by K. S. Martin
“Can I brush my teeth?” she called through the door.
“Do whatever you like in there. You may shower, brush your teeth, and take care of your needs. I will wait out here. There is a new toothbrush and toiletries in the cabinet, and the towels are clean. It’s not like you’re going anywhere.”
Jess turned the shower on and locked the bathroom door. She knew the flimsy door wouldn’t keep a wolf out, but it made her feel better. Jess showered slowly, trying to get the circulation back into her muscles. She wondered how many days she’d lain there, drugged. James must be losing his mind. She needed to talk Alex out of whatever his plan was, whatever he meant to do her. She had to get him to take her home. She scrubbed her hair and rinsed, then washed herself. There were no weapons in here, no razor, not even a pair of tweezers. Jess finished up and got out, then dried herself.
“Alex?” she called. She heard him cross the room and come to try the locked door. “Are there fresh clothes, maybe some underwear, if you don’t mind?” Jess would remain civil, nice, even. If she was pleasant maybe, he would be nice, too.
“Wait there.” She heard his steps hurry from the room. Jess brushed her wet hair away from her face and brushed her teeth. She found deodorant and used it.
A soft knock sounded at the door, and she opened it a crack. He shoved clothes at her. A T-shirt, sweatpants, a bra, and panties—these were not her clothes. He hadn’t stopped to pack her a suitcase. He’d bought these. James would realize this, that none of her clothes were missing, and would know she hadn’t left on her own. She took the clothes and closed the door. She heard him cross to the bed and the mattress creaked. Jess dressed quickly and opened the door.
He stood.
“Can I not lie down for a while? I’m sore and I need to stretch my muscles. Please?” She gave him a wide-eyed look.
He nodded.
“I’m hungry, too. Do you have food?”
“Of course. Through the door to the right. Remember, I’m right behind you, and all of the doors are padlocked.”
Jess went out of the door and followed his directions. “I won’t try to escape, I promise,” she said over her shoulder. Finding the kitchen was easy since it was less than ten feet down a hall. This house was tiny and ancient. She guessed it was built at least fifty years ago and no one paid any mind to it since then. The fridge was stocked, and Jess looked her options over. The easiest thing would be a sandwich. She pulled the mustard and the ham out and put it on the counter. “Bread?”
He pointed.
“Do you want one?”
He smiled softly and nodded.
“Plates? Oh.” She saw the paper plates stacked in the corner and grabbed two. Jess laid out the bread and squirted the mustard on both pieces on each plate, then piled the ham on and topped it with the other piece of bread. “I guess it’s too much to ask to cut it in half, huh?”
He smirked.
Jess opened a top cabinet looking for a cup.
“On the counter beside the fridge.”
Jess turned and went to get a cup for herself then filled it with milk.
“Same for me.”
“I guess that answers my question of whether or not this will knock me out like the O.J.” She pushed his cup across the counter and sipped hers. It was the best glass of milk she’d ever had. Perfectly creamy and ice cold. She downed half of it. “How long to you plan to keep me here, Alex? I mean, what are your intentions?”
“I want to claim you as mine.” His eyes flashed, but she didn’t flinch or acknowledge it.
“I don’t want you, Alex,” she murmured gently. “I know that all of you guys are crazy about my scent or whatever, but let’s face it, there’s only one of you I want. James is the only man I’ll ever want.”
“You could learn to love another. He shouldn’t have done things the way he did.”
Jess chewed thoughtfully. “What do you mean?” She took another bite and watched him.
“Well, he claimed you as his and made us all back off. He has that right as an Alpha. Not where humans are concerned, however. That only applies where she-wolves are concerned. I checked the old laws and he can’t do that. We should’ve all had a shot and you should have had to choose.” He sipped his milk.
“Alex,” she said softly, and reached across the counter for his hand. She squeezed it gently. “I am a she-wolf, half anyway. My father was a wolf. I’ve never shifted, and my dad told my mom that I wouldn’t, but her newest husband says it can happen. He’s a bear-shifter and he told her that sometimes Halflings don’t shift until they mate. Once James claims me, then I may or may not shift. So you see, James had that right.”
