by S. K. Yule
She didn’t catch the last sentence as he mumbled the words. “Why? I don’t understand. I never stay in one place for long, and the minute I get the feeling someone is watching me—which is quite often—I jump on a bus, train, or plane and get as far away as I can as fast as I can. Start over in a new town, but I always end up being followed no matter where I go. And how do you keep finding me?”
“Your scent.”
“My scent?”
He slowly came toward her, and she stood up straight. “I won’t hurt you. I swear it.” He stopped inches from her and slowly trailed his eyes from her face to her toes and back. “You have a scent that calls to my kind.”
“You mean I’ve been followed because of the way I smell?”
He nodded. “Yes. But it’s not as simple as that.” He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose before wincing. It was obviously still tender. “The ones who have had contact with you were supposed to protect you, not hurt you or your family. But I’m sorry to say that there are those of us who don’t always follow the rules.”
“Why would I need protected? The way I see it, the only thing I need protection from is you.” She glared at him.
“No. You will never need protection from me. And, I guarantee you, I am not like the others you’ve encountered.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you say. I would really like you to leave now.”
“I’m sorry. I will not hurt you, you have my word, but I will not ever let you go again. I cannot. I hope one day you will come to care for me.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Are you insane? What do you mean you will never let me go? You are frightening me.”
Chapter Three
When he found the rogues who were responsible for killing her family and chasing after her, he’d kill them all. She was his mate, and any werewolf that came near her would know by her scent, or lack of, that she was meant for another. Mates had two scents. The main scent was one that called to all lycans alike, but the mating scent was only recognizable by a fated mate.
His kind was supposed to protect any female who had the main scent, but apparently that had not happened. In recent years, many of the packs had gone rogue, deciding that any woman with the main scent was fair game. Many women had been raped, held prisoner, and even killed. Such acts against potential mates were forbidden and punishable by death. Most of the rogues were younger lycans who had trouble controlling their newly overwhelming urges, those who got high on their new strength and speed.
He was older and had had more than enough years to decide what was right and wrong, and what kind of man he wanted to be. He’d had some younger, wilder days and had done things he wasn’t extremely proud of, but he’d never raped or hurt a woman. And he’d never hurt anyone else for that matter, unless it had been unavoidable. But God help the ones who’d been after Rindy. They were all dead, and they didn’t even know it yet.
Pain ripped through him, cutting at his chest like an invisible knife. She was beautiful, Rindy, and so tiny. And, though he was angry at what she’d endured the past several years, he was proud of her for having the wits to survive and stay safe. He figured he’d managed to get the drop on her where other lycans had failed because he had two scents to follow her by. He understood why he’d lost her over the past several weeks’ time and again now, though. Every time she’d hopped on a bus or plane or train, her scent had vanished. Yeah, his girl was smart and crafty.
“Rindy, I know this will be hard for you to understand, but now that I have finally found you, it will not be possible for me to allow you to be on your own again. It is ingrained in me to protect you. And, besides, I want to keep you safe. I don’t ever want anything or anyone to hurt you again.”
He reached his hand toward her slowly. Her cool eyes watched him closely, but she did not shy away from him in fear. He took a few strands of her blonde hair between his fingers and let the softness sift over his skin. He sighed. He wanted to kiss her, touch her, claim her, but he was smart enough to realize he’d probably end up with a swift kick in the crotch if he so much as tried any of that.
“I don’t give a shit what is ingrained in you. I don’t need your protection. I’ve done fine on my own.” She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him.
He found the gesture endearing and caught a smile before it made it to his lips, figuring she wouldn’t find it amusing in the least. “Yes. You have done fine, but now you don’t have to do it all on your own. Now you don’t ever have to be afraid again. No one will hurt you again as long as I breathe.”
“You aren’t listening to me,” she said through gritted teeth. “I don’t need you. I don’t want you here.”
“I hear you loud and clear, Rindy. I think you are the one not listening.” He stepped closer to her, so that her back was flattened against the wall. He closed his eyes for a brief moment as the warmth of her body seeped into him and her sweet sent assailed him. He opened his lids to find her watching him intently, measuring his every breath, his every move. “I am not leaving you alone. Period. End of discussion. Case closed.”
She started to argue with him once again when he put his hand lightly over her mouth. “Shhh.”
He sniffed the air. Son of a bitch. She cried out when he grabbed her and flung her to the sofa seconds before a wolf sailed through the window she’d tried to escape through. It landed on the wood floor and skidded sideways, its claws screeching along the way. Within moments, the wolf shifted into a man. He was a big man, as most lycans were. He had stringy hair and pale blue eyes. And since he’d just shifted from wolf form, he was completely nude.
Brent’s fangs lengthened and claws pushed through his fingertips. He was older and able to partially shift. Younger lycans were only capable of complete change. Partial shifts had to be mastered as a werewolf matured.
The man focused on Rindy, who was sprawled on the couch, and sneered. “I see you’ve started the party without me.”
