The Calling

by Lily Graison

  "Have you seen them, Stan? Any of them?"

  "No. Are there many injured?"

  Malcolm laughed bitterly. "We have two dead and over a dozen injured. Garrett tore through them like they were pups. Imagine what he could do if he had time to plan an attack." He stilled and shook his head. "How did this get so out of control? It was a simple plan. Why didn't it work?"

  Stan sat down in the chair opposite Malcolm and sighed. "Garrett Kincaid is why," he said. "We should have taken more precautions and picked someone else the moment we found out those two were involved."

  "But they weren't involved. The scouts said they'd parted ways."

  "So he said. We don't know anything other than what was seen."

  Malcolm scowled and leaned back in his chair. "This is a complication we don't need. Garrett was strong when he left twelve years ago. The way he tore through this pack makes me wonder if he couldn't overthrow me if he had the desire to do so."

  "He won't."

  "We can't be sure of that," Malcolm said.

  "He wants the girl. Maybe we should just let him have her," Stan said.

  "We can't do this without the girl, Stan. It has to be her. If we start over, it will put us months behind. I can't go through all this again."

  "Well, Garrett isn't going to just let us have her. He was always bull-headed. He never followed pack dictates like the others did. If he's as strong as you say, he could single-handedly destroy us all."

  "Yes, but if we can get her back, it will be too late for him to do anything. Once we infect her, he'll have no choice but to do as we want."

  "And what of the others?"

  Malcolm looked around the room as Stan's softly spoken words reached him. They were alone but he wasn't na

  "So what should we do?" Stan asked.

  Malcolm stared at the floor, his shoulders sagging. "We have to get Ms. Ford back but we must care for our dead first. In all the time we've been here, we've never had a death born of such violence. The pack will expect us to do something. Finding Ms. Ford isn't going to be their main concern at the moment, but call the wolves. See how many are willing to face Garrett again. We'll need strength in numbers, so we may have to force them. We have to get Ms. Ford back before the others arrive. This entire plan hinges on her."

  "And Garrett?"

  Malcolm stared at his most trusted friend and knew what he was thinking. He could see it in his eyes. He nodded his head and said, "We'll kill him if we have to."

  * * * *

  Carmen moved away from the door and walked to the stairs, climbing them carefully as to not alert Malcolm she was there. When she reached the top, she ignored the looks the others gave her and walked into the last room on the hall without a word. Mitch was on the bed, his body trembling as sweat soaked the sheets under him. She smiled and moved further into the room. "He'll live?"

  "Of course."

  She sat on the edge of the bed, running a finger down the side of Mitch's face. "Malcolm suspects something."

  "And I wonder why that is?" he said, glaring at her. "I think he's on to us. You should have never called Garrett."

  Her eyes bled to amber as she looked up. "Garrett's participation is pivotal to our plan or have you forgotten? Without him we have nothing."

  "I don't know why you think we can't do this on our own."

  "Because you aren't strong enough to take Malcolm yourself, that's why."

  "Is that the only reason?" She answered him with a smile. He scowled and walked around the bed. "If I didn't know any better, Carmen, I'd think you had plans of keeping Garrett for yourself."

  "You worry too much, lover. My desire for Garrett is only to get us what we want. Nothing more."

  "And why don't I believe you?"

  She grinned as she stood to face him. "Trust me. Once Garrett kills Malcolm, you and I will be in complete control of the pack, just like we planned. Garrett can take his newly turned bitch and go about his life."

  He stared at her, the look on his face showing her his doubt. She reached out, running her fingers up his thigh before cupping him through his jeans. He grew hard in her hand. "I promise you," she said, leaning up to kiss him, "all will go as planned. Bring me the girl, and Garrett, and we'll spend the rest of our lives with you as king."

  Chapter 6

  Rayna jolted awake and stared wide-eyed around the room. It was still dark, the only light coming from the open curtains on the windows that let the glow of the moon filter in. She sat up, looked around again trying to see what had woken her. She didn't see anyone or hear anything. She sighed and pushed her hair out of her face before working a hand through the tangled ends. It had dried in wild strands that took a few minutes of finger combing to straighten out.

  Standing, she stretched and walked to the window, looking out. The moon was still bright, illuminating the surrounding forest. A glance at her watch showed it to be a little after one a.m.

  Thoughts of Mitch had plagued her dreams. The sound of his screams echoed in her head and the blood that poured from his neck still made her stomach queasy. She wondered how he was, if he was still alive. She felt responsible even though he'd been the one who wanted to make this trip. Malcolm's plan, from what she'd gathered, was meant for her. Mitch just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  Crossing her arms under her breasts, she laid her head against the windowpane and stared at nothing. They'd be coming for her. Jacob even said as much. What would they do with her when they did? Did her fate match that of Mitch's? Would they attack her and tear at her flesh the way they had him? She shuddered at the thought. No. Garrett wouldn't let them. Regardless of how much he hated her, she knew he wouldn't let anyone hurt her. He'd proved that already.

  Hearing a noise behind her, she turned her head to the sound. Garrett walked into the room and crossed to the kitchen. All she could do was stare at him.

