Jager couldn’t argue with that, and he guessed neither could Daylen when she closed her mouth and blushed slightly. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her over so she leaned against his side while Saskia split up the other Protectors.
In the end, she decided Roan and Ansley would stay behind with Jager and Daylen.
Saskia, Eli, Skylar, Kye, Leif and Dirk would be the ones to go scout out the factory.
Jager was a little disappointed that he would miss out on the action, but he knew Daylen wasn’t ready to face a pack of lone wolves if the factory ended up panning out. And he wanted her turned before she had to confront any of Miles’ men. As a mortal, she was just too vulnerable.
———
After the others had left to check out the factory, Jager and Daylen raided the fridge.
Since it was already well past noon, Jager made her a thick sandwich that he layered with cold cuts, cheese and lettuce. Having eaten nothing since dinner the night before, Daylen ate with gusto. Jager must have been just as hungry because his practically disappeared in two large bites.
Their empty bellies now taken care of, Jager and she joined the other two couples.
The men eventually got on the topic of weightlifting and ended up heading down to the basement to check out the weights down there while the women stayed in the living room.
Roxie smiled at Daylen and said, “It would seem you’ve managed to tame the brash warrior. Both times I’ve seen Jager today he didn’t have his sword strapped to his waist like it was one of his vital organs.”
“Does he really carry it around that much?” Daylen asked.
Ansley answered her. “Afraid so. And Roxie is forever trying to take Jager’s sword away from him.”
Roxie snorted. “Not that I get it away from him for very long. He always manages to swipe it back when I’m not looking.” She then grew serious. “So have you really adjusted to the fact that you’re mated to a werewolf, Daylen?”
She nodded. “Yes. I’m a bit surprised by how easily I’ve adjusted to the idea. If you would have asked me last week if I believed werewolves existed, and that I would be a mate to one, I probably would have suggested I take you to nearest shrink. It has all happened so fast.”
“That’s the mating urge for you,” Roxie said. “It makes you feel like you’re on a runaway train. It’s even worse for the males. They can’t focus on anything else but the woman who is meant for them.”
Daylen had noticed how more controlled Jager seemed now that their mating bond was in place. “About this not wanting to be separated, is it really that bad?”
“Yes, it is,” Roxie said. “And I’m speaking from experience. Ansley has gone through it as well.”
The other woman shuddered. “You feel as if you’ve lost your mind. All I could think about was that something had happened to Roan, and that I had to get back to him no matter the cost.” Ansley then smiled. “The only good side about the separation is the explosive sex that happens after you get back together. I only suggest that if you ever get separated from Jager for a long time, make sure you get away from other people as fast as you can or you’ll give them an eyeful.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Daylen said. “Maybe it won’t affect me that badly. I’ve always been a bit of a loner. I’m sure I’ll be able to handle it.”
Roxie gave her a look that said she didn’t think so. “If you’re that sure of yourself, why don’t you test your theory? Jager obviously didn’t let you bring a change of clothes when he brought you here handcuffed last night. Why don’t you go back to your place and grab some clothes and then come back? I bet even that short amount of time will get to you.”
“All right, but I don’t have my car here. How am I supposed to get back to my place?”
“Take Jager’s car. I noticed it wasn’t parked in the garage when Beowulf and I arrived. And if you are going to do this, you should probably slip away before Jager realizes what you’re up to. He’ll try to stop you if he finds out.”
Daylen stood. “You’re on.”
She quickly left the living room and headed up to Jager’s bedroom. The keys to the Camaro and her house keys were sitting on top of his dresser. Snagging both sets, she hurried back downstairs and slipped out of the mansion. When she drove the Camaro down the long drive and no hue and cry was raised, she figured she’d made a clean getaway.
———
By the time Daylen arrived at her house, she’d already started to feel a little out of sorts, as if everything wasn’t quite right. It was less than an hour since she’d left the mansion in Marin County and already she missed not being with Jager. If this was only the start of how it felt when she was away from him, no wonder Roxie didn’t believe her when she’d said she may not be as affected. Daylen could only think about getting back to Jager.
