She felt overwhelmed just being next to this man. He was the most handsome person she had ever seen and she was instantly attracted to him. She took a step back, refusing his hand, but continued to look him in the eyes.
“Hello, I’m Shana and it’s nice to meet you; however, I was very specific yesterday when I informed Mr. Calhoun that I will not allow anyone else into my home, so I think you should leave.”
Shana was so proud of herself. All she wanted to do was rub her body up against this man and lick him. Uh, no, no licking. She must be losing her mind.
The more she looked at him, the more she felt a connection and wanted to reach out and touch him. Not just shake his hand but maybe squeeze that firm backside. Oh, hell, she couldn’t control her thoughts and she could feel herself blushing.
She had to get away. Wait, this was her house. “Well, are you going to leave?”
He simply smiled and said, “Grant is my brother, and because of the job we do, we are required to bring back-up. I’m sure you understand. If you’d like I can wait outside and we can talk about your system while he sets up. He needs to check the pre-existing alarm before installing the panic button. I’m sure you understand.” Leave? She was crazy if she thought she could escape that easily.
“I don’t think that’s a great idea. I’m very busy and have plans to attend to when you’re finished. Grant told me it would only take fifteen minutes.”
For the first time, Jake noticed her clothing. She was wearing business attire with the sexiest three inch heels he had ever seen. He wanted to rip her clothes off, bury himself deeply within her while she dug her spiky heels into his back. Whoa, down boy. Control.
“If it’s a bad time we can complete the work and I can come back later. Or I can meet you at the diner for lunch and explain the program and how you key in the passwords.” He saw her eyes widen. Okay, too soon. It wasn’t like he was proposing; it was just lunch for crying out loud.
“Forgive me for being blunt Mr. Calhoun, but I’m not interested in lunch with you, or anyone else for that matter. I am very busy with work and raising my son.” She put emphasis on the word ‘son’ like that was going to deter him. “I’m not comfortable going anywhere with you, ever, but thank you. If you leave a manual, I’m sure I can figure it out.” Take that, Mr. Sexy. Not everyone is interested in your hard body and spicy male scent.
Damn, she needed to get laid; unfortunately, she’d never trusted anyone enough to be naked with them. She felt drawn to Jake, but she had control of her libido. Yeah, right. If she had control she wouldn’t be creaming in her panties. She squeezed her thighs together.
“Sure, Shana. I’ll be done in a couple minutes and then we’ll leave.” Grant looked at Jake. “Right, brother?”
Jake nodded and went to the car to get the equipment. He waited outside while Grant did the work. It made him crazy to know that his brother was in his mate’s house; in her confidence while he was left out in the cold.
They said goodbye to Shana and got in the truck. Jake was seething and Grant looked frightened, keeping his head down.
“You smell of her and I want to rip your head off. Maybe you should roll down the window.”
They followed her car, but drove past, when she stopped in front of the town lawyer’s office. She must be in trouble.
* * * * *
Shana pulled up to the town lawyer’s office. She straightened her back and swore that she would no longer feel shame for what happened so long ago. She had brought the case file and the papers she’d received yesterday. Her palms were sweating and she felt like a scared little girl all over again. She would do this for her son. Ryan, the piece of shit, no longer wanted her but their son. Her innocent precious boy. She strolled confidently into the office, head held high but shaking inside.
Shana left two hours later. She looked a mess. Her makeup was cried off and her eyes were red and puffy. Her face was flushed and her spirit crushed.
The courts were leaning toward dual parenting where the mother and father both had contact with the child but not each other. The crime was against her and not the innocent child. Her lawyer, Kyle Malloy, told her he would fight for her, but it was ultimately at the judge’s discretion.
She drove to the diner and got a cup of coffee to go. When she walked in the diner she immediately felt Mr. Jake Calhoun’s presence, and was assaulted by his spicy male scent. When she looked for him she found him in the corner booth sipping coffee and eating what looked like chicken fried steak. He was alone and looked lonely.