“No, he didn’t. You are technically human until you shift, so not right.”
“You said the choice should be mine?”
He nodded.
“I choose James. I will always choose James. Even if you bite me right now, my heart belongs to James. I love him, Alex.”
Alex nodded and chewed.
“I’d like for you to take me home before things get out of hand. You know James will be angry, but he may not kill you if you return me safely, unharmed and unmarked. I’m not angry with you, Alex. I understand why you did this, but you must understand it will always be James.”
Alex put the rest of his uneaten sandwich down and exhaled loudly. “I know you’re right. I’m so sorry, Jessica. I don’t know why I do things sometimes. I go off half-cocked, and at the time it makes perfect sense, until it doesn’t.”
Jess took another bite, hoping that he was convinced and taking her home. Either way, she was hungry, and this was the best ham sandwich on the planet right now. “When we finish breakfast, I’ll take you back. Hopefully Cap will have some sympathy for a stupid wolf.”
Jess smiled and took another big bite.
All of the glass in the kitchen suddenly exploded at once, and huge wolves jumped in through the holes that were windows a minute ago. Jessica screamed and covered her face. Alex was at her side in a flash, shielding her from it. Neither of them knew what was going on because it happened so fast. Alex was tackled, and a giant brown wolf snarled down at him. “Come on, Freddy, get off.” Alex shoved at him, but Freddy didn’t move.
“Sweetheart.” James had her wrapped in his arms, but she struggled. “Jess, it’s me. Are you okay?”
“Don’t hurt him!” Jess cried.
“Don’t hurt him?!” James cupped her face gently with both hands. “Jessica, why are you defending him?” He was looking at both sides of her neck, she assumed, to check for a mark.
“James, he was kind to me. He didn’t hurt me. Don’t hurt him.”
James was dumbfounded.
“I know he kidnapped me and everything, but he didn’t hurt me.”
“Freddy, off,” James commanded the huge snarling wolf. The rest of them paced. “All of you, back off. Get out.”
The rest of the pack shifted into men as Jess watched. It fascinated her that they could do this amazing thing. It wasn’t anything like in the movies. It was more magical. They almost wavered or shimmered, she wasn’t sure of the word for it. Freddy and David jerked Alex to his feet. “You know he will be punished, right?”
Jess nodded. “And we discussed that. He understands that what he did was wrong, but I would like to vouch for him to stay in the pack. I don’t want him to be hurt physically or kicked out on my account. All of you wanted to chase me, and he knows that he went about it all wrong, but he didn’t hurt me and he didn’t mark me.” James growled low in his throat. “Oh stop that. I know you’re upset, but if you had made me yours sooner, this wouldn’t have happened. Also, he said that he researched old laws and that you were supposed to let me choose, James. If you’ll recall, I wasn’t very happy about you blocking my dates.”
James smirked and exhaled.
“He said that since I’m human you can’t pull that Alpha stuff on me.”
“What happened to my perfectly submissive mate?” James pulled her tight a
nd kissed the top of her head.
“She found her backbone and she’s hanging on to it, so watch out, buddy.” Snickers sounded around the room. Jess went up on her toes and kissed him. James motioned to the pack to clear out. He pushed her into the counter and trapped her with his hands. “There’s a bed in the other room,” Jess said between kisses. “There’s…never mind.”
“There’s what?” James trailed kisses down her cheek and throat.
“Nothing, never mind. Let’s go home.”
James looked into her eyes for a moment and stalked off down the hall. He needed to see, had to know what had happened here.
Jess waited nervously knowing he would be livid and hoped he didn’t blow a gasket. She heard him before she saw him. “James?” She saw his wolf then, the big one with the wicked yellow eyes. He was angry. Jess went to her knees as he approached, trying to stay out of the broken glass. She didn’t know why she should get down to his level, just that it would be better if she did. She held out her arms to him, and he came close to sniff her. “I’m okay, I swear. He didn’t hurt me. Please.” Her chin wobbled, and James shifted back into himself. “I promise that I’m okay. Don’t hurt him, and try not to be angry. I’m all yours, okay?”
