Wolf on the Run: Shifter romance (Shifters of the Glen Book 4)

by Jones,Skye

  Boyd laughed. “The Warriors can’t take mates. It is foretold.”

  Marc gave his own laugh, low and bitter. “No, but Dante takes companions for however long he wants them—until he throws them to one side like used goods. And even if Dante doesn’t make a play for her, or she resists his charms, think about it. The little secret stash of empathines you guys have been gathering are public knowledge now, and on top of the empathines, you have a possible bona fide Seer of some sort. You don’t think the Warriors or the Council will be interested in her? She’ll be thrown into a different world. If she is a Seer, the Warriors might want her to work with them. If she’s mated, they can’t simply drag her away. But like this? An unattached human female? Let’s be frank, a nobody to someone like them in the grand scheme of things, she might end up being forced to work with them. Or to go train with Ayina.”

  I’d heard enough. On shaky legs, I climbed back up the stairs, got into bed, and hid under the duvet like a scared child shutting out the world.

  I didn’t want to be Boyd’s mate because of some sense of duty. I wanted all or nothing, but no way would I be taken by these so-called Warriors. No way.

  I grew heartily sick of people, these men, talking about me as if I were a possession. Something to be taken and used. First the rogues, and now these Warriors. Well, no more. I’d take my destiny back into my own hands. This place had gone from being somewhere where I didn’t belong to somewhere that may be dangerous for me. In the morning, I’d leave. I’d head on home, pack some stuff, and disappear for a while. It seemed my only option. The big issue became how to get home. The woods weren’t safe, and even in one of the 4x4’s I’d feel vulnerable.

  Unless… I thought of my friend Pete. He was a first-class dick in many ways. A total manwhore who loved to flash his cash and behave like a spoiled playboy. But he also owned a seriously rugged off-roader. Had worked in security for years, and when you dug below the playboy image, you’d find a hard-core, kick-ass, tough nut. A real hard case, he’d been born and brought up in working class Glasgow, and now he made his money protecting spoiled rich kids. He and his friends were scary as fuck. We’d become friends when he’d spent some time helping my aunty and her daughter with a stalking issue. He and I hit it off and bonded over our love of fine clothing and cheesy eighties tunes. We’d never been attracted to one another, disproving the old adage about men and women not being able to be friends.

  If anyone could get me back to my flat safe and sound, Pete could.

  Chapter Ten

  Boyd shut out the noise all around him. The damn cacophony gave him a headache. His stomach churned with acid, and his body ached. How the fuck did he let this happen?

  He hung his head and stared at the floor of the meeting hall. Cait stood and shouted for everyone to be quiet.

  “I think I might know where she is.”

  “Where?” Marc fixed Cait with his attention.

  “She loves New York, and she has some friends and contacts there. She left her job, and even her mum says she doesn’t know where she is. So my guess is she’s gone there. Something freaked her out so bad, she ran, despite knowing she’s in danger out there. I’ve found out her friend Pete got her out of here. She arranged to meet him outside the gates, and he had a car waiting with some friends about half a mile down the road. Pete has no idea who or what we are. So he thinks he came to get her from an eco-compound after a love affair went wrong. He swears he has no clue where she went after packing up her flat.”

  She paused, and Boyd swore her eyes bored into the crown of his still-lowered head.

  “Laura’s not stupid, and she knows she’s in danger from the rogues. I imagine she thinks she’ll be safe in New York. It’s a big, busy, modern city. I guess she believes all of this won’t follow here there.”

  Boyd’s heart hammered in his chest. A feeling akin to panic washed over him. She wouldn’t be safe. Maybe from the rogues around the compound, yes. Those freakish creatures wouldn’t be flying to New York anytime soon. But if Marc and others were correct, and things were changing and the Kikan Myre were stirring, then Laura wouldn’t be safe.

  “I think we should call in the Warriors,” Jake said.

  “No.” Boyd shot up out of his seat before he thought about what he was doing. Marc’s words from the other evening about Dante rang out in his head. “I’ll go for her.”

  “You?” Adam swung his head to look at him, his deep blue eyes regarding Boyd with surprise.

