The Bad Wolf

by Michelle Clay

  Chloe leaned closer to look him in the eyes. She hadn’t jerked her hand from his yet, which meant there might still be a glimmer of hope.

  She said, “Tell me.” Before he could even open his mouth, she slid her hand from his. “Tell me everything and make sure it’s the truth, Ryan.”

  He snuck a glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Over five minutes had passed and she hadn’t kicked him out yet. “There’s just something about you, Chloe.” He shook his head helplessly. “I’ve known it, felt it, since the first time I met you.”

  “Felt it?” An incredulous smirk twisted her lips. The strand of champagne blonde hair coiled tightly around her finger. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s like a jolt of lightning or static racing over my skin. I only notice it when I’m near you.” He took her hand in his then looked her right in the eyes. Admitting this to her was quite possibly the scariest thing he’d ever done. “You and I are meant to be together.”

  “Stop,” she said with a sigh. “I don’t want more head games.”

  He caught her free hand and held it loosely. “It’s the truth.”

  A rosy blush settled on Chloe’s cheeks. “How can that be? As you’re so quick to point out, we’re not the same. I’m an outsider and you’re a werewolf or whatever you are.”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “It’s scary, wonderful and confusing all at the same time. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. Mackie said it isn’t possible, but he’s wrong.”

  “Jenna told me about the deal you and Mackie made last summer. Amy is your life companion or whatever you call it.” Chloe said in a quiet voice. Her gaze was downcast.

  “I don’t want Amy.” Ryan’s guts twisted and his heart felt as if an iron fist clenched around it. “She isn’t my beloved.”

  He pulled Chloe into a hug even though her entire body tensed at his touch. He ran gentle hands down her back in hopes of soothing her. “Don’t you get it? The only girl I want is Chloe Williams.”

  Chloe’s body relaxed against his and she laid her forehead against his shoulder. One of her arms hooked around his waist and the other rested against his chest. Warm tears pooled on his skin as they trailed down her cheek. “What about the pack? Won’t Mackie have something to say about this?”

  “Of course he will, though technically I’ve been kicked out of the pack and it shouldn’t be any of their business.”

  Chloe tilted her head to stare up at him. “Then how can they dictate what you do?”

  “Because I’m in their territory,” Ryan sighed. “Mackie could have banished me, forced me out of the area, but he didn’t. I’m glad too, because I wouldn’t have met you.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chloe yawned then eased away from him. Her eyes burned with the need to sleep. “And what exactly is a beloved?”

  “Exactly what it sounds like,” he said then lowered his gaze. “You don’t want to be with me?”

  She smothered another yawn then glanced at the clock. It was well past midnight. Thank goodness it wasn’t a school night! Her eyes felt gritty and her brain was hazy. “I didn’t say that.”

  Seeming to realize how late it was, Ryan stood then glanced at the bed. “I should probably let you sleep.”

  Chloe tucked her legs beneath the covers then laid back to stare up at him. “Can you stay a little longer?”

  Ryan sat on the edge of the mattress, his body tense like it was ready to spring up at any moment. Chloe grasped his hand and said, “So if Amy is your beloved…”

  “She’s not,” Ryan said in a huffy voice then twisted to stare at her. His features immediately softened as he stroked fingers across her arm.

  “Does that mean that you get married, have kids and stay with her for the rest of your life?”

  “Firstly, Amy is not my mate. You are. Secondly, it means I spend my life with you. Only you.”

  Chloe rolled to her side then stared at his back. She couldn’t look at his face as the next words slipped past her lips. “What if I don’t want you?”

  Ryan stretched his long body alongside hers on the narrow bed. There was a sadness that seemed to radiate from his beautiful blue eyes and it made her heart twist. He said, “Then I’ll live my life without you. Alone. A wolf only has one beloved, Chloe.”

  At some point, her body must have gravitated toward his. She lay her head against his chest and shut her eyes. “I don’t want you to be miserable, but I think you’re feeding me a load of crap.”

  “I’m telling the truth.”

