“Where are you?” I called. I’d been lost in my thoughts and wandering aimlessly around Adam’s house.
“Upstairs bathroom.”
Hiking up the knobby wood staircase, I headed down the hallway, peering into rooms and stopping when I found Wade. He held a hairbrush, Eve’s if the hot pink color was any indication.
“Hold out your hand,” he instructed.
Outstretching my arm, palm side up, Wade pulled the hair from the bristles and dropped them into my hand. I frowned, but my mouth went slack when pins-and-needles prickled through my skin.
“You feel something?” Wade asked expectant.
“It feels like my hand’s asleep.”
“I’ve been wondering something,” Wade said, so quiet I wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or me. He looked up, meeting my eyes and said, “All along I assumed you could be a seer, but what if because Eve made you a werewolf, you’re just attune to all things that include her?” He leaned against the sink counter, wrapping one arm around his waist while the other bent at the elbow. He ticked off theories to support his idea.
“You dreamt of the murders, and we’re pretty sure it was Eve who’d kill the humans.”
“How do you know exactly?” I interjected. I figured I’d take advantage of Wade’s willingness to talk.
Wade hesitated. I leaned my head forward, brows arching in my best out-with-it-already stare.
“We found bodies at their compound. It looked like they’d stuck a bunch of humans in a room and let their wolves go to town.”
I shivered, closing my eyes at what that must have been like, what those people went through in their last moments alive. There was a part of my brain that couldn’t fathom anyone being that monstrous, but I’d seen the gleam in Eve’s eye, and it spoke volumes to who she was.
“Where’s their compound?”
“Uh-uh,” Wade said, shaking his head. “I don’t have a problem telling you the details, but I’m not going to draw you a map so you can get yourself in trouble again.”
I ground my teeth together, pressing my lips into a hard line. “Can I let go of this now?” I nodded towards the clump of auburn hair in my palm, changing the subject. I’d gotten more information out of Wade than I would have Adam. I’d celebrate small victories for now.
“No.” Wade stood up straight and walked in front of me. “Close your eyes and concentrate.” He was silent for a moment. “Do you still feel something?”
I nodded, the sensation getting more and more annoying.
“Okay, good. Now think about Eve. Picture her face, her voice, the way she walks.”
“And why do you think I’m connected to Eve again?” I asked, annoyed I was being forced to think of a woman I loathed.
“Because she turned you. Sires and their children share a bond, linking them together.”
My skin itched thinking about being linked to a woman like Eve. The only gratitude I had was that if she hadn’t attacked me, I never would have met Adam. Or, if the myths were true, I still would’ve met Adam since he was my chante. The book said the earth guided the two halves towards each other. No matter, I didn’t want any type of connection with her.
“Are you concentrating?” Wade asked like a teacher disciplining an unruly student.
“Yes,” I told him exasperated. At the moment I imagined introducing her pretty face to my fist—over and over and over. As my imagination ran wild, inventing cool new ways to inflict pain on my ex-alpha female, the picture in my head wavered. I furrowed my brows, confused by the sudden change. I saw Eve walk down the hall and disappear into the third door on the right. Once inside, she walked over to the closet, opened it, and slid some boxes aside. Removing a piece that was cut out from the wall, she reached inside and pulled out a scroll of paper. She stood up, turned around, and smiled directly at me, a cold devious smirk that promised awful things.
My eyes snapped open, my body jumping back. I dropped the clump of hair and instantly felt at peace. It had been the most bizarre episode I’d had, and I still didn’t know what to make out of it.
“What’d you see?” Wade questioned, bending down and retrieving the hair I’d dropped. I repeated everything I saw, squeezing my hands into tight fists.
“It was like she saw me, like I’d been caught spying on her,” I explained a little flabbergasted.
“You saw the past. There’s no way she could’ve seen you. Someone probably came in while she was in the room and that’s who she was smiling at.”
“It was still creepy.”
“Let’s go check that room out,” Wade said, leaving the bathroom. “You said it was the third door?”
“Yeah.”
We went into the third bedroom. It looked like what I’d seen, though I’d never been in there before. I wasn’t sure how I felt about being a seer. It was both creepy and fascinating. If it helped take down Eve and Anthony, I couldn’t hate the gift too much.
Wade opened the closet, bent down, and removed the boxes that rested on the floor. A clear cut was visible on the wall once the boxes were out of the way. Wade tapped the top so the bottom part would kick out. Grabbing ahold of it, he removed the piece and reached a hand inside. A smile spread onto his lips. He’d found it.
“Where have you been?”
I stepped through the door and Adam’s interrogation started. He eyed Wade with derision, and then his piercing eyes fell back to my face.
“I feel a lot better, thanks for asking,” I replied, just as snappy.
Adam’s face softened the tiniest bit, but not enough to say he still didn’t expect answers. “I need a minute with Anna,” Adam told Wade, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and leading me upstairs.
