“Mia, get out of here!” Micah yelled, running towards her.
“Watch out,” Brutus yelled, jumping on a wolf that was racing towards Micah.
“You watch your back. I’m going after Cora,” Mia said, running away from the fight.
Micah yelled after her, but she ignored him. She could not smell Cora amongst the bodies. Plus, she did not see her white-haired fiancé anymore. Mia was not going to let Cora get away with this. Her massive paws pounded the earth, racing into the woods, back towards the ravine. Cora’s scent was getting stronger. Another smell was burning in her nose: blood. Someone was hurt. Whoever was hurt was slowing Cora down. Mia skidded to a stop. She was surrounded by dense conifer trees. She stalked forward, keeping her head low. Blood and claw marks were on the trees. Mia sniffed something and whipped around.
“Looking for me?” Cora asked, holding a black gun.
Mia growled at her. She was covered in blood.
“He’s dead, you know?” Cora asked, wiping tears from her face.
“You’re a fucking monster, Cora,” Mia said, barking at her.
“No! I loved him. All I wanted was for us to be together. Don’t you get it? It’s all I wanted, and you and your stupid boyfriends killed him.”
Mia rose on her hind legs and felt her body fall back into her human form.
“We were friends, Cora. Best friends. How could you do this to me, to them? You kissed your fiancé over the bodies of your closest friends. You’re insane.”
“No, I’m in love! It had to be this way. Nothing else worked! I couldn’t run the pack as a white girl from Florida. No one would respect me. The witch told me it had to be this way. I can’t believe it was this easy for you. Everything was always so easy for you.”
“Easy? I’m from a fucking blue collar family. I couldn’t even afford college.”
“Fuck college. It’s a joke. People only liked me because I was friends with you. I had no one but you. Carissa, Linda and Tatianna were my sorority sisters and work friends, they barely tolerated me. The ceremony didn’t even work. If you were there it would have worked. This is all your fault.”
Mia backed up, watching the gun shake in Cora’s tanned hands. The cliff was right behind her. She could not back up any further.
“Cora, calm down. You’re not thinking clearly,” Mia said, hearing rocks tumble down behind her.
“Good bye, Mia,” Cora said.
Mia braced herself, but all she heard was heavy feet pounding behind Cora in the woods. Cora turned, but Mia saw him first. Micah’s grayish black body came barreling towards Cora, and Cora fired at him, missing. Micah was too fast. He bit Cora, dragging her away. Cora pulled free, backing up towards the edge of the cliff.
“Cora, look out!” Mia yelled.
It was too late. Cora tumbled backwards, falling off the edge of the cliff. Mia reached for Cora, but she was falling too fast. Micah’s human hands grabbed Mia and pulled her close.
“It’s over,” Micah said, kissing Mia’s forehead.
Brutus came barreling ahead in his human form.
“What did I miss?” Brutus asked, panting.
“Nothing. It’s over,” Mia said, leaning up to kiss Micah.
“Good. I burned the bodies by the way. Can’t have humans coming across that mess. We should get out of here by the way. We were pretty loud and I smelled people. Well, I smelled hotdogs. Someone is nearby,” Brutus said, nodding at Micah.
Micah nodded back and then held Mia at arm’s length, like he was studying her.
“Are you…okay?” Micah asked.
Mia nodded, wiping tears.
“I feel…alive,” Mia said, shrugging. “It’s like I was meant to be this way.”
A broad, face-splitting grin spread across Micah’s face.
“I thought you would hate me,” Micah said, breathing a sigh of relief.
“I would!” Brutus said, scoffing. “She could have fallen out of the tree, asshole!”
“He’s right,” Mia said, slapping Micah’s chest.
“All’s well that ends well?” Micah said with a sheepish grin.
“Whatever. I guess we’re off to North Carolina then,” Mia said, looking north.
“You still want to stay with me?” Micah asked, looking at her hopefully.
“I don’t think another man will want her as their doggie best friend,” Brutus said, pulling twigs out of his knotted hair.
“Hey! Be nice. Besides I would choose Micah any day,” Mia said, throwing her arms around Micah’s neck.
“Alright you two. Don’t be gross. I’ll race you to the Florida-Georgia line,” Brutus said, breaking off running in his wolf form.
Micah kissed Mia and shoved her back playfully and took off after Brutus.
“Nice try, boys,” Mia said.
She collapsed on all fours and breathed deeply. She was taking in new, fresh air and a new, fresh life. She was now all woman and all wolf. She was alive.
THE END
Bonus Story 10/40
Envy
Anna
Urgh.
Just looking at the building I grew up in always made me feel a little sick. It wasn’t because I had a bad childhood or anything, it just made me feel… childish to be there. And now, knowing that I was going to have to go inside with my tail between my legs, it was a million times worse.
I could hear the chimes of everyone’s self-righteous remarks ringing in my ears already:
‘I told you so.’
‘You should never have gone.’
‘It was obvious this was going to happen.’
And I really didn’t need to hear it. Yes, I had been warned about Mike’s bad temper and wandering eye. Yes, I’d stuck my head in the sand and moved away with him regardless. And yes, it had all blown up in my face in the worst way possible. But no, I really didn’t need to be told that everyone else had seen it before me.
