It wasn’t a cult, of course, but cult sounded far saner in her head than a wolf pack. And the fact her little brother turned into a wolf was something she didn’t even want to think about. Every time he shifted in front of her, she was filled with equal parts awe and fear. It should have been an impossibility. It shouldn’t have been real, yet it was, leaving Eva with no choice but to learn to cope or risk losing her brother forever.
Her father had taken to the change far easier than Eva, or maybe he simply found his son turning into a wolf far simpler to handle than the death of his wife. Eva could only wish she had the same ability. Instead, she was consumed with the loss of her mother, the changes to her brother, and add to that the uncivil wolves they spent a lot of time with, Eva was hanging on by a thread.
A prickle of awareness slivered down her spine as the rumble of an engine filled her ears. Slowing her pace, Eva glanced over her shoulder to find a van coming up behind her. Cold fear washed over her skin, locking her legs, but as the van drove harmlessly on, Eva dragged in an uneasy breath, shaking her head at her jumpiness.
Paranoid much.
Bending over, she rested her hands on her knees, catching her breath as she mentally berated herself further. It took her a moment to register the soft thud of a door closing, and by the time Eva was straightening to her full height, the driver from the van had parked, climbed out, and was striding toward her.
Screaming, Eva turned and bolted into the trees that towered either side of the road. Her body protested, having already been pushed to its maximum, and even with the extra kick of adrenaline coursing through her system, Eva had no chance of outracing her pursuer. Her breath left her on a startled scream as she was lifted roughly from her feet. Kicking and yelling, Eva thrashed against her attacker’s hold as he yanked her toward the road and his van. She yelled behind the sweaty hand covering her nose and mouth, dug her nails into the arms forbidding her escape, and as he fumbled for the latch to open the door, Eva braced her feet against the van and kicked off, sending them crashing to the ground. The impact jarred through her body, grazing her elbows and tearing skin. Pushing past the pain, Eva scrambled to her feet and fled back into the forest.
“Help!” she cried. “Help me!” She wasn’t sure how far out from the wolf’s territory she was, but she screamed on instinct anyway, terror coating her tone. “Please, help me!”
“Come here, bitch,” the man yelled, chasing after her.
He was closing the space between them, crashing noisily through the trees. Catching her arm, he dragged her to a stop, his fingers pinching painfully into her skin.
“Get off me!” Eva shoved at his chest and lashed out at him, her nails leaving a bloody trail across his cheek.
Face twisting with rage, he slapped her, the impact sending her backward as it rattled through her skull, a wave of dizziness following. Eva swayed on her feet, her legs threatening to buckle as he tugged her sharply forward.
Her fight was leaving her, her vision blurry as she struggled to regain her footing. Eyes widening, Eva blinked rapidly as a shadow of a man appeared from the trees. There was no time to catch her breath and scream. One minute the man was pulling her, the next his eyes went wide, a gurgled rasp leaving him as a line of red seeped across his throat, the sharp tip of a claw tearing into his flesh.
Arms, gentle but strong, caught Eva as her knees gave out, and she was lifted from the ground, her hands coming to rest on a muscled chest. Eva’s sight focused enough to make out the features gazing down at her. John?
“Are you hurt?” John murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“J-John? I—” She sucked in a breath, attempting to settle her galloping heart. “—fine. I’m… nothing serious.”
“Are you sure?” His fingers hovered over her already swelling cheek.
“Bruises and a few cuts. I’ll live,” she said more firmly.
As the adrenaline left her system and her heart rate calmed, Eva became very aware of the bare skin under her hand and the large muscles mere centimeters from her head.
Thank God he’s wearing jeans!
“You can put me down,” Eva mumbled, needing to put some distance between herself and John. Embarrassment was creeping slowly across her cheeks.
He froze, his gaze searching her face before a ghost of a smile lifted his lips. “You’re fine where you are.”
The words seemed to vibrate through his chest, erasing the last threads of fear clinging to Eva as her body reacted to the intensity in which he looked at her.