I knew where he was taking me—the office. It was the only spot that wasn’t inhabited with our house guests. Once the door was closed, he walked over to the desk and leaned against it, crossing his arms and trapping me with his stare. His blond hair fell carelessly over his forehead, a piece dropping over his sapphire eye. I loved how beautiful he was and that this alpha male was mine. Warmth spread through my body, my stomach tightening. My wolf perked up, purring in delight as she watched her chante. Now was not the time to let my lust overthrow my strength. I needed to stand up to Adam, show him that I could handle whatever he had planned.
“So, are you going to tell me what you and Wade were doing?”
“Are you going to tell me what you and the leaders were talking about?”
“No. It’s for your protection,” Adam said.
“Then I plead the fifth.” I pretended to zip my lips.
“There have many times I wished I could silence those lips,” Adam said, his eyes focusing on my mouth. That delicious warmth spread through my body and headed south.
“Now isn’t one of those times.” Adam smiled. “I need to know if Wade betrayed me and put you into more danger. What has he told you?”
I shook my head, keeping my lips sealed. Adam pushed off the desk. Stepping around me, he brushed my hair to one side, his fingers lightly touching my skin. I closed my eyes against the feel of his hard body at my back; his hands rubbed my shoulders and a bulge pressed against my behind.
“I have my ways of extracting information, Anna.” His breath tickled my neck, sending goosebumps to pebble my skin. Pressing his mouth to my throat, his tongue darted out and licked a trail all the way up to my earlobe. My legs tingled. My wolf howled. My resolve slipped.
“Where were you?” Adam questioned again. He was a predator at my back, dominating and demanding. His fingers gripped my arms, indenting the flesh almost painfully.
“You first,” I said, my voice cracking. Clearing my throat I continued, “Why do we need to call surrounding packs for enforcement?”
Adam growled, annoyed I heard that part of his conversation last night. His fingers dug deeper, but not so hard that I couldn’t stand the pressure. With a quick, jarring tug, he turned me around to face him. His blue eyes were fire and ice as he stared down
at me. Even when he was pissed, I wanted him. We watched each other for a few moments, the silence grew and the air thickened with our mutual obstinacy. Adam closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. I smiled, knowing I’d won.
“We’re going after Anthony and Eve. They have gathered wolves of their own. The leaders think we should have backup in case things get out of control.”
When I was about to respond, Adam pressed his index finger to my lips.
“I have booked you and Elle a flight to California. You will not be anywhere near this place when the takedown starts.”
“What?” I shrieked. “I want to fight with my pack.”
Adam’s arms wrapped around my waist, and he rested his forehead against mine. “They know what you mean to me, Anna. They know you’re my chante and they could bring me to my knees by killing you. I’m not going to allow that.”
My breathing became shallow as I thought about flying away like a coward while Adam, and the rest of the pack, went to battle. What if something happened to him? Ugly scenarios swam through my mind. I fisted my hands into his shirt, clinging onto him for fear of losing him.
“I can’t leave,” I said through trembling lips. It’d be torture to be a thousand miles away while he fought for his life and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
“You will leave, Anna,” Adam said in warning.
The man knew me entirely too well. The thought of pretending to leave and doubling back to help fight had already crossed my mind.
“Think about what you’re asking me to do,” I told him. “What if something happens and I’m not here? I can’t handle that so please don’t make me.”
Adam stood up straight, his hands roaming up and down my arms in a motion that was meant to be soothing but did nothing to dissipate my worry.
“Think about what it’d do to me if you, an untrained wolf when it comes to fighting, were in the middle of a battle. I’d be too worried about your safety to concentrate on protecting myself or the others. I can’t have that kind of distraction. We only have one shot at this.”
I knew it was illogical, but my mind focused on the word distraction. It wasn’t a word I wanted associated with me, even if it was true. I knew diddly squat when it came to fighting as a werewolf and I understood Adam would go out of his way to make sure I was safe—to the point of neglecting his role as alpha to the rest of the pack. As I ran the argument through my mind a few times, my temper settled. I couldn’t put the lives of my pack in danger because I wanted to make sure Adam was okay.
The words I was about to say went against everything within me. I didn’t believe in them and I didn’t want to say them, but I knew it was for the best.
“I’ll go to California.”
*
I packed the last piece of clothing when Elle stepped into my bedroom carrying a red duffle bag. I wondered how she felt about being forced into leaving the state to watch the alpha’s mate.
“You ready?” Elle asked, sweeping her hair over her shoulder. She was dressed in skinny blue jeans, a green top with ruffled cap sleeves, and a pair of black pumps that made her legs look even longer. Next to her I looked frumpy in khaki capris, blue polo shirt, and brown sandals. If Elle had taught me anything, it was that my wardrobe was in serious need of a makeover.
“Yeah, I need to say goodbye to Adam,” I told her as I zipped the suitcase.
“He’s waiting for you in the office,” Elle said, reaching for the handle of my luggage.
Nodding, I shouldered past her in search of the man who was making me leave. With each step I thought of what things would be like when I returned. My eyes traveled over my brethren, all ready to risk their lives for their alpha’s cause. How many would be here when I got back? Climbing the stairs, my heart thudded in my chest the closer I got to the office door. It felt like this was goodbye for good. My parents didn’t know that when they left for their trip it’d be their last. The memory weighed heavy on my heart as I geared up to leave Adam behind.