  “Yes. Why?” Fucking hell. Did they think him so untrustworthy they didn’t think he’d keep her safe?

  Adam shrugged. “No real reason. Except you’ve hardly ever left the village, and you don’t have a passport.”

  Oh, crap. He hadn’t even thought about such things.

  “We can sort him out a passport easily enough. Our friends in high places can do anything along those lines.” Marc smiled at him, and Boyd hid his shock at the alpha coming to his defense. “I will go with you, Boyd. We can bring her back together.”

  Surprise hit him square in the gut. He stared at Marc, who only smiled at him.

  “So, it’s settled. You’ll get a passport sorted, and you two will head to New York.” Adam shook his head, and a smile played about his lips. “I’m almost tempted to come myself. I bet you two in New York will be an interesting sight.”

  “Hey, I’ll have you know I’m a highly traveled man.” Boyd laughed as he spoke.

  Yeah, but he wasn’t, was he? Boyd hadn’t been many places except the pack home in decades. The farthest he’d ventured had been Glasgow. Now he’d have to fly on a plane, and the thought scared him half to death. He’d be visiting a whole other continent, not merely a nearby city. And to get there, he’d have to face his claustrophobia and sit in a metal tube. But it’d be worth it to know Laura was safe.

  The thought hit him hard in his gut, and he sucked in a breath. My gods, he’d bonded with her!

  For no one else would Boyd fasten himself into one of those flying deathtraps. For no one else would he subject himself to days in a city full of humans scurrying to and fro like damned insects. So many of them. The noise, the hustle and bustle. Just the thought revved his pulse. He’d rather face down ten rogues than stand in a busy Times Square, but he’d do it. For Laura. As the realization of what it meant sank in, his wolf stirred and shifted within, wanting out. He understood then, he’d not only been denying himself and Laura, but denying his wolf also.

  His attraction to the beautiful young woman went beyond her looks—and beyond the fragile bond they’d formed. Something in her brought to life a part of him he’d long thought dead. She made him happy and somehow lighter. Around her, he actually smiled. Shit. He’d been so busy looking back at the past, feeling guilty and like a failure, he hadn’t seen the amazing chance right in front of him. Or rather, he had, and he’d freaked out over it. Fuck. Marc was right. He’d been a coward.

  Boyd set his jaw in determination. He’d go and find Laura and let her know what she meant to him.

  I bit into the pastrami on rye and almost rolled my eyes at the goodness. “Oh my God, Kimmi.” I smiled around the food. “This is divine.”

  “Didn’t your mother teach you better table manners than to talk with your mouth open?”

  I looked up in surprise. A stupidly handsome man stopped by our table, and he looked at me with a smile on his full and sexy mouth.

  I covered my mouth, embarrassed, while I chewed and swallowed.

  “I’m only joking. It’s great to see someone enjoy their food so much. Wayne, nice to meet you.” He stuck his hand out, and I shook with him.

  “Laura.”

  “Oh, you’re British?”

  I smiled and nodded.

  “Love the accent. Is it Scots?”

  Again, I gave him another smile and nod. Kimmi watched the guy with narrowed eyes.

  “I know this is kind of forward, but if you’re free later, I’d love to have some drinks with you. I noticed you from ov
er there and wanted to come say hi.”

  I considered his words. I had no plans later, but despite being in New York, thousands of miles and a whole world away from the pack and their compound, I still worried about some rogue finding me. Of course, this guy looked totally normal. Human. But then, so did the majority of shifters. Perhaps some rogues also looked human?

  “She’s not available.” Kimmi spoke for me and shot the guy a dirty look.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” The man put his hands up. “I didn’t know you were together.”

  Kimmi laughed. “Oh. We’re not, sweetheart. She’s taken by someone else. I’m still on the market.” Kimmi batted his eyelashes at the guy, who flushed and began to back away.

  “Sorry to bother you, Laura. Nice meeting you.”

  “You too.”

  The minute he turned and headed back to his friends, I smacked Kimmi on the arm. “No need to be so rude.”

