by Juniper Hart
Amberlyn’s mouth dropped open and she stared at Hollie in shock. “What?” she gasped. “Where did that come from?”
“I have been here every day since you broke up with Gio, I planned a trip to Vegas for you to feel better, and you have been a royal pain in my ass! And, let’s talk about Ryan and Finn. I’m always here to support you when you need help. I feel like you don’t even listen to me anymore.”
Amberlyn’s dark blue eyes filled with tears of self-pity. “If you feel that way, you should go,” she pouted, sniffling.
“No,” Hollie retorted. “Now I need you to help me, and you better do it and do it quietly.”
Amberlyn glared at her defiantly. “Why should I do that when you’re so mean?” she demanded.
Hollie sighed in exasperation. “You know what, Amber, never mind. The next time you get cheated on or get fired from a job, call your other friends. I’m done with you.”
Whirling, Hollie reached for the door handle.
“Wait!”
She paused but did not turn.
“I’m sorry,” Amberlyn said begrudgingly. “I’m being a brat, you’re right.”
Slowly, Hollie looked at her, ensuring there was a proper look of contrition on her face. In all the years Hollie had known Amberlyn, it seemed the only way to get through to her was by being harsh with her.
“What happened?” Amberlyn asked. “Why are you in trouble? Does it have anything to do with your husband?”
Hollie cringed at the word “husband”, but she nodded.
“It has everything to do with him,” Hollie replied. “He won’t grant me an annulment.”
Amberlyn laughed. “Seriously? Why not?”
Hollie stepped away from the front door and retreated into the living room, gnawing on her lower lip. “He might be insane,” she confessed. “But it’s worse than that.”
She sank onto Amberlyn’s couch, hesitating. “Amber, you can’t tell anyone about this. It’s serious,” she warned the busty blonde.
Her friend nodded. “I swear,” she promised. “I won’t say anything.”
Hollie gazed at her. “He’s Lycan,” she muttered, and Amberlyn’s face registered surprise.
“You’re kidding!” she declared. “Which pack?”
“Oh no,” the blonde woman breathed. “Which pack?”
“Hailey.”
Amberlyn gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “You have got to be kidding! What are the chances?” she murmured, dropping onto the sofa at Hollie’s side.
The animus between the Ketchum and Hailey packs was historical and violent. Both packs had vied to overtake the other since the beginning of Lycan presence in Idaho. There had been bloody battles between the two groups, resulting in a mounting fury and determination for one to overtake the other. Their situation was currently at a stalemate, but it only needed a tip in any direction to inflame old animosity.
Hollie was certain that her marriage would be just that element. Dad is going to lose his mind.
“I don’t know what the chances are, but I need to eliminate them before my dad finds out about this, Amber. You have to help me.”
“It might help if your dad knows,” she volunteered. “He could put a vice grip on this guy to grant you an annulment.”
“It’s worse than that,” Hollie murmured. “Jason O’Connor knows about us, too. I just had a run in with him.”
Amberlyn’s mouth dropped open, and she turned pale. “Well that complicates things,” she agreed. “What do you want me to do?”
“I need you to get that idiot to give me a divorce,” she cried, jumping up to pace the room. “I can’t go back into their territory; Jason will be waiting for me to return, and he could easily capture me for leverage on my dad.”
Amberlyn turned opaque with fear. “You want me to go onto Hailey turf and talk to him?” she asked, shocked.
“I can’t, Amberlyn. It’s too dangerous for me. If you go, you won’t be harmed.” She knew that was true, and she knew Amberlyn knew it as well.
“You don’t know that for sure, Hollie!”
“Please, Amber?” she yelled, her face flushed in frustration.
“Email him, Hollie! Text him, tweet him for God’s sake. Don’t make me go there and deal with him on their territory!”
Tears formed in Hollie’s eyes. “You know, if the tables were turned, I would do it for you!” she snarled, jumping to her feet. “I should have known better than to come here and ask you for help.”
