by Susan Bliler
None of it was your fault, Emma.
But he didn’t want to start there. How many others would have told her the same? He’d shown her his greatest hurt and she’d exposed a side of it he’d never considered, gifting him with an understanding. He wanted to do the same for her, but how? His eyes scanned her petite frame as she wrapped her arms around her body self-consciously and hugged herself.
Show her!
One second he was staring down at her contemplating his words and the next he was moving. Emma gasped when he grabbed her and lifted her off the ground. One arm shelved her ass as he stalked to the nearest tree and when he gently pushed her back up against it, he settled his big body between her legs. The instant he’d picked her up, Emma’s arms had gone around his shoulders like she thought he’d actually drop her. Standing with her wrapped around him, Hayes frowned hard as he searched her eyes, his nose a mere breath from hers.
“H-Hayes?”
Then he kissed her. It wasn’t some romantic movie kiss either. It was powerful and demanding. He poured every ounce of his respect and desire for her into it because this was how he told her. Fuck words! She needed to know what Dean had shown her with his actions. She needed to know that fuck Cancer, she was the most exquisite creature Hayes had ever laid eyes on. She needed to know that Dean had been right. A woman like Emma should be coddled and protected. Her man should shoulder the burdens for her, because that’s what real men did, and it wasn’t any obligation, it was a fucking honor!
Hayes moved his mouth over hers and after her initial shock, Emma was kissing him back. His wolf soared in elation and the hard bar of his cock that was rubbing up against her feminine heat grew impossibly harder when Emma made a needy sound in the back of her throat.
Mark her. His wolf chanted. Claim her. Turn her.
“Hey fucker!”
Hayes broke the kiss and turned his head just in time to take a hard punch to the face.
Emma yelped as Hayes dropped her to her feet and stumbled back. Then Aden was on him. A series of rapid punches connected with Hayes’ face and body. The Enforcer was good, but he was no Beta, and after allowing Aden to work off some steam, Hayes delivered one blow that sent his pack mate sprawling on his ass.
Rage twisted features scowled up at Hayes. “You had your shot but didn’t want a human! Remember? Jaxon assigned me to her, so keep your fucking hands and lips off my woman.”
His wolf’s denial had Hayes taking a threatening step closer. “She ain’t your woman.”
Aden scrambled to his feet and balled his hands into fists as he squared up to Hayes. “She ain’t yours either!”
“Oh, God!” Emma’s breathed words had both men turning to look at her, but she was hurrying toward her cabin with both hands flattened against her flushed cheeks.
“Emma!” Hayes barked and took a step, but then Aden was on him again.
Chapter 20
Inside her cabin, Emma hurried to her room and then disappeared inside her bathroom where she locked the door then leaned on it for good measure. “Oh God!” What have I done?
Hayes and Aden were outside fist fighting over her. Actually. Fucking. Fist. Fighting! It made her want to retch thinking on whether she’d led Aden on. She didn’t think she had, but somewhere, somehow, the guy had laid claim to her. She didn’t want this though. She didn’t want to come between their pack and ruin a friendship. Shoving off the door, she paced the small space, lifting a thumb nail and catching it between her teeth. Her lips still tingled from Hayes’ kiss and she’d smile at the memory if he wasn’t outside right now getting punched for it.
How do I fix this? How do I fix this? How do I fucking fix this?
She heard the cabin door open and then booted feet were stomping through her home. She stilled and backed away from the door as the sound grew nearer. There was a loud knocking on the bathroom door and she waited.
“Emma? Open the door.”
It was Hayes and she breathed a little easier until… “Is Aden okay?”
“He’ll live,” Hayes snarled. “Open up.”
But she didn’t. She couldn’t. She’d just bared her soul to Hayes and got caught making out with him. Worse, Aden must have felt some sense of betrayal and that hurt. Emma wasn’t the kind of person who played with anyone’s heart and right now she felt terrible because Aden thought there was something going on between them. Granted, she didn’t believe that and if there had been a spark, she’d missed it completely, but that didn’t negate the fact that Aden apparently felt like something had happened that warranted him attacking Hayes like a jealous boyfriend.