Brent growled in warning. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but you know that this woman is not meant for you. You also know it is forbidden to harm her in any way.”
The man laughed. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” Rage began Brent’s blood boiling. “And I’m telling you the woman is mine.”
Anger contorted the younger lycan’s features. He looked at Rindy, then at Brent, and back at Rindy. He shifted to wolf form in seconds and lunged for Rindy. But before he made it, Brent tackled him in midair. The wolf yelped as Brent’s claws sunk into its side, through flesh, and broke ribs. The wolf snarled and clamped its jaws around one of Brent’s forearms. Brent raised his arm until the wolf was dangling by it from his teeth and slammed it to the floor.
The wolf let go of Brent’s arm. Brent reached for the neck, intending to snap it, but an instant before he reached his target, the lycan reared up and clamped down on his thigh, taking him to the floor. Brent blocked the pain from his mind and pinned the wolf between his legs. He squeezed until his thigh was released, and the raspy breaths left the wolf’s lungs for the last time.
Brent took the wolf’s limp head between his hands and gave it one quick twist, breaking the neck. The wolf slowly shifted back to a man.
“Oh, my God! Is he dead?” Rindy sat on her knees and clutched the ratty arm of the sofa.
Brent turned to her. His thigh and arm burned like a mother, but they would heal quickly. “Yes. I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“A-are you hurt?” She looked at his arm and thigh.
“I’ll be okay. We need to get out of here in case there are more in the area.” He held his hand out to her. “Come with me, please.”
Apprehension marred her lovely features. He took a deep breath. “Surely you can see that I’m not going to hurt you, and that I will in fact protect you with my life.”
One tear slid from the corner of her eye. “I don’t know what to think. I’m so confused. I can’t trust you. You’re what I’ve been running from for
what seems my entire life.”
He took her pixie-like face between his hands and marveled at how small it looked cupped there. “You have not been running from me. There are good lycans and bad lycans, just like there are good and bad people. Unfortunately, you’ve only met bad ones. I am not one of those. Please, give me a chance to show you that I will not hurt you. Besides, wouldn’t it be nice to be somewhere that you knew you were safe for a change?”
He knew he had her. She was tired of running. He’d seen it in her eyes. “Where is it that I will be safe?”
“I have a place in Michigan. Come with me. Give it a try. If you don’t like it, you can leave.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.” He wasn’t exactly lying. He’d let her leave if she was truly unhappy after giving it a real chance. He just omitted the part that if she did choose to leave, he’d go with her.
“How are we going to get there? I don’t have a car or anything.”
“I do.” He watched her worry her bottom lip with her teeth. She was exquisite. He didn’t deserve her, yet he’d gladly get on his knees and thank God every single day for making her just for him. He just prayed that one day she’d give thanks that he’d been made just for her.
He knew he was getting through to her. The prospect of being someplace safe, someplace she didn’t have to look over her shoulder constantly was too appealing to turn down. Which was a blessing for him, as the alternative would be to carry her kicking and screaming against her will. And, as stubborn as his little Rindy seemed, he figured she’d be able to hold a grudge for a very long time, possibly forever. He didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that.
After several silent minutes, she shrugged. “Fine. But if you so much as look at me wrong, I’ll kill you.”
He grinned and watched as she pulled a backpack from a tiny closet by the front door.
She turned to him. “Are we going or what?”
“Yes.” He checked outside the doorway before he let her walk through it.
“And stop grinning at me like a fool before I kick you in the balls.” She huffed.
He stopped smiling on the outside, but on the inside, he continued to smile like the fool she’d accused him of being. He’d found her. She was beautiful, tough, and . . . perfect. He felt joy course through him. He wouldn’t be alone any longer. He’d have a mate to love, to cherish, to protect. He’d have someone to hold at night, to hug, someone to talk to. He’d have someone to run with in the woods . . . maybe. He’d been so excited over finding her, he’d never thought of her reaction once he told her he wanted to change her.
Human lives were extremely short compared with those of lycans, and if she wasn’t changed, he’d lose her when she died and face possibly hundreds of more years without her. That, he could not endure. He would convince her somehow. If she didn’t agree, could he do it anyway? Could he live with the hatred she would no doubt have for him for forcing her to become the one thing she’d hated for years? He didn’t think he’d have it in him to make her become what he was if she refused. If it came to that, he’d love her until the day she died. Then, he’d follow her into death. One way or the other, he’d spend eternity with her either as a werewolf or in the afterlife.
Chapter Four
Rindy had been following Brent for several blocks now. She didn’t miss the way he glanced over his shoulder every few seconds to make sure she was still behind him, although if what he said was true about her scent, she doubted he’d have any trouble finding her again if she did run. And why should she doubt him? It explained so much—why she’d never quite managed to get away from the werewolves chasing her and how no matter where she went, she’d once again find herself being pursued.