Hurt colored Amberlyn’s face, but she glared at Hollie. “The tables wouldn’t be turned,” she snapped back. “I wouldn’t do something that dumb.”
“You passed out at the blackjack table!” Hollie yelled indignantly. “If I hadn’t been there, God only knows where you would have ended up!”
The women glared at one another for a long moment.
Amberlyn lowered her eyes. “I can’t help you, Hollie. I suggest you go to your dad. He will find a way to get you out of this mess. I can even talk to my dad if you think he can help, but I can’t do anything else for you. Figure this out on your own.”
“Don’t you dare say a word to anyone!” Hollie growled.
Without another word, she left the apartment, her friend calling out after her.
She hopped in her Civic and drove back to her apartment on Sun Valley Road.
Now what am I going to do? Hollie wondered, choking back tears of frustration. What was Amberlyn thinking? How am I supposed to talk sense into him with a text or email? Why won’t Aaron just move forward with the annulment? This makes no sense.
Hollie had never felt so alone.
***
Gritting her teeth, she waited impatiently, glancing at her wristwatch again.
“How much longer?” Hollie demanded, but the receptionist only smiled condescendingly.
“A few more minutes, dear,” she replied easily. It was the same response she had gotten for the past forty-five minutes.
Forget this, she thought, reaching for her purse. I’ve got to get out of here. This was a stupid idea. I shouldn’t be here. I’m putting myself in danger.
She turned for the door.
“Miss Oliver? Mr. O’Connor will see you now,” the receptionist chided with a wide, fake smile.
She turned and stared dubiously at the receptionist, a scowl painted on her face. Was she just testing me to see how long I’d wait?
“Follow me, please.”
She reluctantly obliged, still glaring at the receptionist’s back as they made their way into the back office.
“Mr. O’Connor? Miss Oliver is here.”
“Let her in, Liz, please.”
Inhaling sharply, the door swung inward, and Hollie faced Lance O’Connor.
She remembered how familiar he had seemed when she had seen his picture online, and it made sense suddenly; he was a spitting image of Jason.
How did I not piece it together then? Hollie wondered as Liz closed the door behind her, leaving the two opposing Lycans alone in Lance’s office.
“Well, Miss Hollie Oliver, in the flesh,” he chuckled. “I don’t know which reputation precedes you more; wife of my best friend or daughter of Lucas Oliver.”
Hollie snorted. “I think we both know which one precedes me more,” she snapped. “And don’t get any ideas, Lance. I have backup who knows where I am.”
It was a lie of course, but her desperation to end the marriage was leading her into dangerous territory.
“I wouldn’t dream of doing anything to you, Hollie. May I call you Hollie? Aaron seems to think you are his soulmate. I couldn’t very well break his heart by harming you.”
“You couldn’t harm me if you tried,” she retorted with far more confidence than she felt. She had no idea where her false bravado stemmed from, but Lance was her last hope.
“And we both know that Aaron is not thinking rationally.” Lance sat back in his chair, making a steeple of his fingers as he studied the brunette. “I tend to agree wit
h you, and my brother is not overly impressed with this arrangement, but my hands are tied.”
“He’s your best friend, Lance. Talk to him,” she groaned. “Or grant me a divorce.”
Lance’s brow furrowed. “There are ways to get a divorce without Aaron agreeing,” he told her. “What do you need me for?”
Hollie clenched her teeth, and a slow look of understanding crossed over his face.
“You’re keeping this a secret from your father,” he guessed, leaning forward, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
Hollie lowered her eyes. “I just want this done as quickly and quietly as possible,” she muttered. “You can make that happen. You’re a divorce lawyer. He’s your friend. If anyone can make it happen, you can.”
She didn’t mention that she didn’t want the publicity, nor did she have the money to pay for a lawyer. She had hoped that Lance would do it for free to rid their pack of the black mark their marriage had placed upon both their groups.
