by Ines Johnson
She sat in her car, her hands gripped the steering wheel, trying to hold on to something, anything, that was solid and whole. Her foot absentmindedly tapped the gas pedal, but with the car in park, Rhetta couldn’t run away. She could neither turn left nor right. She was stalled. But she knew what she had to do.
Taking a deep breath, she reached down and cut the ignition. Her fingers shook as she unbuckled herself from the driver’s seat. Her knees knocked together as she opened the car door and stepped out. Her stomach roiled as she shut the door behind her.
Rhetta’s hand went to her flat abdomen. She knew the upset in her stomach was more than just her anxiety. She now had another life to look after, a life she’d created with a man who might not want her or their child if his first love, his first choice, was now back in the picture.
Rhetta’s feet took root on the sidewalk. She leaned back heavily against the side of her car door. She had no doubt that Rory would choose his fated mate. He couldn’t help himself. He was a passionate man, a rash man. A wolf.
Goddess! Why had she gotten herself involved with a rash, passionate man?
She’d been so smart to go after Jordan. Sedate, predictable, manageable Jordan. Jordan would have never hurt her. He wouldn’t know how unless she’d planned out the steps for him to take. What she wouldn’t give to turn back time and be with him again.
“Rhetta? What are you doing here?”
Rhetta looked over to see Jordan coming down the steps from the butchery. She straightened from her slump against the car and faced him. Standing at her full height, she peered down at him. Had he always been an inch shorter than her?
“Hello, Jordan.”
“Did your mother tell you I was here?”
“She did.”
“You’ll be happy to know that I’ve cleared the bad blood between me and my brother.”
“Oh? That’s good.”
No, it wasn’t. It was terrible. Rory was in a forgiving mood? If he was rational enough to forgive his brother, the man he believed caused the injury that broke his spirit, then he was sure to forgive the woman that broke his heart. Especially, if Rhetta was nowhere around to mend said heart.
“I spoke with his former paramour,” said Jordan. “I think the two of them will mend fences. In fact, they’re up in his apartment talking now.”
Rhetta tilted her head back. Moonlight shone on her face and blinded her for a moment. When her vision cleared, she saw into Rory’s front window. The nausea claimed her then, and she knew that the inclination to vomit had nothing to do with the child growing inside her.
A beautiful woman framed the window. Even from down below, it was clear to see her trembling lips. Crying, that was a good tactic to get a man to do what you wanted.
Rhetta had never used it. She had never needed to. The men in her life, first her husband and then Jordan, had always heeded her commands.
But not Rory. Rory was the type of man that might be turned by a tear. But Rhetta would never know.
A tear slipped quietly from her eyes. Rhetta’s lower lip trembled as she watched Rosalind reach out to Rory. His back was to the glass so Rhetta couldn’t see his reaction. But he didn’t move away from Rosalind.
“I was just about to return to your family’s home,” Jordan was saying.
Rhetta stepped around Jordan to get a better view inside the apartment. Rosalind flung herself at Rory, straight into his arms. Rhetta watched Rory stumble under the assault and then grasp onto her.
For a moment, Rhetta was irritated with the chit. Didn’t she know better than to do that with Rory’s injury? It was a selfish move, made by a selfish woman.
But Rory didn’t seem to mind. He regained his balance and held onto her. As though he sensed someone watching the intimate reunion, he turned his head. His gaze landed on Rhetta.
Rhetta fought the urge to jerk back, to hide the fact that she’d been spying on him. She wanted to turn away before the passionate light in his eyes for the woman in his arms turned to pity as he looked down at the woman he was soon to cast off.
“I must speak with you, Rhetta.”
Rhetta blinked and looked back at Jordan. He was out of focus and swimming in her eyes as more tears fell. Jordan reached out for her arm. When his fingers landed on her bare forearm, his touch felt like ice.
Rhetta pulled away from Jordan’s unwanted touch. She turned away from Rory’s irksome gaze. She walked past her car and kept moving down the street.