James pulled her tightly to him and lifted her into his arms as he stood.
“I love you.” He looked down at her, and she smiled. “It will kill me if anything happens to you.”
She nodded.
“I’m going to take you home and give you a long bubble bath. I don’t want a trace of this place on you.” He looked around sourly before stepping through the shattered patio door, his feet crunching as he went.
***
James paced the length of her apartment while she relaxed in the tub. He’d heated the water to the perfect temperature for her and added bubbles that were scented with jasmine. She’d insisted that she had just showered, but James could still scent that place and Alex on her. He’d insisted just as much that she soak. He couldn’t take her tonight. This night was tarnished by the kidnapping. He still wanted to give her the perfect mating.
She’d insisted a thousand times that she was fine, but he wasn’t. There was still Alex’s punishment to consider. Freddy had put him in cuffs and booked him before James or Jess knew about it. Freddy said that it was to protect him and the pack. His thought was that the punishment must be considered at length by the Alpha.
Jess didn’t want him kicked out or hurt, but there must be punishment, to set not only an example for the pack but for Alex. He couldn’t get off scot-free or he would continue to disobey. He may decide later to take her anyway, and James couldn’t have that.
What if at some point he grabbed another’s mate, or pup, for that matter? James wanted to be considerate of Jess’s feelings, wishes, desires, but James was the Alpha of this pack, and it fell to him to make the decision. Right or wrong, it was on his shoulders. James answered the knock at the door and paid the deliveryman from Joe’s down the street. He would sit Jess in his lap and feed her fettuccine alfredo with chicken and mushrooms by hand, and then there was a piece of tiramisu for dessert.
Jess was gone for four days and all she remembered eating was half of that damned ham sandwich he saw on the floor after they’d broken in. She said he’d given her some drugged orange juice, too. That son of a bitch. James snarled. Jess’s wishes may be ignored. James fought the shift, breathing hard and pacing heavily across the apartment.
“James?” Jess stood in the bedroom door in a long T-shirt. “Are you okay?” She came to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. “Please calm down, you’re shimmering.”
James closed his eyes and breathed her scent in deeply.
“I’m starved, what did you order? It smells like heaven.” Jess sniffed loudly.
He took her hand, grabbed the bag, and went to sit on the pink couch. She plopped down beside him and watched him unload the bag. The round tin with the plastic lid didn’t interest her nearly as much as the Styrofoam box. James saw her eyeing it, saw her trying to decide if she could get to it before him, and he smirked, then winked.
“After dinner, sweetness.”
She stuck her bottom lip out, then laughed when he smiled.
“Come here.” James pulled her into his lap and fed her by hand. She didn’t object. She had to know that he needed to take care of her. It was calming him, and calm was definitely better for both of them. Once she’d had her fill of the alfredo and would not accept another bite, he opened the dessert box. James groaned at the sounds she made for the mousse and swore that he would coax her body make more of those noises tomorrow night.
“Are we going to the new house after dinner?” Jess’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink.
He shook his head grimly.
“Okay,” she murmured.
He wasn’t in the right place emotionally to mark her, and she had to understand, but he was sure that she was disappointed. Tomorrow. Tomorrow was a new day, and tomorrow night he would claim her.
Chapter 12
“Come.” James led her through the house in the dark. “Step up.”
Jess did as she was told. “This isn’t fair. I can’t see in the dark like you.”
His fingers pressed into the small of her back.
“Turn the lights on, James. Didn’t they finish the wiring yet?”
“Wait and see.” James stopped. Golden light suddenly filled the room with a soft glow.
Jess gasped. The living room was finished and full of furniture. A vase of fresh flowers was placed in the center of the coffee table before a long traditional sofa. Jess covered her mouth with her hands.