  “Even so, I don’t see how we can be together. Amy thinks you belong to her. And from what Jenna said, Sheriff Mackie agrees. He told you to cut all ties with me. It seems like a losing battle.”

  “Some things are worth fighting for.” Ryan turned onto his side to face her. Draping an arm over her hip, he said, “We’ll find a way to make it work.”

  Chloe’s eyes drifted shut as she breathed in Ryan’s delicious scent. She must have dozed because when Ryan tried to get out of bed, her eyes flew open. For a moment, her heart thundered in her chest and she thought it all had been a dream. A crazy, mixed up dream.

  She snuggled closer then sighed. “What if you’re wrong about us?”

  Ryan cradled her head with his arm and brushed a kiss against her forehead. “I’ve never been so sure of anything or anyone in my life.”

  Chloe’s eyes drifted shut and she relaxed against him. Sleep demanded her attention. “So what do we do about it? Do we sneak around, hide it from everyone?”

  “I know that’s not the kind of relationship you want, but it’s all I can offer at the moment.” His fingers stroked through her hair. “Amy and the others can’t find out.”

  Her stomach twisted and her throat was too dry. Eyes stinging, she lowered her gaze and frowned. Ryan was right. It wasn’t what she wanted. More than anything else, she wanted to be able to hold his hand in public, to hug him and kiss him without fearing someone would see. She didn’t want him to hide his feelings about her either. What she wanted was a real boyfriend that she could claim as such, not a secret crush.

  Seeming to read the despair in her eyes, he kissed her gently. “It’ll get better, Chloe. I promise.”

  ***

  Chloe jerked awake. Ryan was curled against her back, his arm thrown over her stomach. His body was warm, almost too warm. She’d give anything if they could stay like this for a while longer, but she knew it wasn’t possible.

  As if on cue, Karen’s bedroom door creaked open and her shuffling footsteps carried her down the hallway toward Chloe’s room. She stopped momentarily at the door, probably listening for movement within the room. When she heard none, she continued down the hallway toward the kitchen.

  Chloe really hated to wake Ryan. She’d much rather savor the moments spent together. She smothered a grin. She couldn’t tell anybody, but technically speaking, she’d slept with a boy!

  She turned to face him and her heart melted. He looked so peaceful lying beside her. Long lashes rested against his cheeks and his dark hair was a mess of bed head. She touched his shoulder and gave it a gentle shake. “Ryan?”

  His eyes opened slowly, revealing the lovely blue shade she’d come to adore. He said good morning with a kiss. “Sorry,” he apologized in a sleepy voice, “I didn’t mean to spend the night.”

  Chloe sat up and glanced at the bedroom door. She could hear pots and pans rattling in the kitchen, which meant Karen would wake her for breakfast soon.

  “You’ve got to go.” It killed her to say those words. She wanted more than anything for him to stay. There was so much they still needed to discuss, so many questions that needed answered. “My mom’s up and I don’t want her to find you in here. She’d freak.”

  Rubbing his eyes, Ryan yawned then swung his legs off the bed. He stood then hitched up the shorts that had ridden low around his slender waist.

  Chloe couldn’t seem to look away from his perfect, athletic body. She rose from the bed
then crossed the short distance to him. Running her hands over the hard planes of his chest, she gazed up at him and smiled.

  Ryan’s hand cupped her chin then tilted it upward. Without warning, he bent to kiss her. One hand rested on her hip while the other traced the curve of her jaw. “Keep the shorts handy. I’ll be back soon.”

  His image shimmered and static sizzled in the air around him. In the next moment, a black wolf with the most beautiful blue eyes stood in his place.

  Chloe tucked the shorts beneath the mattress then crossed over to the window to undo the latch. She pushed the glass up until the window was fully open then glanced at Ryan.

  The tip of his tail quivered and his ears twitched forward as he padded toward the window. Chloe traced fingers through the shiny black fur along his spine as he passed. Ryan gracefully leapt out the window then landed on the ground below. He turned to stare up at her one last time. In this form, she could feel the emotions he experienced as if they were her own. He was worried about her, about them. Overshadowing that and everything else was the most intense emotion of all. Love.