  “Oh, purlease. The dude is a player. I know his type. Odds on, he’s a trader on Wall Street or something. He dates models, actresses, whatevers, and sucks back my yearly salary in coke every week.”

  “There’s one gaping problem with your analysis.”

  “Oh, yeah?” He dipped a fry in sauce and popped it in his mouth.

  “He asked me out, and I’m no model. Particularly since the accident.” I poked at my soft belly with disdain.

  Kimmi sighed. “Babe, you’re a stunner. You always were, and you always will be. A few pounds here and there make no difference. I like how you look now. You’ve got this Hollywood goddess vibe going on. Very Ava Gardner.”

  I nearly choked on my next bite of sandwich. “Ava Gardner! Wow, chance would be a fine thing.”

  We finished eating and left the restaurant. Kimmi took my hand, and we walked along the bustling sidewalk, swinging our arms. The day felt warm. Unseasonably so. Traffic roared, horns beeped, and all around me, people rushed to and fro. I loved this city. So alive, so vital. And yet, I’d trade it all in in a heartbeat to go back and stay in a tiny fenced-off village in the middle of nowhere. All because of a guy. Such a fucking saddo. I shook my head and squeezed Kimmi’s hand, suddenly ultra grateful for his friendship.

  He’d let me come stay with him when I’d called, no questions asked.

  Kimmi designed swimwear, and when I’d discovered his work three years ago, I’d brought him to the attention of the head buyer of the catalogue I worked for then. They’d fallen in love with his stuff, and Kimmi went from selling online in his own Etsy store to being in our catalogue and having a small store in the Village.

  “Shall we have a drinky poos before we head on home?” He waggled his brows at me, and I realized we were outside a bar.

  “Why not?” The sun had started to set, and a nice cocktail would round the day off nicely.

  We headed inside the dark interior, and I immediately loved the place. All dark wood, with bookshelves lining the walls groaning with a treasure trove of old, leather-bound tomes. It reminded me of some gentleman’s club from days gone by.

  We headed to the bar, and my mind boggled at the choice of spirits on offer. One caught my eye, a $200 a shot of rum. I rolled my eyes. I’d want the stuff to be made of gold at such a price.

  “What are you having?” Kimmi grabbed a cocktail menu and opened it in front of us.

  “I’d like to buy the lady a drink.” The deep voice rumbled through me, and I didn’t need to turn around and look to know Boyd stood behind me. I’d recognize his tones anywhere.

  My heart rate picked up, and my palms went slick. I didn’t dare turn around as tears stung my eyes. Damn him, what was he doing here? I’d been doing good work on getting over my illogical infatuation. Okay, so not even two minutes ago, I’d contemplated giving up New York forever to go and live with Boyd’s pack. But all healing journeys suffered small setbacks. In general, I felt I had headed in the right direction.

  I’d decided it had been nothing more than a momentous crush, the sort of thing every schoolgirl goes through with her favorite rock star. Now, hearing his voice brought all those familiar feelings rushing through me. Intense and oh-so-strong, those emotions represented no ordinary infatuation.

  I studied the cocktail menu, focusing on something other than the warm body behind me and the gorgeous scent of his spicy aftershave.

  Kimmi turned around, and I heard him let out a small gasp. “Ooh, hello, gents,” he said and nudged me in the ribs.

  “Hottie alert!” he whispered in my ear. “Two of them. Both drop-dead gorgeous. One’s built like a tank, the other’s like something off the front of GQ.”

  Curious as to who the other man was, I finally turned. Marc’s smiling face greeted me, and I screwed up my courage and shifted around fully until I faced Boyd.

  “Fancy seeing you here.” I sounded cool and in control, which amazed me as my heart did a fast rumba in my chest.

  “We fancied a holiday, and Cait told us she recommended New York at this time of year. Told me a friend of hers liked to vacation here. So we thought we’d check it out.” Boyd’s eyes locked on mine, and the warm brown held something that looked an awful lot like fear.

  “I see. And are you staying for long?”

  “As long as it takes to make you see sense and come home with me.”