“John.”
A full grin took over his face. “Eva.”
“Put me down.”
His grip on her tightened momentarily, his startling yellow, wolf eyes dropping to her lips. For a moment, Eva thought he was going to kiss her. Her heart fluttered for far hotter, crazier reasons, and then he was placing her feet on the ground, his hand on her back the only contact between them, leaving Eva strangely empty.
“Did you run all the way from town?” he asked.
Eva nodded, struggling for speech. She couldn’t explain her body’s reaction to him. He’s a wolf, she reminded herself. Do not become attracted to a wolf.
Whistling low, John gave her an approving smile. “That’s a good distance.”
Eva shrugged, answering on automatic, “Running clears my head.”
He nodded. “And you’ve had a lot on your mind lately. I get it. Running helps me too. Only I prefer to do it on all fours.” Stepping away, John crouched over the man he’d killed. “What did this asshole want with you then?”
“Do you normally kill people?” Eva found herself asking. In her world, it was a crime, but he’d executed him without pause.
Looking up, John met her gaze with a frown. “He was trying to hurt you, Eva. What should I have done?”
“Called the police?” Even before she’d finished her sentence, Eva knew her answer was crazy.
“Getting the police involved tends to lead to the discovery of who we are, which never ends well. Besides, we’re at war. He probably mistook you for a wolf. Have you been running the same route?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Same time?” She nodded. “You’re not safe in town anymore, Eva. They’ve connected you to our pack.”
“How do you know this has to do with whatever is going on in your world? He could just be a random creep. We get those in my world, you know.”
John stood and closed the space between them, making Eva’s senses flare to life. “Your world, my world… your brother’s one of ours, Eva, which makes you one too.”
“I’ve a life to get back to,” Eva murmured. His close proximity sent her nerve endings misfiring. Everything about John was overpowering, including the emotions he awoke in her. They confused and frightened her and weren’t something she had the luxury to dwell over.
“Not anymore, you haven’t. You’re bound to pack lands until this whole mess is cleared up. Can’t have little Zackary’s sister coming to harm.” His finger brushed her arm, leaving goose bumps in their wake.
“Don’t touch me.” She forced herself to take a step back.
John smiled, smugness filling his gaze, disarming her further. “Why? Your body tells me you like it.”
“You know nothing about my body,” Eva ground out, crossing her arms to create a barrier between them.
His grin turned dangerous, causing butterflies to set flight in her tummy. “I’m a wolf, Eva. I can scent when you’re aroused.”
Her cheeks burned scarlet. “Take me back to my motel, John. I’m not talking about this.”
His expression faded to neutral. “No can do, sweetheart. Looks like you’re checking out.” Startling her, John lifted her into his arms. “Hold tight.”
Eva could do nothing but gasp as he took off, racing through the trees, his breathing not in the least labored despite holding her. She should have protested, she should have at least demanded he put her down, but the truth was, running in John’s arms was
like flying, and for the first time, her mind was truly calm.
Chapter 2
John
His wolf was very much in charge as he raced home, Eva safely in his arms. He’d expected her to protest and argue to be put back down, and when she didn’t, his wolf had strutted with smug satisfaction, taking over in all ways but skin.
She was lucky he was so far outside of pack territory when she was attacked. John should have been in bed, having just come off a nightshift, but a restlessness had driven him to run, pulling him away from his home toward the woman he’d been trying to avoid since her arrival. Avoiding and ignoring his base instincts wasn’t working anymore, and he was thankful for the fact; otherwise, Eva might have been taken away from him before he’d even had a chance to know her.
Approaching the inner circle, John let out a low howl, signaling to whoever was near and received an answer from his alpha in return. Bass had just finished a night on patrol; it seemed they both weren’t getting any rest today.
“Report?” Bass instructed as John came to a halt in front of Bass, placing Eva down but keeping her within his embrace. She either enjoyed being near him, or shock was finally catching up with her because she didn’t make any move to avoid his touch.
