by Melissa Haag
“We’ll all be there,” I said, placing another kiss on her forehead. “You won’t need it.”
“Right,” she said under her breath. She gave the bag a long look then left the room with me.
The rest were already waiting in the lobby, the cubs loudly entertaining themselves with Grey and Jim.
“All set?” Winifred asked us.
Bethi wrinkled her nose. “Yes. He got each one.”
Winifred smiled. “We’ll get you a dessert for putting up with that.”
The smallest cub immediately scampered over to Bethi.
“Can I sit by you?” he asked.
Jim had already taught the cub to be a food thief. When Bethi nodded, I knew I’d be guarding her food. She hadn’t yet gained enough weight. The cub was cute but not enough to sacrifice Bethi’s food. The dreams took too much out of her to be content with the few meager pounds she’d added.
As a group, we moved to the hotel’s dining room where the wait staff had already prepared a table for our large party. I sat on one side of Bethi with Aden on the other. Jim was quick to sit across from Aden, with Liam beside Jim. Gabby claimed the spot directly across from Bethi, which meant I was face to face with the Yeti. He didn’t annoy me as much as he once had, but I wasn’t about to admit it to anyone.
Talk around the table rose as everyone tried to decide what to order. I focused on the menu, debating whether I wanted a quality cut steak or tender prime rib. My mouth started to water as I debated, wishing both were an option.
Bethi moved slightly beside me and looked up at Gabby. I followed Bethi’s gaze and saw Gabby’s unfocused expression.
“One of them just changed direction,” Gabby mouthed.
I glanced at Clay. He frowned. I think.
“Maybe the rain?” Gabby said softly, her eyes focusing again on the menu. She didn’t look up again, but her gaze would go in and out of focus as she monitored the progress of whoever had caught her attention.
That was one positive thing that had happened since leaving the Compound. Bethi’s frantic desperation had decreased. Marginally. Being with Gabby, Michelle, and Charlene seemed to help her feel less alone. I felt a slight bit of guilt that Bethi’s arrival had done the opposite for them.
“Are y’all ready to order?” the waitress asked.
“What are you getting?” Bethi asked, leaning close to me while the rest ordered.
“The porter house steak.” She made a face and kept looking at her menu then back at Gabby.
When it was her turn to order, she asked for the baked lasagna and salad. I added a glass of milk with her meal. She rolled her eyes at me but let me have my way. Humans needed more balance in their diets than we did.
Across the table, Clay ordered for Gabby and himself. She reached for his hand as he passed off the menus. Worry pulled her brow down.
“What is it?” Grey asked softly, finally noticing something wasn’t right with her. Everyone quieted and looked at Gabby.
“Someone’s changed direction,” Bethi said, speaking for her.
The Urbat’s desperation for power made their search for the human women at our table a dangerous game of cat and mouse. I glanced at Charlene, wondering how she’d escaped their detection for so long.
“A complete turn,” Gabby said, reclaiming my attention.
“With all this rain, we should be fine,” Sam said, trying to calm everyone. But we knew all it took was for one of them to catch the scent and send word.
“Have any others changed?” Winifred asked.
“I thought the rest looked like the same inconsistencies they’ve been doing since the beginning. Remember how I said it looked like a net? Several have changed directions moving toward a central point,” she frowned. “They are doing that in six areas. We seem to be in the middle of one. The areas are huge though, several states. Big nets to catch little fish.”
“Do we need to move?” Grey asked.
Gabby shook her head slowly. “I’m not as worried about their nets as much as I am the one closest to us. About a mile now.”
The Elders shared a look, probably trying to decide how to handle it. When the waitress came with our drinks, Jim asked for a double whiskey and two kiddie cocktails, obviously to cheer up the cubs.
“That’s close,” Winfired said once the woman walked away. “But with the rain, we don’t think they could track us even if they were right outside the door.” Thunder boomed to punctuate her point. “Gabby, keep us updated. Sam, grab everyone’s room keys and gather our things in my room. If he reaches the parking lot, we’ll all go there.”