  She leaned out, planted a quick kiss on the wolf’s nose then lowered the window. This time, she didn’t lock it.

  “Breakfast is ready,” Karen said as she knocked on Chloe’s bedroom door.

  Chloe whirled from the window then crossed the room. She jerked the door open then forced a smile. “I thought I smelled pancakes.”

  “And bacon,” Karen said as she inspected her daughter’s wardrobe. “Mike’s coming over for breakfast. You should get dressed.”

  Chloe’s appetite dwindled. Before she could say anything, Karen turned on her heel then returned to the kitchen. Moments later, the doorbell rang to announce Coach Lewis’s arrival.

  Breakfast was an awkward affair. Mike and Karen talked to each other while largely ignoring Chloe. This was more than okay with her. It was apparent by the way they spoke to each other that their relationship was moving forward, becoming a little more real. Chloe didn’t know how she felt about that. She knew Karen and her dad weren’t ever going to get back together, but the realization seemed more solid, more real with Karen making goo-goo eyes at her coach.

  “I thought I saw a wolf a few days ago,” Coach was saying. “I didn’t think they came down this far.”

  Chloe’s attention was caught. She glanced at Coach Lewis then dropped her gaze back to her plate. Pushing the uneaten pancakes around, she listened closely.

  “You know, Chloe thought she saw one a while back.” Karen turned to look at her and raised her brows. “I didn’t think they were around here either.”

  “They’re not,” Chloe said defensively. She picked up her plate, dumped the remainder in the garbage, then rinsed it in the sink. “It was probably just a dog.”

  Coach shook his head. “No, I’m pretty sure it was a wolf. Come to think of it, I saw some at the campus as well.” His gaze slid over to Chloe and the corner of his mouth twitched as if he was fighting a grin.

  Uncomfortable, Chloe wondered if he’d witnessed them chase her through the courtyard. Why hadn’t he done something?

  Bam! Bam! Bam! A series of knocks rattled the front door and the window next to it.

  “Chloe!” Jenna’s voice called from the front porch. It sounded like she was crying.

  Chloe shoved the plate into the drainer then raced toward the living room. She slung the door open and found Jenna sobbing on the front porch. Her face and arms were scratched up and her jeans legs were wet and covered in mud. She’d undoubtedly run through the woods.

  Pulling her inside, Chloe practically dragged her to the bedroom. She slammed the door then forced Jenna to sit on the bed. “What’s wrong?”

  Jenna swiped at her eyes as another sob racked her body. “They took him. Mackie was there waiting for him to return this morning.”

  “Who?” Chloe asked in confusion. “Ryan? Why?”

  A new wave of tears shook her friend. For several moments, she was unable to speak. Chloe’s insides were knotted as she waited for her friend to compose herself enough to tell her what was happening. When that didn’t seem likely, Chloe sat beside her and hugged her close. “Calm down, Jenna. Talk to me.”

  Wiping her eyes with the hem of her shirt, Jenna drew herself up to look at Chloe. “Mackie came looking for Ryan last night, but he didn’t come home. He was gone all night.”

  Chloe’s cheeks heated, but she didn’t fill in the blanks.

  Jenna wrung her hands as new tears formed in her eyes. “They took him away. They came back this morning and took him.”

  Her heartbeat thundered in her chest. “I don’t understand. Why would they take him?”

  Jenna said. “I don’t know what Mackie and the others are going to do to him.”

  Chloe jerked her shoes from beneath the bed then shoved her feet inside. “I have to talk to him. I need to see him.”

  “They won’t let you anywhere near him. They won’t even let me see him.” Jenna jumped to her feet. “Where are you going?”

  Chloe opened the bedroom door. “They took him to the sheriff’s office, right?”

  Jenna shook her head. “This involves the pack so I doubt it’ll be done by the book.”

  She practically flew through the house with Jenna right on her heels.

  Karen rushed from the table to stop in the kitchen doorway. “Where are you going?”

  Coach Lewis’s chair scraped the floor as he got up from the table to join Karen. His hand rested possessively on her arm.