“Someone tried to snatch Eva on her morning run and throw her into a van. I told Nico as we crossed over the shared border, he’s gone to retrieve the body and bring it and the van onto pack land.”
“Body?” Bass frowned.
John grimaced, guilt slicing at his wolf heart. “I—” His gaze flickered to Eva and back to Bass. How do I explain this? “Later?” John knew why he’d gone straight for the kill, but it didn’t excuse his mistake. The dead couldn’t talk, and until they had some information, Eva wouldn’t be safe.
Bass nodded after a moment’s pause, his gaze flickering between John and Eva. That he took John’s request without question, showing just how trusting and loyal an alpha Bass was. “Eva, are you all right?” Bass asked gently.
“Yeah.” She met his gaze for a moment before looking away. “A little shook up, but I’ll live.”
John studied the redness of her cheek and the various cuts and scrapes on her arms and knees. Eva might live, but even the most minor of wounds was too much for his wolf to handle.
Fucker got what he deserved. No one laid a hand on those John cared for.
Bass’s smile was warm as he nodded. “Good. Let’s find someone to help clean you up and get you settled into Dark Shadow.” Bass searched the area and spotted Olivia. “Liv, can I please borrow you?”
Her gaze met Bass’s before she changed direction. “Sure, what’s up?”
As Olivia headed their way, John struggled silently with his wolf, claiming back control from his wilder side that didn’t necessarily want to allow Eva out of his sight.
“Could you help Eva, please? There was an incident this morning, and she’ll need to stay with pack for a while. Double-check her wounds don’t need looking at by Oliver as well, please.”
Eyes widening, Olivia stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Eva. “Come on,” Olivia reassured. “We’ll patch you up and then find you a change of clothes and a hot drink.”
John forced himself to step back as Olivia guided her away, surprised at how strong his wolf protested. When they’d walked a few paces, an idea came to him that pleased both man and wolf. “Olivia, wait,” John called, jogging over, and then whispered in her ear so that Eva wouldn’t hear. “Eva can stay in my cabin. I have a spare bedroom.”
He held his breath as Olivia stared questioningly, but then she inclined her head in approval and a weight lifted from John’s shoulders. I’ll have her in my territory, and then I’ll make her never want to leave.
“John?” Bass said when he returned. “Explain what is going on.”
Rubbing a hand through his shoulder-length hair, John blew out a breath before making sure no one was close enough to overhear. “I think she’s my mate.” The words came out unsteady, as if John himself couldn’t quite believe them. “I’ve been avoiding the truth since she and Zackary arrived.”
He’d experienced the immediate pull the first time he’d laid eyes on her and avoided her at all costs since, because a wolf like himself had no business courting a human. He wasn’t tame; in fact, the line between his human and wolf halves wasn’t always balanced. There was no pretending he wasn’t a predator, no blending into the human world. John was unapologetically wild, and in most situations, went with the more savage, uncivil, nature of his wolf. It was who he was, and he couldn’t change, not even for the woman who was fated to be his mate.
“Damn, John, she’s human, younger, and you’re not exactly the most civil wolf.” Bass chuckled. “Go easy on the girl, okay? And I need to know if you’re struggling for control. Mate or not, we’re at war, and I need you focused.”
His stomach dropped, disappointment crawling over his skin; he’d lost control, and now the man they needed to question was dead. “I’m sorry, Bass,” John answered, rubbing at his face. “I’ve been fine up until then, but when I found him attacking her… I saw red.”
Bass clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s understandable, John. Don’t beat yourself up about it. If a man hurts what’s yours, he deserves death. Come on. Let’s go find Nico and see if he’s found anything.”
They’d walked a few steps when Bass’s phone chimed in his pocket. The harsh curse out of Bass’s mouth had John on full alert.
“Cass? The baby?” Bass answered, then listened to Cassady’s reply. “Damn it, another… Yeah, someone tried to snatch Eva too… Yes. Are you sure the baby is… I know, being pregnant doesn’t make you an invalid. I’m just a concerned alpha. Give me a break.” Bass chuckled. “Be there soon.”