I passed our room key down to Sam, who took the keys and left.
The waitress delivered the whiskey and kids’ sodas. Jim pushed the sodas to the boys and the whiskey to Michelle, who reeked of fear. She cast a worried glance at the cubs.
“Nana,” she said. “Call Mary and Gregory. You’re right. It’s safer.”
Winifred nodded, and Michelle took a small sip of her drink.
While conversation quietly resumed, Bethi and I watched Gabby. We could see the moment we were out of danger. Gabby took a deep, calming breath and removed her hand from Clay’s.
“He’s close, but stopped moving,” Gabby said.
“Probably holing up out of the rain,” Clay said.
“If he clears out before check out tomorrow morning, we’ll see if we can book the rooms for another night. It will give Mary and Gregory enough time to reach us,” Winifred said.
A few minutes later Sam rejoined us just in time for our food. Bethi dug into her meal with an enthusiasm I couldn’t muster. The Urbat had greater numbers, more connections, and according to Michelle, more money. How long would we be able to hide from them? How had Charlene managed to remain hidden for so long?
After dinner, everyone went to Winifred’s room to grab their things. The room assignments were rearranged so there would be an Elder in each room in case we needed a quick warning to leave. Grey and Carlos roomed with us, Sam stayed with Gabby and Clay, and Nana with Charlene and Thomas since their room adjoined to Michelle and Emmitt’s.
Bethi remained quiet as we walked to our room with Carlos and Grey following. As soon as we were inside, she closed herself in the bathroom with our bag.
Carlos and Grey silently took one bed, both laying on top the covers fully dressed. I pulled back the covers and removed my shoes while listening to Bethi wash and brush her teeth. When she emerged, she was still fully dressed. My girl. Smart and ready for whatever.
I smiled, removed my shirt, and got into bed.
She didn’t hesitate to kick off her shoes and join me.
* * * *
The next morning, after hearing we’d be staying another day so Mary and Gregory could pick up the cubs, everyone divided into groups. Winifred and Sam went shopping for food for the next day’s travel. Carlos and Grey stayed at the hotel, a safety net in case we needed to leave quickly. Michelle wanted to take the kids to an early movie. Gabby and Clay stayed behind because Gabby wanted to complete some school work—Bethi’s look of disbelief was missed by everyone but me. And, the rest decided on the childish movie with the cubs. I watched Bethi debate our options, slightly relieved when she chose the movie. I’d slept too much already.
We walked to the theater, trailing behind the group. The cubs and Jim listed every food they would eat during the movie. When we stepped inside, Bethi breathed in deeply.
“Popcorn sounds good,” she said. “A lot of it.”
“Then we’ll get some popcorn,” I said, leading her to the counter. We ordered a large tub with extra butter and a large soda. She dug into the bucket as soon as we were seated.
“Mmm,” she said, chewing. She exhaled slowly as she reached for some more. “I haven’t had popcorn for…” She looked to the side, thinking. “Five months? Six? It was before the dreams started.” She gave a slight laugh. “Back when I thought I was normal.”
How she was now seemed normal to me. I couldn’t
imagine Bethi any other way.
The theater lit up with pre-movie ads, drawing her attention from her thoughts to the screen. Not that she could probably hear. Emmitt, his family, Michelle, and the cubs sat several rows in front of us. The youngest cub was asking Jim questions in a voice that carried throughout the theater. Loud little things. Our cubs would be well behaved. The thought gave me a sad pause. If we had cubs. The world wasn’t getting any safer to bring young into it.
The movie started. Sound blared from the speakers, drowning out the cub’s voice and likely killing every auditory cell in my ears. Yet, as the show progressed, I didn’t miss the sound of Bethi’s laughter. It wasn’t harsh or cynical, like I’d heard so often before, but soft and sweet. I turned to study her and breathed in deeply. No fear. No distrust. No manipulation, regret or guilt. Just pure Bethi. The colors on the screen painted her face in greens and pinks. Her eyes glittered with her humor and life.