When she heard her name growled out behind her, she took off running. She ran past the storefronts. She ran past houses. But it wasn’t fast enough.
As the scenery around her blurred, Rhetta came to a realization. She’d been running her whole life. Not physically moving, but keeping air between her and others.
She’d never held still for Jordan, always keeping him at an arm’s distance. She’d never held still for her husband, always too afraid that if she stopped flitting around him and finding new ways to make herself indispensable to him, he might not be there when she stood still.
But Rory had held her still. He’d stopped her motions and looked her dead in the eye. It wasn’t so much that he needed her. He’d wanted her.
And she hated him for it. Because now that she knew what it felt like, she could never go back. She’d have to run for the rest of her life to try and outrun the feeling of being held, the peace of stillness, the joy of being wanted.
And so Rhetta ran. She ran so fast, so hard, that she ran out of her skin. Her fists stopped pumping the air. Her feet stopped pounding the earth. Paws hit the dirt, and she took off even faster.
She ran for what felt like forever, but it wasn’t. She couldn’t run forever. No one could. And so she slowed her pace and caught her breath.
She came to a stop in a clearing at the edge of a lake. She sat down on her rump. Her muzzle slumped onto her front paws.
After a few moments, she began the shift back to her human form. Rhetta was lying naked and vulnerable under the moonlight when she heard it.
First, there was a rustle of leaves that pricked her ears. Her shoulders tensed when a branch cracked under something with a heavy foot. Sniffing the air, Rhetta knew she wasn’t alone. She knew that whatever was hunting her was big and powerful and determined.
She sat up slowly as a low growl sounded behind her. Rhetta turned and was met with the largest wolf she’d ever seen. The size of this wolf rivaled the memories of her father. From the way the beast bared its teeth at her, she could tell he was not happy with her.
“Heel,” she commanded.
The wolf ignored her. A low, menacing growl rippled through its clenched jaw. Its eyes were intent on her, unwavering as it advanced.
Rhetta crouched up onto her knees, making herself appear small and subdued. Though it rankled. She was used to being the leader of the pack.
But this wolf ignored her act of submission, likely because it saw that it was a half-hearted gesture. The beast continued to stalk toward her. As it did, Rhetta noticed that it favored its front paws. One of its back paws looked a little mangled.
Rhetta looked up into its eyes; a move that belied any pretense at submission. “Rory?”
The wolf lunged.
Chapter Eighteen
Rory’s wolf pinned Rhetta down to the ground. Its front paws braced her shoulders, pushing her into the soft earth. His claws drew pinpricks of blood. Marking her as not only the mate of the man but the match to the wounded beast.
He was no longer wounded. He’d felt alive running after her. Sure, his foot had hurt the first mile of the chase, but then he’d adapted. Just like the man had shifted and allowed his life to be shaken in order to keep a hold of this prize beneath him.
One thing still troubled man and beast. Why had his mate run from him in the first place? Hadn’t she heard him calling out to her?
Maybe it wasn’t him she was running from. Maybe it was Jordan. Had his worthless brother said something to hurt her feelings? If so, Rory w
ould turn around, find Jordan, and gut him. The wolf had only ever barely recognized Jordan as its kin. It would have no problem feasting on his entrails, though the bitter taste might make him sorry later.
Rory wanted to ask Rhetta what it was that had upset her. He wanted to soothe her. But all that came out of his muzzle was a whine.
Now that he was standing still, he noted that his foot throbbed. But he didn’t sit. He stood his ground, standing guard over Rhetta. Intent on showing his woman that there was no threat to her, not while he was around.
She was fighting him, demanding he let her up. Once again, the wolf was confused. Didn’t she know it was him? Well, he barely recognized his wolf himself, having caged him for so long.
“Rory, let me go!”
That answered that question. She knew it was him. But why would he ever let loose his hold on her?
