She swallowed the fear and bitterness. Frankly, she was surprised it had taken this long for the memories to resurface. It had taken years to bury it all.
“You are unwell. What is wrong?”
“None of your business,” she snapped. Despite her acrid tone, he didn’t seem too offended. “I mean, I’m fine. I just need to get back to the office.” She didn’t bother to wait for him, her feet practically having a life of their own as she rushed out.
The cool, winter air felt good on her damp skin. She stopped just outside Muccino’s front door. Her body felt frozen. Get a grip. She didn’t want anyone to see her this way, especially him.
A looming presence behind her told her that Darius was there. Surprisingly, she wasn’t scared or angry.
“We should head back to your office. It is getting cold out here.”
His words wrapped around her like a warm blanket and despite herself, she nodded in agreement. “Yes, let’s go.”
It had been years since she’d had dreams of that day.
Right after the incident, the nightmares had been so vivid that she would wake up screaming. Mama would come into her room and rock her to sleep while Papa stood by, helpless as he watched his daughter relive the worst day of her life.
Sometimes, she wasn’t even sure what was a dream and what was real, as the bad men would sometimes turn into real monsters with claws and sharp teeth. But certain details never changed.
She and Lucas were waiting outside the school. Shane, their trusted bodyguard and caregiver, was pulling up to the driveway to pick them up. He got out of the driver’s side and waved, flashing them a sunny smile.
The sound of tires screeching made him turn around. Suddenly, he pivoted and ran towards them. “Lucas! Adrianna!”
He reached them before the bad men did and gathered them into his arms. However, there were too many of them, and they were surrounded. She screamed as she was yanked away. Shane reached into his jacket for his gun but was too late. The echo of the gunshots rang in her ear and when she looked at Shane, she saw the red stain bloom on his pristine white shirt. She looked down at his face, ashen as the blood began to leave his body. But it wasn’t Shane’s face she saw. It was Darius.
She let out a strangled cry, her body jerking awake. It was just a dream. She rolled out of bed, her heart pounding like a hammer in her chest. Usually, the knowledge that she was here, in the present, and that everything was okay—they had been rescued from that dank basement by Uncle Nick and Meredith, and that Shane survived and was now retired with his wife in upstate New York—was enough to calm her down.
But this dream was different. And even now, in the darkness of her bedroom, she couldn’t scrub the image of Darius dying.
No!
She ran out of the bedroom, down the steps, and out the back door, not caring that she was in her sleep shirt or that the ground underneath her bare feet was frozen solid. Her lungs squeezed inside her chest, making it hard to breathe, even though the air outside was crisp and fresh. Her inner wolf seemed confused too. It didn’t know why she was scared and why she had those dreams, having only been born inside her years after the incident. It clawed at her, wanting to protect her.
“Stop!”
That voice. A deep baritone that plucked at her, making her halt. When she turned around, she saw him. He was wearing only dark sweatpants, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she couldn’t help but run her gaze over his muscled body. His tattoos ran from wrist to wrist, crossing over his arm and across the top of his wide chest. She looked up to his face and saw Darius’s cobalt blue eyes glowed in the dark, burning with … anger?
“What were you thinking?” he growled. “Just running away in the middle of the night without letting me know? What if there were mages lurking about?” He grabbed at her arm.
“Leave me alone!” She evaded his grasp. “I don’t owe you any explanation!”
“I’m here to protect you! How can I do that if I do not know where you are?” The anger radiating off him was so strong, she could feel it. “Are you so eager to die?”
“I don’t care!” she spat. “I just don’t want you to—” She covered her mouth with her hand. No, she couldn’t say it. Wouldn’t say it. The tears burned at her throat, but she refused to speak.
His expression turned soft. “Adrianna.” That sound of her name on his lips shot a bolt of electricity through her. “What made you run? Why are you shivering, despite the fact that your Lycan body should help keep you warm?” He drew closer, so near that she could get a hint of his vanilla scented skin. “What has scared you?”
The soft glow of his eyes entranced her. “Shane.”
“This … Shane has scared you?”
“No, no. He was our bodyguard and our manny.” He seemed confused, so she explained. “Male nanny. He’d been taking care of me and Lucas since we were four.”
His hands clenched at his side. “Did he hurt you?”
“What?” She was horrified at the thought. “No!”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“He …” She expelled a long breath. “He was shot. When we were younger, some men tried to kidnap me and Lucas, and he tried to protect us, but he got hurt.”
“Did he die?”
“He almost did,” she said. “But it was bad. They shot him three times. The last bullet came close to his neck and left him paralyzed.” Shane had been all smiles, but the news that he would never walk again or be able to have children must have destroyed him and his wife. And it was all her fault.
“He was human?”
“Yes.”
He was silent as if pondering her words. “So, this is why you are so resistant to having a bodyguard? Because you are afraid that someone else would get hurt protecting you? Adrianna … this is what we do. Shane, the Lycan Security Team, and myself, we all risk our lives to protect those we serve.”
I don’t want you to get hurt! The words in her head sounded so loud, she thought he had heard it.
He took a step closer. “What can I do to help calm your nerves? It is getting late and you should get some sleep if you are to work tomorrow.”