On the other side of the door, Hayes growled impatiently, “Emma?”
“I didn’t… I’m not with Aden.”
“I know!”
“We haven’t kissed, haven’t even held hands.”
“I know!”
When Emma jerked the door open, Hayes was standing there with his typical frown on the other side.
“How,” she demanded. “How do you know?” If she didn’t know any better she’d have sworn that Hayes actually blushed. “Hayes?”
“I watched you.”
“What do you mean you watched me?”
Tucking his hands into his jeans pockets, Hayes shrugged. “Not just you. You and Aden. I watched you when you guys were testing compatibility.”
Eyes rounded in incredulity, Emma flattened a hand on her chest. “What? You spied on us?”
“Wasn’t spying, Em. I was making sure you were safe.”
“Safe from Aden?”
“No,” he shook his head. “Safe from Edric.”
Petal pink lips pursed. “Wasn’t Aden doing that?”
“Not like I could,” Hayes lifted his chin haughtily. “He’s a tough kid, but he ain’t no Beta!”
Emma wanted to argue, but all fight left her when she thought about poor Aden. “I don’t want to do this, to be this. I don’t want to come between you and your pack. I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me. I’m not that kind of woman, Hayes. I know most would be flattered, but I’m just hurt by all this. Aden’s confusion makes it look like I led him on,” she held up her hands, “which I didn’t. And now being caught kissing you makes me look indecisive.”
Hayes canted his head, “Indecisive.”
A heavy sigh escaped her. “Jaxon told me that shifters are only allowed to change their mate. I had to pick one of you, one of you who would be willing to claim me and change me if it came down to that.”
“So you chose Aden.”
“Don’t do that,” she snapped. “You don’t get to sound all wounded. I’m trying to stay alive and you made it perfectly clear that you were not only uninterested, but were downright disdainful.”
His hand shot out like a rattle snake striking and she gasped at his quickness. He gripped her wrist and pulled her hand to him, forcing her to feel the undeniable erection that still pressed at the front of his jeans. “Does this feel like disinterest, Emma?”
She blushed and tried to pull her hand away, but when Hayes continued to hold her she looked up at him.
“Your heart isn’t gone. It may be shattered, but it ain’t gone. You just need someone who is willing to gather all the pieces and love ‘em so hard that they fuse back together.” With a command full of feral intensity, he growled, “Un-choose Aden.” Then he released her and was storming out of her cabin.
***
Hayes paced the woods just outside of sight of Emma’s cabin. He needed to be away from her. Fisting his hair as he paced, he kept eyeing the area where her home rested just over the crest of a hill. Fuuuuck! He wanted her. He wanted her with an intensity that was so fierce that he was hoping Aden showed back up just so he had an outlet for some of the adrenaline pumping through him. Glancing back at the cabin, his mind was consumed with one thought, the image of Emma lying naked beneath him. Soft skin, supple body, willing woman, and she would be willing. He’d felt it in the way she’d returned his kiss. His little Emma was
a fucking siren hiding beneath work clothes and a distant demeanor. His balls drew up and he clenched his back teeth taking deep breaths in through his nose. His wolf was riding him to go back and put his bite over that fucking vamp’s mark so that Edric, Naheem, Aden and everyone else knew that Emma was off limits.
Claim her! His wolf demanded. Fuck her! Bite her!
Unable to shake off the chanting of his wolf, Hayes let a shift explode through him. When the wolf lunged toward the cabin, Hayes jerked him back causing himself to stumble as his beast was turned and pointed towards the forest. He’d run the need out of the animal before he let him near Emma again. His need for her was too great right now and he didn’t trust his wolf not to take advantage if Hayes was somehow lucky enough to get Emma wrapped around him again.
