn much.
It had seemed like a good deal at the time, trading his pride to save his mate from pain and embarr
assment. Now, it was all for nothing.
The cashier handed him his change and he grabbed a toothpick from the supply on the counter, holding it between his lips as he headed toward his female.
He’d won the who-would-pay argument by telling Seleka it was all or nothing. Either she let him buy her food or she buy his too. A slightly asshole move, but he wasn’t ashamed of it. His wolf relished this tiny victory.
Wordlessly, he held the door open for her to walk through. She was so uptight, arms crossed over her chest, short legs snapping out quick steps. Like if she could only get to the Jeep, she would be safe.
He’d wanted to ask more questions while they ate, but the close quarters of the counter stools offered zero privacy. And if one more goddamned male looked at her with concern, he probably would have lost his shit.
Seleka reached to open the door, and he slammed it closed again with his palm on the window. Gasping, she stared at him. “What are you doing?”
“We’re going for a walk, remember.”
She shook her head. “Not necessary. I’m fine.”
“You need to shift.”
“It can wait.”
A soft growl rolled up his throat, but she held his gaze.
“What happened to you in there?” he demanded. “Was it talk of the hunters? Did they hurt you more than I realized?”
She frowned. “No. I mean… it was weird hearing Rosie talk about them, but that wasn’t the problem.”
So there was a problem.
“If you don’t want to tell me, fine. But we’re going for that walk.”
Seleka pressed her lips together. There was a touch of defiance in her eyes and it sent a shiver up his spine. He wanted to challenge her, make her submit. Kiss her. He wanted to kiss her until she conformed to his will, molding her body against his—
No.
“Fine,” Seleka breathed.
“Trail’s this way.” He reached for her hand to lead the way, but she pulled back before they made contact and started for the woods past the parking lot.
“I see it.”
He followed her to the trailhead, noticing the shape of her ass as she walked.
“Tell me what bothered you in the restaurant.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“People noticed something was wrong.”
“So. They’ve noticed things about you too.”
He couldn’t help the shift of his lips. She called his bullshit on that one.
“You wanted to stay,” he reminded.
“Yes.” But he noticed her tone was unsure.
“This was your idea.”
“No, it was yours. I wanted to get in the Jeep.”
“Not the walk. It was your idea to stay with me on the mountain.”
She didn’t answer.
“How can I see to your needs if you don’t tell me what they are?”
“You don’t… you don’t need to. I can take care of myself.” Pausing to nudge a rock out of the path, she continued her brisk pace. “I never meant to become a burden,” she added under her breath. “That’s the very last thing I wanted.”
A burden. Didn’t she know it was never a burden for a male to take care of his female. It was a goddamned privilege. One he had forfeited when he left her with her pack to bask in his failure.
“This is fine.” He stopped walking. They were far away from the parking lot to afford privacy, and he couldn’t scent anyone close by. “You’ll be safe to shift here.”
Seleka faced him, her eyes evaluating their surroundings. Good wolf, checking for humans. She unzipped her jacket, then stopped. “Aren’t you going to turn around?”
Her question stumped him. Was he? Or was he going to watch her undress, peeling layers of clothing away to reveal her body?
“I think I’ll stay right where I am.”
She blinked. “I’m taking off my clothes.”
“I know.”
“But…”
“If anyone has the right to look upon your body, it’s me,” he said, throwing his shoulders back to give off dominance.
Frowning, she muttered, “I didn’t realize you wanted to.”
“I’m…” He ran a palm over his chin, striving to seem unaffected. “… curious of course, what my mate looks like. Any male would be.”
Seleka’s gaze fluttered away. “O-okay.”
She shrugged off the jacket and laid it on a nearby log. Next, she removed her boots and slid her jeans over her hips to reveal her lithe legs. She had beautiful legs that flared out from her waist and tapered to delicate ankles. He imagined them wrapping around his hips as he speared into her heat. He’d wear her like his favorite belt.
He felt her eyes on him as her fingers went to the hem of her sweater and toyed with the fabric there, hesitating.
“Go on,” he croaked. “You should hurry before people come.”
“Okay.”