Once she was inside the house, she almost ran into her bedroom. Daylen quickly stripped off the clothes she wore and put on fresh ones. She then made short work of stuffing another change of clothes into an athletic bag.
Daylen was so distracted with thoughts of returning to Jager she almost missed the fact that a man stood blocking her way to the front door. Moving faster than a mortal could, he had her by the throat and gasping for air in a matter of seconds. As Daylen frantically tried to pry his hand off her, she realized this was the same lone wolf Jager had been fighting in the alley the first night she’d seen him.
The lone wolf eased his hold only enough so she could drag in air to fill her lungs.
“You recognize me, don’t you, little cop? I can also smell Jager’s scent all over you. He’s claimed you as his mate. I’m surprised he let you out by yourself, but it does make this a whole lot nicer. You’re his Achilles heel now.” He started to drag her toward the front door. “It’s time for you to meet my boss.”
Daylen dropped the athletic bag she’d been carrying and tried to punch out at him, but all that did was to have him throw her against the wall hard enough so her head cracked against it. With black spots flickering before her eyes, the lone wolf easily flipped her onto her stomach and tied her hands behind her back with a length of rope he’d pulled out of his jacket pocket. He then threw her over his shoulder and walked out of the house.
Chapter Twelve
Jager put down the dumbbell he had been using to show Beowulf one of the exercises he did. Something had suddenly started to feel not right. He frowned as he tried to figure out what the hell was bothering him.
“What’s the matter?” Roan asked him. “You look strange.”
“I don’t know. If I didn’t already know Daylen was upstairs with Roxie and Ansley, I would think she wasn’t in the mansion. I feel as if I really need to be with her to make sure she’s okay. I’ve never heard of the separation bothering mates when they are in the same place but not in the same room. We haven’t been down here that long.”
“It shouldn’t be affecting you like that,” Beowulf said. He then looked up at the basement’s ceiling. “Maybe you should go and check on Daylen.”
As Jager rushed up the basement stairs, he heard Roan and Beowulf following behind him. When he reached the living room and only saw Roxie and Ansley there, he asked, “Where’s Daylen?”
Roxie answered. “She went to her place.”
Jager took a deep breath to stop himself from bellowing at Roxie. “And why did she go there alone?”
“She didn’t want to believe how badly she would feel if the two of you were separated, so I bet her she couldn’t go to her place for a change of clothes and come back here without feeling as if she’d gone crazy. And she took your car, by the way.”
Jager wanted nothing more than to take Roxie by the shoulders and give her a good shake, but with Beowulf standing beside him, Jager didn’t think he would let him manhandle his pregnant mate like that. Instead, he took another deep breath and squeezed his hands into fists at his side. “I’m going to need someone to drive me to Daylen’s house. Now.”
“Since Roxie
in a way caused this,” Beowulf gave his mate a stern look, “we’ll drive you.”
Roan quickly said, “And Ansley and I will follow you guys in my car. Saskia will have my head if I don’t go with you.”
To Jager, it seemed to take a lot more time than was necessary for them to get on the road. But soon Beowulf’s Mercedes Benz was on the highway with Roan’s Lexus following closely behind. Once they crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, Jager gave Beowulf Daylen’s street address. When they pulled onto her street and neared her bungalow, he could see his Camaro parked in the driveway. It made some of the anxiety he was feeling go away, knowing Daylen was still there. As soon as Beowulf stopped the car, Jager jumped out of the back and ran up to the front door. He paused when he saw that it stood slightly ajar.
Pushing open the door, he called, “Daylen?” His gaze landed on the athletic bag that sat in the middle of the entrance hallway. “Daylen? Where are you?”