  He looked... normal. He'd shed the wolf guise and was freshly showered, judging his attire. He wore nothing but a white towel draped low on his hips. He opened the refrigerator door, grabbing a bottle of water before turning. He froze when he saw her and stared for long moments before letting the refrigerator door shut.

  Neither said anything. They just stood there looking at each other.

  Rayna couldn't have spoken if she tried.

  Staring at him, she tried to imagine the man she saw now as the... wolf she'd seen earlier. She couldn't. Nothing about this man gave her any indication of the creature he was. I guess that's how he hid it for so long.

  She let her gaze roam over every inch of him, from his strong jaw line to the high cheekbones and pale brown eyes tinged with long lashes. His skin was still tanned and of the few men she'd ever been with, Garrett had to be the most fit. His biceps were impressive, as was the rest of him. His chest was solid, tight abs that dipped and curved and sharp hipbones that formed a perfect "V" and drew her eye to the top of the towel. The dark dusting of hair that peeked out from the top of it and ran up to his navel caused her breath to catch. He was so beautiful he caused her chest to ache. Beautiful he may be, but he hates you, remember?

  The familiar ache returned to her chest and she turned her head, looking back out the window.

  Garrett's pulse raced by the time Rayna looked away from him. She hadn't looked at him like that in longer than he cared to remember. His body tightened almost painfully and he wanted her gaze back on him, wanted to see her look at him as if she still wanted him.

  Inhaling deeply, he scented her on the air. His wolf slid under his flesh like liquid through his veins when he caught the scent of her. The delicate aroma of flowers was gone, now... the heady musk of her arousal filled the air mixed with his own scent. She was wearing his clothes, his scent lingering on her skin. The wolf howled in his head and a growl worked it way up his chest, vibrating against his ribs and firing off every nerve in his body.

  The wolf had wanted her from the moment he'd first laid eyes on her over a year ago. Now that she was in
his old house, surrounded by the things he'd left to Jacob and wrapped in his scent, he knew the beast wouldn't rest until it possessed her. If he could just find a way to do it without infecting her, he would put himself out of misery and claim her.

  She looked back over at him, the light from the window shining off her hair and throwing shimmers of copper and gold across the strands. She lifted a hand, pulling the edge of the robe she wore shut before pushing her hair away from her face.

  He straightened, sat the water bottle in his hand on the counter and cleared his throat, forcing his beast down and trying to keep his voice soft. "It's probably not a good idea to stand next to the windows."

  Her eyes widened before she glanced back out. "They're really going to come for me, aren't they?" She looked back over at him. "Jacob said they would."

  "More than likely they will, and they could have you snatched out of that window before I could get to you."

  Taking a few steps away from the window, she turned and put her back to the wall. She said nothing for long minutes, just stood there staring at him. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet with a soft tremble. "I guess I owe you my gratitude," she said. "It's hard to tell what they would have done to me if you hadn't been there."

  "You don't need to thank me, and I don't think their intention is to kill you, if that's what you're worried about."

  "Maybe not, but the alternative doesn't sound too pleasant either."

  He smiled and tilted his head to one side. "Being a wolf isn't all that bad," he said. "It has its advantages."

  "So Malcolm said."

  "He was right."

  "How so?"

  "Well, you can live longer than the average human for one."

  "Being immortal isn't worth turning into a..." She cut her words off but he could tell by the look on her face what she was about to say. He was a monster in her eyes. Something vile and disgusting. His chest ached at the revelation and his face must have reflected his pain.

  She ducked her head and said, "I'm sorry."

  He forced a smile onto his face and shrugged one shoulder. "It's fine."

  "No," she said, looking back up. "It's not. I should be thanking you for saving my life, not insulting you."

  He looked her in the eye and said, "You don't have to thank me, Rayna... there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you."

  She stared at him and he could tell she didn't believe him. And really, why should she? When was the last time he had a kind word for her? The day he left her standing in the middle of the park crying? No. That was the day he told her he'd just used her and thanked her for the best piece of ass he'd ever had. Maybe the day before that, when he tried to tell her they were over but ended up fucking her silly instead. No, not that day either. He couldn't even remember and he hated himself just a little bit more because of it.

  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I know I've been a complete ass to you for months now and you don't have to forgive me... ever really, but I want you to know it wasn't personal."

  "You hating me isn't personal?" She laughed softly and looked away from him, staring down at the floor.

  "I don't hate you, Rayna."

  "Could have fooled me."

  She whispered so softly that without his keen hearing he would have never heard it. "I don't hate you."

  She looked back up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Then why?"

  Because I love you and I wanted you safe. Because I never wanted you to know what I am. He swallowed the words before he voiced them.

  "Is it because..." she paused, her eyes becoming brighter with tears. "Because of what you are... or was it just me?"

  Her voice trembled and he gritted his teeth together to keep from baring his soul. Being in the same room with her, alone, with no one to see how he acted around her left him defenseless. It was easy to pretend when they were in the real world, surrounded by people, but not here. Not now. Not after everything that had happened tonight. He came too close to losing her. He still could and that little piece of knowledge terrified the hell out of him.