Chapter 21
Head swimming with confusion, Emma paced her cabin. Hayes’ words were playing on a reel over and over. Un-choose Aden. She couldn’t stifle the giddy hope that had bubbled forth at Hayes’ clear jealousy. She liked Hayes, a lot, but she wasn’t certain if she was ready to un-choose Aden because un-choosing him meant choosing Hayes and Hayes felt big. Like comet crashing to Earth big and that was scary. Stopping at her bedroom door, she bit her thumb nail and blinked too rapidly with her reeling thoughts. Maybe Hayes’ un-choose Aden wasn’t an indication of his interest, maybe she was seeing something that wasn’t there. But if there was something there, was it out of pity? Was this a betrayal to Dean?
With each new thought and each passing moment, her frustration mounted. She wasn’t like other women, she didn’t enjoy the games, didn’t enjoy the chase. If Hayes wanted her he should just come right out and say it. Maybe she should just ask him. That’s it! I’ll just straight out ask him!
His heavy steps on the porch informed her of his return and she sucked in a fortifying breath as she quickly smoothed down her hair and straightened her shirt, as she hurried for the door.
She caught the knob just as it was being pushed open and nervous butterflies flitted to life in a wild explosion. She was already thinking of what she’d say. Resolved, she’d just look him dead in the eye and say, ‘Are you interested in having a relationship with me or not?’ God, that sounded corny, but it was too late to think of anything else now because his large frame was pressing through the door.
“Hayes,” she began, but her words lodged in her throat. It wasn’t Hayes!
Emma tried to jerk back, but she wasn’t fast enough. Naheem’s cold hand wrapped around her throat and squeezed. She knew from her previous attack that no amount of struggling or fighting from her could break a vampire’s hold, so she didn’t fight. Instead, she concentrated on breathing while in her head she was screaming for Hayes.
“Big bad Beta went out for a run and left the source all alone,” Naheem mock pouted, even jutting out his bottom lip in an exaggerated moue of sadness. “Too bad for you,” his lips tweaked in a wicked grin. “Good for me.”
He pulled Emma close and then threw her back hard. Edric had done the same thing so this time she was prepared for the power of it. Instinctively, she lifted her hands and covered her head just as her body crashed into the wall. The impact was jarring and as she slammed to the ground, she sucked in an agonizing breath opening her mouth to scream with all she had.
“No, no, no-no, no!” Naheem was back on her, his long fingers curling around her throat and cutting off her air. “No calling for help until I’m good and sated.”
His words sent terror shooting through her. Sated? Pinching her eyes shut she prayed that he just wanted to feed.
A cold nose trailed over her cheek and Naheem inhaled. “Mmmm, you already smell delicious and I haven’t even bitten you yet.
Emma’s mouth opened and closed in an attempt to draw in a breath. One lone tear streaked down her cheek. In desperation, she finally lifted her hands and clawed at the fingers choking her.
Naheem laughed. “You’re right.” He loosened his hold. “Don’t want you passing out.” He pulled his teeth back and his incisors elongated. “I want you to be awake for thissss. Want you to feel when I ssssink into you.”
Naheem’s moist breath fanned her throat and she could smell the putrid corpsey scent as he leaned closer. Emma’s body tensed. She knew the excruciating pain that came with the bite, knew the terror coursing through her would send her to dizzying heights as she wondered if this time she died. I should have told Hayes!
Just as Naheem’s teeth touched the tender flesh of her throat, he was whipped backward. His hold on her released so fast that she flew forward. Her palms smacked the ground so hard they the stung with the impact, but she didn’t care. Jerking her head up, she scurried backward as Hayes threw Naheem out the opened front door. His gaze jerked round to Emma and she was nodding while one hand massaged her throat and the other stabbed a finger out the door in silent indication that he should go after Naheem.
He didn’t have to though. That crazy stupid vamp was standing out in the yard, dusting off his coat.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Naheem clucked his tongue and looked at Hayes. “I only came to deliver a message. Simply wanted to have a snack while I waited.”
Hayes jumped off the porch and stalked to the vampire, with a snarled, “Motherfucker!”
Naheem threw up a hand and the first real hint of fear flashed in his eyes as he rushed out, “They’re coming for your pack!”
Hayes slammed to a halt.