When she didn’t answer, Jager quickly did a tour of the house. Daylen wasn’t anywhere to be found. His gut was telling him something was very wrong. Returning to the front hall, he saw Beowulf, Roxie, Roan and Ansley had come into the house. “She’s not here,” he said when he met their gazes. He took a deep breath. A low growl left his throat. “I smell the scent of another werewolf.”
Roan nodded. “I smell it too. I don’t recognize it.”
“I do,” Jager said through gritted teeth. “It’s the scent of a lone wolf. The one I fought in the alley. Miles’ man.”
Jager would have barged out of the house and gone looking for Daylen if Roan hadn’t grabbed his arm to stop him. “Hold up. You won’t be able to find him on your own, Jager. He more than likely has a car, which means there won’t be a scent trail to follow. If he is Miles’ man, he’ll probably take Daylen to Miles. There’s a good chance the factory Saskia and the others went to check out is his headquarters. They have to be there already. I’ll call Saskia and let her know what’s going on. They’ll be able to get Daylen back.”
Feeling completely helpless, Jager nodded. As he watched Roan take out his cell phone and call their sister, he felt as if he wanted to kill someone. Without thinking about it, he reached for his sword. When his hand only encountered the material of his jeans, Jager realized, for the first time in his adult life, he’d left his home without taking his sword with him.
———
Unable to really move since her captor had used another length of rope he had in his car to tie her ankles together, Daylen could only sit in the front seat and watch the streets go by. When busy downtown gave way to industrial buildings, she knew Ted had been right about the factory. It had to be Miles’ new headquarters. That realization also gave her some hope. Saskia and the others who had gone along with her to investigate the factory should be there. Somehow Daylen had to make sure they saw her so they could get her away from the lone wolf.
Worried what Miles would do to her if his man managed to deliver her to him, Daylen also had to deal with the wild emotions going through her the longer she was away from Jager. Jager had been right. There was no way in hell she would be able to keep working as a police officer. A ten hour shift away from him would kill her. She’d been a fool to think she could handle this better than Roxie and Ansley had.
When the lone wolf drove onto the street where the factory was located, and where Saskia and the others were investigating, he slowed as he drove by a black Cadillac Escalade parked at the side of the road about a half block away from the building. He continued on and drove his car around to the back of the factory. After parking the car, he walked around to the passenger side and hefted Daylen over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
He entered the building and took her to the main area of the factory. Outlines of the machinery that had been used at one time still marked the grimy cement floor. Unable to see what was in front of her, Daylen heard the lone wolf talk to someone who was out of her range of sight.
“Miles, I brought you a present. I figured you’d want her sooner rather than later.”
He then put Daylen down on her feet and jerked her around to face Miles.
She found the man standing in front of her to be exactly as Saskia had described her brother. He had almost white blond hair that brushed the tops of his shoulders. His eyes, the same distinctive violet color as his sister’s, stared at the lone wolf with fury. Miles would be considered extremely good-looking, but the cruelty that lurked in his eyes took away from some of his looks.
Miles backhanded the lone wolf. “You idiot. I never gave you permission to abduct Jager’s mate. I wasn’t ready to play that card yet. Now you’ve lost us the upper hand. With my bitch of a sister and her dumbass Protectors lurking around here, you have put me in a situation I had no wish to be in.” When the lone wolf opened his mouth to speak, Miles backhanded him again. The lone wolf wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. “Get out of here before I do more than bloody your mouth.”
Once the lone wolf walked away, Miles centered his attention on Daylen. She lifted her chin and stared back. “Just let me go. No one has gotten hurt, and no damage has been done yet.”
Miles chuckled. “You are a tough one.” He pulled a knife out of the top of one of the boots he wore and cut the rope around Daylen’s ankles. After he put the knife away and straightened, he roughly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her closer as he said, “Your presence does throw a wrench in the works, but I can use you to keep the Protectors at bay.”
He jerked her arm to get her moving and took her outside to the front of the building.
Miles then called out, “You all might as well come out of hiding. I know you’re there. Plus I have something that belongs to you.”
