by Susan Bliler
Jercules barked and drew her from her thoughts. “Today, Kitchen Aid.”
Kitchen Aid? Great. Now, she was a fucking appliance. Following the behemoth to a blacked out suburban, she looked back at her pack’s camp and waited for rescue. None came. No one even came to say goodbye. That stung. She knew Simone would be there if she knew, but Hillary hadn’t even known.
Jercules barked, “Get in.”
Nervously, she lifted herself into the back of the suburban and even though Jercules was on the other side of the vehicle in his own seat, she still plastered herself against her door once she closed it.
“Buckle up,” he ordered and then chuffed a laugh at her posture. “And relax Kitchen Aid. I’ve got standards.”
And that was it. This guy wasn’t Alpha and he obviously wasn’t even Beta because then he’d be riding with Modess and not with “the kitchen help.” No, he was just some regular member like her.
“Yeah? Well so do I, and you can’t even meet my minimum. Gave my standards a raise a long time ago, and now they’re working for me.” So there!
Jercules turned shocked eyes to her and as she waited for him to get pissed, she wondered if she should have kept her mouth shut. The guy, while not as large as Modess, was roughly the size of a barn.
To her relief, Jercules barked out a laugh and then leaned forward to slap the driver on the shoulder. “You hear that shit, Christian? She’s got a little sass.” Looking back at her, the driver’s eyes traveled up and down her frame as if just seeing her for the first time. Waggling his brows he crowed, “I like!”
“Well don’t.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she faced her window then tacked on for good measure. “I’m here for Modess. Period.” She saw Jercules’ expression in the reflection of her window and her words must have rung a little too true. He tore his eyes from her with a sigh and jerked his chin to Christian, who started the vehicle and took her away from her home.
The trip was long and after about an hour of too rigid posture and aching muscles, Hillary relaxed against the seat. Jercules, who she discovered through his banter with Christian, was actually called Henry, flirted with her a lot. Funny, considering he’d already declared that she wasn’t good enough for him. Douche!
When night fell, they finally stopped at a diner on the side of the highway. Hillary wondered if the other vehicles had stopped too. She didn’t have to wonder long because when the vehicle finally stopped and she went to open her door, it was jerked open from the outside almost causing her to tumble out. Catching herself just in time, she lifted her head to bitch at whoever had opened her door only to find Modess frowning down at her.
Chapter 5
From beneath furrowed brows, Modess watched Hillary pick at her meal. She was quiet, shy, which was a contrast to her hair that drew attention to her. Her fiery hair hung in shades of intermingled gold and auburn to just past her shoulders. When she peeked up at him, Modess was captured again by those huge dove-gray eyes. She was beautiful. No, she was more than beautiful. She was distracting and it was keeping him from eating. Glancing down, he snorted. Okay, maybe she was a nice distraction from the greasy crap piled on his plate.
“This food’s shit!” Bull declared and the rest of the pack agreed and several forks dropped onto plates with a clatter.
Looking at Hillary, Modess wondered if she hadn’t already spoiled his pack because his men had no problem eating the food at this diner on the way to Shadow Wolf.
“It is bad,” Hillary mumbled.
“What’s that?” Modess asked and Hillary’s eyes rounded before she peeked up and quickly looked back down.
“Uh, nothing. Sorry.”
“You’re sorry for having an opinion?”
He watched the column of her throat work as she swallowed before replying. “We’re not really allowed to do that back home.”
“What?”
“Have an opinion,” she muttered quietly then smirked and peeked up at him.
He liked that she had no problem holding his gaze. Most females were too intimidated to even glance at him.
“Great!” Henry scoffed. “Submissive women who know their place are the best.”
Modess watched a flush take Hillary’s cheeks before she shot Henry a dark look. He grinned. Little Red has got some sass. Might not be as submissive as she’s pretending to be.
A loud slap sounded and Modess didn’t have to look to know that Christian had just smacked Henry in the back of the head. It happened at least a dozen times a day and with Christian being the only mated male among them, he wasn’t surprised that he took exception to Henry’s words. He supposed he should too. After all, Christian was mated to his sister.
Henry hissed, “What the fuck, man!” He shoved away from the table. “Can we just go? No one’s even eating this shit!”
He was right, but the pack didn’t go anywhere until Modess said so. Everyone looked to Modess. He slowly lifted his head to frown at Henry until the man sat back down and lowered his head. When Henry was put back in his place, Modess declared, “Let’s go.” The pack rose from the table. He watched as Hillary hurried to wipe her hands on her napkin before dropping it beside her plate of nearly untouched food. Pausing, he asked, “You want a to-go box.”
“No,” she smiled, brows shooting up incredulously. “Thank you, though.”
He grunted and turned.
“Piss before we hit the road, Kitchen Aide, it’s a long drive,” Henry laughed.
“Don’t call her that!” Modess growled.
It took him a second to realize that at the exact same time, Hillary warned, “Don’t call me that!”
Looking at Modess, Henry threw his hands in the air and backed out of the diner.