He kept his large body on hers, certain that she would bolt if he let her up. He thought back now and realized that she was always in perpetual motion. Would he have to do this for the rest of their lives? Keep her still so that he could hold on to her? She was always so ready to bolt.
“Let me go,” she said again.
Rhetta tried to turn her face away from him, but Rory wouldn’t let her. He nuzzled her cheek back to center. He looked down at his prize, his one and only true mate. His beast could appreciate her human beauty, though her wolf had been a sight to behold.
Her eyes were as fierce as ever, but there was such sadness in the corners. Wolf and man alike ached to take away her pain and offer his strength. Because he couldn’t communicate this in words as a wolf, he nuzzled close to her face and gave her a lick on the cheek.
“Why do you have to be such a pompous ass who doesn’t listen to me? If you would’ve just left me alone, I would’ve … I would …”
She sighed, lying back. All of the fight going out of her body. It was a surrender, but the wolf couldn’t determine what kind of surrender. It felt wrong. He needed to speak to her with words. So, he shifted into human form.
Rory continued to nuzzle her neck with his lips. “Tell me what that son of a bitch said to you and I’ll rip him to shreds. I’ll make his innards into a necklace for you.”
“You mean Jordan?” Rhetta looked up at Rory, her body stilling as she studied him. “He said you were going to mend fences with … her.”
“Who?”
“Rosalind.”
Rory frowned. Beneath him, he felt Rhetta gulp. Felt her swallow something huge down her throat. Felt her whole body shudder as whatever passed through her landed in her gut.
“But you’re not, are you?” she said.
“Going back to Rosalind?” The words made no sense coming out of her mouth. They made less sense coming out of his. “Of course, I’m not.”
“Because you choose me.”
“I didn’t realize there were options. I don’t want her. I want you.” But then Rory paused as he recognized misery in Rhetta’s scrunched features. “Why doesn’t that please you, pet?”
Rhetta’s eyes blazed into him, her eyes wide and her nostrils flaring. “Because I’m never going to have a moment’s peace for the rest of my life. You’ll be chasing after me, and growling at me, and disagreeing with me, and driving me crazy.”
“Exactly,” Rory agreed.
Rhetta sighed, but the fire in her eyes didn’t go out. “Thank the Goddess.”
She pulled his head down into a kiss. They lay there, under the moonlight, in the middle of a forest. They held onto each other as all around them predators and prey moved along in the circle of life.
Rory’s arms and legs encircled Rhetta, the only prey he’d hunted that had taken him down. He vowed that he would never free himself from the trap of her embrace.
Chapter Nineteen
It turned out that they had run pretty far. Far away from the city but close enough to the valley that they were on familiar ground for Rhetta. Walking out of the forest, Rhetta flagged down a neighbor who didn’t question their nudity. He gave them a blanket and a ride back to her family’s ranch.
Similarly, no one in Rhetta’s family raised an eyebrow as she and Rory walked in the back door covered only in a blanket.
“Hungry?” asked her mother. Gloria looped an arm around her daughter. “We saved you two a plate. Figured you’d make your way back here sometime soon.”
Rhetta stood still in her mother’s loose embrace. Then she wrapped her arms around the woman and squeezed. “Thank you, mama.”
“For what?” asked Gloria as she pulled away from Rhetta and peered into her face. She brushed her daughter’s hair aside and ran her palm over her forehead.
“I’m fine,” Rhetta said, removing her mother’s hand. “Thank you for thinking of me.”
“I always take care of my girl.” Gloria turned to Rory and gave him a wink. “She give you a good run?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Rory nodded. “Best run of my life. She’ll be the only woman I chase after from this day on.”
“I don’t believe that,” said Gloria.
Rhetta’s heart stuttered at the pronouncement. She thought her mother liked Rory. To further confuse her, her mother grinned broadly.
“I suspect you’ll be chasing after Rhetta and a little one soon.”
“Mama.” Rhetta nearly stomped her foot in indignation, just like she would do as a child when her mother embarrassed her. Rhetta peeked out the corner of her eye to ascertain Rory’s reaction. He stood beside her grinning like a proud wolf. “You knew?”