  Me. He’d said me, not us. A little fire of hope blossomed, and I tried to dampen it down. He probably didn’t mean it the way I thought.

  “Do you two know one another?” Kimmi elbowed his way between Boyd and me, scowling up at Boyd as he did so.

  “Yes, we do.” I pulled Kimmi back. I didn’t want any crap kicking off between my friend and Boyd.

  “I want you to come home, Laura.” Boyd took hold of my upper arms and looked deep into my eyes. I held my breath. “It’s not safe for you here.”

  “No.” I yanked my arms out of his grasp and turned back to the bar. “Can I have a cosmopolitan, please? Kimmi, what do you want?”

  “Same, please.” He clapped his hands together and settled on the barstool, shooting the hot barman a seductive glance.

  “Why not?” Boyd’s heat covered my back, and his palm rested on my hip, branding me through my trousers. “I said it isn’t safe here.”

  “I’ll take my chances, thank you very much.”

  “Why are you being so damned stubborn?”

  Not wanting to do this with an audience, but knowing Boyd wouldn’t leave it, I spun around to face him once more. I poked him in the chest as I spoke. “Because I’m not going to come back with you when you don’t really want me. I get you feel honor-bound to keep me safe, but I’m setting you free. You don’t have to worry about it. I’ll be fine, okay? I promise I’ll look after myself, and anything weird, I’ll call Cait and Jake or my friend Pete, who, along with his scary friends, is more than capable of rescuing this damsel in distress. Okay? I won’t be anyone’s burden, most especially not yours.”

  There, I’d said it. A glass got thrust into my hand, and I took a shaky sip of the cocktail. It proved delicious, but it might as well have been filthy mud for all the ease with which it went down.

  Crap, I wanted to cry. My nose tingled in the way it did before I lost it, and I didn’t need Boyd and Marc seeing it happen. I tipped my head back and drained my glass.

  “Jesus, Laura. Take it easy.” Kimmi stared at me.

  “I’m finished here. Can we go home?” I shot him a pleading look and hoped he picked up on it.

  “Of course.” He downed his own drink, making a grimace at the end. “Wow. Much better sipped at.”

  We placed our glasses on the bar, and I walked by Boyd and Marc. “Nice seeing you guys again, but you can go on home. I’m fine here.”

  The suddenly much cooler air slapped my face as we hit the sidewalk. I always forgot how cold New York got in the evenings out of summer time.

  “I want you to come back with me because I care about you.”

  Boyd’s words reached me and ignited a tendril of hope in my soul. But I’
d heard him talking to Marc. He felt a responsibility for me—and one he didn’t want. Yes, he cared, but he didn’t love me or want me enough to take me as his mate. I’d never be able to compete with the ghosts he’d filled his life with.

  “It’s not enough.” I said the words quiet as a mouse, but I knew he’d hear them. Then I kept on walking, head down against the wind, until we reached Kimmi’s apartment.

  Chapter Eleven

  For the next few days, Boyd kept cropping up wherever I went, trying to talk to me, but I had my pride left, and frankly, not much else. I didn’t want to lose that too.

  On a cool but sunny Monday morning, I exited Kimmi’s apartment building and walked toward the small park at the end of his street. I needed to figure out what I wanted to do. I couldn’t stay with Kimmi forever, and for all my brave words, when I let myself think about things that went bump in the night, the fear crept in.

  Worse, I’d experienced more of my dread-filled dreams. I never saw the thing after me, or after the shifters, but I sensed its evil presence and it terrified me.

  I settled on a park bench and smiled as I watched mothers playing with their children and pet owners walking their dogs. I didn’t even have a cat. How pathetic and lonely.

  A huge part of me wanted to run home with my tail between my legs and move back in with Mum and Dad. They’d have me. And their home was lovely. I’d been something of a spoiled princess growing up. But I didn’t want to bring the danger to them. I’d seen a job I’d be ably qualified for online yesterday. Something based in Los Angeles. A move somewhere sunny ought to cheer me up, and I doubted shifters lived in urban LA. But LA was even farther away from Scotland, and the thought made my heart ache.

  Still, a new start was damned appealing.