“I just …” A warmth washed over her, and she felt her inner wolf whining, asking to be let out. How long had it been since she’d shifted? Too long. She didn’t have that luxury, living in New York. “I think to change. And run.”
His eyes flashed like brilliant blue bulbs. “Then do it. Allow your she-wolf to run free. I shall watch over you and protect you.”
Did she dare? It seemed like she didn’t have a choice though as her wolf was practically leaping at the surface. Her eyes were probably glowing too.
She nodded at him, then turned around to dart into the thicket of trees. As soon as she was far enough away , she whipped her sleep shirt off and allowed her wolf to take over. Her muscles crawled as her limbs stretched and fur burst from her skin. She fell forward, large paws landing on the ground, and hind legs pushed the wolf’s formed body to leap over a fallen log.
Instinct took over; this was the place where she had first met her wolf, all those summers ago when she came here to learn how to shift. It had been a while, but she could remember every inch of these woods.
The cool winter air felt refreshing at it whipped through her wolf’s thick fur. Legs pumped hard, pushing the wolf forward, running through the woods at breakneck speed. The moon overhead was only half-full, but her eyes could see everything, and her ears could pick up the smallest sounds from afar. A howl made the wolf skid to a stop. It stood very still, its ears perked up to listen closely. From the corner of its eye, a flash of silver darted out of the trees. Cobalt eyes glowed in the darkness.
Had she been in human form, she would have gasped. Darius’s wolf was magnificent. It was large, like all Lycans were in their animal form, but the silvery hair that covered its body made it otherworldly. She realized that really was the color of his hair.
The silver wolf didn’t move, but cocked its head slight
ly. A rush of excitement filled the she-wolf, and it turned tail and dashed away.
She could hear the pounding of the silver wolf’s large paws on the ground as it gave chase. Her wolf pushed forward, feeling the thrill of the pursuit. Darius’s wolf could have easily overtaken her, but it had hung back, as if wary of her. She didn’t know if that was good or bad.
She let the she-wolf run free, giving it its freedom. But she knew she couldn’t stay like this forever, so she steered it back toward the house. When she saw the back porch within sight, she began to tuck her wolf away.
Her senses returned to normal, the sights and sounds narrowing back into the human spectrum. The air chilled her skin, and she cursed when she realized she had left her shirt somewhere in the woods. Naked, she padded up the steps and saw a blanket laid on the bannister. Darius. He must have left it there. The gesture touched her and warmed her even more than when she draped the thick fabric around herself.
She heard the sound of footsteps behind her and saw Darius, back in human form and re-dressed in his sweatpants, climbing the porch steps with a careful gait. “Thank you for the blanket,” she began. “But you didn’t get yourself one.”
“I am fine,” he assured her. “Is there anything else you need, Miss Anderson?”
Miss Anderson? What had happened to him calling her by her first name? Maybe she had dreamt that part, too. His mask of indifference had returned as well, and the smoldering cobalt blue gaze was gone.
“No.” She turned around and reached for the door. “I don’t need anything from you.”
Chapter Eight
“I don’t need anything from you.”
Darius wasn’t sure how long he stood on the porch, staring at the door with Adrianna’s words ringing in his head over and over again, the look of hurt on her face stuck in his mind.
It was better this way, he told himself as he let himself inside and headed to his room.
He had lost himself in her vulnerability. It had brought out instincts in him that he never thought possible, just like this afternoon when he saw the child in her arms. Seeing her like that, her features softening as she soothed the infant, gave him thoughts that he had no right to think about.
And tonight’s events only cemented his vow to keep his distance. Seeing her so vulnerable had nearly broken him. Seeing her wolf, and then a glimpse of her naked skin only stoked the desire burning inside him. It was too much, all of it, and if Anatoli found out—
His uncle would never know.
It was easy enough to remain stony and unaffected in her presence the next day. Except for the drive to Manhattan and back, they didn’t interact much, and even then it was minimal. He convinced himself that her cold indifference pleased him.
When they arrived back at the house, the Alpha was waiting for them on the porch. But she wasn’t alone. There was a man next to her, and they were chatting as they sat on the patio couch, a bottle of wine and two glasses on the table in front of them.
He got out of the car first though Adrianna managed to step out before he could come over and open the door for her.
“Mama,” she said as she climbed up the porch steps. “What are you doing here? Where’s Julianna?”
Frankie stood up, and so did her companion. “Your sister’s in New York, but she said she’ll be back later tonight. I’ve invited a guest over for dinner at the restaurant tonight.” She turned to the man next to her. “William, this is my daughter and heir, Adrianna. Adrianna, this is William Blakely, Alpha of Philadelphia.”
“How do you do?” he asked.
“Alpha,” Adrianna began, giving him a slight bow. “Welcome to New Jersey. We are pleased to welcome you into our territory.”
“The honor’s all mine,” he replied, flashing her a brilliant smile with all white teeth.
Darius felt his wolf’s hackles raise. Not a good sign when around an Alpha, and Blakely quickly noticed his presence. “And who is this?” The Alpha wolf in him remained on guard, but restrained.