She looked at Brent’s impressive shoulders. His back was wide and tapered to a narrow waist. His butt was not anything to dismiss lightly either. He was an extremely sexy man. But she wouldn’t let that cloud her good judgment where he was concerned. He’d at least proved that he would protect her, and he obviously didn’t want her dead or to cause her any harm—at least not at her apartment. Was she being an utter fool? Was he leading her into a trap? Her muscles tensed up in a fight-or-flight reaction to that nasty thought.
Yet she was so tired, tired of running, tired of constantly looking over her shoulder. What if he was taking her to a safe place? The yearning she had to be somewhere she could relax and not worry about who was after her burned so deep that she was willing to take the risk. If she was wrong, maybe it would be better to face whatever fate had planned and be done with it. If she was supposed to die, so be it. She’d had enough of the hiding, of the constant fear that churned in her stomach. She wanted some peace. Was that too much to ask for?
She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to fully trust Brent, but she was absolutely certain of one thing. He was not like the other werewolves she’d encountered over the years. All the others had been instantly aggressive with her, just like the one had been that Brent had fought in her apartment. Brent, on the other hand, had been gentle with her, seemed to go out of his way to keep from scaring her. She just hoped she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life.
After a couple more blocks, they finally made it to his truck. She was bone-tired. It was late, and all she wanted was some sleep. Brent opened the door for her, and she removed her backpack from her shoulder and tossed it in the backseat of the extended cab. The truck was charcoal gray. It had big tires, and all the glass was tinted. She climbed in and was surprised at how comfortable the seats were. Brent closed her door, walked around to the driver’s side, opened his door, and slid behind the wheel.
“If we drive straight through, we should be there by late tomorrow afternoon.” Brent started the truck and put it in gear.
“Okay.” She snapped her seatbelt in place.
“It’s nothing fancy, but I think you will like it.”
“I’m sure it will be fine.” Nothing could be as bad as some of the hole-in-the-walls she’d stayed in. If it was anything like his truck, she’d be in heaven. “As long as it has hot water and a comfortable place to sleep, I’ll be happy.”
He gave her a warm smile that made her heart thump a little faster. “I think you will be perfectly content then.”
Once they made it on the highway, she settled back into the soft seat. He flipped the radio on a classic rock station, and Aerosmith quietly rocked through the cab. Up in the distance, lightning lit the sky in bright, intermittent flashes. She’d always loved storms. As strange as it may be, they’d soothed her, calmed the inner turmoil that always seemed to be swirling inside her.
“I love the rain.” She sighed.
“Better enjoy it now. A few hours north, and all you will see is snow. Hell, in a few days after this warm front moves out, all you’ll see here is snow.” He glanced in the side mirror, turned his blinker on, and switched lanes. “I love it too, by the way—the rain.”
She watched him for several moments, admiring his strong hands as they gripped the wheel of the truck. “Really?”
He nodded. “Mmm, hmm. I’ve always thought things seemed new, cleansed after a good rain. Not to mention, I love the smell of a good storm rolling in.”
She smiled. “Yeah. Me, too.” She frowned.
“What’s wrong?” His voice was quiet.
She wondered if he was worried that she’d changed her mind about coming with him. “I still don’t understand why you’ve been trying to find me. The night my mother and sister were killed, I was told that I have an important role to fill.”
“Hey, let’s not worry about that right now.”
She noted that he appeared to be uncomfortable with the subject. Well, too damn bad. “I do worry about it. My whole life has revolved around this. Tell me what is going on.”
“You won’t like it, Rindy.”
“I haven’t liked running and hiding for the past ten years. I haven’t liked feeling scared, and I certainly haven’t liked living with the memories of what
was done to my mother and sister.”
Brent rubbed his hand over his face. “The reason you’ve been followed is because you have the scent of a werewolf mate. There is a mate that is destined for each of our kind. This mate carries two scents, a main scent that will alert any lycan of a potential mate and another scent that only the destined mate can smell. When we come across a potential mate, we know instantly that they are not meant for us if we cannot detect the second mated scent. We are supposed to protect potential mates. Mates are crucial for our species’ survival. However, many of the younger lycans have gone rogue and believe they have the right to do as they wish with those who carry the main scent.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t had a chance in hell of ever getting away from them if that was true. But a mate to something that she had loathed for so long? The thought terrified her. How could she be destined to be with the species that had murdered her family?
“I know this must be a shock, but look at it this way. Thousands and thousands of humans commit murder, rape, and other crimes every day, yet you don’t condemn the entire human race, do you?”
She thought about that for a moment. No, she didn’t. He was right, but she wasn’t sure if she could ever convince her mind to think otherwise after despising his kind for so long. “No. I don’t. But it’s different.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. It just is.”
“It’s not really. But I understand that it will take some time for you to see that.”
She straightened. “If I’m destined to be a mate, then maybe you can help me avoid him. If he never finds me, I won’t be forced into something I don’t want. Because I have this feeling I would be forced, wouldn’t I?”
“No respectable lycan would force you to do anything. But, you have to understand, your destined mate is imprinted with the need to protect you, to claim you. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”