***
Back in the vehicle with Henry and Christian, Hillary listened to Henry whine. “Did you hear him? Don’t call her that?” He mocked in a more masculine tone and shot Hillary a scathing look. “I mean come on! I was just screwing around.”
“My name is Hillary. Maybe if you’d use it…”
“Lady, you’re gonna to be at Blood Lust for like two minutes!” he barked. “I don’t wanna know your know name! You won’t be around long enough for me to be inconvenienced with the need.”
“It’s the same amount of syllables as Kitchen Aide,” she argued. “Where’s the inconvenience?”
Henry whirled in his seat to gape at her.
From the driver’s seat, Christian sighed a weary, “Henry, let it go.”
Ignoring him, Henry pointed a finger at Hillary. “You know, you’re an outsider coming into foreign territory. Do you have any idea how uncomfortable I can make things for you?”
Shit! Tearing her eyes from his, Hillary stared straight ahead. He was probably right. She shouldn’t be making enemies this soon into her stay.
Christian’s eyes found hers in the rearview mirror. “His bark is worse than his bite.”
“The hell it is,” Henry muttered, turning to look out his own window. “My bite is vicious.”
She didn’t doubt it. Any shifter who had no qualms about harassing a female on a trip into unknown territory certainly didn’t reek of kindness.
Hours later, the sun had tucked itself behind the looming mountains that Christian was traversing while Hillary stared anxiously out her window. The vehicle rounded a curve and what was seconds ago pitch black forest was now an explosion of lights. Her belly lurched at the size of the Blood Lust compound. There were two tall structures flooded with the most light, and then all around the clearing were scattered lights from at least a dozen cabins that peppered the grounds. The layout was a lot like Shadow Wolf and for that she was grateful.
“Here we go!” Henry declared when Christian pulled the vehicle to a stop behind Modess’. In front of them, the Alpha, his Beta, and the enforcers stepped out of their vehicle and stretched. Henry and Christian followed suit, but for some reason she couldn’t explain, Hillary stalled. No, not just stalled. She panicked.
G
rabbing the headrest of the seat in front of her, she pulled herself forward and leaned between the two seats to reach across the driver’s seat and lock the doors. Outside, Christian and Henry turned to stare at her and she heard Modess barking something.
“She locked herself in,” Henry shouted back with a laugh.
Oh God! Calm down, calm down, calm down! Her breathing accelerated like she’d just run a hundred miles and when several more men stepped from the tree line to surround the vehicles, her limbs trembled in earnest.
The deep timber of Modess’ voice was unmistakable but because he was farther away than Christian and Henry, she couldn’t make out his words.
“I don’t know,” Henry shrugged his shoulders up to his ears and pulled a face. “Maybe she thinks she’s better than us. Maybe our compound doesn’t meet her standards.”
Henry looked right in the window and gave her a challenging look, and wasn’t that just fucking great. He was already making things bad for her. Her hand closed around the cold door handle and she was about to open her door when Modess suddenly appeared outside her window. He was so broad that his shoulders blocked out all the light from the compound. Hillary watched as he held up his hand and Christian hurried to round the vehicle before handing him the keys.
She cringed inwardly at what a stupid move it had been to lock herself in when the key fob had an auto lock and unlock button. Honestly, what vehicles nowadays didn’t?
Modess’ lips thinned into a grim line as he pressed the button and the doors unlocked. Hillary was frozen in place, half-leaning forward, staring up at the Alpha.
He opened the back door and braced both arms against the frame. Turning his head, he spit once before leaning down to ask, “What’s your problem?”
Ghaa! What was her problem? Obviously, she didn’t want to be here, but clearly it was too late to remedy that. Clearing her throat, she kept her eyes locked on the Alpha’s. “I…just needed a minute.”
Henry burst into a fit of laughter, but it ceased the second Modess lifted his head and frowned darkly at the shifter.
“Leave,” Modess ordered. Just like that, the other men headed toward the compound. Wordlessly, he dipped his eyes back to Hillary and held out a hand.
Unsure what else to do and too intimidated to not accept the assistance, Hillary slid her palm along Modess’ but jerked it back with a gasp when a lightning bolt of electricity shot through her arm. Her eyes shot up to Modess who stared down at his own palm with a confused expression on his face.
“Wh-what was that?”
Fisting his hand he looked up to her and growled, “Follow me.” He turned his back on her and went to the rear of the vehicle to retrieve her luggage.
Numbly, Hillary did as ordered and when Modess had both her bags, she followed him toward the compound. “I can carry my own bags,” she offered and it went ignored. Behind him, Hillary studied Modess’ back. He was taller and broader than any of the males at Shadow Wolf, but his size suited him. Her eyes traveled down the expanse of his back and settled on his ass.
“You keep looking at me.”
His words had her eyes jerking up as heat flooded her cheeks. “Ummm…” She wasn’t sure if he had eyes in the back of his head or if he was referring to the glances she kept sneaking during their so-called dinner at the diner. “Uhh…”
“In our pack, making eye contact with the Alpha is considered a challenge.”
Oooooh! She exhaled a pent up breath. “Sorry. Michael doesn’t demand that kind of respect. Back home when someone speaks to you it’s considered rude to not meet their eyes, plus your eyes are…” Oh shit!