Naheem looked between Hayes and Emma who’d stumbled to the door way. “You knew she wasn’t the real target. I came to warn you.”
“Why?” Hayes snarled. “Why in the fuck would you warn me?”
Snorting in derision with a roll of his eyes, Naheem looked at Hayes like the answer should be obvious. He slid his cold gaze to Emma. “In exchange for the woman. She is nothing to your pack, save for a burden, and I’ve heard of you Hayes. I am aware of our disdain for the human species. Give her to me, save your pack, and be done with it.”
Emma wasn’t worried though. She knew Hayes now, knew he’d never give her to them. He saw her differently now. And as if drawn by her thoughts, Hayes turned to look at her. A reluctant sadness filled his eyes and had dread filling her veins.
“Who’s coming? When?” He asked, but kept looking at Emma. She couldn’t help but feel like he was sizing her up, trying to determine if she was worth this valuable information.
“I want your word,” Naheem held his chin up haughtily. “I know how you dogs are about loyalty and honor. Give me your word that if I give you what you want, you give me the woman.”
Hayes’s brows steepled in silent apology a second before he ripped them from hers. “Fine. You have my word.”
His words were like a blow and had Emma staggering back a step. She heard Naheem’s delighted bellow but nothing was registering. It felt like she was trying to function under water.
“Edric and the coven. They’re heading for your compound. They are moving in as we speak.” Naheem took a step closer and held out a hand. “Now the woman.”
“Is that it,” Hayes asked. “Is that all you have, Edric and his coven? How many?”
“I don’t know that. But what I’ve given is sufficient. You can run along and save your pack if you’re fast enough. Now, give. Me. The woman!”
Hayes was on him so fast that it happened in the space of a blink. One second he was standing between Emma and Naheem and the next he had Naheem’s throat squeezed in his fist.
“You…gave your…word!” Naheem accused on a wheeze.
“Yeah? Well I guess that makes me a bad beta, doesn’t it?” Hayes didn’t wait for an answer. A partial shift shuttled through him and his wolf’s snout elongated and filled his mouth with razor sharp teeth. Quick as lightening, he jerked back and then lunged forward ripping out half of Naheem’s throat in one vicious snap.
In his periphery, Hayes heard Emma yelp, but he had to finish this and fast. Claws burst from the tips of his fingers and dug into flesh as he jerked hard and twisted.
That fast and Naheem’s headless body was dropping to the ground. Seconds later, Hayes chucked Naheem's head deep into the woods and when he turned to snarl at Emma he was fully human again.
“Get inside!” he punched his finger toward the cabin. “Get your shotgun, lock it up, and let no one in. You hear me?”
Emma nodded numbly and backed into the cabin just as Hayes’ wolf exploded from him and he raced toward his compound.
Chapter 22
Dread filled Hayes’ mouth with the acrid taste of sulfur as he raced for his compound. Ears pricked, his eyes constantly scanned the forest looking for anything out of place. He prayed he was ahead of Edric and his coven. He tried to howl in warning as he ran, but the sound wasn’t as strong as it would have been if he’d stopped and gave the call, but there was no way in hell that he was stopping.
When the compound came into sight, he strained for even the slightest noise. There was no sign or sound of battle though, and when the back door of the compound opened and an oblivious Vance stepped out with a sack of trash, Hayes felt relief flood him. He crashed into the clearing and startled Vance, who sucked in a harsh breath and simultaneously dropped the bag of trash, crouching as if intending to shift. His eyes locked on Hayes though and he smiled.
A few more strides and Hayes was close enough. He slid and shifted mid-slide, turning fully human as he came to rest on a knee with one leg kicked out in front of him leaving a gouge in the wet earth.
“Vamps coming!” he breathed and hurried to his feet, grabbing Vance’s arm and dragging him inside even as Vance stammered a confused, “Wh-what?”
“JAXON! ADEN! EVERYONE!” Hayes bellowed as he released Vance and tore through the kitchen.
Shifters had incredible hearing and his pack would have heard him the second he entered the house. He yelled though to relay his urgency.