She had no idea what possessed her, but she walked over to his table and sat across from him. He breathed roughly through his nose and looked up smiling. “Well, hello, Ms. Dunn. Are you hungry?”
She was amazed he didn’t ask why she looked like a kid that lost their candy. “Sure, I’ve suddenly got quite an appetite.”
Jake called the waitress over and Shana ordered, “Whatever he was having.”
They ate in comfortable silence. When the meal was complete, she asked, “How long have you been working for Twilight Lookout?”
Shana was pushing her luck staying so close to him knowing she was physically attracted, engaging in conversation. Maybe he would be really dumb and she’d lose the passion and intrigue she felt for him.
“Actually, I own the company. It is pretty successful even though this is a small town that doesn’t get much crime.” At the mention of crime he noticed her face fell.
“Oh, well. Let’s hope it stays a low crime area. But you never know when someone is going to move in and bring their troubles.” She tried to sound lighthearted but too much was weighing on her.
“Is everything okay, Shana? Do you need help or protection? We’re a pretty small town but we like to help each other. If there is anything you need, I’ll do my best to provide it,” Jake said with seriousness.
She cocked her head to the side and asked, “Why? Why would you help me? You don’t even know me. And I don’t know you. In fact, I tried to kick you off my property not two hours ago.”
“I know it sounds funny, but I feel a connection to you and I know you feel it too. You can trust me. I’m not going to lie to you, Shana. I think you’re a beautiful woman and, one day, I’d like to have you in my bed, but, when I do, it’ll be forever.”
Shana’s eyes narrowed and her scent became bitter.
“I don’t trust easy, or often, Mr. Calhoun. In fact, I haven’t shared a meal with anyone apart from my family and my best friend for years. I don’t feel safe, and although I’d like to trust you, I just don’t see that happening, in or out of bed.”
She tried to take money from her wallet to pay and leave, but he waved her money away, already giving the check to the waitress.
“Thank you for the meal.” Shana turned to walk away.
Jake was irritated. Why was she back to the all-business attitude? “It’s obvious something has happened to you, and I’m truly sorry, but my offer still stands. If you need me I’d be more than happy to listen to you vent, or even just sit with you for comfort.”
Jake wrote his phone number on a napkin, stood and walked away. It was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. His beast was snarling at him to go back and comfort his mate, but his human side knew she wasn’t ready.
Shana went to her car and drove to pick up Trevor; after all, they had a wolf to care for. A wolf that was safe because he had protected her son. She would buy him his own bunny factory if he would keep them safe. Yuck, she hoped he didn’t hurt Thumper and brought it to the porch.
They drove to the pet store and Trevor talked about his teacher and some of the kids in his class. Forrest was caught picking his nose, and Mrs. Miner made him wash his hands. Larry went down the slide the wrong way and threw up. The janitor had to come clean it up before they could play on the slide again.
When Trevor was done with the kindergarten gossip, they sang their ABC’s.
Trevor picked out an extra-large, expensive dog bed and a dis
h for food and water. They bought dog food and treats while they cruised the store looking at the pets. Trevor liked the hamsters and asked to take one home. Shana told him that wolfies’ favorite food is hamster so he let the idea go fairly quickly.
Once at home, they set up the bed for Jake on the corner of the back porch, putting the food and water dishes next to it. She scooped out half of the dog food into the bowl, putting the rest in a Tupperware in the fridge for tomorrow. It smelled disgusting. She introduced Trevor to the new security system and the panic button before bed.
Hopefully, they’d sleep soundly tonight.
Chapter 7
Shana woke with a start. She had been having a dream about Jake, the man, not the wolf. He was hovering over her and Trevor with possessiveness but not like Ryan, the rat bastard, use to. He was giving and kind, but protective. Shana knew in her dream state that he would give his life to keep her and Trevor safe. He looked at them like family and she woke feeling safe.