Hanging up, Bass explained the call to John. “Cassady was at the supermarket, and someone tried to take her like they did Eva. She was ready for him though. Guy’s knocked out in the back of his van. She says she’d fine but….”
“Yeah, you need to get there quick.” John nodded.
“No one’s in town, are they?”
John shook his head as he mentally scanned through the information he handled as second to his alpha. “Cage has just come off nights. Bet he’s home… asleep, but….”
“I’ll call him. You’re in charge of your dead guy. Send Nico back out onto patrol and alert everyone to the possibility of further attacks. No one is to go out alone anymore. I’ll grab Evan. He’s going to go batshit when he finds out his pregnant mate was attacked.” Bass rubbed at his neck. “Can we not catch a break? Fucking Castor. Wish he’d attack head-on for once.”
“He’s a coward. He knows he’ll not win in a fair fight,” John answered, voice cold with anger. “Go take care of Cassady. I’ll look into Eva’s attacker, and with a bit of luck, we might have some information by the end of the day.”
Going their separate ways, John met with Nico to learn he’d already done a search on the van. It was a stolen vehicle registered to an address in Utah, and after making sure no trace of their involvement could be found, Nico had sent someone to dispose of the van where the police would find it and presume it was abandoned by the people who’d stolen it.
The body of Eva’s attacker also didn’t lead to any clues, leaving John with the final job of disposing of the body where it would never be found.
It was a frustrating end to a hunt, which left John irritable and his wolf snarly. Yet he was angrier at himself for killing Eva’s attacker than anything else. He knew better than to allow his wolf to control his actions; it was a mistake he couldn’t afford to make again.
Eva was a problem he’d been ignoring for too long—if you called finding your future mate a problem, of course.
The fact she was human made things complicated, and that didn’t even factor in the large age gap between them. What little he knew of Eva was what he’d learned from Zackary—she’d deferred the final year of her biology degree to help her brother and would soon need to return
so she could complete the degree and go onto veterinary school. She was clearly smart and driven to commit to eight years of study, and both sides of him liked this, but it also meant she’d be leaving for school for far too long. It was hard enough to control his primal instincts with her close by. John had no idea how he’d cope with her potentially in another state.
He had no right to ask her to change her plans for him, and even if he did, he’d never do it. A relationship was built on an equal partnership, and Eva giving up her career for him would not accomplish that. It was a disaster waiting to happen and why he’d been avoiding the mating call in the first place. But fate, as usual, had other plans.
With nothing left to do but wait to see what Bass had learned from the other attack, John decided to use his time to hunt down his very beautiful, very innocent prey.
Entering his cabin without knocking, he startled a yelp from Eva, followed immediately by her rage. “What are you doing? You can’t just waltz in here. I could have been naked or something,” Eva ground out, her stance rigid.
He raised an eyebrow, pleased she had a spine and delighted to taste her fiery spirit. “You’re in my cabin, Eva,” he drawled, smirking.
“What? I can’t stay with you.”
“Why not?” he asked as he went to the fridge to grab a beer.
“Because I can’t. Besides, my father would never approve. I’ll need to be accommodated elsewhere.” Crossing her arms, Eva stared at him hotly, amusing John. He liked his future mate annoyed.
“No can do, sweetheart. I’m the only one with a spare room. Unless you’d like to bunk on the floor with your father and brother?” The lie rolled far too easily off his tongue.
Her anger faltered before she smiled. “You can bunk on the floor and give us this cabin.”
He laughed. “Why in the hell would I do that?”
“Because it’s what a gracious host would do,” she countered.
“Hmm… I suppose I could.” He grinned. “But I won’t be doing that, Evaline.” He closed the distance between them, allowing his wolf to the surface as he gazed intently down at her.
Wolf Queen (A New Dawn Novel Book 6) Page 2