Was this how she’d been before the dreams? Vibrant? Happy? I inhaled her sweet scent again and the need to taste her consumed me.
I gently touched her chin and turned her to face me. Before she knew what I meant to do, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her. I tasted salt and sugar. I opened my mouth and deepened the kiss, letting her true flavor overcome the rest.
Mine. Always.
Realizing the direction of my thoughts, I released her. She vacantly turned back to the movie, a dreamy expression on her face as she blinked slowly. I grinned, ate some popcorn, and watched the show, counting down the minutes until I could hold her in my arms again.
My impatience kept me from enjoying any aspect of the actual movie. Only sitting beside Bethi made the experience endurable.
Jim tried saying something to me on the way back to the hotel but gave up after my second “what?”
While the rest of the group went for lunch, Bethi and I went to our room.
“A dream’s coming,” Bethi said as I opened the door. “I’m going to take a quick shower—a warm one.”
She closed herself into the bathroom before I could say anything. I didn’t mind. She seemed relaxed and was talking to me.
Preparing for the dream, I pulled back the covers and removed my shoes as the shower turned on. My eyes fell on the bag. She hadn’t brought any clothes in with her. If I were a gentleman, I would put the bag in the bathroom while she showered. However, the thought of standing in the bathroom with her naked on the other side of a thin curtain started my limbs shaking. I wasn’t enough of a gentleman to be a gentleman in this case.
I stared at the bathroom door. What would she do when she realized she had no clothes? Would she come out wrapped in a towel? Sweat dotted my forehead and need tightened my gut. The flavor of her still lingered on my tongue. Thinking of that just made my need worse.
The water turned off. Should I leave? I took two steps closer to the door and stopped. No. I couldn’t leave. She said a dream was coming. She needed me to keep it away. The last time I’d left her to deal with her dreams on her own, she’d gotten angry and Claimed Joshua.
My teeth elongated at the thought of Joshua and how he’d touched her. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to calm down. With that inhale, I caught a whiff of something. Despair. I realized how quiet she’d gotten inside the bathroom. Worried, I knocked.
“You all right?” I asked through the door.
Inside, she moved. “Yeah. I just forgot my bag.”
Relived she hadn’t fallen asleep, I moved toward the bag and said, “I’ll get it.”
Walking in and rescuing her from a drowning in the shower because she’d fallen asleep again would have tested me to my limits in my current state.
Behind me, the bathroom door opened. My grip on the bag tightened as I turned. Bethi stood in the partially opened doorway. The lose towel wrapped around her torso hid very little. My imagination exposed the rest.
She closed the door further and stuck out her hand, beckoning. Tempting.
I knew what she wanted, just the bag. But I couldn’t bring it to her. If I moved, I’d forget my promise to wait. To give her time to choose me without fear. If I moved, she’d be mine.
Her fingers closed into a fist, and her hand slowly lowered. Good. Once the door closed, I’d set the—the door whipped open and Bethi marched out with fire in her eyes.
“Just so you know,” she said, “I had a boyfriend before the dreams started and I went crazy. It was pretty serious.”
She yanked the bag from my fingers as her words cut through the haze clouding my mind.
“But I cut ties when I realized what was coming my way. You know I’m old enough in the human world, and I know that by werewolf standards I’m old enough. When you’re ready, you let me know,” she said, turning away.
I reached for her, curling my fingers around her arms.
“What are you saying?” I asked. My need for her made my voice sound less human.
She dropped the bag and stepped close. “You didn’t think a girl willing to cut herself, take drugs, run away from home, and hitch rides from strangers would save herself, did you?”
Anger clouded my thinking. “Joshua?”
She snorted as she traced the line of my jaw with a fingertip. “No way. He smelled like mud.”
Her gaze held mine for a moment then she stood on her toes.
“You smell like home,” she whispered, brushing her lips against mine.
The flavor of her scent, the taste of her lips, begged me to move. She reached up and gently touched my hair. The soft skin of her lips brushed back and forth against mine. The need to make her mine ripped through me. I pulled her against my chest and let her in.