She laid there sleepily for a few minutes before she heard another sound. Sitting bolt upright in bed she was thinking only of her son’s safety. She ran to his room; empty. His covers a mess on the ground.
Shana called out to him without thinking of the danger. “Trevor!”
She didn’t hear a response and flew into a panic. She ran down the stairs and straight into a solid object. She smelled something foul and immediately knew-they were found.
She was grabbed on her upper arms and flung against the wall as she heard an unfamiliar man’s voice say, “Ryan just wants the kid now, but I’ll be back for you. He said your pussy was great and he’d let me take a turn.” Malice in every word, she wanted to vomit.
“You’re all he could talk about. You must be something special. Will you scream for me too?”
“Noooooo, don’t hurt my mommy!”
Shana heard Trevor’s little voice as she tried to get up. Trevor continued to repeat, “Come on, Jake. Help mommy now.”
Shana heard her son whimpering and wanted very badly to attack this foul man.
She bolted for the sound of her child’s distress. She reached Trevor in time to cover him with her body. She was kicked and hit, but she never released her child from the position under her protective cocoon.
Trevor said, “It’s almost over, mom. Jake is going to come for us.”
Her last conscious thought was: it’s sad that my son thinks of a wild animal as his only protector.
* * * * *
Jake got the page in the middle of the night from the panic button they had just installed in his mate’s home. He jumped up and got in his truck before he realized he was still naked. No time for clothes now, his protective response wouldn’t allow for him to stop going for her. He got a text from Conner and Grant that they were also on their way.
He was the second person to arrive. Conner must have let himself into Shana’s home because the front door was damn near broken down completely.
Jake bound up the porch steps in a leap and saw Conner crouched next to Shana on the floor. He could smell blood--her blood. He growled at Conner, causing him to back up with a quickness he’d never seen.
Shana’s nightgown had ridden up to her belly. There were forming bruises to her back and both flanks and there was blood in her hair.
Jake bent down to check her cuts and remembered the boy. “Check on Trevor,” he ordered Conner.
Shana moaned and turned to her back. When she saw Jake, she sat up abruptly and yelled, “Trevor, he has Trevor!”
“Who has him, Shana? What happened?”
“Someone took him. Please help him. Please get my son!” She was shivering.
“Do you know where they went, Shana?”
“No...Please, Trevor said Jake would come for us. I thought he meant his wolf friend but you’re here. Please, you have to help.”
Jake could smell her desperation and fear.
“I’ll find him. Don’t worry. Stay with Conner, he’ll keep you safe. Grant is on his way too.” He brushed his lips across her temple and ran to the backyard.
He had to shift to track Trevor fast. He already had his scent in his memory. He changed, only then realizing that Shana had followed him to the yard, and saw everything.
Wide-eyed, she walked up to Wolf Jake and pleaded, “Please, find him for me. I can’t survive without him. Find my baby.”
Jake dropped his head in a nod and ran through the forest.
Holy shit, he was a wolf and she just sent him after her son. Silently she hoped he wasn’t hungry as she watched him sprint into the forest. Deep down she knew Jake wouldn’t hurt Trevor, but the man who took him would. She cursed herself for passing out and being weak. She should have been able to protect one small child. Her legs gave out and she fell to the porch floor.
“It’s not your fault, you know,” Conner’s unfamiliar voice spoke from behind her.
She suddenly turned and realized that she had no idea who this man was. He looked like a surfer with nice features that she was sure held many smiles, but not now.
“Jake will find him and bring him back safely.”
She wished she could be so confident.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?”
Conner was shocked that her first questions weren’t about Jake shifting to an animal.
Shana gave herself only a moment to doubt and be vulnerable, but that moment was gone when she sent Jake into the forest.
Conner turned to her and gently said, “My name is Conner and I work with Jake. When you pushed the silent alarm, it sent out a mass text. Grant is in the house checking for any leads on how the kidnapper got in. The sheriff is out front keeping watch.”