I already knew that I was an idiot and I did not need anyone reminding me.
Mike had started off with emotional manipulation. By the time it had gotten to the odd slap and really vicious words, I was too far gone, too blindly in love and too far under his sway to see the truth about him. In fact, I would still be there, with him, had I not caught him in bed with the woman he’d told me once was his cousin. I’d spent time with her in social situations – we both had – and the whole time she was his lover.
Mike cheating on me, with his cousin of all people, was utterly humiliating, not to mention disgusting. Things could not go back to normal after that. I just couldn’t stay there, so I left
Unfortunately, with no cash flow, no real friends where I was, and no prospects, I’d been forced to move back home with my parents – an idea I was not looking forward to at all. They were keen for me to return, but I could barely stand the idea. But I had no other choice.
I pushed the door open and stepped tentatively inside.
“Hi sweetie,” said my mom. She instantly rushed to my side and threw her arms around my neck. “How are you?”
She was using an overly sympathetic voice – one that was particularly unwelcome. I didn’t want to have pity, or to even discuss it at all, I just wanted to focus on the future. I needed to work out how to go forward, and what I was going to do to pick up the pieces of my crappy life.
Living in the past for even another second would get me nowhere.
“I’m okay Mom, honest,” I said. I gently prized her off me. “Just tired, that’s all.”
“Oh,” she said. She shot me a disappointed look, clearly wanting me to open up to her, even though we’d never been that close. “I’ve made you some food…”
“Sure, sure. I could eat first.” I knew I wouldn’t hear the end of it if I didn’t. She would quickly become obsessed with my health, and I really didn’t need that. “I’m hungry too.”
I stepped in the kitchen, grabbing the plate of lasagna that was sitting on the side, and turned to find my brother stuffing his face at the table.
I smiled at him and said, “Hey Harry, it’s great to see you.” And it really was. Out of everyone, Harry was the one person I was most looking forward to spending some time with again. He’d always had my back, and I could guarantee that he wouldn’t bring up Mike despite the fact that he’d also been one of the people who had tried to warn me.
“Good, how are you?” he answered. He looked me up and down with a quizzical look on his face. “You look… different.”
I knew exactly what he meant, and a sadness burned through me. It wasn’t so much a physical thing, it was more that I’d recoiled in on myself. The once proud woman was gone, and what had been left was kind of pathetic. A mess – the sort of woman I used to look down on.
“Yeah,” I murmured, sitting down to eat and refusing to meet his eye. I didn’t want him to understand the depth of his words. “I know.”
After a few moments of stilted silence he continued, trying to draw me back in. “How’s the running going?”
At one point, I used to love running so much that everyone thought I’d go pro. I completed marathons and other long-distance events. It had been my dream, but then Mike appeared, and he didn’t like me exercising. So like an idiot, I gradually ran less and less. It was shameful, looking back on it now.
I took a deep sigh, hating having to admit this. “I don’t really do it anymore.”
“Whoa,” Harry whispered to himself, the extent of things seeming to hit him at that moment. “I thought you were a coach or something?”
Another lie I’d told to cover up my crappy life. I didn’t want people to know that Mike had destroyed every temp job I’d had with his incessant phone calls and jealousy, so I’d made something up. I’d acted like I’d gotten everything I’d ever wanted, just to shut down everyone who told me that Mike wasn’t right for me.
“No,” I said sadly, and was forced to admit. “Not exactly.”
“Well, I don’t know what your plans are,” Harry mused thoughtfully. “But my friend Brad works as a personal trainer at the local gym these days. I know he’s looking for new clients and if I tell him that you’re my sister, I’m sure he’ll give you a discounted rate and a payment plan – something like that. Might be a way to rebuild your confidence.” He sounded a little awkward saying this, and I knew why. He didn’t want to admit that I looked a mess, and that my life was in the toilet, so he was trying to find a kind way around that.
Not only was that the sweetest thing ever, it was also the best offer I’d had in a long time, so I nodded enthusiastically, instantly agreeing to his plan. Maybe some fitness was exactly what I needed. Maybe it would help my kick start my life all over again.
Now all I needed was a job, to not only pay for the training, but also to help get myself back on my feet.
I hoped that would be the easy part.
*****
Brad
“Whoa.” As soon as Anna walked into the gym, I knew that I was in serious trouble. I’d only agreed to take her on as a client for Harry’s sake – he’d practically begged me – I hadn’t realized just how much that was really going to cost me.
This girl was literally the most attractive women I’d ever laid eyes on. She was svelte, curvy, and had a wicked smile. When she walked, she had this amazing sway. She had long, blonde hair, full lips, pale skin, and blue eyes.
I wanted her immediately.
But of course, she was out of bounds. The sister of a friend always is off-limits; that was common knowledge.
Shit. Stop thinking anything! I scolded myself. Just focus on the work.
“Hi,” she smiled sweetly at me as she stepped nearer. “I’m Anna. Thank you for agreeing to take me on Brad. I haven’t been to the gym for a while, so I’m not quite sure where I’m at unfortunately…”
When she talked to me she, tilted her head in a cute, feminine way that I really liked. I started to get an erection. Good thing I was wearing my looser pants.