  “To see Ryan,” Chloe said then hurried past.

  Karen grabbed her arm. “No, you’re not. Sheriff Mackie called here last night looking for him. He said I should keep you away from that boy.” She glanced at Jenna, but didn’t apologize. “He said Ryan is dangerous.”

  “No, he isn’t.” She yanked her arm away then moved toward the doorway.

  Coach Lewis muttered something in Karen’s ear. Her mother nodded then said, “You are not to see that boy again, do you understand me? He’s wanted for questioning.”

  Jenna began crying again.

  “Mom!” Chloe wrapped an arm around Jenna’s shoulders. “Whatever they said he did, he didn’t do it.”

  “Sheriff Mackie’s son is missing. He and Ryan got into a fight at the beach, but you already know that. The sheriff thinks Ryan knows where he’s at.”

  Coach Lewis pursed his lips, but didn’t say anything. He looked uncomfortable and out of place as Chloe and her mom bickered. Jenna was still crying softly beside her.

  Chloe had to say something in Ryan’s favor, make her mom see that he wasn’t the bad guy here. “He got into a fight with Travis because of me, mom. Travis was being a dick and Ryan was just protecting me from him.”

  Karen refused to back down. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Chloe. “Sheriff Mackie thinks he may have been waiting for Travis to come home last night. There were signs of a struggle in the house and blood in his son’s bedroom.”

  Chloe stood her ground. “He didn’t do it.”

  “You should go home, Jenna. Chloe and I need to talk.” Karen’s features were a mask of displeasure.

  “Mom, this is unfair.” Hot tears stung Chloe’s eyes then trickled past her lashes.

  Jenna cast a miserable glance at Chloe then trudged toward the front door. Within seconds, she was gone.

  Coach Lewis dropped a quick kiss on Karen’s cheek, “I’d better go. Can I see you later?”

  Karen nodded, her features softening just a bit. “I’ll be at the clinic in a while. Maybe we could have lunch?”

  “I’ll bring you something,” he smiled then walked out of the house.

  Karen’s stern gaze fell back to Chloe. “I asked you to stay away from him.”

  “You don’t even know him!” Anger seized her and made her shake with emotion. Instead of continuing the argument, she scurried to her bedroom then slammed the door.

  Within seconds, Karen was there in the doorway. Her featu
res were hard and unrelenting. “I’m only trying to protect you, Chloe.”

  “Leave me alone.” She buried her face in the pillow that still smelled like Ryan.

  “I’ve had about enough of your attitude, young lady. Ever since we moved here, you’ve been nothing but an insolent brat.”

  Chloe raised her head. “And you’ve been a bitch.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it.

  Her mother’s features went through several emotions. Finally, she scowled at her daughter and said, “You’re on restriction. From now until I decide to lift it, you’re going to school and nowhere else. You will, under no circumstances, see that boy again.”

  A frustrated wail tore its way from Chloe’s throat. She dropped her face to the pillow again. “Sometimes I hate you, mom. You’re being mean just because I’ve fallen for someone that you don’t like.”

  Her mother’s sharp bark of laughter startled her. “You’ve fallen for him? Honey, you’re sixteen. I doubt you even understand what you’re feeling. It’s puppy love, a crush, nothing more.”

  “No.”

  “It’s perfectly natural, Chloe, but it doesn’t mean you’re in love with him. You’re too young to know what that really is.” Karen’s voice softened, “I don’t want you to end up like me, falling for the first boy to come along and making a big mistake. You should experience life a little.”

  “Good to know I was a mistake, Karen. Get out of my room!” Chloe rolled onto her side, facing the wall.

  Karen stood in silence for several moments. Finally, she said, “You are not to leave this house.”

  “Fine,” Chloe growled.

  Karen shut the door softly then went to the back of the house. Chloe could hear her puttering around, most likely picking up clutter. The phone rang and when Karen answered, she told whoever it was that Chloe was “fine, but in her room pouting.”

  Moments later, Karen’s heels clicked a quick route to the door. Without so much as a goodbye, she got into the Outback and backed it down the driveway.