Stopping, he turned and looked at her over his shoulder. “My eyes are what?”
Like an idiot, she lifted her eyes to meet his and then quickly dipped her chin. Without thinking, she locked her eyes on his ass before getting flustered and turning to look at the nearest tree. “Pretty,” she whispered.
“Excuse me?”
Her cheeks singed with embarrassment. Clearing her throat, she spoke louder. “Pretty. I said you have pretty eyes.”
Modess snorted and then turned, resuming their journey while Hillary inwardly cursed herself for being such an idiot.
She startled hard when Modess yelled, “HENRY!”
The enforcer came bounding through the trees. “Yeah boss?”
Modess thrust her suitcases into Henry’s chest and barked. “Take her to the guest quarters.” Without a second look at her, the Alpha stormed off into the trees leaving her alone with Henry.
“Good job, Kitchen Aide. You pissed off the Alpha on your first day.” He started walking with a shake of his head, “Classic!”
Chapter 6
Stalking toward his house, Modess kept fisting and unfisting his hand. It still had that pins and needles feeling that had shocked him when he’d touched Hillary.
Hillary. Hoooo, she’s gonna be trouble. He didn’t know how or why he knew, but he absolutely fucking knew.
His head jerked to the side just in time to see a dark shadow launch itself at him from the thick of the forest. With a quick duck and pivot he avoided the collision and spun. Walking backwards without breaking stride, he smirked at his sister, Wanda. “Too slow, foolio!”
She hissed in annoyance but swung her arms exaggeratedly as she kept pace walking toward him. “Christian says you brought a woman back.”
Oh hell no! “She’s a chef. She’s gonna teach you all how to cook. Period.”
When Wanda grinned and her brows hiked, he stopped walking. She almost plowed right into his chest. “I fucking mean in it, Wanda. Don’t go trying to play match maker. She’s here for a job and nothing else.” Turning, he stalked toward his house.
“You said you were going to tell Shadow Wolf no. You said no way in hell were you going to teach and I quote, ‘those fuckers to fight’. Yet here you are.” She canted her head. “Home, less some of your enforcers, and toting a woman.”
“I’m not playing this game with you, Wanda. I’m telling you now, don’t pull no shit.”
Mouth dropping open in mock dismay, Wanda flattened a hand between her breasts. “Me? Pull shit? Of what do you speak, little brother?”
“Yeah,” he snorted. “Don’t pull that innocent act with me.”
Dropping her hand, she turned serious. “Well at least tell me about her? I’m gonna check on her in the morning, but in the meantime what’s she like?”
Beautiful. He shrugged, feigning disinterest. “Short.”
Wanda stopped, her brows hiked to her hairline as she pursed her lips. “Short? What kind of description is that?” Because Modess didn’t stop, she was forced to start walking to keep up with him. “Short? Well that’s a shit description because you’re like a million feet tall and everyone is short to you. What does she look like?”
“She has red hair and gray eyes. She’s curvy.”
“Curvy?” Wanda asked with a grin. “You mean fat?”
“No.” He kept walking but shook his head, “Fuck no.” He muttered as if to himself, “She ain’t fat.” He didn’t know that from behind him Wanda smirked as she watched his hands flex.
“Okay. A sexy, curvaceous, red head with gray eyes.”
At the stairs that led up to his front door, he took them two at a time. “Didn’t say she was sexy, Wanda.”
“So she’s gross?”
A growl was his only response before striding through the front door and closing it behind him.
Undeterred, Wanda opened the door and followed him in. “Is she mated?”
“How the fuck would I know? I didn’t ask that shit.”
She chided, “Your nose broke?”
“She rode with Henry and…” He slammed to a halt halfway through the living room and spun glaring at his sister. “Your husband! You want answers? Go ask him! Quit hounding me, Wanda, it was a long ride home.”
Storming into his kitchen, he crossed to the fridge, jerked it open and pulled out a bottle of beer. Twisting off the c
ap, he downed half the contents in one swallow.
“Christian says she’s pretty, and unmated.”
Lowering his beer, he shot his sister a dark look before swiping at his lips with the back of his hand with a commanded, “Don’t!”
“What?” she shrugged her shoulders to her ears and batted her eyes. “I was just saying.”
“She’s terrified of me, just like everyone else. Worse, her Alpha didn’t ask her if she’d be interested in coming here, just made her do it. She doesn’t want to be here and tonight’s gonna probably be hard on her, so…”
Wanda jammed her fisted hands onto her hips. “Her Alpha forced her to come here?”
“He had her things packed and when she showed up, he told her it was her responsibility for the good of the pack. She was pretty upset.”
Wanda’s faced morphed into one of genuine concern, “Oh my God, did she cry?”
“Nah,” he shook his head. “But I could scent her distress.”
Looking toward the window, Wanda asked, “So is she all settled in?”
“Dunno.” He finished the rest of his beer. “I had Henry get her squared away.”
“Henry? Why the hell would you send him?”
“Because I didn’t want her freaking out with me in her space. I may be an asshole, but I’m not a fucking asshole.”