Lifting the sweater over her head, she revealed what was beneath and it felt like the wind was knocked from his chest. She wore a tiny elastic bra that barely covered her breasts and panties that were hardly more than a white slip of fabric barring him from innocence. Goddamn. He could have them off her with a flick of his fingers and take her like he’d dreamed of so many times.
She moved to set the clothes on the log with the others and he watched, frozen to his spot. If he moved one fucking muscle, he would lose control. Before he knew it, she had removed the final scraps of clothing and added them to the pile. Then she stood facing him.
His mate’s body was pristine. Perfection. Untouched. Unmarred by anything, just as he’d known it would be. He wished he wasn’t half blind so he could really see her, take her in with both eyes. Linger on her. Soak up her beauty.
One good eye would have to do.
His heart raced. He wanted to touch. Wanted to feel that blushed skin, the hard tips of her nipples…
She must’ve have read his mind, because her scent flared, becoming something sultry. She cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowing before she asked carefully, “Do you like what you see?”
“Shift,” he demanded. Shift before I do something I’ll regret.
Seleka looked away, and he could practically feel the shame radiating from her. It poisoned the air between them like a cloud, as her hands tried to find a way to cover herself.
No, his wolf roared, and yeah, he felt that to his bones. He couldn’t hurt her in this way. Couldn’t let her think—
Raden swallowed hard to get his voice past the lump in his throat. “You are a beautiful female,” he admitted. “As I always knew you would be.”
Relief settled over her features before the softest, prettiest smile curved her lips. “You really think so?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice raw. Her smile… that smile, would kill him. Rewrite his history and make him a new man. It was that powerful. Could he get her to do that some more?
Before he could try, she shifted, her smooth skin ruffling into fur as she came down on four legs. Seleka was a fine wolf. Silver-gray and white. So similar to her sister, whose white coat had turned gruesome with red during their fight.
Images of Avan bloody, the death blow at his disposal, flashed through his mind as he followed his mate deeper into the woods. The win was his to take, the pack and the honor that came with being their alpha, it was all right there. The only thing that stopped him… was her.
His pretty little wolf.
Back then, all he could focus on was what she would think of him. How she would see him as the monster that killed her sister. Now, for the first time… he reaped the benefits of his decision. Because Seleka wouldn’t be here, right now, prancing before him as a beautiful wolf, smiling at his compliment, if he had dealt that final blow. But he couldn’t help thinking about why she’d come here in the first place.
Avan had kicked her out. Sent her into the world alone. Abandoned her. His inner beast gnashed its fangs at what had been done to Seleka. It wanted to give her security aga
in. Fix all the wrongs that had been done to her.
It wanted vengeance.
Maybe it was time to do something about that.
Chapter Ten
Seleka sat at the small table in Raden’s cabin, stirring the food in her bowl and contemplating what to do next. Take a bite, her wolf murmured helpfully, and she almost rolled her eyes at the animal. Of course, yes. Obviously she should eat, but the events of the day replayed in her mind on a constant loop and she wasn’t sure what to make of any of it.
She shoved a bite of beef stew in her mouth and tried to relax. It was delicious. Raden had suggested it for dinner while they were shopping for groceries after…
After you stripped in front of him and he stared at you like you were candy he wanted a taste of.
Did he though? Did he want her like that? Because when she offered to be his, he’d seemed completely against it.
She was almost afraid to hope. Because her male staring at her like she was desirable was the most wonderful feeling she’d ever experienced. She could become addicted to that look, that hunger she could have sworn she witnessed in his eyes.
“Don’t you like it?” Raden’s rough question stirred her from her thoughts.
“Huh?”
“The stew. Is it to your liking? You’ve hardly touched it.”
He was asking about dinner. Yes, okay. She should answer. And quickly before he realized how distracted she was.
“Yes, I like it. It’s delicious, actually.” She’d assumed she would be cooking until they arrived back at the cabin and he’d taken charge in the kitchen, chopping and dicing and stirring.
“Is something else wrong then?”
She found his eyes across the small space. He leaned halfway over the table with his forearms on either side of his almost empty bowl. His brow was creased in a deep frown, twisting oddly where the scar slashed down his face, but his pale eyes seemed oddly concerned.
“I’m just… thinking about today.”
He broke eye contact, spooning up another bite, and chewing before he answered. “What part of today?”
“All of it.”
His only response was a grunt before falling silent again.