But something in his eye told her that she was mistaken, and terror seized her heart as she watched his face twist into a look of sheer pleasure.
“No one knows you’re here,” Lance breathed, and Hollie suddenly realized her grave mistake.
She sprung to her feet, dashing for the door, but before she made it, Lance had pounced, blocking her exit.
“Let me pass,” she snarled, feeling herself shift as Lance stared at her. “My father will kill you.”
“No,” Lance said conversationally. “I don’t think he will. Especially if he doesn’t know where to find you.”
He grabbed her arm, and Hollie tried to pull away, but he was far too strong for her fight. Dragging her back to his desk, he punched the intercom.
“Liz, call my brother in here.”
“No!” Hollie mewled. “Just let me go. I won’t come back, I swear. I’ll find another way to obtain the divorce, and we can forget this ever happened!”
Lance shook his blonde head sadly. “You should never have come,” he replied as the door flew open. “Now I have to turn you over to Jason.”
Hollie stared at Jason O’Connor in horror.
“Look what I found, Jay,” Lance called happily. “What do you think Lucas will give us for her?”
Jason slipped inside the office, quickly closing the door behind him. “Not nearly enough,” Jason growled as he approached Hollie, his eyes lit with hostility.
Hollie tried to hide her fear, but she knew her dark eyes glimmered in terror.
They won’t kill me. They will only keep me as a hostage until Dad gives them what they want.
“Be nice to her,” Lance sighed, handing Hollie over to his brother. “Aaron seems to like her.”
“Aaron is a liability,” Jason snarled. “He brought the enemy onto our doorstep. I’m going to deal with him later.”
Hollie gaped at him. “He’s a member of your pack!” she snapped. “What kind of shit show are you running here in Hailey?”
Jason’s mouth became a fine line of anger. “At least I know where my family members are. I can guarantee you that no daughter of mine would marry into a rival pack.”
“I hope that any spawn you have plot to kill you,” Hollie spat back as Jason half dragged her toward the back door, leading into the stairwell.
“I’m not your father,” Jason spat back. “I would see such a betrayal coming from a mile away.”
He pushed Hollie down the stairs, and she grabbed the railing to keep from tumbling forward.
“You should consider yourself lucky,” Jason continued as he pressed himself up behind her, guiding her through the levels.
“Oh yeah, I feel so blessed,” Hollie retorted.
He paused and jerked her so she stared at him, her face inches from his.
“You should,” he repeated. “The last two women who ended up with Aaron have yet to be found.”
Hollie stared at him uncomprehendingly. “What?”
Jason smirked. “I guess you should have done your research before marrying someone. Your husband is insane and probably a murderer too.”
Chapter Eight
It was a realization that had slowly dawned on Jason O’Connor and after an initial period of self-denial, he was forced to acknowledge that his brother’s best friend was more than likely a sociopath.
Jason had managed to keep a watchful eye on Aaron over the years, his suspicions mounting with each month, but there was little he could do about the most unstable member of their small pack.
The Hailey chapter was the tribe with the least members in all of Idaho.
Over the years, they had been threatened and cajoled by all the neighboring groups, hoping that they would submit and join forces, but Jason had stayed firm, despite some backlash from his own pack.
“We could be much stronger if we unite with another pack,” Lance told him. “I don’t know why you’re so stubborn about this.”
“Because if we join another crew, we’ll get lost in the shuffle.”
“You mean you will get lost in the shuffle. You don’t want to give up your leadership,” Lance replied, smirking.
“Of course I don’t!” Jason snarled. “Who is a better leader than me?”
Lance had known better than to argue, but the lack of support from his own brother made Jason angry.
I’m being attacked from all sides, the curly-haired brunette thought furiously. The outsiders hunt us, our own kind try to submit us, and my own members are emotionally fragile.
What Jason had told Hollie Oliver was the truth; Aaron Gherring was a menace to anyone who had the misfortune of becoming close to him. His past two girlfriends had abruptly vanished from Hailey without a trace, one a Lycan, the other an outsider.