“Of course, I knew.” Rory took her in his arms and inhaled deeply at her neck.
Of course, he knew. He was an alpha and the baby’s father. He probably smelled the new life growing inside her the moment his seed had taken root.
“But you didn’t say,” she said.
“You’ve been too busy running from me since the day that I met you.”
“Now there will be two of you,” Rhetta groaned.
“Maybe three,” said Vivi helpfully. “Twins run in the family.”
That made Rory’s smug grin slip. Rhetta felt him gulp, and then a quiet laugh rumbled through him. He squeezed her tighter and took another sniff. Rhetta relaxed in his embrace, allowing her body to fold neatly into his. Rory took on the brunt of her weight as she did so.
“We ran pretty far,” Rhetta said, pulling back from him. “Your foot must be killing you.”
Rory shrugged. “I’d run to the end of the earth for you.”
“You wouldn’t have to. I’d let you catch me.”
A knock at the door had everyone frowning. Everyone in the family was already present and accounted for. Pierce rose and opened the door. He turned back to Rhetta with a concerned look. “It’s Jordan.”
Rhetta sighed. She’d completely forgotten about Jordan and the talk she needed to have with him about their future. “I’ll take care of him.”
But Rory held Rhetta back. “He’s my brother. It’s my responsibility. I’ll tell him.”
“We’ll do it together,” said Rhetta.
After a brief pause, Rory nodded.
Pierce turned back to the door and let Jordan pass. Jordan entered the room and looked around. He saw Rory and his eyes lit with surprise. “Andrew, what are you doing here?”
“Having dinner with my new family.”
Jordan’s eyes found Rhetta’s. Rhetta expected there to be anger, at least confusion in her fiancé’s eyes as he witnessed her in the embrace of another man. But all she could make out on Jordan’s pinched features was guilt.
“I’m glad that you have made friends with this family,” Jordan said. “You might take care to look in on your own kin. Mother is recovered, by the way.”
“I didn’t realize she was sick,” said Rory.
“Her recovery is why I’m here.” Jordan turned back to Rhetta. “Rhetta, may I speak with you in private?”
“No, Jordan,” she said. “Anything you need to say to me you can do it in front of my family.�
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Jordan took a deep breath and then he came out with it. “As I said, my mother has recovered, but she still needs looking after. So, I’ve decided to move back in with her.”
“That’s what you came to tell me?” she said. “That you’re moving back in with your mother?”
Jordan nodded. “Because the two of you have never gotten along, I think it best that we call off the engagement.”
“What?” Rhetta jerked out of Rory’s hold and advanced on Jordan. “You can’t cancel the engagement. You got down on one knee and gave me a ring.” She pulled the ring from her finger as proof. And then, for good measure, she threw it at Jordan. Surprisingly, he caught it in one hand.
“Rhetta?” said Rory.
Rhetta batted Rory’s hold away, still trying to get her hands on Jordan. “He made a promise. What kind of man goes back on a promise because his mommy told him to?”
“Rhetta?”
It was the gentleness in Rory’s voice that finally made Rhetta turn to him. She’d heard Rory angry, Rory in passion, and Rory commanding. But never Rory gentle.
With her back to Jordan, Rhetta faced Rory. But only for a second because Rory sank down onto one knee and then she was looking down at him. At first, Rhetta thought it was because his foot was troubling him. Then she realized how wrong that thought was.
“Rhetta Veracruz, mate to my very soul, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Rhetta inhaled, feeling the nausea come back to her. Anxiety mixed with the demands of the growing baby inside of her. On top of those feelings was a jolt of happiness so strong, so pure, so consuming that it scared her. She let the air out as she regarded Rory down on his knee.
She looked out the window. The full moon shone brightly through the curtains, as though giving its blessing. She turned to her family. They all wore huge, expectant grins on their faces. Finally, she looked back down to Rory.