“Not bad for a bunch of guys huh?” James pulled her toward the bedroom. Her bed was flanked by two cherry nightstands that closely resembled her bed. A dresser stood sentry on one wall, and a chest of drawers on the other. The fireplace glowed softly with the pink couch facing it.
“It’s beautiful. All of it.” She turned and threw herself into his arms. “I love it. When did you do all of this?”
“It’s not all finished yet. We have a few bedrooms, a couple of bathrooms upstairs, and the kitchen to fix up. These two rooms are done, so we can comfortably spend our evenings and nights with each other, alone.”
Jess nibbled her bottom lip. Her fingers traced the buttons of his shirt. “Ah. Is that how it is then?” She raised her eyes to meet his, and the corner of her mouth lifted.
James lifted the hem of her T-shirt over her head, blinding her to what he was about to do. Her face was hidden and her hands trapped.
“I love you,” he murmured against the soft pale skin of her breast. His tongue traced the swell of it, and she shivered. He tugged the T-shirt off and tossed it.
Jess buried her hands in his short dark hair and lifted his face to hers so she could kiss him. She sucked on his tongue when it dipped into her mouth for a taste. He groaned, and her heart soared.
He lifted her and carried her to the side of the bed. She reached back to remove her bra, but he stilled her hands. “I want to unwrap my present.”
Jess trembled. “And I want to unwrap mine.” She pulled at the hem of his shirt, tugging it from the waist of his pants.
James smiled down at her and let her have her way. She’d waited so impatiently up until now. Her fingers deftly unfastened the buttons up the front of him and slid it over his shoulders. They’d just finished a romantic dinner with wine and a dessert that she didn’t want because it kept her from this. She suspected he’d ordered it to tease her but used the excuse that Alex had nearly starved her to death.
His T-shirt was next. Jess trapped his hands the way he had hers and he chuckled. She kissed him then rubbed herself against his now-bare chest. He slipped his hands from the shirt and pulled her closer with his fingers locked in her belt loops. Her agile fingers found his belt and tugged it loose, dropping it to the floor. She was nudging him closer to the bed, but he didn’t mind. He was her willing captive.
James leaned
down and kissed her neck. Jess shivered, and a growl rumbled through his chest.
“James,” she moaned.
He lifted her easily and placed her on the bed that the pack moved in and put together while they were at dinner. He knew that Jess thought that he was trying to prolong her agony, but he was actually trying to give them time to set this up. The room danced with soft light from candles scattered throughout the room and low-lit lamps. The fireplace crackled romantically, and the corner of his mouth lifted at how much care they put into this. James unfastened her jeans and slid them from her legs. She sat up to unfasten her bra, and he pushed her hands away. James worked the clasp easily and slid it from her trembling flesh.
“My present.” He grinned, then kissed her sweetly. “My future.” She smiled at his play on words. His mouth trailed soft warm kisses down her throat, over her collarbone and over the mound of her breast. “Such a wonderful gift,” he murmured against her skin. James pushed her back onto the pillows and worshipped her body. Him sucking her rosy nipples into his mouth had her back arching. Her fingers worked into his thick dark hair, holding his head in place. He blew a warm breath over her nipples and watched them clench into taut peaks. They strained toward him, and James’s eyes flashed. “I love you, sweetheart.”
His tongue traced the line of her sternum, then warm kisses trailed over her belly until he found her navel. He nipped at it, and Jess giggled then moaned when he kissed her mound through her pink lacy panties. The heat of his breath through them was maddening. He nibbled at her through the lace, and Jess wiggled her hips, unable to stand the erotic sensations. No man ever made her feel this giddy or on edge. She was ready to come out of her skin and it felt as though all of the blood in her body was pooling between her legs. She was throbbing, hot and wet. Her pulse pounded in her clit, and he was not giving any relief.
“Please, James…”
He smiled up at her over the length of her body. She was watching him tease her flesh with wide, curious eyes. James traced his tongue over her cleft through the pink lace, and she bucked. He chuckled and sent warm damp breaths over her already-searing skin. Her fingers hooked in the sides of the offending underwear, but James removed them gently and placed them at her sides.