Of course Aaron had pleaded ignorance to their whereabouts, but the coincidence was alarming, and Jason knew there was much more to Aaron than he portrayed.
Beneath those guileless blue eyes is a mind teeming in madness. And now he’s not only married his next victim, but he’s brought danger to the rest of the pack.
Many years earlier, Jason had tried to warn Lance about Aaron. “Something is wrong with him, Lance,” his told his brother. “I don’t trust him.”
Lance had stared at him, his eyes wide with surprise. “He’s one of us!” he snapped. “He was raised with us. He’s our brother.”
Jason knew that there would be no getting through to the younger O’Connor. All he could do was bide his time and figure out a way to exile Aaron when the time came.
It looks like that time is here, he thought grimly as he dragged a half-shifted Hollie Oliver into the warehouse. As soon as I enact a peace treaty with Lucas Oliver and send this wench back where she came from, I am casting Aaron out of the pack.
“Let me go!” Hollie yelled, wrenching her arm away from him and glaring ferociously. “This is the most unnecessary, melodramatic, stupid—”
“Do you ever stop talking?” Jason growled. “Just sit still and behave yourself.”
“What is the purpose of this?” she demanded, ignoring his order. “Am I supposed to feel scared of you?”
“You’re supposed to be grateful I haven’t incapacitated you,” he snarled. “Sit down and shut up.”
“No!” Hollie barked back. “Not until you tell me what you want. You’re going to start a war you can’t possibly win, O’Connor. All I wanted was a divorce, and you’re turning this into a hostage situation!”
“I’m turning this into a peace treaty!” Jason yelled. He was surprised that he had explained that much to her. It was not his nature to disclose anything to anyone, and yet he realized he would do anything to shut her up at that moment.
“A peace treaty?” Hollie scoffed. “By kidnapping me? If you think my father will do anything but set your individual houses on fire now that you’ve taken me, you’re delusional. If you let me go now, he doesn’t need to know anything.”
Jason gazed at her, weighing the truth of her statement.
“Why are you
looking at me like that?” she demanded. “You must know I’m right.”
He smiled coldly. “I’m just thinking that maybe you and Aaron Gherring are not such a bad match after all. You’re annoying, and he’s crazy.”
Hollie’s coffee-colored eyes flashed, and her lips formed an angry line. “That says a lot about your pack, doesn’t it? A stupid leader and crazy pack members. You guys must have a strong bloodline.”
It was Jason’s turn to glower, and before she could move, he had her pinned against a wall of the empty storage unit. “We have made it this far,” he snarled, but to his surprise Hollie did not seem intimidated in the least.
“Hey, everyone gets lucky once in a while,” she snorted. “Your good fortune is about to run out.”
Jason wished she would stop talking, but he admitted that he was impressed at her cool exterior.
She’s not afraid of me, he realized. It was an interesting feeling, a combination of curiosity and anger. I will have to do something about her awe-levels, he vowed silently. She’ll be terrified by the time this ordeal is over.
But Jason also knew he could not harm one hair on Hollie’s head, not if he wanted to Lucas to give him what he wanted. Hollie seemed to read his thoughts, and Jason wondered if he had transmitted to her inadvertently.
“You can’t do anything to me. You can barely keep me here. If I want to get out, I will,” she mocked him, and Jason wondered if that was true.
She certainly seemed stronger than the females in his pack, but she could not be a match for him. Either way, she was right; he could not touch her.
There are other ways to ensure her submission, he thought, a slow cruel smile forming on his lips.
“I don’t need to keep you here, Hollie,” he reminded her. “You’re bound to this pack by marriage now.”
He relished the look of horror which crept onto her face as she realized what he said was true.
“No,” she whispered as the understanding of his words seemed to hit her with a blow.
“Oh, yes,” he replied conversationally. “You belong to us now.”
“No way!” she cried. “No! I am not staying here with your crew! You can’t force me!”