She pressed against me, her grip on my hair tightening, urging me for more. I tilted my head and deepened the kiss, surrendering to the pull I could no longer deny. Bethi’s breathing grew shallow, and I pulled away from her to trail kisses down her neck.
“Tell me this is a yes,” she whispered, hope and desperation wrapping around her.
I groaned and kissed my way back to her lips. Just before I claimed them again, I met her gaze.
“This is a yes.” I tilted my head, exposing my neck. My insides heated as she reached up to hold my shoulders.
The towel fell to the floor, and she pulled me down to her trembling lips. Her scent sweetened boldly, making it hard to breathe. She gently brushed her lips against my neck. I shivered with need and lifted my hands to cradle her head.
I couldn’t remember a moment I’d dreamed of more. Her lips on me. Her teeth scraping the skin, then the feel of her teeth within me. Euphoria burst in my chest, and I struggled not to howl in joy as a new pathway nudged my mind. The connection stretched and grew. I felt her shy hesitancy and gentle caring inside me. She filled me. I sent all my love for her over the link and smoothed my hand over her hair and down her bare back. The feel of her skin under my fingertips robbed me of all thought but one. I needed her. All of her.
She kissed her way up my neck to my jaw, and I pulled back to claim her lips once more. My hunger wouldn’t be stopped this time. It couldn’t. She was my air, my sustenance, my existence. Turning us, I backed her toward the bed.
I pulled away from her lips to remove my shirt. She watched, the harsh rasp of her breathing competing with the loud beat of our hearts. A smile lit her face as I tossed the shirt aside, and she wrapped her arms around my neck. The move brought us skin to skin.
“Last chance to stop this,” I said, my words rough with need. Though I said it, I doubted I’d be able to walk away.
Thankfully, she didn’t test me.
“I’m never letting you go.”
I kissed her deeply and eased her back onto the mattress. I touched her everywhere, determined to erase any memory of past boys from her mind. Each sigh and every gasp drove me on. She opened to me, moving with a shy grace that heated my blood. Sweat beaded my forehead as I held myself over her. Her beautiful gaze met mine as I eased forward to complete our bond. She cried o
ut and I froze, frowning.
Apology and passion flooded my mind as she started to move beneath me.
“Mine,” she breathed, kissing my neck.
I couldn’t hold myself back. I moved with her until we lay in a sweaty contented heap several minutes later.
She traced her fingers through the hair on my chest, sending out waves of peace and small bits of worry.
“You lied,” I said quietly, turning to kiss the top of her head.
“The last lie I’ll be able to get away with now. Well, with you anyway.”
“Was there even a boyfriend?” I asked gently.
“Not a serious one.” She paused for a moment. “Still wish we would have waited for the magic eighteen?”
I turned to face her. “Yes. You are worth waiting for.” I pushed my love at her, wrapping it around her. She smiled and kissed me.
“You’re worth waiting for, too,” she said. “But, I didn’t want to risk dying without feeling this.”
She trailed her fingers along my skin and the connection between us grew, bursting with love and life. Her doubt and fear were gone, and I felt the beauty of her ageless wisdom. I wouldn’t have wanted to die without feeling this either.
Her stomach rumbled, and I felt guilty for allowing her to skip lunch. I could still count her ribs.
“Let’s get dressed and eat,” I said, sitting up.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, obviously feeling something over our link.
“You never eat right.” I stood and went to find my pants.
What I felt over the link had my teeth lengthening and my pulse jumping. She wanted me. Now. Back in bed.
I clenched my jaw and forced myself to keep moving.
“If you don’t stop, we’ll never feed you,” I said, walking to the bathroom.
* * * *
We met everyone downstairs for dinner. Winifred’s assessing look missed nothing as her gaze swept over Bethi.
Congratulations, she sent me, smiling.
“About time he pulled his head from his—” Grey started to say. Carlos cut him off with a nudge.