  He crossed the room, stopping when he reached her. "It wasn't you," he said, softly. "I never wanted to hurt you. It damn near killed me every time I did." Her bottom lip trembled as she stared at him and the look on her face nearly did him in. Hurting her with words he didn't mean scorched him to the bone, seeing the effects of those words nearly ripped out his soul. He sighed when a tear fell down her cheek. He raised his hand and brushed it away with his thumb, staring down at her. "I'm sorry, Rayna. For everything."

  One tear turned into two and before he could catch them, the dam broke. He grabbed her, pulling her to him and buried his face in her hair as she cried. She felt so good, smelled so good, he wrapped his arms around her tighter, nearly sighing in relief when he felt her arms circle his waist.

  Her tears intensified, her breath hot against his bare chest. He rubbed his face into her hair, his fingers climbing into the thick strands before he kissed the top of her head. He lingered there, holding her tighter before she lifted her head and looked up at him. He wiped her tears away, his fingers sliding easily across her wet face and the reasons he had for pushing her away vanished.

  One look at her sweet, ripe mouth and his body responded immediately. His chest felt tight, his pulse raced just a little bit faster and the moment he saw her tongue slip between her lips to moisten them, he was done for. He leaned down and kissed her.

  Her arms tightened around him immediately, her mouth opening under his as her tongue pushed inside his mouth. Months of wanting her and the need he denied himself tore at his flesh and the wolf howled triumphantly inside his head. He devoured her mouth, sucking on her tongue until she moaned and went soft and pliant in his arms. Her hands gripped his arms before sliding over his ribs, slim fingers tickling his chest and stomach and he hardened in an instant. He leaned into her, his knee parting her thighs and the desire to strip her bare and take her right there against the wall screamed through his head. He broke the kiss before he lost all reason to think. He stared down at her, his lungs heaving for air as she stared up at him. "If I could take it all back, I would. It drove me crazy to see you and not have you. The only way I even dared speak to you was to insult you." He cupped her face in his hands, kissed her again, his lips tasting and teasing her own. "I never wanted to hurt you, Rayna."

  "Then why did you?" she asked.

  He shook his head before laying his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. "I didn't know any other way."

  "Any other way to what?"

  "Make you hate me." She didn't say anything but her arms tightened around his waist. "I knew I couldn't stay away from you so I hoped you'd solve the problem for me. If you hated me, you would avoid me."

  "Why? Because you're different?"

  "For the most part, yes," he said, leaning back to look at her. "I never wanted you to know, Rayna." He sighed and ran his fingers through her hair, brushing his lips across her face. Her warmth seeped into his bones and if he were able to purr, he was sure the wolf would be doing just that at the moment. He felt at peace for the first time in months. All because she was in his arms, her sweet breath on his face and her hands touching his bare flesh. How long she'd let him keep her there was a question he wasn't sure he wanted the answer to. After the way he'd treated her, she owed him nothing. "It's late," he said. "You should sleep. You'll need all the rest you can get."

  She stared at him for long moments before finally nodding her head and let go of him. He reluctantly took a step back. "Take the bed. Last door on the left."

  "Where will you be?"

  "I'll take the couch." She gave him a look that he wanted to interpret as her wanting to disagree and as much as sharing a bed with her again caused the wolf to howl inside his head, he couldn't afford the distraction. "I need to be close to the door in case they try to come before daybreak."

  She watched him for long minutes before nodding her head and starting across the room.
She paused behind the sofa, looking back over her shoulder at him. "Good night."

  "Good night, Rayna."

  * * * *

  The smell of food and the clatter of dishes woke her. The sun was shining; bright rays peeked through the blinds on the window and Rayna squinted and rolled over, away from the light, and looked around the room.

  It was tidy, much like the rest of the house, and she burrowed into the blankets, stealing what warmth was still there.

  When she'd climbed underneath the blankets and closed her eyes the night before, her dreams hadn't been of monsters chasing her through darkened forests. They had been of Garrett. After months of his hurtful words and hateful glances, he'd kissed her. Kissed her like the world was ending and he couldn't get enough of her. Kissed her like he used to. Like she was the only thing that mattered to him. Like he wanted her... craved her. The feeling left her elated and confused.

  Had he told her the truth when he said he'd broken things off with her not because of her, but because of what he was? That he'd tried to make her hate him because it was easier to stay away? How different things would have been if he'd just trusted her enough to be honest. And what would you have done if he had? Screamed while running as fast as you could or just passed out? She sighed. All of the above, probably, and he knew that. He'd done what he thought was best, regardless of how hurtful it had been.

  She rolled over, staring up at the ceiling before lifting her arms and stretching. Sitting up, she pushed the blankets back and stood, slipped the robe she'd found the night before back on, and walked to the bedroom door.

  Jacob was in the kitchen, singing something under his breath. He was placing a dish of something on the table and she smelled coffee and toast. Her stomach growled a moment later. She was starved.

  Walking to the bathroom, she opened the door and came face to face with Garrett. "Oh! I'm sorry," she said.

  He was standing in front of the mirror, wiping his face with a towel, a razor and a can of shaving cream on the sink in front of him. He looked over at her and smiled. "Good morning."