I pushed the door open and closed it behind me. Adam sat in the high back leather chair behind the desk, his focus on the papers in front of him. His eyes trailed up slowly meeting mine. His stare was serious—full of all the worry I felt.
“Sit down, Anna.”
Without a word I sat in the chair, tucking my hands between my knees to hide their trembling. I wasn’t sure if it was the connection I shared with Adam, or I just didn’t want to leave, but every fiber within me wanted to stay beside him. The emotion would have annoyed me with any other man, but I learned when it came to Adam none of my previous relationship reservations held up.
“Here are your plane tickets,” Adam said, sliding a manila envelope across the desk.
I eyed the package, reaching out an unsteady hand to grab it. Adam’s eyes flickered to my quivering fingers, but he didn’t comment.
“Inside you’ll also find a map, a rental car agreement, and a Discover card. You’re free to spend whatever you want. Perhaps you and Elle can check out Rodeo Drive. I’ve heard a lot of woman dream of shopping there.” Adam smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
I kept a straight face, not impressed with the first class tickets or unlimited credit card. None of that mattered if Adam wouldn’t be here when I returned. He was trying to make this trip easier on me, but it wasn’t working. It didn’t matter what fun and exciting activities California held, my mind would be too focused on Wyoming to care.
“Try to have fun, Anna,” Adam said softly.
I drew my head up, my attention locked on Adam’s pretend happy face. He wasn’t fooling me. I could tell his insides were tied in knots just like mine. “What if I stayed here at the house? I’d be safe here, and I promise I won’t follow you guys to wherever you’re going. Just let me stay,” I begged.
Adam closed his eyes and released a heavy breath. When he looked at me again something changed. His face was hard as if it’d been carved from marble. His sapphire eyes held steady as he glared at me with determination. His lips pressed into a hard line and his hands fisted atop the desk.
“You will leave, Anna. I don’t want to hear another word about it. I won’t put you in harm’s way. You can hate me if you want, be pissed, but it’ll be from a thousand miles away and until I say it’s safe to return. Do you understand me?”
Tears welled in my eyes, threating to spill over my cheeks. I was defeated by his resolve. When I buried my parents I was sure I’d never have to do something as hard again. Leaving Adam was proving to be almost as hard. Knowing he wouldn’t discuss this any further, I stood and stomped toward the door. I opened the door when Adam’s large hand slammed it shut. I kept my back to him, not wanting to look at him in fear I’d turn into a blubbering fool.
With gentle hands, Adam turned me around, his arms encircling my waist and guiding me into the hard plains of his chest. He hugged me wordlessly. I inhaled a lungful of his scent, needing it to comfort me, and filed it into my memory just in case I never saw him again. Against my will, my tears fell and soaked Adam’s gray T-shirt. Adam embraced me tighter, his arms keeping me together. As soon as I was away from him, I’d break into a million pieces.
“Everything will be fine, Anna. This isn’t my first battle, and it won’t be the last. It comes with being an alpha. I’m fighting for you…for us. The days will go by quick and then we’ll be together.” Adam tipped my chin up, studying my face. A smile spread across his lips. “Not too long ago you did everything you could to push me away. Now you’re begging to remain by my side. Wearing you down will be my biggest victory.”
I laughed awkwardly, wiping my eyes and nose. “You’ve ruined me,” I joked.
“Good,” Adam said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You’ve gotta go. Your flight takes off in a couple hours, and you have a long drive ahead of you.”
Just like that my smile fell from my lips. Reaching up, I clasped my hands around his neck and kissed him more fervently than I ever had before, tasting every inch of his mouth a
nd claiming his attention. I trailed my hands up his neck and through his hair, inventorying the feel of it between my fingers. I paid closer attention to his taste, smell, and the feel of him. If tomorrow didn’t come for us, then I wanted to remember yesterday.
*
After a quickie with Adam, we made our way downstairs. The house was full of my pack and wolves I didn’t recognize, but assumed were reinforcements. I identified the large, bald man lounging on the couch. Puck caught my eye and bobbed his head in acknowledgement, a sickening smile forming on his lips. Taking a closer look at the new wolves, a few of them were at Wild Things that night.
“How many packs are in Wyoming?” I asked Adam over my shoulder.
“Three, but most of these people are rogues. They’re here as a favor to me and most don’t mind getting their hands a little dirty.”
I felt a little easier knowing the shady side of our kind were on our team. Even Ruth was here, her lady-of-the-night costume replaced with jeans and a fitted T-shirt. She winked when our eyes met.
“Should I even ask how you know those two?” Adam asked as we walked through the living room and into the kitchen.
“Wade took me to Wild Things. Ruth is a…um, hooker,” I whispered the word. “And Puck is the bouncer, I think.”
Adam laughed. “I know.”
I didn’t ask him how he knew. I had too much to deal with without worrying whether or not he’d been one of Ruth’s clients. The leaders were circled around the table, leaning forward as they looked over a large piece of paper. Adam leaned down and whispered in my ear.
01 Taming the Wolf - Anna Avery Page 22