Shana turned and looked at him with rage in her eyes.
“No way, you’re lying. I didn’t trip the alarm. I got caught before I could reach it; everything happened so fast that I forgot. I only wanted to protect Trevor.”
She began to tear up and Conner could tell she was holding the tears at bay with only her strong will.
“I don’t know you and you shouldn’t be here. For all I know you’re with the guy that took my boy.” She turned to him. “Get out!”
“I know you’re upset right now Shana, but Jake wouldn’t want us to leave you unprotected. He’s our Alpha and it’s our job to protect you, when he’s gone.”
“Well, you did a fine job. Wait, why would you need to protect me? I’m nothing to you wolf people, werewolves, whatever. Why? Because I signed up for your security?”
She was so confused. She just wanted Trevor back and then she could think again. As for the werewolf, she was too numb to question it right now.
They heard a howl and, at the sound, Shana went running to the woods. She felt a hand clamp around her arm and shook it off, turning and screaming, “Don’t touch me! Don’t ever touch me!”
Connor calmed his voice because he could feel her anger, fear, shock and pain. Her emotions were rolling off her and it took a lot of focus to stay calm in front of her.
“That was Jake and he was letting us know he’s got your boy and he’s coming back. He remains unharmed.”
Shana was so happy she turned and threw herself at him, into a big hug. Her tears were getting his shirt wet.
Shoot, the Alpha was gonna kick his ass when he came back and Conner was covered in her scent.
* * * * *
Jake easily caught up to the heavy, short and balding man. He was running with Trevor over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The smelly man didn’t get very far; clearly, he wasn’t in the best shape.
As Jake neared, the man’s steps slowed with fatigue. Trevor’s little head popped up, he looked right at Jake and...Waved. Did he see that right? The kid should be terrified.
Jake growled low in his throat and came up to the smelly man. Smelly turned and noticed the wolf staring him down. Jake took pride in the man’s fear and gave another growl when he backed up.
“Nice doggie, nice doggie; I’m not gonna hurt yo
u. Shoo, go away, dog.”
Trevor piped in, “Hey, that’s the same wolf that we saw eat a whole coyote a couple days ago. And then he took down a deer and eated that too. He must have a very hungry wolf belly. Maybe you should run or he’ll eat us too.”
Trevor was dropped to the ground as the man turned to run.
Jake was quicker and pounced. He landed on the man’s large sweaty back. He enjoyed using his claws on the stinky man’s back.
“No, please kid, run and get help.” As if.
Trevor simply said, “He’s gonna go night-night; let’s go Jake, mama’s worried.”
Smelly tried to scream but as he drew a breath, he went limp as unconsciousness took him.
Jake howled and ripped a piece off Stinky’s shirt. Jake went down on his haunches so Trevor could hop on.
Chapter 8
Shana couldn’t contain her tears as she saw Trevor bouncing on Jake’s back. He’d done it. He’d brought back the most precious thing in the world to her. She ran to the pair and snatched Trevor off the wolf. She hugged him, crying, and told him never to leave her again.
She caught a glimpse of Jake trotting to a man the others had called sheriff. Wolf Jake dropped a piece of cloth into his hand. The sheriff turned and walked into the woods with Grant leaving Conner, Wolf Jake, mother and child.
Their silence was broken by Trevor saying, “I told you everything was okay, that Jake would come for me. Don’t cry, mama.”
Jake looked sideways at Trevor as Conner said, “How did you know that, little man?”
Oh shit, now they’d know about his visions. “Um, he didn’t know, he was just hoping is all, right Trevor?” Shana knew she sounded defensive.
“No mama, we can trust ‘em. After all, we know their secret too.”
That’s when it hit her; she was standing in her backyard with a werewolf and a man she didn’t know. She grabbed Trevor’s hand and started for the door.
“Wait,” said Conner as he stepped up on the porch and ran into a water dish.
An Alpha's Trust Page 4