One by one, Saskia and the men with her appeared from different spots on the factory’s property. They all moved to stand at a cautious distance from Miles and Daylen.
Saskia took a step closer before she spoke. “Let her go, Miles. Your beef isn’t with Daylen. Just let her go and you can walk away.”
Miles shook his head. “As if there was ever a chance of you capturing me. You see, sister, you aren’t the only one who inherited some of our grandmother’s gift of sight. Mine may not be as strong as yours, but twice now, it has allowed me to see when you would be coming. The factory is useless to me now, and you’ll find nothing inside it. I’ll move on, and our little cat and mouse game will continue.”
With a hard shove that sent Daylen sprawling painfully on the ground, Miles turned and took off at a run. Saskia rushed over to her and helped her to stand. When Kye would have gone after Miles, Saskia said, “Let him go, Kye. We have Daylen back.” She then turned to Skylar. “Call Jager and tell him Daylen is safe, and that we’ll get her back to him as soon as we possibly can.” She then used a knife she carried on her to cut the ropes around Daylen’s wrists. “Sorry you had to be introduced to Miles that way. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
Daylen shook her head. “No. The lone wolf had only just brought me here. Miles was more than a little pissed to see me. I guess I didn’t work into his plans for the day.”
“Be grateful for that. Come on. Let’s get you back to Jager. Both of you must be feeling the separation.”
Now that she was no longer a captive the need to be with Jager pressed down on Daylen harder. It almost felt as if her very soul was crying out for him. As she followed Saskia and the men to the Escalade that she’d seen parked on the street, Daylen knew her feelings for her mate were stronger than she had wanted to admit before. The time away from him showed her that even though their relationship had taken off at lightning speed, she really did love Jager. Why else would her soul yearn to be with him so strongly?
Once they had all crammed into the Escalade, Skylar, who was driving the SUV, wasted no time getting Daylen back to her bungalow. As they raced down the streets, she was surprised no other police officers pulled them over for speeding. She knew if she had been on patrol, Skylar would have gotten a ticket by now.
But, in her present condition, Daylen couldn’t care less. She just needed to get back to Jager.
When the Escalade pulled over in front of her house, Daylen jumped out and ran up to the front door. She burst into the bungalow and threw herself into Jager’s open arms when he met her in the front hall.
Heedless of the others who had been with Jager, and who quickly made their way out the front door, Daylen met Jager’s lips halfway when he claimed her mouth in a heated kiss. She moaned as she clutched the front of Jager’s shirt and pushed him up against the wall. The anxiety and the sense that something had happened to Jager melted away now that she could touch him. They were replaced with the need to have his cock buried deep inside her, joining them in the most intimate of ways.
Breaking contact with Jager’s lips, Daylen tugged at his jeans. Her breath came in labored pants as she opened the front of them and took his hard cock in her hand. “I need to have you inside me. Right now.”
Jager groaned and thumbed her nipple through her shirt. “I need you just as badly. It’s the mating bond. The separation.”
Daylen pumped her hand a few times on his shaft then released it so she could tug Jager’s jeans down past his hips. “I promise never to leave like that again. I was an idiot to think I would be strong enough to take it. Now make love to me.”
Switching their positions, Jager quickly undid her jeans and shucked them down her legs. Once Daylen kicked them the rest of the way off, he lifted her, pressed her back against the wall and sheathed his cock inside her pussy with one stroke. Daylen put her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around Jager’s neck. He thrust his hips into her, causing her body to coil ever tighter. The head of his cock butted up against her womb with each stroke in. Daylen let out a whimpered moan as her climax thundered to the surface. With one final stroke, Jager buried his face into the crook of her neck and groaned loudly as he came with her.
Still feeling little aftershocks deep inside her pussy, Daylen pulled the hair elastic from Jager’s hair and tossed it away. She then ran her hands through the long silky length of his hair.
Jager's Mate Page 10