“This is my daughter’s bodyguard, Darius,” Frankie explained.
“Alpha.” He bowed, but his teeth ground together so hard it was almost painful.
Blakely didn’t even acknowledge the greeting and instead turned his attention to Adrianna. “I’m afraid I wasn’t present at your ball as I sent my Beta as my representative. She told me about what happened and that she barely escaped with her life. It’s terrible, all this business with the mages. My father was Alpha during that terrible time they terrorized us, and I heard some nasty stories.”
“Me too,” Adrianna said.
“It’s one of the reasons I invited William here,” Frankie said. “We need to start building alliances, especially those whose territories border ours.”
“We have a lot to discuss,” Blakely said. “And I am looking forward to dinner tonight.”
The way Blakely’s eyes devoured Adrianna made Darius think that the other Alpha wasn’t just talking about the food at Muccino’s. He bit his tongue and continued to keep his wolf at bay. Any insult to a visiting Alpha would have severe consequences.
“Darius, please feel free to have some leisure time.” Frankie had a sweet smile on her face, but it was obvious she didn’t mean that as a suggestion.
“If Miss Anderson is not safely at home, then she is still vulnerable,” he stated.
“I have members of the New York Lycan Security Team with me,” Frankie countered. “They’re already at the restaurant. Adrianna and I will ride with William going there.”
“Surely two Alphas could protect Adrianna?” William’s grin had just a hint of a sneer. “I’ll make sure she gets back safe and sound.”
He looked to Adrianna, who shrugged. “Let me get changed and I’ll be down in five minutes.”
“Of course, we’ll be right here, mimma.” Frankie said. “I hope you have a good evening, Darius.”
He knew when he was dismissed. “I do have some errands to run. But I shall be back shortly, Primul.” It was rude to just turn his back to two Alphas, but he didn’t care. If he didn’t get out of here now, his wolf was going to rip through his skin.
He got into his car and put it into gear as soon as the engine roared to life. Backing out of the driveway, he raced out, not really caring where he was going as long as it was far away from here.
Chapter Nine
“Really, Mama,” Adrianna hissed at Frankie as soon as William was out of earshot. They had just been served dessert when the other Alpha excused himself to make a phone call. “Couldn’t you have warned me you were inviting someone to dinner?”
“That’s not just someone, Adrianna,” Frankie said. “William Blakely is a powerful Alpha, plus one of our closest neighbors. We need his support to fight the mages.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing.”
“What I’m doing?” Frankie said with feigned innocence.
“You not-so-subtly asked him if he was seeing anyone and then mentioned I was single?” Adrianna huffed. “Are you trying to pimp me out?”
“Adrianna Callista Anderson!” Frankie exclaimed. “I would never do such a thing.” She took her glass of wine and took a sip. “But you have to admit, he’s pretty hot.”
“Mama!” She groaned and buried her face in her hands.
“What? Look at him,” her mother nodded at the window where they had a view of William as he paced and spoke on the phone. “He’s handsome, rich, and polite. A little older for you than I’d like, but that means he’s established and done playing around.”
“You don’t know that,” she said. But her mother was right about the other parts. William Blakely was wealthy and didn’t say one wrong thing throughout the whole night. His dark hair had a touch of silver at the temples, but he was only eleven years older than her.
And she’d dated enough to know when a man was interested in her, and William Blakely definitely was. Unlike certain other men who turned hot one moment and
cold the next.
Don’t think about him. It had been her mantra the whole day.
“Anyway, he’s not the only eligible Alpha these days,” Frankie said. “There’s Baltimore, even Rome. Alesso’s especially charming, and only a year younger than you.”
“And you say you’re not pimping me out.”
“Mimma.” Frankie placed a hand on her arm. “I’m just saying, think about it.”
“How would it work, anyway? If I married another Alpha, I couldn’t just leave to be with my husband nor could he leave his territory to come here. You and Papa were lucky you were right next to each other.”
“If you’re with the right person, you’ll figure it out. Though, you do make a good point. Maybe I should find some younger brothers and cousins of Alphas?”
She groaned. “So you are looking—”
“Ladies.” William had returned and took his seat. “Apologies. I had to take care of some business back home. But I’ve settled it, and there should be no more interruptions.” He glanced at the tiramisu on the plate in front of him. “This looks delicious. Dessert was always my favorite part of any meal.”
The look he sent Adrianna was probably meant to be seductive, but it merely made her skin crawl. Hopefully, the Alpha didn’t feel her inner wolf cringe with disgust. “Er, I’m actually full,” she said, pushing her tiramisu away.
Thankfully the rest of the dinner didn’t last too long. Frankie seemed pleased that William was open to talking about the mages, and they made plans to strengthen relations between their territories.
“Your dad’s not going to like that I’m out so late,” Frankie said as they walked out the front door. “William, would you mind dropping off Adrianna? I hate to put you out …”
Adrianna shot her mother a dirty look. “Mama, I’m sure you could—”
“Not a problem.” He offered his arm to her. “Shall we?”
She hesitated but realized she could insult him by refusing. “You’re too kind.” Wrapping her arm around his, she let him lead her to his vehicle.
Claiming the Alpha Page 7
