Like loud.
So loud and long Max held his hands over his ears and shifted back, rushing to her side.
JC stuffed a fist in her mouth. The press of her cold, clammy hand between her teeth kept her from passing out.
JC! Talk to me. Say something. Say anything .
Tach me ome, she said around her fist.
Max ran his hands over her now cold arms. What?
JC moved her fist a bit, giving her tongue mobility. I said, take -- me -- home -- NOW !
Chapter Ten
The ride back to Hoboken was filled with a palpable silence, broken only by short sentences of explanation. JC couldnt speak if she wanted to. She wasnt prone to histrionics, but Jesus Christ! Maxs jaw clenched and unclenched. His hands remained tightly fastened to the steering wheel.
When they pulled up beside their apartment building and Max came around to let her out, she pushed her way past him, running up the stairs and fumbling for her keys to open the door. JC didnt listen to Max call her name. She slammed the door and fell against it, heaving a sigh of relief.
Fluffy!
She remembered Fluffy and flew to her bedroom. The window was still open and his food bowl filled with the food Max had said he left for him. He would come back, she reassured herself. He would come home tonight just like he always did and it would be okay. JC tore her clothing off and found a T-shirt. It was Maxs she brought it to her nose, inhaling his scent. JC threw it on for lack of anything else to wear and wearily pulled back the covers of her bed. Burrowing under them, she slept with the scent of Max in her nose, blocking out everything else.
* * *
JC woke with a hard knot in her belly to the dark, cool of her bedroom. As her eyes focused on the room around her, the horror of what happened refreshed itself and sank in. Sitting up, she looked to the mat on the floor and then the open window. Fluffy was still gone and somehow she knew he wasnt ever coming back.
Tears filled her eyes and anxiety tore at her throat. She would never see Fluffy again Pieces of Maxs words came back to her from their car ride back. He was sorry he had to tell her this way. Yes, he knew most people didnt believe in werewolves, but they really did exist. She was his lifemate he knew this because a prophecy told him so in some kind of soup. It was how he was so sure he was falling in love with her, because Eva said so. At first he didnt believe it, he liked his life just fine without a lifemate, until shed found him in the pound. Now, after only two days, he knew he didnt want to live without her.
He hated kibble
JC choked back a laugh. Kibble
Yes, if she would consider the possibility of mating with him, shed have to come and live with him in the sticks of New Jersey . Hed do everything in his power to see to her happiness. No, she didnt have to become a wolf and no, he wouldnt rip her throat open if she refused. No, she didnt have to howl at the moon. Maybe she could open a beauty salon there He was the Alpha male of the pack it had to be her decision. He would never force her to do something she didnt want to do.
JC buried her face in her pillow. It was too much information. Werewolves and prophecies and lifemates oh, my.
The next week was a blur for JC. She went to work and tried to focus on anything but what shed seen, heard . But each night she came home and was greeted with the empty silence of her apartment. Fluffy wasnt coming back and neither was Max. When she came home mid-week, his apartment was empty and the next day it was filled with someone new. Another man, who waved and smiled cheerfully at her, saying maybe they could get together sometime.
No, she couldnt do that. No more sex with neighbors. For all she knew he was probably a vampire. How could she know who anyone really was anymore?
JC toyed with the soup in her bowl as the clock ticked in her kitchen. She hadnt heard a word from Max and now it was beginning to bug her. Actually, the numb calm shed experienced was dissipating and replacing itself with a good pissed off. Where the fuck was he? How dare he dump this shit in her lap and then just leave her with her own fucking thoughts?
Oh, my God, what was she thinking? He was a werewolf! A fucking howl at the moon, rare meat eating, allergic to silver, bona fide fucking werewolf!
Rolling her head on her neck, JC paused. And so what? Okay, so he was just a smidge scary oh, hell, he was a lot scary, but when had anyone in her thirty years made her feel like Max did? If he were a man, a fully human man, by now shed have been picking out friggin china and asking people to check off chicken or beef for the wedding reception.
She missed him desperately and hed been a part of her life for a mere two days.
But, shed have to move to the sticks of Jersey leave her salon and her apartment leave her quiet, lonely existence What was the worst that could happen? They would fail at a relationship. He would bring a dead rabbit home to her instead of flowers?
How would she tell her parents?
JC jumped up and paced the floor, making plans in her head that didnt fully form because she couldnt keep a straight thought. The only thing she did know was that she and Max needed to talk, now that shed had time to let the reality of this sink in. If missing him the way she did was love, if craving his touch was love, this was really love, then she couldnt let the opportunity slide because he was a wolf.
A fucking werewolf
* * *
JC banged on Maxs cabin door with a vengeance. God only knew how shed found her way back to it. She could thank her good sense of direction and her need to talk to Max.
When he opened the door, she closed her eyes, hoping he was in human form.
JC, look at me, he said quietly.
JC popped her eyes open and sighed. God, he was so fabulous even when he was Fluffy shed thought he was magnificent. Taking a deep breath she pushed her way through the door and stood in the middle of his living room. Okay, we have to talk and why the hell havent you called me? Dont they have phones here in Hooterville?
He fought a smile. Yes, they have phones, but you needed time to think. I wanted you to have it.
Well Im done thinking now. If I think much more Ill likely end up in a padded cell.
Max chuckled, but his hands remained clenched in fists by his side.