Now, normally this would be the time for me to do my elevator sales pitch, to highlight exactly why I was the best personal trainer around, but instead my mind went frustratingly blank, and my penis was not getting any softer. “Erm… sure, we’ll… figure it out,” I said sounding like an idiot.
Get it together!
“Okay,” I forced myself to sound a little more confident. “So let’s get started with my usual tester routine…”
As we went over this, I found it very difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. As she bent her body in the sexiest ways, and showed me just what she was capable of, I kept finding my mind wandering. I don’t know if she noticed my erection, I hope not. Anna was definitely underestimating her own ability, she was amazing and could do anything I asked of her, and that made her even more attractive.
I just wanted to rip off her clothes and make love to her right there on the bench. I kept it together, though.
Ah, what the hell was I going to do? How was I going to restrain myself? I’d never been particularly good at that.
*****
Logan
I watched Brad giving that new girl the eye, and my heart screwed up in jealousy. I hated seeing him flirting with anyone else, it drove me absolutely crazy, and the fact that he just did it so casually in front of me, as if my feelings didn’t even matter (not that he knew about my feelings), it damn near killed me.
I’d been in love with him from the very first second that he started work at the gym, and every day around him, being so close but unable to touch him, it was agonizing. Usually, I was great at determining the sexuality of others – as a bisexual, I found myself really in tune with other people – but with Brad I just couldn’t work it out at all, and that made my own emotions even more difficult to deal with. All the signs were pointing to him being straight, but I just wasn’t fully, one hundred percent convinced.
I’d wondered if I was just kidding myself at there was any chance that he was bi. Looking at him at that moment, with that blonde girl smiling up at him and smiling, I was pretty sure of it. He had to be straight.
But I couldn’t turn my feelings off, no matter how hard I tried. And I had tried continuously.
I hated that girl he was with, coming in and taking so easily the affection that I wanted so much more.
It seemed that my feelings for Brad would forever be unrequited. But what the hell could I do about that?
*****
Anna
My heart literally skipped a beat the first time I laid eyes on Brad. He was a vision of the perfect man – strong, muscular, tall, dark-haired, and very handsome. He had these amazing piercing green eyes, and dimples to die for. He was the picture of a rebound dream – not that I was necessarily looking for a hook-up of any kind – but even if he was, he was completely and utterly out of reach. As Harry’s friend and my personal trainer, he was firmly in the no-go area.
I had to just ignore that, and concentrate on getting fit once more.
At first, I tried to ignore the fluttering he gave me in my stomach, and the intense desire I felt every time his body got close enough to mine, and just focus on the task at hand. I figured that the longer I spent with him, and the more I got to know him, the easier this would become.
***
But the effect he had on me was the complete opposite.
Around him I become a bumbling idiot, a horny fool, and I wasn’t sure how long I could keep away from him for. And this only got worse the longer we were together.
By the time we reached our sixth session, my desire towards him was growing increasingly stronger without showing any signs of letting up, and it was driving me insane. I wanted him so damn badly, but I also didn’t want to lose him as a trainer. I didn’t want to risk losing him in the professional sense because he was excellent at his job. His lessons were the only thing giving me purpose. Sure, I’d managed to land a crappy part-time job as a receptionist, but I hated that, and all the other girls in the office were really bitchy. Working out at the gym was something I loved a
nd needed that way more than I needed him.
At least, that was what I told myself when I kept finding myself needing to touch him at every given opportunity!
The worst part was that I could almost sense desire coursing off of him around me too. I may have been imagining it, but as time went on it seemed like he was struggling to keep away from me too. That made the taboo, illicit thing that much more exciting. I almost couldn’t bear it.
“Okay, I think that’s it for today. Great work.” Brad shot me his award-winning grin, as I got back into a standing position. “You’re really improving.”
I glanced my eyes around the room, as I always did during our interactions, to give me anything else to focus on. It quickly hit me that we were all alone. The entire gym, which was normally bustling with activity, was completely abandoned.
“Where is everyone?” I asked him, completely confused.
“We ran way over time today,” he laughed. “But you were doing so well. The gym is actually shut.”
I gulped, my body instantly lighting up on fire with his words. I was alone, with Brad, in an empty gym. It was like all my secret fantasies coming true. The thoughts I’d been trying so desperately not to think came bubbling to the surface like an unwelcome flood.
“Right,” I practically whispered. “Well I should…”
He nodded sharply, a strange expression on his face. Was he feeling it too? Was he acutely aware that this was the first time that we’d ever been completely by ourselves?
Why was I so damn desperate to find out?
“I, erm… I guess I’ll see you next time, then?” I said. Why couldn’t I stop talking? Why couldn’t I walk away? The second I went, I would break this tension, and that would be the smart thing to do…
He stepped closer to me, as if he was testing me. I stood resolutely where I was, trying to ignore my heart that was pounding nosily against my rib cage. I was getting dangerously close to being completely unable to resist, and I was doing nothing to stop that.
The Crime of Protection Page 33