So, I thought and then I thought some more and once the shock wore off I thought again. This is how I see it. You are a wolf, a fucking wolf! You let me adopt you at the pound, fall in love with you as a dog and then you move in next door and make me think Im a slut because I jumped your bones within hours of meeting you. What do you have to say for yourself, Max Adams?
Max shrugged his big shoulders and gave her a sheepish grin. I told you I didnt think you were a slut. Thats just how it is with lifemates
Max? This lifemate thing how long have you known I was your lifemate?
Max grinned again, the dimples in his face deepened. Um, about a year.
A year? she said astounded. And what about this situation, she pointed at the both of them, could have changed if youd done this prophecy thing a year ago?
Max frowned. Um, I could have given you time to adjust? Wooed you even?
Good answer, Fluffy !
So does this mean youre considering this thing between us?
Maybe.
Im going to have to do stuff, arent I? Like buy you flowers and shit? he teased.
JC burst out laughing. Well just have to see. I only know that Ive missed you and your alter ego Fluffy and Im not as attached to Hoboken as I thought I was.
The salon?
I talked to my partner. Its going to take some reworking, but if I do this lifemate thing she said well figure it out.
So youll stay
JC couldnt wait anymore. She closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly. I suppose that could happen.
Max breathed deeply. Ive missed you too and well have to see what I can do to convince you staying is the right thing to do. He wiggled his eyebrows at her before he slipped his tongue between her lips.
JC moaned a
t the rush of excitement only Max could create. Her body began to settle against his and it was suddenly all right.
Max pulled away from her and cupped her jaw. Oh and by the way, that cutesy sweetums bullshit sucked. Sweetums , he snorted at her, nobody calls me sweetums.
Yeah? Well you sure didnt seem to mind me calling you sweetums while I was scrubbing your balls now did ya?
He narrowed his eyes to keep from chuckling. Well, that was a mighty fine scrubbing you gave my balls. Didnt you know all dogs like to have their balls scrubbed?
Oh shut up! What really pisses me off here is you LET me believe you were some mangy mutt. All the humiliation you suffered along the way -- as far as Im concerned, you deserved it! I mean, I talked to you about you . How utterly absurd is that? You didnt play fair, Max, and now Im considering moving to the woods and living with you and your pack of -- of wolves?
Max nodded his head. I know its a lot to take in, baby. But I am what I am. You dont have to be a wolf too, you know. Though I bet youd have a beautiful coat.
JC shook her finger at him. Dont you try to appeal to the hairdresser in me, buddy. How the hell do I explain this to my mother? Hey, Mom, I have a new boyfriend. His name is Max and he lives in the country. Have I mentioned hes a wolf? Yeah, just like the kind you see on National Geographic. Nope, we dont need Halloween costumes here in the sticks, we have Max!
Max laughed as he scooped her up and carried her off to the bedroom. We have a lot to talk about, but could it wait? Its been a week since Ive seen you and well, you know
JC giggled, Yeah, I think I do know. Take me to your den and ravish me.
Just as they hit the bed, Derrick, the brother shed heard about but didnt meet, burst through the door to the cabin, yelling Maxs name.
Ya know, he commented to JC as he kissed her, Im not sure how I feel about this Alpha thing if it means I have to take care of everything.
Derrick popped his head in the door with his eyes closed. Can I look?
JC laughed and Max said, Yes, Derrick, you can look.
Ive got a big fucking problem, brother! Goddamn Eva and her prophecies!
Max jumped up from the bed, concern written all over his face. What now ?
Derrick leaned back out of the door and picked something up. He showed it to JC and Max. This -- this now. He held up a pet carrier.
Maxs eyes widened. What the --
-- Fuck? Derrick yelped. Yeah, you got it. Eva sends me off to the pound today with some mysterious bullshit about finding the blue container.
Well, JC thought, it was blue.
And? Max said hesitantly as he eyed the pet carrier.
Derrick narrowed his eyes and held up the carrier with two hands in front of Max. And this is my fucking lifemate !
Max and JC both peered inside the dark interior of the carrier. Something stirred, dark and shadowy
Meow
Wolf Mates: Whats New Pussycat?
Derrick Adams is not happy. His pack of wolves isnt like all the others. Hes got a brother who found his lifemate in the pound, a cousin whos a vegetarian and now he has a lifemate of his own and she isnt barking
Special Thanks to the Lakota Wolf Preserve
The inspiration for this story came from several places, one being my love of wolves that began after a trip to the Lakota Wolf Preserve in Columbia , New Jersey two years ago. Please note, though I make light in my books, I take the plight of any animal very seriously. I gathered much of my visual information after my trip to the preservation and I will never forget a gentleman by the name of Dan Bacon, who owns and operates this fine establishment. His dedication, love and tireless efforts to care for these great, mythic animals extend beyond the boundaries of selfless acts. His story and how this preservation came to be isnt something you come across everyday. It remains with me to this day.
If youd like more information on the Lakota Wolf Preserve, please visit http://lakotawolf.com/index.htm
Dakota Cassidy
Dakota Cassidy found writing quite by accident and its been madness ever since. Who knew writing the grocery list would turn into this?
Dakota loves anything funny and nothing pleases her more than to hear shes made someone laugh. She loves to write in many genres with a contemporary flair.
Dakota lives with her two handsome sons, a dog and a cat. (No wolves.) Shed love to hear from you -- she always answers her e-mail! [email protected]
Wolfmates 1 - An American Werewolf in Hoboken Page 8
